Ratiopharm Ulm has surprisingly eliminated FC Bayern Munich, the next favorite in the play-off of the basketball Bundesliga. The seventh-placed in the main round also won the third semi-final game on Friday against the title contenders from Munich after extra time with 104:102 (92:92, 46:43) and clearly won the best-of-five series 3:0 . Ulm already beat defending champion Alba Berlin 3-1 in the quarter-finals. Opponents in the final are Telekom Baskets Bonn and MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. Bonn leads 2-0 after two games. Despite the cup victory, a disappointing season ended for Bayern. “It hurts,” said national player Niels Giffey at Magentasport.
Bayern coach Andrea Trinchieri drew the consequences immediately after the defeat: “Congratulations to Ulm, you deservedly won the series. Today was my last game as Bayern coach,” said Trinchieri.
As with the performances in Munich, the hosts got off to a great start. Coach Anton Gavel’s team quickly led by 22:13 (5th minute). Bayern really came into play in the second quarter. Trinchieri’s team was able to reduce the lead to at least 43:46 before the break.
A strong third quarter (28:19) ensured the actual preliminary decision in favor of Ulm. The Gavel team went into the final round with a score of 74:62. The disappointing Munich team didn’t find any answers at all for a long time and remained without a point for more than four and a half minutes. The gap grew to 16 points (64:80/35.).
Thanks to a sure-footed national player Andreas Obst, Bayern could still hope for their first semi-final success, while Ulm showed nerves and finished far too hastily. Obst hit a three-point shot to make it 86:87 (38 ‘), Cassius Winston then scored immediately afterwards to give Bayern the lead for the first time (88:87). Ulm saved himself in overtime with a successful long-range shot by Brandon Paul to make it 92:92.
In the extra time, a furious top scorer Bruno Caboclo ensured that Ulm quickly took the lead by 98:92 (43rd). Again it was Obst who brought Munich back (99:101/45.). But the Swabians couldn’t take their first place in the final since 2016 because Obst didn’t score from a distance in the final second.