What were your emotions after receiving the MVP award of the month in SEB BBL Challenge Cup?

My feelings were very good but primary it is not about me, it is about the team. If team is winning then everything is ok. However, if the team is losing then it is nothing if, for example, one player has scored 30 points. In basketball the most important thing is the results achieved by the team. So, thanks to my teammates who helped the team and me to achieve great results.

Do you think the level of the SEB BBL Challenge Cup tournament has increased if compared to the last season?

It is hard to say as I arrived here in Riga when the season was almost over but I can truly say the opponents are very serious.

Which game in SEB BBL this season would you evaluate as the best one for you?

I would not like to emphasize a particular game. Once more I want to mention success of the team and it is the most important thing for me.

Team VEF Riga on the second round in SEB BBL Challenge Cup now has such new opponents as Kaunas TRIOBET, Neptunas and Aisciai? Next game is against Neptunas. How would you evaluate them?

All of the opponents on the second phase are strong teams. Particularly Neptunas last year played in Elite Division, however after that the team had big changes and now they are back to fight for high goals.

What are the goals for the team in this season in SEB BBL Challenge Cup?

We definitely want to win this competition. We ourselves are taking every opponent seriously and we are fighting for a victory in all the games.

You are one of the team leaders in this season. Does this put additional pressure on you?

There are other leaders as well, however being a leader means that other players trust you and believe in you. So, without other players it would not be possible to be a leader. Thanks again to my teammates.

The head coach Valdis Valters. How would you evaluate him as a personality and coach?

He is a very strong personality. Many people remember his great days as a player during the Soviet times and after that. His opinion is very valuable as he has a great experience both as a player and as a coach.

VEF Riga has won all the home court games in SEB BBL tournament. Do you think VEF Riga could be called a typical home court team?

I would not say exactly that way. When we are playing away games it takes a lot of strength during the passage to get to a particular place, however here in Riga it is possible to relax and prepare for the game. And, additionally, we lost two away games just by few points.

Are there any rituals you are doing before games?

No, not exactly. What I do is prepare psychologically. Think over all about the current opponent. It’s strong and weak skills, all about their leaders.

Do you follow up the championship in NBA?

No, because I do not like the American way of playing basketball. I prefer European style and such teams as CSKA, Maccabi and Montepaschi. Euroleague is the thing I like to watch.

How do you see your career in the next few years?

I am still a young player and do not want to make sort of speculations. I just need to train and time will show where I will be after a few years.

What would you advice to the guys playing in the youth championships?

The most important thing for them to work on is defence as nowadays in Europe many teams play defensive basketball. For instance, TOP5 teams in Euroleague all play defensive basketball. Additionally, young players can be very good individually but they do not have to forget about the whole team and have to work hard on defence side as well.