Basketball: One strong quarter was not enough for BBC Bayreuth

A strong third quarter was not enough: BBC Bayreuth lost 87:100 at Eisbären Bremerhaven in the BARMER 2nd Basketball Bundesliga Pro A on Saturday evening.

The game began evenly poised in front of 815 spectators and the score was 7:7 after just under three minutes. Bremerhaven then embarked on a short run and led 15:9 before Aaron Carver pulled Bayreuth back to within two points. However, the home side stretched the gap to 23:17 and eventually took a 29:22 lead into the first quarter break.

Bremerhaven stretched the gap to eleven points at the start of the second period and so went into double digits for the first time. Nicholas Hornsby immediately added a three to make it 36:22. This was followed by an unsporting foul for Bayreuth's Kristian Sjolund. Nicholas Hornsby added two free throws to make it 38:22. The home side dominated the encounter in this spell and pulled away to 45:26, with the BBC showing too little resistance. Esa Ahmad, who put in his best performance, cut the deficit to 31:47 with a three-pointer, but Bremerhaven kept going and after just under 16 minutes the score was 52:31 and the lead had grown to 21 points. Marios Giotis and Moritz Plescher drained two free throws to pull Bayreuth back to within 38:52. At the end of a disappointing first half from Bayreuth's perspective, Bremerhaven was 61:44 ahead.

Bayreuth began the third period with seven points in a row and the home side's lead had shrunk to ten points. Shane Gatling pulled the BBC back to 55:64, then Moritz Plescher drained a three to make it 58:64 - Bayreuth was finally in the game. Esa Ahmad cut the deficit to 63:67, but the home side struck back on the other end with a three by Matthew Frierson to make it 70:63. Shane Gatling then drained a three to make it 66:70, but Bremerhaven stretched the gap to 74:66 again. To prevent a fast break, Esa Ahmad was penalised with an unsporting foul with 28 seconds left in the quarter. Bremerhaven was finally 76:72 ahead after 30 minutes.

Lenny Liedtke cut the deficit to 75:78 with a three in the opening spell of the final quarter, then Selim Fofana drained two free throws to make it 77:78, but the Bremerhaven team struck back and pulled a little further ahead to 85:77. Aaron Carver replied with a slam-dunk to make it 79:85, but Bayreuth now lacked luck with its shots and so Bremerhaven pulled ten points ahead again. Shane Gatling replied with three free throws to make it 82:89. Shane Gatling again reduced the deficit to 85:89 with a three, but Bremerhaven then regained its composure and pulled 96:85 ahead again with one-and-a-half minutes remaining. The preliminary decision had thus been made. Bremerhaven ultimately captured its third win of the season by 100:87 and Bayreuth now has an even record of five wins and five defeats after ten games.

Bayreuth awaits the JobStairs GIESSEN 46ers at home next Saturday, 9 December.