Alperen Sengun made EuroBasket history on Tuesday, lifting Turkey into the semifinals for the first time in nearly a quarter-century.
The Houston Rockets center delivered a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in Turkey’s 91-77 victory over Poland. At 23 years and 46 days, Sengun became the youngest player ever to record a triple-double at EuroBasket. He is also only the sixth player to accomplish the feat in the tournament’s history.
Turkey now stands 7-0 in the competition, earning just its second trip to the final four and first since hosting the event in 2001, when the “12 Giant Men” captured silver in Istanbul.
Sengun’s Commanding Night
Sengun orchestrated Turkey’s attack with poise, controlling the paint while dishing out highlight assists — including a full-court one-handed pass to Sehmus Hazer for a dunk and a no-look feed in the lane. He capped his performance with a reverse dunk in the fourth quarter.
“Coach Ataman is using me really well,” Sengun said. “He puts me everywhere, and that’s who I am. I’m a team player. I’m gonna do whatever it takes to win. If it’s defense, it’s defense. If it’s offense, it’s offense, I don’t care. Whatever he tells me, I’ll do it.”
Head coach Ergin Ataman praised his star’s milestone, noting the significance of the achievement both for Sengun and for the team.
“Very happy, and I believe journalists will be happy too, because finally, Alperen Şengün recorded a triple-double tonight—they can write that another player in history achieved a triple-double,” Ataman said.
Balanced Support Around the Star
Turkey showcased a balanced attack beyond Sengun. Seven players finished in double figures, led by Shane Larkin and Hazer with 13 points apiece. Kenan Sipahi added 11, while Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz and Ercan Osmani each scored 10.
The collective effort helped Turkey withstand Poland’s push. After building a 46-32 halftime lead, Turkey held firm against a late run. Poland cut the margin to eight with three minutes left, but timely shots from Hazer, Sipahi and Larkin sealed the win.
What a pass from Sengun!
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) September 9, 2025
Youngest in @EuroBasket history to record a triple double and he did it in 25 MINS: 15 PTS, 10 REB, 10 ASTpic.twitter.com/Ll9pnl5A7K
Sipahi said the team’s approach with Sengun has been central to their success.
“He’s a really smart guy. He loves playing basketball, he’s enjoying it, and he’s helping us a lot,” Sipahi said. “But we’re using him really well, it’s not like we’re giving him the ball and just waiting for him to do something. When we’re feeding him like this, we really can go all the way.”
The Golden Generation
For Korkmaz, Turkey’s progress is more than a strong tournament run — it’s the arrival of a long-discussed core of talent.
“We were calling this golden generation, saying ‘it’s coming, it’s coming, we have time.’ But now, it’s our time,” Korkmaz said. “We’re not just winning the games, we’re also enjoying the way that we play basketball.”
He reflected on Turkey’s last semifinal run in 2001, when he was just a child.
“I was four years old, so I can’t really remember, but I was proud of the team—12 giant men.”
Ataman emphasized the moment’s historic weight for the program.
“We will play a historic semifinal, because Turkey has only reached the semifinals once before, in Istanbul 2001, and this is the first semifinal since then,” he said. “Now we are waiting to see which team we will face.”
Opponent and Outlook
Poland was led by Mateusz Ponitka and Jordan Loyd with 19 points each, while Michal Sokolowski added 13 and Aleksander Dziewa had 11. Their physical defense and late three-pointers kept them within reach until Turkey’s late surge.
Sengun’s triple-double also marked another statistical milestone: he became the first player in 30 years to record at least 150 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists in a single EuroBasket tournament.
Turkey will face the winner of Lithuania vs. Greece in the semifinals on Sept. 12. With Sengun’s historic play and the balance of a confident roster, the team is chasing its first continental title.
