Vilpas take a big win at MU16 !
OK – this was almost a week ago, sorry!
Last weekend, I had a double-date in Salo – first the MU16 Finnish League Salon Vilpas vs BC Nokia, and then Men’s Korisliiga at Salohalli later.
It’s cold!
Now, last weekend I didn’t have the warmest of venues, and this MU16 game was no exception. I wore my winter coat all through the game, so I would keep warm. But my backside still was freezing most of the game.. but – this is the reality of Finnish basketball. No shiny plastic venues – proper old school venues with cold floor and needing warm clothes.
Game
Vilpas came out from the tip-off and ran away with the opening 10 minutes with a 30-12 score, and when you make that kind of a statement to begin the game with.
More often than not – the game will be an easy run until the end.
Really at no point did Vilpas take their foot off the gas, as they ran away with a 89-54 win – and a win that was HUGE as Vilpas look to make a late push for a playoff place in the MU16 Finnish League.
With five games to go (against PuHu x 2, Tapiolan Honka, HNMKY/White and HNMKY/Black. They have it all in their own hands – possibly they can slip up in ONE game (HNMKY/Black most likely!) and hope some results go their way.
The two games vs PuHU are MUST wins, as is HNMKY/White – with this win over BC Nokia – Salon Vilpas have made the end of regular season very interesting.
Stats
Salon Vilpas : Jonatan Mäkynen 19 points / 7 rebounds, Olli Miskala 17 points / 6 rebounds, Niko Lemminkäinen 15 points / 4 steals, Helmeri Helttula 13 points / 6 rebounds and a Double-Double for Pietari Kemppainen 11 points and 16 rebounds
BC Nokia : Max Crayton 14 points / 7 rebounds – the only one to reach double digits. Aleksi Lamminen dropped 9 points, Topi Vauhkonen 7 points and 9 rebounds.
A ‘fun fact’ for me was that on BC Nokia roster – there was Henrik Gibson. I am GUESSING he is the son of ex-BC Nokia coach (and next season KarhuBasket coach??) Greg Gibson. Henrik dropped 6 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and snatched one steal.
And IF Greg Gibson really is the next head coach of KarhuBasket… you know where you saw it first!
