Georgia’s dream run at the European Basketball Championship came to an end on Tuesday night with a 79–93 defeat to Finland in the quarter-finals, marking the national team’s best-ever result at the tournament.
The Finns, who have made their mark in this year’s competition with a high-tempo, perimeter-shooting style, once again relied on their deadly accuracy from long range. Having stunned Serbia in the round of 16 with 15 three-pointers, Finland continued their sharpshooting in the quarter-final, punishing Georgia’s defense despite head coach Alexander Djikic’s efforts to restrict their space.
Georgia matched their opponents early, knocking down seven three-pointers in the first half. However, while the Georgians tallied a respectable 40 points before halftime, they allowed Finland to pour in 57, with ten of those field goals coming from beyond the arc.
The third quarter saw a much-improved defensive display from Djikic’s men. They limited Finland to just two three-pointers during the stretch and clawed their way back into contention, cutting the deficit to 62–71 heading into the final period.
Momentum briefly swung Georgia’s way in the fourth quarter when the gap was narrowed to six points. But Finland’s Olivier Nkamhoua delivered a dagger, sinking a deep three-pointer from near the center circle to restore a nine-point cushion. Georgia never recovered, and their hopes were further dashed when key players Goga Bitadze and Tornike Shengelia were disqualified late in the game.
Despite the loss, Georgia’s stars put in notable performances. Sandro Mamukelashvili led the scoring with 22 points, while Duda Sanadze added 19, including five three-pointers. Shengelia contributed 18 points before his dismissal, and Bitadze finished with 14.
The match carried additional significance as it marked center Giorgi Shermadini’s 200th appearance for the national team.
Although Finland celebrated advancing to the semi-finals, Georgia’s exit came with pride rather than disappointment. The “Crusaders” reached the quarter-finals for the first time in history, surpassing their previous best of the round of 16 in 2015. The team also reached a symbolic milestone in its rivalry with Finland—the two nations have now faced each other ten times, with the record evenly split at 5–5.
Ultimately, Finland’s blistering first-half performance from the perimeter proved decisive, but Georgia leaves EuroBasket 2025 having made history and with a clear statement of its growing presence on the European basketball stage.
Image: 1TV Sport
