TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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OLDENBURG TOPS ULM!
Rickey Paulding scored 34 points including 25 in a fantastic first half performance from Ewe Baskets Oldenburg as the Thunderbirds beat ratiopharm Ulm 83-75 Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm. Taking control early with excellent defense and efficient offense, Oldenburg opened a 10 point lead at half before breaking the game open with an 18-4 early third quarter run. ratiopharm Ulm competed with great heart battling back with a furious second half comeback rallying to cut the deficit to three twice in the final minutes. Jasmin Perkovic's top of the key three was the daggar pushing Oldenburg back atop the Bundesliga as 'Tabellenfuhrer'. Suffering their second home loss of the season, ratiopharm Ulm falls to 14-8 but takes many positives from the game.
ratiopharm Ulm's Sebastian Betz tipdunks emphatically adding another two points to his teams comeback in the second half Saturday against Ewe Baskets Oldenburg at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm!
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ratiopharm Ulm's Keith Triplett attacks the rim as Ewe Baskets Oldenburg Jason Gardner challenges in Saturday nights action at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm.
ratiopharm Ulm All Star Power Forward Jeff Gibbs dunks in the second half of Saturday's game against Ewe Baskets Oldenburg at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm.
One of the top teams in the Bundesliga, Ewe Baskets Oldenburg entered Saturday's game at Sportszentrum Kuhberg focused to regain 'Tabellenfuhrung' --- first place in the Bundesliga. After their 7 game win streak was snapped in a Thursday night road loss in Gottingen, Oldenburg refocused for the challenge against ratiopharm Ulm and Sportszentrum Kuhberg. And this season against ratiopharm Ulm, no one has played better. In the two previous meetings this season, Oldenburg built leads before Ulm stormed back in comeback attempts. October 18th at Ewe Arena, Oldenburg held a 16 point lead before Ulm's fourth quarter comeback came up short in the 80-75 road loss. One month later in the German Cup Sweet 16 matchup, Oldenburg burst to a 21-0 lead and 22-8 advantage after the first quarter. Ulm spent the entire evening playing catchup before falling 82-70. Excited to play Oldenburg for the first time this season at home, ratiopharm Ulm aimed for a strong start and big win over a top team.
ratiopharm Ulm sharpshooter Lee Humphrey floats a shot over Ewe Basket Oldenburg center Ruben Boumtje Boumtje in Saturday nights game. Boumtje Boumtje was outstanding for Oldenburg scoring 12 points grabbing 11 boards and blocking 5 shots.
Successful international competition in this seasons EuroChallenge pushed Ewe Baskets Oldenburg to a higher level. Since their two early season meetings against Ulm at Ewe Arena on October 18th and November 19th, Oldenburg has won games in Jerusalem Israel, Bologna Italy and competed against top teams from Greece, Turkey and Ukraine as they advanced in the EuroChallenge. Head to head, ratiopharm Ulm felt the difference. This season, Ewe Baskets Oldenburg are battle-tested Internationally and a top team in the Bundesliga --- Saturday night, they played like it.
ratiopharm Ulm center Sean Finn dunks in the first half of Saturday nights game against Ewe Baskets Oldenburg at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm.
Prior to the game, both teams were focused and ready. Ulm felt great about momentum from last weekends excellent road win over Deutsche Bank Skyliners and their strong homecourt advantage at Sportszentrum Kuhberg. 8-1 at home this season, Ulm aimed to avenge two early season road losses against Oldenburg with a 'complete game' at home. Meanwhile, Oldenburg was focused to regain first place in the Bundesliga after Gottingen snapped their recent 7 game winning streak on Thursday.
Ewe Baskets Oldenburg forward Rickey Paulding exploded for 34 points 7 rebounds 4 steals in leading his team to the road win over ratiopharm Ulm. Paulding drilled 11 of 15 shots including 5 of 7 threes.
ratiopharm Ulm rookie point guard Per Gunther spots an open teammate in Saturdays game against Ewe Baskets Oldenburg.
At tip off Oldenburg immediately went to work. After giving ratiopharm Ulm 30 points in a late season game at Sportszentrum Kuhberg last year, Rickey Paulding picked up right where he left off. The talented small forward took over the game driving the Thunderbirds to an early lead. Oldenburg's defensive pressure took Ulm out of their offense and the physical play in the paint set the tone for the evening. After an 8-4 start for Oldenburg, Ulm turnovers set the table for a 12-0 run that stretched the Thunderbirds lead to 20-8. Ulm's bench helped settle the action as Dan Fitzgerald finished a spinning drive and breakaway layup making it 24-12. At the final first quarter buzzer, like the two previous games before at Ewe Arena, ratiopharm Ulm once again found themselves trailing Oldenburg, this time at home 27-15. Without question, Oldenburg's outstanding first quarter performance demonstrated a championship-caliber team. The experienced and battle-tested Thunderbirds took their game to a higher-level.
ratiopharm Ulm floor general Dru Joyce advances the basketball against Ewe Basket Oldenburg point guard Jason Gardner. Dru contribued a solid 9 points 8 assists for Ulm.
Quarter two developed as the Rickey Paulding show. The former Missouri Tiger star and Detroit native who was drafted in the 2nd round by the Detroit Pistons, put on an offensive clinic scoring in transition, finishing a drive with a dunk, posting up and drilling a few pull up three's. Scoring 25 points in the first half, at one point Paulding had outscored the entire Ulm team 21-17. Oldenburg's strong first half performance continued as they build a 35-21 advantage at the five minute mark of the second quarter. Turnovers and unfinished plays had slowed the Ulm attack early, but a late first half run helped pull them back into the game. An exciting last minute exchange of baskets brought the halftime deficit to 10, 46-36.
ratiopharm Ulm rookie forward Dan Fitzgerald finishes this first half fast break layup. Dan scored 12 points with 2 rebounds and 2 three pointers in another excellent game off the Ulm bench.
At the half, ratiopharm Ulm could be happy to be trailing by only 10. The 46-36 score was a managable margin, but Ulm was challenged to raise their level. The battle-tested team from Oldenburg played the first twenty minutes at an outstanding level. Ulm's stress was the positive type that leads to improvement when a team responds to make the next step. Ulm's defense had no answer for Rickey Paulding in the first twenty minutes. The turnovers and unfinished plays led to transition opportunities for Oldenburg. With 20 minutes to play, ratiopharm Ulm rallied together in the lockerroom aiming to raise their level.
ratiopharm Ulm's Romeo Travis dunks from a backdoor cut to open second half scoring. Romeo led the Ulm offensive attack with 15 points 5 boards in the loss.
As the second half started, ratiopharm Ulm sent Romeo Travis on a backdoor cut taking a beautiful bounce pass from Jeff Gibbs and hammering home a two hand slam. But over the next five minutes, it would be all Oldenburg. Again, led by Paulding's outstanding performance, Oldenburg outscored Ulm 18-4 expanding their lead to 64-42. The Thunderbids dominated the game with their excellent defense. Former NBA and Georgetown Hoya big man Ruben Boumtje Boumtje made several spectacular blocked shots and Oldenburg's Paulding and Jason Gardner made plays. Trailing by 22, Ulm changed the game. Changing defenses helped Ulm change the tempo and sparked an 11-2 run. After buckets by Romeo Travis, Dru Joyce and Jeff Gibbs trimmed the deficit to 13 at 66-53. At a point when the team needed them most, Ulm's rotation players came off the bench and gave their team great minutes. In fact, Sebasitan Betz, Dan Fitzgerald, Keith Triplett and Per Gunther energized Sportszentrum Kuhberg and brought the home crowd back into the game. Sebastian Betz drilled back to back three pointers and Keith Triplett poked loose two steals. Ulm's defense had risen to the challenge. At the end of three, Ulm was within 12, 68-56.
ratiopharm Ulm All Star Power Forward Jeff Gibbs works against a double team on the block in Saturday nights game against Ewe Baskets Oldenburg. Jeff powered his way to another double double with 11 points 10 rebounds for Ulm.
Huddling together before the fourth quarter, the Ulm team put everything they had into making the most of the final ten minutes. After Oldenburg controlled the action, after falling behind by 22 points and seemingly being already out of the game, after facing an opponent challenging them to reach the next level, ratiopharm Ulm fought their way back into the game. Sticking with the lineup that sparked the run, Ulm opened the fourth quarter with momentum. Ulm's run continued. Ulm's energy flowed and when Sean Finn grabbed an offensive rebound for an And1 layin, ratiopharm Ulm cut the deficit to three 68-63.
ratiopharm Ulm's Romeo Travis drives against Rickey Paulding of Ewe Baskets Oldenburg.
Oldenburg called timeout. A highlight of the early fourth quarter action took place after Keith Triplett poked loose a steal at midcourt. Tracking down the loose ball along the right sideline, Keith attacked the rim as Jason Gardner challenged. Gliding left by Gardner, Keith double-clutched his layup and hung in the air to finish. The ball rolled around the rim and out. Hustling into the play, Dan Fitzgerald jumped up for the tip in finish. His follow also rimmed out. With several players jockeying for position under the rim, Ulm's Sebastian Betz rose up above them all and hammered home a two hand tip-dunk slam that brought the Kuhberg crowd to their feet! The dunk was Sebastian's first Bundesliga slam. Ulm was within three, 68-65.
ratiopharm Ulm's rookie point guard Per Gunther manuevers past Ewe Baskets Oldenburg guard Je'Kel Foster in Saturday nights game. Per added 2 points 3 assists to Ulm's hardfought second half comeback.
Sportszentrum Kuhberg was energized by the outstanding play from the Ulm bench. They had done their job perfectly --- after their hardwork through the majority of the third quarter and early fourth, Ulm's bench played with great heart and worked Ulm back in the game. With 7 minutes remaining, keeping Dan Fitzgerald on the court, Dru Joyce, Lee Humphrey, Romeo Travis and Jeff Gibbs re-entered the action. A perfect opportunity to use the Ulm depth against a tired opponent from Oldenburg playing on short-rest with a short-bench, Ulm had the table set perfectly for a fourth quarter push. And the opportunities presented themselves. Lee Humphrey's open three went in and out. Ulm came up empty on several key possessions. On the other end, needing big plays, Oldenburg's Jason Gardner stuck a tough pull up J and Rickey Paulding buried another three. Oldenburg's lead was rebuilt to 10, 75-65 with three minutes left. Desperately making one last run, Ulm took their final timeout with just over two minutes remaining. Trailing 76-67, Dru Joyce led the charge by drilling a clutch three pulling Ulm within 6, 76-70.
ratiopharm Ulm rookie forward Dan Fitzgerald attacks the basket Saturday night as Oldenburg's Ewe Baskets Oldenburg big man Ruben Boumtje Boumtje challenges.
Following a big defensive stop, Ulm's attack led to an endline inbound situation. From the endline play, Lee Humphrey dashed to the left wing running off a screen. Instantly the three point marksman buried another clutch three bringing Ulm back within three 76-73 with under one minute to play. Ulm needed a defensive stop. Unfortunately, a foul sent Ruben Boumtje Boumtje to the charity stripe for two. Boumtje Boumtje buried both important free throws stretching Oldenburg's lead to 78-73. Ulm came up empty on the next possession. Matched up with intense man to man, Ulm defended as Oldenburg's Jason Gardner milked the clock. Finally initiating the play and dribbling off a ballscreen, Gardner drove into the lane slipping a pass back to an open Jasmin Perkovic who popped to the top of the key. Alone, the skillful forward took his time and lined up the shot --- make or miss, it was one of the most critical shots of the game. Perkovic drilled the clutch three giving Oldenburg a 81-73 lead with 36 seconds to play. Scrambling, Ulm pushed the ball but came up empty as a Romeo Travis shot rimmed out. After fouls the teams exchanged free throws. By the final buzzer, the scoreboard showed an 83-75 win for Oldenburg.
ratiopharm Ulm floor general Dru Joyce goes strong to the basket against Oldenburg's Ruben Boumtje Boumtje in Saturday's game at Sportszentrum Kuhberg.
Romeo Travis topscored for ratiopharm Ulm with 15 points while Dan Fitzgerald added 12 points, Jeff Gibbs posted an 11 point 10 rebound double double, Lee Humphrey chipped in 10 and Dru Joyce totaled 9 points 8 assists for Ulm. Along with Rickey Pauldings 34, Oldenburg got 12 points from Jason Gardner and 12 points 11 rebounds 5 blocks from big man Ruben Boumtje Boumtje. In the game, Ulm shot 41% from the floor making 7 of 22 threes (31%) and sinking 8 of 12 free throws (66%). Oldenburg made 55% of their shots hitting 7 of 16 threes (43%) and 16 of 18 free throws (88%) while outrebounding Ulm 33-31.
ratiopharm Ulm sharpshooter Lee Humphrey drives the lane past Ewe Baskets Oldenburg Jasmin Perkovic in Saturdays game.
ratiopharm Ulm takes positives from the outstanding second half comeback and terrific bench production in the game. Clearly identifiying several areas where to improve to make the next step and compete at the top of the Bundesliga, Saturdays game against Oldenburg provided excellent experience for the Ulm team and challenged the Ulm team to raise their level.
Now 14-8, ratiopharm Ulm sits in sixth place of the Bundesliga standings as the team enters an open weekend for the German Cup Top 4 in Hamburg. ratiopharm Ulm's next game is set for March 7th when they host Artland Dragons at Sportszentrum Kuhberg. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga Basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
