For the German basketball players, the big dream of winning the gold medal at the home European Championship has burst. Now it’s about bronze in Berlin.
Dirk Nowitzki stared into space in the stands, Dennis Schröder let his children comfort him on the floor and quickly looked ahead.
“The tournament is not over yet. Our goal was to win a medal, the option is still there,” said the captain after the dream of gold in the European Championship semi-final against Spain despite a strong performance at 91:96 (51:46 ) had burst bitterly. Now it is up to the German basketball players in Berlin for bronze.
“It’s a shame that we lost. In the end we have to give the Spaniards credit,” said Schröder. Gordon Herbert was also disappointed. “The third quarter hurt us,” said the national coach. “We have to collect ourselves and be ready for Sunday.”
Then (5:15 p.m. / RTL and MagentaSport) there is still a chance of the targeted European Championship medal in the game for third place against Poland. In 1993, the selection of the German Basketball Association (DBB) triumphed in Munich for the only time so far. The team was also in the final of the EuroBasket in 2005, when they won silver after losing to Greece in Belgrade. Now at least the third medal beckons.
Three days after the quarter-final coup against Greece by NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (107:96), national coach Gordon Herbert remained true to his starting five. In addition to Schröder, Daniel Theis, Johannes Voigtmann, Franz Wagner and Andreas Obst started in the fourth semi-final of the European Championship with German participation.
Outstanding Schröder takes responsibility
“They are physical. Of course we have to be ready,” said Schröder before the duel. And the German team was ready. Seven years after leaving the preliminary round of the European Championship at the same place, when Dirk Nowitzki played his last international match in the bitter defeat against the Spaniards, the DBB selection started wide awake.
It clicked on offense, but so did the Spaniards. Center Willy Hernangomez in particular caused problems for the Germans in the zone. Schröder, who often bravely pulled to the basket, served his teammates or scored, took over early on for the hosts. But the defense, actually the showpiece, didn’t work.
From the semi-final duel in 2005, when the German team won against Spain three seconds before the end with a Nowitzki basket (74:73), only Rudy Fernandez was also on the field in Berlin. The veteran hit two threes in a row and gave his team the first major lead (33:24/13th minute).
The decision will be made in the fourth quarter
But Schröder, who was in a brilliant mood, made sure that things stayed tight at first and then the game turned. The point guard, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Thursday, already had 19 points at the break. “MVP, MVP” echoed through the hall, the fans also cheered a 14-0 run, Nowitzki got up from the seat.
“The mood in this hall is great. The guys are just incredible,” said Annalena Baerbock on RTL. The Foreign Minister followed the semifinals in the hall, which was again sold out with 14,073 spectators. Baerbock saw strong Spaniards and unfocused Germans at the beginning of the second half.
The phase ended quickly, top scorer Schröder (30 points) continued to score high percentage, the playmaker almost everything worked out – for the first time a double-digit lead was achieved (71:61/19.). But Spain came back, largely thanks to Lorenzo Brown (29 points).
The decision came in the final minute. The offense faltered, Brown scored on the free-throw line to make it 88:80. Obst and Maodo Lo converted quick threes, but it didn’t help anymore.
There is still great hope for the third European Championship medal. Poland had no chance against France in the semifinals on Friday (54:95).