France-Spain is European Championship final: French neck young Poland, Spaniards beat host country Germany | European Basketball Championship

The stadium in Germany was packed for this clash between France and Poland. The Poles had somewhat surprisingly sent Luka Doncic’s Slovenia home in the previous round, but seemed unable to find that high form anymore.

At halftime, it was already 34-18 in debt, but then France pulled out all the way. It made it a 95-54 win. In France there was a lot of opulence with Rudy Gobert, Moustapha Fall and Evan Fournier, but it was Guerschon Yabusele who played the most in the spotlight. dThe 26-year-old forward was the most productive Frenchman with 22 points.

The French last reached the final round at a European Championship in 2013 in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana. In the final, it then defeated Lithuania 80-66. Nine years later, it once again has a chance to win the gold medal.

Spain, world champion in 2019, but in full reconstruction, could count on Lorenzo Brown, naturalized especially for this tournament. With his 29 points he crushed the German final hope.

The Germans led 77-70 in the 4th quarter, but the 14,000 enthusiastic fans in Berlin and the 30 points of point guard Dennis Schröder could not stop a turnaround. Cunningly, Spain prevented another German final, 17 years after the last, when Dirk Nowitzki was still in the game.

Spain is a three-time European champion (2009, 2011 and 2015) and reigning world champion, yet 8 out of 12 players are debutants at a major tournament. The Italian coach Sergio Scariolo therefore provides a real stunt. However, based on his tournament, Germany deserved the final.

Spain, which lost to the Belgian Lions in the group stage, is a 10th time European Championship finalist. In 2011, France and Spain also played the European Championship final, Pau Gasol’s Spain then held Tony Parker’s France to its first international title.