Finland’s 16-year-old girls’ national team has historically won the European basketball championship in Hungary.
Finland beat France 49–47 (32–25) in Hungary in the under-16 girls’ European basketball final.
The European championship – and a medal in general – is historic in basketball for the Finnish youth national teams, because Finland had not previously won any medals in the A-division EC competitions.
Finland was in command for the majority of the match, as France led in the final match for only 34 seconds and at most by two points at the beginning.
The match was practically decided at the free throw line, where Finland was clearly more accurate (19/25=76%) than France (11/23=48%).
They excelled as the champions’ best scorers in the final Jessi Nenonen 13/6/3st/2bl, Anna Gardziella 10/6/2s, Aino Koskela 10/6/3s and Area Machol 7.
Alina Nikkilä made an important block at the end of the match.
Finland had previously beaten Italy 61–52 in the semi-finals. Spain achieved age group EC bronze.
Worked as Finland’s head coach Jussi Räikkä.