Following a challenging choice, - The opponent for Bayern's play-off match has been determined.
During the regular season, Ludwigsburg had lost both matches against their favorite opponent (9:2 record). Following their crushing 69:90 loss in the first play-in game in Bonn, even the fans had lost faith in their team - only 1,387 people showed up in the 4,129-capacity arena.
Anyone who missed this game missed out on a miracle!
Since reports that the contract with head coach Josh King wouldn't be renewed, the MHP Giants had been struggling with a dismal 8-10 record in the BBL.
"Our players have character," said King in a Dyn interview. "We've endured a challenging six-week period. But our players really stepped up today and found a way. It's an incredible reward for a team that deserves to make the playoffs. We've got nothing to lose against Bayern now."
Center Aleksander Dziewa (knee) returned to the rotation. Mark Hughes had to watch from the sidelines as the seventh foreign player. Ludwigsburg's Head Coach Josh King made his first big call before the game: The team's primary scorer, Jayvon Graves, wasn't even on the bench!
Tough Choice: MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg Drop Top Performer!
"An internal team decision that we believe gives us the best chance of winning," explained King. At halftime, Chairman Alexander Reil added, "We've adopted a simple motto: Anyone who is willing to work hard, or at least has the ability to do so, will play."
Ariel Hukporti was absent once again. The former youth international had only rejoined his previous club from Australia in early April. Unfortunate: The center was missing in the most crucial games of the year. Hukporti traveled to the NBA Combine in Chicago to improve his chances of being drafted by an NBA team...
Fewer minuses equaled more pluses!
The Towers took control in the first minute (4:0) and then the hosts found their groove. They defended well, forced ten turnovers in the first half, and dominated the rebounding battle. Dyn expert Basti Doreth said, "This was Ludwigsburg basketball. You could feel the energy in the squad."
Despite the absence of Graves, build-up player Desure Buie set the pace, scoring 26 points. However, the rookies struggled. The first three-pointer was attempted in the 20th minute. Doreth: "The Towers didn't engage physically at all."
Leading scorer V.J. King (2 points, 6 turnovers) faded into obscurity. "We need a different player," demanded Bayern's head coach Benka Barloschky during a timeout in the third quarter. "We have to play with more confidence. We've been working on that all season."
Ludwigsburg Coach Expresses Love for His Team
But rather than building momentum, the turnovers and errors continued. Barloschky became emotional in the final quarter and even made a declaration of love to his team: "Boys, no matter how this game ends. I'm damn proud of you, I love you!"
Top scorer Aljami Durham returned the love in baskets, scoring 25 (!) of his 34 points in the final ten minutes and setting a personal best. Incredible! Co-coach Stefan Grassegger embraced him on the sidelines with tears in his eyes. It seemed like a farewell. The American would be extremely hard for the Towers to keep, just like other key players.
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Source: symclub.org
