On the third consecutive evening of international basketball games in Abu Dhabi, Germany outscored Greece under the lights of the Etihad Arena as part of the ongoing USA Basketball Showcase.
In the fifth game in a series of seven taking place in the UAE capital this week, Germany spearheaded by NBA stars Dennis Schroder, Daniel Theis, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner, sealed a comfortable 84 – 71 victory over Greece. Germany face off against Team USA tonight live on Starzplay.
Providing spectators with a clear insight into what can be expected when the 2023 FIBA World Cup gets under way on August 25, all six teams taking part in this week’s International Basketball Week – Greece and Germany are joined by the USA, Lebanon, Egypt, and Mexico – have brought full strength squads to the capital. All six will head to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan next week in hope of being crowned world champions.
Dennis Schroder and Daniel Theis joint-led the German offense scoring 15 points apiece. Schroder, a 29-year point guard for the Toronto Raptors said: “The game was great, it got a little hectic in the third quarter, but we stuck with it and got the all-important. win. It’s my first time in Abu Dhabi, everything has been great so far, we even got to visit The Grand Mosque which was just an amazing experience – you know, to witness that with the team and understand the history was honestly great.”
Reflecting on his team’s win ahead of the pre-World Cup campaign finale against Team USA tonight, Gordon Herbert, Head Coach – German National Team, said: “We had a little trouble in the second quarter, but I was happy how we came out of it once we got into the rhythm of things. Playing FIBA rules is quite easy for our players as they grew up playing in Europe and then went on to play in the NBA. I expect a lot of fans tonight against USA, it’ll be a good test for us in preparation for next week.”
International Basketball Week and the USA Basketball Showcase highlight the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi’s commitment to reinforcing the capital’s positioning as an international sporting destination for residents and visitors alike. Additionally, the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023, Presented by ADQ, is set to return for a second time in October with the Dallas Mavericks taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves at Etihad Arena.
The final evening of basketball will commence tonight as Team USA, coached by the Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr and featuring NBA All-Stars Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Defensive Player of the Year Jarren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies) and Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic) take on Germany.
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