The playoffs have started and the only road team to win Game 1 and steal home court advantage was MLP Academics Heidelberg, who collected their first playoffs win in 46 years. Reigning champs FC Bayern Munich had a massive crowd of 11,200 for their Game 1 win while ratiopharm ulm and Basketball Löwen Braunschweig also held home court in the opening game. The week also saw FC Bayern Munich win the U19 NBBL title and ALBA BERLIN claimed the U16 JBBL crown.
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:
Heidelberg steal home court advantage from Chemnitz with first playoffs win in 46 years
MLP Academics Heidelberg produced the perfect start to the playoffs by defeating NINERS Chemnitz 93-90 in Game 1 to steal home court advantage of the Quarter-Finals. Heidelberg held the hosts scoreless for nearly 2 minutes down the stretch for a late 8-0 run to grab the opening game and their first playoffs win in 46 years. Ryan Mikesell scored 27 points while Michael Weathers tallied 21 points and 6 assists and Bakary Dibba collected 20 points and 10 rebounds. Victor Bailey tallied 27 points in the loss.
11,200 fans watch Bayern grab Game 1 over Weißenfels at SAP Garden
Reigning champions FC Bayern Munich defended their home court in front of a massive crowd of 11,200 at the SAP Garden, where they beat SYNTAINICS MBC 78-60 in Game 1. Bayern reeled off a 15-0 run in the second quarter and the game was over. Shabazz Napier scored 12 points off the bench while four players had 10 points, including Vladimir Lucic, who added 12 rebounds. Michael Devoe led all scorers with 17 points in the defeat.
Balanced Ulm too much for Berlin, Essengue leads way with 21 points
ratiopharm ulm defended their home court in their big-time Quarter-Finals showdown with ALBA BERLIN with a 94-83 victory thanks to a balanced effort. Ulm grabbed control of the game with a 19-8 spurt in the third quarter - taking advantage of 23 Berlin turnovers. Noa Essengue paced five Ulm players in double figures with 21 points off the bench. Malte Delow scored 16 points in the loss.
Braunschweig rain three-pointers, roll past Würzburg in Game 1
Basketball Löwen Braunschweig had a strong start to the post-season with a 92-79 victory at home over FIT/One Würzburg Baskets - with club owner and world champion Dennis Schröder in attendance. It was Braunschweig’s first victory in the playoffs since the 2010-11 season and it comes seven days after Braunschweig beat Würzburg at home in the final game of the regular season. Braunschweig started hot and led 30-15 after 10 minutes and Würzburg never made it close the rest of the way - thanks to 14 three-pointers and 54 percent shooting from long range. TJ Crockett poured in 24 points and Luka Scuka chipped in 15 points. Regular season Most Valuable Player Jhivvan Jackson was limited to 14 points - the same production as Hannes Steinbach.
Zylka, Braunschweig extend deal until 2028
Ferdinand Zylka had a good feeling going into the playoffs after signing a contract extension with Basketball Löwen Braunschweig for three years until 2028. The 27-year-old Zylka has been with Braunschweig since 2023 and he has averaged 9.1 points and 8.6 points in the last two seasons respectively.
Berlin fend off Wolves in Play-Ins, secured 35th straight playoffs appearance
ALBA BERLIN secured a spot in the playoffs by fending off SYNTAINICS MBC 81-78 at home in the 7-8 Play-Ins. Berlin took control of the game with an 11-3 run spanning the second and third quarters to set up a date with ratiopharm ulm in the Quarter-Finals - the club’s 35th straight appearance in the German playoffs. Malte Delow drained 4 three-pointers in scoring a team-high 18 points for Berlin while Spencer Reaves’ 21 points were not enough for Weißenfels. The Wolves still have one more chance to reach the playoffs as they face EWE Baskets Oldenburg in the final Play-Ins game.
Cup winners Weißenfels lock up first playoffs in 24 years, have date with Bayern
German Cup winners SYNTAINICS MBC secured the final spot in the play-offs by defeating EWE Baskets Oldenburg 110-95 in the last Play-Ins showdown to line up a Quarter-Finals series against FC Bayern Munich. Weißsenfels used a 24-6 run between the first and second quarters and the game was never close the rest of the way to put Wolves in the playoffs for the first time in 24 years. Charles Callison scored 29 points with 6 assists, Michael Devoe collected 23 points and 11 assists and John Bryant tallied a season-high 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. Oldenburg’s season ended despite Seth Hinrichs coming off the bench for a career high 23 points.
Jaworski (40 points) out-duels Hamilton (season-record 45) as Oldenburg win thriller over Rostock to stay alive
EWE Baskets Oldenburg remained alive for the playoffs by knocking off ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES 95-83 at home in the 9-10 Play-Ins in a thriller which saw Bryce Hamilton score a league season high 45 points in a losing effort while Justin Jaworski poured in 40 points for the winners. Oldenburg trailed most of the first half but turned the game around with a 23-13 third quarter to win their fifth straight game and advance to a match-up with SYNTAINICS MBC in the final Play-Ins game - the winner of which would face FC Bayern Munich in the playoffs. Hamilton’s 45 points topped Darius McGhee’s 44 points he scored for Telekom Baskets Bonn against Oldenburg and it’s the second-most points scored in a game since the digital data collecting in 1998 - bested only by Donald Williams’ 48 points in 1999. Rostock’s season ended with them losing their last five games.
Rumors: Krunic to return as Oldenburg coach, Agbakoko to Berlin
With the regular season and now the Play-Ins both complete a number of moves are being made, but there also rumors of other big player and coaches movement. One of the biggest rumors has Predrag Krunic returning to EWE Baskets Oldenburg as head coach with the club hoping he can lead them to the league title like he did in 2009. The 57-year-old Krunic was Oldenburg head coach from 2007 to 2012. One player Krunic will reportedly not have is Norris Agbakoko, who has been rumored to moving from Oldenburg to ALBA BERLIN. The 25-year-old big man has been with Oldenburg since the youth ranks.
Strauß replaces Riipinen as head coach at relegated Göttingen
Relegated BG Göttingen have found their head coach for next season as Fabian Strauß will lead the team when it goes to the ProA. The 32-year-old German signed a two-year deal with Göttingen including an option. Strauß takes over from Mikko Riipinen, who decided to leave Göttingen to become head coach at MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg. Strauß coached in 2024-25 at Dresden Titans in the German second division ProA.
Player(s) of the Week(s)
There are two Player of the Week honors to hand out - first for the three Play-In games and then for opening round games of the playoffs. The top performance of the Play-Ins came from Bryce Hamilton of ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES, who had an efficiency of 40 in the team’s loss to EWE Baskets Oldenburg in the 9-10 Play-In. Hamilton set a league season high mark of 45 points in hitting 17 of 29 shots (6/11 threes) and 5 of 8 free throws to go with 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. The best showing among the Game 1s came from Bakary Dibba, who had an efficiency of 31 in MLP Academics Heidelberg’s win over NINERS Chemnitz. Dibba collected 20 points on 7 of 11 shots (4/5 threes), 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 4 blocks.
German Top Five of the Week
G: Justus Hollatz, FC Bayern Munich
Hollatz had a strong game to open the playoffs against SYNTAINICS MBC with 10 points, 1 rebound, 7 assists and 1 steal.
G: Malte Delow, ALBA BERLIN
Delow stood out in Berlin's victory over SYNTAINICS MBC in the Play-Ins with 18 points including 4 three-pointers, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. And then in Game 1 of the playoffs against ratiopharm ulm the guard had 16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals
F: Karim Jallow, ratiopharm ulm
Jallow shined for Ulm in the Game 1 win over ALBA BERLIN with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal.
F: Mateo Seric, MLP Academics Heidelberg
Seric helped Heidelberg steal home court advantage away from NINERS Chemnitz with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
C: Eddy Edigin, SYNTAINICS MBC
Edigin had a busy week as Weißenfels needed two Play-Ins games to reach the playoffs. The big man collected 15 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in the 7-8 game against ALBA BERLIN and then picked up 8 points and 6 rebounds in helping the team beat EWE Baskets Oldenburg. In Game 1 of the playoffs against FC Bayern Munich, Edigin contributed 9 points, 9 rebounds and 1 assist
Bayern win U19 NBBL title, ALBA return to top of U16 JBBL
This weekend saw the biggest highlight of the German youth season with the RSM Ebner Stolz Top 4 in Berlin where FC Bayern Munich grabbed their fourth U19 NBBL title and ALBA BERLIN collected the U16 JBBL crown for the fifth time. Dominik Dolic claimed the Top 4 MVP trophy as he poured in 21 points in Bayern’s 89-73 win over ratiopharm ulm. Bayern took the fourth quarter 29-16 to run away with the win for their fourth NBBL trophy after 2015, 2017 and 2019. In the JBBL Final, Jona Drücke scored 17 points in ALBA’s 86-74 win over Baskets Juniors Oldenburg - in a repeat of last year’s Final, won by Oldenburg. Berlin, who did not lose a single game this season, have now hoisted the U16 trophy five times after 2010, 2017, 2018 and 2023.
Germans Abroad
German star big man Isaiah Hartenstein will be playing in the NBA Western Conference Finals after the Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated the Denver Nuggets in Game 7. Hartenstein contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds in the decisive game at home and he averaged 11.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the Conference Semi-Finals. Next up for the Thunder are the Minnesota Timberwolves.
