The good news for the Skyliners Juniors is that the season is still young. The season is still young and so is this seasons team as it has a average age of 19. It is lacking more experience than in past seasons and started at 0-3. The last time that the team began 0-3 was in the 2022-2023 season, but they then turned it around winning 6 of their next 7 games. It was even worse in the Covid season where they started 0-6. The team was back home for their second home game and had a real tough opponent with the TSV Tropics Oberhaching that came into the contest sporting a 2-1 record. Tropics head coach Mario Matic had done a great job leading the team to the playoffs in 3 of the last 4 seasons. This season he is without legend Omari Knox, and part-time player Janosch Koegler, while Jorg Dippold and Fynn Fischer were out, but still had managed so much success. 2 key figures were newcomers Jonathan Zeisberger and veteran 29 year old Nedzad Muratovic who combined averaged 48 of the team 90 points. It would not be a cake walk for Frankfurt who were still without key players Ivan Crnjac, Dusan Nikolic and Maxi Peters. Plus Alvin Oniya was also out after injuring himself during practice during the week. Despite all this misfortune, the Skyliners Juniors still sported a 10 man roster and the team came out in high spirits and gave a total team effort as they finally erased their losing streak with a grind out 86-80 win over the TSV Oberhaching Tropics. Frankfurt had 4 guys score in double figure and 2 guys had double doubles to supply full force. “We simply played together as a team. There were no egos tonight. We had problems with their pressure in the second half, but we stayed together and pulled out the win. Everyone played their part and we played as a team. We all worked hard for the goal to win. Our will was bigger than theirs”, stressed Skyliner Junior Jamie Edoka. The TSV Oberaching Tropics had to play catch up basketball from the first minute and weren´t rewarded with their come back attempt in the fourth quarter. “We weren´t ready to play from the first minute. We had too many mistakes, gave up too many offensive rebounds and second chances. We did a good job fighting back and should of won the game. We have to defend better and keep our opponent at 70 points”, stressed TSV Oberaching Tropics guard Jonathan Zeisberger.

Leit Zentgraf at the FT line

The Skyliners Juniors had an explosive first quarter scoring 26 points to set the tone for the game. Both teams found their offensive rhythm right away as the guests received 2 back to back offensive rebounds and put backs from 29 year old Bosnian center Nedzad Muratovic while Frankfurt got lay in´s from Germans ex Kronberg center Florian Dietrich and ex Neustadt forward Leif Zentgraf (198-SF-2005). However Frankfurt took the 11-6 lead getting some buckets from Jamie Edoka, but the game was back and forth at this moment as the Bavarian team struck back trailing only 13-11 getting an off balance shot by Zeisberger and a three pointer by Philip “white chocolate” Bode. But the Skyliners Juniors then went on a shooting rage letting it rain three´s as young German reserve Fabrice Heberer hit a clutch three off the bench while athletic forward Julius Messer also connected as did Leif Zentgraf from outside. Czech Republic guard Lukas Smazak who displays a fancy pass or 2 in each game also made a pretty the over the shoulder pass a la Larry Bird to German Marvin Esser for the dunk. “He has a big eye for his teammates. His court vision is very special”, stated Jamie Edoka. Oberhaching got a vital three pointer from Janne Muller brother Frederick Muller a few seconds before the buzzer sounded as Frankfurt led 26-18. Both teams hauled down 9 rebounds a piece, but Oberhaching had the 6-1 offensive rebound edge. The Skyliners Juniors shot an overwhelming 71% from the field and 50% from outside while the guests shot only 38% from the field and 29% from outside, Both teams did a good job taking care of the ball as the Skyliners Juniors had 2 and Oberhaching 3. “We moved the ball well and found the open shooters well. We also defended solidly to have the good lead”, added Jamie Edoka.

Frederick Mueller with the lay in

The TSV Oberaching Tropics struck back in the second quarter to only trail by 4 points at the break. The guests stomped all over the Skyliners Juniors in the first minutes going on a 7-2 run to trail only 28-25. Frankfurt came out half hearted and Oberhaching took full advantage of their mistakes. They stepped up the aggressiveness on defense and remained aggressive on offense attacking the rim and drawing fouls. Mueller and young German Levi Weng added lay in´s. The contest remained a real close dog fight as Frankfurt kept their noses ahead 36-34 getting lay in´s off the penetration from Dietrich, Edoka and Messer while Oberhaching got great support from Mueller who scored twice and carried the team. He was super effective off the bench finding his spots and getting to the rim easily with his high intensity. He continued to be a one man wrecking crew for the Tropics scoring 2 more times keeping his team very close, but they couldn´t get the lead. Julius Messer´s athleticism helped him get an easy basket while Smazak hit a clutch three pointer for the 43-38 advantage. Muratovic closed out the second quarter with free throws, but the Skyliners Juniors still had the upper-hand 44-40. The TSV Oberhaching Tropics upped their rebounding to lead 21-15 at the break and had the 8-2 offensive rebound edge. Frankfurt´s shooting percentages dipped to 52% from the field and 31% from the three point line while the guests shot 44% from the field and 29% from the three point line. The Skyliners Juniors had 5 turnovers and Oberhaching had 7. “We were to hectic and not organized enough. They took advantage of it and got back into the game. We weren´t calm and took hectic shots”, stated Jamie Edoka.

Julius Messer with the lay in

In the third quarter the Skyliners Juniors took better control of the game and led by as much as 14 points, but led 68-56 after 30 minutes. The Skyliners Juniors came out on a mission in the third quarter racing out on a 8-0 run to lead 52-40. They produced 5 stops forcing the guests to bad shots and on their run got a trey from elegant player Leif Zentgraf and a lay in by Edoka. The Skyliners Juniors did a good job managing their lead while still executing soundly on offense and holding their double figure lead. Their biggest strength besides offensive scoring execution was their aggressive work on the offense glass as they scooped up 7 offensive rebounds that kept a lot of their possessions alive and led to easy points. Messer was in constant attack mode getting 2 buckets while Joscha Zentgraf also scored in the paint for the 61-47 lead. Both teams executed well down the stretch as Oberhaching continued to be carried by Mueller who added 6 points. Fabrice Heberer came up big again with a clutch trey off the bench as the Skyliners Juniors led by 12 points after 3 quarters. The Skyliners Juniors stole the rebounding battle back on their side 29-25 as both teams had 9 offensive rebounds a piece as well as 10 turnovers a piece. The Skyliners Juniors shot 50% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and Oberhaching shot 45% from the field and 40% from the parking lot. “We played our game again as a team. Everybody did their job. We were balanced and played the extra pass. We also played fast something which we always want to do”, added Jamie Edoka. “We allowed them to get out on a run again. We weren´t aggressive enough and gave up way too many offensive rebounds”, added Jonathan Zeisberger.

Jonathan Zeisberger at the FT line

In the fourth quarter it looked like the Skyliners Juniors had the win wrapped up early as they led by 17 points, but the TSV Oberhaching Tropics saved up enough energy for a massive run to trail only by 5 points with a few minutes to play, but couldn´t get over the hump. Frederick Mueller kept being aggressive and made big shots to keep Oberhaching in the game with 2 baskets early, but the Skyliners Juniors continued to execute very well getting clutch three´s from Smazak and Leif Zentgraf for 79-62 Juniors lead. However then came the big Tropics run of 14-2 to trail only 81-76 with a few minutes to play. In the run, the Tropics upped their defensive pressure and played more full court press to annoy the Skyliners Juniors which led to turnovers. Oberhaching executed well off Skyliner Juniors turnovers getting a trey from Muratovic while Jonathan The fridge Zeisberger was a 1 man wrecking crew scoring 7 points while Mueller also scored a lay in. “We played harder in the run, pressed well and stopped them with our zone”, said Jonathan Zeisberger. “They pressed really well and we became too hectic. We had way too many turnovers including myself”, said Jamie Edoka. However the Tropics couldn´t get over the hump. It was offensive rebounds that did them in in crunch time. Leif Zentgraf and Florian Dietrich both got offensive rebounds and put backs that sealed the win. A Mario Matic technical foul led to a Edoka free throw. Muratovic closed out the game with 2 free throws, but it was too late too little for the TSV Oberhaching Tropics. “We wanted it more than they did. We had the right mind set and guys with the Zentgraf brothers who always want to win”, stressed Jamie Edoka. “We had too many mistakes at the end and the 2 put backs cost us the game”, stressed Jonathan Zeisberger. The Skyliners Juniors were led by Leif Zentgraf with 18 points and 10 rebounds while Julius Messer added 17 points and 10 rebounds while the TSV Oberhaching Tropics were led by Frederick Mueller with 27 points while Jonathan Zeisberger had 22 points and 7 dimes. The Skyliners Juniors shot 47% from the field and 29% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 18 turnovers while the TSV Oberhaching Tropics shot 46% from the field and 38% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 12 turnovers,