BERLIN — In front of a roaring home crowd at the Berlin Arena, the German women’s basketball team delivered a commanding 94-56 win over South Korea on Tuesday, earning a place in the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup.
Germany’s captain, Marie Gülich, led the effort with 19 points and five rebounds, while teammate Frieda Bühner added 17 points. South Korea’s Lee Hae‑ran was the top scorer for her side with 21 points, but the Korean squad never held a lead, trailing by 17 at halftime.
Home‑court advantage fuels momentum
The enthusiastic Berlin fans provided a palpable boost, cheering every German basket and creating a festive atmosphere with music and dancing after the final buzzer. “It makes a huge difference for us when we’re tired or need an extra push,” said forward Alexis Peterson. “The crowd motivation and support are a big part of home‑court advantage for sure.”
Germany’s resurgence comes after a 30‑point defeat to Spain in their opening group game. The team rebounded with a 74-58 victory over Japan and an 83-58 win against Mali before the dominant performance against South Korea.
Hungary’s parallel success
In the same tournament day, Hungary secured a 84-63 win over Japan, propelled by Réka Lelik’s 23 points and eight rebounds. Virág Takács‑Kiss contributed 17 points and eight rebounds. The Hungarian squad will face four‑time defending champion United States in Thursday’s quarterfinal.
Lelik expressed excitement, noting, “It feels incredible. It’s been 40 years since we went to the quarterfinals and I still can’t believe it.” She added that the team looks forward to competing against the best players in the world.
Injuries and notable moments
The Japan‑Hungary game was marred by a serious injury to Japan’s shooting guard Saki Hayashi, who suffered a likely broken right arm after a fall following a foul by Agnes Torok. Hayashi received immediate medical attention and was escorted off the court with a blue tarp for privacy, drawing applause from the crowd.
Japan’s three‑point shooting was limited to seven makes on Tuesday, after setting a World Cup record with 20 three‑pointers in a previous game—a record later surpassed by France’s 22 on Monday.
Looking ahead
Germany’s next challenge will be against European champion Belgium in the quarterfinals. The team hopes to continue its upward trajectory and prove that the home‑court boost can carry them deeper into the tournament.
All quarterfinal matchups are scheduled for Thursday, with additional games determining the opponents for Spain and France later in the day.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
