For many basketball fanatics, the simple basketball charge advancement of the EWE Baskets Olenburg over the Telekom Baskets Bonn seemed like it would be a routine task and as typical as many think Lebron James and the Miami Heat will win back to back titles, seeing Diddy, Beyonce and Chris Brown in the tabloids daily or seeing the New York Yankees a top the MLB east standings, but instead Bonn made life very tough for the 2009 Beko BBL champion taking them to five games. Detroit native and 2004 Pistons draft pick Rickey Paulding already had a big scare in the 2009 finals almost not tasting his first professional title as Bonn was already feisty then with penetration sprinter EJ Rowland, Chris Williams clone Brandon Bowmann,  Ohio athletic wizard Patrick Flomo and shot block monster Ken Johnson giving away the title after blowing a three point lead with 43 seconds to play as Jason Gardner and Je kel Foster won the game with free throws 71-70. Paulding was the top scorer for Oldenburg with 20 points in the game five win in 2009 and in the 2013 game five quarterfinal clash had to watch Chris Kramer lead the team in scoring with 19 points, but Paulding surely remembered that 2009 game and didn´t want to make the game get any more exciting as Oldenburg was able to pull away in the second half and he finished with 12 points hitting some in your face three point clutch shots.  Bonn played their hearts out, but remain known for being unable to win big games or titles, while Paulding skips merrily to a semi final bout with ratiopharm Ulm.

The cities Munich and Ulm have very little in common in that Munich is a lot bigger, might  be the most known German city in the world and is just  more visited because of the famous October fest beer party while Ulm is  a lot smaller, has the beautiful  gothic minister and best player in the league with John Bryant. Ratiopharm Ulm and FC Bayern Munich have very little in common in basketball as well, except that both teams got to the semi finals as quickly as Bamberg guard Anton Gavel fires a shot to the basket. Both swept their opponents and not only Jared Homan and Tyrese Rice would look dapper in chimney sweeper attire, but imagine the sweeping duo of John Bryant and Per Guenther sweeping that chimney clean to perfection. If it is just sweeping out a chimney or actually getting behind the camera to make an advertisement on how to blow away an opponent without losing a game then it would be these two Ulmer players  that could probably convince the most people with their two abilities in the chimney or on the court as they both can be as dominating as a Lebron James and Dwayne Wade when they need to be. Both Ulm players remember the final sweep loss to the Brose Baskets Bamberg last season and decided to get some practice against the Artland Dragons. FC Bayern Munich most likely will need a horse shoe if they want to sweep Bamberg as that happening is as unlikely as a non German team winning the Champions league. However with Ulm very much rested and Oldenburg only having 72 hours rest before game one against the Schwaben  team, the chances of Ulm to sweep an Oldenburg team is a lot greater, but in reality it is most likely that it wont happen. Bryant and Guenther will just be happy to reach a second final in a row and if necessary keep their sweeping uniform in their closet.

The Ewe Baskets Oldenburg used their home court advantage to the fullest winning every game at home while the Telekom Baskets Bonn played them tough at home winning  88-80 and 88-82. In both losses in Bonn, Oldenburg shot very poorly and Jared Jordan was able to control the game while his team shot very well. Oldenburg had no problems winning game one and three at home while winning game three by 30 points. The thin bench at times left them hanging as more times than not it was Americans Jamel Mcclean and Kyle Weems that led the team on offense including a 34 point effort by Weems in game four. In game five, Bonn fought for 40 minutes and kept the game close in the first half 43-42. However in the second half, Oldenburg continued to be very consistent on offense as the Americans Chris Kramer, Adam Chubb, Julius Jenkins and Ronald Burrell hit timely shots while Bonn was more inconsistent on offense and had some costly turnovers. Bonn did cut the lead to three points with a minute to play and had Mcclean had more fortune on two shots inside then who knows if Oldenburg would have pulled out the win. Oldenburg showed the whole series that they could rely on many players on offense as they had four different top scorers in the five game series including unsung hero Robin Smuelders twice.

One could say that ratiopharm ulm had a cake walk in their series against the Artland Dragons. The Artland Dragons underachieved this season and were a major disappointment being swept by rtaiopharm Ulm. Ratiopharm Ulm won their two games easily at home by 35 points, but were challenged in Quackenbruck, but escaped the dragon dungeon winning 90-85. In both victories at home, ratiopharm Ulm dominated the boards and shot very well and had an amazing only five turnovers in game one.  Ulm usually has a very healthy knack of spreading around the basketball love as they had six players in double figures so if a John Bryant and Allan Ray combined for 48 points of the team 83 in game one, then no one was mad, but simply a showcase like that is always possible with their offensive weapons. In the game that was tight at Artland, the home team was able to cut it to four points in crunch time, but Ulm always had an answer and Per Guenther exploded for 35 points as nobody could stop him not even Toby the Dragon who´s fire was useless. All in all ratiopharm Ulm was a class to high for the Artland Dragons and they also had three different top scorers in all three games. Even when it seems like big John Bryant didn´t play much of a role, he still ended the three game series with 14,7ppg and 10,0rpg as he played very solid with the combination of his supporting cast also producing. Ratiopharm Ulm also cleaned up on defense allowing 75 points in the series never letting Artland really explode except in game two.

Ratiopharm Ulm swept the season series and were able to win on the road while the EWE Baskets Oldenburg have the home court advantage. In the first meeting in Ulm this season, Oldenburg was blown away 96-66 as the game was pretty much decided at halftime already after a 31 point first quarter explosion by ratiopharm Ulm. John Bryant was unstoppable tallying 26 points and ratiopharm Ulm dominated the boards 44-27 and shot 45% from the field and from the parking lot. Oldenburg never found a rhythm on offense and drained much energy needing to come back in the hostile environment in the Ulm arena. Ratiopharm Ulm completely shut down the playmaking of Dru Joyce and Chris Kramer. In the return game in Oldenburg, ratiopharm Ulm snuck away with a 95-91 shoot out win. The game was very tight in the fourth quarter as Oldenburg led four times, but California native Jon Bryant slammed the door shot in the last minute with four clutch free throws. Ratipharm ulm had a very good shooting day while Oldenburg rebounded better and only had nine turnovers. Ulm go into this series well rested with no game in more than a week while Oldenburg don´t have much time to recuperate after their game five win against Bonn and will be in very good game shape. These are two offensive forces going head to head where the defense most likely will take a back seat to the offense. Oldenburg will need to keep John Byrant in check and Adam Chubb will have to be at his best and improve on the 45-14 head to head points that Bryant led over him. Even if you can get a Bryant somewhat into foul trouble, then there is the second beast waiting in the wings with Omar Samhan. Controlling the boards will be vital and just defending their perimeter shooters as guys like Allan Ray, Philipp Schwethelm and Steven Esterkamp are always dangerous and even a Keaton Nankivil  can hit big shots not too mention the much improved parking lot shooting of Per Guenther who shot 48% during the season. Oldenburg can´t lose game one at home or it could be a short series and find a rhythm early on offense. Ratiopharm Ulm enter the series as the favorite and have come into the playoffs reaching their peak having won 12 of their last 13 games. Their offense just continues to rock and seldom falters as they just score, score and score having connected for less than 80 points only three times in the last 13 games. If ratiopharm Ulm can control the boards, play their game, limit Joyce and Kramer then they will win this series. Mr Oldenburg Rickey Paulding is one of the hardest competitors in the league and he deserves a second title as much as John Bryant a first, but ratiopharm Ulm is simply the better team, have a deeper bench and have John Bryant. Ratiopharm ulm will win the series in four games and just be too much for the EWE Baskets Oldenburg.