Susigengi made EC history! Terrible performance from Lauri Markkase that broke records – Finland beat Croatia and advanced to the quarterfinals

Finland will meet Spain in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at 18:15. Broadcast on TV2 and Areena at 6 p.m. Urheilu follows the European Championships in this article.

The Finnish men’s national basketball team beat Croatia 94–86 at the European Championships and advanced to the quarterfinals.

This is the first time that the Finnish national basketball team advances to the top eight, so that it was required to win a playoff match.

Lauri Markkanen played a great match. He bagged 43 points, which is the record of the Finnish national basketball team, including all official matches.

The previous record was 42 points: Timo Lampen v Holland 1962, Kari-Pekka Klinga against Latvia 1992, Hanno Möttölä Against Iceland in 2001 and Markkanen in a training match against Ukraine in August.

– I just tried to lead the team to victory. Quite an indescribable feeling, Markkanen commented after the match.

– It felt like I was throwing it in every time. I let it burn.

Markkanen sank 66 percent of his set shots. Sasu Salin accompanied with 17 points and Edon Maxhuni with 16 points.

Salin praised Markkanen’s performance.

– Sometimes it’s a little bit admirable that oh my god, what is it doing, Salin stated.

Finland survived its difficult moments

The first quarter went to Croatia 21–20. Finland had a difficult period at the end of the opening quarter, when Croatia came out ahead from a 10–18 deficit.

Finland took the second quarter 25–22. In the final seconds of the quarter, Finland’s 18-year-old Miro Little drove nicely to the basket and completed Finland’s lead before the break.

Markkanen scored 17 points in the first half of the match, Salin 11. Salin sank his threes with 3/6 accuracy before the break.

In the third quarter, Finland was badly at the bottom at first, but especially Markkanen persevered with amazing individual performances. Markkanen scored 14 points in the third quarter alone, bringing his total to 31 at this stage. Maxhuni was responsible for the rest of Finland’s points in the third quarter, Henri Kantonen and Salin.

The third quarter was finally tied at 22-22, when Finland completed a great basket. Finland was allowed to open the game under Croatia’s basket when there was 0.1 seconds on the clock. The only option was to lift the ball to the basket and dribble in. Maxhuni offered, Markkanen poked the ball into the basket. The last ten minutes went with Finland leading 67–65.

– This is the greatest match that has been seen from Lauri Markkase in Susijeng, said Urheilu’s expert Antero Lehto after the third quarter.

– There is no doubt who is the king of the field.

Finland won the fourth period 27–21.

With 7:12 left on the clock, Croatia took the lead 72-71.

After that, the Markkanen show continued. Also Kantonen and Shawn Huff sank important three-pointers, Finland took the lead again, 80–77. Maxhuni was active and was able to throw several free throws. Markkanen’s three-pointer with 28 seconds left capped off a wonderful day for Susijengi.

– We will continue to improve as the tournament progresses. Looks like the guys are having fun on the field and having fun in Berlin, head coach Lassi Tuovi said.

You can read more about the progress of the match in Urheilu’s European Championships coverage.

Finland will meet Spain in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, September 13. at 6:15 p.m.

Below you can see the schedule of the playoffs and the teams that have already advanced to the quarterfinals. The story continues after the graphics and pictures.

The long curse was broken

Finland has made it to the next round of the European Championships every time during its streak that started in 2011. 2011 Finland won two matches and lost three in the first group. Finland advanced to the next group, where it finished fifth and out of the top eight playoffs.

2013 Finland played a great opening round, four wins and a loss to Italy. In the next group, Finland beat Slovenia, but lost to Spain and Croatia, finishing fifth again and out of the playoffs.

In the 2015 Games, Finland’s balance was again two wins and three losses. Then there were no longer playoffs, but we went directly to the playoffs of the best 16. Finland lost to Serbia in the quarterfinals 81–94.

2017 Finland hosted the first group and won many thriller-like, memorable victories. France and Poland fell in extra time, Iceland and Greece in regular time. The only loss came to Slovenia, who marched to European Championship gold, by three points. Susijeng’s team is back in the first playoff round after Italy won the quarterfinals in Istanbul 70–57.

In 1967, Finland was sixth in its EC home games. Then there were 16 countries that were divided into two initial blocks. Finland was third in its group and advanced to play from places 5–8. The best two of the groups advanced directly to the medal games.

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