Alba Berlin are back: After a miserable start to the season, the capital city club picked up a creditable 96:88 victory against league leaders ratiopharm Ulm. However, Berlin must fear for McDowell-White, who limped off the court.
After four defeats in a row, the Albatrosses escaped from the bottom of the table with this home win. The Berliners, still plagued by injuries, started surprisingly strong into the game and put Ulm under pressure right from the start. After almost five minutes, they led 15:8, demonstrating great energy in offense and defense. The Albatrosses’ fast breaks were particularly noticeable, while Ulm seemed a little taken aback in the first few minutes. However, the Spatzen quickly recovered from the initial phase. A timeout by the league leaders had an effect and Ulm fought back. The first quarter finally ended in a 22:22 draw.
Trevion Williams shines in the first half
The game remained close and high-quality in the second period. Alba repeatedly took a slight lead, but Ulm stayed in contention. Trevion Williams, who was playing against his former team from Ulm for the first time, was at his best and was the linchpin of the game. With 13 points and 8 assists at half-time, he played a major role in the 47:44 half-time score.
On the part of Alba, a lot of the play went through the team, which put in a strong performance with a total of 26 assists. The Berliners showed themselves to be a cohesive unit, while Ulm didn’t quite get into their shooting stride (only 4/17 from the three-point line so far) – in particular, Justinian Jessup, who had been strong recently, remained well below his potential with 0/5 from outside.
Heated scenes in the third quarter
The third quarter was characterized by intense duels and heated moments. Karim Jallow (11 points, 5 rebounds), who had already caused a stir at the end of the first half after an exchange of words with the Berliners (technical foul), had to leave the court after an unsporting foul against Tim Schneider. Yet the game remained fiercely contested even after Jallow was sent off. Jessup (16, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) finally found his rhythm and drained several important buckets from outside to help Ulm take a narrow 71:69 lead in at the end of the third period.
Thrilling final period with many twists and turns
The last quarter was a real drama: Alba built a small lead, but Ulm did not give up. In particular, Jonas Mattisseck (20 points, 6 made threes) was the one who scored a difficult three in the final seconds to tie the game at 82:82. But then came the moment of shock for Alba: Will McDowell-White went down while attempting a lay-up and had to be carried off the court with an injury. But even without him, Berlin kept their nerve. Trevion Williams (top scorer with a double-double: 23 points, 11 rebounds, 9/12 FG) made important shots, and Louis Olinde (12, 5/6 FG) contributed a crucial three. Alba pulled away 30 seconds before the end to lead 94:88.
The final seconds were marked by controversial scenes. Ulm initially reduced the deficit to 90:94, but after a goaltending check, Nelson Weidemann’s attempt was disallowed, which set Ulm back and ultimately secured Alba a 96:88 victory.
For Berlin, it is important to take the momentum into the coming week, when the next double-header in the EuroLeague awaits: EA7 Emporio Armani Milan are the first visitors on Tuesday (8 p.m.), before the team faces FC Bayern on Thursday (8:30 p.m.). Ulm also has an international challenge: on Wednesday (7 p.m.), the Spatzen welcome the leaders of Group B, Bahcesehir Koleji SK.
