German Basketball League: Bamberg Baskets suffer unnecessary defeat after double overtime

This defeat was unnecessary! The team of Head Coach Oren Amiel led twice shortly before the end and Bamberg Baskets twice conceded a shot to equalize. Zach Copeland had the last possession in the second overtime with his side trailing by one point, but the top scorer dribbled away. Bamberg lost 90:91 at table rivals Braunschweig.

The encounter remained close from the outset: After leading 18:18 at the end of the first quarter, Bamberg pulled away slightly to 29:24 and took a 33:28 lead into the break. Top scorer Zach Copeland scored five points in succession to give his side a 50:43 lead after the third quarter, which remained its highest. As in the defeats in Munich and against Ulm, Bamberg briefly slumped in the final quarter - starting 0:8, Braunschweig was 50:51 ahead. Zack Copeland gave Bamberg a 71:69 lead with 0.7 seconds remaining - the supposed winning shot. However, all Bamberg players were asleep after Braunschweig's long throw-in - alley-hoop to force overtime. Bamberg led 83:79 with half a minute to go after a three by Trey Woodbury - ball lost, three caught, foul, equalizer to make it 83:83. Bamberg was usually a point behind in the second overtime period and Zack Copeland had a whole 17 seconds for his final attack to make it 90:91. However, the former Bamberg player Nicholas Tischler attacked Bamberg's top scorer so aggressively that Copeland dribbled into his own lower leg and was only able to get off an emergency shot after falling backwards. In addition to Copeland and Woodbury, centers EJ Onu and Filip Stanic each scored in double figures with 13 points.

Bamberg Baskets' Head Coach Oren Amiel commented: "We had the chance to win and didn't take it. We were stupid enough not to win the game. And that's all I have to say."

Bamberg Baskets must win its next home game on Saturday, February 3, 2024, when it hosts Mitteldeutscher BC, which is level on points in the table, at 8 p.m.