Photo: FIBA

Houston Rockets’ Turkish big man Alperen Sengun might soon be shopping for an expensive watch.

After Türkiye’s dominant 94-68 semifinal victory over Greece at Xiaomi Arena, Sengun joked about a very special reward for teammate Ercan Osmani, who put together the performance of his life on both ends of the floor.

“I promised him a Rolex if he plays well,” Sengun admitted with a grin after the win. “I will get the best for him.”

Osmani not only slowed down Giannis Antetokounmpo in the opening quarter but also punished Greece offensively, scoring 14 points in the first ten minutes alone.

By the end of the night, the Anadolu Efes forward/center had poured in 28 points – his highest tally ever in a Türkiye jersey – while anchoring traps that made life nearly impossible for the Greek superstar.

The 27-year-old received praise not only from Sengun but also from head coach Ergin Ataman, who singled him out as a key figure in Türkiye’s march to the EuroBasket 2025 final. Osmani, though, chose to highlight the collective effort that got them there.

“I want to thank the coaches for preparing us very well for this game,” Osmani said in the press conference. “I’m happy that I contributed very well to this team. Everybody did.”

He also turned attention to his teammate Cedi Osman, who battled through an ankle injury to suit up in the semifinal.

“I also want to thank our doctors for preparing Cedi very well for this game. That was crucial for us.”

With both Osmani’s breakout night and Osman’s grit lifting them, Türkiye now advances to Sunday’s final, where they will clash with another unbeaten powerhouse, reigning world champion Germany.

The gold-medal showdown will decide not only a new EuroBasket champion, but also whether Sengun will be making good on that Rolex promise.

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