Not only has summer found a small crack through the back door in Germany with the weather heating up the deprived country this weekend the same way 100 meter lightening bolt Usain Bolt does the fans with his pre race facial expressions, but 2013 European championships qualifications got revved up this weekend in Hagen with 1993 Euro winner Germany facing off against tiny neighbor Luxemburg. With Germany having posted a stellar 7-2 record this summer in friendlies, the exuberant crew of head coach Svetislav Pesic didn´t leave any of their past success this summer lost in Turkey or Bamberg, but were as focused as new New Orleans Hornet Brian Roberts always was on the court for Bamberg, Lionel Messi finally was in the second half of the 3-1 win against Germany this week where he scored one goal, but could of scored three or American gold medalist James Harden who has engraved the fear the beard phrase forever on the court as Germany trounced Luxemburg 101-53 winning their first game in the European qualifications for the Euro 2013. “We came into this game wanting to give everything we had. They weren´t easy to play as they were very small and quick. Our goal was to go inside to our big men which also opened it up for our three point shooters”, stressed ex Telekom Baskets Bonn forward Tim Ohlbrecht. Despite the big loss, Luxemburg players exited the dressing room after the loss in awe, but understood why they had lost this game. “This was a great experience for me. I have never had the chance to play against a team like this on the pro level. I think if this game would only have had three quarters, we would have been in the game. If we hadn´t had that awful first quarter of 0/7 shooting from outside, we would have had a chance. We were also too short to handle their big men”, stressed Luxemburg guard Christopher Jones. Not only was Luxemburg in awe after, but so was new Phoenix Hagen American Abe Lodwick who saw his first international game in Germany. “Luxemburg played out their hearts, but Germany was simply too talented and athletic. I liked the atmosphere. It is a small arena so the sound stays loud”, commented Abe Lodwick.

Despite the beach like humidity in the Enervie arena, where the only thing missing was Felix the Thunderbird mascot uncovering a hammock and ordering margaritas, the German national team didn´t really let any of the scorching heat disturb their play as they were able to manhandle Luxemburg as if they were on the north pole. For the 2,566 fans that had bought a ticket getting used to the sauna like conditions was difficult since they had been deprived of the summer with cooler temperatures this year, but the German players were used to it already. “It is hard to play in these temperatures and be aggressive, but we were used to these temperatures in Turkey”, stressed Tim Ohlbrecht. For 2010 NBA draft pick Tibor Pleiss, he will have to get used to these temperatures when he plays in the ACB this season for Caja Laboral. “They better have air conditioning there, or I will have to drink a whole pool before the game”, joked Tibor Pleiss. “It was so hot today, I could hop around the corner and jump in the Ischland pool”, laughed ratiopharm Ulm point guard Per Guenther. For Luxemburg player Christopher Jones who led his team in scoring with 19 points, he could of pulled a James Harden with his own theme with Fear the heat. “It was like a sauna and you lost energy fast, so you had to drink a lot. We weren´t used to playing in this type of heat. When it is this warm, you really need to get back to resources and play with routine. After this game, I wish I could be at the beach IN Belgium where I have family”, said Christopher Jones. “This heat was crazy. This was the hottest I have played in Europe this year. The heat makes it even tougher to play Germany in conditions like this”, said Luxemburg player Jairo Ferreira.

Even though Germany and Luxemburg are neighbors, both teams hadn´t played against each other since 1976 where Germany prevailed 69-50. Germany also wanted to make amends for their negative record in Hagen of 10-15 going into this game. In the first five minutes both teams were at even eyelevel even though it took Germany more time to find their rhythm. Per Guenther got Germany on the board first with a three pointer, but Luxemburg quickly showed that they weren´t timid as Raul Birenbaum and ex TBB Trier forward Sammy Picard scored in the lane as Luxemburg led 4-3. Both teams kept exchanging leads as they were still feeling each other out. Ex Brose Baskets Bamberg giant Tibor PLeiss made a tip in and Pit Koster some how scored over 215cm Tibor Pleiss with his 182cm as Luxemburg led again 6-5. FC Bayern Munich forward Jan Jagla made two free throws giving Germany the 7-6 lead, but it was Samy Picard again who played 52 Beko BBL games scoring over Jagla as Germany trailed 8-7. However then as is so often the case in basketball, one team kept scoring while the other didn´t as Germany ended the first quarter with a 18-2 run to lead 25-10. Germany was very versatile in their scoring any which way and their only mistake was when Jones stole a ball out of the hands of Per Guenther. Germany got needed production from Guenther and Jagla inside and a three pointer from Robin Benzing as Germany led 14-10. Luxemburg kept attacking with their run and gun, but were missing everything and Germany played heads up defense as Benzing made a monster block on Alexandre Rodenbourg. Ex TBB Trier center Maik Zirbes nailed a mid distance jumper, Tim Ohlbrecht made a tip in and Benzing ended the quarter with a bomb from downtown. “I thought that Germany took Luxemburg a bit lightly at the start. Luxemburg was playing well. Germany wasn´t 100% in the game and were giving up too many easy offensive rebounds. Germany was taking too many three pointers. Germany then found their rhythm and Picard and Schumacher didn´t hit their shots”, expressed eurobasket.com basketball expert Daniel Poerschke. Germany was shooting 47% from the field and 37% from outside while Luxemburg was shooting 26% from the field and 0% from outside. Germany led the rebounding easily 17-8 and both teams had four turnovers a piece.

The scoring rampage continued in the second quarter as Germany scooted out of the block with a 9-1 run to lead 34-11. Germany was subbing in and out and everyone was getting playing time. Maik Zirbes who looked like a monster compared to the Luxemburg players who seemed lost and out of place with their smaller bodies made a tip in off an offensive rebound. Bastian Doreth played with a lot of high intensity and is always putting the opponent under pressure hit a jumper and more big men did damage for Germany as Ohlbrecht made a tip in after his third try and Pleiss made a mid distance jumper as Germany led 34-11. From this stand point Luxemburg played a lot better mixing up their style with a healthy inside out game closing out the second quarter with a 16-11 run, but still trailed 45-27. Luxemburg went on a mini 5-0 run as Ferreira hit a three pointer and Schumacher scored inside with hard penetration as Germany led 34-16. Lucca Staiger stalled the Luxemburg run somewhat with a jumper, but Jones scored on penetration as Germany led 36-18. Staiger was hot and showed his scoring touch as netting 106 points in a youth game when he was 16 was no fluke nailed a step back 6 meter jumper from downtown Hagen. Luxemburg tried to keep pace with a Jones and Ferreira buckets, but Germany simply had too much fire power as Pleiss scored inside and Jan Jagla hit a pretty fade away jumper as Germany led 43-25. Jagla and Pablo Genevo whos dad palyed Davis Cup tennis for Luxemburg traded baskets at the end of the second quarter. Germany still led comfortably 45-27. “Germany kept their rhythm despite that little Luxemburg run, but Pesic took two timeouts to correct some things. Germany rebounded better, but it is very hard for Luxemburg to defend with all these mismatches”, stressed Daniel Poerschke. Germany was shooting 45% from the field and 31% from the three point line, while Luxemburg was shooting 34% from the field and 8,3% from the three point line. Germany had the commanding 28-15 rebound advantage and both teams had 8 turnovers.

If fans thought that the game was over at halftime, they were in for a big surprise as Luxemburg still had some kick in their tanks. Tom Schumacher started off the second half with a three point blast which was quickly answered from Heiko “I can hit from anywhere Schaffartzik in the corner as Germany led 50-30. Picard then flew by Pleiss who was still looking for something as he scored on a lay up. Benzing then scored again as Germany continued to keep the nice lead 52-32. One could say Luxemburg then went on a 11-3 run to cut the lead down too only 55-43, but better was the Christopher Jones show as he socred all 11 points. He nailed three three pointers and made two free throws. “Jones usually plays like that. He is a streaky scorer, but when he gets going , it is hard to stop him. His 11 points kept us in the game”, added Jairo Ferreira. “I guess you can say I was in the zone. I got hot. My 11 points was a team effort. My teammates had trust in my shot”, said Christopher Jones. Howver that was as close as Luxemburg would get as Germany closed out the third quarter with 15-5 run to lead 70-48. With the hot temperature, it was evident that Luxemburg was getting tired. Germany also had an easier time to read their run and gun game as they had no inside game. Germany hit three three pointers in this run from Per Guenther who hit a in your face Schwarz jumper, Philipp Schwethelm and Kartsen Tadda also hit. “We played too relaxed in their comeback. We ended the quarter with more concentration. We mixed up our game more which helped”, added Tim Ohlbrecht. “They played zone and we couldn´t hit our shots at the end of the quarter. It was easier for them to guard our perimeter play and we had problems moving the ball”, stressed Jairo Ferreira.

The fourth quarter was a walk in the parka s Germany closed out the game with a nasty31-5 quarter. Germany kept punishing Luxemburg inside as the lob pass proved to be very effective as Ohlbrecht scored twice inside and Zirbes also did thanks to an Ohlbrecht feed. Staiger and Doreth also hit jumpers as Germany had the overwhelming 84-53 lead. Germany then ended the game with a 17-0 run. The only thing challenging the German team and fans was the question as to wheather Germany could crack the 100 point mark. Germany kept supplying the fans with a smorgasboard of beautiful offensive plays. Benzing found some daylight from the wing and nailed a two handed dunk which was followed by back to back three pointers from Staiger and Schwethelm as Germany led 96-53. With a minute too go, Germany continued to keep their defensive pressure on par forcing turnovers and extended chnaces of hitting the 100 mark. Ohlbrecht then fed Pleiss with a lob pass that the German stuffed home. Germany then had the last possession and Tim Ohlbrecht finished off the game with a rare three pointer. “I was very happy to make that shot. I didn´t have too many chances last season to take the three pointer”, smiled Tim Ohlbrecht. “This was a tough game. We were in the game for three quarters, but then just broke down. Germany played at a high level for 40 minutes”, added Jairo Ferriera. “We played better in the second half on offense and defense. We boxed out better under the basket”, commented Tom Ohlbrecht.

Germany was led by Robin Benzing with 17 points. Maik Zirbes, Tim Ohlbrecht and Maik Zirbes chipped in with 12 points a piece. Per Guenther and Tibor Pleiss added 10 points a piece. Luxemburg was led by Christopher Jones with 19 points. Tom Schumacher contributed 12 points. Germany shot 48% from the field and 44% from the three point line, while Luxemburg struggled all night shooting 32% from the field and 21% from the three point line. Germany dominated the boards 51-27. Germany had 17 turnovers and Luxemburg 21. Germany allowed only 53 points and will need to keep up their physical presence in the next games on defense. “Germany isn´t scared to be physical. Sometimes they give an elbow and that is something that the opponent needs to live with. This was the toughest defense that I have encountered”, stressed Christopher Jones. Germany has to forget this game and focus on Bulgaria who they meet Tuesday in Sofia. “Bulgaria will be more an exciting game. They play at a total different level. We will have to rebound well and keep that healthy balance of inside out”, warned Tim Ohlbrecht.