HELSINKI - Basketball is well and truly on the map in Finland, a country that played at the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time this summer.

Several thousand fans traveled to Bilbao to cheer on the Finns, who came up short of the Round of 16 but played well.

Back home, big things are happening.

Finland Basketball Federation has installed Ari Tammivaara as its new coaching director.

A significant part of Tammivaara’s role will see him increase the cooperation between the federation and the Kisakallio Sports Institute, the state-of-the-art facility where the national team has its training sessions.

"The aim is to not only strengthen the Finnish national team presence there and enhance those conditions but to also lay the groundwork for the institute to become an international basketball coaching center," he said.

"We will continue our high-quality work with the development of our national team program and coach education. 

"At the same time we want to take on new challenges and Kisakallio Sports Institute is good partner for that."

FIBA