Fiebich's 17 and 10 Put Host Germany Past Belgium

Photo: WNBA.com / New York Liberty. Official league headshot, 1040×760, full head.

Host Germany beat EuroBasket champion Belgium 93-74 in Thursday's FIBA Women's World Cup quarterfinal and reached its first World Cup semifinal.

Leonie Fiebich scored 17 points and 10 rebounds and Nyara Sabally added 16 points and 12 rebounds as Germany drew France for Saturday.

The first quarter already had the argument. Frieda Bühner pushed Germany in front 20-19 late in the period. Belgium never got the lead back. Emma Meesseman still finished with 29 points, her highest World Cup total according to FIBA. Quarters closed 22-19, 20-16, 32-24, 19-15. Germany led for 31:28. Belgium led for 7:43. Biggest German lead 19. Five lead changes, then none that mattered. Attendance 10,537, with Dirk Nowitzki in the building.

The third quarter is the tape that sells the host run. Germany outscored Belgium 32-24 after the half and lived on the glass and the free-throw line. Field goals 48 percent against 42. Twos 60.6 percent against 48.1. Threes 35.5 percent against 23.5. Free throws 87 percent against 63.2. Fiebich answered Olaf Lange's ask to shoot more: 6-of-16 from the field, 3-of-11 from three, 2-of-2 at the line, ten defensive boards, two blocks, plus-12 in 31 minutes. Sabally took TCL Player of the Game with 5-of-11, 2-of-4 from deep, 4-of-4 freethrows, three offensive boards, nine defensive, plus-17 in 28. Alexandra Wilke added 10.

That line sits on top of a 30-point opening loss to Spain. Germany answered with Japan, Mali, a Korea playoff, and now the European champions in front of a sold-out Berlin Arena. The program had not reached a World Cup semifinal before. Unified Germany's last World Cup appearance was as host in 1998. FIBA notes it is the sixth straight World Cup at which the host made the final four since China missed in 2002.

Photo: FIBA. Germany celebration after Belgium, Women's World Cup 2026, Berlin Arena. Official assets.fiba.basketball still duinzojx88vgl9oubjvz, landscape 1600×1067 (delivered w_2000), full heads. Never stack with the headshot.

Saturday is France. The Olympic finalists beat China 90-61 earlier Thursday. The Spain opener is still on Germany's hard drive. The Belgium tape is the one that shows what this roster looks like when the first lead sticks and the home building refuses to sit down.

Sources

• FIBA game page: Belgium vs Germany - 74-93 final; quarters BEL 19/16/24/15, GER 22/20/32/19; FG 42% / 48%; 2PT 48.1% / 60.6%; 3PT 23.5% / 35.5%; FT 63.2% / 87%; biggest lead BEL 5 GER 19; time leading BEL 7:43 GER 31:28; 5 lead changes; attendance 10,537; Berlin Arena
• FIBA player page: Leonie Fiebich - vs BEL 10/09/2026: 31 min, 17 PTS, 6/16 FG, 3/5 2PT, 3/11 3PT, 2/2 FT, 0 OREB, 10 DREB, 10 REB, 1 AST, 2 BLK, +12, EFF 19
• FIBA player page: Nyara Sabally - vs BEL 10/09/2026: 28 min, 16 PTS, 5/11 FG, 3/7 2PT, 2/4 3PT, 4/4 FT, 3 OREB, 9 DREB, 12 REB, 2 AST, +17, EFF 22
• FIBA: The greatest night in German women's basketball history - first Germany WC semis; Sabally POTG 16/12; Fiebich team-high 17/10; Meesseman 29 (career-high WC); Wilke 10; crowd 10,537 incl. Nowitzki; France Saturday; turnaround after 30-point Spain opener
• AP via Newser: Host Germany beats Belgium 93-74 - Ciarán Fahey; Bühner 20-19 late Q1; Belgium never regained lead; sixth straight WC host Final Four since China 2002; Germany last WC as 1998 host; France 90-61 China earlier
• Photos: WNBA.com Fiebich 1630142; FIBA still duinzojx88vgl9oubjvz