Germany beats Japan 74–58 to secure first Women's Basketball World Cup win in Berlin

Turnaround in Berlin

Germany secured its first victory at the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup on Saturday evening, defeating Japan 74–58 in front of 8,367 spectators at a sold-out Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin. The performance came 24 hours after an opening 53–83 defeat against medal contenders Spain. Head coach Olaf Lange reshuffled the starting lineup after starting point guard Alexis Peterson was ruled out due to an acute infection and remained at the team hotel. Britta Daub stepped into the starting five to replace Peterson, while Toronto Tempo forward Nyara Sabally also joined the opening unit. German team captain Marie Gülich addressed the psychological shift required after Friday's heavy loss.

It was also a small wake-up call for us.

Opening run and perimeter control

The German squad opened the game with immediate momentum, taking a 7–2 lead and controlling tempo through physical presence under the basket. Germany mounted a 14–0 scoring run during the opening ten minutes, making five of eight three-point attempts while limiting Japan's perimeter offense to one conversion. Near the end of the opening period, Sabally and Frieda Bühner hit three consecutive shots from behind the arc to build a 28–11 advantage. Germany's men's national team coach Àlex Mumbrú watched from the sidelines as the host nation utilized its height advantage to dominate rebounding. Ahead of the matchup, forward Emily Bessoir outlined the tactical approach to recover from the tournament opener.

We want to attack. We want to come out with energy.

Double-digit scoring leaders

Japan countered Germany's initial surge during the second quarter, deploying aggressive defensive pressure to narrow the gap to 34–29 by halftime. Coach Lange regrouped the squad during the intermission, allowing Germany to re-establish a double-digit margin throughout the third period. Bühner led all German scorers with 19 points, opening the final quarter with a three-pointer that restored a 19-point cushion. Sabally recorded 18 points, Gülich scored 11 points, and Emma Eichmeyer added 10 points to round out four German players in double figures. Team leader Leonie Fiebich had stressed discipline and preparation following the opening setback against Spain.

Regenerate, eat, sleep, and then full focus on Japan.

Group A standings and decisive Monday fixture

Earlier on Saturday, Mali defeated Spain with an 82–73 victory after trailing 32–34 at halftime, marking only the second World Cup win in Mali's history after a 2010 placement round match. Japan had opened its campaign on Friday with a 102–97 win over Mali, setting tournament records with 20 three-point field goals, including nine by Saki Hayashi. The weekend results leave all four nations in Group A tied with identical 1–1 records and three points each. The top team in the group earns direct entry into the quarterfinals, second and third place enter a play-in qualifying round, and fourth place is eliminated. Germany plays Mali on Monday at 17:50 following a scheduled rest day on Sunday.