BBC Coburg picks up its first away win by defeating the reigning champions from Elchingen

BBC COBURG can also win on the road: It captured its first away win of the season against, of all teams, reigning champions and favorites scanplus baskets Elchingen by the margin of 78:83 (46:35) and is now in a playoff berth in the BARMER ProB South 2nd German Basketball League.

Yet the game started anything but promisingly for the club from Upper Franconia. Elchingen soon went 17:7 in front, forcing the BBC’s Head Coach Ulf Schabacker to call his first timeout. His pep talk had the desired impact: A tip-in after an offensive rebound by Christopher Wolf and two free throws by Kevin Franceschi closed the gap to 23:22 in the 13th minute. However, last season’s title-winners put a halt to the BBC’s comeback and went in at half-time with an 11-point cushion (46:35).

After the break, Coburg got better into the game , among other things thanks to six points from Andy Rico, but was still not able to reduce the deficit significantly for a long time. That did not change until the end of the third period, when Steffen Walde heralded in a run of eight points without reply on the buzzer, with Franceschi, point guard Chase Adams and Wolf adding points at the beginning of the final period to tie the scores at 67:67.

Both sides traded blows in the end-to-end affair that ensued. First of all, center Max von der Wippel put the BBC 78:79 in front with two free throws. Then the home side did not manage, in the face of excellent Coburg defending, to get a shot away within 24 seconds. Franceschi attempted a mid-range shot, but missed the target. But then Chase Adams snapped up the most important offensive rebound of the evening for his side. The point guard, who turned in yet another outstanding display (20 points, ten rebounds and seven assists), was fouled and drained both free throws to make it 78:81.

As a result, Coburg has now moved up (at least temporarily) into the converted eighth spot that would mean a place in the playoffs and also ensure the club remains in the league.