GEO - Hickman, Zeller have national team chance

TBILISI (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Georgia served notice at the EuroBasket in Lithuania two years ago that they can be dangerous opponents for any team.

The national side played with flair and had a terrific spirit.

Without injured center Zaza Pachulia, the Georgians nearly upset The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD), one of the best sides in that event.

Bo McCalebb clinched a 65-63 second round win for MKD just two seconds from the end with a lay-up.

It remains to be seen how good Georgia will be this summer.

National team coach Igor Kokoskov, who played to rave reviews in the Baltics, steered the side into EuroBasket 2013 with six wins in eight Qualification Round games but he had 2.10m Pachulia for five of those contests.

The Atlanta Hawks center averaged 18.6 points and 7.6 rebounds last summer.

The big man from Tbilisi won't be able to help in 2013, though, after having an operation on his Achilles earlier this year.

There are, nevertheless, plenty of weapons in the squad, including Manuchar Markoishvili - the second leading scorer in qualifying after Pachulia at 18ppg.

Giorgi Shermadini, a Euroleague-winning center with Olympiacos this season, remains a vital part of the squad.

Georgia have included in their preliminary squad a couple of naturalized players.

They are Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Ricky Hickman, a 1.89m guard, and center Luke Zeller.

Zeller played last season for the Suns but was waived in late February.

At the EuroBasket, Georgia will play in Group C with tournament hosts Slovenia, Spain, Croatia, Poland and the Czech Republic.

The tournament serves as a qualifying event for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Georgia preliminary squad: Giorgi Tsintsadze, Anatoly Boisa, Manuchar Markoishvili, Viktor Sanikidze, Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Tornike Shengeila, Nikoloz Metreveli, Giorgi Shermadini, Otra Pkhakadze, Besik Lezhava, Duda Sanadze, Merab Bokolishvili, Revaz Rogava, Beqa Chikviladze, Levan Fatsasia, Beka Burjanadze, Richard Matiashvili, Giorgi Sharabidze, Ricky Hickman and Luke Zeller.

FIBA