Towers receive champions and cup winners ›HL-SPORTS

Hamburg – The Hamburg Towers will receive the reigning German champion and cup winner ALBA Berlin today – on Tuesday – at 6.30 p.m. Magenta Sport will broadcast live from 6.15 p.m. Sport1 shows the catch-up game on the 8th match day live on free TV.

At the end of March Madness, the Hamburg Towers will receive the two German basketball heavyweights this week with ALBA Berlin and FC Bayern Munich. There are really easier tasks than having to face the two German EuroLeague representatives within five days. But this is what the Bundesliga game plan wants: Challenge accepted. With three victories in a row, the Hamburg Towers can nevertheless tackle the coming challenges with self-confidence. “We managed to achieve the results we wanted, even if we didn’t play the way we actually wanted,” said Pedro Calles, summing up the victories we had fought against Braunschweig.

– Display –

“We know the next phase will be difficult. But I think we’re ready, ”said Bryce Taylor aggressively. To the delight of his head coach, who notes that in the end “our attacks did not go as we wanted them to”. The Towers could rely on the defensive. Pedro Calles’ protégés kept Braunschweiger ten points below their average for the season in the regular forty minutes in the first meeting, and in the second leg on Saturday even with the lowest point yield in the main round. “We definitely have to defend aggressively. I would say we have to play a bit dirty, ”said Hamburg captain Bryce Taylor, the route for the game against Berlin.

After completing 23 Bundesliga games, the capital city team, like leaders Ludwigsburg, have already successfully qualified for the playoffs. If you add the 30 games in the EuroLeague and the two cup games played, the Berliners have played two and a half times more competitive games than the Towers. Nevertheless, fatigue is not an issue at ALBA Berlin. “The attractiveness of their game comes from their high speed. The rapid attack and the switching game are among the central elements of their offensive, ”says Pedro Calles, describing the handwriting of the Spanish coaching legend Aito Garcia Reneses, who has been on the sidelines in Berlin since 2017.

With him the two pillars of Berlin’s success, Peyton Siva and Luke Sikma. Together with the third over-30 player, Jayson Granger, both are among the best passer-bys for the albatrosses – with 22.4 assists per game, no other team lets the ball run better. The fact that ten albatrosses have an effectiveness value over ten also speaks for the balance of the squad, as does the fact that each of the 14 professionals used so far was in the starting five at least once. “With teams like ALBA, players have a great influence on their decisions. We have to be familiar with the basics in order to be able to restrict their free design, ”warns Pedro Calles of the multi-faceted Berlin game. The Berliners are also the measure of all things in the BBL when it comes to rebounding. With Christ Koumadje, 2.21 meter giant, the Berliners have had another rim protector at their disposal since last weekend. “We have neither the size nor the athleticism that ALBA brings. That’s why we have to come up with something special, ”explains Coach Calles.

Ten years ago, Bryce Taylor completed his first of two seasons in Berlin. “It was a lot of fun because I was able to establish myself in the league. I had a lot of very good teammates. I managed to take the next step in my career there, ”remembers the Hamburg captain. According to the 34-year-old, a lot has happened since then. “The league has definitely gotten better. Nowadays there are more opportunities for foreign players to play at a high level. Not only is the basketball level higher, everything is more professional overall, ”said Taylor, who won the German championship with FC Bayern Munich in 2014 and last played three years for the record champions Bamberg.

Pedro Calles’ first memory of Spain’s coaching legend Aito is even further back. “That was in the late 1980s. At that time, I was watching basketball in the living room with my father. ”At that time, Aito won a series of Spanish championships with FC Barcelona. During his time at Unicaja Malaga, Calles even spent a week at Aito, “but I think he won’t remember that”. They got to know each other better at the 2020 final tournament in Munich. “Today it is a luxury to coach in the same league as he is”, Calles tries to describe the importance of Aito. A Towers victory against the favored Berliners would have a similarly luxurious status.

A quick chat before the game:

Pedro Calles: “We take away from the last few games that we managed to achieve the results we wanted – even if we didn’t play the way we actually wanted. Our attacks did not go as we wanted them to. But the players fought at all times, especially on the defensive. “

“ALBA is a talented EuroLeague team. The attractiveness of their game comes from their high speed. The rapid attack and the switching game are among the central elements of their offensive. In teams like ALBA, players have a great deal of influence with their decisions. We have to be familiar with the basics in order to be able to restrict their freedom of design. We have neither the size nor the athleticism that ALBA brings. So we have to think of something special. Our litter selection can also help us to have a better chance of offensive rebound. If we act in a disciplined and solid manner in defense, then we can also reduce mismatches. “

“I had my first encounter with coach Aito in the late 1980s. At that time, I was watching basketball in the living room with my father. This is my first memory of Aito. He’s always felt in business. I got to know him better here in Germany. Back in Spain, during his time at Unicaja Malaga, I only sat in on his training for a week, but I think he won’t remember that. It is a luxury today to coach in the same league as him. “

Bryce Taylor: “The last three wins have been important for our confidence. We know the next phase will be tough against the top teams in the league. All players know that it will be a challenge for us. But I think we are ready. We definitely have to defend aggressively and find our rhythm. At the same time, we should take our throws with confidence. I would say we have to play a little dirty. We have to play physically, act full of energy and then we can also have a chance. Berlin plays with a lot of rhythm. It will be a very tough game. “

“I had a good time in Berlin. It was a lot of fun because I was able to establish myself in the league. I had a lot of very good teammates. There I managed to take the next step in my career. The league has definitely gotten better in the last ten years. With ALBA and Munich there are two teams that play in the EuroLeague. Nowadays there are more opportunities for foreign players to play at a high level. Throughout the league, the teams have gotten better. Not only is the basketball level higher, everything is more professional overall. You can really see this development. “(PM Towers)