Germany's Sabally Sisters Lead Team to Historic Olympic Win, Securing Quarterfinal Berth

Satou Sabally and her sister, Nyara Sabally powered the German women’s national team to a historic win in the Paris Olympics. The two were the top scorers in Germany’s 83-69 win over Belgium in their Olympic opener on Monday. Germany posted its first-ever win in Olympic competition.

Satou played in her first game since she suffered a left shoulder injury while playing for the German national team in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in February. She underwent a procedure on Feb. 20.

Satou had a solid all-around performance, with a team-leading 17 points on 3-of-10 shooting from the floor and making three of seven 3-point shots. She also had six rebounds and two assists. Sabally, an all-star with the Dallas Wings and a former Oregon Ducks’ star, announced she is ready to lead Germany.

A post shared by Satou Sabally (@satou_sabally)

Nyara also had a strong game, scoring 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting with five rebounds before the New York Liberty and former Oregon Ducks’ star – she and Satou were teammates on the Ducks in 2019 and 2020 - had to be helped off the court after a nasty fall in the third quarter.

“There’s concern there, but we have great medical staff and I hope she’ll be okay,” Satou told reporters after the game. “But we have to play like that, that’s just the standard we set ourselves, we have to play at this level.”

Germany will face Japan in their second game on Thursday. Nyara’s status for the game is unknown.

At the rate things have gone, New York Liberty fans probably can't wait for Germany's inaugural run at the Summer Olympics' women's basketball tournament to end.

The Germans, on the other hand, kept rolling on Thursday morning, maintaining a perfect start in their ringed maiden voyage with a 75-64 victory over defending silver medalist Japan. With the win, Germany (2-0) took the lead in Group C and clinched a spot in the knockout round.

Like the opening victory over Belgium, however, Thursday's win did not come without some medical drama involving a seafoam savant: this time it involved breakout rookie Leonie Fiebich, who endured a rolled ankle in a tangle-up with Saori Miyazaki in the middle stages of the second quarter. Germany was already without Fiebich's fellow New Yorker and Deutschlander Nyara Sabally, the victim of Liberty friendly fire the two collided in Monday's tip-off.

Fortunately for Germany ... and Brooklyn ... Fiebich returned for the second half, playing almost the entire final 20 en route to the crucial victory. After ending the first half with ice on the affected ankle Fiebich finished with six points, assists, and rebounds each while also taking away three steals, more than making up for a tough 2-of-8 output from the field, one no doubt brought about by lingering aftershocks of the unintentional encounter with an apologetic Miyazaki.

In any event, Thursday proved to the time to shine for Satou Sabally (Dallas): Nyara's sister scored 19 of the team's 42 points in the opening period and ended with 33 tallies on 11-of-17 shooting. Thos beyond Satou shot 13-of-47 from the field and only reserve Frieda Buhner was in the red at 2-of-3.

Like Fiebich, however, the main attractions found ways to contribute: Luisa Geiselsoder had a double-double with 10 points and rebounds each while Marie Gulich also pulled in 10 boards, accounting for a plus-14 advantage on the glass. The Germans also didn't let up more than 20 points in any period, including just 28 total in the latter duo combined.

Japan (0-2) will now likely play for one of the third-place advancement slots though they face a sizable hole after consecutive double-figure defeats. Maki Takada led the way with 15 points while Rui Machida had nine assists in defeat.

Germany will have a chance to go for a perfect mark in group play when it faces the United States on Sunday (11:15 a.m. ET, USA/Peacock).

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GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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'She's brought a real sense and purpose to our program'

LILLE, France — Lisa Thomaidis was pushed out as head coach of Team Canada’s women’s basketball team after the last Olympic Games.

In retrospect, that was probably a mistake.

Thomaidis has coached 19th ranked Germany to the playoff round of the women’s basketball tournament of the Olympics Games.

Meanwhile, Victor Lapena, who replaced Thomaidis, has coached 5th ranked Canada to one game away from round robin elimination in the Olympic women’s basketball tournament.

Oddly, both Germany’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are coached by Canadians. The undefeated men’s team is headed up by former Raptors assistant coach Gord Herbert, who led Germany to a surprising gold medal at last summer’s FIBA World Cup.

Oddly, both Canadian teams are coached by Spaniards, and so far the Jordi Fernandez coached men’s team are unbeaten in two games.

But the Canadian women have been a grand disappointment here. They lost their second straight game to Australia on Thursday by a 70-65 score that flattered the Canadians.

Team Canada wasn’t really in the game much in the second half. They trailed by 12 with less than two minutes to play. They pushed the score close late, which could help them qualify for the playoff round, but only if they beat Nigeria in their next game since Nigeria lost to France on Thursday.

The Germans, meanwhile, missing their star player Nyara Sabally, beat Japan 75-64 to remain unbeaten. And many of the players, while walking through the mixed zone, credited the turnaround in German basketball to the Canadian coach, Thomaidis.

“She’s been such a large factor for us,” said Satou Sabally, who had 33 points for Germany Thursday. “I don’t think we’re in this position if it wasn’t for her. She’s brought a real sense and purpose to our program.”

Thomaidis, who was ostensibly fired after the Tokyo Olympics, didn’t figure another national team opportunity would come her way after Team Canada said goodbye.

“It’s bizarre how all this happened,” the University of Saskatchewan coach said Thursday. “I got a call when I was on vacation. Would you be interested in coaching the German Olympic team? It didn’t take me long to say yes.”

Lapena, the Team Canada coach, has little clear explanation for why his team seemed ill prepared for their tournament opener against France but played slightly better against a tougher opponent against Australia. Still, when the game got close, Canada had few answers for Australia.

“In these moments, we have to take a breath, and be patient,” said the coach. They may take a breath, be patient, and be out of the Olympics before you know it.

That’s rather heartbreaking for Team Canada captain Natalie Achonwa, in her fourth Olympic Games. She believed this team was ready to compete. It hasn’t necessarily shown that in two loses.

And typical of a veteran, she blamed herself. “You can’t miss four free throws in a tight game,” she said. “I’m better than that.”

The Olympics for this Canadians group is bigger than that, even if it hasn’t looked that way here.

“To know we’re representing Canada,” she said. “We do that regardless of the score, regardless of the outcome. We do that with how we show up and how we continue to show up.

“I know if I leave everything on the floor, if we play like we played today, I’d be proud to look any Canadian in the face and say I represented you well.”

In the loss to Australia, Canada was led by Bridget Carleton with 19 points, which tied the Aussies top scorer, Sami Whitcomb in game high scoring. The Aussies shot 48% from the field way better than the Canadian number of 35%. Kia Nurse, who was second in scoring for Canada, hit on just 3 of 14 shots.

Canada plays Nigeria in its third game on Sunday. That could very well end the Olympics for them and who knows what the future of Lapena as coach would be then, though he’s signed through the 2026 World Cup.

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