fromWolfgang Gardener
conclude
The Gießen 46ers are facing a very difficult job: The team of trainer Pete Strobl is a guest at the Baskets Oldenburg, which have found their way back to old strength. Personal worries make the task difficult. The coach has two players in particular. And there is a reunion with a Giessen “boy”.
The people of Giessen had two weeks to digest the heavy gossip from the home game against the Merlins from Crailsheim. The non-participation in the cup gave Pete Strobl’s team a weekend free of play. On Saturday, everyday life in the Bundesliga is back to life. In the re-energized Baskets from Oldenburg, the 46ers are aiming for their first away win at 8.30 p.m. (live on MagentaSport) in the “basement duel”, which will be anything but easy for the Gießeners, who are troubled by personnel.
Nuni Omot and Kyan Anderson have to deliver. The two of them didn’t come here to be role-players.
Current situation: The Gießen 46ers were disillusioned after the 70:10 bankruptcy against Crailsheim. The home game against the »magicians« was the worst game of the season so far. No body tension, no absolute will to win, no speed, no accuracy of pass, no team game, no inside game, hardly any hits from a distance and a defense to forget – whether individually or as a team. The newly formed troop from Lahnstadt had not presented itself like this before. So you asked yourself what’s wrong with the team? And after the debacle, everything came to light little by little. Some protagonists struggled with minor injuries, some were out of shape. But what took everyone with them and was there in everyone’s subconscious, was the shocking news a few hours before the home game that the brother had been shot by one of the current 46ers players. It was the brother of BJ Blake, who still wanted to play against the Merlins. Blake flew to his home a day later and said goodbye. He has been back in Giessen since Monday and is training with the team. In week one of the practice units, there were a lot of running and hard training on the program. From Monday it was all about the targeted preparation for the difficult away game in Oldenburg. Overall, Strobl calls for an increase in performance and takes two of his supposed top performers to account: »Nuni Omot and Kyan Anderson have to deliver. The two of them didn’t come here to be role-players. We thought they were the lead wolves. Nuni and Kyan are very important to us. “
The opponent: The Baskets from Oldenburg have a radical personal cut behind them. Eight regular players have left the club and six new ones have been added. Among others, Alen Pjanic from Giessen, who was heavily courted by the 46ers for staying there before the season, but ultimately decided on a three-year contract with the Oldenburgers. Mladen Drijencic’s team seems to have succeeded in breaking free in the Bundesliga after a bumpy start last week with the win against Bamberg. On Wednesday, the team around top scorer Cameron Clark (power forward, 16.2 points per game), which was considered a playoff candidate in the BBL, also performed well at international level (Champions League) against the Spanish top club from Burgos, although it did not win was enough.
Hospital: Bjarne Kraushaar is still suffering from a hamstring injury. He hasn’t completed a single training session by Wednesday. Like his builder partner Kendale McCullum. The Guard missed almost all of the preparation because of a shoulder injury. The player played his first league game for the 46ers on matchday three against Heidelberg. So far, however, he has only convinced once – and that as the starting playmaker. He is currently struggling with his damaged shoulder again. There are big question marks behind the efforts of Kraushaar and McCullum. “The times are not exactly what I would like them to be,” says Strobl. Shooter Michal Michalak has returned to the squad for the Baskets from Oldenburg. In the CL encounter against Burgos he was on the bench, but was not used. Also missing is Max Heidegger from Lower Saxony, whose injury was diagnosed as a torn muscle fiber in further examinations.
This is what 46ers trainer Strobl says: “People look at the BBL table and say they’re not that good. But Oldenburg is a Champions League team with a squad full of talented players, coupled with the necessary BBL experience. Still, we have to improve. We’ve played a bad game so far – the one against Crailsheim. We have to show that it was a slip up. “
