The German basketball players won EM gold. This was only possible because they have proven an outstanding team and fighting spirit. They owe it to a man.
The German basketball players put their plan into practice and crowned the European Championship title on Sunday after a gripping final against Turkey. Two years after the World Cup success in Manila, the team around captain Dennis Schröder was allowed to raise the next important trophy.
This could only succeed through an outstanding team and fighting spirit that every sporty team needs if they want to be successful. The foundation stone laid a man who moved into the second row during the tournament, but it said above all: Álex Mumbrú. It was the coach of the German basketball players who forced his team to success.
Mumbrú had to go to the hospital at the beginning of the tournament due to an inflamed pancreas. In his absence, his assistant Alan Ibrahimagic took over. Mumbrú fought back and came back into the hall for the round of 16 against Portugal. He wanted to coach fully, but it didn’t work. From the quarter -finals, Ibrahimagic had to take over again on the sidelines. And Mumbrú? He didn’t go back to the bedside, he stayed in the hall and tried to support the team from the bank. With this he sent a gold signal: he lived the unconditional will – and his team had no choice but to do the same.
The players recognized this and strengthened their trainer their backs with a touching press conference. Maodo Lô emphasized: “He is here. He is there for us. He continues to give the impulses.” The team could not confirm representations that the trainer is absent. It must be recognized what he does despite his health situation. The DBB team made it clear from the start: we do everything we do as a unit. We give everything for the title. Based on the model of our trainer. The course of the tournament then offered numerous evidence of this mentality.
At the beginning, Germany struggled against Portugal in the round of 16. The threes just didn’t want to fall, the despair was great. But give up when the sick trainer has just sitting back on the coaching bench? No option. So the DBB team fought and showed a strong performance in the last quarter with a high victory in the end.
In the quarter -finals against Slovenia there was a similar picture. In the first half, the professionals around captain Dennis Schröder were behind. NBA superstar Luka Dončić seemed to be too strong opponents, Germany did not get into the speed game. But Mumbrú was sitting on the bench and made it clear that the deficit is okay, don’t get stuck. What followed were a gripping final phase and the move into the semi -finals.