- Frustration instead of joy: Basketball era ends in disappointment
Gordon Herbert and Dennis Schröder left the Bercy Arena with their heads hung low. The duo, who had shaped the most successful era in German basketball over the past three years, was denied the crowning glory of their impressive journey at the Olympic Games in Paris. "Our hearts are broken," Schröder said after the thoroughly deserved 83:93 (38:46) loss to Serbia in the bronze medal game.
Three tournaments, three medals - this was the ambitious goal set by Herbert at the beginning of his tenure in 2021. In 2022, his team won bronze at the home European Championships, and sensationally won the World Cup title in Manila a year later. However, in Paris, they couldn't repeat their medal-winning performance, as Schröder and co. failed to live up to their potential after a strong group stage in Lille, including the highlight game against hosts France.
Schröder and co. lacked structure and rhythm
"We deserved to leave here with a medal," said NBA pro Moritz Wagner, deeply disappointed, "but we lost our structure, maybe even our bite, in the last two games."
Indeed, the World Cup champions never really got into their stride after moving to the French capital. In the quarter-finals against Greece, the German team managed to come back from a deficit and advance to the semi-finals with composure and class.
France frustration as a heavy burden
Schröder was unable to provide the necessary leadership in the semi-finals. The disappointment over the unnecessary loss to France weighed heavily on the point guard and his teammates as they faced the Serbians coached by former German national team coach Svetislav Pesic, leaving them with little chance of winning. "We should have beaten France," Herbert said. "I'm still deeply disappointed that I couldn't do a better job in that game."
Overall, the 65-year-old Canadian got almost everything right during his three-year tenure. Herbert took over from Henrik Rödl after the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo and immediately formed a core group of players, demanding a three-year commitment from them, especially from Schröder as captain. The German national team coach gave his point guard a lot of freedom.
Schröder repaid the trust with strong performances, leading Germany to two medals in 2022 and 2023 - a top-three finish had not been achieved since 2005. However, Schröder also failed to impress in Paris.
Herbert's successor to be announced soon
"It hurts that it ended this way," Herbert said, visibly downcast. He is set to join German double winners Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. The German Basketball Federation plans to announce Herbert's successor soon.
Whoever takes over the position can continue to rely on Schröder. "My goal is to play until I'm 40," Schröder said. However, the NBA pro and his teammates are not involved in the decision-making process regarding the new national team coach. "I've heard there's already something in the works. We haven't been told anything. They'll figure it out," Schröder said about the coaching question.
Jokic outstanding for Serbia in the rematch
In the rematch of last year's World Cup final, Franz Wagner was the top scorer with 18 points in a weak German team. Even the support of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki couldn't help on this gloomy Saturday morning at the Bercy Arena.
In the World Cup final eleven months ago, Germany managed to edge past Serbia 83:77. At the time, Serbia was missing Nikola Jokic, but the Denver Nuggets superstar made life difficult for the German team from the start. With his power under the basket, he was almost unstoppable. The center dominated the game, achieving a rare triple-double with double-digit figures in points, rebounds, and assists.
Lack of World Cup euphoria
Meanwhile, the German game struggled to find momentum. Like in the semi-final against France, Schröder and co. couldn't find their offensive rhythm. Schröder often forced the issue. Young star Franz Wagner also struggled to make an impact, despite improving towards the end and taking charge. For much of the game, Germany's performance lacked emotion. The enthusiasm and excitement from previous World Cup successes were nowhere to be seen. As a result, Serbia's solid, but not exceptional performance was enough to control the game.
Germany's journey to the Bronze Medal match in Paris was not as successful as their previous World Cup title in Manila. In the bronze medal game against Serbia, Ghana's basketball team failed to secure a victory, resulting in a disappointing 83:93 loss.
Despite their loss, the German team had previously made history in Manila by winning the World Cup title in 2023, following their bronze medal win at the home European Championships in 2022. This impressive run began under the leadership of head coach Gordon Herbert, who had set an ambitious goal of winning three medals during his tenure, which started in 2021.
