EuroBasket Semi-Final Preview: Spain vs. Germany Sets Stage for Berlin Final

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Friday’s EuroBasket semi-final action opens with a fresh, unexpected clash as Spain faces Germany at 20:30, with both teams aiming for a spot in the final in Berlin. Spain enters this game anchored by a strong offense that averages 93.6 points per game, and the mood in the arena will be electric as Germany hosts, seeking to keep the home crowd on their side while pursuing a first final appearance in years.

With the field missing well-known European NBA stars Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the tournament has delivered a compelling mix of national teams. Spain, Germany, Poland, and France—none of them dominated by a single superstar—are chasing gold in a compelling edition of EuroBasket. After the opening semi-final between Poland and France, where sparks flew, Spain will attempt to steal a march on home soil in a game that looked unlikely a fortnight ago when the championship began.

Led by coach Sergio Scariolo, Spain has shown resilience during a period of transition. Despite a roster in flux, the team remains competitive and sits just two wins away from a potential run to the final. A victory over Germany would push Spain toward a seventh European final in 25 years and a chance to secure a seventh consecutive medal at this continental championship run by FIBA.

Before medals are even considered, Spain must test its maturity against a hard-nosed German squad. Germany might have the most efficient set of statistics in the tournament, arguably the best on the day, even if their offense sits at 93.6 points per game and the team ranks high in made threes per contest, boasting a 40 percent rate and 12.9 attempts per game.

The match promises fast, colorful, physical basketball that is difficult to defend. Dennis Schroder leads Germany offensively with 20.6 points and 7.7 assists per game, while Franz Wagner provides a versatile scoring threat on the wing. Theis and Voigtmann anchor the paint with physical, reliable interior play, complementing a lineup that moves the ball fluidly and defends with purpose.

Above the individual names, the German approach centers on team play and dependable offense. That spirit helped the team nearly topple Greece in the quarterfinals when Giannis Antetokounmpo and his colleagues were held in check. In the group stage, Germany finished second in a difficult group, ahead of France and Lithuania, and came in second behind Serbia in another tough pool before Serbia fell to Italy in the round of 16.

Spain, coached by Scariolo, confronts another tough test after neutralizing Finland’s Lauri Markkanen in the quarterfinals and stifling Lithuania’s physical front line in the second round with a 102-94 win. To reach the final, Spain must maintain a strong defensive identity and push the pace at times to keep Germany honest. The team has built a fortress-like defense that has carried them through the early eliminations, and a solid 78.8 points-per-game defensive standard suggests this unit can slow Germany long enough to create opportunities on the other end.

Rudy Fernández anchors the squad as a veteran presence and glue on both ends of the floor, with Willy Hernangómez providing scoring punch around the rim and from midrange. Fernández averages 17.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, while Hernangómez remains a focal point in the paint and on the offensive glass. Lorenzo Brown adds a burst of playmaking and scoring, contributing 7.1 assists per game and 13.4 points per contest.

The Spaniards have shown a remarkable collective spirit, with twelve players contributing across the tournament and seven making their FIBA debuts. Alberto Díaz has been pivotal on defense, and Darío Brizuela has offered a different tempo in offense, while Juancho Hernangómez and Usman Garuba have supplied inside-out versatility crucial to counter Germany’s power in the paint.

The semi-final between Spain and Germany echoes a classic EuroBasket showdown. In the most similar historical matchup, the 2005 semi-final ended with a late, clutch performance that propelled Germany to the final through Dirk Nowitzki’s 27 points in a tight 74-73 win. The present clash offers another narrative—two robust teams with distinct strengths meeting for a place in the last game of the tournament [EFE].

other semi-finals

If Spain advances, they will await the winner of the Poland-France semi-final. Poland surprised many by defeating the reigning European champions in a dramatic quarterfinal, edging Slovenia 90-87 behind Mateusz Ponitka’s 26 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. Ponitka joined a select club as the third player to post a triple-double in the European Championship, a feat previously achieved by Toni Kukoč of Croatia and Andrei Mandache of Romania.

France, led by Rudy Gobert with 14.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, remains a dangerous, ultra-physical unit capable of grinding out results on defense. The Olympic runners-up required extra time to subdue Turkey and Italy in the quarterfinals and reach the final four, underscoring the high level of competition across the field.

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