Shaken by their defeat against Georgia after two extra periods (88-83), and by the fight behind the scenes which has already hit the headlines, the Turks were able to bounce back perfectly by winning with authority against Belgium (78 -63).
It must be said that Furkan Korkmaz’s teammates set the tone from the start, with a one-sided first quarter, concluded with the final score of 20-6!
“This situation has united the team more than ever”said the Philly fullback on EuroHoops. “As we have seen [hier], since the preparation matches, this is the match where the team has been the most united. We formed a wall from the start in defense, and that carried us to victory. “
Currently second in Group A, behind Spain (point average), Turkey has already validated its ticket for the second phase in Berlin. But the troop of Ergin Ataman intends to go further with his trident of NBAers.
“I think we are still far from our expectations”, continues Furkan Korkmaz. “This type of basketball does not suit our talent and our character. Thinking about what will happen before each match, in what condition we will play it, that is not what suits us. But, in this tournament, everything can change in one game. We had a brief overview of this match. “
Rightly opposed to Spain today to see who will finish in first place in the Group, Turkey could well have benefited from this unfortunate incident against Georgia. But, in addition to this skirmish, Furkan Korkmaz also believes that the conditions of the tournament in Tbilisi have also contributed to strengthening the links between the Turkish players.
“The schedule is tough, that’s for sure, but it’s part of the job. I don’t want to complain about it. What I can only say is that this organization has its flaws. Some stitches have to be perfect [pour jouer dans de bonnes conditions] : food, travel between the hotel and the room… Our coach has been telling us about it from the start. This organization has failed on certain points and that can lead to injuries. Having to spend 50 minutes on the bus before each game is like traveling from one city to another. But hey, it’s part of the tournament, even if we have to talk about it. “
Photo credits: FIBA
