SALAMINA - The mission of Burak Hashas, the 18-year-old Turk, is clear in his so far last appearance for an under-25 European championship. These days, Hashas announced his departure for the PBA, the Korean professional league, where he will play his first tournament in the summer. ''My last tournament for UMB is the World Cup in Ho Chi Minh,'' he told this Saturday morning before his first game in the knock-outs at the Europeans on the Greek island of Salaminas. After that, and closing with the Vietnam World Cup, he will leave for good.
Burak Hashas has been considered the UMB's biggest talent for years and showed it with titles in European and world championships, among others. Two months ago, he kept the rumours quiet about a transfer to the PBA.
Burak Hashas, who lives with his parents in Beylikdüzü, trains about six hours a day and plays team competitions in the Netherlands and Spain, has now made his decision. ’’Yes, of course an adventure in the PBA is attractive,'' he said around this time last year. ’’But if I decide to go, it won't be until next year.'' In the meantime, he has lived up to that expectation.
The European under-25 title is his last wish. At least in the knockouts, Hashas already started impressively. He beat Dutchman Joris van 't Zelfden in the morning hourss with a generous score: 40-14 in 16 after runs of 10 and 7. Next opponent is now Greek Georgios Tsokantas, who beat strong Spaniard Marcos Morales 40-28 in 30 in the eighth finals.
Other winners in that round were Alessio D'Agata against Stefanos Alexandropoulos 40-31 in 33, Ali Ibraimov against the last Belgian, Nick Rosier, in a thrilling marathon fight that was decided 40-39 in 65 innings. Nathan Duriez won another such tension match, in which some easy match balls were missed, 40-39 against Dimitrios Seleventas in 30 innings.
Maxime Panaia beat Simon Blondeel 40-27 in 32, Seymen Ozbas is slowly coming to his best form and won against Lukas Mortensen 40-20 in 27 and in the Spanish clash, Daniel Sainz Pardo won against Sergio Martinez 40-37 in 36.
The matches for the quarter-finals, this Saturday:
16.30 Greek time
Alessio D'Agata-Ali Ibraimov
Burak Hashas-Georgios Tsokantas
19.00:
Nathan Duriez-Maxime Panaia
Seymen Ozbas-Daniel Sainz-Pardo