Baskonia Vitoria edged Alba Berlin 101-99 on September 12, 2026, in a Club Friendship thriller that delivered everything a preseason showcase should: pace, shot-making, and a finish that came down to the final possession. The Spanish hosts survived a furious Berlin comeback to protect home court in a game that swung wildly across all four quarters.

Match Overview

Two EuroLeague-calibre rosters met in Vitoria for a friendly that felt anything but friendly once the fourth quarter arrived. Baskonia's high-octane offense against Alba's relentless motion attack produced a hundred-plus points at both ends of a game that was decided in the closing seconds.

• Final score: Baskonia Vitoria 101, Alba Berlin 99
• Quarter scores: 27-24, 22-26, 25-23, 27-26
• Competition: Club Friendship (friendly)
• Date: September 12, 2026

No quarter was decided by more than four points, a reflection of how evenly matched the two sides were across forty minutes of basketball.

Key Moments

Baskonia started fast, sprinting to a 12-4 lead inside the opening four minutes as their ball movement carved up Berlin's half-court defense. Alba responded the way they always do — with tempo — rattling off a 10-0 run to briefly take the lead. The first quarter ended 27-24 in the hosts' favour after a buzzer-beating three.

The second quarter was Berlin's best stretch of the night. Their bench unit changed the game's energy, forcing turnovers and converting them into transition points, and a late floater sent the visitors into the locker room with a slender advantage at 50-49.

The third quarter turned into a shootout, both teams trading blows in a stretch of basketball that featured seven lead changes. Baskonia's frontcourt took over late in the period, working the offensive glass for second-chance points, and the hosts carried a 74-73 edge into the final ten minutes.

The fourth quarter produced genuine drama. Baskonia pushed ahead by eight with three minutes remaining, only for Alba to answer with a 9-2 surge that cut the deficit to one. The hosts iced the game at the free-throw line in the final seconds, and a desperate Berlin three at the horn rimmed out — the two-point margin standing as the final word.

Tactical Story

Baskonia's offense was built around pace and space, with quick ball reversals designed to force Berlin's help defenders into long close-outs. That approach generated a steady stream of open looks from the perimeter and kept the hosts' shooting percentages healthy throughout. Their pick-and-roll game was the primary weapon, repeatedly putting Berlin's big men in difficult coverage decisions.

Alba, as ever, were at their most dangerous in the open floor. Their ability to turn defensive stops into transition opportunities kept them within striking distance even when their half-court offense sputtered. The German side's ball movement in the half court was excellent, generating quality shots on nearly every possession down the stretch.

The decisive difference came on the glass and at the free-throw line. Baskonia's willingness to attack the rim late drew fouls, and their composure from the stripe in the final minute proved the difference in a game decided by a single basket.

Standout Players

Baskonia's backcourt controlled the tempo and delivered in the clutch, while their interior players dominated the rebounding battle and provided a reliable scoring option whenever the perimeter game stalled. The hosts' bench also contributed meaningful minutes, keeping the energy high during Berlin's second-quarter surge.

For Alba, the performance was a collective effort. Their guards orchestrated the offense efficiently, their wings shot the ball with confidence, and their second unit gave the team a genuine lift. It was a display that suggests Berlin will be a difficult opponent for anyone this season.

Season Impact

Preseason results carry no weight in the standings, but a 101-99 win over a club of Alba Berlin's quality is a meaningful confidence boost for Baskonia. Winning a game that required execution in the final minute is precisely the kind of experience coaches value before the competitive season begins.

Alba leave Vitoria with a narrow defeat but plenty of positives, particularly their resilience in erasing an eight-point deficit in the closing minutes on the road. Both clubs will take real lessons from a game that had the intensity of a midseason fixture. If this is a preview of what the Club Friendship series can produce, basketball fans have plenty to look forward to.