In the opening quarterfinal of EuroBasket 2025, Turkey maintained their unbeaten streak by defeating Poland 91-77. Led by standout performances from Alperen Sengun and a cohesive team effort, Turkey secured a spot in the semifinals for the first time since 2001.
Match Highlights
Final Score: Turkey 91 – Poland 77
Turkey’s rise to the semifinals was propelled by Alperen Sengun, who recorded a triple-double, showcasing a strong team performance. This marked a significant achievement for Turkey as they aim for success in the tournament.
Poland’s journey ended here, unable to replicate their success from Euro 2022.
Poland managed to hold off Turkey for just ten minutes, before Sengun began to dominate the game. After a first quarter focused on assisting his teammates, the Houston Rockets center took matters into his own hands, allowing Turkey to extend their lead. The second quarter ended with a score of 27-13 in favor of Turkey, during which Sengun excelled against the Polish defense.
Sengun’s final stats were impressive: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals, highlighting his playmaking skills.
Key Performances and Future Prospects
With a triple-double from Sengun, the Turkish team was simply too much for Poland. Coach Igor Milicic’s team struggled with turnovers in the first half, which allowed Turkey to capitalize on their defensive strengths and transition opportunities.
Both Jordan Loyd and Mateusz Ponitka contributed 19 points each for Poland but took too long to find their rhythm. Although Loyd managed to narrow the deficit to under ten points near the end, Poland was left with too much ground to cover. Turkish players Shane Larkin, Furkan Korkmaz, Sehmus Hazer, and Ercan Osmani all delivered crucial baskets that dashed any hopes of a comeback.
Alperen Sengun also became the youngest player in history to achieve a triple-double in Euro competitions, further solidifying his status as a rising star.
Looking ahead, Turkey will enter the semifinals for the first time since 2001, where they will face either Greece, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Lithuania, depending on the results of tonight’s match. Regardless of the opponent, Sengun and his teammates are brimming with confidence and ambition.
Conversely, Poland’s tournament ends here, as they failed to replicate their previous success from Euro 2022.
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