World champion Johannes Thiemann achieved an away win with Alba Berlin to start the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) season in his first outing after the gold coup in Manila.
The new captain won with the former series champions 90:81 (44:39) at the MLP Academics Heidelberg.
Thiemann was the first of four German world champions to start the BBL season and achieved a double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds.
Berlin’s top scorer was newcomer Matt Thomas (21 points). Last season, Alba remained without a title for the first time since 2019.
Rasta Vechta returned with a clear victory. The newcomer beat the Bamberg Baskets 101:79 (46:48), the decisive factor was the one-sided third quarter (37:10). The top scorer for the hosts, who are playing in the BBL again after a two-year break, was Tommy Kuhse (26 points).
Master ratiopharm Ulm won the opening game of the 58th BBL season against the Niners Chemnitz on Wednesday 90:85 (51:42). Title favorite Bayern Munich starts the season on Friday (8 p.m./Dyn) at home with its world champions Andreas Obst, Isaac Bonga and Niels Giffey against Syntainics MBC from Weißenfels.