The up and down season for ALBA BERLIN continued in Round 8 as they knocked off easyCredit BBL league leaders ratiopharm ulm to highlight the week, which also saw EWE Baskets Oldenburg sack head coach Pedro Calles and bring back former playcaller Mladen Drijencic. And don’t look now but NINERS Chemnitz have won five straight games.
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:
Mattisseck triples help Berlin take down Ulm at home
ALBA BERLIN picked up a big victory in their effort to right their season as they defeated the league leaders ratiopharm ulm 96-88 at home. The game was tight throughout with 18 lead changes and 10 ties, the biggest lead coming in the final minutes as Berlin went on an 8-0 run to pull away 94-86 with 34 seconds to go to decide the game. Berlin improved to 3-4 and have still not won or lost back-to-back games this season in the league or cup while Ulm saw their two-game winning streak snapped for a 5-2 mark. ALBA committed only 9 turnovers while forcing Ulm in 17 miscues. Trevion Williams came off the bench for Berlin with 23 points and 11 rebounds against his former team, Jonas Mattisseck hit a career high 6 three-pointers for 20 points - one off his career best - and Martin Hermannsson added 11 points and 11 assists. Justinian Jessup tallied 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, Isaiah Roby and Alfonso Plummer both scored 15 points and Karim Jallow picked up 11 points and 5 rebounds.
Lansdowne carries Chemnitz past Oldenburg in Drijencic return
NINERS Chemnitz spoiled the return to the sidelines of EWE Baskets Oldenburg head coach Mladen Drijencic as they won at home 87-78 for their league-best fifth straight win. Chemnitz lost a 10-point second quarter lead but pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 5-2 record while Oldenburg fell to 3-4. Chemnitz shot 56 percent from the floor including a white-hot 68 percent on two-pointers. DeAndre Lansdowne tallied 28 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists, Olivier Nkamhoua had 13 points and Nicholas Tischler scored 12 points. Justin Jaworski knocked down 7 three-pointers for 27 points and 5 assists and Mathis Dossou-Yovo tallied 15 points and 4 rebounds.
Oldenburg fire Calles, bring back Drijencic as head coach
EWE Baskets Oldenburg have seen enough of the ups and downs this season and fired head coach Pedro Calles and brought back former playcaller Mladen Drijencic until the end of the season. The Spanish coach Calles came to Oldenburg in 2022 from Veolia Towers Hamburg but this season could only guide Oldenburg to a 3-3 record - most recently a 92-77 blowout loss at SYNTAINICS MBC. Under Calles, Oldenburg reached the playoffs and the final of the German BBL Cup in his first season. Last year, the club missed the playoffs and have bowed out of the cup in the Round of 16 the last two editions. The 59-year-old Drijencic coached Oldenburg from 2015 to 2022 and after a short stint with Bayreuth returned to Oldenburg to coach in the youth program.
Chemnitz star Lansdowne named Most Likeable Player for 2023-24
The final award from the 2023-24 season was handed out as DeAndre Lansdowne of NINERS Chemnitz received the Most Likeable Player honor for last year. The easyCredit BBL fans chose the 35-year-old Lansdowne in an online poll while the 2022-23 winner Thomas Klepeisz of ratiopharm ulm and Zac Seljaas of FIT/One Würzburg Baskets finished second and third in the voting respectively. Lansdowne helped Chemnitz to win the FIBA Europe Cup last season and reach the easyCredit BBL Semi-Finals, where they lost in five games to ALBA BERLIN.
Mikesell pours in 30, Heidelberg beat Göttingen as top road team
MLP Academics Heidelberg showed why they are the best road team in the league as they rolled past BG Göttingen 95-73 with the hosts still looking for their first win. Heidelberg blew the game open with a 15-2 start to the fourth quarter in improving to 5-3 in the league with a 4-1 mark away from home while Göttingen are 0-6. Heidelberg shot 51 percent for the game including 62 percent on two-pointers while holding Göttingen to just 34 percent from the floor and 21 percent from long range. Ryan Mikesell poured in 30 points as Heidelberg’s main option all game with Alex Barcello and Michael Weathers both pitching in 13 points. Deion Hammond had 14 points off the bench to lead Göttingen, whose starters scored just 29 points.
Vechta nearly waste 16 point fourth quarter lead, hold on to beat Bamberg
RASTA Vechta nearly blew a 16-point fourth quarter lead but managed to stave off Bamberg Baskets 101-98 at home. Bamberg opened and then lost a 10-point lead in the first quarter before Vechta used a 17-4 run to take a 16-point fourth quarter advantage. Bamberg answered with a 16-1 surge to pull within one point with 5 seconds left in the game but Tyger Campbell made two free throws with 4.8 seconds to go for the win. Vechta have now won two straight games for a 3-4 record and Bamberg have lost three of their last four to drop to 2-4. Vechta drained 19 three-pointers while shooting 58 percent from long range to counter Bamberg out-scoring them in the paint 50-22. Brandon Randolph was Vechta’s top weapon with 23 points but seven players scored in double figures including Joschka Ferner hitting 5 three-pointers for 15 points, Joel Aminu collecting 13 points and 3 assists and Mike Bothwell adding 12 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists. Isaiah Watson paced Bamberg with 24 points, Ronaldo Segu had 19 points and 10 assists and Filip Stanic picked up 17 points and 9 rebounds.
Würzburg blow open game early, ease past Braunschweig würurburg FIT/One Würzburg Baskets solidified their spot in the top third of the standings with a comfortable 70-53 home victory over slumping Basketball Löwen Braunschweig. Würzburg raced away with a 20-3 run for a 14-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Würzburg remained perfect at home with a 2-0 mark as they have won four of five games for a 4-2 mark and Braunschweig have lost four straight for a 2-4 record. Braunschweig made just 31 percent from the field including just 10 percent on three-pointers while Würzburg won the rebound battle 47-34. Jhivvan Jackson led Würzburg with 17 points, Zac Seljaas had 12 points and 7 rebounds and Mike Davis added 11 points. Ferdinand Zylka was Braunschweig’s top scorer with 14 points and Luka Scuka and Barra Njie both had 11 points.
Bonn win battle at Rostock thanks to strong third quarter
Telekom Baskets Bonn kept pace with the top teams in the league as they prevailed in an ugly 69-64 road victory over ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES. Rostock built a 14-point lead in the second quarter but trailed in the third period as Bonn won it 25-9. The game remained close the rest of the way with Bonn up by three points with 3.0 seconds when Bryce Hamilton missed two free throws for Rostock and Till Pape secured the win with two foul shots with 1.5 seconds to go. Bonn have a 4-2 record after two wins in their last three games while Rostock fell to 4-4. Bonn shot just 37 percent on two-pointers but made 12 three-pointers to 6 for hosts and converted 13 of 17 free throws compared to 8 of 15 foul shots for Rostock. Phlandrous Fleming led Bonn in scoring with 17 points while Darius McGhee collected 12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals off the bench and Pape added 12 points on 3 of 3 three-pointers and 6 rebounds. Hamilton finished 19 points and Aigars Skele had 12 points and 7 assists in the loss.
Bayern react to injuries by adding ex-NBA forward Bitim on loan
FC Bayern Munich reacted to a rash of injuries by bringing in former NBA forward Onuralp Bitim until the end of the season on loan. The 25-year-old Bitim joins Bayern from Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, with whom he signed a multi-year deal. Bayern added the Turkish international to help overcome the injuries to forwards Vladimir Lucic and Niels Giffey. Bitim last season averaged 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 23 games with the Chicago Bulls. Bitim in 2022-23 played with Bursaspor and was named to the All-EuroCup Second Team.
Frankfurt extend power forward Tubutis until mid-February
SKYLINERS extended their contract with power forward Einaras Tubutis until mid-February 2025. The 26-year-old Lithuanian joined Frankfurt shortly before the season on a two-month contract and has been one of the best players on the promoted team. The deal runs until February 18, 2025 and Tubutis would still be with Frankfurt if they reach the Final Four of the German BBL Cup
Player(s) of the Week
There were two Players of the Week for Round 8 as Ryan Mikesell of MLP Academics Heidelberg and DeAndre Lansdowne both picked up an efficiency of 34. Mikesell was outstanding in Heidelberg’s win over BG Göttingen with 30 points on 12 of 17 shots (2/4 threes) and 4 of 4 free throws, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 0 turnovers. Landsdowne also registered a 34 efficiency in Chemnitz’s win over EWE Baskets Oldenburg as he scored 28 points on 11 of 13 shots (4/5 threes) with 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal and 3 turnovers.
German Top Five of the Week
G: Andi Obst, FC Bayern Munich
Mattisseck went off for his best showing of the season with 20 points - one off his career-high - as he drained 6 of 10 three-point attempts - both records - to go with 3 assists against ratiopharm ulm.
G: Joel Aminu, RASTA Vechta
Aminu got the nod over teammate Joschka Ferner (5 three-pointers for 15 points) as he collected 13 points with 3 three-pointers, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal against Bamberg Baskets.
F: Mateo Seric, MLP Academics Heidelberg
Seric scored only 8 points against BG Göttingen but he also picked up 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals.
C: Till Pape, Telekom Baskets Bonn
Pape tallied 12 points with 3 of 3 on three-pointers and 6 rebounds including the game-icing free throws with 1.5 seconds left in the win over ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES.
C: Filip Stanic, Bamberg Baskets
Stanic came up with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 1 assist in a loss to RASTA Vechta.
Young Guns
Johann Grünloh, 19, C, RASTA Vechta
Grünloh flashed his outside game in Vechta’s win over Bamberg Baskets with 3 of 6 on three-pointers as he scored 12 points on 4 of 9 shooting and 1 of 2 free throws, 5 rebounds and 1 block in 30:42 minutes.
Janis Jünemann, 19, C, BG Göttingen
Jünemann scored his first points of the season as he played 9:14 minutes versus MLP Academics Heidelberg and picked up 9 points on 3 of 6 shooting (0/1 threes) and 3 of 3 free throws and 3 rebounds.
Elias Rapieque, 20, SF, ALBA BERLIN
Rapieque had another strong game as the 20-year-old collected 4 points on 2 of 5 shots (0/2 threes) and 0 of 2 free throws, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 13:21 minutes against ratiopharm ulm.
Germans Abroad
Christoph Tilly had a strong start to the season with Santa Clara with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block against St Louis and followed that with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals versus Arizona State. The former ALBA BERLIN 7-footer is spending his third season with Santa Clara.
