Georgia’s national basketball team face Denmark in Tbilisi this evening, in their fourth fixture of the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying campaign. Tip-off is at 20:50, with live coverage provided by Georgian Public Broadcaster’s First Channel, First Channel Sport and Georgian Radio.
This is the fourth match of the first qualifying round, and victory tonight would see Georgia officially secure their passage to the next stage. Three teams advance from the four-team group. Georgia currently sits third with one win to their name, having beaten Denmark away, 89–71, while the Danes remain without a single victory from their three games. Should Denmark suffer a second defeat to this side, Aleksandar Džikić’s team will move beyond Denmark’s reach and guarantee themselves at minimum a third-place finish.
The final two rounds of the group stage take place in early July, and it is then that Georgia’s finishing position will be decided. It is worth noting that in July, Georgia will host Spain in Tbilisi before travelling to face Ukraine. For those fixtures, the squad will be bolstered by NBA duo Sandro Mamukelashvili and Goga Bitadze.
The second group stage will start in August, and the top three sides from both Group A and Group B will form a six-team group, from which three will qualify for the World Cup.
Georgia Squad
Aleksandar Džikić has made no changes to his squad since the previous fixture against Denmark.
Duda Sanadze (Mallorca LEB, Spain), Mate Khatiashvili (Baskonia, Spain), Giorgi Korsantia (Gipuzkoa, Spain), Rati Andronikashvili (Alftanes, Iceland), Alexandre Merkviladze (Ostend, Belgium), Tornike Shengelia (Barcelona, Spain), Giorgi Ochkhikidze (Batumi), Kakha Jincharadze (Kutaisi), Alexandre Pevadze, Giorgi Turdziladze (both TSU), Willy Isiani (Rustavi), Marcquise Reed (Trabzonspor).
Head coach: Aleksandar Džikić.
Denmark Squad
The Danes are fielding a youthful side, without the services of EuroLeague pair Iffe Lundberg and Shavon Shields.
Adam Heede-Andersen (Svendborg), Dane Erikstrup (Groningen, Netherlands), David Kristensen (Zamora, Spain), Ogbemudia Uagboe (Blue Hawks), Gustav Knudsen (Manresa, Spain), Jonathan Klussmann (Paderborn, Germany), Kevin Larsen (Alicante, Spain), Tobias Jensen (Ulm, Germany), Zarko Jukic (Reykjavik, Iceland), Magnus Møllgaard (Bakken Bears), Gustav Drejer Erichsen (Blue Hawks), Sylvester Pedersen (Bakken Bears).
Head coach: Allan Foss.
