Phoenix Hagen celebrated history this weekend, winning their first easyCredit BBL home game in 10 years. The week of action also saw FC Bayern Basketball remain perfect while Basketball Löwen Braunschweig hired former German international Alex King as new sports director.
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:
Hagen beat Braunschweig for first home Bundesliga win in 10 years
Phoenix Hagen collected their first home victory in the easyCredit BBL in 10 years as they beat Basketball Löwen Braunschweig 88-73. Braunschweig took a 10-point lead in the first quarter but trailed by 11 points at halftime. The game was tight in the final frame until Hagen closed the game on a 17-4 run for their first home Bundesliga win since May 1, 2016 and a 2-4 record. Braunschweig managed to hit only 41 percent of their shots in the game in falling to 3-2 after back-to-back losses. Trenton Gibson paced Hagen with 22 points, Tyler Polley had 20 points and Cameron Krutwig chipped in 7 points, 13 rebound and 6 assists. De’Jour Reaves scored 18 points and fellow reserve had 13 points as the Braunschweig starters combined for only 34 points.
Braunschweig name Alex King new sports director
Basketball Löwen Braunschweig have added one of the most experienced players in Bundesliga history to their club with the hiring of Alex King as new sports director. The 41-year-old former German international ranks second in games played list since the start of data collection in 1998 with 638 games, including winning three German championships and three German cup crowns. King will take over the development of the youth sector within the club. After ending his career in 2022, King moved to Fitness First Würzburg Baskets and worked with the club’s youth ranks.
Bayern blast Hamburg again for perfect 5-0 record
FC Bayern Basketball rolled past Veolia Towers Hamburg for the second time in a week with a 96-77 home victory for their fifth straight win. Bayern, who beat Hamburg 85-63 in the Netto BBL Pokal German Cup the previous weekend, blew the game open with an 18-2 run midway through the third quarter for a 5-0 record including 4-0 at home while Hamburg fell to 0-4 on the road and 1-5 overall. Bayern shot 60 percent for the game while holding Hamburg to just 41 percent. MarJon Beauchamp top-scored for Bayern with 22 points and Niels Giffey scored 12 points. David Muenkat collected 15 points and 10 rebounds in a losing effort.
Berlin snap three-game skid, Ulm drop fourth straight
ALBA BERLIN ended a three-game losing streak by registering a 98-92 home victory over ratiopharm ulm, who have now lost four in a row. Berlin built a 15-point second quarter lead but trailed midway through the third quarter. The hosts punched back though with a 24-5 surge spanning the final two frame to put the game away. Berlin are now 3-3 overall and 3-1 at home while Ulm dropped to 2-4. Berlin shot 52 percent for the game and forced Ulm into 18 turnovers. Sam Griesel led the way from Berlin's bench with 19 points while Yankuba Sima scored 18 points, Brandon Angel collected 10 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and Martin Hermannsson tallied 6 points and 9 assists in his first game since late September. Michael Rataj had 14 points against the team with whom he won the Bundesliga title last season.
Brooks’ triples help Trier bounce back from cup loss for fifth straight win
VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier bounced back from their loss in the Netto BBL Pokal German Cup to beat RASTA Vechta 97-88 on the road for their fifth straight victory. Vechta jumped ahead by 10 points in the first quarter but trailed by 13 in the second quarter. Still the hosts led the game by two points midway through the final stanza until Trier got three straight triples from Eli Brooks and a fourth from Marten Linßen to go up 90-80 with 2 minutes to go. Trier improved to 5-1 with Vechta falling to 1-5. Trier committed only 8 turnovers and shot 51 percent for the game. Brooks ended with 22 points and 6 assists while Justin Simon added 14 points and 8 rebounds among six Trier players in double figures. Armaan Franklin had 23 points for Vechta.
Trier’s Jordan Roland obtains German passport
VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier added a German player to their roster without adding a player as shooting guard Jordan Roland obtained a German passport. The American passed the necessary requirements and is now considered a German on game rosters for Trier.
Vechta add reinforcements amid injuries with signing of Sueing
RASTA Vechta reacted to their injury concerns by signing Justice Sueing. The 27-year-old was brought in after injuries to Lloyd Pani and Justin Edler-Davis. Sueing did not have a contract for this season after previously playing with Benfica in Portugal.
Bamberg end four-game losing skid with strong fourth in Oldenburg
BMA365 Bamberg Baskets snapped a four-game losing streak over all competitions by giving up just 6 points in the fourth quarter of an 80-70 win at EWE Baskets Oldenburg. The game was close throughout until the decisive run of 22-5 spanning the final two quarters for Bamberg, who improved to 3-3. Oldenburg made only 17 percent of their three-pointers and committed 19 turnovers in losing their third straight for a 3-3 mark. Richard Balint scored 18 points as Bamberg’s top scorer. Tylan Pope led Oldenburg with 17 points off the bench.
Reaves show carries Wolves past Rostock at home in OT
SYNTAINICS MBC secured their third straight victory as they beat ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES 103-98 in overtime at home. After a close game through three quarters, Rostock surged ahead by 13 points with 7 minutes to go. But the hosts raced back into the game with a 20-7 finish to regulation with Spencer Reaves’ triple tying it with 27 seconds left. Reaves opened the extra session with another three-pointer and converted four free throws in the final 57 seconds to win it. Wolves committed only 8 turnovers and grabbed 19 offensive rebounds in moving to 4-2 while Rostock are 3-3 after having won two straight. Reaves poured in 33 points, Jure Planinic had 22 points and 8 rebounds and Anthony Gaines collected 11 points and 15 rebounds. Bent Leuchten had a special night with career highs of 23 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
Wolves extend Mushidi until end of season, part ways with Clyburn
SYNTAINICS MBC made two important personnel decisions during the week. On the one hand, they extended the contract until the end of the season with Kostja Mushidi, whose three-month deal was due to expire at the end of November. Wolves also parted ways with Kris Clyburn, who had a contract until 2028.
Ludwigsburg keep pace among leaders after rolling past Bonn
MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg kept pace with the leading teams in the league by rolling past Telekom Baskets Bonn 84-68 at home. Ludwigsburg took control of the game with a 20-4 run to end the first half up 43-29. The hosts ended all doubts with a 13-2 close to the game for a 4-2 record and Bonn fell to 3-3. Ishmael Leggett scored 18 points for Ludwigsburg, Elijah Hughes added 17 points and 7 rebounds and Justin Kier flirted with a triple-double with 11 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists. Jeff Garrett had 13 points in the loss.
Würzburg make it rain threes, keep Chemnitz reeling
Fitness First Würzburg Baskets drained 14 three-pointers in booking a 98-88 home victory over a NINERS Chemitz team that has suffered three straight losses. Würzburg led comfortably much of the way including a 22 point advantage just before the end of the third quarter. The visitors managed to trim the gap to three points but it was not enough as Würzburg improved to 3-2 and Chemnitz fell to 1-5 in last place. Würzburg shot 59 percent from the field including 56 percent from long range and forced Chemnitz into 20 turnovers. Max Jones scored 17 points to pace seven Würzburg players in double figures. Stef Smith scored 17 points in the defeat.
Jena added veteran point guard Perrantes
Science City Jena have added a point guard to their rotation as they signed London Perrantes to a contract until the end of the season. The 32-year-old American joins Jena after previously playing with Maroussi in Greece.
Player of the Week
There were two Player of the Week winners for Round 6, and both of them had 30 efficiencies in SYNTAINICS MBC’s win over ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES. Bent Leuchten collected 23 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block for Rostock. Spencer Reaves at the other end for Wolves had 33 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists.
German Top Five of the Week
G: Gian Aydinoglu, Basketball Löwen Braunschweig
Aydinoglu is on this list again with another strong performance in the loss to Phoenix Hagen. The guard had 13 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal.
F: Michael Rataj, ratiopharm ulm
Rataj tried to keep Ulm from losing to his former team ALBA BERLIN but his 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block were not enough.
F: Collin Welp, SYNTAINICS MBC
Welp collected 13 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks in Wolves' win over ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES.
C: Bent Leuchten, ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES
Leuchten had a night to remember in his team’s loss to SYNTAINICS MBC with career highs of 23 points and 10 rebounds to go with 2 assists and 1 block.
C: Marten Linßen, VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier
Linßen was a rock inside for Trier against RASTA Vechta with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist off the bench.
Young Guns
Julis Baumer, 19, SG, MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg Skladanowski, 22, PF, Science City Jena
Baumer started against Telekom Baskets Bonn and played 9:47 minutes, picking up 2 points on 1 of 1 shots with 1 rebound and 1 assist.
Lenny Liedtke, 22, SF, ratiopharm ulm
Liedtke played 8:24 minutes for Ulm against ALBA BERLIN and scored 2 points on 1 of 2 shots (0/1 threes) with 1 rebound.
Noah Eklou, 17, SF, Basketball Löwen Braunschweig
Eklou made his easyCredit BBL debut against Phoenix Hagen. The 17-year-old played 8:23 minutes and went scoreless, missing his one shot while grabbing 2 rebounds.
Germans Abroad
Charlotte Hornets opened their NBA season with a 110-103 road victory over the Brooklyn Nets. The game saw Dennis Schröder score 19 points with 6 assists and Christian Anderson chip in 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals for Charlotte while Moritz Wagner had 7 points for the Nets.
