On the app and on the website, you can see live highlights of Susijeng’s matches and Lauri Markkanen’s matches at the World Championships. Finland will next play its first ranking match on Thursday, August 31. The opponent will be determined on Wednesday. ‘s online World Championships are followed in this article.
The Finnish national basketball team lost all three matches in the opening group of the World Cup. In the last one, Germany was better with a score of 101–75. Finland finished last in the group, although in advance there was even speculation about a possible continuation place among the top two.
– This is a huge disappointment. Compared to expectations, it was nowhere near what was aimed for, Urheilu’s expert Pieti Poikola stress.
Susijeng’s tournament continues in the group of the lower continuation series on Thursday and Saturday. Opponents will find out on Wednesday. Two countries from among Georgia, Cape Verde and Venezuela will face each other.
Poikola sees recurring problems in Finland’s play, which continued throughout the first group.
1. The defensive game leaks mercilessly
Opponents scored an average of 99 points against Finland in the opening group. Like the back guy Ilari Seppälä said in an interview with after the match against Germany, at that time it is difficult for Finland to win. According to Poikola, Finland lacks collective struggle on the defensive end, and the team loses by organizing one-on-one situations.
– Either pure one-hitters or in “screen situations” through communication breaks, Poikola perkaa.
This starts a chain reaction in which Finland is subject to so-called rotations. That is, the players have to react, change their defenders and help each other.
– Often the help is late or the help is passive. There may be situations where two players are partially helping, but the players don’t know exactly who should help, Poikola opens.
There were also situations against Germany where the help was not sufficient because of this. Germany, who played strongly as a team, kept the ball moving by passing, and Finland was constantly late.
Basketball coach Poikola emphasizes that in such situations the defenders would be required to fight fiercely and try until the end. However, the opposite is true for Finland. Heads droop.
– When the team is in rotation, they seem to give up the situation. They let the guy pass or make an easy basket, Poikola exclaims.
Finland has changed its defense to be more passive than in previous years, because, for example, there are more big and athletic players than before. According to Poikola, this has been followed by a problem.
– Finland is not intensive at any point now. The defense lacks pressure from the ball, and passing the opponent against Finland is just too easy.
Germany took advantage of this, and according to Poikola, the top country could make all the passes the team wanted.
In defense, the difference from previous years is big. Communication, help defense and the intensity of defense are the things that have helped Finland beat teams that are better than expected in the past decade.
– Now Finland is behind other countries, losing in team defense. That’s why this looks so ugly and Finland is the jumbo of the group, Poikola says directly.
He reminds that the problems are the result of the team having little experience together. The team is the youngest Finnish national team for years.
2. Attacking gives no benefits
Apart from individual periods, Finland has also struggled with its attacking game. The strength of the wolf gang is not the so-called slow half-court attack against an organized opponent. The team does not have advantage creators who would win one-on-one situations with the ball.
In addition to this, the attack is not cohesive enough.
– The ball does not move well enough, but remains in the hands of the passive player, Poikola elaborates.
Finland, on the other hand, has not been able to use fast or semi-fast attacks, because the defense has not worked and produced possession of the ball. These have been Finland’s strength in previous years.
– Now Finland constantly attacks from a bad position, says Poikola.
– When the attack is easy, there is flow and confidence to do things. In this case, attacking the half court is also much easier, he compares.
According to an experienced coach, Finnish players make a lot of wrong passing and even throwing choices. In this case, the attack does not produce high-quality or easy scoring opportunities.
– I think this indicates uncertainty. There is not enough experience together or there is a lack of individual skills, Poikola analysed.
3. Finland loses rebounds
Germany squatted Finland in offensive rebounds. The top-ranked country won 44 percent of its offensive rebounds. In Finland, the corresponding percentage was 30.
– Offensive rebounds would be an opportunity for easy baskets when we are stuck. Defensive rebounds would be the key to fast attacks, Poikola summarizes.
On the defensive end, some of the rebound losses were explained by the fact that the Finnish team was constantly behind the opponent. However, Poikola reminds us of the importance of energy and effort.
– The rebound losses are partly explained by the fact that the team does not fight enough. The energy level is not sufficient, Poikola emphasizes.
According to him, the team specifically needs an “extra effort” when Susijengi is behind the opponent in defense. This would create a positive cycle, where the players would struggle to get themselves into a better rebounding position. In a better position, it would be easier to fight for the rebound and win it.
Poikola also needed a fight from the team after Germany took a fair lead in the second half.
– When the match is over, it looks really ugly when the losing team stops playing, Poikola downloads.
He emphasizes the importance of inexperience in a group where the opponents have been extremely united. Germany and Australia have assured tactically, while Japan has played with ferocious energy.
– These have been Finland’s strengths with which Finland has been able to compete in the past, Poikola compares.
The national team gained a lot of experience Petteri Koponen and Shawn Huff discontinued last fall. According to Poikola, their absence certainly matters.
– In difficult moments, players who have been in similar situations before would be needed.