Türkiye are in a different place. Not since 2009 have they played a quarter final in EuroBasket. Their lone medal came in 2001. At EuroBasket 2025, Ergin Ataman and Alperen Sengun are huge favourites to beat Poland. Now is not the time to get complacent. Emmet Ryan previews their clash on Tuesday
Türkiye got a much needed wake-up call in the round of 16 against Sweden. Alperen Sengun went for 24 points and 16 rebounds yet Ergin Ataman’s side still barely edged an unfancied Sweden. Poland enter this EuroBasket 2025 quarter final with a similar level of expectation but a lot more experience at this level. Türkiye better be ready.
Key details
What: Türkiye vs Poland, EuroBasket 2025 quarter final
Where: Xiaomi Arena, Riga, Latvia
When: 9 September 2025 at 17.00 (local), 15.00 (Ireland/UK), 10.00 (EST)
Odds: ML Türkiye 2/11, Sweden 43/10. Spread Türkiye -10.5
Fool me once
Complacency nearly cost Türkiye dearly in the previous round. Ergin Ataman seemed to spend more time complaining about the early start time than dealing with the actual opponent. While Alperen Sengun delivered enormously, as has been the norm for Türkiye throughout EuroBasket 2025, he needed to in order for his side to survive a Sweden team that had only won 1 of 5 group games.
Poland fought a drawn out battle with Bosnia on Sunday. They don’t have a single NBA player on their roster. They’re not even that deep in Euroleague level talent. Yet they reached the semi-finals in 2022 and know what it takes to take down a superstar.
Jordan Loyd has been a revelation as their naturalised player, buying in entirely to Igor Milicic’s culture. Mateusz Ponitka openly speaks about how nothing means more for him than playing for Poland and there’s a difference between FIBA Ponitka and what he is at other times. This is a team that is substantially better than it looks on paper. It has proven as much on the court.
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Treat it like a final
Every single player and coach will always tell you, relentlessly to the point of boredom, that they are only focused on the next game. It’s a solid non-answer that gives nothing away. In this case, Türkiye need to take it to heart.
Türkiye know they can rely on Alperen Sengun to put up big numbers. It’s the efficiency and relentlessness of the talent around him that Ergin Ataman must channel. Shane Larkin, Cedi Osman, Kenan Sipahi, and Ercan Osmani all need to combine improving aggressiveness with efficiency. With the exception of Osman, each of those had poor days from the field against the Swedes.
Adem Bona meanwhile can probably be relied on a touch more offensively. He’s been heavily focused on defensive duties off the bench. Bona has also done rather well at this. Giving him more opportunities to use his power inside offensively can help to wear down Poland.
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Prediction time
Türkiye are big favourites for a reason but there were enough upsets and near misses at the weekend to give everyone at EuroBasket 2025 pause for thought. Ergin Ataman is one of the finest strategists in basketball today. The man is entitled to an off day. That is an off day meaning one singular.
He’s had that, now he needs to bring out his genius a little more. Igor Milicic will look to wear down Shane Larkin with his line-ups but more ball handling from Cedi Osman and the ever reliable distribution of Alperen Sengun should mitigate that.
I would love to write that I’m expecting this to be close because those games tend to be more fun to watch. Had Türkiye made light work of Sweden, this could have been a trap game. They made a meal of that and are ready to adjust.
Pick:Türkiye to win and cover -10.5 points.
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