What a performance by MVP candidate Jhivvan Jackson, who gave ALBA BERLIN problems all night and ended the game with the final 11 points to save the win for FIT/One Würzburg Baskets. The week also saw Basketball Löwen Braunschweig lose a fourth straight game while EWE Baskets Oldenburg collected their second road win of the season.
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 (Taking The Charge) brings you up-to-date in German basketball – the easyCredit BBL short and sweet:
Jackson drops 39, including game’s final 11 points in Würzburg win over Berlin
Jhivvan Jackson showed why he is one of the contenders for the Most Valuable Player award by scoring the final 11 points of the game in FIT/One Würzburg’s important 84-80 road victory over ALBA BERLIN. Jackson finished the game with 39 points - a career high and third most points in a game this season in the league. Both teams were 11-11 coming into the game - they will meet again on April 23 - and Würzburg snapped a two-game losing streak. Berlin suffered their first loss in the league under new head coach Pedro Calles.
Cup winners Weißenfels keep Braunschweig reeling
German Cup winners SYNTAINICS MBC bounced back from their loss at ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES to register an 82-77 home win over Basketball Löwen Braunschweig, who suddenly have the second longest losing streak in the league at four games. Wolves used a 15-2 fourth quarter run to blow open the game and have now won five of the last six games for a 12-11 record. The once league leaders Braunschweig have dropped to fifth in the standings with a 14-10 mark. Ty Brewer led the winners with 15 points.
Oldenburg show they can win with defense, and on the road again
EWE Baskets Oldenburg showed they can win with defense too as they downed MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg 79-66 for just their second road win of the season. Oldenburg’s number one offense went up against the league’s number defense and the guests prevailed for their first victory away from home in six weeks for a three-game winning streak and a 12-11 record - 2-10 on the road. Ludwigsburg managed to erase a 14-point second quarter deficit but dropped their third straight game for a 11-12 record. Due to technical problems and a number of breaks in the action, the game lasted about 2.5 hours. In the end, Len Schoormann led Oldenburg with 17 points.
Coplin cleared of doping allegations, leaves Frankfurt to join Ludwigsburg
SKYLINERS guard Booker Coplin has been cleared to play again after the German anti-doping agency NADA lifted the American’s doping suspension. Coplin in turn left the Frankfurt club and joined MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg. The 27-year-old Coplin in late November tested positive for increased levels of testosterone, which after weeks of investigations were due to medication he has taken for years. When Coplin was suspended, Frankfurt responded by adding a new player. That meant Frankfurt had eight foreigners when he was cleared to return. Coplin was a major part of the Frankfurt team that earned promotion last season, and now he hopes to help lead Ludwigsburg into the playoffs.
Ulm drain 19 three-pointers in home blowout of Frankfurt
ratiopharm ulm bounced back from their loss to FC Bayern Munich in strong fashion with a 115-88 blowout at home of SKYLINERS thanks to 19 three-pointers. Ulm, who have won six of seven games for a 17-7 record, set the tone right away with 9 of 10 threes in the first quarter. Ulm’s dynamic draft duo of Ben Saraf (22 points, 8 assists) and Noa Essengue (21 points) led the way. Malik Parsons scored 21 points for Frankfurt, who despite five of six losses and a 6-16 record are still 5 wins and tiebreaker ahead of last placed BG Göttingen.
Horne, Mikesell combine for 48 points as Heidelberg stay in hunt for home court advantage
MLP Academics Heidelberg remained in the hunt for not only the playoffs but also home court advantage in the first round by holding on for a 93-90 win at Bamberg Baskets. Heidelberg watched Bamberg cut a 16-point fourth quarter deficit down to two points in the final minute, but Ryan Mikesell hit a big jumper with 28 seconds left. Heidelberg won back-to-back games for the first time since end of November for a 13-9 record and fourth place. DJ Horne scored 25 points for the winners and Mikesell had 23 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Bamberg fell to 10-14.
Weathers, Heidelberg exercise option to remain together for next season
One of the season’s biggest surprises MLP Academics Heidelberg have agreed to keep one of the team’s leaders for next season, exercising their option for 2025-26 for guard Michael Weathers. The 27-year-old American last off-season signed a contract for one year and a mutual option for the second season. And both sides agreed to stay together for next season as well. Heidelberg have been busy trying to keep continuity with their team as they already extended their contract with Osun Osunniyi earlier in March.
Bayern never threatened in easy win over Rostock
FC Bayern Munich got a bit of relief from their demanding schedule as they breezed past ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES 91-66 at home to defend first place in the league. Bayern led 29-13 after 10 minutes and never were threatened in moving to 17-6 with four wins in five games since losing in the German Cup. Onuralp Bitim hit 6 three-pointers for 18 points for Bayern. Rostock have dropped 4 of 5 games for a 11-12 record.
Wimberg career high 19 helps Hamburg roll past Vechta
Veolia Towers Hamburg picked up an important win in their fight for the playoffs as they rolled past RASTA Vechta 86-73 at home. The lead grew to 26 points early in the second and Hamburg have won five straight home games for an 11-12 record. Vechta have dropped back-to-back games after a three-game winning streak for a 14-10 mark. Niklas Wimberg scored a career high 19 points for Hamburg.
Bonn give Göttingen no chance, finally win back-to-back games again
Telekom Baskets Bonn won back-to-back games for the first time in 2025 as they raced past BG Göttingen 112-85 on the road. Bonn led 34-18 after 10 minutes and never looked back for a 11-12 record with two straight wins for the first time since beating Göttingen and Basketball Löwen Braunschweig on December 29 and January 5, respectively. Göttingen inched ever closer to relegation with their 15th consecutive loss and a 1-22 record. Darius McGhee collected 19 points and 6 assists off the Bonn bench, and Tra Holder had another strong game in another loss with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for Göttingen.
Player of the Week
Jhivvan Jackson is the easy choice for Player of the Week for Round 25 as the FIT/One Würzburg guard was unstoppable in the win over ALBA BERLIN with 39 points on 14 of 22 shots (5/11 threes) and 6 of 6 free throws, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals as well as 2 turnovers for an efficiency of 40. Oh, and he scored the game’s final 11 points for the win.
German Top Five of the Week
G: Len Schoormann, EWE Baskets Oldenburg
Oldenburg finally won again on the road and a big reason for that was Schoormann, who had 17 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal versus MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg.
F: Karim Jallow, ratiopharm ulm
Jallow continues to play great basketball as he did a bit of everything against SKYLINERS with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.
F: Niklas Wimberg, Veolia Towers Hamburg
Wimberg played a major role in Hamburg knocking off hot RASTA Vechta with a career high 19 points to go with 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
F: Tim Schneider, ALBA BERLIN
Schneider was one of Berlin’s best players in their loss against FIT/One Würzburg Baskets with 14 points, 6 rebounds and 1 block.
C: Filip Stanic, Bamberg Baskets
Stanic did all he could but his 15 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal were not enough in a loss to MLP Academics Heidelberg.
Young Guns
Sananda Fru, 21, PF, Basketball Löwen Braunschweig
Fru makes the Young Guns list again as he had 11 points on 5 of 9 shots and 1 of 2 free throws, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks in 30:56 minutes against SYNTAINICS MBC.
Jacob Patrick, 21, SG, MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg
Patrick started against EWE Baskets Oldenburg and struggled with his shooting, hitting just 2 of 10 shots (1/9 threes) and 3 of 4 free throws for 8 points while also picking up 1 rebound, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 block in 31:09 minutes.
Janis Jünemann, 19, C, BG Göttingen
Jünemann came off the bench against Telekom Baskets Bonn and scored 8 points on 3 of 4 shooting and 2 of 2 free throws to go with 3 rebounds in 13:35 minutes.
Germans Abroad
Germany’s sole player in the NCAA Tournament has reached the Sweet Sixteen as Christian Anderson and Texas Tech beat UNC-Wilmington in the first round 82-72 and then knocked off Drake 77-64 in the second round. Anderson played 38 minutes against UNCW and picked up 7 points on 2 of 9 shooting, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. He chipped in 5 points on 2 of 9 shots, 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 37 minutes against Drake. Next up for the Texas Tech Red Raiders is Arkansas with the veteran head coach John Calipari.
