The Baskets Bonn remain undefeated in their own hall this BBL season. Bonn kept the upper hand in a catch-up game against Ludwigsburg and went back to the top of the table.
The team of head coach Tuomas Iisalo prevailed on Wednesday evening with 91:75 (41:41) and passed Alba Berlin in the table, who played one game less.
The clubs were evenly matched until the end of the third quarter, before Bonn pulled away in the final section. Top scorer in Bonn was once again TJ Shorts II with 16 points.
Very balanced first half
The game was physically intense and balanced from the start. Ludwigsburg led 7:4 after one and a half minutes. But the guests lost the ball too much, which Bonn punished with a 10:0 run (14:7). Ludwigsburg took a break and then took the lead again through Eddy Edigin (16:17). Bonn still lacked accuracy from the three-man line, so Ludwigsburg took a 24:18 lead into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, Bonn continued to have difficulties with the strong defense of the guests, coach Iisalo called for more dynamics in the attacking game of the baskets during a time-out. Bonn’s emergency throws had to be handed over again and again because their shot clock ran out. The Baskets were 22:30 behind before Deane Williams with a layup and Collin Malcolm with a three brought the Baskets back on track (27:30).
Two minutes before the half-time break, the strong Leon Kratz made a sign: First, the center showed a monster block, only to then score with a dunk on the other side. With the last free throw in the first half,crates equalized to 41:41.
TJ Shorts II ignites late in the third quarter
Even after the break, the two teams didn’t give each other anything, especially the defensive lines continued to determine the game. For a long time, the Ludwigsburg managed to largely take Bonn’s playmaker TJ Shorts II out of the game. Shorts didn’t score his first two points from the field until late in the third quarter. But then the playmaker ran hot: Shorts immediately followed up with a layup and a three-pointer and gave Bonn a 62:60 lead before the final quarter.
Led by Shorts, Bonn played with more momentum and started the final period with a 7-0 run. The Ludwigsburg forces and accuracy decreased. A good five minutes before the end of the game, the Baskets led by two digits (77:66). The hosts continued to extend this lead and did not let the victory be stolen from them.
Against Hamburg on Saturday
Bonn’s next home game in the BBL against Towers Hamburg is scheduled for Saturday (6 p.m.). The following Wednesday (8 p.m.) the Baskets will host SIG Strasbourg in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. A “best of three” series is played.
