TUR - Growing into a force

ISTANBUL (FIBA World Championship for Women) - Every year for the past decade has held great significance for Turkish women's basketball.

The most important year of all will be 2014.

The national side is not only going to take part in a FIBA World Championship for Women for the first time, but do so as the host nation.

The Turks will be among the star attractions, too.

A national side that was nowhere on the sport's radar, the squad got a taste of big-time hoops in 2005 when it not only took part in a EuroBasket Women but hosted the tournament.

Turkey claimed memorable wins over Serbia and Montenegro and Romania, and ended up with a fifth-place finish.

That participation whet the appetite for more.

After qualifying for the next couple of EuroBaskets Women but enduring disappointment each time with ninth-place finishes, Turkey's fortunes took a dramatic turn in 2011.

With a group of players desperate to prove they could not only compete against but also beat some of the best sides in Europe, Turkey knocked off Belarus in a do-or-die game to reach the Last Eight of the EuroBasket Women and then whipped previously unbeaten Montenegro.

Next, Turkey took part in one of the most exciting games ever staged in international basketball.

Squaring off against defending champions France in the Semi-Finals, Turkey rode the back of Nevin Nevlin for much of the contest and prevailed in overtime, 68-62.

Nevlin, a 1.95m center, played 43 minutes and had 23 points and eight rebounds.

Turkey came up short in the Final against Russia, falling 59-42, but the squad left Poland with a silver medal, a spot in the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women (OQTW) and a great sense of accomplishment.

"This is a huge moment for us, for our team and our nation," Nevlin said at the time.

"It was our goal four years ago when we started thinking about the Olympics.

"We knew what we had to do at these European Championships to achieve it. To carry out a plan like this is incredible."

Turkey's players underlined their status as stars in Europe with their silver medal accomplishment.

They also revealed themselves to be humble.

Birsel Vardarli had averaged 12.5 points, 5.25 assists, 4 rebounds and 2.5 steals in the team's last four games at EuroBasket Women 2011, including a terrific 14-point, five assist, five steal effort against France.

When it was put to her that she was one of the best point guards in international basketball, Vardarli replied: "It isn't about me, it's only about the team and what we do together to help each other and be successful."

Nevriye Yilmaz became the first Turk to make the All-Tournament Team at a EuroBasket Women after leading the side with averages of 13.7 points and 6.8 rebounds.

"It was a great personal honor," Yilmaz said, "but winning the first-ever medal for Turkey in European competition was far more meaningful."

Reaching the podium was an exhilarating, life-changing moment for Turkey's players.

The squad had come a long way since 2005, and a lot of people had contributed.

The players and coach Ceyhun Yildizoglu had shown patience and determination, and the federation had thrown its full support behind the women's team.

Turkey were hungry for more.

They hosted the OQTW and claimed one of five places on offer for the 2012 London Olympics.

Then, in their first Olympic appearance, Turkey won four of their five Preliminary Round games before falling in the Quarter-Finals to Russia, 66-63.

In 2013, Turkey came up short of the Final but still left the EuroBasket Women in France with a podium finish.

"We thought we could have reached the Final, but that's past now," said another of Turkey's great point guards, Isil Alben.

"We were thinking of being the champions but life goes on.

"You lose, and you have one more game and we were able to use the one day off to get ready for the Bronze Medal Game."

For some, the triumph over France in the Semi-Finals of EuroBasket Women 2011 is the most memorable feat.

Others will look at 2012 as the best moment for the Turkish women.

"The Olympic experience is without parallel," said team manager Canan Erdogan.

"Our players gave everything they had, and made an important statement about how far Turkish basketball had come in a short period."

Turgay Demirel, the Turkish Basketball Federation President, said at the EuroBasket Women this summer: "We are very proud of our women's team and the improvement we've made in the past.

"We got the silver medal in 2011 and participated in the Olympic Games and got an excellent result in London, fifth position.

"We lost to Russia by three points on the last possession (in London), so we are proud of the success of our players and our staff.

"We're getting ready for the World Championship next year. We had a goal to play the last day of the (EuroBasket Women 2013) tournament.

"We are looking very positive to the future."

The 1.94m Yilmaz, who will be 34 when she runs onto the court for the FIBA World Championship for Women, can't wait to experience something else with her national team.

The Turks will play in the competition for the first time.

"This tournament is the opportunity of a lifetime," Yılmaz said.

"The chance to play in front of our home fans, on the world’s biggest stage, it is going to be very special.

"We will be ready, and we know our supporters will be too."

FIBA