Former champion Alba Berlin and the Niners Chemnitz continue to keep pace with German basketball champions ratiopharm Ulm at the top of the Bundesliga table.
One day after Ulm’s dramatic 98:94 (87:87, 47:41) after extra time against their first pursuer EWE Baskets Oldenburg, Berlin also beat the Löwen Braunschweig with 92:64 (42:31) and Chemnitz with 106:68 (53: 36) achieved their sixth win in their seventh game at newly promoted Tigers Tübingen.
FC Bayern Munich is no longer within striking distance of the top. The cup winners suffered their fifth defeat in the last six competitive games at Champions League winners Telekom Baskets Bonn with 83:88 (75:75, 43:32) after extra time.
The Rhinelanders, on the other hand, drew level with Munich and now at least have visual contact with the higher areas of the table.
Two days after the EuroLeague defeat against Panathinaikos Athens (85:99), Berlin achieved its fourth league win in a row against Braunschweig.
Sterling Brown was the hosts’ most successful scorer in the hall with 15 points, the Lions initially lost sight of the top table with their fourth defeat.
BBL: MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg are keeping up
The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, on the other hand, remained within reach of the top teams thanks to their 102:90 (52:49) victory over the former title holders Bamberg Baskets.
Munich suffered the next blow in the neck in Bonn. 21 points from Serge Ibaka were not enough for Bayern to achieve the turnaround they had hoped for, also because in addition to top scorer Brian Fobbs (25 points), two other players also scored at least 20 points for Bonn. The outstanding Niners player in Tübingen, which continues to have major problems in the relegation battle, was Wesley van Beck with 28 points.
On Saturday, Ulm inflicted Oldenburg’s first defeat after a successful series of five wins. After the Swabians’ initial dominance, an exchange of blows developed between equals, which was only decided in extra time. Ulm’s Dakota Mathias was the best thrower of the game with 25 points.