Turkey, led by Alperen Sengun, edges Lithuania 84–81

Aug 21, 2025 12:29 AM

Lithuania came close to staging a dramatic comeback in Vilnius. Still, Turkey held their nerve in the closing moments to escape with an 84–81 road victory, handing the Baltic nation their first loss of the summer.

The visitors built their advantage behind the inspired play of Alperen Sengun and Cedi Osman, particularly shining in the second quarter where Turkey’s offense clicked and their lead stretched into double figures.

Lithuania, however, refused to fold in front of their home crowd. With momentum shifting late in the fourth quarter, the hosts surged ahead, fueled by back-to-back three-pointers that put them up 81–76.

But just when it looked like Lithuania might pull off the turnaround, their offense went cold. They were held scoreless in the final two minutes, leaving the door open for Turkey.

Rising to the occasion, Sehmus Hazer stepped up as the hero, calmly scoring the game’s final four points to complete the win and silence the crowd.

Sengun was once again the standout for Turkey, delivering a 25-point, 5-rebound performance that anchored the team on both ends of the court.

Osman contributed 13 points, while Hazer’s perfect efficiency – 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting – proved decisive in crunch time.

For Lithuania, Rokas Jokubaitis led the charge with an all-around effort of 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Deividas Sirvydis chipped in with 13 points and 6 assists of his own.

With the result, Turkey improved their summer record to 2–2, while Lithuania will regroup after letting a late lead slip away.