BC Nokia celebrates the men’s Korisliiga championship. The visitors beat the Seagulls in the historic seventh final in Helsinki.
Micke Suopuro,
Janne Karinkanta
20:24•Updated 21:06
“Long spring.”
For once, this cliché sports expression can be used with good reason. The men’s Korisliiga playoffs started at the beginning of April and ended with the seventh final match played on the penultimate Friday of May.
It is the first time in the history of the series that the finals extended to the seventh game. On top of that, both Helsinki Seagulls and BC Nokia made their way to the finals through a seven-match semifinal series.
The championship of a special quality was decided in the sold-out Töölö race hall for BC Nokia’s party with numbers 75–76 (21-20, 23-15, 12-15, 19-26).
Nokia’s victory came after an incredible rise. The visitors were at their worst in the third quarter, trailing by 17 points. It was also close that the game would have gone to overtime.
– It feels pretty darn good! I can’t even hear anything, it’s such a mood. An incredible rise from us. Gold in the first finals in club history, captain Niko Mattila mood for Urheilu.
BC Nokia has never before won the Finnish championship at the men’s level. The Seagulls lifted the Panther statue last year.
This is how the seventh final went
At least two busloads of Nokia fans had arrived in Helsinki. The supporters in yellow shirts got what they wanted at the beginning of the match, as Nokia ran away with their best in the opening quarter to a seven-point runaway.
However, the Seagulls rallied after overtime and took the lead before the end of the quarter.
In the second quarter, the Seagulls union led Lassi Nikkarinenwho sank two 3-pointers and a total of eight points in the first few minutes.
Before the break, the estradin took over the home team Shavon Coleman, who scored a total of ten points during the quarter. The Seagulls went into the break with a nine-point lead.
Nokia seemed to fall off the home team’s ride after the break. The Seagulls stretched their lead to 17 points in five minutes. However, Nokia turned on Kiri after the timeout and the team moved up to within six points.
The visitors continued in the final quarter where they left off in the previous one. Nokia took a two-point lead in just two minutes.
The actual playing time ended just under half a minute before the decision. Nokia was already on its way to victory, but it flashed after the Seagulls’ basket and the Helsinki team retaliated, getting back within two points in an instant.
The Seagulls still got control of the ball and tied the game. The final seemed to be going to overtime.
Nokia still had a few seconds left to get the basket. The visitors got a shot, the Seagulls fouled and Nokia got to the free throw line. The best scorer of the match, sinking 29 points Both Gachhad three attempts, the last of which he intentionally missed.
This way the Seagulls didn’t get a place to throw anymore and Nokia got to celebrate the championship.
How will the party continue, Niko Mattila?
– For a long time, the captain decided.