TUR - It's all positive

ISTANBUL (EuroBasket Women/FIBA World Championship for Women) - The dust has settled on the latest adventure for Turkey's women.

The players travelled to France last month, looking to reach the EuroBasket Women podium for the second time in a row and they accomplished their mission, following up a silver-medal winning performance in Poland with a bronze.

When considering the success of Turkey in between, at the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women and the appearance at the London Games, the women's team has enjoyed a terrific run.

The country will be looking to ride the momentum into next year when it hosts the FIBA World Championship for Women.

"We are very proud of our women's team and the improvement we've made in the past," Turkish Basketball Federation President Turgay Demirel said to FIBA.com.

"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 proud of the fact that we kept the team together and didn't have any big injuries.

"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."

Continuity has been a key to the success.

Ceyhun Yildizoglu seems to be the perfect coach, someone to nurture the team's development.

He has been able to utilize the team's strength, its guard play, to good effect.

"Yes, definitely," Demirel answered, when asked about the importance of Yildizoglu's involvement.

"He's been working with our federation for such a long time. He started with our junior programs and then he was an assistant for the senior teams and he has been the head coach. We are very proud of what he's accomplished."

There has also been continuity with the players, with Isil Alben among the most important.

Disappointed not to beat hosts France in the Semi-Finals of the EuroBasket Women 2013, point guard Alben was nevertheless happy to get a medal because it showed the team is still moving in the right direction.

"We thought we could have reached the Final, but that's past now," she said to FIBA.com.

"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."

Turkey trailed Serbia by a point at half-time of the battle for bronze but pulled away in the second half for a 92-71 win.

"We got the silver in 2011 and the second medal in France," Alben said.

"It's a great feeling and I'm so proud to be a part of Turkey.

"When we went to France and wanted to make a gift for the people of Turkey. I was so sorry we couldn't make it to the Gold Medal Game, but I'm certain that next year, Turkey is going to make it."

FIBA