Lauri Markkase’s behavior was seen familiar from the last European Championships, when he did not take back steps in the skirmish of the World Cup match, writes Urheilu’s Roope Visuri.
Susijengi will play its last match of the World Cup on Saturday, September 2. against Venezuela. The match starts at 10:30 Finnish time. follows the events in this article.
OKINAWA. Cape Verdean superstar Edi Tavares spins his head vigorously and walks slowly. A moment ago, Cape Verde had to take a timeout in the World Cup, when a tornado in the shape of the Wolf Gang struck.
The game hasn’t even been four minutes and the 221-centimeter giant has already sold his country. Finland leads 11–7, but the appearance of the game has been more important than the numbers.
The ball has moved from one player to another, the players have run fast attacks. Koreya has gotten used to it, which has already had time to wait for three games at the World Cup. The wolf basket is back.
After the time-out, the same process continues. The theme of the day is Tavares, MVP of last spring’s final tournament of the European first division Euroleague, spreading his hands and complaining to the judges. Finland’s big players are doing a good job and Susijengi will also take Tavares with two players if necessary.
At the same time, Susijengi freely runs handsome baskets from the Cape Verdeans’ losses. In the first half, we see quite a bit of donk party. The entire Finnish bench gets up to fan the baskets. The Finnish audience goes wild in the Okinawa arena. Lauri Markkanen fan sheets flutter behind Suomen’s bench.
Susigengi leads 54–39 at halftime after wild fireworks. Cape Verde cannot challenge Susijeng at all. The match ends with the score 100–77.
And what’s best, Markkanen played his best game of the Games. Already in the first half, the NBA star had scored 18 points in 12 minutes. Markkanen bagged a total of 34 points. At the end of the game, the Finnish audience that came to the place rewarded Susijeng’s big star with shouts of “Lauri Markkanen”.
Markkanen looked the same as he did in the big game of the European Championships
The most talked about moment of the game was seen when the Susijengi was at the end of the first period humiliating Cape Verde and forging baskets from the assembly line. Cape Verde Betinho Gomes would nudge Finland’s bump with his elbow Miro Little over.
Markkanen came to defend his teammate in the skirmish, and did not back down with Gomes and the other Cape Verdeans. Gomes was given a technical foul for the situation, and he could get away with even less.
At the same time, Markkanen, who was considered kind, rarely showed his side. He can be brash and aggressive when needed, even “police-like” when needed.
Moments later, after his fine gesture, Markkanen had time to flash his already legendary finger-waving gesture, when he rolled to Cape Verde’s basket, drawing a foul and the basket was also close.
In every way, Markkanen acted like the king of the field. Even in the second half, the “King of the North” was angry and full of self-confidence, when the Cape Verdeans had tried to stop the superstar irregularly and without success.
Little’s defense in the skirmish reminded me very strongly of the events of the last European Championships, when Markkanen was beaten by the Czech superstar Jan Veselyn with and led Finland to a big victory in the opening group of the European Championships. Markkanen was not disturbed by Vesely’s jab in the face, but was securing a further place in the EC playoffs.
Now Finland and Markkanen took a big step towards the minimum goal of these World Championships, i.e. an Olympic qualification place. The starting point for grabbing an Olympic qualifying spot is two wins in the lower extension group with the largest possible basket difference, although even one win can be enough in the best case.
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