You could see it in the way he moved. He had the date circled in red on the calendar. All that time being referred to by a last name that doesn’t belong to him had to take a toll. And tonight wasn’t some ordinary NBA regular-season game. It was a day to sit at the same table as his idol and finish taking down the father figure. Alperen Sengün looked Nikola in the eye to say he was no longer ‘Baby Jokic.’
The game, one of the highest-level clashes so far in EuroBasket, offered countless twists. But Sengün dominated from start to finish (95–90). Even a steal off Marko Guduric became the beginning of the end for Serbia.
Sengün, in the Name of the Father
On the first couple of possessions, Sengün tried to attack Serbia the way he had steamrolled all his previous opponents. But he soon realized this challenge was different. After his third unsuccessful post-up, he decided to face up and pull Nikola Jokic away from the comfort of the paint. That opening quarter featured mid- and long-distance shooting. And he also started distributing the ball, something he clearly excels at.
He finished the night by getting back into the paint when his team needed it. And from there, he capped off a memorable evening with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4-of-7 from three.
Serbia Was Up to the Task
The contest was evenly matched, which speaks volumes about Turkey—until recently not considered part of these discussions—but also about Serbia, which has recovered nicely from losing Bogdan Bogdanovic. The Balkan side began the game appearing determined not to rely solely on Nikola Jokic. Early on, the big man touched the ball less than usual and mainly contributed through screens. He finished the first half with just five shot attempts, even though Turkey often defended him one-on-one when they had the ball.
In his place, Serbia tried to involve more players in decision-making and playmaking. Nikola Jovic went more aggressive off the dribble, as did Marinkovic, Stefan Jovic, and Marko Guduric. Aleksa Avramovic did too, although his shot selection remains a concern despite his indispensable defense.
However, as the game progressed, Jokic grew into the action, and his teammates leaned on him more. He especially found gold in the always-productive connection with Filip Petrusev, around which Serbia built its inside dominance. They finished with a 42–26 advantage in points in the paint.
Overall, Jokic was below his usual level and had a tough assignment on defense. Ercan Osmani did a great job denying him the ball, but on a normal day, the Denver Nuggets center would likely have imposed his will. Even so, we’re talking about Jokic, who still guided Serbia in every half-court set and was a defensive anchor.
Sengün’s Trusted Sidekick
Turkey’s resilience was especially surprising. Several times, when Serbia tightened up passing lanes and forced errors that led to fast breaks, it seemed the game was slipping away. Each time, a couple of threes and solid defense brought Turkey back on level terms.
Sengün couldn’t have asked for a better sidekick than Shane Larkin. From the start, Larkin showed extra electricity. A clear contrast to his longtime partner Vasilije Micic, who continues to struggle on the floor with the occasional flash of brilliance.
Larkin consistently blew by the usually sticky defense of Avramovic or Stefan Jovic, but he struggled to maintain those advantages once he hit the paint. His show came mostly from the outside, though his forays into the lane opened up a mountain of shots and favorable situations for his teammates. He was the second-best player in the game on merit alone.
Key Players
Shane Larkin
His shooting prowess is intact, and he was a nonstop whirlwind. From his effortless ability to pull up for a three off the dribble—while changing directions at lightning speed—he gave Turkey the stability they needed. It was finding calm in the middle of chaos.
Stats: 23 points (5/8 3PT), 9 assists.
Nikola Jokic
He started with help from his teammates, letting them initiate offense. He ended fighting a lone battle, especially on defense, where he had little support against Sengün’s power. Realistically, Serbia couldn’t have done much more for him, although he likely missed Jovic in the closing stretch.
Stats: 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists.
Alperen Sengün
Some games mark a turning point for a player, and this one may be Sengün’s defining performance of the tournament. So far in the NBA, he’s a star who’s not quite at the “super-” level. However, Houston has already made it clear that he’s the leader, especially with Jalen Green’s departure. And this EuroBasket seems poised to catapult him to new heights once he returns across the pond.
Stats: 28 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists.
(Cover photo from FIBA EuroBasket)
