Croatia U18 finishes eighth at EuroBasket Division B
Young basketball players lose 81-83 to Georgia in a dramatic finish in Rijeka, missed free throws prove decisive.
Young basketball players lose 81-83 to Georgia in a dramatic finish in Rijeka, missed free throws prove decisive.
Croatia's men's U18 basketball team concluded their EuroBasket Division B campaign in Rijeka in eighth place. In the final placement match, Georgia emerged victorious with an 83-81 score, as reported by Sportske novosti and HRT.
The game was marked by momentum shifts. After the first quarter, Georgia led 20-19, but Croatia dominated the second period 26-12 and went into halftime with a significant advantage. However, the Georgians responded in the third quarter, winning it 27-16 and setting up a nail-biting finish.
With 1 minute and 39 seconds left on the clock, Filip Bilokapić hit a shot to tie the game at 81-81. But on the next possession, Mate Kvlašvili sank two precise free throws to give Georgia an 83-81 lead. In the final seconds, Croatia had a chance to force overtime but missed four consecutive free throws, allowing Georgia to hold on for the win, as reported by Glas Istre.
Tomislav Vučković was the top scorer for the home side with 16 points, followed by Martin Salamunić with 14. On the other side, a sharp-shooting Mate Kvlašvili led Georgia with 16 points, cementing his role as the key player for his team.
