The long road to the NBBL Top 4 continues for Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners as the NBBL team continue to play good team basketball as they were riding a 5 game winning streak going into the second game of the ratiopharm Ulm series. After blasting by Kirchheim twice in the last weeks, Frankfurt went to Ulm last week and won 76-67. The hot three point shooting of Frankfurt was key in getting the win as well as their consistent aggressive defense. All Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners needed was a win over Ratiopharm Ulm to get back to the NBBL playoffs which they had missed last season after winning only 1 game. Ratiopharm Ulm not only wanted to get revenge for their loss in their living room against Frankfurt last weekend, but also had to win by at least 21 points to reach the playoffs or their season was over. The 4 team standings between Frankfurt, Ulm, Tornados Franken and Kirchheim had produced this game constellation in order for reaching the playoffs. Ratiopharm came to Frankfurt very much weakened as key players Joel Cwick and Jervis Scheffs were both out due to injuries. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners were favored on paper and came out strong and controlled the game for 40 minutes even when they had some weak phases and played a weaker second half, they closed out the game well in crunch-time to produce the comfortable 81-64 victory and ticket to the NBBL playoffs. “We wanted to come into the game as the more physical team and show our dominance. We did that bringing energy and did a good job taking our height advantage at the guard position. Our energy went down in the second half and we got lazy on defense. They executed some touch down passes against us which coach didn´t like. If we want to get past IBAM in the playoffs, we will have to play at a higher level”, warned Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners forward Leif Zentgraf (198-SF-2005). Ratiopharm Ulm gave all they had for 40 minutes and fought to the end, but just couldn´t get over the hump in their comeback attempt. “We had a slow start, but we gave our best until the end. Everybody got minutes and most guys scored. As a team we learned that we have to give 100% each game, play hard but have fun and just try to get better”, warned Ratiopharm Ulm guard Jordan Mueller.

Leif Zentgraf at the FT line

The first 5 minutes of the first quarter was a back and forth tug of war match as there were 5 lead changes, but down the stretch run of the first quarter, Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was able to get away and lead by 7 points after 10 minutes. The guests began the game with a three pointer from Guillaume Schoentgen and lay in´s from Germans Luca Sarnowska and Jonas Zilinskas while Frankfurt also attacked the rim as Namori Omog, Marvin Esser (3 scores) and Leif Zentgraf scored to tie the game at 10-10. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners then finally found their 3 ball and went on a 11-2 run ss universal genius Ivan Crnjac connected on back to back three´s, Dusan Nikolic hit a 20 footer and Joscha Zentgraf scored on transition. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was favoring pretty ball movement and good on ball pressure that forced the guests to tough shots. Ulm found a little spark of energy in the last minute with a 5-0 run as Tobias Hilbach made an offensive rebound and put back and Luca Sarnowska hit a trey to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 21-17. But Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners saved their best for last as Leif Zentgraf nailed an off balance buzzer beater as Frankfurt led 24-17. “I actually thought I had no time left when I released the shot. I just put it up and was fortunate it went in. I think that shot helped us keep the momentum”, stated Leif Zentgraf. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 59% from the field and 38% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 5 turnovers while ratiopharm Ulm shot 40% from the field and 67% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 6 turnovers. “Despite some defensive lapses, I feel like we had a good first quarter. We did a good job keeping guys in front of us”, said Leif Zentgraf.

Tobias Hollbach lay in

Ratiopharm Ulm had a good start, but getting 5 team fouls early hurt them as they trailed by 17 points at half-time. Ratiopharm Ulm did a good job banging the ball inside to their big man Jonas Zilinskas as he scored 3 valuable buckets and suddenly Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners led only 32-25 as they had lost some of their defensive intensity from the first quarter. But Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners found out of their rut and punched back with a timely 8-0 run to lead 40-25. In the run Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners got 6 points out of free throws as the guests had reached the 5 team foul mark early and a beautiful left handed lay in by Dusan Nikolic who had been slowed down well by Ulm as he scored only 6 points and was held to 9 shots, but dished out 6 assists in the game. Mr Ulm energy Luca Sarnowska got ratiopharm Ulm some confidence as his energy struck Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners with back to back lay in´s as ratiopharm Ulm trailed only 40-29. But ratiopharm Ulm lacked offensive consistency and Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners didn´t as they stopped the Ulm mini run and closed out the second quarter with an overwhelming 8-2 run to lead 48-31 at the break. In the run Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was sparked by Ivan Crnjac who scored twice inside while Esser also snuck back door for an easy lay in as Nikolic picked up the dime and little used energy player Rephael Edward also made a lay in. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners attacked the paint and their physicality and execution level was simply too much for ratiopharm Ulm. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 51% from the field and 24% from the three point line and had 22 rebounds and 7 turnovers while ratiopharm Ulm shot 39% from the field and 18% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 13 turnovers. “We were able to extend our league and getting to the free throw line helped us. But we didn´t have the same energy on defense and let up a bit”, commented Leif Zentgraf.

Dusan Nikolic lay in

In the third quarter Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners led by as much as 23 points, but couldn´t hold their consistency as ratiopharm never stopped fighting and just continued to chip away and trailed only by 12 points after 30 minutes. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners defended well in the first minutes getting 5 stops, but only got 2 consecutive three´s by Leif Zentgraf to lead 54-33. Mr Ulm energy Luca Sarnowska was back at it hitting Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners with 5 points as his nonstop energy was refreshing. Ratiopharm Ulm needed his energy and trailed 54-38. Both teams then went on mini 4-0 runs as Jamie Edoka made free throws and Esser a lay in on transition while Sarnowska made a lay in and 2022 JBBL champion Barna Buglyo hit free throws, but Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners still led 58-42. Ratiopharm Ulm continued to chip away and narrow the margin as Kjell Bauman made a lay in and Schoentgen dropped a trey as ratiopharm Ulm trailed 61-47. The guests continued to attack the paint area getting a lay in by Tobias Hollbach and free throws by Hollbach and Schoentgen. Ratiopharm Ulm upped their defensive intensity and forced Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners to more turn overs in the third quarter as they led only 63-51. “Our goal going into the third quarter was to lead by 30 points and decide the game, but that didn´t happen. We didn´t have the needed energy and just didn´t take it as serious. Good teams like Ulm will punch you”, expressed Leif Zentgraf. “We came out aggressive and didn´t want to be intimidated by their pressure. We just played our game”, expressed Jordan Mueller. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 43% from the field and 25% from the parking lot and had 33 rebounds and 11 turnovers while ratiopharm Ulm shot 39% from the field and 25% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Luca Sarnowska at the FT line

In the fourth quarter ratiopharm Ulm continued to chip away, but could never get the Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners lead below 12 points. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners then exploded for a 11-2 run down the stretch to decide the game. In the first few minutes, both teams couldn´t find their offensive rhythm as ratiopharm Ulm was stopped 6 times while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was denied 5 times. Dusan Nikolic finally got Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners on the board in the fourth quarter with a field goal at the 7,40 mark and the guests got a pretty lay in and a spin move by Zoran Millicic at the 7,20 mark as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners led 65-53. Omog and Zilinskas traded 2 buckets a piece as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners still held the 69-57 advantage. Then came the deciding moment of the game as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners raced out on a 10-2 run to lead 79-59. In the run Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was led by Leif Zentgraf with 5 points, Edoka added a trey and little used German Ehiozogie Idemudia added a lay in. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners showed just how lethal their offense can be when they want it to be. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners supplied nice ball movement and almost always had an open man while on defense stifled the guests with their on ball pressure. Ratiopharm Ulm closed out the game strong with a 5-2 run as Sarnowska scored all points, but it was too little too late. “The game was already over in our heads. We put in our bench guys and they had more energy than the starters. That can´t happen, but we still ended the game strong”, stressed Leif Zentgraf. “We fought to the end and never gave up”, stressed Jordan Mueller. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was led by Leif Zentgraf with 20 points. Marvin Esser added 12 points while Jamie Edoka, Namouri Omog and Ivan Crnjac supplied 10 points a piece while ratiopharm Ulm was led by Luca Sarnowska with 23 points and Jonas Zilinskas added 12 points. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 45% from the field and 27% from outside and had 46 rebounds and 17 turnovers and ratiopharm Ulm shot 38% from the field and 21% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 21 turnovers.