Who could forget the many intensive and gritty battles between the Fraport Skyliners and Jobstairs Giessen 46ers in the easyCredit BBL over the years. The Hessen derby is one that fans get excited about each season. The first Pro A Hessen derby between both teams was played in Giessen where the Fraport Skyliners steam rolled to the win by 23 points. However that was more than 3 months ago as back then Frankfurt was in the midst of their crushing 9 game winning streak as no team could stop them. Times have changed since then as Frankfurt has suffered 6 loses since and were meeting a much improved Giessen team who came into the Skyliners living room sporting a 5 game winning streak. They had much improved their defense as they allowed only 69 points per game in the first four games of that winning streak. Giessen wanted leverage in the standings and stormed into Frankfurt seeking revenge, but a disastrous and costly second quarter presented their doom as the Fraport Skyliners destroyed the Jobstairs Giesen 46ers 94-67. Frankfurt scored 29 points in the second quarter and their aggressive defense was like a swarm of angry bees as Giessen had no real answer from then on. “I think that we did a great job sticking to the game plan. Our focus was to outrun them and post up certain guys. We were a lot younger and were able to take advantage of that. We played a good game defensively and were strong with rebounding”, stated Fraport Skyliner Canadian David Muenkat (201-F-2000, college: St.Francis X.). It was just one of those days were Giessen couldn´t muster anything and make adjustments when they needed them most. Their three didn´t fall and they didn´t do a good job taking care of the ball. “They executed really well and were a lot more connected than we were. There is a reason why they are one of the best defensive teams in the league. We have to be able to do a better job on offense no matter how much pressure they make”, stressed Jobstairs Giessen 46er guard Duane Wilson.

Booker Coplin at the FT line

Both teams came out with high intensity and played with a high tempo while defensively playedaggressive and surprisingly both teams found their rhythms quickly. Frankfurt received early energy from athletic Justin Onyejiaka who scored twice on drives while Giessen also relied on the short game getting lay in´s from Robin Benzing who played 167 times for the German national team and ex easyCredit BBL player Luis Figge as Frankfurt had the slim 8-7 lead. There would be 6 lead changes in the first quarter as fans witnessed a real Hessen derby battle and atmosphere. Serbian Stefan Fundic and Onyejiaka traded buckets and the teams leads once again. Giessen then got the lead back getting lay in´s from Fundic and Wisconsin native Duane Wilson to lead 15-12. Frankfurt was running and running which was their game plan while Giessen lived by good offensive set play and presenting their lethal inside out game. Frankfurt then ripped the lead back as ex Indiana State guard and Swiss army knife Cameron Henry supplied 5 points from the bench with a lay in and a transition basket for the 17-15 advantage after 10 minutes. “Fans definitely saw a battle by 2 focused derby teams. But you never win the game after one quarter. We just continued to stick to the game plan and chipped away”, stressed David Muenkat. The Fraport Skyliners shot 53% from the field and 0% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers shot 38% from the field and 0% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Trevion Crews with the lay in

The turning point of the game occurred in the second quarter as the Fraport Skyliners exploded for 29 points and played aggressive defense that led to steals and easy transition baskets something from which Giessen never recovered from. Giessen actually had the better start going on a 5-0 run to haul back the lead at 20-17 as Indiana native Trevon Crews scored and Fundic added a trey. But Frankfurt didn´t waste anytime punching back and going on a lethal 14-2 run to get their biggest lead of the game at 31-22. Frankfurt´s excellent defensive pressure sparked their offense in this phase. Minnesota native Booker Coplin was key getting a few steals which led to Meunkat baskets while Coplin also scored himself and Henry dropped a three pointer. Frankfurt´s explosive game didn´t stop as after Bnezing made free throws, Frankfurt made 10 unanswered points to lead 41-24 in the run, the superb transition game of Frankfurt continued as U20 EM Bronze winner Lorenz Brenneke scored twice including a massive dunk, Jordan Samare also scored in the paint and Booker Coplin made a offensive rebound and put back and off balance shot. Brenneke would score 10 points and add 6 rebounds, but also showed on the defensive end that he is a threat grabbing 2 steals and making a block. “Lorenz was fantastic today. When he is firing on all cylinders at both ends, he really gets us all going. He can really rebound the heck out of the ball. He makes our lives easier”, stressed David Muenkat. In the last minutes, Duane Wilson gave Giessen needed energy with 5 points, but Frankfurt responded with another clutch three pointer by Cameron Henry and another lay in by Lorenz Brenneke to lead 46-29 at the break. “We were really aggressive on the defensive end. Guys weren´t scared to get beat. We had great help side defense and were firing from all cylinders. It helped that we hit a lot of shots and just stuck together as a team”, commented David Muenkat. The Fraport Skyliners shot 57% from the field and 27% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers shot 35% from the field and 18% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Aiden Warnholtz with the lay in

In the third quarter the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers had a great start and run, but the Fraport Skyliners squashed that and outscored them 25-7 to totally decide the game after 30 minutes. Giessen came out of half time refueled and refocused shocking Frankfurt with their style of basketball of highly aggressive defense and pressure that totally stifled Frankfurt. Giessen hit Frankfurt with a 7-0 run and stopped their first 5 possessions to climb back into the game trailing only 46-36 as there seemed light at the end of the tunnel. In the Giessen run, their defense also sparked their offense as they got transition baskets from Slovakian national player Simon Krajcovic and Willson while Luis Figge added free throws. But a massive Aiden Warnholtz three pointer stopped the Giessen run and got Frankfurt on track as they closed out the third quarter strong with a 23-7 run to have the overwhelming 71-43 advantage. Frankfurt found their offensive rhythm again and just executed beautifully and shared the ball nicely getting many involved. Muenkan and Henry nailed jumpers and Warnholtz another trey and Frankfurt had the huge 58-41 lead. It also didn´t help Giessen´s cause as they were hit early with their 5th team foul and had to ease off the aggressive defensive pressure. Frankfurt continued to overpower Giessen with their potent offense and finished the thrid quarter with a 13-2 run. Frankfurt continued to spread around the ball as Muenkat, Jacob Knauf and Coplin scored. In the last second ex Oldenburg guard Kevin Mcclain made a quick lay in and then out of nowhere Cameron Henry stole the inbounds pass under the guests basket and made the lay in. “That was a heads up play. I saw that the guy making the pass had that I don´t know if I´m going to make the pass or not. The pass was slow and I jumped between it. Sometimes when opponents are hit with big runs, they get sloppy”, stated Cameron Henry. The Fraport Skyliners shot 61% from the field and 41% from the parking lot and had 29 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers shot 34% from the field and 12% from the parking lot and had 22 rebounds and 15 turnovers. “We took our foot off the gas in the first few minutes, but responded well. Warnholtz´s three pointer switched the momentum back to our side. We stuck to our principles. Once you get stops, the rest takes care of itself”, warned David Muenkat. “We were close to making a run. We got it down to 10 points. That Warnholtz three pointer hurt. They began to hit more shots and we lost energy. They got all 50/50 balls which was crucial”, stated Duane Wilson.

Luis Figge at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers erupted for 24 points, but couldn´t stop Frankfurt either as they scored 23 points. Ex Crailsheim German Dejan Kovacevic hit a trey to begin the fourth quarter, but Frankfurt had their offense flowing as well as Warnholtz dropped another trey and Brenneke made a tip in for the 78-48 Frankfurt lead. Then came the play of the game as Mcclain flicked up a high lob pass towards the rim that David Muenkat dunked for the pretty alley-oop play and 80-50 advantage. “I have had a lot of nice dunks in my short career so far. Coach drew up a nice play and I knew it would work for us the way they set up their defense. I trust Kevin to make the perfect pass. It´s always nice to get the crowd involved”, expressed David Muenkat. Benzing and Mcclain then swapped buckets twice, but Frankfurt still led smoothly 84-55. The fourth quarter saw some added pretty plays as Knauf rattled the arena with hard dunk. Ex Stoney Brook (NCAA) forward Roland Nyama got some garbage points as he made 2 lay in´s. Frankfurt got some extra points from their bigs as Knauf and Samare scored. Luis Figge closed out the game with a lay in as Skyliner fans went home happy while Giessen fans only had a short 40 minute car ride to digest the blowout loss. “We did a good job playing hard until the end. We never took our foot off the gas pedal. We played with that shark smelling blood attitude and stepped on their necks some more”, warned David Muenkat. “We ran out of gas. We have to learn from this and come back recharged after the break”, warned Duane Wilson. The Fraport Skyliners were led by David Muenkat with 17 points while Cameron Henry and Booker Coplin added 15 points apiece while the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers were led by Duane Wilson with 17 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 60% from the field and 39% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers shot 38% from the field and 21% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 16 turnovers.