Georgia's best on final roster for EuroBasket 2015

TBILISI (EuroBasket 2015) - Georgia's EuroBasket campaign in Slovenia two years ago was marred by injuries but all big names are back healthy now enabling head coach Igor Kokoskov to announce on Tuesday his preferred 12-man EuroBasket 2015 squad.

Zaza Pachulia and Tornike (Toko) Shengelia were the most notable absences for Georgia at EuroBasket 2013 and, despite the fact the latter missed several friendlies this summer due to a minor injury, the return of the frontcourt duo to a major tournament is to materialise on Saturday in Zagreb.

The 31-year-old Pachulia powered Georgia's successful qualifying campaign last year averaging 17.5 points and 7.8 rebounds in the EuroBasket 2015 2nd Qualification Round.

The veteran center big man who recently signed with the Dallas Mavericks is coming off one of the best seasons in his 12-year NBA career, as he helped Eastern Conference surprise package Milwaukee Bucks return to the play-offs by contributing 8.3 points, 6.8 boards, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

Shengelia had led Georgia in scoring in the 2nd Qualification Round last summer as he averaged 18.2 points per game, also adding 5.4 boards on average.

The power forward returned to Europe last season following a two-year spell at Brooklyn Nets where he saw limited action and enjoyed a superb season at Spanish powerhouse Laboral Kutxa Baskonia.

Kokoskov also counts on three of the linchpins of the national team throughout recent years in versatile forward Viktor Sanikidze, shooting guard Manuchar Markoishvili and point guard George Tsintsadze.

Sanikidze is Georgia's top scorer in EuroBasket history as he led the national team both during their first-ever appearance on the big stage, in 2011 in Lithuania where Pachulia missed three games in the tournament, as well as in 2013 in Slovenia.

Markoishvili is typically Georgia's best perimeter shooter and a player who can create plays on the wing while Tsintsadze led the team in assists in both the 2011 and 2013 EuroBasket tournaments.

Back-up center Giorgi Shermadini, who put in superb performances in 2013 in Pachulia's absence, is the fourth Georgian player set to step out at a third consecutive EuroBasket.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old power forward Beka Burjanadze who was one of the younger players at EuroBasket 2013, fellow big man Nika Metreveli as well as wingers Duda Sanadze, Levan Patsatsia and Besik Lezhava will suit up in their second EuroBasket in a row in Zagreb.

The only player on Georgia's final roster who will get his first taste of a EuroBasket tournament in Zagreb is naturalised point guard Jacob Pullen, who had an excellent second half of the season with Italian EuroChallenge side Enel Basket Brindisi, after arriving from Baloncesto Sevilla in the winter, and signed this summer for Croatian club Cedevita Zagreb.

Georgia's third EuroBasket campaign gets under way on Saturday against the Netherlands and Kokoskov's men will then face Slovenia, Greece, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD) and finally hosts Croatia in their bid for a top-four finish in Group C, which grants a berth in the Round of 16.

Georgia final roster for EuroBasket 2015: Beka Burjanadze, Besik Lezhava, Manuchar Markoishvili, Nika Metreveli, Zaza Pachulia, Levan Patsatsia, Jacob Pullen, Duda Sanadze, Viktor Sanikidze, Tornike Shengelia, Giorgi Shermadini, George Tsintsadze.

Go to eurobasket2015.org for complete coverage of EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA