We had enough energy

CSKA vs. UNICS Kazan: 98-80 (+18)

CSKA: De Colo (11 + 3 rb), Kulagin (3), Teodosic (16 + 10 as + 3 to), Augustine (6 + 5 rb), Fridzon (8), Jackson (9 + 4 pf), Vorontsevich (9 + 7 rb), Higgins (14 + 4 rb), Ayres (1 + 6 rb + 2 bs), Khryapa (4 + 4 rb + 6 as + 4 st), Kurbanov (7), Hines (10 + 3 rb)…

UNICS: Langford (36 + 4 rb), Parakhovskiy (8 + 5 rb + 2 bs), Colom (12 + 5 as + 3 to), Banic (8), Karpukhin (3), Panin (8 + 3 rb + 4 pf), Kaimakoglou (3 + 3 rb), Williams (2 + 6 rb)…

We do not have to forget that today was the first time we had to experience a game on the road, a tough game on the road, travel, practice and play almost back-to-back games in the EuroLeague. The thing we were trying to be focused on was energy. We tried, and I tried, to be focused and share the time and play some fresh players. The first half was more balanced because Unics’s strategy like a lot of teams against us, was to not give us the open court, to try to slow us down. We still found ways to score almost 50 points; we missed some open shots and we had unforced turnovers in the first half. We talked in halftime about our defense in pick-and-rolls and our rotations. We fixed it. We watched highlights at halftime to see what was wrong defensively why we gave up 43 points. We demonstrated good aggressiveness in the third quarter; We involved our bodies, our hands, our mobility, which gave us the rhythm and we managed to run pretty well. We managed to get a big margin and to sustain that aggressiveness and bring that game to the end.

We were more decisive in the pick-and-roll defense [in the second half], we forced the opponent into some turnovers and we had a better rhythm. Our defense gave us a rhythm. We are a team that can run better. We have to consider that Unics was missing two important players, Clarke and Ponkrashov, I wish them to come back soon, but regarding my team I have to congratulate my players. They showed a really good effort on defense in the third quarter.