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The EWE Baskets Oldenburg Smother The Deutsche Bank Skyliners In The Snow 75-69

(Monday, January 18th 2010 by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber)

 

The possibility of teen queen pop sensation Miley Cyrus going into retirement without doing a new kind of vampire duet with Rob Pattison or before Scooby Doo could eat a mack truck full of Scooby snacks didn´t hold back the young kids from coming to the Ballsporthalle with big Skyliner smiles not letting the sadness ruin a good game even if The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were swallowed 75-69 by The EWE Baskets Oldenburg "The fans came to see good basketball. I guess they love us more than Miley Cyrus”, joked Skyliner guard Quantez Robertson. “Well the little kids still have her songs to listen to, but it is always exciting and worth it to come and watch basketball”, stressed Oldenburg American Josh Carter. For some players thinking about the right words concerning Cyrus were more than important.

 

“I guess Cyrus is not as big as we thought she was. Kids seemed happy getting autographs after the game, but my sister may be sad, because she is 15 years old”, added Skyliner American Grayson Moyer. The era of Miley Cyrus never entered the household of 2004 Detroit pistons draft pick Rickey Paulding, because his son is simply too young. “Her story is kind of similar to High School musical, because it has to end sometime. Maybe kids want to watch other things. My son is watching The Micky Mouse club”, laughed Rickey Paulding. Frankfurt PRO B player Willis Gardner wasn´t aware of the Miley Cyrus retirement rumours, but was happy with all the kids in the Ballsporthalle.

“Well I am sure a lot of the tears turned to cheers. The dunks and passes it what brings them to the games”, stated American Willis Gardner.

 

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners played well, but The Ewe Baskets Oldenburg were a little bit better especially in crucial moments in the fourth quarter, one quickly saw the experience and team together come into action as the come back success fortune was not presenr in crunch time as missed shots, not controlled offensive rebounds and turnovers haunted Frankfurt. “Anytime you come into ahostle envoroment like Frankfurt and pull out a win then you can be very happy. We played with a lot of high concentration and played great team basketball. We executed our offense well”, stated Je kel Foster. The Ewe Baskets Oldenburg did those things that The Deutsche Bank Skyliners had done well in the last weeks in crunch time. “Oldenburg made tough shots in pressure situations, got a lot of second chances and were able to take time off the clock in the end”, added Quantez Robertson

 

Even though The Ewe Baskets Oldenburg Thunderbird is a species that adores the warmer climates, in the last years it has seemed to adapted very well to the colder Germany climate. Thinking that the cold can be an disadvantage can´t really be a reason anymore for any lack luster play by the gang of Predrag Krunic. “It is freezing in Oldenburg. Most of the Americans are form cold places. Gardner is used to the cold and Foster gets us warm with his shooting”, joked Rickey Paulding. “The Thunderbirds kept warm and it showed in their shooting”, added Skyliner American Grayson Moyer. “We never let the coldness disturb us as we got warm in time of the game”, laughed ex Texas A & M American Josh Carter. “Those Thunderbirds stuck together and flew together as a team”, said Skyliner guard Quantez Robertson. With the Thunderbirds so strong in the cold, one may have thought that the Ballsporthalle caretaker might build a snow fort in the zone to help withstand the Oldenburg big men and flights form the wing players, but even if one was there, it didn´t help. “We ran through the snow fort. Our time in the weight room has helped”, joked Oldenburg forward Josh Carter. “Oldenburg shovelled the snow away”, added Quantez Robertson. “The snow fort didn´t help us, but there might have been some snow on the floor, because some of us were slipping and sliding around”, joked Grayson Moyer.

 

The Ewe Baskets Oldenburg have the FGP(field goal percentage) trio of Foster, Gardner and Paulding that create havoc for the opponents, but for some reason, Foster has often the guy who is mentioned last in this trio when it comes to their performances on the court. This season, Je Kel Foster is having his best season in the BBL as he is leading the team in scoring and assists and is fourth best rebounder. It seems like he is this eason´s Rickey Paulding in terms of being Mr everything on the court. “I am not Rickey Paulding, but Je Kel Foster. We never know who will score. It really doesn´t matter who scores, but that we win at the game”, stressed Je Kel Foster. When one asks about Foster, one gets a big Paulding smile and the utmost respect. “Foster is our best offensive player. We all know what he can do. It was his turn to step up. We ask him to play point guard and he does, we ask him to socre and he does, or we ask him to defend the best players and he does. The way he is playing, it just makes everyone´s job a lot easier. The fact that he got married might have helped his game”, warned Rickey Paulding. Frankfurt got first hand of the lethal play by Foster and were unable to keep him in check. “Foster shoots pretty well. It is really hard to stop him. He works well on pick and role and finding the open man”, added Quantez Robertson. Grayson Moyer wasn´t 100% fit, but saw enough of Foster in his 8:21 minutes. “Foster can penetrate very well and hit outside shots. It is really difficult to play him for the drive or shot. When he gets going, it helps the team get going”, added Grayson Moyer.

 

Rickey Paulding scored 30 points in Frankfurt three years ago and his current 29% three point shooting percentage has been limiting his scoring, but he finished with a solid game of 13 points, three assists, three rebounds and two steals. He knows about his poor three point shooting percentage and the last thing that he will do I refrain from shooting. “I just have to keep shooting. I have to think that the next one will fall. Teams are more aware of me this season and I am taking more contested shots. Maybe you can pray for me and my shooting”, joked Rickey Paulding. Even good friend Jimmy Mckinney has noticed that Paulding has struggled somewhat, but also sees good qualities in his play. “The Paulding on the court is not the Paulding I know. He is still aggressive and his ball handling has gotten very well. He does what it takes to help the team win. That’s Rickey. He is a target for each team and he isn´t getting open shots as much. He just has to keep taking shots”, warned Skyliner guard Jimmy Mckinney.

 

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners had to play with out American Seth Doliboa who had suffered a stomach virus an4780 fans witnessed an extremely ugly first few minutes as The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were still wiping the snow out of their faces after the possible pregame snowball fight in the parking lot with Oldenburg as they came out falt as they quickly fell behind 7-0. Milan Majstorovic started the scoring barrage with a three pointer, Boumtje Boumtje made a dunk after getting abullet pass from Gardner and Foster hit a jumper. Frankfurt seemed nervous, coughed up the ball and were missing shots. Skyliner American Jimmy Mckinney got his team on the scoreboard by feeding Greg Jenkins for a dunk and then making an off balance jumper. Frankfurt had to crawl back the whole game as Oldenburg would always have the upper hand. The Frankfurt offense had little structure in the first quarter and there was no stopping Je Kel Foster who got hot which got his team going. After Paulding gave Oldenburg the 12-6 lead, Derrick Allen made a jumper as soon as he caught the ball and captain Pascal Roller made a jumper running around a block to cut the Oldenburg lead to 14-10. However whenever Frankfurt was threatening, it was Foster who had an answer making a pretty layup as he seemed like he was dancing in the air for minutes. Allen and Jenkins made hoops down the stretch, but Josh carter ended the first quarter scoring with a layin.

 

The EWE Baskets Oldenburg led 20-14 after one quarter. “Oldenburg started out well and Frankfurt settled down then, but Frankfurt didn´t rebound well and got too many fouls”, stressed Frankfurt PRO B player Willis Gardner. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg were shooting 47% from the field and 33% from outside while The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were shooting 54% from the field and didn´t take a three pointer. The rebounding was dead locked at six a piece, but Frankfurt had five turnovers and Oldenburg only three turnovers.

 

In the second quarter, The EWE Baskets Oldenburg would continue to have the lead, but Derrick Allen finally broke out of his mini slump being the spark plug for The Deutsche Bank Skyliners. Oldenburg started very efficient getting production form little used Germans like German Daniel Hain who made a floater, Scekic a lay in and little used Daniel Strauch a three pointer.Allen kept his team in the game making nine points and getting Frankfurt back to 27-23. Frankfurt was missing a second reliable scorer in this phase as Oldenburg continued to score, but got production from American Jason Gardner that nailed a three pointer over Calhoun and then made a nifty spin move around Calhoun and then finished almost bashful with a finger tip roll. Oldenburg still had the lead 34-28 and made a little run of 6-0 as Boumtje Boumtje scored a jumper, then two free throws and Paulding a runner from the wing. Oldenburg led 40-28. Frankfurt finished the second quarter with a Jimmy Mckinney mid distance jumper and an Aubrey Reese lay in off a nice pass from Roller.

 

The EWE Baskets Oldenburg had the comfortable 42-32 lead after 20 minutes. Frankfurt had big problems getting hot on defensive stops. “Derrick Allen got hot. Frankfurt had foul problems and the rebounding continued to struggle. Oldenburg were patient and were a class better than Frankfurt”, commented Frankfurt PRO B guard Willis Gardner. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg were shooting 56% from the field and 33 % from the three point line while The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were shooting 54% from the field and still 0% from the three point line. Oldenburg increased their rebounding leading the duel 14-9 while they had six turnovers and Frankfurt eight turnovers.

 

Foster got Oldenburg on the board first with a spin move, but Frankfurt then got some luck as well as the momentum as Resse hit a jumper that hit the back of the rim popped up and seemed to go up towards heaven, but came down and instead of going over the back board or falling away from the rim, it actually went in something that is about as rare as captain Pascal Roller making a three pointer. Jenkins then made a stuff courtesy of a Robertson no look pass and Frankfurt trailed only 44-36. The Ballsporthalle was cooking, fans were sensing the turning point, but instead of capitalizing on Oldenburg mistakes, Frankfurt was unable to keep the offense going. Paulding made a lay in after catching a Boumtje Boumtje airball. Paulding would catch two airballs that would lead to Oldenburg points. “I can´t remember catching two air balls in a game and making baskets. I was just going to the offensive glass. I had no idea that they would be air balls. I guess I was a bit lucky”, said Rickey Paulding. Greg Jenkins now had a strong phase a she rocked the Ballsporthalle with a thundering dunk over Boumtje Boumtje. Jenkins had problems in the first half, but got stronger in the second half. “Any kind of dunk over anyone feels good, but it wasn´t really special. I was thinking too much in the first half about not making mistakes. I came to play in the second half”, expressed Greg Jenkins. It seemed like Frankfurt had the momentum, but were still down 49-39. After a Gardner three pointer, Frankfurt rallied out on a 6-0 run to cut the Oldenburg lead to 49-45. Jenkins scored a hard lay in over Boumtje Boumtje, then showed his alertness taking a rebound and firing a touchdown pass to Allen which looked like a Tom Brady to Randy Moss connection. Each time that Frankfurt was threatening to tie Oldenburg, the opponent pulled away as Foster and Paulding made fade away jumper. Allen continued his deadly rampage underneath making a lay up past Boumtje Boumtje and making one as the buzzer sounded.

 

After three quarters, The EWE Baskets Oldenburg had the 56-51 lead. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg were shooting 51% form the field and 32% from the parking lot.and The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were shooting 52% from the field and only 13% from the parking lot. Oldenburg continued to dominate the boards 23-17, while Oldenburg had 11 turnovers and Frankfurt only nine.

 

The start of the fourth quarter was a nightmare as Oldenburg raced out on a 7-0 run as Majstorovic made a three pointer and lay ins Paulding a steal and lay in. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg had their biggest lead at 64-51. Frankfurt had three offensive plays and three turnovers that led to the 7-0 run. For Frankfurt to lay down and die hasn´t been a part of their game so a comeback was awited from just about everyone in the arena and it finally came.as Frankfurt went on a 11-2 run to cut the Oldenburg lead to 66-63 Reese did an intelligent job drawing two fouls and making all four free throws. Roller then made a seemingly impossible three pointer that looked like it was taking atrip down the yellow brick road. Allen made a tough lay in after missing the first try and then another lay in as he was fed by a no look Calhoun pass. This was the moment where Frankfurt took the lead against Braunschweig and Giessen and win the game, but not this time, as Oldenburg buckled down showed why they are the current BEKO BBL champions. Foster followed with a line drive shot over Calhoun that probably would go in one in ten times, but Frankfurt didn´t have the odds on this night. Oldenburg led 68-63, but there was still 1:30 to play. After a Reese miss, Oldenburg came back down and Gardner missed and Frankfurt was unable to secure the rebound as Majstorovic got the offensive rebound as Oldenburg took more time off the clock and Gardner showed his experience scoring on a lay up. Oldenburg led 70-63 with 48 seconds to play and despite a Qarraan Calhoun dunk, time was running down and the game ended with a few more free throws. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg were the more clever team down the stretch winning 75-69. “We stepped it up on offense at the end and our defense contained them. I thought that we did a pretty good job on Reese and contained their pick and role well”, stressed Josh Carter.”We didn´t get the stops down the stretch when we needed them. We dug ourselves in a hole. We fought hard, but they made their shots and we couldn´t get over the hump”, stressed Grayson Moyer.

 

cThe EWE Baskets were led by Je Kel Foster with 23 points, six rebounds and two assists. Jason Gardner had 13 points as did Rickey Paulding. Milan Majstorovic chipped in with ten points. The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were led by Derrick Allen with 26 points and four rebounds. “Allen had his shot going. He did a great job finding the open shots and just played great”, stressed Josh Carter. Aubrey Reese added 20 points, four rebounds and three assists. Greg Jenkins had ten points and two rebounds.

 

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners had their four game winning streak snapped, but are in fourth place in the BEKO BBL standings while THE EWE Baskets Oldenburg won their fourth game in a row and are now ready to make a run for the top position since the Euroleague season is over. “I wouldn´t say that we are at 60%. We want to be at 100%. We go from game to game and want to be our best in the playoffs”, stated Daniel Hain. Frankfurt didn´t meet a top quality Oldenburg team, but still the opponent had enough strength and firepower to beat a semi dangerous team with Frankfurt. Both teams shot very well, but the 2/12 shooting by Frankfurt from outside was miserable. Doliboa was not only missing from the parking lot, but also under the boards as Oldenburg outmuscled Frankfurt under the boards 31-24. “We struggled rebounding. Oldenburg got a lot of tips. We have to box out better and get more loose balls”, warned Grayson Moyer. Oldenburg only had ten assists and often went with the one on one plays, but made a lot of very difficult shots in the second half which broke the back of Frankfurt. This was a tough loss, but with TBB Trier arriving in six days, the team will need to forget Oldenburg as quickly as possible. “We need to erase this loss as quickly as possible, focus on the next opponent and work hard in practice this week”, stressed Qarraan Calhoun. The Deutsche Bank Skyliners host TBB Trier on January 22nd at 19:30