TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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ULM hosts MTV Stuttgart Saturday!
When ratiopharm Ulm aligns for tip-off Saturday night, their opponent will have more than just Ulm on their minds. As if the game itself was not enough for an "Aufsteiger" (a team that won the 3rd division last season earning promotion into the 2.League). After a slow 0-3 start to the 2005-2006 season, MTV Stuttgart management decided to shake things up for this weekends showdown at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm --- only 3 weeks into the regular season, still searching their first 2.Bundesliga win, in an attempt to jump-start their team, Stuttgart Head Coach Slobodan Konjevic was fired Tuesday and replaced with veteran play-caller Takis Genikomsidis on Wednesday.
Mike T with Jonathan Levy 5 and Maksym Shtein 15
Saturday October 15th, 2005
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3-0 ratiopharm Ulm returns home to host 2.Bundesliga South newcomer MTV Stuttgart, a new team dealing with new faces, new systems and different coaching styles after moves made this week. Although the team itself is new to the 2.Bundesliga South, several members of this weekend's opponent are not strangers to Sportszentrum Kuhberg. Maybe most important, the new head coach Takis Genikomsidis knows Ulm well and has excellent experience coaching in the 2.Bundesliga and Bundesliga. Takis took over at Bayern Munich halfway through last season and helped them battle and fight to stay in the league without any Import players. Although the team was eventually relegated, Takis did a fine job with the team and will draw on his knowledge and experience as he takes up his new post. Meanwhile, the most notorious name on the Stuttgart roster is without question talented guard Radi Tomasevic. The 5'11 veteran is as well known for his colorful game on the court which features a skillful mix of deep three point shooting, floating left handed finishes and bouncing slashing drives. Tomasevic has starred in the 2.Bundesliga for years with Langen, Bayreuth, Tubingen and now Stuttgart. Currently leading his team in scoring at over 18ppg, Radi is clearly capable of big time scoring games as evident from his 30 point explosion in the classic Ulm-Tubingen double OT matchup two seasons ago in Sportszentrum Kuhberg. Another veteran well known to Ulm is experienced shooting guard Kresimir Miksa. Like Radi, Miksa was a key part in Tubingen's ascent into the Bundesliga two seasons ago and played with the Walter Tigers Tubingen in Germany's top division last season. A terrific three point shooter and hardworking veteran, Miksa is averaging 15ppg and shooting 41% from three point land. Yet another name familiar to Ulm fans, Tom Klemm joins is also a familiar face to his new head coach --- Klemm played under Takis with Bayern Munich last season. Klemm, a three point shooting threat averaging 11ppg along with 5reb, gives Stuttgart another offensive weapon to go with Radi and Miksa. Looking at their inside game, Stuttgart signed a "steal" when they inked talented big man Peter Huber-Saffer who played with Telekom Bonn last season in the Bundesliga. Huber-Saffer has averaged a strong 12.7ppg and 11.7reb a game including an impressive 10 point 15rebound performance in Stuttgart's 89-79 loss last week to Kaiserslautern. Aside from these well-known names, Stuttgart also features several others who will try to make their names known. Sweet shooting big man Andi Bloch was signed this week to the team. Playing last season in Italy's top league and in college at Villanova, Bloch will be an immediate factor in his first game with his new team. Bloch and Huber-Saffer have the potential to be a top young big man combination in the league. Also out to show something is hardworking defender Radiza Zdravkovic who is likely to start in the Stuttgart backcourt. Known as the Stuttgart defensive stopper, look for Radiza to get after the Ulm players. He also averages 9.7ppg and 5ast per game on the offensive end. Finally, bench players like Thomas Lieschke (a hardworking big man), Christian Spieth (a reliable perimeter sub), Michael Weiss and Tomislav Martinovic will wear the Stuttgart "trikot mit stolz" (uniform with pride). MTV Stuttgart will rely on their enthusiasm from the new coach and their experience from Radi, Miksa, Klemm and Huber-Saffer in Ulm Saturday night.
Meanwhile, ratiopharm Ulm continues their roll after a 48 point pasting of USC MainFranken Baskets from Wurzburg last weekend. Excellent team chemistry, clearly defined roles and fun with discipline have Ulm off to a flying start to the 2005-2006 season. The 8 player rotation has clicked on and off the floor and the team has been consistently improving since the beginning of the season. Two weekends ago, in Ulm's home debut, the team drew a sellout of 2400 fans shattering their opening day attendance record from 2.Bundesliga South seasons before. On the heels of their record breaking opening day crowd, ratiopharm Ulm management announced that the team eclipsed the club record for Season ticket sales earlier this week and continues with over 500 sold. After a strong week of practice, Ulm looks to maintain their momentum ahead of next wednesday's German Cup game against another top team BBC Bayreuth.
Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
SCOUTING REPORTS
Emeka Erege: Excellent all-around player has good matchup!
Jonathan Levy: 10-13 from floor in Wurzburg for 26pts
Jeff Gibbs: 21pt 12reb in Wurzburg/ will battle two 7' big men
Maksym Shtein: C looks for big game against former coach Takis
Martin Theusen: triggered Ulm's big 2nd half in Wurzburg
Christian Grosse: 15pts v Wurzburg 5-6 from floor plus 3-3 3pts
Florian Mobius: key post sub for Ulm/grew up in stuttgart area
Jan Sprunken: super team player/ veteran/ smart/ CRAFTY
Antonis Sivorotka: talented prospect also developing
Benni Gulde: young guard developing daily with hardwork
Radi Tomasevic 6' crafty scorer/lefty/3 range/ good off dribble
Kresimir Miksa 6'2 vet guard/3pt threat/ smart player/ Tubingen
Tom Klemm 6'5 deep shooting threat/ experienced/ Bayern Munich
Peter Huber Saffer 6'9 skilled big man/Bundesliga Exp with Bonn
Andreas Bloch 6'9 shooting big man/Italy A last yr/ from Villanova
Zdravkovic
Thomas Lieschke 6'9
Spieth
Weiss will shoot 3's
Tomislav
