By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
Germany opened the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers with a resounding 89–69 win over Israel, marking the return of head coach Alex Mumbrú to the bench.
The Spaniard had dealt with health issues that kept him sidelined for a large part of EuroBasket, with his assistant Alan Ibrahimagić taking over head coaching duties in his absence.
After Germany won the gold, Mumbrú was hospitalized again upon returning to Barcelona, battling a severe case of pancreatitis. Following a full recovery, he is now back in business.
“I’m feeling like a coach again. I’m happy to be with the team again. It was tough after EuroBasket being in the hospital, but now I feel very good and I’m at 100 percent,” he said after Germany’s winning start to the World Cup Qualifiers.
David Kramer then stepped in to show support for his head coach.
“We need to give coach more props. We are incredibly proud of him — what he went through, and the fact that he is with us on the sidelines again after such long months. Who knew if he was going to be coaching anytime soon? Germany, the whole team, everybody is incredibly proud of how you worked every day, kept fighting, pushing… This is a bigger win: to see him on the sidelines again, pushing us. It’s an honor to stand here and play for him,” the Real Madrid guard said.
Mumbrú also revealed that Oscar da Silva, Justus Hollatz, and Isaac Bonga will not travel to face Cyprus in Round 2 and will return to their respective clubs, Bayern Munich and Partizan Belgrade.
“Some players that were here in the summer — Oscar da Silva, Justus Hollatz, and Izzy Bonga — they are coming back home. David Kramer is coming, since he plays EuroLeague, but in the summer he was injured and is more rested than the other guys, so he is coming with us.”