It was a battle of wild cards, a battle for respect, and most importantly a battle to put one foot in the knockout stages as Turkey eventually overcame Finland in overtime , writes Emmet Ryan.
The crowd was at its most balanced yet in Bilbao as a strong Turkish contingent was their to cheer on the 12th Giant Men against the Susijengi of Finland. The two sets of supporters had to endure a stumbling set of early exchanges as both sides struggled to find their rhythm. A three from Petteri Koponen, the one Finn who shone in Tuesday’s defeat to Dominican Republic, finally opened the scoring but Henrik Dettmann had to sit Shawn Huff early after the forward picked up two fouls. The stumbling continued as the sides opened a combined 2/11 from the floor. Erik Murphy nailed another three as the Finns, like they did against Ukraine, knew strong perimeter offence and points from turnovers were necessary to make a fight of this one.
Omer Asik carried on where he left off on Tuesday, busting up the inside, grabbing boards, and drawing fouls. The Finns however were closing down Turkey’s alternate avenues of attack. The Finns left the first holding a 15-10 lead.
The second opened with both teams looking more settled. The Finnish offence was making shots and bringing the heat on D. Four players swarmed Asik on a pass inside from Kerem Tunceri, the next Turkish possession ended in a shot clock violation and the Finns led by 8. The Turkish power however was forcing Dettmann to keep making adjustments. Finland were giving up fouls quickly and that was getting Asik to the line but it wasn’t enough to slow the Susijengi. Back to back threes by Mikko Koivisto however gave the Finns a 12 point lead. The threes continued to come for the Finns, as Sasu Salin and Koponon pushed them farther in front.
The rate at which the Susijengi were giving up fouls however meant it looked like they would need to take a big advantage with them into the locker room. Turkey, for all their shooting inefficiency, continued to drive at the Finns on offence. The switch to to a two-big line-up, with Oguz Savas joining Asik on the floor, did little to whittle the deficit however and the question was whether Turkey would be close enough to capitalise once Finland’s fatigue inevitably set in. By the half, Turkey were wedded to that cause. Ender Arslan made their first three of the game with 20 seconds left in the second and Finland led 41-27.
The second opened with Finland trying to work the interior to little avail as Turkey stuff every incursion into their paint. It did however keep the Turkish defence honest, leaving room on the perimeter for Salin to make his third three of the day. Turkey’s offence started the second half with little different to the first. Asik was controlling matters inside, Finland were giving up fouls, but no-one else on the Turkish side could compromise the tenacious Susijengi defence.
Arslan and Sinan Guler finally brought some life to Turkey’s perimeter game but Finland were still matching them shot for shot while holding a weighty lead. Mid-way through the third, it was moving time for Turkey. With Erik Murphy and Huff both having to sit with foul trouble, the chance was there. Time and again the Turks went to the line, shaving down the Finnish lead to single digits. Having started slowly from the line, Turkey began punishing Finland. It was mechanical and effective. The lead was cut to 5 before Hannon Mottola earned and converted a rare pair of frees for Finland. After 30 minutes Turkey had taken 34 free throws, converting 25, to Finland’s 4 of 6 but the Finns still led 59-53.
Turkey opened the final frame working the full court and looking to pressure the Finns on the perimeter, trusting Asik and Kerem Gonlum to have enough strength inside. Matti Nuutinen made a three to give the Finns something on offence but Turkey looked the fresher outfit as the game entered the decisive stages. Koponen made it a two-possession game again as Finland desperately sought to hang on through the final 4 minutes. An Arslan three cut it to 1 but Asik wasted a chance to give Turkey the lead from the line. Murphy made Finland’s 14th three of the game as the bounces kept breaking their way. Huff fouled out but Preldzic could only go 1 of 3 from the line. Seven nation army filled the arena as the game entered its final minute. Finland, had made it 39 minutes now they just had to last through the longest one.
A whistle blew but for once not a foul, out of bounds and Turkey ball with 28.1 on the clock. Cenk Akyol had an open three to tie it but rimmed out and Turkey were staring down the barrel. Koponen however missed both chances at the line to ice it for Finland One final chance for Turkey and this time Akyol delivered. It was going to take another 5 minutes to separate these sides.
Turkey finally took the lead through a pair of Gonlum free throws. The Finns, visibly shattered, soon fell into a 5 point hole as their offence looked to have run out of invention. Turkey kept driving at them at the trips to the line kept coming. Salin however wasn’t done, he tied things up with his fifth three of the game. Preldzic put Turkey back in front before nearly two minutes of consecutive misses by both sides. Gonlum finally made the difference to make it a two possession game. That was enough as Turkey took the W.
Strategically this game was fascinating. Finland lived with Turkey on the boards but were otherwise slaughtered on the interior at both ends. Turkey for all their success at the line, were an unpleasant sight on offence. Finland defended hard but the string of errors by Turkey was reminiscent of what cost them against Ukraine.
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