TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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ULM UPSETS DRAGONS!
ratiopharm Ulm put it all together Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg. Things fell into place. Powered by a complete team performance and a 21-12 3rd quarter, ratiopharm Ulm broke open a close game and upset 5th place Artland Dragons 97-78 in the teams best performance of the season to date. Earning their second straight win, ratiopharm Ulm improved to 7-9 behind a strong inside game led by BBL All Star Jeff Gibbs' 19 point 12 rebound double-double and a balance perimeter attack spearheaded by guard Jonathan Levy's 17 point night. An inspired defensive effort, ten player contribution and electric Sportszentrum Kuhberg crowd keyed the victory.
Ulm Captain Emeka Erege was outstanding defensively against Bundesliga's leading scorer Adam Hess (with ball). Erege's inspiring effort ignited the team.
click here for Box Score Ulm vs Artland
click here for photo gallery from Ulm vs Artland
Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg, ratiopharm Ulm finally clicked. The team's defensive intensity registered stops against a top team. Those stops triggered the transition game. Offensively, several players stepped up to hit clutch perimeter shots. And maybe most important of all, the undersized ratiopharm Ulm big men out-produced their opponents. Artland, hit with injuries all season, was stung once again as key floor leader Filberto Rivera was inactive for the game suffering from an illness. Without Rivera, the key to the Dragons big win last week in Koln, Artland was left with three healthy guards: comboguard Bryan Bailey, veteran shooter Jan Rohdewald and young talent Henrik Feist. Ulm planned to rotate defenders and pressure these three players full court hoping to wear them down physically in the second half. The plan worked. Building momentum through the first half, the pot boiled over with a 10-0 mid-third quarter run that broke the game open. A frustrated Dragons team was hit with three technical fouls in the fourth quarter helping Ulm stretch their lead to 25 points before settling at 97-78. The unexpected exceptional team performance sent Ulm fans home overjoyed with excitement. It was a great night for ratiopharm Ulm.
Jeff Gibbs battled Malik Badiane and tough Artland post defense. In an impressive performance, Gibbs powered his way to 19 points 12 boards and the win.
Good news set the tone for the evening even before tipoff as Ulm GM Thomas Stoll stood at the center jump circle of Sportszentrum Kuhberg. Stoll called Ulm Head Coach Mike Taylor to the middle and surprised the packed Kuhberg crowd with an announcement of Taylor's 2 year contract extension which will keep him at the Ulm helm through 2008. Fans responded with a Sportszentrum Kuhberg wave. Ulm players must have caught on because they started the game with a wave of momentum. Ulm captain Emeka Erege stuck a pull up J and scored on a transition layup giving Ulm a fast 4-0 lead. Extending their early advantage to 12-7 over the first 5 minutes of action, Ulm dictated tempo and attacked with good inside-outside balance. Jonathan Levy was outstanding in the first quarter hitting pullup jumpers from all over the floor and collecting steals on the other end. As the bench entered the game, player made their mark immediately. No Ulm player was more effective in the first quarter than C Bryan Lucas who stepped onto the court to provide a quick six points sparking Ulm to a 28-17 lead. Lucas finished a fast break and relentlessly offensive rebounded earning an old-fashioned three point play that brought the Kuhberg crowd into the game. The experienced Artland team responded with buckets that trimmed Ulm's lead to 28-21 at the end of one.
Ian Young was a integral part of Ulm's 3rd quarter game breaking run drilling two momentum building threes!
If one were scoring the first two quarters like a boxing match judge, quarter one was a clear win for Ulm. However, tables turned in quarter two. Transition baskets and three pointers from Adam Hess and Henrik Feist immediately brought Artland back into the game. An Ulm offensive dry spell saw them go scoreless for a five minute second quarter stretch. Tough, physical Artland D complete with pressure and help stifled the early Ulm momentum. Artland evened the score at 28-28. Ian Young free throws helped stabalize Ulm and leading 34-33 a Konrad Wysocki three pointer boosted the home team once again. After the exciting two quarters both teams headed into the half in a one point game with Ulm leading 44-43.
Athletic Brilliance above the rim: Ulm's Jonathan Levy and Artland's Tommy Lee Smith challenge and compete.
At the half Ulm refocused their offensive attack and adjusted for the excellent Artland defensive pressure. Their game plan of wearing down the shorthanded Dragon backcourt and being physical with the Artland post players needed a team effort. Reviewing certain key points, the Ulm team returned to the floor ready to make a run.
Konrad Wysocki gives Adam Hess his patented "Stu-Stu-Stutter step". Wysocki scored 8 points with 4 boards and 3 assists in another strong performane off the Ulm bench!
Ulm edged ahead early in the third, but it was Ian Young's performance that helped break the game open. Young buried two key three pointers in the midst of a 10-0 ratiopharm Ulm run that extended the hosts advantage to 62-49 after three. Ulm's team effort became critical to success as C's Maksym Shtein and Bryan Lucas both fouled out early in the 4th quarter. Florian Mobius stepped up and delivered. As Ulm's tough defense continued, a bit of frustration began to set in. The Dragons began to breathe fire. After Jonathan Levy made a fantastic shot block on Adam Hess and officials let a physical defensive play go the next trip, with 8 minutes remaining in the game Hess was hit with a technical foul for his outburst at the officials. Minutes later after another physical confrontation in the lane following Chad Prewitt's 3rd foul, officials gave the big red-headed Artland C a technical. Finally, when Prewitt was whistled for his fifth foul moments later, Dragons Head Coach Chris Fleming had seen enough and gave officials his two cents. Officials repaid him with a T. The three technical fouls helped Ulm extend the lead to 25 points at 95-69 at its largest point. As the clock wound down Ulm kept the attack on. Jonathan Levy poked loose a steal and attacked the rim eyeing up a breakaway slam. Hustling back on D to challenge Levy, Artland F Tommy Lee Smith ran at the Ulm G who smoothly slipped a drop pass to trailing Jeff Gibbs. To Lee's credit he challenged Gibbs well, but the Ulm power forward hammered home a sweeping right hand thunderdunk over the springy Dragon forward that nearly brought the house down. Minutes later, Ulm's Christian Grosse sliced down the Dragons lane drawing defense to him. With crafty court awareness, Christian slipped a pass to cutting Jonathan Levy who put the finishing touches on the evening with a two hand tomowhawk. At the final horn, Ulm players and fans could celebrate the teams best performance in the Bundesliga which earned them their 7th win.
Ulm's Bryan Lucas demonstrates textbook shooting form from three. Lucas scored 16 points on 5 of 6 shooting in the win over Artland.
Ulm play in the paint keyed the win as Jeff Gibbs, Maksym Shtein, Bryan Lucas and Florian Mobius combined for 46 points and 21 rebounds compared with 38 points 16 boards for the Dragons Darius Hall, Chad Prewitt, Malik Badiane and Tommy Lee Smith. Gibbs paced the Ulm attack with a terrific 19 point 12 rebound double double. Jonathan Levy chipped in 17 points and 6 steals. Bryan Lucas was strong with 16 points on 5 of 6 shooting and Ian Young sparked Ulm with 13 points including 3 of 5 from three. Young drilled big shots when Artland switched to the zone and played strong defense to help in the win. Emeka Erege's 9 points were important, but more meaningful to his team was the excellent defensive effort on Artland scoring wing Adam Hess. Off the bench Ulm received excellent production from Konrad Wysocki (8 points 4 boards 3 assists), F Florian Mobius and G Christian Grosse.
As a team, ratiopharm Ulm made 34 of 65 shots (52%), 6 of 17 from three (.35%) from three and 23 for 33 (69%) from the foul line. Ulm outrebounded Artland 35-26 and both teams suffered 20 turnovers. Artland shot 45% from the floor (28-62) and the Bundesliga's best three point shooting team hit only 3 of 12 from beyond the arc.
Like the IceMan, Christian Grosse says:
"One Thing I can do...is FINGER ROLL!"
Saturday's team effort was excellent for the young Ulm team making their way through the challenges of the Bundesliga for the first time. Improved defenisve intensity and offensive teamwork have been the two most important aspects helping the team get back on track and back to back wins. Even with the two quality wins over Trier and Artland, Ulm remains focused for "consistency" for the team and as individual players.
FIRED UP about a 2 year extension in Ulm!
With back to back wins over Trier and Artland, ratiopharm Ulm now sets their sights on traditional rival Walter Tigers Tubingen. Ulm visits Tubingen Sunday January 14th at Tubingen Arena for a 5pm tip.
ratiopharm Ulm players celebrate their 97-78 win over Artland with Kuhberg fans!
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GO ULM!
MIKE T
