Georgia secured their spot in the next stage of the competition by defeating Venezuela 70-59 in the third round of Group F at the FIBA World Cup.
Heading into this match, both teams had a chance to progress further. Georgia needed a victory, while Venezuela required a win with a 15-point margin or more.
Venezuela never found themselves in a position to hope for the necessary point difference to overcome Georgia, a much stronger team, as they demonstrated from the beginning of the match.
Venezuela remained competitive in the first quarter, but in the second quarter, they only managed to score four points, effectively sealing the fate of the match. Georgia held a 19-point lead at halftime.
In the second half, they skillfully maintained this advantage and secured their place in the next stage of the competition.
Georgia, with two wins under their belt, will face Germany and Australia in the upcoming phase.
Georgia's maiden World Cup run continues through to Second Round! ๐#FIBAWC x #WinForGeorgia ๐ฌ๐ช
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 ๐ (@FIBAWC) August 30, 2023
Toko Shengelia led his team to victory with 25 points, while Goga Bitadze contributed 11 points. On the opposing team, Nestor Colmenares scored 16 points, and Jose Materan scored 12 points.
Georgia gained its first significant advantage after three minutes of play, taking a 15-10 lead. The Venezuelan coach promptly responded with a time-out. However, his team’s reaction fell short, as Georgia’s streak extended to 21-10. Toko Shengelija dominated, contributing 10 points.
Venezuela then countered with a mini 6-0 run, thwarting Georgia’s initial attempt to establish a more substantial lead in the early stages of the match. The first quarter concluded with Georgia in the lead, 24-19.
The second quarter followed a similar narrative. Georgia broke away decisively, using a 16-2 run to establish a 39-21 lead. It was evident that the game was tilting in one direction.
At halftime, Georgia enjoyed a 19-point lead, 42-23, after Venezuela managed to score just four points in the quarter.
The second half unfolded similarly to the first, with Georgia maintaining a comfortable lead of around twenty points.
Venezuela displayed a much-improved performance compared to the second quarter, although this was not a formidable feat, bringing the score to 59-44 heading into the final 10 minutes.
The last quarter commenced with a brief scoring run by Georgia, extending their lead to 64-46. It became unrealistic to expect Venezuela to bridge this gap, especially considering the required 15-point margin for victory, which ultimately came to pass. Georgia continues its journey in the competition.
GEORGIA – VENEZUELA 70:59 (24:19, 18:4, 17:21, 11:15)
Arena: Okinawa Arena,ย Okinawaย
Sudije: Kallio, Bonner, Liszka
Georgia: Adronikashvili 9, McFadden 3, Sanadze 9, Shengelia 25, Shermandini 4, Berishvili, Bitadze 11, Jintcharadze 4, Liklikadze, Mamukelashvili 2, Tsintzadze 3, Turdziladze.
Venezuela: Vargas, Sojo 2, Zamora 3, Cubillan 9, Chourio 2, Ruiz, Graterol 2, Guillent 10, Sifontes 3, Carrera, Materan 12, Colmanaresย 16.