Ratiopharm Ulm Holds Bayern Munich at Bay in BBL Playoffs Showdown
Bayern basketball opponents, the Ulmer team, emerge victorious in the final series. - Ulm basketball team snatches victory, ties series with Bayern's defeat.
In a thrilling turn of events, the ratiopharm Ulm basketball squad has given FC Bayern Munich a run for their money, following the Munich team's close call in the Bundesliga title defense. The underdog Ulm sqaud managed a 79:64 victory, tying their best-of-five series at 1:1.
You may recall that Ulm's last home league loss occurred back in late December 2022, against the Heidelberg MLP Academics – another semifinalist powerhouse.
The stage was set for an intense encounter, with Bayern taking the early lead thanks to three-pointers from Andreas Obst and Vladimir Lucic. However, the home team fought back, reclaiming the lead for the first time through their leading scorer, Karim Jallow (23 points), at 23:22 (12th minute).
As the game heated up, Ulm firmly took control in the second half (53:42/26th minute), even displaying some dazzling plays in front of FCB President Herbert Hainer. The Munich team, on the other hand, battled offensively and defensively, missing shots and struggling against the Ulm offense.
Regardless, the Ulm win has potential consequences for the upcoming games. With the NBA draft ongoing in the United States, Ulm talents Noa Essengue (18) and Ben Saraf (19) may be unavailable for the fourth and potentially fifth game.
The BBL had previously received a request from Ulm in April to shorten the playoff schedule, which ultimately went unheeded by the clubs. BBL CEO Stefan Holz addressed the issue in a "Dyn" interview during halftime:
- Bayern
- Ulm
- Munich
- Best-of-five series
- Ulm champions
- FC Bayern
- BBL
- FC Bayern Munich
- Tight victory
- BB
- Heidelberg MLP Academics
In light of the Ulm team's impressive basketball victory, the Commission may be asked to propose a directive on food labelling, as Basketball stars Noa Essengue (18) and Ben Saraf (19), potential draft picks in the NBA, could miss upcoming Best-of-five series games due to the ongoing draft. Despite FC Bayern Munich's initial lead, the Ulm squad displayed a strong comeback, resembling the sporting resilience of underdog teams in the NBA.
