The Skyliners lost four of their players
by Norbert Dorholt
(13.02.2023) Pomadig is the word to best describe the game played by the Frankfurt Bundesliga basketball team Fraport Skyliners against Brose Bamberg in the first half. Only in the third quarter do the Frankfurters wake up in front of 3800 fans and ensure that the clear lead of the guests melts away. However, the burden from the first two quarters is too great and their own defensive work is not successful enough to win at home (15:28 – 20:26 – 28:21 – 16:22).
In the 83:100 defeat, players Isaiah Washington (slightly injured; hip) and the two Big Men Alexander Richardson (ankle) and Lorenz Brenneke (adductors) were unable to participate. Frankfurt’s top scorer was JJ Frazier with 21 points. Before the season is interrupted by the cup weekend and the national team window, the Fraport Skyliners are going to an away game in Oldenburg again next Tuesday. Jump ball can be seen live at 8:30 p.m. on MagentaSport. Tickets for all home games are available from Tel. 069-92887619, online from www.fraport-skyliners.de or the advance booking offices of AdTicket.
votes on the game
Geert Hammink, head coach of the Fraport Skyliners: “Where should I start? First of all, congratulations to Bamberg, they played really good basketball and caused us a lot of problems with their switching defense. But if you concede 28 points in a quarter and commit only one foul, then that speaks volumes. Our fighting spirit and focus just wasn’t there. We have to let some players play too many minutes, at some point the tank is simply empty. But that must not be an excuse.”
Oren Amiel (head coach, Brose Bamberg): “We started the game very well and immediately built up the confidence to hit difficult shots. Even when Frankfurt got back on track, we kept calm and played our game. It was an important game for us to keep up with the playoffs. A big thank you also goes to our fans, who also showed us a lot of love away from home. Now we have to prepare for the tough away game in Ulm.”
First Five – Again and again a new formation that head coach Geert throws into the race first. This time JJ Frazier, Laurynas Beliauskas, Quantez Robertson, Lukas Wank and Matt Haarms share the honor.
Quarter 1 – Hot start, one-sided hot end – 15:28
Although the first goals of the game belong to the guests, the home side also step up afterwards and show defensive presence – 5:2 (2nd minute). The threes seem to want to fall on both sides. JJ Frazier increases from the outside line to 8:5 (4th), but Bamberg turns the heat regulator up again from the three-man line and throws himself to 8:16 (6th). The Frankfurt game seems to have problems maintaining concentration under the rising heat. Slight ball losses, offensive rebounds from the guests and their own misses, constant, uninvited companions this season, creep in frequently. So after the first quarter the score is 15:28.
The Bamberg threes are unstoppable in the first quarter. Six hits in ten attempts is a very good result. The fact that they were played out with a total of nine assists (unfortunately) speaks for the offensive game of the guests.
Quarter 2 – defensively not up to par – 20:26
The defensive must have been the big topic of conversation during the quarter break. The guests scored too easily in the first round. But Bamberg doesn’t even think about letting the now red-hot three-pointer’s hand cool down – 22:33 (13th). On the other side, only the ring gets warmer due to the constant friction on the outside, but without losing anything useful – 22:37 (16th). The only thing that’s louder in the Süwag Energie ARENA in the further quarter run than the tireless drumming in the fan block are the happy cries of the Bamberg players after easy points. The half-time score is correspondingly clear – 35:54.
The gap is already clear, and not just in terms of the score. Headcaoch Geert Hammink’s team is also inferior in rebounds. Ten rebounds land in Frankfurt hands. Whole 23 with the guests. This also results in more and more opportunities for new Bamberg attacks. 27 throws on the Frankfurt side are opposed to 35 on the Bamberg side.
Quarter 3 – Suddenly the knot bursts – 28:21
Played a minute, scored five Frankfurt points, kept everything clean defensively. If things continue at this pace, there could be a sensational comeback – 40:54 (21st). Bamberg needs a moment, but shakes itself awake during a time-out and maintains the almost 20-point lead – 48:67 (26th). Captain Lukas Wank brings life back to the table with two lightning-fast threes and the 54:69 (27th) interim result. And suddenly the Frankfurt game is running, the heavy throws are thrown and the fans do the rest. Another 4:0 run resulted in a frustrated Bamberg time-out – 58:69 (28th). Offensively, it’s fireworks on both sides, with the Fraport Skyliners trying with all their might to get under the magical ten point difference, which doesn’t (yet) succeed by a hair’s breadth – 63:75.
Suddenly the Frankfurt threes fall – and really! 12/20 or in other words: 60% after quarter three. The Bamberg rate, however, slips down to a still strong 45% (9/20). And the rebounds were also grabbed much (!) better recently, so that this balance is only 21:28.
4 Quarter – Not Enough Momentum – 16:22
Can you keep up the momentum from the third quarter and act with the same focus and commitment in the fourth quarter? Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it at first. Head coach Geert Hammink reacted early with a time-out to correct and motivate again – 63:77 (32nd). But the hoped-for effect does not materialize. Bamberg has the game under control again, while the team around Quantez Robertson tries with a lot of passion, but cannot reward themselves sufficiently – 65:87 (35th). Accordingly, towards the end of the game it is again 20 points behind, resulting in a final score of 83:100.
Next home game dates
· Sunday, March 5, towards Bonn (6 p.m.)
Sunday, March 19 against Chemnitz (3 p.m.)
Sunday, April 2 against Berlin (3 p.m.)
