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ULM TIPS OFF WEEKEND WITH LICH
ratiopharm Ulm tips off their busy basketball weekend with a matchup against possibly the most underrated and overlooked team in the 2.Bundesliga South as TV lich, the farm club for Bundesliga Giessen 46ers, visit Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm for a 7pm Friday night contest in the first leg of the league's Friday-Sunday double game day weekend for both teams. Although records display a major difference between the two teams, statistics tell a different story. 11-0 Ulm ranks first in the league in scoring (91.7ppg), 2nd in defense (70.6 points allowed per game) and first in team efficiency rating per game (100.5). Meanwhile, although they are 6-5, underrated Lich rank 1st in steals (137), a close second in scoring (90.7) and a close 3rd in team efficiency rating (96.0). Lich also boasts the leagues best scorer in skilled four man Reggie Golson (27ppg 10reb) who has been doing damage lately with 35 point games against Langen and Kaiserslautern and 34 against Jena and again against Bundesliga team SellbyTel Nurnberg Tuesday night in the German Cup. Friday nights meeting has the potential for offensive fireworks from Ulm and Lich that will entertain an expected sold out Sportszentrum Kuhberg crowd.
Ulm captain Emeka Erege is driven in leading the team.
Friday December 9th, 2005
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This season several teams have been discussed around the top of the 2.Bundesliga South. Among those organizations expected to be playing for a championship, basketball fans brought up ratiopharm Ulm, erdgas Baskets Jena, FC.1 Kaiserslautern, BBC Bayreuth or Chemnitz 99ers --- one team that has flown under the radar is TV Lich.
Maksym Shtein
The season has been up and down for Lich but every game has been competitive and uptempo. Head Coach Dejan Kostic has done a tremendous job of creating a positive and aggressive team with good chemistry and the results have turned Lich into a competitive factor within the league with the ability to beat every opponent they play. No game demonstrated this more than Tuesday nights German Cup loss to SellByTel Baskets Nurnberg who escaped from Lich with a 77-67 win. After leading by more than 20 points early in the third, Lich stormed back against the Bundesliga opponent cutting into the lead with aggressive defense and strong team play. Again, Reggie Golson, who has emerged as one of the top newcomers to German Basketball this season, led the way with an impressive 34 point night. The athletic forward from Southeast Missouri State, Golson provides a matchup problem for opponents with his size, ballskills, shooting ability (64%) from 3 point range (52%) and skills posting up. While Golson's outstanding play has raised eyebrows around the league, Lich is far from a one man show. DJ Boticki (18.7ppg 2.8reb and 5.3ast) has proven himself as a solid playmaker and efficient scorer in his first season with Lich. Skilled big man Peter Strobl has also been a factor scoring 15.5ppg with 4.4reb. The veteran Lich backcourt of Rolf Scholz and Viktor Klassen has played together for 3 seasons and their continuity has helped them play better and better. Klassen averages 11.5ppg and has enjoyed several big scoring games this season as he serves as a main three point shooting threat for Lich. Setting Klassen up, point guard Scholz plays tremendous defense and is a solid floor general and distributor on offense. Adding depth to the team, Daniel Dorr brings consistency from the bench including a solid 6-6 from the floor for 14 points recently against Bayreuth. Thomas Lischka is another solid big man who contributes with strong play in the paint and a nice shooting touch. Finally, JP Prasuhn and Patrick Unger bring depth on the perimeter and can be counted on to fill in when Scholz, Klassen or Boticki need a break.
Playing an aggressive man to man defense that pressures the basketball all over the floor and runs passing lanes, Lich has created the most steals of any team in the league. Point guard Rolf Scholz and forward Reggie Golson are the main culprits with deft thefts for their team. Coach Kostic's 3-2 point drop zone also befuddles opponents with unusual slides and rotations. Mostly playing without a major post threat in the middle, Lich thrives in transition and runs intelligent set plays with backscreening before their effective one on one actions. Certainly, Lich never quits and enters Sportszentrum Kuhberg as a threat to Ulm.
Jan Sprunken sails to this easy score
And Ulm clearly respects Lich. Even before their solid display against Nurnberg, film study presented to the team earned Lich Ulm's respect. Ulm players watched a shorthanded Lich team battle Jena on the road and fall to Bayreuth at home in close contests. Outstanding individual plays from Golson on both ends of the floor received positive attention from the Ulm team and the unit prepared well during the week. However, the week was not perfect in the Ulm camp. Sickness spread throughout the team forcing Jeff Gibbs to miss two days of practice early in the week while Florian Mobius and Benni Gulde each missed one. Other players were feeling under the weather as well. In fact so many players were sick starting the week, the team held a internal soccer game rather than practice with only a few healthy players. Tuesday the team went over Game Plan, Scouting Report and Video before working on court for a short time and Wednesday was back to normal routine. With two games this weekend, energy level was the main concern and it is hoped all players will have enough recovery time before the two game weekend.
Ulm point guard Martin Thuesen drops a dime against Bayreuth
Setting the holiday spirit, ratiopharm Ulm will also have some entertainment during the Friday night game. First, a "Christmas Mann" contest will take place for fans at Sportszentrum Kuhberg --- the fan who dresses up in the best Santa Claus (Christmas Mann) outfit will receive a EUROCAR rentacar for a free weekend. Second, Franz Waitzinger's Baumachine firm will hold an entertaining Christmas Party for clients and friends in an area curtained off behind Kuhberg baseline bleachers. Clearly the holiday festivities will only add to the excitement from the floor Friday night!
On a sad note, loyal Ulm fan Matthias Horack passed away this week after his long battle with physical problems. A fixture at every Ulm game despite health issues, Matthias and his helpers were among the best Ulm fans for the last several seasons. We will miss Matthias but know he is supporting his favorite team ratiopharm Ulm from a better place. Vielen Dank mein freund Matthias ich werde Sie nach den Spielen verpassen!
Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com
GO ULM!
MIKE T
Martin Thuesen Ulm PG opened Bayreuth game with momentum buiding 3!
Jonathan Levy topscorer vs Bayreuth w 21/ Ulm fan club player of month in November
Emeka Erege Captain is excellent role model representing ratiopharm Ulm basketball
Jeff Gibbs powerforward sidelined with flu sickness early in week
Maksym Shtein center has matchup advantage against Lich inside
Florian Mobius Ulm post sub continues solid play/ was also sick earlier this week
Jan Sprunken solid team player/ clutch perimeter shooter/ great team guy
Christian Grosse his three point shooting could be key vs Lich zone D
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
Reggie Golson impressive scorer/ league best 27ppg/ on fire in recent games
DJ Boticki skilled wing/ 18ppg and team best 5.3ast/ helps make teammates better
Pete Strobl skilled big man/rebounds and posts and shoots threes/ solid player
Viktor Klassen 3pt threat/plays hard/ 11.5ppg/ playing best basketball in 3yrs
Rolf Scholz firey PG and leader/excellent defender/team player/worker
Thomas Lischka solid big man with nice shooting touch/5.9ppg 3.7reb
Daniel Dorr skilled forward/6.7ppg 3.6reb/smart/ excellent shooting touch
JP Prasuhn perimeter sub/works on D/ 3.6ppg
Patrick Unger perimeter sub
Link to Taylorhoops German Cup photo Gallery
