Revenge-hungry Germany wins all four in Heidelberg behind captain Johannes Thiemann’s 16 points and 8 offensive rebounds. Now the February window will be absolutely decisive for the Swedish progress.
For a long time it looked as if the Swedish thunder would last, as if the Friday release would be nothing special but a new level of normality. The threat that was Andreas Obst never appeared, and by the time Melwin Pantzar had done his homework on David Krämer. Sweden made the free throws and cleaned up the rebounds left by the Germans – two areas that could improve from the first meeting.
What remained in Germany, however, was their size, their intensity and their pride. Sweden played well, but Germany played like a recent World Cup winner.
– It was a very difficult game for us, says Ludvig Håkanson. They come out hard and are on edge every minute. We tried to stay close all the time, but they were harassing us very well and we can’t solve it.
The most important thing for Germany was that David Krämer got support. At Hovet, the Germans only managed 3 points from the mountain players, but that figure was 26 points better on Monday night. Not one player was responsible for the production, but it was 11 points from Christian Sengfelder, 10 points from Jack Kayil and 5 points from Malte Delow.
The second half came with offensive rebounds
Even though Germany’s lead grew cautiously larger and larger, Sweden was never too old. Pantzar and Njie got to the basket at the right times, and when nothing else worked, the Swedes were able to draw a boot on the Germans that led to a free throw, which paid off at night at 80 percent. Sweden’s hope was to stay within reach until Ludvig Håkanson took over and did his usual thing.
But Germany’s persistence paid off in the end. Five offensive rebounds in the third period, six in the fourth, and while Germany’s shot advantage was not as impressive as it was on Friday (78-57), Germany still had 16 more shot attempts than the Sleep due to the rebound.
– Germany is really big, both in terms of rebounding and defense, says Ludvig Håkanson. I know this coach and I know that he believes that rebounding is very important.
The result was a German victory that was never truly zero. The mistakes that opened the door for Sweden at Hovet in Heidelberg never showed up and Germany were able to get their second straight victory in the European Championship qualifiers.
Elsewhere in Group D: Montenegro beat Bulgaria
At most, the Bulgarians led by 13 points at home against Montenegro, but the visitors were eventually able to turn around and win 90-86. This means that Bulgaria is stuck in fourth and last place in Group D, the only team that will not be allowed to go to EuroBasket 2025. Bulgaria’s next match, will be played on Thursday, February 20 against Sweden, a game that could be absolutely sure for the qualification tickets.
For Sweden, a 19-point loss in Heidelberg can leave a certain bitterness on the tongue, but looking at all the past four days, nothing can be called a victory.
– We were all signed to win with us from this window, says Ludvig Håkanson.
Germany – Sweden, 80 – 61 (23-19, 18-12, 19-17, 20-13)
Points, Sweden: Barra Njie 15, Melwin Pantzar 14, Ludvig Håkanson 9, Viktor Gaddefors 6, Simon Birgander 5, Denzel Andersson 5, Christopher Czerapowicz 4, Adam Ramstedt 3.
Text: Johannes Grufstedt
2024-11-25 22:31:00
#Safe #German #victory #return #game #Swedish #Basketball #Association
Considering the current standings and upcoming schedule, which teams do you predict will emerge as the strongest contenders in the EuroBasket qualifiers, and what factors will contribute to their success?
## World Today News: Inside the Game - A Post-Match Analysis
**Welcome back to World Today News, for another edition of Inside the Game. Tonight, we’re dissecting Sweden’s recent loss to Germany in the European Championship qualifiers. Joining us are two basketball experts: [Guest 1 Name], a former professional player with years of experience analyzing the game, and [Guest 2 Name], a renowned sports journalist who has been covering Swedish Basketball for years.**
**Let’s start by setting the scene. Sweden was coming off a strong win at home against Germany, only to suffer a significant loss in the return match. [Guest 1], what were your initial thoughts on the game? What shifted in Germany’s approach that led to such a decisive swing in momentum?**
**[Guest 1 Response]**
**Thanks for setting the context, [Guest 1]. [Guest 2], you’ve been following the Swedish national team closely. Did you see anything in the German strategy that specifically countered Sweden’s strengths? Was there a tactical miscalculation from the Swedish side that contributed to the loss?
[Guest 2 Response]**
**Moving onto the individual performances, we see that Barra Njie and Melwin Pantzar put up decent points for Sweden. However, Germany’s Johannes Thiemann demonstrated a dominant performance. [Guest 1], what factors could have contributed to Thiemann’s success? Was it purely individual brilliance, or were there systematic weaknesses exploited by the German team?**
**[Guest 1 Response]**
**[Guest 2], based on your knowledge of Swedish basketball, were there any encouraging signs from the Swedish team’s performance, despite the loss? Are there any specific areas where the team can improve to bounce back from this setback?**
**[Guest 2 Response]**
**Now, let’s talk about the bigger picture. This loss puts added pressure on Sweden for the upcoming February window, where they face Bulgaria. [Guest 2], how crucial is the Bulgaria game for Sweden’s chances of qualifying for EuroBasket 2025? What are the key factors that will determine the outcome of that match?**
**[Guest 2 Response]**
** [Guest 1], given the current standings and the upcoming schedule, what are your predictions for the rest of the qualifiers? Which teams are looking strong, and who might be facing an uphill battle?**
**[Guest 1 Response]**
**before we wrap up, I want to address the broader context. Germany, as the reigning World Cup winners, are clearly a force to be reckoned with. [Guest 1], what can smaller nations like Sweden learn from observing Germany’s strategic approach to basketball?**
**[Guest 1 Response]**
**Thank you both for providing such insightful analysis. It’s clear that the EuroBasket qualifiers are heating up, and every game holds immense significance. We look forward to seeing how Sweden navigates this challenging path.**
