What a basketball thriller: The giants defeated Braunschweig in the Bundesliga – but coach Josh King was not satisfied.
Ludwigsburg’s basketball players recently led against Limoges by 22 points – and lost; then against Oldenburg with at least 18 – and lost. And on Saturday night? Led the team by 20 points in the second half – and almost lost at least. Because the proud lead became a five-point deficit in the penultimate minute. In the wild final phase that followed, Justin Johnson at least kept his head cool and coldly turned a three-point shot into a 93:92 victory – and that 0.5 seconds (in words: half a second) before the end!
To the huge cheers of the 3514 spectators in the MHP Arena at an important victory in the race for the play-off ranks. However, with these form fluctuations during a game, they are by no means safe. Coach Josh King didn’t mince his words either: “We’re happy about the win, but it wasn’t deserved.”
In addition, the team took control of the game almost without resistance within 13 minutes. And not for the first time. The coach doesn’t know the real reasons either, but he suspects: “We have a young team that is very inexperienced.” This was demonstrated on Saturday by the example of playmaker Prentiss Hubb, who has had a strong season in his first year as a professional. Against Braunschweig, who had won three of their last four games, he often made the wrong decision. Despite his twelve points, he only had a throw rate of 21 percent in the end.
Since Jhonathan Dunn – again – did better. The long-distance specialist contributed 28 points to the win, sinking seven of his ten long-distance attempts. To make matters worse, the giants missed five of six free throws in the hectic final phase and also clearly lost the rebound duel (35:47). “Of course, a little more experience on the field would do us good,” says King. But the search for reinforcement is proving difficult. The market is thinned out or overpriced. Chairman Alexander Reil told our newspaper: “Two possible transfers burst at the last minute – and if we get someone else, then it has to fit.”
At least the result was right on Saturday evening.
