SRB - An impressive finish

ISTANBUL (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Serbia will travel to the EuroBasket in Slovenia a very confident bunch after winning all three of their games at the SporToto Cup in Istanbul, including Sunday's title triumph over hosts Turkey.

The Serbians will be looking to clinch a place at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and they're going to have to play as well as they did over the weekend to survive the First Round with their opponents in Group B being Lithuania, Latvia, Montenegro, The Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia (MKD) and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

After Sunday's 78-72 win over Turkey, Nenad Krstic was named MVP of the SporToto event.

He had played well in victories over Belgium and Croatia and signed off with 17 points and five rebounds against the Turks.

"The captain, Krstic, fully deserved the title of best player in the tournament," said Serbia head coach Dusan Ivkovic.

Overall, the three games were just what the play caller was looking for before the EuroBasket.

"We won this strong and well organized tournament due to desire and good team play," he went on.

"The Turks were great hosts and the audience was correct.

"The last official game before going to the European Championship, we beat an experienced and qualified team of Turkey which is great at five-on-five (in the half-court).

"We, therefore, insisted on a high-tempo game and it gave a results, especially in the final.

"It was a difficult and tough game, especially because the Turks played continuously on the verge of a foul. All of the players have endured and deserved the trophy."

To reach the World Cup, Serbia must finish in the top six at the EuroBasket.

If Spain are in the first six, a top seven finish will seal the Serbians' passage to next year's tournament.

FIBA