The BBL table leader Telekom Baskets Bonn has extended its winning streak against the Rostock Seawolves and shown the newcomer his limits.
Coach Tuomas Iisalo’s team won 99:71 (54:33) on Friday evening and thus celebrated their ninth competitive win in a row. In the league it was the 13th success in the 14th game. The best Bonn pitcher was once again TJ Shorts II with 21 points (and 12 assists), for Rostock Tyler Nelson came on 19.
Bonn earned a 21-point lead at halftime
Both teams got off to a good start in the game and initially fought a duel at eye level. Bonn, who were still without Jeremy Morgan with a neck injury, lacked accuracy from the three-point line early on, hitting just two of eight attempts in the first quarter. But on the basis of a strong defense, the baskets led by TJ Shorts II gained a 22:15 lead.
In the second quarter, Tyson Ward gave the home side a double-digit lead for the first time (25:15) with his second converted three. Rostock rarely came into promising final situations, after a good 13 minutes the Seawolves’ shot clock ran out for the third time. Bonn, on the other hand, started getting better and better, quickly played forward after winning the ball and extended their lead to 15 points (37:22).
When Rostock had just caught something, it became bitter for the guests: Jequan Lewis, who had kept his team in the game with eleven points up to that point, twisted his ankle two and a half minutes before the half-time break and was unable to continue. Finn Delany and Sebastian Herrera scored two threes in the closing stages of the first half and Bonn went into the break with a comfortable 54:33 lead.
Baskets sovereign even after the break
Even after the break, the Baskets continued their show of power. Bonn was still in the mood to play, hit almost every attempt and was leading by 29 points in the third quarter. Only after a time-out did Rostock regain a little more stability, but the people of Bonn also shifted down a gear with their clear superiority and went into the last section with an 80:55 lead.
In the final quarter there were no more surprises, the game was already decided. Zachary Ensminger cracked the 30-point mark with a three-pointer one and a half minutes before the end (96:66). Next Sunday (January 15, 3 p.m.) Bonn will play second-placed and reigning German champions Alba Berlin.
