First, a few numbers that can help to describe what happened in the sold-out Ratiopharm Arena in Neu-Ulm on Wednesday evening: 6,000 spectators generated a peak volume of 117 decibels, which is a bit quieter than a jet plane taking off, so just below the pain threshold. It took 60 seconds for both home games to sell out. In the end, 112:84 was the overwhelming result in favor of Ratiopharm Ulm against the actually favored Telekom Baskets Bonn. In the best-of-five series, Ulm has earned a match point in the fight for the German championship. And how often Ulm’s coach Anton Gavel then said that it was “just a win” could not be determined with the best will in the world.
After this performance you have to ask yourself in the Bonn camp how you want to prevent the first Ulm championship title. The unusual choreography of this series of finals could help the guests in game four this Friday: First, Ulm duped the favorites and inflicted Bonn’s first home defeat of the entire season in the first game (73:79). Then Bonn demonstrated their great quality and didn’t give Ulm a chance at 104:75. And now the comeback of the Swabians in their own hall, which, however, in no way excludes the Bonners not being able to pull the series into a fifth game, which would then take place on their own territory again.
It was a great fight on Wednesday evening, which the currently best German basketball teams fought, full of energy, fast-paced, at an insane speed and with an intensity that was unbelievable for this late phase of the season. Alley-oop passes, dunking, massive blocks, deep throws – everything was offered that this sport has to offer at a high level. Both teams defended venomously and went at a tremendous pace on offense. But Bonn could only keep up to 17:21, after that Ulm played themselves into a frenzy.
Led by powerhouse Karim Jallow, the top scorer with 24 points and almost unstoppable, the hosts were visibly ahead of their opponents – and soon uncatchable. The resistance of the initially bravely defending guests flagged from minute to minute. Brandon Paul (23 points) began to let a threesome after the other rush through the Bonn basket from all positions and as if pulled by a string. And NBA-experienced Caboglo (20) enjoyed shoving the ball into the basket from the front or from behind with all his might.
Role reversal: At Bayern Munich, Gavel was the leader and Jallow was a junior. Now Gavel is the trainer and Jallow is the leader
At the break, Ulm was already in the double-digits lead, and when they showed no willingness to take even a little tempo and momentum out of their game, Bonn’s coach Tuomas Iisalo also recognized the hopelessness of the endeavor. He sat petrified in his chair for much of the second half, after which he spoke of “my team’s weakest performance of the season”. He didn’t want to use the absence of his suspended center Michael Kessens, who was suspended for three games for a shove in game two, and the absence of the injured Javontae Hawkins as an excuse, because such situations have been mastered in the long season. After the game, Iisalo looked just as drained as his players.
It seems that the people of Bonn are now running out of strength in the final phase of the season. The team played like a pricked balloon that gradually deflates until it sinks limp to the ground. With the victory in the Champions League, Bonn can already book their season as a success, that’s in the minds of the players. Even the famous US playmaker TJ Shorts (11 points) showed signs of wear and tear, made a lot of mistakes and got caught up in a small war with his opponent Yago dos Santos, who brought the most valuable player of the season a loud whistle throughout the game – and at the end clearly went to the Brazilian.
Intense, high-class, full of energy: Ulm’s Bruno Caboclo (left) blocks Bonn’s Tyson Ward trying to make a basket.
(Photo: Hafner/Nordphoto/Imago)
The Ulmer, on the other hand, can refine a moderately started season with a historic success. But the only thing that is certain is that there will be a new German champion. The Ulm team first bowled defending champion Alba Berlin and then FC Bayern out of the title race. “It’s good for basketball, it’s good for the league,” Jallow said. Nevertheless, the league will not see these teams again, the departure of Bonn coach Iisalo and playmaker Shorts are certain. Every brilliant performance by the Brazilian duo Caboclo and dos Santos also increases the likelihood that Ulm won’t be able to stop them.
As the clock approached midnight, Jallow was still standing in his socks in the empty hall and, like coach Gavel, was trying to give the moment sobriety: “Sure, that was good, but we can’t let that affect us, nothing happened . On Friday we will try to make the whole thing sustainable.” That will be difficult enough, but the coach will set the team up again, said Jallow. The two know each other from their time together in Munich, Gavel was the leader when FC Bayern became German champions in 2018, Jallow was a talented youngster. Now Gavel is in his freshman year as a coach, and Jallow is the leader. A still profitable cooperation, with changed roles – and a historic opportunity. But nobody wants to talk about that.