Eurobasket.com All-Finnish Korisliiga Awards 2008-09 - May 28, 2009
Player of the Year: Ray Nixon (203-F-84) of Namika Lahti Guard of the Year: Larry Blair (183-G-84) of Joensuun Kataja Forward of the Year: Ray Nixon (203-F-84) of Namika Lahti Center of the Year: Jeremiah Wood (200-F/C-85) of Joensuun Kataja Newcomer of the Year: Antti Kanervo (193-G/F-89) of Kouvot Kouvola Most Improved Player of the Year: Vesa Makalainen (200-F-86) of Namika Lahti Import Player of the Year: Ray Nixon (203-F-84) of Namika Lahti Domestic Player of the Year: Antti Nikkila (210-F/C-78) of Pyrinto Tampere Defensive Player of the Year: Vesa Makalainen (200-F-86) of Namika Lahti Coach of the Year: Sami Toiviainen of Namika Lahti 1st Team Ray Nixon (203-F-84) of Namika Lahti Damon Williams (199-F-73) of Pyrinto Tampere Jeremiah Wood (200-F/C-85) of Joensuun Kataja Kenny Lowe (191-G-80) of Pyrinto Tampere Larry Blair (183-G-84) of Joensuun Kataja 2nd Team Vesa Makalainen (200-F-86) of Namika Lahti HL Coleman (202-F-74) of Lappeenranta NMKY Antti Nikkila (210-F/C-78) of Pyrinto Tampere Brian Swift (178-G-82) of Kouvot Kouvola Ilkka Vuori (181-G-86) of Namika Lahti Honorable Mention Steve Smith (200-F-81) of KTP Basket Kotka Mark Zoller (200-F-85) of UU-Korihait Uusikaupunki Akeem Scott (186-G-83) of Honka Espoo Playboys Calvin Walls (201-F-85) of Kouvot Kouvola Quinnel Brown (198-G/F-83) of Joensuun Kataja Isaac Spencer (198-F-78) of Torpan Pojat Helsinki Ray Cunningham (199-F-79) of Forssan Koripojat Frank Richards (188-G-82) of Team Componenta Karkkila All-Domestic Players Team Vesa Makalainen (200-F-86) of Namika Lahti Sami Lehtoranta (205-C/F-79) of Joensuun Kataja Antti Nikkila (210-F/C-78) of Pyrinto Tampere Ilkka Vuori (181-G-86) of Namika Lahti Petri Virtanen (183-G-80) of Joensuun Kataja All-Imports Team Ray Nixon (203-F-84) of Namika Lahti Damon Williams (199-F-73) of Pyrinto Tampere Jeremiah Wood (200-F/C-85) of Joensuun Kataja Kenny Lowe (191-G-80) of Pyrinto Tampere Larry Blair (183-G-84) of Joensuun Kataja All-Defensive Team Vesa Makalainen (200-F-86) of Namika Lahti Antti Nikkila (210-F/C-78) of Pyrinto Tampere Kenny Lowe (191-G-80) of Pyrinto Tampere Ilkka Vuori (181-G-86) of Namika Lahti Ville Vesala (188-G-83) of Namika Lahti KORISLIIGA: YMCA Lahti Finnish Champion - May 16, 2009 Korisliiga, Finals, Game # 3: YMCA Lahti is the new Finnish Champion. Regular season winner Kataja (Joensuu) lost three times in a row vs YMCA Lahti and there is no room for any ifs. YMCA Lahti's record 9-1 in the play-off-games is telling the plain truth; Lahti is # 1 in Finland right now. Today Kataja was finally able to fight and make it a close game, but tactical mistakes in the end of the contest were meaning the end for this season. Kataja lost by one 79-80 (35-36). Quarters: 17-20, 18-16, 21-21, 23-23. The championship was the second for YMCA Lahti in 29 years. The first one took place nine years ago in the year 2000. Kataja was in the finals for third time and Team's first championship is still a big dream. There was one player on YMCA Lahti roster winning the championship in 2000 and now 2009. G Teemu Laine (190-G-77) was playing the 12th season on Lahti roster and ending his basketball career when on top. Laine averaged this season 6,2 ppg - 1,7 rpg - 1,2 apg in 19:37 mpg. All YMCA Lahti starters were in double digits today. Team Lahti was this time in foul troubles though. Four players fouled out during the contest. Lahti won the rebounds 38-48, but had more turnovers (13-18). Both teams missed many FTs. Too many. Kataja was shooting 55,9% and YMCA Lahti 55,2% from the charity stripe. Kataja's Larry Blair (183-G-84, agency: Megasport, college: Liberty) (game high 27 pts) was keeping the hosts in the game to the end, but Game # 4 was never needed. YMCA Lahti record was 27-17 during the regular season (Kataja 32-12), but Coach Sami Toiviainen, 34, coaching the second season on top level as a Head Coach, made his team defend very hard in the play-off-games and Lahti won nine out of 10 play-off-games improving the season record into figures 36-18. The key factor and player in the defense was Vesa Makalainen. Three American players (Melvin Tyler, Bilal Abdullah, Chris Rodgers) left the team during the season, but Ray Nixon (203-F-84, agency: Court Side, college: Wisconsin), Kurtis Rice (198-F-82, agency: Court Side, college: Charleston So.) and Jason Conley (196-G-81, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Missouri) were all decent players. Kataja - YMCA Lahti 79-80 (35-36) (Larry Blair 27/3, Jeremiah Wood 26/15, Petri Virtanen 10/2, Anssi Kinnaslampi 7/1, Sami Lehtoranta 5/9, Quinnell Brown 4/5. The shooting percentages: 1 - 55,9% (19/34), 2 - 46,7% (21/45), 3 - 30,0% (6/20). Rebounds: 38. Turnovers: 13. - Jason Conley 14/7, Ray Nixon 13/6, Kurtis Rice 12/7, Vesa Makalainen 11/11, Ilkka Vuori 10/1, Ville Vesala 9/3, Teemu Laine 7/2, Jari Vanttaja 3/1, Pasi Pekkola 1/1, Sami Pekkola 0/3. The shooting percentages: 1 - 55,2% (16/29), 2 - 44,7% (17/38), 3 - 41,7% (10/24). Rebounds: 48. Turnovers: 18. FINNISH CUP: YMCA LPR winning fourth time in a row YMCA Lappeenranta did it again. The fourth time in a row. The Finnish Cup winner 2008 is also the winner in the years 2005, 2006, 2007: YMCA Lappeenranta. This time the opponent in the Final was Torpan Pojat (Helsinki). The first half was tight, but YMCA LPR was leading by 15 pts after three quarters. When the 4th quarter was even 21-21, YMCA LPR won 98-83 (48-44). Quarters: 23-21, 25-23, 29-18, 21-21. YMCA LPR was shooting more and better, winning the rebounds 39-31 and earning the fourth Finnish Cup victory. The winning Team had five players in double figures. The Danish PG Chanan Colman (192-G-84, agency: Arik Krayn Services, college: Chipola J7.4ppg, C) was the game MVP with 24 pts. Demetrius Brown (197-F-83, college: San Jose St.) added 18 pts and Pasi Riihela (199-F-75) had a double-double 17/12. Jouko Jarvinen (188-G-87) was a big surprise with 14 pts. ToPo had three players in double digits. Timo Heinonen (198-F-81) netted 19 and E.J. Drayton (204-F-82, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Charlotte) 18 pts. Isaac Spencer (198-F-78, agency: Tank Sports, college: Murray St.) scored 17 pts. Finnish Cup Final: YMCA Lappeenranta - Torpan Pojat 98-83 (48-44) (Chanan Colman 24, Demetrius Brown 18, Pasi Riihela 17/12, HL Coleman 14, Jouko Jarvinen 14 - Timo Heinonen 19, E.J.Drayton 18, Isaac Spencer 17). Semifinals Team Componenta Karkkila 79:88 Torpan Pojat Helsinki Lappeenranta NMKY 89:76 Honka Espoo Playboys |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Men
Women
Subscribe
Login
KORISLIIGA: YMCA Lahti Finnish Champion (Photo: ess.fi)
KORISLIIGA: YMCA Lahti Finnish Champion (Photo: ess.fi)
FINNISH CUP 2009: YMCA LPR winning fourth time in a row (Photo: lrnmky.fi)
Toiviainen
