FC Bayern Munich won Game 3 of the Finals series at Alba Berlin 91–83, securing its first match point. In an intense and closely contested game that remained up for grabs until the end, the Munich team kept its cool and can now clinch the title on Friday in Berlin.
Alba Berlin and FC Bayern Munich engaged in a back-and-forth battle right from the start in Game 3 of the Finals series. Martin Hermannsson (9 points, 1-for-6 from 3-point range) scored Berlin’s first points, while Nenad Dimitrijevic (19 points, 7 assists) responded immediately for the visitors. Both teams also found their rhythm early from beyond the arc: Isaiah Mike (10) and Hermannsson each hit a three-pointer, before birthday boy Vladimir Lucic (15, 7 rebounds) added the next one.
Justin Bean (11) in particular got off to a strong start. The forward made his presence felt early with a putback dunk and put Berlin ahead shortly afterward with a three-pointer. But Bayern held their ground; Dimitrijevic, in particular, was in top form early on and had already racked up nine points with a perfect shooting percentage after six minutes. After a very offensive first quarter, Munich held a narrow 25–24 lead.
Berlin’s comeback keeps things exciting
At the start of the second quarter, Johannes Voigtmann stepped up and scored the first four points of the period for the visitors. Although Berlin remained within striking distance, Bayern pulled ahead more decisively for the first time midway through the quarter. A 9-0 run put Munich ahead 39-30 and forced Alba to call a timeout.
Michael Rataj (6 points, 8 rebounds) stopped the run shortly thereafter, while Sam Griesel led the Berlin offense during this phase. However, the Albatrosses lost their rhythm from beyond the arc and missed six consecutive three-point attempts. Bayern headed into halftime with a narrow 43–40 lead.
The game remained fiercely contested after the break. Bayern initially defended their lead but were unable to pull away decisively. Then, with just under three minutes left in the third quarter, Rataj tied the score, reigniting hope in the Max-Schmeling-Halle. Andi Obst (14) responded immediately with his first three-pointer of the evening, but shortly afterward, Moses Wood put Berlin back in the lead for the first time since the first quarter. Just before the buzzer, Niels Giffey capped off the quarter with a thunderous dunk, giving Munich a narrow 61–60 lead.
Bayern Stay Cool in Crunch Time
The final quarter turned into a real nail-biter. Jonas Mattisseck and Justin Bean hit crucial three-pointers for Alba, but Bayern kept finding answers. Jack Kayil (17) kept the hosts in the game with strong plays and emerged as Berlin’s top scorer.
The final stretch proved decisive: Lucic hit a crucial three-pointer with 2:28 left to give Bayern a seven-point lead. At the same time, Alba missed too many free throws. When Kayil reignited Berlin’s hopes with another three-pointer, Justus Hollatz dashed them shortly afterward with a spectacular shot from beyond the arc off the backboard. Bayern won 91–83 and now have the chance to clinch the title and secure the first three-peat in club history.