Sometimes it can go so quickly in basketball as U-19 team Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners witnessed the last weeks. Not long ago, the club was perfect 8-0, but then it was broken with a loss to IBAM. The losing continued with back to back loses to the powerful FC Bayern Munich who like most years are incredibly deep and talented. Munich will be very tough to beat in the post season, but thankfully that is still more than 3 months away. Frankfurt had to find a way back to winning and thankfully for Frankfurt they had to deal with Science City Jena who had only two wins this season. But the last thing that Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners could do was underestimate them, because they had lost 2 tight games to IBAM and one to FC Bayern Munich. Science City Jena was a way better team than their record showed. On a untypical Wednesday night, both teams came into the BCM and both had injuries, but none was as tough to digest as that of Ivan Crnjac who is the central figure of Frankfurt´s offense. Frankfurt´s offense wasn´t sparkling as usual, but their defense was in top form as they beat Science City Jena in a 68-54 grind out win. They held Jena to 30 points in the first half and stepped it up a notch more in the second half allowing only 24 points. “We had our ups and downs in the game, but we had many guys that played many games in a short amount of days. We had some sloppy moments on defense, but overall, we were there for each other. Our bench had a lot of energy and stepped it up. We had our problems with their press and on ball pressure. You could notice that Ivan Crnjac was missing in our offense”, stressed Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliner guard Jamie Edoka (195-G-2008). Science City Jena was without 2 players and they are a young team, but they fought hard for 40 minutes, but just couldn´t get in an offense groove. “We didn´t use all the opportunities presented to us. We also weren´t able to use all our strengths. They were better prepared than we were. We had some good defensive phases. We didn´t drive enough to the hoop and we had mental phases”, stressed Science City Jena forward Daniel Biel.

Jamie Edoka at the FT line

The first quarter was a real battle as no team could break away and there were 4 lead changes as Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners had the narrow 3 point lead after 10 minutes. Frankfurt broke out taking the rapid 7-4 advantage as Jamie Edoka began aggressive scoring 4 points while Maximillian Peters made an offensive rebound and put back. But Science City Jena was aggressive as well on the defensive end stifling Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners with their press as Maxim Bader made 3 steals including a lay in and free throw to tie the game at 7-7. German Johan Grau gave some good energy from the bench with 2 buckets while Fabrice Heberer did the same for Frankfurt nailing an off balance trey for the lay in, but Jena led 11-10. But Frankfurt kept their nerves intact and closed out the first quarter with a 7-2 run to have the 17-13 advantage after one quarter. In the run, the Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners bench continued to sparkle as Chris Widmer unraveled an old school hook shot, Kostantinos Kapetanakis made free throws while Heberer made another trey on the pick and pop which had the guests somewhat surprised. “We had many turnovers. That is a big flaw of the team. It showed that Frankfurt´s offense was at a disadvantage without Ivan Crnjac and Julius Messer. We didn´t have consistent ball movement”, stated Fraport Skyliner Junior Marvin Esser. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 38% from the field and 29% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 8 turnovers while Science City Jena shot 31% from the field and 0% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Tim Rothämel to the rim

The second quarter remained a defensive battle as Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners was unable to get away and led only by 3 points at halftime. Bader got a free throw to get Jena on the board first, but Frankfurt responded right away as Maximillian Peters drilled home a trey for the 20-14 Frankfurt lead. It was only logical that some team would break out on a run at some time and Science City Jena was the first team to do that going on a 14-4 run to lead 28-24. Instrumental in the run was German Daniel Biel who scored 9 of the 14 points. He began with a great dunk. His coach Marius Linartas wasn´t kidding when he said before the game that when Biel gets in the open court, nice things happen. Biel´s onslaught continued with an offensive rebound and putback, lay in and three pointer. “I found back to my game in that run. I needed some words of inspiration from my coach. I slowed down the tempo and thought about what I was going to do”, stated Daniel Biel. Frankfurt´s offense floundered during Jena´s run. Jamie Edoka was trying to do too much himself as the team got away from team basketball. Frankfurt was really missing Ivan Crnjac´s one on one qualities, but Jamie Edoka also had them. After being a little unlucky the previous minutes, he now was more successful in execution and took matters into his own hands. He scored 7 of Frankfurt´s last 9 points and dominated on the drive one of his biggest strengths. “Biel´s dunk gave him a lot of energy and after that the hole looked bigger for him. Edoka did a good job at the end taking control”, said Marvin Esser. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 40% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 11 turnovers while Science City Jena shot 32% from the field and 7% from the three point line and had 22 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Jamie Edoka with the lay in

Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners took control of the game in the third quarter heightening their offense and scoring 21 points and led 54-41 after 30 minutes. Luca May actually got the guests on the board first with a three pointer to dead lock the contest at 33-33. But that didn´t faze Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners as they stormed back going on a 11-2 run to take the 44-35 lead. Maximillian Peters began the run with 5 points and Frankfurt dynamic guard duo of Edoka and Omog did what they do best attacking the rim as Edoka scored twice and Omog once. Frankfurt increased the aggressiveness on defense which led to transition baskets. Jena´s offense was sloppy and they couldn´t get good looks. German Leopold Schmidt gave Jena some spark with 2 baskets to trail Frankfurt only 46-39. But Frankfurt wasn´t about to allow another run and closed out the third quarter strongly going on a 8-2 run to lead 54-41 after 3 quarters. In the run it was the bench again of Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners that stepped up as Chris Widmer scored twice and showed what a good role player is supposed to do. Omog added free throws and Lukas Brendel also scored in the paint. “We had a good talk at the break. We were upset that we were only up by 3 points. We knew that we had to step up our game. We were more awake on defense and were able to get out on transition”, added Jamie Edoka. “I think that we played more against ourselves than for each other. We knew that we were running out of gas”, commented Daniel Biel. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 42% from the field and 27% from the parking lot and had 29 rebounds and 14 turnovers while Science City Jena shot 35% from the field and 11% from the parking lot and had 31 rebounds and 19 turnovers.

Daniel Biel to the hole

In the fourth quarter Science City Jena had their chances early, but just couldn´t get over the hump as Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners managed the lead well and were able to close out the game with the victory. Science City Jena stepped up their defense in the first minutes and held Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners to no field goal for many minutes. They stopped Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners 8 times and they only got one point through a Brendel free throw. However they were unable to make steps on offense during their defensive success as only Bader and Tim Rothamel scored as Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners still had the comfortable 55-47 advantage. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners then added 5 quick points as Edoka made an offensive rebound and put back and dropped a trey for the 60-47 lead. Jena made 3 more stops which led to a Karl Haring lay in and Schmidt basket, but Frankfurt still led 60-52 with 3 minutes remaining. But Science City Jena was running out of energy and Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners used that advantage and slammed the door on them, Edoka hit a trey while role player Finley Pruever made a acrobatic lay in and steal and transition bucket to close out the game. “If the situation is there, I´m always ready for the kill. We all stuck together and helped each other out on defense. Big plays motivated all. This game wasn´t our best defensive performance of the season, but it was a good one”, warned Jamie Edoka. “We have had motivational problems this season. There are some guys that fight, but others give up”, expressed Daniel Biel. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners was led by Jamie Edoka with 27 points and 12 rebounds while Maximillian Peters added 10 points while Science City Jena was led by Daniel Biel with 15 points. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 40% from the field and 30% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 21 turnovers while Science City Jena shot 33% from the field and 14% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 23 turnovers.