GER - Germany face Serbia in three-game series to prepare for Hamburg

HAMBURG (2010 FIBA U17 World Championship for Men) - After going up against Slovakia's U18 (two wins) and France's U18 (two losses), Germany's U17 team will face Serbia's U17 in three test games as part of their preparations for the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship for Men in Hamburg.

Fran Menz' squad left for Belgrade, Serbia on Friday and will play two games there over the weekend (on Saturday and Sunday with tip-off at 19:30 local time both days).

Serbia is one of the favourites for the tournament in Hamburg this July. Nenad Trunic's team has solid shooters in its ranks, in particular Nenad Miljenovic, who had a tremendous impact for his country at the 2009 European Championship in Lithuania. He averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and handed out 4.7 assists per contest last summer.

In Hamburg, Serbia will meet Egypt, China, Argentina, Lithuania, and the USA in group A.

For Germany, facing Serbia will be a tough challenge on the road to Hamburg. Last year at the EC, Anselm Hartmann and his teammates were humbled by Serbia, 94-65. Over the past year, the German team has worked diligently. The game results against Serbia are thus an important indicator for the progress of the U17 World Championship hosts.

After the two games in Serbia over the weekend, the teams will meet again in the official gym of the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship on 20th June as part of the ING-DiBa Junior Cup, an international tournament for which the field will also include Sweden's U18 and Bosnia's U18.

Germany's squad for the two games in Serbia is as follows:
Paul Albrecht (TuS Jena), Besnik Bekteshi (BSG Ludwigsburg), Fabian Bleck (Phoenix Hagen), Anselm Hartmann (TuS Jena), Stephan Haukohl (TuS Jena), Jakob Krumbeck (TuS Jena), Malik Müller (SG Urspringschule), Josip Peric (ALBA Berlin), Johannes Richter (Franken Hexer), Tim Unterluggauer (TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Nikolaj Vukovic (TuS Jena), and Julius Wolf (SG Urspringschule).

On standby:
Mauricio Marin (IBBA Berlin), David Herwig (ALBA Berlin), Lukas Higgen (Oldenburger TB), Jonathan Malu (SOBA Rhöndorf) und Max Merz (MTV Kronberg).

Bogdan Radosavljevic (without club) is currently injured.

About the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship:
The 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship for Men takes place in Hamburg, Germany in the Sporthalle Hamburg. Tickets and further information are available on the Event Website www.hamburg2010.fiba.com

LOC