For the first time, Kauhajoki Karhubasket was able to play the finals in its new home arena. The record audience of 2096 spectators got to witness that the Helsinki Seagulls won the match with a score of 54–70.
When the vellikello rings in the home hall of Kauhajoki Karhubasket, that’s when you know it’s time to play the finals of the basketball league. The Vellibello is rung at the beginning of the finals by a fan of Karhubasket’s long line Risto Piipari.
– It is the Piipari family’s brother’s clock. I have polished it and turned the antlers to gold. There are good things about it, he says.
The bell has been rung since 2018, i.e. since the finals of Karhubasket’s first championship. Since then, success has followed the people of Kauhajoki, as only one year have they missed the finals. That year was 2020, and no team played in the finals then because the coronavirus interrupted the season.
Bearbasket’s fan group’s woodman Pertti Holma thinks that the club’s key to success can be found in the sense of community in a small town.
– There is one big group and family here. Everyone is blowing on the same coal and things will rock accordingly, says Holma.
Jari Kuusisto agrees. He has followed basketball for decades, but has only been in the core group of Karhubasket fans for a few years.
– Being a fan is really great when you have a good community around you, a well-made team and coaching and everything. The voice wants to be hoarse after the match, but we can shout, says Kuusisto.
Fans from baby to adult
Risto Piipari thinks he is the oldest in the fan group. As his best basketball memory, he cites Karhubasket’s first championship in 2018. Piipari feels that his fandom has only deepened since then.
– We are all welded to this, and there is a group of talkers and kökkä. Sometimes it’s worth coming to see our fan trip. Our bus is designed so that you can have a good time there, the song plays and the game is fresh. When you get to hang out with them, you’ll feel rejuvenated here, says Piipari.
Riitta Uusi-Kokko remembers that the first championship was celebrated for a long time. He considers championships and medals a great addition, but the most important thing is the team. Everything starts from the club’s background group, players and fans.
– As it turned out, people of all sizes, looks and ages, from babies to adults, and everyone is blowing the same coal, says Uusi-Kokko.
The opponent gets psyched
Game day is also a holiday for fans. According to Pertti Holma, “no matter what” happens in the fan stand during the match. At least the drums are played and our own are encouraged. Holma sits in the bottom row of the fanstand, in the main monkey pack, as he says himself.
– We are such drummers with no sense of rhythm, but this is fun. Of course, the players on the other side get a pretty good round of applause from us if something goes wrong. We will remember it a little after the game, says Holma.
According to him, you never get tired of success. No, even though we are in the finals for the fifth time in a row.
– These people from the south of Helsinki are getting here for the first time, so we’ll show them the right model of how this thing works, Holma grins.
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