medi Bayreuth is unable to stop RASTA Vechta’s run

The HEROES OF TOMORROW were unfortunately unable to put an end to the winning streak of newly promoted RASTA Vechta at home in the Oberfrankenhalle. In the encounter on the 20th game day of the easyCredit German Basketball League, medi Bayreuth lost 81:86 (34:40) against the division’s high-flyers in front of 3,211 spectators – its fifth successive defeat in the German league.

Kyan Anderson was given a rousing reception by medi’s fans on his return when the team was introduced before the encounter against RASTA Vechta on the 20th matchday of the easyCredit German Basketball League. And De’Mon Brooks was also met with loud cheers after his lightning comeback from a brief injury. Whereas he was in the starting five again, Kyan Anderson played second string to captain Bastian Doreth. However, the involuntary break had clearly had an effect on De’Mon Brooks and not much went right for him in the first period. The same could not be said of Eric Mika and Adonis Thomas, who together were responsible for all of Bayreuth’s points in the first 10 minutes and enabled the HEROES OF TOMORROW to keep the game evenly poised until the scores stood at 9:9. After that, however, the club from Lower Saxony gradually gained the upper hand thanks to its aggressive defending. medi was forced to take tough shots, resulting in a shooting percentage of just 21 and helping Vechta produce a run of 10 points without reply. As a consequence, the home side trailed by double digits by the end of the quarter (13:24).

A further 10:0 run at the start of the second period stretched the gap to 18 points and increasingly dampened any hopes of a home victory. It was only after a timeout was called by Raoul Korner that Bayreuth stepped up its game. A change in defensive tactics meant it was able to disrupt the visitors’ attacks more effectively, with the result that Vechta was only able to add a further three points up to the break. Since the HEROES OF TOMORROW also improved in offense, on the back of their fine defending, and were able to chalk up 15 points, they reduced the deficit to 34:40 at half-time.

Quick buckets at the start of the second half by De’Mon Brooks and Eric Mika kindled hopes among medi’s fans that their team would finally turn the encounter on its head. But RASTA, buoyed by a wave of euphoria, resisted with clinical composure and, led on by Josh Young, extended its lead to 11 points again. Yet the HEROES OF TOMORROW fought tenaciously for every ball, with the result that the end of the period was evenly poised and a home win was still a possibility with the score standing at 54:60.

Fired on by the vociferous Oberfrankenhalle cauldron, Bayreuth continued its comeback in the fourth period. 1:31 minutes were played when Lukas Meisner made two free throws to tie the game for the first time since the scores stood at 9:9. However, Vechta struck back in the style of a team that is going to the playoffs. Three buckets from beyond the arc by TJ Bray (twice) and Austin Hollins helped produce a spurt that left medi trailing again. Yet the HEROES OF TOMORROW did not give up once again and, spurred on by top scorer Gregor Hrovat, clawed their way back to 75:77 with 2:24 minutes still remaining. However, it was ultimately not to be enough to turn the game around, due to the fact that they conceded too many turnovers and allowed the other side to snap up a large number of offensive rebounds.

Source: www.medi-bayreuth.de