Schroeder sees “a step forward”.

Captain Dennis Schröder sees German basketball players on the right track despite their first defeat in World Cup preparations. “Of course at the end of the last game, the last six or seven minutes were difficult. But we’re still one step ahead,” the 29-year-old said after extra time in Sunday’s 112:113 (101:101, 49:45) Super Cup final win over Canada in Hamburg. .

According to Schroeder, the team could benefit from experience against the physically stronger North Americans considering the World Cup in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. “I don’t think there’s anything more difficult than that. Of course they play hard, they have good defenders, they have good men who play with energy. I think Australia is definitely the same,” he said: “But I think it was good. We needed it. , now we have to look further.”

It was the second clash with the World Cup favorites for the Germans, who beat Canada 86:81 in Berlin last Wednesday. This time they couldn’t contain their NBA stars RJ Barrett (31 points) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25), while Germany held a double-digit lead. “We couldn’t really stop their stars,” said national coach Gordon Herbert, although he praised his team and added: “People can say: you lose. But I say: we learn more from defeats.”

After the Super Cup, the national players will have two days off before traveling to Abu Dhabi for two more friendlies against Greece and USA (August 19/20). The World Cup (until September 10) begins for the Germans on August 25 in Okinawa against hosts Japan. Other opponents in a tough early round group are Australia and Finland. “I’m happy where we are. It’s like ten steps up. We’re really only three or four steps up,” says Herbert.