At Tbilisi Mayor’s Cup the Georgian national team beat Great Britain 73:60. The Georgians won two games in a row and tomorrow they will face Belarus which is also unbeaten.

Our team held the first half well. We won the first quarter with 3 points (14:11). In the second period the team of Igor Kokoskov gained 13-point advantage (34:21). At the beginning of the second half the Brits scored 3 points and won the third quarter with 12 points. Before the last quarter the Georgians were only one point ahead – 48:47. In the fourth quarter Daniel Clark scored 3 points and that is all. Our captain Zaza Pachulia started playing and beat the Brits. Zaza earned 20 points and 10 rebounds. Only he made a double-double in this game. Finally, Georgia won 73:60 and tomorrow we will play Belarus.

Viktor Sanikidze did not play in the second half. He had pain in the waist.

A week is left till the game against Czech Republic. Our national team does not play well yet but it is tough to make conclusions by test games. The leaders will show more motivation in the official games. Besides that, Giorgi Shermadini will join the national team. Giorgi Sharabidze, Mikheil Berishvili, Mikheil Chochua and Beka Tsivtsivadze did not play today.

And now about referees. Two years ago referees made some strange decisions against Ukraine and the guests were furious. Today the Brits were displeased by the decisions of Zaza Machaladze and Maka Kupatadze. In our opinion, the Brits were right in some episodes…

Tbilisi Mayor’s Cup

August 3

Georgia – Great Britain  73:60 (14:11, 20:10, 14:26, 25:13)

Georgia: lineup: Zaza Pachulia (20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 33.25 minutes), Levan Patsatsia (2 pts, 3 rebs, 27.46), Viktor Sanikidze (2 pts, 2 rebs, 15.44), Giorgi Tsintsadze (12 pts, 2 rebs, 2 ast, 2 stl, 34.00), Tornike Shengelia (13 pts, 6 rebs, 29.19). substitutes: Nika Metreveli (1 reb, 06.14), Otar Pkhakadze (2 pts, 2 ast, 08.58), Duda Sanadze (11 pts, 2rebs, 2 ast, 20.04), Beka Burjanadze (9 pts, 4 rebs, 15.13), Besik Lejava (2 pts, 2 rebs, 09.07).

Head coach: Igor Kokoskov

Great Britain: lineup: Gareth Murray (3 pts, 4 rebs), Daniel Clark (20 pts, 7 rebs), Myles Hesson (6 pts, 3 rebs), Devan Bailey (6 pts, 3 rebs), Kyle Johnson (10 pts, 4 rebs). substitutes: Kieron Achara (6 pts, 6 rebs), Ashley Hamilton (1 pts, 1 reb), Devon van Oostrum (3 pts, 1 reb), Matthew Bryan Amaning (5 pts, 4 rebs), Eric Boateng (2 rebs), Benjamin Mockford (1 reb).

Head coach: Joe Prunty

Gocha Kacharava