The basketball players from Alba Berlin started the new year with a good feeling. Because the clear 96:61 home win on New Year’s Eve against Würzburg once again showed the strength of the Berliners. “That was a nice end of the year. We played our style, had maximum intensity and a good teamwork, ”said manager Marco Baldi, praising the performance.
Alba also helped the cancellation of the Euroleague game on Wednesday in Milan. “The trip would have been gross. So we were able to start the game relatively fresh, ”said international Johannes Thiemann. Although not everything was perfect, the energy was right. “We kept the intensity very high, especially at the beginning, and were very alert. And then you can allow yourself a few mistakes, ”added Baldi.
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It was also important that coach Israel Gonzalez was able to spare the regular staff. Maodo Lo and Ben Lammers weren’t even there, Luke Sikma and Marcus Eriksson got very little playing time. Because on Sunday the basketball Bundesliga will continue at the Hamburg Towers (6 p.m. / Magentasport).
The team travels to the Elbe on New Year’s afternoon. A big New Year’s Eve celebration was therefore not possible – also because of Corona. “In the last few years we have often celebrated together. This time more in smaller rounds – also due to Corona. We can still celebrate on the train to Hamburg, ”said Thiemann.
In Hamburg, Alba expects a tough game. “It’s one of the most difficult away games. They play extremely well and beat really good opponents very clearly in the Eurocup, ”warned Baldi. Thiemann also rates seventh in the table, who beat Alba in both points games last season. “They play very aggressively, very physically and have a lot of energy. And in the Bundesliga, the teams are hot to beat us, ”said the center. (dpa)
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