World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Turkiye outlast Japan in Group A

Japan - Turkiye 67-75

Turkiye climbed at 2-1 record in Group A of 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. They outscored Japan in Istanbul tonight. Kennedy Burke (185-G-1997, college: UCLA) stepped up with 25 points, while Sevgi Uzun (178-PG-1997) notched 17 points in the win.
Japan dominated throughout the first half. The Asian powerhouse established a 41-35 halftime lead. Turkiye erased the deficit in the third term. The home side eked out a 55-54 lead at the final intermission. Turkiye followed with a 20-13 rally in the fourth term to ice the win.
Mai Yamamoto (163-PG-1999) chipped in 18 points, while Yuki Miyazawa (183-F-1993, college: Queens, NY) had 11 points in the loss.