Alba’s Luke Sikma holds the ball ready for a free throw. The captain does not want to finish the Euroleague last.
Quelle: Andreas Gora/dpa
The playoffs in the Euroleague are currently out of reach for Alba. Captain Sikma still has a goal.
Alba Berlin expects another difficult task on Thursday in the Euroleague after the last two defeats in a row. Then the Bundesliga basketball club welcomes the top Spanish team Valencia Basket (8 p.m./Magentasport). “They’ve been playing really well in the past few weeks. Although they have some injury concerns, they still have a strong squad and a good teamwork,” said coach Israel Gonzalez.
Ex-Alba player Martin Hermannsson will probably also be missing for the Spaniards. Since moving in 2020, the Icelander has been absent from all duels against the Berliners. “I think he probably won’t make the trip because he’s still injured,” said Alba captain Luke Sikma, who is still in contact with him.
Sikma itself went the opposite way in 2017. For the 33-year-old, the duel with his ex-club is no longer a big emotional thing. “It’s not that special anymore. Because there are actually only two players there that I have played with, »he said. The respect for the Spaniards is still great. «They are a very talented game, they have many weapons. And they’ve beaten really good teams,” said Sikma.
Alba is currently penultimate in the table, Valencia is in eleventh place. The playoffs are currently a long way off for the German champions. “The thought isn’t even there. We don’t go into the game thinking that we need to win to make the playoffs. But we want to win because we want to prove it to ourselves,” said winger Tim Schneider. For Sikma, it would be especially nice “not to be in last place at the end of the season.”
At least Alba will be spared the exhausting travel strains in the next three games. Because they are all home games. “Of course that helps a lot, because there are hardly any direct flights to Corona for us and therefore longer travel times,” said Gonzalez.
