Berlin dethrone Bamberg / Bayern roll / Vechta rally from 20 down / Chemnitz bring back Mikesell

Record Netto BBL Pokal German Cup winners ALBA BERLIN knocked off the reigning champs BMA365 Bamberg Baskets in the rematch of last season’s final. FC Bayern Basketball meanwhile rolled into the Quarter-Finals; RASTA Vechta rallied from 20 points down to win; and NINERS Chemnitz won after signing former MVP candidate Ryan Mikesell.

In this section, we break out our English language skills and inform you about the latest news from the German easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga. If you’re short on time but still want your fill of Germany’s top basketball league then you are in the right place. Every week David Hein (Taking The Charge) brings you up-to-date in German basketball – the easyCredit BBL short and sweet:

Berlin will play at Hagen in the Quarter-Finals, Würzburg host Bayern

Three former champions remain in the field for the Netto BBL Pokal German Cup as the draw for the Quarter-Finals took place. Germany’s record international Patrick Femerling helped in the draw at the final Round of 16 game between ALBA BERLIN and BMA365 Bamberg Baskets. The record 11-time champions Berlin will play at Phoenix Hagen while five-time winners FC Bayern Basketball will travel to Fitness First Würzburg Baskets. The 2000 champions SKYLINERS will face a road game against Telekom Baskets Bonn, who have reached the final three times, most recently in 2012. And the final game is NINERS Chemnitz hosting RASTA Vechta.

Here are the matchups in overview:

Fitness First Würzburg Baskets - FC Bayern Basketball
Phoenix Hagen - ALBA BERLIN
NINERS Chemnitz - RASTA Vechta
Telekom Baskets Bonn - SKYLINERS
The Quarter-Finals will be played from December 11-14 and the Netto Final Four will take place February 20-21 in Munich.

Berlin dethrone cup champs Bamberg thanks to big fourth quarter surge

Reigning league champions ALBA BERLIN knocked out reigning Netto BBL Pokal German Cup winners BMA365 Bamberg Baskets 83-71 to reach the Quarter-Finals. Berlin are just three wins from winning their record 12th cup and first since 2022. In a rematch of last season’s cup final, Bamberg led most of the first half and were up by as many as 11 points late in the second quarter. The hosts reclaimed the lead in the third period and it was close until Berlin put together an 18-3 run in the final frame to blow the game open. Berlin allowed Bamberg to hit just 26 percent from long range and forced 22 Bamberg turnovers. Justin Bean led the way with 20 points while Malte Delow had 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and Jordan Ford chipped in 15 points. Richard Balint scored 13 points for Bamberg and Mylik Wilson collected 10 points and 12 rebounds in the loss.

Berlin add center reinforcements with Spanish international Sima
ALBA BERLIN added reinforcements to their center rotation by signing Spanish big man Yankuba Sima until the end of the season. After three losses in the league and the injury to Norris Agbakoko, Berlin added the 30-year-old Spaniard, who played this season with EuroLeague side Valencia Basket but did not get much playing time with just 3.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in the EuroLeague.

Hamburg offer little resistance for title-hungry Bayern

FC Bayern Basketball took a step closer to their goal of winning their sixth Netto BBL Pokal German Cup title as they blasted Veolia Towers Hamburg 85-63 on the road. Bayern took control of the game already with a 28-12 second quarter and just kept pouring it on after the break. Bayern’s defense held Hamburg to just 17 percent from long range. Duane Washington led a balanced Bayern team with 12 points with six players scoring at last 8 points. Mathys Kangudia came off the bench for 16 points as the Hamburg starters combined for only 20 points.

What a comeback! Vechta erase 20-point halftime lead to win in Ludwigsburg

RASTA Vechta have seemed to turn around their poor start to the domestic season as they erased a 20-point halftime deficit to beat MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg 75-72 on the road to reach the Netto BBL Pokal German Cup Quarter-Finals. Vechta last weekend won their first game in the league and now are a step closer to the Netto Final Four. Ludwigsburg dominated the final 15 minutes of the first half and led by 20 points at halftime. Vechta raced back into the game and were down just two points after three quarters. The final period was close throughout and D’Mitrik Trice nailed the deciding three-pointer with 11 seconds left. Vechta held the hosts to 44 percent on two-pointers while making 19 of 23 free throws compared to 10 of 13 foul shots for Ludwigsburg, who have been bounced at this stage for the last four seasons. Matt Lewis collected 14 points and 10 rebounds while Trice had 14 points and both Tibor Pleiß and Armaan Franklin added 13 points. Darius Perry and Elijah Hughes both had 14 points in the defeat.

Balanced Hagen get revenge on Ulm, move into Quarter-Finals

Phoenix Hagen exacted some revenge on ratiopharm ulm with a 107-98 victory on the road in the Round of 16 of the Netto BBL Pokal German Cup. Hagen used a big 16-3 third quarter run to take control and never gave it up again. Hagen's last victory over Ulm came on November 1, 2014. The most recent loss came just three weeks ago when Ulm spoiled Hagen's first home game in the Bundesliga in 3,590 days with a  93-78 victory. Tyler Polley paced six Hagen players in double figures with 18 points while Patricio Garino added 17 points and Bjarne Kraushaar chipped in 17 points and 6 assists. The 1996 champions Ulm have now been eliminated at the Round of 16 in five of the last seasons - losing to FC Bayern Basket in the 2024 Final. Michael Rataj and Ibi Watson both scored 22 points in the loss. 

Würzburg finally advance to Quarters, take down 2025 cup champs Wolves

Fitness First Würzburg Baskets finally reached the Quarter-Finals of the Netto BBL Pokal German Cup again as they knocked off 2025 champs SYNTAINICS MBC 93-83 at home. The hosts, who lost in the Round of 16 the last four seasons, opened a 15-point lead in the first quarter and were never really threatened the rest of the way - though Weißenfels were close late in the third quarter. Würzburg shot 42 percent on three-pointers and committed only 9 turnovers. Calvin Wishart came off the Würzburg bench to score 19 points while Charles Thompson totaled 10 points and 12 rebounds. DeLonnie Hunt was Wolves' top scorer with 17 points and Borisa Simanic collected 11 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Hot Skyliners slow down Trier, pull away for comfortable win

The 2000 champions SKYLINERS continued their strong momentum as they slowed down VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier 78-65 to reach the Quarter-Finals of the Netto BBL Pokal German Cup. Skyliners have won their last three games in the league and started the BKT EuroCup with a 2-1 record. Trier had won their last four games in the Bundesliga. Frankfurt had an 11-point lead early in the second quarter but the game was even in the third quarter. The hosts pulled away with an 18-5 run spanning the final two periods for the win. Trier hit only 29 percent from the field including 17 percent on three-pointers - making it not possible to take advantage of 19 offensive rebounds. Judah Mintz scored 18 points and Isaiah Swope added 16 points in the win. Jordan Roland paced Trier with 15 points and 7 assists and Mortiz Krimmer and Eli Brooks both had 13 points and 5 rebounds.

Chemnitz take the bite out of Braunschweig

NINERS Chemnitz roared past Basketball Löwen Braunschweig 102-75 on the road and into the Quarter-Finals of the Netto BBL Pokal German Cup. Chemnitz made quick work of Braunschweig, leading 31-10 after 10 minutes and never letting the hosts get into the game. Braunschweig struggled to shoot just 36 percent from the field including 26 percent on three-pointers while Chemnitz nailed 48 percent from long range. Ben Burnham paced five Chemnitz players in double figures with 24 points while Mateo Seric scored 17 points and Stef Smith tallied 16 points and 7 assists. DeJour Reaves had 16 points as top scorer for Braunschweig.

Chemnitz bring in former MVP candidate Mikesell
NINERS Chemnitz added a known entity in the Bundesliga world as they signed Ryan Mikesell until the end of the season. The 29-year-old Mikesell was without a contract until signing with Chemnitz. The forward was one of the league’s best players in 2024-25 with Heidelberg, averaging 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in getting plenty of Most Valuable Player consideration. Mikesell started last season with London Lions but returned to Heidelberg in the middle of the campaign and collected 13.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. But Mikesell could not keep Heidelberg from being relegated.

Bonn use big fourth quarter to win in Oldenburg

Telekom Baskets Bonn can still dream of their first Netto BBL Pokal German Cup title as they knocked off 2015 champs EWE Oldenburg Baskets 75-61 on the road to reach the Quarter-Finals. Bonn, who have reached the cup final three times, used a 16-1 run to open a 14-point lead early in the second quarter. But Oldenburg led 54-49 early in the final period before Bonn went on a 24-5 surge to get the win. Oldenburg shot just 33 percent from the field including 24 percent from long range while Bonn committed only 9 turnovers. Marcus Foster scored 16 points and Alijah Comithier added 15 points off the bench in the win. Nicholas Tischler picked up 14 points in the loss.

Player of the Week

The Player of the Week honors for the Round of 16 of the Netto BBL Pokal German Cup goes to Stef Smith of NINERS Chemnitz for his great performance in the win over Basketball Löwen Braunschweig. He collected 16 points on 6 of 10 shots (4/7 threes), 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals for an efficiency of 25.

German Top Five of the Week

G: Bjarne Kraushaar, Phoenix Hagen
Kraushaar played a major role in Hagen’s win over ratiopharm ulm with 17 points, 2 rebounds and 6 assists.

G: Malte Delow, ALBA BERLIN
Delow collected 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in Berlin’s win over BMA365 Bamberg Baskets.

F: Michael Rataj, ratiopharm ulm
Rataj could not keep Ulm from losing to Phoenix Hagen despite picking up 22 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists.

F: Mateo Seric, NINERS Chemnitz
Seric helped Chemnitz beat Basketball Löwen Braunschweig, coming off the bench for 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal.

C: Tibor Pleiß, RASTA Vechta
Pleiß tallied 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks in Vechta’s win over MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg.

Germans Abroad
Will there be another German selected in the first half of the 2027 NBA Draft like Hannes Steinbach in 2026 at No. 15? Well, draft expert Sam Vecenic of The Athletic believes former FC Bayern Basketball guard Ivan Kharchenkov will be a lottery pick. In his first 2027 NBA mock draft, Vecenie has the University of Arizona guard at No. 8 after helping the Wildcats to the NCAA Final Four last season as a freshman.