Finland lost to Lithuania 78-81.
Lauri Markkanen (right) failed in the Lithuanian match. Pasi Liesimaa
Susijeng’s follow-up program became significantly more difficult when it lost to Lithuania on the EM parquet after the colorful stages of 78-81.
Finland got a dream start and took up to six points to the opening quarter.
In the end, however, the green -shirt Lithuania crashed alongside and escaping.
– We knew they would surely play differently. It crossmatchäys (Lauri Markka Warmed him with much shorter backmen) was such that it took a long time before we learned to play against it, head coach Lassi Tuovi admitted.
Markkanen eventually made 19 points and was together Michael Jantunen With the most powerful player in Finland. But especially in the first three rounds of the match, his throws did not sink in the usual way.
Since then, Lithuania had already escaped too far.
– It was a successful bet from them. Must congratulate the opponent of it. Of course, you can always take your own peak, Tuovi continued.
– However, the most important thing was hardness. We took too much time in the first period to be able to adapt to that physicality.
The second quarter went to the green shirts with as much as ten points of 25-15. It was too much because Finland won the first and last round. The third was played evenly.
Markkanen often wondered at the whistles of the judges. Pasi Liesimaa
– Lithuania played really hard. If the opponent has more offensive record balls than we have defense record balls, then rarely leads the match.
– We knew it. Lithuania was so much more at the driver’s place and made his own strength a little better than we did. They deserved a victory, Tuovi admitted.
Eruption of Maxhun
In the second period heard how Edon Maxhuni Tried to wake up their team into a battle. The native Finnish curse words came with a Balkan temperament all the way to the home stand.
– It was just that kind of eruption for the whole gang. There was nothing special about anyone. All I had to do was get a better game, Maxhuni described.
– There was no problem with download. That was part of my leadership. Sometimes things like this are needed.
Maxhuni admitted that the biggest problem was the throwing game. For example, usually so reliable Sasu Salin threw all his throws past.
– We missed a lot of free baskets. The opponent got easy points at the other end. It became such a snowball effect.
Maxhuni didn’t want to criticize anyone, although Markkanen’s game besides Salin.
– He wasn’t disappointing. No one is sad or angry with Lauri. He knows how important he is to this team.