Pic credit: FIBA

It was one more game for fifth place a do or die game for Germany, a game they wanted to win for their coach Dirk Bauermann as it was his last game for Germany, but also for themselves to give themselves real satisfaction for weeks and weeks of hard work that they had invested. However they knew that it wouldn´t be a cake walk against Greece who were also dreaming of a fifth place finish. Greece had a 3-3 record coming into the game and had beaten Slovenia earlier in the tournament and played eventual champion Latvia tough despite losing. Germany had finished fifth twice before at the Euro in 2012 and 2023 and did a third time beating Greece 85-77. It was a real battle as Germany led for the most part except for a short stint in the second quarter where Greece led. Germany mostly had the lead, but could never fully get away from Greece as they let them hang around, but in crunch-time Germany had the better nerves and execution to seal the big win. “We wanted to end the tournament with a win and reward ourselves. The guys did that impressively. Greece is a big basketball nation and to win 7 games in 9 days isn´t easy. We once again invested a lot being able to defend at a high level and moved the ball well on offense and played as a team. We deserved to win and had the best result for a German U.16 team with fifth place”, stressed Frankfurt Skyliners U-16 head coach Lukas Scherer. Just like against the game against Romania a day earlier, Germany set the tone right form the tip off gaining the early momentum and snuck out on a rapid 11-2 lead. In the run, Germany spread the love around instantly as all 5 players scored. Elija Pohlack of Alba Berlin began with a pull up jumper, followed by a Danny Egbe (197-G-2010) (Hamburg) lay in, Johan Meinberg of Hamburg added 3 points as his forceful play inside flourished again, Marko Volf connected on a free throw while Oliver Papez had his usual calmness stroking home a trey. Defensively Germany found a defensive rhythm quickly forcing 2 turnovers with aggressive on ball defensive while Meinberg was a rock inside. But that basketball is a game of runs was proved once again as Greece shocked Germany with 7 unanswered points from 204cm forward Ioannis Spanos of the DEKA U18 team. He exposed his fine game with 2 drives and a pretty floater as Germany couldn´t handle him well. Suddenly Greece trailed only 11-9 with 4,00 minutes to play. Both teams punched back as Germany began with a 5-0 run to lead 16-9 as Papez was Mr reliable again with a trey and Egbe followed with a drive lay in. Greece countered again following with a 6-0 run as Angelos Sasloglou hit a trey and Haralambos Christodoulou of Olympiacos Piraeus took advantage of a Germany turnover with a transition bucket to trail 16-15. Jaroslaw Zinn of Frankfurt added a lay in to give Germany the 18-15 advantage after 10 minutes. It was a usual first quarter where both teams had had runs and both were at eye level.

In the second quarter both teams raised their scoring another notch combining for 48 points, but Germany had the slight edge 44-39 at half-time. Greece fought hard and had the lead twice in the first 5 minutes of the second quarter and began with a slick 8-2 run to lead 23-20. Andreas Barlos who logged 32 minutes off the bench added 5 points including a trey while Angelos Sasloglou added 3 points in the run. Greece was aggressive at both ends and capitalized on 1 Germany turnover. However Germany didn´t let that Greece burst of energy detour their game as they stayed calm and added 7 points to lead 27-25. Johan Meinberg showed his scoring in bunches again with 4 points in the paint while Pohlack erased his turnover earlier with a three point shot. It was a game where both teams were fighting for that fifth place status. Greece was a real hard cookie to crack as they just kept bouncing back and executing and retained the lead once more at 25-24, but after that Germany got the lead back at 33-31 as Egbe continued to find his three point range and Ulm´s Marko Volf used his massive quickness to always find ways to score easily with his drive. Yorgos Monama made a lay in, Stavros Kapsalis a lay in and Eleftherios Adamopoulos a lay in. Greece attacked the German zone fiercely and kept finding cracks and their execution was spot on to stay close. Germany wouldn´t trail again as they closed out the second quarter with the upperhand controlling the lead. Volf continued to dazzle with his pretty game making a floater while Meinberg continued to be unstoppable making a drive lay in for the 37-31 advantage. Greece always had answers to stay on Germany´s tail as Athanasios Spanoulis the son of Greek legend Vassilis made a trey to trail 37-34. However Germany had no offensive let downs, but always had an answer when Greece threatened. Papez made a pretty reverse lay up while Egbe like in so many other games had the hot hand and nerves dropping another trey as Germany had the slight 5 point lead at the break.

Greece won the third quarter 21-20, but couldn´t get over the hump as Germany stayed strong never relinquishing the lead as they led 64-60 after 30 minutes. Germany got instant support and energy from Danny Egbe to start the second half as he made a lay in and offensive rebound and putback. He was such an instrumental force in these last 2 games as he had 42 points in the last being so vital for the German success. “Danny had a lot of ups and downs this summer. But he never hung his head and showed a lot of moral and was rewarded. The last games showed just how good he is and how much potential he has. Everyone knows he can score, but vital was that he can be an impact and dominate at both ends of the court. He showed that and helped us. But everyone is a part of the success, even the 13th and 14th players and 15th who didn´t make the cut this summer. This team was so good and so close together and were the reason why we were so successful”, warned Lukas Scherer. Greece kept attacking and fighting and got close again with a Haralambos Christodoulou lay in to trail 48-45. Two Marios Karavasilis free throws brought Greece to 50-49, but Germany always had an answer as Justus Reintjes who had been quiet this game connected on a trey and Meinberg scored inside again as Germany led 57-49. Germany continued pouring on the offensive power as Lino Ohr of the HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim scored 4 points for Germany to lead 64-54 as it seemed like Germany was going to pull away. But Greece stayed alert and strong and ended the third quarter with a 6-0 run to trail only by 4 points. Andreas Barlos made a lay in and Athanasios Spanoulis hit another clutch trey to keep Greece close.

It was a nail bitter of a game and 10 minutes left and now it was all about who wanted it more. head coach Dirk Bauermann had the correct words before the start of the fourth quarter as his boys jumped all over Greece with a lethal 9-2 run to lead 73-62 and Germany would never look back even if Greece would get dangerously close one more time to trail only by 3 points down the stretch. In the run, Germany again showed their penetration strength getting lay in´s from Volf, Meinberg and Reintjes while Egbe again hit a big trey as he shot 75% from down town in the game. Any other team could of laid down and died, but not Greece as they never stopped fighting. They got key baskets from Spanos and Monama to trail 75-69 and stay on Germany´s heels with 5,16 to play. But Germany continued to be efficient and again had an answer as Schenk scored in the paint and Germany led 77-69. Crunch-time was arriving and Greece gave their last bit of energy as Monama added 5 points including a trey as Greece trailed only 77-74 with 2,37 to play. Germany missed 2 free throws and might have showed a few nerves in this phase. Greece were extra alert on the boards with an offensive rebound and defended for the whole shot clock. Germany then got 4 free throws in a row with 3 from Egbe and 1 from Meinberg for the 81-74 advantage with 1,06 to play. Barlos then hit a clutch trey for Greece to trail 81-77 with 52 seconds to play. Germany then stayed cool and got Ohr free throws and a Schenk transition basket to close out the win and 5th place finish. “Our crunch time results had distinguished us the whole tournament. We always stuck together and kept going and defended well at the end as a team. It is great that the guys could reward themselves for their performance and go home with a win”, stated Lukas Scherer. Germany was led by Danny Egbe with 22 points and Johan Meinberg had 14 points while Greece was led by Ioannis Spanos with 16 points and Andreas Barlos had 13 points. Germany shot 46% from the field and 35% from outside and had 45 rebounds and 17 turnovers. Greece shot 36% from the field and 30% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 15 turnovers. Dirk Bauermann ended his time as German U-16 coach and now heads to Greece to coach club basketball again. Did he get a shower in the dressing room? “Coach let Linus Ohr give him the shower who decided the game at the end with 2 important free throws. But he already had gotten a shower from one or the another guys before that. Of course everyone will say their farewells to coach in one way or the other. One can´t say enough how thankful we all are for how much he has done for the German basketball. I´m also really grateful that I could work with him the last 4 years. We all wish him the best in Patras”, said Lukas Scherer.