Ratiopharm Ulm Falls to Bahcesehir Koleji in Narrow Home Loss

Ratiopharm Ulm trailed by 18 points at halftime and never closed the gap completely, falling to Bahcesehir Koleji SK in a narrow home loss, Basketball-World | News reported. The visitors led 54-36 at the break after a 35-point second quarter, and although Ulm fought back from a deeper deficit late in the half, the comeback stalled short of a turnaround.

Both teams needed time to find their rhythm. Ulm did not score until two minutes into the game, and after a 0-6 run Bahcesehir finally got on the board three and a half minutes in. Mateusz Ponitka scored the first six points for the visitors and finished with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

A 19-19 first quarter gave way to a 14-0 run

The second quarter told a different story. Bahcesehir opened the frame with a 14-0 run, and guard Aleksa Avramovic scored five of those points en route to 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Ulm kept coughing up the ball, which let the visitors convert turnovers into easy baskets, and Bahcesehir’s pace kept the pressure on all period.

Rataj’s three-pointer cuts the gap to 10

Ulm’s top scorer, Michael Rataj, hit a three-pointer with a foul to briefly bring the home side within 10 points. Rataj finished with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting and added six rebounds. But Bahcesehir answered down the stretch of the half, scoring 35 points in the quarter and stretching the lead back to 18 by the buzzer.

Despite the late rally, Ulm could not reverse the game, and the visitors left with a close win in Ulm’s home arena.

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