The FC Bayern basketball team reaches the semi-finals in the play-offs. After the final whistle, a veteran announces his contract extension.
Defending champion Bayern Munich converted its first match point in the playoff quarter-finals of the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL). The team of former national coach Gordon Herbert won 80:69 (42:40) against cup winner Syntainics MBC and moved into the semi-finals.
The Bayern won the best-of-five series 3-0. Vladimir Lucic was the favorite’s top scorer with 19 points.
Lucic remains loyal to Bayern
The Serb has been playing for the club since 2016 and is therefore the longest-serving professional in the squad. In perfect German, he announced with a microphone: “I will be here next year too, I will stay in Munich.”
After that, the spectators freaked out and his teammates cheered along with the 35-year-old.
The game was balanced until half-time, but in the last two quarters the Munich team moved further and further away.
For the hosts, the American Charles Callison was the best shooter with 17 points.
BBL Playoffs: Ulm throws ALBA out
In the evening game, ratiopharm Ulm also took the last step into the semi-finals.
Against the former dominator ALBA Berlin, the 2023 champion won 93:84 (43:45), Ulm only needed three games to reach the round of the last four.
Marcio Santos impressed for the hosts with 23 points, while Martin Hermannsson (20) scored the most points for Berlin.
After a largely balanced game, Ulm turned up the heat in the last quarter, marking the end of an overall disappointing season for Alba.