The next round matches of the 2011 European Basketball Championship will be held tomorrow, August 23rd. In despite of the fact that team Georgia is not playing, there is a huge interest towards the tomorrow’s games. The reason is that in case of winning both remaining game, Georgian basketball national team is going to finish on the second place of the group and will receive a direct place in the EuroBasket if will be ahead of one of the two teams in groups A and B. Our team’s opponents from this point of view will play their games tomorrow and that is why upcoming round is crucial for our team. Before we will talk about the group situation we would like to re-introduce you qualifying round format. Winners of groups A, B, and C will qualify for the tournament directly as well as the two best second placed teams among these groups. The remaining six teams (remaining second placed, 3 third placed, and top two fourth placed) will play for the last spot of the tournament against each other. In this system it is crucial of how it is being calculated which team supposed to be in the first place. FIBA applies the following rules: in case of both teams gathering the same amount of points, the most important criteria will be head to head matches’ results, and then head to head match ball difference. If all of the components mentioned above are equal then ball difference of all games will be summed.
By winning next two matches, Georgia will have 5 wins and 3 defeat in its active. It should be said that Georgians have a bad point difference compared to the other teams. To say briefly, we should cheer so that any of the two second placed teams in the other group “grabs” at least 4 defeats. Now let us make an overview of what is going on in those other groups. Montenegro has 5 out of 6 wins in group A and is expected to take first place if they will not lose their remaining matches (against Israel at home included) which is probably will not happen.
The battle for this group’s second place is ongoing between Italy and Israel with 3 wins, 3 defeats and 2 defeats with the same number of victories respectively. Tomorrow Italy plays away against Finland. In case Azzurri will lose this game, Georgia will beat Italians; if not, Georgia should rely on the last round where Italy hosts Montenegro in Bari. Out of those remaining matches Italy’s defeat in at least one of them is pretty much possible. Moreover, Montenegro beat Italy in the first match (71:62) while Finnish side lost only 9 points in Italy.
Israel, on the other hand, has to lose two out of three matches in order to make us happy. Tomorrow Hebrews are going to face tough Baltic side Latvia, who plays very well at home (defeated Italy and Finland). It is expected that Latvians will fight till the end in tomorrow’s fixture. In case Latvia will do Georgian job, Israel will have the same amount of defeat as us and their further loss will be crucial for us to qualify from the group. On August 26th Israel hosts Finland, while on 29th visits Montenegro. So it is clear that tomorrow’s game between Latvia and Israel will be very important for the Georgian side.
It is different situation in Group B, where Great Britain has already promoted itself to the EuroBasket, whereas Macedonia is yet to succeed. Everybody was expecting for them to win against Hungary in the last round however, surprisingly, they lost. Ex-Yugoslavians have won 4 and lost 2 so far. Tomorrow Macedonia will play at home against group leaders Great Britain and in case of victory will have promotion in the pocket. If they will fail to win, the next, last, and decisive game will be played away in Bosnia and Herzegovina which is a very tough home side.
Note that those results will apply on us in case Georgia will win both upcoming matches. If Italy, Israel, and Macedonia will lose their games, our boys will have increased motivation of winning.
2011 European Basketball Championship Qualifying Round. A Division
Group A
Italy 71 - 79 Israel
Montenegro 96 - 66 Latvia
Finland 60 - 74 Montenegro
Latvia 69 - 68 Italy
Israel 110 - 88 Latvia
Italy 82 - 73 Finland
Montenegro 71 - 62 Italy
Finland 84 - 83 Israel
Latvia 87 - 67 Finland
Israel 77 - 73 Montenegro
Israel 76 - 81 Italy
Latvia 84 - 90 Montenegro
Italy 109 - 93 Latvia
Montenegro 91 - 71 Finland
1. Montenegro 5 1 495:420 11
2. Italy 3 3 473:461 9
3. Israel 3 2 425:397 8
4. Latvia 2 4 487:540 8
5. Finland 1 4 355:417 6
August 23rd
Finland 20:00 Italy
Latvia 22:30 Israel
August 26th
Israel – Finland
Italy – Montenegro
August 29th
Finland – Latvia
Montenegro – Israel
Group B
Hungary 82 - 91 Great Britain
Ukraine 58 - 71 F.Y.R. of Macedonia
Bosnia and Herzegovina 86 - 76 Ukraine
F.Y.R. of Macedonia 78 - 44 Hungary
Great Britain 104 - 96 F.Y.R. of Macedonia
Hungary 74 - 70 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ukraine 80 - 71 Hungary
Bosnia and Herzegovina 80 - 84 Great Britain
Great Britain 90 - 76 Ukraine
F.Y.R. of Macedonia 70 - 56 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Great Britain 66 - 64 Hungary
Macedonia 71 - 55 Ukraine
Ukraine 87 - 69 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Hungary 85 - 82 Macedonia
1. Macedonia 4 2 468:402 10
2. Great Britain 5 0 435:398 10
3. Ukraine 2 4 432:458 8
4. Hungary 2 4 420:467 8
5. Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 4 361:391 6
August 23rd
Bosnia and Herzegovina 22:45 Hungary
Macedonia 22:45 Great Britain
August 26th
Hungary – Ukraine
Great Britain – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C
Georgia 84 – 65cPoland
Portugal 59 – 67 Bulgaria
Poland 86 - 64 Portugal
Belgium 74 - 64 Georgia
Portugal 69 - 78Belgium
Bulgaria 74 - 70 Poland
Georgia 73 - 57 Portugal
Belgium 74 - 69 Bulgaria
Bulgaria 79 - 83 Georgia
Poland 93 - 73 Belgium
Bulgaria 103 - 64 Portugal
Poland 67 - 58 Georgia
Georgia 63:86Belgium
Portugal 85:84 OT Poland
1. Belgium 4 1 385:358 9
2. Poland 3 3 465:438 9
3. Georgia 3 3 425:428 9
4. Bulgaria 3 2 392:350 8
5. Portugal 1 5 398:491 7
August 23rd
Poland 22:15 Bulgaria
Belgium 22:15 Portugal
August 26th
Bulgaria – Belgium
Portugal – Georgia
August 29th
Georgia – Bulgaria
Belgium - Poland
Points
1. McCalebb, B. MKD 102 25.5- Average
2. Bargnani, A. ITA 5 135 22.5
3. Deng, L. GBR 5 112 22.4
4.Videnov, F. BUL 5 105 21.0
5. Pekovic, N. MNE 5 123 20.5
…14. Pachulia, Z. GEO 94 15.7
2 Pointers
1. Dragichevic MNE 31/36 86.1% - Average
2. Videnov, F. BUL 24/35 68.6%
3. Belinelli, M. ITA 27/41 65.9%
4. Gortat, M. POL 40/61 65.6%
5. Pekovic, N MNE 38/61 62.3%
… 17. Pachulia, Z. GEO 28/56 50.0%
3 Pointers
1. Salin FIN 9/12 75.0% - Average
2. Horvath, A. HUN 17/27 63.0%
3.Bershetin ISR 7/12 58.3%
4. Kostov, C. BUL 7/12 58.3%
5. Halperin, Y. ISR 11/19 57.9%
...17. Markoishvili, M. GEO 4/17 46.7%
Rebounds
1. Mensah-Bonsu, P. GBR 64 12.8 - Average
2. Sanikidze, V. GEO 64 9.7
3. Gortat, M. POL 51 8.5
4. Lampe, M. POL 50 8.3
5. Lorant HUN 46 7.7
…11. Pachulia, Z. GEO 36 6.0
Assists
1. Cook, O. MNE 41 6.8 - Average
2. Strelnieks, J. LAT 31 2.4
3. Koszarek, L. POL 30 5.0
4. Minava POR 24 4.8
5. Deng, L. GBR 21 4.2
Turnovers
1. Bajramovic, K. BIH 19 3.8 - Average
3. Mensah-Bonsu, P. GBR 17 3.4
3. Tsintsadze, G. GEO 19 3.2
4. Lukashov, D. UKR 19 3.2
5. Pachulia, Z. GEO 18 3.0
Minutes
1. Deng, L. GBR 193 38.6 - Average
2. Kelati, T. POL 203 33.8
3. Mensah-Bonsu, P. GBR 169 33.8
4. Sanikidze, V. GEO 202 33.7
5. Gortat, M. POL 200 33.3
Dato Manjavidze
