The Super League playoffs started with a surprisingly tense match. Kutaisi, which took the second place in the regular championship, met Dinamo in the first match of the quarterfinal series and lost in the dramatic battle with a difference of 1 point – 93:94 (Statistics) . The second match of the series will be held on May 7 in Tbilisi and if Dinamo wins again, it will reach the semifinal.
Dinamo, coached by Muhammed Tachi won 9 of the 20 matches in the regular season and finished on the 7th place. Obviously, based on this result, the latter was considered the favorite in the Dinamo-Kutaisi pair and the Imereti club indeed justified this status in the first half. Kutaisi coached by Kote Tughushi won the first quarter 27:11, and in the middle of the second period they even advanced by 17 points.
Overall, this match was quite strange considering that both teams were losing the advantage as easily as they were gaining it. After the mentioned 17-point lag, Dinamo finished the second period with a super-result, reduced the difference to 4 points and took a solid lead in the third. Nominal center, Michael Edwards, who later became the hero of the match, scored 2 three-pointers in the first minutes of the third period, which was followed by a two-pointer with a slam dunk and promotion of Dinamo. After Nikoloz Darbaidze’s and Luka Bulashvili’s accurate shots, Dinamo advanced by 10 points in the 4th minute of the third quarter – 61:51.
Dinamo kept the lead until the end of the period, but the last quarter and the storm of Kutaisi started at the same time. With the shooting of De Juan Wright and Luke Moyer, the hosts regained their leadership and came close to victory. Less than 3 minutes remained before the final siren, when Tughushi’s team was winning 90:80, but Dinamo beat them again: Alonzo Walker, Luka Bulashvili, Nikoloz Darbaidze – these players reduced the gap to a minimum with a consecutive points and the last minute started – 89:90.
The Portuguese legionnaire of Kutaisi, Joel Almeida, advanced Kutaisi 92:89 with free-throws, which was followed by a two-pointer by Luka Bulashvili and 24 seconds before the end, the lead of the hosts was reduced to a minimum again – 91:92. Dinamo took a tactical foul and Kaheem Ransom advanced Kutaisi 93:91 with only one accurate free-throw. Tbilisi center Michael Edwards went up to the perimeter again, who received the ball away from the three-pointer line, his guard could not prevent Edwards from shooting due to the block and 15 seconds before the final siren, Dinamo led – 94:93.
In the last attack, Kutaisi lost the ball and the match ended. Dinamo gained a very valuable victory and approached the semifinals. Bulashvili led the winners with 25 points. Edwards scored 16 points. Walker collected 15 points and 8 rebounds. Luke Moyer was the most effective in Kutaisi with 24 points, he scored 6 out of 8 three-pointers. De Juan Wright and Joel Almeida had 17-17 points each.
The second match of the quarterfinal series will be held in Tbilisi on May 7, at 15:00. Tomorrow, on May 6, other quarterfinal series (Cactus-Vera, Tskhum-Apkhazeti-Olimpi, Rustavi-TSU) will start in Tbilisi and Rustavi.
