TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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WHIRL-WIN!
ratiopharm Ulm and the Koln 99ers took turns. Both teams took control. Both teams made runs. Both teams rode the wave of momentum. But at the final buzzer of Saturday nights exciting up and down rollercoaster ride of a basketball game, it was ratiopharm Ulm who finished on top in the tight 90-88 homecourt victory at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Game Day 10 of the 2008-2009 Bundesliga season. Ulm's 17-0 second quarter surge reversed a 16 point deficit and gave the hosts a 53-43 halftime lead setting up the suspense-filled second half. Dru Joyce's clutch top of the key three with 20 second to play proved the difference helping ratiopharm Ulm to their 6th win. Lee Humphrey drilled 5 threes to lead all scorers with 19 points while Dan Fitzgerald and Sean Finn added 15 points apiece and Keith Triplett was a perfect 4 for 4 from the floor and 2 for 2 from the foul line to finish with 12 in the win. An exciting and entertaining game for fans, Saturday nights game was more than a rollercoaster ride for ratiopharm Ulm --- it was a whirl- win!
ratiopharm Ulm guard Keith Triplett was an impact player in Saturday's 90-88 win with outstanding defense and perfect shooting for 12 points.
Click here for Ulm v Koln Box Score
Click here for Ulm v Koln photo gallery!
ratiopharm Ulm sharpshooter Lee Humphrey drilled 5 threes to topscore with 19 points in the win!
ratiopharm Ulm and fans were extremely excited for Saturday nights game throughout the week. A filled Sportszentrum Kuhberg was ready to help their team bounce back from last weekends tough road loss in Bonn. With enthusiasm from a mid-week Ulm/Neu Ulm vote for a new Arena, ratiopharm Ulm fans settled in for an entertaining evening of basketball. Little did they know, the wild rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, highs and lows that awaited. Unique to the night, ratiopharm Ulm enjoyed SWU Day representing one of the teams top sponsors. During Saturday nights game, the SWU Game, ratiopharm Ulm coaches and staff wore green chuck taylor shoes symbolizing the SWU marketing campaign. Central in focus, talented young Ulm point guard Per Gunther also wore a special pair of Green Nike basketball shoes. Certainly, the green shoes foreshadowed the green-light for terrific offensive basketball both teams would present later that night.
ratiopharm Ulm rookie forward Dan Fitzgerald was excellent in Saturday nights win helping to spark Ulm's 38 point second quarter with his energy and shooting. Dan finished with 15 points in yet another quality game.
At tip off, it was an energized Koln 99er team who jumped ahead 7-0. Ulm's slow start saw shots rim out on offense and Koln finish transition and second chance points for easy baskets. Ulm fell off pace early and Koln built a 15-8 lead 5 minutes into the game. Koln's Head Coach Drasko Prodanovic put together an excellent game plan which unsettled ratiopharm Ulm for the opening minutes of action. Forcing Ulm empty possessions, the 99ers triggered their fast breaks and quickly took control of the game. An Ulm timeout attempted to settle the team down and adjust the attack but Koln finished the first quarter strong and Ulm continued to search for their rhythm. After the first ten minutes, Koln held a 31-15 lead. Between quarters, ratiopharm Ulm huddled and aimed for a change.
Ulm floor general Dru Joyce zips one of his 9 assists in Saturdays win over Koln but it was Dru's clutch top of the key three that sealed the exciting victory.
Quarter two, the change came. Returning from an arm infection that forced him to miss the last four Ulm games, Keith Triplett made an immediate impact on the defensive end causing havoc on the 99er attack with his ball-hawking D. Koln lost athletic guard Jeremy Hunt to an injury mid-way through the second and the 99er attack slowed. Meanwhile, Lee Humphrey and Dan Fitzgerald ignited Ulm's offensive explosion with big three point shots. Humphrey drilled 3 of his 5 first half threes while Fitzgerald sank 2 of 3 helping Ulm pile up points quickly. Quickly the 16 point deficit dwindled. Ulm found their rhythm. Trying to stop the momentum, Koln changed defenses and went into a zone. Jeff Gibbs sank two free throws. Dru Joyce sailed a beautiful lob to center Sean Finn who dunked over the top of the 99er zone D. Finn sank two free throws pulling Ulm even. But Ulm kept the foot on the gas as Dru Joyce finished a layup giving Ulm the lead. Ulm's 17-0 run over a five minute stretch of the second quarter changed the game. With under one minute to play, Ulm executed a 2 for 1 situation perfectly setting up Dan Fitzgerald to drill a deep three before Per Gunther skillfully milked the clock before slicing down the 99er lane for a buzzer beating layin. Outscoring Koln 20-4 to finish the first half, Ulm turned a 16 point deficit to a ten point lead with their 38 point explosion. After the slow start, Ulm's defensive energy picked up and helped the offense find a rhythm. Sharpshooters like Lee Humphrey and Dan Fitzgerald benefitted from the post double teams and defensive effort from Keith Triplett, Sebastian Betz and Per Gunther brought the Sportszentrum Kuhberg crowd into the game. Ulm's 38-12 second quarter was very entertaining for the Sportszentrum Kuhberg crowd on SWU green shoe day!
Ulm center Sean Finn slams home two of his 15 point 9 rebound performance against Koln.
At the half, Ulm was shooting 58% from the floor including 6 of 11 from three (55%) and 11 for 12 from the foul line (92%) while outrebounding Koln 19-11. Koln had also shot a high percentage at 52% in the first twenty minutes. Ulm's bench production was key as Dan Fitzgerald and Keith Triplett were fantastic in the first half. Lee Humphrey's accurate outside shooting countered the Koln post double teams and Ulm's concentration from the foul line was an excellent sign of the teams focus. The first half was a clear tale of two quarters as Koln controlled the first ten minutes before Ulm found their rhythm and made their run in quarter two. Both teams took the halftime to discuss their adjustments while emphasizing consistency.
ratiopharm Ulm forward Romeo Travis puts an exclamation point on this last minute slam in Saturday nights win over Koln. Romeo made several important plays on both ends of the floor in the games closing minutes.
As the second half opened both teams focused as they fought for control of the game. Five minutes into the second half, Ulm held a 12 point lead 65-53 but Koln began slowly chipping away at the deficit. Ulm maintained their lead, but Koln pulled within striking distance and after the third quarter, the scoreboard showed 73-67 for Ulm. In the fourth, Ulm's attack slowed and the team suffered several turnovers providing Koln with more opportunities to trim the deficit. Good work from 99er forward Robert Turner and Julian Terrell helped Koln regain momentum. As the clock ticked down, Koln made their run. Leading 81-76 with five minutes remaining, Ulm's defense surrendered several easy baskets and when a Turner breakaway dunk cut the score to 81-80, Ulm took their final timeout with just under three minutes to play.
Ulm's Sebastian Betz works defensively against former Harlem Globetrotter Robert 'Hollywood' Turner in Saturday's action.
In the final two minutes of the fourth, Saturday nights rollercoaster ride at Sportszentrum Kuhberg finished with a whirlwind. Koln's comeback was complete as they took an 82-81. Jeff Gibbs answered to even the game at 82 making one of two free throws. But the story of Ulm's up and down evening was filled with big shots down the stretch. The first came on a right corner three from defensive-ace Keith Triplett --- a three that brought the Kuhberg crowd into an uproar and Ulm back into the lead 85-82 with one minute thirty nine second to play. At the other end, Julian Terrell buried two important free throws pulling Koln within one 85-84 at the one minute mark. Ulm's next big basket came on the next possession as Koln defenders double teamed Jeff Gibbs on the left block, the Ulm all star power forward slid a skillful pass to a cutting Romeo Travis who put an exclamation point on his last minute bucket with a two hand monster dunk giving Ulm an 87-84 advantage. After a Koln timeout, the 99ers moved the basketball effectively until Jasmin Catovic stepped up to sink a game tying three from the right corner with 38 seconds to play. Out of timeouts, Ulm advanced the basketball and floor general Dru Joyce scanned the floor. Working to the middle off a double ballscreen, Dru lined up a shot from the top of the key. With tremendous heart and confidence, the Ulm point guard stepped up and sank the biggest basket of the game drilling a clutch three with 20 seconds remaining. Sportszentrum Kuhberg celebrated the big shot and Ulm lead with tremendous intensity and Koln called another timeout. Returning to action, Ulm's defense stepped up and Romeo Travis came up with the loose ball rebound from a Jamon Gordon miss. With only 2 team fouls, Koln aimed to foul sending Ulm to the line but they needed to get three hacks in. Ulm executed their sideline plays well and got the ball to the proper free throw shooter sending Lee Humphrey to the foul line with 8 seconds to play. In a unique twist, Humphrey missed both free throws and Koln still had life trailing 90-87. Intelligently, Ulm fouled sending Koln to the foul line. Jamon Gordon made the first and missed the second intentionally. Again Romeo Travis collected the important rebound and this time threw the basketball up the floor into empty space as the buzzer sounded giving Ulm an exciting 90-88 win!
Ulm's Per Gunther splits the Koln defense for one of his first half layups in Saturdays game.
Ulm finished the game shooting 58% from the floor and 11 of 21 (52%) from three along with 17 of 22 (77%) from the foul line. In the win, Ulm dished out 20 assists and outrebounded Koln 36-21. The 99ers sank 52% of their shots and made 6 of 16 from three (38%) along with 16 of 21 free throws (76%). Ulm's Lee Humphrey led all scorers with a game best 19 points on 5 of 8 three point shooting. Dan Fitzgerald sank 3 of 5 threes of his own to add 15 points and Sean Finn finished with 15 points 9 boards in the win. Jeff Gibbs chipped in a solid 13 point 9 rebound night and Keith Triplett was a perfect 4 for 4 from the floor and 2 for 2 from three for 12 points for Ulm. Dru Joyce sank the game winning basket and totaled 7 points 9 assists. Robert Turner and Jeremy Hunt, who left the game in the first half, led Koln with 18 points apiece while Julian Terrell added 17 points 5 boards. Guido Grunheid tallied 14 points 4 rebounds and Jamon Gordon had 12 points 7 assists.
ratiopharm Ulm All star power forward Jeff Gibbs battled against double teams all game producing a solid 13 point 9 rebound performance.
While Ulm earned their 6th win of the season, the teams offensive production and bench production was outstanding. Several clutch shots from different players and excellent free throw shooting were all good signs on the offensive end for Ulm. Saturday nights win added to the enthusiasm and positive energy in the city of Ulm for basketball. Coupled with the positive vote for a new arena last week, Ulm's win over Koln made for a terrific basketball weekend in Ulm.
Saturday was 'SWU Day' for ratiopharm Ulm and staff represented their sponsor with 'Green Shoes' in the game against Koln.
Now 6-4, ratiopharm Ulm remains in 5th place in the Bundesliga standings. More exciting games are just ahead as the team embarks on a 'North Sea Road Trip' heading to Oldenburg for Wednesday nights German Cup game at Ewe Arena before next weekends road game in Bremerhaven. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga Basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
