Tuomas Iisalon coached by the French Paris Basketball has scored baskets in a wild way this season. Iisalo has led Paris Basketball to the Eurocup finals starting on Tuesday, so that Paris Basketball has scored 98.4 points per match.
In the Eurocup, which is traditionally considered the second league in Europe, the quotation is the highest ever. Europe’s first series, the Euroleague, has not seen anything similar in the 21st century.
An interesting statistical boost is also that Paris Basketball has scored 129.5 points per 100 possessions.
No one has been able to read like Paris Basketball in that statistic that measures offensive value in the toughest national leagues, the Euroleague or the NBA, which is considered the best basketball league in the world, this season.
The corresponding reading of the NBA’s first team Boston Celtics is 123.4 points per 100 possessions According to the 3stepsbasket statistics page.
– The reading shows that we have done some things at a very high level. The reading of the Boston Celtics is considered exceptional at the NBA level. So, of course, our readings are wild, but these should not be compared between series. It is better to compare within the series, Iisalo commented on the statistical increase to Urheilu.
According to the Finnish coach, the effective attacking method has attracted interest in sports circles.
– Many coaches and organizations have been interested in how this has been achieved. It’s been fun to notice how this has attracted attention, says Iisalo.
So how is this possible?
Iisalo reminds that the German teams Bonn and Crailsheim, which he previously coached, were already very effective on the offensive end.
– This year the attack has been even more effective because we have even more talent than in Bonn or Crailsheim. We’ve also been probably the most efficient team ever when transitioning to attack. This can be simplified to the fact that for us the attack is very simple. To the opponent, it looks reasonably complicated, says Iisalo.
He lists good continuity as a success factor. Six players from his last season’s team from Bonn followed Iisalo to Paris. The roles are thereby also clear, but they can be modified according to the opponent’s and opponent’s strengths.
A Finnish player in a significant role
One Finn also plays in Paris Basketball Mikael Jantunen. He has played more than 20 minutes per game in the Eurocup and scored 7.8 points per game. Both readings are the fifth highest on the team. When asked about Jantunen’s performances this season, Iisalo has nothing but praise.
– Micke has been a really significant part of our success this season. Although he is a young player, he has been reliable from game to game. He is a versatile player who can help both offensively and defensively, says Iisalo about the 23-year-old Finnish national team player.
Jantunen also played a significant role in Susijeng during the European Championship qualifying games in February.
– It has been nice to notice that he has progressed in our environment. You could see it in the previous national team games that he has taken clear development steps.
Last season, Iisalo conquered the basketball Champions League as Bonn’s head coach. In recent years, the basketball media has talked about how the Champions League, run by the international basketball association Fiba, has been tightening its grip on the Eurocup managed by the parent company of the Euroleague in recent years. For example, last season there was hardly any difference in the rankings of the teams in the domestic main leagues.
Iisalo now has a grip surface from both series. The player base of Bonn and Paris Basketball is still the same.
When comparing, Iisalo reminds that the competition formats are different in the Champions League and the Eurocup. In the 32-team Champions League, shorter group stages are played before the playoffs. In the 20-team Eurocup, there will be an 18-game regular season before the playoffs. With that, deeper player material has also been needed in Paris than in Bonn.
– The series are of the same level. The best Champions League teams would do well in the Eurocup and vice versa. However, the competition in our starting group was even tougher than in the Champions League. I could see that the Eurocup has been more clearly the second European competition this year, says Iisalo.
Euroleague?
A Eurocup win for Iisalo and Paris Basketball would open up a chance to enter Europe’s first series, the Euroleague. The winner will be offered a wild card spot in the league of the 18 best basketball teams in Europe. After that, the club must declare its desire and meet the license criteria.
According to Iisalo, Paris Basketball’s intention is to accept a place in the Euroleague if it is offered to them.
– Of course, it means additional investments from the club, but in the long term, the club’s strategy has been to rise to the highest level in Europe. If that opportunity comes now, it will come sooner than thought. However, work has been done for that, says Iisalo.
In the Eurocup finals starting on Tuesday, Paris Basketball will meet another French team, Bourg-en-Bresse. The teams have not met in the Eurocup before this season, but have played against each other once in the French premier league. Bourg-en-Bresse beat the Iisalo team at home by two points. The Finnish coach is expecting a tough final series against an athletic team.
Two wins are required for the Eurocup championship. The final series starts on Tuesday in Paris. The second final is coming up on the away field on Friday. A possible third final is next Monday.
Even before the final series, Iisalo has received personal recognition. He was chosen as Eurocup coach of the year. There are already two coach of the year awards from Germany and one Champions League coach of the year award in the trophy cabinet.
However, the glowing Finnish coach sees the coach of the year award as an award for the whole team.
– Usually it goes to a team that performed very well or overperformed compared to expectations. We had big expectations going into the season. When we have been able to overcome them, such an award is a great achievement for the whole team, says Iisalo.