Essengue and Saraf Watch: Ulm 3-0 in BBL: Saraf steps up in fourth, Essengue has moments vs Ludwigsburg
ratiopharm ulm are 3-0 in the easyCredit BBL with Ben Saraf playing his best in the fourth quarter while talent Noa Essengue had his moments. Here a look at their games vs Ludwigsburg.
ratiopharm ulm improved to 3-0 in the easyCredit BBL after fighting past MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg with a 63-62 home victory. Taking The Charge has been looking at Ulm’s teenage duo of Ben Saraf and Noa Essengue all season with the Essengue and Saraf Watch. Here is what they did against the defensive-charged Ludwigsburg team.
Saraf had a strong close to the game and finished with 6 points on 3-of-12 shots (0/3 threes) and zero free throws attempted, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 turnover in 17 minutes. Essengue totalled 4 points on 2-of-9 shots (0/2 threes), 0-of-2 free throws, 8 rebounds - 3 of them offensive boards, 1 block and 1 turnover in 14 minutes.
Saraf started the game and committed his first turnover just 54 seconds into the game, passing out of bounds between two teammates after a drive. A minute later the Ulm playmaker got his shot after a drive blocked by Jacob Patrick.
Ulm needed more than 3 minutes to score and Saraf missed a wide open three-point attempt from the right wing. He was the beneficiary of a nice pass from Philipp Herkenhoff for a reverse layup for his first points.
That was followed by a missed jumper from the left wing after which Saraf went to the bench with 5:22 minutes left in the first quarter.
Saraf was on the court to start the second quarter. About 90 seconds into the frame, he cheated off Jacob Patrick but the Ludwigsburg youngster missed an open corner three. Saraf’s tough day continued at the other end as his jumper in the paint was short and he was taken off at the 7:49 minute mark and did not play the rest of the first half.
He was back on to start the second half and was fouled on the first possession. Still in the first minute he had plenty of time but missed an open three from the left wing.
One of his best passes came shortly thereafter, tossing it over Jacob Patrick to Herkenhoff, who couldn’t finish as he was blocked by Patrick from behind.
The next time down, Saraf tried to drive down the right side but could not finish over Jonas Wohlfarth-Bottermann. Nearly 4 minutes into the second half, Saraf knocked down a jumper at the free throw line.
Defensively, Saraf allowed Johannes Patrick to streak right by him from the perimeter and then after a miss he was out ahead on the break and fed Herkenhoff for the layin.
Saraf once again cheated on defense from the corner shooter but Ludwigsburg could not punish the youngster with a missed three. He was brought back to the bench shortly thereafter with 3:56 minutes left in the third.
Saraf was back to start the fourth quarter and missed his first shot - a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down. Ulm coach Ty Harrelson took out the talent just 54 seconds into the final frame.
Saraf was back with 3:14 minutes left in the game and immediately delivered a superb low bounce back into the paint for a dunk by Santos. Ludwigsburg’s ensuing possession ended with Saraf drawing an offensive foul by Brandon Tischler.
Saraf again delivered the next possession, this time a layup off a drive with the left hand off the glass.
His strong stretch continued by grabbing the defensive rebound. Saraf did miss the stepback three-pointer though and then was off target on a lefty jumper later in the possession.
Saraf came off with 33 seconds to go for Nelson Weidemann in a defensive substitution with Ulm up 4 points. He was subbed back on seconds later but did not touch the ball on Ulm’s offense.
Essengue came onto the court for the first time with 5:22 minutes left in the first quarter. About a minute into his first stint, the Frenchman forced Johannes Patrick into a turnover on a drive. Seconds later he swatted Patrick on another drive.
After the next Ludwigsburg miss, Essengue grabbed the rebound and raced down the court and was fouled, missing both free throws.
Essengue missed his next attempt, a layup after a hit-ahead from Marcio Santos. He then passed up a corner three, tried to back down Yorman Polas Bartolo and missed a turnaround jumper against the Cuban veteran. The next miss was in the last second of the shot clock.
Inside the final minute of the first quarter, Essengue did a good job grabbing an offensive rebound and putting it back up. He then committed an offensive foul on the next possession on a drive.
Essengue was still on to start the second quarter but picked up his second foul just 6 seconds into the frame and went to the bench.
Essengue didn’t get back onto the court until the 3:56 minute mark of the third. His first significant action after returning came with about 150 seconds left, rolling after a pick for Alfonso Plummer, getting the ball and going up against two defenders. No foul was called, Essengue grabbed the offensive rebound and went back up but couldn’t hit the second attempt.
A minute later, Essengue did a great job running the floor on the break and threw down a dunk. He did more good work at the other end, helping force a Ludwigsburg turnover at the baseline.
He played the rest of the third quarter but did not play in the fourth until 4:31 minutes left in the game.
Essengue was working hard on defense and rebounding and threw up a bad airball from the corner with 95 seconds left and the team up by three points.
At the other end, he played good perimeter defense and then corralled the defensive rebound after a Ludwigsburg miss.
With Ulm up by 3 points with 5 seconds left, Essengue fouled Justin Simon at half court shooting a three-pointer and there were three free throws with 2.0 second left. Simon made the first two, missed the third, grabbed the rebound and shot, missed it, grabbed his own rebound again but missed the final shot at the buzzer.
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