GER - Bamberg and Artland still even atop Germany

BERLIN (German BBL) - Reigning champions Brose Baskets Bamberg and 2007 finalists Artland Dragons remained deadlocked atop the German BBL league with 7-1 records after convincing victories.

Chris Ensminger led four players in double figures with 14 points as Bamberg rebounded from their Euroleague loss to Real Madrid in breezing past EnBW Ludwigsburg 76-49.

"With only a few exceptions, we defended at a very high level for 40 minutes. We really demoralised our opponents," said Bamberg boss Dirk Bauermann, whose team held Ludwigsburg to 33% shooting and forced 18 turnovers.

Ronald Ross was leading scorer with 13 points for Ludwigsburg, who fell to 3-5.

Jan Rohdewald came off the bench to score 17 points while Adam Chubb collected 12 points and 11 rebounds as four Artland Dragons players hit for double figures in a 76-63 win at digibu Paderborn.

The Dragons out-rebounded Paderborn 37-24 which helped them survive 23 turnovers in collecting their seventh straight victory.

"Both teams were nervous in the first quarter and we found our rhythm quicker because we defended well. All told, I'm very satisfied to have won this away game. The contest was closer than the score shows," said Artland coach Chris Fleming.

Paderborn are 1-6 and in the relegation zone despite 12 points from Tim Black.

Alba Berlin remained in third place with a 5-2 record after Julius Jenkins scored a break-away lay-up with three seconds remaining in Berlin's 70-69 win at Eisbaren Bremerhaven.

Jenkins had 24 points and Bobby Brown added 16 points for the winners, while Eisbaren Bremerhaven, who dropped to 3-4, had five players in double figures.

Four teams follow Berlin with 5-3 records.

New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig lost at Deutsche Bank Skyliners 83-73 despite 23 points from Andrew Drevo. Derrick Allen paced the Skyliners 4-3 with 23 points and eight rebounds.

Winsome Frazier hit for 17 points in helping Telekom Baskets Bonn improve to 5-3 after a 71-62 win over Walter Tigers Tubingen, who fell to 4-4.

Branimir Longin poured in 23 points and Jasmin Perkovic collected a double-double (17 points and 10 rebounds) in EWE Baskets Oldenburg's 88-85 win over Giessen 46ers, who dropped to 3-5.

Bayer Giants Leverkusen are also 5-3 following an 87-77 win over ratiopharm Ulm (3-4). Nate Fox (19 and 10) and Ransford Brempong (12 and 14 off the bench) both notched double-doubles for the winners.

The 2006 champions Köln 99ers won their second straight game to improve to 3-5, beating TBB Trier 88-73 on the road. Immanuel McElroy led the victors with 14 points while Toby Bailey collected 13 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Trier dropped to 2-6.

And in the battle of promoted sides, Alexander Seggelke and Mark Davis combined for 47 points and Ajmal Basit had 11 points and 12 rebounds as Science City Jena collected their first victory of the season, 104-84 over BG 74 Göttingen, who slumped to 2-4.

FIBA