Basketball Bundesliga
Alba Berlin is in the final of the German championship
The Albatrosses around world champion Johannes Thiemann (l) won the fifth game against Chemnitz. Photo
© Andreas Gora/dpa
In a dramatic deciding match against the Niners Chemnitz, the weakened Berliners had the better nerves in the final phase. Their big rivals were waiting in the final.
Alba Berlin has finally reached the final of the German championship Basketball Bundesliga. The Berliners won the deciding game in their own hall in front of 9781 spectators against the Niners Chemnitz with 97:84 (48:53). This means that the best-of-five series goes 3:2 to the capital club, which was 1:2 behind in the series at one point.
The Albatrosses will have to play in the first final match against FC Bayern Munich on Saturday. Berlin’s best scorers were the outstanding Matt Thomas with 24 and Malte Delow with 17 points. Coach Israel Gonzalez had to make do without the injured point guard Martin Hermannsson, meaning the hosts were without a real playmaker – all players are injured.
High-intensity match from the start
World champion Johannes Thiemann was able to play. Under the watchful eyes of his national team colleagues, the two Berlin NBA pros Moritz and Franz Wagner, the game developed into a highly intense one from the start.
Alba got off to a better start and was able to pull ahead slightly in the first quarter to 27:21. But the Berliners also made a few bad throws and turnovers, which brought the guests back into the game. In the second quarter, the Niners turned things around and turned the game around with a 15:0 run. The capital city team was suddenly behind by double digits (42:53), but managed to shorten the gap again at halftime.
Even after the break, things remained close. The Berliners fought their way back, the lead changed back and forth. Three and a half minutes before the end, Alba pulled ahead to 88:80 and confidently brought the lead to the finish.