Alba Berlin has secured its twelfth championship title with another remarkable comeback, defeating defending champions Bayern Munich 84-81 in the decisive fifth game of the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) finals. This victory denies legendary coach Svetislav Pesic a championship in his final game.
Following the thrilling win, Alba Berlin captain Jonas Mattisseck, visibly emotional, struggled to articulate the team’s success. «I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how it happened,» Mattisseck stated after the momentous achievement in Munich. The Berlin team, after another massive turnaround, won the best-of-five series 3-2, clinching their twelfth league title. «You lose so often in sports, sometimes you just have that little bit of luck,» a visibly moved Mattisseck shared with Dyn, emphasizing, «Every title is incomparable.» As Alba players celebrated exuberantly on the court, the Bayern team stood in stunned silence, their expressions vacant. «No one in the locker room will feel good about this,» commented European champion Oscar da Silva.
Alba’s victory spoiled the farewell for Svetislav Pesic. The coaching legend was denied another title to cap off his illustrious career. Bayern had failed to capitalize on their first match point on Friday in Berlin’s Max-Schmeling-Halle (61-71) and subsequently missed their second opportunity. This means they will not achieve the coveted «threepeat» after their championship wins in 2024 and 2025, marking their first season since 2022 without a silver trophy. Alba, on the other hand, secured their first championship since 2022, achieving this after trailing significantly at halftime.
Obst Responds to Alba Captain Jonas Mattisseck
«We’re motivated, we want to finish the season successfully,» said World and European champion Johannes Voigtmann before the showdown, acknowledging the demanding weeks leading up to the game. «We’re not exactly fresh anymore,» Voigtmann admitted, but noted that this applied «to both teams.»
In the SAP Garden, packed with 11,500 spectators, Jonas Mattisseck quickly found his rhythm. The Alba captain successfully sank all three of his three-point attempts within the first three and a half minutes. The intense duel remained close, with Bayern establishing their first significant lead early in the second quarter with an 8-0 run, making it 30-20 in the 12th minute. Munich held advantages in rebounding throughout their 87th competitive game of the season, dominating with physicality, and Andreas Obst led the offense.
The regular season MVP showcased his class from beyond the arc, extending the lead to 20 points shortly before halftime.
Obst Narrows the Gap but Misses the Equalizer
Alba emerged strongly from the locker room. Following a 14-0 run, the score tightened to 52-46 (25th minute). Berlin continued their surge, taking the lead with Malte Delow scoring to make it 67-66 (33rd minute). Obst, Bayern’s top scorer with 24 points, hit a three-pointer with 37 seconds left to bring the score to 79-82, but Berlin managed to hold onto their lead until the final buzzer. Obst missed a crucial chance to equalize just before the final whistle.
Pesic is retiring after more than 40 years on the sidelines and is heading into well-deserved retirement. The successor for his position remains undecided. Bayern is reportedly looking to acquire former player Anton Gavel from cup winner BMA365 Bamberg Baskets, but there are ongoing disputes regarding this personnel move. «I personally believe that we will have Anton Gavel here as coach next season. We need to try to find a diplomatic solution,» stated Bayern patron Uli Hoeneß during halftime.