The Georgian national basketball team is preparing for EuroBasket 2015 qualifying round. “The Crusaders” will hold the last test games on August 2, 3 and 4 in Tbilisi.

Besides the host team, Great Britain, Belarus and Moldova will participate in Mayor’s Cup in Tbilisi.

The Georgian national team held meetings in Tbilisi and Slovenia. They held test games in Macedonia and Slovenia. Also, the team of Kokoskov was in Lithuania where they held two friendly games.

Now 14 basketball players are practicing in “The Crusaders”. Giorgi Shermadini will join the team on August 4.

The composition for EuroBasket will be named after the Tbilisi international tournament.

The games of Mayor’s Cup will start at 15:30 and 18:00. Tickets price is 5 and 10 GEL.

Today, on August 2, the Georgian national team held open practice. “World Sport” talked to Kote Tugushi, one of the assistants of head coach Igor Kokoskov.

- Is there a chance that Manuchar Markoishvili and Ricky Hickman might play in the qualifying tournament?

- Unfortunately, no. We have to hold the qualifying tournament without Markoishvili and Hickman.

- What is the reason of their absence?

- Both of them are injured.

- Lots of American basketball players who have Georgian passport are playing in Europe. Will they play for the national team?

- Unfortunately, no.

- Who will play on the position of Markoishvili in the qualifying tournament?

- Besik Lejava. He will be replaced by Duda Sanadze.

- Zaza Pachulia and Viktor Sanikidze are injured. How do they feel now?

- Everybody feels good.

- Yet, the national team has a negative balance (3 wins, 5 losses) in test games…

- Hopefully, our team will play better in the qualifying tournament. We will hold the first game against Czech Republic and it is a very important one. The result of this game will answer a lot of questions.

Roland Labuchidze