It was only 5 months ago when the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had played their last game getting swept by the Basketball Lowen of Erfurt after having won an exciting 3 game playoff battle against the RheinStars Cologne. Time has really flown by as in that time Quantez Robertson had bid farewell to the Fraport Skyliners and moved back home to Alabama for retirement joy and Germany had become World Cup champions. October was only a few hours away and the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were back at it starting a new Pro B season. Their first opponent was Bavarian club Breitengussbach who had been in the Regionalliga for some years and wanted to annoy Frankfurt on the first game day. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors as usual had a deep roster for the game and pretty much had the same guys from last year with the exception of two new players with German Florian Dietrich and American Trevian Bell (201-G/F, college: Lewis). Frankfurt didn´t play a great game, but fought and made the big plays and shots in the fourth quarter to help preserve the 75-64 victory. Bell didn´t waste anytime getting into the hearts of Frankfurt fans as he finished with a solid performance with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 dimes and a massive dunk to get everyone excited in the BCM. Frankfurt played strong defense and showed real team mentality. “I felt we played a good game. We had some flat stretches where we helped them gain energy and confidence, but I liked how we regrouped and did what we had to do to win the game. It wasn´t pretty but the most important thing is a win. I liked how everyone was happy for each other. Even when we made mistakes, we helped push each other up”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Junior Trevian Bell. The Bavarian team had good phases, but overall couldn´t slow down the Frankfurt shooters and simply coughed up the ball too much. “We began slow and had too much respect for them. We didn´t work until the end on defense with box outs. We had more energy on defense in the second half, but overall had too many individual mistakes. We fought until the end. It was a tough loss”, stated TSV Troester Breitengussbach guard Leo Trummeter.

Trevian Bell at the FT line

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were without key players Justin Onyejiaka and Bennet Schubert while the guests were without Lucas Wagner. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors came out with a bang getting back to back three´s from Bell and Jordan Samare who has 17 BBL games on his account. The rapid fire attack was halted quickly as the guests stormed back to score 7 unanswered points as the guests spread around the love getting buckets from Timo Dippold with the drive, a trey by Alexander Engel and a lay in by big man Luca Worrlein as Marlon Stephan set him up with the pretty shovel pass. But Frankfurt didn´t allow that quick come back to scare them as they cruised back on a 13-6 run to lead 19-12. Ex Wurzburg forward Nils Leonhardt gave Frankfurt a lot of energy with an offensive rebound and putback and 15 footer and little used young American Marvin Esser also made a lay in. Frankfurt was moving the ball around well and finding the open man as the defensive intensity level of Breitengussbach was low. Even if Frankfurt seemed like in control, they allowed the guests to come back simply allowing them 4 easy lay ins as Steffen Walde scored twice inside, Engel made a back door lay in and Jonas Klaus a lay in as Frankfurt led only 24-21 after 10 minutes. Breitengussbach was shooting over 60% from the field thanks too many goals inside, but the big difference were the 6 to 1 turnovers in favor of Frankfurt who couldn´t take advantage of it more.

Stefen Walde with the floater

Just like in the first quarter, the Fraport Skyliners came out of the gates on fire as new player Trevian Bell scored 5 points. The ex Lewis (NCAA2) forward began with a three pointer and then threw down a massive dunk that could easily be one of the dunks of the year. Even if it was like thunder, it wasn´t the best of his career. “It was definitely top 5, but it didn´t crack my top 3. I saw the lane and had Jordan Samare on my left. Without him running with me, I would never have been able to make it. I give him credit. My best dunk occurred in high school”, said Trevian Bell. That wave of energy helped power the Fraport Skyliners Juniors get in a groove and keep Breitengussbach trying to come back. Frankfurt continued to be in romp mode going on a 9-4 run to extend their lead to 38-25. Bell who played 94 NCCA games continued to be in attack mode hitting a jumper and then spinning around a man and hitting an off balance shot. Jordan Samare also connected on the pick and pop shot. Bell was a one man wrecking crew while the guests had no offensive rhythm and couldn´t get any more easy baskets inside. “Tre has worked hard since day 1. He is very skilled. I´m excited to see what kind of numbers he can put up in the Pro B. He competes at a high level”, warned Fraport Skyliner David Muenkat. Breitengussbach lacked overall team play and had to rely a lot on 1-1 play and got it from diminutive German Timo Dippold who made 2 tough shots, but they couldn´t gain much ground as Samare made another three pointer and Frankfurt led 41-30. Frankfurt had all sorts of weapons on this night. Head coach Sepher Tarrah didn´t hesitate playing most guys including Felix Feilen. He is a guy who had played 39 Regionalliga games with TV Langen and been part of the Frankfurt Pro B roster the last few years but hardly played. He came in and steered home 6 points in the last few minutes. He drilled home a three pointer and then made an offensive rebound and put back. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had their biggest lead at the break with 50-35. “Frankfurt moved the ball well getting easy looks. On defense they forced contested shots. They really were playing well as a team”, added Fraport Skyliner David Muenkat. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors continued to shoot over 40% from the field and outside while TSV Troester Breitengussbach was shooting 56% from the field. Frankfurt had a huge 20-14 rebound edge and 10-2 offensive rebound advantage and had only 3 turnovers to the guests 11 turnovers.

Trevian Bell with the jumper

The third quarter was the weakest of the Fraport Skyliners Juniors as they allowed 19 points and could only muster 11 points as the guests tried to creep closer. The guests began with more intensity and produced 5 stops on defense, but couldn´t get closer as they only got 2 buckets from Dippold and Klaus to trail 51-40. There is only so much time where Frankfurt will be held pointless as they can come back quickly with all their weapons and did as team captain Alvin Onyia made a pretty spin move and bucket and ex Wurzburg guard Philipp Hadenfeldt sunk a three pointer against the zone and suddenly Frankfurt led 56-40 again. Breitengussbach then had their best stretch of the game as young 19 year old German Leo Trummeter who couldn´t break through with Pro A team Nurnberg as he played only 7 Pro A games and sought a new challenge in the Pro B and led a 8-0 run with high energy on defense and scored 2 transition baskets while Walde made an off balance jumper and Worrlein a lay in and Frankfurt led only 56-48. Frankfurt had lost their offensive rhythm and just played too lax on offense and lost a step on defense allowing easy Baskets. Despite a Hecker three pointer and Oniya lay in, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors couldn´t shake the guests as Walde made a lay in and Engel a trey and Frankfurt led only 61-54 after 30 minutes. “They put more pressure on us and we played on our heels. We only had 3 turnovers in the first half and had 7 in the third quarter. But I liked how we adjusted. We could of let the pressure get to us, but we didn´t”, stated Trevian Bell. “We had more energy. We got more self confidence and made more shots. Our stops helped our offense. We got easy transition baskets”, commented Leo Trummeter. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors continued to shoot over 40% from the field and outside, but the guests rebounded better as Frankfurt led the rebound battle only 27-23 and had 10 turnovers while the guests had 14 turnovers.

Alexander Engel at the FT line

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors did a super job buckling down on defense in the fourth quarter allowing only 10 points and getting key three pointers to break their backs. Worrlein and Dietrich traded baskets in the first minute but Frankfurt still led 63-56. But the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had had enough and slammed the door shut on Breitengussbach early going on a 10-2 run to lead 73-58. Frankfurt did a good job getting to the free throw line and then got 2 key three´s from Felix Hecker. He had had a very quiet three point shooting night going 1/9, but saved his best for last drilling home his last 2 shots. Frankfurt had more energy and just wanted it more. They defended with passion especially captain Alvin Oniya who got 2 steals to stop 2 Breitengussbach possessions. In crunch-time the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had the 13 point lead and sailed home to the win. They allowed baskets to Dippold and Trummeter, but it was simply to little too late for the guests. Philipp Hadenfeldt scored Frankfurt´s last basket on a beautiful finger tip roll lay in. “Hustle plays helped us a lot. Those were identity building plays. We are competitors and play at high energy. Making plays like that speaks for how we have worked hard since the start of the season”, warned Trevian Bell. “I think that we lost a little energy in the fourth quarter. Our individual mistakes cost us the game”, stated Leo Trummeter. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Trevian Bell with 17 points. Philipp Hadenfeldt added 12 points and Felix Hecker 11 points while TSV Troester Breitengussbach were led by Timo Dippold with 18 points and alexander Engel added 15 points and Luca Worrlein 14 points. The Fraport Skyliners Juni9ors shot 41% from the field and 39% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 11 turnovers while TSV Troester Breiotengussbach shot 47% from the field and 31% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 18 turnovers.