Due to a historic bankruptcy, the sudden preliminary round-out for the German basketball team at the World Cup in China is as good as sealed and the dream of Olympia in great danger. NBA star Dennis Schröder's team lost 68:70 (39-37) to outsiders Dominican Republic in Shenzhen on Tuesday, taking their second defeat in the second game.
Only in a very unlikely slip-up of Germany defeated France against Jordan (14.30 clock), the jump in the second round could still succeed. Best German thrower with 20 points was Schröder, who was also far from his top form. For the first time lost a selection of the German Basketball Federation their first two World Cup games.
Without reaching the top 16, the chances of achieving sporting goals for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo would have dropped significantly. The team of national coach Henrik Rödl was also rated by its own association as one of the most talented in German basketball history.
Again, the launch failed completely
Rödl trusted in the first German duel with the Dominicans at all the same starting formation around Schröder as against France. At the 74:78 in the duel with the title contender on Sunday, the DBB selection had made the worst part of the German World Cup history with four points in the first quarter.
And again the start failed completely. The Dominicans came to easy points, the German team was also on the offensive again hesitant and inhibited. Quickly the residue was 0: 8 - looking moodily Rödl stood with folded arms in front of the black polo shirt on the sidelines.
But even without a break, his team worked at first even from the misery. After 140 seconds Center Theis scored the first points, Ismet Akpinar sank the premiere-threesome, Schroeder brought his team at 13:12 for the first time in the lead. The 25-year-old steered the German offensive, found his buddy Theis with beautiful templates, pulled repeatedly to the basket. "You should run, run, run," Rödl urged his team at 21:16 after the first quarter to fast attacks.
Still just short of the break
During the break, Schröder was treated on the back. Only when lying down, then sitting on a chair, the 25-year-old was massaged for several minutes. Meanwhile, the German team was ahead with nine points, Schröder returned to the floor - but his team continued to seek the necessary security.
Several times the last consequence was missing under the opponent's basket. After a completely unnecessary offensive foul and the subsequent replacement of the form-weak ex-NBA professional Paul Zipser thunderously thundered his towel on the floor. Just because the Dominicans scored just one of their eleven three-point throws, the German team saved a meager lead of two points in the half-time break.
And it went on tough. From the outside fell hardly a throw, suddenly sunk the Dominicans their threesome and were again ahead with 47:45. The team from the Caribbean even moved to 60:52 at the beginning of the final stage - it developed a thrilling final phase. With 68:70 Germany was back, Schröder had the ball, moved to the basket, watched out Danilo Barthel - but the last chance missed.
