That moment allowed Joventut to come back over Ulm
Yesterday the encounter between Joventut Badalona and Ratiopharm Ulm had all the ingredients of a true derby. The visitors from Germany were coming after 6 consecutive wins in Eurocup and domestic league and they were ready to win this game too. Joventut Badalona had some oscillating weeks when they were affected by injuries and they tried to improve their roster, bringing back Vladimir Brodziansky. It is a moment of reconstruction for the Catalan squad before the Spanish Cup they will host soon.
Joventut started very slow the game and they scored only 24 points till halftime. It was a record of low scoring and they were completely dominated by the German defense. After the break it looked like things can go better for the Spaniards but then in a couple of minutes, Ulm turn around the tables and extended the lead to 20 points margin.
Then, a crucial moment changed the fate of the game forever: the Brazilian point guard Yago Mattheus was injured and he left the game. That moment was psychological and allowed Joventut a great comeback. They finished the 3rd quarter on a high note and the fans were hoping for a miracle in the last stanza.
Even if Yago came back later on the court, things were going in the right direction for Joventut. Pushed by the fans, they had an amazing quarter that ended 34-15 for the host team. Joventut found the necessary energy they have missed in the first half and eventually won the game.
The article was written by Gratian Cormos, a Romanian journalist, book writer, life coach and mentor currently living in Barcelona, Spain.
If you are interested in collaborating with his website brainbasketball.net, in order to publish articles, interviews or other features related to basketball, feel free to contact Gratian Cormos by Whatsapp or Telegram at this Spanish number: +34 612414486.
Photo credit: Eurocup
