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Türkiye’s national basketball team is preparing for one of its most significant games in recent history. After defeating Poland 91–77 in the quarterfinals, Türkiye advanced to the semifinals of EuroBasket 2025 for the first time in 24 years.
The semifinal will be played against Greece on Friday, September 12, at 9:00 p.m. (GMT+3) in Riga.
Türkiye enters the semifinal with an unblemished record, winning all seven games played in the tournament. This streak equals a historic run last achieved in EuroBasket 1957, when Türkiye recorded seven consecutive victories.
The current squad has already surpassed expectations and is now within reach of a historic final.
Greece, led by NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, poses a serious obstacle with its physical style of play and strong roster depth.
The Greek team reached the semifinals after eliminating France and Slovenia in earlier rounds, reaffirming their status as one of the tournament favorites.
Head coach Ergin Ataman underlined that maintaining defensive intensity will be key, while captain Kenan Sipahi highlighted the importance of outside shooting against Greece’s size and rim protection. Center Omer Faruk Yurtseven added that special measures have been prepared to reduce Antetokounmpo’s effectiveness in the paint.
One of the tournament’s standout performers, Alperen Sengun has been central to Türkiye’s run with his versatile play on both ends of the floor. His pick-and-roll partnership with Shane Larkin has consistently stretched opposing defenses, while his finishing ability and passing vision embody the modern center role.
Greece, however, is preparing to counter Sengun with a formidable interior defense. Antetokounmpo brothers, Giannis, Kostas and Thanasis, alongside Georgios Papagiannis, are expected to form a physical wall in the paint. Despite this, Sengun’s basketball IQ and positioning make him one of Türkiye’s most dangerous weapons. His ability to exploit mismatches and create scoring opportunities could prove decisive in determining the outcome.
The semifinal is expected to draw heavy support from Turkish fans. Turkish Airlines arranged additional flights from Istanbul to Riga to ensure strong backing in the stands. Ataman stressed that fan presence could provide a decisive psychological advantage as Türkiye seeks its first EuroBasket final appearance since 2001, when the team won silver on home soil.
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