TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
78 
56
ALBA STOPS ULM!
ratiopharm Ulm met a motivated ALBA Berlin team Sunday night at O2 World Arena in Berlin and the result was a 78-56 home win for Berlin. Hungry and focused after a Friday night road loss in Tubingen, ALBA returned home and flexed their muscles against Ulm. Berlin's Julius Jenkins sank 6 of 9 threes to topscore with 22 points while big man Blagota Sekulic added 17 points 9 boards in the win. Christian Burns led Ulm's offense with 14 points 6 rebounds while Robin Benzing chipped in 12 points and Coleman Collins finished with 10 points 5 rebound in the loss.
ratiopharm Ulm's Robin Benzing drives to the basket against the strong defense from ALBA's Adam Chubb. Berlin played outstanding team defense in Sunday's 78-56 victory at O2 World Arena.
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Photo by ALBA Berlin
ratiopharm Ulm's John Bryant challenges a layup attempt from ALBA Berlin's Rashad Wright Sunday night at O2 World in Berlin.
A Sunday morning newspaper in Berlin described the Ulm-ALBA game as Berlin having respect for the Ulm 'Kindergarten'. Referring to ratiopharm Ulm's young team, the average age of Ulm's 2009-2010 squad is 21. For 6 of Ulm's 10 man roster, Sunday was their first time playing at O2 World Arena against powerful ALBA Berlin. Looking to bounce back from Friday's loss to Frankfurt, ratiopharm Ulm aimed for an upset similar to their memorable win in Max-Schmellinghalle in 2007-2008.
Photo by Thilo Hensel
ratiopharm Ulm's Christian Burns attacks the basket as the tough Berlin defense rotates. Christian paced the Ulm offense with 14 points 6 rebounds Sunday night.
At tip off, both teams were focused and ready. ALBA's Blagota Sekulic won the opening tip giving Berlin first ball possession. Over the first four minutes both teams worked hard defensively as they established themselves in the game. Tied 4-4, ALBA made the games first run powered by two three pointers from Julius Jenkins and two finishes from Immanuel McElroy. The 10-2 surge gave Berlin a 14-6 lead as Ulm used their first timeout. ALBA's physical man to man defense became the story of the game as the Ulm team struggled to get good shots. A three pointer from forward Kenan Bajramovic and a strong drive left down the lane from point guard Steffen Hamann finished the first quarter scoring at 19-8 for Berlin.
Photo by Thilo Hensel
ratiopharm Ulm's Rocky Trice works to finish in the lane Sunday at O2 World.
As quarter two opened, Ulm found their rhythm behind a strong effort from Sebastian Betz off the bench. ALBA answered with a transition three pointer from Julius Jenkins and a pullup three from Steffen Hamann giving Berlin a 26-15 advantage. Ulm trimmed the gap with baskets from Christian Burns and Rocky Trice pulling within 26-19. But a 10-0 ALBA Berlin run sparked by Blagota Sekulic's work in the paint broke the game open. Trailing 30-19 at the five minute mark, Ulm used their second timeout of the half in an attempt to stop the run and make adjustments, but ALBA was focused and ready Sunday night. Leading 36-19, Berlin's defense finished the first half with conviction. Julius Jenkins finished a fast break with a layup puting ALBA up 41-20 eclipsing the twenty mark for the first time on the evening. At the end of the first half, Berlin held a commanding 45-24 lead.
Photo by Thilo Hensel
ratiopharm Ulm post man Coleman Collins makes a power move to the basket by Berlin's Dragan Dojcin in Sundays game. Coleman totaled 10 points 4 rebounds for Ulm.
Photo by ALBA Berlin
ratiopharm Ulm's Per Gunther and ALBA Berlin's Steffen Hamann went head to head in a battle of German playmakers.
At the half, Ulm had shot 33% from the floor making only 10 of 26 two point attempts (26%) and 1 of 7 from three (14%). Shooting only four free throws, Rocky Trice made Ulm's lone foul shot in the first twenty minutes. Berlin had dominated the boards 24-15 and shot 50% from the field including 5 of 11 threes (45%) and 10 of 15 from the foul line (67%). ALBA's Julius Jenkins finished the first half with 13 points while Blagota Sekulic added 12. ALBA also got 20 points in the paint to Ulm's 10. The first half was a clear advantage for ALBA Berlin thanks to their physical man to man defense. Ulm attacked several areas looking for easy baskets but Berlin found the answers. Huddling at halftime, Ulm returned to the floor ready to attack the physical defense and rise to the challenge of the ALBA team.
Photo by Thilo Hensel
ratiopharm Ulm rookie guard Kevin Kanaskie closes out against ALBA Berlin forward Kenan Bajramovic in action from Sunday nights game.
As the second half opened, Ulm's effort continued as players worked hard against the physical Berlin D. Ulm's game plan also adjusted as they attempted to make a run using changing defenses playing two different presses and two different zones. But the experienced Berlin team moved the ball well finding open shooters against the Ulm zones. Unlike Friday night in Tubingen, when the Tigers zone led to ALBA misses, Sunday, ALBA sank several key threes. While Ulm used the zones hoping to trim the deficit, Immanuel McElroy, Julius Jenkins and Dragan Dojcin burned three straight threes effectively ending the evening early as ALBA opened a 56-30 advantage. Ulm's offense suffered two 24 second shot clock violations as guards did not attack early enough in late clock situations. Christian Burns and Sebastian Betz kept the effort going for Ulm with late third quarter scores, but at the end of three, Ulm was down 63-41. Despite the deficit, Ulm had played an even third with Berlin 18-17.
Photo by Thilo Hensel
ratiopharm Ulm power forward Christian Burns hits a contested pull up jump shot over ALBA's Blagota Sekulic in the first half Sunday night at O2 WOrld.
In the fourth, Ulm continued to change their defense and vary their offensive attack looking for ways to score against the tough ALBA defense. Robin Benzing started the fourth with a strong sweep through driving finish from the top of the key. Coleman Collins slipped a ballscreen and took a Rocky Trice pass for an athletic slam. ALBA Berlin head coach Luka Pavicevic called for time and kept his team focused. Finishing the game changing their defenses, Ulm played out the final five minutes giving everyone on the roster opportunity to play. ALBA also found minutes for bench players and the final score was set 78-56 for Berlin.
Photo by Thilo Hensel
ratiopharm Ulm post man Coleman Collins defends ALBA's Blagota Sekulic on the block. Sekulic finished with 17 points 9 boards in the Berlin win.
ratiopharm Ulm was led by Christian Burns who finished with 14 points 6 borads while Robin Benzing added 12 points and Coleman Collins had 10 points 5 rebounds in the loss. Sebastian Betz was the most effective Ulm player on the evening scoring 9 points making 3 of 4 shots with 3 rebounds in his second straight strong performance at O2 World in Berlin. As a team, Ulm hit only 36% from the floor making 3 of 18 threes (17%) and 9 of 16 free throws (56%) in the loss. Berlin won the battle on the boards 39-32. ALBA sank 50% of their shots hitting 12 of 25 threes (48%) and 16 of 27 free throws (59%). Julius Jenkins led ALBA with 22 points on 6 of 9 three point shooting, Blagota Sekulic had 17 points 9 boards and Immanuel McElroy finished with 12 points 4 rebounds in the Berlin win.
Photo by ALBA Berlin
Photo by Thilo Hensel
For ratiopharm Ulm, Sunday nights game against ALBA Berlin at O2 World Arena was a tremendous learning experience. Berlin won with a focused defensive performance that simply stopped Ulm. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga Basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
