Thomas Tumba

Thomas Tumba Exaucia (born 15 April 2001) is a Finnish basketball player who plays for Kataja in Korisliiga.[1][2][3] Previously he was known as Thomas Exaucia, but since 2022, he started to use his mother's surname Tumba officially.[4][5]

Thomas Tumba
No. 23 – Kataja
PositionForward
LeagueKorisliiga
Personal information
Born (2001-04-15) April 15, 2001
Kinshasa,
Democratic Republic of Congo
Listed height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Listed weight100 kg (220 lb)
Career information
High schoolHelsinki Basketball Academy,
(Helsinki, Finland)
Redemption Christian Academy
(Watervliet, New York)
Playing career2017–present
Career history
2017–2021HBA-Märsky
2022–presentKataja
Career highlights and awards
  • Finnish Cup champion (2023)
  • Korisliiga Rookie of the Year (2023)
  • Korisliiga Defensive Player of the Year (2024)
  • Korisliiga Sixth Man of the Year (2024)

Early career

In his youth, Tumba played basketball in local clubs Peli-Karhut and KTP Basket in Kotka, before joining Helsinki Basketball Academy in 2017. In August 2018, Tumba received an invitation with Awak Kuier to attend the Basketball Without Borders talent camp in Belgrad, Serbia.[6] After four years playing with academy team HBA-Märsky, Tumba moved to United States in 2021 to join Redemption Christian Academy, and played one season in NEPSAC Power 5 -conference.

Professional career

Tumba returned to Finland and signed with Joensuu-based team Kataja BC for the 2022–23 season. At the end of the season, Kataja won the Finnish Cup title, and the silver medal in Korisliiga. Tumba was also named the Rookie of the Year in Korisliiga.[7] After the next 2023–24 season, Tumba was named the Sixth Man of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year in Korisliiga.[8]

International career

Tumba has played 76 games in Finnish youth national teams in total. He also represented Finland in the postponed 2021 Summer Universiade competitions in Chengdu in the summer 2023,[9] where Finland finished 5th, the best position in the nation's history.[10]

Tumba debuted in the Finland national team on 25 June 2024, in an Olympic qualifying preparatory friendly game against New Zealand, helping Finland take a 73–70 win.[11][12]

Personal life

Tumba was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).[13] He holds dual citizenship of Finland and the DRC.[7]

References
  1. Thomas Tumban urheilullisuus auttoi Kataja Basketia voittamaan Suomen cupin – 21-vuotias laituri oli pienenä kaikkia pidempi ja nopeampi, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 14 January 2023
  2. Thomas Tumba Korisliiga-kauden Vuoden tulokaspelaaja, katajabasket.fi, 29 May 2023
  3. Katajan koripallomiehistön kaksoiskansalaiset Thomas Tumba, 21, ja Robin Danes, 21, jakavat soluasunnon Joensuun keskustassa: "Ei ole ollut kertaakaan mitään ongelmaa", Karjalainen, 28 October 2022
  4. Thomas Tumba: ”Korisliiga on ollut oikea askel”, basket.fi, 14 June 2023
  5. Thomas Tumba löysi korisukan juuri oikealla hetkellä: "Valmentajilta tuli paljon kannustusta, että jatka vaan heittämistä", Karjalainen, 17 February 2024
  6. Awak Kuier ja Thomas Exaucia Basketball Without Borders -leirille, basket.fi, 15 August 2018
  7. Thomas Tumba, Kataja, katajabasket.fi
  8. Topias Palmi ja Saana Kujala palkittiin Korisliigojen parhaina, basket.fi, 25 May 2024
  9. Thomas Tumban hyvät otteet toivat paikan Kiinaan matkaavaan universiadijoukkueeseen, katajabasket.fi, 11 July 2023
  10. Rakkisudet historialliselle viidennelle sijalle universiadeissa, basket.fi, 6 August 2023
  11. Koripallomaajoukkue löi Uuden-Seelannin viime sekunnin kolmosella, Yle, 25 June 2024
  12. Thomas Tumba ja Miikka Muurinen debytoivat Susijengissä, susijengi.com, 25 June 2024
  13. "Thomas Tumba". RealGM. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
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