10 years ago a Fraport Skyliners-Brose Bamberg contest was awaited with excitement and a real twist of rivalry, but in 2023 the game seems to be just like another normal game with little significance. Well there is significance now, but a different one. It is difficult to admit it, but both teams now are not top clubs anymore. Ok so it isn’t as bad in freak city as Brose Bamberg came to Frankfurt with 7 wins in their baggage, but for the Fraport Skyliners every game is a must win. The Fraport Skyliners once again couldn’t put together a game for 40 minutes as they once again fell apart in the second half in Ludwigsburg, while Bamberg celebrated a massive nail bitter beating 2010 Eurochallenge winner BG Goettingen in overtime. On a unusually mild Feb afternoon, the Fraport Skyliners welcomed Brose Bamberg who didn’t waste anytime coming out and dictating the game and getting a big lead which they managed very well until the siren sounded after 40 minutes. Some years ago the Fraport Skyliners prided their game on defense something brought to life by then head coach Gordon Herbert, but those days are long gone. In 2023 Frankfurt play defense not showing the needed effort and aggressiveness as they have allowed 88 + points in the last 6 games. Brose Bamberg destroyed the Fraport Skyliners 100-83 as the suffering continues in Frankfurt. ‘We didn’t play together enough and couldn’t hit open shots. Our biggest problem on defense at the moment isn’t being physical enough. We aren’t talking, rotating or helping the way we should. When our help is there, we solve many things’, warned Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson. Defense continues to be a work in progress for Brose Bamberg, but it was enough to win as their offense was cooking as they averaged 25 points per quarter. ‘We were definitely better in the first half. We are stressing defense more than anything now. Basketball is a game of runs. That is just how it is. I’m happy we pulled out the win’, stated Brose Bamberg guard Spencer Reaves.

JJ Frazier

Brose Bamberg was able to garner a big lead half way through the first quarter and would never look back again. The Fraport Skyliners began well getting their outside game established as ex Auburn guard Quantez Robertson and American JJ Frazier connected with three’s for the 8-5 advantage. Brose Bamberg then jumped all over Frankfurt’s defense connecting on a brutal 11-0 run to lead 16-8 as they let it rain three’s from German national player Christian Sengfelder, Czech national player Jaromir Bohacik and ex Leverkusen guard Spencer Reaves. Bamberg continued to work their offense to their favor as it was a well oiled machine as they added three’s from ex Boston College German German Patrick Heckmann and ex Iowa State center Solomon Young. Bamberg outworked Frankfurt on the boards and got good looks and punished Frankfurt every time that they were out of position. Frankfurt couldn’t muster much positive offense, but did get Einaras Tubutis going feeding him for 2 crushing dunks, but Brose Bamberg had the overwhelming 28-15 advantage after 10 minutes. ‘We didn’t begin being aggressive. We didn’t rotate well on defense and had difficulty moving the ball and securing the rebound’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Brose Bamberg shot 56% from the two point range and 60% from outside and had 11 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 50% from the two point range and 40% form outside and had 5 rebounds and 21 turnovers.

Solomon Young

In the second quarter Brose Bamberg continued to execute on offense with ease as the Fraport Skyliners put themselves more and more into the hole trailing by as much as 22 points at one point. Frankfurt got going rapidly getting a trey from Tubutis and lay in from ex Purdue (NCAA) center Matt Haarms to cut Freak City’s lead to only 30-19. But Brose Bamberg just continued to run their offense and execute especially on 1-1 play as ex ratiopharm Ulm guard Patrick Miller (185-G-1992, college: Tennessee St., agency: Slash Sports) was unstoppable. He scored 3 buckets in a matter of a few minutes as he always stifled the Frankfurt defense as Frankfurt trailed 42-24. ‘He is tough to stop especially on transition. He is strong and physical and has no problem absorbing contact. He is always aggressive and knows how to make shots’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Comparing the 2 team’s offenses was like night and day. Bamberg had great ball movement while knowing when to use the 1-1, while Frankfurt’s offense was static as they just couldn’t get over the hump. Frankfurt had little bright spots, but one was JJ Frazier who scored 21 points and added 6 assists. Down the stretch of the second quarter, he added a step back jumper and three pointer to cut Bamberg’s lead to 49-32. But Bamberg simply was too consistent on offense getting 2 baskets from Young and free throws from Sengfelder to lead 54-35 at half-time. ‘We had big problems rebounding the ball. We weren’t physical or aggressive to the ball. We have to want to rebound the ball, but our effort wasn’t there’, stated Quantez Robertson. Brose Bamberg continued to shoot very well at 54% from the 2 point range and 54% from the three point line and had 23 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 48% from the 2 point range and 46% from the three point line and had 10 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Quantez Robertson

The Fraport Skyliners played their best basketball in the third quarter netting 28 points to cut into the big lead, but couldn’t generate more stops and still trailed by 12 points after 30 minutes. The Fraport Skyliners began well going on a 5-0 run as German national player Joshua Obiesie made a lay in and Frazier nailed a trey as Frankfurt trailed 54-40. But Frankfurt just couldn’t carve the lead down more at this point as Bamberg got consistent offensive support as Miller scored twice, Sengfelder made a turn around shot and ex Nymburk guard Gerel Simmons hit a three pointer for the 67-48 advantage. ‘Miller is our go to guy. He is strong and physical and will bump to get the basket. He has been huge for us since he arrived recently. When we need a basket, we go to him’, stated Spencer Reaves. Frankfurt didn’t let up, but continued to chip away and then got 2 vital three’s from German national player Lukas Wank and suddenly only trailed 69-58. Frankfurt stepped up their defensive aggression as Bamberg couldn’t exchange baskets. Simmons and Lithuanian guard Laurynas Beliauskas exchanged three’s in the last minute as the Fraport Skyliners remained at the back door trailing only 75-63. ‘We started off slow as our second unit had a lull, but later on they had a good run’, said Spencer Reaves. ‘We got stops and made shots. But we could of made more open shots’, stated Quantez Robertson. Both teams continued to shoot very well and brose Bamberg had the 27-20 rebound edge and had 7 turnovers and Frankfurt 9 turnovers.

Christian Sengfelder

The Fraport Skyliners were unable to keep the offensive momentum from the third quarter as a big run to begin the fourth quarter sealed the victory early for Brose Bamberg. The guests started with a lethal 12-2 run to extend their lead to 87-65 slamming the door in the face of Frankfurt deciding the win. Instrumental in the run was a Simmons lay in and three pointers by Heckmann and ex Princeton (NCAA) guard Amir Bell. Bamberg continued to show their well oiled offensive machine sharing the ball and showing unselfishness while the Fraport Skyliners got miffed by Bamberg’s tricky defense and as a result had tough looks. The Fraport Skyliners then got some timely three’s from Frazier and Wank to cut Bamberg’s lead to 90-71, but with time running down, the most damage had been made. Bamberg added some Bell free throws and a Kevin Wohlrath trey for the 95-75 lead. Frankfurt got another trey by Frazier, While Bamberg sealed the 100 points with a three pointer by Patrick Heckmann. Joshua Obiesie closed out the game with a lay in. ‘We did a good job of letting our defense dictate getting easy points. We had good ball movement and were unselfish. We also got a lot of support by our untypical bigs who passed very well out of the post’, stated Spencer Reaves. ‘We had no communication on defense. We have to trust each other. When we do that we will be better’, stressed Quantez Robertson. The schedule doesn’t get any easier as their next tests are against top teams Oldenburg and Bonn. ‘We know that they are good offensive teams. We have to slow them down and play at our pace, and play better defense and rebound better’, warned Quantez Robertson. Brose Bamberg were led by Patrick Miller with 19 points. Amir Bella and Christian Sengfelder added 12 points a piece while the Fraport Skyliners were led by JJ Frazier with 21 points. Lukas Wank added 16 points and Lauryas Belliauskas had 14 points. Brose Bamberg shot 52% from the field and 45% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 48% from the field and 60% from outside and had 32 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Tags : PATRICK MILLER, BROSE BAMBERG, GERMAN BASKETBALL