The nation of Georgia began its second round of FIBA World Cup qualifying games on Friday by taking on Montenegro. Sandro Mamukelashvili, an ascending big man the Los Angeles Lakers signed earlier this summer, is hoping to take Georgia to next year's World Cup and give it a shot at going all the way.
On Friday, he didn't disappoint. Georgia never fell behind, and it held the lead for almost the entire game. The team blasted Montenegro by a final score of 101-74, and it currently ranks fifth in Group I.
Mamukelashvili turned in a fine all-around performance. He shot 6-of-13 overall while making half of his eight 3-point attempts, and he finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals.
WELCOME TO THE MAMU SHOW 🍿🇬🇪#FIBAWC x
@Mamukelashvili5 | @Lakers pic.twitter.com/fc4aN5AYAj
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 28, 2026
Goga Bitadze, a center who plays for the Orlando Magic, dropped 23 points, and he and Mamukelashvili hooked up on a nifty play in the third quarter that resulted in a dunk.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE WHEN MAMU AND GOGA ARE ON THE COURT ❤️🇬🇪 #FIBAWC x @Mamukelashvili5 @GogaBiitadze pic.twitter.com/7GwWIz7hAK
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 28, 2026
Georgia will play Portugal next on Monday. Portugal is currently ranked fourth in Group I.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Watch: Sandro Maukelashvili vs Montenegro in World Cup qualifier
