Finals
Without a cell phone, without fear: Chemnitz on the verge of basketball triumph
Niners coach Rodrigo Pastore (M) gives his team tactical tips during a timeout. photo
© Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
A few years ago they were in the second division, now they are European Cup finalists: the Niners Chemnitz have had an impressive journey. The big Bavarians also have a lot of respect.
FC Bayern and Alba Berlin are now free during the week after the Euroleague exit. The basketball players Niners Chemnitz, on the other hand, can help German basketball achieve its next international triumph – and in the process complete a fairytale rise from second division team to European Cup winner. “It would be history for the Niners to win such a title for the first time. German basketball is simply growing and is becoming more and more important,” said Kevin Yebo, who is currently even being recommended for an Olympic nomination with his strong performances .
Just last year, Bonn won the Champions League and in the summer the national team completely surprisingly won the World Cup title. Chemnitz now has two games against Bahcesehir Koleji for the trophy in the Fiba Europe Cup. The first leg will take place this Wednesday (7 p.m./Fiba on YouTube) in Chemnitz, the second leg a week later in Turkey.
“Why not us?”
The finals are definitely important for the Bundesliga. “We are shown a completely different form of respect. The BBL is recognized. I feel that in many encounters. When we have a European Cup winner in the league, that is always an issue. That gives the whole thing a certain size,” said BBL- Managing Director Stefan Holz of the German Press Agency. So far, Germany has never won international titles in consecutive years.
The whiz kid from Saxony is characterized by a certain fearlessness. They shaped the Fiba Europe Cup this season. In the Bundesliga, Chemnitz is only just behind Bayern and ahead of Alba. “At the beginning we just said to ourselves: Why not us? We know we are hard workers. Hard work also pays off. We want to win games and everyone is willing to give up things,” said Yebo, who is not currently known Cell phone reached because it has been broken for weeks. The 28-year-old communicates via Instagram instead.
Stalk Alba
League boss Holz, who will be in the hall himself for the first leg of the final, is enjoying the increased attractiveness of the world champion league. Champions Ulm, Champions League winners Bonn and now Chemnitz: The ever-stronger counterweights to the industry giants Bavaria and Alba make the competition more exciting. “They’re having a great year. That’s a bit apparent. It’s a constant development,” Holz said of the Niners. Bayern’s managing director Marko Pesic praised: “They’ve been doing a really good job in Chemnitz for years.”
And the Saxons themselves? Only enjoy their steady rise to a limited extent – and instead continue to formulate ambitious goals. “We’re trying to get closer to Alba, even if it’s still a long way off. That’s our daily motivation,” said managing director Steffen Herhold.
The big constant is coach Rodrigo Pastore. The Argentine with the Italian passport has worked for the Niners since 2015. Under his leadership, a second division team became a stable top German club. “Rodrigo Pastore is the main architect of this project and how it has developed,” said Herhold, reflecting on the past nine years. There is currently no end in sight to our shared success story. “Why not another nine years?” Herhold asked.