VITORIA (Turkish Airlines Euroleague/EuroBasket 2015) - It speaks volumes about the state of mind of Georgian basketball players that one of its youngest and brightest stars, Tornike Shengelia, believes the national team can fight for a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games.

Yes, Georgia have competed at the last couple of EuroBaskets and are always tough to go up against, but the Olympics? They have yet to progress to the knockout round.

Georgia are still minnows on the old continent.

Even so, when asked how far away Georgia are from clinching a spot at the Olympics, Shengelia told FIBA.com: "I do believe we have a chance. It's not like we don't have a chance. 

"I think if we play at our highest level... But we can't think about the big goals right now.  

"We have to think about game by game and let's see if we go far."

Georgia did take the first step toward Rio this year by reaching EuroBasket 2015, an Olympic qualifying event.

Shengelia averaged a team-high 18.2 points per game this past summer as Georgia won four of its six games in the 2nd Qualification Round for the EuroBasket.

Georgia, the Czech Republic and Hungary each ended up with 4-2 records and the Georgians advanced as the Group E winners on a goal differential tiebreaker.

Shengelia, who had not logged that many minutes in his previous two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, was a key.

"I may not have played a lot, but with my teammates, I learned a lot, both on the floor and outside the floor," Shengelia said. 

"I gained a lot of experience."

What is obvious is that Shengelia is good for the national team, and the national team is good for Shengelia.

His coaches and teammates have a lot of trust in him.

"As a player, I have one of the main roles in the national team and it's helped my confidence a lot," he said. 

"So I'm willing to play next year as long as everything goes well with my health.

"I love to play for my national team and I'm looking forward to it."

At the EuroBasket, Georgia will face Croatia, Greece, F.Y.R. of Macedonia (MKD), the Netherlands and Slovenia in the Group Phase.

A top four finish will be needed to advance to the Last 16.

In terms of his career, Shengelia felt it was imperative to return to Europe this season because he did need more competitive action.

He joined Spanish side Laboral Kutxa in the summer.

Ibon Navarro, his coach at Laboral, is glad that Shengelia is with the squad and thinks it gives him an ideal opportunity to get better as a player.

"He's a great young talent, but he has to improve some things, his concentration, about being more regular in the game," he said.

"He has too many ups and downs during the game. This is the main thing. 

"He has the necessarily knowledge, the talent but he has to know and recognize the moment during the game."

Shengelia has been a driving force for the team as it reached the Top 16 of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague, averaging almost 12 points per game.

He should have an even bigger impact next summer with the national side.

FIBA