Belarus completed their return from the dead to not only advance to the 2009 EuroBasket Women Quarter-Finals but finish in third place of their Qualification Round Group F with an 86-70 victory over Turkey.

Four players scored in double figures for the 2007 bronze medalists Belarus, who hit 46 percent from three-point range and out-rebounded Turkey 42-28.

Belarus came into the game needing a victory by seven points or they would be packing their bags. But their win by 16 points means that Anatoli Buyalski's team finished third place in the Qualification Round Group F with a 2-3 record for a quarters date with Slovakia - instead of facing off with Group E winners Spain.

"We are very glad that we won, especially that we won by that much. We needed the score difference," said Natallia Marchanka, who had five points, six assists and three steals despite playing with a mask she borrowed from Italian point guard Chiara Pastore after suffering a broken nose on Sunday against Lithuania.

"We came from nothing to third place. Hopefully we continue to play as confident as today," added Marchanka.

Katsiaryna Snytsina led the way for Belarus with 19 points while Tatyana Troina scored 13 points and Nataliya Trafimava had 12.

Anastasiya Verameyenka added 12 points, five rebounds and four blocks while Yelena Leuchanka had seven points and eight rebounds.

"Everything is ahead of us. I hope it's not our last victory. Most important today was the defense. We stopped their guards," added Buyalksi, whose team won their last two games after a three-game losing streak.

Turkey also finished 2-3 in the group after two straight losses but will head home because of point difference.

Nevin Kristen Nevlin had 20 points and Birsel Vardarli added 15 points, but it was not enough for Ceyhun Yildizoglu's team, which made 6 of 22 from long range.

Belarus came out on fire from long range with Trafimava's triple opening an early 5-0 lead. Marchanka and Marina Kress knocked back-to-back three-pointers. And Trafimava nailed another three-ball and the Belarus lead was 23-14 with three minutes left in the first.

Sariye Gokce converted a three-point play as the Turks trimmed the margin to 27-21 after one period.

Turkey failed to convert on their first three possessions of the second period and Leuchanka twice was fed the ball inside, giving Belarus a 10-point gap.

Vardarli's two three-balls and two inside lay-ins by Nevlin trimmed the deficit to 38-33.

Verameyenka hit a jumper and blocked a shot and then Snytsina nailed a long ball and Belarus were back ahead 43-33.

The lead was 45-37 at intermission.

Troina drained back-to-back triples as Belarus's bulge grew 12 points - 53-41 early in the third quarter. Turkey chipped away at the deficit and got it down to 57-53 on Tugba Palazoglu's steal and break away lay-up.

Snytsina however responded with scores on three straight possessions including another three-pointer and she hit again at the end of the third quarter to make it an 11-point lead.

But Nevlin's basket just before the buzzer had Turkey trailing 67-58 going into the fourth.

The Belarus defense buckled down and held Turkey scoreless for the first four minutes of the final period until Sariye Gokce's lay-up made it 70-60.

Troina and Verameyenka both scored twice and then Yuliya Dureika's triple pushed the margin to 16 points - 81-65.

Vardarli's triple would cut Belarus's lead to 81-70. But Verameyenka and Trafimava scored and Dureika's foul shot with 2.5 seconds left meant Belarus would avoid Spain in the quarter-finals.

Anatoli BUYALSKI, Belarus Head Coach

"We are happy to continue playing. I think it's not our last victory here. Defense was the key, we were able to stop the Turkish guards. I think that Slovakia is easier for us compared to Spain, although there are no easy teams in the play-offs."

Natallia MARCHANKA, Belarus Guard

Ceyhun Yildizoglu's Turks currently sit in third place with a 2-2 mark in the group while Belarus are 1-3.

Both teams will know what result is necessary to reach the final eight after Italy take on Lithuania in the first contest on Tuesday.

Turkey will advance to the quarters with a victory. They also can move on with a loss by six points should Italy beat Lithuania.

Anatoli Buyalski's Belarus must win to have any hope of returning to the final eight. But they also need help.
A victory combined with an Italian loss against Lithuania would put Belarus in the quarters. And if Italy beat Lithuania, then Buyalski's team has to knock off Turkey by eight points.

Head-to-Head: This will the first ever match-up between these two teams.

Last Time Out: Belarus snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Lithuania 61-55. Turkey lost 55-43 against France.

Key Match-Up: Belarus backcourt vs. Turkish pressure. Belarus face the possibility of playing without starting point guard Natallia Marchanka, who suffered a broken nose but played in the fourth quarter of their win over Lithuania. Belarus will need Marchanka to play and be in top form and stand up to the tough Turkish pressure defense. Otherwise Buyalski and his team will be heading home sooner than they had hoped.

Key Stat: 5. Belarus low post players Anastasiya Verameyenka and Yelena Leuchanka combined for five assists in Belarus's victory over Lithuania. Coach Anatoli Buyalski said afterwards that it was by design that the offense go more through Verameyenka and Leuchanka. They will likely need another game of about five assists to collect the win.

X-Factor: Saziye Ivegin. The Turkish forward has been shooting 65 percent from three-point range. And if Ivegin can keep up her hot stroke that could give some much needed space for the likes of Nevin Kristen Nevlin. 

Sounding Off: "We think the strongest point of the Turkish team is the guards. And I think from the start they are going to press our guards. So we need to play the game we played (against Lithuania) - to use our post players more. We cannot overload our guards too much and make the post players make the game." Belarus coach Anatoli Buyalski