The Fraport Skyliners did themselves a giant favor by having a blow out win at home against the VFL SparkassenStars as they hadn´t played their best basketball the previous games in Dresden and Artland. They now had to be super prepared for the massive pre Christmas showdown against Phoenix Hagen who came to Frankfurt sporting a strong 9-3 record and had won their last 3 games. Phoenix Hagen have demonstrated their scoring consistency this season, but like so many other teams in the Pro A were still not all on the same page on the defensive end. Both clubs wanted to keep their winning streak intact going into the X-mas week, but it was Phoenix Hagen that was the first club to beat the Fraport Skyliners in their living room this season with a masterful 91-81 victory as they proved their crunch-time strength once again making the big shots when they needed them. The duo of Nawrocki and Schneider did Frankfurt in as they combined for 48 points and just destroyed Frankfurt in the last minutes. “We were very motivated coming to Frankfurt. We really feel like we are the best team in the Pro A. We came here feeling we had a good chance to win. Our energy and focus was good and we shared the ball well and played good defense”, stressed ex University of California at Davis guard Siler Schneider. The Fraport Skyliners didn´t begin well and had to play catch up ball the whole night. The only difference to other crunch-time games at home was that this time they couldn´t pull out the win. Frankfurt was outclassed on the rebound and field goal percentage and that was enough for Phoenix Hagen to move to 10-3. “We showed fight, but we needed more execution from start to end. Our shots didn´t fall consistently and we needed a minute to get into our plays. We reacted too much instead of taking action and adjusting”, stressed Fraport Skyliner guard Kevin McClain.

Nolan Adekunle at the FT line

Even if David Muenkat began the game with a basket, It didn´t take Phoenix Hagen long to show who was boss in the Skyliners living room as the guests rolled out on a 16-2 run. In the run Phoenix Hagen showed pure team basketball as everyone got into it as ex Clemson (NCAA) American Naz Bohanon scored, ex Jena German Dennis Nawrocki (193-SG-1992) hit a trey, Schneider a jumper, ex Post (NCAA2) guard Devonte McCall a tip in and ex Orange Academy guard Kristopher Krause connected on a three pointer. Frankfurt was getting some good looks, but also had to contend with Hagen´s aggressive on ball defense and a lack of finding space in the zone. Phoenix Hagen also controlled the boards and just made the plays. Frankfurt finally made some shots as McClain scored and ex Indiana State guard Cameron Henry made a trey, but they just couldn´t make much ground as Schneider was a one man wrecking crew hitting 2 shots for the 20-12 lead. Ex Alba Berlin forward Lorenz Brenneke made 4 free throws at the end to ease some of the pressure that the guests had given as Frankfurt trailed 24-16. “I think that Frankfurt was a bit shocked by our speed and physicality. It took them a little time to adjust”, stated Siler Schneider. Phoenix Hagen shot 53% from the 2 point range and 33% from outside and had 15 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 29% from the 2 point range and 22% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

Brock Mackenzie from down town

Phoenix Hagen continued to control the game in the second quarter and led by as much as 15 points as the Fraport Skyliners just had no remedy how to get over the hump. The Fraport Skyliners actually began hot going on a 7-3 run to trail the guests by only 27-24. Frankfurt provided inside out basketball getting a trey from Canadian David Muenkat and lay in´s from ex Duesseldorf guard Booker Coplin and ex Carleton guard Aiden Warnholtz. Frankfurt definitely moved the ball better and found more daylight in the paint area which gave them even better looks. But Phoenix Hagen didn´t let that burst of energy from Frankfurt deter their game as they went on a 9-4 run aided by Siler Schneider who produced 7 points. He was in constant attack mode and one has to wonder if he was motivated by his friend and ex teammate TJ Shorts at UC Davis 27 points a few days ago in Eurocup action? “I try to watch his game and support him as much as possible. For him to score 25 points and get 10 assists is a normal thing these days. His game continues to motivate me and I just try keep working hard to maybe reach his level one day”, said Siler Schneider. Phoenix Hagen continued to do a great job taking advantage of Frankfurt´s mistakes and ruled the boards. Phoenix Hagen then got some energy from Washington native and rookie Brock Mackenzie as he gave his team 6 straight free throws for the 42-27 advantage. Frankfurt got some vital three´s late from McClain and Coplin, but also allowed buckets to Phoenix Hagen as Devonte McCall dropped an alley oop dunk with the feed from Mackenzie and Nawrocki used his quickness and IQ to get a lay in as Phoenix Hagen still controlled the game easily going into the break with the 48-33 advantage. Phoenix Hagen shot 50% from the field and 38% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds and 4 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 30% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 8 turnovers. “We did a good job taking what the defense gave us. We key in on their ball screen defense and just made plays”, added Siler Schneider.

Dennis Nawrocki at the FT line

In the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners were down by as much as 19 points, but just kept chipping away and only had a 10 point deficit after 30 minutes. Booker Coplin began the second half with a trey, but Frankfurt just couldn´t get any positive consistency as soon they were at the 5 team foul mark with only 2 minutes elapsed. Phoenix Hagen got to the free throw line and got 5 points from Nawrocki and Lennart Boner to lead 53-36. Frankfurt would show flashes of success on offense getting lay in´s from Coplin and Warnholtz, but just couldn´t get stops as Nawrocki made free throws and ex Giessen forward Tim Uhlemann made a pretty fade away shot from the wing in Nowitzki manner to lead 59-40. But the Fraport Skyliners never gave up and just went play by play and produced a lethal 18-7 run to trail only by 66-58 after 3 quarters. In the run, Frankfurt was led by Kevin McClain who took maters into his own hands and played the way a point guard should leading his team back with 12 points. He dropped a trey, made a lay in and scored 7 free throws. 2018 JBBL (U-16) winner Nolan Adekunle also contributed 6 points with 2 three´s. Frankfurt stepped up the defensive intensity and physicality as the guests got tough looks and were met hard in the paint when they drove to the rim. “We fought hard and never gave up. We played more aggressive at both ends and attacked the rim more”, expressed Kevin McClain. “We got in the bonus quickly and they adjusted well. I feel like they matched our speed and physicality”, commented Siler Schneider. Phoenix Hagen shot 44% from the field and 33% from the parking lot and had 34 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 34% from the field and 38% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

David Muenkat with the step back

The Fraport Skyliners still had energy in their gas tank and came out hard in the first minutes of the fourth quarter making 4 stops and forcing Phoenix Hagen to 3 turnovers. Frankfurt received Coplin free throws and an offensive rebound and put back by Brenneke to trail 66-62. You would think that Frankfurt could make some ground with Siler on the bench with 4 fouls, but they couldn´t as other go to guy Dennis Nawrocki just continued to play his game and shined as he produced the guests next 7 points with a 2 point jumper, three pointer and lay in for the 73-66 advantage. Frankfurt was fighting, but now seemed like they would get beat by someone else than Schneider. But Frankfurt still saw hope and just continued to chip away and got some vital buckets from Adekunle with another trey and a left handed hook shot from Brenneke to trail 75-73. Then a defensive stop led to a Cameron Henry three pointer as Frankfurt had after seemingly an eternity got the lead back at 76-75. The teams would trade baskets as Bohannon executed a put back only to be met by Brenneke with another lay in for the 78-77 Frankfurt lead. But then it wasn´t Nawrocki who would lead the crunch-time heroics, but it would be Schneider who would find back to his crazy 1-1 play as he nailed an in your face trey on Bren eke and after a clutch trey by ex Giessen guard Bjarne Kraushaar, it was Schneider again on the baseline with a turn around shot with 37 seconds remaining and Frankfurt staring at the 85-80 lead of Hagen. “I was feeling it. I didn´t think of his face but just shot it. The second one was a broken play. I was just glad that it went in”, stressed Siler Schneider. McClain then had the chance to make 3 free throws, but missed 2 as Phoenix Hagen still led 85-81. Phoenix Hagen then closed out the game with Nawrocki and Schneider free throws. “We were in foul trouble with McCalla and me. But Dennis Nawrocki stepped up big time. He has been incredible for us the last weeks. He is our heart and soul and just came up big when we needed it most”, stated Siler Schneider. “We played save the day defense, but then just lost Nawrocki and Schneider. You have to respect them. They made big shots. We fought hard, but sometimes the game just doesn´t go your way”, stated Kevin McClain. Phoenix Hagen was led by Dennis Nawrocki with 27 points while Sila Schneider added 21 points. Naz Bohannon had 14 points and Brock Mackenzie added 10 points while the Fraport Skyliners were led by Kevin McClain with 22 points. Booker Coplin added 17 points and Lorenz Brenneke had 12 points and Nolan Adekunle had 11 points. Phoenix Hagen shot 45% from the field and 44% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 37% from the field and 37% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 12 turnovers.