Turkish Defense Wins Game

ITALY 59 -  TURKEY 69

Simona Ballardini oponed the score for Italy but Turkey answered with a 7-0 run,  started and capped by Nevin Nevlin, to make it 2-7 and their defense did all the rest. Italy leaned on Ballardini, Laura Macchi and Raffaella Masciadri but their contribution wasn't enough to make turkey's knees shake since they stopped very efectively Gianpiero Ticchi's team and reached the end of the first up 20-16.

Simona Ballardini made it 20-18 in the early stages of the second but Turkey put a gear more in defense and after Adriana Grasso made it 22-20  with 4:30 remaining they shut off the Italians in the next three minutes, scoring a 9-0 run to put them 31-20 ahead. MArte Alexander scored back to back baskets to make it 31-24 after scoring again for Italy with 1:!0 for the break, but Nilay Yigit send the game to the interval 33-24 for Turkey.  

After the break and based on its aggressive defense Turkey progressively stretched its lead. Italy struggled in the offense, not being able to figure out a way to break Turkey's defense, Sariye Gokce gave the turkish its biggest lead 33-50 after a fast break with 3:30 remaining, moment in which Giampiero Ticchi called time out and his team switched to zone defense and they just allowed one point in that frame while they scored six points to make it 39-51 to enter the fourth after a free throw from Katrin Ress.

Italy reaction continued in the last quarter, closing the gap to four points, 47-51, after four minutes in the quarter, with Turkey remaining scoreless in that frame. However Turkey kept on leaning on its defense and the Italians still struggled on the offense and they couldn get closer.

Yasmin Horasan cut the drought for the Turkish after 4:30 and then became trading, based mainly on free throws since both teams were in bonus. Turkey took more advantage on that than Italy scoring 9 of its last 12 points from the line while Italy just scored 5 from 12. Birsel Bardarli scored 7 from the last 12 points from Turkey that took the game 64-59 after a three pointer from Laura Macchi.

Birsel Vardarli had 18 pts and 9 boards for Turkey and Nevin Nevlin added 14 pts and 7 rebounds
For Italy Laura Macchi had 17 pts and 10 boards and Simona Ballardini 16 pts