Chemnitz Niners Battle Their Way Into the Round of 16

The Niners Chemnitz, a team in the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), advanced to the round of 16 in the BBL Cup after a hard-fought victory. Coach Rodrigo Pastore’s team defeated second-division side Gießen 46ers 77–70 (39–48) after a marked improvement in performance in the second half. Point guard Cobe Williams led the Niners in scoring with 24 points. 

Chemnitz dominated the early going and quickly pulled ahead 15–6. However, they subsequently got bogged down in individual plays, and their defensive coordination repeatedly left something to be desired. The hosts, on the other hand, grew increasingly confident and built a nine-point lead by halftime.

After the break, the favorites significantly ramped up the intensity and regained the lead with a 14-4 run to make it 53-52. The visitors had the game under control at 71–64 before Giessen fought back with two three-pointers. In the closing minutes, however, Chemnitz kept its cool and ultimately earned a well-deserved victory despite 18 turnovers.