Veolia Towers Hamburg Face EWE Baskets Oldenburg in BBL Clash

A Brutal Turnaround for Hamburg

The emotional energy expended during Friday’s dramatic home victory leaves Benka Barloschky and his squad with precious little time to recover, recalibrate, and prepare for a notoriously physical opponent. Barloschky noted that the dense double-match week disrupts standard training rhythms, noting that his assistant coaches split the preliminary scouting workload so the team could focus on essential tactical adjustments during a single active practice session.

„Der Doppelspieltag macht etwas mit unserem Rhythmus,“ Barloschky explained regarding the compressed schedule. „Wir hatten nach dem Sieg gegen Chemnitz nicht viel Zeit, uns noch in aller Ausführlichkeit mit der Aufgabe in Oldenburg zu beschäftigen. Meine Assistant Coaches haben sich die Vorbereitung auf beide Teams aufgeteilt, sodass wir an einem Trainingstag jetzt die Schlüsselpunkte bearbeiten konnten, die uns am Sonntag hoffentlich direkt weiterhelfen. Wir wissen ja ziemlich gut, was uns erwartet – sie sind unglaublich physisch. Die Frage wird sein, ob wir es besser machen können als in den beiden Tests.“””

Familiar Foes From Preseason

For Hamburg, Oldenburg represents an opponent that should theoretically be as familiar as an open book. The two northern clubs squared off twice within a three-day span at the conclusion of the preseason schedule, with the Lower Saxony side securing victories in both encounters. Barloschky publicly framed those two exhibition defeats as valuable, instructive steps forward rather than discouraging setbacks.

While Hamburg ultimately outlasted Chemnitz in extra time on Friday night, Oldenburg kept pace by claiming an away victory over Würzburg. That momentum has propelled Milenko Bogicevic’s team to an unblemished record to start the official campaign.

Oldenburg Roster Form and Key Threats

Forward Nicholas Tischler has anchored Oldenburg’s strong start, establishing himself as the team’s leading scorer across their opening three competitive fixtures. The 26-year-old, who previously suited up for Braunschweig and Chemnitz, played through early foul trouble against Würzburg to power the club commonly known as the Donnervögel to victory.

Inside the paint, Demajeo Wiggins has provided immediate dividends following his return to the Basketball Bundesliga after playing the 2024–25 season in Göttingen. Wiggins opened the competitive schedule with a double-double and flirted with another in Würzburg. Meanwhile, point guard Jeremy Roach has orchestrated the offense efficiently from the opening tip, dishing out 19 assists across his first two appearances.

Oldenburg’s second unit brings considerable veteran savvy, featuring former Hamburg player Seth Hinrichs alongside Marcel Keßen and Zach Ensminger. Together, the trio combines for 529 BBL appearances. However, injuries and administrative hurdles have forced Bogicevic to lean heavily on a tighter nine-man rotation, missing Le’Tre Darthard—who suffered a knee injury during a preseason test in Hamburg—alongside Stefan Momirov, whose visa status remains unresolved.

Matchup Outlook and Viewing Information

Sunday’s clash offers Hamburg an immediate opportunity to measure their growth against a physical rival that managed to expose their defensive lapses during the preseason.

Fans can follow the action via Dyn’s live broadcast beginning at 16:15 local time ahead of the 16:30 tipoff. Share your thoughts on the game below and join the discussion as the Veolia Towers seek an upset on the road.