From BZ/dpa
Alba’s anticipation for the playoffs against Ulm is great. Even if some players were recently injured. There is some astonishment about the change in the game mode.
The wait is finally over for the Alba basketball players. After a ten-day break, the defending champions will start the Bundesliga play-off quarter-finals (3 p.m.) against ratiopharm Ulm on Sunday.
The anticipation is great. “We’re really looking forward to it. It’s the best part of a season and we’re ready to rock that thing,” the captain announced Luke Sikma at. The goal of the champions of the last three years is clear. “We want the title. It doesn’t matter what happened in the last few years,” Sikma continued.
Best of Five series
A best-of-five series will be played. The Berliners are the clear favorites in the duel with the seventh-placed player in the round of points. Especially since both games were clearly won during the season. Most recently about two weeks ago with 91:79. “But I don’t think it will happen again in the playoffs. They will have a different attitude and won’t give up after half-time,” said the international Johannes Thiemann.
Alba star Maodo Lo has recently been struggling with knee and ankle problems. He used the last few days to relax Photo: picture alliance/dpa
For Sikma, however, the last game was helpful. “It at least gave us a better idea and a feel for her,” he said. But at the same time he also warned against being too carefree: “They are a completely different team now because some injured players are back.”
The 33-year-old has respect above all for the athleticism of Ulm. “That’s why defensive work will be particularly important for us,” he said.
Alba coach Israel Gonzalez does not like the timing of the games in the quarterfinals Photo: Andreas Gora
Especially since some personal details are still open at Alba. “We had a small wave of illness in the team,” reported coach Israel Gonzalez. So Yovel Zoosman, Johannes Thiemann and Louis Olinde had to sit out.
In addition, playmaker Maodo Lo was given a longer break due to ankle and knee problems. And whether Tamir Blatt can be back after his thumb injury is an open question.
The timing in the playoffs is tighter than initially expected. Should the second game actually only take place on the following Friday, a game on Wednesday in Ulm has now been interposed. “It’s not the best way to design a game plan like that, but we have to accept it like that. But it’s a very strange situation,” Gonzalez said.