Ludwigsburg. The game plan in basketball is already tightly timed anyway. That is why it is convenient for the MHP giants Ludwigsburg to move directly into the round of 16 of the Champions League. With the 99:83 success over Lenovo Tenerife, the Bundesliga basketball team made it early yesterday evening. So the Swabians can go into the last group game on December 21st against the Ukrainian team BC Prometey. “Eight players from Tenerife were with their national teams last week. They were probably a little more tired, so our intensity helped us in the first half, ”said great coach John Patrick. “When Tenerife came back, we held up well.”
High intensity at the beginning
The game started lively. It got down to business with great intensity and several changes in leadership. After a three by Jordan Hulls and two points from Justin Simon, the Giants were 8: 6 in the lead (4th minute). A little later, Tenerife was back in front (10: 8). Coach John Patrick particularly disliked the defensive work of his team and took the first break. “We talked about it,” he warned his team to implement his requirements.
With a little delay, it had an effect. At the end of the first round, the giants really get going. With a 12-0 run, the Ludwigsburg moved away to 26:14 – mainly thanks to the two threes from Hulls and Rawle Alkins.
The giants stayed on the trigger in the second quarter and showed an outstanding performance, especially from the three-point line. Jonathan Behre increased to 31:14 and followed a little later to 39:22. Shortly afterwards Tremmell Darden was successful – again from a distance (45:27). Since Jonah Radebaugh sank two threes in the 19th minute, the game was almost decided at half-time at 53:31.
After the break, Ludwigsburg kept the Spaniards at a distance for a long time with around 20 points. But in the 26th minute Tenerife came up to 14 points at 53:67. Hulls countered with a threesome and a ferry with two converted free throws (53:72). Still, the giants became more careless. With a score of 61:74, the Swabians still had a clear lead before the final quarter, but it shrank.
When the hosts started the last quarter with a 4-0 run, giant coach Patrick immediately took the time-out (65:74). That made the game exciting again. But Ludwigsburg could not take the victory – also because the Spaniards were too undisciplined. The hosts often quarreled with referee decisions. Marcelinho Huertas saw his second technical foul in the 18th minute at a score of 80:91 and was thus disqualified for the final phase. Ludwigsburg was no longer in danger. With two free throws, Radebaugh made the final score of 99:86 for the giants.
