TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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BAMBERG COMESBACK IN ULM!
Prior to tip off at Sportszentrum Kuhberg, brose Baskets Bamberg were the only Bundesliga team ratiopharm Ulm had not beaten since returning to the Bundesliga last season. Despite a terrific team effort, Ulm's shorthanded squad came up just short of an upset as Robert Garrett and Darren Fenn pushed the reigning German Champs past ratiopharm Ulm 79-69 Sunday afternoon in Ulm. Leading 50-45 after three quarters, Ulm lost lone point guard Dru Joyce to a 5th foul with over 7 minutes to play and the battle-tested Bamberg team capitalized. Although Ulm's effort was strong, shooting percentages of 40% from the floor and 50% from the foul line were simply not enough to knock off a top team such as Bamberg.
ratiopharm Ulm's Dru Joyce attacks the Bamberg defense as Mithat Demirel defends. Dru scored 12 points with 6 assists before fouling out early in the fourth quarter.
Click here for Ulm v Bamberg Photo Gallery!
With the Bundesliga season stretch run in full swing, ratiopharm Ulm's playoff hopes took major hits in recent games will home losses to Eisbaren Bremerhaven and Ewe Baskets Oldenburg. Friday nights 101-91 road loss in Paderborn dropped Ulm to 14-17 entering Sundays action while Bremerhaven moved closer and closer to sealing the 8th and final playoff spot. Meanwhile, Bamberg focused for home court advantage in the first round of the Bundesliga playoffs. Preparing themselves to defend their title from last season, Bamberg was focused for a strong performance in Ulm and could count on their extra day of rest after playing Thursday night at home against Koln while Ulm traveled to Paderborn on Friday. Both teams dealt with injuries as Ulm would be without captain Emeka Erege and post man Bryan Lucas while Bamberg was missing starting three man Predrag Suput and athletic guard Demonde Greene. After the exciting early March meeting between the two teams in Bamberg, basketball fans filled Sportszentrum Kuhberg for the rematch anticipating a second entertaining game.
Playing strong in the lane, Ulm's Jeff Gibbs was in top form leading the offensive attack with 18 points 6 rebounds on 8 for 11 shooting.
At tipoff, fans filled a sold out Sportszentrum Kuhberg on a beautiful sunny German Sunday. Bringing injured All Star Konrad Wysocki off the bench, Ulm's Romeo Travis was in the starting five for the second straight game. Bamberg opened with a 3-0 lead and demonstrated their discipline. Ulm recognized Bamberg's defensive matchup of athletic wing Dwayne Mitchell on Jeff Gibbs and went inside to their All Star Power forward on the block. Trailing through the opening part of the first quarter, a Dru Joyce left wing three off post reaction from Gibbs gave Ulm their first lead 14-12 at 3:53 leading to a Bamberg timeout. Out of the timeout, Steffen Hamann banked in a shot clock beating three to regain the lead for the guests. Ulm's only point guard Dru Joyce was called for his second foul late in the first forcing the Ulm bench into tough decisions. Ulm's bench became a factor as Florian Mobius brought excellent energy and effort from the bench. Later it was Robert Garrett extending the Bamberg advantage to 19-17 before Ulm pg Dru Joyce was fouled driving the lane with 3 seconds left in the first quarter. After Joyce evened the score with two free throws, Ulm subbed him out with his two fouls. Ulm and Bamberg ended the first quarter even at 19.
Ulm forward Romeo Travis slashes into the lane as Bamberg's Darren Fenn defends and Mithat Demirel looks on. Romeo scored 8 points in Sundays game.
Quarter two saw Ulm edge ahead. Ulm opened the second quarter with EJ Gallup running the team as Dru Joyce rested on the bench with 2 first quarter fouls. Romeo Travis started the second quarter scoring with a bucket before Konrad Wysocki buried a three giving Ulm a 5 point 24-19 lead. Bamberg's Head Coach Dirk Bauermann called the teams second timeout. Robert Garrett buried a three cutting the margin to 24-22 but Ulm responded rebuilding the lead to 29-22. A technical foul was assessed to the Bamberg bench giving Ulm the chance to re-establish their advantage. But Garrett buried sank back to back threes and helped Bamberg weather the storm. Dru Joyce found Sean Finn running behind the Bamberg defense in transition and floated a perfect lob pass over retreating defenders which Finn skillfully caught and dunked with two hands. Bamberg switched between 2-3 and 3-2 zone defenses forcing Ulm to adjust. Bamberg's athletic wing Dwayne Mitchell picked up 4 first half fouls and former NBA big man Jared Reiner was whistled for 3 fouls impacting Dirk Bauermann's rotation. Although they had open looks, Ulm missed several opportunities to add on their lead. Bamberg big man Chris Ensminger banked in a bucket over Jeff Gibbs and Ulm went into halftime leading 36-34.
Ulm center Sean Finn hammers home a second half dunk against Bamberg in Sundays game at Sportszentrum Kuhberg. Finn finished with 14 points and a team best 9 rebounds.
At the half, Ulm had shot 41% from the floor including 3 of 11 from three. Ulm did out rebound Bamberg 16-11 but Bamberg's 54% from the floor and 4 of 9 from three made the difference. Ulm's Dru Joyce led scoring with 10 first half points with Jeff Gibbs adding 7. Robert Garrett led Bamberg with 11 first half points on 3 of 4 from three. Ulm had plenty of good looks and an upset of Bamberg required big plays. Making halftime adjustments and rallying the team, Ulm returned to the floor excited for the second half.
Ulm 'Energizer' Konrad Wysocki splits between Bamberg defenders Robert Garrett and Ademola Okulaja as Sebastian Betz looks on. Hobbled by a knee injury, Konrad gave Ulm excellent effort and played in #8 because his regular #10 jersey was missing.
As Ulm opened third quarter action, Sean Finn and Jeff Gibbs worked hard inside. Gibbs got the first bucket of the second half extending Ulm's lead to 38-34. But closing out Steffen Hamann at the top of the key, Ulm's Gibbs fouled the fiesty Bamberg point guard giving him three free throws. Cooly, Hamann sank three straight to trim the deficit to 38-37 Ulm. After a stop, Bamberg regained the lead on a Chris Ensminger hook in the lane. Ulm's EJ Gallup drew a foul and made both free throws to take the lead back 39-38 for Ulm. From there, Ulm expanded their advantage to 46-41 before a Bamberg timeout. Out of the timeout, EJ Gallup scored on a midlane runner setting the score at 48-41. Over the next possessions, Ulm had several chances to break the game open. Each shot came up empty. Meanwhile, the score was stuck on 48-41. Dwayne Mitchell scored to pull Bamberg to within 5, 48-43 but Ulm's Romeo Travis countered giving Ulm a 50-43 lead. Dwanye Mitchell scored again and at the end of three, Ulm was up 50-45.
Ulm's Sebastian Betz scans the floor against Bamberg's Dwayne Mitchell. Playing against his former team, Basti gave Ulm good effort from the bench.
In a terrific position heading into the fourth, Ulm looked to maintain their attack and keep up their defensive effort. Unfortunately, things would change quickly for upset-minded Ulm. Mithat Demirel drilled a three cutting the cushion to 50-48 before another Romeo Travis basket gave Ulm a 52-48 lead. Darren Fenn and Jeff Gibbs exchanged three pointers and the game advanced to 55-51. Fenn answered again with another key three bringing Bamberg back within one 55-54. Jeff Gibbs finished strong inside giving Ulm a 57-54 lead. Unfortunately, on the next possession, Ulm's point guard Dru Joyce picked up his fifth foul forcing him off the floor with 6:19 to play. Shuffling their lineup, Ulm turned to both EJ Gallup and Jeff Gibbs to run the point assuming primary ballhandling duties. Steffen Hamann scored cutting Ulm's lead to 1 at 57-56. On the other end, Sean Finn hammered home two points on a two hand slam giving Ulm a 59-56 lead. After drawing a foul, Hamann drew Bamberg closer with two free throws setting the scoreboard at 59-58. With a full five minutes to play, both teams wrestled for control of the game. It was Darren Fenn's clutch three pointer that gave Bamberg back the lead at 61-59. Ulm came up empty on offense and when Fenn hit again, stretching the Bamberg lead to 64-59, Ulm called timeout with 4 minutes to play. A Jeff Gibbs three point play cut the deficit to 64-62, but Robert Garrett's big three gave Bamberg a 67-62 lead. Ulm's attack lost rhythm without a true point guard and Bamberg caplitalized. After two missed free throws from Ademola Okulaja, Darren Fenn grabbed the offensive rebound off the foul line and Robert Garrett curled hard for a big bucket and Bamberg led 69-62. In the closing possessions, Jeff Gibbs scored inside but Steffen Hamann answered with a strong drive to the basket and Bamberg led 71-64. Robert Garrett scored on a runout breakaway dunk and Ulm called their last timeout trailing 73-64 with just over a minute to play. Bamberg kept cool in Ulm's fouling game as Mithat Demirel and Robert Garrett nailed free throws from the line while Konrad Wysocki and Jeff Gibbs finished out scoring for Ulm. Bamberg's 34-19 4th quarter made the difference in the game and Ulm's strong effort came up short.
Lively mid-game discussion between friends.
Jeff Gibbs led the Ulm attack with an 18 point 6 rebound performance while Sean Finn added 14 points 9 boards. Dru Joyce chipped in 12 points 6 assists before fouling out. Ulm shot 40% from the floor and made only 4 of 22 from three (18%). From the foul line Ulm converted only 11 of 22 shots (50%). Although Ulm did outrebound Bamberg 39-26, Ulm suffered 19 turnovers in the loss. Bamberg made 55% from the floor and hit 10 of 20 threes (50%). Bamberg also made 17 of 30 (56%) from the foul line in the win. Robert Garrett topscored for Bamberg with a game best 20 points on 4 of 6 three point shooting while Darren Fenn also drilled four threes on his way to 12. Steffen Hamann was also sharp scoring 17 points including 8 of 9 from the foul line.
With a sold-out Sportszentrum Kuhberg behind ratiopharm Ulm, Sunday afternoon was a terrific day of basketball for all to enjoy.
Ulm's inspired effort put them in a position to win after three quarters. But like other occassions this season, Ulm's fell victim to an opponents fourth quarter finish as brose Baskets Bamberg demonstrated their experience in Sundays comeback win at Sportszentrum Kuhberg. As ratiopharm Ulm returns to action, Wednesday night when the team travles to Tubingen Arena to meet rival WALTER Tigers Tubingen for a mid-week tipoff to the next chapter of the fantastic Baden-Wurtemburg Rivalry. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga Basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
