Facing Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece, Rockets center Alperen Sengun had another strong game (15 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists) as Turkey reached its first EuroBasket final since 2001.
For the first time since 2001, Turkey is headed to the FIBA EuroBasket final courtesy of Friday’s 94-68 blowout win (box score) against Greece.
In a game featuring Houston Rockets star Alperen Sengun and two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) and nine-time NBA All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, it was Turkish forward Ercan Osmani who made the biggest impact.
Osmani shot 5-for-6 (83.3%) in the first quarter, including four 3-pointers and 11 of Turkey’s first 15 points. Sengun didn’t score in the quarter (missing all five of his shots) but still contributed, adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists as Turkey built a double-digit lead.
In the second quarter, Turkey led by as many as 21 points following a 12-0 run midway through the frame. Despite a relative lack of scoring by Sengun, he added 3 assists in the quarter and continued to rebound well. At halftime, he had 5 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, as well as 2 steals and a block of his NBA counterpart.
Antetokounmpo struggled offensively, scoring just 4 points in the half on 2-of-7 shooting (28.6%) with 3 turnovers. Turkey led at halftime, 49-31.
After the break, Turkey continued to look sharp defensively and never let up. On offense, Sengun picked things up by shooting a perfect 3-of-3 (8 points) in the third quarter, including a spinning hook shot where he went right at Antetokoumpo. The Bucks star remained relatively quiet, only scoring 4 points in the quarter.
With 1:02 remaining in the third, Cedi Osman split a pair of free throws to give Turkey a 26-point lead, its largest of the game. Turkey remained in control throughout a largely uneventful fourth quarter, leading by as much as 30 while cruising to victory.
For the game, Turkey’s suffocating defense led to Greece turning the ball over 22 times, resulting in 25 points.
In the matchup of NBA stars, Houston’s big man finished with 15 points while shooting 5-for-15 from the field (33.3%). He also had 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and a block. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee forward finished with 12 points on 6-for-13 shooting (46.2%) while adding 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks.
Entering Friday, Sengun had won all seven of Turkey’s EuroBasket Player of the Game awards, but that streak was finally broken by Osmani. The Turkish forward finished with a game-high 28 points, shooting 11-for-15 from the field (73.3%) and 6-of-8 from beyond the 3-point arc (75.0%). He also tallied 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block.
Next up for Sengun and Turkey is a matchup versus Germany in Sunday’s EuroBasket final, which tips off at 1:00 p.m. Central. Streaming information is available here. This will be the first time these two teams have faced each other since 2015, and Germany’s current roster also features a pair of former Rockets in point guard Dennis Schroder and big man Daniel Theis.