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Niners Chemnitz are fighting for promotion: Now it counts in Heidelberg!
The Niners Chemnitz are fighting in the BBL playoffs against MLP Academics Heidelberg. Game 2 on May 20th in Heidelberg.
Niners Chemnitz are fighting for promotion: Now it counts in Heidelberg!
In an exciting opening game of the BBL playoffs, the Niners Chemnitz had a thrilling competition against the MLP Academics Heidelberg on May 17, 2025, but lost 90:93. In front of 4,496 enthusiastic spectators in Chemnitz, the Niners got off to a weak start and were 12 points behind at the beginning. But the team fought back, equalized shortly before halftime and was even able to take the lead to 58:57 in the third quarter.
Victor Bailey Jr. was the Niners' standout player with 27 points, while the MLP Academics were helped by Ryan Mikesell, who also scored 27 points. Michael Weathers contributed 21 points and 6 assists, and Bakary Dibba had an impressive performance with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The exciting game in detail
The competition was characterized by changing leads. In the 26th minute, Chemnitz was in the lead for the first time and was able to take a 5-point lead (64:59). But Heidelberg refused to be shaken off and stayed in the game. In the 35th minute the Niners even led 83:78 after an 11:0 run. A missed three-point shot by Gilyard with the score at 87:87 shortly before the end of the game could have influenced the outcome. In the final phase, a controversial whistle against DeAndre Lansdowne caused additional tension. Heidelberg took advantage of this opportunity to secure the victory with free throws.
With this narrow defeat, the Niners now have to continue their performance next Tuesday, May 20th at 8 p.m. in Heidelberg and absolutely win in order to maintain their chances of reaching the semi-finals. The playoffs are played in a best-of-five format, which means that the team with three wins advances to the semifinals.
Outlook for the upcoming games
In order to move forward, coach Rodrigo Pastore's team will still have a lot of work to do. The heart of the upcoming games are:
| Game | Date | time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 2 | May 20th | 8:00 p.m | Heidelberg |
| Game 3 | May 25th | 4:30 p.m | Chemnitz |
| Game 4 | May 27th | 6:30 p.m | Heidelberg |
| Game 5 | May 29th | 3:00 p.m | Chemnitz |
The Niners Chemnitz fought their way into the top 4 of the Basketball Bundesliga with a season record of 18 wins and 14 defeats. The next game is crucial for the team to keep their dream of reaching the semi-finals alive. [Blick] reports that the expectations in the team are high and the pressure to win the first game against Heidelberg is noticeable. It remains exciting for the Chemnitz fans!
For more information about this playoff thriller and the upcoming games, please also visit the [Sportschau] article.