By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
After securing the top seed of Group E, Germany also takes a 3-0 W-L tally to the next round of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Gordon Herbert’s side blew out Finland, 101-75, in Okinawa Arena on Tuesday.
Launching a run to build a comfortable lead in the second quarter, Germany spread playing time among all available players. Extending a winning streak launched in the 2019 World Cup, Die Mannschaft made it six wins in a row in FIBA’s flagship event for the first time in national team history.
Toronto Raptors point guard Dennis Schroder packed a game-high 15 points, despite missing all of his six attempts from beyond the arc. He settled with 6/7 field goals to go with four assists, two rebounds, and two steals over 22 minutes.
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Isaac Bonga earned a share of the game-high of 15 points with 5/6 field goals. Johannes Thiemann tallied 13 points and a game-high efficiency rating of 19. Two more double-digit scoring displays, Moritz Wagner and Andreas Obst had 12 and 11 points, respectively.
“This is kind of continuity from what we did last year and we are building on it,” noted Herbert referring to his side capturing the bronze medals of the 2022 EuroBasket, “Players pull for each other and support each other. A little bit of fire sometimes, but that is good.”
Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner sat out a second straight game and remains day-to-day with a left ankle injury. Staying in Japan, Germany will resume action in Group K on Friday. The opponents in the next round will be the top two seeds of Group F, consisting of Slovenia, Georgia, Cape Verde, and Venezuela.
Finland was forced down to 0-3 as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen went for 3/11 shots in a 12-point outing. Tennessee senior Olivier Nkamhoua stood out with 14 points in the losing effort.
The team coached by Lassi Tuovi was already eliminated from contention to rank first between 16th and will instead battle for a spot between 17th and 32nd in Group O. The bottom two seeds of Group F will shape the remaining fixtures scheduled for Thursday and Saturday in Okinawa City.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL