Ulm Tips off Weekend with 89-73 Win Over Lich!
ratiopharm Ulm tipped off their busy 2.Bundesliga South basketball weekend with a strong 89-73 victory over a feisty TV Lich team at Sportszentrum Kuhberg Friday night in Ulm. Jonathan Levy topscored for Ulm dropping 20 points 8 rebounds 4 assists while teammate Jeff Gibbs pounded the paint for 19 points 14 rebounds to the Ulm win. Improving to 12-0 with the win, ratiopharm Ulm immediately sets their sights on Sunday afternoon's road trip to Freiburg for Game Day 13 in 2.Bundesliga South season.
Jonathan Levy beats Patrick Unger of Lich in Friday's Ulm win.
Led by Head Coach Dejan Kostic, TV Lich has established a solid fundamental team with excellent team spirit and teamwork. Despite their 6-6 record, Lich plays a physical brand of defense and loves the transition game. The farm team for traditional Bundesliga squad Giessen, Lich entered Sportszentrum Kuhberg with great confidence after their 77-67 German Cup loss to Bundesliga team SellbyTell Baskets Nurnberg Tuesday night in Lich.
From the opening tip Lich competed with excellent intensity and physical defensive play. Although Ulm got off to a good start with early baskets from Gibbs, Erege and Shtein, Lich responded immediately evening the score. Viktor Klassen buried a deep let wing three over Jonathan Levy's quality contesting D as the shot clock ran down early in the first quarter. Pressuring the basketball, bumping cuts and playing passing lanes, Lich defense established itself. Reggie Golson and DJ Boticki also began to establish themselves on the offensive end of the floor for Lich. Golson was active on offensive rebounds scoring on second shots including an athletic slam over Ulm defenders. Boticki penetrated and hit open shots in the first quarter. Holding the lead for the majority of the quarter, a late Lich run gave them a 19-17 advantage after one.
Between quarters Ulm discussed their play against pressure. The physical Lich defense bumped and pushed and shoved within limits of the game. Ulm players focused on adjustments to make stronger plays while also looking to pick up their own defensive intensity.
As usual Ulm captain Emeka Erege led the way. Extreme defensive effort and offensive hustle helped spark a second quarter Ulm run. The most spectacular play from Erege in the run was a hustling dive for a loose ball he simply snatched away from a Lich player in the right corner. Jeff Gibbs also became a factor with outstanding defense, strong rebounding and even taking a charge in the lane. The strong defensive stops eventually paid off with baskets as point guard Christian Grosse subbed in poking loose a steal for a breakaway layup only seconds before another defensive stop led to a transition three. The spurt gave Ulm breathing room and forced a Lich timeout. Regaining their composure, Lich responded right back. As Ulm switched to a zone, Boticki sank consecutive three pointers cutting the Ulm advantage. Even through the final minutes of the first half, Ulm executed down the stretch and forward Florian Mobius sank a clutch three pointer from the left wing on the half's final possession sending Ulm into the lockerroom with the lead.
At the half, Ulm held a 36-33 lead over Lich. Physical and competitive, the first half was hardfought and intense. In the lockerroom, Ulm examined several aspects of the game. First, Ulm guards suffered several turnovers against the pressure in first half action and also failed to deliver post feeds to big men Maksym Shtein and Jeff Gibbs or wing Emeka Erege when posting up. 9 turnovers slowed the Ulm O and stepping up to make strong plays against pressure and focus on effective post feeds would help the team take care of the ball. Secondly, Lich changed defenses effectively mixing man to man and two types of zone defenses in an attempt to slow down the Ulm attack. Getting straight on the game plan, Ulm focused on effective offensive tactics to counter the Lich D. Finally, the two topscorers from Lich combined for 22 of the teams 33 first half points (Golson 12/Boticki 10) and needed attention from the Ulm team. With solid adjustments in place, the team returned to the floor ready for the Lich challenge.
Christian Grosse glides for 2!
Opening the second half, it was Lich who made the initial run. The guests stormed to the a 39-36 lead with baskets from Golson and Boticki. An Emeka Erege three evened the score and helped Ulm re-establish themselves. Gaining momentum, Ulm pushed forward opening up a lead. Jeff Gibbs finished good ball movement with a two hand slam before powering in a baseline finish through three Lich post defenders. Gibbs also dropped off a smooth post to post pass to Maksym Shtein when Lich defenders doubled him. Shtein finished off glass there before making a strong post play a few plays later.
Up 54-48, Lich's DJ Boticki drove hard from the top of the key down the left lane line against Erege. Nearing the basket, Boticki lowered his shoulder leaning in for contact. In a skilled play, Boticki bumped Erege, extended the ball and banked in an off balanced runner to finish his drive to which the midcourt official added a whistle and foul. Seeing the situation one too many times, Ulm head coach Mike Taylor pointed out to the official Erege had the right to go straight up on D. The official quickly pointed Mike T with a "T". As the Kuhberg crowd showered boos, Boticki stepped up to sink 3 straight free throws cutting the lead to 54-51.
Finishing the quarter strong, Christian Grosse penetrated and hit a pullup J in the paint just inside the left elbow. Keeping their composure and staying persistant, Ulm had earned a 59-55 lead heading into the final quarter.
Ulm Center Maksym Shtein finishes strong inside against Thomas Lischka of Lich.
The fourth quarter belonged to Ulm guard Jonathan Levy. Finally finding the answer to the Lich zone puzzle, Ulm effectively used skip passes and ballreversal to shift the zone from side to side. Solid screening opened up jumpshots for Levy and he buried three big threes to break the game open. Outstanding team defense recorded stops and strong rebounding finished possessions as Gibbs, Erege and Levy cleaned up Lich misses. Intelligent execution of the game plan helped Ulm force Lich into tough shots. But Lich never quit. In fact, Lich picked up their transition game running out, pushing the ball and throwing ahead searching for easy scores. Turning to their fullcourt and halfcourt pressure defenses, Lich looked to force turnovers. Out of a timeout, picking up fullcourt, Ulm carved up the Lich press as Levy hit Gibbs in the middle of the floor who turned and immediately fired a pass to an open Maksym Shtein who finished the pin point press break passing with a Kuhberg energizing slam! A play later, facing the same fullcourt pressure, it was Gibbs again displaying his passing skills delivering a dime to a backdoor cutting Jan Sprunken for an uncontested layup at the end of the Lich press. The easy baskets were a part of Ulm's 30-18 fourth quarter that allowed the team to cruise to their 12th win of the season and maintain their 2 game lead atop the league. With less than one minute remaining, Ulm emptied the bench and young players such as Antonis Sivorotoka, Benni Gulde, Marcel Freide and Sebastian Geserick finished the game before a standing Kuhberg crowd.
Jonathan Levy's 20 point scoring night came on 4-8 three point shooting. The athletic Ulm guard also added 8 rebounds and 4 assists to the win. Captain Emeka Erege scored 12 points with 7 strong rebounds and hit 3 of 6 threes in the game. Jeff Gibbs' evening against talented Lich power forward Reggie Golson was extremely productive as Gibbs recorded a 19 point 14 rebound double double. Center Maksym Shtein also was solid scoring 14 points with 3 rebounds for Ulm. Christian Grosse added 9 points on 4 of 5 floor shooting and Florian Mobius finished with 6 point while Jan Sprunken and Martin Thuesen contributed 4 to the win.
Emeka Erege protects the basketball against pressure from DJ Boticki of Lich.
For Lich, Reggie Golson (24 points on 10-18 shooting) and DJ Boticki (20 points) were in fine form. Forward Pete Strobl was the only other Licher in double digits with 10. Point guard Rolf Scholz and shooting guard Viktor Klassen were limited to a combined 1-14 from the floor by intense Ulm defense. Big men Daniel Dorr and Johannes Lischka were solid for Lich scoring 8 points apiece on a combined 7 for 10 shooting inside.
Ulm shot 51% (32 for 63) from the floor including 41% (12-29) from three point range in the game. The team hit 13-20 (65%) from the foul line. Ulm outrebounded Lich 35-27 and dished out a season best 21 assists with 15 turnovers (6 in the second half). Meanwhile, Lich shot 43% (29-67) from the floor but hit only 3 of 13 (23%) from three. The guests did hit a perfect 12-12 from the foul line. Lich suffered from 19 turnovers.
Santa Claus was among those in attendance at Sportszentrum Kuhberg Friday night.
Working on short preparation with a Saturday scouting report and walk through, ratiopharm Ulm looks ahead to their second game of the 2.Bundesliga South basketball weekend Sunday afternoon when the team travels south west in Germany to beautiful Freiburg for a 4:30pm tip against USC Freiburg. Freiburg fell to BBC Bayreuth 102-67 Friday night dropping to 6-6 on the season but remain a very strong home team already counting Heidelberg and Kaiserslautern among top teams they beat in Freiburg. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com
GO ULM!
MIKE T
