Turkish NT for 2006 World champs

[parso]

ok,guys we have a serious problem: We have big chances to qualify for the quarterfinals. But if we finish 2nd, we will face Argentina there and this would be the end of the way, as much as I would like to be optimistic. So what to do? Play with everything against Greece or take it easy to secure some players who are very tired?

There is no way the team should even think of letting one slide...this a tournament and there is only one way one should play the games and thats with 100 % focus and 110 % fight. Even playing Quatar we have produce the same intensity (remember Ankara where we screwed them over with a basket after the buzzer)... may be and thats maybe if we can establish our lead early some of the younger guys can finish the game to save some energy for Greece... and remember thats only a maybe!

[CG]

ok,guys we have a serious problem: We have big chances to qualify for the quarterfinals. But if we finish 2nd, we will face Argentina there and this would be the end of the way, as much as I would like to be optimistic. So what to do? Play with everything against Greece or take it easy to secure some players who are very tired?

played good for the love of the game

[Levenspiel]

The winner of this group will go all the way to the semis, imo. The second placed-team has to overcome really big obstacles to reach to the same place, obstacles bigger than Greece for Turkey and tougher than Turkey for Greece.
Besides, losing a game does not taste sweet at all.

So, I would give all I've got to win the 1st place. Our boys may achieve this or not, but I'm sure they'll go for it.

[mktackabery]

Gentlemen, I am so thrilled that Engin got to play and that he did well! Believe me we do love him here at North Carolina State and I am going to post all of your comments on the Pack Pride board which is where all the basketball faithful hang out and I will let you know what they say . . . really upset that we can't see it here in the U.S., but the next Turkey game will be on NBA TV.

parso thanks for the comments and I'm glad I didn't get anything wrong . I hope everyone got to see what a fighter he is. Great, great news to hear, thanks!

[mktackabery]

looking for news and pictures, and FIBA has a pic of Atsur for sale in the gallery, but it's identified as Erdogan. Can't they do anything right over there?

[Levenspiel]

It gets funnier if you continue searching. Kutluay was a TAU player, I didn't know that! and Mirsad Türkcan was just a spitting image of Kerem Tunçeri.

btw, Engin's stats may not look impressive (4 assists, 0 TOs in 20 mins), but he's certainly gained another fan, Harun Erdenay, the national team manager. He said in an interview, "He played as if he were a part of this team for years. He was the biggest factor in this win."

[Akyol]

unspectacular win against Qatar but this is a game you just have to win, everything else doesn't matter in this situation. Now, we'll see a real final tomorrow against Greece.

Please Tanjevic: You have tortured us enough with Arslan. Let Atsür start and back him up with Demirel!

[mktackabery]

It gets funnier if you continue searching. Kutluay was a TAU player, I didn't know that! and Mirsad Türkcan was just a spitting image of Kerem Tunçeri.

btw, Engin's stats may not look impressive (4 assists, 0 TOs in 20 mins), but he's certainly gained another fan, Harun Erdenay, the national team manager. He said in an interview, "He played as if he were a part of this team for years. He was the biggest factor in this win."

I did and had quite a few chuckles. tsk tsk, I work in marketing and that is just poor form for a website with such a large audience. Oh well, at least the basketball is good.

I of course am not surprised, that is the way he is every single day; I will miss him a lot when he graduates. I was thrilled to see he played again today and was the leading scorer.

[mktackabery]

Gentlemen:
As promised, here are some posts from North Carolina State's message boards re: Engin Atsur. I put quotes in italics and my comments are not italicized - some things sort of need to be explained I think:

he is a tough and smart player. hope his legs are still strong in Feb/Mar.

Would be fun to see him going up against CPaul. Again. (To explain, there is no love for Chris Paul at North Carolina State. In 2005 Chris Paul T'd Julius Hodge in a very dirty move. Chris Paul is now known as "crotch punch" at NC State)

It'd be fun to see him punch Chris Paul in the nutsack.(threw that one in there for a chuckle. ok, back to work.)

It is great that Engin is getting so much experience and confidence playing against the best players in the world. Hopefully, he will fit well in Coach Lowe's new system for the Pack and have an oustanding senior year. With all the national exposure that Atsur is receiving, it would be great if could make it to the NBA after graduation. Atsur has the experience to be a great senior leader.

Just playing with those guys [i.e. Turkish team] in that competition was good for his development. Did you guys look at the size on that roster? 7 of 13 guys were 6'9" or taller.

SEEEEWEEEET!!!!!!!! way to go Engin! Awesome experience man, how cool to have an opportunity to play in the world championships!

I have to say, as thin as this year's team is gonna be, Atsur's experience will be of GREAT benefit. In the medal round, he's likely to be facing competition that he'll NEVER see in college, even in the ACC. Spain, Argentina, Greece, Germany...all MUCH better than any ACC team. What a great learning experience for him. Hell, Greece is one of the best defensive teams I've seen in international play.

I would imagine that Engin is the elder statesman of the ACC. I think you'd have a hard time finding a player that's logged more minutes and starts than him returning. For the complainers about him: shut it this year [In the interest of fairness, I have to tell you that there are some fans who wish we played a more run-and-gun style offense and criticized Coach Sendek for playing Atsur as much as he has, and not playing him as a traditional PG. FYI]. Engin is a rock solid player who does absolutely everything well, makes big plays at the right time, and keeps his cool under pressure. I hope we can get the guy more shots this year, so he can have a shot at All-ACC.

Atsur's not a phenomenal athlete, but he's quick. There's a reason why he's been cited as the ACC's most underrated player several times, and made a national all defensive team last season [forgot to tell you about that - sorry, Engin made Dick Vitale's All Defensive Team and I think Sports Illustrated? I have to look that up and verify.], and it's not because a couple of message board posters wish he were as athletic and fast as say, Cliff Crawford [SG who plays I think for a team in the Philippines now]. I didn't delude myself about his abilities. He's strong in every aspect of the game. Just because we'll never see him dunk doesn't mean he's any less of a player for us.

I agree that Atsur doesn't get the credit he deserves. I once started a post listing his stats directly next to Mustafa Shakur's. They were almost identical. Comparison's aside, he's rock-solid.

Enjoy, wanted to give you some consolation since Turkey lost today. As we say in America, "keep the faith."

[Levenspiel]

Thanks Michelle

It's really nice to hear such pleasant words about him. I liked this definition very much: "Engin is a rock solid player who does absolutely everything well, makes big plays at the right time, and keeps his cool under pressure."

Engin was more or less a known player from the youth teams before he went to NCAA, but then his name disappeared. We here were somehow unaware of his development and his part in NC State's performance. Then, you came here all of a sudden like a "messenger", and "illuminated" the people around. And just in a few days Engin confirmed your words for us.


p.s. We'll have separate threads about our NBAers (H. Turkoglu, M. Okur, E. Ilyasova) here when the season approaches. Maybe you can start a thread about Engin also once the NCAA games starts (or before, whenever you want) and we can continue following him there... (Hope you're inclined to stay here that long.)

[mktackabery]

Thanks Michelle

It's really nice to hear such pleasant words about him. I liked this definition very much: "Engin is a rock solid player who does absolutely everything well, makes big plays at the right time, and keeps his cool under pressure."

Engin was more or less a known player from the youth teams before he went to NCAA, but then his name disappeared. We here were somehow unaware of his development and his part in NC State's performance. Then, you came here all of a sudden like a "messenger", and "illuminated" the people around. And just in a few days Engin confirmed your words for us.


p.s. We'll have separate threads about our NBAers (H. Turkoglu, M. Okur, E. Ilyasova) here when the season approaches. Maybe you can start a thread about Engin also once the NCAA games starts (or before, whenever you want) and we can continue following him there... (Hope you're inclined to stay here that long.)

Thanks Sariss, that is very nice of you. I will definitely keep you all posted on Engin's progress when he comes back to the U.S. of A to play for North Carolina State - I will start a thread and try to get you all the news. Engin usually gets interviewed after the games too so I will get the audio files and of course pictures. My husband just signed the check for our basketball tickets so I will be at all the home games for NC State this year, and we never, ever miss an away game, either on tv or the radio. I truly enjoy talking with all of you and hope I get to see Engin play in Turkey some day, perhaps in 2010?

[mktackabery]

I finally got to see Engin's line (darn that FIBA site) - great efficiency from Atsur today, do you think he'll get more minutes against Slovenia?

[Levenspiel]

We lacked two important players today, namely Ilyasova and Kutluay, but re-discovered Cenk Akyol! He, finally, showed what he's capable of. Kerem Gönlüm, Engin Atsür, and Serkan Erdogan also played great.

I'm beginning to feel much more optimistic day by day as I watch them; this team will change our future! Hakan Demirel (19), Akyol (19), Ilyasova (19?), Erden (19), Atsür (22), all are taking big responsibilities already.

Now, we'll face Argentina. Even though our chances are small, I don't think we'll ever give up. Hope Ilyasova and Kutluay get well soon. We esp. need Ilyasova's presence in SF position.

[Akyol]

news are bad: Both Ersan and Ibo seem to be out for the game. I'm not surprised, because Kutluay played 29 minutes with medicine and almost was not capable to stay for the interview.

But I want to quote our teamdoctor: "All players look like people coming from a war but all of them still want to play and give everything. I haven't seen this kind of behaviour so far"

[mktackabery]

news are bad: Both Ersan and Ibo seem to be out for the game. I'm not surprised, because Kutluay played 29 minutes with medicine and almost was not capable to stay for the interview.

But I want to quote our teamdoctor: "All players look like people coming from a war but all of them still want to play and give everything. I haven't seen this kind of behaviour so far"

We got to see the replay of the game against Greece today - Erdogan is really something!

You can really see the "want-to" in their eyes. Engin is getting a lot of attention on the NC State boards now of course and a debate is starting over here - who do you pull for if Turkey plays the U.S., Engin or the U.S.? Hard question for Wolfpackers . . .

Also the comments about Engin's hair started up again . . . I really don't know why the guys on our boards continue to go on and on about Engin's hair, but I told you, we are insane in this part of the world:

Just saw a highlight clip of the Slovenia-Turk game with a beautiful drive by Engin through the lane and crossing back across his body to make a sweet basket in traffic. Don't know when the above picture was taken, but Engin had the mop-top in this game. He's a player.

It's probably just jealousy I guess. When the Raleigh paper did the big article on Engin last year, they called him "the Turkish Orlando Bloom." I think that kind of upset all the old bald guys on the forum over here. hehe.