MKD - Minds focused in spite of historic progression

VILNIUS (Eurobasket) – Despite becoming the first team from Group F to qualify for the quarterfinals at Eurobasket, a historical Olympic berth is still far from the mind of F.Y.R. of Macedonia Head Coach Marin Dokuzovski.

By defeating Georgia 65-63 in the tensest encounter seen in the second round to date, F.Y.R of Macedonia players were able to give their fans something extra to celebrate on their national independence day with the team now moving onto the Quarter Finals for the first time in the country’s history. F.Y.R of Macedonia’s previous best result came at Eurobasket in 2009 when they made the second round before being eliminated.

After leading a Georgia team missing their talisman Zaza Pachulia by as many as 14, F.Y.R of Macedonia would face a closer than comfortable ending as Nikoloz Tskitishvili scored seven final quarter points – including two clutch free throws with 16 seconds remaining – to see Georgia tie the game at 63. Following a timeout, it was no surprise to see the ball going to naturalized F.Y.R of Macedonian Bo McCalebb who drove to the basket, sinking his layup to confirm the win. McCalebb would finish with a game-high 27 points.

Coach Dokuzovski acknowledged that it was the toughest game of the tournament yet for F.Y.R of Macedonia, telling journalists that the 'favorites' tag may have played a factor in his team allowing the Georgians back into the match. “Until now we were not favorites and we played game by game. It was easier than now”, Dokuzovski said before adding, “we were highly motivated to congratulate our country on its holiday but we were also under too much pressure because of it.”

Despite now knowing that they will be moving onto the next stage, Dokuzovski and his commands are not getting ahead themselves with Dokuzovski stressing that they will continue to take the tournament one game at a time.
 
“We celebrated just even qualifying for Eurobasket … I am afraid to think of the future. From the start we have been thinking from one game to the next and not about getting a place in the elimination phase or even our next games…now we are aware that we can go to the Olympics but we will continue to only think from one game to the next.”

F.Y.R of Macedonia will next play on Saturday when they take on Slovenia.

FIBA