MIA Academy Tbilisi wins Georgia Superleague

BC MIA Academy Tbilisi won the Georgian Superleague title with a 76-62 win over Dinamo Tbilisi that gave the club a 3-1 win in the finals series. MIA Academy had looked in control of the series early on in taking a 2-0 lead, but defending champs Dinamo hit back in Game 3. With home court advantage in Game 4, MIA Academy Tbilisi eased to the a second title in three years, claiming the title the club last won in 2013.

The first quarter proved huge as Dinamo would have clearly wanted to start hot and put pressure on the hosts, but it was not to be. MIA Academy dominated the defensive end and held the away team to just 7 points while hitting 14 points of their own. In the second period the home team went big and drained 36 points while remaining tough in the defensive paint to hold Dinamo to 18 points, enough for a 50-25 lead through halftime. The visitors finally found superior momentum in the third act to win it 10-19, but there was an air of too little, too late on the hardwood heading into the fourth. And so it proved, as while Dinamo won the final quarter 16-19, it was MIA Academy Tbilisi celebrating off the back of that blistering first half.

Beqa Tsivtsivadze topped the scoring with 19 points for the winners, but it was Girogi Tsintsadze who was the star of the show as he went near with a triple-double to eventually settle for a double-double. The point guard scored 15 points, claimed 13 rebounds, and handed out 9 assists in a stellar personal performance. Beqa Chikviladze also scored 15 points, while Nika Metreveli managed 12 points.

Garrick Shermao had his own impressive double-double for the losing effort as he plundered 15 points and 15 boards. He was followed by Richard Matiashvili with 13 points and 8 rebounds, and Giorgi Ormotsadze with 11 points.