BBL Finals 2006

[Trifilli]

Alba Berlin and RheinEnergie Cologne play the series for the german Championship and the right to participate in the Euroleague, the first game was played yesterday in Berlin:

Alba Berlin - RheinEnergie Cologne 79:88
Topscorers Berlin: Lollis 21pts (5rbds), Greene 11pts (5rbds, 3ast), Price 11pts (8ast, 5 TO)
Topscorers Cologne: Nadjfeji 19pts (2bs), Jordan 16pts (5rbds, 4ast), Ivory 16pts (5ast, 4 TO)

Series 1-0 for Cologne.

[robbe]

Yep, Cologne did a good job defensively and counted on their veterans Nadjfeji and Jordan on offense. I think Nadjfeji is the difference, ALBA can't match his combination of finesse and power. As for power, ALBA has that in Lollis, Ford and Whitehead, but I think those three are somewhat one-dimensional players who will attack the rim but won't make the extra pass to the open teammate. Nadjfeji, Gortat, Talts, Grünheid did just that perfectly yesterday.

Penberthy hit two spectacular shots from long range yesterday but still seems not 100% fit.

I don't see ALBA winning in Cologne on Thursday.

[Zalgirinis]

ALBA should quickly sign Haris Mujezinovic. Hes well known for breaking Nadfedji's legs when needed

[german]

No this is a good signing for Bamberg. They would love this guy

[robbe]

Cologne - ALBA 64:69. Interesting and tense game in Cologne. ALBA made the adjustments and limited Cologne's point production in the paint, the main reason for Obradovic's team winning Game 1 in Berlin.
Price hit some good treys, Lollis was again solid inside and Ford had a good game defensively(good help D, 5 steals, 2 blocked shots). For Cologne, Jordan had an average game, Gortat is finally showing some shooting touch inside(nice baby hooks, we didn't see that from him a year ago) and Nadjfeji was solid though not at his best. The rest was below average.

Don't know what to expect in Game 3. But as I've been wrong all year, I'm going with an ALBA home win.

[Trifilli]

Alba Berlin - RheinEnergie Cologne 80:82
Topscorers Berlin: Lollis 17pts (4rbds), Greene 17pts
Topscorers Cologne: Ivory 20pts (5rbds), McElroy 17pts (9rbds, 5 TO, 4ast)

Series 2-1 for Cologne

Absolutely incredible. It was impossible for Alba to lose this game, they dominated, led by +25 during the game, even by +18 in the 4th Quarter...and still they lost. Penberthy missed 2 FTs with 7secs to go and the score 80:79 for Alba and McElroy hit the buzzer for the win on the other side.

[robbe]

Cologne is champion, beating Hungary, pardon, Berlin 3:1(though I like playing/watching this football/soccer stuff makes me mad).

Obradovic's men controlled this one for most parts, leading +18 in the second. But ALBA hit back in the fourth, coming within 2 points. With only few minutes to go, Hollis Price, down 2, slashed inside, drew a whistle and made the bucket - unfortunately, the whistle indicated an offensive foul. Instead of +1 for ALBA -4, after Cologne scored on the following possession. Cologne never looked back after that.

They deserve to be champs, imo playing the best basketball this season. Nice ball rotation on the offensive end and high defensive intensity makes a champion, plus, most importantly, they hit the big shots.

When Cologne joined the league through a wildcard a few years ago, they weren't beloved by other supporters in this league. They didn't do much to improve their image the years after, buying (for german standarts) big names with their money but not having a real character at all.
I think this should have changed now. This much cheaper TEAM (the first they have had that really deserves this description) has given the "franchise" a face. Hope they manage to establish something there for years.

Having qualified for the Euroleague, it's still not sure if and if yes, where they will be playing. The Energydome is, let's face it, a joke. Although it takes 3000+(minimum for BBL-clubs), it is more a tent than a arena.
The Kolnarena is a huge, mordern arena giving room for 18.500. But there are multiple events, so it might be difficult to get the arena when Cologne needs it for Euroleague games. Plus, it is expensive. You start benefitting, when you get 9.000+ and I doubt that Cologne will be able to get this many people inside. As I said, fan-culture is progressing, but not anywhere near the established clubs and their supporters.
The Messehalle could perhaps be an alternative, but I don't know if anyone has ever played basketball in there.

What I've heard last is that they're gonna increase the EnergyDome's capacity to 5000. Though I can't really imagine that.

Whatever, I just hope they find a solution, first because there would be Euroleague basketball close to where I live, second because the team that qualified regularly should play there.

[CWILL]

A Bigger Tent!!!

Well I heard a few weeks ago, that there are plans to built a bigger tent!
No, I'm not joking... REK probably wants to enlarge the Energy Dome. They need up to 5000 seats to play EL there. And that's probably in a financial sense the best thing they can do.

By the way, congratulations to Cologne! It must be good for german basketball, that there's a new champion. After Frankfurt and Bamberg, ALBA again didn't win the championship. So their dynasty is certainly over now!

[Trifilli]

First of all: Congratulations to the new BBL Champion, RheinEnergie Cologne! Like robbe said, they certainly improved their image a lot during this season. This success comes even more as a surprise as Cologne reduced the budget before this season after failing their goals (except the cup wins) with a more expensive team in the previous years. They were in perfect shape right for the playoffs though, never gave up (imo game 3 in Berlin was the key, when they came back from -25) and definately deserved the championship in the end.

I really hope that the club will decide to play in the Euroleague in the upcoming season. The Kölnarena might indeed be too big, I also don't expect Cologne to reach the numbers (~9000) needed for a benifit. The best solution for the club (not for the fans ) would be an expansion of the tent...err...the Dome to a 5000 capacity arena but I'm not sure whether the EnergieDome fullfills all Euroleague requirements, even with a capacity of 5000. There are other arenas in Cologne though and it should be possible to find a solution in a city/region like Cologne imo.

[robbe]

The best solution for the club (not for the fans ) would be an expansion of the tent...err...the Dome to a 5000 capacity arena but I'm not sure whether the EnergieDome fullfills all Euroleague requirements, even with a capacity of 5000.

I definitely agree. Don't know what exactly the Euroleague requirements are though. But I don't understand how it fits even BBL standarts. For example, in the away section there are/were(don't know whether or not they fixed it) nails protuding. I personally don't have a problem with things like that, but what about for example small kids? It can't fit the Euroleague standarts normally.

Expansion should be no problem, as the tent can be taken down and be reconstructed in 45 to 50 minutes.

[Trifilli]

I definitely agree. Don't know what exactly the Euroleague requirements are though. But I don't understand how it fits even BBL standarts. For example, in the away section there are/were(don't know whether or not they fixed it) nails protuding. I personally don't have a problem with things like that, but what about for example small kids? It can't fit the Euroleague standarts normally.

Agreed, the Dome definately needs a refit, things like the nails are not acceptable, especially when kids are around.
The Euroleague requirements can be found in the Euroleague Regulations (at least for 05/06, I don't expect them to change too much), mainly in Chapter VII (Facilities) and Chapter X (Media) and contain some of the following topics:

Requirements of the Playing Area (Article 40)
Electronic Equipment (Article 44)
Lighting Requirements (Article 51)
Locker Rooms (Article 53)
Medical Facilities (Article 54)
Doping Control Room (Article 55)
VIP Hospitality Area (Article 61)
Media Facilities (Article 94)

Usually modern arenas have no real problem with such requirements, I'm not so sure about the EnergieDome though. However, if the Euroleague decides not to accept the Dome, Cologne could still play in a different arena, up to a distance of 300km to the original place. Therefore it should be possible for Cologne to find a place to play even if the EnergieDome won't be accepted imo.