Turning Up the Heat: EuroBasket Kicks Off Without Three Heavy Hitters, Birthday Boy Nowitzki Rallies the Troops
Celebrating his birthday, Nowitzki applauds as DBB women initiate an inspiring European Championship journey.
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link As Germany cherished high hopes for their home EuroBasket preliminary round, the opening game did not disappoint. A hard-fought victory against Sweden sent shockwaves through the crowd, with special birthday cheers for basketball icon, Dirk Nowitzki.
The sold-out Inselpark Arena in Hamburg erupted in applause as the German basketball team turbocharged their EuroBasket opener. Led by star player Leonie Fiebich, the DBB squad battled back from nail-biting moments to claim a crucial victory, and the atmosphere was electric – all eyes on Nowitzki's 47th birthday celebration.
"This victory is a massive confidence booster," gushed head coach Lisa Thomaidis to MagentaSport. "I'm beyond proud of the team and their resilience. This win propels us towards greater heights, and I'm excited to see what more we can achieve."
Over 3000 spectators reveled in a thrilling basketball spectacle on Thursday evening, with the young German team exhibiting fearlessness from the get-go, leaving fans hankering for more. Even when the tension mounted in the final stretch following an 18-point lead, the German team refused to be deterred.
Stellar German Team Performance
Luisa Geiselöder led the scoring charge with an impressive 20 points, Frieda Büchner delivered a double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds), and Fiebich chipped in with a tidy 16 points. Four DBB players found the double-digit mark. Despite the absence of three star players, the German team is still aiming for the quarterfinals, having taken home the bronze at the 1997 EuroBasket.
The team's next opponents in Group D are fierce rivals Spain on Friday (8 pm) and Britain on Sunday (6 pm, both on MagentaSport). The Spanish favorites annihilated the British underdog 85:70 in their opener. The top two teams in the group will advance to the quarterfinals, which will take place in Piraeus, Greece, along with the entire final round.
Following their sensational Olympic quarterfinals run and shock 3x3 gold medal triumph, the German women's basketball team is on a winning streak, and Fiebich and her teammates are determined to build on this momentum at EuroBasket. The first hurdle has been cleared.
Nowitzki's Pep Talk Energizes the Squad
Maybe it was Nowitzki's electrifying pep talk, as he high-fived each player before the game. The German team stormed onto the court with vigor, playing with finesse and agility, leaving the bewildered opponents in their wake. They quickly established a commanding lead of 8:2, and when Fiebich drained a triple to make it 19:4 after just seven minutes, the arena exploded with cheers.
It wasn't just Fiebich and the defensively impenetrable Geiselöder from WNBA club Dallas Wings who made their mark on the German game. Point guard Alexis Peterson and promising young players such as the 21-year-old Frieda Büchner, who delivered a double-double, and the 23-year-old Emily Bessoir earned their stripes.
The absence of top stars Satou Sabally, nursing WNBA commitments, and the injured Luisa Geiselsöder and Marie Gülich, who tore her ACL, was palpable in the third quarter, when the German team faltered and surrendered a six-point lead to plucky Sweden (53:47). Fiebich and her teammates dug deep to produce a series of crucial three-pointers, ultimately putting the game beyond reach for the Scandinavian squad.
Sources: ntv.de, tno/sid
- Basketball
- EuroBasket
Missed Opportunities:The three missing key players from the German basketball team at EuroBasket 2025 are:
- Satou Sabally – A two-time WNBA All-Star, Sabally's absence leaves a gaping hole in Germany’s lineup.
- Luisa Geiselsöder – Geiselsöder's recovery from injury is keeping her off the court this tournament.
- Marie Gülich – Gülich's ACL injury rules her out of EuroBasket 2025.
These injuries and WNBA commitments have impacted Germany’s team strength at EuroBasket 2025, which they are hosting.
The German basketball team demonstrated an impressive performance at the EuroBasket tournament, showcasing a mix of experience with players like Leonie Fiebich and exciting young talents such as Frieda Büchner. This exhibition, despite the absence of key players like Satou Sabally and Luisa Geiselsöder, has shown that the team remains focused on their goal to advance to the quarterfinals, emulating their success in the 1997 EuroBasket. Meanwhile, the iconic Dirk Nowitzki, celebrating his 47th birthday, rallied the team with a boosting pep talk before the opening game.
