Steffi Grigoleit (2nd VR) and Maggie Mulligan (No. 00) played their last game for Alba Berlin on Tuesday.
Photo: Imago/Camera4+
Anyone who only paid attention to the audience in the Sömmeringhalle in Charlottenburg in the Sömmeringhalle in Charlottenburg on Tuesday evening would probably not have typed a defeat of Alba Berlin. The 2200 Alba fans rose in the sold-out hall for minutes to give their team after the thundering applause. Only the view of the parquet revealed that there was no happy ending for the reigning German champions in the nerve-wracking semi-final thriller against the Saarlouis Royals.
At the center line, the Alba women stood in the circle, also clapping, but with tears in their eyes. In the middle: Center player Maggie Mulligan and Forward Steffi Grigoleit in a never-ending hug. For the two regular players it was the last game of their career. Both had already announced months ago that the current season will be their last. After the 67: 75 defeat after extra time in the decisive fifth game against Saarlouis, this end came earlier than planned.
“We would have just given the two of them to say goodbye to the two,” said the dissolved Alba captain Lena Gohlisch after a game in which the Berliners had thrown everything in to keep their dream of defending the title. »To discharge over five here in game five is difficult. I think it is much more difficult that we say goodbye to Steffi and Maggie, who have agreed a lot for us as a team in recent years, «explained playmaker Gohlisch.
Two leaders end their career
The two starters in their last game impressively showed how important mulligan and Grigoleit are for Alba. The 29-year-old Mulligan contributed eight points and ten rebounds. The 1.90 meter tall center player from the USA was also the best template of her team with five assists. At the age of 35, Steffi Grigoleit fought for every ball again. In the end there were eleven points and ten rebounds for the native of Magdeburg in the statistics.
With their experience, the two leader Alba held in a game that threatened Berlin early on. At halftime, Saarlouis led 36:24. Without the strong rebound work by Mulligan and Grigoleit and their assertiveness under the baskets, the deficit would have been even greater. After Alba coach Cristo Cabrera had switched to zone defense at the second half, the Saarlanders also got out of the rhythm, and Berlin achieved a 17: 3 run in the third quarter. After that, no team was able to break away. The regular playing time ended with 58:58. In the extension, Alba swore a little after the big catch -up hunting, and Saarlouis hit the important throws in the crucial moments.
“We played really strongly in the third quarter, and that we couldn’t reward ourselves in the end is simply superhade,” the completely exhausted Grigoleit was annoyed after she had previously thanked the “Best fans in Germany” for their support. The eight-time national player has witnessed the first promotion to the basketball Bundesliga, the first championship title and the first appearances in the Eurocup in the past three and a half years. After the abrupt end of the career, a well -deserved vacation with the family is now on the plan. “But that’s still far away for me because I’m just too sad,” admitted the 35-year-old.
Farewell to a historic team
A feeling that many shared on the parquet and on the ranks. With the end of the career by Mulligan and Grigoleit, an important part of the Alba team, which has written club history in recent years. The long applause and the tearful round of honor of the Alba players to Cherers “If I Could Turn Back Time” also seemed a bit like saying goodbye to this successful era.
Alba trainer Cabrera also confirmed this impression. “It is not easy to find such a group of players,” the Spaniard praised his team. “We are together for so many years, it is different from buying players together and has a new coach every year. We are something bigger. ”The 40-year-old also gave this message to the Alba women in his short cabin address after the defeat, as captain Gohlisch said afterwards. The special cooperation between the team is more important than every title.
The large gap, which is created by the double resignation among the Berliners this summer, should therefore be closed from the inside. “Continuity will be an important factor for the cadre planning of the coming season,” said Cabrera. For the next season, the Spaniard wants to incorporate 16-year-old Lilli Schultze into the professional squad. It also looks like playmakers Lena Gohlisch, whose contract expires in the summer, is on at least a year.
After the game, Alba’s coach even briefly joked that he might be trying to persuade one or two more players to remain for the coming season. But this offered only half serious offered Steffi Grigoleit a stop on the floor: “That is over-unfortunately,” said the 35-year-old and finally retired with her child in her arms.