The new Spain, totally renewed and with less expectations than before, must gradually crown small peaks. The duel against Georgia on the second day of the Eurobasket would have been seen almost as a formality not long ago, but for the newcomers to La Familia, with little experience in major tournaments, it was a tall challenge, before 8,000 throats in the stands of the Tbilisi Arena supporting the host team. It was the first big test and the result was an unmitigated victory (64-90) that strengthened the lead in Group A.
Spain has arrived at the continental event with the cards on the table, aware of its limitations. With sacrifice and tactical discipline as a flag, with each player perfectly fulfilling his mission, the team signed a great choral match. Willy Hernangómez was the top scorer with 14 points, but practically everyone on the team enjoyed a moment of brilliance.
The start of the game was played in the paint, with veteran Shermadini, an ACB classic, doing damage, while Willy Hernangómez responded on the other side of the court. The Georgian towers, completed with the NBA Mamukelashvili, were the main argument to stand up to the Spanish, especially short of centimeters in the area. “They were physically superior. We have helped each other a lot. We have perfectly executed the game plan. Although there are things to improve and learn”, said the Spanish starting center after the match.
The ban was opened in the outside game with a triple by Rudy Fernández, which was followed by another by Alberto Díaz at the end of the first quarter. Spain remained above (16-18). The intensity prevailed in the first part of the game, with both teams very even in terms of both the result and the success. But in the second quarter the takeoff of the Scariolo players began.
The connection of the Hernángómez brothers, called to take a step forward, became the Spanish engine, with rebounds, an alley oop and a triple in the case of Juancho. The young Pradilla, with five points in the quarter, joined the party before the break (31-40).
On the defensive front, López Arostegui drowned out point guard McFadden and the local game was clouded, which only found a break in Andronikashvili's success. Insufficient to stop a Spain that already had wide advantages, over 14 points, and that only suffered slightly when two bad decisions and a technique reduced the lead to nine points. Georgia could take advantage of the moment to put pressure on a Spanish team that struggled little in these scenarios. Nothing is further from reality.
Then Rudy Fernández returned to the track, the oldest, the only witness to the successes of the past, to put a head, assists and a triple that returned the calm in the result and the joy in the game. Georgia was overwhelmed. Along with the Spaniard, Joel Parra and again Pradilla got on the wave, culminating the third quarter with a triple at the buzzer. With the match resolved (47-71), the fourth set served to see one last glimpse of Parra, in a basket with a rectification in the air, and the feeling that Spain will compete in this Eurobasket until the last second, regardless of the rival . The first victim was Bulgaria (114-87), now Georgia and Belgium will be this Sunday the next test of a Family that continues to grow.
Georgia (16 15 16 17): Andronikashvili (13), Mamukelashvili (10), Shermadini (10), McFadden (6) y Bitadze (0) -cinco inicial-, Burjanadze (6), Jintcharadze (2), Bekauri (0) ), Berishvili (3), Bokolishvili (5), Sanadze (9) and Tsintsadze (0).
Spain (18 22 31 19): Brown (5), Parra (8), Juancho Hernangómez (9), López-Arostegui (9) and Willy Hernangómez (14) -five starting-, Rudy Fernández (8), Pradilla (12 ), Saiz (8), Garuba (0), Jaime Fernández (2), Díaz (8) and Brizuela (7).
Referees: Saverio Lanzarini (ITA), Dariusz Zapolski (POL) and Gatis Salins (LET). Jaime Pradilla was eliminated by five personal (m.32).
Incidents: Match corresponding to the second day of group A of the Eurobasket played at the Tbilisi Arena in Tbilisi before some 8,000 spectators.
