Basketball: Always get up: Alba Berlin’s basketball players in the BBL final

Johannes Thiemann stretched out his arms and flexed his muscles. The basketball world champion enjoyed the ovation from the Alba Berlin fans when he was substituted a few seconds before the end of the game. They had read about his knee pain before the game, but hardly anyone knew at the time what drama had taken place during the half-time break. The Berliners were 48:53 behind in the fifth and decisive semi-final game of the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) against the Niners Chemnitz, and Thiemann could no longer stand the inflammation of his patellar tendon. »He couldn’t move anymore, he was out of the game. He had already changed his clothes,” his coach Israel González later reported. »And then he came back again and said to me: “One last try. I want to try it.’ Unbelievable. When you have players like that, everyone else follows.”

In the end, Alba won the game 97:84 and, after a year’s break, is back in the final, which begins with game one at FC Bayern Munich this Saturday. The fact that the eleven-time German champions even made it there is remarkable, after all, the Berliners have been plagued by an unprecedented injury misery for months. After game four of the semi-final series, Martin Hermannsson, the third regular development player, was also out for the rest of the season. The same fate had previously befallen the great talents Matteo Spagnolo and Žiga Samar. And on Thursday the captain came along.

»For me, reaching the final has more value than many titles. We had six or seven great years. Something like that doesn’t last forever. And we’re actually in the middle of rebuilding,” said sports director Himar Ojeda, recalling the adverse circumstances this season. »Then we lose all our talents in the middle. And now Johannes is sitting in the cabin with tears in his eyes. I’ve never seen him like that before. The fact that he still tried again shows the heart and passion in the team. Something like that is not measured in titles.«

Entertainment industry Top sport loves suffering heroes

Competitive sport is full of stories like Johannes Thiemann’s: pain is overcome for the big goal, the teammates, the medal. From a medical point of view, it is highly questionable if the body’s primary warning signal is ignored. This behavior is also rather counterproductive when it comes to role models, but the entertainment industry of top sports and its fans love moments like this and elevate those who suffer to heroes.

Thiemann contributed another six points and two assists in the second half, in the very phase in which the game tipped over. Even if the American Matt Thomas was the best thrower of the game with 24 points and six three-pointers, Thiemann’s presence should not be underestimated. With him on the field, Alba scored 26 points more than Chemnitz; Thomas’ score in this statistic was only six.

To attribute the success to just one player would still be too short-sighted. As in game four, Alba’s second American, Sterling Brown, who was signed last summer, also turned up the heat and scored 16 points. He was instrumental in turning the 1:2 deficit in the series in Berlin’s favor. Last but not least, Khalifa Koumadje became a silent hero. The 2.21 meter tall chicken, who had been sent off several times this season for physical altercations, became the anchor of Alba’s defense in the decisive phase. Coach González had switched from man defense to zone defense, and Koumadje closed the space under the basket. He didn’t score any points, but his ten rebounds were immensely valuable for Berlin.

»There has been a lot of public discussion about Sterling Brown and Matt Thomas, whether they would be a good fit for us. But we stuck with them,” said sports director Ojeda, recalling weak phases, especially in the Euroleague. »And after Khalifa’s disqualifications, it would have been the easiest thing in this business for us to part ways with him. Instead, we talked to him a lot and analyzed things in peace. He recognized his mistakes and in the end we stuck with him too. We don’t abandon our people, we help them. And that paid off today.”

Chemnitz’s best season ends abruptly

Adversity that brings us together. This is how Alba’s second half of the season can be overwritten. No matter how many times the Berliners fell, they always got back up. A year ago, many stars who were full of titles had already failed in the quarter-finals when they could not match the intensity of the eventual champions from Ulm. Most of them left Berlin afterwards.

The strong Chemnitz team now had what it took to create another surprise, but this time the Berliners held out. »We have come closer together. Everyone on the field knew they had to give something to the team. There were no more excuses, no substitutes,” said Malte Delow, summing up the mood. He himself stepped in as a substitute playmaker and collected 17 points in the deciding game, a personal playoff record.

On the other hand, there were disappointed Chemnitzers whose best season had come to an abrupt end. “It was a damn good season, but it will take a while to let this defeat sink in,” said captain Jonas Richter to “nd”. The native of Chemnitz, who has never played for another club, recognized the potential of the current team early on in the season. Winning the Europe Cup and reaching the BBL semi-finals for the first time later became proof of this. However, the extremely narrow defeat with 2:3 in the series against Alba made the end “very bitter”. Alba’s change in defense was the key. »Koumadje closed the zone and our threes didn’t go in anymore. Then it’s hard to win a game like that,” said Richter. »Respect to the Berliners for pulling this off. Your situation wasn’t easy.”

Off to the ice cream bin

Alba’s players unanimously returned their respect to the Saxons: “Chemnitz played incredibly good basketball. We never managed to defend them. Luckily, only when we unpacked our emergency solution with the zone did they have no plan against it. I’m really happy that we’re through,” said Berlin winger Tim Schneider on the way to the ice barrel. “We’re all pretty knocked out”

But there isn’t much time for regeneration. After all, the first two of a maximum of five final games are scheduled for this Saturday and Monday in Munich. »We only have a chance against Bayern if we can outrun them. We have to keep up the pace because physically it’s going to be damn hard,” Schneider said, recalling four duels this season, three of which Bayern won.

Now three playmakers are missing and the captain can barely walk. »It will be important to block out pain and fatigue. We have the ability to fight. We won’t stop now just because new obstacles are put in our way,” said coach González, hoping for further energetic performances. »This is a special team. Somehow we always find a way.”