By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Reigning German League champion ALBA Berlin beat Hamburg Towers 81 – 78 in the opener of the 2022-23 BBL season. It was a very close game from start to finish and it all came down to which team will make some decisive plays in crunch time.
With the Towers up 74 – 76 and 90 seconds to play, Luke Sikma sent a brilliant pass to Tim Schneider who scored the basket and drew the foul to put ALBA ahead 77 – 76. Sikma then scored to give his team a 79 – 76 lead.
WICHTIG! @LCSikma43 findet Tim Schneider für ein großes AND1 zur 77:76-Führung 1:22 vor dem Ende. pic.twitter.com/RYH1qoNGs7
— ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) September 28, 2022
Kendale McCullum hit a pair of free throws and then Tamir Blatt made 2-2 for ALBA to secure the hosts’ win. The Israeli guard finished with eight assists to go with his five points while Sikma had 16 points, seven dimes of his own, and six rebounds.
Jaleen Smith added 14 plus six assists while Luis Olinde scored 14 for the Albatrosses that are without injured wing Marcus Eriksson who is expected to miss the first months of the season due to a foot injury. There’s no official information about his condition at this point.
Yoeli Childs led the Towers with 18 points.