World Cup champions Germany achieved a historic milestone on Tuesday, advancing to the Olympic men’s basketball semifinals for the first time.
The German team overcame a significant early deficit to defeat Greece 76-63, eliminating two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo from the tournament.
Strong Comeback and Defensive Mastery
Germany faced a challenging start, trailing by as many as 12 points in the first quarter. However, they managed to level the score at 36-36 by halftime.
After a tightly contested third quarter, Germany surged ahead in the fourth, securing their place in the semifinals where they will face either host nation France or Canada.
Franz Wagner led the German scoring effort with 18 points, while Antetokounmpo put up 22 points for Greece. Wagner emphasised the collective effort required to contain the Greek superstar.
“It takes all five on the court to try to stop him, but I thought we did a good job, especially in the second half, of at least trying to contain him,” Wagner said.
Key Moments and Contributions
Greece started the game strongly, with Antetokounmpo energising the crowd with a dunk that gave them a 16-4 lead five minutes into the first quarter. Nick Calathes connected with Antetokounmpo for an alley-oop dunk shortly after, followed by a three-pointer that extended Greece’s lead to 12 points with less than a minute remaining in the quarter.
Germany gradually turned the tide, with Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner each contributing six points in the first half to tie the game at halftime. Dennis Schroder opened the third quarter with a three-pointer, giving Germany their first lead of the game. The third quarter ended with Isaac Bonga hitting a buzzer-beater three-pointer, sending Germany into the final period with a 59-52 lead.
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Johannes Thiemann added 10 points, six rebounds, and a steal, while Schroder contributed 13 points and several assists off the bench.
“We struggled with their physicality, but I thought our second group came in and did an outstanding job in that end of the first quarter and really kind of gave us the energy and physicality to get back in the game,” said Germany coach Gordie Herbert. “We made a couple of changes with the defensive game plan and that’s all we did really.”
Germany’s historic victory sets up a high-stakes semifinal matchup as they aim to continue their unbeaten run and secure a place in the Olympic final.
Their opponent will be determined by the outcome of the France vs. Canada game, promising an exciting next phase in the tournament.
Germany’s cohesive team effort and strategic adjustments were crucial in overcoming a formidable Greek side led by Antetokounmpo. The win not only marks a significant achievement for German basketball but also highlights their potential to challenge for the gold medal.
