It was more than 6 weeks ago at the Top 4 in Bamberg where 3 time beko BBl champion Brose Baskets Bamberg had arrived to the competition cruising  through the season like an unstoppable Dwight Howard mowing everybody down in his path in the zone as if he had found some extra Popeye spinach to add extra strength  were rudely challenged on back to back days by the Artland Dragons and New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig as if the name Brose Baskets Bamberg supplied as much trepidation  as the Gloria Giants Duesseldorf, a Michael Jordan on the baseball field or Leslie Nielson directing a dramatic  picture as both teams gave the Bavarian team 2 good run for the money games. Bamberg will meet The Artland Dragons in a best of 5 series as Quackenbruck slipped by The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig winning the last two games 3-2 in games. Bamberg needed 45 minutes in the semi final cup game and Tyrese Rice fouled out early to reach the cup final 6 weeks ago. “Well you play each team twice in the regular season. The playoffs are much different. I think it comes down to match ups”, warned ex Tuebingen guard Steven Wright.  Chris Fleming had an extra amount of time to prepare for both teams for not another do or die cup game, but rather for a five game series. “I dont think the time off will effect Bamberg as they have some veteran guys that will keep the team going in the right direction”, stressed Gloria Giants guard Steven Wright. The Artland Dragons might of lost all three games this season to Bamberg, but only by a combined total of 8 points in the regular season and in OT in the cup final and with their confidence rising like a Barack Obama for a second term at President after eliminating Bin Ladin are as scared of Casey Jacobsen and company as the Dallas Mavericks were of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dashaun Wood of ever not being able to strut into the lane at any given moment of any game, or Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone is from not returning as Rocky again. Bamberg will have to continue to play their focused and consistent game as Artland will seek revenge for all three loses as there will b eno gifts given in this series. “Its the playoffs the games will be different. I think Bamberg will be better prepared than at the Top 4. All the teams are playing well as of right now. Bamberg has got to continue what they have been doing the whole season. Playing great defense, moving and shooting the ball well”, warned ex Braunschweig guard Steven Wright.

The Brose Baskets Bamberg only lost two games all season and had a huge advantage over most of the other 17 BEKO BBL teams in that they have kept a core of their team. This season Bamberg has kept many teams off guard with not just one style of play. “We can play a multitude of different styles. We have players on our roster that can do everything. The style we play depends on our opponent and style of game they play. We will always be able to tailor our game to match the opponent”, added Bamberg forward Kyle Hines. It seems like Bamberg have no weak spot at any position. “We are a strong team and have depth at every position with a number of players being able to play multiple positions”, said Kyle Hines. But the biggest strength of the Brose Baskets Bamberg is something that every team in basketball any where on earth strive to have. “We simply play team basketball. We have developed a chemistry in a short time. There is no player on this team that is looking for individual stats. Each guy is interested in trying to do what is best for the team to have success”, warned Kyle Hines. The Brose Baskets Bamberg started off the season so hot winning their first 17 games in a row that it seemed like talk of an undefeated season was not a far fetched idea. However the Gloria Giants Duesseldorf proved that anything is possible in the BEKO BBL as they upset Bamberg 72-69. “A season is long and tough and it is really tough to go undefeated at anything. One should not forget that Bamberg played very many games already”, stated John Bynum. They have blown away most of the competition with ease holding teams to under 70 points 26 times. They average 82 points per game and have only built on the strong team chemistry that was already present early in the season. “Bamberg seem to get better with each game that they have played. The Euroleague games also have helped them get better”, added John Bynum. You would have thought that teams would have an easier time the second time around, but that wasn´t the case. “In the second half of the season, teams are able to see more of a pattern of play of their opponents and know more about each individual player by film and other things that they didnt have in the first half. After playing a team once, you are better at evaluating things better and you can also see them play against teams before you as well”, said John Bynum. But Bamberg lost only once in the second half of the season in Goettingen and won each home game. Bamberg won the quarterfinal series against the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven 3-0, but it wasn´t a cake walk as Bremerhaven was in the first two games losing in crunch time. In game 3, Bamberg manhandled Bremerhaven 86-58 having the big rebound edge 50-33, having 6 guys in double figurers and sending the club of coach Doug Spradley into summer vacation.
The  Artland Dragons had a lot of pressure to reach the beko BBL playoffs again after missing them on the last game day twice the last two years, but new coach Stefan Koch had his team ready from the start and led the team to a fourth place finish with a record of 23-11.  They have had three winning streaks of three games and there only rap could be that they have problems winning against top teams. They lost both times to the Brose Baskets Bamberg, but only with a total combined score of 8 points. Their biggest win of the season was a 78-74 win in Berlin. Despite not being able to beat top teams, the club is one that cant be underestimated. “Artland has been a great team this season and continued to get better each week. They are a team that will go deep into the playoffs”, warned John Bynum. One thing that The Artland Dragons have improved is not getting lost on defense. “Now we don’t lose our defensive focus when we aren’t scoring on the offensive end. Earlier in the year, when we would miss shots, our defensive intensity would go down. Now we are able to move on to the next play, without thinking about our past mistakes”, stressed Artland Dragon guard Bryan Bailey. The team finished the season strong winning nine of their last 11 games including posting a five game winning streak. After getting smoked by Alba Berlin and MBC giving up 178 total points, The Dragons move into the playoffs breathing their hated fire on defense giving up 70 or less points in two of the last three games. The Artland Dragons come into this best of five semi final series against Bamberg coming from 2-1 down against The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig in the Quarterfinals winning a nail bitter in game 4 in Braunschweig as Tyrese Rice poured in 27 points and winning game five at home 99-69 as Artland was led by guard combo Bryan Bailey and Tyrese Rice that combined for 49 points and totally dominated the boards 49-23. Rice will have to continue to be the Dashaun Wood of the Artland Dragons for his team to have any kind of chance against Bamberg.
When breaking down the teams with the individual positions, the guard position edge goes to The Brose Baskets Bamberg despite the strong guard duo of Tyrese Rice(17,0ppg, 2,7rpg, 5,2apg) and Bryan Bailey(11,5ppg, 2,3rpg, 3,3apg). Rice is the second best scoring point guard in the BEKO BBL after Dashaun Wood, but not as explosive or consistent as Wood. If Rice has a off night, the Artland offense will be greatly effected. Bailey is a strong player that can do so many things, but scoring will be a plus, but his defense will have to be excellent against Bamberg. Strasser gives experience and his three pointer from the bench. However The Brose Baskets Bamberg are stronger and more valuable with the guard trio of John Goldsberry(4,3ppg, 1,8rpg, 4,3apg),  Anton Gavel(10,4ppg, 2,6rpg, 2,2apg) and Brian Roberts(10,4ppg, 2,3rpg, 3,4apg). Goldsberry probably the most unselfish player at the moment in the league can change  a game with his defense as he once had 10 steals with Leverkusen, Gavel will hurt you with his threes and extra pass ability and just when you thought that you could have a breather on defense, in comes Roberts who can score in bunches quicker than Ray Allen can releases his bombs from the corner. With Casey Jacobsen(12,3ppg, 3,4rpg, 3,0apg), Bamberg has an ex NBA player that is as unselfish as his teammate John Goldsberry as well. Jacobsen is a very versatile player that scores, rebounds and gets assists and is the ultimate team player and on top of that the team leader. “I think it is pretty even. I think Goldsberry and Rice are two different guards, but Roberts gives them a great option off the bench and when you throw in Casey Jacobsen then you have some great guard play, but Artland has some great guard play as well”, added John Bynum.
The forward edge also goes to The Brose Baskets Bamberg. With Predrag Suput(12,3ppg, 4,3rpg, 1,7apg), Bamberg has one of the top power forwards that is always guaranteed to score even if it doesn´t look pretty, the Serb has been doing it for his whole career and his experience is huge. Kyle Hines(10,0ppg, 4,3rpg) is a big body that frees up space for the guards and he scores and rebounds on a consistent level this season and Reyshawn Terry(10,1ppg, 5,4rpg) brings the athletic quality to the forwards. The Artland Dragons have a solid trio with Nathan Peavy(10,9ppg, 5,1rpg), Adam Hess(8,6ppg, 4,3rpg) and Robert Kurz(8,8ppg, 6,7rpg). Peavy gives you solid inside out game, Hess can damage you from outside and will go where it hurts, and Kurz is a relentless worker under the boards that gobbles up rebounds, can score and has NBA experience. “I like Bambergs frontline, they are very deep and versatile”, stated John Bynum. At the center position, it is pretty even. Bamberg has a strong duo with German national player Tibor Pleiss/Kyle Hines. Pleiss(9,5ppg, 7,0rpg) has improved very much this season and his defense adds a new dimension to the Bamberg play. Hines brings routine and consistency. One can´t get a better center offense/defense duo with Darren Fenn(12,2ppg, 6,1rpg, 1,5apg) and Ruben Boumtje Boumtje(7,2ppg, 5,4rpg). Fenn is a scorer who will need to have a good game for Artland to be successful and Boumtje Boumtje is the ideal guy coming from the bench especially to help stop opponents runs. The Brose Baskets Bamberg also have the experience factor. The club has 7 players that have almost played two complete seasons together and have played Euroleague together. The Artland Dragons boast experienced players with Fenn, Hess, Boumtje Boumtje and Strasser, but their experience in the BEKO BBL doesn´t match that of Bamberg. “I think Bamberg has played in some big games this season and I think they have the experience advantage as well”, commented John Bynum. The coaching match up is an interesting one with Chris Fleming vs Stefan Koch and also even. Koch is back coaching after being away from the sidelines for almost 4 years, but in his career, he has shown his ability to bring success winning the 2000 BEKO BBL cup with the Opel Skyliners, winning the 2003 Austrian title with the Montan Bears Kapfenberg and led the Giessen 46ers to the 2005 BEKO BBl semi finals losing to Bamberg in 5 games. Chris Fleming has just as an impressive resume making the Artland Dragons into a BEKO BBL team in 2003, winning the Cup in 2008, before coming to Bamberg last season and winning the double.
The Brose Baskets Bamberg won the season series against The Artland Dragons 60-58 at home and 75-69 on the road. Bamberg was pretty lucky in the first game as Artland played them very tough forcing them to shoot 35% from the field and 18% from outside and winning the rebound duel 43-34. The 8 turnovers by Bamberg saved them on this day. The second game was another very close affair as Artland shot only 36% from the field, but won the rebounding duel again. Bamberg was the better team in crunch time keeping their nerves in check. The Artland Dragons will have to play with very high intensity for 40 minutes and Hope that Rice has a Dashaun Wood type of game. Bamberg averages 82 points per game and shoot 47% from the field and 40% from downtown. The first seven top scorers of Bamberg are shooting over 40% from the field and six of the top seven scorers are shooting over 40% from the parking lot. Artland will have to play clever defense and mix it up, because once Bamberg gets going it is almost impossible to rock their boat. Artland can´t let Bamberg get on fast starts or play inconsistent for long periods of time otherwise each night could be long. “Rice needs to play well in order for them to win for sure. He has stepped up his game in the 2nd half of the season and a lot of their success depends on him”, added John Bynum. The Artland Dragons will have to defend well and bang under the boards to be successful. Bamberg has the best defense in the BEKO BBL and Artland should concentrate on attacking Suput who isn´t the strongest defender, get at Roberts on the pick role and force Pleiss out to get more room inside for their big men. “Artland just has to use their strengths and I think their guards have to play well to win this game”, warned John Bynum. The Brose Baskets Bamberg have scored 70 points or more in 32 of the 35 games and just need to find their rhythm quickly and bring intensity and with the crowd behind them should be okay. Artland has an up tempo offense. Their weakness is their half court game. If you make them play that then they will have problems. Bamberg should also keep them from continuously moving the ball and containing their transition opportunities. Bamberg have lost only twice this season and been near perfect. There isn´t much which they should change, but just go on the court and do their magic. “Bamberg just has to play their game and do what they have been doing all season”, stressed John Bynum. The Brose Baskets Bamberg host The Artland Dragons in game one May 17th at 20:00.