TUR/SRB/NZL/IRI - Serbia top Turkey to win Istanbul Cup
ISTANBUL (FIBA World Championship) - Serbia continued their warm-ups for the FIBA World Championship by sweeping to victory at the Istanbul Cup this weekend. Serbia upset hosts Turkey 83-70 in Sunday's final to claim the title following victories over New Zealand and Iran. Nenad Krstic led the way with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the ...
ISTANBUL (FIBA World Championship) - Serbia continued their warm-ups for the FIBA World Championship by sweeping to victory at the Istanbul Cup this weekend.
Serbia upset hosts Turkey 83-70 in Sunday's final to claim the title following victories over New Zealand and Iran.
Nenad Krstic led the way with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the win, which was built on a hot start as Serbia scored 27 points in the first 10 minutes alone.
They led 49-36 at half-time and although Turkey fought their way back into it in the third quarter, they could not get closer than five, 63-58, before Serbia began to pull away again.
Milos Teodosic had 16 points and Marko Keselj and Dusko Savanovic added 13 each.
Hedo Turkoglu led Turkey with 14 while Ersan Ilyasova and Kerem Gonlum added 12 each.
Serbia had opened the tournament with a 76-71 victory over New Zealand on Friday night.
Kosta Perovic led the way with 13 points in the win, but Serbia had to come from behind after Kirk Penney got the Kiwis off to a hot start.
New Zealand had led 39-32 at half-time before Serbia turned things around.
Penney finished with 34 points in the loss, a sign of what he might achieve when the FIBA World Championship tips off at the end of the month.
Serbia then followed that up with a 96-68 rout of Iran in the second game.
Hamed Haddadi has finally joined Iran's preparations for the FIBA World Championship, but showed signs of rust in scoring 16 points for Iran.
Although Iran lived with Serbia for the first quarter, Serbia poured in 30 points in the second quarter and continued to pull away.
Aleksandar Rasic led Serbia with 16 points while Miroslav Raduljica had 14 and Marko Keselj 13.
Samad Nikkhah led Iran with 24 points.
Turkey likewise entered Sunday's final after victories over Iran and New Zealand.
They opened up with a 95-53 thrashing of Iran behind 17 points from Ilyasova and 14 more from Omer Asik.
Haddadi had led Iran with 10 points.
The second game was tougher but still comfortable for Turkey as they beat New Zealand 87-65 with Ilyasova again leading the way on 14 points, Hedo Turkoglu adding 12.
Again, it was a big second quarter that fuelled Turkey's victory as the scored 30 points in the stanza.
In Sunday's battle for third place, New Zealand pipped Iran 69-68.
Kirk Penney was the difference, with the last of his 28 points tipping the game in New Zealand's favour in the final moments.
However, there were encouraging signs for Iran, who despite finishing 0-3 can be happy with how they held New Zealand to only 11 points in the first quarter and lived with them throughout the entire game.
Haddadi had his best game of the tournament with 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Arsalan Kazemi added 20 points.
FIBA