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Alba Berlin's Maodo Lo (left) prevails against Ulm's Dylan Osetkowski
Photo:
nordphoto GmbH / Hafner / imago images / Nordphoto
Defending champion Alba Berlin has reached the playoff final of the basketball Bundesliga and will meet FC Bayern Munich there.
The German champions won the fourth of five possible semi-finals at ratiopharm Ulm on Saturday evening with 77:75 (36:36) and won the series 3-1.
FC Bayern Munich had already made it into the final, winning 3-1 against MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.
In the first game of the final series, which will also be played in best-of-five mode, the Berliners will have home rights on Wednesday (8.30 p.m., stream: MagentaSport).
The two teams faced each other in the cup final, the Munich team won 85:79.
Berlin got the better first quarter in a very even game (20:15), hosts Ulm were more efficient in the second round (21:16) and equalized the game shortly before the break to 36:36.
Even after the break, things remained tight: Berlin was always successful with the duo Niels Giffey and Simone Fontecchio.
Ulm's national player Andreas Obst made sure that the guests couldn't pull away (49: 53/30. Minute).
Ulm's lead only lasts for a short time
In the final section, Ulm got off to a furious start and after an 8-0 run was quickly ahead with 57:53 (32nd).
Alba, however, was not impressed and turned the game around again after an intermediate sprint (15: 3).
The team of Spanish coach Aito Garcia Reneses did not give up the lead because Patrick Heckmann could not use the last throw from distance for the hosts.
The best thrower at Ulm was Obst with 24 points.
Berlin's international Giffey and Italian Fontecchio scored the best with 17 points each for Alba.
cev / dpa