The German basketball players have already failed in the preliminary round at the World Cup in China. The dismissal of national team coach Henrik Rödl was sealed by the defeat of Jordan against France (64: 103). Previously, Germany had lost its second round match 68:70 (37:39) against the Dominican Republic.
The selection of the German Basketball Federation meets in the last round match on Thursday on Thursday (10.30 clock, live ticker SPIEGEL ONLINE, TV: Magenta Sport). Then it goes in the placement round to the ranks 17 to 32 against Canada and Senegal. The German team still has the chance to jump to a qualifying tournament for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
After the 74:78 kick-off against fellow favorite France, a German team lost its first two games at a World Cup for the first time. "That's great crap," said DBB President Ingo Weiss to the premature end. Although the team could "have a say on top level", it was "highly valued by others".
Before the tournament began, many experts, including former national coach Svetislav Pesic, counted the team to the extended circle of favorites and talked about medals. National coach Rödl called the selection the best that Germany ever had in a final tournament. A discussion about the national coach will not exist, announced President Weiss already.