Korstin praises Lokomotiv Kuban's energy in Super Cup win over CSKA
VTB United League chief Ilona Korstin hailed Lokomotiv Kuban's pace and deep rotation after their Super Cup group win over a CSKA side that rallied late.
, and the head of VTB United League, Ilona Korstin, singled out the Krasnodar side's energy on both ends of the build-up.
"First 'Loko' surprised with a bright neon kit, and then carried that energy onto the court," Korstin said.
She called the game "very emotional and interesting, with a lot of bright moments" and said it was curious to see the teams in refreshed line-ups after the off-season. Lokomotiv Kuban, she said, played at very high speeds — fast and sharp — and showed wide rotation, making substitutions throughout to keep the tempo up. CSKA fought back late and had a chance to win, but ran out of time.
Korstin pointed to personal subplots adding extra edge to the fixture: Elatontsev and Cleveland both faced their former club. "In such matches, players always look to show themselves at their best, to prove their decisions were right — first of all to themselves, and also to their former club," she said, adding that emotions sometimes help and sometimes hinder, but such crossovers always make the game more interesting.
She noted the Super Cup carries an official title despite its pre-season billing, and cautioned against sweeping conclusions this early: "the season is only just beginning" and the tournament still has two playing days to go.
Lokomotiv Kuban, founded in 1946 and based at the 7,000-seat Basket-Hall in Krasnodar, arrive at the Super Cup off the back of a rough start elsewhere: the club sit third in the Russian Cup with no points after three matches, and earlier this month released guard Ivan Pynko after his trial did not lead to a contract.
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