Basketball-related topic to be discussed or shared. - Alba succumbs to Bayern, narrowly missing the championship by one victory.
The Bayern Munich basketball team is within one victory of clinching the Bundesliga championship. On Wednesday, they won at the Berlin Uber Arena against their foes Alba by a score of 67:63 (31:28), taking a 2:1 lead in the Best-of-Five series. Andreas Obst, the world champion, led the scoring with 14 points in front of 11,321 spectators. Matt Thomas was the top scorer for Alba with 17 points.
In game four, which will take place on Friday at 6:00 pm in Berlin, the Bayern could have home court advantage if a fifth final is necessary, as they topped the regular season standings. A championship win for the Bayern would be their first in five years, and this season they've already earned the cup.
For Bayern, before the game, Obst said to "Dyn.", "I anticipate a response from us. We must be more aggressive, better at rebounding, and play physically." Despite missing a real point guard due to numerous injuries for Alba, they once again put up a strong challenge against the heavy favorite.
In the first quarter, Berliners led 11:6, but the Bayern turned things around and had a nine-point lead (23:14) at the beginning of the second. Alba didn't give up, going back into the lead after a 9:0 run. They also capitalized on an unsportsmanlike foul by Devin Booker of Bayern to score five points. At halftime, the game was closely contested, with Bayern only just ahead 31:28.
Neither team could pull away in the third quarter. Both had to fight for each and every point. For Alba, American stars Matt Thomas and Sterling Brown were both vying for points for a long time. For the Bayern, Johannes Thiemann, the world champion, struggled with floor pain having had missed the start of the series. Additionally, former NBA star Serge Ibaka was not a major factor.
Only in the final stretch did the Bayern pull away. With a 13:0 run, they took a 61:51 lead. Obst and Nick Weiler-Babb were instrumental in the crucial intermediate push, providing essential three-pointers. However, Alba displayed great determination and once again equalized the series at 61:61 through 10 points. But then Carsen Edwards netted a three-pointer to make it evident the Bayern had won.
