Germany reaches the round of 16 at the European Basketball Championship ahead of schedule. Although fellow favorites Lithuania put up a bit more resistance for the world champions, the game is not really exciting.
The German basketball team is racing from victory to victory at the European Championships and has already secured its ticket to the final round in Riga. The team led by captain Dennis Schröder won a fast-paced game against fellow favorites Lithuania by a clear margin of 107:88 (55:47) and, after three wins at the start, is on course for the coveted medal.
Led by Schröder (26 points) and Franz Wagner (24), the German team showed world-class basketball at times in Tampere and is now through to the round of 16 ahead of schedule. Unlike in their first victories against Montenegro (106-76) and Sweden (105-83), the team faced real resistance this time. Schröder’s buddy Daniel Theis became the X-factor, contributing 23 points, converting all nine of his shots, and also defending strongly.
Lithuania as the first real test
Winning the group in Finland is therefore important in order to avoid top favorites Serbia with NBA star Nikola Jokic for as long as possible. If both teams win their groups, a matchup will only be possible in a potential final on September 14 in Riga. Cheered on by thousands of fans dressed in green, the Lithuanians really put Germany to the test for the first time in this European Championship.
Representing Alex Mumbru, who was ill, his assistant Alan Ibrahimagic, who was also responsible for the first two victories, stood on the sideline again. “It’s extremely important to finish this group as winners. That’s incentive enough,” Ibrahamagic had said beforehand. If they manage two more wins against Great Britain on Monday and Finland on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.), first place is theirs.
Germany’s 21:3 run fizzles out
Unlike in Germany’s previous games, the atmosphere was electric this time – both in the stands and on the court. Lithuania’s fans started loudly and euphorically, but their pros quickly fell behind 2-10. Schröder and Theis played together repeatedly and provided some early highlights.
An open duel developed at the highest offensive level. Germany, led by shooting specialist Andreas Obst, hit three-pointer after three-pointer, while the world champions hardly allowed any turnovers for 20 minutes. After a brilliant 21-3 run, the Ibrahamagic team was on course for victory early on, but the Lithuanians fought their way back. At halftime, they were within striking distance, trailing by eight points.
Memories of the duel in Cologne
At times, the duel was reminiscent of the 2022 European Championship match in Cologne. Back then, Germany had prevailed 109-107 after two overtimes and a lot of excitement – and later won the bronze medal. Although both teams were already planning for the round of 16 in Riga before the duel, the intensity was huge. “There’s a lot at stake,” said former national player Per Günther on MagentaSport.
The game remained exciting even after the break. “If we keep up the pace and are quick, then we look good. We just have to keep going,” announced Ibrahmagic. Lithuania started the third quarter strongly, but Germany responded with a lot of quality. First, Wagner threw a three-pointer over Lithuania’s NBA giant Jonas Valanciunas, then Schröder and Theis followed suit. In the end, the third game also reached triple digits, with Theis scoring the 100th point from a free throw.
