With the Fiba break over, it was time for the Frankfurt Skyliners to get back down to business. There were was a little more than 2 months left in the season as Frankfurt was fighting to remain in the league. Frankfurt had a good 4 game cushion between last placed BG Goettingn, but they still wanted to finish the season strong and perhaps even go on a run with wins. They came into the game with the Hamburg Towers with added self-confidence as they still had their cup run in the back of their minds. They met Hamburg who had 3 wins more, but had a 2 game losing streak. On a mild Saturday night, this was a contest that displayed 2 teams where nobody team was going to lay down and die as both kept it close for the most part of the game. The Hamburg Towers guard terror of Ivey, Lottie and Stove combined for 50 points in the 45 minutes and when it counted most overpowered Frankfurt in overtime to seal their 9th win of the easyCredit BBL season. “ We didn´t start strong, but we always give ourselves a chance to win. We have grown this season in our faith to win. We always believe that we can win the fight. It always starts on defense. Our grit is our biggest strength and was tonight”, stressed Hamburg Tower guard Brae Ivey (187-PG-1997, college: SJSU, agency: LHZ Sport Agency). Frankfurt fought the whole game, but when it counted most in overtime, couldn´t execute and make the big plays to overcome Hamburg. “We defended very well, but we didn´t punish them enough when we could of. Our defense was the reason that we even reached overtime. We stuck together the whole game and made things tough for them”, stressed Frankfurt Skyliner Timo Lanmueller.

Jonathan Stove at the FT line

The Frankfurt Skyliners came out strong defensively, but the Hamburg Towers didn´t play with a high intensity and couldn´t match Frankfurt´s energy early on and didn´t move the ball well. Frankfurt took the rapid 10-3 lead as everything looked fabulous in their living room in the first 5 minutes of the game. Frankfurt were pushing the ball inside and got easy baskets from ex Alba Berlin big man Lorenz Brenneke and ex University of Texas (NCAA) forward Kamaka Hepa. They were also aggressive getting to the free throw line as ex Boston College forward Patrick Heckman added 4 points. Hamburg then got 2 easy baskets from ex MBC guard Jonathan Stove and 19 year old German big man Fabian Giessmann who came from TK Hannover as Frankfurt only led 12-7. However Frankfurt closed out the first quarter strong as Canadian David Muenkat scored and ex Trier guard Garai Zeeb connected on free throws for the commanding 17-9 advantage after 10 minutes. Frankfurt shot 31% from the field and 0% from outside and had 12 rebounds an d 2 turnovers while the Hamburg Towers shot 24% from the field and 0% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 4 turnovers. No three was falling as both teams were o/11 combined. “They didn´t do anything special on defense. We just didn´t hit shots. We missed like 3 wide open three´s and some easy layups”, stressed Brae Ivey.

Malik Parsons at the FT line

In the second quarter the Frankfurt Skyliners continued to have the comfortable lead, but the Hamburg Towers slowly began to execute better and play more as a team as they trailed only by 3 points at half-time. Ex Seton Hall (NCAA) guard Jordan Theodore and Stove traded buckets to start as Frankfurt led 19-11. However Frankfurt began to get sloppy taking care of the ball due partly to Hamburg´s more aggressive defense and began to chip away at Frankfurt´s lead going on a 11-4 run to suddenly only trail 25-22. In the run, Hamburg got good support from their guard terror and Ivey and ex Flager University (NCAA2) guard Jaizec Lottie scored on drives while ex University of Utah (NCAA) forward Kenneth Ogbe scored as did Giessmann again. Frankfurt´s defensive intensity had dipped a bit and their 1-1 defense as well. Frankfurt did maintain the slight lead going into the break at 29-26. Jordan Theodore who seemingly can always get a bucket on the drive due to his still available speed and finding his spots well did while Stove dropped a trey. “The Fiba break was a good time to shake off the rust and get our feel back. We warmed up in the second quarter”, stated Hamburg guard Brae Ivey. The Frankfurt Skyliners shot 30% from the field and 0% from the three point line and had 22 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Hamburg Towers shot 30% from the field and 11% from the three point line and had 22 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Brae Ivey from outside

The third quarter continued to be a battle where Frankfurt did lead by 5 points only to lose it again as Hamburg crept back and led by 1 point after 30 minutes. Brae Ivey who played JUCO ball at Riverside City College and made it to the ACB in Spain played superb on ball defense in the first seconds to steal the ball from ex Euroleague guard Jordan Theodore and went on transition for the easy basket, but Frankfurt still led 29-28. Frankfurt then got much needed input from new guard Marcus Domask who averaged 9,0ppg in the G-League with Windy City added 5 points including a trey giving Frankfurt the 34-29 advantage. However Frankfurt didn´t get any breathing room as Hamburg just kept supplying the guard terror. Domask did deliver another bomb from outside, but Brae Ivey just stayed focused and added 5 points to dead lock the game at 39-39. Ivey´s great ball handling and quickness always gave him advantages over the Frankfurt defense and he executed the way an ex ACB player should. Hamburg then took control of the game as now it was Lottie´s opportunity as he nailed 2 three´s. Frankfurt stayed strong punching back as ex Artland Dragon Jacob Knauf scored with a lay in and Heckman netted a trey. Then 208cm center kur Kuath who hails from South Sudan and played at Marquette (NCAA) made a massive alley-oop dunk as Lottie served up the dime. “We see Kur do that 1-2 times a game. He is our lob guy. That was a nice dunk”, said Brae Ivey. Giessmann added a lay in and ex Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NCAA2) guard Malik Parsons added free throws as the Hamburg Towers led 49-48. “It was tough going back and forth. You just wanted to break through that wall”, added Brae Ivey. “We kept punching back. But it was difficult to stop their guards. They are all 3 level scorers. They kept us on our toes all night long”, stressed Timo Lanmueller.

Jordan Theodore to the rim

In the fourth quarter the battling back and forth continued as the Hamburg Towers kept their noses slightly ahead as Frankfurt continued to stay with them. Parsons could have won the game, but he was 2 seconds to late to getting the basket. Hamburg came out strong getting that continued fine effort from the guard terror as Lottie and Stove connected for the 54-50 advantage. But Frankfurt always had an answer as Hepa contributed 4 points and Frankfurt trailed only 54-52. Frankfurt then found some instant energy going on a swift 6-0 run as Domask and Einaras Tubutis let it rain three´s as Frankfurt snatched the lead back 59-58. But that was only momentarily as Hamburg went on a 6-1 run to lead 64-60. Ivey and Stove as usual scored with off balance treats that never look easy, while ex University of Missouri (NCAA) guard Jordan Barrett also joined the guard terror party with a fine floater. The mini runs continued to go back and forth as walking bucket and scoring in bunches master Malik Parson took matters into his own hands and scored 7 unanswered points including a trey for the 67-66 Frankfurt lead with less than a minute remaining. But Hamburg had nerves of steel as despite being in a different hostile living room, they always had an answer. Ivey dropped a clutch trey for the 69-67 lead with 19 seconds remaining. Instead of going for the three to win, Frankfurt decided to go for 2 as Theodore scored to tie the game at 69-69. Hamburg had one last chance, but Brae Ivey slipped and lost the ball, but Parsons got it to late as he sped over center court as time ran out before his shot was taken. “Going into overtime like that was tough for us. I slipped on the play and lost the ball. I thought the refs had done a good job in the game. That was my mistake. You live and learn from that”, expressed Brae Ivey. “We could of won. They had some luck with 50/50 balls and rebounds, but we fought together and never gave up”, said Timo Lanmueller. Frankfurt shot 38% from the field and 25% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Hamburg Towers shot 41% from the field and 28% from outside and had 42 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

Einaras Tubutis from downtown

In the overtime period, both teams took good care of the ball suffering no turnovers and punched back in the first possessions, but the Hamburg Towers then took control and never looked back making the plays while Frankfurt didn´t. German Osaro Rich who once played with medi Bayreuth and Tubutis traded baskets as the game was tied 71-71. Parsons then made a runner, but Kuath made another big dunk to dead lock the game at 73-73. Hamburg then decided the game with a ruthless 6-2 run to lead 81-75 and never looked back. Ivey who could plaster “clutch shot” on his forehead and nobody would disagree hit a three pointer while Rich and Lottie scored on drives. The arena got quieter except for the Towers bench that could slowly smell victory. Jordan Theodore added a big rainbow three pointer to cut the lead down to 81-78 with 58 seconds remaining. However Hamburg added a free throw by Stove to get that vital 4 point cushion. Theodore then missed a shot and Ivey iced the win with free throws. “We just made the plays. In a situation like OT, it doesn´t come down to tactics anymore, but the best players just have to make plays. I´m blessed that we have teammates that have trust in myself and others to take these shots”, said Brae Ivey. “Ivey and Lotte punished us hitting tough shots. We didn´t defend as well as we should of”, stated Timo Lanmueller. The Hamburg Towers were led by Brae Ivey with 18 points while Jonathan Stove added 17 points and Jaizec Lottie 15 points while the Frankfurt Skyliners were led by Malik parson with 15 points while Marcus Domask had 12 points and Jordan Theodore 11 points and 6 assists. The Hamburg Towers shot 44% from the field and 31% from outside and had 47 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Frankfurt Skyliners shot 39% from the field and 25 % from outside and had 38 rebounds and 13 turnovers.