TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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ULM'S SENSATIONAL 6 READY FOR LANGEN!
Starting the season with a "Dozen", the "Elite Eight" became the "Magnificent Seven" which has now been reduced to the "Sensational Six". Is this a new tournament format soon to be adopted by some strange basketball league? Not exactly.
For ratiopharm Ulm, the "Sensational Six" refers to the number of healthy players heading into this weekends game against the TV Langen Giraffes. What an unusual challenge for a basketball team.
Positive from negative: "Sensational 6"
Amidst a rash of injuries, ratiopharm Ulm continues to roll posting a 9-1 record over their last ten 2.Bundesliga South basketball games. The remarkable mark, comes despite a limited roster that has consistently lost key players for the season. Trimmed to a mere 6 healthy players for this weekend, ratiopharm Ulm hits the road for a 3pm Saturday afternoon tipoff against TV Langen Giraffes. Through the last week, Ulm's "Elite Eight" has been trimmed to the "Magnificent Seven" when Tobi Waitzinger went down with a leg injurt. Saturday, ratiopharm Ulm hits the road with the "Sensational Six".
A familiar face will wear a Langen uniform Saturday --- Sly McIntosh signed with the Giraffes at the roster deadline and has gone on to register second in the 2.Bundesliga South in scoring at 24.8ppg. McIntosh exploded for 34 points against Bayern Munich in a must win game for Langen before going crazy for 35 in a Giraffe big blowout win over TV Lich. But the McIntosh story goes much deeper than his clutch performaces over the last 6 games in Langen.
Well-known to Taylorhoops.com fans, Sly starred for Mike T's Chemnitz 99er 2001-2002 regionalliga South east championship team before accompanying the Ulm coach for campaigns with the USBL's Dodge City Legend and a season with the Essex Leopards of the British Basketball League. After the Leopards folded following the 2002-2003 season, McIntosh returned to the German regionaliga northwest playing another championship season for the Krefeld Panthers in 03/04. Unfortunately, Sly started this season in the United States without a job. Hungry to continue his career, McIntosh came to Germany to stay with friends and attend several tryouts. Midseason, without a place to play, McIntosh was recruited to play for BBC Neu Ulm the 4th division farm team for ratiopharm Ulm. Agreeing to the deal, Sly would sharpen his game by working out with the ratiopharm Ulm team as well as his Neu Ulm Outlaws. Using the situation as a springboard, Sly tore apart the low level German league averaging 33.4ppg including amazing performances of 59pts and 46pts in his 10 games with Neu Ulm. Attracting attention from all over the country, McIntosh was invited to a tryout in Langen in late Febuary. From early March on, McIntosh has led the Giraffes march into safety in the 2.League South. A remarkable season and inspiring story, Saturday will be a special game for both Sly and Mike T --- after establishing so much together on pro basketball floors in Europe, this weekend will be the first head to head meeting between the two as opponents.
Sly McIntosh dominated for the Neu Ulm Outlaws earlier this season
As much as Sly McIntosh means to the Giraffes, Langen is much more than a one man show. Center Kevin Hanson has established himself as a force in the lane for Langen. Averaging 18.9ppg and 9reb for the Giraffes, Hanson can score inside and plays strong defense. Forward Robert Dill, a smooth shooting post player, keeps defenses honest as a jump shooting threat in the high post. Dill scores 10.5ppg with 4.7reb while shooting 38% from three point range. Shooting guard Sebastian Barth, a top youth prospect in Germany who played in the Bundesliga Rookie All Star game the last two seasons, continues his quality development with the Langen program. Barth, an active young wing, shoots three pointers effectively and drives aggressively to the hoops. The son of current GM/Head Coach Yogi Barth, Sebastian averages 10.2ppg and has shot 102 free throws (second best on the team) indicating his attacking offensive style. Center Kooray Karaman leads the Giraffes in a category unusual for big men --- Karaman has attempted the most three pointers on the team shooting at a respectable 38% clip. Point guard Tobias Stoll pushes the ball in transition effectively and pressures the ball on defense. A hardworking playmaker, Stoll has no relation to Ulm GM Thomas Stoll. Finally, wing Norman Lang --- a professional model in major German markets --- has a pretty jump shot and produces a solid 4.8ppg while shooting a team best 89% from the foul line.
While Lang's photo shoots may be pretty, Ulm's string of injuries has been anything but attractive. Losing Christian Grosse, Peter Heizer and Tobi Waitzinger unexpectedly last week, Kenny Price underwent thumb surgery Monday morning in Munich adding his name to the list of Ulm players whose season came to a premature close. While Heizer, Grosse and Price are defintely done for the year, the hardworking team-player Tobi Waitzinger hopes to rehabilitate his injured leg for a return in the season finale against Breitengussbach Saturday April 30th. Although Waitzinger's return to the lineup next Saturday remains uncertain, clearly Tobi will miss Saturday's game against the Giraffes. Making matters worse, a slight knee injury has hobbled Ulm star forward Emeka Erege forcing him to miss several practice sessions this week. Already thin featuring a healthy roster of the "Sensational Six" players (including Erege), Ulm without Erege would spell BIG PROBLEMS! If Erege is unavailable Saturday, Ulm would give new meaning to the "Iron Five".
Remaining focused despite the inury adversity, Ulm has rallied around their "Sensational 6" healthy players. Heading into Saturday's road trip to Langen, the six healthy Ulmers include center Maksym Shtein, power forward Fannar Olafsson, small forward Florian Mobius, prospect shooting guard Benni Gulde and veteran point guard Shaheen Holloway. A healthy Emeka Erege means Ulm can use the summer league 6 man subbing system and play a more regular game with a thin bench. Unfortunately, after the roster freeze in late Febuary, no players are able to be added according to 2.Bundesliga South rules. With the recent barrage of injuries, Ulm's roster has been depleated to the point of emergency mode.
Ulm will heavily rely on Shaheen Holloway against Langen
Interestingly enough, the Ulm at Langen game Saturday could have an impact on the league race --- especially at the bottom of the standings. Still fighting to stay in the league, Langen helped themselves immensely last Saturday with a road win over MTV Kronberg keeping the Giraffes one game above the relegation line. Working in Langen's favor, the Giraffes hold the head to head tie breaker against Bayern Munich thanks to Sly McIntosh's big 34 point outburst in leading Langen to a significant 84-63 win March 12, 2005. While Langen looks safe, Bayern Munich, Ehingen and Breitengussbach all will be impacted by Saturday's Ulm-Langen result.
After easily overwhelming the Giraffes 104-75 Sunday January 9th at Sportszentrum Kuhberg, ratiopharm Ulm must find a way to come together and overcome the injuries and issues surrounding their team this weekend in Langen. Working hard during the week and staying positive will be keys for Ulm this weekend. At 23-5 and locked into second place, ratiopharm Ulm has recorded the best record in the league over the last 10 games at 9-1 while playing through injuries which have drastically reduced the roster. This weekend, more adversity challenges the Ulm team, but the "Sensational 6"
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GO ULM!
MIKE T
6 SHAHEEN HOLLOWAY Ulm will rely heavily on their playmaker
10 EMEKA EREGE hobbled this week in practice/ key wing will play 2 and 3
14 FLORIAN MOBIUS playing 3 and 4 spots with thin lineup
15 MAKSYM SHTEIN must produce for Ulm in final two games
5 FANNAR OLAFSSON 15pt 12reb in outstanding game vs Crailsheim
18 BENNI GULDE young guard will get significant playing time last 2 games
11 PETER HEIZER recent accident will keep him out for rest of year
7 CHRISTIAN GROSSE shoulder injury will keep him remainder of season
13 TOBI WAITZINGER excellent game vs Crailsheim spoiled by injury
8 KENNY PRICE surgery monday will keep Kenny out for rest of season
9 ANTOINE SINCLAIR successful rehab... 'toine on long road back
12 MICHAEL NIEBLING loaned to Ehingen, C playing well
5 SLY McINTOSH special matchup for McIntosh and Mike T this Saturday
4 TOBI STOLL playmaking point pushes ball and works on D
12 KEVIN HANSON skilled inside scorer 18.9ppg 9reb
10 ROBERT DILL smooth shooting forward 10.5ppg
7 SEBASTIAN BARTH active driver/ good young guard/ 10.2ppg
15 KORAAY KARAMAN center/ leads team in 3pt attempts
13 SEBASTIAN ADEBERG solid forward/ 10.5ppg/ good rebounder
9 NORMAN LANG smart wing/ solid and skilled
