Two sisters make Germany dream
Nyara and Satou Sabally's first two appearances together for the German national basketball team whet the appetite for more. The sisters will be crucial if they are to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time this spring.
Autograph here, selfie there - after her somewhat bumpy comeback, Satou Sabally soaked up the love of the many German fans like a sponge. "I saw the joy on their faces, even though I didn't have the best game. It really makes my heart beat faster," said Germany's best female basketball player after the national team's 53:70 defeat in the (sportingly insignificant) European Championship qualifier against Italy. She described the moments in Hamburg as "very special" and "very unique".
After four years, Sabally is back in the national team - and with her the hope of great success. However, three days after the relaxed 85:41 win over the Czech Republic, the DBB team suffered a noticeable setback on Sunday. In the last endurance test before the all-important Olympic qualifying tournament in February, the team of national coach Lisa Thomaidis still had plenty of room for improvement.
"You have to clean up a few things," said Sabally, the exceptional player from the WNBA, who immediately became Germany's top scorer with 21 points (Czech Republic) and 11 (Italy). The talent in the team is undoubtedly there, "but we still have to come together more". In general, however, the Berlin native said that "we can go into February with confidence. We have great prospects."
"We'll pull it off in February"
Nyara Sabally, Satou's sister who is two years younger, is also part of this perspective. She celebrated her international debut for Germany last week and hinted at her huge potential with 17 and 12 points in the eagerly awaited first Sister Act. The situation with the women is similar to that of the German men, where the brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner have played a decisive role in their success.
"It takes a bit of time when two new players join and they are also in the top five," said Nyara Sabally, but was confident despite the obvious coordination problems: "We just have to keep going. The chemistry will come. We're all good basketball players, it will come together at some point."
There's not much time left. The qualifying tournament in Belem, Brazil, takes place from February 8 to 11. In a difficult group of four with the hosts, Serbia and Australia, at least third place is a must. "The dream is huge," said Nyara Sabally. She rated her chances of making it to Paris next summer as "very realistic". "I believe in every single person in our team that we can do it in February. And that is also the goal. We're going there with our heads up - and we'll get there."
In the coming weeks, however, the German team will only come together via Zoom meetings. The players are now back at their clubs. For Satou Sabally, the next adventure began on Monday: After her brief stopover with the national team, the Dallas Wings star went to China for her next engagement with the Shandong Six Stars.
The sisters, Nyara and Satou Sabally, will aim to contribute significantly if Germany hopes to compete in the Olympic Games' basketball event for the first time this spring. During an international match, the success of the German team hinges on their ability to work together and showcase their collective basketball skills.
Source: www.ntv.de
