TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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HOLIDAY HOOPS:
ULM VISITS FREIBURG EASTER SUNDAY !
Easter Sunday, a most Holy Holiday, has much family time to offer people all over the world. Family and friends will gather together in the USA and Europe to celebrate the Sacred meaning of Easter. While basketball fans in the USA will enjoy an NBA double header or NCAA Tournament games packed full of end to end action, fans in Germany are preparing for some Holiday Hoops of their own.
Sunday evening, ratiopharm Ulm travels to USC Freiburg for an entertaining matchup of 2.Bundesliga South basketball teams.
Coached by Dr Ivan Vojtko, who successfully guided both Oldenburg and Karlsruhe from the 2nd League to the 1st in his career, Freiburg plays an uptempo transition oriented style that makes a high scoring team. Vojtko is very hard on his players making them always under seige.
Christian Grosse (7) defends Freiburg's Darnell Hinson in December
Freiburg, a team that excells in transition, bases their attack around three outstanding scorers. American imports Darnell Hinson (20.3ppg 39% 3pt) and Jordan Harris (20.1ppg 8rpg 41%3pt) are the creators while Czech center Tomas Hruby (14ppg 10rpg) provides the inside scoring option. All three players have the ability to carry the team or go for big numbers on any given night. Vojtko's uptempo system goes as far as these three skilled scorers will take them. Although Freiburg relies heavily on their "Triple H" attack, they boast several other important weapons. Most threatening to any defense, smooth left handed shooter Jef Tomsech averages 9.5ppg and shoots 41% from three point land. A smart player, Tomsech can stick the perimeter shot but is also very clever moving without the basketball. Athletic wing Carl Mbassa must also get special recognition. A tremendous defender, Mbassa also slashes to the basket with strength and adds excellent rebounding from the perimeter. Mbassa plays very hard and with determination and desire. Big men Christoph Roquette and Markus Ortelt add strength in the paint with decent production. Finally, Nils Menck brings another perimeter shooting threat to the floor.
At 12-12, Freiburg has proven to be very strong at home. In fact, it took Ulm and overtime to earn a win in Freiburg last season. The two teams met in Ulm December 4th with Ulm overwhelming Freiburg 109-73.
Studying Ulm's strong 19-5 regular season 2.Bundesliga South record, one immediately sees their strength at home where the team has posted a 12-0 record. As strong as the team has been in Sportszentrum Kuhberg, the Ulm squad has been inconsistent on the road heading to Freiburg with a 7-5 mark. The team has recorded strong wins at Heidelberg, Chemnitz and Lich. They have also lost to local rival Ehingen. A result of injuries, transactions and team issues, Ulm's inconsistency on the road has been addressed an everyone involved continues to work daily to improve. Certainly experience is the best teacher and ratiopharm Ulm has learned much this season.
Florian Mobius (14) tips in a rebound against Freiburg in December
Ulm comes off an impressive 88-82 home court win over Jena Saturday night. Sparked by excellent intensity, Ulm changed defenses throughout the game dictating and controlling tempo for the majority of the action. Center Maksym Shtein top scored for the 5th straight game for Ulm and Peter Heizer marked his return to the starting lineup with an inspired 19 point performance in the win. Small forward Emeka Erege excelled again scoring a solid 18pt with team best 7 rebounds. Point guard Shaheen Holloway, working back into shape after a battle with sickness, played a strong 31 minutes scoring 8pts 5boards 7assists.
Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com !
HAPPY EASTER!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
6 SHAHEEN HOLLOWAY showing signs of good form/solid v Jena
8 KENNY PRICE shooting guard working way back to top form
10 EMEKA EREGE outstanding game (18pt7reb) against Jena
14 FLORIAN MOBIUS maintaining aggressiveness/ production
15 MAKSYM SHTEIN has led Ulm scoring 5 straight games
5 FANNAR OLAFSSON excellent minutes v Jena/ physical + scored
11 PETER HEIZER sparked Ulm defensive intenisty with start
7 CHRISTIAN GROSSE versatile backcourt guy key v Freiburg
13 TOBI WAITZINGER hardworker helping team daily
18 BENNI GULDE playing well for Neu Ulm/working hard for Ulm
9 ANTOINE SINCLAIR will have knee surgery Thursday 3-10-05
12 MICHAEL NIEBLING injured C loaned to Ehingen for rest of year
5 DARNELL HINSON skilled scoring point 20ppg 4apg 39%3pt
6 JORDAN HARRIS big scoring wing 20ppg 8rpg 41%3pt
14 TOMAS HRUBY skilled big man 14ppg 10r/ double double man
10 JEF TOMESCH lefty three point shooter 9.5ppg 41%3pt
13 CARL MBASSA aggressive defender and rebounder 9.4ppg 5.3r
11 LARS MENCK good shooting forward 4.5ppg 26%3pt
12 MARKUS ORTELT big body in post 6.7ppg 2.6r
8 CHRISTOPH ROQUETTE post man 5.1ppg 3.1rpg
MAX WENDT sub
