0 comments
Back on the national stage – after the historic appearance in the USA in the middle of the week, ratiopharm ulm will play against EWE Baskets Oldenburg on the 5th BBL matchday. Dyn will broadcast the game live tonight from 6:15 p.m., tip-off is at 6:30 p.m.
Countless hours of flying from Istanbul to Seattle, bus rides from there to Portland, by plane via Paris to Hamburg and by bus to Oldenburg – head coach Ty Harrelson’s team is back on German soil.
After the Cup, EuroCup and NBA, everyday league life is back on track. The clash with the Thunderbirds is one of the classics in the BBL and promises to be an explosive duel this time too. With a record of three wins from three Bundesliga games, the Ulm team are traveling across the Atlantic to the north of Germany as leaders.
By the numbers: 60th edition of a cult duel
Two BBL veterans meet once again. To be more precise, it is the 59th duel at league level between Ulm and Oldenburg – no opponent met the team from the twin cities more often than the Thunderbirds. In a direct comparison, the team from northern Germany is slightly ahead (31:28) and was also able to win 18 of the 30 home games in the EWE Arena. Nevertheless, a good omen: The last three games of this classic all went to the Ulm team, including the away appearance in November 2023, when they celebrated a 98:94 overtime victory.
Back on the road to success in front of the yellow wall
An actually successful start to the season with successes in the league and cup was followed by minor setbacks in everyday life in the BBL with defeats against Berlin and Hamburg – most recently the bitter quarter-final exit in the cup. Head coach Pedro Calles’ team is particularly challenged at the defensive end of the field and allows too many points with 84.4 points, which puts the offensive under pressure. Two well-known names in the BBL who provide decent points are Justin Jaworski and Geno Crandall. While Jaworski was able to save the MLP Academics Heidelberg from the threat of relegation, Geno Crandall was already playing an important role in the Spanish coaching team’s system, having come from Göttingen a season earlier. The American guard duo is the linchpin of the Oldenburg offensive system and has averaged 34.7 points so far. It is also interesting that Oldenburg’s scoring is also very balanced. As a rule, six players score in double figures, and with 9.7 steals (third best value), several more shooting opportunities are created.
Orange Mixed-Zone
Head Coach Ty Harrelson: “We are looking forward to our next BBL game tomorrow. I think our experienced players like Phil and Nelson will be important and lead the way with all the experience. If we manage to play with the same energy and spirit as we did against Portland, then I would be very happy.”
