Title Celebrations for Munich's Champs: Obst Leads the Party
Rhetorical questioning imposed on Bayern Munich basketball players: "What's his deal?" or "Has he lost his mind?"
Munich (dpa) - After their thrilling Bundesliga victory against ratiopharm Ulm, the basketball world champion Andreas Obst demanded a grand celebration from his team at FC Bayern. Having secured a breathtaking title win with a 81:77 victory in the fifth and final game, the team were left exhausted, yet relieved after a challenging season.
Following the tense triumph over Ulm, teammate Johannes Voigtmann felt the party might not last long. "Is he crazy, or what?" With a thick cigar clenched in one hand and a beer in the other, party animal Obst roared his famous line, "I'm going to drag them all, so they'll really suffer tomorrow. No one is going home until it's light outside." Voigtmann confirmed his intentions to follow Obst's lead at the title celebration.
Bayern's Year Savior: Hainer's Mixed Emotions
The championship win marked a significant redemption for the ambitious Bayern squad, who had previously lost in the semi-finals of the cup and missed out on the Euroleague playoffs. Addressing the tense atmosphere following the final victory, President Herbert Hainer admitted, "If you lose today, the whole season is a bust." However, he conceded that it had been a "good season" instead.
With the star ensemble having played 83 games in the season, exhaustion was evident amongst the victorious players. "It was simply exhausting," said Niels Giffey, "But wow, we did it." The heart-stopping game saw Ulm mount a 17-point comeback but still fall to the Bayern players, who celebrated their victory with embraces of relief.
365 Days of Hard Labor: Herbert Looks Ahead
Coach Gordon Herbert calculated he had practically worked a full year since receiving his selection for the Olympic preparations for Paris as the German national coach on June 27, 2024. After precisely 365 days, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern. Reflecting on the achievement, Herbert said, "I have no idea what's next."
The upcoming talks with the players and a closing ceremony will be followed by vacation for the weary Bayern squad. The team may face significant roster changes in the summer, with key players like national player Nick Weiler-Babb likely to leave for European rivals with better financial opportunities.
Ulm's Elusive Happy Ending: Harrelson Proud
Coach Ty Harrelson and the Ulm team faced a significant rebuild after the narrow final defeat, with two of their professionals being drafted by NBA teams and set to move to North America. Despite his disappointment with the final result, Harrelson maintained his pride in his players, saying, "At the end of the day, of course, you're disappointed to lose the final and imagine yourself on the winner's podium. But I'm proud of my players."
The final saw key individual performances from both sides, demonstrating the resilience and depth of Bayern's players and the competitiveness and promise of ratiopharm Ulm's roster. Bayern Munich remains a force to be reckoned with in German basketball, while Ulm looks forward to growing stronger for future seasons.
Despite the nail-biting loss, ratiopharm Ulm's coach Ty Harrelson expressed his pride in his team, as two of his professionals were drafted by NBA teams. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich's basketball team, winners of the Bundesliga, showed no signs of slowing down, with their star player Andreas Obst, known for his love of sports and basketball, vowing to keep the championship celebrations going all night long.
