Alba Berlin floats from victory to victory. Eleven in a row! The series may surprise, but it has clear reasons. And now the crisis club Hamburg Towers, which is still without a win, is waiting.
- Alba has won eleven games in a row across all competitions
- Squad was reduced and rejuvenated before the season
- Talent strikes
- Offensive spread across many shoulders
Looking into an uncertain future Alba Berlin months ago. The squad had been significantly reduced, unknown players had been brought in and instead of the dazzling Euroleague the club entered the third-tier Champions League. The credo was: save, save, save. And, wow, as the eleven-time champions struggled at the start of the season, Alba lost three of the first four games. The next disaster season for Berliners? – Not at all.
Meanwhile, Pedro Calles’ team is sweeping their opponents off the floor in droves: eleven competitive game wins in a row, including this one Sensational triumph against champions FC Bayern Munich. On Sunday (6 p.m.) the duel against Hamburg Towers awaits, who – what an irony – are struggling with a negative series of 24 defeats across the seasons.
For the long-suffering Berliners, the run is almost too good to be true – and yet there are clear reasons for it.
1. The defense is there
Coach Pedro Calles has shaped Alba’s defense into a defensive bulwark. In the BBL, the Berliners have so far allowed the fewest points behind Bayern Munich. The team defends toughly, uncompromisingly, closes the gaps around the zone and repeatedly forces the opponents to make difficult throws from a distance. Berlin held the last BBL game so far Frankfurter with a three-pointer rate of 31 percent (Alba: 40 percent). Crucially, the players work together as a unit.
Under the boards, Justin Bean, J’Wan Roberts and Norris Agbakoko loom equally menacingly in front of their opponents. The performance of the 2.18 meter long Newcomer Agbakoko convinced national coach Alex Mumbru so much that he nominated him for the international matches against Israel and Cyprus around two weeks ago.
2. The nerves are strong
“I’m happy and really proud because the team showed character. And not for the first time this season,” said squad planner Himar Ojeda after winning the Champions League against Elan Chalon. His protégés had just given the former league leaders a 13-0 run in the final phase – and thus won a close game on their side.
Two weeks earlier, the team had already knocked out Chemnitz in a hard-fought Bundesliga duel with a 17-0 run. When things get tight, Alba explodes.
3. Deliver the talent
“They are young and brave,” Ojeda recently praised the players he brought into the team. In order to make the club more financially stable, the budget for professional contracts was significantly reduced this season. The fact that this calculation works is mainly due to the strong performance of the young players, of which there are quite a few: seven of the regularly used Albatrosses were born in 2000 or younger.
In a small squad – also part of the austerity measures – they have to take responsibility and do so. The 19-year-old is an example of this Jack Kayil. The Neukölln native recently replaced the injured leader Martin Hermannsson and shone as the best and second best scorer in the victories against Chalon and Frankfurt. Previously he led Alba With 18 points in the BBL Cup against Jena, they returned to the Final Four after a year’s break. The Berliners can still enjoy Kayil’s amazing versatility this season before he moves to Gonzaga University next year.
4. The game plan is merciful
While champions Bayern Munich are wearing themselves out in the busy Euroleague schedule and even had to visit Dubai on Friday evening as part of the premier competition (six hour flight time), things have been quieter for the Berliners since they left the competition. The Albatrosses have played five games in the Champions League so far, ten fewer than the Euroleague teams at the same time.
This gives the players more time for regeneration, but also for more intensive training and practicing the systems. Last but not least, the successes in the Champions League are probably more beneficial for the ego than having to cope with the next debacle in the Euroleague week after week.
5. The squad is variable
What is striking is the offensive balance in the Berlin squad, which in the BBL only exists with the top-class Bayern: four players score double figures at Alba, and a fifth, Malte Delow, scratches the mark with 9.4 points. The Surprise farewell of top scorer Boogie Ellis to Dubai the collective easily compensates.
A look at the playing times shows how much coach Pedro Calles can distribute the load: even the frequent player Martin Hermannsson is on the floor for an average of less than 25 minutes per game – the lowest value among the long-running favorites of the 18 BBL clubs. The highest assist rate in the BBL also underlines the offensive balance of the Berlin team, which makes it even more difficult to predict the opponent.
Broadcast: rbb|24, December 13, 2025, 8:00 a.m
