In basketball, the Golden Jubilee in Helsinki was a familiar event at the end of the 1990s. Torpan Pojat celebrated the Finnish championship three years in a row at the end of the decade. However, the men’s basketball championships have not been celebrated since 1998.
There is still time for the last place in the finals. The last men’s basketball finals were held in 2010 in Helsinki.
Now, however, the Seagulls have the opportunity to return the Panther statue to the capital. The opponent is the reigning champion, the number one in the regular season and the Kauhajoki Karhu Basket, which has also been successful on the Euro courts.
The long-term wait is also visible. In the Töölö race hall, all the seats have been sold out for the first two finals, even though the ticket for the pipe rack costs 39 euros.
– Yes, this place in the final is of great importance. I have talked with many former players and basketball fans. Yes, they have all been waiting for this, that the team from Helsinki will be able to play for the championship again. Hopefully we will be able to answer the call and bring the championship to Helsinki, Seagulls head coach Jussi Laakso says
The Seagulls’ story began in the 2013-2014 season as a side of the first division, but moved up to the Korisliiga for the following season. Before the first place in the final, no fewer than four bronze medals have come in less than ten years.
Why are the Seagulls now in the finals for the first time? Won the Finnish championship in Kauhajoki and took silver in Salon Vilppaa Lake Okko offers an interesting explanation.
– After all, we have had a really good team as individuals. There are experienced and then also young guys. It’s been a good mix. The team spirit has been perhaps the best I’ve had in Korisliiga. Many teams have said that there has been a “Yankee rumba” and they started to exchange American reinforcements. We haven’t had to change anyone. After the rough start of the season, it has only gotten better. It’s quite rare, but the optimal situation. The game is at its best at this point, Järvi lists.
The only change was from the beginning of the season, when Zane Waterman luck injured René Rougeau one and a half months in autumn.
Greetings to Kauhajoki from the Seagulls camp
Self-confidence is therefore very high in the Seagulls. Mutual matches have gone 3–2 for the Helsinki team during the season. In Korisliiga, the Seagulls have defeated the Bear twice.
In the semifinals of the Finnish Cup, the Seagulls were also stronger, but at that time the Kauhajoki players rested their key players in the rush of matches.
The previous meeting at the end of the upper continuation series was quite a thriller. In the last minutes, Kauhjajoki came from six points behind to win by two points.
However, Okko Järvi reminds us that the hero defender had to miss the match Antti Kanervo. In addition, the Seagulls played the match with one coach.
– Of course, we were disappointed after the match. But I said myself in the booth that I wouldn’t be terribly celebrating the victory as a Karhu player. Of course, they got the home advantage with the regular season win. It shouldn’t be underestimated, but at least I wouldn’t have full self-confidence after a game like that, which you just won, when you’ve been losing the whole game, Järvi sends his regards to Kauhajoki.
Karhu Basket’s way of playing has been derailed in Finnish basketball circles in recent years. Karhu Basket has raised the intensity in Korisliiga to a new level.
Järvi emphasizes the Seagulls’ good performances in the same category.
– There has been a lot of talk about the Bears, that they get an advantage with their game hardness and intensity. But, when we have played against each other, we have been able to match the intensity and be able to be an even more intense team, says Järvi.
According to Laakson, the Seagulls are not exactly behind Kauhajoki in game-related matters, but may even be ahead in some matters.
– The championship requires good performance and collective action, which we have done all season. Now that we’ve got the game in pretty good shape, let’s stick with it. We don’t start playing solo, we continue to play as a team, Laakso states.
To seek positive revenge
There are several interesting settings in the final series. One of them is that Laakso, Järvi and René Rougeau, who moved from Kauhajoki to the Seagulls for this season, have previously won SM gold in Karhu’s ranks.
– Since the beginning of the season, we have also talked with Rene that we are going to play the finals with a little positive feeling of revenge. Let’s pretend they let the wrong guy out of there, Laakso shook.
Laakso moved from Kauhajoki to Helsinki Seagulls for the 2019–2020 season. Now, however, the job as the head coach of the Seagulls is coming to an end after four seasons. Piloted the team together with Laakso Vesa Vertio will take coaching responsibility next season.
Laakso considers it a bonus to be able to end the Seagulls’ run to the finals. He is happy to leave the position of head coach to Vertio.
– These will be great finals. Come what may, many great stories have already been written here, Laakso expressed.