12 Giant Men in the semi-finals

The Turkish Men's National Basketball Team defeated Poland 91-77 in the quarter-final match of the 2025 European Basketball Championship (EuroBasket 2025) to advance to the semi-finals.

Turkey started the match, played at Arena Riga in the Latvian capital of Riga, with a lineup of Shane Larkin, Şehmus Hazer, Cedi Osman, Alperen Şengün, and Ercan Osmani. Poland took the court with Aleksander Balcerowski, Michal Sokolowski, Jordan Loyd, Mateusz Ponitka, and Kamil Laczynski.

The first period, which began with baskets from both teams, ended in a 19-19 tie. Entering the second quarter with a 5-0 run, Turkey displayed a more dominant performance than their opponent throughout the period and went into the locker room with a 46-32 lead. Taking control of the game in both defense and offense in the third quarter, the 12 Giant Men entered the final period with a 15-point lead at 65-50. Although Poland tried to close the gap with three-point shots in the final section, Turkey maintained their effective play and left the court with a 91-77 victory.

For the Crescent-Stars, 7 players reached double digits, while Alperen Şengün recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. For the national team, Şehmus Hazer and Shane Larkin each scored 13 points, Kenan Sipahi scored 11 points, and Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, and Ercan Osmani each recorded 10 points. In Poland, the 19-point performances of Jordan Loyd and Mateusz Ponitka were not enough for victory.

By defeating Poland 91-77 in the EuroBasket 2025 quarter-final match, the Turkish Men's National Basketball Team experienced the joy of reaching the semi-finals in the European Championship for the first time in 24 years. Turkey had won the silver medal after losing 78-69 to Yugoslavia in the final match of EuroBasket 2001, which they hosted.

The 12 Giant Men will face the winner of the Lithuania-Greece matchup in the EuroBasket 2025 semi-finals on Friday, September 12.

News Source: İHA