In the BBL finals, Bayern Munich and ratiopharm Ulm face the decisive game. Supertalent Noa Essengue will definitely be missing, a circumstance that stirs up emotions.
Ratiopharm Ulm could not use the first match point in the BBL finals. After the 53:67 defeat against FC Bayern in their home hall, the decisive game five in Munich on Thursday will have to bring the decision.
Compared to the first three games of the series, the Ulmers completely lacked the offensive punch (27 percent hit rate from the field). Also a big factor: Supertalent Noa Essengue decided to fly to the USA for the NBA Draft and is therefore no longer available for the rest of the playoffs.
Noa Essengue is no longer available to ratiopharm Ulm
“We had given both Ben and Noa the free choice of which of their two dreams they would like to give preference to. From our point of view, this predicament for the two young players, team, club and fans – also for the final series – could have been avoided,” Ulm wrote on social networks.
Essengue decided not to be available to his employer any longer, but to prefer participation in the NBA draft on site to a possible title win with Ulm. A decision that could well decide the title fight.
“There were of course phases in which we missed Noa very much”
Because the fourth game of the final series also showed that Ulm and Bayern are almost completely on an equal footing. Only small things can make the difference in this hard-fought final series.
A player of Essengue’s quality is hard to replace for Ulm. In game four, they tried to distribute the Frenchman’s minutes to the team. For example, young Alec Anigbata received relevant minutes for the first time in the final series. Against seasoned Munich players, he could not hold his own 100 percent in all situations.
“I think it’s always difficult when you’re missing an important player,” said Ulm coach Ty Harrelson about Essengue’s absence, but then relativized immediately: “However, I don’t think that really affected the result today. Bayern are also playing without Carsen Edwards, who previously scored 20 points on average.”
Ulm would also miss the long-term injured captain Klepeisz very much, but failures would simply be part of the sport. “But there were of course phases in which we missed Noa very much,” Harrelson stated.
Essengue extremely missing Ulmer defensive
Specifically, Ulm lacks the defensive strength and athleticism of the Frenchman. In the offensive, he played no role in the final series, unlike before, and scored only 3.7 points on average (previously it was 13 points on average).
Nevertheless, Essengue was important, especially under the basket, especially when starting center Marcio Santos got into foul trouble, and he has actually done so in each of the four games so far. Essengue then brought the necessary ring protection, which is now missing. The Bavarians also knew this and closed 32 times under the basket in game four (previously only 25 times on average in the three games).
From the logo! After this throw, Bayern really turns up
In addition, the entire uncertainty about whether Essengue is available or not could also have distracted the entire team. Even if Coach Harrelson denied this when asked by SPORT1: “That wasn’t a distraction for us. As soon as the schedule was finalized in January, it was clear to all of us that something like this could happen.”
“He will certainly have spoken to his teammates beforehand, before he finally made the decision and communicated it to us coaches and the team. But again: It was very clear to us that this could happen,” Harrelson continued.
Sightseeing instead of final action
On his Instagram account you can see what Essengue is doing in the USA. Instead of fighting for the championship, various media appointments, shopping and sightseeing were on the agenda for him. On Tuesday he stood on the observation deck “The Edge” in New York and looked out over the city.
Another focus was clearly on introducing himself to the teams and media representatives. Especially with the so-called lottery picks, the franchises like to see that they are on site in the USA.
“The draft is really something special. Maybe the best day of my life,” Essengue said at a press conference before the draft.
It was hard for him to leave his team. But: “That’s my choice.” According to an ESPN report, he is said to have left Ulm on Sunday and initially flown to Toronto to introduce himself to the Raptors.
Essengue selected by the Chicago Bulls in twelfth place
The Raptors didn’t pick the Frenchman with their ninth pick, but the trip was still worth it for Essengue. The Chicago Bulls picked him in position twelve and therefore a bit higher than he was in many forecasts.
Whether this was due to the fact that he was on site in the USA seems open. Because even there, Essengues’ decision was seen in a mixed light: In social media, NBA fans are lively discussing whether his draft trip is the only logical decision – or leaves a bad first impression. Tenor: Thinks more of himself than of a team that would have liked to have counted on him.
The decision has now been made anyway and Essengue will play for the Chicago Bulls in the coming season. And after he shook hands with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the stage, he went straight to Chicago to be available there for media appointments. This process is definitely easier to handle from New York than from Ulm.
At least Saraf is available to Ulm
There was also good news for Ulm after game four, because the second super talent, Ben Saraf, will be available in game five.
“Ben has decided that he will stay here, so I assume that he will be there on Thursday,” said Coach Harrelson after the game.
The fact that the Israeli, who was incidentally selected by the Brooklyn Nets at 26th position in the NBA Draft and thus slightly higher than predicted in many places, is there is at least good for the Ulmers, especially because he played a much larger role in the final than Essengue.
For example, Saraf completely took over in game three in Munich and can again become the decisive factor in game five. If Ulm loses, there will be many discussions about whether Essengue’s departure was the decisive factor to the detriment of the Ulmers.