Bonn’s basketball players are facing the greatest triumph in the club’s history
As of 11:28 a.m
TJ Shorts was the outstanding Bonn player, but just before the end he caused unnecessary excitement
Source: dpa/Matthias Stickel
Telekom Baskets Bonn are in the final of the Champions League. The semi-final against the hosts from Malaga is developing into a drama. Shortly before the end, Bonn survives a strange dropout from top star TJ Shorts. Now a historic opportunity beckons.
DBefore the final of the FIBA Basketball Champions League, the Telekom Baskets Bonn are looking forward to the highlight of their club’s history. “Now we have a unique chance with this unique group of people,” said coach Tuomas Iisalo late on Friday evening after the 69:67 in the semifinals about the organizer Unicaja Malaga. On Sunday (8 p.m./sportbild.de) in Malaga against Hapoel Jerusalem for the first title in the club’s history.
Bonn won the main round in the Bundesliga and tackled the final in top form. “It was a typical game for us. Even when things aren’t going our way, we find our way instead of making excuses. That’s what makes the boys special,” said Iisalo after the narrow victory in the semi-finals.
Bonn initially had problems with the fast attacks and the move to the basket from Malaga, but then found their rhythm: From the end of the first quarter to the middle of the second quarter, they turned the game around with a 20:4 run. The Bundesliga team only allowed nine points in the second round and went into the dressing room with a 41:31 lead.
Malaga misses the threesome to win
After the break, Bonn found it difficult against Malaga’s more aggressive defence, in the fourth quarter they only managed to get the first basket out of the field after five minutes. Although the Iisalo team pulled away to a difference of nine points two minutes before the end, Malaga came back. Basketball drama followed: After Bonn’s top scorer TJ Shorts (21 points) missed two free throws in the final seconds, Malaga had the chance to win with a three pointer, but missed it.
Bonn’s opponents in the final, Hapoel Jerusalem, surprisingly beat Tenerife 69:68 in the other semi-final. With a victory in the final, the people from Bonn are fifth after Alba Berlin (winning the Korac Cup in 1995), the Syntainics MBC from Weißenfels (FIBA Europe Cup 2004), the BG Göttingen (EuroChallenge 2010) and the Fraport Skyliners from Frankfurt (FIBA Europe Cup 2016). become a German basketball club that wins a European title. There is also an additional prize money of 600,000 euros for the triumph, 300,000 euros are already guaranteed by reaching the final.
