NINERS Chemnitz kept their BBL playoff hopes alive with a 97-88 win over MLP Academics Heidelberg in Game 3 of the quarterfinals on May 25, 2025, at the Chemnitz Arena, narrowing the series to 1-2. Jake Gilyard led the charge off the bench with a personal-best 27 points, including seven three-pointers, helping Chemnitz build a 23-point lead (59:40 at halftime) before fending off a late Heidelberg comeback (86:85 in the 38th minute), as 4,987 fans roared their support (per sportschau.de). Game 4 is set for May 27, 2025, in Heidelberg, with the NINERS looking to even the series.
Chemnitz’s tactical adjustments under coach Rodrigo Pastore paid off early, leading to high-percentage shots and a dominant first half, where Gilyard scored 19 points, including four threes, to give the NINERS a 59-40 lead (per prior recap). Heidelberg, known as the league’s crunchtime kings, mounted a furious third-quarter rally, cutting the deficit to one point late in the fourth, but Kevin Yebo’s three-point play and Gilyard’s clutch three-pointer secured the win (per easycredit-bbl.de). Gilyard’s 63.6% three-point shooting (7/11) and Michael Weathers’ personal-best 24 points for Heidelberg highlighted a battle of bench stars, while Chemnitz’s 24 assists and 14 offensive rebounds underscored their team play.
Despite trailing 1-2 in the series, Chemnitz’s resilience at home—where they’ve now won four straight playoff games (per prior web results)—gives them momentum heading into Game 4 at Heidelberg’s SNP Dome, where the Academics previously clinched a playoff spot with an 81-74 win over Chemnitz (per easycredit-bbl.de). Gilyard, named Player of the Game, battled foul trouble but delivered in the clutch, while Heidelberg will lean on Weathers’ scoring to avoid elimination. With a potential Game 5 back in Chemnitz on May 29, the series remains a nail-biter.
Posted on May 25, 2025
