TURKEY: BASKETBALL - Serbia, Turkey, USA and Lithuania prepare for semi-finals of world basketball championships

Record ID: 791745

  • Title: TURKEY: BASKETBALL - Serbia, Turkey, USA and Lithuania prepare for semi-finals of world basketball championships
  • Date: 11th September 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) US BASKETBALL PLAYER LAMAR ODOM SAYING: "We have to take it game by game. We have a match on Saturday that we have to take care before we move on to the finals. We have to respect our opponents, understand that we could be beaten and do whatever it takes to win" TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) US BASKETBALL PLAYER KEVIN DURANT SAYING: "Every game is going to be critical, every possession is going to be critical because if you lose you can go home. It is not like a severn game series where if you have one bad game you know you can bounce back the next. You got to play hard for every possession here." MORE OF TRAINING SESSION UNDERWAY
  • Embargoed: 26th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA4Y0DRFX3KXR4PRN7MVVKVN077
  • Story Text: USA face Lithuania and Serbia face Turkey as the teams have their last training sessions ahead of semi-finals.
    USA play Lithuania and Serbia will play Turkey in Istanbul on Saturday (September 11) for a ticket into the final game in world basketball championship.
    Serbia had their last training on Friday (September 10) at the Sinan Erdem stadium before Saturday's match. Coach Dusan Ivkovic was proud of his team and conscious of the quality of the opponents.
    "Semi-final I think is one big success for my team and for sure just to be in so strong championship like this in semi-final. About the game, I know we have prepared against one Turkish team which at this moment is in one very good performance, maybe the best shape for now," he said after the training session.
    The US team also had their last training before their match against Lithuania.
    "We think we are good too, but we know that everyone else is good otherwise they wouldn't be in the final four. These games are not easy," coach Mike Kryzewski said.
    "We have to take it game by game. We have a match on Saturday that we have to take care before we move on to the finals. We have to respect our opponents, understand that we could be beaten and do whatever it takes to win" Lamar Odom said.
    "Every game is going to be critical, every possession is going to be critical because if you lose you can go home. It is not like a severn game series where if you have one bad game you know you can bounce back the next. You got to play hard for every possession here," Kevin Durant added.
    USA-Lithuania will be the first semi-final on Saturday (September 11) and Serbia-Turkey the second.
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