It was a long 4 months without basketball in Frankfurt, but finally the season commenced with a cup game against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. Both teams had produced a house cleaning and had new coaches. Well in Frankfurt Klaus Perwas was technically not new, but for the first time in his career was the head coach for good and from day 1 in a new season. Both teams wanted to get off to a good start as they would see each other in only a bit more than a week later for the first Frankfurt home game of the regular season. The cup season has few games and a title at the end. Ludwigsburg were still seeking their first cup title while Frankfurt last won in 2000 in their first season with head coach Stefan Koch. No fans could complain about the excitement after 45 minutes as Stefan Smith (187-G-1999, college: St.John’s, agency: Players Group) pulled out 17 points in overtime in best Steph Curry Manner nailing big shot after big shot leading the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg past the Skyliners 101-96 to move to the next round in cup action. After Stefan Smith posted 35 points in his easyCredit BBL debut, he wasn´t all smiles, but knew exactly where his team had to work on in the lab the next day. “I´m happy that we got the win, but we were inconsistent especially on defense. We have to do a better job on defense and not foul so much. We made steps today. If you can find a way to win when it´s ugly, then that’s a skill. We have to clean up our defense”, stressed ex University Of Vermont (NCAA) guard Stefan Smith. I don´t know if any of the players will have a sleepless night, but head coach Klaus Perwas couldn´t be pleased about the given up free throws and missed free throws. Frankfurt was in control of the game in the third quarter and should have won the game hadn´t they missed 15 free throws. “This was a very tough game. We had control in the third quarter, but they came back hitting open three´s. We have to do a better job on the defensive glass. Smith made tough shots in overtime. We will see them again next week and be ready”, stressed ex Artland Dragon William Christmas.

Jaedon LeDee at the FT line

Bad rain and a mid week date didn´t get many fans into the arena as those who did come saw a very nervous first few minutes of the first quarter as shots weren´t falling and turnovers was on the menu of both clubs. German Brandon Tischler and ex Princeton (NCAA) center Keeshawn Kellman got the guests on the board while ex Bonn center Til Pape and ex NCAA finalist Jaedon LeDee scored for Frankfurt as the game was dead locked 4-4. However the guests then stepped up their game going on a 9-2 run to lead 13-6. In the run, Ludwigsburg got 2 put backs from German Lenny Anigbata and ex Utah Jazz American Elijah Hughes while ex Emporia State (NCAA2) guard Trae Buchanon drilled home a trey. Ludwigsburg upped their intensity at both ends and worked harder on the boards. Frankfurt had some open looks, but the shots just didn´t want to fall. However basketball wouldn´t be basketball without runs and sometimes a game can change so quickly. Frankfurt clawed their way back going on a brutal 13-4 run to dead lock the game at 17-17. BBL rookie Isaiah Swope who played at St Louis (NCAA) nailed home 2 three´s while ex St John´s guard Nahiem Alleyne also scored from outside. Swope showed instantly that he could be this season´s version of Malik Parsons. Frankfurt kept up the pressure and execution rate leading 21-19 after 10 minutes. “I feel like it took both teams some time to get comfortable. Both teams were nervous and had first game jitters. Both teams also had new guys and everyone needs to get comfortable with each other”, stated Stefan Smith. Ludwigsburg controlled the boards in the first quarter with 7 offensive rebounds.

Stefan Smith at the FT line

The second quarter was very tight and the MHP Riesen attempted to get away in the latter part and led by 5 points, but Frankfurt fought back leading 40-39 at the break. Both teams found their offensive rhythm rapidly and LeDee scored twice with a lay in and tap in. He showed in his first game how well he moves without the ball and seems to almost always get open for the mid distance shot, but at the same time is extremely active on the glass. While Ludwigsburg countered with a lay in by Buchanan, a runner by Babacar Sane from Senegal and young German Julis Baumer dropped a trey from the corner for the 26-25 guests lead. Baumer did his job coming from the bench and giving instant energy. Frankfurt stole the lead back with a clutch trey from German Radii Casin, but Ludwigsburg continued to be very aggressive in the paint getting 2 dunks from Kellman and Hughes to tie the game at 31-31. Smith who seemed to be all over the court made a pretty cross court bullet pass for the Hughes dunk. The guests high intensity helped them get a 8-3 run to lead 39-34. Smith continued to lead his team well finding ex Skyliner Jonas Wolfarth-Botterman for the lay in on the pick and roll and made free throws while Buchanan hit another three pointer. However Ludwigsburg couldn´t carry the momentum into the break as Frankfurt stayed as tough as nails going on a 7-0 run to lead by one point. Frankfurt attacked the rim fiercely getting free throws by ex Creighton (NCAA) big man Ryan Hawkins and ex G-League slam dunk champion Logan Johnson. Johnson then showed his speed scoring on transition to end the first half. “Both teams were figuring out how to find their flow on offense. I feel like the free throws limited both teams flow. That was why the game was so close”, added Stefan Smith. Ludwigsburg continued to control the glass 23-17 and had 9 offensive turnovers.

Isaiah Swope with the runner

In the third quarter the Skyliners missed a golden opportunity to really run away with the game as they led by as much as 9 points, but the MHP RIesen scrapped their way back to deadlock the contest at 59-59. Frankfurt got good support from German Till Pape who made a hook shot and dunk and Logan Johnson with points, but they couldn´t get away as Stef Smith made an off balance shot and free throws as the Skyliners led 46-45. Frankfurt then found some daylight going on a 11-4 run to lead 57-49. In the run, Frankfurt got back to back 20 footers from LeDee while Christmas made a lay in, Swope a pull up jumper and Pape free throws. The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg went by the motto if three´s aren´t falling keep shooting. However in their case three´s weren´t falling which allowed Frankfurt to attain their biggest lead of the game. However Frankfurt was unable to ride the momentum longer as they lost some focus allowing a 10-2 run by Ludwigsburg. Frankfurt coughed up the ball 3 times which led to three´s by Smith and Hughes. “We did a good job not to panic. We had some tough possessions which led to turnovers, but we kept being aggressive and got to the free throw line”, commented Stefan Smith. “That was a tough phase at the end where we let them come back. The refs were calling the game tight. We have to play better defense and keep our hands off them”, stated William Christmas.

Brandon Tischler from outside

The fourth quarter was supper tight until the end. Ludwigsburg even had an opportunity to win the game on the last shot, but missed. Frankfurt´s free throw misery continued in the first minute as Logan Johnson only made 2 of 4 shots and they couldn´t keep the slim lead as Wolfarth-Bottermann once again was set up nicely by Smith for an easy lay up and a Tischler trey tied the game at 64-64. Frankfurt then escaped out on a 5-0 run to lead 69-64 with a Lorenz Brenneke tip in and Swope three pointer, but the guests struck back with 5 unanswered points as Sane drilled home a trey and Hughes made a 20 footer for 69-69 game. After a Hawkins trey, Ludwigsburg got the lead back again 74-72 as Buchanan made a floater and Hughes a deep three. The ex NBA player made it look so effortlessly. However the Skyliners had many weapons on this night as now was the time of William Christmas who scored 6 points in a row for the 79-78 advantage in crunch-time. Christmas was also making big defensive plays to secure the slim lead. However now it was Ludwigsburg´s time again as 40 year old dino Yorman Polas made a step back and Buchanan a jumper for the 81-78 lead with 1,10 to play. However Frankfurt stayed calm as Logan Johnson made a quick pass to LeDee for the dunk as Frankfurt trailed 81-80. After a Ludwigsburg and LeDee turnovers, Buchanan struck with free throws for the 83-80 advantage with 16 seconds to go. LeDee then nailed a clutch three pointer to force overtime. “We had the game won. We missed free throws and they made free throws. Buchanan made big shots. You just have to live with them”. Commented Will Christmas. “It went back and forth in the fourth quarter. LeDee hit a big three. As did Buchanan. Traevon lives for those moments. We have a lot of confidence in him”, warned Stefan Smith.

Stefan Smith from downtwon

In the overtime period, it was literally the Stefan Smith show as he hit 17 of 18 points to help win the game. He scored the first 8 points of the extra time with free throws and 2 three´s for the 91-83 lead. Christmas then added 3 points, but Smith continued to be in execution mode making 4 points for the 96-86 advantage. Frankfurt was in a hole now and Stefan Smith had control of the game and wasn´t about to slow down now. After a Christmas trey, Smith made another lay in for the 98-89 lead. Frankfurt did close out the overtime period with a 7-3 run as Alleyne made a lay in and Christmas a three pointer, but it was too little too late. Smith´s 35 points weren´t a career high as he had scored 38 and 36 points in Serbia, but his 17 points had to have been a career high in a OT period. “It probably was. I did struggle shooting the ball in the game. But I have a lot of confidence in my game and my teammates and coaches the same in me. I just kept shooting and kept shooting as they kept going in. I have spent a lot of time in the gym my whole life. This performance weas a very exciting moment for me”, stressed Stefan Smith. “I wouldn´t call that a Curry performance, but give him credit for making big shots. We can´t let a player take over like that. We have to be able to take his strength away. We have to be able to make better adjustments on him”, warned William Christmas. The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg were led by Stefan Smith with 35 points. Traevon Buchanan added 15 points and Elijah Hughes added 13 points while the Skyliners were led by William Christmas with 22 points while Jaedon LeDee added 19 points. The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg shot 46% from the field and 33% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 19 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 48% from the field and 38% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 16 turnovers.