Darius Miller was unsurprisingly named Finals MVP as Brose Baskets Bamberg completed a 3-0 sweep of Ulm to record a perfect 9-0 record in the playoffs and claim the German title, writes Emmet Ryan
It was always expected. Once Ulm failed to record a home win on Wednesday, it was going to require something extraordinary to stop Brose Baskets completing the sweep in the Bundesliga finals. For just over two quarters, Ulm looked capable of doing something of that nature. Then, up 38-41, the curse of BiE struck.
Bamberg looked like they were going to run away with this early. Ulm proving they are no pushovers
— Ball in Europe (@bie_basketball) June 12, 2016
Much as this site would like to take credit for the 23-3 run Brose Baskets immediate rattled off, the cold reality for Ulm was one every time in Bundesliga had to stare down this season. On top of having a mightily impressive starting five, the Bamberg bench is stacked. Nic Melli and Nikos Zisis didn’t come to Bamberg to take it easy, they are part of a souped up side that is amongst the strongest to hit the Bundesliga in years. A 40-3 record between the regular season and playoffs of Bundesliga leading to a 55-15 across all competitions including clashes with the best Europe has to offer and the only question is how there was ever any doubt as to who might lift the big one in Germany this year.
While Brad Wanamaker owned the regular season, the big story for Brose Baskets coming out of the post-season was the development of Darius Miller. Coming off the bench for the Bamberg side, he was dominant throughout these finals and signed a two year extension with the club after Game 1. A player who looks like he could be a contributor at a high level for a contender in Euroleague is now locked in for two more seasons with an upwardly mobile outfit.
Today wasn’t about what is to come with Miller and Bamberg, it was about taking care of business and once Brose Baskets bolted for home, there was nothing Ulm could do to contain them. Ulm had gambled on some signings this season and come the playoffs they had paid off but the odds were well and truly stacked against them in Brose Arena. With a sixth title in seven seasons in their sights, Brose Baskets were in no mood to show mercy.
With the emphatic second half flurry, it was easy to look to what is to come for this side. The arena is one of the loudest in Europe and will host 15 Euroleague games next season, with a serious push for playoff basketball looking more than plausible. Considering the pieces already in place for the year ahead and the style of the Bundesliga, which is appealing for any player with offensive talent and ambitions to make a leap to a giant, the options for Bamberg in the off-season will be plentiful.
Despite all of the wonders around the corner for coach Andrea Trinchieri, who is usually near impossible to please, at the end of this game he was focused solely on the task ahead tonight when Telekom Basketball caught up with him.
Interviewer: Any plans for next season?
Trinchieri: To get drunk tonight— Ball in Europe (@bie_basketball) June 12, 2016
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