Contested scene in the game between Alba Berlin and Baskonia Vitoria Photo: Mathias Renner/City-Press GmbH
By Nicolas Sowa
Alba Berlin managed a big surprise in the Euroleague. The basketball Bundesliga team defeated the Spanish table leader Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz at home on Thursday evening in front of 6545 spectators after a strong performance with 85:84 (54:48).
Nevertheless, Alba remains at the bottom of the table. The best Berlin throwers were Jaleen Smith 18, as well as Maodo Lo, Louis Olinde and Tamir Blatt with eleven points each.
Alba’s Jaleen Smith scores against Vanja Marinković; with 18 points he was the best thrower in Berlin Photo: Mathias Renner/City-Press GmbH
Right from the start, the hosts were highly concentrated and committed. Above all, they hardly allowed the Basque offensive to develop. So Alba was almost always in the lead at first. At the end of the first quarter, the lead even grew to 13 points (27:14). But then the guests found their rhythm better on the offensive.
Alba’s Johannes Thiemann passes Baskonia Vitoria’s Daoulton Hommes Photo: Mathias Renner/City-Press GmbH
Suddenly they hit one long-range shot after the other and Alba was behind (31:32). Now the game was balanced and it went back and forth with a lot of speed. It became more hectic and aggressive, but the German champions continued to resist and regained the lead at half-time.
Alba star Luke Sikma moves to the basket against Baskonia Vitoria Photo: Mathias Renner/City-Press GmbH
Even after the change of sides, the Berliners stayed ahead because they kept throwing everything in and kept winning the ball. At the beginning of the last quarter they were again ahead by ten points (80:70).
But then they conceded a 0:11 run. It stayed that way until the end. And the final phase became hectic. 2.6 seconds before the end, Alba was again ahead 85:84. Then the guests awarded the last throw.