Alba’s top pitcher Jaleen Smith tries to stop Bayern’s Leon Radosevic to score here Photo: Matthias Balk/dpa
From BZ/dpa
Alba celebrated a successful dress rehearsal for the playoffs in the Bundesliga and achieved the eleventh success in a row.
On Tuesday evening, the Berliners won in a catch-up game at their constant rival FC Bayern Munich thanks to strong nerves with 83:78 (41:34).
However, the game was meaningless because it was already clear beforehand that Alba would start the playoffs as first in the table. The best Berlin throwers were Jaleen Smith with 24 points and Yovel Zoosman with 17 points.
Oscar da Silva tries to assert himself against Bayern’s Gavin Schilling Photo: Matthias Balk/dpa
Coach Israel Gonzalez had to do without the 2.21 meter tall Christ Koumadje. But his team still started highly concentrated. The rhythm was there immediately and so the defending champion started with a 10:0 run. But then Bayern came into play better, defended more intensively and Alba had problems creating good throwing positions in attack.
In the second quarter, the Berliners didn’t get a basket for almost five minutes and Bayern took the lead for the first time (23:22). But Alba didn’t get nervous. They worked better defensively and regained a seven-point lead before the break in the hard-fought game.
After the change of sides, the guests made too many mistakes again and fell behind again. Alba missed a few throws and rarely got into the tempo game.
In the closing stages the lead changed back and forth and it became a real thriller. But Alba had better nerves. 8.2 seconds before the end, Zoosman scored the decisive 81:78. Bayern could no longer counter that.
