Alba Berlin is the first team in the Basketball Bundesliga to qualify for the playoff semifinals. Head coach Israel Gonzalez’s team also won the third away game against Telekom Baskets Bonn 93:86 (40:41) and won the “best of five” series with three wins in three games. The eleven-time champions will face the Niners Chemnitz or Rasta Vechta in the semifinals, with Chemnitz leading this series 2:1.
From the start, it was a close game between Bonn and Berlin, with no team able to pull away with a difference of more than six points in the first half. The hosts maintained a narrow lead for a long time in the third quarter before Louis Olinde (18 points) brought the Berliners back with three three-pointers.
In the final section, the guests were always just ahead, and as in the second game, the decision was made in the final minutes: thanks to world champion Johannes Thiemann (18 points), the Berliners scored in four attacks in succession to decisively pull away to 91:81.
Chemnitz gets an away win
The Niners Chemnitz lead the series 2-1 after an 84:76 (46:41) away win over Rasta Vechta and still need one more win to advance. The hosts had to do without their top scorer Tommy Kuhse due to injury, and his replacement Ryan Schwieger was also unavailable in the second half. But thanks to Joel Aminu (26 points) and Spencer Reaves (21 points), Vechta stayed in the game for a long time.
Defensively, the guests were ultimately too strong, not allowing a single goal from the field for seven minutes in the fourth quarter. Offensively, Wesley van Beck was particularly impressive (20 points). The fourth game will take place again in Vechta on Thursday.
2024-05-21 18:49:00
#Alba #Berlin #semifinals #Chemnitz #wins #Vechta
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