The premiere is very close: The German basketball players started the Olympic qualifying tournament on Thursday (February 8, 2024) with a 73:66 (36:21) win against Serbia. If there is further success, the Paris ticket would be secure.
Three teams from Group A of four will receive a starting place for the Olympic Games; just one win could be enough; with a second one, the first qualification of a women’s national team would be perfect. On Saturday (February 10th, 2024, 9 p.m.), the DBB selection will face Australia, the toughest opponent on paper, and a day later the final game will be against hosts Brazil. If Serbia loses its two remaining games, the German team’s further results will not matter.
Sabally and Brunckhorst decide the game
Against Serbia, which according to national coach Lisa Thomaidis was a “well-oiled machine”, the German team started with concentration and pulled away early (11:1/6th minute), but nine ball losses in the first quarter alone caused the lead to melt away. Until the break, there was little going on between both teams, but the DBB women benefited from the opponent’s weak shooting rate.
That changed completely after the break. Serbia found its rhythm in the third quarter, came closer and closer and finally turned the game around (56:55/36th). Satou Sabally made it 66:63 (39th), captain Svenja Brunckhorst increased with a three-pointer, after which the game was decided. The German team’s top scorer was Leonie Fiebich with 20 points, Sabally had 18, her sister Nyara had 14, and she also grabbed 17 rebounds.
Revenge for the European Championship defeat
At the European Championships last year, the DBB team lost the final game for fifth place in Ljubljana (Slovenia) against the Serbians (62:78), but secured their starting place for the Olympic qualification tournament with sixth place.