TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
vs 
Ulm Hosts Paderborn!
ratiopharm Ulm vs Paderborn Baskets
Saturday April 25th, 2009 7pm
Sportszentrum Kuhberg Ulm, Germany
ratiopharm Ulm hosts Paderborn Baskets Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm in Game Day 32 of the 2008-2009 Bundesliga season. The first of three straight home games at Sportszentrum Kuhberg to finish the regular season, ratiopharm Ulm meets a Paderborn team fighting for the 8th and final Bundesliga playoff place. Along with the competition on the court, two of the best rebounders in the Bundesliga go head to head as ratiopharm Ulm all star power forward Jeff Gibbs battles with Paderborn big man Chris Ensminger on the boards.
ratiopharm Ulm floor general Dru Joyce leads his team into Saturday's home game against Paderborn!
click here for regio-tv game preview
With both ratiopharm Ulm and Paderborn Baskets enjoying their 2.Bundesliga championship seasons in 2005-2006, a natural rivalry exists as the two teams won their way into the Bundesliga the same season and have maintained their place in the league over the last two years. In fact, both Ulm and Paderborn finished 16-18 in 2006-2007. Last season, they both finished 16-18 once again! Certainly, both teams have established themselves well in their first two Bundesliga campaigns. Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm, these two teams meet with eyes on their first playoff appearances.
Posting four straight wins over ratiopharm Ulm in regular season Bundesliga play, Paderborn holds the advantage heading into Saturday's matchup at Sportszentrum Kuhberg. ratiopharm Ulm won their first meeting in the Bundesliga in October 2006, but Paderborn has topped Ulm the last four head to head meetings. ratiopharm Ulm won the German Cup game between the two teams last season, but the physical defensive style of Paderborn play has provided challenges for Ulm. Fighting to earn their own playoff spot, Paderborn will certainly bring their physical game to Ulm and Saturday's game will be fantastic preparation for the Bundesliga playoffs.
ratiopharm Ulm's Keith Triplett has been a key part of the teams success taking the most challenging defensive assignments.
With Paderborn facing financial problems off the floor throughout the season, large questions have surfaced about the teams Bundesliga basketball future. In January, a significant financial deficit forced Paderborn into emergency operations. Although progress was made, Paderborn continues to search for a main sponsor. Recently General Manager
Dr. Nima Mehrdadi announced he would move on after the season and head coach Doug Spradley is expected to move onto a more stable situation. Certainly, the future of Bundesliga basketball in Paderborn faces many uncertainties. All in all, Paderborn has played a tremendous season on the floor when considering all of the distractions and adversity off it.
ratiopharm Ulm rookie forward Dan Fitzgerald has hit 9 of 19 threes over his last two games.
After a slow start to the season, Paderborn put it together and has emerged as a playoff candidate despite all of their issues off the floor. Opening up the season with a road win over Tubingen, Paderborn dropped 4 straight games and lost 8 of their first 11 games. The slow start had much to do with injuries as several key Paderborn players missed early season action with various physical problems. But once the team got healthy, Paderborn won 4 straight games and rolled to 10 wins over their next 12 games. But since that point, Paderborn lost 4 of 5 games falling out of playoff position. Over the last two weeks, Paderborn has won their way back into the post season picture taking back to back wins over Bremerhaven 85-74 April 17th and 67-61 over EnBW Ludwigsburg April 19th. The Ludwigsburg win was a critical head to head game against an opponent also in the thick of the race for the playoffs. Entering Saturday's game at Sportszentrum Kuhberg, Paderborn owns a 16-14 record including 6-9 on the road.
ratiopharm Ulm's Romeo Travis finishes in the lane in Sundays road loss at Trier Arena.
Ulm and Paderborn met earlier this season. With wintry conditions outside, negative ten degrees celcius and powdery snow covered the north central German city of Paderborn the first week after new year. Just as cold in their first game of the new year, ratiopharm Ulm shot a season low 36% from the floor and fell victim to a late game-breaking run that pushed host Paderborn Baskets to an 82-66 Bundesliga win Wednesday night January 7th, 2009 at Sportszentrum Maspernplatz.
Click here for Jan 7, 2009 Ulm @ Paderborn Game Summary!
ratiopharm Ulm's Lee Humphrey defends Paderborn's Bryant McAllister in Bundesliga action January 7th, 2009 at Sportszentrum Maspernplatz in Paderborn.
Click here for Ulm @ Paderborn Wednesday 1-7-09 Box Score
click here for Ulm @ Paderborn Photo Gallery!
Last season ratiopharm Ulm and Paderborn split a pair of meetings with Paderborn winning at Sportszentrum Kuhberg December 16th and Ulm claiming a German Cup Sweet 16 victory in early Febuary.
Click for Ulm v Paderborn German Cup Sweet 16 Game Summary!
But late last year, Paderborn took the rubber game beating ratiopharm Ulm 101-91 at Sportszentrum Maspernplaz.
Click for 4-18-08 Ulm @ Paderborn Game Summary!
ratiopharm Ulm All Star Power Forward Jeff Gibbs
The matchup between Ulm and Paderborn has provided exciting basketball for Bundesliga fans for two consecutive seasons. Before the German Cup Sweet 16 game, Paderborn clearly had the better of the meetings. Click the links below for recent game recaps of Ulm v Paderborn:
Sunday December 16, 2007 Game Summary
Febuary 25th, 2007 Game Summary
October 20th, 2006 Game Summary
After a run of outstanding performances, ratiopharm Ulm guard Sebastian Betz missed Sundays road game in Trier because of a strained back. Basti is expected to be back in the lineup Saturday against Paderborn.
Paderborn revamped their team from last season as star guard Tim Black signed with Antwerpen in Belgium for this year. The teams other star returned as Steve Esterkamp continues to provide a perimeter scoring threat in Paderborn. Ulm fans will remember Esterkamp going off in last seasons April Paderborn win over Ulm as he scorched the Ulm defense for 19 points in the first quarter and 34 in the game. This season the veteran Esterkamp has produced 13.6ppg 3.7reb 2.1ast while shooting 36% from three and 83% from the foul line. Also returning to Paderborn to provide continuity, hardworking forward Marius Nolte (6.4ppg 3.1reb 70% FT) adds energy and physical defensive work in the paint. Both Esterkamp and Nolte were key parts of Paderborn's 'Aufsteig' team in 2005-2006 and remain in important roles with their team today. With the departure of Black and several other pieces of last seasons roster, Paderborn brought in two Bundesliga veteran point guards. Lavelle Felton (10.3ppg 2.9reb 2.7ast 32% three) runs the show after joining Science City Jena last season. Felton is a solid PG who brings good size and versatility to the floor. Steven Wright backs him up and adds 8.8ppg 2.9reb 2ast and 40% from three. Wright has emerged as another terrific three point threat along with team-leader Esterkamp. Homegrown talent Stefano Garris was brought in after several good seasons in Berlin and most recently Frankfurt and the former German National team wing has contributed alot defensively. Scoring guard Bryant McAllister has started recent games and has shot 36% from three scoring 7.1ppg. Paderborn's frontcourt revolves around the physical veteran post man Chris Ensminger (10.4ppg 10reb) and versatile scoring forward Nathan Peavy. Ensminger provides Paderborn with a physical post defender and scoring option on the block while Peavy has become a terrific forward for Paderborn. Peavy provides Paderborn with 13.2ppg 5.2reb 37% from three along with excellent versatility on both ends. Rookie center Matt Terwilliger 3ppg 1.4reb 27% three) comes off the bench to spell Ensminger and the former Ohio State Buckeye big man gives the team a perimeter shooting presence. Young Germans Thomas Gajda and Robert Ohle round out the Paderborn roster. Overall, the hardworking Paderborn team has fought their way into the playoff picture and despite their problems off the floor, the team has been strong throughout the season.
ratiopharm Ulm enters Saturdays game against Paderborn with their focus on sharpening up for the playoffs. Ulm finishes the 2008-2009 regular season with 3 consecutive home games and the team is working on several details of their game. Looking to build on their last home game, a 103-66 win over rival EnBW Ludwigsburg last Friday, ratiopharm Ulm is excited about their season-ending schedule keeping them in Ulm where they can focus on taking their game to the next level. One interesting individual battle on the floor Saturday will be on the backboards and ratiopharm Ulm's Jeff Gibbs and Paderborn's Chris Ensminger go head to head. Both players have a great chance to win the Bundesliga rebounding title, a crown Ulm's Jeff Gibbs has held over the last two seasons. Going into Saturday's game, Jeff Gibbs averages 10.2 rebounds grabbing a total of 315 boards in 31 games while Ensminger averages an even 10 rebounds (269 in 27 games). Basketball fans will be treated to an intense matchup between teams as well as among individual players Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg.
Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga Basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
TAYLORHOOPS.COM GAME NOTES
Ulm Roster
Emeka Erege: Ulm captain showing good leadership
Romeo Travis: has given Ulm strong play on both ends of the floor!
Jeff Gibbs: focused for strong performance against Paderborn
Keith Triplett : ulm defensive stopper in top form
Lee Humphrey: sharpshooter is 2nd in Bundesliga with 73 threes!
Dru Joyce: Ulm floor general ready for challenge vs Paderborn
Per Gunther: rookie star establishing himself in Bundesliga!
Dan Fitzgerald: 4th in Bundesliga with 64 threes!
Sean Finn: ready for challenge against Ensminger in post!
Sebastian Betz: back in lineup after back problems in Trier
Michael Schroeder: big man provides depth
Head Coach: Mike Taylor
Asst Coach : Rainer Bauer
Location: Paderborn, Germany
Main Sponsor:
Home Court: Sportzentrum Maspernplatz
website: www.paderborn-baskets.de
2006-2007: 16-18 9th place Bundesliga
Offense: After featuring a terrific three guard attack for the last two seasons centered around Bundesliga leading scorer Tim Black, Paderborn has changed their look slightly to fit their new lineup. Perimeter shooting remains from Esterkamp and this seasons team features several talented wings in Bryant McAllister and Stefano Garris. Bundesliga veteran guards Lavelle Felton and Stephen Wright play major roles in the offense. In the post, physical veteran Chris Ensminger and talented Nathan Peavy provide a nice combination of inside and outside skills. Relying on fundamental sets and and a variety of screen-the-screener, flash cuts, staggered doubles and zipper cuts, Paderborn has a solid attack.
Defense: A physical defensive team is the calling card of Paderborn and this seasons team has picked up their defensive work as they have gotten healthy. Guards apply ballpressure and post men Ensminger and Nolte are extremely physical. A hardnosed man to man team, Paderborn traditionally will play some 2-3 zone on endline and sideline inbound situations.
GM:
Head Coach: Doug Spradley
Players:
Steve Esterkamp: multiskilled wing is key for Paderborn
Nathan Peavy: talented scoring F from Miami Ohio
Marius Nolte: hardworking physical 4 man/ key part of team
Chris Ensminger: physical C a vital part of Paderborn success
Lavelle Felton: starting PG after starting last season in Jena
Stephen Wright: scoring PG joins Paderborn from Braunschweig
Bryant McAllister: talented rookie G shooting 40% from three
Stefano Garris: former German National team player adds great D
Matt Terwilliger: former Ohio St Buckeye big man adds post depth
Thomas Gajda
Robert Oehle
