Watch it now: Biberovic game-winner saves Turkiye

ISTANBUL (Turkiye) – What a debut international window it has been for Tarik Biberovic, as he saved  Turkiye on the second gameday of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers with a game-winning jumper at the buzzer to beat Iceland.

Iceland erased a 10-point deficit with four minutes to play and went ahead with 3.6 seconds left. The 23-year-old forward Biberovic kept his cool, catching the inbounds pass, temporarily losing the ball but then turning to his right and draining a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer for a 76-75 victory.

“They put a lot of pressure on Tarik and MeIih (Mahmutoglu) was the second option. But we knew we had a better chance with Tarik because he had the choice of shooting or penetrating,” Turkiye coach Ergin Ataman said afterwards. “He was just about to turn the ball over because he lost control, but he turned and hit the turn-around jumper. It was an important win for us.”

Biberovic scored 27 points in Turkiye’s opening loss to Italy – his first ever game for the country – and then finished with 11 points and 4 rebounds in front of 15,208 fans in Istanbul, the highest attended game for FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.

Turkiye desperately needed the victory after falling to Italy in the Qualifiers opener two days ago, especially because Iceland had won their first game.

“I’m very proud of the team. We came here to get a win, we tried to do everything to win and we were so close. It’s very heart-breaking for us,” said Iceland swingman Kristinn Palsson.

Both teams will enter the second window in November 2024 with 1-1 records and Turkiye will not soon forget Biberovic’s heroics.

FIBA