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Home - Damligan (Women's league) in
Sweden – unpredictable and different
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Damligan in
Sweden – unpredictable and different
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November
16, 2009
 The
Swedish women´s basketball league, Damligan, has gone through some
major changes this year. Last season, two Swedish clubs, 08 Stockholm
and Solna Vikings, played in women´s EuroCup. This year no team will
participate. Clubs have been forced to decrease their budgets
substantially due to the current global economic situation and lack of
sponsors. New tax legislation will cause increased social costs for
foreign players, and several clubs are also struggling with budget
deficits that go years back.
Is
it good or bad?
Last season there were around 30 foreign players in Damligan. The
number this year is 16, and player quality is not what it used to be.
Leading international players, like Leah Metcalf, Sabrina Scott,
Brittney Vaughn and Carla Bartee are no longer in the league and Solna
star Jurgita Kausaite has given up her carrier and is now coach in
Vikings. Several domestic stars have turned pros in Europe, e.g. Louice
Halvarsson, Hanna Bouldwin and Elisabeth Egnell. In all, this has lead
to a situation where several teams have had problems filling their
rosters with quality players. Two clubs, Jämtland and Eskilstuna, even
had to withdraw from Damligan, thus giving room for two newcomers,
Sallen from Uppsala and Eos Lund. Never before has Damligan been so
unpredictable. While some argue that loss of standard will be fatal for
the league and Swedish women´s basketball, others say that this is a
long needed catharsis, meaning that clubs have to start adjusting
themselves to reality of economics. With more than 40 rookies in
Damligan and the star players gone, for sure, it cannot keep up to
standards in a short perspective. In the long run though, it could mean
good things. Lots of young Swedish have the opportunity carry heavy
minutes and play important roles in their respective teams. Five of the
clubs have decided to play with only domestic players, which in itself
is a completely new situation.
Favorites
in remarkable game
Champions Solna Vikings are once again favorites for the title, with 08
Stockholm as their main contender. Solna has lost Egnell and Kausaite,
but have a strong starting line-up, with experienced players like Maria
Näsström, Christy Bacon and Katarina Andersson. They also have
recruited several young players, who not yet are ready for top level
performances, but constitute the club´s investment for the future.
Stockholm has a strong and balanced squad. Kadidja Andersson is their
leading player, and great stuff is expected from young star Fahriya
Abdi this winter, but the team´s problem in a championship series
against Solna could very well be shortage of individual stars, players
that make the difference when going gets tough. 08 Stockholm
surprisingly lost a tight game to Telge in the 5th round after leading
most of the game, and suffered another defeat in Monday night´s game in
Solna, but it was to become another of those remarkable and
unpredictable games that we already seen several of. The reigning
champions massacered their opponents in the first quarter. 08 Stockholm
was outscored 3-28, out-rebounded 3-18 and only managed to score in one
of their 15 field-goal attempts. Solnas solid defense laid the way for
their lead, and offensively playmaker Maria Näsström and center
Katarina Andersson had some great moments. However, Stockholm led by
Martina Stälvandt and Kadija Anderson, struck back. They won the
remaining quarters, defended themselves with pure aggression and
managed to tie the game with 3 minutes to go. Solna, rotating on only 7
players, pulled their act together in the end. Rookie guard Emma
Halldin-Wedin buried a decisive 3-pointer with half a minute remaining,
enabling her team to win the battle, 70-66. Näsström was the star of
the match and topscorer in Solna with 22, completing her double-double
with 10 assists. Katarina Andersson had 21 and 8 rebounds. Stölvandt
made 21 for Stockholm. Young Fahriya Abdi had a poor evening and scored
only in 2 of her 13 attempts, but pulled down 9 rebounds. The game left
both teams with things to consider. Solna had a fantastic start but
must be miserable with the turnaround of the game, even though they
came out as winners. Consistency throughout the game is needed, even so
for their contenders. 08 Stockholm must get credit for the way they
fought back and ¾ of the game showed that they can stand up against
Solna, but poor performances like in the first quarter will
not lead them to the finals.
Semifinal
candidates
Telge, lead by 18 year old star Cleopatra Forsman-Goga, has impressed
everyone in the start of the season. They are unbeaten after 6 rounds,
but got away with pure luck in their last game. Telge built up a 24
point lead over Sundsvall with one quarter remaining, but almost lost
it all at the end. Sundsvall tied the game with 15 seconds to go after
an intense full court pressure, but Telge managed to score, leaving
Sundsvall with only 4 seconds to take the game to overtime, which was
not enough. Telge got away with a 81-79 win. The Telge team, with an
average of only 17 years, has for the second year in a row lost four of
their starters, but continues to produce players from their youth
program. Telge also managed to recruit 16 year old center prospect
Amanda Zahui (193) to cover up for the loss of Halvarsson. Zahui is an
important addition to the squad as the lack of big players in Damligan
is evident.
Luleå reached semifinals this spring, but have made
a complete turnaround in their roster. The team is full of three point
shooters, but they lack the inside power to make them serious
contenders. The latter is also goes for Norrköping. They have a
talented team and managed to bring in star forward Frida Grahn from
Luleå but are not yet ready to challenge the top teams. Norrköping and
Telge will anyway, most certainly, reach top six with a potential to
make it to the semifinals.
All
teams have won
Typically, three of the teams that have completed their rosters with
two or more import players are doing well in the early stages of the
season; Mark, Umeå and Sundsvall are all 3-3 after six rounds, which is
better than expected. Experienced center Amy Mohr in Umeå is
statistical leader in both scoring and rebounds, and Mark has a
powerful duo in center Shawn Goff and forward Ashley Key. Sundsvall,
with three import players and Swedish star Anna Höglund, could have
been in an even better position despite their shortage of players. They
lost against both Telge and Solna with only two points. The struggle to
avoid the relegation games next spring will be hard. At present Sallen
(2-4), Eos, Visby and Brahe (all 1-5), are in the bottom positions, but
uncertainty is the name of the game in Damligan this year.
Damligan after six rounds:
1.
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Solna
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6-0
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2.
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Telge
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6-0
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3.
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08
Stockholm
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4-2
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4.
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Luleå
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3-3
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5.
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Norrköping
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3-3
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6.
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Sundsvall
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3-3
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7.
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Mark
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3-3
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8.
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Umeå
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3-3
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9.
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Sallen
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2-4
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10.
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Eos
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1-5
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11.
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Visby
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1-5
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12.
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Brahe
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1-5
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