The first round of the playoffs are complete and the four Bs have all reached the Semi-Finals. Reigning champs and regular season winners FC Bayern Basketball as well as German Cup winners BMA365 Bamberg Baskets both swept into the last four while ALBA BERLIN and Telekom Baskets Bonn needed five games to advance after losing their home court advantage in their openers. The off-season for the other teams saw a major German leave the league as Kevin Yebo will be heading to Spain. Another German meanwhile has reached the NBA Finals with Ariel Hukporti searching for the title with the New York Knicks.
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:
Semi-Finals: Bayern take on Bonn; Berlin face off with Bamberg
The Semi-Finals of the easyCredit BBL are set up and the top four teams from the regular season advanced from the first round. The matchups are reigning champs FC Bayern Basketball taking on Telekom Baskets Bonn with home court advantage, while ALBA BERLIN have Games 1 adn 2 at home against German Cup winners BMA365 Bamberg Baskets. The schedule is as follows: Games 1 and 2 in Munich and Berlin on May 30 and June 1. Bonn and Bamberg will host Game 3 on June 4 and if necessary on June 6. Game 5 if necessary would be back in Munich or Berlin on June 9.
Berlin drop Game 1 at home, win series 3-2 over Vechta at home
ALBA BERLIN needed to come back from a 2-1 deficit in their series against RASTA Vechta but managed to reach the Semi-Finals by winning Game 5 at home. Vechta stole home court advantage straight away in Game 1 as they used a big second quarter for a 103-89 win. Tevin Brown buried 5 three-pointers in scoring 30 points and Lloyd Pandi added 18 points for the visitors. Berlin could not use 20 points from Moses Wood while Martin Hermannsson had 17 points and 11 assists in the loss. Berlin managed at least a split of the opening two games but the 90-85 win was a nail-biter. After a close first half, Berlin pulled away to a 17-point lead in the third quarter. Vechta narrowed the gap to two points inside the final minute but Justin Bean buried a dagger three-pointer with 13 seconds left for Berlin. Norris Agbakoko had 17 points and Bean had an impressive 10 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Brown finished with 16 points in the loss.
Vechta defended home court in Game 3 with a 91-82 victory to take a 2-1 lead. The hosts opened a 14-point third quarter lead but watched as Berlin fought back to within two points in the frame. Vechta bounced back in the fourth to get the win with Alonzo Verge (24 points, 10 assists) and Tibor Pleiß (22 points, 10 rebounds) both collecting double-doubles and Brown had 21 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Hermannsson had 19 points in the defeat. Berlin did not cave in for Game 4 as they took down Vechta 85-79 on the road to force a Game 5 at home. After a tight game throughout, Berlin closed the game with the final six points to send the series back to the capital. Hermannsson had 18 points and Jack Kayil tallied 15 points and 6 assists. Verge’s 17 points were not enough for Vechta to close out the series. In Game 5, Berlin grabbed a double digit lead in the second quarter and were never really threatened the rest of the way in a 98-89 win to take the series. Kayil led Berlin with 20 points and Hermannsson had 19 points and 10 assists. Verge and TJ Bamba both had 19 points in the defeat as Vechta’s season comes to an end.
Bonn lose home Game 1, finish off Würzburg 3-2 at home
Telekom Baskets Bonn moved into the Semi-Finals of the playoffs despite dropping the opening game as they finished off the series 3-2 at home over Fitness First Würzburg Baskets. Würzburg stole home court advantage in Game 1 by coming back from 11 points down in the second quarter and giving up just 7 points in the frame in a 69-54 win. Davion Mintz scored 19 points for Würzburg and Marcus Carr added 12 points and 8 assists. Joel Aminu had 12 points in the loss. Bonn evened the series in Game 2 with an 88-81 home victory thanks to a 15-4 fourth quarter surge. Aminu had 16 points and Jeff Garrett added 15 points and 9 rebounds in the win while Carr scored 20 points in the loss.
Bonn reclaimed home court advantage in Game 3 in Würzburg with an 80-76 win. The visitors allowed only 7 points in the third quarter and Garrett buried a big three-pointer with 31 seconds left in the game. Alijah Comithier scored 18 points and fellow reserve Jalen Finch added 16 points for Bonn. Würzburg could not use Mintz’s 17 points. Würzburg set up a decisive fifth game as they won Game 4 82-70 at home. The hosts pulled away in the third quarter and Mintz scored 14 points and Carr added 13 points and 7 assists in the win. Aminu picked up 16 points in the defeat. Game 5 in Bonn proved to be an offensive struggle as Bonn rallied from scoring just 7 points in the second quarter to win 66-63 at home. Bonn took the third quarter 27-16 and held the momentum for a spot in the Semi-Finals. Michael Kessens had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Grayson Murphy tallied 10 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. Brae Ivey led Würzburg with 12 points off the bench.
Bamberg sweep past Ulm into Semis
German Cup champions BMA365 Bamberg Baskets rolled into the Semi-Finals of the playoffs by sweeping past ratiopharm ulm 3-0 after taking Game 3 on the road. Ulm raced ahead by 16 points in the opener on the road and were still up by 10 points midway through the third quarter. But Bamberg went on a 21-3 run to take charge of the game and win 80-74. Demarcus Demonia collected 18 points and 8 rebounds while Cobe Williams added 12 points and 7 assists. Christopher Ludlum had 13 points in the loss.
In Game 2, Bamberg went on a 15-2 surge to end the third quarter ahead 13 points. Ulm tied the game but Bamberg pulled back ahead by 8 points with 99 seconds to go to win 90-87. Williams had 18 points and Austin Crowley picked up 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Mark Smith poured in 29 points in a losing effort. The series moved to Ulm and Bamberg opened the second half to go ahead by 11 points to finish off the sweep with a 96-87 victory. Ibi Watson scored 28 points and Demonia had 17 points and 6 assists for Bamberg. Smith scored 21 points and Christian Sengfelder’s 18 points and 11 rebounds were not enough.
Reigning champs Bayern roll into Semis after sweep of Trier
The reigning champs and regular season winners FC Bayern Basketball avoided any hiccups as they rolled into the Semi-Finals with a 3-0 sweep of VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier. The promoted side Trier shocked the Munich crowd to start Game 1 with a 10-point lead in the first quarter. Bayern moved ahead in the second and took the second half 53-36 to win 101-80. Andreas Obst poured in 24 points and Isiaha Mike added 16 points for Munich. Urald King had 18 points in the defeat.
In Game 2, Bayern took control of the game with a 24-5 run spanning the first two quarters for a 92-65 win. Neno Dimitrijevic collected 16 points and 9 assists as part of the reserves who scored 64 points. Maik Zirbes paced Trier with 14 points. Bayern did not wait to finish off the sweep by taking Game 3 in Trier 99-62. The visitors won the second quarter 34-13 and Oscar da Silva had 20 points to pace five Munich players in double figures. Marcus Hollersbacher had 14 points in the defeat.
Kevin Yebo leaves Germany for Tenerife in Spain
Another top level German player is leaving the Bundesliga as Kevin Yebo will test himself in the Spanish ACB. The big man is leaving NINERS Chemnitz to join two-time Basketball Champions League winners La Laguna Tenerife.
Player(s) of the Week(s)
The first round of the playoffs saw two sweeps while the other two series went the full five games. Here are the Players of the Week for each round. Tevin Brown of RASTA Vechta was the top performer in the Game 1s with a 30 efficiency in the win over ALBA BERLIN. Brown scored 30 points on 12 of 20 shots and 1 of 2 free throw to go with 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. That series produced the top showing for Game 2 as well with Justin Bean collecting 10 points on 4 of 7 shots, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals for an efficiency of 26 for Berlin against Vechta. Game 3’s top performer was once again from the ALBA-RASTA showdown with Tibor Pleiß producing an efficiency of 29 with 22 points on 7 of 12 shots and 4 of 4 free throws, 10 rebounds and 3 steals. Martin Hermannsson of Berlin was the next to shine as Berlin took Game 4 with Hermannsson collecting 18 points on 7 of 12 shots and 2 of 2 free throws, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal for an efficiency of 19. Game 5 finally saw another series take the lead for Player to Watch and Michael Kessens registering a 24 efficiency with 16 points on 7 of 11 shots and 2 of 3 free throws, 12 rebounds and 1 assist for Telekom Baskets Bonn in their win over Fitness First Würzburg Baskets.
German Top Five of the Week
G: Jack Kayil, ALBA BERLIN
Kayil had a tremendous series against RASTA Vechta. In Game 1 he had 16 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists and 1 steal followed by 14 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists and 7 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in Game 3. With Berlin’s back against the wall, the youngster collected 15 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal and then picked up 20 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal in the deciding Game 5.
G: Joel Aminu, Telekom Baskets Bonn
Aminu helped Bonn get into the Semi-Finals with a strong performance against Fitness First Würzburg Baskets. He started with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist and then had 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal before 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in Game 3. Aminu collected 16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal in Game 4 and then finished the series with 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal.
F: Christian Sengfelder, ratiopharm ulm
Sengfelder did all he could against BMA365 Bamberg Baskets but the team was swept. The big man stood strong with 13 points and 3 rebounds in Game 1 and then had 12 points and 4 rebounds before picking up 18 points and 11 rebounds in Game 3.
F: Oscar da Silva, FC Bayern Basketball
Da Silva played a major role in Bayern sweeping VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier. He had 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block in the opener and then 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in Game 2 before tallying 20 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block in the final game.
C: Norris Agbakoko, ALBA BERLIN
Agbakoko showed all series what he could do and is a big reason Berlin got past RASTA Vechta. He opened the series with 10 points and 4 rebounds and then picked up 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in Game 2. In Game 3 he contributed 9 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block and tallied 10 points, 2 rebounds and 2 blocks in Game 4 before chipping in 8 points and 3 rebounds as Berlin won the final showdown.
Germans Abroad
The New York Knicks have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 with Ariel Hukporti on the team. The German center only played one game in the Eastern Conference Finals with 2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 8 minutes of Game 4 against Cleveland.
