The head coach of the Finnish women’s national basketball team, Pekka Salminen, left Awak Kuier out of the EC qualifying matches as a precaution.
The Finnish women’s national basketball team, which has already lost its chance for the European Basketball Championship, will not go to the latest European Championship qualifiers with its best possible lineup.
Finland is suffering from injuries, but the decisions have also been made to take care of the health of the players. For example Awak Kuier and Rosa Lehtoranta are the head coach Pekka Salminen included on the side as a precaution.
– This is also due to the stupidity of international basketball. If we talk about Awaki, he has played for two and a half years practically without a vacation. Symptoms are starting to appear and we’re on the verge of overexertion, so it’s better that we don’t start playing with the players’ health, Salminen tells Urheilu.
According to Salminen, Kuieri’s body already has clear symptoms of overexertion. Finland cannot take the risk that, for example, he would be injured as a result.
“I am worried”
Salminen is worried that the number of games in women’s basketball is tough. For example, Kuier plays twice a week in the winter in her European club Venezia and in the summer in the North American WNBA league.
– The worst thing is that you never have time to practice properly. If you play, you can’t train and there will be a cycle that at some point there will inevitably be injuries.
– Of course I’m worried, but what can be done about it in the short term? If I could change the structures, I would probably do something.
In addition to Kuieri and Lehtoranta, they are on the sidelines due to injuries, for example Lotta-Maj Lahtinen and Annika Holopainen. This opens up opportunities for other players. According to Salminen, the place on the screen is now for someone who has made a strong impression in the Bundesliga, for example With Anissa Poundsplaying in Italy Helmi Tuulones and the one who wants the Spanish premier league Veera Pirttinen.
– They have a lot of things that we haven’t necessarily seen in the national team shirt. Lots to give.
Up against one of the best in the world
Finland will first face Ukraine, Latvia in Riga on Thursday and France in Helsinki on Sunday. Salminen is aware that the physical and bulky France is a tough opposition, but against Ukraine, Finland has better chances.
Ukrainian Alina Iagupovaone of the best female basketball players in the world, offers Finland a great challenge on both ends of the court.
– Ranking points are counted all the time, so of course we go out to win matches. I believe that we have a good chance at least in the Ukraine game.
– Respect that they have one excellent player and many good players, but we also have many good things, some good playmakers and a lot of throwers. It takes a bit of a bad day to hit, and Ukraine is in a bit of trouble, not Finland.
Finland has lost all four matches in the European Championship qualifiers and is in last place in Group B.