Preseason time

It’s preseason time in Finland and around Europe for Finnish teams and players… so though to dig up some results from these games and see how teams/players are doing… first thought to look through the ‘preseason games’ list on the official website – but unfortunately it seems many results are not showing there at the moment.. and not like I was going to put everything up anyways, just few selected ones. So guess now it’s digging through various teams social media channels …

On the continent – picking up few players/teams.

In Slovakia – Joel Mäntynen ja Aatu Kivimäki playing for Patrioiti Levice – have had a busy start to preseason, in their last game Levice came out on top vs NH Ostrava 83-74. Kivimäki scoring 3 points and Mäntynen 5 points, earlier in a 85-51 defeat to Szombathely – Mäntynen was in the starting 5 but was left without points, Kivimäki scored 9 points another game to pick up was 47-61 win over Oberwart Gunners – with both Finns coming off the bench – Kivimäki with 6 points and Mäntynen with 5 points. Levice will also be heading to Turkey for the Champions League qualifyiers next week.

Sara Bejedi will start her pro-career in KSC Szekszard in Hungary – who will next week play a two legged qualifying game to reach Women’s EuroLeague!! their opponents are Zabiny Brno from Czechia – so no surprise the team has had busy schedule of preseason games winning three of them and losing two. In their opening two game Bejedi was on fire with 21 points and 15 points respectively and dishing out 15 assists. In the following three games her stats have been around 6-8 assists per game and hovering around double figures on the points.

Sasu Salin has started a season outside of Spain for the first time in .. well a LONG time, as he looks for new challenges with Cluj in Romania. From what I managed to look on their website – they have played two preseason games with Salin hitting 9 points in the second and 3 points in the first game. Salin and the team now head to Bosnia – where I THINK they are playing a mini-tournament where Perttu Blomgren is also playing for Bosna (really not 100% on this!)

Awak Kuier will become the SECOND Finnish player to play in Women’s EuroLeague when she steps on to the court with Umana Reyer this season – her team has played two preseason games/scrimmages and come out on top in both, Kuier has scored a decent 12 points in one and 18 in the other – so looking good ahead of the season for Awak and her team!

In Finland, on men’s side, of things – the newly promoted Tapiolan Honka have had few games and come out on top in the two games I know of – winning comfortably against 1-div opposition HNMKY 122-53 in their first game, and then winning against last seasons runners-up in Korisliiga, Helsinki Seagulls, by a single point after overtime.

A little point to make there is that saying ‘last seasons champions or runners-up’ in Korisliiga is almost like saying that in EuroBasket U16 this year the team is last years defending champions.. sure they are.. but the team has mostly changed (at least the four import players very likely are different.. could write a whole blog post about that!). But still..

Talking of Champions – last seasons winners of Korisliiga – BC Nokia – have started their preseason with two defeats, first to KarhuBasket in Kauhajoki, and then at their new home venue by 4 points to KatajaBasket. BC Nokia also lost Hugo Boman for the whole season due to injury – but quickly then signed free agent Antti Kanervo to replace the empty spot in their roster. BC Nokia also head to Turkey for the Basketball Champions League qualifying tournament next week..

Salon Vilpas visited last years relegated team Lahti Basketball in Lahti to open their preseason – and came out on top in that clash, Pyrintö hosted Bisons and the away team took the W there, in Kymenlaakso KTP hosted Kouvot – and Kouvot took the game by 10 points.

In Naisten Korisliiga – EBT have been active with two games, a 77-70 defeat to Kouvottaret in the first game, and then a 79-51 win over newly promoted BC Nokia, BC Nokia also played another game – that one a closer game which they narrowly lost to Forssan Alku.

There we go – just a little look at preseason from the continent and around Finland – in Finland the preseason games are now starting to come thick and fast as we head into the start of the season.. on the continent various qualifying tournaments are happening and leagues tipping off.. I will try to keep tabs on what’s happening and posting every now and then…