Alperen Sengun leads Türkiye into EuroBasket Semi-Finals

Sep 9, 2025 5:03 PM

Türkiye wrote another glorious chapter in its basketball history at EuroBasket 2025, defeating Poland 91-77 to secure a place in the Semi-Finals.

With the win, they extended their unbeaten run to seven games, tying the longest winning streak in the nation’s EuroBasket history, which dates back to 1957.

On the sidelines, none other than Hedo Turkoglu, the star of Türkiye’s 2001 Finalist team, could not contain his joy. The moment the buzzer sounded, he leapt from his courtside seat to celebrate with the players.

For Turkoglu, seeing his compatriots reach another Semi-Final was personal: “This is special. These boys deserve it. They’ve written history again.”

The matchup was not straightforward, as Poland came out strong and even managed to keep Alperen Sengun scoreless during the opening quarter. However, once Sengun scored his first points – a powerful dunk – the momentum completely shifted.

The crowd erupted, and Poland’s defensive schemes began to unravel. Türkiye closed the half with a decisive 22-10 stretch, turning a narrow lead into a commanding 46-32 advantage at halftime.

Though Poland fought valiantly, trimming the gap to as little as eight points with three minutes remaining, Türkiye’s composure and firepower carried them through.

History was also made by Sengun, who joined an exclusive EuroBasket club. After names like Toni Kukoc (1995), Andrei Mandache (2017), Mateusz Ponitka (2022), and Luka Doncic (2025), the 23-year-old Turkish center recorded a rare triple-double in EuroBasket competition.

With 19 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals, he stamped his authority on the game.

“This is what I play for – helping my team win,” Sengun said afterward.

Coach Ergin Ataman’s side once again demonstrated why they are so dangerous when they hit their stride offensively.

Poland’s strategy was to slow the pace and keep Türkiye under 45 points in the first half, but by conceding 46, they walked into trouble. Statistics show that Türkiye is now 12-0 this century when scoring at least 45 first-half points.

The night wasn’t without concerns, however. Cedi Osman suffered a painful foot injury after colliding with Mateusz Ponitka in the third quarter. Although Osman limped off and briefly exited the game, he returned with five minutes to go, a sign of Türkiye’s resilience.

Poland, led by Mateusz Ponitka’s 19 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds, never gave up. With Igor Milicic urging his men from the sidelines and fans cheering passionately, they fought until the very last whistle. Still, their dream of replicating the 2022 run to the Final Four ended here.

For Türkiye, though, the dream lives on. This Semi-Final marks only the second time in their history they have reached this stage of EuroBasket.

Awaiting them now is the winner of the Greece vs. Lithuania clash – a chance to etch their name even deeper into the lore of European basketball.