TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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ULM GOES EAST!
ULM VISTS MBC SUNDAY!
ratiopharm Ulm @ MittelDeutscher Basketball Club
Sunday October 11th, 2009 4:30pm
Stadthalle Weissenfels, Germany
ratiopharm Ulm boards their team bus for a weekend road trip to Weissenfels east Germany completing their season-opening double-game day weekend with a Sunday tip-off against Bundesliga newcomer MittelDeutscherBC. In a small traditional basketball town in eastern Germany, MBC won their way back into the Bundesliga with an excellent 26-4 championship season in the Pro A. Visting MBC for their home opener as they return to the Bundesliga, ratiopharm Ulm expects tremendous energy from the home team and home crowd in Sunday's matchup.
ratiopharm Ulm rookie forward Robin Benzing and teammates look forward to the challenge against MittelDeutscher Basketball Club (MBC) Sunday!
Over the last several seasons, MBC has been among the best teams in the Pro A second division. Putting it all together last season, the Wolves now face the challenge of an 'Aufsteiger' in the Bundesliga. Head Coach Bjorn Harmsen has led two teams to promotion into the Bundesliga and looks to draw on his experiences from his first Bundesliga run with Jena as he directs the Wolves in 2009-2010. After a solid preseason, MBC is focused to meet the challenges with energy.
MBC's 2009-2010 roster has changed significantly from last seasons Pro A championship team. Several players are making the jump into the Bundesliga with the Wolves including post man Johnnie Gilbert who averaged
13.2ppg, 9.2rpg in the Pro A last season. Another key returning player is shooting guard Wayne Bernard who produced 14.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.6apg, 1.2spg 43.2%threes, 80.4%FT's earning 2009 Pro A Player of the Year honors. Also returning to MBC is hardworking forward Sascha Leutloff who contributed 9.9ppg 6reb and shot 23% from three in Pro A last season. With this solid core of returning players, MBC added a number of important new players for the challenges of the Bundesliga. Talented scoring forward Ivan Elliot provides an offensive threat after joining MBC from (Latvia) SK Valmiera where he averaged 11.5ppg 8reb 4.1 blocks last season. Talented young point guards Giorgi Gamqrelidze from Georgia and Radenko Pilcevic from Serbia combine to provide MBC with energy and aggressiveness. Skilled young sharpshooter Nikhita Khartchenkov joins MBC after last season with Pro A Chemnitz. A skillful young shooter, Khartchenkov has potential to be among the best three point threats in the Bundesliga. MBC added two rookies from NCAA schools as LA native Adeola Dagundro (12.8ppg 4.4reb 34% threes at Nebraskas) and Matt Stucki (12pt 40% threes at Idaho State) look to make their mark with the Wolves. Former Braunschweig big man Peter Fehse also moves to MBC this season. A second round draft pick of the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2001 NBA draft, Fehse has skills for his size and looks to stay healthy and on court in Weissenfels. Late in the preseason, MBC added two key players to their roster as the Wolves signed former German National team forward Gudio Grunheid and former CSKA Moscow post man Anatoly Kashirov.
This season, MBC opened with an exciting 95-91 overtime road win over Walter Tigers Tubingen Friday night at Paul Horn Arena in Tubingen.
Anatoly Kashirov led MBC with a strong 19pt 9reb night while Ivan Elliot added 15pt and Nikhita Khartchenkov sank 4 of 6 threes to finish with 12. Guido Grunheid (11pt) and Johnnie Gilbert (10pt) also reached double figures in the win. Tubingen led 19-15 after 1Q and maintained a 42-38 lead at half. The Tigers carried a 61-54 advantage into the 4th, but MBC stormed back evening the score at 80 at the end of regulation. In overtime, Head Coach Bjorn Harmsen and his MBC team surprised Tubingen taking the win down the stretch 95-91. MBC shot 47% from the floor hitting 9 for 21 (42%) from three and 16 of 27 FT (59%) compared with Tubingen's 44% floor shooting with 7 for 29 threes (24%) and 24 for 33 FT (72%).
Friday night ratiopharm Ulm fell 89-81 at home in a game which saw the young team start slow before storming back in the third quarter. Down the stretch, big shots from Bonn helped the 2008-2009 runners up edge Ulm in the season opener for both teams. Ulm looks to bounce back after the loss Friday night. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm Bundesliga Basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com!
GO ULM!
MIKE T
TAYLORHOOPS.COM GAME NOTES
Ulm Roster
Lee Humphrey: 15pt Friday night v Bonn
Rocky Trice: Ulm's impact player on the perimeter
Coleman Collins: challenge v Kashirov Sunday v MBC
Christian Burns: 12pt 7reb Friday night v Bonn
Robin Benzing: 15pt in Bundesliga debut in solid game
Per Gunther: working way back from foot injury
Kevin Kanaskie: 10pt 4ast in solid game Friday night
Sebastian Betz: solid minutes off Ulm bench Friday
John Bryant: excellent energy and highlight block v bonn
Nemanja Kekic: young Ulm post earned road trip
Head Coach: Mike Taylor
Asst Coach : Rainer Bauer, Tunde Adekola
Location: Weissenfels, Germany
Main Sponsor:
Home Court: Stadthalle
website: www.mitteldeutscherbc.de
2009-2010:
PLAYOFFS:
Offense: MBC was among the best offensive teams in the Pro A and head coach Bjorn Harmsen looks to carry over their production into the Bundesliga. Young PG's Giorgi Gamqrelidze and Radenko Pilcevic direct the attack with penetration and playmaking. Nikhita Khartchenkov is an excellent three point shooter and the young wing could rank among the best perimeter threat in the Bundesliga by seasons end. Talented forward Ivan Elliot is mobile, athletic, can create his own offense and should assert himself as a primary option for MBC. Hardworking guard Wayne Bernard will be a good offensive option for MBC and the team will get post presence from Johnnie Gilbert and Anatoly Kashirov. Late in the preseason, MBC added veteran shooting forward Guido Grunheid to the team providing their offense more firepower. Forwards Sascha Leutloff and Ade Dagundro add depth and provide energy for the MBC attack.
Defense: An aggressive team defense, MBC pressures the basketball fullcourt often double-teaming, trapping or denying the point guard. In the halfcourt, the Wolves will double the post, trap ballscreens or attack and double a point to wing pass. MBC will also change defenses going zone at times. A hardworking defensive team, MBC plays with excellent effort and energy.
GM: Martin Geissler
Head Coach: Bjorn Harmsen
Players:
Wayne Bernard: 2009 Pro A Player of the Year with MBC
Johnnie Gilbert: key part of MBC's year to year improvement
Nikhita Khartchenkov: sharpshooter joins MBC from Chemnitz
Peter Fehse: drafted by Sonics in 2nd round of 2001 NBA draft
Anatoly Kashirov: Big C joins MBC from CSKA Moscow
Girogi Gramqrelidze: young PG from Georgia attacks with dribble
Radenko Pilcevic: young PG from Serbia also aggressive for MBC
Guido Grunheid: veteran shooting forward signed late in preseason
Ivan Elliot: talented scoring forward will be key producer for MBC
Ade Dagundro: athletic rookie from University of Nebraska
Sascha Leutloff: hardworking forward has Bundesliga experience
Matt Stucki: rookie shooter from Idaho State
Michael Jost: young MBC player
