UPDATES WITH TURKEY'S PAST CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS; CHANGES DECK</p> <p>By Fatih Erel</p> <p>ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkey is entitled for 2019 World Cup in China following Sunday's results in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers.</p> <p>Despite Sunday's loss to Montenegro 71-66 in an away match, Turkey guaranteed to finish the Group I in the third place at worse as it had tiebreakers over Montenegro, Latvia and Ukraine.</p> <p>Turkey became the seventh team from Europe to qualify for next year's World Cup, joining Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania and Spain.</p> <p>Following Sunday’s result, Turkey is at second place in Group I with 7 wins and 3 losses after Spain that recorded 8 wins and 2 losses.</p> <p>From Europe, the three highest-placed teams — out of total of twelve teams — from each group will qualify for the FIBA Basketball 2019 World Cup to be held on Aug. 31-Sept. 15 in China.
– Turkey play in finals 2 times
<p>Turkey hosted the 2010 FIBA World Championship and won a silver medal after losing to the U.S. 64-81 in the final.</p> <p>Turkey beat Slovenia 95-68 in the quarter-final and beat Serbia 83-82 in the semi-final to rank second in the Championship.</p> <p>In 2001, Turkey played against Yugoslavia in the FIBA European Championship Final.</p> <p>Turkey claimed the second place after defeated by Yugoslavia 69-78 in Istanbul.</p> <p>Turkey beat Croatia 87-85 in the quarter-final and defeated Germany 79-78 in the semi-final match.</p> <p>Separately, Turkey bagged two gold, one silver and three bronze medals in the Mediterranean Games. </p> <p>Currently, Turkey stands 17th in the FIBA World Rankings.
