TUR - All going according to plan as Tanjevic, Turkey prepare for 2010

ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Turkey coach Bogdan Tanjevic did not cut a very happy figure after last year's EuroBasket in Spain following his team's failed bid to reach the quarter-finals.

The same thing can't be said now about a man who is trying to get his team in top form by 2010, when the country hosts the FIBA World Championship.

The Turks on Wednesday won for the fifth consecutive time in qualifying for EuroBasket 2009 in Poland by beating Belgium, 80-64.

The triumph sealed a place in next year's final round in Poland.

Even before the home game against the Belgians, Tanjevic spoke with satisfaction about his players.

"The good atmosphere of the team now is even more important than winning for me," Tanjevic said.

"Everyone in the team is connected and friends with each other. We have become a team by all means.

"On the court, every member of the team is helping one another and that's how you become a team. The experienced players are helping the youngsters and the youngsters are not letting the experienced ones down."

Tanjevic knows how to win.

He did it as the coach of Italy by leading the Azzurri to the gold medal at the 1999 EuroBasket, and at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, Tanjevic's Turks received one of four wild cards to take part in the competition and made a surprising run to the quarter-finals.

The veteran boss will almost certainly have Hedo Turkoglu of the Orlando Magic and Kerem Gönlüm at the World Championship, but he is keenly aware of the need to have Turkey's younger players ready for that tournament as well.

One youngster who will definitely make an impact is Ersan Ilyasova.

The 21-year-old played at the 2006 FIBA World Championship and is now one of his country's top performers.

He had 22 points and eight rebounds on Wednesday.

"I'm trying to give the young players as much experience as I can to prepare them for 2009 European and 2010 World Basketball Championships," Tanjevic said.

"The young players in the roster are going to constitute the main frame of the roster of the 2010 World Basketball Championship."

FIBA