Phoenix defeated Kraisheim Merlins 93 to 86 in the German Cup on September 10th. The away side took control early and held firm through the closing stages, while the hosts found themselves chasing from the first quarter. By then the pattern was clear - Phoenix had carved them open with quick transitions.
The visitors got dragged out of position at the start, but that only made Kraisheim overextend. They chased the ball and left gaps behind them. Phoenix found a way back into it with three-pointers that came at the perfect moments.
And here's the thing - the home side had nothing to lose after going down early. They pushed harder, but the effort came too late. The visitors kept their composure when it mattered most, running the clock down without panic.
Possession wasn't evenly matched, but efficiency told the real story. Phoenix shot better from the field and converted more opportunities. The hosts had their chances but couldn't put them away when they had them.
This result drops Kraisheim to third place with three games played and two losses already. They're running out of games without building any momentum. The gap to the top four is widening with each defeat.
We'd given a home victory at 51% confidence, but the match went another way entirely. It wasn't bad forecasting - just Kraisheim unable to close out the quarter properly. Sometimes the statistics don't tell you what's happening on the court.