We lost the coach but won the game

CSKA vs. Lokomotiv Krasnodar: 81-72 (+9)

CSKA: James (22 + 4 rb + 4 as + 6 to), Vorontsevich (10 + 7 rb + 2 as), Koufos (7 + 9 rb), Hilliard (10 + 6 rb + 3 as), Kurbanov (6 + 5 rb + 2 as) – start; Khomenko (DNP), Ukhov (4 rb + 2 as), Antonov (0), Strelnieks (11 + 2 as), Voigtmann (5 + 3 rb + 2 st), Lopatin (DNP), Hines (10 + 3 rb + 2 as)…

Lokomotiv: Dekker (6 + 4 rb), Cummings (19 + 3 as + 2 st + 3 to), Ivlev (4 + 4 pf), Kulagin (7 + 9 rb + 5 as), O’Bryant (12 + 3 as + 4 pf) – start; Motovilov (0), Kalnietis (15 + 3 rb + 2 as), Il’nitskiy (7), Williams (2 + 3 rb + 2 bs), Popov (DNP), Dolinin (DNP), Gerasimov (DNP)…

Congratulations to the team, assistant coaches, everybody who had my back. We showed toughness, we played against a very good opponent, they are ambitious and decisive to grab the win here. Still we were better for most of the game and deserved to win. Unfortunately, we have to talk about this situation that need to be investigated, it requires the attention of lawyers, sports or in general. At the moment I was talking to the Vice President of the club, I did not refer to the referees on the second technical foul. I don’t know where he found a right to call it. I was asking why – nobody answered. It needs to be addressed to the lawyers, because it was a call against the image of the club, against the image of the head coach.

Congratulations to our players, it was tough for them because it was a back-to-back games. Unfortunately, I have to be here because coach Itoudis was ejected for talking to miss Furaeva during the game. It was important for us because we won the battle for rebounds, that’s the first thing we prepared for. Our players really executed our defensive game plan even though we did not have enough time to prepare. In the end, it was the battle that players won, it was a win against very good opponent. We move forward and prepare for next game against Fenerbahce that is really important for us.