The MLP Academics Heidelberg defeated the ETB Miners Essen 118–74 on Friday, October 2, 2026, at the SNP Dome, securing their second victory in the ProA basketball season in front of 2,973 spectators. Fans in the standing-room block unrolled a Welcome Home
banner and loudly celebrated their team before the start, matching the energy of the Bundesliga relegation drop-out as they left no doubt about their role as favorites from the opening tip-off.
Heidelberg Takes Early Lead Against Essen
Heidelberg set a fast, aggressive tone right from the opening tip-off, determined not to have to overturn a large deficit this time following their spectacular 83:75 comeback win to open the season in Tübingen. Headcoach Carlo Finetti selected Chuck Harris, Niklas Würzner, Joschka Ferner, Lorenz Brenneke, and Frank Champion for his starting lineup, while Dominic Vengert missed the match with a broken nose. Chuck Harris contributed defensively by disrupting Essen’s passing lanes, and power forward Frank Champion scored seven of the team’s opening points as Heidelberg raced to a 13:6 lead after four minutes. ETB Miners Essen headcoach Lars Wendt took his first timeout after Chuck Harris increased the margin to 15:6 via a layup. During this phase, the Academics encountered difficulties with Essen’s 2.10-meter center Benjamin Uzoma, who effectively utilized his bulky frame under the basket as the visitors narrowed the gap to 15:11. The opening quarter ended with Heidelberg leading 32–23, marking a contrast to their start in Tübingen a week prior.
A Decisive Second-Quarter Surge
Driven by a 12–2 run, the hosts extended their advantage to 44–25 by the 13th minute, shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc with a 5-of-10 success rate during the stretch. Overwhelmed by the pressure, the Miners—who had lost their opening fixture at home against the Crailsheim Merlins and whose budget has tripled to 1.5 million euros due to a U.S. investor with the ambition of reaching the BBL by 2030—conceded a 25-point deficit midway through the second quarter at 55:30. By halftime, Heidelberg had built a commanding 66–34 lead, securing a 34–11 advantage in the second quarter alone. By the break, Lorenz Brenneke stood at 14 points, Chuck Harris at 13, and Frank Champion at 11, with several players already reaching double digits.
Second-Half Execution and Youth Contributions
The Academics maintained their intensity after the break, allowing the team to conserve energy for the upcoming Sunday fixture. Lorenz Brenneke contributed a fastbreak dunk following an opening three-pointer from Niklas Würzner in the third quarter. Mid-way through the frame, the margin expanded to 45 points at 84–39, and Brenneke pushed the lead to 34 points via a free throw in the 28th minute. Late in the third quarter, 20-year-old Felix Diez made his ProA debut after replacing the injured Dominic Vengert in the squad. Diez immediately converted a three-pointer with the buzzer sounding to end the quarter, capping a 94–47 scoreline and ensuring every deployed Heidelberg player entered the scoring column.
Erol Ersek Leads Scoring in Heidelberg Victory
Erol Ersek reached the 100-point mark for Heidelberg with a free throw in the 32nd minute, finishing as the game’s top scorer with 17 points, which included four successful three-pointers out of six attempts. Lorenz Brenneke added 16 points, Chuck Harris contributed 15, Paul Zipser scored 14, and Frank Champion tallied 11, while the team finished with an overall shooting rate of 47 percent from three-point range by converting 18 of 38 attempts. Our opening game in Tübingen taught us a very great deal,
Ersek explained with satisfaction. We showed what we are capable of in the second half there and continued exactly along those lines today.
Ersek added: It was a subject from the very beginning that we wanted to come out strongly and show this time right from the start what we’ve got — and we did that.
Headcoach Carlo Finetti stated: We did a good job, which made the victory over Essen look easy. I congratulate my players on that. Nevertheless, we must continue to develop and concentrate on the next task. We must not let ourselves be blinded by this clear success, the task in Ulm will not be easy.
Heidelberg returns to action on Sunday at 17:00 local time to face Orange Academy in Ulm, a team that also lost on Friday in their home arena, falling 85–94 to the Kirchheim Knights after previously surprising the Eisbären Bremerhaven 93–92 away in their season opener.
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