JobStairs GIESSEN 46ers were the only team from the second division ProA to reach the Round of 16 of the BBL German Cup while last season’s ProA champs RASTA Vechta also advanced. Basketball Löwen Braunschweig were another team to win in the First Round with FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 MVP Dennis Schröder in the house. Telekom Baskets Bonn meanwhile just missed claiming the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2023 as they lost the game at the buzzer.
In this section, we break out our English language skills and inform you about the latest news from the German easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga. If you’re short on time but still want your fill of Germany’s top basketball league then you are in the right place. Every week David Hein (www.heinnews.com) brings you up-to-date in German basketball – the easyCredit BBL short and sweet:
Bonn lose FIBA Intercontinental Cup Final at the buzzer
Telekom Baskets Bonn just missed grabbing a major title to start the season as they lost the Final of the 2023 FIBA Intercontinental Cup 70-69 against Sesi Franca Basquete. The Brazilian club won the game in Singapore on a fadeaway jumper by captain Lucas Dias at the buzzer. Bonn, who earned the right to play in the competition after winning the Basketball Champions League crown last season, defeated Al Manama of Bahrain 105-50 and Zhejiang Golden Bulls of China 111-50 to reach the Final. Glynn Watson led Bonn with 16 points, including the floater to give Bonn the lead 69-68 with 38 seconds to go. Harald Frey scored 11 points and Christian Sengfelder added 10 points in the loss.
BBL German Cup Round of 16 set - Giessen the only ProA team still alive
The BBL German Cup Round of 16 is set after the eight First Round games were played this weekend. JobStairs GIESSEN 46ers are the only ProA team still in the competition - they downed HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim - while last season’s ProA champions RASTA Vechta downed ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES to stay alive. The next round will be played October 14-15.
Benzing, Giessen have spell for Merlins
JobStairs GIESSEN 46ers will be the only representative of the ProA in the Round of 16 of the German BBL Cup as they cast a spell on HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim 79-73 at home. Giessen took control of the game with an 18-4 run for an 18-point advantage late in the third quarter. The guests tried to get back into game but the deficit was too big, and Giessen can look forward to a date at NINERS Chemnitz in the next round next month. Crailsheim shot 25.0 percent from long range and committed 18 turnovers. Duane Wilson paced Giessen with 22 points while veteran Robin Benzing poured in 17 points with 5 assists and Stefan Fundic added 16 points and 12 rebounds. Deandre Cook and Prince Oduro both scored 17 points in the loss.
Vecta go confident into season - down Rostock to reach Round of 16
RASTA Vechta collected some major confidence ahead of their return to the easyCredit BBL as they downed ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES 84-76 at home to reach the Round of 16. Vechta, the ProA champions from last season, surged ahead in the start of the third quarter to open a 12-point lead and the gap was still nine points after 30 minutes. Rostock stayed close for most of the final period and trailed by just three points when Joschka Ferner buried a big three-pointer with 33 seconds to play. Vechta also converted four free throws in the last 16 seconds to secure the win - and a matchup at home against BG Göttingen in the next round. Vechta shot 69.7 percent on two pointers while Rostock made just 9-of-20 free throws. Tommy Kuhse led Vechta with 26 points and 6 assists while Spencer Reaves scored 15 points and Wes Iwundu added 14 points. Vechta’s 18-year-old center Johann Grünloh started the game and chipped in 6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks. Derrick Alston scored 14 points in the losing effort.
Braunschweig too much for Tübingen, win with Schröder in the house
Basketball Löwen Braunschweig took advantage of their length and athleticism to register a 78-64 victory at Tigers Tübingen with club owner and freshly-crowned FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 champion and MVP Dennis Schröder in the house. Braunschweig used a 15-3 run in the third quarter to get the win and set up a showdown in the Round of 16 at ALBA BERLIN. Tübingen made just 3-of-7 free throws compared to 14-of-18 for the guests, who held Tübingen to 25.0 percent from long range. Braunschweig also had a 15-4 advantage on second chance points. Barra Njie was Braunschweig’s leading scorer with 18 points off the bench while Jilson Bango had 15 points and 6 rebounds and Ahmaad Rorie tallied 13 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Jhivvan Jackson scored 20 points with 7 rebounds and 4 assists for Tübingen.
Schröder gets a hero’s welcome in Braunschweig - more honors possible
Dennis Schröder received a hero’s welcome when the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 champions and MVP returned to his home city Braunschweig. Thousands came out to welcome Schröder after his outstanding showing in Asia, where he captained Germany to their first World Cup title. Schröder attended the German BBL Cup game of Basketball Löwen Braunschweig, the club he used to play with and now serves as majority owner. He will remain in Germany to at least see Braunschweig’s home game to open the 2023-24 easyCredit BBL game on September 29. Schröder will have on display the World Cup trophy, with which fans can take selfies until the end of the first half. Schröder might have some major honors coming. Braunschweig politicians from the SPD and Greens parties have suggested naming a gym after Schröder, who also entered his name into the Golden Book of his home city. Braunschweig club general manager Nils Mittmann meanwhile said he would suggest a special honor for Schröder, saying the world champion deserves a statue in front of the Volkswagen-Halle.
Balanced Heidelberg too much over determined Bayreuth
MLP Academics Heidelberg used a balanced effort to get past a determined BBC Bayreuth 89-82 on the road to reach the Round of 16 of the BBL German Cup. Playing at the relegated Bayreuth side, Heidelberg pulled way in the fourth quarter in building a 12-point lead, which was too big for a Bayreuth comeback. Bayreuth made just 8-of-14 free throws and just 27.9 percent from long range in the loss. Jeffrey Carroll paced five players in doubled figures with 19 points and 7 rebounds while Isaiah Whaley and Vincent Kesteloot both scored 13 points and Bennet Hundt added 3 points and 10 assists for Heidelberg, who will play at SYNTAINICS MBC in the Round of 16. Selim Fofana tallied 17 points and Shane Gatling picked up 14 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists in the defeat.
SYNTAINICS MBC use second quarter to get past Frankfurt
SYNTAINICS MBC used a strong second quarter to get past second division side FRAPORT SKYLINERS 81-73 on the road to reach the Round of 16 in the BBL German Cup. After scoring 28 points in the first quarter, Frankfurt lost the second quarter 25-11 and could never really challenge the rest of the way. SYNTAINICS MBC will next host MLP Academics Heidelberg. The guests shot 55.6 percent from the floor, including a white-hot 82.1 percent on two-pointers. Diante Baldwin paced five players in double figures with 17 points while Martin Breunig scored 16 points with 6 rebounds and Johnathan Stove had 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Booker Coplin scored 18 points to lead Frankfurt.
Livingston, Bess carry Würzburg past Karlruhe into Round of 16
Würzburg Baskets avoided an upset in the First Round of the BBL German Cup as they defeated ProA side PS Karlsruhe LIONS 93-81 on the road. The guests lost a 10-point lead from the first quarter and nearly wasted an 11-point third quarter advantage before finishing the job in the fourth quarter. Next up for Sasa Filipovski’s team in the Round of 16 is a home game against ratiopharm ulm. Würzburg shot 52.5 percent from the field and made 23-of-25 free throws and forced 18 Karlsruhe turnovers. Otis Livingston was Würzburg’s leading scorer with 21 points with Javon Bess picking up 19 points and 9 rebounds and Isaiah Washington chipping in 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 rebounds and 5 steals. Bakary Dibba scored 21 points in the loss and Garai Zeeb added 15 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists.
Bamberg use 16-0 fourth quarter run to get past Artland
Bamberg Baskets booked their spot in the BBL German Cup Round of 16 as they defeated Artland Dragons 78-67 on the road. Bamberg built a 18-point lead midway through the third quarter but led by just 5 points early in the final period. The guests finished off Artland for good with a 16-0 run and will next take on Veolia Towers Hamburg. Artland shot just 31.9 percent for the game including 14.3 percent from long range. The hosts could also not really take advantage of 19 offensive rebounds. Zach Copeland came off the Bamberg bench for a team-high 26 points followed by Karsten Tadda scoring 17 points and Malik Johnson tallying 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Emeka Nwabuzor and Jannes Hundt both scored 10 points to lead Artland.
Towers tumble Titans after blowing big lead
Veolia Towers Hamburg blew a big lead but still managed to knock off ProA side Dresden Titans 88-85 on the road in the First Round of the BBL German Cup. The guests built a 14-point lead but found themselves down by 7 points with less than 5 minutes to play. Hamburg responded with a 14-3 run including a Mark Hughes four-point play. Hughes added two free throws in the final 10 seconds for the win, setting up a matchup with a home game against Bamberg Baskets. Hamburg survived 24 turnovers by shooting 51.7 percent from the field including 59.1 percent from long range and making 15-of-24 free throws compared to 8-of-9 for Dresden. Aleksander Dziewa paced Hamburg with 19 points and 7 rebounds while Hughes finished with 17 points; William Christmas picked up 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists; and Aljami Durham contributed 10 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists. Tanner Graham scored 19 points to lead Dresden in scoring.
Player of the Week
The Player of the Week for the First Round of the BBL German Cup goes to Zach Copeland of Bamberg Baskets in the team’s win at Artland Dragons. Copeland came off the bench for 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting and 7-of-7 free throws, while also collecting 4 rebounds and 3 assists for an efficiency of 24.
German Top Five of the Week
G: Garai Zeeb, PS Karlsruhe LIONS
Zeeb played really well for the ProA side with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal but they were not enough in a loss to Würzburg Baskets.
G: Daniel Kirchner, Dresden Titans
Kirchner poured in 17 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists and 3 steals in Dresden’s loss against Veolia Towers Hamburg.
G: Karsten Tadda, Bamberg Baskets
Tadda showed he still has plenty left in the tank at 34 with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in a win over Artland Dragons.
F: Robin Benzing, JobStairs GIESSEN 46ers
Benzing, who is also 34 years old, helped Giessen become the only ProA team in the Round of 16 with 17 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal against HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim.
C: Martin Breunig, SYNTAINICS MBC
Breunig picked up where he left off last season with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in a victory over FRAPORT SKYLINERS.
Young Guns
Johann Grünloh, 18, C, RASTA Vechta
Grünloh started against ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES and did not play like an 18-year-old, collecting 6 points on 3-of-4 shots, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks in 19:57 minutes.
Elias Baggette, 21, PG, HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim
Baggette showed his talent against JobStairs GIESSEN 46ers with 5 points on 2-of-4 shots and 1-of-2 free throws to go with 7 assists and 2 steals in 19:04 minutes.
Sananda Fru, 20, PF, Basketball Löwen Braunschweig
Fru played a solid role in Braunschweig’s win over Tigers Tübingen with 2 points on 1-of-1 shots, 6 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks in 17:52 minutes.
Germans Abroad
Satou Sabally is showing to be a force in the WNBA as the 25-year-old was named the Most Improved Player in the league. Sabally averaged 18.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists with the Dallas Wings - up from 11.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season.
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