“Hück or never” was the Rhenish playoff motto of the Bonn basketball team. A motto that only got to the core of its ultimate meaning on Wednesday evening. Today or never – the basketball players from Bayern Munich never thought that it would happen again in the fifth semi-final game. When it came to saving a whole season within a single game, oh what, in the end within a few minutes, they kept their nerves. After the embarrassing loss of the cup in the quarterfinals against Chemnitz in November and the respectable loss of the Euroleague in the quarterfinals against Barcelona a month ago, Bayern made it into the league finals in the 80th competitive game of the season in front of their sponsor Uli Hoeneß. They defeated the Telekom Baskets Bonn 87:74 (42:44).
FCB now has little time to catch their breath. Actually none at all. On Friday evening is already the first game of the final series for those basketball players from Alba Berlin, who were able to regenerate a full week after their 3-0 win against Ludwigsburg. Berlin has celebrated 17 wins in a row – eleven in the main round and six in the playoffs. On Friday, a pack of predators roars as a greeting.
“Anyone who is afraid should stay at home,” said Bayern coach Andrea Trinchieri grimly before the showdown in Bonn in view of the all-or-nothing nature of the game – and as expected, not a single player was absent for reasons of panic. While all other playoff rounds of the season ended 3-0, Bonn and Bayern pushed the tension to the extreme. Munich had won the first game in Bonn with a lead of twelve points, the next three were very close: one point more for Bayern again in Bonn, then two more for Bonn and finally three more for Bonn in Munich – hence game five.
It had been clear that this final crime thriller episode would also be close. At first, the Munich seemed to ensure clear conditions. They were 22:8 ahead after eight minutes before Bonn came back and led 44:42 at the break. In the second half, Bayern prevailed reasonably confidently. In the end it was “Hück” for Munich – and “never” for Bonn.