It can be said that Georgian basketball fans have never seen such dramatic and spectacular basketball performance at Tbilisi Sports Palace played by Georgian national team. It is very common to say that both teams deserved to win the match and it is exactly such occasion. No one can say that Zaza Pachulia, Viktor Sanikidze, Manuchar Markoishvili and their teammates did not deserve victory, but it is also newsworthy that Mirza Teletovic, Zack Wright and Ante Masic’s team also deserved two points. Nothing can change, this time Georgian national basketball team lost, but it is impossible to criticize Georgian players. But it does not mean that the players as well as chairman did not make any mistake (such thing does not happen at basketball match) but today Bosnians were luckier than Georgians in equal fight. Despite luckiness, Alexand Petrovic’s players showed a big determination. It goes without saying that Bosnians are high-class players. Totally guests advanced for 23 minutes and won three periods from four, in the decisive moment they managed to mobilize better than Georgians (besides this episode when they were given 2 technical penalties), which is really important factor in basketball.
.. You are supposed to remember that in the first qualifying match against Bosnia, Georgians gained superiority in the first period, this time Bosnians were playing more efficiently and advanced at the beginning. Actually during the starting period guests had superiority (5:0, 7:3, 18:14) and mini-time ended in favor of them 20:16. During this period Zack Wright was the best player. In the second period Georgians mobilized, as a result of Pachulia and Msrkoishvili’s attempt, Georgians gained superiority- 27:20. In such way Georgian managed to win the second ten-point period and before the time-out the score was 43:40 in favor of Georgia. In the first time Viktor Sanikidze’s brilliant playing in defense must be mentioned. According to coaches’ instructions he “stuck” to Teletovic and did not let him shake a hand. Teletovic managed to gain 2 points only three minutes before the match and during the whole match he gained only 4 points.
From the second time started nerves war. After Giorgi Tsintsadze’s three-point kick 50:44 we advanced and till the end of the period we kept superiority. After the third quarter, Pullen did his best and the score was 74:72. Soon situation got tense and leaders of the Bosnian team gained so many personal fouls that there was risk of sending off.
 It was clear that the main fight was ahead and it happened so. There was equal fight and at the end of the time Teletovic advanced his team with 7 points, five minutes were left before ending the period- 92:85. Georgians had enough time for overcoming 7-point difference and Georgians did their best. Sinanovic gained personal foul and Pachulia scored only one penalty, as for Markoishvili he scored both of the penalties, Pullen scored after efficient attack and Georgians advanced- 99:98. 29 seconds before ending the fourth quarter, Markoishvili scored three-point kick  and we advanced (103:102) and as a result we had real chance of winning the match, but… 21 seconds before the final siren Teletovic kicked from “dressing room”, scored and advanced his team 105:103. Igor Kokoskov took minute—break.  Unfortunately Georgians were very hurry in the decisive moment, Pullen tried to score three-point kick, but his kick was not exact and finally the match ended in favor of Bosnians 107:103. As a result Bosnian national basketball team is leader of the group.
In a word, it was pitiful failure and as a result of it Georgians lost chance of taking the first place in the group (it is impossible Bosnia to lose home match with Romania), but gaining right of competition at European championship is realistic and Georgian players will use this chance in the upcoming matches.

At the press-conference, which was held after the match Igor Kokoskov chairman of Georgian national basketball team appeared first time and explained reasons of the failure.
“ first of all I would like to congratulate Bosnia this victory. It played better and gained victory. Our guys fought till the end and played very well, but it was not enough for victory. You have to play well in defense as well as in offence against such team as Bosnia is and you have to fulfill all the instructions. But everyone who watches this match knows that Georgian national team did its best for the victory. It is newsworthy that Alexandr Petrovic did good rotation in the team, young players also participated in this match. After the first time, Zak Right was the best among opponents, due to fouls chairman decided to rest him and replaced him with young good player.  Viktor Sanikidze played very well in defense, but Mirza Teletovic is a strong player and gained 10 points in the last moments and played the biggest role in this victory. Nowadays Mirza is the best player in Europe and a good player can win the match. But our destiny is still in our hands.

Two matches are ahead us – in Latvia and Georgia, against Holland. Today in the evening we are leaving for Latvia for having rehabilitation.  As for the three-point kick by Pullen, he could kick two-point, but he chose three-point kick. There were four shooters and Zaza Pachulia on the field, Zaza had to block the opponents and others had to kick. It was our tactic, we are having played with such tactic for five years. It goes without saying that we chose different tactic against each opponent team and make different surprises to everyone. Today we had to play zone basketball, which we did well in the first time but in the second time we could not. Due to Mirza we changed our tactic many times, because we could not stop him and that’s why we lost. Of course our main goal was to save our main basketball played for the end of the match and we did it. As for the fact that four Georgians were blocking one Bosnian player and other opponents were free, it means that players followed chairman’s instructions badly and rotation was bad. None chairman would give such instructions to his players”- stated Kokoskov.
Viktor Sanikidze (basketball player of Georgian team): “ First of all I would like to thank fans for such support. It is pity that we could not use this chance and could not guarantee competition at European championship earlier.  But everything is ahead us. In Latvia,  a big fight is ahead us and there is chance of taking the first place too, we will do our best for it. Bosnia in comparison with the previous matches player better and really did better than we.  We were close the victory, but our opponent deserved victory. I do not have any healthy problem and we will do our best for gaining right of competition at European championship”.
Denis Biramovic (assistant of Bosnian national team):” first of all, I want to mention that Georgians supported very much to their national team. We had some problems with the referees, but referee’s decision is secondary, the main is how you play. Georgia played very well in Sarajevo as well as in Tbilisi, but Mirza Teletovic scored incredible kicks and brought the victory to the team”.
Zack Wright (basketball player of Bosnian national team):” today, two strong teams played against each other, that’s why I knew that it would be difficult match. Finally, who scored at the last moments his team gained victory. Georgia was lucky in Bosnia and in Georgia we were lucky and that’s why I am very happy. To tell the truth, I do not know what kind of tournament situation will be, everything depends on the result in Latvia. As for my playing, I like team style and owning the ball, but it was necessary to kick and fortunately I kicked and scored”.
Georgia – Bosnia 103:107 (16:20, 27:20, 31:32, 29:35)
Tbilisi. Sports Palace. 9000 spectators.
Georgia: start:  Zaza Pachulia (27min, 21p, 11r, 2a), Giorgi Tsintsadze (29min, 9p, 7r, 6a),  Manuchar Markoishvili (33min, 23p, 4r, 4a), Viktor Sanikidze (31min, 12p, 10r, 5a), Tornike Shegelia (34min, 17p, 6r, 3a). substitutions: Giorgi Shermadini (13min, 8p, 6r), Levan Patsatsia (8min, 5r, 1a), Jacob Pullen (25min, 13p, 2r, 3a).

Chairman: Igor Kokoskov
Bosnia: start: Ante Masic (38min, 21p, 3r), Zack Wright (29min, 23p, 3r, 6a), Mirza Teletovic (35min, 25p, 5r, 5a), Nihad Dedovic (35min, 15p, 3r, 4a), Nedzad Sinanovic (13min, 7r). Substitutions: Armin Avdibegovic (15min, 7p, 3r, 4a), Yusuf Nurkic (8min), Nemaia Mitrovic (3min), Elmedin Kikanovic (23min, 16p, 3r, 2a).
Chairman: Alexandr Petrovic.
Referees: Milia Voinovic (Serbia), Boris Rizhik (Ukraine), Zafer Ilmaz (Turkey)
Comissar: Algimantas Pavilonis (Lithuania)

Holland – Latvia 81:86 (17-33 17-16 22-19 25-18)

Bosnia 7 5 2 12
Latvia 6 4 2 10
Georgia 6 4 2 10
Holland 7 2 5 9
Romania 6 1 5 7

September 8 matches

Latvia – Georgia
Bosnia – Romania
Holland is resting

 Gocha Kacharava

Rusudan Chumburidze