TUR – In-form Ilyasova excited about hosting FIBA World Championship
MILWAUKEE (2010 FIBA World Championship) - There aren't many NBA teams that have been as good as the Milwaukee Bucks since January 27. To put it bluntly, Ersan Ilyasova and Co have been on a tear, winning 15 of their 19 games in that time. The 22-year-old power forward has been coming off the bench and playing around 23 minutes per game for Milwaukee, ...
MILWAUKEE (2010 FIBA World Championship) - There aren't many NBA teams that have been as good as the Milwaukee Bucks since January 27.
To put it bluntly, Ersan Ilyasova and Co have been on a tear, winning 15 of their 19 games in that time.
The 22-year-old power forward has been coming off the bench and playing around 23 minutes per game for Milwaukee, averaging 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds.
The NBA games are coming fast and furious, but there’s something else on Ilyasova’s mind.
He's got one eye on Ankara, which is where he and Turkey will face Greece, Russia, China, Puerto Rico and the Ivory Coast in Preliminary Round play at the FIBA World Championship.
Ilyasova knows it will be a pivotal time for basketball in Turkey.
National team success will win new fans to the sport and reward those supporters who have stuck by the players through thick and thin.
It is also a great opportunity to remind everyone of what a wonderful country Turkey is.
"I am sure that the championship that we will play in our home will be very exciting," Ilyasova said.
"I want to win a medal in my own country with our fans.
“Organizing this is very important for Turkish basketball."
Turkey have plenty of cause for optimism because in their first five games at last year's EuroBasket in Poland, they were the best team in the competition.
Included in that tournament-opening run were victories over Spain and Serbia, the eventual EuroBasket finalists.
After falling for the first time in a 69-67 defeat to Slovenia – another side to reach the Semi-Finals, Turkey suffered Quarter-Final heartbreak with a 76-74 loss to bitter rivals Greece.
They ended up losing to France and Russia in the Classification Round to come in eighth.
"We think we played well at the last European Championship in Poland," said Ilyasova, who was arguably the team's best player.
He averaged 16.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
"We could have won a medal but we were very unlucky,” he said.
"We want to atone for this at the FIBA World Championship."
FIBA