The Turkish national basketball team advanced to the finals of the European Championship after defeating the Greek team 94:68 (26:16, 23:15, 23:20, 22:17) in the semi-final match.
The Turkish team imposed its rhythm from the beginning of the match and dominated throughout the match. Turkish coach Ergin Ataman tactically outplayed his colleague on the Greek bench, Vasilis Spanoulis, and the question of the winner was practically resolved in the second quarter. It is interesting to note that Greece did not have a single lead in this match.
Coach Ergin Ataman’s team made a 7:0 run in the first two minutes, and they maintained this game until the end of this semi-final. They played efficiently in attack, while in defense they almost completely neutralized the Greek attack. The first quarter ended with a score of 26:16 in favor of Turkey.
In the second half, the Greeks tried to raise the level of play and scored a few quick points, but were unable to threaten the double-digit advantage of the opponent. Turkey continued to dominate on both sides of the court, so the score went to halftime at 49:31.
The rest of the game brought a similar picture. Turkey easily maintained the lead and routinely brought the game to an end.
The most efficient player of the game was Erkan Osmani, who finished the match with 28 points, with 11/15 shooting from the field, including six hit three-pointers out of eight attempts. He also added six rebounds and two steals, and on the other hand, he completely stopped the Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Cedi Osman scored 17 points, with three rebounds and three assists, while Alperen Şengün achieved a double-double performance with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and six assists. Shane Larkin also had double figures with 14 points and five assists.
The Greek team’s best individual player was Kostas Sloukas with 15 points, three rebounds and four assists, while Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, but also had five turnovers. Kalaicakis added 11 points, while the rest of the players remained under ten points.
Turkey will meet Germany in the final, which is scheduled for Sunday.
