For Retin Obasohan, the World Cup qualifier came too early after European obligations, Ismaïl Bako did make it to Istanbul on time. And the Belgian Lions were only too happy about that. He opened with 6 points.
The problem: Bako was the only one who could score. The other Belgian Lions missed opportunities, while the Turks did get up to speed. In no time it went from 0-6 to 17-8.
Even without their NBA players, the Turks could make a much firmer fist than the Belgians. With 22 assists compared to 12 for the Belgians, the interplay also went better. At halftime, the calf already seemed to have drowned: 43-17.
National coach Dario Gjergja does not quickly kneel and boosted his Lions again. And that seemed to work in the 3rd quarter. The Turks did not score in the first three minutes, the Belgians came back on 8 points.
But there was never a complete turnaround. Turkey quickly recovered from its slump and turned it into another blow for the Belgians: 86-52, one of the heaviest defeats for the Belgian Lions.
Yet the Belgians do not have to despair about their World Cup chances. If they can beat Greece on Monday, they are still in good shape.
