What can you say after that?? 3 O.T's and a home win.. WOW!!

It was quite a game at the Stozice Arena in Ljubljana on Monday (almost went until Tuesday!) - missed shots, controversial refereeing calls, last second baskets, good tactical play and both teams starting to lose players due to five fouls by the end.

But, today did have something else in store as well - a trip to Koper, where Finland will play their Group Stage in EuroBasket 2013. So - for Finnish basketball fans.. there is something special in store over the Xmas period.. hopefully you'll find time to come and have a look at it :-)

Back to the game - seeing it through the camera lens once again, it is tough to call how each play went, etc. What stuck in my mind from the game was the amount of EASY missed shots from both teams, and couple of refereeing calls that went to the home team (and would have gone the other way if the game was played in Podgorica)

INTERVIEW (in Finnish - Suomeksi) with SASU SALIN :

Salin-Win

It was almost like the crowd knew that the game was going to go on for a while, and saved their voices until the O.T - until then the Arena was pretty quiet for most parts.. some photographers only arrived to the game during the 3rd quarter.. but I bet they still got plenty of images from the game ;-)

From the Finnish players point of view.. good game for the Ljubljana players, unfortunately Gerald Lee got into early foul trouble (thought that his 4th and 5th came quite easy). Especially Ranniko's 1 out of 2 FT and charge for the rebound to make it extra two points.. with Ljubljana trailing by 2 with 15 seconds to go on second O.T

After the game, the Olimpija players got to pose with various Miss Slovenia winners ... and the press seemed to enjoy that as well.. at least judging by the amount of press who stayed behind and photographers.

TEEMU RANNIKKO (in Finnish - Suomeksi) INTERVIEW :

Teemu-Win

Quick comments from the Ljubljana Finns, unfortunately Gerald Lee seemed to 'sneak' out and I failed to get comments from him after the game - but, suppose it is understandable after a bitter defeat like this.. (although players do often try to avoid me after their team loses.. I wonder if it is because I have a video camera??)

On the way home from the game.. first I see car with the name 'Salin' passing me... "HONK THE HORN!!".. then a car with the name "Rannikko" passes me.. more "HONK THE HORN"... "FLASH THE LIGHTS".. seems to make Rannikko slow down.. and radio the info to his team mate in the 'leading car'. Good end to the trip in Slovenia... now, only all the pictures to go through.. the video to edit.. and catch a flight back home on Tuesday.. this is how the last foreign travel of the year ended.. with a TRIPLE OVER TIME!!

Thanks for following my adventures through this Blog over the past year.. we'll continue with Joensuun Kataja in the last 16 of EuroChallenge in January (well that's with the foreign travels.. more Blog stuff to come before that).