German Women's Basketball Team Draws Favorable Group at Home World Cup in Berlin
Germany's women's basketball team eyes medal at FIBA World Cup in Berlin
BERLIN (dpa) — Germany's women's basketball team has been drawn into a manageable preliminary group at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Berlin. The squad, coached by Olaf Lange, will face Spain, Japan, and Mali in the group stage of the tournament, running from September 4 to 13. The draw took place at Berlin's Kraftwerk venue, with games set to be played at the Berlin Arena and Max-Schmeling-Halle. Germany will open the competition against Spain on September 4.
The draw was conducted by Australian basketball legend Lauren Jackson, former German handball star Stefan Kretzschmar, and German breakdance champion Jilou.
"I think we can be quite happy with this draw," said team captain Marie Gülich. "I'm really looking forward to playing Japan—we've already faced them at the Olympics. We seem to play Spain every year, and Mali is new for us, but also a challenge."
Germany is aiming for a medal in its first World Cup appearance in 28 years. With Satou Sabally, Nyara Sabally, Leonie Fiebich, Luisa Geiselsöder, and Frieda Büchner all currently playing in the U.S. WNBA, this is the strongest German roster ever assembled. "I don't think we need to hide from anyone," said Alina Hartmann. "When we're at full strength, we can compete with any team."
Nowitzki Backs German Team's Ambitions
German basketball icon Dirk Nowitzki also believes the team has a strong chance. "The goal should definitely be the quarterfinals," Nowitzki said before the draw. "After that, it depends on how they perform in the tournament. I don't think they need to shy away from anyone. If they ride the wave of home-crowd excitement, they could go even further."
The top four teams in each group will advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the second- and third-place finishers will compete in a preliminary knockout round for the remaining quarterfinal spots.
Interest in the home World Cup is already high. According to the German Basketball Federation, more than 76,000 tickets have been sold. Demand is particularly strong for the final weekend on September 12 and 13, with over 80 percent of tickets for the semifinals, third-place game, and championship match already sold out.
