Germany dashes Aussie Emus' quest to rule world

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Australian Luke Fennell's 18 points couldn't overcome Germany's dominant rebounding advantage as the Under-19 Emus were eliminated from the FIBA World Cup in Switzerland in the early morning hours of Saturday, July 5, 2025.

Australia fell to Germany 67-80 in the quarter-finals. The Germans led by as many as 23 points and were in control of the game for almost 39 minutes of the 40-minute contest.

Key Details

• Result: Germany 80 def. Australia 67
• When: July 5, 2025
• What: FIBA Under-19 Men's World Cup

By the Numbers

• Luke Fennell (Australia) scored 18 points, had two rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in 23 minutes.
• Hannes Steinbach (Germany) dominated with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and two blocks in 31 minutes.

What Happened

Germany established dominance early, racing to a commanding 28-14 first-quarter lead behind efficient interior scoring. They extended their advantage in the second quarter, outscoring Australia 24-19 to take a substantial 52-33 halftime lead. The Germans' control of the glass was evident, as they collected 58 rebounds to Australia's 38 throughout the contest.

Australia showed impressive resilience in the third quarter, winning the period 24-12 as their defensive intensity increased dramatically. Luke Fennell caught fire from beyond the arc during this stretch, connecting on four three-pointers at a stellar 66.7 percent clip. Despite the improved performance, Australia still trailed 57-64 heading into the final frame.

Any hopes of an Australian comeback were quickly extinguished in the fourth quarter as Germany regained control, outscoring the Australians 16-10 to secure the 13-point victory. German point guard Jack Kayil orchestrated the offense brilliantly, dishing out 12 assists despite shooting struggles.

Roman Siulepa contributed 17 points and seven rebounds for Australia, while Jacob Furphy added 13 points and eight boards. However, Australia's inefficiency was costly, as they shot just 34.2 percent from the field compared to Germany's 43.9 percent. Germany's interior dominance was highlighted by their 54.8 percent shooting from two-point range.

The rebounding battle proved decisive, with Germany's 58-38 advantage giving them numerous second-chance opportunities. Hannes Steinbach was particularly dominant on the glass, collecting seven offensive rebounds alone. Christian Anderson added 18 points for Germany, including three triples, while Eric Reibe contributed an efficient 12 points on 6-from-8 shooting.