Ulm dethrone champs Berlin / Bonn, Bayern, Ludwigsburg sweep / Tübingen earn promotion

ratiopharm ulm finished off the upset of reigning champions ALBA BERLIN with a 3-1 series victory to dethrone the champs and reach the Semi-Finals, where they will face FC Bayern Munich. Bayern swept into the semis as did Telekom Baskets Bonn and MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg - the latter two to square off in the other last four showdown. With FRAPORT SKYLINERS and medi bayreuth being relegated, the first promoted team is set with Tigers Tübingen returning to the easyCredit BBL for the first time since 2018.

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:

Ulm grab first home win of playoffs, dethrone three-time champs Berlin

There will be a new champion in the easyCredit BBL as ratiopharm ulm dethroned the three-time champs ALBA BERLIN with an 83-81 victory. Berlin were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round for the first time since 2016. The game went back and forth throughout with 13 lead changes and 11 ties and the biggest advantage being 7 points for either side. Berlin managed to score just 2 free throws in the final 4 minutes. Ulm committed only 8 turnovers and forced 19 turnovers. Yago dos Santos had all the answers with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for Ulm with Philipp Herkenhoff, Karim Jallow and Bruno Caboclo all scoring 14 points. Jaleen Smith hit 4 three-pointers for 18 points and Malte Delow tallied 15 points in the loss.

With McCoy as coach, Ulm win again in Berlin, champs with back to wall

ratiopharm ulm put the reigning champs ALBA BERLIN’s backs against the wall as they took a 2-1 lead in the series with a 93-81 victory in the German capital - and that without head coach Anton Gavel. With Ulm hoping to win their second game in Berlin, Gavel was ejected after just 6 minutes with two technical fouls, leaving Tyron McCoy to coach the visitors. Ulm took control of the game with a 33-19 second quarter and Berlin never reclaimed the lead. Berlin committed 18 turnovers and shot just 43.1 percent for the game including 28.1 percent from long range. Bruno Caboclo was too strong inside with 22 points and 6 rebounds for Ulm with Thomas Klepeisz picking up 19 points and Yago dos Santos chipping in 14 points and 7 assists. Jaleen Smith paced Berlin with 17 points and 7 rebounds, Johannes Thiemann had 16 points and Maodo Lo added 13 points in the loss.

Ludwigsburg complete sweep over Oldenburg, next face Bonn

MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg wasted no time in finishing off EWE Baskets Oldenburg and completed the 3-0 sweep with an 86-72 home victory. Oldenburg were down just three points at halftime but Ludwigsburg were much stronger in the second half. Ludwigsburg forced 21 Oldenburg turnovers while shooting 58.3 percent on two-pointers. Shonn Miller and Will Cherry both scored 17 points to lead Ludwigsburg with Jhonathan Dunn adding 13 points and Prentiss Hubb chipping in 12 points and 6 assists. Oldenburg could not take advantage of DeWayne Russell’s 27 points and 6 assists as Norris Agbakoko was the only other player in double figures with 11 points.

Chemnitz can’t stop Shorts, Bonn sweep into Semis

Telekom Baskets Bonn extended their domestic winning streak to 22 games as they fought past NINERS Chemnitz 89-83 to finish a 3-0 sweep and reach the Semi-Finals and a set up a date with MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg. Bonn led for most of the second and third quarters and the lead was as many as 15 points in the final frame. Chemnitz rallied to trim it to 4 points with a minute left but could not finish the comeback. Bonn committed only 8 turnovers and made 54.1 percent of their two-pointers. TJ Shorts showed why he was the league MVP with 21 points and 4 assists with Sebastian Herrera chipping in 14 points and Tyson Ward adding 13 points. Nelson Weidemann collected a double-double of 19 points and 11 assists, Kevin Yebo had 18 points and 7 rebounds and Jonas Richter tallied 17 points and 9 rebounds in the loss.

Hot Hawkins carries Bonn to 2-0 lead

Telekom Baskets Bonn took a 2-0 series lead over NINERS Chemitz thanks to a hot-shooting Javontae Hawkins in a 95-78 home victory - their 19th in 19 domestic home games this season. Bonn led by nine points at halftime and pushed the lead to 16 early in the second half and never were challenged the rest of the way. Chemnitz were held to just 26.7 percent from long range and Bonn shot 53.6 percent from the field for the game. Hawkins led Bonn with 24 points on 4 three-pointers while TJ Shorts picked up 19 points and 9 assists. Nelson Weidemann collected 17 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists and Kevin Yebo had 15 points in the loss.

Bayern defense too strong for Göttingen, Munich sweep into semis

FC Bayern Munich swept into the Semi-Finals of the easyCredit BBL after knocking off BG Göttingen 65-54 on the road. It was a tight game until Bayern started to pull away in the third quarter as they allowed just 7 points in the period and just 10 in the fourth quarter. Bayern out-rebounded Göttingen 42-30 including 12 offensive rebounds, which led to a 15-3 advantage in second chance points. The hosts also only shot 32.7 percent from the field for the game. Cassius Winston paced Bayern with 16 points and Isaac Bonga scored 15 points and Zylan Cheatham added 8 points and 11 rebounds. Till Pape was top scorer for Göttingen with 17 points and Rayshaun Hammonds collected 9 points and 10 rebounds and Harald Frey was held to just 4 points.

Tigers Tübingen earn promotion to easyCredit BBL

Tigers Tübingen will be returning to the easyCredit BBL as the club swept PS Karlsruhe Lions to reach the second division ProA finals and earn promotion. Tübingen were relegated from the first division in 2018. Tübingen will face either RASTA Vechta or JobStairs GIESSEN 46ers in the finals.

Player(s) of the Week(s)

There are three Players of the Week honors to hand out with the second, third and fourth games of the playoffs. Geno Crandall of BG Göttingen was the top player of the second games as he had an efficiency of 28 from 28 points on 9-of-14 shots and 7-of-7 free throws, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals against FC Bayern Munich. Bruno Caboclo of ratiopharm ulm was tops in efficiency in the third games with 28 against ALBA BERLIN with 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block. The top player of the sole fourth game was Jaleen Smith from ALBA BERLIN as he had an efficiency of 20 against ratiopharm ulm with 18 points on 5-of-9 shots and 4-of-4 free throws, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.

German Top Five of the Week

G: Nelson Weidemann, NINERS Chemnitz

Weidemann really shined for Chemnitz in the playoffs as he scored 17 points with 4 rebounds and 5 assists in the second game and followed that with 19 points, 1 rebound, 11 assists and 1 steals against Telekom Baskets Bonn.

G: Isaac Bonga, FC Bayern Munich

Bonga played just one game and he collected 15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block in the third game against BG Göttingen.

F: Malte Delow, ALBA BERLIN

Delow was very strong in the last two games of the series against ratiopharm ulm as he had 11 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist and then collected 15 points with 3 three-pointers, 1 rebound and 1 assist in Berlin’s final game of the season.

F: Karim Jallow, ratiopharm ulm

Though it’s hard not to take Philipp Herkenhoff for his strong showing in the third game, Jallow was solid both games. In the third game against ALBA BERLIN, he had 11 points and 3 rebounds and Jallow helped eliminate the champs with 14 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist in the fourth game.

C: Till Pape, BG Göttingen

Pape did all he could to keep Göttingen alive but his 17 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist in the third game were not enough against FC Bayern Munich.

Schröder ready to play for Germany at World Cup

Germany fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Dennis Schröder has said he will be playing for the national team this summer at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

“I didn’t see my kids too much so I’m going to take one to two weeks off, go on vacation with them, spend time with them and then I go back to Germany to see my family there, my friends,” Schroder told media after his exit interview with the Los Angeles Lakers following their departure from the NBA Playoffs.

“And a couple of weeks later, training camp starts for the World Cup. I want to play for sure and I can’t wait to write another history this summer. That would be crazy for Germany, for myself, for the federation, so I am ready for it.”

The World Cup runs from August 25 to September 10 and Germany will face Japan, Finland and Australia in Group E.

Germans Abroad

MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg talent Esli Edigin played for the Next Generation Select Team at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals at the EuroLeague Final Four in Kaunas. In four games, the athletic wing collected a combined 11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block as NGS Team reached the ANGT Championship Game but lost to Real Madrid 71-60.