Rostislav Vergun: "An even tougher challenge awaits us on the road"

Zenit's interim head Rostislav Vergun commented on his team's home victory over Lokomotiv Kuban (64:61) and answered journalists’ questions. After two games, the Blue-White-Sky Blues lead the VTB United League 2025/26 bronze medal series 2-0.

— If we got away with one in the previous game, then this time we really had to grind out the win. In my opinion, it was largely because we managed to survive the first half. After their loss, our opponent came out more aggressive, more focused, and played at a higher level.

The fact that we went into halftime only down two points was a testament to our character and determination. As for the second half... there wasn’t much basketball being played. I don’t even think it’s worth analyzing — it was simply a battle of wills. I’m very happy that we put our trust in the right people. Those people are doing their jobs the right way and, most importantly, honestly. I’d like to congratulate them first and foremost. It’s extremely difficult at the end of the season, playing every other day with a shortened rotation, especially for the leaders who have carried the load all year long.

We understand that an even tougher challenge awaits us on the road, but we accomplished the minimum objective: we protected our home-court advantage. It’s a good start to the series.

— Trent Frazier has been inconsistent from game to game, and today he went 0/7 from three-point range. As a coach, what do you attribute that to?

— I don’t think we need to overcomplicate it. In our case, he’s essentially our only true ball-handler, right? I’d also like to credit all the guys, including Sasha Shcherbenev, who gave him those 10 minutes to catch his breath. The entire focus of the opposing defense is on Frazier.

Today, especially late in the game, we didn’t create the best possible conditions for him when we left Hunter matched up against him. In situations where we could have avoided that, we didn’t. As a result, the shots he had to take were extremely difficult. If you look closely, he had only a handful of truly open attempts. Unfortunately, we’re not very versatile offensively. That’s why things often turn into a style of basketball that isn’t particularly attractive.

In the first game, we managed to move the ball effectively. Today, however, I agree that we lacked freshness and pace right from the start. That applied to everyone, not just the players who started the game. Everyone who stepped on the court was less aggressive and less sharp than they had been in the opening game of the series.

— You said that in the St. Petersburg games of this bronze medal series, there were moments when luck was on your side and moments when you escaped trouble. What will be the deciding factor in the next game in Krasnodar?

— Character. Whoever wants it more. Whoever can find the necessary resources within themselves. You have to push yourself beyond your limits. The games will probably look more or less the same. The team that stays a little calmer and plays a little smarter, in my opinion, will have the edge.

— Luka Šamanić played one minute in the previous game and two minutes today. What was behind that decision?

— I told the players that only those who play for the good of the team will get minutes. If, from the very first possessions, a player’s body language shows that he isn’t fully engaged or focused... You can see for yourselves — this is playoff basketball, and there’s no room for mistakes. A run of seven or eight points can be fatal.

In a game like this, it’s very difficult to come back, especially when we know how limited we are offensively and how few options we have. We simply can’t afford that luxury. When you spend a lot of time with players, you develop a pretty good understanding of who they are, how focused they are, and whether they’re ready to play.

— What is the nature of Moon’s injury, and can we expect him and Juzang to be available for the games in Krasnodar?

— Honestly, I don’t know the answer to that question myself, so I’d rather not comment on it.