Aug. 10, 2007
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., AUG. 10, 2007 - Penn State junior Joonas Suotamo (Espoo, Finland) and the Finnish National Team split a pair of games in the opening round of pool play at the 24th World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 6-10, 230-pound forward is playing his second stint with the Finnish team at the World University Games, which are held every two years. He left State College, where he had been playing with his Nittany Lion teammates, last weekend to join the Finnish team with whom he had not practiced prior to the University Games.
Finland fell 86-44 to Russia in its opening game of competition. Suotamo scored four points and had two rebounds in the game. The Fins rebounded to post an 81-62 win over Chinese Taipei in their second game. Suotamo posted two points and a rebound in that game.
Finland moved on to play in Phase 2 of the competition where they will face Serbia on Sunday and Mexico on Monday. Teams advancing to the quarterfinals will begin competition on Wednesday, Aug. 15.
The World University Games are comprised of nearly 8,000 athletes from more than 150 countries that are between the ages of 17-28 and not more than one year removed from university enrollment. Competition amongst the 24-team basketball field began on Aug. 7
Suotamo is one of eight returning lettermen for the Nittany Lions in 2007-08. He played in 18 games as a sophomore.