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Türkiye's men's national basketball team opened the second round of European qualifying for the 2027 FIBA World Cup with a commanding 94-66 victory over Lithuania on Saturday, extending their control of the game from the opening minutes to the final buzzer.
The match, played at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center in Istanbul, was part of Group J of the second qualifying round, in which teams carried over their win-loss records from the first round. The result marked Türkiye's seventh career win in World Cup qualifying, while Lithuania suffered its fourth defeat.
Türkiye seized control immediately, opening the game on an 8-0 run built on consecutive baskets from captain Cedi Osman and center Adem Bona that forced an early Lithuanian timeout. The hosts continued to attack the paint after the break and closed the first quarter ahead 27-13.
The advantage grew in the second period. By the 16th minute, free throws from Osman had pushed Türkiye's lead to 24 points, at 46-22, as Lithuania struggled to slow the hosts' offensive rhythm. Türkiye took a commanding 55-34 lead into halftime after a three-pointer from Erkan Yilmaz.
Türkiye maintained its dominance after the break, leading 75-47 through three quarters before closing out the 94-66 win, a 28-point margin.
Omer Faruk Yurtseven led the Turkish scoring with 17 points, followed by Cedi Osman with 22. Onuralp Bitim, Sehmus Hazer and Malachi Flynn also contributed to the balanced offensive effort. For Lithuania, Deividas Olisevicius scored 11 points, while Rokas Jogela and Margiris Normantas Marciulionis each added 10.
The match was officiated by Wojciech Liszka of Poland, Fernando Calatrava of Spain and Josip Jurcevic of Croatia.
One note of concern for Türkiye emerged in the first quarter, when forward Ercan Osmani was injured and taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose.
Before tip-off, Cedi Osman surpassed 200 official appearances for the national team. Turkish Basketball Federation Vice President Harun Erdenay presented Osman with the number 200 national team jersey in recognition of his contributions to Turkish basketball.
The game drew a large crowd to the Turkcell Basketball Development Center, with fans filling nearly the entire arena and supporting the team throughout with chants and songs.
Youth and Sports Minister Osman Askin Bak attended the match alongside Turkish Basketball Federation President Hidayet Turkoglu and federation board members. Presidential Chief Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Cagatay Kilic and Bursa parliamentary deputy Mustafa Varank also watched the game in person.
Türkiye will play its second match of the second round on Monday, August 31, on the road against Iceland. The game will be held at Laugardalsholl in Reykjavik, with tip-off scheduled for 22:30 Türkiye time.
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