RIGA (Latvia) - Impossible to define a certain prediction, but it's likely to believe Georgia won't live another successful sporting parenthesis like the one they've entered in the past few months. Thrillingly qualifying for Euro 2024 in football, they have been gaining success basketball-wise too, as they aim to find a memorable ticket to the Olympic Games.
The Roster
With the Greek mastermind Ilias Zouros on the national team's bench, Georgia managed to collect its proudest achievements in a seven-year span from 2016 to 2023. But following the end of the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 16th position, he closed an unforgettable chapter.
As the tactical expert Aleksandar Dzikic joined the program to be appointed as Georgia's head coach for a new course, the Caucasic national team will be mainly dragged by European icon Tornike Shengelia and the NBA's Mamukelashvili-Bitadze duo.
Ruling out Giorgi Shermadini, who broke one of his ribs during one of Tenerife's latest ACB games against Rio Breogan, the Orlando Magic's big man will likely spend the vast majority of minutes under the rim, with Giorgi Korsantia making him rest a bit.
In their first friendly game of the summer, losing 79-68 against Italy, he still had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. In the aftermath, Danilo Gallinari praised him and his teammates.
"They have experienced and talented players, they can be dangerous for anybody in their group [at the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia]."
Finally, there won't be Thaddus McFadden in Georgia's control room anymore, as Joe Thomasson made his official national team debut in February. Despite the losses to Serbia and Denmark at the 2025 EuroBasket Qualifiers, he still surprised by averaging 14.5 points.
Taking care of playmaking duties, there will be the upcoming duo composed of 2001-born Rati Andronikashvili and the 2004-born Giorgi Ochkhikidze, taking the baton from the legendary Giorgi Tsintsadze, who retired in February. The former had never played with the senior national team before Aleksandar Dzikic was appointed as head coach. Since then, however, he has been trusting him a lot, starting games with the ball in his hands.
The Question
Is Tornike Shengelia physically ready enough to deliver for Georgia this summer?
Well, whatever the answer to such a question would be, there's no doubt the team's leader and versatile dominator will do whatever it takes to make Georgia part of the 12-squad Olympic picture at the end of July in France. Against Italy, he did have 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.
It needs to be underlined, however, that he one of the most utilized among Virtus Bologna's players this season. All this after giving his all for Georgia at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
The face of Georgian basketball has internationally represented his country on the global scene since their inaugural participation at a final phase of EuroBasket, in 2011. Back then, the 19-year-old promised 8.8 points per game, showing glimpses of a generational talent.
13 years later, while enjoying his countrymen repping the five-cross flag on football pitches all over Germany, he hopes to take part in the first-ever Georgian expedition at the Olympic Games.
Tired or not, this goes way back to an era when Georgia was an untraceable basketball force, off the European sporting landscape's grid. It definitely means way more than just a glorious achievement for Toko Shengelia.
The Hope
If getting to the Olympic Games would be huge for the whole movement, it will be an even bigger landmark for Alexander - "Sandro", for everybody in the business - Mamukelashvili, the basketball face of the future for the Eastern European country.
While Tornike Shengelia delivered straight off in Georgia's first-ever FIBA EuroBasket 2011, the current San Antonio Spurs' forward joined the party for the red-and-white national team's introductory participation at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Despite not making it to the Top 15 in either competition, he delivered a forcing impact with physicality and strength while covering multiple positions. In 2022, Mamukelashvili finished by averaging a double-double of 15.2 points and 11.0 rebounds pre game, while last year he contributed with 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest.
He can clearly cause some problems for the Philippines national team, and turn out to be an unresolved enigma in Latvia's scouting report before their clash in Group A's opener.
"It will be tough. If [Kristaps] Porzingis doesn’t play, it will be probably a little different but Latvia is an unbelievable team. They know how to move the ball, and how to shoot. We also have the Philippines, they’re great too", he recently said about their opponents at the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga.
Potentially going up against his brotherly teammate Victor Wembanyama, set to be the face of the Olympic Games in France and play in Group A against Germany, Japan, and the winner of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, the 25-year-old forward deeply desires to ride the wave of an exciting sporting generation for Georgia.
The Fear
Aleksandar Dzikic likes his teams to provide physical energy from the very first to the last minute of the encounters, but it takes years in the tank to fight for such a golden prize.
Georgia isn't clearly lacking experience, considering the presence of the already-mentioned Tornike Shengelia, not to mention the 1992-born Duda Sanadze and the 30-year-old forward Kakhaber Jintcharadze. But for the first time in 17 years, the national team won't have two key figures on board.
Giorgi sounds like the perfect name for somebody who has been breathing Georgian basketball for decades, and the Shermadini-Tsintsadze duo is no exception.
However, with the former being forced out due to injury and the latter playing his last-ever game repping the national team jersey back in February against Serbia for the 2025 EuroBasket European Qualifiers, they won't be available this summer.
Could Georgia go all the way to a historic Olympic qualification without the two most experienced and long-lived representatives of the national team? Well, at least this equates to a wide-opening door for future generations.
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