GER - Bauermann ready for stiff test
NICOSIA (FIBA World Championship) - Germany coach Dirk Bauermann has warned his players to expect a major step up in competition after they arrived in Nicosia for the Love Cyprus Basketball Tournament this weekend. Germany will face Greece, Croatia and Russia as all four teams continue their preparations for the FIBA World Championship. And Bauermann, ...
NICOSIA (FIBA World Championship) - Germany coach Dirk Bauermann has warned his players to expect a major step up in competition after they arrived in Nicosia for the Love Cyprus Basketball Tournament this weekend.
Germany will face Greece, Croatia and Russia as all four teams continue their preparations for the FIBA World Championship.
And Bauermann, who is working with a relatively young squad, expects a firm test of their credentials.
"This is a huge leap for us," he said. "Above all, the defensive quality is enormously higher, and my players will have to work much harder.
"That players here at the tournament in Cyprus are much more talented, better coached and above all more experienced than those we have played so far."
However, Bauermann does not expect any of his squad to shy away from the challenge.
"These games can only make us better," he said. "Every minute is important for young players. I expect us to remain fully committed and to show great determination."
Bauermann has cut Daniel Hain from his squad, taking 13 players to Cyprus.
"Daniel has been training very well and helped us in the first three weeks or preparation," Bauermann said. "Ultimately, it was not quite enough."
Germany squad: Demond Greene, Steffen Hamann, Heiko Schaffartzik, Per Gunther, Lucca Staiger, Philipp Schwethelm, Konrad Wysocki, Robin Benzing, Elias Harris, Jan-Hendrik Jagla, Tim Ohlbrecht, Yassin Idbihi, Tibor Pleisse, Christopher McNaughton.
FIBA