BBC Coburg lose opener

BBC Coburg lost the first game of the playoff semi-final series 75–85 away to favourites ETB Miners Essen. Despite the defeat, coach Patrick Seidel’s team put in a convincing performance, raising hopes of levelling the tie in the home game on 8 May.

Without Nico Höllerl, who was playing in the Bundesliga, but with the recovered Ole Theiß, the Vestestädter started the match confidently. With intense defence, good rebounding and quick transitions, Coburg initially held their own and kept the first quarter evenly balanced (25–25). In the second quarter too, the BBC stayed in the game despite minor weaknesses from the free-throw line and went into the break trailing by a narrow 39-44 margin.

After the break, Essen pulled away for a while, but Coburg kept closing the gap with fast-paced basketball. In the final quarter, the visitors even briefly took the lead and kept the game open until 75:75. It was only in the final minutes that Essen’s greater experience prevailed, ultimately deciding the match.

Following this strong performance, the BBC can harbour justified hopes of a home win in Game Two at the Huk-Arena. With the support of the fans, the series is set to be levelled again on 8 May.