League leaders FC Bayern Munich showed their class as they knocked off fourth placed Würzburg Baskets as the top match-up of the week. The week also saw NINERS Chemnitz become the first team to lock up a direct spot in the playoffs. And Ariel Hukporti shined in his return to Germany for MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg.
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:
Bayern show class with win at Würzburg
FC Bayern Munich showed their class as they knocked off in-form Würzburg Baskets 90-82 on the road for their fifth straight victory. Bayern opened a 13-point lead in the second quarter and it was up to 19 points in the third quarter. The guests led by 14 points in the final frame and watched Würzburg close to within six points but it was not enough. Bayern have improved to 23-4 while Würzburg dropped to 20-8 after having won eight of nine games. Bayern forced only 4 Würzburg turnovers but shot 54.9 percent from the field including 66.7 percent on two-pointers. Bayern also out-rebounded Würzburg 35-21. Leandro Bolmaro collected 16 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, Carsen Edwards scored 14 points and Nick Weiler-Babb and Sylvain Francisco both had 10 points. Otis Livingston poured in 31 points and 6 assists and Isaiah Washington had 16 points.
Chemnitz lock up playoffs spot with blowout of Tübingen
NINERS Chemnitz became the first team to lock up a direct spot in the playoffs as they blew out Tigers Tübingen. Chemnitz built a double-digit lead in the second quarter and never were threatened the rest of the way in moving to 23-5 with a third straight win - making sixth place the worst they could be - and Tübingen have lost five straight for a 6-22 mark. Chemnitz shot 55.2 percent for the game, including 66.7 percent on two-pointers and forced Tübginen into 22 turnovers while turning 13 rebounds into 20 second chance points. Kevin Yebo led the way with 23 points and 6 rebounds, Wesley van Beck had 20 points and Kaza Kajami-Keane added 18 points. Mateo Seric had 16 points and 8 rebounds and Jhivvan Jackson had 16 points in the loss.
Ludwigsburg hammer Heidelberg in Hukporti return
MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg snapped a two-game losing streak with a 93-68 blowout of MLP Academics Heidelberg in a game marked by the return of Ariel Hukporti. Ludwigsburg led by 13 points after 10 minutes and it was never close the rest of the way and Ludwigsburg snapped a two game losing streak for a 17-11 mark and Heidelberg saw their modest two-game winning streak end for a 7-21 record. Heidelberg shot just 31.7 percent for the game including just 17.7 percent from long range. Desure Buie paced Ludwigsburg with 19 points, Jeff Roberson and Yorman Polas Bartolo both had 13 points and 8 rebounds, Silas Melson added 13 points and Hukporti had 7 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks in his first game back with the team.
Trevion Williams double-double locks up Play-Ins spot for Ulm
ratiopharm ulm secured a spot at least in the Play-Ins as they used a 17-0 fourth quarter spurt to run away with a 96-71 victory at ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES. The game was close until the big run in the fourth quarter as Ulm have won four straight games for an 18-9 record and Rostock well to 7-20. Ulm committed only 9 turnovers, shot 63.2 percent on two-pointers including 12 three-pointers and held an 18-3 advantage on second chance points. Trevion Williams was a force with 22 points and 14 rebounds while Philipp Herkenhoff had 13 points off the bench and Georginho de Paula had 12 points and 5 assists. Derrick Alston scored 18 points and Tyler Nelson added 12 points and 7 assists in the loss.
Oldenburg defeat Vechta in North Derby for third straight win
EWE Baskets Oldenburg earned an important victory in their fight for the playoffs as they defeated RASTA Vechta 88-82 on the road in the North Derby. The game was tight throughout with a nine-point lead in the final 2 minutes the biggest of the game. Oldenburg made 5-of-6 free throws in the final 30 seconds to secure the win - the team’s third straight for a 14-14 mark. Vechta have lost three in a row and are now 17-11 - dropping to seventh place. Oldenburg made 9 three-pointers compared to 4 for Vechta, who shot 21.1 percent from long range. DeWayne Russell was Oldenburg’s top weapon with 24 points and 6 assists and Geno Crandall scored 20 points. Ryan Schwieger was Vechta’s top scorer with 22 points.
Berlin prevail in battle with Wolves, extend win streak to 10 games
It was not pretty but ALBA BERLIN prevailed with a 76-67 road victory over SYNTAINICS MBC to extend their winning streak to 10 games. Neither team could open a real lead with seven points the biggest advantage in the first three quarters. After 9 lead changes and 6 ties, Berlin took over in the final frame 23-13 for a 20-5 lead and the hosts fell to 8-20 after four straight defeats. Berlin shot just 34.7 percent for the game but won the rebound battle 49-36 including 16 offensive rebounds to 2, which led to a 19-2 advantage in second chance points. Matt Thomas paced four Berlin players in double figures with 16 points, Justin Bean had 13 points and 8 rebounds and Kresimir Nikic chipped in 11 points and 7 rebounds. Johnathan Stove was the hosts’ leading scorer with 16 points and Charles Callison added 15 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
Bamberg beat Hamburg in important battle for Play-Ins fight
Bamberg Baskets earned a crucial victory in the fight to reach the Play-Ins as they knocked off Veolia Towers Hamburg 86-80 at home. The game was back and forth for the first 22 minutes and Bamberg dominated the third quarter and opened a 13-point cushion. Hamburg were within one point with 67 seconds to go, but Hamburg came up empty on their final three possessions and Bamberg moved to 12-16 and Hamburg fell to 13-14. Bamberg shot 46.9 percent from the field, including 57.9 percent on two pointers compared to 42.2 percent for Hamburg. Zach Copeland carried Bamberg with 18 points and 6 assists, Trey Woodbury scored 15 points and Adrian Nelson added 14 points and 9 rebounds. Aljami Durham had 19 points and 9 rebounds and VJ King added 17 points in the loss.
Braunschweig hit 17 threes to beat Crailsheim, snap losing skid
Basketball Löwen Braunschweig wasted a 19-point lead but used some great three-point shooting to knock off HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim 98-88 at home to snap a five-game losing streak and stay in the running for the Play-Ins spots. Braunschweig blew the game open with a 19-point lead early in the second quarter. The lead was still 12 points midway through the third quarter but Crailheim went on a 22-7 run to take the lead early in the fourth quarter. Braunschweig answered with an 11-0 spurt to regain control and move to 12-16. Crailsheim had won two of three games but fell to 6-22. Braunschweig buried 17 three-pointers in shooting 54.8 percent from long range Jilson Bango collected 22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks, Nicholas Tischler had 17 points and Ahmaad Rorie picked up 15 points and 10 assists. Galin Smith led Crailsheim with 22 points, Keandre Cook had 20 points and Maurice Stuckey scored 20 points with 6 three-pointers.
Bonn down Göttingen at home, defend sixth place, last direct playoffs spot
Telekom Baskets Bonn defended sixth place - and the final direct spot in the playoffs - by knocking off BG Göttingen 95-85 at home. Bonn led by 11 points in the first quarter but that advantage was gone late in the second quarter. After a back-and-forth third quarter, Bonn took control of the game with a 17-7 run in the final frame for a 17-11 record after their fourth straight home win. Göttingen have lost five of the last six games for an 8-20 record. Bonn committed only 7 turnovers and shot 57.1 percent on two-pointers. Thomas Kennedy had 17 points and 8 rebounds, Harald Frey scored 16 points with 8 assists and Brian Fobbs added 15 points. Karlis Silins paced five Göttingen players in double figures with 16 points.
Player of the Week
Jilson Bango of Basketball Löwen Braunschweig takes Player of the Week honors for Round 28 as he collected 22 points on 9-of-13 shots and 4-of-4 free throws, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks for an efficiency of 32 against HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim.
German Top Five of the Week
F: Maurice Stuckey, HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim
Stuckey nailed 6 three-pointers in scoring 20 points to go with 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal against Basketball Löwen Braunschweig.
F: Nicholas Tischler, Basketball Löwen Braunschweig
Tischler collected 17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block against HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim.
F: Mateo Seric, Tigers Tübingen
Seric picked up 16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in a loss to NINERS Chemnitz.
C: Kevin Yebo, NINERS Chemnitz
Yebo poured in 23 points to go with 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals against Tigers Tübingen.
C: Ariel Hukporti, MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg
Hukporti returned to Germany and had a solid first game for Ludwigsburg as he tallied 7 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 blocks versus MLP Academics Heidelberg.
Young Guns
Johann Grünloh, 18, C, RASTA Vechta
After having his final high school equivalent exams on Friday, Grünloh tallied 9 points in 18:18 minutes off the bench on 4-of-5 (1/1 threes) to go with 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block against EWE Baskets Oldenburg.
Zach Ensminger, 22, PG, BG Göttingen
Ensminger scored 5 points on 2-of-7 shots (1/3 threes), 3 rebounds and 4 assists in 17:59 minutes against Telekom Baskets Bonn.
Gian Aydinoglu, 20, PG, Basketball Löwen Braunschweig
Aydinoglu picked up 2 points on 0-of-2 shots and 2-of-2 free throws and 1 assist in 5:20 minutes against HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim.
Germans Abroad
History will be made when the NBA Playoffs tip off as the LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks will feature the first time that two Germans face off in the NBA post-season. The Clippers have Daniel Theis and Dallas has Maxi Kleber.
RelatedNews
News
Bayern gewinnt Spitzenspiel / Oldenburg holt Derby-Sieg / Yebo markiert Saisonrekord / Hukporti feiert Comeback
Nachberichte
90:82: Bayern gewinnt das Topspiel gegen dezimierte Würzburg Baskets
Nachberichte
