Turkey women enjoying finest hour

ISTANBUL (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women) - There was not a more joyous scene at this year's EuroBasket Women than that of Turkey's players hugging on the court after their upset of France in the Semi-Finals.

Turkey beat the defending champions on July 1 in one of the most remarkable games the competition has ever known, 68-62, and needed overtime to do it.

The triumph over the defending champions was memorable for many reasons.

The result earned the Turks a place in the title game for the very first time.

Nevin Nevlin had an extraordinary performance, pouring in 23 points for Turkey on 10 of 16 shooting from the floor.

Her previous high at the EuroBasket in Poland had been 13 points.

Point guard Birsel Vardarli also had a remarkable game with 14 points, five assists and five steals.

The 1.75m dynamo hit a shot for the ages, too.

With the shot clock about to expire and just 2:11 remaining in the game, she launched a turnaround, one-hander from behind the arc and made it to give Turkey a 58-54 lead.

Turkey ended up needing a lay-up by Vardarli with 44 seconds to play to force overtime.

Ceyhun Yildizoglu's team fell 59-42 to Russia in the title game, but the Turks had already accomplished their aim of making it to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

To leave Poland with a silver medal was a magnificent achievement.

Looking back at the night Turkey shocked France, Nevlin said to FIBA.com: "It was one of the biggest moments of my basketball career."

Turkey's best finish at the EuroBasket had been 2005 when they hosted the event and came in eighth.

In 2007 and 2009, the team didn't make it to the Quarter-Finals so few expected the team to clinch a top-five finish needed for a place in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, never mind reaching the EuroBasket Women Final.

"We're a little unlucky with injuries a couple of years ago," Nevlin said, referring to Nevriye Yilmaz missing out on the event in Latvia.

"In Poland, we had a full team, an experienced team, and we didn't let the opportunity go by."

Turkey were in unchartered territory on July 1 when they beat France, and they'll be in unchartered territory when they compete at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women from June 25 to July 1.

Five places for London will be up for grabs, and Turkey are among the countries hoping to host the event.

The women's team has never played at an Olympics or a FIBA World Championship for Women.

With a terrific line-up that also includes players like Isil Alben, Tugba Palazoglu, Saziye Ivegin and Bahar Caglar, don't bet against Turkey building on the momentum of their run in Poland.

FIBA