The Fraport Skyliners Juniors didn’t have much time to recuperate from their 74-60 loss on the road to the Arvato College Wizards as they welcomed them into their living room for another play down battle. The Frankfurt loss was one of those games where they got a lot of support from many guys, but didn’t have two real go to guys that could of made a difference in many phases of the game. The many Frankfurt turnovers also was vital for Karlsruhe being able to get their sixth win of the season. In the return game they were hoping to control ex Fordham (NCAA) guard Zaire Thompson better who had gone 7/8 from downtown and keep Rouven Roessler cold who had gone a disappointing 0/8 from outside in his living room. But this time the roles of the two Arvato College players were reversed as Thompson went cold and oldie Roessler had a better night, but Frankfurt executed at a solid rate offensively which carried them for the 40 minutes winning 90-77. ‘Defensively we played an overall good game with only a few letdowns and offensively shot the ball well. We also ran transition well and closed out the game well’, stressed Fraport Skyliners Juniors guard Matthew Meredith. After the tough loss, you could see disappointment in the eyes of Karlsruhe guard Zaire Thompson who understood that the team never really got going. ‘Frankfurt began well and it took us longer. We came back, but we just didn’t have a good day on offense and had bad rotations on defense. We also had problems against their big men’, stressed Arvato College Wizards guard Zaire Thompson.

After a strong start by the Fraport Skylines Juniors, they allowed the guests to speed back, but closed out the first quarter well leading 25-19 after 10 minutes. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had the quick 9-2 advantage as Frankfurt did a super job attacking the paint and putting German Nils Leonhart’s athleticism into the spot light as he scored twice. Ex Cologne JBBL center Jordan Samare (202-PF-2002) also added a lay in and ex Hanau forward Calvin Schaum dropped a three pointer. Guard Philipp Hadenfeldt was instrumental in serving up some sweet dimes. But the Arvato College Wizards continued to chip away on offense and finally found a quick rhythm going on a 7-2 run to cut Frankfurt’s lead down to 11-9. Key in the run was four points by Mortz Baer who had a good game, but for some strange reason played only 15 minutes scoring 9 points. Roessler also got going quickly with a trey to cut Frankfurt’s lead down to 11-9. Frankfurt kept the slim lead with added production from another Schaum three pointer and lay in by raw German Alexander Richardson for the 15-12 advantage, but the guests rallied and overtook the lead 19-18 as Roessler nailed another jumper, German Christoph Rupp connected on a trey and speedy and athletic guard Abdulai Abaker who is with his 10th team made a lay in for the 19-18 guests lead. Frankfurt lost intensity and allowed Karlsruhe better looks. But it’s no secret that basketball is always a game of runs and Frankfurt found back to their game and closed out the first quarter in style with a 7-0 run. In the run Hadenfeldt connected added five points with a three and jumper and Matthew Meredith served up a perfect alley-op pass to Richardson for the crushing dunk. ‘Hadenfeldt did a good job allowing us to keep the lead with his energy’, stated Matthew Meredith. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 69% from the field and 38% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Arvato College Wizards shot 50% from the field and 40% from outside and had 5 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors continued to keep the lead in the second quarter, but couldn’t get away as they had the slim 45-41 lead at the break. Roessler hit a fast three pointer and Abakar a lay in as Frankfurt led only 26-24, but once again Nils Leonhardt (196-G-2000) glistened with his athleticism scoring two baskets. The combination of him and Jordan Samare sparkled all night long as they combined for 37 points and 6 assists. Their chemistry on the court was excellent and also helped let their teammates feed off of them as Frankfurt led 30-24. ‘Both were great with the passing game, crashing the boards and on transition’, stressed Matthew Meredith The guests stayed close getting a three pointer by ex Fordham (NCAA) player Zaire Thompson and a steal and transition bucket from Rupp, but they couldn’t get over the hump. Jordan Samare was in total domination mode scoring three times with twice in the paint and also nailing a trey. Samare’s teammates also did a great job all night long putting him in excellent position to be able to execute well as Frankfurt led 37-30. The Arvato College Wizards continued to remain on Frankfurt’s tail getting continued great support from Rossler who is in his 18th season with a Karlsruhe team and played 134 BBL games hit a pretty 20 footer and beautiful fade away jumper and Thompson made a step back. But Frankfurt always had an answer to continue their offense to keep rolling as their bench was deep and ready to produce. Young German Drago Crnjac supplied the support with two key back to back three pointers for the 44-39 Frankfurt advantage. Baer supplied a lay in and Alvin Oniya a free throw ending the first half. ‘Drago is a good shooter and is always ready. He had done that before making a three and one before this season. Roessler kept them close making tough shots’, added Matthew Meredith. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 55% from the field and 33% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Arvato College Wizards shot 50% from the field and 36% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

In the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners Juniors continued to execute well on offense and hold the slim lead as the guests just couldn’t get over the hump. Abaker once again gave the team a swift spark from the bench with a personal 5-0 run as Karlsruhe trailed only 47-46. But Frankfurt retaliated well getting two more clutch baskets from Samare and a three pointer from Meredith to lead 55-48. The guests got some valuable support from ex Trier guard Vincent Hennen with a three pointer and a three from Rupp, but Frankfurt always had an answer ready as Richardson scored twice including an old school hook shot and the German Devin Booker Matthew Meredith had his three pointer ready nailing another one as Frankfurt led 62-60. Despite a transition dunk by German Christian Okolie who began his career in Tuebingen, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors continued to have more options and weapons always ready to throw something at the guests. Marco Voeller who had a quiet night scored his only two points with a line drive runner, Alvin Oniya made a lay in traffic and Meredith scored at the buzzer for the 68-62 Frankfurt lead after 30 minutes. ‘I began to hit my shots better which opened it up more for my teammates’, stated Matthew Meredith. ‘Frankfurt made good adjustments from last weeks game. They were more aggressive on the pick and roll and took our three away better. They made our shots difficult. It is hard to live only from the three point line’, added Zaire Thompson. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 56% from the field and 39% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Arvato College Wizards shot 52% from the field and 42% from the parking lot and had 21 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

In the fourth quarter the Fraport Skyliners Juniors upped their offensive execution and led by as many as 12 points to close out the game strong. The guests began with an Abakaer lay in who had 5 steals on the night and Rupp free throw to cut Frankfurt’s lead to 68-65. But that was as close as Karlsruhe would get as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors then Ultimately slammed the door shut on the guests with a 10-2 run to lead 78-66. In the run Frankfurt received the knock out punch from the combination of Meredith and Leonhardt with 10 points. Meredith continued to be an offensive menace always being in attack mode hitting a trey and lay in on transition while Leonhardt hit a trey and scored on transition as Samare made the key assist. Karlsruhe stepped up their offense in the last five minutes, but couldn’t make any ground as they couldn’t manage defensive stops. Abaker and Thompson scored inside, but Frankfurt still led 80-70. Frankfurt got added support from Hadenfeldt with a trey and Samare lay in as this time Leonhardt supplied the pretty dime as Frankfurt led 85-72. Rupp added a lay in and Thompson a three pointer while Leonhardt a 20 footer and Hadenfeldt closed out the game with a three pointer. ‘We played consistent defense for the most part in the game, but did lose a little concentration in the fourth quarter. But our offense carried us to the end’, stated Matthew Meredith. ‘It was just one of those days where we never totally found our game. We played good team basketball last week, but Frankfurt did a good job forcing us more to 1-1 play tonight. You can’t win like that for 40 minutes’, warned Zaire Thompson. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had four players in double figures as Nils Leonhardt led the team with 19 points. Jordan Samare added 18 points and Matthew Meredith had 15 points. While the Arvato College Wizards were led by Rouven Roessler with 19 points. Abdulai Abaker added 16 points and Christoph Rupp 14 points. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 57% from the field and 47% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 21 turnovers while the Arvato College Wizards shot 47% from the field and 33% from outside and had 26 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

Tags : JORDAN SAMARE, FRAPORT SKYLINERS FRANKFURT, GERMAN BASKETBALL