6.
19:17
Speaking of transitions! That is of course Alba’s specialty and they use it very well in this phase. Both teams don’t do much with the line of three and so there are often opportunities to make the game fast after misses. This is what makes Berliners strong!
4.
19:11
Karim Jallow hits the first three of the game! Caboclo provides a strong screen, giving dos Santos plenty of room to kick to the freestanding jallow on the perimeter.
3.
19:10
The hosts play at a tremendous pace here, trying to push the ball down the pitch every time. So far, the transition defense of the guests looks very good except for the failure right at the beginning.
2.
19:07
After a foul on Sikma, Robin Christen has two fouls after less than two minutes. Coach Anton Gavel took him down straight away. The good guy probably has something planned.
1.
19:05
As soon as the referee blows the whistle, Ulmer play a long pass to the speculating Jallow for the first two points of the game.
1.
19:04
game start
18:57
Brandon Paul from Ratiopharm Ulm focuses on the whole team for success in the first game: “Everyone did their part to ensure that the match plan worked out. We created our situations over the entire 40 minutes and never lost focus. A strong performance from beginning to end, which we now have to build on.” But he also knows how much today’s game will be worth to the guests: “Tomorrow we have one of the most difficult tasks of this season. We need the same focus plus full support from the stands.”
18:53
The German guard Jonas Mattisseck also addresses the physical condition required: “On Wednesday we simply have to play more physically. In the playoffs things are different, everything is a bit harder and more aggressive. Our goal in the next game is to get into our game systems better, especially on offense.”
18:48
Berlin’s head coach Israel González expects more intensity from his team: “We have to learn quickly from Sunday’s defeat. The intensity in the playoffs is simply different than in the main round. The referees also allow more contact. But Ulm only leads 1-0, the series is not over yet. We now have to give everything for an away win.”
18:44
A big problem in the first game of the series was Alba’s turnovers. In the regular season they have already shown that they are very prone to losing possession. 19 ball losses in a game 1 of the playoffs are just too many. The visitors will have to do better today to even the series.
18:41
To come back to Game 1. It was balanced for a long time before Ulm turned up the heat at the end of the third quarter and ran 22:0. Especially the duo around Yago dos Santos, who scored 24 points with strong odds from the field, and Bruno Caboclo with 16 points and 4 steals showed very appealing performances. Surprisingly, Maodo Lô did not put his stamp on the game in the point guard position, but the young Juan Núñez showed his experienced opponent all his skills with 8 assists in 22 minutes.
18:35
After the underdog from Ulm surprisingly won the first game with 88:64, the second game is scheduled for today. Why isn’t the game taking place in Berlin? The Mercedes-Benz Arena is occupied, which is why the game was moved to Ulm. This is of course bitter for Alba because they have to play game 2 abroad, which is so important for them, in front of an opposing audience. The other way around, the omens for the men from the Danube could hardly be better. The hall will surely burn!
18:30
Welcome to game 2 of the quarter-final series between Ratiopharm Ulm and Alba Berlin! Tip-off is at 7 p.m. in the Ratiopharm Arena in Ulm.