By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
After being in a 2-0 hole, Ratiopharm Ulm fought fiercely with American guard Isaiah Swann scoring 36 points in order to save, at least, their pride. They did, but after a thrilling game defending champions Brose Baskets Bamberg beat them 97-95 and won their third straight championship in Germany by a 3-0 sweep.
American forward Anthony “P.J.” Tucker with an average of 18,4 points and 7,4 rebounds in the finals was named MVP, but the two most important plays of Game 3 of the finals belonged to captain Casey Jacobsen, a three, and German Tibor Pleis, a dunk, that decided the final result. There was also the solid performance of Slovakian guard Anton Gavel whose beard stole the show (photo).
As coach Chris Fleming said in the press conference: “I am more than proud for our team. Our moto this season was “find a way”. We did found it, after our home loss in our first play off game against Bonn. They way we played since then was extraordinary. The “three-peat” was not in my mind until now and I want to thank every player that helped us in the last three seasons. It was a pleasure for me to work with them. I want also to thank my assistants, every worker of the team and our GM Wolfgang Heyder”.
It has to be noted that Bamberg has also won three consecutive German cups along with the three championship and that’s why Bayern Munich is trying for the last two years to “steal” Heyder, offering him the position of GM in their team.