Alba Berlin still has to worry about entering the quarter-finals of the Euroleague. At Baskonia Vitoria, the basketball players from the capital clearly lost 68:85 (31:44). The best Berlin throwers were Jaleen Smith with 16 points and Oscar da Silva with 13 points.
In addition to the long-term absentees Marcus Eriksson and Louis Olinde, coach Israel Gonzalez also had to do without the two internationals Maodo Lo (calf) and Johannes Thiemann (shoulder). Both teams quickly found their rhythm and set a lot of pace. Alba was particularly successful from a distance.
At the end Alba runs out of air
In the middle of the first quarter, the Berliners took the lead for the first time (10:9) – but it was to be the last in the game. Because the guests then left too many open throws. After a 2:14 run in the second period, the Basques divided the capital club and went into the break with a double-digit lead.
Even after the change of sides, Baskonia punished every mistake made by the guests – especially the two ex-Berliners Rokas Giedraitis and Simone Fontecchio. But Alba remained stable and at the end of the third quarter after a 12-0 run, fought back to two points (60:62). But in the last section, hardly anything went at Alba. And so it ended up being a clear defeat.
The Berliners already have the chance to make amends next Tuesday, March 22 (8 p.m.). Then coach Israel Gonzalez’s team welcomes Spanish title contenders FC Barcelona.
Broadcast: rbb24, March 18, 2022, 10 p.m
Source: rbb