The Seagulls reached the historic championship with a knock-out performance – the Pantteri statue returns to Helsinki after a 25-year hiatus

The Seagulls have won the first men’s Korisliiga championship in club history. The Helsinki team outright knocked out the reigning champion, Kauhajoki Karhu Basket, in the sixth final.

The Seagulls from Helsinki defeated Kauhajoki Karhu Basket in the sixth final of the Men’s Basketball League with a chilling performance 91–66 (48–26) and won the championship with a 4–2 match victory.

To the delight of the home crowd, the Seagulls started the game by rushing right from the first attack and quickly increased the gap to Karhu Basket. The Seagulls were more greedy in rebounds and possessions, and the team led at its best in the first quarter with 17 points and in the second with 27 points.

Karhu Basket started the chase in the second half and in the last quarter the gap narrowed to 10 points, before the home team woke up again. Lauri Nikkarinen and Rene Rougeau further increased the Seagulls’ lead and in the final minutes there was only one team on the field. At the latest Robert Hall Liin the donk in the situation 84–63 seemed to break Karhu Basket’s backbone once and for all and caused the vocal cords of the Kisahalli audience to explode.

The Seagulls are now celebrating the first championship in the club’s history. 25 years had already passed since the last championship of the club from Helsinki, as Torpa Pojat won the SM gold in 1998.

Karhu Basket has been the most successful team in Korisliiga in recent years. In addition to last year’s championship, Karhu Basket lifted the Panther statue in 2018 and 2019. In 2021, Salon Vilpas left the Kauhajokis for silver, and the 2020 season was interrupted due to the corona pandemic.

The news is updated.