May 15, 2010 : Summer is here...

The season end has turned out a bit crumpled. After an enchanting victory in Euroleague, we did not have a lot of time to prepare the Russian play-offs. Three days after the ending of Euroleague we were waited for a semifinal match of the championship of Russia with Dynamo Kursk. I will not hide, it was hard to find motivation and forces for last games of this season. But, despite of everything, we have overcome Kursk and have reached the final of the Russian championship.

UMMC has had a semifinal series a bit more difficult, they have conceded a match to Orenburg. I think, it has been connected with weariness after Euroleague,... After losing the first game in the semi-final, they showed their real forces to reach the final.

We played the first game of the final at home... Our team has powerfully begun game, but because of too many turnovers and other errors, we lost... We play like without our leader – Diana Taurasi was unable to find her shoot, considering how hard it was for her to reply to the provocations and defense from the opponents. Despite the superiority in some game aspects, we have not managed to use advantage of the home advantage and have lost the first final.
A series has moved to Ekaterinburg. In the second game in all talent has proved to be Parker, with 43 points! We could not stop her, besides it is literally with each new episode when to us fixed infringements, pressure on the site increased a lot, and all became more difficult to keep concentration and calmness in such a game. On the third final match, we left devastated physically and morally. Game did not develop from the very beginning. But all of us could reduce the gap of 16 points deficit... In this game we had a real chance of a victory, but we have missed it.

It is final, it's very difficult to accept to defeat in the championship of Russia. All the team is very upset by such outcome. Probably, we not so rationally used strengths and possibilities of all players as on structure and benches we are longer we do not concede to Ekaterinburg. But there's nothing to be done, the season is ended!

If to sum up this basketball year all the same I consider that we have acted very not bad: a victory in Euroleague and home championship "silver". But if I had to choose between a champion's title in Europe and Russia I, without rthinking too much, would choose the first. And nevertheless after a final series I still had deposit and feeling of disappointment.

Holiday has arrived somehow unexpectedly quickly. The season has flown with "light velocity"!. Certainly, now it would be much desirable to have a rest from basketball and, as we should say in French, to "refresh our head".

Anticipating your questions, I can tell that yet I have not solved, for what club I will act in a following season. But it is already clear that the "Sparta&K" after inter-season period will look in another way.

I have spent a difficult season in this club, but friendly atmosphere and unity of players have helped me to overcome all difficulties which I have faced. There were many high points, one very sad event and a heap of mad and ridiculous stories. All will in my memory as the most unusual and tremendous basketball year in my career.

Holiday for the Euroleague Champion 2010'

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