“Despite the victory, our team made many mistakes in the match” – Kirilenko about the match against Tunisia

President of the Russian Basketball Federation (RFB) Andrei Kirilenko told that despite the victory in the match against the Tunisian team, many mistakes were made in the Russian team’s match.

The Russian national team defeated the Tunisian team in overtime in the Fonbet Friendship Cup match in Moscow on Friday with a score of 81:73. During the meeting, the hosts lost to their opponents with a difference of nine points.

— All skeptics expected the arrival of the conventional “Columbia”, but an opponent arrived, who was able to beat our guys in the last seconds and went to overtime. Is this a serious test for our team?

“I don’t know what the skeptics expected. There is a huge stereotype that now everyone will be like Colombia. For the first time in 30 years, there was such a failure. Before this, no one could even think that this was possible. This is science for us, we will be more careful in the process. Teams from other continents can do it.

But if we take them out of the equation, the Venezuelan and Tunisian teams are at our level. Again, if we put aside the fact that we are outside the international movement. It’s been eight years since Tunisia took over Afrobasket, they are leaders. With all that, we made a lot of mistakes in our game. We could have won more calmly than going to overtime. But it was a great match for our guys, a test, we had it, we scored in the last seconds. Such games are useful and important. We miss them.

– Zoran Lukic responded to your remark that the team does not have a leader, but experienced veterans – Gankevich and Astapkovich – showed their best side. Maybe after such matches our guys will get more minutes in their teams?

— Zoran may have his own opinion, but I have mine. But it caught my attention. This is not a stone in Astaapkovich’s or Gankevich’s garden. They are experienced, they have played, they have been active.

I’m talking about something a little different, although they still support the players. These are not players who constantly create aggression. I was talking about a person who would dominate the development of the game. The guys are excellent and calm, they are cool, talented, they know how to play, but at some point they get lost and no leader emerges. It is not possible for the main link to disappear. You must show leadership. If you look at any great team, they have one or two leaders who make the game dance. I have never seen such a leader. Maybe just Astapkovich, but on point. Everyone depends on when the ball gets to them. Shcherbenev got the ball at the end and was active – we immediately played differently. All the players understood it. Again, this is not a super review, but what I see, I would like to add,” Kirilenko told .

In 2022, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) suspended the Russian and Belarusian national teams from participation in competitions under the auspices of the organization. The ban on participation also applies at club level.

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