Athletes persevere following a challenging match-up on the basketball court

In a tense and challenging match against Portugal, the German basketball team managed to secure a 85-58 victory, advancing to the EuroBasket quarterfinals. The world champions, however, endured a sluggish start, finding themselves down 2:7 early in the game.

Captain Dennis Schröder delivered a brief message to the team following their win, encouraging them to improve and maintain their focus for future matches. Head coach Alan Ibrahimic, who took charge during the group phase in Tampere, acknowledged the team's struggles, stating that missed shots caused them to become nervous and tense.

Assistant coach Alan Ibrahimagic shared coaching duties with Mumbru during the game, as the national team coach returned to the sidelines for the first time since missing the group stage due to an "acute abdomen" he suffered previously. Mumbru, who had lost some weight in recent days but otherwise seemed recovered, sat more often than usual but remained at the sideline to give instructions.

Germany's struggles from beyond the arc were evident in the new environment, as they made only one of 18 three-point attempts in the first half, resulting in being behind at halftime (31:32) for the first time in the tournament. However, the team managed to turn the game around by the end of the first quarter and maintained their comeback throughout the rest of the game, albeit with a lack of brilliance compared to their performances in the group stage.

The victory against Portugal was decisive only in the final quarter, causing some stress for the world champion in Riga for three quarters. Maodo Lo sank the second German three-pointer late in the third quarter, but Germany only led by a single point going into the final quarter (52:51). The last ten minutes of the game remained a tough battle, but Germany's superior quality eventually prevailed.

Schröder and Franz Wagner were the top scorers for Germany with 16 points each. The world champion still appeared tense even after switching sides, indicating the pressure they faced during the match.

In the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Germany will face either Italy or Slovenia, with NBA superstar Luka Doncic. The team will look to regain their form and confidence as they continue their pursuit of the EuroBasket title.