Turkey reached their first EuroBasket final in 24 years! They earned their way to this spectacular coup with a convincing 94-68 win over Greece in the second semifinal on Friday. This historic victory now sends Turkey to the championship match where they’ll face off against Germany. It represents their second medal showing in the history of the tournament, after their silver medal performance in 2001 when they hosted the tournament.
The Turkish team displayed a strong performance throughout the match, particularly during a pivotal 12-0 run that occurred within just 2:19 of the second quarter. Turkey at first pulled away, extending their lead to 45-24. They continued to find creative ways to reroute passes and contest shots, maintaining their commanding advantage on the scoreboard throughout the game. By the half, Turkey was up 49-31, thanks in large part to their limited margins of error. They limited their own turnovers to just two in the first half, yielding a paltry two points in transition for Greece.
Ercan Osmani proved to be Turkey’s biggest weapon, as he scored an astounding 28 points. His contributions were well supported by the likes of Cedi Osman, who chipped in 17 points to help lead the charge on offense for Turkey. The duo’s performance proved vital as Turkey consistently outpaced their opponents, effectively controlling the game’s tempo and flow.
Over the course of the game, Turkey showed remarkable restraint in their risk-taking, always focusing on exploiting Greece’s errors while reducing Turkey’s own risk as much as possible. It was a brilliant move by their coach, proving to be a successful strategy that helped them protect a healthy lead and book their ticket to the final.
With Turkey set to play Germany for the gold medal, the team is excited to build off the moment. The next game against their bitter rivals surely provides the best chance for atonement. It will be a watershed moment in the ongoing history of Turkish basketball. With a strong roster and a demonstrated capacity for resilience, Turkey aims to bring home their first EuroBasket gold medal.
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