The capital city comes as a self-confident main round winner of the basketball league, Alba Berlin is the defending champion and cup winner. Bamberg, on the other hand, managed to qualify for the last minute playoffs. “They’re the favourites, no question. We got our ass kicked two weeks ago”said Bamberg’s coach Oren Amiel.
The clear 89:57 from April is still having an effect, especially since the first two games on Friday (May 13th, 2022) and Sunday will take place in Berlin again. Bamberg’s captain and international Chris Sengfelder said: “We deserve that we can play against Berlin now. We still have a score to settle with them, because we don’t want and won’t let ourselves be slaughtered like that again.”
“Anything can always happen” in the playoffs
The game is played in mode Best of five. Game three will take place in Bamberg, as will a possible fourth game. A decision in game five would then be made in Berlin. “Of course it will be difficult, but we want to win at least one game in Berlin”, said Sengfelder. In the playoffs could “everything always happen”.
He’s right, and it’s not just because of the recent smack that Bamberg will go into the quarter-finals particularly motivated. Because Berlin vs. Bamberg – that was a basketball classic for years and Germany’s top duel for championships and cup wins.