– David Hein
RASTA Vechta were among the four home teams to win Game 1s of the opening round of the easyCredit BBL playoffs. The week also saw FC Bayern Munich and medi bayreuth announce their head coaches will be back for next season. And former ratiopharm ulm star Will Clyburn was named the MVP of a EuroLeague Final Four which had eight players who used to play in Germany’s top flight.
In this section, we break out our English language skills and inform you about the latest news from the German easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga. If you’re short on time but still want your fill of Germany’s top basketball league, then you are in the right place. Every week David Hein (www.heinnews.com) brings you up-to-date in German basketball – the easyCredit BBL short and sweet:
Vechta’s “Sensational Seven” win first ever playoff game at home vs Bamberg
RASTA Vechta won their first easyCredit BBL playoff game in club history by knocking off Brose Bamberg 96-85 at home. Vechta led by 16 points in the second quarter and pushed the lead to 17 points in the third and never let Bamberg back into the game. Vechta, who were without the injured trio of Clint Chapman, Tyrone Nash and Seth Hinrichs and played just seven players, survived committing 20 turnovers by hitting 48.5 percent from three-point range and converting 15-of-19 free throws compared to just 2-of-4 foul shots for Bamberg and also winning the rebound battle 37 to 26. Austin Hollins was sensational with 30 points including 7 three-pointers and 7 rebounds in 39:47 minutes for Vechta. The 19-year-old Philipp Herkenhoff collected career highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double, while Max DiLeo had 14 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals; TJ Bray picked up 14 points, 3 rebounds, 12 assists and 4 steals; Robin Christen added 9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal; and Josh Young and Chris Carter combined for 9 points. Bamberg were placed by Elias Harris, who had 21 points on 10-of-11 shots, 4 rebounds and 2 assists off the bench. Tyrese Rice added 18 points and 11 assists and Bryce Taylor tallied 17 points with 5 three-pointers. Game 2 is Wednesday in Bamberg.
Balanced Berlin bash Ulm at home without Siva
ALBA BERLIN used a balance attack to shrug off ratiopharm ulm with a 107-78 victory at home in Game 1. Six players scored in double figures for Berlin, who dished out 30 assists and taking control of the game with a 29-16 first quarter and never looking back. Berlin, who were without staring point guard Peyton Siva, shot 58 percent for the game as Jonannes Thiemann led the way with 15 points while Martin Hermannsson had 14 points and 4 assists and Derrick Walton Jr added 11 points and 12 assists. Ulm were held to 36 percent from long range and were paced by Ismet Akpinar with 13 points off the bench while Javonte Green had 12 points to lead the starting five, which totalled just 37 points. Game 2 is Tuesday in Ulm.
Bayern defense too much for Braunschweig
Reigning champions FC Bayern Munich came up with a superb defensive showing in taking Game 1 of their showdown with Basketball Löwen Braunschweig 70-59 at home. Bayern led by 13 points in the first quarter and allowed just seven points in the second quarter to coast to the win. Bayern held Braunschweig to just 35.6 percent from the field including 30.4 percent from long range and won the rebound battle 41-30. Derrick Williams scored 12 points as Bayern’s only player in double figures while Danilo Barthel added 9 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Braunschweig were led by Shaquille Hines with 20 points and 9 rebounds while DeAndre Lansdowne had 15 points. Game 2 is Friday in Braunschweig.
Bayern extend deal with Coach Radonjic until 2020
Just days before the start of the playoffs, FC Bayern Munich extended their contract with head coach Dejan Radonjic until the end of the 2019-2020 season. The 49-year-old Montenegro playcaller joined Bayern late in the season last year and guided the Munich club to the title last season.
Cummings leads Oldenburg to come-back home victory over Bonn
EWE Baskets Oldenburg came back from a 10-point second half deficit to hold its home court advantage with a 105-94 victory over Telekom Baskets Bonn. Oldenburg trailed by 10 points late in the third quarter but Oldenburg took over the game with a 19-2 run for the win - thanks to season MVP Will Cummings pouring in 34 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Rickey Paulding added 20 points to pass the 6,500-point mark in the league, topped only by Jarvis Walker (6,582) and Mike Jackel (10,789). Rasid Mahalbasic picked up 14 points and 10 rebounds and Nathan Boothe chipped in 12 points and 7 rebounds for Oldenburg, who turned it over just seven times. Bonn saw Charles Jackson collect 21 points and 8 rebounds; Bojan Subotic had 13 points and 6 rebounds; and Yorman Polas Bartolo added 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in the loss. Game 2 is Tuesday in Bonn.
Player of the Week
EWE Baskets Oldenburg was the beneficiary of an outstanding showing by MVP Will Cummings, who earned the Player of the Week honor from Game 1 of the playoffs. Cummings scored 34 points on 9-of-14 shots and 12-of-15 free throws to go with 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 block for an efficiency of 34.
LIVE: 31:24 führen die @EWE_Baskets um MVP @willcummings_ nach dem ersten Viertel gegen die @TelekomBaskets. Und weil Will Cummings der MVP ist, macht er auch MVPesque Dinge! #PlayoffsBaby pic.twitter.com/R2WtqUseFA
— #PlayoffsBaby (@easyCreditBBL) May 19, 2019
German Top Five of the Week
G: Maxi DiLeo, RASTA VECHTA
Maxi DiLeo was the only of the DiLeo brothers to win in Game 1 as Telekom Baskets Bonn’s TJ DiLeo lost against EWE Baskets Oldenburg. Maxi picked up 14 points with 3 three-pointers, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals against Brose Bamberg.
F: Niels Giffey, ALBA BERLIN
Giffey picked up 12 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists and 2 steals in helping Berlin knock off ratiopharm ulm in a Game 1 victory.
F: Philipp Herkenhoff, RASTA Vechta
The 19-year-old Herkenhoff had the best game of his career with career highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double against Brose Bamberg.
F: Elias Harris, Brose Bamberg
Harris could not help Bamberg to a road victory over RASTA Vechta but the big man had 21 points (two of them in the video on the right) on 10-of-11 shooting with 4 rebounds and 2 assists off the bench.
C: Johannes Thiemann, ALBA BERLIN
Thiemann paced Berlin with 15 points while also tallying 5 rebounds and 1 block against ratiopharm ulm.
LIVE-VIDEO: Fastbreak leicht gemacht! @BroseBamberg schlägt Vechta mit den eigenen Waffen: @rhsmooth03 überlässt @EliasJMHarris zum Dunk. #FREAKZONE #playoffsbaby pic.twitter.com/fAh3180unE
— #PlayoffsBaby (@easyCreditBBL) May 19, 2019
Young Guns
Tim Schneider, 21, PF, ALBA BERLIN
Schneider made 4-of-5 shots with 2 three-pointers in scoring 11 points to go with 3 rebounds in 14:35 minutes off the bench against ratiopharm ulm.
Jonas Mattisseck, 19, PG, ALBA BERLIN
Mattisseck picked up 8 points with 2 three-pointers, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 1 steal in 10:00 minutes against ratiopharm ulm.
Lars Lagerpusch, 21, C, Basketball Löwen Braunschweig
Lagerpusch did his part for Braunschweig with 3 points on 1-of-1 shooting and 1-of-2 free throw shooting to go with 2 rebounds and 1 assist in 8:09 minutes against FC Bayern Munich.
Olinde Watch
Brose Bamberg talent Louis Olinde could not help the team from avoiding the opening road loss at RASTA Vechta. But the 21-year-old small forward picked up 4 points on 2-of-3 shooting and 0-of-1 three-pointers with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal with 0 turnovers in 11:47 minutes.
Head coach Korner will stay at Bayreuth
Raoul Korner exercised his option and will remain as head coach at medi bayreuth for the coming season as the club works on maintaining continuity. The 45-year-old Austrian could not keep Bayreuth from slumping to a 14-20 mark in his fourth season in the easyCredit BBL to miss the playoffs.
MVP Clyburn among former easyCredit BBL stars at EuroLeague Final Four
No team from the easyCredit BBL was at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four, but the German league was well represented by former star players in the league, including Will Clyburn who won the MVP award for champions CSKA Moscow. Clyburn played two seasons with ratiopharm ulm and was one of eight players with past experience in Germany. Joining Clyburn on winners CSKA were Kyle Hines, who won his fourth EuroLeague crown since his one season at Brose Bamberg; and Daniel Hackett, who also had one season in Bamberg. Bamberg was also the home for three seasons to German big man Tibor Pleiss, who lost in the final to CSKA with Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Pleiss, who has been out of the easyCredit BBL since 2012 after three seasons with Bamberg, was teammates at Efes with Vasilije Micic, who played two seasons with FC Bayern Munich. Third-place winners Real Madrid’s roster included Fabien Causeur and Klemen Prepelic, who spent one season in the German league with Bamberg and EWE Baskets Oldenburg, respectively. And the other player with German experience was Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul’s Nicolo Melli, who spent two campaigns with Bamberg.
Bryant named most effective player, passes Nowitzki record
Two-time MVP John Bryant added another honor as the GIESSEN 46ers big man was named the Most Effective National Player with Basketball Löwen Braunschweig’s Scott Eatherton being the Most Effective International. Bryant, who already picked up the Best Offensive Player honor for the season, averaged an efficiency of 25.7 over his 30 games to eclipse the record mark of 24.3 from Dirk Nowtizki in 1998-99. Eatherton’s efficiency average of 22.6 earned him the mark as top international player.
Bayern grab two wins at ANGT Finals
FC Bayern Munich were represented at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals at the EuroLeague Final Four and picked up two victories to finish second in the group. Bayern, who was given a wild card to play at the U18 spectacle, beat Zalgiris Kaunas and Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv but lost to Mega Bemax Belgrade. Bayern forward Matej Rudan was named to the All-Tournament Team.
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