Alperen Sengun and Turkey faced their toughest challenge of the knockout round Friday, squaring off against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece.
Turkey entered as slight favorites but were not expected to dominate. Instead, they cruised to a 94-68 victory, advancing to the EuroBasket final with a 26-point win.
Sengun continued his strong tournament, posting 15 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Ercan Osmani delivered a breakout performance, leading all scorers with 28 points. Former NBA players Cedi Osman and Shane Larkin also contributed, finishing with 17 and 14 points, respectively.
After the game, Sengun praised Osmani for his work on both ends of the court, especially his defense against Antetokounmpo. “I made a promise to Ercan,” Sengun told Turkish reporters. “If you keep Giannis under 20 points, I’ll buy you a Rolex. I will keep my promise and buy him the best Rolex.”
Osmani earned the watch, holding Antetokounmpo to 12 points while Turkey limited Greece to just three players in double figures.
Turkey now turns its attention to the EuroBasket final, where it will seek its first-ever championship. Standing in the way is an undefeated Germany squad led by Franz Wagner and Dennis Schröder.
Both Turkey and Germany are unbeaten in the tournament, sweeping their five group-stage games and all three knockout-round matchups.
Despite being underdogs, Turkey has already proven itself by knocking off Antetokounmpo and Greece as well as three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Serbia. On Sunday, Sengun is expected to lead the way again, with Osman and Larkin providing key support as Turkey looks to make history.