The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg are in the quarter-finals of the cup competition in the basketball Bundesliga.
The Swabians prevailed against the Veolia Towers Hamburg with 92:86 (43:44). Coach Josh King’s team confirmed their good early form of the season with their fourth win in five competitive games.
The Hamburgers found their rhythm in the second quarter with a few quick attacks, and in the third round the hosts temporarily gained a double-digit lead. Then the defense of the guests was better: For almost seven minutes, Ludwigsburg didn’t allow any points from the field, with a 14:2 start in the final section they turned the game around. Ludwigsburg’s Isaiah Whitehead scored 14 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter.
Last year’s finalist is also in the next round: The Hakro Merlins Crailsheim defeated the Niners Chemnitz at home with 86:72 (40:37). The hosts opened the second half with an 11:0 run and controlled the third period with 25:12. Crailsheim playmaker Edon Maxhuni hit five threes and was the top scorer of the game with 20 points.
Thanks to a strong final phase, medi Bayreuth prevailed 75:69 (37:43) at the Syntainics MBC from Weißenfels. The guests from Upper Franconia turned the game around with a 10:0 run in the last two minutes. In the fourth game of the first round of the cup, Tanner Leissner led EWE Baskets Oldenburg to a 91-87 (43-44) away win over Würzburg Baskets with 24 points.