Basketball final series: Ulm impresses Bayern

With two minutes left in the game, a scene unfolded that spoke volumes about how the FC Bayern basketball players had slipped into this disastrous performance. Bayern's Jack White was freed and went for a dunk, but then Ulm's Marcio Santos came flying in and more swept White away than blocked him. The fact that he was fouled for it didn't matter to the Ulm center; he celebrated with the fans. Ulm had at least taken the edge off FC Bayern on this evening, winning 79-64.

Yet it is Bayern who are considered the more experienced team. "Today our mentality cost us the game," analyzed Munich's Justus Hollatz, and presumably meant the mentality of their opponents. "I think Ulm wanted it more," said Hollatz. The fact that FC Bayern will defend their 2024 title against the 2023 champions now seems anything but a given. "We lost the challenges, you have to acknowledge that," said Bayern coach Gordon Herbert. And Hollatz had even more criticism to offer. "We played as if we were playing offense for the first time," complained the 24-year-old.

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Bayern simply couldn't cope and were impressed by Ulm's play by the third quarter at the latest. Bayern produced 22 turnovers, which Ulm often successfully used for fast breaks – moments that then also fueled the atmosphere in the arena. Karim Jallow stole the ball from Bayern six times, setting a career record for Ulm's most important player. When asked about this on the streaming service Dyn, he noted that he had also set another career record: six missed shots in a row. That was also symbolic. Without having played outstandingly, Ulm had achieved their main goal: they forced Bayern into mistakes. "Our defense was crucial today," said a delighted Jallow: "We played our game, we played fast, the ball had energy."

In any case, Bayern were lacking energy and couldn't find a plan B against the aggressive defense of an opponent who, as of mid-June, still hasn't lost a home game. Jallow expected Bayern to make "a few adjustments" for Game 3, tactical tweaks. But this also shows that it's Bayern who now have to come up with something. It seems as if the champions will be whoever can beat the other team's home strength.

The fact that the series returns to Ulm next Tuesday also means that a long-discussed scenario will come to pass: Ulm's talented players Ben Sarraf and Noa Essengue will miss the first round of NBA selection, the draft, if they finish the final series for Ulm. This circumstance had already led to public discord before the first game, particularly between the German Basketball Association and Ulm. The latter announced on Tuesday that they would no longer comment on the fact that the BBL had categorically rejected a shortened final series. But not without adding: "Both in terms of the processes described and the chronology, the easyCredit BBL's account of the scheduling of the final series does not correspond to the facts."

BBL Managing Director Stefan Holz explained at the Dyn microphone: "At the end of the day, our hands are tied," the regulations simply don't allow for it. Furthermore, granting such exceptions would "get us into hot water." Holz "couldn't understand" that the Ulm team's own statement was not true. Incidentally, Bayern's Hollatz had also warned before the semifinals that the break until the next series was far too long.

In any case, Bayern seemed thrown off track, and when several players were sidelined due to foul problems, they lacked the depth to continue playing aggressively. It cannot be ruled out that Bayern will field their best scorer, Carsen Edwards, who has been injured for weeks, if he is absolutely needed. Leading Bayern to the championship could then be the 27-year-old American's parting gift. Rumors about his intention to move on persist. The same is true of Nick Weiler-Babb, who delivered one of his worst performances in a Bayern shirt on Wednesday.