medi Bayreuth fights its way to home victory against Telekom Baskets Bonn

medi Bayreuth began its home encounter on the 29th game day against Telekom Baskets Bonn with Bastian Doreth in its starting five. However, it was again the visitors who dominated the opening spell. Bayreuth got off to a restrained and uninspired start and in particular was hardly able to control Bonn’s center Charles Jackson, with the result that the visitors had already notched up a double-digit lead after four minutes (13:3). However, medi increasingly got a grip on the game toward the end of the first period and was able to reduce the deficit to 14:19 by its end.

The team of Head Coach Raoul Korner also sustained its upward trend at the start of the second quarter. A three by Gregor Hrovat and two quick buckets by the strong Andreas Seiferth put the HEROES OF TOMORROW in front for the first time – they were now right in the game. An evenly matched encounter then ensued. Olivier Hanlan repeatedly stepped up to the plate for Bonn, whereas every Bayreuth player contributed his bit to the side’s good display. The logical consequence: Both teams went in at half-time tied at 39:39.

The evenly poised tussle in the second quarter continued without interruption in the third period. Neither side was able to create any crucial advantages. Bayreuth continued to rely predominantly on all-round team play. One striking aspect was that no player had chalked up a double-digit haul after the third period either. Only the risk of fouling out by centers Eric Mika (4 fouls after just 6:17 minutes on court) and Andreas Seiferth (3 fouls) caused the one or other furrowed brow. However, as befits a playoff contender, Telekom Baskets showed themselves to be more than a match at all times. They did not let the HEROES OF TOMORROW produce any runs, but neither did they launch any themselves. medi went into the final period 55:54 in front.

The quarter was a complete mirror image of the previous one. The visitors were now always able to maintain a small lead, but Bayreuth struck back right away: Whether a three or a two – medi always had the right response to Bonn’s buckets. As a result, the encounter remained tense right down to the final seconds. First of all, De’Mon Brooks put his side 73:70 in front with a bucket from beyond the arc and 1:15 minutes remaining, but Stefan Bircevic promptly equalized. Since neither side scored on its next attack, Kassius Robertson had the chance to capture victory as the clock ran down. Yet his attempt – during which he may have been fouled – only hit the hoop and so the game had to be decided in overtime.

As in the whole game previously, both teams found it difficult to score in overtime. However, Bayreuth now had its neck ahead. Whereas it scored twice through Andreas Seiferth, Bonn only managed to add to its tally with 55 seconds left, when Yorman Polas Bartolo made it 77:75. On the subsequent attack, it was Kassius Robertson, who had otherwise had a luckless game, who drained his only three, but a vital one, to as good as seal victory. The visitors of former Bayreuth player Nate Linhart were not able to hit back and De’Mon Brooks and Adonis Thomas from the foul line finally clinched a fiercely contested 84:78 home win.

Raoul Korner commented: “Thank you for the congratulations. Easter is the feast of resurrection and I hope that was symptomatic for us. My team deserve huge congratulations. The game today was hard going and we had to dig deep. We once more got off to a very disconcerted start and you could see that we were again hesitant. It was almost a copy of the game against Oldenburg. There, too, we had energy from the bench that made the difference at the end and helped us get back into the encounter. From then on, it was an end-to-end affair that would be decided by which team made the big shots. I’m pleased to say that this time it was us.”

source: https://www.medi-bayreuth.de/