The EPG Baskets continue to roll by the Pro B south competition the way the Telekom Baskets Bonn are doing in the easyCredit, but the only difference is that they have only 1 loss and continue to show that nothing is in their way of reaching their massive goal of the Pro A. Their only slip up was a bitter 86-83 loss to Hanau in their living room 3 days before the new year, but since then have had a perfect record of 10-0. In this successful stretch in 2023, they haven’t had that total dominance offensively like they had before the Hanau loss, but still have played very good offensive basketball and still managed 90 plus points in 5 games. They have played solid defense and continued to shape that incredible chemistry that continues to grow as they will need that working to perfection when the post season comes. Ratiopharm Ulm farm team Orange Academy traveled to Koblenz with a less than spectacular record of 7-13 and were in danger of missing the playoffs and had a must win situation. Plus they had revenge on their mind after suffering a 87-77 loss at home early in the season. On a mild Friday night in late winter the EPG Baskets Koblenz welcomed a weakened Orange Academy who were without key players like David Fuchs and Tobias Jenson and dominated for 40 minutes racking up an impressive 109-73 victory in front of 1,079 fans. ‘We had a good start and later had some lapses, but everyone saw what were capable of when we can lead again between 20-30 points in only 3 minutes. Our biggest strength on offense was our penetration and transition and on defense we began with bad communication, but as soon as we found our principles, we got into transition which sparked our game’, stated EPG Baskets Koblenz guard Marvin Heckel (190-PG-1997). Orange Academy gave a spirited battle despite missing key players, but just couldn’t match Koblenz’s intensity or physicality for 40 minutes. ‘You could see that Koblenz is a Pro A level team. I’m still happy how we played. They scouted us very well and we had little solutions. They did a good job closing down our options’, stated Orange Academy guard Marko Rosic.

Moses Poelking at the FT line

The first few minutes was a tight battle as it took the EPG Baskets Koblenz a little time before they found their offensive rhythm, but once they did, they let their offensive arsenal take over as they lead easily by 12 points after 10 minutes. Massive 17 year old German talent Joel Cwik scored the first two Orange Academy baskets as he performed a tough runner and then split the defense and used his long arms to make a difficult lay in. While Koblentz got it’s first two baskets by Marvin Heckel who once again showed that stopping him on the penetration is easier said then done. The EPG Baskets Koblenz then slowly found their rhythm going on a 7-0 run as Brian Butler scored twice and ex Temple (NCAA) guard Alani Moore caught Orange Academy napping as he caught Dominque Johnson’s air ball and made a reverse lay up for the 13-6 advantage. Koblenz did a great job keeping possessions alive being more aggressive on the offensive glass and really annoyed the guests with the trap defense. The EPG Baskets Koblenz really poured it on inside with their physicality taking advantage of their length and size as Moses Poelking was like a hulk ramming home 2 dunks and making a lay in while the team’s three ball was also functioning as Heckel and Leon Friederici added three points in the offense onslaught to lead 25-13 after one quarter. ‘I liked our speed and athleticism and how we ran transition. Our 1-1 defense was good and our ball movement was excellent. All in all the game showed a high level’, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz manager Thomas Klein.

Antonio Dorn with the lay in

In the second quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to play very well at both ends, but in the second phase of the quarter lost some concentration for a few minutes, but still recuperated well to lead by 17 points at half-time. The EPG Baskets Koblenz began well with a 9-2 run to extend their lead to 34-15 as their bench contributed valuable points as big Man Leo Saffer made a dunk, Moritz Huebner connected on a three pointer and assistant coach/player Yasin Turan nailed free throws. The EPG Baskets Koblenz did a good job continuing to keep the intensity and pressure very high on Orange Academy and tried to push the ball at every instance. Orange Academy then got some vital support from German Latrell Grosskreutz who scored 7 points as they annoyed the EPG Baskets Koblenz at their own game playing superb transition as they trailed 38-24. Orange Academy got nothing easy as they had to fight for every shot and here and there got some scoring in bunches as Simeon Dimitrov made a lay in and German big man Antonio Dorn made a lay in after retrieving the shovel pass from Dimitrov, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz still led 42-28. Both teams finished the second quarter trading baskets as Orange Academy got jumpers from Germans Lenny Liedtke, Marko Rosic and Antonio Dorn while Koblenz countered with buckets from Heckel and Butler as the EPG Baskets Koblenz led 46-35 and Orange Academy was clawing back into the game slowly. But Alani Moore who had another incredible game silenced Orange Academy with 5 points in the last minute. ‘I’m just trying to improve my game every day so I can be the best that I can in the playoffs. I want to pace myself better and on defense not gamble as much’, stated Alani Moore. The EPG Baskets Koblenz led 52-35 at the break. ‘We had little gas for 3 minutes, but made up for it in the last 2 minutes playing fast again and having a good lead at the break’, commented EPG Baskets Koblenz manager Thomas Klein.

Moritz Huebner from outside

Orange Academy had their best scoring out put in the third quarter with 27 points, but they couldn’t get over the hump as they allowed 24 points and still trailed by 14 points after 30 minutes. German Lenny Liedtke had the hot hand in the first minutes supplying 7 points while Marko Rosic dropped a three pointer as Orange Academy stayed in range in their come back attempt, but still trailed by 14 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz then went on a 6-0 run to lead 66-46 as Johnson supplied a trey and Heckel once again drove to the rim for two easy points. I had never seen Heckel score at such ease getting to the rim. ‘Heckel is so quick at the moment. He is so quick footed and simply so lively. The guests had to work hard for every shot and couldn’t come to terms with our physicality. We continued to play great transition’, added Thomas Klein. Orange Academy still had a lot of energy and now played their best basketball of the game going on a 12-1 run to trail only 73-62. The EPG Baskets Koblenz lost concentration again and Orange Academy showed that they have enough talent to come back against a top team. In the run they got clutch shots from Liedtke and Dorn, but also vital support from the bench from Dimitrov and German Lucca Bretz. Leon Friderici closed out the quarter with 3 free throws as the EPG Baskets Koblenz led 76-62. ‘We just had difficulty defending them in the run and they hit shots. But as usual it was just a question of time that we would find back to our game’, warned Marvin Heckel. ‘We are a young team and knew that we had to run. We wanted to rebound the ball, get stops, push and create’, stressed Marko Rosic.

Lenny Liedtke at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz were able to shift up 2 more gears overpowering Orange Academy winning the quarter soundly at 33-11. Alani Moore gave the EPG Baskets Koblenz instant energy at the start with 5 points as they led 81-62. Grosskreutz countered with a trey, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz came back with forceful play in the paint as Germans Niclas Sperber and Poelking made easy lay ins for the 85-68 advantage. . ‘There is no stopping our big men. They scored at ease all night long’, added Thomas Klein. The EPG Baskets Koblenz then demonstrated that there would be no more lapses as they totally overpowered Orange Academy as they closed out the game with a brutal 24-5 run. Koblenz continued to drive and drive and drive at the rim and score with ease as Heckel and Johnson scored. ‘I wasn’t more lively today then other games. I’m not really sure why I could score so easily tonight. I think when I get going on transition, it really sets me off for the other parts of my game’, stated Marvin Heckel. Moore then added a pretty reverse lay up after delivering an unstoppable cross over and Huebner added a three pointer for the 95-71 lead. ‘Alani Moore uses his speed so well and reads the game so well. That is probably why he gets so many rebounds’, smiled Thomas Klein. The EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to execute in the direction of 100 points as Moore and Heckel scored again in the paint. EPG Baskets Koblenz head coach Pat Elzie then went deep into the bench inserting kids Tevin Schnable and Oluwadamilola Ade-Eri who combined for 7 points in 5 minutes to close out the 40 minutes. ‘They got tired in the fourth quarter. We continued to run a lot on transition. We knew how to overpower them’, stressed Marvin Heckel. ‘I think the end result doesn’t show how we really played. They have a deep bench and when they can still throw a Johnson and Friderici at you, it gets tough. We got tired and made more turnovers and missed more shots’, stressed Marko Rosic. Young 17 year old Orange Academy players Marko Rosic (8p and 7a) and Joel Cwik who added 5 points benefited from another game where they saw a lot of action and combined for 49 minutes. ‘They had a great opportunity this season in the Pro B and Regionalliga to get better. It is split second decision making that they have to make at this level’, stated Ilija Omrcen. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Marvin Heckel with 20 points. Alani Moore added 19 points, 6 rebounds, 10 dimes and 4 steals while Moses Poelking contributed 13 points while Orange Academy was led by Lenny Liedtke and Antonio Dorn with 17 points a piece. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 59% from the field and 40% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 16 turnovers while Orange Academy shot 43% from the field and 33% from outside and had 26 rebounds and 23 turnovers.

Tags : MARVIN HECKEL, EPG BASKETS KOBLENZ, GERMAN BASKETBALL