HAGEN (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) - Germany are relishing the prospect of taking on Georgia and Serbia in the opening round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers. 

The Germans have played Serbia in some enthralling encounters in recent years and will now square off against them twice in Group G. In addition to facing the Georgians and Serbians, Germany will meet a team that makes it out of the Pre-Qualifiers.

Chris Fleming, who coached Germany for the first time in 2015 in Berlin and last year led them to successful qualification for FIBA EuroBasket 2017, said: "In the first place Serbia is, of course, a very well-known and attractive opponent for Germany.

"Georgia also has many good players. It will be important for us to mobilize the best players. We certainly do not have to hide."

In the first qualifying window, Germany will host Georgia on November 24 and then play at the team that makes it through the Pre-Qualifiers.

The initial meeting with Serbia will be in Germany in the second window on February 22 and then three days later, the Germans will play at Georgia.

After another home game against the side that comes through the Pre-Qualifiers at the start of the third window, what could prove to be a pivotal game will take place when Germany play at Serbia on July 2.

"This is not an easy group," German Basketball Federation president Ingo Weiss warned. "Serbia will always be a candidate for medals and Georgia, we will experience facing them this summer (at FIBA EuroBasket 2017)."

In 2010, Germany won their Group Phase encounter against Serbia, 82-81, after two overtimes while at FIBA EuroBasket 2011 in Lithuania, Serbia defeated them 75-64.

The most recent encounter at FIBA EuroBasket 2015 saw Sasa Djordjevic's Eagles scrape a 68-66 victory over Germany in Berlin.

Georgia is a team that has gotten better year after year. They are no pushovers. At FIBA EuroBasket 2015, the team very nearly won its Round of 16 game against Lithuania but fell in a classic, 85-81.

The top three sides will progress to the Second Round and face a trio of teams that come out of Group H, which features Great Britain, Greece, Israel and another country from the Pre-Qualifiers.

Germany, who finished third at the 2002 FIBA Basketball World Cup, have a rich tradition in international basketball. Weiss will be excited to see the current crop of players fight for a spot in the expanded 32-team World Cup.

"Our great, young and talented team deserved to compete with the best in the world," he said. "So I hope for a successful qualification for the World Cup and then for the Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo."

FIBA