EuroBasket Semifinals: Turkey and Germany Advance to Finals
In a thrilling semifinal round at EuroBasket, Turkey secured its place in the finals for the first time in 24 years with a decisive victory over Greece, finishing 94-68. The clash took place just prior to Germany’s own triumph over Finland, where they notched an impressive 98-86 win. The grand finale is set to unfold in Riga on Sunday, with Turkey poised to challenge the reigning World Cup champions, Germany, for the gold medal.
Bronze Medal Matchup
This Sunday will also see Greece and Finland competing for the bronze medal, ensuring a competitive close to the tournament. Regardless of the outcome, Turkey is guaranteed its second EuroBasket medal, having previously secured a silver medal when the tournament was hosted by the nation in 2001. On the other hand, Germany is looking to extend its medal tally, which currently includes gold from 1993, silver from 2005, and a bronze from the last EuroBasket in 2022.
Previous Encounters and Undefeated Records
Interestingly, the two teams had met earlier in a friendly match at the DBB Supercup, where Germany narrowly edged out Turkey with a score of 73-71. Both squads enter the championship contest undefeated, accumulating perfect records of 8-0 throughout the tournament. The upcoming match presents an opportunity for either team to become only the second EuroBasket champion in the last nine tournaments to remain unbeaten, following Slovenia’s achievement in 2017.
Key Performances in the Semifinals
Turkey’s path to the final was electrified by a crucial 12-0 run in the second quarter, ultimately allowing them to widen the gap and finish the half at 49-31. The stark contrast in turnovers played a pivotal role in this game; Greece struggled with 12 turnovers that led to 17 points for Turkey, whereas Turkey only committed two turnovers resulting in just two points for Greece.
Leading the charge for Turkey was Ercan Osmani, who contributed 28 points, supported by Cedi Osman with 17 points and Alperen Sengun’s well-rounded performance of 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. Shane Larkin also played a significant part, scoring 14 points and dishing out five assists.
For Greece, Kostas Sloukas led the scoring with 15 points, while NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo managed a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Germany’s Strong Performance
Germany’s route to the finals was bolstered by Dennis Schroder’s standout performance, where he scored 26 points and distributed 12 assists, showcasing his shooting accuracy with four made 3-pointers and a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line. Franz Wagner added 22 points, and his timely back-to-back three-pointers helped Germany build an early lead of 49-30 in the second quarter. Finland’s Olivier Nkamhoua was the top scorer for his team with 22 points, while Lauri Markkanen scored 16 but struggled with his shooting percentage.
