The basketball team of Turkey is the first quarterfinalist of this year’s Eurobasket, as they defeated the selection of Sweden with the result 85:79 in the round of sixteen!
The Turks came to victory after a comeback, because the Swedes had five points more at the break (42:37). However, with a 14:0 run at the start of the third quarter, Ergin Ataman’s chosen ones took the “reins of the game” into their own hands.
They took the lead with 61:50, then 63:53, and the Scandinavian selection came back and got to 76:76 with two and a half minutes to go. The Turks were helped by offensive rebounds, the referees also “looked through their fingers” a little when it comes to duel play, which was enough for the victory. Especially when Alperen Şengün dunked with 50 seconds to go for 82:76, and that after a timeout by the Swedes at -4.
Turkey will play against the better team from the duel Poland – Bosnia and Herzegovina in the quarterfinals, which further shows how important that triumph against Serbia, for first place in the group, was. On the other hand, the Eagles still have the opportunity to take revenge on the mentioned selection for that blunder – if they “push” to the final.
Şengün was the best in the ranks of Turkey with 23 points, 16 rebounds (even nine offensive) and six assists. Cedi Osman added 17, and Ercan Osmani 14.
Hakanson was the best for the Swedes with 16, Larson scored 15, while Birgander added 14.
Source: Telegraf; Photo: FIBA