Turkey's Eryan Ilyasova has set his sights on beating Greece at the FIBA World Championship.

With Turkey playing host to the tournament, the Milwaukee Bucks star sees this as the ideal time to extract revenge for last summer's EuroBasket defeat when they play them again in front of their home fans.

"We played Greece in the EuroBasket in Poland, and we lost narrowly (76-74)," he said.

"This time, on our own court, with our own fans, we will play against them again.

"We will show our best basketball against Greece." 

Turkey are guaranteed a game against their old rivals, having been drawn against them in Group C along with China, Cote d'Ivoire, Russia and Puerto Rico.

However, Ilyasova wants to go much further than just the group stages, and wants to win a medal to mark Turkey's first experience of hosting the event.

"The 2010 FIBA World Championship is being held in our country and it is a very happy time," he said.
"The Turkish nation and Turkish basketball know how important this is. 

"Everyone is aware of the situation ad we want to show our best game. We are putting 100% into every session in camp. Our goal in this event at home has to be to win a medal."

Ilyasova is coming off his first season since returning to the NBA and the Bucks, having averaged 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

This will be his second FIBA World Championship after he played in Japan in 2006, and he feels better for knowing what to expect.

"I have lived the experience," he said.

"There are no easy teams to play in a tournament like this. We will have to play good basketball and then we can get to the championship games. If we show the same intensity in our games we will demonstrate our ability."