All-Star Rockets big man Alperen Sengun notched a 23-point, 12-rebound, nine-assist triple-double during Turkey’s 92–78 win over Czechia on Friday, writes Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews.
“I saw on social media, both in the United States and in Europe, people writing about my statement on the difference between the EuroLeague and the NBA. Give me Alperen Sengun at Panathinaikos and we will beat the Houston Rockets,” Turkey coach Ergin Ataman said postgame, per Jablonskis.
Sengun followed up that Herculean effort with a 20-point, seven-rebound, five-assist showing in a 95-54 blowout of Portugal Saturday, per Sportando’s Alessandro Maggi. Turkey will now square off against Serbia for their group’s top spot in the Round of 16.
There’s more out of EuroBasket:
Jazz star forward Lauri Markkanen has been in the midst of a superlative tear throughout EuroBasket and in the tournament’s warm-up games so far. The 7-footer notched 43 points in just 23 minutes for his native Finland during a 109-79 blowout of Great Britain, per Eurohoops. He followed that up with a double-double in an 85-65 victory against Bulls center **Nikola Vucevic**‘s Montenegro on Saturday, reports Maggi.
Three-time MVP Nuggets center Nikola Jokic helped propel Serbia to an 80-69 win against Portugal with a 23-point, 10-board double-double, writes Semih Tuna of Eurohoops. Heat forward Nikola Jovic chipped in 18 points of his own. Serbia followed that up by beating Kristaps Porzingis‘ Latvia on Saturday, 84-80, and clinching its place in the round of 16, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Jokic logged a 39-point, 10-board effort.
Early in the first half of the Portugal clash, former Kings and Sixers center Filip Petrusev was ejected and subsequently suspended for one game after “an act of violence,” according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando. He was also fined for 5,000 Euros.
Home team Poland vanquished Blazers forward **Deni Avdija**‘s Israel, 66-64, maintaining its perfect record in EuroBasket competition on Saturday, writes Maggi.