Albas Trevion Williams (M.) is currently the only operational “big man” in the Berlin basketball team.
Photo: imago/camera4+
Actually, everything should get better. »Last year was definitely our worst year in the Euroleague. But we are doing everything we can to be more competitive and to be able to enjoy the season better.” The words of Alba’s sports director Himar Ojeda, said at the press conference before the start of the season, now sound like a pious wish. After seven match days in the highest European basketball competition, the Berlin basketball players have exactly the same record as twelve months ago with one win and six defeats.
The game plan at the start was even merciful. Alba was able to play five of the first seven Euroleague games at home in the Uber Arena. However, the Berliners were only able to win one of them, against the French team ASVEL Villeurbanne from Lyon, which was also considered an outsider. Otherwise there were defeats, which became increasingly clear in the last few games. In the last three matches alone, Alba’s opponents scored 48 points more than the Berliners. The team currently doesn’t seem to be closer to a better Euroleague season, but rather further and further away from it.
The reasons for this are complex. Alba is acutely suffering from the first major injury problem of the season. Three-point specialist Matt Thomas has not yet played in a game due to a knee injury. The same goes for winger Malte Delow, who continues to struggle with the effects of a concussion. Added to the sick leave this week were Yanni Wetzell (broken thumb), Matteo Spagnolo (ill) and Jonas Mattisseck (back problems).
The suspension of Khalifa Koumadje has been hanging over the many unavailable players since this week. The ex-partner of the 2.21 meter tall center had made it public that the 28-year-old was said to have physically injured her. »We have become aware of allegations that have been made against Khalifa. We take these allegations very seriously. Khalifa has been suspended until these allegations have been fully clarified,” said Alba managing director Marco Baldi before Berlin’s home game against Paris Basketball on Tuesday evening.
It was therefore clear that Alba would have to play against the French without the two nominal center players Wetzell and Koumadje. Against Paris, coach Israel González’s team started with a lot of energy, cheered on by the Alba fans. With a box-and-one defense, a mixture of man and space coverage, the Berliners took TJ Shorts, the Parisians’ best points scorer, completely out of the game at the beginning. After the first quarter, Alba led 26:16. After that, the French became increasingly better at finding the gaps in Berlin’s defense. Paris turned the game around with 13 successful three-point throws in the second half.
After the strong start, Alba seemed tired towards the end of the game due to the strenuous defensive strategy, while Paris no longer had any trouble getting free throws. After the game, Coach González had to face the question of whether he had stuck to the box-and-one defense for too long. »That was my bet that they wouldn’t score in the crucial moments. But they continued to score,” said the visibly dejected Spaniard after the 83:92 defeat.
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While dwindling strength and an ultimately failed tactical trick were the reasons for the defeat against Paris, another problem this season became apparent in the second Euroleague duel this week against Anadolu Efes: only when several Alba players show a top performance at the same time, the Berliners can keep up in the premier basketball league. Even strong 24 points from captain Martin Hermannsson on Thursday were not enough to put the Turkish top team from Istanbul in danger. Instead, Anadolu never gave up the double-digit lead it had gained early in the second quarter. In the end it was 70:86 for the Istanbul team, who scored easy points far too often, especially directly under the Berlin basket.
»I hate losing. I think if all the players were healthy, we would have two or three more wins in the Euroleague,” said captain Hermannsson, who also saw the many injuries as the biggest problem against Anadolu. Sports director Himar Ojeda was reminded of the previous injury-plagued season on Thursday because of the many absences: “We are currently in a difficult phase. Due to the many injuries, some players are currently having to take on more responsibility than they are actually used to and that is difficult. With this, the sports director addressed another problem for the Berlin team, which this season after the departures of world champion Johannes Thiemann and top scorer Sterling Brown want to focus even more on the development of the young players in the Alba squad. So far, none of the talents seem ready to take on more responsibility.
On the contrary, Alba is facing a difficult season in the Bundesliga this year. Last season, despite the poor performance in the Euroleague, they never finished below sixth place in the Bundesliga. After only two wins from five games, the Berliners are currently in 14th place. »We shouldn’t actually lose a game in the BBL. But we also got off to a bad start there and now it’s about showing character and stopping making excuses,” demanded Captain Hermannsson. The next chance is already on Sunday in Bamberg. The Baskets, as Alba’s neighbors in the table, are currently in 15th place. Actually an easy opponent for the demanding Berliners.
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