– David Hein
The 2020-21 season tipped off and we had plenty of news - the biggest being the MagentaSport BBL German Cup Top Four has been post-poned. The reason was ALBA BERLIN having to postpone their first group game due to a series of Covid-19 positive cases in the team and subsequent re-scheduling conflicts. Among the cup games that were played was a real surprise as medi bayreuth knocked off FC Bayern Munich.
In this section, we break out our English language skills and inform you about the latest news from the German easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga. If you’re short on time but still want your fill of Germany’s top basketball league then you are in the right place. Every week David Hein (www.heinnews.com) brings you up-to-date in German basketball – the easyCredit BBL short and sweet:
German Cup Top Four postponed indefinitely
The 2020-21 MagentaSport BBL German Cup Top Four was postponed indefi-nitely after reigning champions ALBA BERLIN were hit with a number of Covid-19 positive cases and were unable to play their opening group stage game. The Top Four was originally scheduled to be played in Munich from November 1-2 but had to be put on hold because of scheduling conflicts after Berlin’s Group A game with Basketball Löwen Braunschweig on October 18 was postponed. The easyCredit BBL will announce the new dates for the Top Four when they are determined.
Bayreuth shock Bayern in Group D
Group D of the MagentaSport BBL German Cup saw the first major surprise of the season as medi bayreuth knocked off FC Bayern Munich 95-89. Bayreuth used a 13-3 run to turn a 10-point third quarter deficit into a 10-point fourth quarter lead and won the game. Bayreuth shot 60.0 percent from the field as well as 20-of-28 free throws while Bayern connected on just 45.7 percent of their shots including 35.5 percent from long range - though they did hit all 14 of their free throws and committed only eight turnovers. Frank Bartley paced the winners with 25 points while Osvadas Olisevicius had 18 points, Andi Seiferth picked up 12 points and 3 rebounds off the bench, Derek Pardon collected 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists and Ryan Woolridge had 11 points, 6 re-bounds and 8 assists. Paul Zipser nailed 6-of-8 three-pointers in scoring 18 points with Robin Amaize tallying 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists for Bayern. Nick Weiler-Babb (13 points), JaJuan Johnson (12) Wade Baldwin (10) and Jalen Reynolds (10) all scored in double figures as well for Bayern in the loss.
MBC win Group D opener over Crailsheim
SYNTAINICS MBC had already given Group D some drama as they knocked off HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim 99-94. MBC led by 15 points in the first quarter and then by 18 points early in the fourth before Crailsheim made things a bit inter-esting down the stretch. MBC shot 52.2 percent from the field including 42.3 percent on three-pointers compared to 25.0 percent for Crailsheim, who shot just 43.3 percent in the game. Shavon Coleman had a great first game for MBC with 27 points and 5 rebounds while Michal Michalak scored 24 points, Roko Rogic gathered 18 points, 6 rebounds and 12 assists and Kyndahl Hill picked up 14 points and 10 rebounds. Crailsheim was led by Trey Bell-Haynes with 27 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals with Tim Coleman chipping in 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals and Maurice Stuckey scoring 17 points in the loss.
Bonn run away from Oldenburg late in Group A
Telekom Baskets Bonn opened Group A play with a 90-76 victory over EWE Baskets Oldenburg thanks to a late run. Bonn led comfortably for most of the second and third quarters before Oldenburg made things interesting in the fourth, getting the deficit down to three points. But Bonn blew the game open with a 13-0 surge. Leon Kratzer led the way for Bonn with 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting to go with 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Josh Hagins and Chris Babb both scored 14 points and Strahinja Micovic had 11 points as Bonn hit 65.0 percent on 2-pointers. Rasid Mahalbasic was Oldenburg’s leading scorer with 20 points while Sebastian Herrera had 12 points and 4 assists and Phil Pressey and Nathan Boothe both picked up 11 points.
Berlin game with Braunschweig postponed due to Covid-19 cases
The other game in Group A had defending champions ALBA BERLIN facing Basketball Löwen Braunschweig. The game could not be played as Berlin had six players test positive for Covid-19 and were forced to go into quarantine. The game is yet to be re-scheduled.
Vechta roll past Giessen in Group B
RASTA Vechta started their new era with their new head coach Thomas Päch with a comfortable 99-85 vicory over Jobstairs GIESSEN 46ers. Vechta took over in the second quarter and never looked back. Vechta won the rebound battle 43 to 22 including 14 offensive rebounds while shooting 59.4 percent for the game, including 76.7 percent on 2-pointers. Giessen shot just 44.6 percent for the game. Philipp Herkenhoff poured in 20 points on 8-of-10 shots, to go with 2 rebounds and 2 assists while Jean Salumu collected 20 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench, Will Vorhees had 18 points and 7 rebounds and Jordan Barnett tallied 17 points and 10 rebounds against his former team. Giessen were paced by Brandon Thomas with 19 points while Liam O’Reilly had 16 points and 5 assists, Andrew Rowsey picked up 14 points and 5 assists, Jo-hannes Richter added 12 points in the defeat.
Göttingen rout Frankfurt in Group B
The other game in Group B was also a rout as BG Göttingen eased past FRAPORT SKYLINERS 79-64. Göttingen, who also had a new playcaller on the sidelines in head coach Roel Moors, grabbed control of the game in the second quarter and were never challenged the rest of the way. Frankfurt were held to just 35.6 percent from the floor, including just 14.8 percent (4-of-27) from long range. Jorge Gutierrez was Göttingen’s leader with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while Tai Odiase had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Aubrey Dawkins tallied 13 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Frankfurt’s Jon Axel Gudmundsson led all scorers with 20 points and Emmanuel Lecomte scored 16 points in the loss.
Bamberg open 2020-21 season with Group C win over Ulm
The first game of the 2020-21 season saw Brose Bamberg knock off rati-opharm ulm 74-65 in a contest that was close throughout in Group C. Ulm shot just 41.0 percent from the field, including 29.6 percent on three-pointers. The difference ended up being foul shots as Bamberg made 17-of-18 and Ulm hit 7-of-8. Tyler Larson paced Bamberg with 16 points and 6 assists while Michele VItali had 15 points, David Kravish scored 13 points and Kenneth Ogbe had 10 points. Troy Caupain was Ulm’s leading scorer with 14 points and 7 rebounds and Andreas Obst had 13 points but no other Ulm player scored in double figures.
Late surge gives Ludwigsburg Group C win over Würzburg
MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg put together a late surge to pick up a 76-67 victory over s.Oliver Würzburg in Group C. The game was close throughout until Ludwigsburg finished off Würzburg with an 11-0 run in the fourth quarter. Ludwigsburg hit 10 three-pointers to five for Würzburg and Ludwigsburg also made 16-of-21 free throws compared to 10-of-12 for Würzburg. Elias Harris picked up 18 points and 7 rebounds in his first game for Ludwigsburg while Barry Brown scored 18 points, Jaleen Smith collected 16 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists and Jordan Hulls added 13 points and 4 assists. Tayler Persons paced Würzburg with 12 points and Cameron Hunt scored 11 points in the loss.
Player of the Week
HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim may have lost to SYNTAINICS MBC but it wasn’t for lack of trying by Crailsheim’s Trey Bell-Haynes, who picked up the Player of the Week honors. Bell-Haynes collected 27 points on 8-of-14 shooting and 10-of-12 free throws to go with 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals for an efficiency of 32.
German Top Five of the Week
G: Sebastian Herrera, EWE Baskets Oldenburg
Herrera showed his new team why he was one of the most-wanted players in the off-season as he collected 12 points on just three field goal attempts and 8-of-9 free throws to go with 4 assists in the loss to Telekom Baskets Bonn.
G: Kenneth Ogbe, Brose Bamberg
Another player on the move in the off-season was Ogbe, who went from champions ALBA BERLIN to Bamberg and he played well for his new team, picking up 10 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steals in the win over ratiopharm ulm.
F: Phililpp Herkenhoff, RASTA Vechta
Big things are expected from Herkenhoff this season and he stepped up in the first game with 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in Vechta’s win over JobStairs GIESSEN 46ers.
F: Elias Harris, MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg
It may have been strange seeing Harris not in a Brose Bamberg uniform but he was just as strong for his new team, collecting 18 points and 7 rebounds in the win over s.Oliver Würzburg.
C: Leon Kratzer, Telekom Baskets Bonn
Kratzer showed he looks good in magenta as well, guiding Bonn to a big win over EWE Baskets Oldenburg with 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting while also picking up 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
Top 10 of opening games of German Cup
Here is rundown of the Top 10 plays from the first round of games in the German Cup.
Germans Abroad
Okay, this Germans Abroad is a little bit different from past posts as it’s about German big man Mahir Agva jumping in as premium sponsoring partner by the Regionalliga amateur club TSG Volksbank Reutlingen of his hometown. “With my commitment, I would like to give something back to my hometown, the club that taught me the game and my mentor, friend and coach Vasi (Tsuknidis),” said Agva, who plays for Turkish club Pinar Karsiyaka and was discovered by Tsuknidis as a child. “I would like to invest long-term with the Raves and my home because I see the big potential that is in Reutlingen and in the Ravens.”
