Rockets Star Alperen Sengun Set for Early EuroBasket Matchup vs. Sweden

Houston Rockets superstar Alperen Sengun has been one of the most talked-about players so far in the EuroBasket tournament. Sengun and Türkiye are coming off their biggest win of the tournament as they handed Nikola Jokic and Serbia their first loss of the tournament.

Sengun outplayed the former MVP as he finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, including the two free throws to give them the lead, and the defensive play of the game as he knocked away the ball to seal the victory. That gave Turkiye a perfect 5-0 record in group play as they head into the knockout round.

Sengun is on the short list for players who could win the EuroBasket MVP, as he has dominated the entire tournament. Sengun's performance shouldn't come as a surprise, as he is coming off the best season of his NBA career, as he made his first-ever All-Star game and helped lead the Rockets to their first playoff appearance since 2020.

Türkiye's next opponent will be Sweden, which finished 1-4 in Group B but advanced due to its point differential in its lone win over Great Britain. Sweden's roster doesn't feature any current NBA players or even familiar names, as it has not won multiple games in EuroBasket since 1955.

Türkiye should have an easy route to the next round as it will be heavy favorites in Saturday's matchup. However, if Rockets fans want to watch the game, they will have to set their alarms early for Saturday morning.

Rockets fans will have to wake up early for Turkiye vs Sweden.

With most Houston Rockets games starting after 7 p.m. CT, Türkiye fans have to set their alarm clocks earlier than most NBA fans. With Türkiye being eight hours ahead of Houston, most games start after 3 a.m. for fans in Turkey.

For this game, however, the situation will be switched as the game starts at noon Türkiye time, which means it will start at 4 a.m. CT. Fans in Houston who want to see the Rockets' star center will have to make the sacrifice of waking up before sunrise to catch Sengun's latest game.

With the likelihood that this matchup will be a blowout, most may wait to watch the highlights later on Saturday. If Türkiye wins, it will more than likely take on Poland, which it defeated last month by 25 in a preparation matchup.

Türkiye has a great chance to advance to the finals, with the way the bracket has shaped up for it, as its toughest remaining competition to get to the finals would be Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece in the semifinals.

Türkiye takes on Sweden in the Round of 16 on Saturday at 4 a.m. CT. Make sure to check out Rockets on SI all tournament long for all the latest coverage.