After the sensational four game series victory over the seven-time BBL champion Alba Berlin, the OPEL SKYLINERS celebrated after game four like they were champions. However, there is one more big obstacle, GHP Bamberg and getting around them will be like having to scale Mount Everest with many loud fans making the trip difficult to accomplish.This is the third trip to the final in a row for Bamberg. Last year they lost to the OPEL SKYLINERS in five exciting and hard-fought games. GHP Bamberg will be seeking revenge this year. Tyrone Ellis is really motivated to play Bamberg and likes the chances of Frankfurt. "I´m confident, but not so confident because Bamberg is a great team."
The final series won´t be any easier this year, because the OPEL SKYLINERS don´t have home court advantage again. Frankfurt played exceptional on the road in Berlin, winning twice. The question is, can the OPEL SKYLINERS win again successfully on the road in Bamberg. Bamberg is known as having the most loyal fans in the league. Frankfurt lost in Bamberg during the regular season 70 to 54 and was clearly dominated by Bamberg in that game. The OPEL SKYLINERS won at home 72 to 67. The crowd is very loud in the Bamberg Forum, but Frankfurt experienced the jungle of the Artland Dragons´ den, so Frankfurt will be prepared to not only battle the team, but also to avoid the fans getting into their heads. "The homecourt will be a huge advantage for us", said guard Steffen Hamann. Bamberg has not lost at home yet in the playoffs. Frankfurt will need to find a way to steal a game in Bamberg.
Besides having the fans as a moral wall behind them, Bamberg has the best defense in the league. In the playoffs, Bamberg has held its opponents to only 65.2 points per game. In the last two playoffs games against Gießen, Bamberg outscored them by more than 30 points twice and held them to only 47 points in game three. Even though Bamberg is known for being the strongest defensive team in the BBL, guard Tyrone Ellis doesn´t describe it as defense. "I love Bamberg. They don´t play defense, but they play dirty." Bamberg is a very physical team and likes to mix it up under the basket. It will be interesting to see how the
referees call this series. The OPEL SKYLINERS already had a nice introduction in the Berlin series to physical basketball and will be ready for the elbows, body checks and misplaced feet set by the Bamberg players.
The OPEL SKYLINERS will have a giant battle for the rebounds. American Chris Ensminger has led the BBL the last years in rebounding and this season averaged 11.2 rebounds and 11.6 points (54.9 shooting percentage) per game. That will be a huge hurdle for centers Bernd Kruel and Malick Badiane. American Chris Williams averaged 9.8 rebounds per game and will have to support them under the basket. Top scorer Hurl Beechum led the team in scoring with 16.6, but he is injured. Bamberg has an arsenal of great shooters, like American Demond Mallet, who averaged 16.3 points per game in the regular season and in the playoffs has averaged19.4 points. Bamberg has two very talented guards with German defense specialist national player Steffen Hamann, who averaged 8.1 points per game, and Rick Stafford, who averaged 7.2 points per game. Then there is still big guy Uvis Helmanis and Dutch Mike Nahar, who are always able to bring confusion to opponents. If that was not enough, Bamberg has brought back American Derrick Taylor out of retirement. Taylor averaged 8.3 points per game in the last few games of the BBL season and could be the difference, because of his experience and his game guidance to the younger players.
This will be a difficult test for the OPEL SKYLINERS. Even though Frankfurt has title and Euroleague experience, Bamberg is a better team than last year. The OPEL SKYLINERS will need to play 100% team defense and have to find a way to contain Chris Ensminger. The Bermuda Triangle of Chris Williams, Tyrone Ellis and Pascal Roller will need to have a superb series. But other players like Jukka Matinen and Mladjen Sljivancanin will have to step up and help the team from three-point land. It will be important that the centers Bernd Kruel and Malick Badiane not shy away from the physical play under the basket, but to mix it up and not let a Mike Nahar or Uvis Helmanis take advantage of them. The OPEL SKYLINERS will simply need to play togetheras a team. In the past, when that has occured, then they have had good results. But a key factor will be coach Murat Didin. No one picked the OPEL SKYLINERS to get to the final. With all the new young players and the depature of three key players, it is amazing what Murat Didin has done with this team. The know-how and experience of Murat Didin could be a difference in this series. Game one is Sunday at 16h in Bamberg.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber reporting for the OPEL SKYLINERS
