Second game, second victory: Led by the new national coach Henrik Rödl, the German basketball players have given their permanent opponent Austria a lesson. On Monday evening, captain Robin Benzing and his team won the World Cup qualifying match 90:49 – and even without many top performers, they kept their white vest on the hunt for the ticket to the 2019 tournament in China.
In Schwechat near Vienna, Johannes Thiemann (17) and Danilo Barthel (15) were the best throwers in the absence of the NBA and EuroLeague players and ensured a good starting position. Three teams make it to the second group stage of the qualifying round after round-table matches. The first match against Georgia was won by the German Basketball Federation (DBB) on Friday with a score of 79:70.
Every victory is incredibly important because you take everything with you,”said the 48-year-old, who relied on the same squad as in Georgia. Due to the smouldering quarrel between the EuroLeague and the world federation FIBA, the athletes of serial championship champion Bamberg, among others, were still missing.
Nevertheless, the German team in Austria was able to leave Austria without any problems right from the start. The variable defensive posed major problems for the hosts and Rödl’s team scored 16 points in the first quarter in a row. In the second section of the game, the national team went one gear up, dominated the rebounds and was in 13th place after a Thiemann goalkeeper. Minutes of play already with 20 points ahead (28:8).
Also in the qualification for the European Championship 2015 and European Championship 2017, Germany won against Austria. And there was no doubt about another success due to the superiority in the big positions. Especially Barthel and Thiemann were too strong for the host, after the third quarter it was 64:33 and a careless final section followed.
The results of the preliminary round are extremely important, they are taken away. In the qualifying main round, the DBB team in a group of six must become at least third in order to receive a token for the World Cup. The German team did not participate in the final round 2014. But the new generation is not only encouraging because of the strong European Championships with a quarter-final entry this summer.
The national coach also considers the German squad to be better positioned in terms of breadth than a few years ago. Rödl und Co. want the next proof of increased quality. in the next country play window on 22. and 25. February against Serbia and Georgia.