Tbilisi, August 16. Tbilisi Sports Palace. International sparring match.
Georgia-Israel 97-91
(24-25, 21-18, 24-23, 28-25)
Georgia: Tsintsadze(2),Markoishvili (13), Sanikidze(15), VladimirBoisa(13),Pachulia(18), Gamkrelidze(2), Shermadini(5), Tskitishvili(10), Shengelia(10), Heynis(9).
Head coach: Igor Kokoskov

Israel: Mekel(10), Pnini(26), Burstein(14),Eliyahu(14), Green(6),Ohayon(1), Nysim, Naimi(3),Blu(14), Kadir(3), Kukia.
Head coach: Arik Shivek.
Referees: Maka Kupatadze, Davit Berekashvili, Irakli Berishvili.
Comissar: Roland Khomeriki.

In Lithuania (on August 31-September 18) is to be held European Championship, Georgian and Israeli teams are preparing for this tournament and they hold 2 sparring matches during four days. On August 13 Georgian national basketball team lost with Israel 72-77 at Almere tournament, which was underway in Holland. This time Georgians managed to beat and take revenge over Israeli team (597-91). According to the final score, both teams played offensive basketball and made a lot of mistakes in defense. If Georgian national basketball team wants to go through the next stage at European Championship, defensive line has to be improved. Fortunately or unfortunately nothing has been changed in Georgian national team since recent years. Unfortunately, because as this match showed us, there is not progress and fortunately, because there is not regress in Georgian team. Sainikidze again plays well. Fortunately Giorgi Tsintsadze still is not in good physical condition.
10 players participated in this match from 14 ones. It goes without saying that these following players will play in Lithuania. Only Sainikidze is in desirable condition from these 10 players. Others have to improve their playing.
As for two vacant places in national team, Anatoly Boisa, Giorgi Sharabidze, Lasha Parghalava and Levan Patsatsia have a claim on playing at European Championship.
Radio “Jako” awarded Zaza Pachulia (18 points) and Pnin (26) with special presents after the match. They scored the most points in this match. 

Roland Labuchidze