Georgia clinch gold medal in Andorra, Otkhmezuri wins another MVP trophy

ANDORRA LA VELLA (FIBA U16 Women's European Championship 2016 Division C) - Georgia went all the way to win gold in Andorra, with the Most Valuable Player Natalia Otkhmezuri completing her dazzling summer.

Georgia broke away from Andorra for a 15-4 lead after the first period of the Final, and built a 29-10 lead at the half. From then on, it was just a matter of guiding it home for a 54-35 win and the gold medal. Andorra could not buy a basket, and shot just 16.4% from the field against a tough Georgian defence.

The MVP was in charge on both ends of the court. Natalia Otkhmezuri had already the FIBA U18 Women's European Championship Division C MVP trophy to her name, and another 18 points, six steals, six rebounds and four assists in the Final gave her the U16 honours as well.

Otkhmezuri averaged 19 points, five rebounds and four steals per game at the championship. She was also selected to the All-Star Five, along with her teammate Gvantsa Bochorishvili, Besjana Martinaj from Kosovo, Kristy Galea from Malta and Andorra's Julia Marquez Tomas.

Mariam Garishvili helped Georgia with eight points and 20 rebounds in the Final. Bochorishvili also had eight points, and collected 11 rebounds and four blocks, while Viktoria Gegeshidze had an all-round game with eight points, six assists, five rebounds and a couple of steals. Marquez Tomas had a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double for Andorra.

Malta claimed third place by beating Kosovo 61-28. Kaya Calleja and Michela Zammit Cordina combined for 28 points in the win, Martinaj was the only Kosovo player in double figures with ten points. Gibraltar defeated Wales 41-24 to win the Classification Game for 5th Place.

FIBA