Group C match of European Championship between Georgia and Belgium showed again that “Crusanders” will have strong fights for going through the final tournament.
After beating Poland, which is one of the favorite team of this group Georgia started match with Belgium very well.  They were ahead 6:0 at first minutes. The next developed events showed us that Georgian team, which won last match was able to win this one also. But this time “Crusanders“ made a lot of rough mistakes and host team became winner.
President of Georgian National Basketball Federation who attended Georgia- Belgium match gave us an interview and we offer it to you.

- It is difficult to have an idea about basketball match, when you watch it by TV screen. You were in Antwerpen and watched Belgium-Georgia match. What are your impressions after this match?

- It was very rough play. I do not like to talk about referees, but what I saw in Belgium exaggerated all the expectations. Not to say anything about score bereaved from us. There were rough mistakes in the both sides.

- Unfortunately, Georgian team also made a lot of mistakes…

- Now I will not start confirmation what the difference between A and B division. According to it in A division do not play such teams as Luxembourg and Slovakia are. We are not always in one mood and I do not think that there is such team which can hold any match successfully. Match with Belgium showed us that we have difficult road ahead. There will be surprises in other groups and also in the future.

- What do you mean?

- The most titled team Italy was not successful in two matches of selective tournament. Well-known Finland lost in its own stadium, which was defeated with 14-point difference by A division debutant Chernogoria .

- When team is going to use the second basketball player, forward Quinton Hols?

- Now team still needs Torin Green more than him.

- If team which plays running after competitor has chance to change match result at last minutes plays on fouls to win time.

- It would be better to give this question to Kokoshov.   

- Even from TV screen was well noticeable, that Georgian team got tired earlier than their competitor. If we take under consideration that our team fly in Belgium passing through Turkey and went from Brussels to Antwerpen by bus, was tiring journey the reason of this?

- Mostly in our team are the basketball players for whom journey within club matches is not strange. According to it, I do not think that journey played a decisive role in losing the match.

- Everything is quite clear, but it would be better if team flies with charters next time, would not it?

- In one hand such charters are expensive and on the other hand it will not change anything. According to it, we will not have charters for overseas matches. I want to encourage fans. We have 6 matches ahead and did not lose anything yet. Match with Poland assured us that we can fight for going through final. We have to forget Antwerpen as soon as possible and have to think about match with Portugal, which will be held on August 11.

Roland Labuchidze