Team Germany took on Greece in a men's basketball quarterfinal during the 2024 Paris Olympics on Tuesday morning. The matchup featured stout contributors, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way for Greece. Meanwhile, Franz Wagner and Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder led Germany's attack. Germany got off to a slow start but stormed back to beat Greece 76-62, accomplishing a never-seen-before Olympic feat.
Germany's win on Tuesday improved their record to 4-0 and and secured their spot in their first-ever Olympic Final Four, per Reuters.com.
Franz Wagner led the German squad with 18 points and three steals in the historic victory. He provided insight into how the team felt after their accomplishment.
"It means a lot (to be in the semifinals for the first time), I think everybody in the team knows that we have a special group," Wagner said after the game, via Reuters.com.
Wagner was huge for Germany, but Dennis Schroder was just as vital.
Germany opened the quarter with a 10-2 deficit and was behind for most of the first half. However, Schroder nailed a three-pointer coming out of halftime that revitalized his crew and allowed them to steal the game's momentum. The Nets guard finished with 13 points, eight assists, and went 3-for-7 on three-pointers. He helped Germany outlast Giannis Antetokounmpo's game-high 22 points.
Can Dennis Schroder carry momentum from Olympics to Nets?
Schroder was less than a week removed from a 20-point performance in Team Germany's 86-73 win over Brazil. He has been instrumental in his squad's Olympic success thus far. If he can bring that momentum with him to the Nets during Fall training camp, Brooklyn fans will be in for a treat.
Schroder will enter the 2024-25 season as one of the most experienced players on the Nets' roster. If he and Germany obtain hardware in Paris, it will only add to his resume. Schroder can provide much-needed guidance to Brooklyn's young players looking to improve. The 30-year-old comes off a season where he averaged 14.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in time split between the Toronto Raptors and the Nets.
It will be interesting to see how Schroder and Team Germany continue to fare amid elite international competition. Schroders' Olympic stint will reap positives for a Nets team looking to regain their competitive advantage.