12 Giant Men win comfortably against Russia
The Turkish Men's National Basketball Team boosted their morale ahead of the FIBA 2027 World Cup Qualifiers by defeating Russia 86-78 in their final match of the preparation period in Antalya.
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Continuing their new season preparations in Antalya, the Turkish Men's National Basketball Team faced Russia in their final rehearsal before the FIBA 2027 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers. Under the leadership of head coach Ergin Ataman, the national team established their dominance from the start of the match and left the court with an 86-78 victory.
The starting five consisted of Şehmus Hazer, Yiğitcan Saybir, Cedi Osman, Malachi Flynn, and Ömer Faruk Yurtseven. Displaying an effective performance in the first half, the national team entered the break with a 54-30 lead. Although Russia attempted to narrow the gap in the second half, the crescent-and-star team did not compromise their controlled style of play.
Cedi Osman and Furkan Korkmaz carried the scoring load for the national team in this match. While Cedi Osman finished the game with 14 points and 6 rebounds, Furkan Korkmaz played a significant role in the victory with 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. For Russia, Kirill Grigori was the team's top scorer with 20 points.
The Turkish Men's National Basketball Team, which will face Bosnia and Herzegovina and Switzerland in Group C of the qualifiers, will continue their preparations in Istanbul until June 30. Having emerged victorious from their final preparation match, the national team will prepare for the qualifying games with high morale.