HAMBURG (Germany) - A driving force behind Germany's rise to prominence in recent years, Leonie Fiebich is looking forward to continuing the momentum when her team hunts down more history at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025. The co-hosts are set to be backed by huge and potential sell-out crowds in Hamburg, with fans buoyed by their team's unstoppable upward trajectory.
After attaining their best-ever finish of sixth place at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023 in Ljubljana, they went on to claim a maiden Olympic berth.
Taking to the court at Paris 2024 was a new historical high tide mark and they wasted little time in grabbing their maiden victory and riding their way to the Quarter-Finals in the French capital.
That has only fuelled the hunger to make sure that this summer, they continue to break new ground and that could potentially be in the shape of a podium finish.
We are just a cool group - not just basketball players. As people, we enjoy our time together.
Fiebich stated: "Making the Olympics was a huge thing for us and I feel like we still could have gone further. It's still hurting a little bit, but it's good pain that we can use for the future. "We will take it step by step and approach the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 with the goal of winning a medal." The 25-year-old is also confident that the tight-knit feel within the team will be a factor - as well as what head coach Lisa Thomaidis has brought to the table having joined prior to the 2023 edition.
Both could be big positives as they prepare to face Great Britain, Spain and Sweden in Group D. She said: "We have pretty amazing players from 1 to 15, although not everyone always makes the cut. But we are just a cool group - not just basketball players. As people, we enjoy our time together. "Lisa brought experience for sure, having coached [Canada] at the highest level," continued the Bavarian.
"She gives us the freedom to make decisions and to perform. She provides us with that bit of structure, but not too much." These are certainly exciting times for Fiebich and her teammates - and not least because Germany are not only co-hosting the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025, but have a huge global event in 2026 at the back of their minds too. And, this means important learning to be soaked up both on and off the floor. "This year will also be part of our preparation for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup," smiled Fiebich. "For German basketball it is amazing and also for basketball in general to have such a big tournament in such a cool city like Berlin." But for now, it's strictly Hamburg on the menu.
And after helping Valencia not only make the Semi-Finals of EuroLeague Women for the first time recently, but also landing the Spanish Championship title shortly afterwards, the omens in 2025 certainly look good for Fiebich. FIBA