Ratiopharm Ulm Faces Uphill Battle for eurocup Playoff Spot After Loss to Besiktas
Despite a brave effort, ratiopharm Ulm suffered a critically important setback in their quest for a EuroCup playoff berth, falling to Besiktas Istanbul 97-76 on Tuesday. This defeat marks the team’s fifth loss in their last six international contests, severely jeopardizing their postseason hopes.
Ulm, the German BBL League’s runner-up, demonstrated early promise, establishing a six-point lead in the first quarter (22-16). Both teams’ offenses started strong, resulting in a 26-26 tie after the opening ten minutes, with Ulm remaining firmly in contention.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the second quarter. After briefly leading 36-32, the team experienced a disastrous 0-13 scoring run, quickly falling behind 45-36. Besiktas extended their advantage to 47-38 by halftime.
“We need to do what we did in the first quarter again,” a team spokesperson stated during the halftime interview. “We missed some easy shots. If we make those, it’s a different game. But we are only nine points back.”
Unfortunately for Ulm, the deficit ballooned to 15 points early in the third quarter as Besiktas, the current leader of the Turkish League with a 13-1 record, pulled away. While Ulm managed to limit the damage before the final period, trailing by eleven, they were unable to mount a serious challenge in the fourth.
Who: Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany) lost to besiktas Istanbul (Turkey). What: A EuroCup matchup with significant playoff implications. Why: Besiktas’s strong second and third quarters overwhelmed Ulm, fueled by a 0-13 scoring run.How did it end?: Besiktas secured a 97-76 victory, leaving Ulm with a challenging path to the postseason.
Chris Ledlum lead Ulm in scoring with 17 points, followed by Tobias Jensen with 15. Besiktas was paced by Vitto Brown, who delivered a game-high 23 points.
With five games remaining, Ulm (5 wins) faces a challenging path to the playoffs. Securing at least three victories is now crucial, as they currently sit in eighth place in the ten-team group. The top six teams qualify for the postseason.
Ratiopharm ulm head coach ty Harrelson acknowledged his team’s effort but pinpointed the second quarter as the turning point. “I think our guys fought,” Harrelson said. “But the big difference was the second quarter, which we lost by nine. We haven’t recovered from that.”
Ulm will return to German League play on Saturday, facing the Löwen Braunschweig at home, with the game broadcast live on Dyn at 8:00 PM local time.
