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 play its last match of the Games on Saturday, September 2. at 10:30 a.m. against Venezuela. ‘s online World Championships are followed in this article.
Finland took its first victory in the basketball World Cup after three dull losses in the opening group games. On Thursday, Susigengi crushed Cape Verde 100-77 and especially improved the areas of the game that had garnered a lot of criticism.
‘s expert Pieti Poikola reminds us that in sports everything is always relative to the opponent.
– Now we were compared to Cape Verde. Against Cape Verde, Finland was clearly ahead in the areas where the team had previously lost to their opponents, Poikola describes.
According to the experienced coach, Susijengi was the most collective and energetic of the teams. In addition, Finland was ahead of Cape Verde, which is 64th in the Fiba ranking, in terms of tactics and individual skills.
Poikola highlights three central themes from Susijeng’s improved excerpts. The team goes to Saturday’s match against Venezuela with an easier starting point with the victory. There is a big stake in the match, because Finland is still playing for the Olympic qualification spot.
1. Improved team attack
After the dismal match against Germany, Poikola emphasized the threat of one-on-one play missing from Finland’s attacking game. Against Cape Verde, Susijengi managed to compensate for this with better team play. Finland was not dependent on playing one-on-one.
– Finland was able to create an advantage with “team sets” (attack pattern). When the defender was late, the Finnish players were able to attack towards the basket, take a free throw or give a pass from a good shooting position to an excellent shooting position, Poikola analyzed.
Poikola emphasizes Finland’s improved passing game. According to him, you could see from the playing that there was an emphasis on moving the ball before the match.
– In this match, for the first time, there were long passing chains, where four or five quick consecutive passes were given from one side to the other, Poikola opens.
Finland benefited, for example Sasu Salini exceptional throwing skills better than before. Poikola describes how, for example, combinations of two screens were played for Salini, from which he got free, his defender was late and other opponents had to decide who to defend in difficult selection situations.
Poikola, as well as Susijeng’s head coach Lassi Tuovi after the game, praises Finland’s 33 basket assists. The number is high in an international match. Poikola emphasizes the importance of fast attacks.
Against Cape Verde, Finland was able to launch fast and semi-fast counterattacks from possessions and defensive rebounds. Finland won the points of fast attacks 18–6.
Finland also won 46 percent of offensive rebounds. According to Poikola, the team was able to shoot from good positions, so the players went for rebounds from good positions.
2. Finland was more active than Cape Verde
Finland’s hitherto fragile and cracking defense was more energetic against Cape Verde than in previous matches. According to Poikola, for the first time in this tournament, the team got their opponent into trouble by defending. For example, he picks up the so-called head double made by Finland, when the big player from Cape Verde had the ball.
– The opponent was made to pass into the Finn’s hands or lose the ball. Or after doubling, we got hands in front of the serves, Poikola specified.
He emphasizes that defending was easier when the opponent’s use of space was not as good as, for example, the great German team, ranked 11th in the Fiba ranking. The successful coach points out that Susijeng’s defense still showed familiar problems. The team defense was still not ready.
– Now Susijengi was able to compensate for the shortcomings of the team’s defense with energy and active hands, Poikola states.
Susijeng’s players helped each other more than before, for example when a teammate fell behind a ball player. Poikola says that the team seemed to know better than before who should help first and who anticipates the next pass.
Read more: Susijengi has lost its years of competitive advantage – the expert knocks out the gaping defense of Finland’s young team: “This looks ugly”
Bring and Lauri Markkanen said after the match that Susijengi had trained more lightly and watched things more on video. According to Poikola, this makes sense.
– In previous matches, there were many situations, for example, where two players went to the same pass while defending. Such situations can clearly look like a video, Poikola outlines.
3. The players’ body language changed
Susigengi looked more aggressive and united than in their opening group matches against Cape Verde. Poikola praises the team’s body language, even though there was a crushing disappointment from the first group. The team stayed united and looked like a team that wants to play together.
– The players supported each other. The changing bench is included. From everything, it seemed that the team cared about what was happening on the field, Poikola expressed the atmosphere.
Markkanen gave a concrete example of team spirit in the opening period, when he managed to defend a tackle Miro Little. The stagnation of the initial group was on its way out on Thursday.
Read more: Comment: Lauri Markkanen showed a rarely seen side after the opponent’s rude trick and acted like the king of the field
During the past ten years, Susijeng’s supporters have gotten used to a team that fights to the end and supports each other. Ecstatic fans have been a familiar sight at Finnish matches even abroad.
Poikola says that against Cape Verde, they saw a team on the field that is easy for supporters to support.
– Susigengi looked like a team that is easy to identify with. Even supporting the team has been difficult when the players’ heads have sunk and it hasn’t looked stylish.
Susigengi ends its World Cup campaign on Saturday against Venezuela. At stake in the further group matches is a place in the Olympic qualifying tournament. In addition to the pursuit of an Olympic place, the tournament would provide meaningful games for the Finnish first team next summer.
– Every shared moment must be used as well as possible, so that the team develops for the upcoming competitions, Poikola concludes.
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 play its last match of the Games on Saturday, September 2. at 10:30 a.m. against Venezuela. ‘s online World Championships are followed in this article.