In the third qualifying match for the World Championship to be played in Qatar in 2027, the Croatian men’s basketball team achieved its third victory against current European and world champion Germany with a score of 93:88.
An even first quarter in the very end went to the side of Germany, which scored in the final 37 seconds the series 5-0 and reached +6 (20-26) with a three-pointer by Delowa with the sound of the siren. Dario Saric kept Croatia in the game with his three three-pointers and prevented Germany from escaping to a bigger margin Mario Hezonja with a score of 37:42, connected five points to equalize (42:42). Germany retaliated with two three-pointers that silenced the stands of Dražen’s home, and Hezonja put the point in the first half with a three-pointer for a deficit of four points (46:50).
The first attack of Germany in the continuation of the game Johannes Thiemann ended with a three-pointer in 46:53. Croatia did not faltershe caught the connection and took the lead 56:55 over Hezonja. In the result seesaw until the end of the third period, the Croats pulled away to a lead of three points (73:70). Dominik Mavra and Roko Badzim who closed the first quarter with a three-pointer and opened the last quarter with a +7 (81:74). Led by the great Jack Kayla, the Germans caught up and overtook Croatia and took the lead 83:84.
He played an important role then Jaleen Smith who scored four points and assisted Sarić for a new significant lead (89:84) three and a half minutes before the end. The Germans slowly lost their energy and concentration, and the Croats missed three good opportunities to close the game with that result. What didn’t go in from the game, came from the free throw line. Hezonja increases the lead to 91:84. Germany reduced it to 91:86 and had an attack to get to just one possession behind. Then, with two fantastic defenses, Luka Božić wins two balls, scores two free throws (93:86) and solves the question of the winner. Germany reduced it to 93:88 by the end.
She was this team victory for Croatia in which it is worth highlighting Darija Saric (23 points, 7 rebounds), Marija Hezonju (21 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists), Jallen Smith (15 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists) i Roka Bajima (15 points).
Already on Sunday, March 1, starting at 6 p.m., Croatia will meet Germany again in the 4th round of Group E in Bonn. The third qualifying cycle is scheduled for July, when Tomislav Mijatović’s team will have an away game with Cyprus and a home game with Israel.
Competition system
Qualifications are played through six windows until March 2027. 32 national teams will qualify for the World Cup, of which 12 are European. Croatia is in the first part of the qualification in group E along with German, Israel and By Cyprus.
First three teams from each group will advance to the second round of the European qualifiers, where they will be joined by three other teams from the second group, and all national teams will transfer the results from the first round, which means that each match retains its weight.
In the second round, each national team will play at home and away against three teams from the second group through three more qualifying windows – in August 2026, November 2026 and February 2027. After an additional six matches per national team, the first three teams from each group will qualify for the World Championship, announced HKS.
(www.jabuka.tv | Photo: Igor Kralj/PIXSELL)
