Alperen Sengun dominates as Türkiye beats Czechia convincingly

Aug 29, 2025 2:50 PM

Alperen Sengun once again reminded everyone why he is the centerpiece of Turkish basketball. The 23-year-old dominated from start to finish, guiding Türkiye to a 92-78 win over Czechia and securing a second straight 2-0 start to FIBA EuroBasket 2025.

Türkiye’s strong start mirrors their campaign in 2022, when they also opened 2-0 before falling to Georgia in a double-overtime thriller.

A perfect 3-0 start has been elusive since EuroBasket 2009 in Poland, and Sengun’s brilliance gives the team a real chance to reach that milestone.

Turning Point

Czechia exploded out of the gates, sinking five of their first seven three-point attempts and scoring 27 points in the opening quarter alone. Considering they had only 50 points in total against Portugal on Day 1, it was a lightning-fast start that could have rattled any opponent.

Türkiye appeared briefly stunned, but there was no panic. They responded with a 14-0 run in the second quarter, with six different players scoring, highlighting their depth and taking control of the game. From that moment, Czechia never regained the lead.

TCL Player of the Game

While Türkiye has relied on balanced scoring in both wins, Sengun stands head and shoulders above the rest. He finished with 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting, adding 12 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal for a game-high efficiency rating of 40.

Turkish fans in Latvia erupted with MVP chants, celebrating their star’s commanding performance.

Cedi Osman and Ercan Osmani also made notable contributions. Osmani started aggressively, and Osman delivered another huge third quarter, ensuring Türkiye maintained control and marched to a 2-0 start.

Stats Don’t Lie

Without Jan Vesely and Ondrej Balvin, Czechia struggled to protect the paint. Türkiye exploited this fully, driving inside repeatedly and winning the paint points 50-26. Their size and efficiency near the basket proved decisive.

Bottom Line

Türkiye handled the game with authority, even with Shane Larkin contributing just 5 points. Coach Ergin Ataman can be confident that his team can win convincingly in a variety of ways.

Czechia, on the other hand, improved from their first game. Martin Peterka came off the bench to score 23 points, including five triples, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the 0-2 start.

Their next challenges against Estonia, Serbia, and Latvia will be critical in their pursuit of a first win.