In the twelfth basketball match between the star squad Marcin Gortat and the squad staged by the soldiers, the players appointed by the erstwhile NBA basketball player triumphed for the seventh time. In a gathering held present in the Łódź Atlas Arena The winners scored 67 points and the winners scored 64. About 10,000 spectators watched the meeting.
Photo from last year's edition of the event.
– I am truly excited that one more time together with the MG13 Foundation we will organize the large Gortat squad vs NATO squad in my hometown, Łódź. Last year, we managed to sale out all the tickets, which was a large honor to me. I hope that this year we will repeat this success and one more time make an unforgettable spectacle. Moreover, this year the NATO squad will be joined by soldiers from peculiar troops, which will add the taste of this gathering – he said before the match Mr Marcin Gortat, erstwhile basketball player of the celebrated American NBA league.
The intended taste was added by the experts before the teams even went to the dance floor. Operators showed their skills, including leaving the roof of the hall on ropes. Before gathering on the dance floor, erstwhile soldiers besides left GROM. The audience thanked them for their service with applause. A minute of silence was besides celebrated in memory those specialists who died doing their job. On the another hand, Deputy Minister of National Defence Cezary Tomczyk awarded the Golden Cross for Merit to the defence of the Country with 101-year-old Lieutenant Barbara Mazurkiewicz and Captain Tadeusz Lutak Ps. Pancerz. On behalf of the 107-year-old captain, the oldest man in Poland now alive, his grandson was taken away. peculiar thanks for 8 years of cooperation were given by Marcin Gortat gen. Dyw. Dr. Inż. Sławomir Drumowicz, commander of the peculiar Forces Component. In addition, in the mediate of the Atlas Arena was awarded among others the long-term president Military moving Club Meta Lubliniec St. Chor. Staff. dir. Zbigniew Rosinski.
This year against the military crew Marcin Gortat exhibited the composition: Jakub Błaszczykowski, Łukasz Fabianski, Tomasz Fornal, Piotr Adamczyk, Wojciech Mecwaldowski, Paulina Krupińska, Anna Makurat, Damian Michałowski, Mamed Khalidow, Adam Waczyński, Przemek Zamojski, Ilona from the duo of the AdiHD sisters, Saker WK chaotic boar and Bungee Squad players – Dzinold, Merghani, Bandura and Tuszol. The first 2 points for the star squad were scored by volleyball player Tomasz Fornal. Thus, a score of 4:2 for soldiers appeared on the board, due to the fact that it was the rival Gortat squad who made the first 2 good throws.
After the first 4th of the duel, the military squad led 18:9. In the second part of the game, the military held the lead with 35 meshes, while the Gortat squad team had 26 points. After 30 minutes of playing, the soldiers led 55:45. However, the last 4th was the show of Marcin Gortat's star team. NATO squad rivals in the last 10 minutes of the match scored 22 points. And only 9 military men. Thus the gathering ended with a triumph of 67:64 Gortat Teamu.
Before the match at Atlas Arena, fans could watch the military equipment exhibition and visit promotional stands exhibited by military units and institutions. Among others, the Langust launcher, K2 Gap Filler tank, Parker Baltic 900SP-78/0, Rosomak transporter and Aero vehicle were presented. All peculiar units, the Academy of Land Forces, 1st Air Cavalry Battalion, 1st Bomb Squadron, Military Recruitment Center in Łódź and peculiar Forces Training Center had their stands.
For the seventh time in a row, the gathering place of charity soldiers with Gortat squad was Łódź – the hometown of Marcin Gortat, the first Pole to play in the American NBA league. The erstwhile basketball player, among others, of the Washington Wizards club is the main originator of the sporting event promoting basketball and the thought of building respect for soldiers. Last year on the occasion 25th anniversary of Poland's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance Gortat first encouraged the military squad to execute under the name NATO Team, to which representatives of the NATO Combat Battalion Group were invited in addition to Polish soldiers. This year it was akin – the military squad again appeared under the NATO squad sign, and the squad was strengthened by Polish specialists. The income from the match will traditionally be allocated to the statutory objectives of the Marcin Gortat MG13 Foundation, supporting sports children and youth.
