By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After scoring the first 11 points of Game 4, Alba Berlin went on to squash FC Bayern Munich, 96-81, and win the easyCredit BBL Finals 3-1.
Behind 6/7 three-pointers, Jaleen Smith poured a game-high 23 points, including eight in the last quarter at Audi Dome Sunday afternoon. Tucking in 14/27 from beyond the arc as a team earned the championship-clinching victory in Munich.
Johannes Thiemann and Tamir Blatt combined for 29 more points in wrapping up the best-of-five series to conclude the Playoffs in Germany. Marcus Eriksson and Tim Schneider stayed on the injury list to finish the 2021-22 season, and Jonas Mattisseck picked up an injury on his ankle midway through the first period.
DeShaun Thomas scored five points in the 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter. But coming back from a deficit stretching over 20 points in the third quarter was a big ask. The Ohio State product ended up with 12 points. Augustine Rubit had 15 points. Corey Walden, Vladimir Lucic, Darrun Hilliard, and Leon Radosevic were all out for Andrea Trinchieri’s side.
The team coached by Israel Gonzalez bounced back after losing Game 3 at home. It was a one-sided affair as Bayern dominated in Mercedes-Benz Arena. It went the other way, a couple of days later, and led to the 11th championship in team history for the Berlin outfit.
The 2021-22 campaign highlighted by the third league title in a row additionally included winning the German Cup in February. The 12-16 W-L tally in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fell a couple of wins short of a berth in the Playoffs.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net