A Basketball Academy has been opened at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU). The Academy was founded on the basis of the TSU basketball team, the leader of the National Basketball Super League, and is staffed with professional coaches and medical personnel.         
 

TSU Rector Jaba Samushia said that along with the development of educational activities, Tbilisi State University promotes healthy lifestyle among young people. “For Tbilisi State University, along with the development of the teaching-learning process and science, the development of university sports is also important. A clear example of this is the opening of the Basketball Academy at TSU, which will give the young generation the opportunity to successfully continue the history of university basketball and play great basketball in the future,” Rector Jaba Samushia said.
 

The TSU Basketball Academy will accept up to 400 youth between the ages of 6 and 14. 20 youngsters in each group will be trained three days a week by well-known coaches and basketball players.
 

Irakli Kharjavanidze, head of the Department of Culture and Sports of TSU, said that the Basketball Academy will make a significant contribution to the training of future professional basketball players. “The Academy will conduct intensive work, proper management, as well as promote the development of young people in the right direction. We will do our best to ensure that each graduate of the Tbilisi State University Basketball Academy will contribute to the further development of Georgian basketball,” he noted.
 

Students of the Tbilisi State University Basketball Academy will have the opportunity to participate in both local and international basketball tournaments.
 

“There is a great demand for basketball among young people today especially after the national team qualified for the World Cup. I welcome the opening of the Academy at TSU and I think it will compete with other basketball schools in Georgia, which will have a positive effect on the quality of Georgian basketball,” said Lekso Lapanashvili, coach of the TSU basketball team.
 

The purpose of the Academy is to popularize basketball and healthy lifestyle among young people, to strengthen the professional basketball club of the university with athletes trained by the Academy, to contribute to the development of Georgian basketball.
 

Amiran Sanikidze, a Georgian basketball player and Master of Sports, wished the TSU Basketball Academy success in its future activities and noted that the Academy will make a significant contribution to the training of professional athletes. “All innovations come from the Tbilisi State University. The first basketball court in Georgia was at Tbilisi State University. The first basketball club was opened during my leadership at the Department of Sports. I am very happy that today the Basketball Academy has been opened at TSU, which will train professionals,” Amiran Sanikidze said.
 

The history of basketball at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University began in 1922 and continues successfully until today. The first basketball team was formed at TSU in 1922. Today, the TSU basketball team competes for the Georgian Cup. On April 11, the university team will compete with “Olimpi” in the semifinals of the Georgian Cup.
 

At the opening ceremony of the Basketball Academy, the memory of the sports commentator, veteran athlete Jamlet Khukhashvili was honored with a moment of silence.