TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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ULM READY TO MIX IT UP IN MUNICH
Scanning the sports pages of German newspapers, one immediately notices FC Bayern Munich at home atop the German Bundesliga Soccer standings currently tied with Schalke. One of the worlds most powerful organizations, Bayern Munich can be likened to American sports franchises like the New York Yankees or Dallas Cowboys --- traditional name teams with the most money that always win. Competing in the European Champions league, soccer's elite level, the Bayern Munich club pays big bucks for big stars that help them win big time. Providing much pride in Munich, the city seems to draw some identity from their soccer success.
Lost in the shuffle is the excellent basketball in Munich. Years before Bayern Munich became a dominant force in global football, the Bayern Munich basketball team excelled in the German Bundesliga. As the soccer team began its ascent to the highest levels of the game, more committment was necessary. Funds and resources were pumped into football. Basketball fell behind. What remained was a solid nest of low level 3rd division club teams playing the "second" game in the city --- basketball.
Ulm's Christian Grosse continues excellent play
In recent seasons, Bayern Munich had become a dominant factor in the German regionaliga South east. Money pumped in to the team gave them a great advantage over their smaller competitors from Dachau, Freising, Rosenheim or other tiny towns on the ring of Munich. Establishing a reputation as a winner, Bayern Munich soccer officials were pleased with the basketball team which positively reinforced their name in another venue. Pleased with the performance of their sibling basketball team, Bayern Munich decision-makers were happy to have a winning 3rd division team which required limited resources from the soccer budget. Finally, the teams success boiled over the 3rd division level as Andreas Wagner engineered a championship season when the team won the Regionaliga South East to earn promotion last year. A great thing for the organization, Bayern Munich moving up into the 2.Bundesliga South was also viewed as a terriffic addition to the league. Again, realistic with resources and committed to championship level soccer, Bayern Munich chose to play the season without any import players fielding an all German roster.
Expected to be very competitive, Bayern Munich were upset at home in the seasons opening week by Kaiserslautern. Injury kept quality point guard Mario Probst out of action and the team started slow out of the blocks at 0-7. A strong defensive team with solid experience, Bayern Munich seemed a bit snake-bit. Over Christmas break, sitting on a record of 2-11 --- in danger of relegation back into the regioanliga --- Bayern Munich made a coaching change shifting Andreas Wagner to youth development and bringing in coaching veteran Takis Genikomsidis.
Emphasizing continued strong defensive play and teamwork, Takis has instilled confidence into his new team guiding them to a 3-3 mark including a 2 game win streak entering Sunday's matchup with Ulm. A big reason for the improvement has been the addition of skilled playmaking point Sebastian Kling from Bundesliga team Ludwigsburg. Kling, an active 20 year old with excellent ballskills and penetrating ability, has averaged a team best 16ppg with 4.8reb and 4.8ast in his 5 games with Munich. Although Kling has made a difference, the backbone of the team continues to be the post combination of Henning Gutt and Jochen Losch, both signed from Jena in the offseason. Losch, a skilled inside scorer and physical defender, works very hard and scores 13.7ppg with a team best 6.3reb a game. Gutt, another hardworking and physical post man, averages 13.2ppg and 5.3rpg. Both play a tenacious defensive game and are not afraid to mix it up inside. Ahtletic Jay Thomas, a defensive stopper that excells in transition, scores best off slashing drives, post ups and offensive rebounding to contibute 11.7ppg and 4.1reb a night. Lefty Tom Klemm and righty Jan Stephan provide excellent three point shooting from their wing spots. Both love to shoot three's and have deep range on their J. Bench players Christian Hoffmann, a solid young combo guard that defends all over the floor, and Stephan Fischer , a third hardworking post man who has played well over the last three weeks, give Munich solid depth that helps their D. Finally, shooting guard Mario Knezevic, a perimeter threat that put up big numbers in the 3rd division, remains an option to spark the team with three balls. Excellent point guard Mario Probst has been hobbled all season with a knee injury that has limited him to 9 games. Whistled for the most personal fouls this season (471), the Bayern Munich team plays aggressive physical defense which means Ulm players must be ready for a basketball battle.
Action from Ulm's 104-60 win over Bayern Munich 10-30-04
Aside from an aggressive opponent, Ulm also looks to reverse the recent road trend that has seen them drop two straight road games (at Ehingen and at Kaiserslautern). Although the team is 10-0 at home, Ulm enters Sundays game at Bayern Munich at 5-4 on the road.
After surviving last weekends injuries and roster moves which limited the team to 9 active players, Ulm welcomes back recently signed point guard Shaheen Holloway who sat out last Saturdays 95-51 victory over MTV Kronberg with an inflamed achilles. The former Seton Hall star practiced at full strength this week and is expected to be in the starting lineup Sunday afternoon in Munich. Although Holloway will be back, Ulm remains without 7' center Michael Niebling (making progress with a severly injured ankle) and Antoine Sinclair (out for the season with a knee injury). Newcomer Fannar Olafsson impressed in his Ulm home debut playing a physical game to score 12 points with 9 boards on the evening. Ulm guard Christian Grosse also capitalized on his playing time, scoring a game best 22 points with 6 rebounds and 5 assists in a personal season high 36 minutes of action. Forward Florian Mobius was a perfect 5-5 from the field as well.
The first of two consecutive road games for Mike T and his men, Ulm is focused for their physical confrontation against a Bayern Munich team that has gained confidence over the last two weeks. Beating MTV Kronberg 87-72 on Feb 6th, Munich won on the road upsetting Nordlingen 72-21 behind 20 points and 9 assists from Sebastian Kling. Surely the 2 game win streak will have Bayern Munich confident and ready to play Sunday. This group of Bayern Munich athletes are out to prove their club plays more than soccer.
Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com !
GO ULM!
MIKE T
6 SHAHEEN HOLLOWAY ready to return to action/ Ulm's leader
8 KENNY PRICE found rhythm in 2nd half v Kronberg/ heating up?
10 EMEKA EREGE history of good games v Munich
14 FLORIAN MOBIUS quality v Kronberg/ must be tough Sunday
15 MAKSYM SHTEIN excellent matcup with munich inside players
5 FANNAR OLAFSSON great addition brings physical play + energy
11 PETER HEIZER buzzer beater sparked Ulm to big 4th Q
7 CHRISTIAN GROSSE great game shows his progress/
13 TOBI WAITZINGER hardworker helping team daily
18 BENNI GULDE youth prospect
9 ANTOINE SINCLAIR will miss season with knee injury
12 MICHAEL NIEBLING out with severe ankle sprain/return TBA
9 SEBASTIAN KLING young pt from Ludwigsburg/excellent addition
14 HENNING GUTT physical inside player/worker/13ppg5rpg
15 JOCHEN LOSCH big man/banger/nice touch/13ppg6rpg
10 JAY THOMAS athletic wing/strong D/posts/runs/11ppg 4rpg
13 TOM KLEMM 3pt threat/ lefty/ 8.2ppg 3.2rpg 32% from three
7 JAN STEPHAN deep 3pt range/ runs floor/42% from three/7ppg
8 CHRISTIAN HOFFMANN guard sub/ young/ works on D
6 STEPHAN FISCHER post sub/ playing well of late/ 8ppg off bench
5 MARIO KNEZEVIC scorer/3pt threat/ 9ppg
4 MARIO PROBST top point injured knee limited him to 9 games
