GER – Skyliners register key win before All Star break

FRANKFURT (BBL) – The Deutsche Bank Skyliners used some toughness down the stretch to hold off ratiopharm Ulm 74-67 and hold on to second place in the standings as the Beko BBL enters the 2011 All Star break.

With the game tied at 67, the hosts clamped down on defense and accounted for the game’s last seven points. DaShaun Wood had 17 points and 12 assists in the winning effort. Qantez Roberton added 14 to go along with six rebounds and pleased the crowd with three spectacular dunks.

German national team player Robin Benzing paced the visitors with 20 points.

At the other end of the table, LTi Giessen 46ers suffered their 12th defeat in a row as they were hammered at home 88-54 by EnBW Ludwigsburg. The visitors snapped a three-game drought thanks to some balanced scoring as Alex Harris had 15, Donatas Zavackas added 14 and Jerry Green chipped in with 13 to go along with seven assists.

Meanwhile, table-toppers Brose Baskets avenged their embarrassing 72-69 defeat at the hands of Gloria Giants in Düsseldorf a fortnight ago by trampling them 98-61. Anton Gavel led all scorers with 21 points and Tibor Pleiss had 16 as well as four blocks.

Artland Dragons kept their good run of form going, registering their sixth win in seven games by downing BC Gottingen 64-51 behind Darren Fenn’s 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Elsewhere, Julius Jenkins and Derrick Allen combined for 46 points as Alba Berlin steamrolled Phoenix Hagen 108-78. New York Phantoms Braunschweig made it seven wins out of their last eight games when they got the better of EWE Baskets Oldenburg 78-70 to lie fifth in the standings.

BBL/FIBA