After a good test against BBL team Syntainics MBC in the first round of the easyCredit BBL cup that Frankfurt lost on account of not being able to maintain the fierce guard play of the Bavarian team, it was finally time for the Fraport Skyliners to commence into their first Pro A season in their short 25 year history. And what better way then to begin against another former easyCredit BBL team with BBC Bayreuth. These 2 teams had had some interesting battles over the years in the easy Credit BBL, but this game was definitely different. This game had to do with prestige. What former BBL team would have bragging rights until the next game in Bayreuth? The Fraport Skyliners had a new coach with Denis Wucherer and many new parts including 3 rookie imports while BBC Bayreuth also had done some house cleaning and added many new parts. On a mild early fall day, both teams came to battle in Frankfurt and wanted to make a mark in the first game as for 30 minutes it was BBC Bayreuth that controlled the game and had Frankfurt playing catch up ball. But in the fourth quarter the Fraport Skyliners finally came together staging a comeback and hitting big shots something they couldn´t do with consistency earlier on upending BBC Bayreuth 66-63. It wasn´t a pretty game to be involved with or to watch. “It was a rough game and we were sloppy at times. But in the end we got it done. A win is a win and that is most important. I felt that we had many great looks throughout the game, but just couldn´t finish them better. We did a good job with offensive rebounds. I like how we stuck around and never gave up”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Booker Coplin (191-G-1997, college: Augsburg, agency: BIG). It is never an easy pill to swallow when you have control of the game for a long time and then give it up the way the Bavarian squad did. “I feel like we played well for 35 minutes, but in the last 5 minutes we allowed too many offensive rebounds. We gave up too many second chance points and that bit us in the butt at the end. I felt we still played well at both ends of the court”, stressed BBC Bayreuth guard Selim Fofana.

Lorenz Brenneke at the FT line

The Fraport Skyliners came into the game without guards Bruno Vrcic and Bruno Albrecht while BBC Bayreuth were without Mohamed Sillah and Philip Jalalpoor. There were a few lead changes at the start as Frankfurt was led by Booker Cooplin and the guests got buckets from American Aaron Carver and Shane Gatling that played 2 seasons at Colorado (NCAA). Frankfurt had difficulty with the good man defense of Bayreuth. BBC Bayreuth then found some real daylight on offense cruising out on a lethal 12-0 run to lead 17-6. In the run, they were led by Norwegian forward Kristian Sjolund with 8 points who dropped consecutive three pointers and hit a runner and Fofana made a big dunk. A few miscommunications cost Frankfurt 2 three´s and just a loss of defensive intensity suddenly turned the game in the direction of BBC Bayreuth. But the Fraport Skyliners didn´t hang their heads in the sand like a bashful dog but closed out the first quarter strong with a 7-1 run to get back into the game trailing 18-13. In the run, Frankfurt showed that basketball can be so easy as they simply upped their aggressiveness and attacked the rim and were rewarded with 2 buckets from Canadian David Muenkat and a jumper by ex Carleton guard Aiden Warnhorst. “We had a sloppy start. We have to bring more energy. It took us a while to get awake”, stated Booker Coplin. The Fraport Skyliners couldn´t hit the ocean from downtown while the guests were at 43%, but Frankfurt made their mark on the boards 12-7 and had the 5-1 offensive rebound edge.

Shane Gatling jumper

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners continued to have to play catch up basketball and when they did get closer, BBC Bayreuth always had an answer. Frankfurt also had a nasty habit of missing easy chances close to the basket. BBC Bayreuth continued to showcase a stable offense getting to the free throw line and also getting good production from the bench as ex Orange Academy forward Lenny Liedke came up big with a trey from the corner and a lay in as big man Arron Carver displayed his fine passing skills to give BBC Bayreuth the comfortable 29-21 advantage. Frankfurt got some vital energy from the bench from German Jordan Samare who score twice on transition as Frankfurt only trailed 29-25. But BBC Bayreuth has 2 very special players with Gatling and Fofana who can connect on the most difficult 1-1 shots. But in the last few minutes Gatling was a spectator as Fofana made one wild shot from almost half court and closed out the second quarter with a last second shot. “I like taking those step back shots. I felt like both were going in, but I can´t lie those were crazy shots”, smiled Selim Fofana. “He made tough shots, but we still can´t let him get those chances. We have to do a better job of second guessing them”, warned Booker Coplin. Samare would score 2 more times as he continued to be set up well in the zone as he was set up nicely by Coplin and Warnhorst, but Frankfurt couldn´t make more ground despite getting 5 more offensive rebounds and trailed 40-31 at half-time. The Fraport Skyliners were struggling with team play and put up way to many forced shots. “I love when you see players like Jordan come out on the floor ready to play. We have a lot of depth on this team. He gave us a lot of energy and helped us remain in the game”, stated ex Augsburg (NCAA3) guard Booker Coplin. BBC Bayreuth continued to shoot well from the field at 48% while Frankfurt was at 32%. Frankfurt continued to have the big goose egg from the parking lot at 0/8 while the guests were solid at 40%. Frankfurt continued to be kings on the boards at 22-14 and had the 10-2 offensive rebound edge.

Alvin Onyia from outside

BBC Bayreuth continued to control the game in the third quarter and led by as much as 12 points as the Fraport Skyliners just couldn´t go on a run and get consistent stops. Fans saw back to back three pointers from big men Carver and Fraport Skyliner Jacob Knauf who was more a shooter early in his career, but developed into a modern day big man with his break through in Schwenningen last season as ex BBL legend Alexsander Nadjfeji worked with him on his game and taught him to go to those uncomfortable spots in the zone. Frankfurt continued having execution problems and BBC Bayreuth took advantage of it getting a Fofana basket and Gatling trey to keep the 49-38 advantage. Frankfurt continued to have problems moving the ball, but here and there were able to execute as David Munekat became more aggressive in the second half and scored on a lay in to cut BBC Bayreuth´s lead to 50-42. Gatling continued to play iso ball and nailed a trey, but Frankfurt got some massive contribution from farm team captain Alvin Onyia with a three pointer and Marco Voeller chipped in with a lay in, but BBC Bayreuth still led 56-48 after 30 minutes. “We played aggressive defense. We did a good job not letting them find solutions. We played good team ball. When we drove, we always found the open guy”, stated Selim Fofana. “We found a way to keep hanging around. We were mentally strong and always fought back. We wore them down a bit. When that happens you stop hitting those crazy shots”, added Booker Coplin. Frankfurt finally nailed 2 three´s but still shot an unacceptable 14% while BBC Bayreuth was at 35%. Frankfurt continued to control the boards 34-23 and both teams kept their turnovers down as Frankfurt had 7 and the guests 5.

Shane Gatling at the FT line

The Fraport Skyliners saved their best for last in the fourth quarter outscoring BBC Bayreuth 18-7 and giving the fans an exciting ending. Frankfurt stepped up their defensive intensity and suddenly BBC Bayreuth didn´t get anything easy anymore and were halted in their first 5 possessions. Frankfurt executed on offense as the team intensity rose on offense as Coplin made an offensive rebound and put back and then came the rebirth of Cameron Henry. He had been 0/11 including the cup game and really couldn´t buy himself a bucket. But the basketball God finally looked down on the ex Indiana State guard as he made an off balance shot and then connected for a three pointer from the parking lot to dead lock the game at 57-57. BBC Bayreuth finally scored their first field goal of the fourth quarter in their sixth possession as Gatling made a tough turn around shot to give BBC Bayreuth the 59-57 lead. The atmosphere in the arena was breathtaking and the Fraport Skyliners didn´t disappoint as they continued to fight and execute. After a Lorenz Brenneke free throw and stop on Fofana, it was German veteran Marco Voeller who stood all alone on the three point line and fired away for the 61-59 Franfkurt lead. He was so alone, he could of gone on a Sunday stroll before any opponent would have picked him up. But both teams never stopped fighting. Brenneke showed why he is fearless as he battled against 3 Bayreuth players under the basket and made a basket after the third try, but Carver answered with a lay in tie the game at 63-63. Booker Coplin had showed all game long that he is a reliable scorer, but this time did it with a tough circus shot for the 65-63 advantage with 36 seconds to play. Frankfurt then forced BBC Bayreuth to a turnover as David Muenkat played fierce defense. Frankfurt had possession with 18 seconds, but Coplin lost the ball and BBC Bayreuth had another chance, but Fofana missed. Coplin made one free throw to seal the win. “We showed heart and found a way to execute better. We got good looks the whole game and never swayed away from it. We got big shots from Onyia, Henry and Voeller”, stressed Booker Coplin. “They did a good job coming back. I have to do a better job of organizing our offense. We took quick shots while they hurt us with open shots on our bad rotations”, said Selim Fofana. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Booker Coplin with 16 points while David Muenkat added 13 points while BBC Bayreuth was led by Shane Gatling with 17 points and Selim Fofana added 15 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 36% from the field and 20% from outside and had 50 rebounds and 13 turnovers while BBC Bayreuth shot 35% from the field and 30% from outside and had 29 rebounds and 10 turnovers.