Newsletters
Türkiye secured a hard-fought 82-78 away victory over Serbia on Feb. 27, 2026, extending their unbeaten run in Group C of the FIBA 2027 World Cup European Qualifiers.
The game took place at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, where Türkiye controlled large stretches before holding off a late Serbian comeback to close the night with their third consecutive win.
Türkiye moved into rhythm early and built momentum through disciplined ball movement and defensive pressure. A decisive 10-0 run midway through the opening period allowed the visitors to pull ahead, and they closed the first quarter with a nine-point advantage.
That early dominance carried into the second quarter, as Türkiye stretched the gap further and headed into halftime leading 45-31. By sharing the ball effectively and maintaining offensive balance, the visitors managed to keep Serbia from settling into their usual tempo.
Despite trailing for most of the contest, Serbia rallied late in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to three points entering the final period.
Increased defensive aggression disrupted Türkiye’s offensive flow and forced turnovers, allowing the hosts to claw their way back.
Serbia briefly went ahead for the first time with less than two minutes remaining, shifting momentum inside a tense arena.
However, Tarik Biberovic stepped up at a decisive moment, knocking down a crucial three-point shot that restored Türkiye’s lead. The visitors then held their composure down the stretch to see the game out.
Biberovic finished as Türkiye’s top scorer with 22 points, while team captain Cedi Osman added 16. Serbia’s Bogoljub Markovic led his side with 19 points, followed by Ognjen Dobric with 17.
Speaking after the match, head coach Ergin Ataman described the win as a landmark achievement, stating, "If I am not mistaken, this was our first away win against Serbia. This is very important… We achieved a historic victory."
Ataman noted that Türkiye had controlled the game until late in the third quarter but struggled once Serbia increased defensive intensity, which led to turnovers and allowed the hosts to close the gap.
He added that the victory would gain real meaning only if Türkiye followed it up with another win in Istanbul, where he expects another physically demanding encounter.
Captain Cedi Osman also emphasized the significance of the result, saying the team had done “a very good job” by controlling the game early and overcoming difficulties caused by Serbia’s aggressive second-half defense.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
