BBC Coburg wins at second-placed Schwenningen

BBC COBURG is gradually turning into giant killers in the BARMER ProB South 2nd German Basketball League. Thanks to a mature team performance, it inflicted the first home defeat of the season on second-placed wiha Panthers Schwenningen on Saturday evening, winning by 82:85 (42:40) to keep on track for a playoff berth.

Head Coach Ulf Schabacker had hatched various tactical ploys against the strong league newcomers from the Black Forest. For example, he began with an extremely small starting give. Christopher Wolf took over as center, while Steffen Walde moved from his customary wing position and operated as power forward. In addition, Schabacker applied a strategy of 2-3 zone defense instead of man-to-man covering for large spells.

The visitors, who were without captain Yasin Turan, got into the game well and forced the Panthers’ Head Coach Alen Velcic to call his first timeout after four points by Kevin Franceschi – two of them with a spectacular tip dunk – and a lay-up by Dino Dizdarevic after a steal. Yet the pep talk had no great impact: Seven straight points by Walde and a bucket from outside by Wolf stretched the gap to 15:25 before the home side was able to reduce the deficit towards the end of the opening period, which ended 20:27.

An old acquaintance took center stage for Schwenningen in the second quarter. Former BBC forward Anell Alexis, who chalked up a total haul of 11 points, was on hand on several occasions after a fast break and, together with the strong American Rasheed Moore, turned the game around. The favorites went in at half-time with a wafer-thin 42:40 lead.

However, BBC COBURG came out with a lot of zest after the break and recaptured the lead through a bucket from beyond the arc by Wolf (45:46 in the 22nd minute). The club from Upper Franconia fashioned impressive plays for its fans in this spell. A behind-the-back pass by Dizdarevic was finished by Walde – a move that even produced nods of admiration among the home crowd. The visitors led by the narrow margin of 59:60 after 30 minutes.

The encounter seemed to initially be tilting Schwenningen’s way in the final period. Coburg conceded three turnovers in a row to enable the home side to move four points in front (71:67 in the 33rd minute). However, Chase Adams and his teammates no longer let themselves be disconcerted by setbacks. Spurred on by the American point guard, who remained the master of the situation at all times despite very tight covering, the BBC went back ahead thanks to a three by Dino Dizdarevic (80:81 in the 37th minute). Christopher Wolf, one of five Coburg players who ended up with double-digit haul, sealed the shock win with a technically demanding floater.