TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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Ulm renews rivalry with Heidelberg Sunday!
Big games just keep coming! Fresh from last Friday's outstanding team win over Chemnitz that helped ratiopharm Ulm capture sole possession of first place, another big game awaits on the horizon this Sunday in Heidelberg. 9-0 Ulm travels to OlympiaSportsPlatz for a head to head matchup with 7-2 USC Heidelberg team that is unbeaten at home (4-0) this season. USC Heidelberg has played in the upper part of the 2.Bundesliga South over the past several seasons finishing 19-11 last year and 23-7 (3d place) in 2002-2003. During the last two seasons, Heidelberg and Ulm have combined for several excellent games and interesting results. Last season Ulm went into Heidelberg and won for the first time in team history 76-64 Febuary 27th, 2005 a much happier ending than the previous seasons 93-63 set back December 12, 2004. With important 2.Bundesliga South implications riding on the game, ratiopharm Ulm looks ahead to the exciting challenges in Heidelberg Sunday!
Ulm's Maksym Shtein slams strong!
Sunday November 27th, 2005
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ratiopharm Ulm travels to Heidelberg Sunday afternoon for a 5pm tipoff at OlympiaSportsPlatz against a strong USC Heidelberg team in 2.Bundesliga South Game Day 10. From one budding rivalry to the intense inferno of one of the 2.Bundesliga South's most challenging buildings to win in, ratiopharm Ulm aims to accept the challenge with a team-tough performance.
The intelligent Jan Sprunken effectively uses the complex Ulm signal system in communicating with teammates. The Ulmer shooter caught fire in the fourth quarter last Friday.
USC Heidelberg made several changes over the off season including some significant additions. First, two new American players wear the stylish red and yellow Heidelberg uniforms. Consistently, Heidelberg selects an American point man and athletic forward for their two import spots and this season the team has two good players. Emanuel "E" Dildy runs the show at the point carrying on the tradition of strong Heidelberg floor generals. Dildy has averaged 19.4ppg and shot 43% from three point range. Interestingly enough, former USC Heidelberg point guard Kevin Burleson, the driving force behind the Heidelberg landslide win two seasons ago, now plays for the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA as a backup guard. At the forward spot, athletic and versatile Maurice Linton has been solid in his first few games for Heidelberg and has emerged as a key for their team. "Mo" has produced 14.1ppg and 5.4rpg for the red and yellow.
This summer, key acquisitions did not stop with Dildy and Linton. Shooting guard Tom McChesney joined Head Coach Markus Joachim's squad after playing last year for Karlsruhe in the Bundesliga A Canadian with English passport, McChesney plays an intelligent game with soft shooting touch and never stops moving as he has averaged 13.1ppg and 32% 3pt shooting. With Dildy at the point, McChesney at the two and Linton at the three, Heidelberg went for consistency re-signing veteran big men and household Heidelberg names Jurgen Maassmaan and Armin Leber. Maassmann, a former Ulm center, particularly looks forward to Sunday's game against his old team after missing most of last season with back injuries. Back at full health and in good condition, Maassmaan has averaged 7.1ppg 4.5reb and hit 83% from the foul line. Clearly his dual with Maksym Shtein will be one to watch. Finally, the power forward spot belongs to athletic big man Armin Leber who gives the team a little bit of everything. Leber scores 14ppg with 4.4reb and hits 29% 3's and 84% from the line (all slid for a big man).
From the bench, Heidelberg features experienced point guard Tobi Stoll who signed in the summer after playing with the Langen Giraffes last season. A solid and skilled backup, Stoll plays excellent defense and pushes the ball well. Reinhard Lanegger joins Heidelberg to add depth at the wing and the Austrian forward has made a solid impact scoring 5.1ppg with 3.3reb while hitting 40% threes off the bench. Another former Ulmer center Christian Birkenfeld was recently signed and will be a contributor off the bench as well. Birkenfeld has a nice mid-ranged shooting touch for a big man. Young prospect Oliver Komarek has also seen minutes for the Heidelberg frontcourt averging 4.6ppg and 1.4reb. Every opponent must also take into account reserve wings Oliver Lange and Kestutis Rimas. Lange played with Nordlingen last year and works hard while Rimas is a lanky skillful three point shooter.
Ulm's Jeff Gibbs anticipates a physical game Sunday in Heidelberg!
Riding momentum from last Friday's outstanding team win over previously unbeaten Chemnitz at Sportszentrum Kuhberg, this Sunday ratiopharm Ulm must play excellent defense, maintain their composure and execute against Heidelberg's man and zone defenses. Ulm enjoyed effective production from every player in the teams 8 man rotation and the team is determined to accept the intense Heidelberg challenge and respond. Ulm's teamwork revolves around solid balance between big men Maksym Shtein Jeff Gibbs and perimeter players Jonathan Levy and Emeka Erege. Key roles are played on the team by point guard Martin Thuesen and important backups Christian Grosse, Jan Sprunken and Florian Mobius. Last season, playing in Heidelberg, Christian Grosse made his presence felt and came up big during Ulm's 15-5 fourth quarter run that broke the game open. The young Ulmer guard buried big baskets pushing his team over the hump. Grosse drilled a corner three to start his scoring, curlled off a screen to the top of the key for a mid range J, sank a second corner three and ran out for a breakaway bucket in crunch time. In a flash of brilliance, Christian scored 7 straight points regaining a 60-56 Ulm lead. Feeding from big basket momentum, Ulm raced further ahead opening their first double digit advantage 70-60 with 3:42 to play. The run capped at 14 (75-61) with 1:25 left. Fans filed out as the final buzzer sounded on Ulm's impressive 76-64 win. Ulm expects more of the same this season and has worked hard to prepare.
Working together, the players have played wonderful "TEAM" basketball and played intense defense (a key in the teams win over Chemnitz last Friday holding the 99ers scoreless for a critical 7 minute 12 second stretch in the third quarter).
Sunday's game in Heidelberg has the makings of a classic matchup and both teams will be sure to bring their best effort. After all, a BIG basketball game over Thanksgiving Holiday is a GREAT thing!!
Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
SCOUTING REPORTS
Emeka Erege: captain is key to team on both ends and with leadership
Jonathan Levy: excellent scorer and defender/ unselfish and driven
Jeff Gibbs: big man looks forward to Heidelberg/another big game
Maksym Shtein:outstanding inside play in win over Chemnitz 13pt 7reb
Martin Theusen: terrific D and 9 assists in big team win over 99ers
Christian Grosse: made KEY shots last year in win over Heidelberg!
Florian Mobius: post depth is important and Flo fills bill well.
Jan Sprunken: 8pt in 2min to break Chemnitz win open!
Antonis Sivorotka: making progress daily
Benni Gulde: daily improvement visible in practice/
E Dildy 6' scoring point/ 3pt threat/ pushes ball and works on D
Maurice Linton 6'7 versatile/athletic defender/ impact player
Tom McChesney 6'4 skilled/excellent shooter/deeprange/ intelligent
Jurgen Maassmann 6'8 wide/ inside scorer/ former Ulm C
Armin Leber 6'7 skilled in-out scoring 4man/ mobile/ nice touch
Christian Birkenfeld 6'10 skilled big man/nice midrange J
Tobi Stoll 6'1 experienced backup PG/pushes ball/worker on D
Reinhard Lanegger 6'4 smart wing/3pt threat
Oliver Komarek 6'8 young talented post man
Oliver Lange 6'2 hardworking wing from bench
Kestutis Rimas 6'4 lanky shooter w/3range off bench
