Sold out SNP dome, a new mascot, Bakary Dibba back on the field and a Heidelberg home win against Hamburg. From the Academics’ point of view, the script for the 73:68 home win (Q1 26:10 / Q2 11:22 / Q3 11:22 / Q4 25:14) on matchday nine in the easyCredit BBL couldn’t have been written much better. In a tight and competitive final phase, the Heidelberg mentality monsters secured the celebrated victory before the national team break. The Academics’ top scorer is captain Ryan Mikesell with 15 points. The MLP Academics continue on November 30th with the home game against Rostock.
A few hours before the hall opens, the MLP Academics Heidelberg can report that the SNP dome is sold out, and the mood remains at its peak even after the entrance, because the Academics can introduce the new mascot “Accy”. Accy is based on the Heidelberg Bridge Monkeys and will now provide active support at home games.
Comeback of Bakary Dibba
The boys from Neckar can transfer the energy in the stands onto the pitch and are off to a better start. It was only after five minutes that a Heidelberg throw missed its target for the first time. Shortly afterwards it gets particularly loud again in the Dome when Bakary Dibba stands on the sidelines to be substituted. After almost six weeks of compulsory break, the Heidelberg crowd favorite returns to the dance floor.
No luck from outside
In the second quarter, the Academics cooled down a little and the Hamburgers were able to step up offensively and bring the deficit to single digits at the break. Even after halftime, both teams appeared aggressive, the intensity in this game was incredibly high, every ball was fought for and every possession counted. On the Towers side, it is often Brae Ivey who almost single-handedly reduces the deficit and brings his Hamburg team forward attack after attack. In the end there are 30 points behind his name. In this phase, Heidelberg’s shooting percentage from the first quarter is wobbly and the boys from Neckar too often only know how to help themselves defensively with a foul.
The academic fourth(l)
The fourth quarter seems to be the Neckar boys’ favorite quarter this season. This is proven, among other things, by a recent strong final sprint in Göttingen. Today, too, the Academics are once again pulling together all their strength in the final section, showing morale and fighting spirit and working their way forward point by point. Cheered on by 4,410 loud fans in the SNP dome, the Heidelberg team are moving towards another exciting final phase. And even if Hamburg makes difficult shots in crunch time and can force turnovers, the Academics remain cool in the end, as they have so often this season. With 73:68 and thus their second win in a row, the boys from Neckar say goodbye to the two-week national team break.
Voices about the game
“This game clearly showed how good we can be and how bad we can be. Hamburg is a really good team. I think we hit the ground running with intensity and execution of our game plan. The first quarter showed that. Then we got a bit comfortable and sloppy, the defense wasn’t as important anymore, and if you look at the results of the second and third quarters, it shows exactly where we are then. But in the fourth quarter it was all about fighting, and we decided to play with a lineup that I’m confident will get at least a few stops, and that’s how you win a game in the end.” – Danny Jansson , head coach of MLP Academics
“Great win today. It was a very important win against a good team. Especially because we lost two home games in a row. Finally getting a win in the third game is really nice and now we’re trying to build on that. Serena, Samu, Sportopaedie and Rehamed did a great job getting me back in shape as quickly as possible. They did a great job and I’m so grateful to be back on the field.” – Bakary Dibba
Eva Birkelbach
MLP Academics Heidelberg
Media and communication
