XVII tournament of Zurab Sakandelidze and Mikheil Qorqia Memorial has started

The tournament in memory of Mikheil Qorqia and Zurab Sakandelidze started today at the Olympic Palace. The memorial of the Georgian Olympic champions has been held since 2006 and this year is its 17th tournament. The tournament system is unchanged according to the tradition established in recent years: The teams are divided into 4 groups and one best team from each group enters the semifinals. 4 meetings of the first round were held today. One match was held in each group and one team from each group rested. 

Group D; Olimpi – Mgzavrebi 91:63 (Statistics+Video)

The only non-Super League participant of the Memorial is in this group. Mgzavrebi basketball club, a member of the A League, replaced the Kazakh “Bars” in the tournament. The team coached by Irakli Maisuradze competes without a legionnaire and the team is composed entirely of young basketball players. Accordingly, Mgzavrebi has less ambition and uses this tournament to get practice before the start of the A League.

As for Olimpi, Davit Rogava’s team is represented in the Super League and, consequently, at the memorial with far-reaching plans. Olimpi didn’t have trouble in defeating A League team. The fate of the match was obvious from the beginning, the only thing to be revealed was the score. Davit Rogava’s team won by 28 points, eventually. The most solid contribution was made by the team rookie – Edward Ekiyor. Canadian Legionnaire played only for 15 minutes and scored 18 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Jaiveon Eaves collected 18 points, Bundu Abdulai had 14 points. Luka Qutidze and Giorgi Beruashvili were the most effective in Mgzavrebi with 13-13 points each.

In January 21, in the second round of this group, Olimpi will rest, while Mgzavrebi will face Batumi at 12:00. 

Group C; Vera – Dinamo 91:89 (Statistics+Video)

It was the tensest match of the first round. More precisely, its final minutes were tense, otherwise even in the final period, nothing predicted any tension. Six and a half minutes before the end of the match, Vera was winning by 18 points (82:64) and everything seemed decided. To praise Dinamo, it must be said that the fight to the end yielded results. Jolivet Toudjan’s team equalized the score 20 seconds prior to final siren – 89:89. This became possible mostly thanks to Benjamin College, Vova Tavaqarashvili and Josh Treadwell, also Luka Alavidze scored the equalizing free-throws.

3 seconds before the end of the match, Vakhtang Qadaria, the experienced center of Vera, scored the winning ball with the assist of Davit Tsivtsivadze. Vera’s American legionnaire Zac Seljaas showed the best result in the match: 29 points, 21 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals. 19 year-old Giorgi Biganashvili hold the best meeting of his career, scoring 18 points and 4 rebounds. Qadaria collected 19 points. Benjamin College was the most effective in Dinamo with 24 points. Nikoloz Gaprindashvili scored 17 points. 

On January 21, at 14:15, Dinamo will play against Rustavi, while Vera will rest.

Group A; Titebi – Tskhum-Apkhazeti 73:81 (Statistics+Video)

It was a match, the course of which deserved a tense, exciting ending, though it did not turn out that way. The leader has changed 18 times throughout the game. Teams could not cut forward, 3-4 points was the maximum.

Both teams added a new legionnaire and both of them played perfectly. Titebi’s guard, Chris McNeal was especially productive, he scored 20 points and 8 assists. However, neither this nor the effectiveness of the other legionnaires turned out to be enough to win. Tskhum-Apkhazeti’s players had a brilliant 5 minutes at the end and it was in the crucial minutes that they gained a solid advantage, after an equal game. 

Marquill Smith made a huge contribution in winning, he scored 28 points and 11 rebounds. Tskhumi’s rookie Jai Williams scored 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Robertson was the most effective in Titebi with 21 points, Javion Ogunyemi became the best with a usefulness coefficient (32) – 19 points, 11 rebounds.

In Group C, Tskhum-Apkhazeti will play against Kutaisi on January 21, while Titebi will rest. 

Group B; Mega – TSU 92:79 (Statistics+Video)

These teams last met on December 11, in the Super League, and TSU won convincingly, although it would be a big surprise for the University team to win today. The fact is, TSU played without 5 leading players due to Covid-regulations. Leqso Lapanashvili’s team lacked Nika Darbaidze, Ivane Megeneishvili and 3 legionnaires – Pape Diop, James Johnson and Ryle Owens. 

TSU looked doomed in this situation, but the university team fought heroically and were winning most of the first half. With the three-pointer scored at the last second of the second period, Mega went to the big break with a minimum advantage (50-49), however, they gained an important lead from the third quarter. The absence of the leaders left its mark on the TSU’s game. Mega’s Australian center Deng Acuoth was playing freely, as he didn’t have an opponent, accordingly, Nikoloz Cherkezishvili’s Mega reached 17-points leadership and the fate of the match was decided. TSU did not have the resources to save the game and the match ended with a convincing victory of Mega – 92:79.

Otar Buliava led the winners with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Tyrell Corbin scored 15 points, Djimon Henson collected 13 points and 6 assists. Lovell Cabbil was the most effective in TSU with 32 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Mikheil Berishvili scored 16 points.

TSU will rest on January 21, while Mega and Cactus will face each other at 18:45.