After a 2 week break because of the cup schedule, it was time for the Frankfurt Skyliners to take the court again for easyCredit BBL play. The Frankfurt Skyliners had been playing great basketball having won their last 2 games on the road in Ulm and Bamberg and stepped up their defense allowing only 72 points per game in that span. They had been led especially by overseas rookie Jaedon LeDee who quietly is making a name for himself in the league. The question was only could they come back strong after such a long break. Their next opponent was 5-2 Wurzburg who continue to build on their great BBL season last season and came into the game having lost 3 of their last 4 BBL games and wanted to start a new winning streak. It was a game that should of featured 2 of the top players in the BBL with LeDee and Marcus Carr, but LeDee wasn´t fit and didn´t play, but Carr did and almost was able to lead Wurzburg to a win, but came up short 82-80. The Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets had to play catch up basketball for most of the night, but could never get over the hump in the second half. “I have to give credit to Frankfurt. They played a great game and had more effort and energy than we did, but we did have our moments during the game. Both teams had their runs, but all in all, they outrebounded us and they did a good job getting out in their early offense and we weren´t able to slow them down”, stressed Canadian Marcus Carr. The Skyliners continued to play their successful game and took that momentum from their last road games back into their living room and managed their lead well in the second half and played tough defense in crunch-time to secure the victory. “It feels really good to get our first home win. We knew it wouldn´t be an easy game against Wurzburg. They are a good team. Key for the win was that we were able to play our game which is Frankfurt basketball. We played good 1-1 defense against their guards, but our bigs Pape and Hawkins stepped up as well. All in all, it was a team win”, stressed Skyliner guard Isaiah Swope. “We had too many turnovers and gave up too many offensive rebounds. It will be hard to win if that happens”, stressed German Lukas Herzog.

Isaiah Swope at the FT line

Ex Skyliner Jordan Theodore was back in his old crib with friend Japhet Mcneil who played in Germany 15 years ago for USC Heidelberg to support the Skyliners. The first quarter was that typical 10 minutes where both teams are feeling each other out and a lot of punching back and forth. Wurzburg got the 3 ball going with a trey from ex Kentucky (NCAA) player Daivon Mintz and lay in´s from German Christian Skladanowski and ex Towson (NCAA) forward Charles Thompson while the Skyliners also got productive offense from ex Bonn center Till Pape (206-PF-1997) who scored twice inside while ex Artland Dragon Will Christmas also made a lay in, but Wurzburg led 14-13. Both teams continued to execute well and both teams let it rain three´s. Ex Skyliner David Muenkat was motivated to battle his old team and showed it in the last 2 minutes nailing 2 three´s, but Frankfurt also struck back with a clutch trey from ex Artland Dragon Radii Casin and American Isaiah Swope hit one to close out the first quarter with the Skyliners leading 23-22. Both teams had problems coming to terms with each others defense and had 5 turnovers a piece while the Skyliners had the upper hand on the boards with the 9-4 advantage while Wurzburg shot 67% from outside and Frankfurt only 29%. “I think we came out to play right away getting a good rhythm and playing team basketball. I also found my rhythm early. I just let the game come to me”, stated Isaiah Swope.

David Muenkat from outside

The second quarter displayed runs at both ends and Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets led 45-44 at the break. The Skyliners punched first coming out aggressive on defense and stringing along a couple of stops while breaking out on a 7-0 run to lead 30-22. In the run, the Skyliners got 4 points from Swope including a pretty floater while super efficient ex Creighton (NCAA) forward Ryan Hawkins dropped a trey. But the Skyliners couldn´t hold the momentum as Wurzburg punched back with a 5-0 run to trail 30-27 as Mintz hit a trey as Marcus Carr began a string of making 3 incredible shots. The first one was an off balance lay in high off the glass. Frankfurt didn´t keep the lead for long as Wurzburg continued to pressure the Skyliners as walking bucket Marcus Carr was wrecking havoc scoring in bunches with a three pointer and a tough floater to give Wurzburg the 36-34 advantage. American Logan Johnson dead locked the game at 36-36 by being aggressive on the offense glass with a tip in. However nobody could stop Carr. He continued to make tough shots making an off balance shot and a lay in for the 41-38 lead. “My teammates trust my shot making and I have confidence in myself. It is very rare that I hit a shot for the first time. I usually have made that shot before”, smiled Marcus Carr. “He is tough to contain. You have to rely on team defense to stop a guy like him”, warned Isaiah Swope. Muenkat added his third trey of the game to end the 9-0 run as Wurzburg led 45-38. However Wurzburg became sloppy at the end allowing an open trey to Pape and 3 free throws to Casin to let the Skyliners punch back with a 6-0 run to end the first half. “We couldn´t shake them. Their guard play was very good. They made very tough shots”, commented Isdaiah Swope. Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets shot 70% from the field and 78% from the three point line and had 11 rebounds and 9 turn overs while the Skyliners shot 47% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Jacob Knauf from downtown

The Skyliners took control of the contest in the third quarter and led by 8 points after 30 minutes. Both teams began to execute well in the first minutes as Frankfurt got lay in´s from Johnson and Christmas while the guests received a left handed lay in from Thompson and another trey from Carr to tie the game at 50-50. But then came the turning point of the game as the Skyliners went on a 10-0 run to lead 60-50 and they would never trail again even if Wurzburg never gave up and fought to the end. In the run, the Skyliners got two big three´s from Till Pape who found himself open while Christmas made a lay in and was the anchor on defense with big plays while ex Virginia Tech (NCAA) guard Nahiem Alleyne made free throws. The Skyliners were more active on the defensive end and were flying around disrupting the guests offense. Once again the Skyliners couldn´t keep the momentum as Wurzburg struck back as 2 key defensive mishaps led to a Thompson dunk and trey from Lukas Herzog to trail 60-55. But the Skyliners stayed strong and kept the lead and executed on offense and didn´t produce any turnovers on the last possessions as ex Artland Dragon Jacob Knauf added 5 points with a trey at the shot clock buzzer and dunk as the Skyliners led 66-58 after 3 quarters. “We were all in the flow and were playing together. All were hitting shots and our energy was good”, said Isaiah Swope. “They capitalized on all our mistakes and punished us on box outs or when we didn´t switch with open shots”, stated Marcus Carr. The Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 35% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 14turnovers while Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets shot 54% from the field and 60% from the parking lot and had 17 rebounds and 14 turnovers.

Jonathan Stove at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the Skyliners were never able to slam the door shut on Wurzburg as they were in the game until the buzzer. The Bavarian squad came out focused and with extra energy going on a 7-3 run to trail 69-65 as ex Hamburg Tower Brae Ivey nailed a trey while Herzog made a lay in on transition and Thompson another dunk. But the difference in this game was that the Skyliners always had an answer when the guests punched. The Skyliners responded with a 4-0 run to lead 73-65 as Pape made an offensive rebound and put back while Alleyne made an off balance shot. Carr continued to find ways to score drilling home a trey to trail 73-68. The Skyliners continued to execute getting to the free throw line getting free throws from Pape and Christmas to lead 76-70. Frankfurt upped their on ball pressure on Carr forcing 2 turnovers, but that didn´t hurt Wurzburg too much as they still found ways to stay close as Mintz and ex MBC guard Jonathan Stove scored to cut Frankfurt´s lead down to 78-74 with 38 seconds to play. But Frankfurt was able to get to the free throw line getting a free throw from Christmas to lead 79-74. The Skyliners then had some real fortune as with 24 seconds to play, Carr made only 1 of 3 free throws as Frankfurt led 79-75. Carr and Thompson did make shots in the last seconds, but it wasn´t enough as Hawkins and Alleyne made free throws to secure the win. “We played good defense, got the rebounds and got to the free throw line. Will Christmas was huge as well. He does everything for us”, stressed Isaiah Swope. “We made too many mistakes. I´m proud how we fought until the end, but it just wasn´t enough to overcome them”, stressed Marcus Carr. The Skyliners were led by Till Pape with 21 points. Isaiah Swope added 14 points and Will Christmas 13 points while the Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets were led by Marcus Carr with 23 points while Charles Thompson had 14 points. The Skyliners shot 44% from the field and 29% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 17 turnovers while Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets shot 52% from the field and 57% from outside and had 27 rebounds and 17 turnovers.