Basketball: BBC Bayreuth without a chance in Gießen

BBC Bayreuth never had even the slightest chance in its 72:100 away defeat at JobStairs GIESSEN 46ers in the BARMER 2nd German Basketball League Pro A this evening.

Bayreuth's personnel situation was very tense. In addition to the injured Moritz Plescher and Marios Giotis, Besnik Bekteshi, who was newly signed during the week, was also missing. "His deployment is not yet possible because his previous club in Kosovo did not release the player despite the insistence of the BBC Bayreuth management. The BBC will only be able to take further steps to obtain a player's license for Besnik Bekteshi in the coming week," explained the BBC's Managing Director Friedrich Hartung before the start of the game. Bayreuth started in Gießen with Lenny Liedtke, Philip Jalalpoor, Aaron Carver, Shane Gatling and Esa Ahmad.

Shane Gatling added Bayreuth's first points with a three to make it 3:4 in front of 2,263 spectators. However, Gießen got off to the better start overall and led 11:3 after just over two-and-a-half minutes. The BBC had reduced the deficit to 10:13 after just under six-and-a-half minutes. Bayreuth cut the deficit to 13:15 after a three by captain Philip Jalalpoor. The BBC was strong on the offensive rebound, but the ball rarely wanted to go through the hoop. Bayreuth trailed by 13:17 at the end of the quarter.

Robin Benzing and TreVion Crews scored two free throws each to stretch Gießen's lead to 21:13, after which Duane Wilson drained a three to make it 24:13 - and so the Hesse club's lead reached double digits. When the home side also stretched the gap to 27:13, the BBC's Head Coach Mladen Drijencic called a timeout on the sideline. Philip Jalalpoor finally scored Bayreuth's first points in the second quarter with a three to make it 16:27, after which Esa Ahmad cut the deficit to 18:27. However, Gießen then pulled away again to 34:20. An unsporting foul by Shane Gatling had no negative consequences for the BBC. Gießen went in at half-time with a disappointing 46:28 lead for Bayreuth.

Gießen stretched its lead to 56:31 after the break and so to 25 points. The Bayreuth fans who had made the journey chanted "We want to see you fight" and called for the "fight mode" that Head Coach Mladen Drijencic had also called for before the game. Robin Benzing made it 61:35 for the 46ers with a three. The home side was 64:39 ahead after 25 minutes. Bayreuth then missed several opportunities to reduce the deficit to less than 20 points. The home side was finally 71:45 ahead at the end of the third period.

Gießen displayed pure confidence and stretched the gap to 75:45 - a lead of 30 points. They attempted many shots from beyond the three-point line but scored far too weakly. Gießen stretched the gap to 81:47, although Bayreuth's youngster Louis Nauthon then drained a three to make it 50:81. However, the home side pulled away further to 86:50. The 46ers were 90:53 ahead midway through the final period, with Gießen now increasingly resting its regular players and giving its youngsters time on court. However, the home side hardly let up in defense. The score was 92:61 with just over three minutes to go. In the end, the scoreboard showed a 100:72 victory for Gießen that it never threatened. After 19 matchdays, the BBC now has 18:20 points and must be careful to stay in the places in the table that qualify it for the Pro A playoffs.

Bayreuth has the chance to win at home on Saturday, February 3, 2024, when it hosts ART Giants Düsseldorf at 7 p.m.