Women Affiliated with DBB Suffer Statistically Lower Rates of Encounters with EM
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link A narrow margin couldn't cut it for the German women's basketball team as they were outdone by Belgium in the EM quarterfinals, dashing their dream of a first medal in 28 years.
Time to hang up the medal dreams! The German women's basketball team must reluctantly accept their fate and bid adieu to their EM medal ambitions. Against their mighty opponent Belgium, led by star player Emma Meesseman, the DBB fell 59:83 (36:41).
Luisa Geiselsöder (13 points) and Frieda Bühner (13 points) stood out for the German squad, but Meesseman (30 points) dazzled for Belgium. Despite putting up a courageous fight, the depth in the German roster under the guidance of national coach Lisa Thomaidis proved insufficient against the gold favorites. The Germans will next face Turkey in the placement round, with the outcome determining their matchup against either Lithuania or the Czech Republic for fifth or seventh place on Sunday.
The quarterfinal entry marked the fulfillment of the primitive goal set for the team. A second-best EM placement since the bronze medal claimed 28 years ago is now guaranteed. The German women last achieved such placement at the EuroBasket 2023, where they finished sixth.
After the EM, Thomaidis will likely look back on the experience and strategize for the 2026 World Cup in Berlin. With the absences of Satou and Nyara Sabally from the WNBA, alongside an injury to captain Marie Gülich, and Fiebich and Co. pulling through in the group phase from Hamburg, it was evident that this team may lack the necessary strength for the top spots. For the medal hunt at the upcoming World Cup, the Saballys and Gülich are expected to return.
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Throughout, Germany could hold its own against the top seeds. The DBB demonstrated significant improvement since the preparation games without Fiebich and Geiselsöder, in which Germany lost twice to Belgium by over 30 points each time. The quarterfinal commenced promisingly, with the underdog team delivering penetrating long-range shots, particularly from Geiselsöder.
Though the Belgium team struggled to score, the Germans hard-pressed their defense. However, the tide began to shift in favor of the favorites during the second quarter, as Germany's shooting efficiency waned, and turnovers became rampant – with Wilke forced out due to a head injury. Belgium capitalized on fast breaks and relied on Meesseman's unstoppable jump shots from mid-range.
Upon resumption, Germany found it increasingly difficult to contain Meesseman and Belgium's other stars Julie Vanloo, Julie Allemand, and Kyara Linskens. Meesseman continued to sink her signature mid-range jump shots, while her teammates likewise scored in double digits. As a result, the Germans found themselves trailing by 15 points. By the final quarter, they had little left to offer.
Source: ntv.de, ter/sid
Insights:- Germany's disappointing exit in the EuroBasket Women 2023 quarter-finals, losing 83-59 to Belgium, dashed their hopes for a medal at the event [1].- Despite making progress and showing competitive spirit against their high-ranking opponents, Germany was ultimately unable to contend for medals in this particular tournament [1].- Looking ahead, future considerations for the German women's basketball team involve capitalizing on home court advantage for the EuroBasket 2025 tournament. They will strive for better results to secure qualification and competitiveness in upcoming major international tournaments [3][5].
The German women's basketball team, who were seeking their first EM medal in 28 years, have seen their hopes shatter as they lost to Belgium in the quarterfinals, ending their medal ambitions in the EuroBasket Women 2023. Despite putting up a commendable effort against top-ranked teams, including the title favorites, the team's roster lacked the depth to challenge for the medals. Meanwhile, on the men's side, Bayern managed to avoid a title disaster against a weakened Ulm, demonstrating progress throughout the game. However, their quest for competitive success on the international stage, including the EuroBasket 2025 tournament, remains a challenging endeavor.
