The Finnish women’s national basketball team suffered an unfortunate, last-second overtime loss to Germany in Helsinki.
The women’s national basketball team and Germany, which is preparing for the Olympics, played a thrilling show in the Urhea hall in Helsinki.
The actual playing time ended 76–76. Finland got within six points in the overtime period, but Germany did not panic and increased the score to 91-90 just 0.2 seconds before the final buzzer.
– Certainly an extremely entertaining match for the audience. Germany is a good basketball team. That is clearly the reason why they are at the Olympics. It was believed that our more mobile players would be able to turn the match around. It was close, but not. Extra time was more or less a coin toss and now it turned to Germany, commented Finland’s head coach Ilkka Palviainen.
Awak Kuier was the point queen of the court, sinking 37 points, grabbing five rebounds and blocking the opponent’s throw no less than four times. Kuier scored his points in a variety of ways: by driving, with long twos and even with a three from his own drive.
From Finland too Sara Bejedi proved difficult for the German defenders to contain with his speedy drives and open-minded three-point shots. Bejed had 23 points, five rebounds and seven assists.
Overall, Germany managed to use their size and physicality to their advantage. It was visible, among other things, in rebounds, which Germany took 50–32.