Forward Ibrahim Diarra said it was too early to go home for summer vacation. "The whole season was built on this game. Coach Didin had said that we have been working nine months and 10 days since the start of training camp and we simply had to win this game." The whole series had been decided by six or fewer points and no one really expected this dominating win by the OPEL SKYLINERS. Michael Hakim Jordan said it was a series of missed opportunities. "Frankfurt played a great game and it was really only a matter of time before they would start hiiting three pointers. We had two chances to win here, but we didn´t take advantage of it and game five killed us." Center Bernd Kruel was happy, that the team finially came together. "The key to the victory was that we shot well, which had not been happening in previous games, shut out Bulic and received some good calls from the referee."
The first quarter was very tight as it was tied at 25 to 25 at the end of the first quarter. "The game was about as good as over after the first quarter. They got the majority of the rebounds and loose balls. Frankfurt is a good team and our hats go off to them. I wish them the best of luck against Alba Berlin", commented Artland Dragon Ben Ebong. In the second quarter, the OPEL SKYLINERS started to breakaway from the Artland Dragons and the team from the north seemed a bit tired. At halftime Frankfurt had a comfortable lead 48 to 32. Quackenbrück scored only seven points in the second quarter. "The defense as a team was great today. If we continue to do that, then we will have no problems defending our championship", described an elated Tyrone Ellis. In the second quarter until the end, everything seemed to gel for the OPEL SKYLINERS.
"Our inside outside game was good and we moved the ball well and the Artland Dragons could not handle that and we hit our shots", said captain Pascal Roller.
In the third quarter, Frankfurt held Quakenbrück to seven points again and led after three quarters 62 to 39. In the fourth quarter, it was quite even as Frankfurt outscored Quakenbrück 25 to 24, but it was too late. Assistent Coach Simon Cote said there was a big difference between the two teams with the player personal. "We knew what this game meant and we have great leaders and big time players and big time players rise to the occassion. Pascal Roller showed that he is one of these type of players and he had a great supporting cast with Ibrahim Diarra, Bernd Kruel, Malick Badiane and Jukka Matinen."
The OPEL SKYLINERS were led by captain Pascal Roller, who scored 25 points (5/8 from three point land), and grabbed six rebounds. Tyrone Ellis is getting more and more to his old self, as he scored 16 points. "I´m about 75% back to my old playing self. My shots are coming, but I just have to take it step by step", said Tyrone Ellis. Chris Williams had a great game registering his 21ist double double scoring 15 points, hauling down a team high 14 rebounds and a personal playoff best eight assists. Williams is happy that Tyrone Ellis is back. "Tyrone takes a lot of pressure of Pascal Roller and me. He gets a lot of shots and it´s difficult to double off of him." Jukka Matinen scored eight points including two three pointers. Spyro Panteliadis scored eight points off the bench. The master of defense Ibrahim Diarra had a great defensive game and got six rebounds. In the end of the fourth quarter, little used Hasan Özkan came in and scored a three pointer.
"Everyone did their job today. If everyone does their job on the court, then we are a great team and that happened today", explained Simon Cote.
The Artland Dragons had only two players in double figures. Ben Ebong was their top scorer with 11 points and a team high 11 rebounds. Afters coring 27, 17, 22 and 29 points in the first four games, Croatin Marko Bulic was contained to only 10 points, while shooting only 33% from the field. "As a team we said NO MORE. We were not going to let Bulic beat us. We were tired of it and we were determined to stop him in the final game", added guard Tyrone Ellis. American Michael Hakim Jordan had nine points.
An important statistic in game five for the OPEL SKYLINERS was the team rebounding. Frankfurt outrebounded the Artland Dragons 43 to 30. "This was one of the best rebounding performances in the last months. Coach Pat Riley always says, that rebounding will get you rings", said a overjoyed Simon Cote. Bernd Kruel had four points and five rebounds and Malick Badiane had eight points, five rebounds and two blocked shots. It was a whole team effort as small guys like Roller and Diarra mixed it up under the basket getting their share of rebounds.
The OPEL SKYLINERS will meet Alba Berlin in game one on Sunday at 17:15 in the Max-Schmeling-Halle. By reaching the semi Finals, Frankfurt has also qualifyed for the ULEB Cup. The season series was 1-1. Frankfurt lost in Berlin and humiliated them at home in March. Forward Chris Williams likes the chances of the OPEL SKYLINERS. "We are fit for Berlin. All these games helped us get some of our injured players like Tyrone Ellis back into game shape. The key will be rebounding. They are bigger, but we are more athletic. If we can dominate under the Basket, then we have a good chance." Eventhough Frankfurt has struggled a bit in the last weeks, Ibrahim Diarra doesn´t think that Alba Berlin will take Frankfurt lightly. "We beat them by 30 the last time. They will be very hungry. They have a great team and coach with Hendrik Rödl."
The OPEL SKYLINERS will need to have preformances like the 30 point win against Alba Berlin or their convincing win in game five against Quakenbrück, in order to have a chance to advance to the final. "The Frankfurt-Berlin series will probaly go five games and if the OPEL SKYLINERS shoot like they did in game five against us, then no one will beat them", said guard Michael Hakim Jordan. The last four playoff series have gone to a fifth and deciding game and maybe that might change if Frankfurt can upset Alba Berlin in game one on their home court.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber reporting for the OPEL SKYLINERS
