Türkiye edges Croatia in U20 EuroBasket thriller
Kaan Onat spearheaded Türkiye to a nail-biting one-point victory, 73-72, over Croatia in a FIBA U20 EuroBasket showdown. Türkiye held a slim five-point lead at halftime (31-36) and managed to carry a two-point advantage into the final quarter (50-52). Despite Croatia's bench contributing a significant 39 points, they couldn't overcome Türkiye's overall shooting efficiency, as the victors shot 49% from the field compared to Croatia's 47%. Onat was instrumental, posting a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, alongside 6 assists and 5 steals, while Salih Altuntas added a crucial 24 points and 8 rebounds. Croatia's 19 assists were undermined by 21 turnovers, a critical factor in the outcome. Although Toni Torbarina provided a spark off the bench with 16 points and 7 assists, it wasn't enough to secure the win. This hard-fought triumph provides vital momentum for Türkiye in the tournament.