Bayern's basketball team suffered a loss in the series finale, as Ulm emerged victorious.
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Get ready for some intense basketball action, folks! The juggernauts of FC Bayern Munich, reigning Bundesliga champions, met their match in the form of underdogs ratiopharm Ulm. In a nail-biting Best-of-Five series, the teams are currently locked at 1-1 following Ulm's triumphant 79:64 win, three days after Munich snatched the first game with an 82:66 victory.
Ulm, who hadn't suffered a home defeat since a close loss to MLP Academics Heidelberg back in mid-December 2022 (67:69), had a solid response to Munich's early leads, with their star player, Karim Jallow, racking up 23 points.
The second half saw Ulm take the reigns at 53:42 in the 26th minute, even putting on a show for FCB President Herbert Hainer in front of a packed stadium. Munich seemed to struggle both offensively and defensively, missing shots and lacking focus.
However, the result might come at a cost for Ulm. The upcoming fourth and potential fifth game could see the team playing without two key players, Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf, due to a clash with the NBA Draft in the US on June 25 and 26, 2025.
This scheduling conflict sparked controversy before the game, with Ulm having proposed shortening the playoff schedule in April. Unfortunately, their request was rejected by both the BBL league and Bayern Munich, citing logistical constraints as the main reason for their refusal.
In an interview during halftime, BBL CEO Stefan Holz acknowledged the lack of flexibility in the situation, expressing, "At the end of the day, we have no room to maneuver."
With off-court drama adding an extra layer of tension, the championship is set to become a thrilling playoff battle, with Ulm fighting hard to dethrone the reigning titans, Bayern Munich. Stay tuned, basketball enthusiasts, as things are bound to get even more intense on Saturday at 8 pm, when the teams collide once again[1].
_[1] - The clash between Ulm's playoff schedule and the NBA Draft has been a hot topic among basketball fans, causing tension as the team is forced to compete without some of their best players. The controversy adds an off-court drama layer to the highly anticipated finals, providing excitement for spectators both on and off the court.]
Despite the clash with the NBA Draft in mid-June, underdogs ratiopharm Ulm have shown they can compete with the best, as evidenced by their recent NBA-style performance against FC Bayern Munich. The upcoming games in the Best-of-Five series could be impacted by the NBA Draft, with star players Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf potentially unavailable due to the event.
