MANILA (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) – Turkey nailed their first win of the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila and managed to advance to the Semi-Finals at the expense of valiant Senegal, 68-62.

Turning Point: Senegalese shooter Antoine Mendy hit a tough three-pointer to cut the deficit to just 53-50 with 4:31 to go, but that’s when naturalized player Ali Muhammed came alive for Turkey. Muhammed, who shot just 2-of-13 from the field entering the fourth quarter, lit the Senegalese with 15 of his 23 points coming in the final four-and-a-half minutes of the game. His timely hits effectively kept the Lions at bay till the final buzzer.

Stats Don't Lie: The athletic and aggressive Senegalese won the battle of the boards, 51-40, but this was offset by their 19 turnovers. Turkey were able to exploit these errors from Senegal, and these prevented coach Fisac’s wards from completing any late comeback.

Game Hero: Ali Muhammed was the goat for Turkey on opening night, missing all his field goals. He came alive in this one, though, scoring his team’s last fifteen points of the match. Muhammed finished with 23 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in a scintillating clutch performance.

The Bottom Line: Turkey avoid the upset axe and move on to face either France or New Zealand in the Semi-Finals. They will need Semih Erden and Ali Muhammed to be at their best if they are to barge into the Final. Senegal, meanwhile, have nothing to be ashamed of after another strong showing. They head back home with heads held high.

FIBA