How different the season of the Skyliners Juniors could have been had they not had had injury woes in the first month and they had found a way to win games at home better (1-4). But that is all in the past as the team simply needs wins to get up higher into the standings as they were resting in 11th place. They met last placed Basketball Lowen Erfurt who were sitting in the Pro B cellar. Sometimes records do disguise certain things as this seemingly lowly team were first in points scored and rebounds, but that didn´t get them a medal as they allowed 93 points per game and were second in turnovers in the Pro B south. The team featured the always potent Paul Albrecht and talented German Musa Abra and work horse Noah Kamdem. The Skyliners Juniors came into the game with a 3 game losing streak and last weekend had found no offensive rhythm losing 70-61 against Langen. They were facing a must win in their own living room. Despite an incredible shooting clinic with 10 three´s and 35 points by the universal genius Ivan Crnjac, the Skyliners Juniors weren´t able to secure the win as the CATL Basketball Lowen won 86-82. Frankfurt had to put up with the strong big man duo of Albrecht and Kamdem and with Abra and Mitchell at the guard position and in the end it was Mitchell who made the game winner and free throws. “I felt like we played well as a team and hustled well. However our defense wasn´t always awake. It was tough defending against 2 dominant bigs and 2 talented guards. They showed what they could do on the court”, stressed Ivan Crnjac. They combined for 66 of the 86 team points. The CATL Basketball Lowen needed a win so badly and fought until the end with the great support of their fans who made the long trip. “It was an even game for the most part. Even when Frankfurt got a good lead in the third quarter, we never gave up. I think that we had the better energy at the end and were more active on the defensive end. Our fans were also a big help”, stressed Erfurt guard Musa Abra.

Samuel Nellessen with the runner

The Skyliners Juniors found their offensive rhythm quickly taking the quick 8-3 lead as Ivan Crnjac got going right away netting 5 points and getting a great feel for the rim. Frankfurt was sharing the ball nicely early. However it didn´t take the CATL Basketball Lowen long to punch back as American Mike Mitchell Jr. (188-G-2002, college: Minnesota) and veteran Noah Kamdem nailed three´s dead locking the game 10-10. A 9-0 Erfurt run gave them the 14-10 advantage as Frankfurt was reeling for something positive. The Frankfurt 1-1 defense was weak as they allowed way too many easy baskets. Frankfurt took a time out and struck back letting it rain three´s as Crnjac was in the zone as he knocked down 2 more three´s while Mr Energizer Dusan Nikolic also hit from outside as did Czech Republic guard Lukas Smazak as Frankfurt had the 22-16 advantage. Frankfurt couldn´t hold the momentum as Erfurt struck back with a 7-0 run as young German Jordan Brand connected for a trey and Mitchell scored back to back mid range shots for the 23-22 lead. Frankfurt had one more chance before the quarter ended and Skyliner Junior Alvin Oniya literally pulled a Larry Bird. Back in a pre season game in 1986, Larry Bird hit a shot from behind the basket against the Houston Rockets in Hartford. Onyia did the same thing and saw nothing but net. “Fabrice Heberer made a shot like that this season in the Regionalliga. Kids don´t usually practice that shot at least I hope they don´t. You try a shot like that in the game of horse. A shot like that can always help push a team”, said Skyliners NBBL coach Thore Bethke. A big focus in the game was to control the boards and Frankfurt did that 12-10 while shooting47% from the field and 43% from outside while the guests shot 50% from the field and 44% from outside. The Skyliners Juniors had 4 turnovers and Erfurt 0. “The Skyliners Juniors didn´t have it easy without Joscha Zentgraf and Marvin Esser under the boards, but they did a pretty good job as a team. It was difficult containing Mitchell and Abra. We gave up too many easy baskets”, stressed Thore Bethke

Jamie Edoka from outside

The second quarter remained tight as both clubs continued to punch back and forth, but in the last minutes before the break, the CATL Basketball Lowen got away and led 50-45. The CATL Basketball Lowen did a good job closing down the lane and gave the Skyliners Juniors the three pointer and they responded. Crnjac continued to fire away making another while Nikolic and Jamie Edoka did as well, but the guests always had an answer getting a trey from Mitchell who was always aggressive and lay in´s from Abra and ex Rhondorf forward Samuel Nellessen to dead lock the game at 35-35. After Edoka and Mitchell traded three´s, it was the guests that took the lead as Germans Paul Albrecht who once notched a triple double against Lok Bernau and Luca Forster made lay in´s for the 43-40 Erfurt advantage. Frankfurt continued to have problems with their defensive intensity allowing easy buckets. Frankfurt kept battling back getting free throws from ex Neustadt forward Leif Zentgraf and a trey from Maxi Peters tying the game at 45-45. Erfurt punched back one last time closing out the second quarter with a 5-0 run as Abra hit a trey and Luca Forster made an off balance jumper with 0,8 seconds at the buzzer. “We had problems getting consistent stops. They continued to get easy baskets especially on Transition. Mitchell did a good job always pushing the ball”, said Thore Bethke. The CATL Basketball Lowen shot 47% from the field and 40% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniors shot 48% from the field and 42% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Musa Abra at the FT line

The Skyliners Juniors picked up their game at both ends of the court in the third quarter and led by as much as 8 points, but Erfurt fought back and trailed only by 1 point after 3 quarters. The Skyliners Juniors exploded to begin the second half going on a 11-2 run as Ivan Crnjac continued to have the hot hand nailing 2 three´s while Leif Zentgraf also dropped a trey and Crnjac also displayed his fine passing skills throwing up the perfect alley-oop lob pass for Jamie Edoka with the massive throw down and 56-52 lead. “They were giving the Skyliners the three. It was nice to see Ivan hit three´s again. It was a good omen for the game, because whenever he is on, Frankfurt has good chances to win”, stated Thore Bethke. After Mitchell found Forster for the back door bullet pass and lay in, it was Ivan Crnjac again who continued his superb shooting nailing 2 more three´s for the 62-54 advantage. However Frankfurt was unable to keep the momentum allowing a 9-2 run to end the third quarter and led only 64-63. Frankfurt had some annoying turnovers which led to easy transition buckets from Abra and Nellessen. Kamdem also made a difficult turn around shot while super role player Luca Forster connected on a clutch three pointer. “They had some nice highlight plays like that Edoka alley-oop dunk, but we executed well on offense and fought back to stay close”, commented Musa Abra. “We began well and hit the three well, but we had too many leek outs on defense and allowed easy baskets”, said Ivan Crnjac. The Skyliners Juniors shot 45% from the field and 43% from the parking lotr and had 32 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the CATL Basketball Lowen shot 41% from the field and 32% from the parking lot and had 35 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Ivan Crnjac from downtown

The fourth quarter was a real dog fight as there were 9 lead changes as no team could get away form the other. Ex Skyliners Junior Noah Kamdem is always motivated to play his ex team and twice gave his team the 2 point lead with a trey and runner 70-68. Crnjac continued to be aggressive netting his 9th and 10th three pointers of the game giving his team the 74-73 lead. He finished the game with 35 points on 12/20 shooting. “The first ones felt good. It was good to get out of my shooting slump. We had an advantage because they gave us the three´s”, expressed Ivan Crnjac. After a Kamdem trey, it was Smazak that connected from outside for the 77-76 lead. Young German Musa Abra who has improved his play each season in the last 3 in the NBBL and Pro B has become a real go to guy and showed it in crunch time with a trey and lay in for the 81-79 Erfurt lead. “I showed responsibility. My drive was working well. My team has a lot of confidence in my game. My confidence keeps growing from game to game”, said Musa Abra. Smazak continued to be aggressive and confident in his shot as he hit a trey to tie the game at 82-82. Mitchell then punched back with a 20 footer for the 84-82 lead with 36 seconds to play. Erfurt then stopped Crnjac and Mitchell clinched the win with free throws. “We were very aggressive and had more energy. We were all active on defense and had good pick and roll defense”, stressed Musa Abra. “We could have had better looks at the end. We aren´t that good yet at closing out games. We are a young team. We have to work on that”, stressed Ivan Crnjac. The CATL Basketball Lowen were led by Musa Abra with 21 points. Mike Mitchell Jr. added 17 points and Noah Kamdem had 15 points while the Skyliners Juniors were led by Ivan Crnjac with 35 points while Jamie Edoka added 10 points. The CATL Basketball Lowen shot 41% from the field and 33% from outside and had 51 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniors shot 42% from the field and 37% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 14 turnovers.