Severi Kaukiainen regretted that Karhubasket was not able to play at its own top level in the first semifinal of the FIBA Europe Cup in Poland.
Kauhajoki Karhubasket suffered a 19-point loss to Wloclawek with a score of 71-90 in the first semifinal of the basketball FIBA Europe Cup in Poland. The home team scored 35 points from Karhubasket’s turnovers and offensive rebounds.
Kauhajoki’s best scorers were Cameron Jones 16, Jay Crockett 14, Severi Kaukiainen 13, Henri Kantonen 8 and Lee Skinner 7.
– The opponent was really tough today, and accordingly we didn’t have the best day again. Today the opponent threw hard shots in, but we didn’t even get easy ones in. That’s just how it goes in sports sometimes. The positive thing is that in a week we will be able to play again. Nothing has been lost yet, believes Kaukiainen.
At the break, Karhubasket was still within striking distance and down by six points, 37–43.
In the third period, the sky of the Kauhajoki team darkened, when the visiting team, among other things, threw six three-pointers in a row. At the same time, Wloclawek ran his own offensive roulette, sinking baskets from both close and far.
– It was definitely a difficult moment for us. Especially against an opponent of that level, when you have to take the ball out of the sock, and you don’t get to take quick attacks, which is usually our strength, admitted Kaukiainen.
During the long, difficult low league, Kauhajoki was at worst 22 points down, when Wloclawek led the game 70–48.
In the last 10 minutes, Kauhajoki edged to around 12 points at best (65–77), but the Polish club’s long-range Victor Sanders and Phillip Greene with their own performances, in the final minutes of Wloclawek, they raised their own score with a 90–71 victory.
– We got into the game and were relatively close already, but after that a loss or a pass, the guy always punished them. Against opponents of this level, mistakes should be minimized, we lost too many possessions (13), Kaukiainen regretted.
Wloclawek grabbed no less than 15 offensive end rebounds, made more accurate three-pointers, and the team’s bench beat Kauhajoki’s equivalent 43–16.
In the first group, Wloclawek won Karhubasket in Kauhajoki 93–87, but lost at home to the Finnish club with a score of 88–89. During the season, the Polish crew had acquired the 196-centimeter Viktor Sanders for the wing department and the 211-centimeter center forward Malik Williams.
– Noticed that the opponent had made additions to his group and was perhaps a degree better than in the initial series. For example, Sanders was good and threw really hard in the second period. It was quite a poison for us when we couldn’t answer it at the other end, Kaukiainen said.
The second part of the semi-finals will be played a week from now on April 5 at Kauhajoki.
– We have taken a 19-point lead even in a shorter time – in 20 minutes. Now we have 40 minutes to catch up. Nothing is impossible. We will definitely go for a 20-point victory over Kauhajoki, Kaukiainen said.