GER – Battling Bamberg do the double over never-say-die Skyliners

BAMBERG (BEKO Basketball Bundesliga) - The German play-off finals ended in thrilling fashion on Thursday night as Brose Baskets Bamberg edged Deutsche Bank Skyliners 72-70 to win the series 3-2 and clinch a spot in next season’s Euroleague.

After leading by as many as 16 points in the first half and 14 in the third, Bamberg had to pull out all stops to win against a Skyliners outfit that refused to die.

Bamberg coach Chris Fleming said: "The Skyliners have a heartbeat that's incredible.

"Since (coach) Gordon Herbert's arrival, they have been playing two levels higher than before and today they were perfectly prepared.

"Now we have two titles that no one can take from us.

"I'm proud of the guys and I thank all the players and our fans.”

Brose Baskets are celebrating a German cup and league double for the first time.

They also beat Deutsche Bank in the BEKO BBL Top 4 final back in April, 76-75.

Immediately after that game, Deutsche Bank announced the departure of Murat Didin and the return of Herbert, who had led the Frankfurt outfit to their Bundesliga crown in 2004.

Bamberg reeled off the first 10 points of the contest on Thursday and held double-digit advantages for much of the contest but simply could not put Herbert’s team away.

Ex-Germany point guard Pascal Roller had an inspirational performance for Skyliners, pouring in a game-high 20 points, but missed a key free-throw in the final minute.

Trailing 71-69, Roller drew a foul and went to the line but made just one of two.

Germany international Tibor Pleiß grabbed the rebound for Bamberg and he was fouled.

Pleiß, a possible player at the FIBA World Championship for Germany this summer, made the first for a 72-70 lead but missed the second.

In the chase for the rebound, Bamberg’s John Goldsberry ended up with the ball and threw it up in the air as time expired.

Anton Gavel put an exclamation point on his terrific shooting performance in the play-offs by drilling three of five shots from long range and finishing with a team-high 16 points for Bamberg.

Goldsberry had 15 points, including a 10 of 11 effort at the free-throw line.

Herbert congratulated Bamberg but also expressed frustration over Goldsberry’s ability to get to the line.

"Why are the three best refs not sent to the final game?" said Herbert, who replaced Murat Didin as Deutsche Bank coach after the club’s BEKO BBL Top 4 setback.

"We were complaining the whole series about the acting of John Goldsberry, who is a great player, but (referee) Moritz Reiter fell for it like in Game Two.

"I want to stress that this statement is to be seen independently from the final score of the game, I don't want to be seen as a bad loser."

Fleming said of Goldsberry: “On the contrary, although he has a slight build, he always throws himself about and takes a lot of contact.

“We've never had any complaints about flopping with him."

Casey Jacobsen, who had 24 points in Bamberg’s Game 2 triumph and 18 in their Game 3 win, finished with six points and six rebounds on Thursday.

He was voted MVP of the finals.

FIBA