TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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ULM - AZING COMEBACK!
Saturday night's ratiopharm Ulm-Bayer Leverkusen clash is one game Sportszentrum Kuhberg will not soon forget. Trailing and down the entire up-and-down-uptempo game, ratiopharm Ulm made big plays and big shots in the final minutes of their dramatic 95-92 comeback home win over the Giants from Leverkusen. The fantastic game featured outstanding offensive play from both teams and Ulm's battle to overcome a double-digit deficit for most of the second and third quarters which built up to the exciting climax in the last minutes. An action-packed game finished with fireworks as Ulm outscored Leverkusen 34-27 in the 4th quarter. With under one minute remaining in the 92-92 game, a Bryan Lucas steal sent ratiopharm Ulm on the attack. Dribbling down the clock, Austen Rowland penetrated off a high ballscreen drawing defense to the middle before kicking the ball to an open Jonathan Levy in the right corner. Levy sank a clutch, game deciding three with 6 seconds left sending Sportszentrum Kuhberg into a frenzy. An exciting and entertaining game, Saturday nights game can only be described as "Ulm-azing!"
ratiopharm Ulm celebrates their thrilling 95-92 comeback win over Bayer Leverkusen!
click here for Box Score from Ulm v Leverkusen
click here for Photo Gallery from Ulm v Leverkusen
Both teams entered Saturday's game with 4 wins and both ratiopharm Ulm and Bayer Leverkusen played hungry for win number five. Opening with exciting end to end action, Leverkusen got their offense going early with transition baskets. Leverkusen ran out to an early 9 point lead at the 4 minute mark. Active forward Derrick Allen was in topform scoring inside with crafty moves and a skillful fadeaway from the block. As Allen worked out in the paint, sweet shooting Brandon Woudstra demonstrated his special shooting touch with active cutting and accurate shooting. The Giants edged ahead and set the pace for the game turning it into a trackmeet with fastbreak tempo. Recently signed Ulm G Ian Young entered the game late in the first quarter and made an immediate impact in his home debut scoring 7 points to ignite an Ulm run. The late first quarter comeback cut into the Leverkusen lead, but the guests held a 29-25 advantage after one quarter of action. A product of good Giant offense and imperfect Ulm defense, Leverkusen hit a glowing 73% of their shots from the floor in the first ten minutes.
JONO, GO FO' WHAT YOU KNOW!
Ulm's Jonathan Levy buried the game winning basket with a moneyball rightcorner three. Levy was excellent against Leverkusen scoring 18 points with 5 boards.
Quarter two continued along the uptempo lines of the opening action. Leverkusen surged forward building on their lead, expanding to double digits. Again, Ulm fought back. Austen Rowland and Jonathan Levy hit three pointers and Konrad Wysocki was effective cutting in the lane. Woudstra and Allen kept their one-two punch and the hot-shooting Giant offense seemed to click on all cylinders hitting 60% from the floor in the first half. Leverkusen outscored Ulm 23-19 in the second quarter and took a 52-44 advantage into the halftime lockerroom.
Both teams excelled offensively in the even first half with Leverkusen hitting 60% of their shots (20-33) compared to Ulm's 50% (17-34). Another difference was three point accuracy which saw the Giants hit 5 of 8 compared with Ulm's 3 of 10. Focusing on improved defensive play, Ulm adjusted in the lockerroom and aimed for a second half comeback.
CIGARS ANYONE?
Ulm's Ian Young was strong in his home debut scoring 15 points with 5 assists. Enjoying a fantastic weekend on and off the floor, Young became a proud father of a brand new baby girl Friday night then played inspired basketball Saturday! Congratulations Ian!
"Die Drier von Heilige"
Austen Rowland was a playmaker Saturday scoring 21 points with 6 boards and 4 assists. Rowland drilled a clutch, late game, shotclock-beating, high-arching, deep three to ignite his team!
For most of the early second half, the game remained in form with Leverkusen's uptempo offense keeping Ulm's comeback attempt at bay. Derrick Allen raised his level scoring 8 of his teams 13 3rd quarter points. For every Ulm big play, it seemed as if Leverkusen had and answer. Ulm seemed unable to wrestle momentum away from their pace-setting guests. Foul trouble hampered Ulm with both Jeff Gibbs and Captain Emeka Erege collecting 3rd and 4th fouls. The mountain seemed too high to climb. Suddenly, out of a timeout, two key events took place. First, ratiopharm Ulm switched to a variety of zone defenses. Second, Maksym Shtein scored 6 straight points to cut the Leverkusen lead. After their excellent comeback effort, Ulm went into the final ten minutes trailing only by 4, 65-61. The Ulm zone changed the rhythm of the game and the Ulm bench sparked the team by chipping away at the deficit.
Big Play Bryan!
Ulm C Bryan Lucas made big plays in the 4th quarter including this transition dunk and the game-breaking steal!
For all of their efforts in the first 30 minutes, at the start of the fourth quarter ratiopharm Ulm remained in search of a solution to get over the hump and take the lead away from Leverkusen. Signs started to show toward the end of the third, a quarter which saw Ulm finally outscore Leverkusen 17-13. But no one could expect what would unfold in the final ten minutes.
The dam finally burst and both teams hit jumpshots like water. Both teams made big plays as they exchanged big shots like body blows back and forth. Woudstra drilled a three for the Giants. Bryan Lucas finished in the lane. Jared Newson sank another three for Leverkusen. Jeff Gibbs split the defense for a powerful driving slam. Two offensive foul calls on Ulm fast break opportunities were whistles met with unpleasant whistles from Sportszentrum Kuhberg Ulm fans. Leverkusen somehow kept their lead. Ulm still played from behind. Finally, with just under three minutes remaining in regulation, Ulm's efforts were struck a major blow when power forward Jeff Gibbs picked up his 5th foul blocking out on a free throw. Konrad Wysocki spelled Gibbs and responded to the challenge.
MONSTER MATCHUP!
In a fantastic matchup, Ulm's Jeff Gibbs and Leverkusen's Derrick Allen battled head to head under the boards. Allen was in topform with 25 points 6 rebounds while Gibbs contributed 11 points 7 rebounds to Ulm's win.
Trailing 85-81 with 2:30 to play, Wysocki sank a top of the key three pulling Ulm within one at 85-84. Always with an answer, Leverkusen struck back with a cool Jared Newson three ball rebuilding their lead to 88-84 with 1 minute 50 seconds to play. Jonathan Levy's strong drive AND1 three point play sliced the lead again to 88-87, but after a defensive stop and strong rebound by Levy, Ulm gave the points right back with a turnover AND1 layup by the athletic Newson. Leverkusen held a 92-89 advantage with one minute left. In Ulm's next critical possession, the team exhausted their options in the offensive attack. Moving the ball, searching for a good shot, PG Austen Rowland found the ball in his hands along the left sideline deep in three point territory with the shot clock running down. Making a quick, hurried move as the final two seconds ticked off the 24, Rowland juked and raised up his fadeaway three to beat the shot-clock buzzer. Aching so high the basketball almost scraped the Sportszentrum Kuhberg ceiling Rowland sent the rainbow three straight to china sending --- knotting the score at 92 and unleashing Ulm fans into a defening roar.
As Leverkusen advanced the ball looking for their counter with under 40 seconds remaining, C Bryan Lucas poked loose a timely steal regaining possession for Ulm and providing the opportunity to cap the comeback. Alertly Rowland dribbled down the clock, weaved off a top of the key ballscreen and sliced into the lane. As Leverkusen defense sucked-in to stop penetration, Austen zipped a pass to the right corner for a spotting up Jonathan Levy who stepped into his three and buried the big shot with 6 seconds left. Exploding with energy, Sportszentrum Kuhberg fans helped Ulm defend the final seconds and as the final horn sounded, Ulm's team effort and persistance was rewarded with two points and win number five.
SHTEIN MEANS "STONE"!
Ulm C Maksym Shtein gave his team 10 points 4 rebounds and strong play inside against Bayer Leverkusen.
A truly entertaining "fans game", both teams played well in a game that could have gone either way. In many ways, Leverkusen outplayed Ulm in several aspects of the action. However, Ulm's effort and team play kept them fighting hard until the last second and Ulm players made their own luck with hardwork and heart. ratiopharm Ulm finished shooting 47% from the floor (34-72), 36% from three (8-22) and an important 95% from the foul line (19-20). Meanwhile, Leverkusen sank 52% from the floor (31-59), 44% from three (10-23) and 74% (20-27) from the foul line. Ulm outrebounded Leverkusen 40-23 including an impressive 19 offensive rebounds. Ulm also dished off a quality 17 team assists in the game. Austen Rowland topscored for Ulm with 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists while Jonathan Levy added 18 points 5 boards and Ian Young pitched in 15 points 5 assists to the win. 7 Ulm players reached double figures in the excellent team win. On the other side, Derrick Allen was terrific for the Giants scoring 25 points with 6 boards while Brandon Woudstra also showed class in his 23 point 5 assist performance.
ratiopharm Ulm players and fans celebrate at the final horn!
ratiopharm Ulm improves to 5-7 in the Bundesliga evening their home mark at 3-3 while Bayer Leverkusen slips to 4-7 for the year. Ulm now sets their attention on Tuesday nights German Cup game at 1FC Kaiserslautern, a leading team in the 2.Bundesliga South this season. Follow all the fastbreaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
