Hamburg Towers Snap Historic Losing Streak with Stunning Victory Over Alba Berlin
hamburg’s Bundesliga basketball team ended a harrowing 24-game losing streak, defeating the league-leading Alba Berlin 99-80 on December 15, 2025, in a stunning upset.
After nearly eight months of defeat, a wave of relief washed over the Hamburg Towers as they secured a decisive victory against Alba Berlin. The win, 99-80, marked the end of a competitive nightmare that had seen the team stumble through 24 consecutive losses.
“It’s almost a bit surreal,” a senior coach remarked, reflecting on the team’s prolonged struggle. “Now the relief prevails, something is really falling away.”
The improbable triumph came against one of the BBL’s strongest contenders, Alba Berlin, who had previously won eleven straight competitive games. Playing before a crowd of 7,737 at the Barclays Arena at Volkspark – a change of venue from the Inselpark Arena – the Hamburg team deservedly claimed the win.
The change in venue appeared to have a positive impact on the team’s performance. “The backdrop is simply amazing, it also releases a special energy,” the coach explained, highlighting the atmosphere at the larger arena. The Towers had last secured a victory in a large arena on April 20th, defeating Bayern munich.
However,the victory was tempered by news of another injury setback. Osaro Rich, recently returning from a right upper arm fracture, suffered a broken finger and will be sidelined once again. Despite this personnel challenge, the team delivered what was likely thier best first-half performance of the season, taking a commanding 38-24 lead midway through the second quarter.
Leonard Thorpe proved pivotal in securing the win, scoring the first nine points of the second half and consistently keeping Alba Berlin at bay. Thorpe finished the game with a team-high 28 points. The Hanseatic League maintained its momentum throughout the remainder of the game, capitalizing on free throws in the final minutes.
“We played very focused and disciplined the whole time, that was the most important thing,” the coach stated, already looking ahead. “The feeling is of course crazy, the team gains new confidence and security. But now this is a game, a win, nothing more,” he cautioned. “On Wednesday or at the weekend no one can buy anything anymore.Then it starts all over again.”
The Towers, currently second-to-last in the Europe Cup, will next host Aris Thessaloniki before traveling to Heidelberg for a league game on Sunday at 3 p.m.
The victory arrives after a disastrous season for the Hamburg Towers, marked by eleven defeats in eleven games. While the coach appeared perplexed by the team’s earlier struggles, the win against Alba Berlin signals a potential turning point.
Why did this happen? The Hamburg Towers ended a 24-game losing streak, fueled by a strong first-half performance and Leonard Thorpe’s 28 points. A change of venue to the larger Barclays Arena also seemed to energize the team.
who was involved? The Hamburg Towers defeated Alba Berlin (99-80). Key players included Leonard Thorpe, who led the scoring, and coach, who emphasized discipline. Osaro Rich suffered a new injury during the game.
What was the outcome? The Hamburg Towers secured their first win in
