Jena's Comeback Bid in Ulm Ends Unluckily - Jena's last-gasp rally falls short in 93–90 heartbreaker against Ulm
Science City Jena suffered a narrow 93–90 defeat against ratiopharm Ulm in a tense away match. The loss leaves Jena without bonus points in their fight to avoid relegation. Despite a late surge, the Thuringia team fell just short in the final seconds.
The game began evenly, with both sides locked at 24–24 after eight minutes. Ulm soon took control, stretching their lead to 85–70 by the 32nd minute. Christopher Ledlum and Mark Smith dominated for the hosts, finishing with 22 and 17 points respectively.
Jena fought back strongly in the final quarter. They cut the deficit to 81–85 in the 36th minute and closed to within a single point with just a minute left. However, Mark Smith sealed the win for Ulm with a decisive shot in the dying seconds. While Jena held advantages in three-point shooting, free-throw accuracy, and rebounding, costly turnovers proved their undoing. Lorenz Bank and Joe Wieskamp led the scoring for the visitors with 18 points each, supported by Keith Braxton Jr. (16) and Kristofer Krause (11).
The defeat leaves Jena empty-handed in their relegation battle. Ulm's victory was secured by a late basket, despite Jena's spirited comeback. The result keeps pressure on the Thuringia side as the season progresses.
