Tuomas Iisalo got to experience quite a surprise in the post-championship of the basketball Eurocup at the press conference. When the Finnish champion coach was about to give his first comment, some of Paris Basketball’s players and background people rushed to the media room.
– No, no no…, Iisalo saw the prank coming and had time to get scared before he got the fizzy drinks on him.
– Who gave this permission?
The press conference was interrupted for a couple of minutes while the players of Paris Basketball celebrated the championship. They shouted their coach’s name in unison. Some even got up on the table to celebrate.
– I need another dry shirt, Iisalo piped up.
When the cleaning operations were done, the press conference could continue.
Iisalo had already been really moved in a TV interview right after the championship was decided.
– The best thing about sports is when you understand how much sacrifice success requires and finally achieve it, Iisalo said.
The same theme continued at the press conference.
– It’s hard to put feelings into words. We have spent more time with the team than with our families. We have traveled all over Europe and France to do something special. When it succeeds, thinking, Can I relax for the first time this season? Iisalo described his mood.
Revealed something that players don’t want to hear
Paris Basketball won the championship 2–0. In the decisive final, the Parisians were tight, but the team beat Bourg-en-Bresse 89–81 on the away field. Finnish national team player Mikael Jantunen played a significant role when the Parisians ran away to victory in the final period. Jantunen scored 15 points in the match, ten of them in the last period.
– I told the guys at halftime that we are in a good situation. Bourg threw in all the throws but we were only three points behind. Then I went into the coaches locker room and said I hope Bourg starts throwing passes. The players shouldn’t hear that, Iisalo laughed and praised the team’s perseverance.
Eurocup is the second biggest club competition in Europe. Paris Basketball’s team this season was the most dominant team in the competition’s history. The team’s offensive play also broke several records. Paris Basketball has scored baskets more efficiently than any top team in the world.
Ever since the training camp in Finland, he knew the specialness
Iisalo has been incensed as the hottest basketball coach in Europe at the moment. Last season, Iisalo sensationally led the German team Bonn to win the basketball Champions League. The Champions League has traditionally been third in the value scale of the basketball Euroseries, although last year it was close to the level of the Eurocup.
After Iisalo, six players from Bonn’s team went to Paris. Iisalo was also asked about his departure from the emotional Champions League victory party a year ago.
Iisalo reminded that the first time is always the first time. Known as “Loviisa’s bomber”, the former national team player felt that he did not achieve anything very big in his playing career. Winning the Champions League as a coach was therefore the first big basketball achievement for Iisalo himself.
– It gave me a lot of confidence that we can do things like this. Last season came as a bit of a surprise. We went into a bit of unknown territory. Basically, the whole team played European games for the first time. Then we won. It was something magical, Iisalo said and compared this season to the situation of Paris Basketball, which is ambitiously seeking to rise to the top of Europe.
The goal of Paris Basketball has been to reach the absolute first league in Europe, the Euroleague. With the championship, that place became for the next season.
– From the beginning, we were looking for a certain result. It put more pressure on the team and stress on the coaching team, Iisalo said.
In that sense, the glowing Finnish coach sees this season’s Eurocup championship as a bigger deal, even though the Champions League victory was more emotional.
– Different experiences, but I wouldn’t trade either of them for anything, Iisalo said.
Iisalo’s number one target in both Bonn and Paris Basketball has been an American playmaker TJ Shorts. After the Eurocup championship, he recalled the training camp before the season in Kisakallio.
– Ever since the training camp in Finland, you knew that there was something special here. Knew that by working hard you could fight for the championship, Shorts described at the press conference.
A strict answer about the future in the Euroleague
In the French Cup, Paris Basketball already flashed its ferocious level when it knocked down Monaco, one of the sharpest points in the Euroleague, on the way to the championship. Iisalo was already asked if he plans to continue with the same frame next season in the Euroleague.
The Finnish coach was still unwilling to answer that, because he wanted to live in the moment and enjoy the championship. Iisalo gave a firm answer.
– We just won the Eurocup. Our point difference to the opponent was an average of 22–23 points plus per game. It’s unprecedented. We broke all the records in the attacking end, not only in Europe, but in the whole world. I’m not in a state right now to think much about next season in the Euroleague. I believe that it is a positive problem to solve, Iisalo described.
After the championship was secured, Iisalo said that after the press conference, he plans to enjoy Finnish mint wine shots with a group and maybe smoke a cigar.
– Maybe we will plan after that, but I want to enjoy the moment. I don’t want to think about the future. It’s easy to get carried away, but sometimes you have to stop and enjoy what we’ve achieved together. Things happen in time. I think a lot of our core will continue next season. We have done something incredible this season, Iisalo stated.
The next day, this goal backfired with a slight headache, but according to Iisalo, the team still had quite a fun evening. Iisalo had already had time to taste the Euroleague place when Urheilu reached him by phone.
– The Euroleague has been the club’s goal for a long time, and now it succeeded right after one season. It was the hardest thing besides winning. We are involved in the toughest European basketball competition – and fully deserved.
For the club, playing in the Euroleague also means a lot of financial challenges. According to Iisalo, the club’s budget should practically be doubled. Despite this, he believes that Paris Basketball is among the three smallest, if not the smallest, in terms of budget in this league.
– It is a huge challenge, but it has been expected. Exciting and great at the same time.
Tuomas Iisalo became the first Finnish coach to win the Eurocup. Mikael Jantuse became the second Finnish player to win the Eurocup. In the past, the Eurocup trophy has been lifted Petteri Koponen in 2015 while playing in the Russian Himki team.
Update at 5:34 p.m.: Added Tuomas Iisalo’s recent comments about the Euroleague.