TUR/AUS - Australia defeat Turkey in Group C on day one

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NOVI SAD (FIBA U19 World Championship) - Turkey enjoyed some bright moments but Australia's strong start catapulted the defending champions to a 77-75 victory on the opening day's play at the FIBA U19 World Championship.

Andrew Ogilvy had 17 points and Pat Mills 14 for the men from Down Under, who took the lead in the first quarter and built a cushion that left them in charge for the rest of the contest.

With Turkey hosting the FIBA World Championship in 2010, some of the players in this team will be dreaming of improving enough to have a chance to take part with the senior side.

In one stretch of 43 seconds, if national team coach Bogdan Tanjevic was watching, he would have written down the name of Can Ozcan, a 2m forward with club side Alpella.

Ozcan showed he a can hit a three-pointer, nailing three straight to give Turkey an 11-10 lead.

Right after his third three-ball fell through the cylinder, Australia shot back in front for good as

Ben Dowdell made a jump shot and Ogilvy followed with a slam dunk.

The spurt that put Martin Clarke's team in front for good came over the final three minutes of the quarter when they stretched a 17-15 lead to 25-17.

While the Aussies went to the changing rooms with a 40-31 edge, Turkey did keep things interesting in the second half.

They clawed their way back to 46-43 on Oezcan's fourth basket of the game with 3:50 to go in the third period.

Mills replied with a shot from behind the arc, and a jumper the next time down the floor to put the brakes on the Turkish run.

Australia led 58-49 after three quarters, and though Turkey did close the gap to 58-54 early in the fourth quarter, the Australians again had an answer.

Kevin Probert buried a three-pointer, Daniel Jackson drilled a jumper and Mills sank two free throws.

They ended up winning by 12 points.

FIBA