Ergin Ataman and Turkiye secured their ticket to the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket, following their 76-81 road win over Hungary on Monday.
The Turks joined Israel, Slovenia, Serbia, Lithuania, Italy and the reigning champions Spain as the teams that have already qualified for the final stage of the competition, alongside host countries Cyprus, Finland, Poland, and Latvia.
After the game, Turkiye head coach Ergin Ataman set the bar high regarding his team’s target for the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket.
“Now that we have secured our spot for the championship, our goal is clear. There is a reason for our presence here. We have important players who will be joining this roster. I know that all of them are eager to wear the national jersey. We are looking forward to them as well. Together, as a whole, we aim for a medal in the European Championship after a long break. We have the necessary roster and the strength for this. If all the teams and players in the country are determined, we will achieve this together,” Ergin Ataman said. [h/t Eurohoops.net]
Turkiye returns to a major FIBA competition after missing the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2024 Olympic Games. They will now seek to claim their first medal in a EuroBasket in 24 years.
The last time they won one was back in 2001, when they hosted the tournament and finished second, earning the silver medal.
