Without his German EM heroes, defending champion Alba Berlin successfully opened the 57th season of the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL).
In a close duel in the Berlin EM hall, the double winner won 81:78 (45:45) against the Hamburg Towers.
Maodo Lo and Johannes Thiemann were rested due to a lack of training, with new signing Jonas Wohlfarth-Bottermann at least a bronze medal winner was used in Hamburg.
“The EM was exhausting, both mentally and physically. That’s why the coach wanted to give us another break today,” explained Thiemann during the break at “MagentaSport”: “I still need a few days and weeks to realize what we are doing did it.”
Ten days after the German national team won the medal, the underdog from Hamburg was on par throughout the entire season and even went into the final quarter with a lead (65:63) after a draw at the break. But there the eleven-time champion from Berlin had better nerves.
Wohlfarth-Bottermann, who moved from Ludwigsburg to Hamburg in the summer and played for Alba from 2013 to 2016, scored three points and four rebounds and only hit one of his six free throws.
Top scorer of his towers was the American Yoeli Childs with 18 points, compatriot Luke Sikma at Alba scored 16 points.