Niners Chemnitz Fall Short of an Upset Against Champions Alba

The Niners Chemnitz fell just short of an upset in their season opener in the Basketball Bundesliga. On Friday evening, in front of 9,050 spectators, the Saxons lost to German champions Alba Berlin 82–89 (43–41) in the final quarter. Chemnitz’s top scorers were Stefan Smith with 19 points and Cobe Williams with 18.

After the hosts celebrated their championship from last season once again before the game, the Niners were in no mood to give anything away from the start. They played with commitment and intensity but repeatedly struggled on the defensive boards. Fortunately for them, Alba failed to capitalize on these opportunities. However, Chemnitz also missed many shots, so neither team was able to pull away at first.

Alba pulls away at the end of the third quarter

It wasn’t until the start of the second quarter that the visitors showed a bit more accuracy and were able to pull ahead by five points (26–21). The Niners kept scoring easy points on fast breaks. But that didn’t last long either, as Alba stayed in the game and the lead swung back and forth.

The game remained fiercely contested even after halftime. The Niners mostly maintained a narrow lead, however, because Alba continued to make many mistakes on offense. But at the end of the third quarter, the hosts got into a rhythm, going on a 13–0 run that spanned both quarters (68–78). Although the Niners fought until the end, they were unable to turn the game around.