Ulm fails in the BBL Finals at the last hurdle. After the decisive defeat against Bayern, Ulm’s Karim Jallow expresses clear criticism of the league.
The players of ratiopharm Ulm probably didn’t imagine the BBL Finals like this. In the best-of-five series, the club was already leading 2:1 against FC Bayern Basketball. But instead of a third victory and the championship, there were two defeats – the title goes to Munich again.
Bitter for Ulm: Just like in game four, the Danube city team had to do without Noa Essengue in game five, who recently flew to New York City for the NBA Draft and was selected by the Chicago Bulls at position twelve on Thursday night.
Karim Jallow expressed criticism after the last BBL final game
The unfortunate end (77:81) caused frustration for Ulm, which Karim Jallow then expressed.
Jallow expresses criticism of the BBL
“Bayern deserved to win. It’s very bitter to lose like that – but I’m incredibly proud of the team, also because of the things that came in between with Ben, with Noa,” he said in the Dyn interview.
“I think the league needs to question itself, to put it very carefully, whether this system is really an enrichment or rather the opposite. It can’t be that you are one of the first leagues to go into the playoffs and the last to stop,” the 28-year-old raged.
“It takes such a toll on people mentally, physically and you could see it in terms of quality. It wasn’t beautiful basketball from both sides at times. The people are completely exhausted.”
BBL innovation annoys Jallow
What Jallow means: Ulm and Bayern each opened their playoff series on May 17, and 41 days later the playoffs ended with a dramatic game five in the finals.
The reason for the relatively long playoffs is the changed system of the BBL, which decided to swap home advantage after each completed game and to plan an extra day off between games in order to relieve the teams due to increased travel stress.
Last season, teams played two home games in a row in a series before moving to the away team for game three (and four, if necessary; editor’s note).
“This 1-1-1-1: In my opinion – nonsense. Makes no sense. You have to say it so honestly. 2-2-1 and done. Why do you have to change that? I think all players are of the same opinion,” Jallow continued critically.
Ulm’s application was rejected
In addition, the BBL Finals and the NBA Draft overlapped this year due to the longer playoffs. According to Jallow, the league is “not doing itself any favors” with this.
“The thing with the draft, that doesn’t work. We’re losing two players. Ben, who of course watched his draft at five in the morning, couldn’t be at the shootaround. Noa, who goes over there, is pursuing his dream. We support that as a team 100 percent, but: You lose two players. In the finals. That absolutely cannot be.”
Note: An application from Ulm to postpone finals games four and five was rejected by the BBL. Bayern had also not agreed to this.