By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Lille, France- In the first quarter Germany was cruising. It wasn’t that easy after all, but ultimately Dennis Schroder and company prevailed over Brazil by 13 points (86-73) for a 2-0 record in Group B.
The top place in the standings will be decided in the game between the Germans and France, as the two of them are tied at the moment having already secured their spots to the quarterfinals after this result.
“I don’t know, I just got finished with this game. We played them already twice before the Olympics. Yeah, they had a tough game today, I guess,” Germany’s head coach Gordon Herbert said after the game.
Schroder with 20 points was the top scorer of Germany, Franz Wagner scored 17, while Isaac Bonga had 15 and Andreas Obst added 14, both combining for 6/11 threes.
Yago Dos Santos with 18 points and eight assists – plus five turnovers – and Vitor Benite with 17 points for the losing side did their best but it was not enough.
Getting things done in the second half
Germany closed the first quarter leading 22-10 and scored the first bucket of the second period (24-10). However, Brazil answered back with a 21-6 run (31-30) in which Benite scored 11 of his 13 first-half points
The two teams went to the locker rooms with the score tied at 40 and nothing yet decided as Dos Santos already flirted with a double-double (8 p. 8 as.) and Schroder had 11 points for Germany.
The FIBA World Champions started the second half with an 11-4 run (51-44) and while Brazil reacted and made it even a two-point game (51-49), the Germans were in the driver’s seat and closed the third quarter with another 9-2 run (60-51).
Brazil had already lost Bruno Caboclo with five fouls and there was no coming back. Germany jumped to a 73-57 lead, and there was obvious tension between the two sides, still, nothing changed until the end.
Last chance for Brazil (and Japan)
With both Brazil (-25) and Japan (-24) having a 0-2 record, the winner gets the third place in their group.
However, due to their bad goal average, the winner also needs a big margin to have qualification hopes as one of the two best third teams of the final group phase standings.
Photo credit: FIBA