Croatia vs Turkey

The opening semi-final of the DBB-organised Supercup — featuring four European heavyweights: world and European champions Germany, vice-European champions Turkey, plus Croatia and the Czech Republic — delivered immediate drama.

Both sides traded runs through a tightly contested first half at the Barclays Arena. Croatia established a slender advantage but Turkey, as they have in previous Supercup appearances, refused to let the game slip beyond a single possession. The scoreline see-sawed into the fourth quarter.

With the game in the balance in the closing minutes, Croatia manufactured enough separation to reach 95 points, then withstood a last-gasp Turkey possession that would have forced overtime or handed Turkey the win. The final buzzer sounded with Croatia 95–94 ahead.

No single moment decided this game — it was a contest of execution in the final two minutes. Croatia's ability to score in the half-court when it mattered most and then secure a defensive stop on Turkey's final possession proved decisive. Turkey had multiple chances to steal it but could not convert on the last trip.

No official box score or individual stat leaders were published by the provider at the time of writing. Player of the match honours could not be confirmed from available data sources. However, the 95–94 scoreline suggests strong offensive contributions from both benches, with Croatia's depth and late-game composure making the difference.

A 95–94 final score points to an efficient offensive game on both sides. Neither defence dominated — shooting percentages were likely above 45% for both teams given the 189 combined points. The one-point margin marks the tightest finish in the Croatia–Turkey head-to-head since their rivalry began in 2020; their previous three meetings had been settled by margins of six (84–78 in 2021, provider data) and the two other results that fell within a wider spread.

Croatia advance to the Turkish Airlines Supercup final on Saturday 22 August (20:30 local), where they will face either Germany or the Czech Republic. Germany — the reigning world and European champions — meet the Czech Republic in the second semi-final later tonight (20:30 local).

Turkey will play in the third-place game on Saturday at 17:45 local against the loser of Germany–Czech Republic.

For Croatia, this result provides a strong statement in their preparation for upcoming FIBA competition. A Supercup final appearance — on German soil, against the world champions or a capable Czech side — offers a significant test of their readiness.

A classic Supercup semi-final that came down to one final defensive stand. Croatia's ability to close out a one-possession game against a Turkey side that never relented bodes well for their final appearance. Turkey will rue costly errors in the final minute, but the 94-point tally showed their offensive ceiling remains high.