After a long and painful wait, Germany has finally completed its climb to the top of the basketball world.
The Mannschaft, led by Dennis Schroder, has solidified itself as a new powerhouse in the sport after defeating Serbia 83-77 to secure the gold medal in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday night.
Germany concluded its campaign on a dominant note, winning all eight of its matches in the tournament, including a triumphant victory over the stacked Team USA. This marks the country’s second podium finish in the event, following a bronze medal in the 2002 edition.
Tournament MVP Dennis Schroder left it all on the court, scoring a game-high 28 points along with two assists and two rebounds in the win.
“I think this goes back to 2021. When I got the job in 2021, my first task was to drive to Braunschweig and meet Dennis Schroder in September 2021. We talked for three or four hours, and that’s where it all began,” said Germany head coach Gordie Herbert.
“That’s where it started. I felt his heart, his commitment, his care for his country, his national team, his teammates, and for me, that’s where it all started,” he added.
The Germans used a massive 22-10 third quarter to take a 69-57 lead over the Serbians heading into the fourth quarter. Aleksa Avramovic and Marko Guduric managed to trim the lead to just two points, 79-77, with 38 seconds left.
However, Schroder answered back with a fearless drive to the basket, restoring a four-point lead for Germany with 21.4 seconds left.
Serbia, however, wasted its next possession, which gave the ball back to the Germans. Schroder iced the game with two free throws with 12.6 seconds left.
Franz Wagner delivered 19 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists for the newly-crowned world champions, while Johannes Voigtmann had 12 points and eight rebounds in the contest.
On the other hand, Avramovic led the way for the Eagles with 21 points, while Bogdan Bogdanovic, who was held to just two points in the second half, ended up with 17 points, five assists, and three boards.
Serbia joins Russia and Argentina as the teams that have reached multiple FIBA World Cup finals without winning the gold.
The Scores:
Germany 83 – Schroder 28, Wagner 19, Voigtmann 12, Wagner 8, Bonga 7, Obst 7, Theis 2, Lo 0, Giffey 0, Thiemann 0.
Serbia 77 – Avramovic 21, Bogdanovic 17, Petrusev 10, Jovic 9, Marinkovic 9, Guduric 4, Jovic 3, Davidovac 2, Milutinov 2, Dobric 0.
Quarterscores: 23-26; 47-47; 69-57; 83-77
