By Eurohoops Team / info@eurohoops.net
Turkey recorded an important road victory in Belgrade, improving to 3–0 in Group C and maintaining a strong course toward the FIBA World Cup.
After the game, head coach Ergin Ataman — who had led Panathinaikos against Paris in the EuroLeague just a day earlier — shared his thoughts and addressed the demanding schedule.
“I wasn’t calm, I was tired. Thanks to FIBA and the EuroLeague for this crazy schedule where we have to carry great responsibility and proudly represent our country under these conditions. I was tired, just like the players. The same goes for Serbia. It’s crazy. I arrived after a tough EuroLeague loss, on a private flight, at 2 a.m.,” Ataman said, before adding:
“By the next game I’ll be able to recover. I’ll be more aggressive. Dušan (Alimpijević) is always aggressive. He tried his best. The fans love him there, especially Beşiktaş supporters. But this is not the real Serbia we faced at EuroBasket.”
Ataman also emphasized the historic importance of Turkey’s win in Belgrade.
“If I’m not mistaken, this is Turkey’s first win in Serbia. That’s important. Even though they were missing many players, I respect them. This is a historic victory in Belgrade.”
He also reflected on the game itself and praised Tarık Biberović’s performance.
“We had control of the game the whole time. But at some point, the game turned into chaos basketball. Within normal structure, we had a clear advantage. We are trying to play a style of basketball that suits this roster. Tarık did a great job there. That’s why Tarık is part of this team — he is a very big player. He already shows that in the EuroLeague with his club as well. He delivered a good performance today. Now we need better performances from our other players too.”