Even if the 2021 FIBA Window is in full effect, it didn’t put a dent into the NBBL schedule as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners were back at it and wanted to continue their winning streak. Last week they got revenge over IBAM winning a 68-66 thriller in their living room as the week before they stunk up the IBAM living room losing 76-58. This weekend they met the always dangerous Brose Bamberg who were reeling off a brutal 92-73 loss at the hands of FC Bayern Munich 92-73. Both clubs met on a cold Sunday afternoon as Frankfurt’s Alesio Santagati was looking to duplicate his fine and flashy play from the week before, but couldn’t totally, but German Bennet Schubert led a brutal comeback in crunch-time that wasn’t rewarded losing to Brose Bamberg-Troester Breitengussbach 79-73. After 40 minutes Bamberg head coach Jan Schroeder was totally angry even if his team won, but the 27 team turnovers were totally unacceptable. ‘I’m happy how we rebounded and our overall tempo in the game. But I’m not happy about how we defended and our communication. We allowed too many turnovers and 27 is an absolute catastrophe.I can understand getting 27 turnovers against FC Bayern Munich, but not against Frankfurt. We lost our concentration at the end. But a win is a win. It is never easy on the road especially in Frankfurt’, stated Brose Bamberg/Troster Breitengussbach head coach Jan Schroeder. Frankfurt as usual had the biggest heart, but couldn’t finish in crunch-time as turnovers hampered their play all afternoon long. ‘We had way too many turnovers and weren’t physical enough. We put ourselves in bad situations the whole game. Yes we fought back, but it wasn’t enough. Bamberg have enough guys that know how to put the ball in the hoop’, stressed Eintracht Frankfurt/Fraport Skyliners head coach Miran Cumurija.

Eintracht Frankfurt/Fraport Skjyliners began well, but allowed Brose Bamberg/Troester Breitengussbach to rally and come back and then take control of the game mid way through the first quarter and never looked back. Frankfurt began very well taking the early 9-4 lead as point guard Alessio Santagati scored twice in the paint using his aggressiveness and quickness to his advantage and captain Bennet Schubert got his three going rapidly as it would be his biggest weapon all day long. Frankfurt had a lot self-confidence from the big win over IBAM and were constantly attacking the rim while Bamberg got a good grip on the boards early which would hurt Frankfurt all day long. The guests started chipping at the Frankfurt lead and got 3 big offensive rebounds and 2 baskets from Lithuanian player Danas Kazakevicius which helped dead lock the contest at 14-14. Brose Bamberg/Troester Breitengussbach then took charge in the game closing out the first quarter with a 13-5 ruin to lead 27-19 after 10 minutes. In the run the guests made 3 steals in a row leading to 3 easy baskets from Adrian Worthy (186-PG-03), Nico Hoellerl and Lukas Passarge. which gave them the momentum. Point guard Calin Nita and FrankfurtvGeran Romario Holloway added three’s to close out the quarter. The guests controlled the boards easily 13-5 and forced Frankfurt to 6 turnovers.

In the second quarter Brose Bamberg/Troester Breitengussbach continued to control the game and lapses by the guests couldn’t be compensated by Frankfurt as their inconsistency plagued them. Frankfurt got on the board first with a Joscha Zentgraf lay in who had a solid game scoring 11 points and securing 6 rebounds constantly out battling players on the rim, but Bamberg had the needed answer with a 8 point explosion form German Adrian Worthy who has Pro B experience. His drive and physicality gave Frankfurt headaches all day long. The German who came from Wurzburg finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. ‘His scoring is so important in every game. He can make something out of nothing. He is so valuable to our team, but also still has so much potential’, said Jan Schroeder. After the Worthy scoring rampage came 6 unanswered points from the team’s best shooter Nico Hoellerl to give Bamberg the overwhelming 37-23 advantage. Frankfurt then came back going on a 7-2 run only to lose some concentration in the last minute allowing a 4-0 run to trail 43-30 at the break. In the run, Frankfurt was aided by free throws by Schubert and Joscha Zentgraf and a massive trey by Dusan Nikolic. But little mistakes caused Frankfurt to allow an easy lay in by Nita and free throws by Worthy. Frankfurt had good shot selection from outside shooting 4/8, but were only at 35% form the field while Bamberg shot 50% form the field. Bamberg continued to have the upper hand on the boards24/13 securing 8 offensive rebounds while Frankfurt had 15 turnovers and the guests 12.

In the third quarter it looked like Eintracht Frankfurt/Fraport Skyliners would change the direction of the game with a massive run, but they allowed Bamberg to slap them right back in the face with a huge run allowing them to keep the double figure advantage. Frankfurt came out on a mission and went on a great 9-0 run to trail only 43-40. In the run they got big three’s from Schubert and Nikolic and lay in from Joscha Zentgraf and a hard two hand dunk from Nikolic. Frankfurt showed their huge heart and stepped up their defense getting 5 Bamberg stops and on offense found a groove again. That groove was stopped by Bamberg as they retaliated with a lethal 10-0 run to up their lead again to 53-40. In the run the guests got three’s from Worthy and Hoellerl and inside used mis matches and the length of Passarge for a lay in and Worthy’s athleticism for another basket. Frankfurt also had some tough misfortune in this phase as their attacking of the basket never waned, but they just couldn’t execute missing easy shots. Bamberg kept control of the game doing much damage inside getting easy baskets from Worthy and Hoellerl. Worthy also showed his precious inside out game also drilling home a trey. Bennet Schubert closed out the third quarter with a trey, but Frankfurt still trailed 63-49. ‘We showed a lot of character coming back from a Frankfurt run. We stayed calm and made plays to get the big lead back again. I don’t like these up and down phases’, stated Jan Schroeder. Frankfurt continued to shoot strong from outside at 47%, but had their difficulties from the field shooting 39% while Bamberg was solid from the field at 47%. Bamberg continued to control the boards 33-22 and had the 12-7 offensive boards lead.

In the fourth quarter Eintracht Frankfurt/Fraport Skyliners made one last push in crunch-time, but it wasn’t enough. Frankfurt started off well in the fourth quarter getting 4 points from Joscha Zentgraf to cut Bamberg’s lead down to 65-54, but the guests always had answers as German Finn Radina and Matteo Sattler connected and the guests led 70-55. Frankfurt believed in their capabilities and slowly chipped away at the guests lead going on a 13-4 run to cut Bamberg’s lead down to 74-69. Frankfurt was aided by Bennet Schubert who continued to wail away from the parking lot scoring twice. Santagati also found space and little cracks to drive to the basket for 2 baskets. Bamberg lost concentration and coughed up the ball time in and time out as Bennet Schubert led the charge with 2 blocks and 2 steals in the comeback. Nikolic also made a steal and coast to coast sprint and dunk. German Abdelkahar Karioui made 4 clutch points to give Bamberg the 77-69 lead, but Frankfurt never gave up. Tyrese Kilee made a basket and Schubert another trey to cut Bamberg’s advantage to 77-73 with 28 seconds to play. Bamberg then broke Frankfurt’s press leading to a hard two hand stuff from Karioui to seal the win. ‘Players are allowed to make mistakes at this level, but the question is what type of mistakes. Our problem was that we were up by 15 and thought we had the game won. We have to finish the game better, stated Jan Schroeder. ‘We weren’t smart enough at the end and didn’t have enough experience’, stated Miran Cumurija. Brose Bamberg/Troester Breitengussbach was led by Adrian Worthy with 25 points. Nico Hoelerl added 13 points and Abdelkahar Karoui added 11 points while the Eintracht Frankfurt/Fraport Skyliners were led by Bennet Schubert with 25 points. Dusan Nikolic added 14 points and Joscha Zentgraf 11 points. Brose Bamberg/Troester Breitengussbach shot 48% form the field and 30% from outside an dhad 45 rebounds and 27 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt/Fraport Skyliners shot 39% from the field and 45% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 25 turnovers.