Sports writing, June 22 (EFE).- Spain signed this Thursday against Germany in the Eurobasket quarterfinals its best and most choral meeting in the tournament and, with great defensive work, achieved a 67-42 victory that qualifies it for a semifinal in which Hungary will be measured, but which also ensures a place for the pre-Olympic, the first step to play the Paris 2024 Games.
The Spanish team will play the pass to the final with Hungary on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. at the Stožice Arena in Ljubljana (Slovenia).
The defense of Spain and the nerves to return to this match after more than a quarter of a century gripped Germany, also more tired from having played the round of 16 that their rival got rid of.
It took Miguel Méndez’s team a couple of minutes to find the formula but when, led by Maite Cazorla, they saw that the direct block and the continuation were worth it against an ineffective substitution defense, they launched themselves to open a gap on the scoreboard (13-2 , m.7).
The German team toughened up its defense to gain time, but a distant three-pointer by Laura Quevedo and a basket almost on the horn by Cristina Ouviña made Spain close the first quarter with the game on track (20-7).
The German zonal defensive adjustment bogged Spain down, but his tenacity at the back, both on the ball and on Marie Gülich, and some isolated action by Quevedo and Paula Ginzo allowed him to get through that bad time, while Méndez balanced his minutes.
Later, the push from Queralt Casas on both sides of the track gave him a little boost before reaching the break with the clash under control (33-16, m.20).
The break refreshed Cazorla and Spain and once again gripped Germany, something that resulted in an initial run of 14-2 that sealed the game despite the fact that when Canadian Lisa Thomaidis called for a time-out to stop that dynamic there were still fourteen left. minutes (47-18, m.24).
Ouviña, Quevedo, Leo Rodríguez and Paula Ginzo provided energy and freshness in the relay (60-30, m.30). But, despite the tranquility shown by the scoreboard, Méndez, who reserved Silvia Domínguez and also María Conde, who lost her left shoulder against Greece, did not allow hers to relax and barely gave a minute to the young Lola Pendande.