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ULM set for showdown in Nordlingen Sunday!
ratiopharm Ulm travels north to nearby Nordlingen for a 2.Bundesliga South showdown Sunday night facing an inspired underdog ready for revenge. After an early season 106-63 victory for Ulm at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Game Day 2, Nordlingen hopes to return the favor in Game Day 17. Both Ulm and Nordlingen enter Sunday's game with momentum after wins last week including Ulm's 115-82 team win over Langen and Nordlingen's impressive 75-65 road win over USC Heidelberg. 16-0 ratiopharm Ulm remains perched atop the 2.Bundesliga South while Nordlingen has improved to 7-9 with a recent two game win streak. Of more interest, before being sidetracked by several injuries, Nordlingen has upset 3 of the top 6 teams in the league this season including striking home wins over Jena (86-84 Game Day 5) and Bayreuth (88-80 Game Day 3) early in the season. Sunday night Nordlingen hopes to turn Hermann-Keßler-Halle into a hornets nest and a sell out crowd looks to see the sting of an upset while ratiopharm Ulm remains focused and poised to respond to the challenge. With David and Goliath roles clearly defined, Ulm and Nordlingen meet Sunday for a basketball battle in Bavaria.
Ulm's Jeff Gibbs leads the league in rebounding at 12.7pg
Sunday January 29th, 2006
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Sunday night in Nordlingen ratiopharm Ulm will enter the hornets nest. A beautiful small Bavarian town with a big basketball heart, Nordlingen will host Ulm in a 2.Bundesliga South basketball matchup excitement. For Nordlingen, a clear underdog with cobra-like ability to stike opponents, confidence comes from their completely healthy roster and upset wins over 3 of the top 6 teams in the league this season. For Ulm, focus comes from the potential to put further distance between themselves and league rivals by winning where Jena lost earlier this year. Anticipating a jam-packed capacity crowd complete with 40 hired "samba" dancers, Sunday night in Nordlingen basketball spectacle is expected
Top Matchup:
Ulm's Maksym Shtein against Nordlingen Center Kevin Hanson
Billing the game as the "showcase of the season", Zoltan Nagy's Nordlignen team is riding high on momentum from their impressive road win last weekend 75-65 over USC Heidelberg. After struggling with injuries through the majority of the first half of the season, a healthy Nordlingen team looks to charge up the 2.Bundesliga South standings with a complete team. In the first half of the year, Nordlingen lost point guard Mario Probst, skilled scorer Tony McCrory and power forward Mario Matic to a variety of ailments. Since returning from Christimas, a complete Nordlingen roster has made significant strides setting the stage for a strong finish to the season. Last Sunday's road win in Heidelberg was a clear signal that Nordlingen is on the right track to realizing the excellent potential from the team that was sidetracked by nagging injuries.
Keys to the Nordlingen game plan are center Kevin Hanson and combo guard Cedric Brooks. Hanson, a west coast big man, has been impressive in his two seasons in the 2.Bundesliga South. Arriving in Nordlingen this season after playing last year with Langen, Hanson has emerged as one of the best inside scoring threats in the league and has posted a team best 19.4ppg 8.9reb. A smart big man with outstanding post moves and inside scoring skills, Hanson will be a key figure in the offensive game plan for Nordlingen. With Hanson making his mark in the paint, athletic combo guard Cedric Brooks has made a terrific impact in Nordlingen in his first season. Recruited to Pittsburg State (Kansas) by Ulm head coach Mike Taylor (who was an assistant for the Gorillas in 2000-2001), Cedric has averaged 18.3ppg 4.1ast and shot 28% from three point range on the season. Brooks excels in transition and is capable of highlight reel plays. Certainly, Cedric will be a major player for Nordlingen Sunday.
CRAFTY: Ulm point guard Martin Thuesen stretches for this layup in Ulm's early season home victory over Nordlingen.
Supplementing the inside-outside combination of Hanson and Brooks, Canadien Tony MCCrory has been a fantastic addition to the Nordlingen team. Despite playing in only 9 games due to various injuries, McCrory has made a lasting impact on his new team averaging 14.1ppg 3.4reb and 2ast. The versatile forward can stick threes, create offense off the dribble, post up and rebound making him a challenging matchup for any defender. Nordlingen has won 5 of 9 games with a healthy McCrory including last Sunday in Heidelberg where T-McC went for a game best 27pts in the win. Also an important figure in the Nordlingen offense, veteran sharpshooter Jurica Puljic averages 12.6ppg 2.3reb and 2.3ast while shooting 39% from three. Puljic has exploded for 31 points on two seperate occassions this season including a prolific zone-busting 7 threes in the 4th quarter of a win earlier this year. Puljic's perimeter shooting has the ability to be the "x"factor in the game. Hardnosed point guard Mario Probst, a 2.League South veteran with experience from Jena and Bayern Munich, organizes the attack adding competitiveness and perimeter shooting to the Nordlingen backcourt. Probst missed several games earlier this season with injuries but has returned to fitness and averages 7.3ppg and shoots 34% from three in 24min per game. Another 2.League South vet, power forward Mario Matic, brings phsyical play and toughness to the front court. Matic, who played in both Kaiserslautern and Bayreuth in past seasons, averages 6.6ppg 6.5reb for Nordlingen. Finally, athletic swing man Dominique Klein adds an athletic presence that can run the floor, rebound, drive and post up. A versatile player with NCAA experience from Campbell University, Klein adds 9.1ppg 5.6reb and solid defense to Nordlingen. Young players Alex Sieber and Mirko Anastasov see limited minutes but will be ready to play against Ulm.
SLICK: Jonathan Levy slices to the hoop against Nordlingen. Levy topscored for Ulm in the first meeting against Nordlingen with 24.
ratiopharm Ulm rides the momentum of their outstanding season and recent top play in a comeback road win at Kaiserslautern and home court blowout of Langen Giraffes last Saturday. Teamwork and defensive intensity have been trademarks of Ulm basketball this season and both will be key to Sunday's game in Nordlingen. Clearly, the upset minded Nordlingen team will be a tough challenge and provide a difficult matchup for Ulm. In Game Day 2 during the seasons opening weekend, ratiopharm Ulm beat Nordlingen 106-63 at Sportszentrum Kuhberg behind a strong team effort led by Jonathan Levy (24 points 4-9 threes) and Jeff Gibbs 18 points 14 rebounds. Ulm hit 61% from the floor for the game, drilled 10 threes, outrebounded Nordlingen 41-26 and limited Nordlingen to 40% shooting and 18% three point shooting for the game. Without question, Sunday's game will be different as Nordlingen wants revenge.
Sunday's rematch features several delightful matchups between excellent players all over the floor. Critical to the outcome, Ulm's Emeka Erege against Nordlingen's Tony McCrory showcases two versatile and talented small forwards. American guards go head to head as Ulm's Jonathan Levy and Cedric Brooks look to get after it. Big men Maksym Shtein and Kevin Hanson will look to outduel one another in an attempt to control the paint. Ulm point guards Martin Thuesen and Christian Grosse meet Nordlingen's Mario Probst and two sharpshooters hope to help their team with hot J's when Ulm's Jan Sprunken and Nordlingen's Jurica Puljic meet. On paper, an advantage for Ulm could be at the power forward spot where relentless Jeff Gibbs matches up with veteran Mario Matic and athletic Dominique Klein. On the benches, Head Coaches Mike Taylor and Zoltan Nagy are close collegues and good friends making the meeting even more meaningful. Nordlingen has always held a special place in Mike T's heart after several big regionalliga South East games against Chemnitz in 2001-2002.
I KNOW YOU: Nordlingen's Cedric Brooks, demonstrating textbook jumpshooting form, was recruited to Pitt State by Ulm head coach Mike Taylor.
Sunday night is Nordlingen's big chance for paybacks. No doubt they will have some serious fans from several cities in Germany including Jena and Chemnitz. For Ulm, the mission is clear --- defend, execute, play with composure and respond to the challenge. Ulm looks to sieze their power position atop the league standings with a strong performance in Nordlingen Sunday night. Nordlingen looks to knock-off the number one. That challenge is what basketball is all about! Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
SCOUTING REPORTS
Emeka Erege: Ulm captain has challenging matchup with McCrory
Jonathan Levy: Quadruple threat offensive player: J, drive, post,
Jeff Gibbs: leagues best rebounder and skilled post man
Maksym Shtein: excellent C matchup with Kevin Hanson
Martin Theusen: 12pt 5ast game vs Langen among best of season
Christian Grosse: 3pt shooting threat and hardnosed playmaker
Konrad Wysocki: outstanding addition to Ulm team/10pt 10reb last week
Florian Mobius: playing high level basketball last two weeks
Jan Sprunken: STILL instant offense off the bench with Jan's J!
Antonis Sivorotka: excellent week of practice
Marcel Friede: making most progress/improvement of young Ulm players
Benni Gulde: young guard working hard
Cedric Brooks 6'1 super athletic scoring combo guard/ 18.3ppg
Jurica Puljic 6'2 excellent 3pt shooter/ 31pt 2x this yr/12.6ppg/7 3's in 1 Q
Mario Probst 6'1 skilled point/3pt shooter/team leader 34% 3pt 7.3ppg
Kevin Hanson 6'10 C scoring big man/19.4ppg 8.9reb
Tony McCrory 6'4 SF versatile/playmaker/14.1ppg/ aggressive
Mario Matic 6'8 PF physical and aggressive/hardworking 4/6.6ppg 6.5reb
Dominique Kleine 6'5 athletic 3/ slashing driver/ solid D/ 9.1ppg
Alex Sieber young guard from bench
Mirko Anastasov lefty big man back up/
