Though ranked 13 spots lower than world no. 6 Belgium, Germany looked more dominant and composed, especially when its foes found their touch in the homestretch.
There’s Nigeria. And then there’s Olympic debutant Germany.
The women's basketball side of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 now see back-to-back sensational upsets, the latest of which coming as Germany dismantled European champion Belgium, 83-69, on Monday (Philippine time).
Germany's first-ever Olympic win in women's basketball was a nice follow up just hours after Nigeria pulled the rug from under Australia in Group B to claim its first win since Athens 2004.
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Satou Sabally led Germany in scoring with 17 points, on top of six rebounds and two assists.
Leoni Fiebich also put up an all-around performance with 16 points, three rebounds, and five steals for Germany, which took an early 25-11 lead to set the tone for the Group C opener.
Nyara Sabally had 16 points and five rebounds, before sitting out the rest of the match after being on the receiving end of an inadvertent hit from teammate Marie Guelich in a handoff with 1:25 remaining in the third.
Alexis Peterson also played a key role in the historic win, delivering 15 points to go with five rebounds and eight assists.
Though ranked 13 spots lower than world no. 6 Belgium, Germany looked more dominant and composed, especially when its foes found their touch in the homestretch.
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Playing catch-up the entire way, the Belgians showed their wares coming off the break with a furious 11-1 rally that trimmed the deficit the 21-point halftime deficit to 11, 47-36.
But the Germans were quick to restore order, bunching together eight straight points capped by a Nyara basket, 55-36.
Belgium would show signs of life again in the fourth period, where Julie Vanloo finally scored the team’s first triple.
Vanloo, who finished with 18 points, would score three more after that including the booming trey with 43.2 to go that allowed the Belgians to close in, 79-69.
But that proved to be Belgium’s last hurrah as Germany went on to bag the coveted win in a group where Tokyo gold and silver medalists USA and Japan, respectively, compete.
Emma Meesseman paced Belgium with 25 points, two rebounds, five assists, two steals, and the same number of blocks.
Kyara Linskens added 12 points and six boards.