Basketball Eurocup : Alba Berlin's European dream lives on

Often the character of a team shows itself in the Moment of the great triumph. A few minutes after Alba Berlin was fed by a narrow 79:75 victory against Malaga to the semi-finals of the Eurocup runners-up, stopped, players and supporters short. Together, they were in the Dawg pound, ready for the big Party – but one was missing. "Stefan Peno", echoed through the hall and a few meters away on crutches standing Point Guard was visibly touched to the chest. "Alba is a family," said Martin Hermannsson a few minutes later. "Our team chemistry is unbelievable and we have probably the best Fans in Europe."

It was a short, but exuberant Celebration after the success in the decisive third quarter-finals against the more experienced Eurocup-winner of 2017. For the first Time in nine years, Alba is in the semi-finals; at that time, the Berlin came to the final, where they were against Valencia, however, is clearly inferior. "This is a great success, I've dreamed of this," said Hermannsson. "But I also have bigger dreams." If you stand among the best four Teams, if you wanted to, of course, also into the final, "then we'll see what happens."

"the fact That we have beaten Malaga, is unbelievable,"

Self-Aito Garcia Reneses was thrilled when his typical Gentleman. Before the season, he can not imagine to reach the semi-finals, told Alba's trainer, veteran. A victory in the series, he would have counted as a success, "the fact that we have beaten Malaga in the semi-finals, for us, is incredible."

The coach had a major role in this. In the last six minutes, he turned from a man-oriented to a zone defense and Malaga have managed only one basket. "We had a lot of problems with your Pick and Roll and have changed so," said Reneses. "Malaga has lost his rhythm." Unlike in the first game a week ago, when Alba was a great advantage, met in Berlin on Wednesday for your late throws and Rokas Giedraitis handle in the thick of the decisive Rebound.

Now, the next team from the Spanish League is waiting in the semifinals. Next Tuesday, the Berlin BC Andorra received in the Arena at the Ostbahnhof (20 PM). The second game of the series will have already played three days later, in the small Pyrenean state. In any decision-making Alba would be right back home, you would have at 27. March Dodge, but in the Max-Schmeling-Halle. "Andorra is in the League not so well, but it is a very good Team," said Reneses.

Reneses feared problems in the Bundesliga

Before the European adventure, the Berlin go further, however, the Bundesliga-daily life in the program and prepares Reneses quite. The success in the Eurocup for the rest of the BBL-main round "very bad". Alba has already completed the fewest League games of all the Teams in now for next Tuesday scheduled must meet with Ulm moved. Until the beginning of the Play-offs in two months, the Berlin will need to complete 14 League games. Two and a maximum of six Eurocup games at least.

Eurocup Basketball match Alba Berlin in the quarter-final against Malaga by

On Sunday, the Berlin, but once in pour to guest and between two major international Play that is both mentally and physically for an unpleasant task. A good message it was. Joshiko Saibou, who was bent over on Wednesday, fierce, short-ran around after the game. "In Joshi, it's not so bad," said Reneses.