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Türkiye's national women's basketball team continued preparations for Sunday's EuroBasket Women 2027 qualifier against Israel in Riga, Latvia, with head coach Frederic Dusart emphasizing aggressive defense and physical readiness ahead of the Group I encounter.
The team trained at the Rimi Olympic Centre under Dusart, with the final 10 minutes of the session open to the media as players worked on shooting drills.
Türkiye enter the second match of the second qualifying round following a victory over Montenegro, with players looking to build on that result and maintain their momentum.
Dusart warned that Israel would present a different challenge from Montenegro, describing the opposition as an aggressive, fast-moving team capable of disrupting Türkiye's rhythm.
"Israel are a different team from Montenegro. They are very aggressive and like to run, so we expect a different style," Dusart said.
He stressed that Türkiye must match Israel's intensity, slow down their opponents and carry out their defensive plans effectively in one-on-one situations.
"It will be a physically demanding game. We need to slow them down and execute our plans well in one-on-one situations," he added.
National team player Sevgi Uzun said Türkiye's confidence had grown following the opening victory over Montenegro, while the squad was gradually adapting to Dusart's system.
Uzun highlighted the positive atmosphere during training despite the team's travel schedule and said the players were determined to control Sunday's game from beginning to end.
"We want to start well, dominate the game from start to finish and win," Uzun said.
She also pointed to Türkiye's upcoming match against Poland in Gorzow, stressing that the team's goal was to finish the three-match qualifying window with three victories.
Meltem Yildizhan said the squad had quickly adjusted to its new head coach despite having limited time to work together.
She explained that Dusart had clearly communicated his defensive expectations, helping players understand their responsibilities ahead of the Israel encounter.
"We want to keep our defense at a high level," Yildizhan said, adding that Türkiye would also look to overcome Israel's offensive pressure and create opportunities for easy baskets.
The Israel-Türkiye match will take place at the Rimi Olympic Centre in Riga on Sunday at 8:40 p.m. Türkiye time (5:40 p.m. GMT). The game will be broadcast live on TRT Spor Yildiz.
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