ISTANBUL (2016 FIBA U17 World Championship) - Tofas Bursa have good chances of returning to the Turkish first division BSL. The club also has been successful at the youth ranks as they have four young talents nominated for Turkey's 18-man preliminary squad for the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship. 

The U17 head coach, Fatih Elbas, chose Tofas players Cagatay Afsar, Enis Sipahi, Emre Tanisan and Burak Tursen for the first training camp, which got underway today (18 May). It is the largest contingent from any one club among the 18 players. 

Three of the players from Tofas, whose senior team won the Turkish second division TBL regular season and swept the first round of the playoffs, played last summer on the team that took third place at the 2015 U16 European Championship. Afsar, Sipahi and Tursen all play in Turkey's third division TBL2.  

All told, Elbas nominated nine players who lost to Lithuania at the Semi-Final stage in Kaunas last summer before beating Spain to grab third place in Kaunas. 

The other players from the team that finished on the podium are Leon Apaydin, Ragip Atar, Onuralp Bitim, Ahmet Duran, Servet Kurnaz and Muhaymin Mustafa.

While Tofas have four players nominated for the preliminary squad, the second-largest group comes from Bandirma Kirmizi - the second division TBL second team from top flight side Banvit - with Atar, Sehmus Hazer and Erkin Senel.

All 18 players will be anxious to make the team for Turkey’s first appearance at the FIBA U17 World Championship from 23 June-3 July in Zaragoza. Turkey have been drawn into Group A with three-time reigning champions United States, Egypt and fellow first-timers Chinese Taipei. 

Turkey 18-player preliminary roster for 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship: Cagatay Afsar, Leon Apaydin, Ragip Atar, Furkan Ayca, Onuralp Bitim, Doruk Dora, Ahmet Duran, Sehmus Hazer,  Ata Kahraman, Servet Kurnaz, Muhaymin Mustafa, Yigit Sarikaya, Yigitcan Saybir, Erkin Senel, Enis Sipahi, Emre Tanisan, Burak Tursen, Ismail Yuceer

FIBA