“We are glad that we “consecrated” the new parquet in Krylatskoye with gold medals” – MVP of the Mayga Spartakiad

Basketball player of the Moscow national team and the MBA club Josselina Maiga, who became the most valuable player in the women’s tournament of the All-Russian Spartakiad, in an interview with Match TV noted the special dedication of her team.

In the final, Muscovites beat the team of the Sverdlovsk region, which was represented by the UMMC – 74:54.

– Of course, I could have played better in the final. Score more of your goals, rebound more, defend better. Not my best match, but I’m happy for the team. Probably, I still brought some benefit: I pulled the opponent’s defense onto myself, we got opportunities for open throws.

We already know that you have no problem with self-criticism. But now, with a medal around your neck and an MVP award in your hand, you can probably already relax and enjoy the victory?

– Yes I am very happy! A difficult tournament, for the first time there was so little time to prepare, I entered it after a long break – for me personally it was three months. The summer was hard: I was recovering from some microtraumas of the last season. And, unfortunately, in the second week of the collection, I again received damage and again recovered. I played literally one friendly tournament – and immediately drove to the Spartakiad. It poured in already during the matches. Therefore, probably, she showed herself more in the second halves than in the first – she warmed up for a long time. Insanely happy. At MBA, we have a frenzied dedication and a great team spirit. Everyone was able to find their game in the final, which is why the gap is so big. And “+20” against an opponent of the UMMC level is a lot.

– Moscow’s path to the playoffs of the Spartakiad was the most difficult: in the ¼ finals – the Republic of Komi (Nika), in ½ – the national champion Dynamo Kursk. Now the UMMC is in the final too…

– Yes! No easy match. And even the Omsk region, which was represented by the new club of the Premier League, showed excellent basketball. It was exciting to play with her. Cool girls, I wish them good luck in the club season. It will be interesting now to compete in the championship of Russia.

– How many steps is Moscow’s final place above what you expected?

– Of course, the plans were medals. I wanted to reach the final. But, as you said, it was very difficult. Two meetings with Kursk – in the group and in the semifinals – one is more difficult than the other. Yes, maybe we didn’t think about gold, but we are very glad that we repeated the success after our men’s team (earlier, the Moscow team also won the men’s tournament of the Spartakiad – Approx. ed.). Before the season, new parquet was laid in our hall – so we have already “consecrated” it with two gold medals. So everything is very cool, and I hope that this will attract new fans to Krylatskoe for our games, ”Maiga said.