The Gladiators Trier gave MBC Weißenfels no chance, dominating the cup winners from tip-off to the final buzzer. The victory sees the promoted team back in touch with the leading pack.
The Gladiators came out of the locker room like a house on fire and dominated the game from the tip-off. With the score at 5:5, Trier went on a 21:6 run that put them impressively in front. Nothing seemed to work for MBC on offense. They only hit 33 percent of their shots from the field in the first half and virtually nothing from outside (4/17).
At the same time, the home team had no answers defensively for the visitors, who were in good form, particularly in transition, and regularly overran the MBC. At halftime, Trier had already scored 56 points at the Stadthalle Weißenfels, while the other side had a meager 35 points on the board.
“It’s embarrassing, we’re playing far too soft. We conceded 56 points, you can’t win like that,” complained a visibly annoyed Spencer Reaves at halftime on the Dyn microphone.
MBC still without a chance after the break
And after the break, it continued in the same vein. On the first play, Reaves almost had the ball stolen from him, only for Charles Callison to throw the ball into the stands a few seconds later when attempting a pass over the head of his own teammate. At the other end, Trier picked up where it had left off.
They ran every play through big man Marten Linßen, who was able to do whatever he wanted in the pick-and-roll. Callison did make a few good shots, but Trier’s 4-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter and the resulting 30-point lead sealed the game.
Five players scored for Trier, with Linßen and Jordan Roland leading the way with 18 points each. Steven Ashworth also shone with a strong double-double (11 points, 13 assists). Callison was the MBC’s top scorer (20), followed by Reaves (14).
With its third win in a row, Trier has reestablished its connection to the top spots and is now tied with Alba and Würzburg in second and third place on points. The MBC, on the other hand, remains far behind in twelfth place in the table with only seven wins from 17 games. Next game day, the MBC will face Oldenburg at home, while Trier will host Alba in a top-of-the-table clash.