Turkey‘s Ataman Dismisses FIBA Rankings, Focuses Solely on EuroBasket Medal Pursuit
Riga, Latvia – September 12, 2022 – Turkey adn Germany remain the only undefeated teams in the 2022 EuroBasket tournament as they advance to the quarterfinal stage, fueling fervent national pride and sparking debate among fans regarding whether this iteration represents the strongest turkish national team in history. However, head coach Erdem Ataman swiftly dismissed such comparisons, emphasizing a singular focus: securing a medal.This year’s EuroBasket run marks a importent moment for Turkish basketball, a program historically limited to a single podium finish – a silver medal earned on home soil during the 2001 European Championship. The current team’s success has ignited hopes for a repeat performance, but Ataman cautions against external distractions, especially the FIBA world rankings. “We don’t think about whether we are the best or worst Turkish team,” Ataman stated. “We are here to win a medal. FIBA likes to create things like power rankings, but that’s nonsense. The reality is on the court, and that’s where you have to win. We’ll see what place we finish at the end of the European Championship.”
Ataman also highlighted the pivotal role their final Group A victory over Serbia played in securing their current advantageous position. That win propelled Turkey to the top of the group, ultimately contributing to Serbia’s elimination by Finland. “Of course, it helped us as after the game with Serbia, we took first place in the group,” Ataman explained. “If you think about it, Finland eliminated Serbia because Finland played a great game. So,it helped us take first place and get to the quarterfinal.”
Turkey will face Poland in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday, September 13th at 19:00 local time (CET). The winner of that contest will then advance to face either Lithuania or Greece in the tournament’s semi-finals. Ataman stressed the unique challenges each game presents, emphasizing the need for adaptability and a relentless pursuit of victory.
