Science City Jena missed its chance at cup redemption in easyCredit BBL play, falling 82-93 to the Frankfurt Skyliners after a decisive late-game surge. Following a 63-94 defeat in the opening round of the Netto BBL Pokal, Jena kept pace for much of the return fixture before Frankfurt opened the crunchtime period with a 15-2 run.
Frankfurt Skyliners extend winning streak against Science City Jena
The result kept Frankfurt’s historical edge intact, marking the Hessen club’s twelfth victory against Jena in Germany’s top flight. Long stretches of the contest featured lead changes and tight margins until Jena’s Sacar Anim hit a three-pointer with roughly five and a half minutes remaining to give the hosts a 75-74 advantage.
Frankfurt erwartet Jena in der ersten Pokalrunde! 🏆⏰ In 20 Minuten geht’s los.📺 Alle Spiele des Netto BBL Pokals live bei Dyn.📸 Josh Hoffmann#nettobblpokal #erstepokalrunde #doordie pic.twitter.com/gUObJCKF69
Frankfurt seized the momentum immediately afterward. Sparked by the 15-2 scoring burst, the visitors pulled away in the closing minutes. Will Christmas secured the outcome on a fast-break layup that stretched the lead to 89-77 with 1:45 left on the game clock.
Judah Mintz and Till Pape lead the Skyliners box score
Judah Mintz paced Frankfurt through the first half and finished as the top scorer with 20 points, adding three rebounds and three assists. Meanwhile, Till Pape posted 12 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season, alongside four points and an assist during the pivotal final minutes.
Jena countered with newly signed former NBA playmaker London Perrantes, who found an early shooting rhythm from beyond the arc and led his side with 15 points and six assists. In the backcourt matchup, Frankfurt relied on Ryan Arcidiacono. While quiet for long stretches, Arcidiacono directed the offense during the crucial crunchtime stretch, contributing two points and two assists in that span to finish with four points and four assists.
Shooting percentages and zone dominance decide the contest
Both teams maintained accurate perimeter shooting, but Frankfurt held a major advantage inside the arc. The visitors shot 52.9 percent on two-point attempts compared to just 38.5 percent for Jena. That discrepancy helped the Skyliners dominate scoring in the paint by a 34-24 margin.
Roster availability also shaped the rotations. Frankfurt dressed in full strength, while Jena played without Robin Christen and Isaiah Moses.
Upcoming fixtures in league and European competition
Jena returns to action on the road against Bamberg on Sunday. Frankfurt faces two away matches ahead: an EuroCup fixture against Ankara on Wednesday followed by a league game against Weißenfels the following Sunday.
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