Olcay Cakir (TUR) - Turkey v Russia, 2015 EuroBasket Women, Budapest - Budapest Sports & Events Arena (Hungary), Classification 5-6, 27 June 2015
ISTANBUL (2016 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - The 12-team 2016 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) tips off next month in Nantes, France, but Turkey and Nigeria - two teams looking to secure two of the remaining five tickets for the 2016 Rio Olympics - are making sure to get ready for the battle by facing off in a two-game warm-up series in Istanbul on Friday and Saturday.
ISTANBUL (2016 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - The 12-team 2016 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) tips off next month in Nantes, France, but Turkey and Nigeria - two teams looking to secure two of the remaining five tickets for the 2016 Rio Olympics - are making sure to get ready for the battle by facing off in a two-game warm-up series in Istanbul on Friday and Saturday.
The WOQT runs from 13-19 June.
While Turkey made adjustments to its coaching staff with the return of head coach Ekrem Memnun, Nigeria has trimmed its preliminary squad from 25 to 16.
Although Memnun - who led the team to a fifth-place finish at EuroBasket Women 2015 - is yet to announce the final roster for the WOQT, he is aiming at instiling a new team mentality.
“My fundamental goal is to build a roster that can be as successful as possible together. - Memnun
Four years ago, Turkey made their Olympic at London 2012 debut following a successful WOQT campaign in the country's capital city of Ankara.
Last summer, things looked pretty good for Memnun and his team until Serbia ace Ana Dabovic went for 31 points in denying the Turks a place in the Semi-Finals.
However, showing a tremendous self-belief in the Fifth-Place Game against Russia, Olcay Cakir buried a three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining before Isil Alben sealed the 68-66 triumph that ensured them a place in the WOQT.
Now, it's all about finishing the business in Nantes, says Cakir.
"To be this close to this kind of experience creates an unbelievable level of excitement in me," the 22-year-old point guard said. "Players who have already experienced this have shared their emotions with me and my other teammates."
In the meantime, Nigeria head coach Scott Nnaji dismissed criticism for cutting seven home-based players and building a team around Nigerian-Americans based overseas.
He hopes to capitalise on Nigeria's third-place finish achieved at AfroBasket Women 2015.
"All we are after is getting the best team out there to give us the best performances and having been in camp for the last couple of days has given us an opportunity to look at all the players and what they can offer," Nnaji said.
As for his counterpart Memnun, it is all about moving on from last summer's disappointment.
"More than bringing the best players together, I'm trying to put together the best team," Memnun said. "My fundamental goal is to build a roster that can be as successful as possible together."
After this weekend's two-game series in Istanbul, Turkey will resume their preparations facing WOQT-bound Belarus in Minsk (1-5 June) while Nigeria will conclude their build-up on French soil.
While Turkey made adjustments to its coaching staff with the return of head coach Ekrem Memnun, Nigeria has trimmed its preliminary squad from 25 to 16.
Although Memnun - who led the team to a fifth-place finish at EuroBasket Women 2015 - is yet to announce the final roster for the WOQT, he is aiming at instiling a new team mentality.
“My fundamental goal is to build a roster that can be as successful as possible together. - Memnun
Four years ago, Turkey made their Olympic at London 2012 debut following a successful WOQT campaign in the country's capital city of Ankara.
Last summer, things looked pretty good for Memnun and his team until Serbia ace Ana Dabovic went for 31 points in denying the Turks a place in the Semi-Finals.
However, showing a tremendous self-belief in the Fifth-Place Game against Russia, Olcay Cakir buried a three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining before Isil Alben sealed the 68-66 triumph that ensured them a place in the WOQT.
Now, it's all about finishing the business in Nantes, says Cakir.
"To be this close to this kind of experience creates an unbelievable level of excitement in me," the 22-year-old point guard said. "Players who have already experienced this have shared their emotions with me and my other teammates."
In the meantime, Nigeria head coach Scott Nnaji dismissed criticism for cutting seven home-based players and building a team around Nigerian-Americans based overseas.
He hopes to capitalise on Nigeria's third-place finish achieved at AfroBasket Women 2015.
"All we are after is getting the best team out there to give us the best performances and having been in camp for the last couple of days has given us an opportunity to look at all the players and what they can offer," Nnaji said.
As for his counterpart Memnun, it is all about moving on from last summer's disappointment.
"More than bringing the best players together, I'm trying to put together the best team," Memnun said. "My fundamental goal is to build a roster that can be as successful as possible together."
After this weekend's two-game series in Istanbul, Turkey will resume their preparations facing WOQT-bound Belarus in Minsk (1-5 June) while Nigeria will conclude their build-up on French soil.
By: FIBA.com
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