OKINAWA. The Finnish men’s national basketball team’s Monday morning in Okinawa dawned with a players’ meeting after the catastrophic loss against Japan.
In Susijeng’s tough World Cup opening group, Japan was exactly the opposition that Finland had to beat. However, Finland lost its 18-point lead in the game.
In the worst case, a loss could mean that Finland does not get a place in next year’s Olympic qualifiers.
Captain Sasu Salin did not hide his disappointment at the team’s hotel to Urheilu. Before the start of the Games, Salin had set himself the goal of reaching the top eight in the World Championships. Now there won’t even be a ranking in the top 16.
– It annoys me, no matter how much. I don’t know how many more World Cups I can play. The Japanese just fought more, 32-year-old Salin summed up the previous night’s game.
Salin’s message to the team in the morning was that Susijengi must now focus on what the players can influence. That is, to the last preliminary group game and the two matches of the lower extension group, which will decide the Olympic qualification place.
– This is not the end of the world, but of course it hurts everyone. These are the growth stories of this particular team. I told the guys that this is an upward trend, says Salin.
Susijeng’s matches this summer have been difficult since the training games.
– We’ve been talking since the beginning of the summer that we have to have fun. However, we must know how to play. We have been at our best when the roles have been right and everyone has respected our game system. Of course, everyone wants the best and wants to help the team, but you still have to figure out how to help on the field. The fun then comes when the game goes smoothly, says Salin.
The current member of the coaching team, who has been Susijeng’s playmaker for a long time Teemu Rannikko also speaks directly about the problems of the team’s attacking play.
– The game breaks down a little too easily. The offense spends too much on bouncing the ball and trying alone. The Suomi basket has not been made like that over the years. The ball moves and the players move. Let’s try to make a better throwing place for the other. Now the ball has stopped. Let’s look more at our own throw than a friend’s throw, Rannikko says.
The coast also has a clear view of why this is happening.
– Things are not implemented as we would like. The task of coaching is to get the players to do what is wanted. Now let’s go back to the basics. Not thinking complicatedly. We do some things we can. Let’s keep the intermediate model solutions at both ends of the field to a minimum, Rannikko opens.
Lauri Markkanen has not had easy baskets like last year
At the attacking end, for example, for the team’s biggest star Lauri Markkanen haven’t been able to get the ball into as good of situations as last year in the European Championships.
– We have the same forward sets, but more discipline would be needed, Salin says.
When Rannikolta asks Markkanen about the lack of easy baskets created, the coach reminds Susijeng’s good defense in last year’s European Championships.
– We were really good in defense. We got stops and were able to run both fast and semi-fast attacks. There have been no stoppages in these games. We’ve gone 5v5.
Rannikko also reminds us that Markkanen is certainly an even more marked player now than last year.
– Everyone needs to look in the mirror here, including coaching. Maybe we haven’t been able to explain clearly enough what we want to do when Lauri can’t get anywhere or there are two defenders in front, Rannikko says.
Rear men with wallpaper
Susijeng’s playmakers have also joined Tikunnokka. However, they are the same as last year ie Miro Little, Ilari Seppälä and Edon Maxhuni. In both of Susijeng’s World Cup matches, it has still been noticeable how difficult it has been for Susijeng.
The head coach Lassi Tuovi already reminded the Finnish media after the Australia game that the trio has had a rough preparation for the World Cup this summer. Each of them missed the preparatory matches before the World Cup.
Rannikko, who has played in numerous top European leagues in his career, does not go into more detail about his knowledge of the current national team’s backmen, but he is aware of the importance of the backman in basketball.
– There is no easy or unequivocal solution for another player to get the offensive game going. However, the back man’s job is to get everyone on the same page in the attack, Rannikko spins.
The importance of Huff and Kopose cannot be underestimated
Of course, one clear change from last year and the success is that two national team legends are no longer involved. Petteri Koponen and Shawn Huff ended their careers at last year’s European Championships.
Rannikko jokes that Kopo and Huff are always missed before getting serious.
– Experience can never be underestimated. Together with Huff and Kopose, 400 international matches started. This World Cup team has more than 400 games in total. Experience doesn’t show up in statistics, but it shows up on the field, Rannikko says.
According to Ranniko, experience also brings clarity to the game.
– Let’s calm down the situation and know exactly what to do. There is a big difference in the enthusiasm and experience of youth in different sports and in basketball as a team as a team, Rannikko concludes.
Susijeng’s upcoming week can be considered significant for the young team, as the Olympic qualifying spot could be seen as an important matter for the next steps of the current generation in the national team jersey. Mentally, you could also think that removing some kind of possible troll from the Japan game could be important in the starting week.
Rannikko does not start speculating with the idea of a troll, but at the end of the interview he reminds us of the characteristics of a successful team and player.
– A good player and team learns from every bad experience. There’s a lot to learn from a game like that, where you lead by 18 points and then lose by 10 points. Such experiences should be able to be used in the future, Rannikko formulates.