ratiopharm Ulm secured a 94-83 victory over ALBA Berlin in Game 1 of the BBL playoff quarterfinals on May 17, 2025, at the Ratiopharm Arena, taking a 1-0 series lead. ALBA started strong, leading 27-20 after the first quarter, but Ulm turned the tide in the second (25-13) to take a 45-40 halftime advantage. The third quarter saw Ulm pull away (30-22), and despite ALBA’s late effort in the fourth (19-21), Ulm’s balanced attack and home crowd support sealed the win for the second-seeded team against the seventh-seeded ALBA, who advanced via the Play-Ins after defeating SYNTAINICS MBC.
Noa Essengue was named Player of the Game, leading Ulm with 21 points, including a perfect 13-for-13 from the free-throw line, capitalizing on seven fouls drawn from ALBA defenders—compared to ALBA’s team total of 14 free-throw attempts. Essengue credited Ulm’s energetic defense and fan support, stating, “This is the playoffs… our coaches prepared us well for a tough, physical game, and our defense was key.” ALBA’s Malte Delow led the Germans with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Ulm’s Karim Jallow (13 points), Nelson Weidemann (11), and Tim Schneider (10) also scored in double figures, showcasing their depth.
The Ratiopharm Arena hosted its first playoff game this season, with Ulm’s fans playing a pivotal role, as noted by Essengue, in their push for a deep playoff run after finishing second (22-12) in the regular season. ALBA’s coach Pedro Calles opted not to play Robert Baker and Matteo Spagnolo, potentially impacting their rotation. The series now shifts to Berlin’s Uber Arena for Game 2 on Wednesday at 8 PM, where ALBA, showing signs of fatigue from their Play-In run, will aim to even the series against a confident Ulm squad.
