The German outfit came out on top against Trefl Sopot
Trust helped Ben Saraf, Ulm pull out 'ugly' win
Članak
3 Min čitanja
It might not have been pretty, but ratiopharm Ulm protected its home floor and after a subpar first half beat visiting Trefl Sopot 83-69.
The key to the win was definitely Ulm's defense, which allowed 40 points in the first half but then picked up in intensity after the break and held the visitors to just 26 points until the last second of the second half, with Trefl scoring a buzzer-beating triple to end the game.
"Proud to get a win, even if it was a little bit ugly," admitted Ulm head coach Ty Harrelson. "I thought we played a fantastic defense in the second half."
His team's defense forced 21 turnovers in the game, including 7 apiece in each third and fourth quarters.
Karim Jallow played his best game of the season with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 assist, but it was Ben Saraf who got Ulm's offense going.
Apart from being an 18-year-old leading the team, Saraf's performance was even more so impressive considering he was scoreless until there was 3:32 left in the third quarter. He was 0 for 8 on two-pointers until that point, and had no assists.
"I just kept playing my game," Saraf explained after the game. "Maybe in the beginning the shots did not go in, but I trust myself, and I am happy my coach and my teammates trust me to just keep doing what I do."
Saraf finished with 15 points on 7-for-17 two-point shooting, along with 3 assists and 2 steals.
His contribution was all more important because just a minute after Saraf made his first shot, Ulm's other teenage star Noa Essengue had to leave the game due to an injury after landing awkwardly and getting hit in his groin area. He had 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 21:50 minutes, and even finished the game as Ulm's most productive player.
The teenagers got the job once again, as Ulm now sits with a 6-4 record in Group A.