The storm of screams from the Wolf Gang fans made the star players go crazy – Lauri Markkanen’s smile said it all: “It’s an incredible feeling”

Finland will face Serbia in its next match on Monday at 10 p.m. Live broadcast on TV2 and Areena at 9:40 p.m. On Sunday, will show the A group match between Spain and Belgium, broadcast on TV2 and Areena at 5 p.m.

The Finnish men’s national basketball team was already in a tight spot in their second group game of the European Championships on Saturday, when they faced Poland. Finland had lost its opening match against Israel in overtime. On the other hand, Poland had beaten the home team Czech Republic 99–84 in Prague on Friday.

The hungry Susigengi showed against Poland what it is capable of at its best. Even the most difficult ten minutes of the previous matches, the third quarter, did not cause any problems this time. The final score was 89–59 for Finland (26–16, 18–14, 20–14, 25–15).

Sasu Salin admitted after the game that Finland was aware and felt the pressure of the game, even thinking about the next places from the first group.

– We realized that we have to come into the game with the mentality that we will win. We got that feeling from the beginning. We knew what we had to do to win. We followed the game plan very well, said Salin, who was Finland’s number one with 18 points.

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Also Lauri Markkanen the smile was quite wide in the interview after the match.

– An incredible feeling. We were more of a Susijeng team today. We played our own game and got the balls to the places we wanted. Amazing support from the fans in the background, Markkanen was happy.

Salin also excited the crowd of several thousand Finnish viewers.

– This is really ridiculous, how great fans we have. It feels like playing at home. It shouldn’t be taken for granted that so many fans will come abroad to cheer.

After the match against Israel, Finland was expected to show more consistency, aggressiveness and directness. Especially when the opponent was a big, but slower Poland. Finland’s attacks against Israel had remained slow and static. The head coach Lassi Tuovi warned before the match that “it’s going to be a cold ride if we go to a wrestling match”.

The team answered the coach’s call to its full extent.

– A great example from the Finnish team of how to react to defeat. All the things that hurt Finland yesterday were strengths today. Big credit to Tuov and the entire coaching, there has been a strict video ban, ‘s expert praised Pieti Poikola.

– The Polish team is really not a bad team, Finland made it look very bad, Poikola added.

No one from Poland reached double-digit points. The backs leading the team’s play Mateusz Ponitka remained at eight and AJ Slaughter to four surfaces. The dreaded center, 216 centimeters tall Alexander Balcerowski held at six points.

Salin scored only six points against Israel. The three were successful with an accuracy of 1/6 and the rest of the surfaces came from the spares. Now Salin made six threes in the basket out of ten attempts.

– It’s Sasu. Usually he doesn’t pass. This was the Sasu we know. I’m happy that he got those successes, but I know that Sasu will never have problems with self-confidence. A world-class thrower, and that doesn’t surprise his teammates, Markkanen beamed.

The fact that Markkanen was not Finland’s top scorer for the first time in the matches this summer or fall also spoke volumes about Finland’s strength against Poland. He scored 17 points. Markskas was also able to rest, as he played 23.21 minutes, almost ten minutes less than against Israel.

Among other things Elias Valtonen quickly raised his level from the Israel match and scored 12 points. 18 years old Miro Little recorded the first points of his career in the adult competition.

– It’s a great situation for Finland. Lauri is a really, really good player, but he can’t carry this team alone. He needs teammates. Today there were a full 12 players, each of whom brought something to the Finnish team, noted expert Poikola.

In the interview, head coach Tuovi wanted above all to congratulate his players.

– You can react to such a defeat (the Israel game) in many ways, but the best thing is to forget and focus on the next one and learn from it. Today, the concentration, energy and joy were admirable.

Tuovi also emphasized the work of the whole team. He answered in the interview that he was bored, and did not start to bring up names when asked about the successful ones.

– Sure, Sasu was charming at one point. We know that he doesn’t get many passes in a row. But this was really a team win.

Susijeng has a traditional fan meeting in Prague on Saturday. Finland has won each of its championship matches, after which a fan meeting has been organized.

– I told the team management that it would be worthwhile to organize it after every match, Tuovi smiled.

In the match against Poland, Finland made three-pointers 45% (17/38) and two-pointers 52% (14/27). From Poland, 29% of the threes were successful (6/21) and 33% of the twos (10/30).

Finland had 11 turnovers, Poland 18. Rebounds Poland won 37–33.

Finland will face Serbia in its next match on Monday at 10 p.m. Live broadcast on TV2 and Areena at 9:40 p.m. On Sunday, will show the A group match between Spain and Belgium, broadcast on TV2 and Areena at 5 p.m.