It's 2:45 p.m., and the Dresden Titans players aren't just active on the floor; their energy is literally palpable. They pass, they throw, and the high-fives clap through the hall. But the guests from Hamburg, the Veolia Towers, are also in top form, not only with their throws, but also with their vocal cords.
The hall announcer heats up the atmosphere: "History will be made today!" It's 2:55 p.m., and the speakers are vibrating as the Titans enter the arena to the sounds of "Thunder." A sea of applause and cheers greets them.
3 p.m. sharp - the ball is in the air. Tip-off.
The first few minutes are a neck-and-neck race. Sometimes Dresden is in front, sometimes Hamburg, and only with a difference of one point. The Titans from the second division show that they can more than keep up against the first division giants from Hamburg.
But then, in the second half of the first quarter, the Towers step up a gear and pull away with seven points - 11:18 is on the scoreboard. But the Titans don't let it get them down. Their defense holds and thwarts two Hamburg attacks. A three-pointer by number 6 brings Dresden back into the game - 18:20.
