TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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RUBBER MATCH OR RIVALRY!
Rivalry --- repeated competitive contests between two teams. Rivalries in sports exist because regular teams play regular games on the regular. From these consistent meetings, familiarity forms. From this familiarity, relationships develop. From these relationships, intensity builds. From this repeated intensity, rivalry sparks.
Some sports rivalries are young while others are old; some contain pages of history while others need volumes --- no matter how a derby develops, special moments often emerge.
Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm, Germany, two rivals will meet head to head for the third time this season. ratiopharm Ulm hosts the Chemnitz 99ers for a 7pm tip that recent history suggests a could turn a spark into a to flame. Earlier this season, the Niners knocked favored ratiopharm Ulm out of the German Cup with a 96-93 October 10th upset at Richard Hartmann Halle in C-Town. Two months later, Ulm's revenge came in the form of a hardfought 83-75 road win December 10th evening the head to head season series at one game apiece. Saturday night's rubber match in Ulm will add the next chapter to an exciting, fast-growing 2.Bundesliga South basketball rivalry that has already produced memorable moments.
But as much as these games have been competitive, can the Ulm-Chemnitz games be called a rivalry or is Saturday nights game simply a rubber match?
Max Shtein scores at Chemnitz (www.basketball-ulm.de)
While homecourt is usually an advantage, rivalries often see visitors escape with upsets on the road. Last season in Ulm, Chemnitz did exactly that upsetting the heavily favored home team 94-87 in a Thursday night game that saw unfocused Ulm build a house from the foul line, shooting brick after brick totalling a dismal 7 for 21 from the charity stripe. Point guard Serge Charikov engineered the upset for the 99ers with an outstanding 21 point 8 assists evening. Since last season, in 2.Bundesliga South play, Ulm has ammassed an impressive 25-2 home record at Sportszentrum Kuhberg --- in that stretch, only last season's league champs SV03 Tubingen and the Chemnitz 99ers have captured two points in Ulm.
Aside from the exciting recent meetings, there are three more reasons to classify the matchup between these two teams as a rivalry. First, rank in the league plays a part. When the ball floats upward for tip-off, number 2 meets number 3 in current 2.Bundesliga South standings. 20-5 Ulm stands alone in second while 17-8 Chemnitz has worked their way up the table to a top three position.
Second, Coach-player relationships breach the barrier between the two teams as both sides look back to the 99er 2001-2002 Regionaliga Southeast Championship team. Ulm head coach Mike Taylor guided that team to a 22-4 record that included a league championship, Saxony Cup crown and earned the organization a ticket into the 2.Bundesliga South. Key players from that wonderful page in Chemnitz basketball history remain as captain Martin Schuster, guard Soren Schacht, forward Andreas Endig along with the same management continue to bring the Niners success. Without question the respect and familiarity between those involved adds intensity to the meetings.
Third, Ulm and Chemnitz are two of the better run organizations in the league. Chemnitz enjoys a winning sitaution with a beautiful new gym and outstanding fans. Ulm has excellent tradition, tremendous fans support and arguably the best organization in the 2.Liga South. On the floor or off it, these two top teams continue to wrestle and compete.
Finally, after the October German Cup game, two controversies emerged between the two teams. First, conflict arose as Ulm management challenged Chemnitz management over a ticket dispute from the October 10th game in Chemnitz. Along with the heated issue, dead-eye three point shooter Igor Pletnev (who starred in the 99er Cup upset win over Ulm), was forced to be released because of issues with the German basketball federation. The issue around Pletnev, now playing for Kaiserslautern, widened the rift between the two teams and increased intensity in the rivalry.
Since splitting the two early season games, both Chemnitz and Ulm have made several roster moves. Chemnitz has been through three American wings before recently settling on 6'7 Billy Hill a scorer who led Weiden to this seasons Regionalige South East title. After Chemnitz released American guard Ron Johnson, Hill has stepped in and played well. The 99ers did not bring back veteran scorer Kenric Brooks after Christmas.
Another addition has been versatile forward Andreas Worenz who joined the Niners from Tubingen. Like Hill, Worenz adds size and talent to the perimeter and has proven to be a quality pickup.
Key components of the Chemnitz attack include athletic wing Jaivon Harris who has scored a team best 17.5ppg on 47% 3pt shooting for the season. The inside combination of big men Lars Buss and Avi Kazarnovsky fortify the 99ers with one of the best high low combinations in the league. Buss, a powerful inside scorer, averages 16.6ppg with 6.8rpg while Kazarnovsky, a long center with soft shooting touch, brings 12.7ppg and 5.4rpg. Point guard Serge Charikov has been slowed by injuries this season but remaings one of the top playmakers in the league when healthy. Back up big man Christian Klink has demonstrated excellent 3 point touch and shown the ability to score and rebound inside in giving the Niners good minutes this year. Captain Martin Schuster adds a team first attitude to the floor and provides good leadership to the team. Soren Schacht, another C-town trademark, scored a clutch basket in the Chemnitz Cup win over Ulm and remains ready to help his team with perimeter depth. In an interesting fact, the Chemnitz lineup featuers four left handed players including Harris, Buss, Kazarnovsky and Klink. The left-handers make preparing for the Niners a little different.
from www.chemnitz99.de
Jaivon Harris Lars Buss Sergei Charikov
Preparing for another quality opponent, ratiopharm Ulm has beaten Jena and Nurnberg in their last two games at Kuhberg. Coming off their Easter Sunday 83-66 win in Freiburg, Ulm has found a nice rhythm and focuses on finishing the season strong. Center Maksym Shtein, Ulm's leading scorer for the last 6 games, has elevated his game during contract negotiations. Emeka Erege, Ulm's outstanding small forward, has also been hot lately playing well for the last month. Forwards Florian Mobius and Fannar Olafsson could become key matchups if the 99ers choose to play a big lineup --- both were very productive against Freiburg and Jena. Perhaps the most consistent Ulm player all season has been Christian Grosse who continues to impress playing his guard role with intensity. Shooting guards Peter Heizer and Kenny Price have complemented one another well although they have competed for the same starting spot. Finally, point guard Shaheen Holloway continues to work his way back into shape after struggling through illness and injuries which forced him to miss practice time and lose condition. Working hard this week in practice, Sha hopes to find his "game legs" Satuday against the 99ers.
Saturday night's 2.Bundesliga South matchup between Chemnitz and Ulm shows all the signs --- the history, the familiarity, the intensity. Rivalry or rubber match, at 7pm another chapter will be added to the Ulm-Chemnitz competition. And maybe this time that spark will light a fire! Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com !
GO ULM!
MIKE T
6 SHAHEEN HOLLOWAY looks for game legs/ 7ast 6reb in Freiburg
8 KENNY PRICE shooting guard sparked run to finish off Freiburg
10 EMEKA EREGE playing with excellent intensity and pride
14 FLORIAN MOBIUS stepping game up and playing consistently
15 MAKSYM SHTEIN has led Ulm scoring 6 straight games
5 FANNAR OLAFSSON excellent min. in Freiburg/good ballscreens
11 PETER HEIZER staring 2guard has made difference
7 CHRISTIAN GROSSE excellent season continues with hardwork
13 TOBI WAITZINGER hardworker helping team daily
18 BENNI GULDE playing well for Neu Ulm/working hard for Ulm
9 ANTOINE SINCLAIR successful rehab... 'toine on long road back
12 MICHAEL NIEBLING loaned to Ehingen, C playing well
5 SERGE CHARIKOV quality point is healthy 9.5ppg 3.4ast 26%3pt
7 JAIVON HARRIS scoring wing/17ppg 5r 47%3pt in great season
18 ANDREAS WORENZ talented wing from Tubingen 6ppg 2r 90%ft
11 LARS BUSS strong post scorer and rebounder 16.6ppg 6.8reb
15 AVI KAZARNOVSKY lanky C with skill 12.7ppg 5.4reb
9 BILLY HILL led Weiden to 3rd div title/ shooting wing 5.3ppg 3.3r
14 CHRISTIAN KLINK biglefty post player w/ J 9.5ppg 4.7r 30%3pt
10 MARTIN SCHUSTER team leader/captain/ 3.9ppg 2r
4 SOREN SCHACHT perimeter sub/ C-town guy
