The Georgian national basketball team made history at EuroBasket by defeating one of the tournament favourites, France, 80:70 in the round of 16, securing its first-ever spot in the quarterfinals of the continental championship.

Georgia proved its strength from the opening minutes against the French. Under the leadership of Kamar Baldwin, the team dominated early and won the first quarter 24:20 — Georgia’s highest first-quarter score at EuroBasket since 2011.

Head coach Aleksandar Džikić managed player rotations strategically, resting key leaders. Goga Bitadze played 10 minutes in the first half, while captain Tornike Shengelia scored 13 points in just 13 minutes. Remarkably, Shengelia has scored at least 10 points in 16 of his last 19 EuroBasket games.

The game intensified in the third quarter, with defenses tightening on both sides. France relied mostly on free throws, while Georgia maintained a slim 58:54 advantage heading into the final period.

The decisive moments came in the closing minutes. With 2:30 left on the clock, Bitadze hit a crucial three-pointer to give Georgia a three-point lead. Baldwin and Shengelia sealed the victory with accurate free throws, preventing France from mounting a comeback.

Shengelia and Baldwin both finished with 24 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili added 14, Bitadze scored 8, Beka Burjanadze 6, and Giorgi Shermadini 4.

With the historic win, Georgia advances to the EuroBasket quarterfinals for the first time, where it will face Finland. The match is scheduled for September 10 at 22:00 Tbilisi time and will be broadcast live on the GPB First Channel.