By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Barcelona signed two of the most prominent EuroLeague veterans around this summer in forward Tornike Shengelia and forward Will Clyburn.
While the quality of both players is indisputable, there has been criticism over the fact that these two new additions increase the age average of the roster a bit too much. Shengelia becomes 34 years old in October while Clyburn is 35.
Barca has three more key players above 34: Guard Tomas Satoransky (becomes 34 in October), big man Jan Vesely (35) and guard Nicolas Laprovittola (35).
“I would say we have a very experienced team. And that experience, combined with the talent we have, we are going to try to use it to the fullest,” Shengelia said to Mundo Deportivo after being asked about many people thinking that this team is probably “too old” for a long season in both the EuroLeague and the Spanish ACB League.
Shengelia joined Barcelona after a pretty solid EuroBasket tournament with the Georgia. He averaged 12.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists as his national team reached the quarterfinals for the first time ever by eliminating medal contender France in the Round of 16.
In the end, for me, as a competitor, it’s hard to say it was good after losing the last game,” Shengelai said. “But if you look at it from a distance, the team performed very well. We made history by reaching the quarterfinals the first time, and we’re really happy.”
Before the EuroBasket, Shengelia had to temporarily leave the Georgia training camp due to heart arrhythmia. He had to play limited minutes in the beginning of the EuroBasket and recovered quickly soon.
“Better,” Shengelia said on his situation I’m living a normal life. It was a scare, but at the European Championships we could see that everything was fine. I started out playing a few minutes, but then I ended up playing what I normally play.”