So who would of thought that The EPG Baskets Koblenz would have so many problems in the playoffs after mowing down most of the competition in the regular season. After a tough grind out series against the EN Baskets Schwelm where the team was brought to the limit and won a do or die game in their living room, the biting of the fingernails continued in the Erfurt series. After a bitter 79-78 loss in game 1 at home, the troops of Pat Elzie had their second do or die game this time in enemy territory and mastered it with a 80-74 victory where once again their were no gifts given. Now the series was tied 1-1 and the EPG Baskets Koblenz had another do or die game, but this time in their living room. With a win they would book the ticket for the semi finals against the BSG Sixers and Pro A. The club had had do or die game experience and 400 Pro A plus and 100 plus easyCredit BBl experience on their roster now had to come together and for once play the kind of basketball they had showed during the regular season. It is no secret that the playoffs is a new season and every team is gunning for the EPG Baskets Koblenz. On a mild Friday night and the CGM arena as always was packed, but never before with 3000 plus fans. The EPG Baskets Koblenz didn’t let their fans down as this time it wasn’t a close contest, but one where they were able to control the game for the most part and won 108-83 ‘We did everything right tonight what we did during the regular season. We used all our weapons correctly and everyone played their role well. We attacked Edi early and brought him into foul trouble and kept Lyles off the 3 point line’, stated EPG Baskets Koblenz guard Leon Friederici (190-SG-1995) The CATL Basketball Lowen played their hearts out in the series, but in game 3 just didn’t have enough man power to get over the hump during the game. ‘I’m very proud of my team. Things didn’t always go right for us, but we never showed fear. When you lose your best player Edi then there is a big void at both ends’, stated Erfurt guard Tyseem Lyles.

Dominque Johnson at the FT line

The EPG Baskets Koblenz wasted no time jumping all over the CATL Baskets Lowen taking the early 8-2 lead. They attacked the rim getting 2 spectacular dunks form Brian Butler and lay in’s from American Alani Moore and ex Bremerhaven center Moses Poelking. The atmosphere in the CGM arena was breathtaking which sparked the Koblenz aggressive defense not allowing the guests a rhythm while Koblenz played with high intensity and moved the ball well early on. After a Erfurt timeout, they came better into the game going on a 10-4 run to dead lock the game at 12-12. Erfurt got more aggressive getting to the free throw line 3 times as young German Dominykas Pleta made 4 points and ex Gonzaga forward Guy Edi made 2 points on free throws and Lyles made a floater and ex Itzehoe forward Aileu Ceesay made an offensive rebound and put back. Erfurt heightened their defensive intensity and made things more difficult for Koblenz. But keeping a team like the EPG Baskets under wraps can only take so long as they escaped and then showed their offensive arsenal going on a 18-7 run to lead 30-19 after 10 minutes. In the run Koblenz spread the love around and got everyone involved. Koblenz remained aggressive in the paint getting lay in’s from 2019 NBBL finalist with Breitengussbach Leo Safer and ex PS Karlsruhe forward Dominque Johnson using a mismatch and getting a lay in while Sperber was also aggressive getting an offensive rebound and finishing with his left hand and Alani Moore made a lay in for the commanding 30-19 advantage. Koblenz’s aggressive defense had forced the guests to 8 turnovers. ‘Both teams played at a high intensity and attacked well. Koblenz moved the ball well and played transition getting easy baskets’, stressed ex EPG Baskets Koblenz assistant coach Tobias Hosper.

Lorenz Schiller from outside

The EPG Baskets continued to control the game not allowing the CATL Basketball Lowen to get over the hump as they couldn’t cut the Koblenz lead under 5 points. Despite Guy Edi being on the bench for great lengths because of 3 fouls, the Erfurt role players picked up the slack. Ex BBL player Marvin Heckel did a great job showing offensive power scoring 5 points, but Erfurt remained close thanks to the great player of Pleta who took on responsibility in Edi’s absence with 9 points and Erfurt trailed only 37-30. Pleta scored 4 free throws and connected on a trey and lay in. But the EPG Baskets Koblenz simply had too much firepower and weapons always ready for an answer. German Jan Heber gave Erfurt 2 key lay in’s, but Koblenz got massive support from the bench from ex Itzehoe forward Niclas Sperber who contributed 7 points including a pretty reverse lay up for the 48-38 Koblenz advantage. ‘I never saw Sperber like this. He was so focused and mentally prepared’, stated Tobias Hosper. Erfurt never gave up and continued to chip away getting added spark from their young Germans as Pleta made a big dunk. He was being put in great position by guards Lyles and Heber and little used 18 year old Lenni Kunzewitsch made a clutch trey to cut Koblenz’s lead to 48-43. But Koblenz didn’t let down after that closing out the second quarter strong with Friederici free throws and a Moore lay in to lead 50-43. ‘Both teams continued to play at a high intensity, but Koblenz rhythm had gone down a bit. Erfurt kept fighting and had patience getting good shots’, stated Tobias Hosper. Koblenz shot 48% from the field and 25% from outside, but the CATL Basketball Lowen shot an incredible 92% 11/12 from the 2 point range while both teams had 15 rebounds, but Erfurt had 11 turnovers and Koblenz 6 turnovers.

Niclas Sperber lay in

The third quarter continued to be a high scoring affair, but the CATL Basketball Lowen continued not being able to get over the hump and never got closer than 5 points early. Pleta continued to have his A game on and he scored the first 4 points of the third quarter as Erfurt trailed only 52-47. Koblenz then got some energy and support from 2017 BBL slam dunk contest winner Brian Butler with a lay in, Sperber lay in and Moore trey, but in the end led only 60-53 as Lyles connected for 2 three’s. Both teams continued to trade baskets as Koblenz got a 3 from Sperber and two lay in’s from Heckel while Erfurt got three’s from Ceesay and Edi to trail only 67-60. Edi then suffered his fourth foul and had to leave again to be ready for the stretch run in the fourth. One could sense that Edi’s inconsistent minutes put a strain on them mentally as they got away from the team game and played too much 1-1 play. Friederici gave Koblenz vital support with 5 points, but they just couldn’t shake Erfurt as they remained on Koblenz tail as they got key support from ex Jena German Lorenz Schiller with 5 points and Pleta made a lay in as Erfurt trailed only 77-70. Dominique Johnson closed out the third quarter with a trey and 80-70 advantage. ‘Getting Edi with his fourth foul early was important. He is an important help side defender and he hurt our spacing. We took away so much from their offense and defense with him out. That allowed us to focus more on Lyles and Heber’, stated Leon Friederici ‘I felt our rotations were good, but they just made shots. We lost a little toughness on defense. They did a good job taking me off the three point line’, commented Tyseem Lyles.

Guy Edi at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz were able to shift up one more gear as the CATL Basketball Lowen were unable to withstand their execution rate and on offense failed to execute as well as in the previous quarters. Koblenz began well as Marvin Heckel controlled the offense and got 2 easy lay in’s and Brian Butler also scored inside for the 88-73 advantage. Edi was back in the game and responded instantly with 4 points to cut Koblenz’s lead to 88-77. Koblenz then shifted into a top gear going on a brutal 9-0 run to lead comfortably 97-77. In the run it was Heckel who supplied a jumper, Moore a lay in and Friederici 4 points including a sweet dunk from the baseline. Friederici would add another crushing dunk a few minutes later. ‘I can’t remember ever making 2 dunks like that so close together in time. When I saw Sperber having his man in front, I had a clear path to the rim. A play like that gives the team momentum’, warned Leon Friederici Heckel had been instrumental in the fourth first scoring 3 times and then dishing out assist after assist in the run. ‘He had 5-7 plays in a row where he made the absolute right solutions. He made our defense better as well. He took what could have been a 6-7 point lead to a 12-13 point lead’, said Tobias Hosper. ‘When Heckel isn’t on the court, something is missing in our game. He knows our team so well. He is our most important player’, stressed Leon Friederici Koblenz had the momentum and didn’t let down, but finished the game strong going on a 11-4 run to close out the game. Moore added a trey, Butler scored twice inside and Friederici added another hard dunk. ‘Key in the fourth was playing fast and slowing their game down. We took away their transition game and they were tired at the end’, expressed Leon Friederici ‘We had fatigue. It was frustrating to see us giving our all and they were still hitting everything’, stated Tyseem Lyles. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Leon Friederici with 25 points. Niclas Sperber added 18 points and Marvin Heckel had 17 points and 11 assists while the CATL Basketball Lowen were led by Dominykas Pleta with 25 points. Tyseem Lyles added 19 points and Guy Edi 13 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 55% from the field and 35% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the CATL Basketball Lowen shot 48% from the field and 34% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 19 turnovers.