Türkiye to play Serbia for EuroBasket group lead

RIGA

Alperen Sengun of Turkiye and Neemias Queta (L) and Miguel Queiroz (R) of Portugal in action during the EuroBasket 2025 group phase basketball match between Turkiye and Portugal, in Riga, Latvia, 30 August 2025.

Turkish men’s national basketball team will take on tournament favorite Serbia on Sept. 3 in a match to decide the winner of EuroBasket Group A.

Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün once again led Türkiye on Sept. 1 in Türkiye’s 84-64 rout of Estonia for its fourth win at the tournament in as many games.

The NBA All-Star finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 61.5 percent.

Ercan Osmani chipped in 14 points and 5 rebounds and Adem Bona added 12 points making 6-0f-7 shots.

Şengün is now the first player to have 20+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in three consecutive EuroBasket games over the past 30 years.

Serbia, on the other hand, beat the Czech Republic 82-60 to maintain its perfect record.

Both Türkiye and Serbia have already clinched spots among the competition’s final 16 teams, though Sept. 3’s result will determine the group winner and affect seeding in the subsequent knockout rounds.

Türkiye coach Ergin Ataman said two very good teams will clash.

"For sure, Serbia has a great roster, but also we showed in all these four games that our roster and our basketball is on the top level,” he said.

“It will be a tough game for the first position in the group," Ataman noted, adding that he has no special plans against Serbian star Nikola Jokic.

Serbia coach Svetislav Pesic said this is “the strongest Turkish team ever, probably," while Tristan Vukcevic highlighted the threat posed by Şengün.

"I saw a couple of their games, they are in good rhythm, they share the ball, Şengün is having an amazing tournament,” he said.

“We have to limit him, he's playing outside, inside, he can pop, he can pass the ball, so we have to scout him very good and limit him."