GB WOMEN VS GERMANY MATCH-UP

An exciting Subway® Summer Slam clash between Great Britain and Germany was abandoned after three quarters at the CopperBox Arena on Sunday due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

The score at the time was 54-43 to Germany. Holly Winterburn led GB with 13 points.

It was a youthful side that featured eight debutants with an average age of 23 against their more experienced counterparts who boast WNBA experience in Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich

Sabally led Olympics-bound Germany with 12 points.

Despite hustle in abundance and quick ball movement, Great Britain crucially struggled from the floor, particularly from deep, missing their first eight attempts.

Meanwhile, Germany was doing a lot of damage inside, alongside getting a lot of second-chance opportunities, resulting in trips to the foul line.

Buckets from Winterburn and Harriet Ottewill-Soulsby occasionally reduced the deficit to single figures, but the Germans’ efficiency inside was solid.

There was a glimmer of hope for the hosts on the first-quarter buzzer. Shauna Harrison hit GB’s first triple on their tenth attempt, but they trailed 25-13 after one.

It looked more of the same at the start of the second as Germany showcased their prowess inside, with Emily Bessoir and Lina Sontag getting scores. However, Winterburn brought her scoring touch with a much-needed triple.

But it was a familiar tale that whenever GB mustered a good spell, Germany would respond with a couple of scores.

But despite trailing by as many as 17 points in the second, Claire Paxton hit a long jumper, and Winterburn led by example by dancing her way to the hoop to narrow matters to 37-24 at the break.

Great Britain started the third brightly, executing sharper than how they started the first quarter, Winterburn connected from deep and inside, they showed confidence going inside with trips to the foul line their reward.

Defensively, GB forced three German turnovers in less than three minutes and reduced their second chance opportunities.

This turned into Germany’s cushion deflating rapidly as Winterburn connected from the wing to reduce the deficit to 37-32 with four minutes played in the third.

The atmosphere was intensifying and the roof of the CopperBox came unglued when Harrison buried a triple from the corner to make it a one possession game.

This youthful, fresh-faced group of players, mostly inexperienced at senior level were showing that they belonged on this stage against a team competing at Paris 2024.