Alba Berlin revisited past glories in an attempt to strengthen their title bid this season when they signed center Patrick Femerling.

Femerling agreed to a two-year contract to return to Berlin, where he won the German championship in both his previous two seasons at the club, in 1999 and 2000.

So far, the acquisition has paid off handsomely with Femerling averaging 12.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 blocks while shooting an amazing 77% from the field.

"I was really happy to come back to what is sort of my second home," said Femerling, who came to Berlin from Spanish top flight side Caja San Fernando Sevilla.

"I knew it would not be an easy place to be because success is always the focus and you have the pressure to win. But that's the way basketball goes."

Even though Femerling is putting up some of the best statistics of his career, he cares only about collective, not individual success.

"Numbers don't mean anything in basketball," he said. "I've had plenty of success with worse numbers. But of course it's fun to have the ball and take more responsibility, sharing the ball or scoring if needed."

The last time Alba Berlin captured a German BBL title was 2003, that was also the final season of a seven-year stretch in which the club collected seven straight league crowns and three German Cups.

Berlin have finished first in each of the last four regular seasons since the 2003 championship, but they only have one German Cup crown (2006) and one finals appearance to show for it - their 2006 loss to RheinEnergie Köln (now Köln 99ers).

That led to an overhaul, with the club replacing Henrik Rödl with Luka Pavicevic as head coach and also signing a series of new players to go in a new direction - the biggest of whom is literally and figuratively Femerling.

The main thing Femerling brings to Berlin is a winning track record.

Besides collecting the two German crowns, the 2002 World Championship bronze medalist and 2005 EuroBasket silver medal winner also captured two Spanish league crowns (2003 and 2004) as well as the 2003 Euroleague championship with Barcelona, not to mention the 2005 and 2006 Greek league titles with Panathinaikos Athens.
 
"I hope I can win another title here, too," he said of Alba. "But I don't feel any additional pressure. It's just the pressure that Berlin always has with their high hopes and spending the money they do."

On Saturday, the German national team captain collected 12 points, five rebounds and two assists in leading Berlin to a 79-65 victory at EWE Baskets Oldenburg, improving Alba's record to 8-2.

"That was a very important game for us to win - on the road in a tough place to play," Femerling said. "We had a big first quarter (26-14) and really maintained the lead and controlled the game."

Berlin's road win combined with Artland Dragons' 74-63 loss at Deutsche Bank Skyliners on Sunday leaves Berlin atop the BBL - level on points with Artland who had their eight-game winning streak snapped to fall to 8-2. Also at 8-2 are defending champions Brose Baskets Bamberg, who received 20 points from German international Steffen Hamann in easing to an 80-60 victory at home over Giessen 46ers.
 
Also in the league, Bayer Giants Leverkusen and New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig both won to improve to 7-3 - one game behind the leading trio. Other winners included Telekom Baskets Bonn, Köln 99ers, ratiopharm Ulm and digibu Paderborn Baskets.