From now on the Wolves can concentrate on two competitions: the easyCredit BBL and the ENBL. They were eliminated from the BBL Cup in the round of 16 on Saturday evening. In a new edition of the previous season’s final, SYNTAINICS MBC, as defending champions, lost by a clear 78:105 (46:50) to the BMA365 Bamberg Baskets after a slump in the second half.
In front of only 1,750 spectators in the Weißenfels town hall, Captain Charles Callison’s gala performance was not enough. With 29 points, 20 of them in the first half, the US playmaker equaled his personal career best from the easyCredit BBL. Otherwise, only Khyri Thomas (17) and Marcus Foster (13) scored in double figures. Finnish playmaker Perttu Blomgren, who was re-signed at the beginning of the week, has not yet been used. For head coach Marco Ramondino’s men it was their first defeat in the sixth competitive game of the season. An “English week” now follows for them with the second appearance in the ENBL on Wednesday (7 p.m.) at the Norwegian champions Fyllingen Lions, on Sunday (3 p.m.) they want to defend the league lead in the easyCredit BBL away at the SKYLINERS in Frankfurt.
After a slow first quarter (18:18), both teams turned up the heat offensively. At the same time, the pendulum swung in the guests’ favor. Bamberg took the lead once with five points (23:18) and once with eight points (35:27). The Wolves were able to equalize twice more to make it 27:27 and 37:37. Charles Callison carried their game almost single-handedly. The captain hit the threes with confidence, six out of seven attempts were possible. At halftime, his defensively unstable team was back 46:50 behind.
After the break, little worked, the Wolves could no longer gain any control of the game and fell behind 52:71 against the Bambergers, who combined fluently and scored confidently, until head coach Ramondino’s first timeout in the 25th minute. They conceded a 0:14 run between 46:47 and 46:61 at halftime. But even after the break there was no improvement. The Upper Franconians around their top scorer Cobi Williams (22) achieved basket success seemingly effortlessly. The deficit continued to grow point by point, it was 62:83 after the third quarter, and at the beginning of the fourth it was largest at 62:89. Bamberg made it 100 in the 38th minute.
The guests were the better team in all statistical areas that evening; they had the biggest advantage with 63:48 percent in field throw percentage, 15:0 (!) in fast break points, 25:12 in assists and 10:16 in turnovers. Head coach Marco Ramondino said afterwards: “We didn’t find a rhythm defensively today. The game was decided in the second half, but we made too many mistakes defensively in the first half. Charles Callison’s strong offensive play kept us in the game. The first half wasn’t at the level at which we are capable of playing. Bamberg deserved the win because they were the better team today.”
SYNTAINICS MBC: Callison (29 points, 7 three-pointers), Thomas (17 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds), Foster (13 points, 3 three-pointers, 6 rebounds), Reaves (8 points, 3 rebounds), Planinic (6 points, 4 rebounds), Vargas (3 points), Welp (2 points), Heck (0 points), Bryant (0 points), Gunn (0 points, 3 rebounds), Jelks (0 points), Nikic.
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