The German side’s starting five combined for 81 of the team’s total 103 points.
Ulm starters made the difference in OT win over Gran Canaria
To beat a team that had gone as many as 18 games without experiencing a defeat takes a lot of effort, and ratiopharm Ulm’s players had to step up their game to beat Dreamland Gran Canaria 103-99 in overtime in Round 11 of the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup campaign.
Eight Ulm players scored at least 5 points each against the best defense in the competition, but it was the starters who made the difference on Tuesday night by netting a combined 81 points.
The starters certainly did their part
An extraordinary LJ Figueroa scored a game-high 19 points, having gone 5-for-5 from inside the arc and 3-for-7 from downtown. Despite missing a crucial basket that could have clinched the victory on the last possession of the fourth quarter, Juan Nunez produced a mature performance with 17 points. The 19-year-old prodigy went 6-for-7 on two-pointers and converted all 5 of his free throws, but he also recorded 6 assists for a game-high PIR of 26.
In addition, Ulm fans saw Trevion Willams come to the fore when his team needed him most, despite a slow start to the game. The Ulm center struggled at the beginning and initially went 1-for-8 from the field, but he finished the game with 15 points and 14 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season.
“It just shows that if we stick together, we can beat everybody,” Williams said in post-game flash interview. “We showed character and it was a big-time [win] for us. [Gran Canaria] is a really good team, but we got the job done.”
Thomas Klepeisz and Karim Jallow also scored 15 points apiece, with some of their baskets being absolutely crucial for the hosts. The latter helped Ulm stay afloat early on in particular, having scored 10 of his team’s 20 points in the first quarter. As for Klepeisz, he was solid from beyond the arc again (4-for-9, 44.4%) and went 3-for-3 from the line, as well as registering 4 assists.
Coming to the fore in big moments
Most importantly, the five starters demonstrated their leadership late in the game by scoring all 35 of their team’s points in the fourth quarter and overtime to secure an important win.
Having improved to an 8-3 record, Ulm will look to build on this victory next Tuesday, when it faces the 4-7 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys on the road in Round 12.