The great basketball work that the Skyliners Juniors had done in 2026 had paid off as they had already qualified for the Pro B playoffs before the last game day began. Frankfurt began 2026 as far away from the Pro B playoffs as Isaac Bonga is to ever rejoining easyCredit BBL team Skyliners. Frankfurt had a superb 8-2 record in 2026 and wanted to have momentum going into the playoffs. But they didn’t have an easy foe with BG Leitershoefen who came into the game sitting in 4th place with a record of 13-10. Frankfurt had lost the first game of the season on the road 90-79 and lost the game in the paint where Leitershoefen shot an overwhelming 73%. The Skyliners Frankfurt who had a 8-2 record in 2026 wanted to go into the playoffs with momentum with a win in their living room and did upending BG Hessing Leitershofen 79-77 as explosive import scorer Desmond Watson (196-G-2003, college: Loyola, IL) hit the winning shot and Frankfurt then stuck together and made one last stop to secure the win. It was a tight game for the most part, but in crunch-time, it was the Skyliners Juniors that came up with the big shots and plays to win and will have a playoff date with Essen. ‘We played hard for 40 minutes. We were relentless. Every one played their role and gave their all. Our biggest strength on offense was our offensive rebounding and on defense we never gave up on any possession’, stressed Skyliner Junior Desmond Watson. Leitershofen kept home court for the Pro B playoffs because Orange Academy beat Ludwigsburg who finished the season in fifth place. ‘We gave a lot away in the first half. We allowed too many offensive rebounds and missed too many free throws. We couldn’t set the tone on the defensive end in the first half. We were in the game at the end, but couldn’t execute the way we wanted to’, stressed BG Hessing Leitershofen guard Brian Dawson.

Florian Dietrich at the FT line

The Skyliners Juniors came into the game without top German youngers Jamie Edoka and Ivan Crnjac who were being rested for a do or die NBBL game 3 playoff game against IBAM the next day. Frankfurt began quickly into the game taking the 6-2 lead as ex Kronberg center Florian Dietrich had excessive energy and brute scoring inside twice including a fierce dunk as the guests were unable to match the Skyliners Juniors intensity. However basketball is a game of runs and Leiterhofen showed rapidly how quickly they can explode as they went on a lethal 16-4 run to lead 18-10. Instrumental in the run was ex easyCredit BBL player Brendan Gregori who added an incredible 11 points including two three’s. ‘He is a player that really knows when to drive and when to shoot’, said ex Skyliner Junior Bennet Schubert. Leitershofen upped their defensive intensity forcing Frankfurt to a few turnovers and had great rim protection from Tom Alte and Clint Haman. However Frankfurt still had some energy in the last minutes going on a 6-0 run as young Czech Republic guard Lukas Smazak added 5 points including a trey as Frankfurt trailed 20-17 after 10 minutes. ‘Both teams were very aggressive on the offensive glass and were both very physical. Leitershofen had really good ball movement and looks’, stated Bennet Schubert. BG Hessing Leitershofen shot 41% from the field and 30% from outside and had 11 rebounds and 1 turnover while the Skyliners Juniors shot 37% from the field and 17% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

Brian Dawson for 3

In the second quarter BG Hessing Leitershofen had good control of the game, but the Skyliners Juniors fought back and had the contest dead locked at 39-39 at the break. The guests had the needed energy at the start of the second quarter going on a 9-3 run to extend their lead to 29-23. In the run, the guests had great ball movement and got inside scores from ex BBL player Ferenc Gille and ex JUCO player Emmanuel Ansah while German Jannik Westermeir had the prettiest basket in the run knocking down a jumper with a cool side step in Shai Gillgeous Alexander manner. ‘That was a nice shot. Jannik is a tough player and a real dog. He plays at both ends. He didn’t have a great game, but he will bounce back. We will need him for the playoffs’, stated Brian Dawson. But Frankfurt kept fighting and got potent energy from Dietreich and Alvin Onyia as they carried Frankfurt at both ends with big baskets as suddenly Leitershofen led only 31-27. Frankfurt couldn’t quite get over the hump as the guests got key scorers from Texas native Zion Richardson and ex Bernau center Clint Hamann to lead 35-29. However Frankfurt had Desmond Watson who can be a one man wrecking team if he wants to. The overall leader and player with fancy moves and great shooting propelled his team on a nasty 10-4 run scoring all points. The leading rebounder at the break was little talked about Joscha Zentgraf who had 7 rebounds and 5 offensive rebounds. The ultimate team player would finish with 10 rebounds including 8 offensive rebounds as his energy was truly incredible, but also something he always brings. ‘He plays so hard. He leaves it all on the court’, said Desmond Watson. ‘He does the dirty work and is the first guy that will volunteer to do it. He is the type of player that every guy wants as a teammate’, warned Bennet Schubert. The Skyliners Juniors shot 39% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds and 7 turnovers while BG Hessing Leitershofen shot 47% from the field and 27% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 5 turnovers. ‘Frankfurt played better team basketball. They got stops and started to run. Their better defense helped stimulate their offense’, said Bennet Schubert.

Desmond Watson with the floater

In the third quarter it went back and forth as there were 7 lead changes, but no team could truly get away from the other as the Skyliners Juniors led 60-57 after 30 minutes. Both teams would punch back and forth as Frankfurt began well with a lay in by Watson who split the defense the way a Caris Levert would and Mr energizer Dusan Nikolic nailed a trey for the 44-40 Frankfurt lead. But Leitershofen punched back with a lethal Gille dunk and trey by Richardson as the guests led 45-44. But the game of runs continued as Frankfurt embarked on a 9-0 run which was highlighted by a Watson trey and mega two handed dunk by Nikolic on transition that was sparked by a steal by Joscha Zentgraf as Frankfurt now seemed in control 53-45. But the guests knew they could match Frankfurt’s output and did with a 9-0 run to steal the lead back at 54-53. Key in the run was LA native and ex Essen guard Brian Dawson who showed his 3 level scoring with a trey and 20 footer. But Frankfurt had the last laugh in the third quarter with a 7-3 run to lead by 3 points. Watson found German Moses Poelking for the lob and lay in and Smazak had the hot hand again with a trey. ‘We tried to slow the game down with the zone, but also tried to speed it up. We had many good looks. Both teams had a lot at stake and it was a real dog fight’, commented Brian Dawson. ”We continued to play hard and just be relentless’, said Desmond Watson. The Skyliners Juniors shot 37% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 32 rebounds and 9 turnovers while BG Hessing Leitershofen shot 44% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 34 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Zion Richardson at the FT line

In the fourth quarter it seemed like BG Hessing Leitershofen might run away with the game, but the Skyliners Juniors never gave up and fought for the lead back. Watson nailed free throws for the 62-57 Frankfurt advantage, but Leitershofen then exploded on a 12-0 run to lead 69-62. In the run it was Gregori again who stepped up after being very quiet in quarters 2 and 3 where he scored only 2 points now added 5 points while Emmanuel Anshah who hails from Canada added 5 points. Leitershofen showed their unselfishness on offense and their defensive intensity disallowed Frankfurt to get into their sets and forced them to many tough shots. Tom Alte also added a lay in in the run. There was still a lot of time left with 7,00 minutes and Frankfurt began to chip away at the guests lead led by Watson who was always in attack mode as he got to the rim and free throw line adding a lay in and free throws while Alvin Onyia grabbed a deep rebound and sprinted coast to coast with a transition bucket and Frankfurt was suddenly only down 70-68. Both teams punched back and forth and despite a clutch Leif Zentgraf three pointer, the Skyliners Juniors still trailed 73-72. Richardson and Onyia then traded free throws, but Leitershofen still led 75-74 with under 2 minutes to play. However then came the turning point of the game as Tom Alte missed 2 free throws airballing the last one. Free throws would haunt the guests all night long as they finished the game 15/27 at 56%. With under a minute to play, Frankfurt then got a big bucket from Moses Poelking who got a pretty behind the back pass under pressure from Leif Zentgraf for the 77-76 Frankfurt lead. ‘When your playing the game, you don’t think on the court. If you think too much then you won’t make that play. Leif was playing in the flow of the game’, expressed Desmond Watson. Frankfurt then stopped Gille and then it was Watson time as he sunk a beautiful trey for the 79-77 lead. ‘I always want the ball and every shot I take feels good’, smiled Desmond Watson. Frankfurt came up big stopping Leitershofen on the last possession. ‘They executed better and had good looks while we didn’t. They switched a lot which affected us. We need to be more decisive at the end. On the last play we got the ball inside. They helped and Alte made a good pass. We got a good look. It just didn’t fall’, added Brian Dawson. ‘They had a decent look at the end. We try as hard as we can to get the stop. You never know what will happen. But we trusted each other to get the stop’, explained Desmond Watson. The Skyliners Juniors were led by Desmond Watson with 30 points while BG Hessing Leitershofen were led by Brendan Gregori with 18 points while Brian Dawson added 15 points. The Skyliners Juniors shot 38% from the field and 31% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 11 turnovers while BG Hessing Leitershofen shot 45% from the field and 29% from outside and had 43 rebounds and 12 turnovers.