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Yago dos Santos (right) scored 19 points for Ulm
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IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Derix / IMAGO/Beautiful Sports
The surprise team of ratiopharm Ulm has taken the lead in the final series of the Basketball Bundesliga and inflicted the first home defeat of the current season on Champions League winners Telekom Baskets Bonn. The team of former national player Anton Gavel won 79:73 (42:35) on Friday evening in Bonn's Telekom Dome and is only two wins away from the first title win in the club's history.
Already in the first two playoff rounds, the Ulm team had caused a sensation and eliminated defending champions Alba Berlin and Bayern Munich one after the other. The best scorer for the guests was Yago dos Santos with 19 points. The decisive throw for the nerve-wracking Ulm was sunk by Brandon Paul. The ex-NBA player, who once played for the San Antonio Spurs, had previously missed three free throws in a row.
League MVP TJ Shorts scored 20 points. Game two will take place again in Bonn on Sunday evening (18:00 CET/Magentasport).
"The team always believes in itself and its strengths," Ulm coach Anton Gavel told Magentasport. "The season will soon be over, so you just have to give it your all again."
Bonn coach Tuomas Iisalo was disappointed. "Our shooting rates weren't good enough. But we will analyse the game and draw our conclusions," said the coach of the year, who led his team to victory in the Champions League.
It is already clear that there will definitely be a premiere master. Neither Bonn nor Ulm have been able to win the championship title so far. Three victories are needed to win the title.
kjo/dpa