Turkey make statement with easy victory over Japan

SHANGHAI (China) - Turkey made an early statement in Group E with a convincing 86-67 victory over Japan in their opening test of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

Playing without the injured Scottie Wilbekin, Turkey stormed out to an early double-digit lead and were never seriously threatened. It was a balanced effort with Ersan Ilyasova leading the charge with 17 points and 9 rebounds, while Melih Mahmutoglu, also 17 points, kick-started the team early. 

Japan did not have the firepower to match their opponents but young star Rui Hachimura showed glimpses of his talent with 15 points and 7 rebounds. 

Turning Point: With No. 9 NBA draft pick Hachimura starting to dominate either side of the half, Japan were within striking distance and only down 12 midway through the third quarter. But a pretty Dogus Balbay reverse layup sparked an 11-2 run and the result was effectively in the bag for Turkey. 

TCL Player of the Game: Ilyasova had a fine all-round game and poured in buckets when his team needed it. The Milwaukee Bucks player did a bit of everything, including tough defense. 

Stats Don't Lie: Turkey's size and strength caused headaches for Japan underlined by a domination on the glass. They had a convincing 43-27 edge in rebounds.  

Bottom Line: It was a crucial first up win for Turkey in the expected fight for Group E's second spot behind world No.1 USA. Japan, however, face a must-win game against Czech Republic on Tuesday. 

They Said: "I thought we did a really good job today. We played really good team defense and we didn't let them find easy baskets, so I think that was the key." - Turkey small forward Cedi Osman. 

"That was a very key game for us. The first games are always difficult. Maybe we won easily but we played very good especially at the beginning. We were very strong in the defensive parts." - Turkey coach Ufuk Sarica 

"The first quarter was just experience. We really didn't understand the level at which they were going to come out and play. They kind of hit us in the mouth and we were kind of taken aback but from that point forward we battled and competed. " - Japan center Nick Fazekas.  

"Turkey played very, very well the whole game. They controlled the game from the first minute until it was final. They played very physical on defense from the first minute. We had very low percentage from two points (range).This is our first time in the world competition and every game is a learning experience." - Japan coach Julio Lamas 

FIBA