After “Vita” and “Sokhumi”, “Army” became the third team which celebrated one victory at European tournaments in the history of independent Georgia. We hope “Army” which is competing in Group B with “Gottingen”, “Besiktas” (Turkey) and “Leiden” (Holland) will not satisfy with this victory and will fight for going through the next round.

The hosts were considered as favorites in this game. “Army” was holding the first game at European tournament but has more experienced legionaries than the opponent and played on its own field. We have seen more fans at Tbilisi Sports Palace but we have not seen such great support from them. “Army” deserved victory (82:76). Not considering the first half of the first quarter, the hosts were leading the whole game.

Roberto Mafra, Brazilian central forward of the guests, scored the first point. Soon after, he increased the score 0:4. Considering that “Gottingen” gained only one victory from 7 games at the German Championship. No one expected such beginning from Germans. The hosts scored the first point at the end of the third minute – Jeremy Richardson scored it. He had chance to equalize the score by 2 free throws but he scored only one. The hosts advanced by two points of Sundiata Gaines (5:4). Guest forward Damian Saunders scored three points – 7:5.

The guests did not advance after that. Will Thomas of “Army” first equalized score then advanced his team (9:7) which kept this advantage till the end.

The biggest difference in this game was 11 points. The guests were fighting till the end. There were some moments when the difference was 3 points (43:46) but they could not do anything else. Mafra made a lot of dangerous moments in the first half. He scored 12 points and 5 rebounds. Finally, he earned 18 points (8 2 points from 12, 2 free throws from 2). American legionary Paris Horne scored 22 points.

As for Sundiata Gaines, player of “Army” and “New Jersey”, became the best basketball player of the game. Gaines used 5 3 points from 7. Besides Gaines, other basketball players (Diaz, Richardson, Thomas, Shelbom) of the “Army” main staff played well too. Shelbom could not score 2 points and free throws well but he was good at rebounding and stealing.

It is worth mentioning that only legionaries played in the main staff. German and Georgians basketball players only symbolically participated in the game.

After the game, “World Sport” put some questions to the head coach of “Army” Kote Tugushi.

- Congratulations on a perfect start of EuroChallenge.
-    Thank you.
- Considering that “Gottingen” is one of the outsiders of German Championship and “Army” is competing in Georgian Championship without a loss, did you expect such resistance?

- Of course, we expected. There is no weak team in the group tournament of EuroChallenge.

- What was unexpected in your opponent’s playing?

- We had videos about “Gottingen” and learnt the opponent well. Good playing of Roberto Mafra surprised me.

Tbilisi. November 8. Sports Palace. Group Tournament of EuroChallenge. Group B. I round
“Army” (Georgia) – “Gottingen” (Germany) 82:76 (23:14, 20:20, 15:14, 24:28)
“Army”: Gaines (24), Diaz (10 p. 8 a.), Richardson (17 p. 9 reb.), Thomas (18 p. 13 reb.), Shelbom (9 p. 15 reb.); Babiashvili, Boisa (4), Sakvarelidze
Head coach: Kote Tugushi
“Gottingen”: Daily (10), Horne (22), Ahelegbe (7), Saunders (13 p. 8 reb.), Mafra (18 p. 9 reb.); Noch, Weber, Saiks (6)
Head coach: Stefan Mienack
Commissar: Emil Baich
Referees: Sefi Shemech, Dimitar Gologanov, Saso Petek
 

Roland Labuchidze