| 22.07.2010
Petteri Koponen has not given up hope of playing for Finland in their EuroBasket qualifying campaign as he battles back from a stress fracture in his foot.
Koponen faces a race against time to be ready by the end of the month, but has been boosted by the verdict of doctors who say he is close to making a full recovery.
"The doctors told me that the foot is completely ossified," he said. "We have moved forward with the rehabilitation of the situation and every day the time estimate changes. I'm just increasing the burden gradually."
Koponen knows that if he is to make the squad for the qualifiers, he needs to be able to play in at least one warm-up game, and is eyeing their trip to Lithuania at the end of the month, ahead of their opening qualifier against Montenegro on August 5.
The Virtus Bologna point guard was hurt in April while playing in the Italian league and has been undergoing an intensive rehabilitation program since.
Meanwhile, Muurinen is set to be fit for Finland duty this summer after recovering from a hernia operation.
The 29-year-old, who has just signed for Skyliner Frankfurt, suffered the problem playing for Scafati Basket in Italy last season but has been back in training and will join the team in heading for Britain this weekend for the team's first warm-up games.
"Kimmo's injury has healed well and we hope he will play this week," said coach Henrik Dettmann.
"But we believe in taking it steady and we will see how the exercises are going this week, and we will plan accordingly."
Finland will take on Great Britain and Canada this weekend as they prepare for their EuroBasket qualifying campaign.
Finland are in Group A alongside Italy, Latvia, Montenegro and Israel. |
|
| |
|
