Niners Chemnitz extend top position with victory against Hakro Merlins Crailsheim

The Niners Chemnitz extended their lead at the top of the German Basketball League on Boxing Day with their twelfth win in a row. The players of Head Coach Rodrigo Pastore celebrated an unchallenged 95:67 (48:40) triumph at home against bottom-of-the-table Hakro Merlins Crailsheim. Kevin Yebo (20 points), Jeff Garrett (16), Tylor Ongwae, Aher Uguak (11 each) and Kaza Kajami-Keane (10) played the biggest part in the win. Keandre Cook (16), Brandon Childress (14) and James Murray-Boyles (11) scored the most points for the visitors.

The club from Crailsheim was only able to hold off the league leaders in the first two quarters and was in front for the last time in the encounter at 29:28 (11'). The club from Saxony then displayed all its class after the break. With a 7:0 run from 48:42 (21') to 55:42 (24'), the club from Chemnitz pulled away from its opponents and had already decided the game in its favor by the end of the third quarter at 70:48 (29').

The Niners were even 30 points ahead at 89:59 (37'), before their concentration waned somewhat in the final spell. The league leaders had clear advantages both in terms of accuracy from the field (50 percent compared to just 40 for their opponents) and under the basket (40:31 rebounds).