Angels Nördlingen in the basketball cup: everything – except the results

“We can only win,” Martin Fürleger said on the phone before the Cup final weekend. Conversely, the words of the sporting director of the owner Angels Nördlingen could be expressed so that his team had nothing to lose in the Top4 Cup tournament. An assessment that the view of the table of the women’s basketball Bundesliga (DBBL) confirms: there the Angels have been in ninth place for weeks. On the first weekend in March, however, they were allowed to measure themselves with the clubs that are currently leading the table: Keltern, Alba Berlin and Saarlouis.

The Cup final of the DBBL traditionally takes place as a tournament; The semi -finals will be played on Saturday, the final and the game for third place on Sunday. Berlin organized the final weekend for the first time, the Berlin Sömmeringhalle, home venue for the Alba women, is waiting for a lot of basketball patina and loud fans. A choice of location that Martin Fürleger only supports: “The location is awesome. The engagement of the Berliners is good for the entire league. ” No matter how you cut off in terms of sport: you will celebrate a “a big basketball festival” in Berlin – to which a whole bus load fans from Nördlingen came.

The Nördlingeners won, you have to capture that after the weekend, especially in experience. In front of drumming fans, camera and LED advertising bonds (everything is still more the exception in German women’s basketball), the team led by coach Niko Kuusi was able to play as hoped for. However, the shorter one took the shorter in the show of strength with both opponents. In the semi-finals on Saturday against Keltern, the Angels kept up until half-time, but then they could not counter the speed, the well-occupied bank and especially the internationally acquired hardness of the Eurocup participant and had to accept a 57:90 (33:38) end. The favorite team from Keltern, in turn, lost the next day in the final clearly against Saarlouis (73:97).

“The mood was great. You play this sport for that, ”says captain Schinkel

The Angels were also able to redeem the Nördlingen game for third place on Sunday against Alba Berlin – the Angels were able to redeem their own standards. Laura Schinkel, Nicole Fransson and Lisa Bertholdt rushed into any duel, moved repeatedly to the basket and were able to transform some throws, but left many rebounds to the opponents. Individual mistakes and many ball losses on the north of Nördlingen made it possible to expand the only small lead. The energy from the first half – after an injury to Anna Löffler the day before, could not get together on eight players – team after the break; Alba’s defense all over the field had the power reserves melt. After Schinkel was put off with five fouls, the Berliners pulled away to 91:55. “The result is far too high,” said construction actress and co-captain Schinkel after the game. “We played well in the first half and then simply broken in.” But she also emphasizes the magic that is inherent in the event: “It was a successful weekend when you spread out the results.” Playing in Berlin is always a great pleasure: “The mood was great. You play this sport for that. “

After a season that was recently described as a mixed perspective from the Nördling perspective, there is still hope for the Angels to achieve another important season goal: the playoffs. Marburg, currently only because of the direct comparison in the table in front of Nördlingen, still has to appear against Saarlouis and Osnabrück, for Nördlingen there are games against the bottom of the table Freiburg and the table neighbors Leverkusen. “I would not go that far to describe the games as easy, but I’m calculating opportunities,” says Fürleger. “We have it in hand.” Laura Schinkel also sees it this way: “You should never underestimate these games, but we will prepare ourselves as best as possible.”

The outcome of the games could also have a significant impact on the coming season; A move into the playoffs means additional sponsorship income – and makes a team more attractive for other potential donors. They in turn influence the budget and thus the team line -up. Laura Schinkel has already extended her contract with Nördlingen, Lisa Bertholdt also remains – with Nicole Fransson, with an average of 24 points top scorer of the league, the contract extension is still pending. According to the Fürleger, the desire to keep them exists: “But before we sign a player from her format, we have to know how much budget we have for the rest of the squad.” In addition, he urgently has to expand the team: “We strongly hope that our budget will increase again.” He already has some commitments, a large national sponsor has so far been missing: “That would lift us to the next level.”