ESPOO (Finland) - Lauri Markkanen watched in awe as Finland and New Zealand went down to the wire in their preparation game ahead of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. New Zealand had one last possession to win the game, but they went too soon, leaving just enough time for Finland to launch a Hail Mary attempt.
Prayers were answered, Sasu Salin setting the final score at 73-70 Finland.
The story of the game
It wasn't the only crazy buzzer beater of the game, as New Zealand's Corey Webster ended the first half by hitting a shot from beyond the halfcourt line, getting the Tall Blacks back into this one after Finland had opened a ten-point lead in the first half.
Not only did coach Lassi Tuovi witness his team's double digit lead evaporate, it was soon a game under control by Pero Cameron's men. New Zealand's aggressiveness all over the floor bothered Finland, but the hosts found their way of sticking around.
It was by dominating the boards and getting 16 offensive rebounds, which they converted into easy paint points, including a similar situation, an early offense post up by Mikael Jantunen which tied the game at 70-all 24 seconds before the end of the game.
New Zealand gave the final ball to Corey Webster, who could not convert his layup, setting the stage for Salin's wild shot to end the game.
The player of the game
Although Salin was the hero, he struggled with his shot, missing his first six three-point attempts before making the final one. The player of the game was easily Mikael Jantunen, playing as both the power forward and the center, collecting 20 points and 16 rebounds in a monster double-double.
With Markkanen missing this summer's action due to a shoulder injury, Jantunen will need to get similar numbers day in, day out to have a shot of making the Olympics.
The stats of the game
Finland won the rebounding battle 47-31, which speaks volumes about both the Finnish tenacity and the potential struggles for New Zealand against bigger teams.
On the other hand, New Zealand's on ball pressure is as good as it was last summer at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. They forced 20 turnovers, winning the points from turnovers category 22-6.
The takeaways from the game
Finland may be underdogs without their superstar Markkanen, but there is still plenty of excitement around the national team. One of the reasons is the idea of building something new with youngsters, including a 17-year-old Miikka Muurinen, 6'10'' (210cm) tall forward who collected 3 blocks in just 14 minutes of action.
New Zealand can be optimistic even in defeat. Their core looks better than last summer, mostly because they've got a lethal scoring threat and a leader on the floor back in Corey Webster. He had 18 points in the game, and will be a valuable offensive weapon for coach Cameron in Greece.
FIBA