In the final match of qualifying Euroleague Manuchar Markoishvili’s “Cantu” beat French “Le Mans” 80:66 and as a result went to the next stage. So, this year three Georgian basketball player will play in Euroleague – Markoishvili’s club also joined Giorgi Shermadini’s “Macaabi” and Viktor Sanikidze’s “Montepaschi”.
As far as you know, 8 clubs started competition at the tournament which was underway in the city of Italy, Desio and before the final stage “Cantu” beat “Akademik” of Belgium and “Nimburk” of Czech Republic (89:83) and “Cantu” is considered as favorite in the final too.
“Cantu” justified expectations of 4250 spectators who gathered at “Arena Pala Desio” and after the first period they were beating the French with 16 point-difference (44:28), so keeping superiority and gaining victory was not difficult.
Traditionally, Georgian basketball player was in the line-up and in 30:35 minutes h ehad 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 3 assists. Manuchar scored 3 two-points from 12, 1 three-point from 3 and 1 penalty kick from 3. He lost the ball once, was fouled four times and opponents committed foul five times against him.
As a result of victory, “Cantu” is in group A of Euroleague, where its opponents are Russian “Khimk”, Turkish “Fenerbache”, Greek “Panatinaikos”, Spanish “Real” and Slovenian “Olimpia”.