Pic credit FIBA

Germany came into game 2 at the U-16 Euro against Slovenia with the needed extra self confidence having disposed easily of Belgium 82-60. After winning a Bronze medal at the 2025 U-16 Euro, Slovenia began their quest for the next medal with a brutal 93-68 loss to France. Slovenia was hammered on the glass and suffered 27 turnovers while shooting only a dismal 25% from the parking lot. Slovenia obviously needed a win against Germany and Germany had to be careful not to go into the game underestimating the Slovenian side. However a slow start by Germany and an unforgettable third quarter by Germany paved the way for Slovenia winning 93-70. “Congrats to Slovenia. That is a real good team that will surely play for a medal. We began bad into the game with no concentration and weren´t ready to defend. But we fought back and showed moral. We stayed together as a team and fought. But in the end, Slovenia was clearly better, fitter and played with more intensity on defense”, stressed Frankfurt Skyliner JBBL (U-16) head coach Lukas Scherer. Germany began the game with an aggressive mind set on the defensive end getting back to back steals from Elija Pohlack of Alba Berlin and Johan Meinberg of Hamburg that led to easy transition baskets and the early 4-2 advantage. However Slovenia found an offensive groove that was led by 211cm athletic big man Tim Hegic who added 8 points as he really unraveled everything from his trick basket making lay ups, a dunk and pretty hook shot. Tobias Blazic of Avantgard Radovljica added a dunk on transition for the 16-9 lead as Slovenia´s rapid 14-5 run at the 4,11 minute mark led to a Germany time out. Slovenia´s scrappy play led to Germany turnovers as they were reeling to find a smooth offensive rhythm. Germany was unable to capitalize after the timeout as Slovenia heightened their lead to 19-9 following a Zan Terbovc of KK Zlatorog Lasko lay in on transition. Germany had enormous difficulty taking care of the ball as Danny Egbe coughed up the ball that led to free throws by Blazic as the run continued and Slovenia led 21-9. Germany was in an annoying hole in Romania. Germany was far from a rhythm, but at least got on the board again getting free throws from Bonn guard Oliver Papez and Ulm´s Marko Volf to trail 23-12. Germany connected on their first trey from Linus Ohr of Crailsheim, but they couldn´t get consecutive stops allowing Jure Cvelbarof KK Krka Novo Mesto 4 points as Slovenia led 27-15. Head coach Dirk Bauermann who has been known as having good defensive teams couldn´t have been happy with his kids defensive mindset and execution in the first 10 minutes. Germany got a key trey from Mr reliable Oliver Papez at the end, but trailed 29-19 after one quarter. Slovenia shot 69% from the field, but 0% from outside and had 8 boards and 5 turnovers while Germany shot 40% from the field and 33% from outside and had 6 boards and 8 turnovers.

In the second quarter, Germany began continuing to have problems controlling the ball as Egbe and Ohr had turnovers, but Slovenia couldn´t capitalize from it. However Germany was good for a run and finally achieved it with a 8-2 run to trail only 31-27. The turning point was Danny Egbe drawing a foul form behind the 3 line and connecting on all. Ohr added a trey and Volf 2 free throws. Germany defended better and Meinberg swatted away a ball getting that big play feeling to Germany. Slovenia called a timeout and needed a solution to break Germany´s offensive rhythm. But Germany kept the momentum as Linus Ohr made a steal which led to a trey by him and suddenly Germany was back in the game trailing 31-30. After another Slovenia turn over, Marko Volf gave Germany the 32-31 advantage with a pull up jumper. The game was an even affair now and Germany got a clutch trey from FC Bayern Munich player Berin Nurkic, but Slovenia kept the slim 39-35 lead as they also got key production form their bench as Maj Tomsic Vujkovic of GIBB Ilirija Ljubljana added 4 points with a lay in and free throws with 3,19 to play in the first half. But Germany stuck together as Egbe had that clutch moment again and displayed his scoring in bunches with 2 buckets and a free throw to give Germany the 41-39 lead with 2,21 to play. But that flash of brilliance by Egbe didn´t faze Slovenia as they ended the second quarter strong with a 7-2 run to lead 46-43 at the break. Key in the run were lay in´s by Vujkovic and Terbovc and Dos Santos drilled home a key three pointer to end the first half. Slovenia continued to shoot well from the field and 55% and 25% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 9 turnovers while Germany shot 40% from the field and 31% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 12 turnovers. Slovenia did a good job containing Marko Volf to only 6 points on 1/7 shooting.

In the third quarter Slovenia kept their momentum from the last 2 minutes of the second quarter and began with a 8-2 run to lead 54-45. In the run Slovenia received baskets from four different players as Terbovc made a floater, Roman Kolka of Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana made a lay in and Blazic and Vujkovic made free throws. However Germany had an answer for that run with a 5-0 run to trail only 54-49 as Volf was finidng his spots better and made his second basket of the second half and Nurkic answered again with a three pointer. But Germany just couldn´t find an answer to stop Slovenia´s offense as they retaliated with a lethal 11-0 run to lead 65-49. Slovenia had so many weapons as Jure Cvelbar of KK Krka Novo Mesto scored inside and Anze Auer of FC Barcelona made a pull up jumper. Slovenia also remained witty getting to the free throw line as Terbovc and Kolka scored. Germany got some much needed offensive support down the stretch with another Ohr trey and Papez and Meinberg lay in´s, but all in all, their execution wasn´t satisfactory as they trailed 72-57 after 30 minutes to play. “We fought back strong before the break and led and wanted to keep that up in the third quarter. But Slovenia did a good job adding a gear up on defense and made life difficult for us and always kept forcing us to easy turnovers. We also invited them too many easy baskets. We couldn´t match their intensity on the defensive end”, added Luaks Scherer. Slovenia had overpowered Germany in the third quarter and Germany was looking up a steep hill to get out of this hole. Slovenia shot Slovenia shot 55% from the field and 20% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 12 turnovers while Germany shot 38% from the field and 27% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

In the fourth quarter Slovenia did a great job of managing the lead and despite some early solid execution from Germany, then never lost focus, but closed out the game well defending until the end and winning easily 93-70. In the first minutes, Germany got some vital support from Berin Nurkic who added 7 points with a trey, floater and free throws to trail 84-67. Slovenia understood to use their whole bench as Ziga Podgornik of KK Maribor mladi also got into the scoring attack with 5 points including a trey. However Germany never found a clear path on the defensive end and continued to trade buckets with Slovenia as that made it impossible for them to come back. With 4.22to play, time was running out and Germany had simply ran out of gas. They got some added points from Lucas Schmidt of Porsche BBA / BSG Ludwigsburg and free throws from Jaron Braun of Braunschweig, but it was too little to late for team Germany. “We were often a step to slow and not clever enough with drawing fouls. We have to do a better job with the 50/50 balls. We had too little of them today. We will learn from this game and tomorrow against France, it will get a bit harder and it will be a real moral test for the boys”, warned Lukas Scherer. Slovenia had 4 guys score in double figures led by Maj Vujkovic (190-PG-2010) with 16 points while Zan Terbovc added 14 points and Roman Kolka 13 points while Germany was led by Berin Nurkic and Linus Ohr with 12 points a piece. Slovenia shot 53% from the field and 40% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 16 turnovers while Germany shot 36% from the field and 25% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 23 turnovers.