Cologne (SID) – No chance after the Corona outbreak: The Hamburg Towers suffered a defeat in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) after the last two wins. In the relegation candidate Giessen 46ers, the North Germans lost 73:100 (35:45). In the run-up to the towers, there had been several corona cases.
Before leaving for the away game, several people in Hamburg had tested positive for the virus on Friday. An additional PCR test series on Saturday morning then revealed another infected player just a few hours before the start of the game. However, since the Towers in Giessen had the required eight players, the game took place.
Hamburg held up well in the first quarter, but then the hosts, who played strongly, did not let the victory be taken away from them. With 20:14 points, the Towers slip out of the play-off places for the time being and are ninth. Giessen climbs to 16th place with 8:26 points.
ratiopharm Ulm has meanwhile consolidated its place in the top group of the BBL. Coach Jaka Lakovic’s team beat Niners Chemnitz 77:68 (40:27) and is now 24:10 behind Telekom Baskets Bonn, who have the same number of points. Bayern Munich is still the leader (24:8).
For Ulm it was the fourth win in a row. Chemnitz, on the other hand, has to let the hosts go in the table for the time being and is in fifth place with 22:12 points.
Hakro Merlins Crailsheim celebrated a win against EWE Baskets Oldenburg, who were threatened with relegation, and are still well on course for the play-off. Coach Sebastian Gleim’s team prevailed in their own hall with 97:86 (53:41) and also passed Chemnitz with 22:12 points to fourth place in the table. Oldenburg is at the bottom with 4:24 points.