Ulm Beats Breitengussbach 107-86!
ratiopharm Ulm remained unbeaten improving to 7-0 after beating a hard-fighting TSV Breitengussbach team a 107-86 at Hans-Junge-Sportshalle Sunday evening in 2.Bundesliga South basketball action from Game Day 7. Ulm's Jonathan Levy stuffed the stat sheet with a tremendous tally of 26 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks to help his team to the road win. In a perimeter oriented game mostly due to zone defenses, Ulm shooters Christian Grosse (18 points 7 assists) and Jan Sprunken (15 points) came off the bench to spark their team with strong performances and center Maksym Shtein was also a key adding a solid 18 points on 6 for 7 shooting from the floor and the foul line. Trailing by 14 at the half, Breitengussbach stormed back to take a 73-70 lead late in the third before several big baskets from Levy and point guard Martin Thuesen turned the tide back to Ulm. A 29-13 fourth quarter sealed Ulm's seventh win of the season.
Ulm discusses their zone attack in a key 4th Quarter timeout.
Undermanned and coming off a difficult week of preparation, Breitengussbach started quickly with hot shooting and quality play. Specifically, Henrik Gese and Brian Boxler came out on fire. The 'Gussbach captain, Henrik Gese drilled contested jump shots from deep three point range, from deep in the corner and against defenders digging deep to stop him. Inspiring his team and influencing the younger players on the Breitengussbach roster, Gese demonstrated a terrific attitude for the team with nothing to lose. While Gese got hot from beyond the arc, big man Brian Boxler went to work in the middle as his ower moves in the paint, strong offensive boards and finishes leading to free throws added to the great 'Gussbach start. The dynamic duo carried the Breitengussbach team in the first half eventually combining for all but 7 points and a sizzling 13 for 20 from the floor.
The upset-minded Breitengussbach team jumped out to a fast lead and stayed just ahead of the favored visitors from Ulm for the majority of the first quarter. Up 24-17 behind the hot shooting of Gese and Boxler, Breitengussbach hit open shots against Ulm defense (both man and zone). Offensively, Maksym Shtein made plays inside and set up teammates with passing from the post. Jonathan Levy created several open court opportunities with clever defense finishing drives and runouts. Christian Grosse made an immediate impact on the action as he entered from the bench. Ulm battled back with confidence and composure. At the end of one, hometown Breitengussbach held a slim 26-23 lead.
Christian Grosse (7) holds his follow through in the far corner on this first half made three as Emeka Erege (10) is wrapped up by a boxout and Jeff Gibbs and Florian Mobius crash the boards.
An early referee whistle aided Ulm's run. Early in the second quarter, Ulm's Jeff Gibbs came up with a defensive loose ball in the right corner right in front of the 'Gussbach bench. Seeing a streaking Christian Grosse slip behind Breitengussbach defenders along the far right sideline diagonally across the court, the former football all-american did his best Michael Vick impersonation firing a frozen-rope just over the outstretched hands of reaching defender Johannes Betz. Grosse grabbed the pass in stride along the right lane line and continued in for a layup. But Betz, losing his balance on the landing, fell to the floor barely bumping the Ulm guard as he glided by. As Christian layed the ball in for a momentum building layup, Ulm's comeback got a big boost when the baseline official whistled an intentional foul on the falling Betz. Breitengussbach fans went crazy! Coach Pure Radomirovic argued incessantly and was hit with a technical foul. Christian, an excellent free throw shooter, stepped to the line and sank all three foul shots bringing Ulm right back into the game. With momentum, Ulm ran off a 22-4 run to finish the first half. Jeff Gibbs hammered home a thunder dunk and Jan Sprunken hit two threes to account for highlight plays in the second quarters action.
At the half, Ulm held a 60-46 lead. Overcoming a strong Breitengussbach start, Ulm turned the game around with transition baskets produced from strong defense. The inspired home team featured the excellent first half play from Gese and Boxler. Henrik Gese drilled 5 of 9 from the floor and 4 for 7 from three point land in the first twenty minutes to account for 16 points. Meanwhile, teammate Brian Boxler added 23 points on 8-11 from the floor and 7 for 8 from the foul line. The two combines for 13-20 floor shooting and 9-10 from the foul line. Amazingly the two man show accounted for 39 of Breitengussbach's 46 first half points! It didn't take brain surgeons to figure out the halftime adjustments that would be keys to victory. Ulm focused on stopping the two primary threats for Breitengussbach and aimed to effectively attack the Breitengussbach zone with post touches and dribble penetration.
Starting the second half, both teams went back and forth. Foul trouble mounted for the young 'Gussbach team and Coach Radomirovic was forced to use his thin bench. Both Henrik Gese and Johannes Betz picked up their fourth personal fouls early in second half action providing problems for the young team. However, several players stepped up. Point man Felix Ferner made nice plays in his hardnosed style --- for the game Ferner enjoyed a strong 13 point 6 assist night. The scrappy playmaker hustled on defense and hit an open three from the corner and drew fouls driving strong against Ulm defenders. Skilled youth star Sajmen Hauer also emerged during this phase with a sweeping coast to coast layup. Blonde bomber Alexej Bondar drilled an open J and aggressive drove the lane and crashed the boards. All along big men Boxler and Michael Schroeder were fortifying the paint with strong defense and rebounding. Slowly the Ulm lead dwindled. Looking to regroup the troops while maintaining a ten point lead 76-66, Ulm called for timeout with just over 3 minutes remaining in the third. The Breitengussbach surge would continue as the young players gained confidence. Open Ulm jumpshots rimmed out and rebounds seemed to bounce to Breitengussbach. The empty possessions raised pressure levels and the small enthusiastic crowd raised the energy for their home team. Soon, big baskets from Boxler and a sweeping hook in the lane from Sajmen Hauer evened the score at 70 late in the third. Unfortunately for Breitengussbach and the young talent, Sajmen stepped on a teammates foot landing after his mid-lane-hook-layup twisting his ankle. Not only disrupting the Breitengussbach run, Hauer would not return to the game. On the next 'Gussbach possession, Ferner worked off a ballscreen on the right wing. Ulm's Florian Mobius was caught extending in a hedge/help situation along the right sideline while Breitengussbach's Boxler slipped behind the arc toward the top of the key in a pick and pop play. Ferner found a passing lane and delivered the ball to Boxler who delivered his only three point make of his big night. The basket was a big one as it gave the home team a surprising 73-70 lead. Letting the team play through the emotions rather than spend a second timeout, Ulm head coach Mike Taylor encouraged the team to stay together, execute and lock down on D to finish the quarter strong. The move payed off as Jonathan Levy drilled two big three point baskets in a critical 8-0 run to help Ulm regain the lead. At the end of three, Ulm led 78-73.
Ulm C Maksym Shtein (15) at the foul line during the second half. Max scored 18pts and hit 6 for 7 from the floor and 6 for 7 from the line.
Although they gave valiant effort, the shorthanded Breitengussbach team ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. A 29-13 final ten minutes broke the game open. Ulm point guard Martin Thuesen hit two big three point baskets down the stretch and Jan Sprunken drilled a pull up off glass from the left wing before sneaking behind the Breitengussbach defense for a run-out layup off a free throw (the man to deliver the long bomb touchdown pass with QB accuracy? who else, Jeff Gibbs!). Jonathan Levy was everywhere in the second half and made big plays on both ends of the floor. He smushed two Henrik Gese shots back in the Breitengussbach captain's face before sending another soft fast break layup off the wall to punishingly prevent an easy basket. Levy elevated for rebounds, hit perimeter shots and zipped dimes through the opposing zone defense. By the time Chris Grosse raced the length of the floor in four seconds to hit a buzzer beating three from the top of the key, Ulm had effectively coasted to their seventh win of the season with a nice team win.
Although Levy was outstanding, the 107-86 victory was a team win. Ulm hit 49% of their shots and 19-25 (76%) from the foul line. Ulm outrebounded Breitengussbach 107-86 and the Ulmer team distributed 26 assists compared to only 14 turnovers. They combined for 15 steals and 8 blocked shots.
After the bus ride back to Ulm, Mike Taylor and the team prepare for a visit from pre-season league favorite erdgas Baskets Jena in the German Cup on Wednesday evening. All eyes will be on Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm midweek as these 2.Bundesliga South powers collide for the first time this season in the exciting winner-advance-loser-go home scenario. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com
GO ULM!
MIKE T
