Despite a miserable first half, the Telekom Baskets Bonn won the decisive fifth game of the quarter-final series against the Würzburg Baskets and reached the semi-finals of the BBL playoffs. There they meet Bayern Munich.
The Bonn Baskets defeated last year’s semi-finalists from Würzburg after a hard-fought game and a significant increase in performance in the second half 66:63 (22:30) and won the quarter-final series 3:2.
For only the third time since 2004, Bonn is in the semi-finals of the playoffs. The Rhinelanders most recently reached the round of the last four under former coach Tuomas Iisalo in 2022 and 2023. In the semifinals, the Baskets will face defending champions Bayern Munich.
Bonn doesn’t hit a throw from a distance
Bonn started this all-important game five with an airball, emblematic of the rest of the first half. The guests from Würzburg got off to a better start and took the lead by seven points after four successful three-pointers in the middle of the first quarter.
From the start, the people of Bonn lacked any touch. In the entire first half, Bonn did not hit any of its 13 attempts from beyond the three-point line. Towards the end of the first period, Bonn fought its way back point by point and reduced the lead to 15:19 after ten minutes.
Only 52 points in the first half
There was also a fight for every ball in the second quarter – Bonn came within one point (21:22) after a solo effort from Joel Aminu. Then nothing worked at all in the Bonn offensive. In the last six minutes of the second quarter, the hosts only hit one free throw and had to let Würzburg pull away to 22:30. The Bonn crowd watched in shock as Bonn scored seven meager points in the second ten minutes.
Bonn comes out of the locker room feeling completely different
In the half-time speech, coach Marko Stankovic seemed to have found the right words. The Baskets Bonn came out of the locker room like a new team and scored more points in the first two minutes of the third quarter than in the entire second period. After a 7-0 run and the first successful three-pointer, the Baskets reduced the lead to 29:30.
The fans in the sold-out hall saw a completely changed game in the second half. Bonn found offensive solutions and presented attractive ones basketball. Development player Grayson Murphy took responsibility, put his teammates in the spotlight brilliantly and gave Bonn its first lead (35:34) after just under four minutes in the third quarter.
Murphy with a strong quarter
An open exchange of blows developed with beautiful moves and spectacular baskets. The last action of the third period belonged to Murphy again, who hit his three-pointer with the clock running out and put the lead at 49:46. In the third quarter, Bonn scored five more points than in the first half.
Bonn’s Tylan Birts opened the final section with a dunking, and Murphy then gave Bonn its biggest lead (53:46). But Würzburg didn’t let themselves be shaken off and got within one point thanks to Marcus Carr (55:54).
With two successful three-pointers in a row from Alihah Comithier and Birts, Bonn took a five-point lead four minutes before the end. Würzburg remained within striking distance until the end. Nine seconds before the clock ran out, Sasa Filipovski’s team had the chance to equalize at 66:63 – Carr missed the well-defended three-pointer.
Game one on Saturday in Munich
With a lot of enthusiasm, Bonn secured the semi-final ticket and will be a guest at FC Bayern Basketball in the first game of the series next Saturday (May 30, 2026). To advance to the final, a team needs three wins.
Our sources:
- Game 5 between Baskets Bonn and Würzburg Baskets (May 27, 2026) on the stream provider “Dyn”
Broadcast: WDR.de, “Bonn is in the semi-finals of the BBL playoffs”, June 27, 2026 11:14 p.m
