Second-year Rockets center Alperen Sengun, now competing for his native Turkey at the European Basketball Championship (EuroBasket 2022), reportedly had trouble sleeping after his squad took its first loss earlier in the week to Georgia. It was a relatively unexpected defeat, since Turkey is 16th and Georgia 36th in FIBA’s world rankings. Sengun took it to heart as a team leader.
Two days later, Sengun made amends in a big way.
In Tuesday’s group stage matchup against Belgium, Turkey won with relative ease, 78-63 (box score). Sengun was the biggest reason. The 20-year-old scored 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting (52.9%), including 1-of-2 from 3-point range (50%) and 3-of-3 on free throws (100%). Sengun grabbed 8 rebounds and 6 assists and committed 2 turnovers. Turkey was a team-best plus-27 in his 32 minutes.
It certainly wasn’t a Belgium side devoid of talent, either, since it was coming off a 10-point victory on Sunday versus Spain — the world’s No. 2 team, according to FIBA’s rankings.
Turkey is 3-1 at EuroBasket, which leads Group A, heading into Wednesday’s group-stage finale against Spain, whose roster features its own Houston prospect, Usman Garuba. Scroll on for highlights and analysis of Sengun’s superb work versus Belgium.
A feast for your eyes 😍
🎬 Full highlights of Alperen Sengun (24 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST) here 👇#EuroBasket x #BringTheNoise pic.twitter.com/sia0ZY6vuR
— #EuroBasket 2022 (@EuroBasket) September 6, 2022
Alperen Sengun just *went off* against Belgium in the Eurobasket with 24 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists on 10-19 shooting.
Beautiful, smooth drop step here: pic.twitter.com/PHwLXyIY2O
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) September 6, 2022
Alperen Sengun was DOMINANT today:
24 PTS | 8 REB | 6 AST | 1 BLK | 59% TS
Team-high +27 in 31 minutes played pic.twitter.com/X0RQ11x3Y7
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) September 6, 2022
ALPEREN SENGUN HAS UNLOCKED THE DIRK FADE!
👀👀👀
JOIN: https://t.co/5Mu776TucL pic.twitter.com/dlbhktcyIP
— RocketsWatch (@RocketsWatch) September 6, 2022
Alperen Sengun went to work this summer and took another step forward in his strength, power, mobility, and conditioning. He’s moving so well.
Very excited to watch him this year. I expect him to be a plus defensively very soon.
— StanfordKP (@stanfordkp) September 6, 2022
"GIMME THAT SH*T!"
ALPEREN SENGUN IS DOMINATING 💪
JOIN: https://t.co/5Mu776TucL pic.twitter.com/S4xyyY9pUw
— RocketsWatch (@RocketsWatch) September 6, 2022
Alperen Sengun with another impressive performance
24 Points
10/19 Shooting
8 Rebounds
6 Assists
1 Block
In 31 Minutes #EuroBasket @HoustonRockets— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) September 6, 2022
What guarding Alperen Sengun in single-coverage does to a man… pic.twitter.com/4XfftOBDJV
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) September 6, 2022
📊 Alperen Sengun has made 20+ points and 9+ rebounds in each of his last two games in the #EuroBasket.
He is the only 🇹🇷 Turkish player scoring 20 or more points in consecutive games in the 21st century. pic.twitter.com/x5T21a0D54
— #EuroBasket 2022 (@EuroBasket) September 6, 2022
And when Alperen Sengun got doubled, he made sure to find the open man. Skip to the corner here.
Great performance, and there should be more to come pic.twitter.com/2cwQGgMd84
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) September 6, 2022
Alperen Sengun has been so fun in EuroBasket. It's very clear how focused he was this off-season and actually translated it to in-game action. That confidence is going to continue to rise, especially with a more defined role with the Rockets this upcoming season.
— Matthew Cardenas (@Matt__Card) September 6, 2022
Gets the rebound ✅
Brings ball up the floor ✅
Threads the needle in transition ✅Alperen Sengun IS CRAZY 🤑#EuroBasket x #BringTheNoise pic.twitter.com/DJbdcBFuRA
— #EuroBasket 2022 (@EuroBasket) September 6, 2022
