As part of preparing for next month’s EuroBasket 2022 tournament, Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun and the rest of Turkish national team are competing in a handful of August friendlies.
Perhaps the most noteworthy of those friendlies came in a star-studded matchup on Friday filled with current NBA players — Sengun, Furkan Korkmaz and Cedi Osman led Turkey against Luka Doncic, Goran Dragic and Slovenia.
From a Rockets perspective (and for Turkey, as well), the good news is the 20-year-old big man has had very strong showings. On Friday versus Slovenia, Sengun had 19 points (55.5% FG), 9 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots in only 23 minutes before fouling out. Led by Doncic, Slovenia won by a point in overtime, 104-103.
Earlier in the week, Sengun also played well (15 points) in a friendly versus Ukraine. Scroll on for some of his best highlights.
Alperen Sengun with the nasty block! Good recovery. pic.twitter.com/P3EDvr41Wa
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) August 12, 2022
Alperen Sengun scores the layup… off the perimeter drive after moving off ball?
We're used to seeing Sengun get the ball on the perimeter, dribble into a post up and then make his move. Here's he's just going all the way himself and finishing through contact: pic.twitter.com/Qsxz2tl4RX
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) August 12, 2022
Alperen Sengun triple? Alperen Sengun triple!
Great first quarter on both ends from him. pic.twitter.com/sER2BkMoZF
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) August 12, 2022
Freethrow merchant Sengun 👀#Rockets pic.twitter.com/Me4vU1AXVZ
— Sengoat 🐐 (@Sengoat28) August 12, 2022
This dude Alperen Sengun is something else. I can’t believe he almost made it. pic.twitter.com/dtZZkH5pGc
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) August 11, 2022
Look at the speed of this spin move by Sengun!! Definitely something he worked on with Hakeem.
Would love to see some more floaters from him next season like this one. pic.twitter.com/50gebHamvg
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) August 11, 2022
Alperen Sengun looks much bigger now, and it definitely seems to help him in the post, backing down defenders and finishing through contact.
Ended up with 15 points on exquisite 6-9 shooting in a blowout win. pic.twitter.com/eAOjabKUxY
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) August 11, 2022
Alpy Sengun consistently makes difficult plays look easy pic.twitter.com/pUS0Vk4iti
— Draft Dummies (@DraftDummies) August 11, 2022
Sengun comes off a screen inside the paint, fakes baseline and then drops the hook shot. This is the good stuff pic.twitter.com/wKIERmuJtH
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) August 11, 2022
Simple basketball: Sengun gets the ball on the block, goes to his typical spin move, draws help and kicks out to the open shooter.
Strong half from him, though I wish he shot better from the line. pic.twitter.com/UrN4L2DqbR
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) August 12, 2022
ALPEREN SENGUN, ALWAYS#Rockets pic.twitter.com/2ngwL9Qi2r
— Sengoat 🐐 (@Sengoat28) August 12, 2022
Alperen Sengun expands his game ahead of his 2nd season with the Houston Rockets. He scored from deep. He's going to be a problem for each and every opponent next season. #Rockets pic.twitter.com/rDtHi4fYH0
— Christos Tsaltas (@Tsaltas46) August 12, 2022
One more Alperen Sengun highlight to wrap things up:
Gets a little guy on him, drop steps, fakes when he sees help is coming, gets into the body of the defender and coverts on the and 1. pic.twitter.com/79LMb02X64
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) August 11, 2022
Sengun with a no look dime 👀#Rockets pic.twitter.com/CNRSgjLcRJ
— Sengoat 🐐 (@Sengoat28) August 11, 2022
Alperen Sengun against Ukraine:
15 PTS
3 REB
1 AST
1 BLK
6/9 FG (66%)
24 MINS #Rockets pic.twitter.com/zwD7yIx03a— Sengoat 🐐 (@Sengoat28) August 11, 2022
Sengun is NUTS!!!! This is after drawing a found and getting them back in the game. pic.twitter.com/8OwpUYYhrj
— J. Dubb (@TheMindOfJDubb) August 12, 2022
Sengun good eats from first 3 quarters today (think included 2 bad possessions too lol just included all possessions I clipped) pic.twitter.com/RwwC4wRa4w
— SangxHarden (@SangRockets) August 13, 2022
LETS GO SENGUN!! HE’S A MACHINE IN THE CLUTCH pic.twitter.com/kPOq3GXrC1
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) August 12, 2022
SENGUN WITH ANOTHER BLOCK HE’S EVERYWHERE pic.twitter.com/c56WGLSG7C
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) August 12, 2022
Clutch sequence by Sengun
Alp converts the and 1 followed by a game saving block #Rockets pic.twitter.com/xbVopYjN3N— Sengoat 🐐 (@Sengoat28) August 12, 2022
Turkey – Slovenia 103-104 (OT)
Osman: 24 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists
Korkmaz: 33 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Sengun: 19 points, 9 reboundsG. Dragic: 28 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Doncic: 23 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
Cancar: 12 pointsEuroBasket 2022 will be insane
— Harris Stavrou (@harris_stavrou) August 12, 2022
