TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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LOKHALLE LOCKUP!
ratiopharm Ulm limited MEG Gottingen to 37% floor shooting, outrebounded the Violets 49-34 and made 14 of their 18 free throw attempts Saturday night at Lokhalle in Gottingen. But as much as their solid defense and strong rebounding helped, Ulm suffered a team-record 31 turnovers and made only 4 of 24 three point attempts (17%) in a 70-62 road loss to 3rd place MEG Gottingen. Jeff Gibbs led ratiopharm Ulm offense with a 15 point 13 rebound double double, Dru Joyce added 12 points 3 assists and Romeo Travis had 11 points 9 boards. Locked up in Lokhalle, ratiopharm Ulm slipped to 18-11 on the season.
ratiopharm Ulm All Star power forward Jeff Gibbs looses his balance and the basketball in one of 31 Ulm turnovers Saturday at Lokhalle in Gottingen.
Click here for Ulm @ Gottingen Saturday 4-11-09 Box Score
For ratiopharm Ulm and MEG Gottingen, the 2008-2009 Bundesliga basketball season has been filled with many positives highlighted by success in both traditional basketball cities. Although both Ulm and Gottingen are newly returned to the Bundesliga, both teams entered Saturday's game at Lokhalle in Gottingen on track for the playoffs. After ratiopharm Ulm topped MEG Gottingen 76-69 December 6th at Sportszentrum Kuhberg, Ulm and Gottingen prepared for the rematch with playoff implications in mind. Possible playoff opponents, Saturday's game at Lokhalle took a post-season feel and both teams focused on the game while anticipating what could become.
ratiopharm Ulm rookie point guard Per Gunther dribbles past MEG Gottingen guard Marco Grimaldi in Saturday nights game at Lokhalle in Gottingen.
As ratiopharm Ulm prepared throughout the week, the team handled minor injuries to point guard Dru Joyce and defensive star Keith Triplett. After a great road trip and final practice at Lokhalle Friday night, both Dru and Keith were pronounced fit to play and ratiopharm Ulm was at full strength. An important game for both teams considering playoff possibilities, the game was also extra special for former Gottingen center Michael Schroeder who received a warm welcome from the Lokhalle fans during pre-game warmups.
Recognizing the trapping, double-teaming and pressure defense Gottingen based their defensive attack around, ratiopharm Ulm set a pregame team goal of 10 turnovers or less along with heavy emphasis on strong defense and outrebounding the Violets who entered Saturday's game as the number one offensive rebounding team in the Bundesliga. Certainly, Ulm's 76-69 home win over the Violets gave them confidence in their ability to handle the Gottingen ballpressure. But Saturday nights challenge was both the ballpressure and the Lokhalle.
Photo Sven Marquardt
ratiopharm Ulm's Sebastian Betz attempts to split a Gottingen trap Saturday night at Lokhalle in Gottingen.
At tip off, the two uptempo teams opened in an end to end flowing game. But both baskets had a lid as teams at each end struggled to score. Ulm and Gottingen worked hard defensively and forced turnovers. Teams exchanged scores and Ulm held a 9-8 lead midway through the first quarter. But Gottingen's Chris Oliver made his presence felt on both ends of the floor hitting 4 of his 6 first quarter shots and grabbing 2 steals with his active fullcourt pressure. Gottingen's strong finish to the first quarter gave them a 15-12 lead at the break. ratiopharm Ulm had already matched their pregame turnover goal with 10 in the first 10 minutes. Along with the 10 turnovers, Ulm shot 4 for 15 from the floor missing several open looks. Between quarters, the team huddled addressing the need to take care of the basketball against pressure and to keep shooting. Trailing 15-12 with poor shooting and turnovers, Ulm focused for defensive stops and aimed to make a run offensively.
Quarter two continued the uptempo fullcourt action. Unfortunately for ratiopharm Ulm, the turnovers also continued. Neither team could find their offensive flow and the intensity on the floor gave a post-season feel. Ulm led 18-13 before a 9-0 Violet run pushed the hosts into the lead. Ulm continued to come up empty from three point range and finished the first half 1 for 10 from beyond the arc. All good looks, Ulm simply could not hit a shot. Meanwhile, Gottingen sank only 3 of 12 threes in the first half. Saturday's game was certainly not a shooting display from either team. Showing heart despite their offensive struggles, Ulm stormed back with a 7-0 run to pull within one 29-28 just before halftime. Although Ulm did a terrific job on the boards outrebounding the Violets 23-16 in the first half, Ulm's 17 first half turnovers were counterproductive to their positive defensive work and effort on the glass. At the half, Gottingen held a 32-28 lead.
Photo Sven Marquardt
ratiopharm Ulm rookie forward Dan Fitzgerald defends MEG Gottingen forward Chris Oliver as Ulm's Keith Triplett swipes at the basketball.
In the half lockerroom, Ulm was thankful their deficit was only 4. Shooting 37% from the floor and making 1 of 10 threes with 17 turnovers, Ulm was simply thankful to be within striking distance. Relying on a strong defensive effort which limited Gottingen to 38% shooting and positive about their hardwork rebounding, ratiopharm Ulm re-focused their game plan at halftime and discussed the coaching points to handle the Gottingen pressure and take care of the basketball. With twenty minutes to play, trailing by only four points, Ulm returned to the Lokhalle floor ready to compete and get their game together for a strong second half.
Photo Sven Marquardt
ratiopharm Ulm center Sean Finn defends MEG Gottingen post player Clif Brown Saturday night at Lokhalle in Gottingen.
Determined to get it together, ratiopharm Ulm started the third quarter strong and outscored Gottingen 10-6 in the first five minutes to pull even at 38 apiece. Ulm edged ahead as rookie point guard Per Gunther drew an unsportsmanlike foul from Gottingen guard Marko Grimaldi prior to a sideline inbound play. Per sank one of his two foul shots and Ulm retained possession of the basketball. But the Lokhalle crowd came alive and entered into the game. Similar to the energy and intensity from the Sportszentrum Kuhberg home crowd, Lokhalle is a terrific home court advantage for the Violets. Along with the on-court pressure from Gottingen, the Lokhalle crowd added energy to the game. In the last few minutes of the third quarter, the noise and energy from the Lokhalle crowd was a factor as Ulm suffered several turnovers and allowed themselves to be speeded up against ballpressure. Gottingen's late third quarter surge resulted in a 50-49 Violets advantage heading into the fourth.
Photo Sven Marquardt
MEG Gottingen forward Chris Oliver brings the Lokhalle crowd to their feet with a breakaway dunk Saturday night at Lokhalle in Gottingen.
Competing and playing hard despite the adversity, ratiopharm Ulm opened the fourth quarter positively. In a game with 15 lead changes, the defensive effort from both teams and battle on the backboards provided both Ulm and Gottingen great preparation for post season style of play. But ratiopharm Ulm continued to suffer turnovers against the Gottingen ballpressure that snuffed their effort. Gottingen capitalized on Ulm turnovers to take a 56-53 lead with five minutes remaining. Rallying to take a lead, two Jeff Gibbs free throws gave ratiopharm Ulm a 57-56 advantage with 3 minutes to play. But on the next Gottingen possession, point guard Ben Jacobsen buried a big three pointer reclaiming a 59-57 lead for Gottingen. Down the stretch, despite several good looks, ratiopharm Ulm simply did not make the big shot or find the big basket. Symbolic of Ulm's effort, in a desperate effort on a critical possession, forward Romeo Travis drove strong to the basket and was called for an offensive charge. After the play, Romeo stayed down in pain as his calves cramped up due to the intense action and heat in the gym. The Violets maintained a 65-59 margin until a clutch Dru Joyce three pointer trimmed the deficit in half to 65-62 with 31 seconds in the game. Using their final timeout, ratiopharm Ulm huddled to set their strategy. Clearly, the team chose to play to win. Somehow, despite their 30 turnovers, Ulm trailed by only 3. Along with the current 3 point game, Ulm's 7 point home win over Gottingen December 6th meant head to head was a factor in case of tie-breaking purposes. Choosing to play for the win, Ulm had 31 seconds to work with to find a way to win.
Out of the timeout, Ulm picked up fullcourt and worked to deny the inbound and trap in hopes of creating a steal. Gottingen handled the situation well and forced Ulm to foul. Charles Lee made one of two free throws pushing the Gottingen lead to 66-62. Ulm attacked down four with 26 seconds to play. Unfortunately, Ulm suffered their 31st turnover and Chris Oliver finished the play with a breakaway dunk. Leading 68-62 with 15 seconds in the game, ratiopharm Ulm inbounded the ball to Lee Humphrey who quickly sent a ballahead pass up the sideline to point guard Dru Joyce along the left sideline. Dru quickly hoisted a three which rimmed out with less than ten seconds left. The turnover and quick shot came back to haunt Ulm after Gottingen threw a homerun pass up the floor that created a three on one situation. Again, Chris Oliver's slam dunk just before the buzzer brought the Lokhalle crowd to their feet as the Violets took an 8 point lead and head to head over ratiopharm Ulm just before the buzzer. Ulm's 70-62 loss at Lokhalle played out as a tough night for the team. Despite the solid effort defensively and strong work on the boards, ratiopharm Ulm was simply unable to overcome 31 turnovers and 4 for 24 three point shooting.
Jeff Gibbs led Ulm's production with a 15 point 13 rebound double double. Dru Joyce added 12 points 3 assists and Romeo Travis finished with 11 points 9 boards. Lee Humphrey chipped in 8 points 3 boards and hit two of Ulm's 4 three point makes in the loss. Chris Oliver led the Gottingen attack with a game high 18 points while Charles Lee and Rocky Trice had 12 points apiece. Ben Jacobsen finished with 11 in the Violets win.
In the loss, ratiopharm Ulm slipped to 18-11 on the season and looks ahead to a double game day weekend next weekend when they host rival EnBW Ludwigsburg Friday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm before traveling west for a Sunday game in Trier. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga Basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
