Asik return boosts Turkey's OQT bid
ISTANBUL (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Turkey look set to have their rim-protector Omer Asik back in the line-up this summer as they attempt to reach the Rio de Janeiro Games.
The New Orleans Pelicans center, who was sixth in blocked shots at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup but was absent from last year's EuroBasket squad, is on Ergin Ataman's 20-man preliminary roster for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Manila.
| Turkey 20-player squad for 2016 OQT in Manila | |||
| Ender Arslan | Omer Asik | Dogus Balbay | Birkan Batuk |
| J. Metecan Birsen | Semih Erden | Tolga Gecim | Samet Geyik |
| Sinan Guler | Baris Hersek | Furkan Korkmaz | Huseyin Goksenin Koksal |
| Melih Mahmutoglu | Ali Muhammed | Can Maxim Mutaf | Cedi Osman |
| Oguz Savas | Kenan Sipahi | Metin Turen | Mehmet Yagmur |
Asik is a towering presence on defense but also a menace on offense. He averaged 9.9ppg and 8.4rpg in Bilbao and Barcelona.
Turkey do not have veteran forward Ersan Ilyasova back for a second straight year. The Orlando Magic man is heading into the 2016-17 season on a partial/non-guaranteed contract and needs to focus on his immediate NBA future. Center Furkan Aldemir is also missing from the Turkey squad after a season when he was plagued by a groin injury.
There are other important veterans that are present, though, like guards Sinan Guler and Ender Arslan, big men Oguz Savas and Semih Erden, and youngsters like Cedi Osman and Furkan Korkmaz.
Turkey will play at the OQT in the Philippines (5-10 July) against Senegal and Canada in Group A. France, New Zealand and the Philippines are in Group B. Only the winner of the OQT will clinch a spot in Rio.
The squad will begin its preparations in Antalya on June 6 and remain there until June 13, before returning to Istanbul to continue its build-up.
The national team manager of Turkey, Haluk Yildirim, believes the final squad will show up in the Philippines as a strong contender for a spot at the Olympics.
"We are confident," he said. "There are six teams in our group and only one of the teams will be successful. We will play what is a very important tournament for us. Our goal is to wave the Turkish flag in Rio."
FIBA
