Before the European Championship: Basketball players set the first exclamation mark in front of EM

Even without captain Dennis Schröder, the German basketball players won their first test game in the European Championship preparation. The world champion won in Slovenia against the host with NBA superstar Luka Doncic with 103: 89 (53:48) and thus underlined his medal ambitions for the European Championship in Finland and Latvia (August 27 to September 14).

The best German throwers were NBA professional Franz Wagner and David Krämer with 18 points each. Doncic came to 19 points in the Slovenes. Wagner only played 17:33 minutes in total because he had to get off the floor early with five fouls.

Important trio not included

Schröder was missing in the Slovenian capital for private reasons, but will be there again on Sunday (5:30 p.m./Magenta Sport) in Mannheim in the second duel with the Slovenia. In addition, the world champion in Ljubljana had to do without the battered Maodo Lo and Daniel Theis.

In the first test of preparation, Mumbru had exactly twelve players available. The German team had previously prepared itself in the training camp in Malaga and worked hard there for around a week. However, the hardships were not noticeable to the selection of the German Basketball Federation.

Germany pulls away early

Wagner and Co. were full right from the start and were not impressed by the hustle and bustle, which is unusually large for a test game. After the first quarter, Germany was just ahead (29:26), in the second section Germany even settled ten points (49:39). Then many foul whistles ensured that the rhythm was lost. At half -time, the guests were still in the lead (53:48).

Mumbru used all twelve players before the change of sides. Including the only 19 -year -old Christian Anderson, who caused a sensation with a crashing dunk in his first international match.

In the second half, Germany continued, but then had foul problems. Wagner collected his fifth foul in the middle of the third quarter and had to watch from then on. The small line of the impartial act is not good overall. Germany was not put off and had the game under control at any time without the NBA star from Orlando Magic.

At the European Championship (August 27th to September 14th) Germany meets Montenegro at the start in the Finnish Tampere. The first four teams in the Sixs group qualify for the KO round, which takes place in the Latvian capital Riga. “We are world champions, of course we drive to the European Championship to win the title,” said Center Theis at “Magentasport”.