ratiopharm ulm (10:9) remains one of the hottest teams in the easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga. The 92:84 against the MLP Academics Heidelberg (7:13) was the fourth win in a row for head coach Anton Gavel’s team.
Gameplay and Turning Points: The tight result is by no means deceptive, the encounter was dogged. The highest lead in the game? The Final Score. Only at the beginning of the game could the hosts expect a relaxed success, which opened up to seven points early on. But against Heidelberg, a game is only over when it’s really over. Of course, the clutch kings of the league came back and took a six-point lead in the final stretch. ratiopharm’s recipe for success was: Dreier. Ultimately, Ulm won from a distance and through their defense.
Duel in focus: Ulm’s Bruno Caboclo and Heidelberg’s Max Ugrai delivered a gripping exchange of blows. Individually, the German was clearly ahead with his 16 points and seven rebounds. But the Brazilian garnished his 13 points with the usual reliable defense on the other side.
Please pay: Despite advantages in free throws (23:19) and rebounds (39:31), the Academics left the field as losers. This was largely related to the eleven steals that the hosts captured.
Player of the match: It took a while this season for Thomas Klepeisz to warm up. Appropriate actually for the entire course of this season at Ulm. At the latest against Heidelberg, the Austrian was really hot. 17 points, five threes – of course one-legged ones – as well as four rebounds and assists each made the veteran the decisive man.
The Germans: While Karim Jallow (4 points) had a used evening, 19-year-old power forward David Fuchs bribed with six points in just as many minutes. In addition to Ugrai, Bennet Hundt (8 points, 5 assists) once again impressed in the academics.
On the edge of the gang: In addition to the long-term injuries on both sides, one man in particular was missing: Eric Washington. The linchpin of the Heidelberg offensive was sorely missed in the crunch time.
What’s next: The Ulmer host Brose Bamberg on Tuesday (7 p.m.) ahead of the cup and international break. Heidelberg has to play the Würzburg Baskets on Wednesday (8.30 p.m.).
Video: There are highlights of this game in the top right corner under “Video” or here at MagentaSport.
