Games to watch: ratiopharm Ulm

This season will mark Ulm’s 10th straight year in the EuroCup

Despite ratiopharm Ulm’s rich history in the EuroCup, it will face a number of teams for the first time ever this season: Trefl Sopot, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius, Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul, Bahcesehir College Istanbul and Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv. Then there are teams that it has grown accustomed to facing in the late rounds of the competition. Here’s a look at some of the more exciting games to keep an eye on for Ulm this season.

Round 2: Rekindling the Joventut rivalry

Over the past three seasons, Ulm and Joventut Badalona have met twice in the EuroCup Eighthfinals. And on both occasions, the visiting team upset the host. In one of the biggest stunners ever in the EuroCup Playoffs, Ulm upended top-seeded Joventut 73-79 in 2022 and then last season. Joventut marched into Germany and left with a 79-88 triumph behind a monster effort from Andres Feliz.

Even though both teams have undergone enough changes that the makeup of this clash will be quite different, the organizational memory of those playoff games will be in the air. The fact that it comes so early in the season also means that it will be a key test for both teams.

Round 12: Wolves mark the start of a key home stretch

The calendar has line dup nicely for Ulm fans for the end of 2024 and start of 2025. Beginning with a home date against Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius on December 18, Ulm plays three consecutive home games, which means no travel over Christmas. When it goes back on the road, the Round 16 game is at Dolomiti Energia Trento, which at les than 400 kilometers will be the shortest road trip of the regular season.

That lineup of games positions Ulm to make a nice little run, which regardless of where it stands at the midway point of the regular season, should push Coach Ty Harrelson’s charges up the table. But it all starts with the first game ever between Ulm and Wolves.

Round 18: The regular-season finale

This game could carry a lot of meaning for both host Ulm and visiting Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv in the race for the playoffs and seedings. It could also be a game with much meaning for Ulm’s point guard prospect Ben Saraf. The Israeli teenager chose the Ulm route to continue his development and by Round 18, both player and club hope that Saraf will have a big role for Ulm.

This game presents a matchup against one of the top teams in Israel, which will surely be of interest to Saraf. Moreover, facing off against Hapoel’s Noam Yaacov – players who could become the future backcourt on their national team – will create extra hype. It’s certainly a story to follow in the regular season’s final round.