The Löwen Braunschweig also won the pursuit duel in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) against ratiopharm Ulm.
Head coach Jesus Ramirez’s surprise team prevailed after a tough fight with 98:89 (50:39) and is now level with Ulm with a record of 10:5 victories. The only better team is defending champion Bayern Munich (10:4), who won’t be back in the Bundesliga until next weekend. With eight wins from the last nine games, the Lions remain the team of the moment. A series of three wins in a row ended for Ulm.
Former champions Ulm were ahead 6:5 after a few minutes, but it remained the guests’ last lead of the entire game. Braunschweig was never able to break away decisively, but kept its lead constant until the end. The best Braunschweig thrower was Ferdinand Zylka with 19 points, and 21 points from Justinian Jessup didn’t help the Ulm team.
Alba remains successful
Alba Berlin has won its third game in a row in the BBL after overcoming the crisis. The clear 92:65 (44:34) against Academics Heidelberg was a clear signal that the reigning runner-up is still a force to be reckoned with.
With the win, Alba moves up to twelfth place and is back in touch with the playoff places. The Berliners’ best thrower was Matt Thomas with 18 points, Gabriele Procida had 15 points. Michael Kessens, who was hired just last week, celebrated his debut in the Alba jersey with coach Israel Gonzalez’s team and impressed – he scored ten points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
Rostock and MBC on course for the playoffs
One of the teams that Berlin still has to catch is the Rostock Seawolves, who have one more win in their account after their 122:118 (52:47, 88:88) after overtime against Baskets Oldenburg. The same also applies to the Central German team BC, which defeated BG Göttingen with 93:91 (44:46). The Niners Chemnitz had already improved their starting position on Friday with a 69:60 (31:23) against the Hamburg Towers and are currently in fifth place.
Frankfurt wins in Bonn – doping is suspected
Booker Coplin from the Bundesliga basketball team Frankfurt Skyliners is suspected of doping. As the club announced on Sunday morning (January 19, 2025), the 27-year-old tested positive for testosterone during a training check on November 27, 2024. This was the result of the evaluation of the A sample. The result of the B sample is not yet available.
Without Coplin, the Skyliners won 77:70 (43:31) at Telekom Baskets Bonn on Sunday. Coplin asserted in the Skyliners’ statement that he had “never knowingly doped or given myself an unfair advantage.”