GER - Berlin leads top trio to victory, Koln falls again

BERLIN (BBL) - Alba Berlin extended their winning streak to six games to remain atop the German BBL while EnBW Ludwigsburg and Brose Baskets Bamberg both kept pace and RheinEnergie Koln stumbled yet again.

Ruben Boumtje Boumtje scored 20 points and Kirk Penney added 16 as Berlin held off Artland Dragons 87-83 to improve to 23-5.

Henrik Rodl's team led by 13 with two minutes remaining before Darius Hall and his 16 points brought Artland back into it. But Berlin captain William Avery made four foul shots down the stretch to ice the game.

"That was an important victory in this tough phase. I'm very happy about the playing time from William Avery, who changed the game for us. And Ruben Boumtje Boumtje played excellent today," said Rodl, whose team travel to Bamberg this weekend.

"We want to get by our next tough test in Bamberg and we hope that (the injured) Julius Jenkins can help us again soon."

Artland lost for the sixth time in the last eight games and are left clinging to the final play-off spot at 15-13.

Ludwigsburg got 19 points from Jerry Green in beating Paderborn Baskets 80-77 at home to remain two games behind Berlin at 21-7.

"It was important for us to win this game since we felt a little empty emotionally. Our next and only goal is a victory on Sunday in Nurnberg," said Ludwigsburg boss Silvano Poropat.

Paderborn fell to 12-16 despite 20 points from Sergerio Gipson.

The 2005 champions Bamberg continue to put pressure on the leaders, holding on to beat neighbours sellbytel baskets Nurnberg 78-74 and notching their ninth straight victory heading into the weekend's showdown with Berlin.

Vincent Yarbrough scored 22 points and Casey Jacobsen added 19 as 20-8 Bamberg connected on 11 of 16 three-point attempts.

Dirk Bauermann's team had to hold their breaths in the fourth period after seeing Nurnberg use a 14-0 run to close within 70-69. But Bamberg were too strong for the 5-24 Nurnberg side.

"We let them back into the game instead of finishing them off. We didn't defend very well and we didn't really make the correct decisions offensively. Still, we showed our character and took home the win," said Bauermann.

Reigning champions RheinEnergie Koln meanwhile are still searching for consistency as their 65-58 loss at New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig ran their record to 19-9, including five losses in their last seven games.

While Braunschweig improved to 12-16, Sasa Obradovic's Koln side dropped to fourth place - one game behind Bamberg.

"I am disappointed. Despite all of my warnings to the team before the game to give 110%, we weren't ready at the right time. Losing Demond Mallet with five fouls (midway through the third quarter) was the key to the game," Obradovic said.

Telekom Baskets Bonn are fifth at 19-10 following a 74-60 home victory over EWE Baskets Oldenburg, who dropped to 14-14 and relinquished their play-off spot.

Jason Conley scored 18 points and Jason Gardner had 12 points, nine rebounds and three assists for Bonn.

Adam Chubb collected 14 points and 13 rebounds as Eisbaren Bremerhaven knocked off Walter Tigers Tubingen 70-62 to solidify sixth place at 17-11.

Bremerhaven held Tubingen's big man Rasko Katic to four points and two rebounds after he had averaged 20 points and 15 rebounds over the past three games. Tubingen dropped to 13-15.

Besides Berlin and Bamberg, the hottest team in the BBL would have to be Bayer Giants Leverkusen who beat ratiopharm Ulm 89-84 to enter the play-off ranks at seventh place with a 15-13 record.

Achim Kuczmann's team have now won their last three games and 11 of 13 and are in serious contention for the play-offs.

Jimmy McKinney and Michael Bauer combined for 42 points in Deutsche Bank Skyliners' 93-84 over-time victory at Karlsruhe, who dropped their 23rd straight game despite a game-high 23 points from Domonic Jones.

Bauer added 10 rebounds for the Skyliners, who improved to 14-14.

Robert Maras collected 18 points and 10 rebounds while Giessen 46ers beat TBB Trier 79-78 to open a 3.5 game advantage over Nurnberg and the second relegation spot.

FIBA