With a basket by Costas Papanikolaou in the last phase of the match, Greece defeated Georgia away from home and qualified for the World Cup to be held in 2019 in China.
Greece won 85-86, achieving its 8th victory in eight matches in the qualifying phase and thus secured its qualification from now on.
The game was dramatic, with the lead changing several times during the match. It is worth noting that Greece lost 85-79 just before the end, but achieved 6 consecutive points and took the victory.
The best, by far, player for the Greek team was Nick Kalathis with 31 points.
The "silver" World Champion of 2006, Greece, shouts "present" for the fourth consecutive time in the final phase of the World Cup, since the last time she was absent was in the 2002 Mud Basketball in Indianapolis.
The quarters: 30-17, 49-38, 64-65, 85-86
With Papagiannis at "5", in the absence of the main center Giannis Bourousis, the national team was behind the score early. If they tied at 7-7, with Nick Kalathis achieving the only accurate three-pointer in Greece (1/5) in the 1st period, Georgia was superior on the front line with Sermandini doing a great job in points and rebounds. Sanadze and Janning "shot" from the periphery, as the Georgians turned the ball with great speed, while they reached 8 assists in the first 10 minutes. Ilias Zouros' team escaped with +10 (19-9) and +14 (25-11) for 30-17, score of the 1st period.
From the 37-20 with which Georgia escaped, the "blue and white" made an effort to return, responding with a series of 7-0 (37-27), which was completed with 2/2 shots by Costas Sloukas. In the meantime, Thanasis Antetokunbo made two cuts (one to Goga Bitaje and one to Tornike Sengelia). Janing, Chinchanje and Sanatje continued to "shoot" for 49-38 of the half. With the exception of Nick Kalathis who had scored 14 points, the rest of the Greek internationals had a small contribution to the scoring, while Zouros rubbed his hands in satisfaction for the polyphony that the team showed aggressively.
Nick Kalathis put his. Signature on the national team counterattack in the 3rd period, after within 7 minutes he scored 9 more points (reaching 23) for 62-56. Antetokunbo and Sloukas then reduced to basket, 62-60 and Papapetrou scored a three-pointer giving Greece a lead (62-63). Bitange answered, 64-63 and Papapetrou with a double effort "wrote" 64-65 which was the score of the 3rd period.
The two teams went point by point in the 4th period that started with an unsportsmanlike foul by Kalathis on Sermandini (65-65), with 1/2 shots from the Georgian center. Sloukas made it 66-67, but Janning scored for 69-67. Kalathis shouted "present" again, reaching 28 points (career record with the national team), with a new three-pointer, 69-70. Sengelia answered, 71-70, but it was Sloukas' turn to score outside the 6.75, 71-73. Costas Papanikolaou scored a three-pointer, 71-76, but the Georgians did not give up. Janing and Sermandini tied at 76-76, with the latter receiving an unsportsmanlike foul from Panagiotis Vassilopoulos.
Although Sermandini missed the shot, Sengelia was on target for 78-76, with Kalathis, Vassilopoulos and Papapetrou failing in a row. Although Kalathis with a three-pointer reached 31 points making a career record in all competitions, 78-79, the referees did not give a foul in favor of Sloukas, with Sengelias again giving the lead to Georgia, 80-79, while with a technical penalty the bench of Greece was charged. Janing scored on the shot for 81-79 and then Bitange scored 83-79. With 2 minutes left, Margaritis did airball in an effort from 6 meters. The "battle" was shocking, after Sengelia made it 85-79, Antetokunbo nailed after an assist by Margaritis (85-81) and where everything showed that the scales were tilting in favor of Georgia, Costas Papanikolaou put Greece back in the game, 85-84, with a three-pointer. Steps from Sengelias followed at 53,4 ”, and after unsuccessful efforts on both sides and the time to end, Kalathis crossed the field, assisted Papanikolaou who followed him from the right and at 0,1 ΄΄ before the end, the Olympiacos forward with a lay-up sent the national visit to the "Great Wall".
GEORGIA (Elias Zouros): Bitatze 17, Janing 17 (4), Sanatze 8 (1), Sengelia 22, Chinchantze 7 (2), Berisvili, Bokolisvili 3 (1), Patsatsia, Sermandini 11
GREECE (Thanassis Skourtopoulos): Kalathis 31 (7), Mitoglou, Papapetrou 9 (1), Sloukas 14 (1), Vasilopoulos, Antetokounbo 5, Dorsey, Larentzakis 3 (1), Margaritis 5 (1), Papagiannou 4, Papakianou (15)