Basketball | European Basketball Championship: Belgium shows the DBB team its limits

After the final whistle, admiration almost outweighed disappointment. "Belgium is such a complete team, and their experience and squad depth clearly showed," said national coach Lisa Thomaidis, praising the European Championship favorites after the 59:83 defeat. Winger Emily Bessoir also raved about their opponents after Wednesday evening's quarterfinal exit in Piraeus: "They play beautifully. They find the open player, they defend, and they know each other's strengths. You can see that they've simply been playing together for longer."

A tight-knit team, experience, and a squad that still has plenty of quality coming off the bench. These are the three characteristics that Bessoir and the national coach particularly emphasized for the Belgian women's basketball team: they are what the German women's basketball team was still lacking at this European Championship to make it big . They had held their own against the reigning European champions at the start. In the first quarter, Bessoir and Ko. converted six of their eleven three-point shots. It remained a close game until halftime, with the team trailing by a narrow 36-41 margin.

Messeman too good for Germany

When Belgium increased the pressure after the break, however, Germany had no answer. Basketball icon Emma Messeman sealed the victory with 13 points in the third quarter. The 32-year-old was the standout performer, totaling 30 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks. "Emma did an exceptional job. We were prepared for her to score a lot of points, but she was also a great provider," admitted an impressed Frieda Bühner after the game.

Despite Germany's difficult preparations for the European Championships, the 21-year-old had repeatedly emphasized that, after winning bronze at the 1997 European Championships, they finally wanted to win another medal. That, at least not at this year's EuroBasket, is unlikely to happen. After being eliminated in the quarterfinals at the 2023 European Championships and the Olympic Games in Paris last summer, the German women's basketball team's dreams of a medal ended in the round of eight for the third consecutive year. However, hopes that they could soon reach the semifinals and finals of a major tournament remain justified, given the promising performances so far at the 2025 European Championships.

Potential and a problem

The women's team of the German Basketball Association (DBB) may lack experience, but the German team still has considerable potential for development. The four best players at this EuroBasket are all under 25 years old. Leonie Fiebich (25), Luisa Geiselsöder (25), Emily Bessoir (23), and Frieda Bühner (21) are likely still in their prime. Professional basketball players typically reach their peak at age 27. 17-year-old Clara Bielefeld, an absolute top talent, was able to get her first minutes of action in the national team jersey.

If captain Marie Gülich returns from her cruciate ligament tear in time for the 2026 World Championships on home soil, and the Sabally sisters return to the national team for the World Championships in Berlin as announced, Germany will have a top-class squad across the board. The only problem area that won't resolve itself remains teamwork. With Satou Sabally, who is fully focused on starting with her new WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury, Germany is missing its best player and thus the most important piece of the puzzle in its fight for medals. The DBB women witnessed firsthand how well a team can work together when it has been built around its star player in a similar constellation for years against Belgium.

Fifth place as a new goal

Immediately after Wednesday's defeat, national coach Thomaidis emphasized how important the remaining two placement games at Eurobasket were for her team. "Everything that comes now is a bonus for us. Every day that we have the chance to be together and play together will help us in the future," explained the 52-year-old Canadian. Even without Satou Sabally, her sister Nyara, and captain Gülich, the DBB women should continue to develop. The next opportunity to do so comes on Friday against Turkey. The Turkish team narrowly lost their quarterfinal against Italy 74:76. If Germany wins this match, they will face the winners of the Lithuania-Czech Republic match on Sunday for fifth place.

"The nice thing about the tournament format is that it keeps going, and you have to keep going. Last time at the European Championships, we finished sixth, and we want to top that," Emily Bessoir said on Wednesday evening, setting out the new goal for the final two games – so that the DBB team can once again rave about their performance at this European Championship.