Croatia beats Turkey to move step closer to Olympic Games in Paris
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
(Photo credit: fiba.basketball)
The Croatian basketball team triumphed in Istanbul, defeating Turkey 84-71 in the final of the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament on Sunday.
This victory means Croatia has booked a place at the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Captain Dario Šarić led Croatia to a significant victory with 22 points and 11 rebounds, supported by Mario Hezonja’s 16 points and Ivica Zubac’s 8 points and 10 rebounds.
For Turkey, Furkan Korkmaz scored 19 points, and Sehmus Hazer added 16.
In a packed Sinan Erdem Arena, Croatia played a smart and precise first half, during which they built a crucial lead. Coach Josip Sesar decided to use only eight players in this game, with Dario Drežnjak spending just 1 minute and 18 seconds on the court in the first half.
(Photo credit: fiba.basketball)
The main load was carried by Dario Šarić, Ivica Zubac, Mario Hezonja, Jaleen Smith, Goran Filipović, Borna Kapusta, and Roko Badžim.
Croatia’s marvelous first half saw them go in with a commanding 48-29 lead, hitting 10 of 20 three-point attempts compared to Turkey’s one out of 13.
At the start of the second half, Turkey found their outside shooting touch, making all five of their initial three-point attempts, including three by Furkan Korkmaz. This reduced Croatia’s lead to 57-51 in the 27th minute. However, when Turkey’s three-point barrage subsided, Croatia used several excellent offensive plays to regain a double-digit lead.
(Photo credit: fiba.basketball)
With composed play in the final quarter, Croatia never allowed Turkey to get within single digits, ultimately securing a comfortable 13-point victory.
(Photo credit: fiba.basketball)
Croatia were undefeated all week and played some great basketball to move a step closer to qualifying for Paris.
