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Summer time Excellent for ratiopharm Ulm! ratiopharm Ulm completed a successful first season in the Bundesliga and carried that momentum directly through to the summer months. While rebuilding the team with several new additions, the Ulm management also improved the team structure off the floor. Excellent progress was made in several areas which should strengthen the organization for the challenging 2007-2008 Bundesliga season ahead. Lets take a quick look at the events of ratiopharm Ulm's Summer of 2007.
SEASON OPENING PRESS CONFERENCE! Ulm GM Thomas Stoll, Financial Manager Andreas Oettel, Head Coach Mike Taylor and SWU-Boss Berz pose for the press. Ulm Management GM Thomas Stoll and Financial Manager Andreas Oettel spent the summer working hard to help the organization make the next steps. Capitalizing on the teams successful first season in the Bundesliga, Oettel continues to expand the Ulm organization and marketing schemes within the city. Meanwhile, behind the leadership of Thomas Stoll, ratiopharm Ulm marches forward in the organizations development. With a step by step approach, ratiopharm Ulm continues to build and grow off the floor through the same hardwork and teamwork that has been a trademark of their success on the floor. Recently, both Fritz & Macziol and SWU were announced as new Co-Sponsors with new contracts for the future! Many exciting developments are pushing ratiopharm Ulm forward in the city and in the region. At the moment, key issues in Ulm center around the construction of a new gym which according to Ulm politicians is inevitable. However, the current timetable of 4 years provides several difficult challenges for the Ulm organization. Among those issues, without a new gym, Ulm's budget will remain near the bottom of the Bundesliga. With the endless effort of Stoll and staff, ratiopharm Ulm developed incredibly well over the last 4 seasons. Focused for more hardwork ahead, the goal is to continue that development in the next 4. Scouting and the Summer recruiting trail ratiopharm Ulm hit the summer circuit in style this year completing a productive program all over the world. Taking in several excellent events such as the ACMT camp in Columbus Ohio, the Kentucky Pro Am played at Louisville Kentucky and the Backcourt Camp in Syracuse New York, Ulm Head Coach Mike Taylor enjoyed terrific opportunities to scout, recruit and network over several weekends in the east coast and midwest. The summers major trip came in early/mid July when the Ulm staff converged on the NBA summer league in Las Vegas. Along with 4 days in Vegas, Ulm also covered the LA Summer League played in Long Beach California and Michael Hart's Showcase Camp held in Las Vegas. Traditional spots in Europe including Treviso and Courtside in Frankfurt were also covered. Overall, the summer of 2007 was an outstanding and enjoyable "working-vacation" for the entire Ulm basketball staff. Ulm Players Opening the 2007-2008 Bundesliga season, ratiopharm Ulm features an 11man roster with 7 returning players and 4 new additions. Later in the preseason Ulm will add several players to the practice roster most likely to be young talents from the region. Among key losses from last seasons team, the starting backcourt of Austen Rowland and Jonathan Levy both decided to pursue other opportunities, Christian Grosse opted for an excellent spot in Pro A Rhondorf and veteran Ulm big man Maksym Shtein moved to Frankfurt to play for the Deutsche Bank Skyliners. Let's meet ratiopharm Ulm's roster to open training camp Monday August 27th, 2007. NEW ADDITIONS EJ GALLUP: EJ Gallup returns to Ulm after finishing last season strong with the team. Joining Ulm as a standby American before the roster deadline last season, EJ immediately impressed the Ulm staff and earned his place on the team. With the departure of talented Jonathan Levy to Braunschweig, EJ is penciled in at the starting shooting guard spot for Ulm this season. Spending his summer working on his game at Coastal Carolina University, EJ also hosted a terrific tournament in his hometown of Gloversville New York. All proceeds went to a scholarship fund for a graduating senior from the Gloversville High School Dragons, EJ's former team. SEAN FINN: Ulm's newest big man, the 7 foot kansas native spent the summer working out in Kansas City with former NBA player/novelist Paul Shirley. Sean worked hard in the weight room and on his back to the basket moves with the former Phoenix Sun/Chicago Bull/author of "Can I keep My Jersey". An interesting fact about Finn is that he hails from Hays Kansas and played on the Hays High basketball team with Jeff Willms one of Ulm Head Coach Mike Taylor's best friends. KYLE BAILEY: The Fairbanks Alaska native knew where to spend his summer --- Redondo Beach California! After a terrific college career at Santa Clara, Bailey split time between Los Angeles with friends and Fairbanks Alaska with family during the summer. Kyle enjoyed the west coast working on his game and spending time with his girlfriend Lynsey Osbourne a member of the US Womens National Soccer team. After leading Gottingen to the "Aufsteig" last season in the 2.Bundesliga north, Bailey joins Ulm with his lightning quickness and perimeter marksmanship. DRU JOYCE: Ulm's rookie point guard has been a winner all of his life. A point guard on the famous Akron St Vincent St Marys High school team, Dru won a US high school national championship before moving on to a successful 4 seasons with his hometown University of Akron Zips. Dru spent most of his summer working out with his best friend, one LeBron James while mixing in some personal trips to Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and Connecticut. Dru's father is the current head coach at St Vincent St Marys and also runs an outstanding AAU tournament in Akron. SEBASTIAN BETZ: Playing with the A2 German National team, Basti enjoyed an outstanding summer and competed at the World University games in Bangkok Thailand for Head Coach Frank Menz and the German team. Continuing his excellent development while working with Breitengussbach coach Rick Stafford, Sebastian joins ratiopharm Ulm with a terrific opportunity to contribute to the team at a young age. The talented wing inherits a role without pressure but with excellent room for improvement. A slight foot injury sidetracked Sebastian for a brief stint this summer but he will be ready at the start of training camp. The Wilheim native will also be within driving distance for family and friends to come see him play. RETURNING PLAYERS Jeff Gibbs: Ulm's All-Star power forward and wife April enjoyed a new addition to their family as Faith Nicole Gibbs was born midsummer in July. The entire family of Jeff, April, son Trey and baby Faith will return to Ulm ready for another outstanding season. Jeff established himself as an elite player in the Bundesliga last year earning an All-Star spot and also leading the Bundesliga in rebounding. The face of the Ulm franchise, Jeff and his family enjoyed their summer together in Columbus Ohio. Bryan Lucas: Bryan Lucas took much needed personal time this summer. Not only did the talented and committed Ulm big man spend time with family and friends back home in Texas, but with outstanding focus "B" hired a personal trainer to help him prepare for the 2007-2008 season. As exciting as the upcoming year may be, Bryan and his wife Jane are also excited about expecting a newborn during this season in Ulm. Bryan's hardworking-blue-collar style is a perfect fit to Ulm and following a fantastic summer, the upcoming season will be exciting for Bryan and family on and off the floor! Konrad Wysocki: An Architect, Konrad put his Princeton University degree to good use as he began building his own house this summer in Germany. After arranging his post-basketball job in Florida last summer, Konrad spent his summer working on his "project" which will give him outstanding experience and personal satisfaction upon its completion. Not only did Konrad work to construct his future off the floor, the energizing forward also prepared himself with excellent work on his body and skills as he is determined to continue his progress as a basketball player. Voted the Most Improved Player by Eurobasket after his strides last year, Konard is poised for another excellent season as he follows his blueprint on and off the basketball floor. Florian Mobius: The longest tenured Ulm player, Flo has been a staple in the Ulm roster since the beginning of the long climb from the 2.Bundesliga and back into the German top division. This summer, Flo worked dilligently off the floor to complete his thesus which was an interesting study about German basketball for his Sports Science degree. Flo spent much time at his home in Boblingen in the outskirts of Stuttgart with his family. Certainly Flo's dependable character and improving ability helped the team last season during several key stretches and his dependability and unselfishness will be a key to the teams frontcourt this season. Jan Sprunken: Once again Jan traveled alot in the summer time. Another trip to Thailand and many fun days in Munich kept Jans attention before he added in a surfing expedition to the Atlantic coast of France. Jan's experience and personality make him a popular teammate and his valuable ability to play his role for a basketball team has people around Ulm thinking he has potential as an actor. After missing several months with a face-bone injury last year, Jan is fully fit and ready to return to the form that has Ulm fans chanting "Jan the Gun"! Emeka Erege: Ulm's captain visited family in Nigeria in early summer before traveling to Charlotte North Carolina, New York New York and Havanna Cuba. Upon returning to Ulm, Erege has worked out with new conditioning coach Thomas Fritsche this summer. Ulm's outstanding captain is excited about his number change to his college digits of 15 which he wore proudly at Davidson College. ULM PRESEASON ratiopharm Ulm tips off the 2007-2008 Bundesliga basketball season opening preseason practice Monday August 27th at Sportszentrum Kuhberg. During a busy first week together, along with the challenging first week of two-a-day practices, physical testing and conditioning programs, the Ulm team will participate in their official Team Presentation Tuesday night August 28th at the Stadthaus on Munsterplatz which will be followed by official team picutres on the 29th. After the exciting opening week, Ulm travels to Pro A opponent Nordlingen for their first preseason action Saturday night September 1st. On Tuesday September 4th, Ulm visit another Pro A opponent in Bayreuth before hosting Pro A USC Heidelberg for their home opener in the annual Soflingen KUSS game Saturday night September 8th. The next weekend is one of the highlights of Ulm's preseason when the Fritz & Macziol Cup takes place. This season, Austrian Champion Gmunden Swans, Czech Republic Champs Nymburk and local Bundesliga rival Walter Tigers Tubingen will add to the growing tradition of the excellent preseason tournament. After the high caliber competition in the Fritz & Macziol Cup, ratiopharm Ulm will visit regionaliga team Leitersohfen in a friendly game designed to generate interest and fans in the Augsburg area on Wednesday September 19th. The next weekend, Ulm hits the road for a two game road trip meeting Pro A Karlsruhe Friday night September 21st before continuing on across the western boarder into France for a great game against French Pro A team Strassbourg. Along with the exciting game in Strassbourg, Ulm will complete their terrific preseason schedule by traveling to the Czech Republic for the Prostejov Open which will be played Tuesday September 25 through Thursday September 27th. Competing in the high level tournament will be AEK Athens from Greece, Cherkazy from the Ukraine and hosts Prostejov from the Mattoni Czech League. All three teams will compete in the FIBA Europe Cup. Overall, ratiopharm Ulm will play 12 preseason games building up to their Bundesliga season opener Saturday night October 6th in Braunschweig. Capping the preseason in style with fun, the entire ratiopharm Ulm organization will enjoy a day at the famous Octoberfest in Munich Germany together Saturday September 29th. Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm baketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com! GO ULM! MIKE T
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