04.06.2011

Romania Top Germany To Stay Alive

Maria Pascalau had 14 points and 5 rebounds for Romania in the win over Germany

There is everything to play for in Group B of the EuroBasket Women Additional Qualifying Tournament after Romania beat Germany 65-59 to leave three teams tied with 1-1 records at the top of the standings.

Romania raced into a 20-5 lead and, although Germany rallied to close the gap, never relinquished it as they bounced back from an opening 77-64 defeat to Serbia.

Gabriela Marginean scored 21 points and pulled down six rebounds while Maria Pascalau added 14 points and Ancuta Stoenescu had 10 for the victors.

Romania came racing out of the blocks, and took a stranglehold on the game as Pascalau scored nine in a 14-0 run that had them 20-5 up midway through the first period.

Germany rallied in the second stanza, and Romy Bär's jump-shot early on had the gap back to four, 25-21.

However, they could get no closer and they went into the locker rooms at half-time down by five, 35-30.

Germany twice got within three points in the third period, but big shots from Stoenesco and Marginean kept Romania in the clear.

The Germans would not go away, and trailed by only four, 63-59 after Anne Breitreiner's three with 19 seconds left.

Paula Ciocan split a pair of free throws for Romania but Dorothea Richter missed a jump-shot for Germany.

Precious seconds ticked away before Marginean was fouled, and when she split her free throws, it was enough to seal the win.

Richter led Germany with 18 points while Bär had 17 and 10 rebounds. Sarah Austmann also scored in double figures with 10 points.

The result leaves both teams tied with Serbia at 1-1, while Italy are 1-0 and Belgium 0-1.

04.06.2011

Quotes Romania vs. Germany

Romania Head Coach Nolan Stacey Tremayne:
"Congratulations to the team of Germany because they played a very good game tonight. For us it is a very important victory after the first defeat and I'm satisfied. We played very well in the first half, in the second the girls were very tired but they didn't leave the game. We played faster and close, our intensity has grown compared with yesterday and so we won."

Romania Player Gabriela Marginean:
"It was a tough game against a good team. We were very tired and it was difficult playing in a gym so hot, anyway we never gave up. We played as a team and now we feel more in ourselves."

Germany Head Coach Bastian Wernthaler:
"We had difficult games and I'm upset. We started very bad and our opponents had an important size advantage over us. We can't play always on a high level because we are a good but young team. We also had to work a lot to improve our defense and play really as a group. Romania deserved to win tonight. "

Germany Player Romy Bär: 

"We are disappointed because we didn't play good basketball. According to the statistics the shooting percentage was low, we lost lots of balls and we failed to make the right decisions on the ground. We have great potential but we have to be more focused in the next game."