Championship in basketball - Alba vows to avenge Bayern defeat in upcoming rematch.
Alba Berlin vowed to exact speedy revenge against FC Bayern following their defeat in the first match of the German basketball championship's final round on Saturday night. Tim Schneider, from Berlin, expressed: "We fought like lions and will continue to do so, hopefully with a different outcome this time." The wounded and fatigued Berlin players valiantly resisted the Munich team for three quarters before succumbing.
Before the second final game on Monday (8:30 pm on Dyn), Berlin are determined not to be daunted by this reversal. Schneider on Dyn declared: "I'm positive we'll be back here, offering 110% and attempting to even the score." While the fact that the weary Berliners ran out of steam in the final stages and must contend with several injured players doesn't bode well, there's some encouragement in their fine performance for the initial three quarters.
Johannes Thiemann, the captain and world champion, is uncertain whether he'll recover from his knee injury in time for Monday's game. Coach Israel Gonzalez remarked, "We'll have to monitor his progress daily."
Bayern refuse to take their foot off the pedal after seizing the lead in the series. Pablo Laso, Bayern's coach, insisted: "I made it clear to my players: This is just the starting point." Ex-NBA champion Serge Ibaka proposed: "We must maintain the same level of effort tonight." Moreover, team captain Vladimir Lucic emphasized: "It's 1-0, but Alba is a worthy adversary, and we must be prepared for the next fixture."
Despite being disadvantaged in several aspects - Berlin had three fewer days to prepare and were missing vital players due to various injuries - they could hold their own against the Bayern for three quarters. Berlin exhibited a solid defense and scored point after point.
But their energy reserves dwindled, and this was catastrophically evident - almost no points were scored by Berlin in the final stanza, as Louis Olinde managed to make two free throws less than a minute before the game concluded. Matt Thomas, from Berlin, remarked: "Our resolve finally gave out in the fourth quarter."
