Basketball Bundesliga: medi bayreuth loses in Crailsheim

Medi bayreuth lost 85-90 on Holy Saturday in front of 1,996 spectators at the Arena Hohenlohe. Especially the free throw rate of only 50 percent (9 of 18) was annoying in the end.

It was a fast-paced game from the start, in which medi started wide awake and was able to extend the lead to 13:6 after five minutes with an 11:0 run. Head coach Raoul Korner's team repeatedly broke through the gaps in the Crailsheim defence, so that Merlin's head coach Sebastian Gleim had to call a time-out on his boys. After this discussion phase, the Magicians now acted more concentrated. As a result, they equalised the score 18:18 in the 7th minute of the game and were able to take the lead 26:25 by the end of the first quarter. Also after the first ten minutes, the high tempo remained on both sides and a close game developed with several lead changes. As medi continued to net at a high percentage from the three-point line, Head Coach Raoul Korner's team managed to take the lead at the end of the second quarter.

While it was still an offensive fireworks display from both teams in the first twenty minutes, there was little left of it after the change of sides. After a successful free throw by Sacar Anim at 53:48, it took almost a full three minutes for the next ball to fall through the hoop again. Then, however, both teams remembered their offensive strength again. The fact that Head Coach Raoul Korner's team could not decisively pull away was mainly due to the weakness at the free-throw line, which was at 42% in the meantime. Thus, after thirty minutes, the lead melted down to only one point (65:64). This picture continued in the final period. The Bayreuth team always maintained a narrow lead, but due to the continuing weakness at the free-throw line, medi could not pull away. On the contrary, a 7:0 run by the Merlins in the 38th minute tipped the momentum to the side of the home side. Led by Terrell Harris, Head Coach Sebastian Gleim's team caught up point by point and took the lead one minute before the end of the game, which they would not relinquish until the end of the duel. The guests tried their best, but the Crailsheim team's serenity was too great. In the end, Head Coach Raoul Korner's team lost the away game against HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim with 85:90 after a strong performance.

Raoul Korner (Head Coach medi bayreuth): "First of all, congratulations to the coach and his team on a hard-fought, certainly lucky, but well-deserved victory. We controlled most of the game. We played excellent in parts, with small breaks. In the end, the team that has the confidence to hit difficult shots won. But we will keep fighting. Two weeks, three games. We will deliver three more tough fights."

It's already next Friday, 22.04.2022, for the boys of Head Coach Raoul Korner, because then Ratiopharm Ulm will be guests in the Oberfrankenhalle.

Source: www.medi-bayreuth.de