After two victories in friendly matches against Kyiv-Basket, Budivelnyk player Kristina Filevich shared her emotions about returning to the court, talked about the team atmosphere, and her readiness for the new season.
— Kristina, congratulations on two wins in the friendly matches against Kyiv-Basket. What are your impressions of the games, and how well were you able to implement Vitaliy Cherniy’s plans on the court?
— Thank you for the congratulations. The impressions are positive; these were our first games, and you can really feel how much everyone missed basketball. All the girls tried to implement the coach’s instructions into the game — sometimes it worked, sometimes not, but the main thing is that everyone tried their best and supported each other.
— Vitaliy Cherniy was emotionally involved in every moment of the matches — how would you describe him as a coach?
— I liked his approach to each player and to the team as a whole. It seems to me that the coach approached these games with a warm heart and a cool head.
— There’s not much time left before the season starts — how would you assess your form and the team’s overall readiness?
— Since our previous season ended in April, I had the chance to fully recover over the summer. I’m entering this season with renewed energy and a strong desire to play; I really missed being on the court. We also have a very good physical coach who prepares us well for the start of the season.
— There are many young players in the team — do you see their progress?
— Of course, there’s progress. The girls are very promising and eager to play, and I believe that they will succeed.
— What aspects still need work before the season starts? Is there already a sense of team chemistry?
— It’s great that we had friendly matches — they give us a chance to see our mistakes and fix them before the season begins. And of course, there is chemistry in the team: as I said, everyone tries to support each other.
