Kolkata: Germany delivered a show for the fans at home as they beat South Korea 94-56 to reach the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup match.
Germany were too much for South Korea in the first quarter as they surged into an early 23-14 lead, taking advantage of a physical style of play that troubled their opponents and effective defence that limited scoring chances.
The hosts’ dominance continued in the second period as Germany added another 23 points to their tally, leading 46-29 at half-time. The European champions’ struggles from beyond the arc continued as they managed just seven three-pointers in 27 attempts.
Germany kept up their intensity in the third quarter and pushed their advantage out to 68-40. Marie Gülich was the standout scorer for Germany, with 19 points, with Frieda Bühner providing valuable support as both were among the hosts’ stand-out performers.
A comfortable fourth quarter followed as Germany got the better of their Asian visitors once again, with every player on the home side getting meaningful court time in a 94-56 victory.
For South Korea, Haeran Lee and Lee-Seul Kang led the scoring effort as they tried to keep their team in the contest. Lee finished with 21 points, while Kang also made an important contribution on the offensive end. Despite their efforts, South Korea struggled to match Germany’s intensity and depth as the hosts pulled away to secure a victory.
The win means Germany are set to appear in the last eight for the first time, with Belgian European champions in their quarter-final. Germany will look to avenge their loss to the Red Lions in the Group stage in front of their fans.
Germany won 94–56 to book their place in the quarter-finals
