Engin Atsür played 24 minutes and scored 12 points in Turkey’s 76-69 victory today over Qatar in the fourth game of the qualifying roung of the FIBA World Championships in Hamamatsu, Japan. With two of their key scorers resting from some battle wounds, Tanjevic put up his second string and Engin made the most of his time. Greece and Turkey battle tomorrow for first place in Group C as the two unbeaten teams in their qualifying round. A replay of that game airs Saturday on NBATV in the states. Engin is wearing #6 for Turkey:

Engin got some great foreign press, too:

The Peninsula (Qatar)
Zaman Online (Turkey)
BBC Sport (UK) 

I am deeply disappointed in the local media’s failure to cover this event and Engin’s role in it. I realize that football is less than two weeks away and there are scrimmages and media days and everything else, but Engin is playing NOW and winning NOW and his team is making frigging history and he is our player and they are making him the face of the basketball program in their marketing collateral and are they all just idiots over there? Wait, I’m talking about the same people who still haven’t fixed the gopack.com website yet, why am I expecting miracles from the press department?! . . . oh, I am getting all worked up!! But I digress. Let me not take away from Engin’s victory and wish him the best of luck tomorrow. He will need it. Greece is going to be a tough one. 

Tags: engin atsur, FIBA, wolfpack basketball