EuroCup: Alba Berlin 77-Bizkaia Bilbao Basket 70

Alba Berlin will be the rival of Power Electronics Valencia in the great final of the 2009-10 EuroCup, after defeating Bizkaia Bilbao Basket in a game dominated by the German team from the second quarter. Adam Chubb was the hero of the game with 27 points (11-16 in field goals) and 7 rebounds.

The game didn't start the best way for Bizkaia Bilbao Basket. Álex Mumbrú commited a technical foul, which Alba Berlin converted in an early 4-0. But a 0-9 run in return made a majority of the crowd of the Basque team stand up. The American pack of Alba, though, tied the game soon with a stellar Derrick Byars (12-11, minute 7). No team could take the lead clearly in the first quarter, which ended with a 3-pointer by Axel Hervelle and a tie between both teams: 18-18.

Adam Chubb was the man of the moment in the first two minutes of the second quarter, with 7 consecutive points that make Alba Berlin lead the game 26-20. Fotis Katsikaris couldn't find an antidote for the offensive action of the American player of Alba Berlin, and the difference was growing dangerously (31-22, minute 15). Finally, some good adjustments in defense gave some relief to Bilbao, with Jerome Moiso as the best player of the "black" team, but the comeback wasn't complete, and Alba Berlin was still ahead at the end of the first half: 35-30

Alba Berlin started managing the difference in the second half without complications. Only Axel Hervelle and Chris Warren were any trouble for the German squad, while the rest of the teammates couldn't do more but defend. Adam Chubb remained unstoppable for the Fotis Katsikaris players, and the point difference remained stable for Alba Berlin (49-42, minute 27). Golemac and Sekulic started to save the European pride of Alba to arrive at the last quarter 56-49 ahead. Just 10 minutes to decide the rival of Power Electronics Valencia in the final.

Five points of Janis Blums gave air to a needed Bilbao Basket, while Alba Berlin struggled in the offensive side at the start of the last quarter. The Luka Pavicevic players couldn't move the ball easily, and Bilbao started believing in the comeback (58-54, minute 16). But the German team stayed calm. Adam Chubb kept on playing in an MVP way, and Alba was still 7 up with 3 minutes to go (65-58). A 3-pointer by Alex Mumbrú and a free throw led Bilbao to dream of victory with 2 minutes to go (67-64), but another shot from the line by Immanuel McElroy violently woke the Basque team. Finally, the cooler blood of the German team was definitive, and Alba Berlin got the second passport to the final: 77-70