By Dimitris Minaretzis/ info@eurohoops.net
In his last home game with the national team of Georgia, Giorgi Shermadini was honored by the Georgian Basketball Federation and enjoyed a warm farewell in Tbilisi Arena.
Tuesday’s game against Ukraine, which the team coached by Aleksandar Dzikic eventually lost, 92-79, was the last home feature for the 36-year-old center. His initial decision was to call it a day at the international level after the recent EuroBasket 2025, but he returned for two more outings in the ongoing FIBA window and then formally retired.
After the emotional GBF acknowledgment of his lengthy and successful international career, he lasted 24:22 in Gameday 1 of Group A in the FIBA World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers, tallying seven points, six rebounds, three steals, and three assists, until fouling out.
Returning to his La Laguna Tenerife home, his last showing with the senior national team is on Sunday, with Georgia facing Spain in San Cristobal de La Laguna’s Santiago Martin Arena.
At the end of the six-game schedule, the top three countries carry their respective W-L tallies to a new group, and the next six games will decide three tickets to the World Cup. However, Shermadini will be unavailable following Gameday 2.
Starting from the junior level, Shermadini went from the second division of the U16 European Championship 2006 to the 2007 and 2008 editions of the U20 European Championship. At the senior level, he made his way to the history-making FIBA World Cup 2023 and several EuroBasket installments.