Belarus Beats Turkey and Advances To Quarter Finals

TURKEY 70 – BELARUS 86

Both teams came out strong in the offense, mostly Belarus, knowing that they had to overcome an amount of points to advance to quarter finals, putting ahead from the first minute after five straight points -2 from Anastasiya Verameyenka and a three pointer from Nataliya Trafimava. They kept ahead until the end of the first after trading baskets with Turkey who also had to control the deficit to not be out of quarters. Belarus took advantage of its perimeter shooting to increase its lead slowly during the trade -4-of-5 in the first, 12 from Belarus’ 27 in the first, and having a biggest lead of 9 pts, 23-14 from Nataliya Trafimava with three minutes remaining, which lead to Ceyhun Yildizoglu’s time out after which continued the trade to reach the end of the first 27-21 for Belarus.

Belarus put 10 ahead early in the first with back to back baskets from Padabed and Yelena Leuchanka, 31-21, but immediately the trading came back. A very effective Katsiariyna Snytsina led Belarus. With 29-38 in the score Nevin Nevlin scored back to back baskets for Turkey, closing the gap to 38-33 and leading to Anatoli Buyalski’s timeout with three minutes remaining after which Anastasiya Verameyenka and Katsiariyna Snytsina with a jumpshot and a trey put Belarus again ten up, 43-33, after half a minute, then teams struggled to score and reached the bread with Belarus ahead 45-37 after a break from Yuliya Dureika

After the break Belarus kept controlling the game, probably credit that to Turkey much than to Belarus since they struggled to score. Tatyana Troina gave Belarus its biggest lead of the quarter with a a trey after 2:15 in the third, 41-53. Turkey struggled to score but Belarus also struggled and that allowed them to close the gap to four points, 53-57, made by Tugba Palazoglu with three minutes remaining but Snytsina was crucial again for her team scoring a jumper and a three pointer to increase Belarus lead to 53-62. the forward scored 9 pts in the last three minutes and answered Turkish attempts to get closer. Her last basket made it, 67-56, for Belarus with 18 seconds remaining but in the last play Nevin Nevlin made it 67-58.

Teams struggles a lot early in the fourth. The first basket came after 1:45, a three pointer from Tatyana Troina to make it 70-58, but none of the teams would score in the next two minutes until Sariye Gökce made it 70-60 in minute four but then Turkey struggled again in the offense and seemed not to be able of closing the gap enough to qualify for quarters, permitting the control of the game to Belarus. Yuliya Dureika gave Belarus their biggest lead so fat with a trey and two minutes and a half remaining, 65-81, although Nevin Nevlin and Birsel Vardarli scored back to back baskets to put Turkey 81-70 and 1:15 remaining, giving hopes to Turkey but Anastasiya Verameyenka scored in the ensuing offense and Natalia Trafimava added two freebies to close the game since the Turkish won’t score again in that frame. Yuliya Dureika closed the score with a freebie, 86-70.

Katsiaryna Snytsina scored 19 pts for Belarus, Tatyana Troina added 13 and Nataliya Trafimava and Anastasiya Verameyenka scored 12 apiece.

For Turkey Nevin Nevlin scored 20 pts and Birsel Vardarli 15.