Basketball: BBC Bayreuth disappoints at EPG Baskets Koblenz

BBC Bayreuth suffered a sobering 63:93 defeat at EPG Baskets Koblenz in the BARMER 2nd German Basketball League Pro A this evening.

The BBC started with Lenny Liedtke, Selim Fofana, Philip Jalalpoor, Aaron Carver and Shane Gatling at the relegation-threatened 15th-placed club in the table. Bayreuth were still without Marios Giotis due to injury. Koblenz only fielded eight players in the rotation due to a number of absentees.

Bayreuth got off to a nervous start, conceding a number of turnovers. A three by Rytis Pipiras made it 15:4 and so the club from the Rhineland was already in front by double digits after just four minutes. After a timeout by Head Coach Mladen Drijencic, Bayreuth reduced the deficit by a few points. Nevertheless, EPG Baskets went into the first quarter break 27:17 in front.

Selim Fofana cut the deficit for the BBC with a three at the start of the second period. Besnik Bekteshi then cut Bayreuth's deficit to 24:30 with a four-point play. However, Koblenz continued to impress with a strong three-point percentage. Koblenz led by eleven points at half-time (48:37).

Selim Fofana and Moritz Plescher opened the third quarter with two threes for the BBC. Koblenz's lead melted to four points at one stage. Koblenz then increased its lead again. Although the home side now only had seven fit players due to another injury, it continued to find solutions to keep the BBC at bay. Koblenz went into the final quarter with a 65:56 lead.

Koblenz got off to a good start in the final period and led 70:56 - its biggest lead to date. When Sperber stretched the gap to 76:56 with another bucket from downtown and Leon Friederici stretched the gap to 78:56, the game was virtually decided with six minutes remaining after the home side produced a 13:0 run. Bayreuth conceded five turnovers in the first four minutes of the final quarter. After 25 minutes, the team from Koblenz, which had lost seven games in a row recently, had increased its lead to 82:56 - a disastrous quarter for the BBC was on the cards. In the end, the BBC suffered a disastrous 63:93 defeat and has now squandered its last - and in any case only theoretical - chance of making the playoffs.

Marvin Heckel was the best scorer for EPG Baskets Koblenz, a very evenly matched team, with 17 points, while Caleb Huffman was Koblenz's best rebounder with nine buckets. Shane Gatling was the BBC's top scorer with 14 points, while the other players each had a single-digit haul. Aaron Carver was Bayreuth's top rebounder with six steals.

Next Saturday, April 20, BBC Bayreuth welcomes Gartenzaun24 Baskets Paderborn for the last home game of the main round.