Finland beat Lithuania 81–80 in the games played in Tampere.
Lithuania is a great country in international basketball, but Finland’s under-18 boys did not bow down in their opening match of the EC home championships. Finland defeated Lithuania 81–80 in Tampere.
The first name in Finland was the captain, who was born in Jyväskylä and scored 23 points Elmer Abbey. Raised by Tapiola Hongan Samu Adler scored 21 points and increased Helsinki’s NMKY Olavi Suutela 15 points. Suutela took no less than 19 rebounds.
Lithuania led the match after the opening quarter with eight points, but Finland was better than its opponent in the second and third quarters, and Lithuania did not reach the hosts’ lead.
Finland plays its group D match at the Hakametsä ice rink. In the tough group, Finland will face Spain on Sunday and Slovenia on Monday.
The level of Finland’s opponents is illustrated by the fact that two years ago, the age group of young people born in Lithuania in 2006 celebrated the under-16 European Championship. Spain was then in silver and Slovenia sixth.