Basketball EM
Germany vs Spain: These heads are in the spotlight
Germany’s captain Dennis Schröder during the free throw. photo
© Soeren Stache/dpa
Dennis Schröder and Co. have triggered a boom. Free TV is also suddenly included. The semi-final against Spain is broadcast on RTL. You have to pay special attention to some of the protagonists.
The EM turns into the home stretch and Germany’s basketball players are still there. For the first time in 17 years, a medal is at stake.
Before the semifinals against Spain this Friday (8.30 p.m. / RTL and Magentasport), the German Press Agency is focusing on the protagonists who will be in focus in Berlin. Not all of them are on the floor.
Dennis Schroeder
The German captain delivered his best performance of the tournament so far against Greece. The currently clubless NBA professional led his team, staged some of his team-mates spectacularly and was the best thrower with 26 points. The point guard, who has been 29 since Thursday, has been the strong leader of his team throughout the tournament. Now he wants to lead Germany to the final and thus to the first medal since 2005.
Gordon Herbert
The national coach played a huge part in Germany playing for a medal again at this European Championship. The Canadian has managed to form a tight-knit bunch where everyone is there for each other. Herbert grants Schröder and Co. a lot of freedom, but at the same time clearly sets the direction. With his calm manner, he is very well received, and tactically always optimally positions his team. The medal goal he set very early on made the German team self-confident.
Rudy Fernández
The senior in the Spanish team. At 37, he’s seen it all in basketball. In the NBA he played for the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets, and has been under contract with the Spanish top club Real Madrid for ten years. Since the Spaniards lack the big star in the post-Gasol era, Fernandez is all the more important for the world champion. This was also shown in the quarter-finals against Finland, when he prevented the end with important throws in the final phase.
The referees
Everyone agrees. The level at this European Championship is higher than ever before. Superstars like Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic or Giannis Antetokounmpo thrilled the fans in the halls and in front of the televisions, strong collectives like Germany or Spain convince in their own way. The only ones who can’t keep up with the level are the referees. Because of the dispute that has been smoldering for years between the world association Fiba and the privately organized Euroleague, the best referees are not allowed to whistle at the European Championship. The result is many wrong decisions.
Dirk Nowitzki
Germany’s basketball legend follows the games as the EM ambassador in the hall and keeps his fingers crossed for the German team. He will be there again on Friday. The 2011 NBA champion associates very special moments with Spain. In 2001 he showed a gala in third place at the European Championships, but in the end it wasn’t enough to win bronze. In 2005 he scored the decisive points in the semi-final against Spain with a score of 74:73, giving Germany their last medal to date. And in 2015 it was the Spaniards who ended Nowitzki’s national team career with a win in the last group match of the European Championships in Berlin.
Frank Buschman
The voice of German basketball is back. In the quarterfinals against Greece, Buschmann celebrated his comeback as a basketball commentator and accompanied the spectacular game in his typical emotional way. Many love him for it, for some Buschmann’s emotionality goes a little too far. But the fact that the 57-year-old is back at all and also comments on the semifinals against Spain live on RTL shows that the basketball players have triggered a small boom with their successes.