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ULM TRAVELS TO FREIBURG SUNDAY
ratiopharm Ulm boards the team bus Sunday morning for a road trip to south west Germany bound for Sepp-Glasser Halle and a 4:30pm tipoff against USC Freiburg in the back end of a 2.Bundesliga South two game basketball weekend for both teams. USC Freiburg, coached by experienced veteran Dr Ivan Vojtko, enters the weekend with a 6-5 record including impressive home wins over Kaiserslautern and Heidelberg. Friday night, while Ulm hosts TV Lich, Freiburg travels to Oberfrankenhalle in Bayreuth for a challenging road meeting with BBC Bayreuth. This exciting mid-December basketball weekend is sure to impact the league race with big games both Friday and Sunday.
Ulm guard Jonathan Levy shows skills!
Sunday December 11th, 2005
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Veteran USC Freiburg head coach Dr Ivan Vojtko knows what it takes to win. In his successful coaching career, Vojtko has guided Oldenburg and Karlsruhe to 2nd League titles and promotion into the Bundesliga. The experienced Vojtko took over in Freiburg with much control over basketball operations and has maintained the solid Freiburg organization. Making many changes in the roster in his first season, Vojtko guided his new team to a 14-16 record. Freiburg was 12-9 but went 2-7 down the stretch. Freiburg's two meetings head to head last season resulted in two losses to ratiopharm Ulm 109-73 12-4-04 in Ulm and 83-66 in Freiburg Easter Sunday 3-13-05. Last season Maksym Shtien played very well against Freiburg scoring 15 points in Ulm before posting 21 points with 7 boards in Freiburg. Emeka Erege was also strong against Freiburg last year scoring 13 points at home and 17 on the road while grabbing 6 boards in both games. Finally Florian Mobius (11 points 7reb in Freiburg) and Christian Grosse (13 points 4 rebounds and 3-4 three point shooting at home) sparked Ulm at different times against Dr Vojtko's team. In both games Ulm pounded Freiburg in the second quarter outscoring them 25-12 in Ulm and 25-11 in Freiburg. Certainly, these individual players home to recreate their fine form against Freiburg Sunday afternoon.
Ulm's Jeff Gibbs runs the play!
But that is easier said than done. Basketball fans in Germany understand how challenging it can be to win in Freiburg. Ulm fans will remember two seasons ago when it took an exciting overtime before Ulm earned an 82-76 Saturday Jan 17th 2004. Add into the fact that both Kaiserslautern and Heidelberg have already lost in Sepp-Glasser Halle and all signs point to a hornets nest for ratiopharm Ulm in Freiburg. If history is any indicator, Sunday's game will be extremely competitive and physical.
As much as history can demonstrate trends, several new personalities have been added into the equation. For USC Freiburg, two new American players are patroling the paint this season. Athletic forward John A Thomas averages a double double of 19ppg and 12reb a night with attacking style of play. Physical insider David Gardner from Dartmouth intelligently pounds his opponents with hardworking defense and aggressive rebounding. New point guard Babes Douloudis is ballskilled, thrives in transition and loves to score off ballscreens. The talented playmaker has averaged 15.5ppg with 4.8ast while hitting 32% from three point range. Veterans Nils Menck (7.8ppg 4.3reb 29%three) and Jef Tomesch (5.1ppg 33%three) add experienced shooting threats from the perimeter and have both played well at times against Ulm over the past two seasons. Mixing in with these key veteran players, Dr Vojtko has added several talented young wings who can really shoot the ball. Slovakian wing Peter Holubek has averaged 8ppg and 2.9reb while hitting 27% of his threes. Holubek looks to score and is streaky. Swedish wing Bojan Atanasoski was also added in the preseason and has averaged 6.3ppg 2.3reb and hit 30% of his threes. These talented young wings have the ability to support the key veterans and provide extra weapons that lead to wins. Finally, role players Christoph Roquette and Konsta Karamatskos contribute off the bench. Roquette is a hardworking big man for Freiburg while Karamatskos brings some streetball style to his team.
Ulm guard Christian Grosse to the hoop!
Obvious new additions for ratiopharm Ulm in the matchup against USC Freiburg include Americans Jeff Gibbs and Jonathan Levy along with first year guards Martin Thuesen and Jan Sprunken. Gibbs should provide a matchup problem for Freiburg who will likely play Thomas, Gardner and Roquette against the powerful Ulm powerforward. Levy will also create a perimeter matchup problem for Freiburg who often rely on Jef Tomesch or their young wings Holubek and Atanasoski for minutes. Maybe the most troublesome spot for Freiburg will be the small forward spot where Ulm Captain Emeka Erege will likely meet Mils Menck or one of the young wings. In this game, interesting matchups will take place at the point and in the post as Maksym Shtein is likely to battle David Gardner on the block while Martin Thuesen and Babes Douloudis lock horns at the point. Ulm hope to hold an advantage on the bench as well with Christian Grosse, Jan Sprunken and Florian Mobius aim to outplay the Freiburg reserves Sunday afternoon.
Ulm forward Florian Mobius finishing strong!
The quick turnaround and short preparation time can be a factor, but momentum from Friday's results will also play a part in Sunday's Ulm road trip to Freiburg. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com
GO ULM!
MIKE T
Martin Thuesen Ulm PG has interesting matchup with Freiburg's Babes Douloudis
Jonathan Levy topscorer vs Bayreuth w 21/ Ulm fan club player of month in November
Emeka Erege Ulm captain can be difficult matchup for Freiburg defense
Jeff Gibbs powerforward looks to matchup with skilled John Thomas
Maksym Shtein center has matchup with physical David Gardner in post
Florian Mobius Ulm post sub minutes will be important to team on road
Jan Sprunken production can help Ulm win on road in Freiburg
Christian Grosse minutes will be key in back to back weekend
Antonis Sivorotka playing strong games for Neu Ulm and making progress for Ulm
Benni Gulde solid young guard practicing well/recovering from sickness this week
John A Thomas 19ppg 12reb/go to scorer/having nice season for Freiburg
David Gardner hardworking physical post/ banger/ rebounds hard/ 10ppg 6reb
Babes Douloudis skilled PG/pushes in transition/penetrator/ 14ppg 4.8ast
Nils Menck 3pt threat/smart player/ plays hard/rebounds/
Peter Holubek young Slovakian spot up 3pt shooter/ 8ppg 2.9reb
Christoph Roquette solid big man 6.8ppg 2.9reb/ worker/ defender/ rebounder
Bojan Atanasoski skilled young Swedish forward/6.3ppg 2.3reb/ excellent shooter
Jef Tomesch lefty/ veteran shooter/intelligent/5.1ppg 2.5reb 33% 3pt
Konsta Karamatskos perimeter sub/ ballskilled/ works on D
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