Gordon Herbert, the coach of the German national team, spoke ahead of the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup in which his team is facing Latvia.
The German national team has proven that their bronze medal at EuroBasket 2022 was not a fluke, as they have advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Cup with a perfect record of five wins in five games.
They achieved these four victories without one of their key players, the young star of the Orlando Magic, Franz Wagner.
The 22-year-old forward was injured in the final quarter of the opening game against Japan but has resumed training before the quarterfinal matchup against Latvia.
“He has not had a team practice yet. Tomorrow, we will see what his situation is, and the medical staff will make a decision on Wednesday. We’re taking it day by day.
We need to see how his ankle looks in the morning, whether he can play tomorrow or not, and go from there. It’s a process. He wants to play, but he’s quite frustrated and disappointed that he can’t play,” said Gordon Herbert before the showdown with Latvia.
In Wagner’s absence, other players have had the opportunity to shine, and coach Herbert is particularly pleased with the contributions of Isaac Bonga so far.
“I think Isaac Bonga has stepped up especially. Injuries create opportunities, and he has certainly seized his chance. Another guy who has elevated his game is Dennis [Schroder]. Franz’s injury is really tough, but it has given other players a chance to step up. I hope that when Franz returns, we will be even stronger.”
Next up is Latvia, a team playing brilliant basketball under the guidance of coach Luce Bianchi and has reached the quarterfinals as a debutant in the competition. All of this has happened without their main star, Kristaps Porzingis, and Dairis Bertans, who was ruled out due to injury in the second game of the tournament.
“We didn’t know who we would be playing against last night. They are playing very well, showcasing excellent European basketball skills. They are well-coached and play together. Latvia performed exceptionally well in the qualifiers, defeating strong teams like France and Spain. Hats off to them,” Herbert praised the upcoming opponent.
The quarterfinal match between Germany and Latvia is scheduled for Wednesday.