Devoted, emotional playing in attack and aggressive in defense – these are those components which were highlighted by basketball specialists after the match of Georgia and Ukraine. After losing twice in a row, the team of Igor Kokoskov beat its opponent 69:53.

Everything is going on as it was planned. Of course, it would be great to win over Russia and Slovenia but Georgians planned to beat Belgium, Ukraine and Bulgaria. 2 opponents from 3 are beaten. Tomorrow is a match against Bulgaria which we beat twice in the qualifying round…

Ukrainians started playing aggressively and scored points. Oleksiy Pecherov scored two three points. The boys of Mike Fratello attacked Georgians who looked quite confused and they scored only 4 points in 7 minutes. A big break was coming and the opponent had 10 points advantage – 21:31. But in the last minutes, Giorgi Tsintsadze who held the best match at EuroBasket scored five points. Pachulia and Markoishvili also scored points. Only American Steve Bertt scored two points from Ukrainian team and the score was 30:33.

Fortunately, hopes of thousands of Georgian fans who were on tribunes were justified. Our fans looked more organized. Especially, calling “Georgia, Ukraine” from “Georgian tribune” was pleasant for the opponent fans…

After a big break, we saw different Georgian team on arena. Naturalized American Marquez Haynes played better and Manuchar Markoishvili scored his points.

Captain Zaza Pachulia and Viktor Sanikidze did their best. Lasha Gamkrelidze, Vladimer Boisa, Giorgi Shermadini and Nikoloz Tskitishvili did not disgrace themselves. The players of Igor Kokoskov advanced 36:35 in the third quarter. By the way, Tsintsadze made both two shots.

After three points of Manuchar Markoishvili, the score became 21:6 in the third quarter and our team was winning the match 51:39. Two minutes before the final siren, Markoishvili used another shot and Georgians advanced with 17 points (67:50). Georgian basketball players won 69:53.

Georgian national basketball team competed with Bulgaria in the qualifying round of EuroBasket. The team of Igor Kokoskov won both matches over the opponent. Bulgarians still have chance of going through the next round. The words of Zaza Pachulia express motivation of Georgians well: “We are in perfect surroundings. We feel that fans, journalists, members of the government and the whole country stand by our side. We must do our best tomorrow. We are close to historical moment”.

EuroBasket 2011. Group D. “Klaipeda Arena” (Klaipeda, Lithuania). 1800 spectators
Georgia – Ukraine  69:53 (10:17, 20:16, 21:11, 18:9)
Georgia: V. Boisa (17 min. 1 p.), Pachulia (27 min. 6 p. 6 reb.), Tsintsadze (24 min. 14 p. 3 reb. 3 a.), Markoishvili (33 min. 14 p. 6 reb. 5 a.), Sanikidze (33 min. 8 p. 12 reb.); Gamkrelidze (10 min.), Shermadini (13 min. 4 p.), Haynes (17 min. 7 p.), Shengelia (18 min. 12 p. 7 reb.), Tskitishvili (7 min. 3 p.).

Head coach: Igor Kokoskov.

Ukraine: Zustozvonov (19 min. 5 p.), Bertt (30 min. 11 p. 5 a.), Zabirchenko (29 min. 3 p. 5 a.), Lishchuk (18 min. 7 p. 3 reb.), Kravtsov (17 min. 2 p. 4 reb.); Lukashov (21 min. 5 p.), Kolchenko (17 min. 2 p.), Lipoviy (4 min.), Saltovets (4 min.), Pecherov (19 min. 11 p. 4 reb.), Kozlov (8 min.), Fesenko (14 min. 7 p. 4 reb.).

Head coach: Mike Fratello.

Referees: Facini (Italy), Latisevic (Latvia), Birichik (Turkey).

Commissar: Pilipauskas (Lithuania).

25/48 (52.1%)two points 13/29 (44.8%)
4/16 (25.0%) three points 7/21 (33.3%)
7/13 (53.8%) penalty  6/12 (50.0.%)
40 (14 inattack) rebound 29 (6 inattack)
15  assist  14
16  mistake  23
5  steal  7
1  cover  4
20 personal foul 18
17 gained point after the mistake of opponent 18
32 gained point from 3 second zone 22
10 gained point in so-called second attack 3
8  gained point after fast breakthrough 11
17 big advantage 10
11:0 (51:39) the biggest “run” 5:0 (4:9)
leader was substituted: twice
score was draw: twice

Bulgaria– Russia  77:89 (18:23, 20:19, 21:25, 18:22)
Bulgaria: D. Ivanov (23 p.), Divenov (17 p.), Rowland (14 p.).

Russia: Kirilenko (25 p.), Mozgov (15 p.), Frizdon (13), Khryapa (12).

22:00 Belgium- Slovenia

1. Russia 4 4 0 306:257 8
2. Slovenia 3 3 0 222:198 6
3. Georgia  4 2 2 283:264 6
4. Ukraine 4 1 3 248:266 5
5. Bulgaria 4 1 3 260:288 5
6. Belgium 3 0 3 182:228 3

September 5
16:30 Georgia– Bulgaria
19:00 Slovenia- Russia
22:00 Ukraine- Belgium 
 

After the match
Lasha Gamkrelidze: “It was a very difficult match. Beginning was not good for sure though fortunately, we improved the situation. We will try to beat Bulgaria and to make Georgian people happy”.

Zaza Pachulia: “Ukraine has good basketball players and coach. This match was important for both teams. We were not aggressive in the first half and lost it but we managed to improve the situation. Today, we played well in defense. Now, all points and all attacks are decisive. We must do our best against Bulgaria”.

Igor Kokoskov: “I am happy that we improved the situation. Georgian team played better in the third and fourth quarters. It was emotional match and both teams wanted victory”.

Besik Liparteliani: “Boys did their best. I think everyone saw that the team was prepared for the match and fought till the end. The team played well in the second half. I hope everything will end up in our favor tomorrow”.

Maksym Pustozvonov: “We lost the ball 23 times. No one will forgive this in modern basketball”.

Mike Fratello: “Georgian national team played much better and deserved victory. We made many mistakes and now we must show good basketball against Belgium”.

Dato Manjavidze from Klaipeda