Germany beat Serbia 83-77 to win the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup! This was a great game, close throughout most of the action, but Germany played a better second half and took control. Dennis Schröder was big time for Germany, he scored 28 points, including a key drive towards the end that helped seal the win for Deutschland.
Defense Wins World Cups
They say defense wins championships, but it wins World Cups too. Germany held Serbia to 10 points in the third quarter. It was a combination of the German defense and missed shots from Serbia, but in the third the momentum swung in Germany’s favor.
Germany also played their way in the third quarter. Quicker offensive attacks, they drove the ball to score or pass out, these were huge parts to the German victory.
The other standout scorer for Germany was Franz Wagner. He was instrumental for Germany, he scored 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Wagner showed a lot of his offensive repertoire: he hit a three, created his own shot off the dribble, and finished creatively and effectively around the basket.
Serbia Had One Strong Half
Serbia played a fundamentally sound first half. Their pressure on the ball made Germany take longer to score and their offense was more fluid. When the German defensive clamps came out, Serbia lost a lot of what worked for them and looked out of sorts.
Serbia finished the first two quarters better than Germany. While they only were +3 in the last minutes of quarters in the first half, the game was in reach. Germany was tougher than Serbia. Serbia had the talent to defeat Germany, but Germany wanted it more.
Germany Earned It
Germany earned their first FIBA World Cup fair and square. They beat tough teams like Australia, the US, Latvia, and more to take home first place. They’ll be at the Olympics next summer in Paris, and will be a top contender. The Olympics are around the corner! Can the Germans continue their FIBA World Cup performance in 23 and win another gold in 24?!
Cheers to Germany! Well played!