TUR – Turkey announce preliminary roster for FIBA World Championship and set sights on semi-finals

ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) - The Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) on Wednesday announced the host nation's preliminary roster for the 2010 FIBA World Championship and used the opportunity to clarify the team's goals.

At a press conference held in the Sheraton Istanbul Ataköy Hotel, TBF President Turgay Demirel expressed confidence in the country and the federation's ability to host a successful tournament and, much to the delight of the fans, believes that the home nation has a great chance at going deep into the tournament.

"Our federation has succeeded in hosting many important events such as Eurobasket and World Championship both in men's and women's basketball over the last decade," he said. "This gives us a great responsibility. Hosting the World Championship will be a great honour for our nation.

"We will welcome the biggest stars of basketball. My expectation from Turkish basketball fans is to support our team and its players until the final whistle is blown.

"Naturally, as the host nation and one of the contenders we will feel huge pressure on us. But we will have a lot of support," Demirel added.

"We finished ninth in Indianapolis (2002) and sixth in Japan (2006). To improve, we must first get to the quarter-finals and then to semi-finals. Even though it's not very easy to achieve, this is our goal.

"We will play tough games in Ankara, but we have to take the advantage after these games. As the president who has been planning this for a long time, I think that with the efforts of the players, technical staff, fans and the basketball community, we will achieve our goal."

Turkey's national teams manager Harun Erdenay then outlined the senior men's side's preparations leading up to the FIBA World Championship.

"The training camp will last 47 days and we will compete in three tournaments," he outlined.

"One of the tournaments will be abroad. The first period of camp will be in Antalya for a week. Then we will move to Bormio, Italy. After Bormio, we will return to Istanbul for the first tournament. Later on, we will travel to Germany for the second tournament and our final tune-up will be at the Efes Pilsen World Cup in Ankara."

Head coach Bogdan Tanjevic, who is still recovering from an undisclosed health problem, said he would return to take charge of the national team sooner rather than later. He explained that his assistants would oversee the first two weeks of preparations, allowing him to continue his recovery.

"My colleagues Nihat Iziç, Orhun Ene, Aziz Bekir, and Ertugrul Erdogan will run the first 15 days to let me get better. Afterwards you will see me as good as before," he said.

"I'm fully motivated and I see that everyone is. As our president said our goal is to reach to final four. We have to hustle and sweat. With the support from our fans I think that we will get there."

Turkey squad: Cenk Akyol, Cevher Özer, Engin Atsür, Ender Arslan, Kerem Gönlüm, Kerem Tunçeri, Sinan Güler, Oguz Savas, Ömer Asik, Ömer Onan, Semih Erden, Fatih Solak, Evren Büker, Ersan Ilyasova, Hidayet Türkoglu.

FIBA