The visitors snapped a four-game losing streak with Nunez and Figueroa pulling the strings in the last 5 minutes.
Ulm clinches playoff berth with 80-84 OT win in Podgorica

ratiopharm Ulm escaped with a hard-fought victory from the Moraca where it defeated Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 80-87 on Tuesday night. The visitors needed some time to warm up the engines in the early going but managed to build a 30-38 advantage at halftime that extended to 50-64 early in the fourth. A strong reaction allowed the hosts to turn the tables, 69-67, with 3 minutes remaining. Fletcher Magee had a shot to win the game, but missed a mid-range jumper and the game went to overtime.
Then Juan Nuñez and LJ Figueroa took over, combining for 10 of Ulm’s 12 points in the extra period to help Ulm end its four-game losing streak and secure a playoff spot. Ulm’s record improved to 9-7, while Buducnost slipped to 6-10.


LJ Figueroa led all scorers with 24 points. Karim Jallow and Trevion Williams followed with 12 and 10 points, respectively while Juan Nuñez finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists. Yogi Ferrell paced Buducnost with 15 points and 8 assists, Magee chipped in 12 and Kenan Kamenjas posted a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds in the losing effort.
Ulm regroups after a slow start
Both teams had a below-par start offensively, as the only points in the first 2 minutes came from the free-throw line through the hands of Marvin Jones. Vladimir Mihalovic drilled a three that built a 6-0 edge for the home side and opened the door for a more prolific scoring stint by both sides. Trevion Williams began punishing inside for Ulm, as Marvin Jones had 7 of Buducnost’s 12 total points when the score was 12-9 for the hosts. Kamenjas made it 16-9 soon after, but Ulm reacted in style and despite Buducnost kept dominating the boards, it shut Buducnost’s lights with a 0-8 run led by Karim Jallow that turned the tables, 16-17, at the end of the first quarter.
The hosts finally found some contribution from its frontcourt through Fletcher Magee and Yogi Ferrell, who nailed a three and scored a contested layup respectively to return the lead to Buducnost, 21-17, early in the second quarter. The joy didn’t last for long, though, as Nuñez took over scoring 4 points in a row and feeding Nicolas Bretzel for an inside basket and later Thomas Klepeisz for the first Ulm’s three of the night that granted a 25-28 edge for the visitors with 5 minutes remaining in the half. Brandon Paul struck back from the same place in the next play to tie it, but Ulm was again stronger in the last minutes of the period and sparked a 2-10 run with Figueroa scoring 8 points to finish the first half enjoying a 30-38 advantage.
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Buducnost rallies back, misses the winning shot
Figueroa remained hot after the break and nailed a three that made it a double-digit margin, 30-41, for the first time in the game. Ferrell came to the rescue on the other side, providing some offensive momentum to the hosts. Despite also finding some help from Yoan Makoundou, Buducnost couldn’t trim the deficit in a meaningful way and remained behind by double-figures midway through the third quarter, 41-51. Pacome Dadiet made it even worse after drawing an unsportsmanlike foul on Paul, giving Ulm a 44-57 advantage. A free-throw exchange in the last 2 minutes of the third quarter allowed Ulm to enter the last stanza with a comfortable 48-59 lead.
Kamenjias tried to revitalize his team with a couple of good moves both on offense and defense, but the momentum melted down like a sugar cube in hot coffee after Georginho de Paula converted an offensive rebound and Figueroa drilled a fastbreak three-pointer that provided Ulm with a 50-64 advantage with 8 minutes to go. Buducnost didn’t give up, though, and used a timeout to ignite a 14-0 run capped by a four-point play and a corner fastbreak three by Magee to make it all square, 64-64 with 5 minutes to go. Ferrell capped the rally with a mid-range jumper that set the stands on fire, 69-67, but Ulm managed to suffocate it and made it 72-72 before Fletcher missed the last shot in regulation.
Nuñez and Figueroa take over in OT
The visitors recovered early when the game resumed, as Nuñez contributed 4 points in a row to help Ulm take the wheel. Despite Mihailovic tying it soon after, Figueroa showed up from deep to nail a key three that cooled down Buducnost, 76-79. Kamenjas reduced the gap from inside, and Buducnost had a couple of possessions to take back the lead, but consecutive turnovers allowed Williams to score, then Figueroa came up deadly again by hitting another three with 32 seconds to play that put the game on ice.