Alba Berlin : The lost duel between two Basketball philosophies

The Fans of Alba Berlin found their own way with disappointment. After about 700 travelling in Berlin had celebrated their team in the Bamberg Arena in spite of the dramatic 82:83-defeat in the Cup final, extensively, and attracted many of them on the Sunday evening singing in the direction of the train station. "We win the championship, we win the Eurocup and the Cup don't give a shit!", it echoed through Bamberg, it was heard in the ICE – and shortly before midnight at the Südkreuz. In the case of the Berlin basketball players in the processing of grief will take longer. To Sing to the Team on Sunday was not in the mood.

the Albanian had not played well, looked in the final quarter with eleven points behind already as a certain loser, but back in the game and led seconds before the end of 82:80. "I thought, it is Karma," said sports Director Himar Ojeda. "Last year we had the victory in the Cup final deserves, because we were the better team and still lost." The Berlin have not been compensated for in the pre-season against Bayern very unhappy lost title now, subsequently, had a lot of reasons. The most obvious Nikos Zisis.

Experienced players like Niko Zisis has. Alba

Bamberg seasoned Greek kept his nerve and sank the crucial three freestanding 2.4 seconds before the end of the "The class and experience made the difference," said Bamberg, just a month ago the head coach of newly-promoted Federico Perego. "When you have guys like Zisis with a Big-Player mentality' on your side, everything will be easier." Players like the 35-year-old Greek who won the European Basketball at club and national team level, is looking at Alba in vain. The Berlin set – and financial reasons – for young, ambitious players with a lot of potential for development.

The superior man. Bamberg's Nikos Zisis decided the final.Photo: imago/Issler images

So it was ultimately a duel of a different Basketball philosophies, with a lot of luck, but earned went to Bamberg. "We had feared that the experience decides the game. And so it was,“ said Ojeda. In the case of the players and leaders of the Alba a lot of perplexity and Emptiness after the game. "We've had this season, many difficulties," said coach Aito Garcia Reneses. Peyton Siva was after his long injury break in top form as Joshiko Saibou. Stefan Peno of the season ended with a severe knee injury already and newcomer Derrick Walton made after only three days of training with the Team, an unfortunate figure.

The hardest of the Berlin hit, but the disease is Luke Sikmas. The most important player was weakened by a flu, significantly, was 26 minutes on the floor, took but little influence on the Events. His last desperation throw with the expiry of the time would have been able to bring Alba to victory, however, was clearly too far. "Luke is so important for us," said Reneses. "It is not very hard for us, if he is fit." The Lospech, which had provided the Berliners an away game in one of the most heated halls in Germany came. The experienced Reneses know, however, is just as good as Ojeda and Marco Baldi, that after such a painful defeat, not help about the difficult circumstances to think about.

Reneses does not believe that the final traces of leaves

"This is bitter, but now is the Key is how we deal with this defeat," said the Manager, who had already stressed in the run-up to the value of endgames for the development of athletes. "Such moments it is necessary to take as a drive," said Baldi. In spite of all the grief you go in Alba is not that the third final defeat will leave within a year, permanently mark on the team. "I don't think it is a psychological Problem," said Reneses and pointed to the still good chances in the championship and the Eurocup. "What we are doing with this young Team, is very good."

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Baldi described the team as "particularly with regard to the unity". Of course, you play for trophies and that Alba had to miss the first title since 2016 is only a few seconds, is very painful. "The development in the last two years is still outstanding." Now the Berliners have a little time to process the disappointment. Niels Giffey, Johannes Thiemann, Jonas Mattisseck, Saibou, Rokas Giedraitis and Martin Hermannsson are with their respective national teams in world Cup qualifying and the next League game is at 2. March on the program. Then the second half of the season begins with up to 40 Games in League, Play-offs and Eurocup. Two titles are for Alba. And Thiemann, is confident: "We want to lose a fourth in the final."