 |
TBL is second best in Europe Ömer Onan
Önan said the Turkish league has been the scene for many challenging games this season. While saying that the Spanish ACB League is accepted as the best league in Europe by many basketball pundits, he noted: “This league aside, in Turkish basketball, we have long surpassed important European domestic leagues including the Italian and Greek leagues. In these countries, only one or two teams are of a high quality and at a high level. We, on the other hand, have at least six or seven clubs that have invested greatly in basketball and have many star players.”
Turkish basketball came to public attention around the world when the Turkish national basketball team took the silver medal at 2010 FIBA World Basketball Championship, only being defeated by the US in the final.
“We must maintain these successes. I believe Turkish basketball has advanced to a higher grade. We are getting more successful results both from our national team and our domestic teams,” the Fenerbahçe Ülker shooting guard said, adding: “Efes Pilsen and Fenerbahçe Ülker must push for the quarters in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague. I believe in the coming years both Efes and we will be making it to the final four on a regular basis.”
Önan also spoke about the upcoming European Basketball Championship, which will take place Aug. 31-Sept. 18 in Lithuania, saying there is a wide gap between the groups in the championship. “The championship will not be easy at all. If we can advance to the second round, we will face powerful rivals from the other groups. But we are the second biggest in the world, after all. In the latest European Basketball Championship in Poland, we were turned back at the semi-final door. If we can manage to make it to top eight in Lithuania, we will become a big contender for the title. Because we will have played the most difficult games,” he explained.
Turkey will take on host nation Lithuania, Poland, Great Britain and Spain in Group A at EuroBasket 2011. Another team will be added to these five in Group A after the qualification games before the championship.
Önan said having Lithuania in the group is a disadvantage, adding: “The quality of Spain is already known. The UK will most probably come to the championship with three important players from the NBA. They treat it like a rehearsal before the Olympics they will be hosting in 2012. We already know Poland has a good squad. But we are also dangerous and a good team. I believe the other teams do not like having us in their group, either.”
Highlighting the significant progress by the Turkish national team in recent years, Onan said Turkey has high quality and talented young players. “As experienced players, we try to be elder brothers to them. Now several of our guys play in the NBA. France has many NBA players, but they cannot get successful results. It is important that our players there must be ready once they arrive. Ersan [İlyasova] and Hidayet [“Hedo” Türkoğlu] can get as much time as they want in their teams. I hope Ömer [Aşık] and Semih [Erden] will increase the time they can have with their teams and get the chance to play more. It would be a great advantage if they come ready.”
Onan’s discipline pays off
Acknowledging that his performance has been improving since the 2010 Worlds, Onan said basketball experts have complimented his play and that he enjoys playing the sport.
“As long as I continue to enjoy playing the game, my performance will continue. I truly believe that. Working hard is the most important reason for my success. I have been working hard and with discipline since I was young.” “In today’s basketball, the number of players who play well in both attack and defense positions has increased. I do my best to contribute to my team both in attack and defen-se,” Onan added.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BÜLENT KENEŞ |  |
||
| What befell Niyazi-i Misri in the past is happening to Fethullah Gülen now | |||
| EKREM DUMANLI |  |
||
| When a call for fairness and reason finds acceptance | |||
| ŞAHİN ALPAY |  |
||
| Uludere, test case for democracy in Turkey | |||
| EMRE USLU |  |
||
| Are the Kurds mentally divorced from Turkey? | |||
| GÖKHAN BACIK |  |
||
| Erdoğan, Gül and Davutoğlu: the inner bargain on Turkish foreign policy | |||
| MARKAR ESAYAN |  |
||
| Taking lessons from previous experiences with the military | |||
| YAVUZ BAYDAR |  |
||
| Qualm | |||
| ÖMER TAŞPINAR |  |
||
| A new phase in Syria? | |||
| İHSAN DAĞI |  |
||
| Turkish foreign policy: Time for a re-evaluation | |||
| SEYFETTİN GÜRSEL |  |
||
| Poor-friendly economic growth and the AK Party | |||
| CHARLOTTE MCPHERSON |  |
||
| Missing women, missing opportunities | |||
| BERK ÇEKTİR |  |
||
| Changes to incentives for investment in Turkey | |||
| MERVE BÜŞRA ÖZTÜRK |  |
||
| The 1960 coup: a final test for democracy | |||
| AMANDA PAUL |  |
||
| Ukraine: a lost country | |||
| MÜMTAZER TÜRKÖNE |  |
||
| The 52nd anniversary of May 27 | |||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
