Turkey eyes medal in FIBA Basketball World Cup
Turkeyâs menâs basketball team coach Ergin Ataman has said the team is eyeing a medal in next monthâs FIBA World Cup in Spain.
âOur first target is to get a medal,â Ataman said in a press conference during the teamâs training camp in Bormio, Italy.
Turkey is pitted against the United States, Finland, New Zealand, Ukraine and
the Dominican Republic in Group C, which will take place between Aug. 30 and Sept. 14 in Spain. The draw means that Turkey, the runner-up in the 2010 World Cup, will face the defending champions the U.S. in a rematch of the last championship final.
Veteran player Kerem Gönlüm has said the tournament will be a new start for Turkish basketball, stating he believes the team will succeed in restructuring itself.
Ataman said the team will definitely miss NBA players Enes Kanter and Ersan
Ä°lyasova, who opted to skip the tournament, but the remaining players
will make up for their absence.
Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines has
rejected reports that they are stepping in to sponsor the Turkish
Basketball League after Bekoâs withdrawal.
Temel Kotil, the
chair of the national carrier, said they have no plans to sponsor the
basketball league or arch-rivals Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe.
Kotil made the announcement at a time when Turkish Airlines was extending its sponsorship deals with the Turkish Basketball Federation.
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