The MHP giants Ludwigsburg completely surprisingly defeated FC Bayern at the start of the basketball playoffs. In Munich, Ludwigsburg won 102:98 after extra time. The Baskets Würzburg also won – they defeated defending champions ratiopharm Ulm with 78:65.
Three wins are necessary to advance. After the first matchday, Ludwigsburg, Würzburg, Chemnitz (against Vechta) and Alba Berlin (against Bonn) each lead 1-0.
Playoffs, quarterfinals arrow right
Munich saves itself in extra time
While Munich had been leading for almost the entire game, the tide slowly turned. The eighth seed from Ludwigsburg played himself into a frenzy in the final section. Munich’s ten-point lead quickly disappeared; Ludwigsburg’s Silas Nelson converted five three-pointers in the fourth quarter alone.
Overall, the guests’ point guard scored 33 points. World champion Andreas Obst saved the winner of the regular season from the three-point line with a buzzer beater into overtime, in which the Giants had better nerves.
The next duel will take place again in Munich on Monday (5 p.m.). It will be the fifth game in nine days for Ludwigsburg, who first had to qualify for the playoffs in the play-in tournament.
Intense duel in Ulm
Previously, master ratiopharm Ulm also made a false start to the hot phase of the season. The defending champion lost at the start of the best-of-five series against the Würzburg Baskets in their own hall with 65:78 (38:40).
The fourth and fifth places in the main round fought an intense duel, and it was only in the final quarter that the Baskets were able to pull away slightly. Point guard Otis Livingston, MVP of the regular season, helped Würzburg win with 22 points. The next duel will also take place in Ulm on Monday (7 p.m.).
