WORLD VIEW: Princeton University men’s basketball star Hans Brase poses in the uniform of the German second national team, for whom he has played the last two summers. Last month, rising senior forward Brase helped Germany earn a silver medal at the World University Games in Gwangju City, South Korea. It was Germany’s highest-ever finish at the competition.
(Photo Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

Although Hans Brase was back for a second summer with the German second national team, he didn’t encounter a lot of familiar faces as the squad began training this June for the World University Games.

Arriving in Heidelberg for the training camp, Brase, a rising senior forward on the Princeton University men’s basketball team, quickly realized he was one of the few holdovers.

“We had a couple of guys from last year’s team but it was a lot of new guys,” said Brase, who was born in the U.S. and resides in Clover, S.C. but has close German ancestry.

Not surprisingly, it took a while for the team to get on the same page. “It is always tough when you have new coach, new plays, and a new system,” said Brase, who was just one of two current U.S. collegians on the roster which was comprised mainly of German pro players. “The first few days were tough but we started to click.”

The German team had two one-week training camps, a pair of friendly games against Russia, and then took part in a tournament in Switzerland where it faced Italy, Belgium, and the Swiss before heading to Gwangju City, South Korea for the competition.

Coming into the tournament, Brase was cautiously optimistic about Germany’s chances for a medal.

“I thought we could play well, we knew there were going to be some tough teams but it was in our own hands,” said Brase.

Things ended up going very well for the German team as it earned silver at the competition, falling 84-77 to the U.S. in double overtime in the gold medal game. It was the first appearance in the finals for Germany, whose previous best finish was third.

The team gathered momentum in pool play, going undefeated in Group A as it beat China 91-64, Estonia 70-40, Korea 67-58, and Mozambique 99-37.

“The lineups varied a little bit, we were trying to find the best combination during pool play,” said Brase. “We clicked really well in pool play.”

For Brase, things clicked as he made the adjustment to the style of the international game.

“The two biggest differences are physicality and tempo,” said Brase. “It is much more physical and with a shot clock of 24 seconds, you can’t run a standard offense. You have to get up the court and take the first good shot. I enjoyed it, it is a lot more action up and down the court.”

As Germany headed in the quarterfinals, Brase had the sense that the team had a good shot at a medal if it ratcheted up its intensity.

“Coming into the medal round, we had to refocus and take it one game at a time,” said Brase. “Every team could beat us. All of the top eight teams were good. All of the games were very physical.”

Brase had a very good game in the quarterfinals in a 79-73 win over Canada, achieving a double-double with 11 points and 1-rebound.

“Canada played a little small ball, I was able to rebound and score inside,” said the 6’8, 231-lb Brase.

“I was more of a contributor in terms of scoring as the tournament went on. I always had the rebounding and defensive role.”

After beating Brazil 59-49 in the semis, Germany earned a shot at the U.S. in the gold medal contest.

“We watched film of them,” said Brase of the U.S. squad, which was made up almost entirely of players from the perennial college power University of Kansas. “We had run the table and they had run the table, we were the only two undefeated teams.”

Germany got off to a slow start in the contest but Brase gave the team a lift heading into intermission, ending the half with a two-handed rim-rocking jam as Germany pulled to within 38-33.

“To end the first half with an exclamation point was great, it was a high note,” recalled Brase. “We were only down by five and we didn’t play well.”

After outscoring the U.S. 21-16 in the third quarter, Germany gained momentum and an off-balance jumper by Brase with 1:39 left in regulation  gave the Germans a 66-62 lead.

“I thought we were going to win, we just needed to take care of the ball and play good defense,” said Brase. “They hit some shots and got some turnovers.”

The teams were knotted at 66-66 at the end of regulation and played to a 7-7 standstill in the first extra period before the U.S. pulled away to the victory.

“In the second overtime, all of our turnovers compounded,” said Brase, who ended the game with six points, six rebounds, and three assists in nearly 37 minutes of action.

“We made a turnover and they hit a three, there was a second turnover and they got a two. It was great to go against some American players; it was interesting to see how they acclimated to the international game.”

While Brase and his teammates were disappointed to lose the game, he is proud of what the squad accomplished.

“At the time, we didn’t have the gratitude and joy but over time you feel good about going in and doing something we had never done,” said Brase, noting that the squad’s coach, Henrik Rödl, was on the German bronze medal team in 1983, the country’s best finish in the competition until this year.

Brase feels good about getting the chance to stay on the court over the summer.

“At Princeton, we talk all the time about playing in the offseason,” said Brase, who averaged 11 points and 7.4 rebounds a game in the tourney.

“It helps keep your feel for the game and helps with your basketball IQ, it keeps you sharp. I was playing non-stop, I played 5-on-5 every day.”

Playing in the international competition also helped Brase develop maturity. “Leadership is a big thing for me coming in as a senior,” said Brase.

“Being on a team in a foreign country where you speak a different language, it helps you communicate. Even though I speak German, it is tough sometimes. I think communication and leadership were things I took away from the experience.”

Looking ahead to his senior season at Princeton, Brase is primed for a special experience.

“I think we have a great team coming back,” said Brase, who averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds a contest last winter as Princeton went 16-14 overall and 9-5 in Ivy League action.

“We have 12 returning players and some good freshmen. We are primed for a big year. We ended the spring workouts playing really well. Nothing is going to be given to us but I feel good about our chances. We have been close all three years and I feel like this could be our year.”