Turkey's bid to reach the podium at the EuroBasket Women has received a set-back with the news that exciting guard Isil Alben suffered a serious knee injury while playing for EuroCup Women winners Galatasaray in the domestic play-offs against Fenerbahce.

Alben tore her anterior cruciate ligament and will not be available for national team duty when Turkey go up against Lithuania, Serbia and Russia in Group C of the Preliminary Round in Valmiera.

The 23-year-old averaged more than nine points, six assists and six rebounds for Galatasaray in the EuroCup Women this season.