The up and down play of the Giessen 46ers continued the last weeks as they returned back home after a brutal 106-82 loss in Crailsheim. A big problem with the 2-3 Giessen 46ers was their defensive results as they had allowed 100 points or more twice at home. For being one of the top 5 candidates to move up to the easyCredit BBL next season, the slow start of Giessen had cause for concern. Things didn´t get any easier as 3-2 team VFL Sparkassenstars Bochum arrived in Giessen. They had some vital wins against teams that they had to beat with Pro A newcomers Leverkussen and the RheinStars and had tough losses against Crailsheim and Munster. They have shown in the early going that they can put up a lot of points, but also defended well in a few games keeping the newcomers under 73 points. It was not an easy task for Giessen to muster, but they needed a win to reach 500. On a surprising mild rainy day in November, the fans in the Giessen 46ers didn´t see a pretty game, but moreover an ugly game that displayed 54 fouls, but in the end, it was American Kyle Castlin (193-G-1996, college: Xavier) that came up big in the clutch making the winning shot and leading Giessen to the 76-74 win. “It was a tight game throughout. We didn´t do a good job making shots, but played well on defense. We had guys making big shots at the end. We did a good job guarding the three point line well and not letting them shoot the way they know how”, stressed Giessen 46er guard Kyle Castlin. The VFL Sparkassenstars Bochum fought hard for 40 minutes, but in the last minutes lost control of the game, a game they should of probably won. “I feel like we played well for 38-39 minutes. I feel like we did a good job forcing them to tough shots and slowing them down. We also executed pretty well on offense. We got a little nervous at the end and little mistakes cost us the game, a game we should of won”, stressed VFL Sparkassenstars Bochum guard Niklas Geske.

Antonio Williams at the FT line

The Giessen 46ers didn´t waste anytime in the first few minutes cruising out to a rapid 7-2 lead. Ex German national player Robin Benzing connected on his first 3 point attempt and also got a lay in from Slovakian guard Simon Krajcovic and a lay in from Kyle Castlin. Giessen got a good offensive rhythm going early sharing the ball well while the guests offense was static. However it didn´t take Bochum long to get out of their funk as they turned the game around escaping on a 9-0 run to lead 11-7. In the run, they were aggressive getting to the free throw line and shot incredible well from the 2 point range as their three´s weren´t falling. Bochum got a lay in from ex Kent State (NCAA) guard Antomnio Williams and dunk from Malek Green who once scored 50 points in Vietnam. The game then remained tight until the end of the first quarter as it became the Kyle Castlin show. The American in one span made 10 of the Giessen 11 points and simply had the game in control. Bochum continued to have difficulty sinking three´s so they remained close to the basket getting lay in´s from German Niklas Geske and a lay in from Green, but Giessen led 24-23 after 10 minutes. Giessen shot really well from the 2 point range at 75%, but only 29% from outside while Bochum was at 82% from the 2 point range and 0/5 from outside. The rebounds were dead locked at 7-7 as were the turnovers at 2-2. “We always try to set the tone right away. I always try to be aggressive in any way at both ends. That’s funny but you could say I was on pace for near to 60 points. But all that mattered to me was the win”, stressed Kyle Castlin.

Robin Benzing at the FT line

In the second quarter the Giessen 46ers were in control, but couldn´t really shake Bochum as Bochum always found a way to come back even when they trailed by 7 points. At the break, Giessen only had the slim 42-41 advantage. Giessen held the lead due to their aggressive defense and being aggressive on offense and getting to the free throw line. Krajcovic did a good job getting to the free throw line while ex Bremerhaven guard Daniel Norl made a lay in. Bochum got some lay in´s from ex Phoenix Hagen Germans Geske and Jonas Grof as the team three´s continued to stand at 0 and Giessen led 33-27. Giessen continued to keep the lead thanks to great energy from Canadian guard Aiden Warnholtz who made a reverse lay up and free throws for the 37-30 lead. But Bochum continued to find their spots in the paint as their three´s continued not to fall as Williams made a lay up and Geske an off balance shot to trail 39-38. Castlin continued to be on fire and found his spots well making a lay in and free throw for the 42-38 advantage. On Bochum´s last possession, they finally connected for their first three pointer of the game from ex Southeastern Louisiana University guard Matthew Strange hit as they were 1/10 at the break from downtown as Giessen led 42-41. Giessen shot only 15% from outside and were only at 53% from the 2 point range while Bochum was at 68%. Bochum had the slim 19-16 rebound edge, but 6 turnovers while Bochum had 4 turnovers. “We did a good job guarding the three point line. We let up more 2 pointers, but better than 3 pointers. We have to build on that”, warned Kyle Castlin.

Matthew Strange at the FT line

In the third quarter the Giessen 46ers continued to manage the lead well and led by as much as 9 points, but once again weren´t able to keep the big lead, but allowed the VFL Sparkassenstars Bochum to retaliate and steal the lead back at 61-60 after 30 minutes. Green and Warnholtz traded baskets as Giessen had the 44-43 advantage. Giessen then exploded for a 10-2 run as they were in the flow as ex Skyliner Warnholtz had the hot hand with 5 points while Castlin made a trey and Benzing free throws as Giessen had their biggest lead of the game at 54-45. Bochum lost some focus on offense getting away from the collective game and veered towards 1-1 action. But Bochum found back to their game going on a 11-3 run to trail 57-56. Niklas Geske led Bochum in the run as he connected twice as they finally found their touch from the parking lot while American Myreon Jones made a lay in. Giessen lost offensive rhythm while Bochum´s aggressive on ball defense forced some turnovers. Krajcovic added a lay in as his speed was tough to stop, but Bochum kept executing well and took the momentum from their run to the end as ex Radford (NCAA) forward Dravon Mangum made a lay in and Geske another trey. “We were at eye level with them. We noticed that they were focused after some tough loses. We defended very well switching a lot which gave them a lot of problems”, stated Niklas Geske. “We were in foul problems and weren´t hitting shots. They were very aggressive and didn´t let us play our game”, stated Kyle Castlin. The VFL Sparkassenstars Bochum shot 53% from the 2 point area and 29% from the parking lot and had 29 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Giessen 46ers shot 46% from the 2 point range and 24% from the parking lot and had 27 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Kyle Castin with the lay in

In the fourth quarter, the VFL Sparkassenstars Bochum dictated the game as both teams punched, but Giessen couldn´t get over the hump. As crunch time arrived, they finally got over the hump, but couldn´t hold the momentum as they allowed Bochum to come back again, but Kyle Castlin had other ideas in the last minute propelling Giessen to the win. Robin Benzing wanted the ball more and more in the first minutes as he scored twice, but Bochum always punched back getting a turn around shot from Jonas Grof and a lay in from Greek guard Marios Giotis to lead 67-64. Giessen kept attacking and got a lay in from Castlin and a clutch trey from Benzing who finally found his touch again as he had a very cold day from the parking lot shooting only 3/13 for the 69-68 advantage. However that lead was short lived as Bochum found to their bread and butter again nailing consecutive three´s from Williams and Geske to lead 74-69 with 2,33 to play. But Giessen stayed tough and found good shots as Castlin made a lay in to trail 74-71. Giessen stepped up their offense and forced tough shots which led to a stop which led to a trey from Benzing to dead lock the game at 74-74 with 1,09 to play. Giessen then stopped Williams which led to a Castlin lay in for the 76-74 lead with 10 seconds to play. “I came down and wanted to run a set, but they got confused and I just did it myself. I found a driving lane and that lay in was pretty simple”, smiled Kyle Castlin. Bochum had one last possession, but Giessen packed the paint and made a real team stop denying Green and Grof. “We were in the huddle and wanted to get that last stop. It had been an ugly game. We had great protection on the rim. Many guys stepped up on defense at the end”, warned Kyle Castlin. “The gym was quiet when we led 74-69. We got nervous at the end. We made little mistakes and missed easy lay ups. We should of won this game”, added Niklas Geske. The Giessen 46ers were led by Kyle Castlin with 26 points while Robin Benzing added 14 points and Aiden Warnholtz had 12 points while the VFL Sparkassenstars Bochum were led by Niklas Geske with 18 points while Malek Green had 15 points. The Giessen 46ers shot 37% from the field and 28% from outside and ahd 40 rebounds and 10 turnovers while Bochum shot 42% from the field and 33% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 11 turnovers.