Basketball Finland is a member of FIBA and the organizer of national competition and recreational basketball as well as game education in Finland. Over 12.000 games are played annually from Helsinki to Lapland on both youth and adult levels, while men’s and women’s Korisliiga provide domestic top-level competition and entertainment. The blue and white paw prints of Finnish national teams from famous Susijengi to U16 teams can be tracked at international competitions every year.
The success story of Finnish basketball is both recent and widespread. Men’s national team, Susijengi, has played in four consecutive EuroBaskets and made its FIBA World Cup debut in 2014. “The Sixth Player”, the fan community built around Susijengi, has enchanted international basketball community with its dedication and desire – 10.000 Finnish fans travelled to Bilbao to support Susijengi at World Cup in 2014. Susijengi and The Sixth Player rose to center stage at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 in Helsinki, which was rewarded as sport phenomenon of the year as well as consumer event of the year in Finland.
There’s a lot going on at grassroots level as well. The number of players has increased over 25% since 2014. In 2017, FIBA awarded Finland its Golden Certificate of Honor after Finnish boys’ national teams took the biggest leap in the level of competition in the course of four years worldwide. All the Finnish girls’ national teams are playing on Division A level in Europe in 2020 for the first time in history.
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Suomen Koripalloliitto on kv. koripalloliiton (FIBA) jäsen, joka järjestää koripallon kansallista kilpailu-, harrastus- ja koulutustoimintaa. Koripallosarjoissa ”Stadista Sallaan” pelataan vuosittain yli 12.000 ottelua niin nuorten kuin aikuisten sarjoissa. Kotimaista huippukorista tarjoavat naisten ja miesten Korisliigat. Kv. kentille liitto lähettää vuosittain kymmenen ikäluokkamaajoukkuettaan Susijengin johdolla jättämään maailmalle sinivalkoisia tassunjälkiä.