Big surprise in the Basketball Bundesliga: Ulm, who have been so weak recently, inflicted their first home defeat on Bayern Munich. Ulm even wins clearly 79:62.
Hardly anyone expected that. The Ratiopharm team from the Donau, which recently suffered defeats against the bottom-placed teams from Hamburg and Heidelberg, dismantled the star ensemble from the Isar in the final quarter and caused Bayern to suffer their first home defeat of the season. Coach Ty Harrelson recently publicly criticized his team in a press conference and accused them of a lack of attitude and fighting spirit. On Sunday evening his team showed an impressive reaction.
Commitment and fighting spirit are right at Ulm
After a 0-4 start, the Ulm team got into the game well. Ledlum and Sengfelder convert threesomes. Mark Smith gets through directly to the basket and gives Ulm a 14:7 lead. Bayern occasionally show their individual class. But the guests retained the upper hand until the end of the first quarter. 18:14 for Ulm.
The ratiopharm team presents itself with concentration and good passing. Tobias Jensen sprints, passes to Alec Anigbata shortly in front of the basket, who completes Ulm’s eight-point lead (27:19). Even if the guests miss a few good chances, their commitment and fighting spirit are still there. Ulm is ahead 41:37 at halftime.
Ulm with good answers to small Bayern runs
Bayern are still not getting going, while Ulm is defending attentively and Jensen and Sengfelder are hitting long-range throws. Bayern coach Pesic takes a time out because the ratiopharm team is already leading by ten points (49:39). However, Bayern’s big onslaught does not materialize, also because Ulm itself has good answers to good actions from Munich. 60:55 for the guests after three periods.
A 14-0 run in the final quarter ensures the decision
Five points behind is actually not much for the star ensemble from the Isar. But the otherwise dominant German champions can’t think of anything special when attacking against a stable Ulm defense. Their three-pointer rate is underground at 13 percent. And the people of Ulm are now really getting started, pulling away with a 14-0 run. Just under three minutes before the end, Tobias Jensen made the preliminary decision from Ulm’s perspective with a strong lay-up to make it 76:59. The Ulm fans who traveled with us can hardly believe their luck and shortly afterwards celebrate the clear 79:62 away win.
Ulm will play at home against Trier next Sunday while Bayern will play away in Heidelberg.
