Βy Cesare Milanti/ info@eurohoops.net
It’s time for the EuroBasket 2022 Round of 16 in Berlin, with four teams per group qualified from Tbilisi, Cologne, Milan, and Prague.
At the same time, however, eight teams were eliminated and some players who showcased their talents in the first phase, will not be able to continue their quest for a memorable tournament.
Still, they have already turned heads all over Europe and will be missed.
Bulgaria – Sasha Vezenkov and Dee Bost
Bulgaria started its tournament with three big losses in a row, respectively against Spain (114-87), Turkey (87-101), and Montenegro (81-91). The last two games against Georgia and Belgium gave the impression of a change of pace by Rosen Barchovski’s team, which was not enough to book a ticket to Berlin.
Sasha Vezenkov, though, in his first EuroBasket appearance, was more than solid and impressive. He was a consistent leader of the squad, with outstanding numbers: 26.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, while shooting 56.6% 2pts, 40% 3pts, and 92.9% FT.
He was joined by Dee Bost, who after missing the chance to qualify announced his retirement from the Bulgarian national team, and stepped onto the court being the second main scoring weapon for his team. The 32-year-old Galatasaray‘s point guard was crucial in the win against Georgia (33 p., 12 a., and 9/14 3pts) and he averaged great numbers: 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game, including two points and assists double-doubles.
Georgia – Sandro Mamukelashvili
After Toko Shengelia’s injury, Georgia’s hopes in Group A, despite playing in front of its public in Tbilisi, for something good took a huge blow. They didn’t manage to win crucial games against pretty equal competitors like Belgium (79-76), Bulgaria (80-92), and Montenegro (73-81), losing the opportunity of sneaking into the Round of 16.
In a chaotic group stage, negatively affected by what happened during and after the match with Turkey, Georgia found a solid foundation in Alexander “Sandro” Mamukelashvili. The 23-year-old power forward, who had an impressive 2022 NBA Summer League with the Milwaukee Bucks, was by far the best of his national team: 15.2 points and 11 rebounds (3rd best in the tournament) per game, with several decisive plays in the two-overtime win against Alperen Sengun and his teammates.