Ergin Ataman's target for the Switzerland match: We want to finish the group 6 from 6

Head coach Ergin Ataman of the Turkish Men's National Basketball Team, which defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 82-75 in the fifth match of Group C in the First Round of the FIBA 2027 World Cup European Qualifiers, revealed his target after the game. Ataman stated that they want to win the Switzerland match on Monday as well and complete the group stage without a single defeat.

Speaking at the press conference held after the contest at Husejin Smajlovic Arena, Ataman said the match was played with a high level of defensive intensity. The experienced coach drew attention to the mistakes made in fast breaks during the first half and noted that Alperen Şengün's early foul trouble also affected their game plan.

Ataman emphasized that the adjustments made in the second half were decisive in securing the victory, adding that they used Kenan Sipahi and Şehmus Hazer together and deployed Cedi Osman at the four position. Noting that the national team took control of the game after halftime, Ataman said they made more effective use of Alperen Şengün on offense and pursued the result with aggressive defense.

Ataman acknowledged that Bosnia and Herzegovina played good basketball and noted that the atmosphere in the arena was also strong. Also touching on the support of Turkish fans, Ataman said: "We play against Switzerland on Monday. Every match is important. We want to finish the group 6 from 6 in order to preserve our advantage for the next round."

Team captain Cedi Osman also said they had expected a tough match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Noting that the opponent played aggressively, Cedi pointed out that the victory was important in terms of the group lead. The national team player noted that despite being 5 points down at halftime, they came out in the second half with a better mentality, saying: "We did a great job, we didn't give up."

Cedi Osman said that pulling on the jersey again in Bosnia and Herzegovina held special meaning for him, expressing that he was happy to play in that atmosphere and that leaving with a victory was a beautiful memory for him.