With the regular season winding down in the Pro A, there was a battle going on between position 2-6 as only 1 game separated those teams. For the Fraport Skyliners, you can´t win them all at home in crunch-time as a few months ago they beat Koblenz in the last seconds with a game winner and last weekend fell apart in crunch-time getting plastered by 3 straight three´s from Jena. Their next opponent the Dresden Titans were focused and hungry because they were fighting for that last playoff spot. They had been playing inspired basketball lately having won 7 of their last 8 games. The Fraport Skyliners had won 5 of their last 7 games, but you still seemed to have this feeling that they weren´t consistent enough going into the playoffs. Frankfurt had to be wide awake against a high scoring machine and had to be ready to give their A game on the defensive end. On a very mild early spring day, the Fraport Skyliners showed once again why they are a potent home team in crunch-time as they stuck together as a team and got a key Booker Coplin (191-G-1997, college: Augsburg, agency: BIG) basket late to seal the win and 34th of the season and regain second place again in the standings. “We moved the ball well and shot the ball well today. I don´t think we defended as well today. We usually can lock up teams better. We let them move the ball too much and get shots. We gave a good team effort and got the needed stops when we needed to”, stressed Fraport Skyliner guard Booker Coplin. The Dresden Titans needed a win badly, but it was simply one of those days where shots didn´t fall the way they usually do. They had made some massive shots during the game, but at the end met Frankfurt´s defense at their best. “I felt we played well and fought the whole game. Frankfurt is a really good team. They had long arms and played in the gaps. I felt we had good looks. It was just one of those days. Sometimes you shoot 50% and other days 30%”, stressed Dresden Titan guard Grant Teichmann.

Booker Coplin from outside

3,480 fans came to witness the battle and were lucky to see 2023 World champion German head coach Gordon Herbert and ex Skyliner legend Pascal Roller watch the game. The Dresden Titans had a hot start taking the rapid 9-4 lead as they got their 3 point ball flying as Canadian Tanner Graham and Daniel Kirchner connected. Frankfurt got hoops inside by 2018 NBBL champion Lorenz Brenneke and Minnesota native Booker Coplin. But Frankfurt reacted well and started their own run of 10-2 to take the 14-11 lead. Frankfurt also showed that at 36%, they can connect from outside just as well as the leagues best team Dresden as Coplin and ex Carleton great Aiden Warnholtz scored. The game was played at a fast pace and Frankfurt kept the slim lead as their bench stepped up as ex Indiana State (NCAA) guard Cameron Henry scored inside and ex South Alabama (NCAA) center Ife Ajayi scored on transition getting the pretty shovel pass from Florida native Kevin McClain as Frankfurt led 19-15. “Kevin is a great playmaker and does it all. It is fun to play with him and he brings everybody´s game up. He needs to keep his confidence up. When his playing well, he is really dangerous”, stated Booker Coplin. After a Grant Teichmann basket, Frankfurt kept up the pressure getting a three pointer from McClain and lay in from Henry for the slim 24-21 advantage after 10 minutes. “Playing that fast tempo was good for us. It may not look comfortable for us, but it will help us in the playoffs”, commented Booker Coplin. The Fraport Skyliners shot 71% from the field and 100% from outside and had 11 rebounds and 4 turnovers while the Dresden Titans shot 35% from the field and 23% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 1 turnover.

Tanner Graham at the FT line

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners continued to control the game, but couldn´t totally shake the Dresden Titans having only the 7 point lead at the break. The Fraport Skyliners began with a bang going on a 7-0 run as their bench continued to shine as Ife Ajayi continued to be efficient and executed scoring 5 points and the Swiss army knife Cameron Henry remained aggressive scoring with a lay in for the 32-21 lead. High pressure and good 1-1 defense helped Frankfurt´s offense go on the run. High energy guards Koen Sapwell who hails from Australia and ex Belmont (NCAA) guard Grayson Murphy made back to back baskets to trail Frankfurt only 32-25. After Henry free throws, Dresden unleashed another 4-0 run as Sapwell made a turn around shot and Tanner Graham who once had 10 steals in a college game in Canada made a lay in, but Frankfurt still led 36-29. The Dresden problem on this night was that they didn´t play defense with a high intensity as Frankfurt could always keep their lead as Warnholtz made a lay in for the 38-29 advantage. Dresden kept fighting and as usual were guided by their three ball at moments as they cruised on a 8-3 run late as Kirchner and Arne Wendler who played 91 Pro B games scored as Frankfurt led only 42-39. But Dresden just couldn´t get over the hump as Frankfurt usually had an answer. Canadian David Muenkat got hot scoring Frankfurt´s last 5 points of the first half with a three pointer and buzzer beater lay in as Frankfurt led 47-40. “We have so much talent and depth that anyone can step up. It really helps us when our second unit plays well and can stretch the lead. This helps wear down teams. We will need it in the playoffs”, expressed Booker Coplin. The Fraport Skyliners shot 60% from the field and 56% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Dresden Titans shot 43% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Jordan Samare

In the third quarter both teams buckled down more on defense, but the Fraport Skyliners still had their nose ahead leading by 4 points. Frankfurt got a massive dunk right on the first possession from David Meunkat on the coast to coast sprint. “He is pretty athletic. He is always flying around. He needs that highlight reel. He deserves it”, stated Booker Coplin. The Dresden Titans didn´t let that authority dunk get to them as Tennessee native Grayson Murphy was a one man wrecking crew scoring 8 unanswered points including 2 wild step back three´s and a lay in as they trailed only 49-46. Murphy showed that he couldn´t only score buckets, but was the real work horse of the team. He produced a triple double in the NCAA against Tennessee Martin and this season was on a quadruple pace against Nurnberg. It wasn´t any different this game as his stat line after 40 minutes was 11/10/8/5. The run continued as Wendler made a lay in and Murphy supplied the pretty no look pass as Dresden stole the lead back again leading 50-49. Ex Artland Dragon Jacob Knauf answered with a trey, but Frankfurt´s lead was short lived as Tanner Graham responded from the parking lot for the 53-52 Dresden advantage. Sapwell took that Graham energy and made another off balance shot as Frankfurt trailed 55-52. However once again it was the Frankfurt bench that stepped up as Henry and Ajayi once again made big shots. Henry scored on the drive and Ajayi who compares his game to Zion Willamson made a tip in and three pointer at the buzzer for the 59-55 Frankfurt lead. “The Pro A has many great hoopers. If you let a guy like Murphy get going then he can be dangerous. When he gets confident then he can look like an allstar. We have to do a better job stopping them as a team”, said Booker Coplin. “Grayson willed us at the start to keep us in the game and soon after we found our rhythm. We played good basketball after that”, commented Grant Teichmann. The Fraport Skyliners shot 48% from the field and 39% from the parking lot and had 34 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Dresden Titans shot 41% from the field and 30% from the parking lot and had 24 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Grayson Murphy from downtown

In the fourth quarter it looked like the Fraport Skyliners would run away with the game early, but the Dresden Titans had enough gas left and made a comeback and let the game go down to the wire. Sapwell and Warnholtz began the last quarter with back to back three´s. Sapwell then added a lay in and Dresden trailed only 62-60. However the Fraport Skyliners then showed just how dangerous their offense can be as they smoked Dresden for 9 straight points with 2 three´s by Knauf and one by Warnholtz as Frankfurt led 71-60. “We began well. When we find our rhythm, we can be very dangerous and it´s tough to defend. When Warnholtz gets going, he can hurt anybody”, warned Booker Coplin. However Dresden was never out as they just chipped away at the Frankfurt lead. A Georg Voigtmann tip in and 3 Daniel Kirchner free throws began the comeback as Dresden trailed 73-65. Tanner Graham was instrumental in the comeback as he hit 2 key three´s and free throws. A Murphy free throw dead locked the game at 75-75. Frankfurt´s offense wasn´t particular clever in this phase as they made hasty decisions and didn´t take good shots allowing a team that always hung around to be there at the last minute. However Frankfurt just made the big play, shot and free throws to secure the win. Knauf made a huge block which led to the Coplin go ahead finger tip roll in and 77-75 lead. “My three pointer has been off lately, but it´s nice being able to get to the hoop with the drive. I had a good matchup and when I can get both feet into the paint, good things happen”, warned Booker Coplin. “In crunch time anything can happen. The difference was that Frankfurt hit tough shots and we didn´t. Graham had a good look and just didn´t fall”, said Grant Teichmann. Henry iced the win with free throws. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Cameron Henry with 15 points. Ife Ajayi added 14 points and Aiden Warnholtz and David Muenkat had 11 points a piece while the Dresden Titans were led by Tanner Graham with 15 points while Koen Sapwell had 13 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 43% from the field and 37% from outside and had 45 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Dresden Titans shot 37% from the field and 28% from outside and had 40 rebounds and 11 turnovers.