He’s never tried the trick in a game before, Maodo Lo explained when asked about one of his notable moves in defeating France. The German point guard dribbled the ball around his body at lightning speed in an attack, only to pass it to Dennis Schröder just before the basket.
The spectators whispered enthusiastically, while Schröder beamed after a successful lay-up and pointed to his preparer for a long time. It was one of several scenes in the German game that made it clear: there is a functioning team on the floor.
“I think the best team wins here and not the team with the best individual players,” emphasized Franz Wagner, referring to the team chemistry. The surprisingly clear victory over France (76:63) at the start of the European Championships at home in the Cologne Arena fueled the euphoria surrounding the German basketball players. Even the Chancellor spoke up. “Congratulations on yesterday’s opening win @DBB_Basketball! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the rest of the tournament!” Olaf Scholz (SPD) wrote on Twitter on Friday.
But after the freestyle, the selection of the German Basketball Association (DBB) against Bosnia-Herzegovina (Saturday, 2.30 p.m., Magentasport) is followed by the obligation. Another victory – and the door to the round of 16 in Berlin is wide open. “We have the chance to put Germany on the map,” national coach Gordon Herbert remarked objectively as usual.
On the day after the opening win, the Herbert team in the Cologne arena concentrated on preparing for the task ahead; all twelve players trained. Afterwards, Captain Schröder warned against losing focus after the successful start in front of 18,000 celebrating fans. “We still made enough mistakes against France,” warned the NBA professional. The key to further success lies primarily in defence.
The DBB team defended aggressively against France from the start, which was particularly important in the nervous initial phase: Germany never had to run after a big deficit, despite many missed chances in the early minutes. Keeping the individually strong French at 63 points was “incredible”, said Daniel Theis, who had recovered in time; the center received many minutes from the national coach to get fit for the game. Also thanks to Theis, the DBB selection forced the EM co-favorites to lose a total of 17 balls. “We want to be defined as a defensive team that plays with a lot of energy and passion,” said the strong Johannes Thiemann. “With such a defense we can also compensate for weak offensive phases.”
Another important finding for the German team: Dependence on Schröder may be less than expected. Without a doubt, the 28-year-old is nominally the best player in the squad. Despite the aftermath of his ankle injury, Schröder made an explosive move to the basket against France, but he only hit four of his 14 shots (0/6 three-pointers) for eleven points. Rather than let that frustrate him, the National Basketball Association (NBA) pro proved his worth as an emotional leader, cheering on teammates and building them up after missed chances. Schröder seems more mature and closer to the team than in the past.
The “Berliner Connection” took over responsibility for the captain on the offensive. The agile Lo (13 points), who was named player of the game by the world association Fiba, and Thiemann (14) could hardly be stopped by the French after the break. In addition, her former teammate at Alba Berlin, Niels Giffey, scored three of his four three-pointers. “Maodo? I don’t think I’ve ever met such a lovely guy. He’s the next German to come into the NBA,” Schröder said, especially ennobling his partner in the build-up position.
The team from Bosnia-Herzegovina around NBA center Jusuf Nurkic, who also started with a win (95:85 against Hungary), is now waiting for Saturday. The Bosnians had recently won against France in the World Cup qualifier. In the first group game against Hungary, Nurkic (19 points) and winger Dzanan Musa, who played six assists in addition to 19 points, were particularly impressive.
“They have very talented players. This is a different type than France. They are a very good basketball team,” said national coach Herbert, praising the upcoming opponent. If the German selection wins again, the round of 16 ticket for Berlin is almost solved. Four teams from the group of six advance to the knockout stages.