Sometimes basketball works in strange ways and for the EPG Baskets in really annoying ways especially when you look at how their results went after the masterful home upset over top team Romerstrom Gladiators. One would have thought the club would not only have been rested after the 2 week Fiba break, but would have meshed even more together on the court with new head coach Marco Van Den Berg, but instead they lost twice within 48 hours and continue to move down the standings. The ugly home loss against Bremerhaven was one of the worst loses if not worst loss in the last years while the team played 2 good quarters in Kirchheim, but their regular bad phases were as rampant as a sea gull hanging around on a busy beach in a frequented area of people and food. A positive reaction had to happen against Jena who strolled into the CGM arena as their next opponent. Even if Jena haven´t been playing their best basketball as of late having lost 5 of their last 7 games, it has gotten better in the last few weeks having won 2 of their last 3 games. Plus they were in third place for a reason. It was like so often this season where the EPG Baskets Koblenz played brilliant basketball in phases, but a game has 40 minutes and in the second half stunk up the CGM arena allowing Jena to totally turn the game around. Like so often this season Koblenz played as if they were in preseason and played like a chicken without a head where they panicked instead of just staying calm and playing their game. “We played well until the third quarter. In the 16-0 run we stayed in rhythm and moved the ball well. We didn´t have the needed intensity in the third quarter allowing them to get back in the game. We have had this problem all season where we get away from basics which effects our mentality on the floor”, warned EPG Baskets Koblenz guard Marvin Heckel. Medipolis SC Jena played solid in the first half, but in the second half made adjustments and increased their defensive pressure on Koblenz´s guards which they didn´t come to terms with. “We stuck with it for 40 minutes. We stuck through adversity. We had our ups and downs, but we stuck together on defense, attacked the paint and got to the free throw line”, stressed Medipolis SC Jena guard Blake Francis.

Leo Saffer at the FT line

The first quarter was a back and fourth battle as no team was able to get away from the other. EPG Baskets Koblenz center Maurice Pluskota got going quickly with 2 baskets, but Medipolis SC Jena led 9-4 quickly getting crucial buckets from ex Shaw University (NCAA2) great Amir Hinton with a lay in while ex Giessen 46er guard Joshiko Saibou (187-PG-1990) hit a three pointer at the shot clock buzzer. Medipolis SC Jena did a good job not letting Koblenz inside and forcing them to tough shots. Medipolis SC Jena continued to move the ball well and got great support from their bench from young Germans Raphael Falkenthal and Rafael Rodriguez with baskets, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz finally got their long ball to drop as ex Rhondorf center Gabriel De Olveira and Heckel scored as Jena led only 13-11. After a key Leo Saffer basket that was polished with a pretty Nicolas Sperber bullet pass, Medipolis SC Jena continued to keep the lead as Saibou made a tough step back jumper and ex Fraport Skyliner Rasheed Moore connected on free throws for the 18-13 advantage. Koblenz ended the first quarter with a beautiful Heckel no look pass in traffic as he almost lost the ball, but regrouped and found Saffer for the lay in as the guests led 18-15 after 10 minutes. “That was a super pass from him. He almost turned it over, but made a great play. It was an open game. Our offense was working and we matched their physicality well. Jena forced us to have to take three´s”, stated EPG Baskets Koblenz sport director Thomas Klein.

Amir Hinto at the FT line

In the second quarter it looked like Medipolis SC Jena would get away from the EPG Baskets Koblenz, but out of seemingly nothing the troops of Marco Van Den Berg produced an incredible run and suddenly led by 8 points at the break. Medipolis SC Jena began motivated in the second quarter and cruised out on a 11-5 run to lead 29-20. The duo of Stephan Haukohl and Amir Hinton were a wrecking crew as they combined for 11 points and 3 three´s. Medipolis SC Jena was moving the ball really well and choosing the extra pass. They just harmonized well as a team and were threatening to run away with the game. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz had other ideas going on a major lethal 16-0 run totally shocking Medipolis SC Jena and bewildered the guests. In the run the EPG Baskets had a beautiful flow something never seen before this season. “That was our best run of the season. It was perfect basketball”, warned Thomas Klein. They let it rain three´s connecting 4 times as Pluskota hit 2 and De Olveiria and Heckel also connected. Poelking also made a lay in. Medipolis SC Jena were totally insecure and opted for 1-1 ball and even put up 2 air balls at the end. Hinton finally stopped the run with a 15 footer, but Marvin Heckel had the last laugh nailing a tough off balance three pointer from the corner for the 39-31 Koblenz lead at half-time. “We played great basketball for 8,5 minutes. We had a good offensive flow and were physical on defense”, stressed Thomas Klein.

Maurice Pluskota from outside

In the third quarter Medipolis SC Jena made a run and came back, but couldn´t shake the EPG Baskets Koblenz as the game was dead locked at 54-54 after 3 quarters. The guests came out focused and surprised Koblenz with a 6-2 run to trail only 41-37. They got solid support from guards Saibou and Serbian Vuk Radojidic with lay in´s. Medipolis SC Jena immediately put massive pressure on the Koblenz guards. Robert Hall was out with an injury so DJ Johnson had to play point guard which wasn´t his natural position. The intensity of Medipolis SC Jena was higher especially on the defensive end forcing Koblenz to 3 turnovers in the first 2 minutes. The EPG Baskets Koblenz kept the lead as Marvin Heckel carried his team on his shoulders with free throws and a lay in leading 47-41. Heckel continued to be the focus on offense as he made a perfect pocket bullet pass to Sperber for the lay in and 49-44 advantage. “The adjustments that the team has made recently really fits my game. We play more open with much movement. It allows me to make these fancy passes. Sometimes I don´t even know I´m making these passes. It is like I´m in the zone. When I see video then I´ll see a pass and say damn nice pass”, smiled Marvin Heckel. But Medipolis SC Jena continued to be aggressive and closed out the third quarter with a 10-5 run to tie the game 54-54. In the run, the guests received support from Saibou and Hinton with jumpers while Alex Herrera, Saibou and Robin Lodders also made free throws. But once again Koblenz had the last laugh as DJ Johnson hit a key three pointer at the buzzer. “We stayed aggressive on defense and attacked the rim more. We also got to the free throw line”, stated Blake Francis. “Jena was more aggressive on our guards and trapped our pick and roll. We couldn´t execute. We wanted to go inside, but they closed our entry and got us out of rhythm. We were like chickens without a head. They were able to get their bigs involved with Herrera and Lodders”, stated Marvin Heckel.

Blake Francis from down town

In the fourth quarter Medipolis SC Jena clearly slammed the door on the EPG Baskets Koblenz increasing their offensive execution with 28 points while allowing only 10 points. Medipolis SC Jena didn´t waste anytime cruising out on a brutal 9-0 run to lead 63-54. In the run the guests just played beautiful team basketball getting three´s from Francis and Saibou and 3 points from Herrera. Herrera had had his struggles in the first 3 quarters and made his first field goal in the fourth quarter and then found to his game better. The EPG Baskets Koblenz couldn´t come to terms with the aggressive on ball defense by Jena and then just played 1-1 ball and threw up brick after brick. Johnson finally stopped the Jena run with a catch and pop jumper for Koblenz´s first field goal at the 7,58 minute mark. After a Lodders hook shot, De Olveira nailed a trey as Koblenz trailed 65-59 and were still hanging on. However Medipolis SC Jena had had enough and produced a nasty 13-0 run to totally decide the game leading 78-59. In the run Medipolis SC Jena shared the ball and got 5 points from Saibou, 4 points from Herrera, a 15 footer from Hinton and another hook shot from Lodders. The EPG Baskets were in a state of a chicken without a head and were just powerless at both ends. Their energy level was very low and couldn´t hit the ocean while on defense had countless break downs and no adjustments were made. Johnson stooped the run with a trey, but the game was long decided. Saffer added an offensive rebound and put back, but the guests finished the game strong with Herrera free throws and a Hinton Jumper. “We did a good job taking away their inside game. We continued to be physical on defense and pressure their guards”, added Blake Francis. “Mentally we hung our heads. We didn´t have the needed fire to stick with a strong team like Jena. Even when the basics aren´t working, you can still gain something with intensity, but we didn´t have that either”, stressed Marvin Heckel. Medipolis SC Jena was led by Amir Hinton and Joshiko Saibou with 17 points apiece while the EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Gabriel De Olveira and Marvin Heckel with 13 points apiece. Medipolis SC Jena shot 47% from the field and 38% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 39% from the field and 48% from outside and had 30 rebounds and 17 turnovers.