Dominant start in European Championship qualification
DBB team shines even without gold heroes
February 22, 2024, 10:48 p.m
The NBA professionals around captain Dennis Schröder are in North America, the other “golden heroes” are getting a break from the national basketball coach. His team still masters the start of the European Championship qualification confidently. High praise from Gordon Herbert for this.
A good five and a half months after the coup in Manila, world champion Germany shone when they returned to the basketball floor, even without almost all of their gold heroes. At the start of qualifying for the 2025 European Championship, national coach Gordon Herbert’s selection dominated with only one World Cup champion in their ranks in Ludwigsburg Montenegro with 85:61 (47:30). Despite a weak phase, it became clear that the national team’s second suit also fits.
“We had a great start. You have to give the players respect,” said Herbert at MagentaSport. After three days together they “presented themselves as a team”. Oscar da Silva stood out as the top scorer with 19 points and seven rebounds. “It’s nice that I was able to take on a bit of responsibility in the absence of the world champions,” said the Spanish legionnaire from FC Barcelona, ”it was fun.”
At the world champion’s “homecoming”, as the German Basketball Federation (DBB) called it, Herbert was not joined by the NBA professionals around his captain Dennis Schröder and the Wagner brothers Franz and Moritz, as is usual in such international game windows available. The Canadian voluntarily gave up the other “golden boys” – apart from David Krämer – (“they need a break”) and opted for a B team in view of the expected upheaval after the Olympic Games in Paris in the summer.
“Rebounding will be important,” Herbert told MagentaSport before the game started, saying his team had to “play physically” against the tall Montenegrins. And the starting five around Krämer, Nick Weiler-Babb, Jonas Mattisseck, da Silva and Jonas Wohlfarth-Bottermann started with great concentration. Montenegro, against whom the DBB selection had won with difficulty in the round of 16 (85:79) on the way to European Championship 2022 bronze, initially found no means at all – neither in front nor behind.
DBB team shows no nerves
A 16-0 score was on the scoreboard in the MHP Arena in the middle of the first quarter (6th), and Spanish legionnaire da Silva (FC Barcelona), who had been left out of the squad last year shortly before the World Cup, played particularly well. The hosts held on to the lead they had gained early until the break.
“We have to come out with a lot of energy and make it clear that nothing is going to happen anymore,” said Berlin debutant Malte Delow, setting the tone for the second half. That didn’t work, Montenegro came within six points (52:58/33rd minute). Even if everything didn’t work out, world champion Kramer had major problems with his throw, the German team hardly showed any nerves, pulled away again and earned the victory.
On Sunday (4 p.m./free at MagentaSport) it’s against hosts Bulgaria. After Herbert did without Max DiLeo, Bennet Hundt and teenager Johann Grünloh (18) before the opening game when reducing the squad, the trio could be used in Botevgrad.
Before the second qualifying game, the DBB team is first in Group D ahead of Sweden, who beat the Bulgarians in Partille 84:70 (50:43). The next qualification window is not until November. Three teams from the four-person relay will receive a ticket for the EuroBasket, which will take place next year in Cyprus, Finland, Poland and Latvia. The world champion is of course one of the title candidates.