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| Win we were waiting for... |
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Just few people of those who came to Molot Sport Hall were sure we could win the game. After the lost Korac Cup starting game our chances were not high, taking into consideration Anwil is believed to be Group L favourite. Moreover, Anwil club administration stated they did not see Ural Great as their real opponent. But our team entered the playing ground spirited. Pegushin performed free throws and took the lead, but very soon the visitors paid back. Jankovski tried three-pointer, missed it, but Snepts hit the basket. Chikalkin's attack gave no points, while Griszciuk was success - 2:4. Though Anwil was leading not long - Smiljanic started the game quite well and the score became equal, then he made a steal from Griszciuk and performed a three-pointer - 7:4. Ural Great tried long-distant shots (Smiljanic, Pacesas and Dvinyaninov), but Miglinieks together with Jankowski and very active Sneps did not let the difference be over "+4". Our players managed to stop Polish black center Jeffries, but at the same time Tomasz Jankovski added his points. In the middle of the first half the score reached 28:24 and stopped for three minutes. Both teams had losses, in our team they were Kurashov, who missed the basket twice, then Shushakov did the same. Sergei Belov took time-out, but it did not help. But Polish team took the initiative, Kondraciuk was substituted for Migliieks, and the trio Miglinieks -Jankowski - Sneps started adding point by point. Four minutes before the end of the first halftime we had 31:31, but in two and a half minutes 33:39. Dvinyaninov was lucky to make the sudden difference "-3", but Miglinieks again passed Jankowski and we had 36:41, then he got two points himself. The first four minutes of the second half were lost by our team. Polish players had a lot of fouls, but the difference very soon reached "-17" (40:57). And it seemed very like we would see the repeat of the game against CSCA , Kiev, but Pacesas had three-pointer just at the right time, then followed Smiljanic's three-pointer, and seven thousand spectators had nothing to do but help. Their roar made Polish players miss the balls. At the same time defense appeared in Ural Great. Alexander Bashminov had his two minutes of great game with his very special dunk made spectators continue their support to our team already standing. Though coaches of Anwil stopped teams' panic, they made a lot of substitutions and the score being already 53:59 began growing in their favour. Timmons with two three-pointer nearly changed the game back, we had "-9" (61:70) five minutes before the end of the game. But now we happened to see Chikalkin's three-pointer. Timmons missed long-distance shot while we were success - 67:70. What was happenning at the tribunes!!! And Pacesas in these moments was fantastic, he managed to do everything - steals, rebounds, assists... Anwil took the second time-out, but it could not stop Ural Great, they felt their win was very near. Dvinyaninov shot three-pointer and we got 73:71, then Pacesas made a steal again and added two points. Anwil took the second time-out. Griszczuk and Pacesas exchanged their three-pointers. Belov took time-out, number 12 in our team made a mistake and two free throws were performed by Jeffries, while Chikalkin added four points - 82:76. In the last minute of the game Miglinieks shortened the difference to dangerous 82:79 and we had less than 14 to finish our attack. Hosts decided not to risk and not to shoot. Jeffries got a foul in the last second, it did not help the visitors. Sergei Chikalkin shot free throws and this dramatic game was finished 83:79. > witnessed by Alexei Urakov
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| Post-game conference |
Eugeniusz Kijewski (Anwil): - Your playing was very good at the beginning of the second half. We made great many mistakes and so we lost. - Before the game you were sure you would win. Were you too self-confident? - We came to win the game. I thought we were able to play our game, but we were not. It has nothing to with self-confidence. - What do you think was the key moment of the game? - When your players started their three-pointers. - What are your impressions of Ural Great? - Hard to say. I've never seen the team before. Today they played well. - Whom did you like in Ural Great? - Pacesas. - Who do you think will qualify to the next round of Korac Cup? - In my opinion - our team and Kiev. At home we must win with 5 points difference, that is one more than in Kiev. - Do you think your team roster is stronger than of Ural Great? - Yes, I think our players are better. - How big is your home town? - A hundred thousand citizens. Our main sponsor is Anwil chemical factory. Our arena is not big now, for 6 hundred spectators, but next year we are buiding a new one for 5 thousand. - Is basketball popular in Anwil? - Very popular! All factories work for it. Are we are getting ready for entering Polish First League next year. - Perm participates in Korac Cup for the first time. What do you think about organisation of the game? - Everything was good. We like the way we were met and hope we will do it not worse. Thank you. Though we are not satisfied with the scorers' table. The head of our team even had to say it to the Commissioner. Sergei Belov (Ural Great): - I congratulate all of us with the first win in Korac Cup. At last the players managed to do what I am asking them - to be themselves on the playing ground. I do not say there has been no mistakes in the game, any negative things for me as the coach. For me as coach and player the game is first of all psychology. And that pressing after the last season did not let them reveal themselves. And I hope the win over this strong opponent (you know, Polish team won the game in Lithuania) will let the players understand that the chosen direction (using previous experience) is right. Because when you see that the team is losing -17 at home with seven thousand spectators, you become a bit not quite sure if you are doing everything in the right way. The week was hard for all of us, someone started looking for the reasons in something different, but not just honestly to say that you were wrong. And I am happy that when circumstances were not in our favour, when we were losing in the first half, then losing in the beginning of the second half, I did convince the players. The person who is strong enough to be able to reverse the game is very important for me. Without offence for others I must say that person in the last game was Tomas. When the difference was big he took the initiative and proved he is able to be the captain of flagship we need so much. Tomorrow it may be another person, the day after tomorrow still another one... But we must have such person. I am glad that not so easy but Chikalkin is joining the team, at the end his results were not bad. - Why are the centers so weak? - Of course, it is their fault, but only partly, because at the moment we don't have players in the team to provide the centers with passes. There were a lot of moments when and Kurashov, and Bashminov were open. Most players both newcomers and old make the game from shot. We know this problem and we work at it. - Anwil head coach says he is sure they and Kiev will qualify for the next round of Korac Cup. Do you share his opinion? - His opinion is his opinion. I cannot share anybody's opinion, especially that of opponent's coach. I think we have a lot in reserve. Believe me. If I had not seen the team in Tehran, I would not have said that. If we pass through Lithuania, everything will be in our favour. So self-confidence of our opponents is better for us. - Their coach also stated players in his team were of higher level than in Ural Great... - This is his own opinion. Any player can say he is better. But have they got anyone like Pacesas? I think, no. And they have not got a shooter like Chikalkin. Their advantage is in more organised game. - What is the atmosphere in the team? - I think the best answer is the game played today. You can speak a lot, may be not satisfied with something, but when a person overcoming himself proves the team is more important for him than his mood it is really important. Today mainly in the second half I was to speak sharply to the players, but this is also pedagogical work of the coach. > made by Olga Lukanina |
