The German U19 and U16 Championships were held in Ulm over the last weekend. Unfortunately it lacked the elite prospects it usually displays, as the eldest group in the JBBL, the 2000 born generation, lacked the elite talents the preceding generations had to offer. In terms of the NBBL Top 4 neither the teams of the most promising '98 born prospects Richard Freudenberg, Oscar da Silva, Louis Olinde or '97 born Niklas Kiel, nor those '99 born prospects Isaac Bonga and Nelson Weidemann were able to make it into the stage of the final four teams. Additionally Kostja Mushidi, Moritz Wagner and Isaiah Hartenstein transferred to teams abroad. Due to a severe back injury the latter would not have been able to participate either way.
While the JBBL teams all seemed to be evenly matched, allowing for close, but mainly mediocre play, the most able and talented team playing over the weekend was clearly the youth team of the Brose Baskets Bamberg: TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach. Overall this championship weekend was extremely disappointing compared to the championship games in the previous years. Here a short breakdown of the all teams:
JBBL
Metropol Baskets Ruhr
The team from North-Rhine Westphalia was a clear outsider coming into the semifinals, expected to be blown out by their counterparts. Instead they took the eventual champion from Frankfurt down to the wire, but were not able to stay calm and collected in the moments of the game that counted the most. The team from Recklinghausen was not the most talented group, however they were able to challenge Frankfurt through team play and a willingness to put everything down on the line. In the end it just wasn't enough due to the lack of shot makers and creators on their roster.
Most promising on Metropol's roster was 6'9 Center Finn Fleute (’00) mainly due to his length and stature. Displaying a strong framework that seems to be made for the rigors high level basketball brings with it, he has a good basis to build upon. However at this point he is extremely raw, especially when it comes to post moves and the ability to finish around the basket. While he moves relatively well, it will be interesting to see what kind of steps he can make in his development. Their best player in their lone game vs. Frankfurt was 6'1 wing Moritz Plescher (‘00) a decent all-allrounder who played a tough game. He was able to score at a high percentage from all but the midrange area, where he went 0 for 3. Seemingly the only true skill player on a team looking to wear you down through a slow paced grind it out defensive game plan. In the end it wasn't enough against the eventual champion.
Top players:
Moritz Plescher: 14 points (2-6 2fg, 3-5 3fg), 5 rebounds, 5 assists in 34 minutes vs. Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Finn Fleute: 10 points (3-6 2fg), 12 rebounds in 27 minutes vs. Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
TuS Lichterfelde
Pegged as the favorite at the beginning of the season TuS Lichterfelde left no doubt about their aspirations throughout the whole season, as they were able to beat every opponent in dominating fashion. However, they were not able to replicate their success during the semifinal game against ratiopharm Ulm. TusLi played beneath their expectations and capabilities. Relying heavily on the brilliance of Hendrik Drescher (’00) and Jonas Mattisseck (’00), they were not able to find solutions as ratiopharm Ulm made TuSLi’s star players work every single play.
As he displayed a decent stat line, it never seemed as though Drescher was ever able to find access to the game. While he is usually able to simply overpower every opponent he faces, he now have to find other solutions and had to truly earn every single basket, as nothing easy was given to him by an equally strong and even taller opponent. Drescher did not seem willing to try to impose his will, as he seemed bothered by Ulm’s defensive efforts. Similarly Mattisseck was overwhelmed by the constantly seeing three opponents running at him as soon as he drove to the basket. This led to him committing costly turnovers and attempting numerous difficult shots because his teammates often couldn’t convert on his dump offs and kick out passes. Merely in the last minute of regulation was he able to look like his normal self, however by then it was too little, too late in order to turn the game in their favor.
Their promising 6’5 wing Dwayne Koroma (’01) very too little, but seemed to be hampered by a knee injury, as he limped slightly up and down the court. Nonetheless he showed great upside and an already elite defensive ability during the time he did get on the court. The rest of the team was not able to impact the game in any way.
Top players:
Hendrik Drescher: 23 points (9-18 2fg, 1-5 3fg, 2-2 ft), 9 rebounds, 2 assists in 38 minutes vs. ratiopharm Ulm.
Jonas Mattisseck: 15 points (3-13 2fg, 3-8 3fg), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 turnovers in 37 minutes vs. ratiopharm Ulm.
Dwayne Koroma: 4 points (2-3 2fg) 1 rebound, 1 block in 14 minutes vs. ratiopharm Ulm.
ratiopharm Ulm
They slayer of the two headed monster that TuSLi was, Ulm were able to overwhelm the Berlinians with a sheer effort performance. They constantly committed multiple defenders to either player, daring the supporting cast to beat them. Ultimately this plan paid dividends and they wore both of TuSLi’s star players down to the point where they were able to pull away for good, beating an evenly matched team handily through a team effort. Although they won, they did not necessarily impress against the favorites from Berlin, though they did display great sense of unity. In the final against Frankfurt they simply lacked the resolve to stop the fast break attack in the second half.
Led by Mate Fazekas ('00) it was interesting to see how the team from Ulm tried to find him early and often. At times they used a screening game, sometimes simple duck-ins and most of the time through pick and roll plays. Clearly one of the more physical players in the JBBL Top 4, it was astonishing to see that he did not seem to be in shape at all and at times looked as though he was asleep on the job. Nonetheless he was able to do enough to be the best player throughout this Top 4 competition. Their point guard Tim Köpple ('00) was steady enough to keep his team in games, but in the end lacked the ability to create in order to get his team over the last hurdle. However, he is a solid point guard with the ability to control the tempo and he has a keen understanding as to when to cut for scores. Important to note was that Moritz Krimmer ('00) was their X-factor, as he continually posed problems on the defensive end for TuSLi, as he ripped down 12 boards and blocked 6 shots. He was not able to duplicate that performance in the final though.
Top players:
Mate Fazekas: 20 points (14-33 2fg, 0-2 3fg, 12-15ft), 7.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 turnovers in 36 minutes vs. TuSLichterfelde and Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Tim Köpple: 16.5 points (11-20 2fg, 1-7 3fg, 8-11ft), 6 rebounds, 3.5 assists in 31 minutes vs. TuSLichterfelde and Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Dejan Puhali: 10 points (2-6 2fg, 4-11 3fg), 1.5 rebounds, 2 assists in 27 minutes vs. TuSLichterfelde and Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Moritz Krimmer: 3 points (3-4 2fg, 0-3 3fg), 10.5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks in 34 minutes vs. TuSLichterfelde and Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners
Missing one of their most productive players Frankfurt still managed to snag the title in the U16 competition. Though they looked mediocre in their semifinal win against Metropol, displaying an inability to put the ball in the basket, they were not punished by their counterparts, as Metropol offensive output was moderate as well. The youth team of the FRAPORT Skyliners was not able to truly play inspired basketball until the second half of the final against Ulm, when they were able to best their highest offensive output by ten points, as well as shooting an astounding 58% from the field, while holding Ulm’s offensive output 18 percentage points lower than their own.
Leading the charge for the 2016 JBBL champion was 5’10 point guard Jim Gietz (’00), who seemed to have the games under his control at all times. While he was not able to come close to his offensive production during the season, he was seemed as though he could go off any second. However, one thing to note is that he somewhat struggled with the length of his opponents early in games, usually settling in and finishing later during the games. Gietz’s sidekick was undersized 4-man Noah Litzbach (’00): He is a volatile player who brought the fire on every single play over the course of the weekend. Though he did shoot too shots from the perimeter, since he shoots a mere 24.3% for the season, he was not shy about throwing his body around and defending guys a lot bigger than him. While his upside leaves a lot to be desired, there is no question how much he means to this team. The unsung hero for this team was Fabian Bender (’00), a 6’1 combo guard, who quietly impacted the games in every facet imaginable. He could have easily garnered the MVP honors if the voters would have paid more attention to his quiet contributions as a role player.
Top Players:
Jim Gietz: 14 points (4-10 2fg, 3-15 3fg, 11-19ft), 3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2 steals in 33 minutes vs. Metropol Baskets Ruhr and ratiopharm Ulm.
Noah Litzbach: 15 points (10-17 2fg, 3-12 3fg), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers in 34 minutes vs. Metropol Baskets Ruhr and ratiopharm Ulm.
Fabian Bender: 12 points (8-9 2fg, 2-4 3fg), 5.5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3.5 steals in 28 minutes vs. Metropol Baskets Ruhr and ratiopharm Ulm.
The Awards
JBBL Top 4 MVP
Jim Augustin Gietz - Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners
Season Awards JBBL
MVP: Hendrik Drescher, TuSLichterfelde
Defensive Player of the Year: Jonas Mattisseck, TuSLichterfelde
Coach of the Year: Zoltan Nagy, ratiopharm Ulm
Rookie of the Year: Zachary Ensminger, Oettinger Rockets Gotha
NBBL
Young Dragons
For the Young Dragons from Quakenbrück making it to the NBBL Top 4 was a feat in itself, as they had to cope with the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein who decided to transfer to Zalgiris Kaunas six months early, thereby leaving his hometown team in the middle of the season. While they presented an adequate team, they were still no match for a sluggish ALBA BERLIN squad that was able to blow the Young Dragons out without showing themselves from their best side. They were not able to compete in any statistical category, as they got beat in every facet of the game.
Given the team from Quakenbrück lost arguably the best prospect Germany has produced in years, they still have two very promising players in their ranks. Philipp Herkenhoff ('99) the freakishly long wing player who seems to be improving steadily, seemed as though he was the only player on his team able to find things to work on this day. His guards were able to find him a couple times rolling hard in PNR situations and he got out on the break to throw down a thunderous dunk. Even he could not change the outcome of the game in any way. His Latvian sidekick Roberts Blumbergs ('98) did not pick the best a no show as they got eliminated in the semifinal. While he was able to have an impact on the game with 12 boards, his decision making left a lot to be desired on this day, as he shot a very low percentage from the field, as well as turned the ball over way too many times. Given these two promising players are surrounded by a lot of short guards who were not able to have an impact on the game, it was not surprising the team had to bow out of the contest the way they did.
Top players:
Philipp Herkenhoff: 19 points (5-7 2fg, 2-6 3fg, 5-5ft), 8 rebounds, 3 assists in 38 minutes vs ALBA BERLIN.
Robert Blumbergs: 11 points (3-9 2fg, 0-3 3fg, 5-10ft), 12 rebounds, 4 turnovers in 23 minutes vs ALBA BERLIN.
ratiopharm Ulm
Over the course of the NBBL season ratiopharm Ulm has been a team characterized by its team play and having an elite shot maker in their ranks. While they played significantly worse than they did all season, they were able to challenge the arguably most talented team in the competition in Breitengüßbach. While they were able to challenge the eventual champion defensively, they shot a measly 26 percent from the field with 19 turnovers, making it nearly impossible to decide the game in their favor.
Although his shot selection was questionable at times, there was no way Ulm would not even have had a chance to stay in the game if it weren’t for David Krämer (’97). Simply put they just needed him to make more shots than he did this weekend. Usually a great shooter, who’s able to create his own shot, he struggled against the length of Breitengüßbach, leading to a horrid shooting night. Their second best player Marvin Omuwvie (‘97) was a non-factor in their lone game. One bright spot was Bernhard Benke (’97) who may not have scored at a high rate, however he defended the frontline of Breitengüßbach exceptionally well and grabbed 10 boards of which 4 were on the offensive glass.
Top players:
David Krämer: 23 points (1-7 2fg, 4-15 3fg, 9-11ft), 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals in 35 minutes vs TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach.
Bernhard Benke: 7 points (2-4 2fg, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 turnovers in 26 minutes vs TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach.
ALBA BERLIN
One of the most dominant teams throughout the season, ALBA BERLIN did not play particularly well in this championship tournament. Beating an overmatched team in the Young Dragons, the team from Berlin was simply too deep to really be challenged. However, in the final against Breitengüßbach it was apparent they have not really faced adversity up until this point in the season. This led to them completely falling apart against the youth side of the Brose Baskets Bamberg.
The lone bright spot throughout these two games was the play of Tim Schneider (’97) who was the only player in double figures against the big frontline of Breitengüßbach. While he was not impressive, Schneider was able to shoot at a decent rate, mainly converting on midrange jumper. ALBA’s best player Ferdinand Zylka (’98) was not able to underline his performance at the ANGT, as he shot an abysmal 7 for 27 from the field. In the semi-final he seemed to simply have an off-night, however in the final he seemed to struggle mightily with the length of his counterparts. For Zylka this may just be a blimp in the road, nonetheless it does give fuel to his doubters. Similarly Bennet Hundt (‘98) was bothered by the length, as he could not repeat his steady play during both the ANGT and the Albert Schweitzer Tournament.
Top players:
Ferdinand Zylka: 13 points (2-12 2fg, 5-15 3fg, 7-7ft), 7 rebounds in 28 minutes vs Young Dragons and TSV Tröster Breitengüßach.
Tim Schneider: 14 points (8-15 2fg, 3-11 3fg), 8.5 rebounds, 2 steals in 27 minutes vs Young Dragons and TSV Tröster Breitengüßach.
Benedikt Turudic: 9.5 points (9-21 2fg, 1-5ft), 3.5 rebounds in 20 minutes vs Young Dragons and TSV Tröster Breitengüßach.
Bennet Hundt: 6.5 points (2-8 2fg, 1-9 3fg), 4 assists in 23 minutes vs Young Dragons and TSV Tröster Breitengüßach.
TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach
The youth side of the Brose Baskets Bamberg seemed similarly overpowering as their professional side when it comes to the domestic competition. Though ratiopharm Ulm was able to somewhat challenge the über-talented team. Stacked with a big frontline, they were able to impose their will in the paint, as they merely allowed a 29% field goal percentage from inside the arc in both of their games combined. They made 40% of their shots inside the arc.
Led by the dominant play of Leon Kratzer (’97) they were able to rule the paint in both games. Though his scoring statistics look rather bleak, it did seem as though he was going to score every time he touched the ball. While he was intimidating by his size alone, his rugged style allowed him to be a dominant force, especially on the glass. Moritz Sanders (’98) on the other hand usually roamed around the perimeter. However, he was rather ineffective, as it kept him away from the glass and he was not able to knock down shots over the course of the weekend. Also Arnoldas Kulboka (’98) could not impress, as he seemed all over the place. He was often tasked with manning the point guard position. Thus he did not find himself in situations he is most effective in, as he struggled to assert himself. The MVP of the Top 4 Tibor Taras (’97) quietly played a great tournament, standing at the right place at the right time and hitting crucial shots throughout the semifinal game. Though he mainly played off the ball, he seemed to be the orchestrator of their offense and their calming force.
Top players:
Arnoldas Kulboka: 10 points (2-8 2fg, 5-16 3fg), 3.5 rebounds in 28 minutes vs ratiopharm Ulm and ALBA BERLIN.
Leon Kratzer: 9.5 points (5-9 2fg, 9-21 ft), 13 rebounds in 28 minutes vs ratiopharm Ulm and ALBA BERLIN.
Moritz Sanders: 4.5 points (1-5 2pt, 2-10 3fg), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks in 21 minutes vs ratiopharm Ulm and ALBA BERLIN.
Tibor Taras: 14.5 points (5-9 2fg, 6-15 3fg), 5 rebounds, 2 assists in 24 minutes vs ratiopharm Ulm and ALBA BERLIN.
The Awards
NBBL Top 4 MVP
Tibor Taras – TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach
Season Awards NBBL
MVP: Leon Kratzer
Defensive Player of the Year: Karim Jallow
Coach of the Year: Danny Jansson
Rookie of the Year: Philipp Herkenhoff
Photo: nbbl-basketball.de
While the JBBL teams all seemed to be evenly matched, allowing for close, but mainly mediocre play, the most able and talented team playing over the weekend was clearly the youth team of the Brose Baskets Bamberg: TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach. Overall this championship weekend was extremely disappointing compared to the championship games in the previous years. Here a short breakdown of the all teams:
JBBL
Metropol Baskets Ruhr
The team from North-Rhine Westphalia was a clear outsider coming into the semifinals, expected to be blown out by their counterparts. Instead they took the eventual champion from Frankfurt down to the wire, but were not able to stay calm and collected in the moments of the game that counted the most. The team from Recklinghausen was not the most talented group, however they were able to challenge Frankfurt through team play and a willingness to put everything down on the line. In the end it just wasn't enough due to the lack of shot makers and creators on their roster.
Most promising on Metropol's roster was 6'9 Center Finn Fleute (’00) mainly due to his length and stature. Displaying a strong framework that seems to be made for the rigors high level basketball brings with it, he has a good basis to build upon. However at this point he is extremely raw, especially when it comes to post moves and the ability to finish around the basket. While he moves relatively well, it will be interesting to see what kind of steps he can make in his development. Their best player in their lone game vs. Frankfurt was 6'1 wing Moritz Plescher (‘00) a decent all-allrounder who played a tough game. He was able to score at a high percentage from all but the midrange area, where he went 0 for 3. Seemingly the only true skill player on a team looking to wear you down through a slow paced grind it out defensive game plan. In the end it wasn't enough against the eventual champion.
Top players:
Moritz Plescher: 14 points (2-6 2fg, 3-5 3fg), 5 rebounds, 5 assists in 34 minutes vs. Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Finn Fleute: 10 points (3-6 2fg), 12 rebounds in 27 minutes vs. Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
TuS Lichterfelde
Pegged as the favorite at the beginning of the season TuS Lichterfelde left no doubt about their aspirations throughout the whole season, as they were able to beat every opponent in dominating fashion. However, they were not able to replicate their success during the semifinal game against ratiopharm Ulm. TusLi played beneath their expectations and capabilities. Relying heavily on the brilliance of Hendrik Drescher (’00) and Jonas Mattisseck (’00), they were not able to find solutions as ratiopharm Ulm made TuSLi’s star players work every single play.
As he displayed a decent stat line, it never seemed as though Drescher was ever able to find access to the game. While he is usually able to simply overpower every opponent he faces, he now have to find other solutions and had to truly earn every single basket, as nothing easy was given to him by an equally strong and even taller opponent. Drescher did not seem willing to try to impose his will, as he seemed bothered by Ulm’s defensive efforts. Similarly Mattisseck was overwhelmed by the constantly seeing three opponents running at him as soon as he drove to the basket. This led to him committing costly turnovers and attempting numerous difficult shots because his teammates often couldn’t convert on his dump offs and kick out passes. Merely in the last minute of regulation was he able to look like his normal self, however by then it was too little, too late in order to turn the game in their favor.
Their promising 6’5 wing Dwayne Koroma (’01) very too little, but seemed to be hampered by a knee injury, as he limped slightly up and down the court. Nonetheless he showed great upside and an already elite defensive ability during the time he did get on the court. The rest of the team was not able to impact the game in any way.
Top players:
Hendrik Drescher: 23 points (9-18 2fg, 1-5 3fg, 2-2 ft), 9 rebounds, 2 assists in 38 minutes vs. ratiopharm Ulm.
Jonas Mattisseck: 15 points (3-13 2fg, 3-8 3fg), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 turnovers in 37 minutes vs. ratiopharm Ulm.
Dwayne Koroma: 4 points (2-3 2fg) 1 rebound, 1 block in 14 minutes vs. ratiopharm Ulm.
ratiopharm Ulm
They slayer of the two headed monster that TuSLi was, Ulm were able to overwhelm the Berlinians with a sheer effort performance. They constantly committed multiple defenders to either player, daring the supporting cast to beat them. Ultimately this plan paid dividends and they wore both of TuSLi’s star players down to the point where they were able to pull away for good, beating an evenly matched team handily through a team effort. Although they won, they did not necessarily impress against the favorites from Berlin, though they did display great sense of unity. In the final against Frankfurt they simply lacked the resolve to stop the fast break attack in the second half.
Led by Mate Fazekas ('00) it was interesting to see how the team from Ulm tried to find him early and often. At times they used a screening game, sometimes simple duck-ins and most of the time through pick and roll plays. Clearly one of the more physical players in the JBBL Top 4, it was astonishing to see that he did not seem to be in shape at all and at times looked as though he was asleep on the job. Nonetheless he was able to do enough to be the best player throughout this Top 4 competition. Their point guard Tim Köpple ('00) was steady enough to keep his team in games, but in the end lacked the ability to create in order to get his team over the last hurdle. However, he is a solid point guard with the ability to control the tempo and he has a keen understanding as to when to cut for scores. Important to note was that Moritz Krimmer ('00) was their X-factor, as he continually posed problems on the defensive end for TuSLi, as he ripped down 12 boards and blocked 6 shots. He was not able to duplicate that performance in the final though.
Top players:
Mate Fazekas: 20 points (14-33 2fg, 0-2 3fg, 12-15ft), 7.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 turnovers in 36 minutes vs. TuSLichterfelde and Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Tim Köpple: 16.5 points (11-20 2fg, 1-7 3fg, 8-11ft), 6 rebounds, 3.5 assists in 31 minutes vs. TuSLichterfelde and Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Dejan Puhali: 10 points (2-6 2fg, 4-11 3fg), 1.5 rebounds, 2 assists in 27 minutes vs. TuSLichterfelde and Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Moritz Krimmer: 3 points (3-4 2fg, 0-3 3fg), 10.5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks in 34 minutes vs. TuSLichterfelde and Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners.
Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners
Missing one of their most productive players Frankfurt still managed to snag the title in the U16 competition. Though they looked mediocre in their semifinal win against Metropol, displaying an inability to put the ball in the basket, they were not punished by their counterparts, as Metropol offensive output was moderate as well. The youth team of the FRAPORT Skyliners was not able to truly play inspired basketball until the second half of the final against Ulm, when they were able to best their highest offensive output by ten points, as well as shooting an astounding 58% from the field, while holding Ulm’s offensive output 18 percentage points lower than their own.
Leading the charge for the 2016 JBBL champion was 5’10 point guard Jim Gietz (’00), who seemed to have the games under his control at all times. While he was not able to come close to his offensive production during the season, he was seemed as though he could go off any second. However, one thing to note is that he somewhat struggled with the length of his opponents early in games, usually settling in and finishing later during the games. Gietz’s sidekick was undersized 4-man Noah Litzbach (’00): He is a volatile player who brought the fire on every single play over the course of the weekend. Though he did shoot too shots from the perimeter, since he shoots a mere 24.3% for the season, he was not shy about throwing his body around and defending guys a lot bigger than him. While his upside leaves a lot to be desired, there is no question how much he means to this team. The unsung hero for this team was Fabian Bender (’00), a 6’1 combo guard, who quietly impacted the games in every facet imaginable. He could have easily garnered the MVP honors if the voters would have paid more attention to his quiet contributions as a role player.
Top Players:
Jim Gietz: 14 points (4-10 2fg, 3-15 3fg, 11-19ft), 3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2 steals in 33 minutes vs. Metropol Baskets Ruhr and ratiopharm Ulm.
Noah Litzbach: 15 points (10-17 2fg, 3-12 3fg), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers in 34 minutes vs. Metropol Baskets Ruhr and ratiopharm Ulm.
Fabian Bender: 12 points (8-9 2fg, 2-4 3fg), 5.5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3.5 steals in 28 minutes vs. Metropol Baskets Ruhr and ratiopharm Ulm.
The Awards
JBBL Top 4 MVP
Jim Augustin Gietz - Eintracht Frankfurt/FRAPORT Skyliners
Season Awards JBBL
MVP: Hendrik Drescher, TuSLichterfelde
Defensive Player of the Year: Jonas Mattisseck, TuSLichterfelde
Coach of the Year: Zoltan Nagy, ratiopharm Ulm
Rookie of the Year: Zachary Ensminger, Oettinger Rockets Gotha
NBBL
Young Dragons
For the Young Dragons from Quakenbrück making it to the NBBL Top 4 was a feat in itself, as they had to cope with the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein who decided to transfer to Zalgiris Kaunas six months early, thereby leaving his hometown team in the middle of the season. While they presented an adequate team, they were still no match for a sluggish ALBA BERLIN squad that was able to blow the Young Dragons out without showing themselves from their best side. They were not able to compete in any statistical category, as they got beat in every facet of the game.
Given the team from Quakenbrück lost arguably the best prospect Germany has produced in years, they still have two very promising players in their ranks. Philipp Herkenhoff ('99) the freakishly long wing player who seems to be improving steadily, seemed as though he was the only player on his team able to find things to work on this day. His guards were able to find him a couple times rolling hard in PNR situations and he got out on the break to throw down a thunderous dunk. Even he could not change the outcome of the game in any way. His Latvian sidekick Roberts Blumbergs ('98) did not pick the best a no show as they got eliminated in the semifinal. While he was able to have an impact on the game with 12 boards, his decision making left a lot to be desired on this day, as he shot a very low percentage from the field, as well as turned the ball over way too many times. Given these two promising players are surrounded by a lot of short guards who were not able to have an impact on the game, it was not surprising the team had to bow out of the contest the way they did.
Top players:
Philipp Herkenhoff: 19 points (5-7 2fg, 2-6 3fg, 5-5ft), 8 rebounds, 3 assists in 38 minutes vs ALBA BERLIN.
Robert Blumbergs: 11 points (3-9 2fg, 0-3 3fg, 5-10ft), 12 rebounds, 4 turnovers in 23 minutes vs ALBA BERLIN.
ratiopharm Ulm
Over the course of the NBBL season ratiopharm Ulm has been a team characterized by its team play and having an elite shot maker in their ranks. While they played significantly worse than they did all season, they were able to challenge the arguably most talented team in the competition in Breitengüßbach. While they were able to challenge the eventual champion defensively, they shot a measly 26 percent from the field with 19 turnovers, making it nearly impossible to decide the game in their favor.
Although his shot selection was questionable at times, there was no way Ulm would not even have had a chance to stay in the game if it weren’t for David Krämer (’97). Simply put they just needed him to make more shots than he did this weekend. Usually a great shooter, who’s able to create his own shot, he struggled against the length of Breitengüßbach, leading to a horrid shooting night. Their second best player Marvin Omuwvie (‘97) was a non-factor in their lone game. One bright spot was Bernhard Benke (’97) who may not have scored at a high rate, however he defended the frontline of Breitengüßbach exceptionally well and grabbed 10 boards of which 4 were on the offensive glass.
Top players:
David Krämer: 23 points (1-7 2fg, 4-15 3fg, 9-11ft), 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals in 35 minutes vs TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach.
Bernhard Benke: 7 points (2-4 2fg, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 turnovers in 26 minutes vs TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach.
ALBA BERLIN
One of the most dominant teams throughout the season, ALBA BERLIN did not play particularly well in this championship tournament. Beating an overmatched team in the Young Dragons, the team from Berlin was simply too deep to really be challenged. However, in the final against Breitengüßbach it was apparent they have not really faced adversity up until this point in the season. This led to them completely falling apart against the youth side of the Brose Baskets Bamberg.
The lone bright spot throughout these two games was the play of Tim Schneider (’97) who was the only player in double figures against the big frontline of Breitengüßbach. While he was not impressive, Schneider was able to shoot at a decent rate, mainly converting on midrange jumper. ALBA’s best player Ferdinand Zylka (’98) was not able to underline his performance at the ANGT, as he shot an abysmal 7 for 27 from the field. In the semi-final he seemed to simply have an off-night, however in the final he seemed to struggle mightily with the length of his counterparts. For Zylka this may just be a blimp in the road, nonetheless it does give fuel to his doubters. Similarly Bennet Hundt (‘98) was bothered by the length, as he could not repeat his steady play during both the ANGT and the Albert Schweitzer Tournament.
Top players:
Ferdinand Zylka: 13 points (2-12 2fg, 5-15 3fg, 7-7ft), 7 rebounds in 28 minutes vs Young Dragons and TSV Tröster Breitengüßach.
Tim Schneider: 14 points (8-15 2fg, 3-11 3fg), 8.5 rebounds, 2 steals in 27 minutes vs Young Dragons and TSV Tröster Breitengüßach.
Benedikt Turudic: 9.5 points (9-21 2fg, 1-5ft), 3.5 rebounds in 20 minutes vs Young Dragons and TSV Tröster Breitengüßach.
Bennet Hundt: 6.5 points (2-8 2fg, 1-9 3fg), 4 assists in 23 minutes vs Young Dragons and TSV Tröster Breitengüßach.
TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach
The youth side of the Brose Baskets Bamberg seemed similarly overpowering as their professional side when it comes to the domestic competition. Though ratiopharm Ulm was able to somewhat challenge the über-talented team. Stacked with a big frontline, they were able to impose their will in the paint, as they merely allowed a 29% field goal percentage from inside the arc in both of their games combined. They made 40% of their shots inside the arc.
Led by the dominant play of Leon Kratzer (’97) they were able to rule the paint in both games. Though his scoring statistics look rather bleak, it did seem as though he was going to score every time he touched the ball. While he was intimidating by his size alone, his rugged style allowed him to be a dominant force, especially on the glass. Moritz Sanders (’98) on the other hand usually roamed around the perimeter. However, he was rather ineffective, as it kept him away from the glass and he was not able to knock down shots over the course of the weekend. Also Arnoldas Kulboka (’98) could not impress, as he seemed all over the place. He was often tasked with manning the point guard position. Thus he did not find himself in situations he is most effective in, as he struggled to assert himself. The MVP of the Top 4 Tibor Taras (’97) quietly played a great tournament, standing at the right place at the right time and hitting crucial shots throughout the semifinal game. Though he mainly played off the ball, he seemed to be the orchestrator of their offense and their calming force.
Top players:
Arnoldas Kulboka: 10 points (2-8 2fg, 5-16 3fg), 3.5 rebounds in 28 minutes vs ratiopharm Ulm and ALBA BERLIN.
Leon Kratzer: 9.5 points (5-9 2fg, 9-21 ft), 13 rebounds in 28 minutes vs ratiopharm Ulm and ALBA BERLIN.
Moritz Sanders: 4.5 points (1-5 2pt, 2-10 3fg), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks in 21 minutes vs ratiopharm Ulm and ALBA BERLIN.
Tibor Taras: 14.5 points (5-9 2fg, 6-15 3fg), 5 rebounds, 2 assists in 24 minutes vs ratiopharm Ulm and ALBA BERLIN.
The Awards
NBBL Top 4 MVP
Tibor Taras – TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach
Season Awards NBBL
MVP: Leon Kratzer
Defensive Player of the Year: Karim Jallow
Coach of the Year: Danny Jansson
Rookie of the Year: Philipp Herkenhoff
Photo: nbbl-basketball.de
ADVERTISING
