The Finnish men’s national basketball team returns to the court after a successful summer. In the remaining World Cup qualifiers, Susijeng has the opportunity to improve its position for the group draw of the World Cup.
Susijengi was the first European country to secure a place for next year’s World Championships already at the end of August. However, Finland still has a big stake in the last four qualifying matches.
Susijengi plays with better settings for the group draw of the World Cup. The drawing groups are divided based on the world ranking of the international basketball association Fiba.
Each victory in the World Cup qualifiers accumulates ranking points. Finland will face Germany away in Bamberg on Friday and Estonia at home in Espoo on Monday.
– Now one goal has been achieved and we are going to achieve the best possible settings for it. The team is very motivated and wants to continue the streak (of seven World Cup qualifying games won), head coach Lassi Tuovi said last week at a press conference.
Finland has risen to 25th place in the ranking after the World Cup qualifiers and the autumn European Championships.
Next year, 32 countries will qualify for the World Cup, which will be played in Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia. In addition to Finland, Japan, the Philippines, the Ivory Coast, Lebanon and Canada have already secured their place in the Games.
2. Susijeng has seven EC players, Germany only three
Finland has seven players from its team that advanced to the European Championship quarter-finals against Germany.
Lauri Markkanen plays in the NBA and Miro Little in high school in the United States. Petteri Koponen and Shawn Huff ended their careers. Ilari Seppälä has been named for November’s World Cup qualifiers but will not be in the squad against Germany.
Germany has only three players from its EC bronze medal team, while the team’s NBA and Euroleague players are on the sidelines. They are Jonas Wolfarth–Bottermann, Christian Sengfelder and Justus Hollatz.
Susijeng’s big head has been burned by twisting the Japanese league Alex Murphy and played a strong early season in Kauhajoki Karhu Basket Daniel Dolenc.
On Friday, there will also be three players in the lineup who have not previously received minutes in the qualifying games of the prestigious championships: Perttu Blomgren, Shawn Hopkins and Remu Raitanen.
Sasu Salin is, on the other hand, the first time as Susijeng’s captain. Shawn Huff managed to serve as Susijeng’s captain from July 2015.
Germany has a chance to secure its place in the World Cup by defeating Finland on Friday, unless Sweden loses to Estonia earlier on Friday.
– Now maybe we will return more to the teams that played in the qualifiers last winter. We know that Germany wants to secure a place in the competition and continue to perform well. Germany is certainly one of the toughest teams in the group, Tuovi said.
3. Finnish coaches in front
Susijengi will also face Finnish coaches in both World Cup qualifiers in November. Canadian-Finnish Gordon Herbert pilot for Germany and Susijeng’s former assistant coach Jukka Toijala Estonia.
Herbert once came to Finland as a foreigner, but stayed in Finland for a long time. He started a family in Uussakaupunki and started his coaching career in the same town. by Gordon Herbert Danielson is also in the German coaching team.
Jukka Toijala worked for a long time in Susijeng’s coaching team.
– I’m looking forward to a great basketball event when I get to play in front of the home crowd again. Hopefully Estonian fans will also come to enjoy the event. Estonia is a nice opponent, as there is a lot of history in the background. It will certainly be a happy match, Tuovi previewed Monday’s match against Estonia in advance.
Susijengi will face Germany from 20:00 and on Monday Estonia from 18:30.