RSV Lahn-Dill started 2009 with an "ordinary performance" said coach Nicolai Zeltinger. The league leaders celebrated a 75:53 (21:14 / 40:24 / 50:40) win over USC in Munich and solidified their number one position in the RBBL. U.S. Point Guard Michael Paye and his Canadian teammate Richard Peter were the top scorers for the Lahn Dill side with 20 points each in the 11th game of the season.
"This was the first step here in Munich toward the final goal this season and it was a very lackluster step" said Zeltinger after the conclusion of the game in the Irene Fischer von Erlach gym in the Bavarian state capital. Coach Zeltinger got his team off to a quick start, with an 8:0 lead after only three minutes. Swedish player Johanna Welin finally provided the first two points for the host team from the free throw line late in the first quarter.
USC Munich was unable to floor their full roster. Due to illness and injury Markus Haberkorn, Sebastian Magenheim and Benjamin Schlabach did not play. In the second quarter RSV Lahn Dill made some adjustments to their defense in order to contain USC center Stefan Markus. The pressure defense proved too much for Munich and Lahn Dill extended their lead to 16 points by halftime (40:24).
RSV started the second half slowly and gave Munich some offensive opportunities which they took advantage of. Scoring from Ben Doering of Munich cut into Lahn Dill’s comfortable lead. In the 33rd minute of the game Munich coach Peter Schadt saw his team fight back to within eight points (44:52) of the league leading RSV Lahn Dill team. At this crucial point in the game US national team player Michael Paye woke his team up with two big back to back 3 pointers. This sparked a 14:0 run by Lahn Dill dashing any hopes Munich may have had of making a comeback. “Our starting five showed precisely what level they are capable of playing at” concluded coach Zeltinger, after the fourth quarter. Lahn Dill reduced their turnovers and also had a team total of 14 assists, statistically demonstrating once more why they are the number one team in the league.
Also on Saturday, RSV Lahn Dill’s closest rival, Zwickau celebrated a 101:42 win over Augsburg. Former Lahn Dill players Birgit Meitner and Markus Legath now play for SC Augsburg and will be on the roster next Saturday when RSV Lahn Dill hosts Augsburg at the August-Bebel gym.
München: Ben Döring (16), Stefan Markus (14), Benjamin Ryklin (13), Florian
Fischer (4), Maximilian Grubmüller (2), Uli Schmölz (2), Johanna Welin (2),
Sercan Ismail.
Lahn-Dill: Michael Paye (20/2 Dreier), Richard Peter (20), Joey Johnson
(17), Dirk Köhler (8), Annika Zeyen (4), Marco Zwerger (4), Kai Gerlach (2),
Thomas Gundert, Jan Kampmann, Felix Schell, Gesche Schünemann.