TUR - Yildizoglu and Co host Kepez warm-up event

ANTALYA (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women) - The biggest and most important basketball event in the lives of all the Turkish women's national team players is quickly approaching.

On 25 June, 12 sides from around the world will begin playing in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) for Women in Ankara.

It is an opportunity for some players that may never come around because five places for the London Games will be claimed.

Turkey, who claimed the silver medal at the EuroBasket Women in Poland last year, are within touching distance of the Olympics.

As hosts, they are among the sides expected to book a place in London.

National team coach Ceyhun Yildizoglu talked about the state of his squad ahead of this week's International Kepez Tournament in Antalya.

"In the second stage of our camp here, we started tactical trainings, along with physical preparations," he said.

"We're going through some minor injuries but nothing serious."

Among those carrying knocks is the best known player in the country, center Nevriye Yilmaz, and her Fenerbahce teammate, point guard Birsel Vardarli.

"Nevriye is still not ready and is working by herself," Yildizoglu said.

"Birsel has begun to train with us.

"After the games in International Kepez Tournament, we'll get better.

"We're not 100% yet.

"We'll be able to test ourselves.

"We play against Belarus and Montenegro, teams we know, and Japan, a team we'll also play in the Olympic qualifiers."

Turkey will take on both Japan and Puerto Rico in Group A of the OQT.

"It sure is important to win the games but our primary goal is to see if we can execute the things we've been practicing," the coach said.

On Wednesday, neither Yilmaz nor Vardarli played and Turkey were blown out by Montenegro, 72-47.

Japan, who recently swept Slovakia in three close friendly encounters in the Far East, fell in the second game of the Kepez event, 57-50.

FIBA