By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic was ready to go but with him resting in the closing minutes, Goran Dragic had to be Batman again. The captain of the Slovenian national team made a big three that decided the 104-103 overtime win over Turkey in Istanbul.
It was only a prep game as the two teams are preparing for the upcoming Eurobasket and the FIBA World Cup, but it will be remembered. Dragic finished the night with 28 points and the winning three, while Doncic had 23 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in 27 minutes of action. He didn’t play in the overtime.
Klemen Prepelic had 14 points, and Vlatko Cancar 12 as Slovenia presented itself in full strength.
Turkey, still playing without naturalized point guard Shane Larkin, got production from their NBA trio with Furkan Korkmaz scoring 33 points on five made threes, Cedi Osman adding 24 points and Alperen Sengun with 19 points and nine rebounds being instrumental in the Turkish comeback.
Without Doncic on the court, Turkey managed to send it to extra time after a goal-foul and a big block by Sengun, and a layup by Korkmaz at the buzzer. However, Dragic had the last word and Korkmaz couldn’t score in the last possession of the overtime.
Give us overtime, our captain will give you this 🐲🔥🇸🇮.@Goran_Dragic@TelemachSi @IFeelSloveniaSi pic.twitter.com/9uR2UuHGiC
— Košarkarska zveza SIovenije (@kzs_si) August 12, 2022
In the first game of the day in Istanbul, Ukraine beat Poland by 28 points (88-60), bouncing back from their defeat by Turkey on Thursday.
Issuf Sanon scored 15 points for the winning side, Svi Mykhailiuk added 12, and Artem Pustovyi also had 12. Sacramento Kings‘ Alex Len didn’t play for a second straight game.
Poland, obviously still not connected and maybe shaken by the Ponitka brothers controversy, got 10 points by Jakub Garbacz. Ukraine will be tested next by Slovenia.
In another prep game, Hungary beat Slovakia 72-67 with captain Adam Hanga scoring nine points and leading the way against an opponent who will not compete in the Eurobasket.
On the contrary, Hungary is part of the “Group of Death” together with Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Germany, and Lithuania.