Ratiopharm Ulm suffered a 98-107 home defeat to the bottom-placed Bundesliga club Phoenix Hagen in the BBL-Pokal round of 16 on Saturday evening, October 17, 2026, marking an early exit from the tournament.
Pokal games truly possess their own unpredictable laws. Entering Saturday’s matchup at the Neu-Ulmer Arena as favorites, head coach Ty Harrelson’s Ulm side failed to establish control from the opening tip. Phoenix Hagen arrived with a squad of ten players, operating on an eight-man rotation due to injuries to point guard Marcus Graves, former Ulmer player Marvin Omuvwie, and last-minute absentee Fabian Bleck.
Despite the roster limitations, the visitors from Hagen started the game with an aggressive offensive tempo. Adam Kunkel drained Hagen’s fifth three-pointer just five minutes into the contest to secure a 17-15 lead. Although Ulm fought back through effective perimeter shooting of their own, Hagen edged ahead 24-23 by the end of the first quarter.
Defensive Vulnerabilities and Second-Half Momentum
The defensive struggles for the home side compounded in the second quarter. Ulm surrendered 45 points in the first half alone, leaving head coach Ty Harrelson’s defense constantly trailing the visitors. While Adam Atamna and Ibi Watson briefly flipped the scoreline to 38-37 following a timeout, careless ball security plagued the favorites. Ulm racked up eleven turnovers before halftime, allowing Hagen to level the match at 45-45 at the break.
Phoenix Hagen verliert, wie ich höre, zwei Aufstiegsspieler an ratiopharm Ulm und die SBB Baskets Wolmirstedt:https://t.co/DxBbibeDF4
The third quarter broke open in favor of the visitors. Coach Chris Harris organized a team that disrupted Ulm’s rhythm through a series of fouls. Hagen carved out a 58-51 lead midway through the period and extended it to 61-52. Jaylen Sims finally put up his first points for Ulm late in the third, but the favorites faced a 69-62 deficit heading into the final ten minutes.
| Game Metric | Ratiopharm Ulm | Phoenix Hagen |
|---|---|---|
| League Standing | Bundesliga | Bundesliga Tabellenletzter |
| Halftime Score | 45 Points | 45 Points |
| Final Score | 98 Points | 107 Points |
A Decisive Collapse and Coach Harrelson’s Reaction
Early hopes of a comeback flickered when Meissa Faye opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to close the gap to 69-67. Yet, that momentum proved short-lived. Hagen maintained remarkable offensive composure under pressure, punishing unforced Ulmer errors in the closing minutes.
Bjarne Kraushaar sealed the upset by sinking consecutive difficult three-pointers, pushing Hagen into a double-digit lead at 94-83 with under two minutes remaining. The visitors cruised to a 107-98 victory, securing a quarterfinal berth.
Reflecting on the result, Ulm head coach Ty Harrelson didn’t shy away from self-assessment, pointing directly to a lack of physical resilience in his squad. “I’m disappointed. But I’m the coach and thereby the leader. I take responsibility,” Harrelson stated, adding that his team lacked “the toughness” required for basketball.
Top performers for Ulm included Ibi Watson and Michael Rataj, who each contributed 22 points in a losing effort. Ratiopharm Ulm must quickly redirect their focus toward international competition, traveling to face an Eurocup fixture in Thessaloniki on Wednesday, while Phoenix Hagen returns to domestic league play to host Braunschweig on Sunday.
