For a half-time, Germany takes an attempt to get going at the European Casketball Championship. Then the NBA stars and shooters turn on Montenegro.
With a sovereign 106: 76 (46:43) against Montenegro, World Champion Germany has launched a successful start to the European Basketball Championship. In front of only 3,495 spectators in Finnish tampere, the NBA stars Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic, 22 points) and Dennis Schröder (Sacramento Kings, 21 points) progressed, spacer shooter Andi Obst (18 points) from FC Bayern Munich also ran hot in the second half.
“It is always good to start a tournament with such a victory”, Wagner said on his 24th birthday at “RTL”. Captain Schröder added: “We focused on us. Montenegro is a good team, but if we do our things right, we did it in the second half, we always have very good chances.”
Ibrahimagic represents diseased chief coach Mumbru
Montenegro had proven to be the expected opponent from the start, took the lead with 8: 4. Only then did Wagner and Schröder solve the brake and did the game turn. They received their tactical guidelines from assistant coach Alan Ibrahimagic, chief coach Alex Mumbru was missing because of an infect that had not been explained.
“It was clear that things always go a little slower in the first game. In the second half we found the second or sixth gear”,, “ Ibrahimagic said. He hoped that he could now take his old role again, “But at the moment I can’t say it”.
The Spaniard Mumbru is in the hospital, but was in contact with the bank by cell phone. “It was a bit strange for everyone”, Wagner said and sent recovery greetings to his trainer.
Full throttle in the third quarter
However, the world champion did not really get rolling, rebounds, throwing quota – there was still room for improvement everywhere. So Montenegro stayed on, even scored one more point in the second quarter, Germany’s half -time break tour was 46:43.
Franz Wagner (right) in a duel with Kyle Allman Jr. (left)
Then the Germans switched even higher, and fruit also got going, hit five out of six three-point throws at the end. The third quarter won 33:12, Montenegro looked exhausted and overwhelmed at the pace. The 79:55 before the final round was a preliminary decision.
Then the second row also got playing time. Except for Leon Kratzer, everyone from the twelve -member squad achieved a basket. At Montenegro, NBA-professional Nikola Vucevic (Chicaco Bulls) with 23 and Kyle Allman (Türk Telekom) protruded with 18 points.
Next opponent: Sweden and Lithuania
On Friday, Germany will meet Sweden at 12.30 p.m. before the first big touchstone will also follow in Lithuania on Saturday at 12.30 p.m. The other opponents in Group B are Great Britain (Monday, 3:30 p.m.) and co-host Finland (Wednesday, September 3, 7.30 p.m.).
Other hosts in the preliminary round are Cyprus (Limassol), Poland (Katowice) and Latvia (Riga). The final round will take place in the Latvian capital from September 6th. The top four of the four six groups can compete in the round of 16.