Pablo Laso, the Spanish coach of Bayern Munich, led the team to victory in the Bundesliga basketball league after defeating Alba Berlin in the final playoff series in four games (3-1), with a close 82-88 win in the fourth game. In this crucial game, which secured the title for Bayern, the first half was characterized by a close match, similar to the previous three games.
Alba Berlin, coached by Spanish coach Israel González, had a slight two-point lead at halftime (46-44), thanks to the performance of American power forward Sterling Brown, who scored 25 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. However, a strong start to the second half by Bayern, with a dominant 6-21 run led by shooting guard Carsen Edwards, propelled them to a lead that seemed insurmountable.
In the final quarter, Bayern initially built a lead of up to 18 points, but Alba Berlin started to chip away at the deficit as Bayern seemed to relax, thinking the game was won. A flagrant foul by Argentine player Leandro Bolmaro, with Bayern leading by five points and only 13 seconds left, made the game tense. Alba Berlin had a chance to cut the lead from the free-throw line, but Brown missed the crucial shot. Bayern sealed the victory in the next possession from the free-throw line.
With this win, Bayern Munich, which includes Spanish-Congolese player Serge Ibaka, clinched their sixth Bundesliga title in history – the first in five years. This victory completes a historic double for Bayern, as they had already won the German Cup in February. Pablo Laso, with this triumph, adds another title to his impressive coaching career, bringing his total to 24 championships.
