BG Karlsruhe came into the game fighting for a playoff spot, but left looking anything like a playoff team. Pascal Roller once again led his team for the second straight game, scoring 27 points. The up and coming Rouven Roessler led Karlsruhe in scoring with 25 points and was about the only Karlsruhe player that showed pride. Many had expected a scoring feast between Chris Williams and top BBL scorer Narcisse Ewodo, but Ewodo did not play due to an injury. "I`m not sure if my absence was a reason for our loss today. I think that when a team has a piece that is taken out, sometimes this works and sometimes it does not. Today it did not work", said a very disappointed Narcisse Ewodo.
The OPEL SKYLINERS were never seriously threatened in this game. Right from the start, they began to get a big lead. Frankfurt led at a time in the first quarter with 24 to 6, mostly due to the hot shooting from Pascal Roller with 14 points in the opening quarter. "Pascal going 7 for 8 from three point land was great and you don`t really need more than that", said a happy Chris Williams about his captain. Roller set personal highs for the season, scoring seven three pointers and shooting an incredible 90% from the field. "They are just a tough team. They play tough defense and all five guys are always running, which often leaves Pascal Roller open and today, he made just about every shot", said a frustrated Chuck Evans.
With Ewodo out with an injury, it was evident from the start that a huge piece to Karlsruhe`s offense was missing. They tried to compensate it with other players contributing, like American Derrick Allen who scored 16 points and American Domonic Jones who chipped in with 15 points, but it just wasn`t enough. They shot poorly as a team from the field and had many turnovers. It was apparent that the injury to Ewodo did not sit well with the team. "The team relies on Ewodo emotionally and he has a big influence on the players. It was clear that they did not have as much confidence in their game", said a proud assistant coach Simon Cote.
Roller once again had a great game, but he had a great supporting cast. Team-scoring was well balanced again. "I was impressed how unselfish we played.With such a big lead, you might think some guys may take some bad shots, but that was not the case. Everyone was contributing", said Chris Williams. Williams scored 18 points, Panteliadis mustered 17 points and Sljivancanin had another impressive game with 14 points and a personal best five steals. Jukka Matinen heard the cheers again after his two three pointers. "It felt great!It`s always fun to play when the team is playing so good offensively and defensively", said an overjoyed Jukka Matinen. The OPEL SKYLINERS can be really proud of this effort, because they had team best marks in shooting percentage at 69% from the field and 25 assists.
With this victory, Frankfurt is a step closer to a playoff spot, but their goal is still to get the highest playoff position as possible. The next opponent won` t be any easier, as powerhouse ALBA Berlin visits the Ballsporthalle on Saturday at 18:30. The OPEL SKYLINERS discovered a new strengh against Karlsruhe. "The emphasis last week in practice was talking. Today we talked a lot defensively. The very best teams have great communication. Everybody works better together when there is communication. This was a big step we can build on to be successful in the long run", said a confident assistent coach Simon Cote. "They are a real good team. They play such aggressive defense and we had no answer today. They have a real good chance to repeat as champions", said a very respectful Chuck Evans. After the game against Alba Berlin on Saturday, the OPEL SKYLINERS will have a good idea where they stand. "This will be one of the most important games of the season", said Spyro Panteliadis. Frankfurt now has five days to prepare for this important game, as their road to the playoffs continues on Saturday at 18:30 in the Ballsporthalle against ALBA Berlin.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber reporting for the OPEL SKYLINERS
