Luleå Basket vs AIK – game recap

Recap on the road

Last night I started my ‘ Basketball in the Nordics ‘ project, which aims to show how and where the game is played here in the North (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and perhaps even the Baltics).

But – I also like to make my own little game recaps, so here is my take on last nights SBL Dam game between league leaders Luleå Basket and fourth placed AIK.

They will have no chance…

That was what I was told by someone, when I talked to them about the game. Their view was that Luleå is way to strong and AIK will have no chance in the game.

Guess the league table does show that Luleå are strong, with only two defeats all season.

No chance??

Well, the opening exchanges of the game showed that AIk DID have a chance, as they controlled the opening exchanges of the game and held a lead for a long time.
Much to the frustration of the Luleå coach Robin Edbom.

For the visitors Linnea Rosendal and Lea Moreau Gnesutta dropping the points in the opening minutes of the game.

Home team kept up the pace, which I later learned is their game plan – run, run and then run some more. Sofia Persson – who signed a deal to stay in Luleå for another season – the leading scorer and Fanny Wadling just being everywhere..

It was also a nice surprise for me to see a familiar face, Kardi-Ann Lass, in the Luleå Basket team. She played last year in BC Nokia in Finland – and now has moved a little bit more north for this season.

Players remember

I caught up with Kadri-Ann after the game and said ‘ You probably don’t remember me from last season in Finland….’

And she was like ‘ I thought it was you, during the game I saw you on the baseline and was like.. is that the guy from Finland last season… ‘

So – photographers – remember, the players DO remember our faces and the photos we take!!

Turning Point

Half-time – teams went into the locker rooms for the long break almost even – but the second half of the game was really Luleå Basket setting the tempo and tone of the game. In the end – the 80-61 final score, just about the deserved gap – even if it could have been maybe five points less, and no-one would have complained.

And where in Finland we talk that in Women’s Korisliiga – we have teams like HBA and EBT, that have young rosters and like to keep a fast pace in the game. Let’s just say that the pace that Luleå Basket kept at the game, the Finnish teams would be left wondering what happened…

Stat Pack

Luleå Basket : Gotta start with Fanny Wadling : 8 points/14 rebounds/6 assists/5 steals and 3 blocks. Not a double-double or anything like that.. but a SOLID stat-line. Double-Double did come, and Emma Lundgren got there with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Scoringwise – Sofia Persson 20 points and Sandra Hedlund 14 points.

AIK : Linnea Rosendal 15 points / 9 rebounds, Lovisa Holmgren 11 points / 4 steals, Lea Moreau Gnesutta 13 points, Madison Torresin 7 points / 7 rebounds

More to come!

I will spend some more time gathering my thoughts about the game/venue/etc .. and write my ‘Luleå report’ in the coming days/weeks.. and write about how I saw the visit to one of the northern most towns where basketball is played in the Nordics.