Houston Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun and the Turkish men’s national basketball team knocked out Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece with a 94-68 win in EuroBasket. After carrying Turkey past Poland in the quarterfinals, Sengun explained what it took to overcome Antetokounmpo and his squad.
Sengun credited teammate Ercan Osmani for doing an excellent job of keeping Antetokounmpo in front, while Turkey’s help defense consistently forced Giannis to give up the ball. Passing, Sengun noted after the win per BasketNews’ X (formerly Twitter), is not one of Antetokounmpo’s strongest skills.
Feb 25, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots the ball as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
“We just put Ercan [Osmani] on him and we helped as much we can. Ercan did a great job today. Of course, Giannis is one of the best players in the world. We just tried to help Ercan and think we did a good job,” said the Rockets’ Turkish star.
Alperen Sengun names Giannis Antetokounmpo's weakness: "He's an amazing player, you know, but he's not a great passer." 🗣️ #EuroBasket
Read more: https://t.co/Rbx1N5HRi1 pic.twitter.com/S6q1pKvrcm
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) September 12, 2025
“He’s not a great passer. He’s an amazing player but he’s not a great passer. We just tried to help, jump, and close the paint.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo with Greece in the EuroBasket semifinal
Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; Greece small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts after their loss against Germany during a mens basketball quarterfinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Antetokounmpo wrapped up the semifinal with 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting, along with 12 rebounds, five assists, and five turnovers. Kostas Sloukas chipped in 15 points for Greece. On the other side, Osmani powered Turkey with 28 points, six rebounds, and two steals, while Sengun contributed 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block.
Turkey went on a 12-0 run in the second quarter, taking a 49-31 lead into the second half. For the first time in 24 years, Turkey is headed to the EuroBasket final where they’ll face Germany for the gold medal on Sunday.
May 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) shoots the ball as Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) defends during game seven of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun delivered a triple-double in the quarterfinals, joining Slovenia’s Luka Doncic as the only players to post one in the tournament. Sengun tallied 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in Turkey’s win over Poland, while Doncic had notched his triple-double in an 86-69 group stage victory over Belgium.
Sengun also collected three steals while shooting 6-of-14 from the field and 7-of-9 at the free throw line in 30 minutes. He recorded a 33 efficiency rating and a +15 plus/minus, anchoring Turkey’s perfect 5-0 run. The ultimate test now comes in the gold medal game against Dennis Schroder, Franz Wagner, and Germany, who knocked out Finland to book their spot in the final.