Turkey include plenty of youngsters in preliminary squad

ISTANBUL (EuroBasket 2015) - Turkey coach Ergin Ataman is weighing up the merits of adding more emerging talents to the national team for EuroBasket 2015.

Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, Kenan Sipahi, Emircan Kosut, Kartal Ozmizrak and Akif Egemen Guven, all 20 years old or younger, have been named in Turkey's preliminary squad.

Osman made a big splash with the senior national team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup last summer, only a few days after leading the U20 Turkish side to the U20 European Championship title and being named tournament MVP.

"Our squad for the EuroBasket is young but has already earned considerable experience," Ataman said.

"Especially Cedi Osman, who saw very serious playing time this season."

Osman's confidence was soaring when he returned to Anadolu Efes after his World Cup exploits.

He provided a spark in an overtime win against Finland, a victory that served as a launchpad for a run to the Quarter-Finals.

"He was a main player on his team [Anadolu Efes]," Ataman said, "while Furkan Korkmaz played on their youth team but also took important responsibilities in the senior squad.

"Kenan Sipahi [Fenerbahce] is also ready to be called to the senior national team."

All these players were named MVP at youth level and I have great hopes in them. - Ataman

Oklahoma City Thunder big man Enes Kanter, who has not played for Turkey since EuroBasket 2011, is not included on the list.

"We are proud of the way Enes represents Turkey in the NBA and when I came to the national team, I wanted us to start with a clean slate," Ataman said.

"But he avoided giving a definite answer to my calls and approaches which is why we did not invite him to the national team this year.

"We anyway have a deep rotation in the frontcourt with three NBA players in Furkan [Aldemir], Ersan [Ilyasova] and Omer [Asik], while we also have Oguz [Savas] and Semih [Erden]."

All but Ilyasova played at the World Cup.

A new face in the Turkish squad is recently naturalised point guard Bobby Dixon.

The 32-year-old led surprise package Pinar Karsiyaka to the Turkish TBL title last weekend and was named MVP of the Finals after averaging 21 points in the title series against Efes.

Emir Preldzic, a member of the Turkish squad since EuroBasket 2011 who averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and four assists at the World Cup, is taking this summer off from national team duty.

As expected, 36-year-old point guard Kerem Tunceri, 38-year-old power forward Kerem Gonlum and 32-year-old playmaker Ender Arslan are not in the squad.

Each retired from the national team after the World Cup.

The coach who steered Karsiyaka to the TBL title this week, Ufuk Sarica, has joined Ataman's coaching staff on the national team.

Sarica was a Turkish international himself during his playing career and began his coaching career as an assistant to Ataman, with the two men working together for years.

Preparations will commence on 20 July, in Izmir.

The main stage of Turkey's training camp will be conducted in Bormio, Italy, 28 July - 8 August.

While there, Ataman's team has warm-up games against Tunisia on 6 and 7 August.

Turkey preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2015: Furkan Aldemir, Omer Asik, Dogus Balbay, Birkan Batuk, Robert Lee Dixon, Semih Erden, Samet Geyik, Akif Egemen Guven, Sinan Güler, Baris Hersek, Ersan Ilyasova, Huseyin Goksenin Koksal, Furkan Korkmaz, Emircan Kosut, Melih Mahmutoglu, Can Maxim Mutaf, Cedi Osman, Kartal Ozmizrak, Oguz Savas and Kenan Sipahi.

Go to eurobasket2015.org for more coverage of EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA