TUR - Turkey thrash Lebanon in Efes World Cup
ANKARA (FIBA World Championship) - Turkey may have needed a wild card to play at the FIBA World Championship in Japan but that was not evident on Friday evening at the Efes World Cup as they beat Lebanon with ease. Turkey rolled to a 90-61 triumph despite solid efforts from Lebanon's Rony Fahed (16 points) and Fadi El Khatib (12 pts).
WIN a trip to the FIBA World Championship Finals weekend
ANKARA (FIBA World Championship) - Turkey may have needed a wild card to play at the FIBA World Championship in Japan but that was not evident on Friday evening at the Efes World Cup as they beat Lebanon with ease.
The Lebanese, who qualified outright as one of three teams from the FIBA Asian Championship, got 16 points from Rony Fahed and Fadi El Khatib added 12 but it was to no avail as Turkey rolled to a 90-61 triumph.
Bogdan Tanjevic's team stretched a 25-20 lead at the end of the first quarter to 46-33 at half-time.
By the end of the third period, the hosts held a commanding 72-53 advantage and there was no way back for Lebanon, whose preparations for the FIBA World Championship have been disrupted the past two weeks due to the political problems in the country.
The most valuable player of the recently completed U20 European Championship in Izmir, Ersan İlyasova of the Milwaukee Bucks, had 14 points for Turkey while Serkan Erdoğan also had the same amount.
Erdoğan was not expected to be available for international duty this summer due to concerns about his knee but the Tau Ceramica guard has decided to play for his country.
Veteran İbrahim Kutluay also had 13 for the winners.
PA Sport
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