Germany survived early struggles from deep to eventually pull away from Portugal, securing an 85-58 win in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Round of 16.
The victory marked the return of head coach Alex Mumbru, who was back on the sidelines after recovering from an acute illness that had hospitalized him.
The reigning world champions maintained their perfect record in the tournament and reached the Quarter-Finals for the third consecutive edition.
Turning Point
Germany, the tournament’s top-scoring team at 105.8 points per game, faced an unexpected challenge from Portugal.
Early in the game, the underdogs built leads of 7-2 and later 26-21, with Germany managing just 14 points in the second quarter – the team’s lowest quarter scoring of the tournament.
At halftime, the Germans trailed 32-21, their lowest 20-minute output so far.
Three-point shooting woes plagued Germany throughout the first half, and Portugal kept the game close at 44-43.
Maodo Lo finally converted a three-pointer after Germany had missed 23 consecutive attempts from beyond the arc.
A short 8-point run gave Germany a 52-43 lead, but Portugal closed the third quarter at 52-51. In the fourth, Germany unleashed a 22-3 run, pulling away decisively to end the game 85-58.
TCL Player of the Game
Franz Wagner emerged as Germany’s key contributor despite the team’s offensive struggles. Wagner scored 16 points, added 7 rebounds, and handed out 6 assists, providing energy and stability when it mattered most.
Dennis Schroder contributed 16 points, while Isaac Bonga added 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals. Maodo Lo’s four timely three-pointers accounted for 12 points.
For Portugal, Neemias Queta dominated inside with 18 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to keep his team in contention.
Stats Don’t Lie
Germany entered the game shooting 43 percent from three-point range but converted only 1 of their first 24 attempts. They finished at 6 of 30, just 20 percent, although they made six of seven triples in a brief hot streak.
Bottom Line
The close first half serves as a wake-up call for Germany, a title contender, showing that even top teams can be challenged.
With the win, Germany improved to 5-0 all-time against Portugal, their first encounter since 1997. Next, they will face the winner of Italy vs. Slovenia in the Quarter-Finals.
Portugal, meanwhile, leaves the tournament with pride, having reached the Round of 16 for the first time since 2007.
The national federation can now build on this achievement as it works to qualify for future major international competitions.
Germany 🇩🇪 takes over in the 2nd half and clinches their Quarter-Finals spot! ✅#EuroBasket
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) September 6, 2025
