TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
VS 
ULM HOSTS MBC SATURDAY!
ratiopharm Ulm vs MittelDeutscher Basketball Club
Saturday January 9th, 2010 7pm
Sportszentrum Kuhberg Ulm, Germany
ratiopharm Ulm returns to action Saturday night when they host energized 'Aufsteiger' MiddleDeutscher Basketball Club for a 7pm tip off at Sportszentrum Kuhberg.
ratiopharm Ulm post man Coleman Collins plays above the rim and finishes with authority!
click here for regio-tv report
ratiopharm Ulm guard Rocky Trice has been rehabbing a nagging hand injury.
Ulm's final home game before the All Star break, the competitive Bundesliga season has just moved passed the halfway point and ratiopharm Ulm aims for more consistent play in the 'rueckrunde' or second half of the season. Ulm's young team has 19 games under their belt and has faced every team in the Bundesliga. Focused for their next challenge Saturday night against MBC, ratiopharm Ulm is prepared for the Wolves physical defensive pressure and solid team offense.
ratiopharm Ulm point guard Per Gunther
Over the last several seasons, MBC has been among the best teams in the Pro A second division. Putting it all together last season, the Wolves now face the challenge of an 'Aufsteiger' in the Bundesliga. Head Coach Bjorn Harmsen has led two teams to promotion into the Bundesliga and looks to draw on his experiences from his first Bundesliga run with Jena as he directs the Wolves in 2009-2010. At 10-7, MBC has played terrific team basketball along with excellent pressure defense. Through 17 games, MBC has played excellent team basketball and the team statistics demonstrate their effort. The Wolves have nine players currently averaging between 7 and 10 points per game.
ratiopharm Ulm point guard Austen Rowland about to kiss a shot off the glass.
MBC's 2009-2010 roster has changed significantly from last seasons Pro A championship team. Several players are making the jump into the Bundesliga with the Wolves including post man Johnnie Gilbert who averaged
13.2ppg, 9.2rpg in the Pro A last season. The energetic lefthanded power player has produced 9ppg 4.8reb while providing that inside presence in the paint. Another key returning player is shooting guard Wayne Bernard who produced 14.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.6apg, 1.2spg 43.2%threes, 80.4%FT's earning 2009 Pro A Player of the Year honors. This season, Wayne has given the Wolves 7,4ppg 1.7reb 30%threes. Also returning to MBC is hardworking forward Sascha Leutloff who contributed 9.9ppg 6reb and shot 23% from three in Pro A last season. With this solid core of returning players, MBC added a number of important new players for the challenges of the Bundesliga. Talented scoring forward Ivan Elliot provides an offensive threat after joining MBC from (Latvia) SK Valmiera where he averaged 11.5ppg 8reb 4.1 blocks last season. Elliot has been a boost off the MBC bench for 9.8ppg 4.4reb 40%threes. Talented young point guards Giorgi Gamqrelidze (7.7ppg 38%threes) from Georgia and Radenko Pilcevic (7.4ppg 34%threes) from Serbia combine to provide MBC with energy and aggressiveness. Both young guards played well earlier in the season against Ulm and play aggressive basketball. Skilled young sharpshooter Nikhita Khartchenkov joins MBC after last season with Pro A Chemnitz. A skillful young shooter, Khartchenkov has potential to be among the best three point threats in the Bundesliga. Khartchenkov caught fire against Ulm earlier in the season hitting 4 of 4 threes to topscore with 14 points in the Wolves win. MBC added two rookies from NCAA schools as LA native Adeola Dagundro (12.8ppg 4.4reb 34% threes at Nebraskas) and Matt Stucki (12pt 40% threes at Idaho State) look to make their mark with the Wolves. Dagundro has been strong for MBC with 8.7ppg 4.8reb 40% threes while Stucki has seen limited action. Former Braunschweig big man Peter Fehse also moves to MBC this season. A second round draft pick of the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2001 NBA draft, Fehse has skills for his size and looks to stay healthy and on court in Weissenfels. Late in the preseason, MBC added two key players to their roster as the Wolves signed former German National team forward Gudio Grunheid and former CSKA Moscow post man Anatoly Kashirov. Grunheid has been an outstanding pickup for MBC as the skilled forward averages 9ppg 3.5reb 31% threes while Kashirov has been among the best big men in the Bundesliga scoring 10.2ppg 3.4reb.
ratiopharm Ulm post man John Bryant is a blue collar inside player.
This season, MBC started strong opening 6-2 including an early victory over ratiopharm Ulm in Weissenfels Sunday October 11th. After the strong start, the Wolves slumped to a 1-4 mid-November to mid-December stretch but recently have picked up their play racking up three wins in their last four games. Of the impressive mid-season marks, MBC is 5-3 on the road this year and took a hardfought 84-73 road win in Giessen on Tuesday January 5th.
ratiopharm Ulm power forward Christian Burns scoring in the lane over MBC's Johnnie Gilbert in Weissenfels from earlier this season.
Earlier this season, MBC topped ratiopharm Ulm in their Bundesliga home opener. Facing a wave of emotion and enthusiasm from the east German crowd, ratiopharm Ulm started slow falling behind 25-9 after the first quarter as MittelDeutscher Basketball Club raised their Pro A championship banner and celebrated their return to the Bundesliga playing the first home game at Stadthalle since financially crashing in 2004. Ulm fought back throughout the game outscoring MBC in each of the final three quarters, but in the end, the Wolves held on for the 96-84 victory Sunday evening October 11th, 2009 at Stadthalle in Weissenfels Germany.
click here for October 11, 2009 Ulm @ MBC Game Summary!
ratiopharm Ulm rookie forward Robin Benzing has shown excellent ability to create with the dribble.
ratiopharm Ulm beat defending Bundesliga champion Ewe Baskets Oldenburg in their last home game December 26th but the team has dropped two straight road games losing to rival Walter Tigers Tubingen in the Baden Wurtemburg Derby December 30th before falling last Sunday in Bonn. Working to bounce back, ratiopharm Ulm is focused on improved ballmovement and better team defense in Saturday's game against MBC. While Ulm has worked hard on the practice court throughout the week, team captain Lee Humphrey missed Wednesday and Thursday practices due to a hyperextended elbow while Rocky Trice rested his ailing hand on Wednesday evening as well.
Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg, ratiopharm Ulm is focused for their next challenge against energized 'Aufsteiger' MBC. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga Basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
TAYLORHOOPS.COM GAME NOTES
Ulm Roster
Lee Humphrey: hyperextended elbow game time decision
Rocky Trice: Ulm's impact player on the perimeter
Coleman Collins: challenge in paint v Kashirov Saturday v MBC
Christian Burns: leads Ulm 15.5ppg 6.3reb
Robin Benzing: rookie F topscored for Ulm with 17pt earlier v MBC
Per Gunther: 6.6ppg 2.7ast 32%threes
Kevin Kanaskie: hardworking rookie G started earlier matchup v MBC
Sebastian Betz: 41% from three this season
John Bryant: excellent energy and defensive effort in the paint
Austen Rowland: 9.8ppg 3.8ast since re-joining Ulm
Christian Grosse: excellent week in Ulm's practices
Head Coach: Mike Taylor
Asst Coach : Rainer Bauer, Tunde Adekola
Location: Weissenfels, Germany
Main Sponsor:
Home Court: Stadthalle
website: www.mitteldeutscherbc.de
2009-2010:
PLAYOFFS:
Offense: MBC was among the best offensive teams in the Pro A and head coach Bjorn Harmsen looks to carry over their production into the Bundesliga. Young PG's Giorgi Gamqrelidze and Radenko Pilcevic direct the attack with penetration and playmaking. Nikhita Khartchenkov is an excellent three point shooter and the young wing could rank among the best perimeter threat in the Bundesliga by seasons end. Talented forward Ivan Elliot is mobile, athletic, can create his own offense and should assert himself as a primary option for MBC. Hardworking guard Wayne Bernard will be a good offensive option for MBC and the team will get post presence from Johnnie Gilbert and Anatoly Kashirov. Late in the preseason, MBC added veteran shooting forward Guido Grunheid to the team providing their offense more firepower. Forwards Sascha Leutloff and Ade Dagundro add depth and provide energy for the MBC attack.
Defense: An aggressive team defense, MBC pressures the basketball fullcourt often double-teaming, trapping or denying the point guard. In the halfcourt, the Wolves will double the post, trap ballscreens or attack and double a point to wing pass. MBC will also change defenses going zone at times. A hardworking defensive team, MBC plays with excellent effort and energy.
GM: Martin Geissler
Head Coach: Bjorn Harmsen
Players:
Wayne Bernard: 2009 Pro A Player of the Year with MBC
Johnnie Gilbert: key part of MBC's year to year improvement
Nikhita Khartchenkov: sharpshooter joins MBC from Chemnitz
Peter Fehse: drafted by Sonics in 2nd round of 2001 NBA draft
Anatoly Kashirov: Big C joins MBC from CSKA Moscow
Girogi Gramqrelidze: young PG from Georgia attacks with dribble
Radenko Pilcevic: young PG from Serbia also aggressive for MBC
Guido Grunheid: veteran shooting forward signed late in preseason
Ivan Elliot: talented scoring forward will be key producer for MBC
Ade Dagundro: athletic rookie from University of Nebraska
Sascha Leutloff: hardworking forward has Bundesliga experience
Matt Stucki: rookie shooter from Idaho State
Michael Jost: young MBC player
