The Leap from Naisten Divisioona to Korisliiga Explained

Naisten Korisliiga – big step from Naisten Divisioona?

End of season and titles are decided and promotion places fought for.

So – how big is the step from the 1st Division to the Naisten Korisliiga, the top tier in Finland.

Yesterday I attended the 1st Division playoff Final between Puhuttaret and Honka II – to see myself what the game on the second level of the domestic game looks like.

Last season BC Nokia won the title and took up the promotion place to Naisten Korisliiga and they competed really well this season, even reaching the playoffs in the first season.

So, what do coaches and players think of the difference between the two tiers of the game?

Below you will find video interviews ( IN FINNISH ) with Puhuttaret Head Coach Petri Welling, EBT Head Coach Niko Hellman (who also coaches the EBT II team in the 1st Division, as well as the Korisliiga team), players Emili Melnikova of EBT and EBT II, so she also has the experience as a player from both leagues, as well as Anna Gardziella of ToPo and ToPo II – who, like Melnikova has the experience of playing in both leagues.

Coach Welling : Naturally there is a difference between the two levels, in Korisliiga the players are a bit more athletic and the Americans (import) players are carrying a lot of responsibility on the scoring.

Talking of the season of his team :

‘We had a really committed bunch of players this season, and that is one of the biggest reason why are where we are now. Naturally we’ll take a moment and analyze the bigger picture during the next week.

Emili Melnikova, I caught up with her after her team had won the bronze medals to talk of the game that had just finished and difference between the two leagues.

Emili Melnikova : I feel great, and I am really proud of our team – I feel that we really deserved the win today and we’ve worked really hard for this.

How would you describe EBT this season?

‘Hard working, that describes us really well. Everyone is really nice at the team and we have a great team spirit and that has affected the way we play in a big way.’

How big, in your opinion, is the difference between Naisten Korisliiga and Naisten Divisioona?

‘In my opinion in the Korisliiga the pace of the game is faster, and also that you play more with your brain – so you need to hold your concentration 100% of the time’

‘How have you found it to play both leagues?’

‘In the beginning of the season it was a bit challenging to play two different leagues, but as the season progressed, I felt that I got on better also in the Korisliiga as well.’

Niko Hellman :

Feelings of the season as a whole?

‘Really proud, the team has really grown through out the season in many fields.

And as I said in the press just few moments ago, that the team had set themselves a minimum goal this season for it to be considered successful. 

It was that we would reach the playoffs, and then be so competitive in the first round that it would go all the way to Game 05 (series is best of 5).

How would describe your team?

‘Really good defensive team, one of the best defensive teams I have ever coached. Team that never gave up, winning the ball control percentage in most of our games. Those probably are the two factors that we have based our game and our success this season on.

When we are a young team, it is natural that our finishing and so on isn’t yet on the same level as players who have played professionally for ten years or played for the national team, on in European leagues. This is now the highest level where our players have competed. So – there is still something for the players to learn.

Then, the difference of Naisten Korisliiga and Naisten Divisioona – how big is the leap/step between the two league??

‘I think it is a really big step, I would say that the difference between the U19 League and Naisten 1st Division is smaller than the difference between 1st Division and Naisten Korisliiga. We do have our second team playing in the 1st Division, so I do see both league regularly – so the step is big between the two leagues and probably only a portion of the players in Divisioona can really perform/play in the Naisten Korisliiga’

Anna Gardziella :

First thoughts of the Game 01 of Naisten Korisliiga Finals?

‘I feel good after we won, naturally. But there is a lot we can and must still improve in our game, defensively we were OK, but in the offence we got to get the ball moving better.

Then – the difference between the Divisioona and Naisten Korisliiga

‘I would say, the physicality and things happen ‘faster’ in Naisten Korisliiga than they do in Divisioona – so players react to things faster in Korisliiga. But … other than that … basketball is basketball, so…’

Few final thoughts

I haven’t watched much of the leagues below Naisten Korisliiga this season, but have been to few 1st, 2nd and 3rd Division games – and as Anna Gardziella puts it ‘ basketball is basketball ‘

Often I find that the leagues below Korisliiga are faster paced, no matter if the players seem to think otherwise. The has somehow more of the grassroots feel that always attracts players to the game in the first place…

It also feels like the support/fans of the lower league teams are more passionate – there might not be as many fans in the lower leagues than in the top tier – but so often the players who play in 1st or 2nd division – they are naturally local girls/boys .. so they have friends and family who come to support them – and there is maybe more of a connection to the community in that way.

The top levels tend to have players moving about a lot – and naturally the import players change almost season to season – so the connection is harder to make.