After defeating the host of the tournament Georgia with a difference of 92:80 in its fourth round of the competition, Bulgaria’s national men’s basketball team maintained the possibility of advancing to the round of 16 in EuroBasket 2022. The team of Rosen Barchovski lost their first three games to heavy favourites Spain, Turkey, and Montenegro, but last night they defeated the Georgians with grace and dignity and showed their class.
At Arena Tbilisi, the home team made the better start and took an eight-point lead early in the second half. However, the “Lions” still managed to score and then went on a powerful run to pull up by one point at the half. Alexander Vezenkov and company punished the opposition with a 27:19 in the third quarter to ensure a comfortable advantage. They did not lose in the fourth and obtained a significant victory. This is the team’s first victory at the European Championship in 11 years.
By stringing up to 19 triples against its opponent, the Bulgarian team severely punished it. Dee Bost, a playmaker, was at his best tonight after playing poorly in the series’ first three games. He made nine of thirteen long-range shots on his way to a 33-point, 12-assist, and 4-rebound performance. Pavlin Ivanov was quite impressive with 17 points, and Alexander Vezenkov played at his average level with 28 points and 14 rebounds (5 triples).
After this match, Bulgaria and Georgia have a combined record of one victory and three defeats in Group A. On Wednesday, the national team will play Belgium, and with another win, they can overcome the group stage, which is a significant objective for the team. The match will begin at 5:15 pm. It is a must-win situation for Bulgaria to secure their position in the round of 16 of Euro Basket 2022.