After the bitter defeat in Munich, the Hamburg Towers manage to give the right answer in the home game against Oldenburg: With 101:85 they sent the guests from the north on their way home, who still have to worry about relegation. The Wilhelmsburg, on the other hand, moved up to the important places in the table – even though the signs before the game were not good at all. And even then it didn’t get any better.
At the end of the first quarter Justus Hollatz (20) had to be supported by the field after an unfavorable collision with TJ Holyfield. An attempt to go back onto the field with a bandaged knee in the second quarter was abruptly interrupted by the youngster himself. He stayed out for the rest of the game pending a diagnosis.
Hamburg Towers win against Oldenburg – honor for Paulding
Before that, just before the game started, it was already clear that top center Maik Kotsar and key player Robin Christen would not be able to play – symptoms of a cold. The fact that Hamburg went into the half-time break with a clear 54:39 after the first two quarters was mainly due to one thing: the rest of the team, who ran their plays calmly, prudently and in a controlled manner.
And, of course: Caleb Homesley. The all-time favorite was once again the linchpin of the offensive: he scored 27 points for the Oldenburgers, got ten rebounds and distributed seven assists. A cream day.
But Lukas Meisner also caught him, who closed the bag with threes and clever basket attacks. In addition to his 20 points, he grabbed 13 rebounds. “It tastes pretty good,” he said afterwards.
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Rebounds – they were ultimately decisive in the game: while the Towers collected a strong 58 rebounds, the Oldenburg team only got 38. Their coach Ingo Freyer said: “If you allow 22 offensive rebounds, it’s difficult to win.”
Rickey Paulding after the Hamburg game: “Means a lot to me”
Despite the rebellion of their club legend Rickey Paulding (20 points, since 2007 in Oldenburg), the guests had to accept another painful defeat. Lower Saxony is threatened with relegation. After all, the fans of both teams paid homage to the 39-year-old with chants lasting minutes. Paulding: “It means a lot to me.”
With the win, the Towers climbed to eighth and last place in the playoffs. Participation in the final round is by no means guaranteed. They have to defend their place next weekend, on which Göttingen, Bayreuth and Bamberg also have a chance. Then Bonn comes to the Inselpark – currently fourth in the league.
