Türkiye will face long-time rival Greece in Latvia’s capital Riga on Friday, aiming to reach the EuroBasket final for only the second time in its history.
Türkiye’s head coach Ergin Ataman’s team enters the semifinal with momentum and ambition, anchored by NBA All-Star player and Houston Rockets centre Alperen Sengun.
The 23-year-old Sengun produced a triple-double in the quarterfinal against Poland, becoming the youngest-ever to record such a performance in EuroBasket history.
Sengun, however, was quick to downplay individual accolades, stressing his focus on collective success. “I’m a team player. I’ll do whatever it takes to win, whether on defence or offence,” he said, according to an interview reported in Hurriyet Daily News.
Guard Kenan Sipahi spoke with similar confidence, declaring, “We can go all the way,” while striker Furkan Korkmaz said that “the time has arrived” for what many call Türkiye’s golden generation.
Despite the confidence, Türkiye has hurdles to overcome.
Cedi Osman remains doubtful after sustaining an injury in the quarterfinal.
“Cedi is still under treatment; he missed today’s training, and his availability and effectiveness will only be clear at game time,” Ataman said in an interview published in the Anadolu Agency.
Tough game
The 59-year-old coach Ataman, who is also managing the Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos, acknowledged the significant hurdles Greece poses.
Ataman acknowledged the physical challenge of matching Greece’s experienced core, including Kostas Sloukas, Kostas Papanikolaou, and Tyler Dorsey.
The veteran Turkish coach confessed Giannis Antetokounmpo’s fast-break runs are a major threat, and he noted the team has a plan to limit scoring from other players.
Greece has a lot of experience, and for sure it will be a very tough game, maybe, after our Serbia game, one of the best games in this tournament.
Antetokounmpo has been unstoppable, averaging nearly 30 points and nine rebounds per game.
Yet Ataman insisted Türkiye will rely on its system rather than tailoring tactics to one superstar.
“We will not focus on how to stop Giannis but on how to play our regular defence,” he said.
Antetokounmpo is a player we know very well. It's not easy to defend him, that's a fact. The important thing isn't his scoring, but Greece's. We'll try not to let other players score extra points.
Still, Ataman believes Türkiye holds an advantage in the paint. “We’ll be stronger under the basket,” he noted, pointing to Sengun’s form and contributions from Omer Faruk, Adem, and Sertac.
Passion of Turkish fans
Beyond tactics, Ataman underlined the role of Turkish supporters.
“The excitement in Türkiye is reflected in the team and can give us strength,” he said.
He called on fans to go beyond passive watching and actively fuel the team. “I expect Turkish fans who are truly involved in the match,” Ataman stressed.
The coach framed the game as more than sport — a symbolic derby watched by millions in both Türkiye and Greece.
“It is a Turkish-Greek derby. I’ve coached many matches like this,” Ataman said. “I’m not excited, just focused.”
