Germany also won the second preliminary round game at the SEM basketball and thus took a big step towards the final round in Riga. The victory was never endangered.
After the sovereign opening victory against Montenegro, World Champion Germany was another strong appearance on Friday. The DBB team won 105: 83 (59:42) in the Finnish tampere against Sweden. The best German scorers were once again the NBA stars Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic21 points) and Dennis Schröder (Sacramento Kings23 points).
Assistant coach Alan Ibrahimagic was once again on the sidelines. Chief coach Alex Mumbru is still in the hospital after an acute abdomen. The DBB is in daily exchange with the sick national coach. Bayern Munich’s Johannes Voigtmann was spared for knee pain.
Furious German start
Despite the early starting time at 12:30 p.m. and a nightly false alarm in the German team hotel, the DBB team came into play directly. Unlike against Montenegro, the DBB defensive immediately looked awake and hungry. Many deflections and blocks ensured that Sweden hardly found the game and only scored 17 points in the first quarter.
When Franz Wagner (16 points in the first half) got a first break early, the second row around Tristan da Silva and Justus Hollatz demonstrated, with the broad quality of the German squad. With a well-deserved and comfortable 17-point lead, the half-time break (59:42) went. Only the number of German offensive rebounds (3) left something to be desired.
Franz Wagner (right) achieved a dominant appearance again.
DBB team makes everything clear early
After the break, Germany continued with the same intensity and cleared the remaining doubts about the second preliminary round victory early. Even though Sweden was able to ensure that the offensive campaigns were worth seeing from time to time, it went into the last quarter with an expanded leadership of 18 points (84:66).
In the final phase, the game speed also subsided due to the falling resistance of the Swedes. Supplementary players and Neu-Münchner Leon Kratzer got the first minute of play and Schröder screwed up his score sheet with seven other points. The 100-point mark fell four minutes before the end, and Germany walked the remaining minutes to win.
Next opponent: Lithuania, Great Britain and Finland
Germany is very close after two wins from two games of the final round in Riga (from September 6th). The top four of the four six groups can compete in the round of 16. Sweden, who had narrowly lost his opening game against co-host Finland, is already under pressure.
The first real German location determination will take place on Saturday (12.30 p.m.). With Lithuania, the DBB team meets the direct competitor for the group victory. The other opponents in Group B are Great Britain (Monday, 3:30 p.m.) and Finland (Wednesday, September 3, 7.30 p.m.).
Mumbru will continue to be missing from the DBB team
A quick return from Mumbru is probably not to be expected even after the Lithuanian game. DBB team doctor Oliver Pütz calculated in the Magenta Sport interview with the fact that the national coach will also miss the other group games: “You should assume that it will not be the preliminary round and that you still give it time. If he is released from the hospital, you have to see how he is physically ready.”