Sweden Faces EuroBasket Setback with Loss to Germany, Eyes Crucial Match Against Great Britain
Sweden's basketball team struggles with a loss to Germany in EuroBasket 2025, while they prepare for a must-win match against Great Britain.
Key Points
- • Sweden lost to Germany 105-83 amid key player absences due to illness.
- • The team was disrupted by a false fire alarm the night before the game.
- • Melwin Pantzar was the top scorer for Sweden with 18 points.
- • Sweden faces a crucial match against Great Britain to advance in EuroBasket.
In a challenging start to the EuroBasket 2025 championship, Sweden suffered a substantial defeat against Germany, losing 105-83. This loss was particularly disheartening as key players Pelle Larsson and Simon Birgander were unable to participate due to illness, leaving the team compromised just hours before tip-off. Sweden struggled against the reigning world champions, with the German team quickly establishing a significant lead of 27-17 after the first quarter and extending it to 59-42 by halftime.
Melwin Pantzar emerged as Sweden's standout player, scoring 18 points despite the overwhelming odds. After the match, Ludvig Håkanson commented on the impact of losing their star players, while Viktor Gaddefors emphasized the team's reasonable performance under difficult circumstances.
Adding to the team's challenges, preparations were briefly disrupted by a false fire alarm at their hotel the night before the game, waking players from both Sweden and Germany. The alarm, described as a 'wake-up call' by Germany's assistant coach, compounded an already difficult situation for Sweden, which had also dealt with logistical issues at the airport.
With this defeat, Sweden's path to the knockout stage is in jeopardy. They are now gearing up for a pivotal match against Great Britain, considered the weakest team in their group. A win is critical for maintaining their aspirations to advance, with twelve teams from the group moving on in the tournament. Gaddefors and Håkanson both stressed the importance of this upcoming match, with Håkanson calling it a 'huge and important match.'
Sweden's team doctor remains hopeful that Larsson might recover in time for the game, which is crucial as the team also needs to address their performance issues, such as their poor free throw percentage of 43% in the last match. As Sweden prepares, players are optimistic about their chances against Great Britain, acknowledging that they must come together to put forth their best effort.