Basketball league's big surprise Köping had the opportunity for today's meeting against Umeå to step up in the first place in the table.
However, it required Borås to lose points, which the Western Goths refused. Borås won just as convincingly by 86-60 against Nässjö and thus retains its series lead.
In the meeting between Köping and Umeå, it looked in advance to be exciting. The home team Köping had won both teams during the season with 84-82 and 85-81 respectively, but this time it would be bigger numbers even if it was even long.
- It felt stable throughout the match. We only lead with four in half, but it still felt controlled so it was nice and felt controlled, says Köpings forward Niklas Larsson.
When the third period started approaching its end it was still level and the score was 67-62. Then the white-clad Köping put in a new gear. In just over five minutes they had gone to 83-64 which became the victory of the match and then gave the final score 92-75.
The victory was Köping's sixth straight home win, something Niklas Larsson thinks is the Köpingspublikenen big profit.
- The audience means a lot. There is a big difference between playing at home or away actually. And I think we have, perhaps, Sweden's best home audience right now and they are cheering on fully which really helps us, says Niklas Larsson.
Despite Köping not taking over the series lead, the win was still important for tonight's home team. By having a match less played you can still step past Borås in the table.
A home advantage can thus be very important what works for Köping if you go far in the playoffs. But how far can one go then?
- We are in second place and it feels very good right now. I think we have a team that can go all the way but at the same time it is too early to say, Larsson notes.