The Niners Chemnitz, a team in the German Basketball Bundesliga, got off to a rough start in the EuroCup with a decisive loss. Coach Rodrigo Pastore’s team suffered a 69–82 (30–46) loss on Tuesday evening against Turkish first-division club Tofas Bursa. Phlandrous Fleming Jr. led Chemnitz in scoring with 18 points. The Niners started the game with a lot of pace but fell significantly behind starting in the middle of the first quarter because they committed too many turnovers against the hosts’ defensive pressure. With a 10–0 run, Bursa pulled ahead 22–13 (9th minute); in the second quarter, the Turkish team’s lead steadily grew to 40–22 (17th minute). Chemnitz made only one of 14 three-point attempts in the first half. After halftime, Chemnitz disrupted the hosts’ rhythm with a zone defense and began to find effective solutions on offense as well. As a result, they fought their way back to 58–60 (33rd minute) early in the final quarter. In the closing minutes, however, the visitors fell back into old habits, allowing Bursa to ultimately secure an unchallenged victory. Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved
