Ovie Soko and Gareth Murray are returning to the Great Britain team for Saturday’s vital clash with Germany.
The duo, absent in the previous international window when the side defeated Montenegro, have travelled to Podgorica for a EuroBasket qualifier where victory would secure a spot in the 2022 finals.
GB subsequently play France on Monday and must equal, or better, the results of the Montenegrins’ final two group games to advance. All four teams are staying in the same hotel as part of a FIBA-imposed bubble.
“Our mindset is to use the momentum from the last window to go into Montenegro and secure our place at EuroBasket, and that means being at our highest level for our first game,” Nelson told the BBF website. “For now, all the focus is on the first game.
“Getting back to EuroBasket would be huge for us because we are trying to establish ourselves amongst the best in a very competitive European basketball scene. To make it back to the tournament proves that we are heading in the right direction.â€
A second victory over Germany – combined with a France win over Montenegro later on Saturday evening – would seal GB’s progress to the finals without worrying about potential mathematics in the concluding round of games two days later.
“The guys are looking forward to the game after a solid week of camp,” said Steutel. “We’re really proud of how the guys have been locked in, preparing for what we expect to be a battle – a really tough game against a good Germany side.
“We’re excited, we’re aware of the task at hand and we’re at the point now where we’re looking forward to the game. We’re locked in and we go from there.â€
Saturday fixtures: EuroBasket qualifiers, Group G (Podgorica). Germany v Great Britain (4pm), Montenegro v France (6.45).
The games will be streamed in the UK via LiveBasketball.tv.
Current standings: 1. France (3-1), 2. Great Britain (2-2), 3. Montenegro (2-2), 4. Germany (1-3*) (*pre-qualified as co-hosts).
— GB Basketball (@gbbasketball) February 18, 2021
Germany’s squad: Ismet Akpinar (Bahcesehir Istanbul/TUR, 45 appearances), Robin Benzing (Casademont Zaragoza/ESP, 148), Justus Hollatz (Hamburg Towers, 0), Bennet Hundt (Brose Bamberg, 4), Karim Jallow (Braunschweig, 9), Lukas Meisner (Braunschweig, 2), Andreas Obst (Ulm, 25), Kenneth Ogbe (Brose Bamberg, 2), Andreas Seiferth (medi Bayreuth, 51), Christian Sengfelder (Brose Bamberg, 6), Jan-Niklas Wimberg (Chemnitz, 1), Maik Zirbes (Shabab Al Ahli/UAE, 73)
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