The stars are missing, but the result is still right: Germany's basketball players have made a successful start to the European Championship qualification.
One or two players are still looking towards the Olympics.
Ludwigsburg - Even without almost all the world champions, the German basketball players won their first international match since winning the spectacular title in Manila and got off to a successful start in the European Championship qualification.
National coach Gordon Herbert's team won clearly on Thursday evening in Ludwigsburg with 85:61 (47:30) and impressed the 4,141 spectators in the sold-out MHP Arena with some great offensive moves.
Spain legionnaire Oscar da Silva in particular shone with 19 points.
On Sunday (4 p.m./Magentasport) the selection of the German Basketball Federation continues in Bulgaria.
The Bulgarians lost their first game in Sweden 70:84.
The first three teams will qualify for the European Championships in Finland, Latvia, Poland and Cyprus next year.
The World Cup heroes followed the game from a distance, with the exception of David Krämer.
The NBA professionals around world champion captain Dennis Schröder are challenged in the USA, the Euroleague players like Bayern's World Cup star Andreas Obst were given a breather by national coach Gordon Herbert.
“Everyone had minor injuries.
It's the only opportunity for them to take a breather," said Herbert, referring to the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
The league ends at the beginning/mid of June, and preparation for Paris starts at the end of June.
The skeleton of the Olympic squad will be made up of last year's World Cup heroes.
But with a view to possible injuries, it was good for Herbert to see that he had a large selection to fall back on.
In da Silva, Nick Weiler-Babb, Jonas Wohlfarth-Bottermann and Louis Olinde, there is a quartet in particular fighting for a place in the Paris squad.
But the many young players also impressed in Ludwigsburg.
The German team started furiously and immediately moved ahead to 16-0.
The first four three-point throws all landed in the guests' basket, and after the first quarter Germany led confidently 28:10.
After that, the German team's momentum waned a bit, but the hosts were still comfortably leading 47:30 at the break.
“We got off to a good start and hit our first shots.
And we just have fun together,” said Malte Delow during the break at MagentaSport.
The professional from Alba Berlin celebrated his debut in the national team.
After the break, the newly assembled German team lost its rhythm.
The Montenegrins now hit better from the field, but Germany's three-point throws no longer worked.
Montenegro was able to reduce the score to eight points before the final period (50:58).
But in the last ten minutes the DBB selection improved again and pulled away.
In the end there was a deserved and safe success, in which, in addition to da Silva, Olinde (13), Delow (13) and Weiler-Babb (10) also scored double figures.
dpa