This week saw two storied clubs fire their head coaches and both ALBA BERLIN and SKYLINERS won their first games under their new playcallers. The week was also highlighted by FC Bayern Munich battling past ratiopharm ulm to reclaim first place in the league. Bayern had previously in the week lost to Bamberg Baskets - the first Bamberg win over Munich since May 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 (Taking The Charge) brings you up-to-date in German basketball – the easyCredit BBL short and sweet:
Bayern win defensive slugfest over Ulm, reclaim first place
FC Bayern Munich reclaimed first place in the league after prevailing in a defensive battle at home over ratiopharm ulm 70-62 in a Round 14 makeup game. Bayern bounced back from their loss to Bamberg Baskets for a 16-6 record. Ulm saw their five-game winning streak snapped and fell to 16-7. The two top teams will square off again on April 8 in Ulm. Johannes Voigtmann had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Carsen Edwards also had 10 points. Nelson Weidemann collected 15 points and 4 assists in the loss.
Watson three for the win; Bamberg’s first over Bayern since May 2018
Bamberg Baskets fans will not care who was playing or not for FC Bayern Munich. The only thing that matters is their beloved Bamberg finally beat Bayern again - 69-68 on Ibrahim Watson’s three-pointer with 27 seconds left. The home victory in the Round 17 makeup game snapped a 17-game losing streak to Munich dating back to May 23, 2018, which was Game 2 of the Semi-Finals. Bayern saw their three-game winning streak end - thanks in part to resting stars Shabazz Napier, Carsen Edwards and Vladimir Lucic - for a 15-6 record to hand over the top spot in the standings to ratiopharm ulm. The game went back and forth with 16 lead changes and Watson led the way with 16 points for Bamberg, whose second straight win gave them a 10-12 record. Niels Giffey had a season-high 20 points and Andi Obst hit 5 threes for 17 points in the loss.
Ulm take down Vechta in Harrelson's return to RASTA Dome
ratiopharm ulm defended first place in the standings by taking down fourth placed RASTA Vechta 83-74 on the road and sending a strong message towards their next opponent FC Bayern Munich. The showdown of two of the hottest teams in the league was highlighted by Ulm’s head coach Ty Harrelson returning to the RASTA Dome, where he coached for two seasons and won the ProA championship and then guided the club into the playoffs last season. Ulm grabbed control of the game with a 20-5 third quarter run and improved to 16-6 after a fifth straight win. Karim Jallow paced the winners with 20 points. Vechta fell to 14-9 despite Brandon Randolph’s 22 points.
The Calles effect: Berlin get statement win in Braunschweig under new coach
ALBA BERLIN improved to 2-0 under new head coach Pedro Calles after getting a 108-73 statement road victory over Basketball Löwen Braunschweig in his first league game. After beating Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in the EuroLeague in Calles’ first game on the sidelines after replacing Israel Gonzalez, Berlin took the second half 60-32 to bounce back from their loss to ratiopharm ulm and improve to 11-11. Braunschweig are suddenly free-falling without a win since the FIBA window last month, dropping three in a row for a 14-9 mark and giving up 111, 102 and 108 points in those games. Gabriele Procida and Martin Hermannsson both had 17 points in the win.
ALBA fire Gonzalez, hand reigns to Calles
ALBA BERLIN reacted to their poor season and fired head coach Israel Gonzalez and instituted fellow Spanish playcaller Pedro Calles in the post. Gonzalez had been with ALBA since 2017, serving as an assistant coach to Aito Garcia Reneses until 2021. Gonzalez then took over as head coach and led the club to 2022 German league and cup double. Calles was fired earlier this season from EWE Baskets Oldenburg and joined Berlin as an assistant coach in January. The 41-year-old had previously coached in the Bundesliga with RASTA Vechta and Veolia Towers Hamburg before moving to Oldenburg.
Frankfurt beat Ludwigsburg in Perwas' first game after Wucherer firing
SKYLINERS rallied from a 12-point deficit to beat MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg 77-69 at home and give Klaus Perwas a victory in his first game after replacing Denis Wucherer as head coach. Frankfurt mounted a 15-0 fourth quarter run to snap a three-game losing streak in the league for a 6-15 record and apply more pressure on last placed BG Göttingen. Marcus Domask had a big game with 16 points and Jordan Theodore added 14 to lead SKYLINERS. Ludwigsburg fell to 11-11.
Frankfurt let Wucherer go, hand interim coaching reins to Perwas - again
SKYLINERS surprised some in the league by firing head coach Denis Wucherer even though the club was in a solid place in terms of likely avoiding relegation. But club management wanted to go in a different direction for the future than Wucherer, who joined the team in 2023. The new coach is former assistant Klaus Perwas, who was assistant coach on the German team that won the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 title. Perwas has been with Frankfurt since 2008 and this will be the fourth time he is serving as interim head man following 2016, 2022 and 2023.
Chemnitz continue surge, spoil jersey retirement of Würzburg Warrior Hoffmann
NINERS Chemnitz solidified their spot among the playoff ranks as they continued the downward trend of FIT/One Würzburg Baskets, who retired the number of Felix Hoffmann before a 90-83 home loss. Chemnitz have won 7 of their last 10 games for 13-9 mark while Würzburg are 3-7 in the last 10 games for a 11-11 record. Jacob Gilyard and DeAndre Lansdowne both scored 16 points for the winners. Recent acquisition Davion Mintz led Würzburg with 22 points. Hoffmann’s number 34 was raised to the rafters of the tectake ARENA after he played 220 games for the club.
Heidelberg remain on playoffs course, Göttingen fall further behind Frankfurt
MLP Academics Heidelberg rallied back after losing a big lead to beat BG Göttingen 93-86 at home to remain on course for the playoffs while the guests fell even further behind SKYLINERS in the relegation battle. Heidelberg wasted a 13-point lead and then came back from eight points down to move to 12-9 - ahead of the six-team tie at 11-11. Göttingen lost their 14th in a row for a 1-21 record - five wins plus the tiebreaker behind Frankfurt after they beat MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg. Osun Osunniyi had 23 points and 7 rebounds to pace six Heidelberg players in double figures. Tra Holder collected 18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists as it seems like he and the rest of the Göttingen team are auditioning for other Bundesliga teams with relegation nearing certainty.
23-0 run in 4th: Oldenburg still a power at home
EWE Baskets Oldenburg just win games at home, that’s all they do. This time they needed a 23-0 fourth quarter run to turn the game around and beat Veolia Towers Hamberg 99-81. Oldenburg now have complete reverse records at home (10-1) and on the road (1-10) for an 11-11 record while Hamburg are now 10-12. Justin Jaworski not only scored a game-high 20 points but he also dished out 10 assists. Oldenburg also got strong production from their Germans: Max DiLeo 14 points; Len Schoormann and Norris Agbakoko both 13 points; and Alen Pjanic 9 points and 3 assists. DiLeo’s 14 points were 8 points more than his previous season best and the most he has scored since November 11, 2023. Brae Ivey showed why he is an MVP candidate with 15 points and 13 assists in the loss.
Balanced Bonn beat Bamberg, can’t take tiebreaker
With the current state of the league almost every game ends with the question if the winning team grabbed the tiebreaker advantage. Telekom Baskets Bonn could not do that despite beating Bamberg Baskets 87-77 at home. Bamberg were coming off the surprise win over FC Bayern Munich but could never challenge Bonn. But they still hold the important tiebreaker thanks to their 19 point win at home earlier this season. Bonn are 10-12 in the standings and Bamberg right behind them at 10-13. Thomas Kennedy picked up a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds as Bonn’s co-leading scorer along with Darius McGhee and Till Pape.
Rostock end three-game losing skid, take tiebreaker over Wolves
ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES ended their three-game losing streak by knocking off SYNTAINICS MBC 84-76 at home and thereby grabbing the tiebreaker as both teams have 11-11 records. Rostock, who won 87-84 in Round 1 in Weißenfels, handed the German Cup winners their first loss since February 8. Bryce Hamilton scored 17 points to pace five Rostock players in double figures with recent addition Pedro Bradshaw collecting a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds in first home game. Michael Devoe scored 22 points in the loss.
Player of the Week
The Player of the Week for Round 24 is Osun Osunniyi of MLP Academics Heidelberg for the big man’s performance against BG Göttingen. Osunniyi scored 23 points on 7 of 7 shots and 9 of 11 free throws to go with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks for an efficiency of 30.
German Top Five of the Week
G: Max DiLeo, EWE Baskets Oldenburg
Also worthy of spots in the Top Five from Oldenburg were Norris Agbakoko and Len Schoormann, who both scored 13 points. But DiLeo picked up 14 points on 4 of 4 three-pointers to go with 3 rebounds in 13 minutes. DiLeo’s 14 points a season high and the most he has scored since November 11, 2023.
G: Johannes Patrick, MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg
Patrick makes his first appearance in the Top Five as the 23-year-old took advantage of more playing due to injuries and illness for other leading players. Patrick collected 11 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal in a loss to SKYLINERS.
G: Joel Aminu, RASTA Vechta
Aminu did all he could against ratiopharm ulm but his 12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal were not enough.
F: Karim Jallow, ratiopharm ulm
Jallow had another strong week with two games. In the win over RASTA Vechta, he collected 20 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. And Jallow tallied 8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals against his former team FC Bayern Munich.
C: Till Pape, Telekom Baskets Bonn
Pape helped Bonn beat Bamberg Baskets with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.
Young Guns
Sananda Fru, 21, PF, Basketball Löwen Braunschweig
Fru returns as he collected 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting and 2 of 3 free throws, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 1 block in 25:39 minutes against ALBA BERLIN.
Ivan Kharchenkov, 18, FC Bayern Munich
Kharchenkov started both games for Bayern this week. Against Bamberg Baskets, the 18-year-old had 8 points on 3 of 7 shooting (1/4 threes) and 1 of 1 free throw, 2 rebounds and 1 steal in 18:13 minutes and then he picked up 7 points on 3 of 5 shots (1/2 threes), 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal in 10:39 minutes against ratiopharm ulm.
Johann Grünloh, 19, C, RASTA Vechta
Grünloh played only 16:35 minutes against ratiopharm ulm as he fouled out with 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block.
Germans Abroad
This section will for the time being be dedicated to the sole German player who made it to the college basketball NCAA Tournament: Christian Anderson. The 2006-born point guard reached March Madness with his Texas Tech Red Raiders and will start their tournament on March 20 versus University of North Carolina-Wilmington in the first round. If they win, the Red Raiders will face off against either Drake or Missouri on March 22.
