TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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POLAR OPPOSITE: Ulm-Wurzburg Saturday!
2.Bundesliga South opposites meet Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg in Ulm as unbeaten ratiopharm Ulm looks to repel winless USC MainFranken Baskets of Wurzburg. Two teams looking at the standings from polar opposite ends, 17-0 Ulm and 0-17 Wurzburg bookend the 2.Bundesliga South as they enter Saturday nights game on opposite ends of the spectrum. What does a 17-0 team look like? What does an 0-17 team look like? What does it look like when they meet? Find out Saturday night at Sportszentrum Kuhberg when these two Polar Opposites collide!
Ulm's Jonathan Levy (5) is a PLAYMAKER!
Saturday Febuary 4th, 2006
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Earlier this season, ratiopharm Ulm handed USC MainFranken Baskets a 113-65 setback in Game Day 3 Sunday October 9th at s.Oliver Arena in Wurzburg. Back in Game Day 3, 2-0 ratiopharm Ulm traveled to 0-2 USC MainFranken Baskets; since that time, not much has changed. Now 17-0, Ulm has overcome all obstacles along the way while 0-17 Wurzburg has taken their lumps.
One of the most traditional basketball cities in Germany, the Wurzburg collapse has been one of the more disappointing basketball stories over the last two seasons. While Wurzburg native-son Dirk Nowitzki continues to rise to the top of the world in basketball, his hometown team has plumeted through Bundesliga relegation into the cellar of the 2.Bundesliga South. The once proud basketball city has fallen on hard times and the demanding 2.Bundesliga South has shown no mercy. Once renowned for player development, USC MainFranken Baskets have been forced into a youth movement. Legendary German coach Holger Gschwindner, the mentor and coach of Dirk Nowitzki, has guided the winless Wurzburg team through this difficult season. A fantastic coach working with young talents, even Gschwinder's experience and expertise is challenged by the current problem within Wurzburg basketball. As with any athletic team, on and off the floor are parts of the equation. Adding it up, it's pretty plain and clear --- no money equals no players which equals no wins. Unfortunately for this classic basketball town, no simple solution is in sight. Mathematically, USC MainFranken Baskets Entering Game Day 18, Wurzburg is the least productive offense scoring a league low 1128 total points (66.2ppg). Add to the offensive struggles a defense ranked last in the league allowing 1694 total points (99.6 points per game) and the result is an 0-17 season with a negative 566 plus minus in point differential. As if adding up the numbers was not enough, subtraction has also affected the Wurzburg team. Since the 113-65 Ulm win in Game Day 3, veteran Keli Ekomoye, Maurice Newby and Edwin Ofori-Attah have all left the team. Hoping to replace these missing pieces, Gschwindner added shooting guard Jochen Bischoff, Sebastian Kiel, big man Raymon Hasler and brand new American guard Antoine Knighton. Recent results demonstrate the moves are paying off. Two weeks ago, against Kaiserslautern, Wurzburg shot over 50% and was extremely competitive before bowing 105-81 to the Red Devils in Wurzburg. Former Kaiserslautern guard Christian Gabold led Wurzburg with 24 points while Burgy Steinbach added a 14 point 10 rebound double double. Last week, Wurzburg was again solid dropping a 72-57 road contest in Bayreuth behind 17 points and 12 rebounds from Big Burgy Steinbach. Clearly, the USC MainFranken Basket team is playing better over the last several weeks.
In this seasons head to head matchup, ratiopharm Ulm overwhelmed USC MainFranken Baskets with a 17-2 run starting the third quarter as part of a 69-29 second half to earn their 3rd win of the 2.Bundesliga South 2005-2006 season . Ulm's Jonathan Levy topscored for his team with 26 points finishing a sizzling 10-13 from the floor in the game including a momentum building 12 points in Ulm's commanding 33-16 breakout third quarter. Powerful Jeff Gibbs posted a double double with an impressive 21 point 14 rebound performance highlighted by three hammer dunks energizing his team. Center Maksym Shtein added 17 points and 5 boards despite illness and Christian Grosse was outstanding from the bench with 15 points in the win on 5-6 from the floor and a perfect 3-3 from three point range. Starting point guard Martin Thuesen also reached double figures with 12 points and sparked the team with many clever passes in the third quarter run. A focused team effort is expected from within Ulm.
Point Guard Martin Thuesen turns the corner!
Wurzburg enters Saturday's game with Christian Gabold at the point averaging 9.1ppg 2.1reb and 1.4ast while shooting 23% from three. A hardnosed defender and worker, Gabold will compete and has been in top form recently. Jochen Bischoff and Sebastian Kiel add perimeter shooting threats to the team and both have been major factors in the teams improved play. New American guard Antoine Knighton will make his Wurzburg debut against Ulm. Also making his debut for Wurzburg this Saturday will be talented young big man Raymond Hasler who has spent time backing up on Bamberg's bench and also playing with Breitengussbach. A 6'2 combo guard, Knighton hails from Talledega College. At 6'9, Hasler will be a nice addition to the teams frontcourt. Young players Max Endres, Ben Koth and Paul Lammle have all played good minutes for Wurzburg as Gschwindner continues his strong work with youth talents. Throw in Florian Hollmann and Oliver Wartenburger and you have extra depth that continues to develop. Finally, the most important player on the USC MainFranken Baskets roster is big man Burkhard Steinbach a veteran and former teammate from Dirk Nowitzki during the HEY DAY in Wurzburg. Steinbach is a big, physical inside presence who troubled Ulm by blocking shots and scoring in the paint in the first meeting this season. Stabalizing the middle, Burgy adds experience and size to the young prospects. As those young players continue to improve, so will the chances for Wurzburg's first win.
Meanwhile, the week of preparation was not without interest in Ulm as several unique situations occurred. First, Tuesday night was a "Super Bowl" night in Ulm as the team split into two groups to play 2 hand touch football in a matchup that pitted the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Seattle Seahawks. Jeff Gibbs, an NCAA Division 3 all american in football and basketball at Otterbein College, was named ULM SUPER BOWL MVP after leading his Seahawks to an impressive 48-32 win. After the midweek fun was over, the team immediately went back to work Wednesday night without three players as Christian Grosse honored an academic requirement, Jan Sprunken returned home to Munster to be with family for a funeral and Maksym Shtein missed training with illness. Neu Ulm players Antonis Sivorotka, Marcel Freide, Benni Gulde and Sebastian Geserick all practiced extremely well Wednesday helping the team overcome the unusual circumstances. Final preparations over Thursday and Friday with a complete team are expected.
Florian Mobius (14) follows through with excellent form!
An emphasis on "Team Goals" has been the theme of the week as ratiopharm Ulm seeks to stay focused for Saturday night. Respect for the opponent, intensity for the game and mental focus have been mixed into team discussions. With outstanding team leadership from Captain Emeka Erege and veteran leaders like Jan Sprunken, Maksym Shtein and Florian Mobius, ratiopharm Ulm is fortunate to feature "winning attitudes" and "quality character".
Jan Sprunken has hit important 3pt shots all season!
Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
SCOUTING REPORTS
Emeka Erege: Ulm captain nearly perfect in Nordlingen 6-6fg 4-5ft 16pt
Jonathan Levy: remains a QUADRUPLE THREAT on offense
Jeff Gibbs: powerful big man was MVP of team SUPER BOWL tuesday
Maksym Shtein: entertaining matchup with Wurzburg's Burgy Steinbach
Martin Theusen: returned from Christmas Break with excellent play!
Konrad Wysocki: a key addition has fit in perfectly with Ulm
Christian Grosse: was excellent in Wurzburg 5-6fg 3-3threes 15pts
Florian Mobius: key post sub for Ulm in top form recently
Jan Sprunken: great team player/excellent 3pt shooter/but a seahawk fan
Antonis Sivorotka:showed talent late vNordlingen 2ft,1reb,1ast,1st
Marcel Freide: most improved of Ulm prospects
Sebastian Geserick: young PG playing well for Neu Ulm and working hard
Christian Gabold 6' solid young point/experience w/kaiserslautern
Jochen Bischoff shooting guard/3pt threat/5ppg 26% 3pt
Sebastian Kiel 5.5ppg 40% 3ptshooter/2 games/ has helped team
Florian Hollmann young player avg 3.7ppg 2r
Raymond Hasler 6'9 young talent making debut for Wurzburg Saturday
Antoine Knighton 6'2 combo guard/new american/makes debut Sat.
Paul Lammle 6'5 athlete/can run and jump 4.1ppg 1.4r
Burgy Steinbach 6'9 vet big man/nice hook/ uses body 17pt 12 reb last wk
Oliver Wartenberger 3.1ppg/ 2-13 from three for season
Max Endres young post/playing well/ 6.3ppg 2.2r/ 31% 3ptshooter
Ben Koth 4.4ppg 2.7reb
