Perfect Start, Looking forward to the Continuation

Basketball

20:18 | 4.09.2013 | Viewed []

Right conclusions outweighed loss to Poland one month ago

In the middle of the first half when Poland was losing with 9 points, head coach of the Polish national team took a timeout and shouted at his players so much that he did not even care about TV camera which approached to him. Dirk Bauermann was furious till the end of the game and calmed down at the last minutes when everything was decided. The Georgian national team which played perfectly was the main reason of it. The Georgians defeated favorite Poland 84:67.

One month ago the Georgian basketball players lost to Poland 75:87 at the Trento international tournament. Igor Kokoskov, head coach of the Georgian national team, seemed to make right conclusions from that game. The team of Bauermann was not mobilized at all and made many mistakes and the Georgians gained pleasure from the game.

Lineup of the Georgian national team was – Tsintsadze, Shermadini, Markoishvili, Patsatsia and Sanikidze. The boys played very carefully and received the first foul 7.32 minutes after the start of the game.

At the last seconds of the first quarter Beka Burjanadze rebounded and scored. The score became 22:14. The Georgian team scored 7 from 9 2 points.

Hegemony of the Georgians went on in the second half too. Giorgi Shermadini became “great man” in absence of Zaza Pachulia and Tornike Shengelia. He played Marcin Gortat and Maciej Lampe well.

In this period Bauermann shouted at his players but the Polish basketball players could not improve their play. The Georgians won the last 5 minutes 10:2 and had a 17-point advantage before the break – 39:22. It was pleasant to watch perfect defense of the Georgians.

The beginning of the second half was not good for the Georgians. The Georgians could not score a point for 4 minutes. It was good that the Polish players could not score point too. Shermadini finished “dry” episode when he scored slam dunk. By the way, Giorgi received foul in several seconds and it was his first personal foul… after 25 minutes.

Shermadini was one rebound away from a double-double – 13 points, 9 rebounds. Captain Manuchar Markoishvili was brilliant. He earned 18 points. Viktor Sanikidze gained 23 points. In the last quarter he scored 2 3 points in a row.

And what happened in defense line? Giorgi Tsintsadze was a point guard. He earned 7 assists, 11 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.

“Bu” had only 3 turnovers. We cannot even remember when our basketball players had only 5 turnovers. The opponent had 12 turnovers. Igor Kokoskov let Giorgi rest 27:08 (!) minutes after the start of the game. In short, the importance of Tsintsadze for the team is obvious.

Naturalized American Ricky Hickman did not hold his best game. Ricky earned 9 points. He did not score 3 points. One thing must be said. The Polish basketball players committed 10 fouls against Hickman. At the end of the game when Kokoskov let substitutes play Hickman was a leader.

Hopefully, Hickman will play better against Croatia tomorrow. If Georgian fans are “disappointed” that a 25-point difference reduced to 17, we must expect tougher game against Croatia.

After the game Igor Kokoskov talked about the mentioned. We will release his comments later. Georgia and Croatia will face each other for the first time. In case of winning the second game at EuroBasket, the Georgian national team will be almost through to the second round.

EuroBasket 2013. Group C. Celje (Slovenia). 850 spectators

Georgia – Poland 84:67 (20:14, 19:8, 16:15, 29:30)

Georgia: Tsintsadze (34 mins. 11 pts. 3 rebs. 7 as.), Shermadini (29 mins. 13 pts. 9 rebs.), Markoishvili (32 mins. 18 pts. 3 rebs. 3st.), Patsatsia (13 mins. 4 rebs.), Sanikidze (31 mins. 23 pts. 6 rebs.); Metreveli (3 mins. 2 pts.), Pkhakadze (3 mins.), Sanadze (1 min.), Burjanadze (6 mins. 2 pts. 3 rebs.), Hickman (27 mins. 9 pts. 4 as.), Lezhava (9 mins. 3 pts.), Tskitishvili (10 mins. 3 pts.).

Head coach: Igor Kokoskov.

Poland: Kelati (18 mins. 2 pts. 4 rebs.), Lampe (25 mins. 10 pts. 5 rebs.), Waczynski (18 mins. 3 pts.), Gortat (28 mins. 12 pts. 8 rebs. 4 as.), Koszarek (26 mins. 4 pts. 7 as.); Karnowski (7 mins. 9 pts.), Szubarga (20 mins. 2 pts.), Chylinski (6 mins.), Zamojski (11 mins. 10 pts.), Ponitka (26 mins. 7 pts. 7 rebs.), Ignerski (16 mins. 8 pts. 5 rebs.), Hrycaniuk (1 min.).

Head coach: Dirk Bauermann.

Referees: Milivoje Jovcic (Serbia), Fernando Rocha (Portugal), Chris Dodds (Scotland).

Team stats

Georgia - Poland

Field goals: 30/61 – 26/60

2 pointers: 22/36 (61.1%) – 23/44 (52.3%)

3 pointers: 8/25 (32.0%) – 3/16 (18.8%)

Free throws: 16/28 (57.1%) – 12/19 (63.2%)

Rebounds: 35 (off 11) – 39 (def 14)

Assists: 16 – 18

Turnovers: 5 – 12

Steals: 6 – 1