For the German basketball players, the two final test games against Spain are a real endurance test for the European Championship and at the same time the last chance to eliminate the construction sites in the squad.
It is the duel of the European champion against the world champion. More is not actually possible for a last endurance test in front of the European Championship. Spain’s basketball association rose in advance to promote the two duels against Germany: the dates for the two games, on Thursday in Madrid and on Saturday in Cologne, were announced on the association’s Instagram channel with a sound thunderstorm of Rammstein.
In many parts of the world, the dark rockers from East Berlin are still considered to be the epitome of the Teutonen sound, regardless of the allegations for abuse of power around the band.
Two games against Spain as Location determination Before the EM
For the German basketball players, the two games against the Spaniards, who at home three years ago in the semi-finals, broke the dream of the title, the ultimate location determination before departure to the European Championship finals. At the same time, it is the end of a Spanish summer: Alex Mumbru, the new national coach, had already set up a one -week training camp in Malaga at the beginning of the preparation. The families were allowed to be on site at the Mediterranean, with which Mumbru, as you heard, introduced himself very well to the players.
The Spaniard has been a national coach for almost a year. The majority of the players, also the core of the successful team of the past few years, only now, for the European Championship preparation, had together as a team. The NBA-Actors around Dannis Schröder and Franz Wagner as well as the proven forces from the Euroleague such as Isaac Bonga or Andreas Obst are not available for international matches during the season.
Mumbru can now build on the intact and well -rehearsed team that his predecessor Gordon Herbert left him again. Only Niels Giffey, who has ended his career in the DBB team, and the injured Moritz Wagner are missing from the world champions.
Construction sites under the basket question mark behind Theis
The older Wagner brother’s failure, one of the absolute leader in the DBB team, focuses on the largest construction site in the team. Because in the big positions where Mo Wagner was set at the past tournaments, there are still question marks at Daniel Theis.
The NBA veteran, best buddy and favorite anti-playing station by Dennis Schröder, drags a knee injury around with it. In the previous EM preparation, he only played one game at the Supercup against Turkey.
The DBB team is filled with the position under the basket, and NBA champion Isaiah Hartenstein is also not available. The chances of an EM medal should therefore hang mainly on the experienced “Big Man” – at the latest when it comes to monster athletes like Serbia’s Nikola Jokic. “You absolutely need it. He is the defensive anchor. Precisely because there are many question marks, Daniel is all the more important”also said “Magenta Sport” expert per Günther to dpa.
In addition to Theis, Leon Kratzer and Jo Voigtmann were most recently struck in the front court. At the Supercup final, David Krämer also had to suspend, the best spacer shooter in the team next to Andi Obst.
Final EM squad in the DBB team further open
The uncertainty about the fitness state of many players has led to the national coach still not named his final EM squad – a week before the opening game against Montenegro on August 27. After the Supercup, in which the last squad decisions were often made in the past, only young playmakers Christian Anderson was said goodbye. Mumbru traveled to Madrid for the test game with 14 players, but in the end he can only take twelve players to the European Championship.
The Spaniard will probably remove a surplus construction player from the contingent, Nelson Weidann or Justus Hollatz. It may also hit one of the players in the big positions: Oscar da Silva or scratch, who also had to pause at the Supercup. The two duels against Spain are also becoming a stress test for the many most recent players.
For Mumbru, who became world champion and European champion as a player with Spain, there are two special games against his home country. His family and friends from Barcelona are clearly on the part of the DBB team, Mumbru told “Sport Bild”. His son even had a jersey from Franz Wagner.