Medi Bayreuth loses 96:107 in Gießen

March was definitely not Medi Bayreuth’s month this season in the easyCredit German Basketball League. On the 27th matchday, the Heroes Of Tomorrow lost at Gießen 46ers by 96:107 in front of 3,468 spectators in the Sporthalle Ost on Easter Saturday.

The defeat in Gießen was Medi Bayreuth’s third in a row in the German league and the fourth in its five league games in March. In all four of those defeats, Bayreuth let the other side break the 100-point mark (Berlin 100, Jena 107, Oldenburg 102 and Gießen 107).

The Heroes Of Tomorrow got off to the better start in Gießen in what proved to be a fast and high-scoring encounter. Many of their moves were initially channeled through Andreas Seiferth, who had already notched up six points when he made it 10:5 after four minutes. After De’Mon Brooks had committed an early second foul, the home side got better into the game and went 13:12 in front after a wild bucket from beyond the arc by Davis off the board. The 46ers then stayed ahead by a wafer-thin margin, benefiting in the final spell from the fact that Medi soon exceeded its team foul limit. Gießen made it 30:26 after ten minutes from the foul line.

Medi Bayreuth was able to equalize soon, but Gießen’s splendid shooting percentage again proved a great advantage. Although the Heroes Of Tomorrow were alert and made a number of steals, the many buckets by the club from Hesse were enough to keep it in front. After Nate Linhart finally put his side ahead (40:39), the 46ers drained three shots from outside to snatch the momentum and quickly turn the game back its way (50:43). The home side took this seven-point lead in with it at half-time.

As at the beginning of the encounter, Medi also got off to the better start in the third period. However, Gießen replied to the 6:2 run by quickly stretching its lead. No matter what the Heroes Of Tomorrow tried in the next minutes, the 46ers – or John Bryant to be more precise – had an answer up their sleeve. The big man chalked up 16 of his team’s 22 points in this phase and played a major part in ensuring that the lead remained constant until the last few minutes. Nate Linhart and Assem Marei from the foul life cut the deficit to just 72:76 going into the final quarter.

The Heroes Of Tomorrow were wide awake in the last period and kept in contention. Assem Marei made it 88:91 in the 36th minute after two steals – and things got even better: Gabe York, once again Medi’s top scorer, drained two buckets from downtown to tie the scores at 94:94 – and the game seemed as if it would tilt Bayreuth’s way with two-and-a-half minutes to go. However, two offensive fouls called against the Heroes Of Tomorrow thwarted their hopes of taking the lead again. At the other end, four points by Jamar Abrams, who scored 14 points in the final period alone, made it 98:94. The three by Austin Hollins to stretch the gap to 101:94 with 56 seconds left on the clock sealed the encounter.

The Heroes Of Tomorrow now have four days to prepare for the second leg against MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg in the Basketball Champions League. They aim to defend their five-point advantage from the first leg and advance to the FINAL FOUR in the encounter, which tips off at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4. Two days later, on Friday, April 6, they then continue their quest for a playoff spot in the easyCredit German Basketball League, when FRAPORT SKYLINERS visit the Oberfrankenhalle (tip-off: 7 p.m.).