The jubilation of the Towers was limited. Hamburg’s basketball players had just won their highest EuroCup. Against tail light Dolomiti Energia Trient there was an unchallenged 90:69 (48:36).
“We started with the right mentality,” praised coach Pedro Calles (38) after the point celebration. “For us it was a good 40 minutes of basketball to get better.”
For the Italians it was about nothing anyway. After their sixth success in Europe, the Towers still have a chance of finishing 5th – and thus a (supposedly) easier opponent in the round of 16.
But the game on Friday is much more important for the project. Because that’s the first final in the Bundesliga for the play-offs against the pursuer Crailsheim (8.30 p.m., Magenta Sport).
Against the backdrop of only 741 fans, Hamburg took control against the shockingly weak guests in the first quarter. Top scorer was Jaylon Brown (27) with 22 points.
In the end, the Towers were even able to save energy and rested key players like Maik Kotsar (25) and Caleb Homesley (25). Role players like Jürgen Rich (23) or third division professional Jordan Walker (24) got minutes from Rist Wedel.
“It wasn’t so much about sparing key players as I wanted to reward players who haven’t had a chance so far,” emphasized Calles.
► The transfer deadline ends on Thursday. But the Towers will no longer get a replacement for Zach Brown (26/broken foot). Boss Marvin Willoughby (44). “We have a very, very good team. We will finish the season with the team we have.”
