The easyCredit BBL regular season continues to wind down as the standings picture from 5 to 11 is very exciting as the fight for the playoffs involves many teams including Rasta Vechta who were in 11th place with 14 victories and one win away from the last playoff spot. They had a do or die game in Frankfurt against the Skyliners who had no real motivation as they couldn´t move down and were too far away from playoff land. But they wanted to finish the season strong and snap their 2 game losing streak and rebound from their tough loss in Berlin last weekend. On a mild Saturday evening basketball fans were entertained with a back and forth battle with ups and downs for both teams and runs, but for the second consecutive home game the Skyliners lost control of the game and lost again, but this time double as tough as they lost the contest on a classic buzzer beater by German JJoschka Ferner (201-SF-1996) 75-74. This was a game the Skyliners should never have lost, but Rasta Vechta simply wanted it more on the last plays. “We had good and bad phases in this game. I think that we had too much 1-1 in this game, but honestly after 6 loses in a row, it doesn´t matter how we played as the win was all that counted. We never gave up and stuck together. We had the last punch tonight”, smiled Rasta Vechta guard JJoschka Ferner. The Skyliners players were all shocked after the buzzer beater, but Einaras Tubutis had a few words for the poor finish of the team once again in the loud living room that supported them all night long. “There were a lot of ups and downs in the game. We never gave up and stayed together until the end. The problem was when ever we had a run, they had an answer and came back. We have to learn to keep control”, warned Skyliner forward Einaras Tubutis.

Jordan Theodore at the FT line

4,620 fans showed up in the Suwaeg arena and saw a back and forth game in the first minutes as no team could break away. Ex Arizona (NCAA) guard Brandon Randolph got going early netting 5 points and showing his inside out qualities while the Skyliners attacked the rim getting their bigs involved as Lithuanian big man Tubutis and Alaska native Kamaka Hepa scored easily, but the game was dead locked at 9-9. Both teams concentrated on establishing their inside game and both defenses were stilling finding themselves. However then came the first run of the game as Rasta Vechta escaped out on a 8-0 run to lead 17-9. In the run, the guests found some daylight on the 3 point line drilling home 2 from ex Furman (NCAA) guard Mike Bothwell and Randolph hit a tough step back three and then added free throws. Parsons then fed ex Schwenningen center Jacob Knauf for an easy bucket stopping the run, but Rasta Vechta still had more to offer ending the first quarter with a 7-2 run to lead 24-13 after 10 minutes. In this run, they got a clutch trey from ex Phoenix Hagen guard Joel Aminu and a dunk by ex Carleton player Lloyd Pandi and 2 free throws by Ferner. Frankfurt was sloppy on offense getting a few turnovers and Vechta had great support from their bench. Rasta Vechta shot 53% form the field and 50% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 33% from the field and 0% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 5 turnovers. “We played a good quarter. We played good defense, moved the ball well and played team basketball”, stressed Joschka Ferner.

Tyger Campbell with the lay in

In the second quarter the Skyliners bounced back tying the game, but then lost momentum and their rhythm as Rasta Vechta then punched back with a run going into the break with the comfortable 42-31 advantage. The Skyliners exploded and jumped all over Rasta Vechta with a brutal 14-2 run to lead 28-26. In the run, Frankfurt let in rain three´s as Tubutis, ex Euroleague player Jordan Theodore, ex Bremerhaven guard Garai Zeeb and Knauf connected. On defense, Frankfurt closed down the zone and produced 7 stops. Tubutis was a force not only on offense, but helped spark the defensive intensity with an incredible chase down block on Pandi. Rasta Vechta didn´t get their first points until the 5,43 minute mark as ex UCLA (NCAA) guard Tyger Campbell who made a difficult lay up. However the up and down play of both teams went on as now it was time for Rasta Vechta to punch back as they made a 16-3 run to lead by 11 points at half time. In the run, the guests got good support from their guards Campbell and Bothwell. The team play wasn´t always present with Rasta Vechta, but their good individual qualities were as Campbell made a tough lay in while Bothwell added 6 points always remaining aggressive dropping 4 free throws and an off balance 20 footer. Randolph who is Vechta´s Malik Parsons with his athletic 1-1 play added 5 points. Frankfurt wasn´t able to move the ball as well as the first minutes and less defensive intensity. “We fell apart at the start. We have to be more awake and be able to stop their runs sooner. We came back strong as was carried by Brandon Randolph. He is a great player and can hold us over water”, warned JJoschka Ferner. Rasta Vechta shot 48% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 35% from the field and 26% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Kamaka Hepa from outside

In the third quarter the Skyliners came back again with a furious run, but couldn´t get a bigger lead as Rasta Vechta were able to stay with Frankfurt. The Skyliners exploded coming out of the break overpowering the guests with a 14-3 run to trail Rasta Vechta only 46-45. In the run, the Skyliners presented a good mix of inside out basketball as they executed very well again with their outside shooting as Canadian David Muenkat and Hepa connected from the parking lot while Jordan Theodore did a super job leading the team and added 5 points while Hepa also added a lay in as did 2024 Danish champion Malik Parsons. Rasta Vechta was timid on offense and forced too much. Rasta Vechta then got a mini 5-0 run getting a dunk from Randolph and Campbell lay in as Rasta Vechta led 51-45. However Frankfurt didn´t cave in, but always had an answer nailing back to back three´s from Theodore and ex Boston College forward Patrick Heckmann as the game was dead locked at 51-51. After Campbell made a jumper, it was Frankfurt that punched back last in a game of runs getting consecutive three´s from ex G-League player Marcus Domask and Parson´s to lead 57-53. Mike Bothwell then made the most spectacular basket of the game making a submarine lay in in traffic, but the Skyliners led 57-55. “We shared the ball well and hit three´s well. We also shared the ball well in the first half, but just didn´t hit shots as well”, commented Einaras Tubutis. “We have to be more awake to stop the runs. We have to be more smart and grown up”, warned JJoschka Ferner. The Skyliners shot 41% from the field and 37% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 8 turnovers while Rasta Vechta shot 41% from the field and 27% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Johan Grunloh at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the Skyliners went step by step increasing their lead slowly with smart basketball, but couldn´t finish the game as they allowed Rasta Vechta to come back and punch back for the last time. Domask began with a turn around shot and Ferner added a trey to tie the game at 59-59. Frankfurt then made their move going on a 11-2 run to lead 70-61 and seemed in position to manage their lead until the buzzer. In the run, the Skyliners played intelligent playing with control and getting to the line 4 times with points from Knauf, Domask and twice from Theodore. Muenkat was a force in this phase with big rebounds and a steal that led to a monstrous dunk on transition setting the arena into pandemonium. However hats off to Rasta Vechta as they kept their composure and just went step by step chipping away at the Frankfurt lead going on a 12-2 run to take the 73-72 lead with 25 seconds to go. In the run, they got massive support from walking bucket Brandon Randolph whop scored 5 points in a row to trail only 70-68. Frankfurt couldn´t execute as well on offense and had a Parsons turnover, but were still very present getting 2 huge back to back blocks from Tubutis on Bothwell and Johan Grunloh. “I saw that both weren´t looking in my direction. I didn´t even have to jump”, smiled Einaras Tubutis. Domask then followed with a lay in to give Frankfurt the 72-69 advantage with 57 seconds. An annoying Parsons turnover led to a clutch trey by Randolph as Rasta Vechta led 73-72 with 25 seconds. “We had control of the game, but dumb fouls allowed them to come back. We didn´t have good communication and bad 1-1 defense”, stressed Einaras Tubutis. “We showed character at the end. Parsons and Theodore took over. We fought as a team and Randolph made a big three”, expressed JJoschka Ferner. However Tubutis came up big on the next possession with a tip in for the 74-73 lead. Rasta Vechta had under 15 seconds and had one last chance. Tyger Campbell was on the left baseline and drove and Frankfurt´s help was strong, but the American somehow found JJoschka Ferner near the free throw line with the easy 15 footer for the win. “Everybody was focused on Campbell. But he somehow found Ferner”, stated Einaras Tubutis. “I didn´t think that Campbell would pass me the ball. He was covered well, but he showed great court vision. I was free and never thought about anything, but just shot it. The release felt good”, smiled JJoschka Ferner. “I just tried to be aggressive. They overhelped on the pass and in the air I saw Ferner cutting in. He made it easier for me to make the pass. He made a great pass”, said Tyger Campbell. Rasta Vechta were led by Brandon Randolph with 25 points and Tyger Campbell added 18 points while the Skyliners were led by Jordan Theodore with 16 points and 6 dimes and Einaras Tubutis and David Muenkat added 11 points a piece. Rasta Vechta shot 39% from the field and 30% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 39% from the field and 31% from outside and had 40 rebounds and 10 turnovers.