MUNICH (FIBA EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers) -Germany have not missed a FIBA EuroBasket since 1991 and Paul Zipser does not expect that to change for EuroBasket 2017 as the team will enter Group B of the Qualifiers with plenty of confidence.

The Germans have been grouped with the second-best of the second- and fourth-seeded teams Netherlands and Denmark, respectively as well as top third seed Austria.

"I think we will qualify for EuroBasket, we are really confident," said Zipser, who made his senior national team debut last summer at EuroBasket 2015.

Germany have faced both the Netherlands and Austria recently. They beat the Netherlands 59-55 last July ahead of EuroBasket 2015 in a warm-up tournament in Trento, Italy.

The Germans also defeated Austria at the same event, 64-52, after previously knocking off the Austrians twice in qualifying for EuroBasket 2015 - 77-64 in Schwechat and 88-69 in Hagen.

Germany's last encounter with Denmark dates back to a November 1998 friendly - a 102-61 victory in Koblenz.

About Netherlands, Zipser said: "They are a quick and small team. If they get going maybe they could be a problem for us. But I don't think we will have too many problems in our group."

The 21-year-old said Germany really just need to focus on themselves.

"We have a really nice team. The others have to worry about us. We have really nice players and really good coaches and a nice system," the Bayern Munich wing man said.

Zipser had a solid showing last summer at EuroBasket 2015, averaging 5.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. And the tournament did a lot for his confidence.

"The summer helped me a lot. It showed me a lot of things - to myself, not to everybody else. And I got a lot more confidence in myself."

The Heidelberg-native said that confidence has rolled into the German Beko BBL league. He is also coming off a career-high 22 points for Bayern Munich in their Eurocup loss to Dominion Bilbao Basket.

"The team feels that (confidence). I'm practicing good, I'm taking my shots. I'm not caring too much about what happens if I make mistakes. That was a problem before. I'm way more confident in myself now."

Before Germany start the journey to EuroBasket 2017, Zipser will likely have another highlight with the 2016 NBA Draft on June 23. The acclaimed Draft Express currently projects Zipser, who pulled his name out of the 2015 draft, as the number 27 pick in the draft.

"My chances in the draft are way higher than last season, so I made a good move there (pulling his name out). Last season I wasn't ready at all. I wasn't the player I wanted to be.

"That was my main problem. But now I'm ready for the draft. We'll see what will happen in the summer and I'm really excited."

 FIBA