Kotka’s Peli-Karhut is already seeking its fifth consecutive championship in the women’s Korisliiga. However, Taru Tuukkanen, the ToPo champion who is looking for a double championship, believes in a long series.
Peli-Karhut from Kotka and Torpan Pojat from Helsinki fought for the Finnish Cup championship in January. At that time, ToPo was the clear number one, and returned to the colors of his breeding club Taru Tuukkanen wants to lead the people from Helsinki to a double champion.
However, PeKa, who are seeking their fifth consecutive Finnish championship, had a different opinion in the first final. It left ToPo chasing in the second quarter and did not let the visitor get any closer than seven points. PeKa won the first final 80–71 (41–39), when three wins are required for the championship.
– I bet this will be a long series and really even. Two good teams left, Taru Tuukkanen assured.
– We came here from the lower league and PeKa from the upper league, so it’s not even a situation like usual where we’ve already played many times during the season. Only now we get to twist.
45-year-old Tuukkanen has toured the world and domestic fields criss-crossed during his extensive career. However, he just started his career in Torpa Poj, and his goal has been to play in the final series in the colors of the breeders’ club. Now that it has come true, Tuukkanen thinks it’s a really good feeling.
– We also made club history, because ToPo’s women have not been to the final. This is a great achievement, but there is still a long way to go before the season is over, Tuukkanen said.
In his opinion, the game was decided in the first final by small things, such as mistakes in defense and excessive losses of the ball.
– Little things that we can probably fix by Tuesday, he assured.
Tuukkanen has been strong in both assist and rebound statistics this season. In the first final, he had five points and three rebounds, while PeKan Natalie Kleemann-Day scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Suffering from injuries during the season, PeKa had only seven players in its playing lineup, but that did not hinder the team. In addition to Kleemann-Day Roosa Koskinen finished 20 and Donna Cosby 15 points. ToPo’s best scorer had finished with 20 points IImar’I Thomas.
The final series continues on Tuesday next week in Helsinki and Kotka again on Friday. The last possible match will be played on April 27. Then it may be possible that Taru Tuukkanen’s shockingly long career will also end there. Or maybe it won’t end.
Is this Taru Tuukkanen’s “last dance”?
– We’ll see. Of course, it would be nice to finish in the championship, but I don’t know. I don’t want to say for sure yet, he laughed.
Taru Tuukka was interviewed by Saku Mäkynen.