For national basketball player Daniel Theis, the violent dispute during the break in the World Cup game against Slovenia has no further effects. “Of course it looks stupid, but it gave the team a push. After that, it’s over, that’s no longer an issue,” said Theis at the team hotel in Manila.
At 100:71 over the Slovenians with NBA star Luka Doncic, the two friends Dennis Schröder and Theis initially clashed. Then national coach Gordon Herbert yelled at his captain Schröder.
Schröder and Theis reconciled during the game, further talks are therefore not necessary. “After that it’s over. Dennis and I have known each other for 14 years. We both just didn’t play well. We addressed that directly. He told me that I didn’t play well – I assumed that,” reported Theis. On Wednesday (10.45 a.m. / Magentasport), Germany will contest its first World Cup quarter-finals since 2006, the opponent is Latvia.
Head coach Herbert also no longer wants to comment on the incident. Asked if he had shown authority with the duo’s subsequent substitution, the 64-year-old said: “We had a break. They were on the field in front and we had to change something. We were at the back and we had to change things. It worked just for everyone to sit down so I can explain something about how to proceed,” said Herbert. Theis noted: “He took us out so we could go down. It helped in the end.”
