There is always a first time. Who would of thought that the Telekom Baskets Bonn couldn’t master crunch-time in their own building in the 2022-2023 season? They had mowed down most of their opponents during the regular season, had extreme ease against the Niners Chemnitz and even against an aggressive and fighting squad from Ludwigsburg still it didn’t seem like they would ever lose again at home this season. But beware ratiopharm ulm is for real. Many may be blinded by TJ Shorts eccentric hairdo and the dominance of the Telekom Baskets Bonn, but there is a reason why Ulm got by Germany’s 2 most well-known teams Alba Berlin and FC Bayern Munich. In game 1, ratiopharm Ulm came to play and played an incredible game against Bonn showing that Bonn aren’t invincible in their own living room. Everyone knew that he game 1 loss would have the Telekom Baskets Bonn thinking and everyone knew that Bonn wouldn’t have another poor shooting night back to back again. Had they shot a little better in game 1 they probably would have won the game, because they ruled the boards. On a beautiful Sunday evening the two clubs came to battle again only 48 hours later and this time Bonn found the ocean again nailing 16 three’s, sharing the ball around beautifully and just playing Telekom Baskets Bonn basketball as they demolished ratiopharm Ulm 104-74. ‘We played with a lot more intensity. We simply did us. We focused on our identity for 40 minutes. We did what we do best with rebounding, limiting second chance points and limiting their transition’, said Telekom Baskets Bonn forward Tyson Ward. Ratiopharm Ulm fell apart midway through the second quarter and that was that. They allowed the Telekom Baskets Bonn to play their game and played catch up the rest of the way. ‘We didn’t have the needed intensity. We didn’t defend well, didn’t move the ball well and didn’t rebound well’, stressed ratiopharm Ulm guard Thomas Klepeisz.
TJ Shorts at the FT line
It was a steam filled Telekom dome as the sauna like conditions were in full force as both teams played a high tempo to start, but one could sense that the Telekom Baskets Bonn had a totally different focus and their intensity was a lot higher than in game 1. Two rapid three’s by Australian Finn Delany (200-PF-1995, college: SW Baptist) and ex Crailsheim guard Jeremy Morgan was an early indication that Bonn had their sniper qualities in full force again. The game was tight as ratiopharm ulm got 2 vital three’s by Klepeisz to stay close trailing only 12-10. easyCredit BBL MVP TJ Shorts missed one shot early and was slowed down well, but Bonn had enough other guys step up as American Javontae Hawkins, ex Trier guard Sebastian Herrea scored easy lay ins and Delany made a tip in for the Bonn 19-13 advantage. Ulm had problems staying consistent at the free throw line and Bonn just kept playing under control and executing in fine fashion as Herrea dropped a trey and Shorts remained patient and picked his spots well and made a lay in for the 26-16 lead after 10 minutes. The Telekom Baskets Bonn were shooting at a solid rate of 50% from the field and 45% from outside while ratiopharm Ulm was at 42% from the field and 29% from outside. Bonn also controlled the boards 10-6 and had 4 offensive rebounds. ‘Bonn had a lot more energy than in game 1. Their game 1 jitters were totally gone now. I think game 1 was one of their worst games this season. They finally began to hit shots and were defending with a higher intensity’, stated NCAA 2 most three point shots made in a game with 16 Markus Hallgrimson.
Brandon Paul from downtown
In the second quarter ratiopharm Ulm shocked Bonn with an annoying run, but in the last 5 minutes, Bonn returned with their punch which ultimately put the game near out of reach. But in the first few minutes, it didn’t look anything like a Bonn romp through the dome. Instead it was ratiopharm ulm, that found to their game at both ends and erupted with a tantalizing 10-0 run and suddenly the game was dead locked at 26-26. 5 minutes had elapsed and the Telekom Baskets Bonn had been stopped 7 times. With every new stop, Ulm gained more confidence as they had buckled down on defense and made the decision making a lot harder for Bonn with aggressive defense and made big plays as Robin Christen made a massive block on Tyson Ward. Christen is one of many on the Ulm squad that just does his job and doesn’t complain. ‘He is really smart and knows the game well. He plays his role well and just knows when to shoot and when not to. He definitely has found his role in the BBL’, warned Markus Hallgrimson. In the run Ulm received vital support from German Karim Jallow who played NBA Summer League in 2022 as he had 7 points. He showed his athleticism as always and his versatility making a lay in and three pointer. Christen added a trey for good measure after his block. Bonn finally got on the board for the first time getting a reverse lay in from Jeremy Morgan at the 5,21 minute mark and Bonn led 28-26. Basketball is always a game of runs and the Telekom Baskets Bonn demonstrated it best outscoring Ulm 17-3 to lead 45-29 at the break. Bonn has showed so often this year once they have their game flowing, it is almost impossible to stop. Bonn shared the ball around well as Morgan added 4 more points and sniper Sebastian Herrea added a trey while Finn Delany supplied key support with 6 points. TJ Shorts added a mid distance bank shot. Bonn was like a runaway train and Ulm had no resources to stop them. The Telekom Baskets Bonn were shooting ok, but not great at 42% from the field and 39% from the three point line while ratiopharm Ulm was at 31% from the field and 24% from the three point line, but it was the dominance on the boards that allowed them extra possessions as they had 10 offensive rebounds. ‘Bench was key and Bonn played smarter and faster. Finn Delany also gave them a big push. He had been a little hesitant in game 1, but he seemed like a new player. They are very deep and athletic and showed they could do it even with TJ Shorts on the bench’, stated Markus Hallgrimson.
Josh Hawley at the FT line
In the third quarter the Telekom Baskets Bonn were able to not shift up one gear but two more gears exploding for 30 points and putting the contest totally out of reach leading by an incredible 31 points after 3 quarters. Bonn began the third quarter well going on a 7-3 run to extend their lead to 54-32. In the run, they got a sweet alley-oop dunk from Leon Kratzer, a floater from Delany and three from ex Wurzburg American Tyson Ward. Ulm added a three pointer by ex NBA player Bruno Caboclo. Then Bonn center Michael Kessens was handed a disqualifying foul that had the dome on fire with a mad roar of fans and one would of thought this scene could change the tide of the game, but instead Bonn seemed to use that as a motivation charge and just kept executing their offense going on a 10-2 run to lead 64-36. In the run, Bonn got added support from the long ball getting three’s from Delaney and ex Augusta University (NCAA2) forward Deane Williams while Ward made a lay in for the 64-36 Bonn advantage. Bonn had found their shooting stroke and had consistency while Ulm got nothing easy on offense and had too work for every shot. Bonn continued to own the boards as Ulm couldn’t match their intensity or physicality. Down the stretch Ulm got some buckets from ex NBA player Brandon Paul getting an incredible pass from 19 year phenom Jose Nunez as he made the perfect ball reversal and a lay in from Montenegrin forward Fedor Zugic, but they just couldn’t produce stops. ‘Juan has a good eye. It is really nice to watch him pass the ball’, said Robin Christen. Bonn added lay in’s by Herrera and a floater from Shorts and another three from Delaney to lead 75-44 after 30 minutes. ‘We continued to hit three’s. We didn’t want to get emotional but just kept honing in on our identity. We trusted each other as shots kept falling’, added Tyson Ward. ‘We didn’t play defense the way we wanted to. Bonn punished us every time we made a mistake. We didn’t rebound well. We have to do a better job fighting for the rebound’, stated Robin Christen. Bonn continued to shoot well over 40% from the field and the parking lot while Ulm was at 32% from the field and 29% from the parking lot. Bonn also continued to control the boards well at 33-19.
Finn Delany from outside
In the fourth quarter Ratiophram Ulm finally showed offensively what they are capable of scorching the Telekom Baskets Bonn for 31 points, but you can’t make a dent in the score when you allow the opponent to score 29 points. The Telekom Baskets Bonn began getting good support from giant Leon Kratzer who scored twice as his teammates were making him shine while TJ Shorts made a floater. It is a real delight to watch the diminutive guard slide through the cracks and make Ulm wonder play after play how does one stop this guy as it is impossible in a 40 minute game. With the game more than decided ratiopharm ulm head coach Anton Gavel used his bench inserting 212cm German hulk Nicolas Bretzel and he wasted no time making a pretty left handed hook shot, free throw and dishing out a dime to Jallow. But the Telekom Baskets Bonn continued to execute at ease getting an exciting Jeremy Morgan bank shot three as the shot clock buzzer erupted as well as a Delany dunk and Shorts left handed lay in as ratiopharm Ulm still had a steep climb back trailing 89-58. Now the game showcased little defense as fans saw an offensive show. Deane Williams found his special perch in the left corner and would drill home three more three’s as Bonn had to have given Gavel a lot to think about how they are going to stop the raining of three’s in the next 2 games in Ulm. Williams continued to show that he is one of many special role players in the lineup for Tuomas Iisalo. ‘Deane is a big time scorer. He has so much length and athleticism. His three pointer spaces out the defense. He is a big time player’, warned Tyson Ward. Both coaches went to their bench one last time in the last minute letting young Germans Zach Ensminger who scored 3 free throws and David Fuchs who will attend the University of Rhode Island this fall record a bucket. ‘The only positive thing for us in the fourth quarter was the play of Nicolas Bretzel. He had been injured for a long time. He could become important for us’, warned Robin Christen. The Telekom Baskets Bonn had 5 guys in double figures and were led by Finn Delany with 23 points. Sebastian Herrera added 17 points and TJ Shorts 16 points and 9 assists while ratiopharm ulm were led by Karim Jallow with 17 points. The Telekom Baskets Bonn shot 53% from the field, and 46% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 10 turnovers while ratiopharm ulm shot 43% from the field and 34% from outside and had 27 rebounds and 16 turnovers.
German Hoops 