Finland’s Journey: Nordic Championships Dominance
Little said so far, big performances
It’s been quiet on the Finland posts over here – but, been doing that content for the Federation for the weekend – so the content and stuff has been there.
But – let’s talk about Finland going 3-0 in their opening three games of the tournament in Södertälje.
Stat attack
Nordic Championships have a pretty nice stats site – so digging few interesting stats from there.
Top 10 – Average +/-
- Jessi Nenonen 41.7
- Ada Luukkanen 34
- Anna Gardziella 33
- Erka Mace 32.2
- Nicole Ogun 27
- Mona Pasanen 19.7
- Alina Nikkilä 18.7
- Silja Loukola 18
- Iida Riihelä 17.7
This is including ALL the teams in the tournament, not just Finland … CRAZY!
Other stats where Finland is on top of the charts :
- Effciency : Jessi Nenonen 76 – Erika Mace 67
- Assist/Turnover ratio (??) : Jessi Nenonen 900 – Erika Mace 450 – Mona Pasanen 300
- 2 point percentange : Jessi Nenonen 67.6 – Erika Mace 64
- 3 point percentage : Jessi Nenonen 41.7 – Silja Loukola 40
- Assists : Erika Mace 18 – Ada Luukkanen 13 – Mona Pasanen 12
- Average rebounds : Nicole Ogun 9.5
- Points : Jessi Nenonen 65
- Average points : Jessi Nenonen 21.7
In the team stats Finland top :
- Assists : 80
- 3 points attempted : 116
- 3 points made : 28
- 2 points attempted : 185
- 2 points made : 99
- 2 point percentage : 53.5
- Points per game : 106,7
- Average points against : 51
The team
Finnish team is one, that at least I have some expectations of this summer – coming from one of the best youth summers of last year. This team has the components of a very solid team.
Last summer Finland won the WU16 European Championship as well as reached the Top 8 in the FIBA WU17 World Cup in Mexico.
This summers WU18 team is in the great position to pick players from these two teams for this summer – which also means that some really good players are left out. As you can only have 12 players in a team….
Winning mentality
Hope that this does not sound too harsh, but over the soon 20 years I have been covering Finland in senior and youth levels .. the Finnish women’s or girls team have mostly not been used to winning.
In the recent years that really has started to change at the youth level – rising from B-division to A-division and last summer (for NOW!) crowning it all with the World Cup Top 8 and European Championship at WU16.
So we are getting a whole new generation of players who go to games believing and knowing that they can beat anyone on their day…. something that has not been the case always.
Having said all that – I do like to point out that at youth level things can change quickly and naturally stepping from U16 to U18 or then even to U20 level (unfortunately Finland does not have WU20 programme this summer 🙁 ) is always a big step and if you get success at U16 level.. it does not necessarily mean you get the same success at U18 level…
Nordic Championships 2025
For all the teams, these tend to be the first games of the summer, short training camps behind them and still getting sets figured and best rotations organised.
Finland has been a juggernaut in their opening three games, really taking each game from the opening possessions and not giving their opponents any chance in the game.
It also shows the depth of the team, and how every player already starts to know their role, that even with the ‘pre season’ rotation tactics that the Nordic Championships have – with players rarely getting 20 minutes per game.. there is never any lull in the game and intensity from Finland.
Will Finland win the Nordic Championships – I think if I would ask the coach or the players, I would get the diplomatic answer something in the lines of ‘ We have played well so far in the tournament but have two more games to go, and tough test awaiting us after the rest day..’ Or something in those lines ..
But – having seen all the teams and all the games in the opening three days – I would say that Finland are the big favourites to lift the trophy on Thursday morning in Södertälje after their 9am game (good luck getting the players awake for that one coach Hänninen!!!)
More to come
Rest Day today for all the teams – tomorrow we go again and get the Nordic Championships wrapped up at the WU18 level on Thursday!
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