In a dramatic Basketball Bundesliga encounter on March 20, 2026, Alba Berlin staged a massive second-half comeback to secure an 89:85 victory over the Rostock Seawolves. Despite trailing by 21 points in the third quarter, the home side relied on a career-best performance from Malte Delow to avoid a second consecutive home defeat following their recent Champions League exit.
Massive Comeback
Alba Berlin trailed 39:56 at halftime and fell behind by 21 points (44:65) before mounting a successful late-game surge.
Delow's Dominance
Malte Delow led all scorers with 27 points, proving instrumental in Alba's ability to close the gap in the final period.
Clutch Finish
Jonas Mattisseck hit a critical three-pointer with 97 seconds left to give Alba their first lead of the game at 85:83.
Alba Berlin defeated Rostock Seawolves 89:85 in a Basketball Bundesliga home game on March 20, 2026, overcoming a 21-point deficit to claim a dramatic victory in front of fans. Malte Delow led all scorers with 27 points for the Berlin side, while Norris Agbakoko added 18. The result keeps Alba Berlin in second place in the BBL standings. The comeback ranks among the most improbable of the season, with Rostock controlling large stretches of the contest before the game slipped away in the final minutes.
Rostock dominated the first half, leading by 21 Rostock Seawolves set the tone from the opening tip, converting their first three three-point attempts and establishing a double-digit lead within six and a half minutes, with the score reaching 12:23. Alba Berlin struggled on the boards throughout the first half, repeatedly surrendering second-chance opportunities to the visitors. The deficit grew to 19 points in the second quarter, with the scoreboard reading 32:51 at one stage. Rostock carried that momentum into halftime, leading 56:39, and then extended their advantage further in the third quarter, pushing the lead to 65:44 — a margin of 21 points. At that stage, a Rostock victory appeared all but certain.
Alba Berlin was founded in 1991 and has grown into the largest German national basketball club by membership. The club competes both domestically in the BBL and in European competition. Rostock Seawolves are a professional club based in Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and currently compete in the Basketball Bundesliga, playing their home games at the Rostocker Stadthalle.
Delow leads the fightback, Mattisseck hits the decisive three Alba Berlin emerged from halftime with sharply increased energy and defensive intensity, chipping away at the deficit point by point under the leadership of Malte Delow, the small forward born on April 22, 2001. With roughly four minutes remaining, the hosts leveled the score at 79:79, completing a stunning turnaround from the third-quarter low. Jonas Mattisseck then delivered the decisive moment, drilling a three-pointer with 97 seconds left on the clock to give Alba their first lead of the entire game at 85:83. Rostock had one final chance to equalize, but D'Shawn Schwartz missed a three-point attempt with 10 seconds remaining. Alba closed out the game to win 89:85, sending the home crowd into celebration.
Key moments in Alba Berlin vs. Rostock Seawolves: — ; — ; — ; — ; — ; —
Rostock's Frasunkiewicz faces a painful defeat after Chemnitz loss The loss was a painful one for Rostock head coach Przemysław Frasunkiewicz and his squad, who had traveled to Berlin already looking to bounce back from a 73:78 defeat against Chemnitz. Rostock had outperformed Alba in nearly every statistical category during the first half, yet were unable to hold their commanding advantage once the Berlin side raised its level of play. For Alba, the victory carried additional significance given the context of the week: the club had suffered a loss to AEK Athens in the Champions League just two days earlier. Maintaining second place in the BBL table will be seen as a crucial result as the regular season progresses toward the playoff race.
[{"side1": "Alba Berlin", "side2": "Rostock Seawolves", "score1": 89, "score2": 85}]
Alba Berlin, Rostock Seawolves