By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The EuroBasket 2022 Round of 16 started with an amazing game in Berlin, as France managed to survive against Turkey and get the 87-86 overtime win. Rudy Gobert was the MVP of the game, with an impressive display under the basket: 20 points and 17 rebounds for the French center.
Still, with him missing two key free throws, the game was decided by Terry Tarpey. The backup guard of the French national team stole the ball from Furkan Korkmaz who missed the chance for a last potentially winning shot.
“It wasn’t easy, we started the game pretty well and then they made some runs, we got down by eight or nine, and then in the last seconds of the game, we were in a really tough spot, but we were lucky”, admitted Gobert. “The point is that we never stop fighting, obviously it was not our best game, but we didn’t give up”.
Evan Fournier (13 p., 6 r., 5 a., 2/8 3pts) almost decided the game in favor of Turkey by stepping on the line in the very last seconds of the fourth quarter, but Cedi Osman also missed two free throws and the chance to lock the win.
“That’s basketball, Osman had 4/4 free throws before missing the last two”, said French coach Vincent Collet.
Gobert tied the score at 77-77 and Bugrahan Tuncer lost the chance to be the hero of the game by missing his last shot before overtime.
However, Tuncer replaced Shane Larkin after his injury in the rotation and had 22 points on 6/10 3pts leading a third-quarter comeback from a 16-point deficit. Sertac Sanli (12 p., 7 r.) helped a lot, just like Cedi Osman (11 p., 6 r., 5 a.), but he missed two key free throws. Furkan Korkmaz (18 p.) stepped up too late.
“I am sorry about Turkey, they should be disappointed, they had their chance, but we did everything to try to survive”, added Collet.
In the first half, Turkey had a very rough shooting start (12/35 FG at halftime) but still managed to come back at the end of the second quarter with three three-pointers in a row. The second half was a completely different story. Thanks to a 19-0 run Turkey led by eight (57-49) in the third quarter as Tuncer simply couldn’t miss.
But in the end, they couldn’t lock the win and it was Tarpey time in overtime.
“The goal is the gold medal but now the goal and focus is our next game in what’s probably the best Eurobasket”, concluded Gobert.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL