Phoenix Hagen returns to the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL). Against the Eisbären Bremerhaven they made it into the final of the 2nd Bundesliga.
Head coach Chris Harris’ team prevailed on Saturday evening in the all-important fifth game of the best-of-five series with 85:65 (40:35) and is therefore confirmed as a sporting newcomer almost ten years after relegation from the BBL.
Reaching the final means promotion
Because the champions and runners-up from the ProA are promoted to the BBL, reaching the playoff final meant promotion. The final game against the Bozic Estriche Kirchheim Knights is about winning the ProA championship.
Hagen finished the main round as first in the table and won the quarterfinals 3-0 against the PS Karlsruhe Lions. Bremerhaven, which had won both duels with Hagen in the regular season, moved into the playoffs in fourth place. In the quarterfinals there was a 3-0 win against the Artland Dragons.
Hagen’s narrow lead at the break
The game in the Ischelandhalle was characterized by high intensity. Cheered on by the loud home fans, Phoenix started highly motivated, managed twice as many throws as the opponent in the opening minutes, but still left many opportunities unused. Hagen temporarily led by five points, but in the end the Eisbären won the first quarter 17:16.
The game remained close in the second quarter. The lead changed again and again, and a 7-0 run by Hagen to make it 29:25 initially didn’t make a decisive difference, because Bremerhaven was able to equalize again a little later to make it 35:35. In the final phase of the first half, the home team was able to take another 40:35 lead.
Decisive run in the third quarter
Hagen carried the momentum into the second half and began the third quarter with a 6-0 run to take the game’s first double-digit lead (46:35). However, the polar bears refused to be shaken off and shortened the score to 49:45 a little later. Devin Schmidt provided Hagen’s answer with a three-pointer to make it 52:45. In the final phase of the third quarter, Phoenix really got going again. A three-pointer from Marcus Graves meant a 66:50 lead heading into the final quarter.
Hagen didn’t let this lead be taken away in the fourth quarter, but instead extended it even further and in the end celebrated their long-awaited return to the BBL to the cheers of the fans.
The game’s top scorers were Hagen’s Bjarne Kraushaar and Bremerhaven’s Elijah Miller with 14 points each.
Our sources:
- Game Phoenix Hagen against Eisbären Bremerhaven on May 30, 2026 on SportEuropeTV
- ProA homepage
Broadcast: WDR.de, “Hagen climbs into the basketball-Bundesliga on”May 28, 2026, 10:00 p.m
