After four recent defeats in the Eurocup, ratiopharm Ulm is back on the road to success in European competition. Ulm won against Podgorica 84:80 in Montenegro.
It wasn’t until the fifth attack that something countable came out for the Ulm team in the well-filled arena in Podgorica. Trevion Williams made it 3:6 with a close-range goal plus a bonus free throw. But the hosts’ attacks are running more smoothly. From Ulm’s point of view, they move ahead to 9:16. Things get better when Karim Jallow turns past his opponent and converts a lay-up despite a foul. At the end of the quarter, the guests have a narrow lead for the first time (17:16).
Ulm and Podgorica without rhythm
In the second section, Ulm’s offensive engine still doesn’t really run smoothly. The seventh three-point attempt also missed its target. Captain Thomas Klepeisz hits the first long-distance throw in the middle of the quarter and takes Ulm’s lead back (28:25). Perhaps it is due to several longer interruptions due to the striking game clock in the hall that neither team can find a rhythm. Throws often go wrong. Somehow the Ulm team managed to go into halftime with a 38:30 lead, even though they only hit one of 13 attempts from distance. After an hour, a tough game goes into the break.
In the second half, the Ulm team managed one or two quick attacks that were worth seeing. But overall it remains a rather disjointed game. The ratiopharm team gradually takes control, for example when Pacome Dadiet steals the ball from his opponent and is fouled in an unsportsmanlike manner. With the free throws, Ulm’s lead grows to 57:44.
Ratiopharm Ulm lost a double-digit lead
In the last part of the game the score is 59:48 for Ulm. For the spectators, the already lengthy game with its numerous interruptions during which the referees review their decisions is gradually becoming unreasonable. And suddenly the Ulm team lost the ball one after another, the Montenegrins went into a frenzy and equalized in the middle of the last quarter (64:64). After all, the game now lives from the tension and heated tempers after foul whistles. When the score was 72:72, Karim Jallow committed an offensive foul with 13 seconds left. This means Podgorica has the final attack. It goes wrong. Renewal.
Ulm moves into the Eurocup round of 16
After almost giving up the game, the Ulm team prevailed. In the rather chaotic final minutes, the Ulm team repeatedly stole the ball from their opponents. LJ Figueroa hits a three-pointer with 32 seconds left to make it 84:80. After more than two and a half hours, a difficult game comes to an end for the German champions. With the victory, ratiopharm Ulm moves into the round of 16 of the Eurocup.
Broadcast on Wed, January 24th, 2024 6:00 a.m., SWR4 BW in the morning, SWR4 Baden-Württemberg
