Comment|The Finnish national basketball team played a promising and at times even brilliant match, but the long periods of confusion cost too much, writes Tony Pietilä from Spain.
Valencia
Finland–Bahamas 85–96
Finland On Tuesday, the men’s national basketball team started their career at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Valencia, Spain. Taival had a difficult start, because the Bahamas, which is full of NBA stars, was too strong in the opening match.
The theme of the match was the march of the future. Finnish stars Lauri Markkanen had to miss the entire tournament, and neither captain Sasu Salinka was fit for the opening match. Therefore, Finland had to rely on new responsible parties.
The advance was both successful and unsuccessful. Although the Bahamas had three of the best players in their line-up – Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield and Eric Gordon – Finland’s youthful group took the game to their heart’s content at times.
The counterbalance was moments when, for example, Hield took control of the game sovereignly and Susijengi’s inexperience was visible. These moments were unfortunately far too long for Finland.
Finland and the Bahamas met on the basketball court.
This one Finland is the tournament Mikael Jantunen and Edon Maxhunin team. Maxhuni, the back man, and Jantunen, who dominates the frontcourt, lead the troops on the offensive end, and Jantunen made the huge NBA star Ayton sizzle.
And then there is another 17-year-old super promise Miikka Muurinen. The teenager’s entry in the second quarter had to be frozen. He blocked a three on his first try and soon at the other end he hit a wonderful turnaround jump shot, so to speak, in Ayton’s face.
The inexperience was then visible when, in the second half, when the job became more difficult, Muurinen missed the rebound from the basket and got stuck in the hoop, as a result of which Finland lost the ball.
The second quarter was a great game from Finland. The joy of the game was at its peak and the Bahamians were frustrated. However, the story of the second half was different.
From glimpses however, the truth was harsh. When the Bahamian stars got the game going in the third quarter and the team started drumming up their attacks, Finland’s game got mixed up. Brutal losses, haste and confusion followed, as has often happened to Finland in the third quarter before.
In those moments, Finland would have needed experience. Someone should have been able to take control of the situation and calm the team down, but that didn’t happen. The mixing periods lasted too long and the gap grew too big.
In the final quarter, especially Jantunen continued to go wild on the offensive end, sinking triples and bringing Finland closer. Hope still rose in the final minutes, but in the end, it wasn’t quite enough.
About the result regardless, everything is still open for Susijeng. In an even group, both teams that played on Tuesday will face Poland again. In the Bahamas this is ahead on Wednesday, in Finland on Thursday.
Finland has every chance of beating Poland, but even if it does, the next place also depends on how the mutual rivalry between Poland and the Bahamas goes.
If the Bahamas win, a victory over Poland would be enough for Finland to take the second place in the group and the next place. If, on the other hand, Poland beats the Bahamas, with Finland’s victory over Poland, everyone would be level and the rankings would be determined by goal difference.
Although the match turned in favor of the Bahamas under the leadership of the NBA giants, Finland’s performance was promising. By minimizing the mistakes and shuffles, it may well beat Poland.
However, somewhere you have to find a player or a coach who can calm the situation when the going is the hardest of all.
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