Ulm is fighting for the championship title: A duel with Bayern and NBA draft stars!

Ulm is fighting for the championship title: A duel with Bayern and NBA draft stars!

The Ulm basketball players faced a crucial task on June 24, 2025 when they competed against FC Bayern Basketball in the fourth game of the BBL final series. However, with the goal of winning the German championship, the team lost, which made their chances of winning the title fade at the moment. With a final score of 67:53, the Ulm team go into the decisive game on June 26th in Munich in order to preserve their last chance for the title, while the broadcast will be carried out by Bayerischer Rundfunk, as SWR reports.

The course of the game was marked by initial difficulties. Ulm only hit one shot in the first five minutes and quickly found themselves trailing 8-3. Tobias Jensen managed to find the tie with an equalizer to make it 8:8, but Munich was able to extend the lead to 19:13 by the first quarter break. What was noticeable was that Ulm only recorded one assist and six turnovers in the first quarter, which increased the pressure on the team.

Fluctuating performance and decision making

Despite the challenges, Ulm was able to temporarily change the lead in the second quarter through Tobias Jensen, who scored ten points. With a 27:26 lead just before halftime, the quarter ended in a 32:32 tie. The third period, however, brought fewer points on both sides: There was a defensive exchange before Shabazz Napier from Bayern pushed the lead to 49:44 with a three-point throw. Ulm had struggled up to this point with just two points in the final quarter and faced a 14-point deficit when the game ended with the final score of 67:53 in Munich's favor.

The uncertainties surrounding the roster of Ben Saraf and Noa Essengue, who have declared for the NBA Draft, remain a major topic. Tagesschau reports that Noa Essengue was among the applicants for the draft in New York, while Ben Saraf will be in the squad for the final game. Ulm's sports director Thorsten Leibenath was critical of the challenges of scheduling, as the club applied to postpone the finals, which was rejected.

Historical opportunities and team spirit

For ratiopharm Ulm there is still the possibility of winning the second title in the club's history. They are currently leading 2-1 in the best-of-five series, are unbeaten at home in 2025 and were able to complete the championship with a home win against Munich. It remains to be hoped that the team can build on the performances of the last few games to bring the championship to Ulm.