TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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ROMEO TAKES OVER!
TEAM DEFENSE AND TRAVIS THREES LIFT ULM OVER GIESSEN!
ratiopharm Ulm trailed the Giessen 46ers 76-68 with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter Saturday night at Sporthalle Giessen East and the stage was set for the 'take over'. Outscoring the 46ers 15-4 down the stretch, ratiopharm Ulm's team defense stepped up and forward Romeo Travis took over. In the games most important possessions, Romeo made the most important baskets burying three straight three pointers taking the game over with game-winning baskets much in the way life-long friend LeBron James finishes for the Cleveland Cavs. The competitive heart displayed by Travis and teammates lifted ratiopharm Ulm to an exciting 81-78 road win and kept them on playoff course by raising their record to 16-8.
ratiopharm Ulm forward Romeo Travis tells the Giessen crowd Sporthalle East is his house after drilling three straight dagger threes lifting Ulm to a hardfought road win!
Click here for Ulm @ Giessen Box Score
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click here for Post Game Interviews on Giessen 46er TV
click here for photos from Ulm FanAttack Ulm!
ratiopharm Ulm All Star Power forward manuevers on the block against Giessen defender Corey Rouse.
Throughout the week, the pre-game build-up clearly established what was on the line for both teams. ratiopharm Ulm was focused for a win that would keep them moving on course for their first Bundesliga playoff birth while Giessen desperately needed a win that would help them stay in the Bundesliga. A team with tremendous tradition as the Bundesliga's longest tenured team playing their 43rd season, Giessen was ready to pullout all stops in their quest to avoid relegation. Entering Saturday's game, the 46ers were in 17th place and coming off a road loss to 18th ranked last placed Eisbaren Bremerhaven. Certainly, every game for Giessen is a must-win. New head coach and former 46er player Vladimir Bogojevic injected life into the team helping them to a 3-4 record since taking over the team mid-season. Facing the fight for the 'Klassenerhalt', Bogojevic rallied the Giessen team and fans together for a 'fill the gym' and 'red and white' night against Ulm.
Upon entering Sporthalle Giessen East, ratiopharm Ulm was greeted by hundreds of red and white balloons and a hungry crowd ready to help their 46ers win. Circling the wagons looking to make a stand, Giessen was ready.
ratiopharm Ulm forward Dan Fitzgerald defends Giessen forward Corey Rouse in Saturday nights game at Sporthalle East.
At tip off, ratiopharm Ulm got exactly what they expected. A packed Sporthalle-East filled with Red and White providing tremendous homecourt advantage and energy for their 46ers. After winning the tip, Ulm went inside to Sean Finn for a bucket on the block that opened scoring. At the other end, Giessen's Michael Umeh ran off a staggered double screen for a right wing three pointer that gave Giessen a 3-2 lead. The balanced team effort from Giessen ignited their strong start at Corey Rouse scored inside on a stick-back, post man Robert Maras hit a baseline J and active young German forward Johannes Lischka cracked the scoring column. Giessen ran to a 12-6 advantage 5 minutes into the action. Ulm trimmed the gap to 12-9 before the 46ers burst to a 19-9 margin toward the end of the first quarter. Ulm turnovers led to the 46er run and a timeout settled the team. Bouncing back, Ulm responded to trim the gap with a 7-3 finish to the first quarter giving Giessen a 22-16 lead at the break.
ratiopharm Ulm All Star power forward Jeff Gibbs acrobatically adjusts his shot against Giessen defenders Corey Rouse and Robert Maras in Saturdays game.
In the second quarter, ratiopharm Ulm continued their comeback working hard to erase the deficit. Ulm's Keith Triplett sparked his team with steals and excellent defense. Starting the second quarter with a 4-0 run, Ulm eventually evened the game at 23 apiece. A technical foul against 46er guard Michael Umeh contributed to the Ulm effort. Both teams battled for control of the action through the mid point of the second quarter and both teams had opportunities. Giessen made another mini-run to claim a 32-27 lead, but Ulm's strong finish to the first half helped them assert themselves against the 46ers and their momentum. Lee Humphrey buried an important three to pull Ulm within two at 32-30 and with Giessen all but set to take a lead into intermission, Humphrey's clutch first half buzzer beating three gave Ulm a hard-earned 38-37 halftime lead.
ratiopharm Ulm forward Dan Fitzgerald challenges Giessen's Ricky Hickman forcing him into a tough shot.
At the half, Ulm felt good about their effort and the 38-37 lead. The game was exactly what the team prepared for and expected considering the tremendous team effort from Giessen along with the support and energy from the crowd. Discussing several points defensively and emphasizing better offensive execution against pressure, Ulm returned to the floor focused to rise to the challenge from Giessen and win the game.
As the second half started, Ulm edged ahead. Dru Joyce drilled a momentum building three pointer from the top of the key to spark Ulm. Early Giessen turnovers helped Ulm build a 43-39 advantage with 7 minutes remaining in the third. Ulm maintained a 54-47 lead midway through the quarter but a 6-0 Giessen run helped the 46ers come back. Sebastian Betz buried a key three during the stretch. The game was even at 59. The action began to heat up and momentum began to build for the home team as the 46ers held a 63-62 advantage in the closing seconds of the third quarter. But just as with Lee Humphrey's buzzer beating three that closed the second quarter, Sean Finn's tip-in just before the third quarter buzzer gave ratiopharm Ulm a 64-63 lead going into the 4th.
LTi Giessen 46ers guard Heiko Schaffartzik extends to finish as ratiopharm Ulm forward Dan Fitzgerald puts a hand up.
Determined to make a stand, Giessen started the fourth quarter with an intense run. Guards Heiko Schaffartzik, Michael Umeh and Ricky Hickman drilled back to back to back threes bringing the energized crowd into the game and giving Giessen a 72-66 lead with 7 minuets to play. As Ulm attempted to weather the storm of 46er momentum with a timeout, the flow of the game seemed to go completely Giessen's way. Ulm searched for an answer. Moments later, Ulm's Jeff Gibbs came up with a steal and raced alone to the rim for a basket. 46er guard Heiko Schaffartzik tracked down the Ulm all star power forward and officials ruled his foul as an unsportsmanlike foul as the last defender in the play. In the face of the Giessen crowd, looking to start Ulm's comeback, Jeff came up empty from the foul line and momentum continued to grow for Giessen. With less than five minutes to play, Giessen held a 76-68 and everything about the game pointed to a 46er win.
But just when they needed it most, ratiopharm Ulm's team defense stepped up and Romeo Travis took over. After a defensive stop featuring an athletic block by Travis against Giessen center Robert Maras, Romeo raised up and buried a top of the key three cutting the deficit to 76-71. Teams traded points giving Giessen a 78-73 advantage. Following another Ulm defensive stop, the ball found Romeo again and he buried a right wing three that pulled Ulm within two 78-76. Finally, with a critical defensive stop, Ulm gave themselves the chance they needed. And again Travis stepped up. This time, after Dru Joyce found Lee Humphrey and both guards broke down the 46er defense, Lee moved the ball to Romeo once again at the top where the Akron native certified he was in the zone drilling his third straight three giving ratiopharm Ulm a 79-78 lead. Ulm's next defensive stop led to a 46er foul against Ulm floor general Dru Joyce and the fellow-Akron native sealed the Ulm win with two clutch free throws that stretched the score to 81-78 with 8 seconds to play. Up three with 8 seconds, Ulm opted for tactical fouls that would send the 46ers to the foul line eliminating a possible tying three point attempt. With one foul to give, Ulm fouled twice sending Ricky Hickman to the foul line with 4 seconds to play. Hickman missed his first before intentionally missing his second. The rebound bounced to Giessen in a scramble, but their attempt was short giving Ulm possession with 0.6 seconds to play. An Ulm timeout advanced the basketball to halfcourt and Dan Fitzgerald intelligently lobbed the ball fittingly to Romeo Travis who safely caught and chinned the ball at half court as the final second expired.
In the hardfought win, ratiopharm Ulm shot 50% from the floor and buried 11 of 19 threes (58%). Ulm sank 12 of 19 free throws (63%) as well. Giessen shot 49% from the floor making 8 of 22 threes (36%) with 18 of 26 free throws (69%). The 46ers outrebounded Ulm 34-38 and both teams suffered 19 turnovers. The take over by Romeo Travis led him to topscore with 20 points 5 rebounds on 4 of 5 three point shooting. Teammate Dru Joyce added 15 points 9 assists and 3 of 6 threes while center Sean Finn contributed 13 points 7 boards and sharpshooter Lee Humphrey drilled 3 of 4 threes to finish with 12 points in the Ulm win. Michael Umeh led Giessen with 16 points while Heiko Schaffartzik totaled 15 points making 4 of 9 threes and Ricky Hickman added 13.
Now 16-8, ratiopharm Ulm continues to chart their playoff course this season. Earning their 7th road win of the 2008-2009 Bundesliga season, ratiopharm Ulm has now won 4 of their last 5 games. Currently in 5th place in the standings, Ulm now takes aim on third place Telekom Baskets Bonn Sunday March 22nd at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga Basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
