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Türkiye kept its perfect run alive in the FIBA 2027 World Cup European Qualifiers by beating visiting Serbia 94-86 in its fourth game of Round 1, Group C, and also guaranteed Türkiye a place in the second round.
The game opened with baskets traded at both ends through the first 8 minutes. Serbia spread its scoring across six players, while Türkiye leaned on Omer Faruk Yurtseven inside to work the paint. As the first quarter moved toward its closing stretch, Tarik Biberovic stepped in and knocked down a string of outside shots, helping Türkiye pull away and close the period up 28-21.
Türkiye continued to turn to the inside game early in the second quarter and stretched the gap to 16 points, making it 41-25 in the 16th minute. Serbia then rallied sharply, putting up 19 points in the remaining minutes while holding Türkiye to seven, cutting the lead down to four. Even so, Türkiye managed to carry a 48-44 edge into the locker room.
Serbia carried its late first-half momentum into the opening of the third quarter and trimmed the difference to two at 58-56 in the 25th minute. Türkiye responded quickly, stringing together key makes in timely moments to open the game back up, and it wrapped the third quarter ahead 76-63.
In the final quarter, Türkiye did not let go of control and did not allow the margin to drop below eight, closing out a 94-86 win.
Biberovic led Türkiye with 21 points, while Yurtseven added 17. For Serbia, Aleksa Avramovic scored 16 and Ognjen Dobric finished with 14.
The matchup also produced a notable late-game detail, with Yurtseven fouling out at 39:02.
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