Metropolitans get their first road win in Hamburg

Vince Hunter dominated the paint to lead Boulogne Metropolitans 92 to an 84-94 road win over Hamburg Towers on Tuesday night at Edel-optics.de Arena. Hunter racked up 26 points with just 2 missed shots and grabbed 14 rebounds to help the team improve to 3-2 in Group A with its first road win of the season. Metropolitans led for most of the game, but Hamburg never gave in and clawed its way to within 4 with 4 minutes remaining, but Hunter and Keith Hornsby helped the visitors finish strong. Will Cummings added 14 points and 6 assists for Metropolitans, Hornsby finished with 12 points and 5 assists and David Michineau also scored 12 for the victors. Caleb Homesley paced Hamburg with 29 points and Jaylon Brown added 18. The loss dropped Hamburg to 1-4.

Hunter established himself early by winning the opening tip, scoring on the first possession and grabbing some defensive rebounds. Jaylon Brown got the hosts on the scoreboard before Justus Hollatz’s steal and slam gave Hamburg its first lead, 6-4. Hunter scored twice in a 0-8 run as Metropolitans too control. Cummings stretched the lead to 7 before Zach Brown and Hornsby traded threes. Ray McCallum gave the Hamburg attack a spark and Eddy Edigin’s slam made it 19-22 after 10 minutes.

 Nobel Boungou-Colo knocked down a three from the corner with his first touch to give Metropolitans some breathing room, but Hamburg fired right back through McCallum free throws and a three by Lukas Meisner to tie the score, 27-27. The visitors regrouped after a timeout and a dunk-plus-foul by Hunter made it 30-34. Michineau kept the visitors rolling and Hunter stretched the margin to 33-42. Homesley responded with 5 quick points, which prompted a Metropolitans timeout. Tomer Ginat made big plays at both ends, including a jumper in the final seconds of the second quarter, to give Metropolitans a 42-46 lead at the break. 

Hamburg cut the deficit to 2 with baskets by Hollatz and Seth Hinrichs on the team's first two possessions of the second half. Cummings stepped up to keep Metropolitans ahead, however, back-to-back threes by Robin Christen and Homesley gave Hamburg the lead, 54-53. Metropolitans regrouped and surged to its first double-digit lead, 58-68, after a triple by Cummings and a pair of shots from downtown by Konate Lahaou. Homesley heated up with a steal, a layup and a triple and Lukas Meisner dunked seconds after a Zach Brown block to complete a 9-0 run that git Hamburg within 1. Free throws by Miralem Halilovic gave Metropolitans a 67-70 edge through three quarters.

After Meisner missed a shot to tie it, Hornsby added to Metropolitans’ lead at the other end. Hamburg was held without points for 3 and half minutes at the start of the fourth and Hornsby drained another three to restore a double-digit lead, 67-77. The hosts used a timeout and scored the next 5 points to halve the deficit. A three by Jaylon Brown made it 77-81 with 4 minutes remaining. A three-point-play on the offensive glass by Hunter kept the visitors in control and a series of offensive rebounds on the next possessions helped drain the clock. A three by Jaylon Brown gave Hamburg hope, but baskets by Hunter and Hornsby proved too much to overcome.

Pivotal performer: Hunter shines bright

Vince Hunter set several career-high and some club records in leading Boulogne Metropolitans 92 to a road win over Hamburg Towers. He made 12 of 14 two-pointers and scored 26 points, which were both personal bests. Hunter’s previous highs were 9 two-pointers, which he did twice, and 23 points for Virtus Segafredo Bologna last season against JL Bourg en Bresse. His PIR of 41 smashed his previous best of 32, which came earlier this season against Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar. That PIR is also the best in cub history, eclipsing Assem Marei’s 38 against Germani Brescia last season. It was also the best shooting performance ever by a Metropolitans player with at least 10 baskets. His 85.7% was better than Sharrod Ford’s 12 for 15 (80%) against another German team, Telekom Bonn, in December 2014.

Homesley sparkles for Hamburg

Caleb Homesley had his best game yet for Hamburg Towers in a tough loss against Boulogne Metropolitans 92. The shooting guard went for 29 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in compiling a performance index rating of 32. Homesley also drained 5 three-pointers from 11 attempts. The scoring, three-point and PIR totals are all the most in Hamburg’s young history in the competition and it is looking like the Hamburg record books will be filled with his name by the end of their debut campaign.

By the numbers: Metropolitans own the paint

Boulogne Metropolitans 92 can look to their play inside as the main reason for its road win at Hamburg Towers. The visitors controlled the rebounding battle 28-36 and made 30 of 44 two-pointers (68.2%). Both the two-point shooting accuracy and amount of twos made were club records. The previous high for two-pointers made was 28 against MoraBanc Andorra in December 2017. Metropolitans’ record for two-point accuracy had been when it made 21 of 31 (67.7%) last season versus Unicaja Malaga. In contrast to Metropolitans great shooting, Hamburg was held to 20 two-pointers made from 38 tries (52.6%).