• → Game to take place at Deck Arena, Tampere on Wednesday, August 27 at 16:30 EEST (14:30 BST).
• → Germany open their title defense credentials with Dennis Schröder and Franz Wagner leading a seasoned core; Montenegro counter with Nikola Vučević and an experienced front line under Boško Radović.
• → Form line: Germany finished prep 5–1 (two wins over Spain); Montenegro went 2–2 (W: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Israel; L: France, Greece).

Montenegro vs Germany - Group B Curtain-Raiser Preview

Tampere wastes no time. Day one in Group B throws Montenegro’s size and structure at the reigning world champions, Germany. The matchup is more than a seeding skirmish: for Germany, it’s about setting a medal-path tone under a new head coach; for Montenegro, it’s an immediate test of how far their front-court advantage can stretch elite opposition.

The Group B picture

This is the shark tank: co-hosts Finland, 2023 world champions Germany, perennial force Lithuania, plus Great Britain and Sweden. Four advance. Germany’s goal is simple - bank early wins and control the bracket. Montenegro’s is equally clear - clip one of the big three and turn the race for third into a sprint they can win.

Germany: continuity with a new voice

The core that won bronze at EuroBasket 2022 and the World Cup a year later is intact and battle-hardened. Dennis Schröder (pace, paint touches, clutch) remains the compass. Franz Wagner adds two-way star power - rim pressure and switchable defense. Around them, the role definition is pristine: Andreas Obst as a high-gravity movement shooter; Johannes Voigtmann and Johannes Thiemann supplying screening craft, short-roll playmaking and defensive positioning; Daniel Theis providing rim protection and vertical spacing; Maodo Lo and Justus Hollatz giving secondary creation without turnovers.

The prep run did its job. Germany opened with victories over Slovenia (twice) and Türkiye, absorbed a reality check against Serbia, then beat Spain twice -including an overtime classic in Madrid. The headline is less the record than the habits: low error counts, composure under pressure, and consistent shot quality from corner threes and short-roll reads.

Stat to know: in their February qualifiers meeting, Germany beat Montenegro by 19 - shooting 54% from the field and 65% on twos while holding Montenegro to 39% overall. It’s a reminder of how ruthless their half-court efficiency can be.

Montenegro: inside-out identity, veteran steel

This is Nikola Vučević’s team, and their best version leans into it: deep seals, pick-and-pop gravity, and a steady diet of touches that force help and open skip passes. Around him, Marko Simonović and Zoran Nikolić add size and rebounding; Igor Drobnjak and Vladimir Mihailović steady the guard rotation; Bojan Tomašević brings activity and cutting; and new naturalized guard Kyle Allman gives Radović a downhill creator who can flatten a defense when the offense stalls.

Pre-EuroBasket signs were solid without being spectacular: wins over Bosnia & Herzegovina and Israel, competitive losses to France and Greece. The defense has travelled - their half-court shell is organized, they contest without wild closeouts, and they don’t beat themselves. Offensively, the ask is to manufacture enough perimeter shot-making to keep Germany honest on the back line.

Stat to know: Montenegro have reached the Round of 16 in each of the last two FIBA EuroBasket Tournaments (13th in 2017 and 2022). This core is used to navigating group play and living in close fourth quarters.

Where this game tilts

1) The defensive glass.
Vučević’s box-outs and touch rebounds are elite; Germany’s counter is committee work - Thiemann/Theis bodying early, Wagner crashing from the wing, and Schröder hunting long rebounds to ignite transition. If Montenegro can keep Germany at one-and-done, they drag the champs into a grind.

2) Germany’s movement shooting.
Obst’s off-screen gravity tests discipline: top-lock him and Germany punish slips; chase and he’ll turn the corner into pull-ups. Montenegro must communicate through staggers and pin-downs; any over-help exposes short-roll playmaking for Voigtmann/Thiemann.

3) Fouls vs free throws.
Montenegro need Vučević on the floor for 30+. Early fouls tilt the game. Expect Germany to probe with Schröder in empty-corner actions and Wagner post mismatches to stack decision pressure.

4) Turnovers.
Germany’s prep profile: few live-ball giveaways, clean entries, and trust in the next pass. Montenegro can’t win this at –6 in turnover margin; they’ll need Allman and Drobnjak to bend the point of attack without forcing passes into set help.

What it means

For Germany, a professional win reinforces medal expectations and keeps minutes reasonable ahead of Finland/Lithuania. For Montenegro, an upset re-writes the group math and validates their front-court-first blueprint. Either way, the tape will travel: how Montenegro handled Germany’s movement shooting—and how Germany coped with Vučević’s touches—will echo through the next ten days.

How to watch

Stream Montenegro vs Germany live and on-demand on Courtside 1891. A Max Day Pass gets you the game; a Max Annual Pass unlocks every Group B clash and the full bracket.