TBILISI (Georgia) - Georgia continued their FIBA EuroBasket qualifying streak by securing their spot at FIBA EuroBasket 2025.
They were stuck in Qualifiers from 1997 to 2003; then they could not move up from Division B until 2009. But since then, Georgia have not missed a beat, making it to six straight FIBA EuroBasket Final Rounds.
They were off to an abysmal start to FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, starting at 0-2 with a shocking defeat in Denmark, followed by a home defeat to Serbia.
But coach Aleksandar Dzikic found a way to bounce back, relying on superstar Tornike Shengelia to propel Georgia to three straight wins, the crucial one coming against Denmark on February 21. At 3-2, they cannot be caught by 1-4 Denmark with just one game remaining.
Georgia have thus punched the last ticket to FIBA EuroBasket 2025 from Group G, after Serbia had done it in November 2024, and Finland were already qualified as hosts.
How they qualified
Gameday 1: DEN 75-69 GEO Gameday 2: GEO 63-76 SRB Gameday 3: FIN 83-90 GEO Gameday 4: GEO 81-64 FIN Gameday 5: GEO 62-60 DEN
Remaining fixture
Gameday 6: SRB vs GEO
Qualifiers heroes
There will come a time when Giorgi Shermadini, Tornike Shengelia, Duda Sanadze and Beka Burjanadze are no longer part of this team, but it doesn't seem like it's happening any time soon.
Shengelia played the crucial part for Georgia, scoring 24 points per game in his first four appearances, and then picking up a big double-double in the fifth matchup, booking a ticket to the main event.
Georgia are also expected to continue their path with Kamar Baldwin, who had 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in their wins over Finland in November 2024, giving coach Dzikic a potent lefty ballhandler who can create both for himself and for teammates.
History
Georgia reached the sweet 16 on two occasions, finishing 11th in Lithuania in 2011, and pushing Lithuania for 40 minutes in 2015, as they lost 85-81 in the Round of 16 and finished 15th in France.
They were somewhat disappointed in 2022, not making it out of the group despite having homecourt advantage, getting only a 1-4 record.
Maybe that fuels their motivation in August and September, searching for their first Top 10 finish ever.
Best finish: 11th in 2011
Tickets
FIBA