By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Hosting Poland in Istanbul, Turkey got the win Sunday, the second in three prep games.
In the lead the entire way up to the 94-78 victory, backed by a game-high 18 points poured by Cedi Osman. The Cleveland Cavaliers player connected 4/6 from three-point range, 5/7 field goals, and 4/4 free throws in just under 20 minutes.
Furkan Korkmaz of the Philadelphia 76ers was limited to 2/9 field goals in a 12-point effort combined with five rebounds and three assists. Houston Rockets’ Alperen Sengun did not play. Neither did San Antonio Spurs rookie Jeremy Sochan for Poland.
Jakub Schenk, Michal Sokolowski and Aleksander Balcerowski all tallied 12 points at the losing end for the team coached by 46-year-old Igor Milicic.
Both Turkey and Poland will be in Athens next week covering half of the field of the 31st International Tournament Acropolis Aegean. Host Greece and Georgia shape the remaining participants.
Going into the official contests, the team coached by Ergin Ataman will collide with Latvia and Serbia in Group I of the 2023 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers before heading to Group A of the 2022 EuroBasket. Montenegro, Bulgaria, Georgia, Belgium, and Spain stand between a berth in the knockout stage of the tournament.
Out of the World Cup, Poland will instead start Group E of the 2025 EuroBasket Pre-Qualifiers hosting Croatia and visiting Austria in a couple of weeks. In Group D of EuroBasket, the host Czech Republic, Finland, Israel, Netherlands, and Serbia are the teams to beat in early September.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL