Turkish Coach Ejected After Outburst at Israeli Referee

Erdem Can, the coach of Turkish basketball team Turk Telekom, was ejected from a EuroCup game on Wednesday after receiving two technical fouls, culminating in a dramatic outburst directed at Israeli referee Amit Balak. The incident occurred during Turk Telekom's 82-75 road loss to Tenerife. In the opening of the fourth quarter, Can lodged a prolonged protest after a foul was not called in his team's favor, a protest that continued into the next possession. Can then stormed onto the court, yelling at Balak. The referee moved away from the situation, while Can refused to calm down and was subsequently removed from the game, requiring assistance from two team staff members to leave the court.

Can, known for his animated coaching style, had previously led Turk Telekom to eliminate Hapoel Jerusalem from the same competition last season. Following that victory, he had celebrated ostentatiously with a Turkish flag, stating, "I think this was a game where we represented our country properly. Reaching the semifinals and winning away against such a tough opponent was important. We see raising our flag with pride everywhere right now as the most beautiful thing in the world. One of our biggest motivations was to beat Hapoel Jerusalem and be able to raise this flag."