Cup game in Berlin: Our Baskets take on the reigning Regionalliga champions

In the second round of the DBBL Cup, we’ll face an opponent we take seriously. On October 10 at 3:00 p.m., our VIMODROM Baskets Jena will take on TuS Neukölln at the Jahn-Sporthalle, located at Columbiadamm 192 in Berlin.

Neukölln plays in the 1st Regional League North and is the reigning champion there. This is the Berlin team’s first appearance in the DBBL Cup, and they’ve made a successful debut: In the first round, they knocked the ChemCats Chemnitz—a second-division team—out of the competition. Things are going well in the league, too; Neukölln won the season opener in Göttingen. Added to that is home-court advantage, as the arena on Columbiadamm belongs to the hosts on this day. So anyone looking to score points in Berlin will first have to block out the atmosphere of an unfamiliar arena.

We, on the other hand, are just now entering the competition. The remaining second-division teams join starting in the second round; in the draw on July 24, 2026, we were matched against Neukölln, and we had a bye in Round 1. This means that, as a second-division team from the 2nd DBBL South, we’ll face a regional-league team. It’s hard to say who the favorite is in this matchup, and that’s exactly what makes it so exciting.

For us, this is our first cup appearance of the season; for Neukölln, it’s already their second. Whether that means more rhythm or less freshness will only become clear once the game tips off. Cup games follow their own rules. What counts is form on the day, effort, and who can weather the tight moments better. There’s no second chance to make up for mistakes—after 40 minutes, the round is decided. We’re heading to Berlin to win it, and we’re looking forward to everyone in Jena cheering us on with all their might.