Basketball Löwen Braunschweig roared to a 92-79 victory over FIT/One Würzburg Baskets in Game 1 of the BBL playoff quarterfinals on May 19, 2025, at the Volkswagen Halle, taking a 1-0 series lead in front of 4,494 fans, including NBA star Dennis Schröder. The third-seeded Löwen set the tone early, hitting their first eight three-pointers to lead 30-15 after the first quarter, and despite Würzburg’s efforts in the second (21-24) and fourth quarters (16-22), Braunschweig’s 8-0 run to start the second half (third quarter: 25-18) sealed their first playoff win since 2010/11. Their 53.8% three-point shooting (14/26) overwhelmed Würzburg, who were without Zac Seljaas and Owen Klassen due to injuries.
T.J. Crockett led Braunschweig with a season-high 24 points, but Arnas Velicka earned Player of the Game honors with 14 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals, showcasing his playmaking prowess. Würzburg’s young star Hannes Steinbach impressed with 14 points and 6 rebounds (7/9 FG), while Sananda Fru contributed quietly but effectively for Braunschweig with a three-pointer, a dunk, and 9 rebounds (7 offensive). Coach Jesus Ramirez, named Coach of the Year, utilized his bench depth to stifle Würzburg’s Jhivvan Jackson, a strategy that paid off after Braunschweig’s recent regular season win over Würzburg on May 12 (per prior web results), where they also showcased their shooting (39% from three in the season).
The game highlighted Braunschweig’s dominance at home, where they finished the regular season third (20-14), while Würzburg, the sixth seed (18-14), showed signs of fatigue after their Play-In run (per sofascore.com). Game 2 shifts to Würzburg on Wednesday, May 21, at 6:30 PM, where the Baskets will aim to even the series despite their injury setbacks, while Braunschweig looks to maintain their momentum with Crockett and Velicka leading the charge. This win sets a strong tone for the Löwen’s playoff campaign.
