TAYLORHOOPS.COM ULM UPDATE
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ONE VERSUS TWO; AND 21-0.
Friday night November 12th the 2nd Bundesliga South season took a surprising turn leading two top organizations in different directions. Two roads diverged from one big game. Tied atop the league standings, both teams entered that fateful Friday November 12th night unbeaten. Preseason league favorite ratiopharm Ulm suffered a 91-75 road loss to RCE Falke Nurnberg resulting in a role reversal at the top of the standings. Nurnberg took pole position and never looked back.
Though much time has passed and many changes have taken place since the first meeting between these two top teams, one thing has remained the same --- Nurnberg's unbeaten record.
21-0.
No team in recent history has traversed the tough 2nd Bundesliga South with a perfect 30-0 record. Teams have come close including recent champions Ludwigsburg (2001-2002). This seasons RCE Falke Nurnberg club have made an impressive run through the league relying on experience and talented players enjoying career years.
Leading the explosion is skilled scoring guard Julius Jenkins. After playing solid in 2003-2004, Julius has emerged as a clear MVP candidate in this year's 2.Bundesliga season. Not only has the 6'2 scorer averaged a league best 27.3ppg, the Georgia State alumnus has hit a sizzling 48% from three point range all year. Cat quick and playing with supreme confidence, Julius has produced at a high level acting as the catalyst in Nurnbergs rise to the top. Julius has topped the 30 point mark in 7 games this season peaking at 37 in a road win at TV Lich. Clearly, Ulm defenders will have their hands full with this skilled scoring machine.
JULIUS JENKINS
from www.falke-basketball.de
Setting the table for Nurnberg is 37 year old veteran point man Marcel Tenter, a brilliant playmaker who has directed the Falcons attack like an elite maistro. Averaging a league best 7.6 assists per game, Tenter is an exceptional passer with fantastic court vision. He changes speeds well and has excellent body control when in the paint. Tenter's experience allows him to control tempo and lead his teammates through important situations on the floor. Like Jenkins, Tenter has produced at a high level all season for Nurnberg.
The key offseason addition for Nurnberg was adding Greek small forward Sotirious Gioulekas. A big wing with excellent three point range and ability to rebound and post up, "Soto" has emerged as the teams second leading scorer at 19.1ppg and stretches defenses with his perimeter marksmanship. Gioulekas sparked Nurnberg's hot shooting start hitting early threes against Ulm in November.
Another quality addition, power forward Cory Jenkins has found his role and fit in nicely with Nurnberg. A power player with soft shooting touch, Jenkins puts in 15 points and 7.9 rebounds a night. His physical defense and team play has been an underrated attribute of Nurnberg's success all season.
KARIM AW
from www.falke-basketball.de
Manning the middle, center Karim Aw, a 38 year old veteran, leads the league in rebounding (11rpg) and shot blocks (1.5pg). Menacing opponents in the paint, Aw draws from years of experience and makes his mark with his defense first "Bill Russell" style of play.
From the bench, three players are significant contributors. Power forward Thomas Rissmann brings size, strentgh and a sweet perimeter shooting touch to the team. Reserve guard Angelos Plantzas, a terriffic three point shooter, stretches defenses with his dead-eye aim. Finally, Robert Duhring, a hardworking team player, is capable of productive performances with versatility and competitiveness in the front court.
Certainly, Head Coach Stephan Harlander has done a masterful job guiding his troops to their perfect record. Harlander has built a solid team and developed the chemistry successfully on the floor while raising the teams profile and support off it. In fact, 3 full fan busses are expected to make the trip to Ulm for Saturday's big game.
Ulm's Sportszentrum Kuhberg is expected to be full for Saturday's 7pm tip off. And while Nurnberg brings an unbeaten 21-0 record to the game, Ulm brings a perfect 10-0 home record to the floor. Coming off last Sunday's huge road win in Heidelberg, Ulm players are confident and energized. Clutch perfromances from an under the weather Shaheen Holloway and hot shooting Christian Grosse made the difference.
Unfortunately, the flu has lingered with Holloway all week preventing him from a full practice with the team. Ulm's quarterback will be a game time decision after rest and medicine attempting to help him recover. Flu has not only been a problem in Ulm. Both Sotirius Gioulekas and Julius Jenkins were limited to one practice session during the week as well. It will be interesting to see how sharp these three players are Saturday night.
While Ulm might be without their playmaking point guard, the team will definitely be without injured center Big Mike Niebling --- although longer than expected. Monday, before the league transfer deadline, Ulm loaned out their back up 7 foot big man to local rival Humana Ehingen in an effort to help Big Mike's career and help Ehingen stay in the league. Fighting to prevent relegation back into the 3rd division, Ehingen has missed size in the paint all season. Big Mike will fill the space nicely and his important role on their team will surely showcase his skills giving him more opportunity to develop and improve when compared with his current role playing from Ulm's bench. The move also opens more opportunity for power forward Fannar Olafsson to play his way into a contract for the future. Maybe most important, the move clearly signals quality teamwork between the two former cooperating clubs which have been embroiled in competition and moving away from one another over the last year.
Ulm will need a tremendous team defensive performance to slow down the high scoring Nurnberg attack. Peter Heizer, Emeka Erege and Maksym Shtein will handle tough defensive assignments on Saturday night. If Holloway can not play, Ulm will need Christian Grosse and Kenny Price to pick up the slack at the point. Look for this to be an excellent battle at Sportszentrum Kuhberg on Saturday night.
Finally the two diverging roads meet reconnecting with less at stake. Although pole position will not be on the line, Ulm has much to play for on Saturday --- payback, pride, knocking Nurnberg from the ranks of the unbeaten. Maybe not what was expected when preseason predictions were made, but without question one of the special games of this 2004-2005 season. It's all in the numbers. One versus two; and 21-0.
Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm basketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com !
GO ULM!
MIKE T
6 SHAHEEN HOLLOWAY no practice all week/game time decision
8 KENNY PRICE important weapon against Nurnberg zone
10 EMEKA EREGE looks to outplay Nurnberg's Gioulekas
14 FLORIAN MOBIUS important 4 man must step up Saturday
15 MAKSYM SHTEIN classic matchup with quality C Karim Aw
5 FANNAR OLAFSSON must produce from bench against top team
11 PETER HEIZER key defensive player for Ulm's game plan
7 CHRISTIAN GROSSE hot shooting guard ready for big game
13 TOBI WAITZINGER hardworker helping team daily
18 BENNI GULDE youth has double duty with Neu Ulm and Ulm!
9 ANTOINE SINCLAIR will miss season with knee injury
12 MICHAEL NIEBLING injured C loaned to Ehingen for rest of year
14 MARCEL TENTER 12.7ppg 7.6apg 2.5rpg 32%3pt veteran point
11 JULIUS JENKINS 27.3ppg 4.1rpg 3ast 48%3pt MVP season
10 SORTIRIUS GIOULEKAS 19.1ppg 5rpg 38%3pt missing link
12 CORY JENKINS 15.2ppg 7.9rpg power fwd signed in october
13 KARIM AW best rebounder/shot blocker 7.4ppg 11rpg 36%ft
15 THOMAS RISSMANN 7.4ppg 5rpg 42% good big off bench
7 ANGELOS PLANTZAS excellent deep shooter 4.4ppg 47%3pt
4 ROBERT DUHRING hardworking post sub 2.7ppg 1.9rpg 22%3pt
