Canadian’s Johnson and Peter triumph – top scorer Michael Paye
It was the 41st meeting between these two top teams, but ASV Bonn offered little resistance last Saturday as RSV Lahn-Dill had another convincing performance in the Tannenbusch Gym in Bonn 87:39 (24:7 / 46:25 / 68:28. The RSV Lahn Dill confidently defended their top spot in the standings.
RSV came out well prepared and with a lot of intensity. Although, the host took an early lead with a foul shot from Tarik Cajo (5:4) after opening the game with baskets from birthday boy Adam Lancia. This was the only birthday gift the RSV would grant Lancia though. Fellow Canadians Joey Johnson and Richard Peter replied with five points of their own and to the amazement of the fans this sparked a huge run by the RSV who ended the first quarter with a 24:7 lead.
ASV head coach Martin Otto tried everything to change the momentum. He took a time out, changed his line ups and his tactics, but nothing seemed to help his team get back on track. Adam Lancia, who is the top scorer in the RBBL and averaging over 26 points per game, was surprisingly quiet but did receive a little support from his teammates. German National team player Thomas Becker consistently took advantage of the opportunities offered to him and scored 16 points for Bonn in the first half.
It was unforeseeable that this match-up between the Canadian RSV duo of Johnson and Peter and the ASV’s top scoring Lancia would be decided so early in the game. The RSV went into the half time break with a comfortable 46:25 lead.
In the third quarter the host team was unable to break through the tough RSV defense or slow down the attacking RSV offense. RSV coach Nicolai Zeltinger was not pleased with his team’s 16 turnovers but overall it was a good performance by the team. The 51:26 rebound ratio was clear evidence of their superior shooting percentage, as well the eleven steals from their constant defensive pressure and 24 assists demonstrated a real team effort.
It was surprising that in the final quarter of the game Bonn didn’t put up more of a fight but the RSV were relentless and defeated the ASV by the largest margin ever in the history of the RBBL
Next weekend the RSV will have another chance to defend their top spot as the Koln 99’ers come to Wetzlar. The team will have to play without team Captain Joey Johnson who will be attending a Canadian national team training camp, his Canadian teammate Richard Peter has been exempt from the camp and will remain in Germany to play with the RSV Lahn Dill.
Bonn: Thomas Becker (23), Adam Lancia (9), Tarik Cajo (2), Edina Müller (2),
Alexander von Reth (2), Jan Haller (1), Mareike Adermann, Sven Fischer, Jörg
Hilger, Björn Lohmann.
Lahn-Dill: Michael Paye (24), Richard Peter (23), Joey Johnson (15), Dirk
Köhler (8), Gesche Schünemann (7), Kai Gerlach (4), Thomas Gundert (4),
Annika Zeyen (2), Felix Schell, Marco Zwerger, Jan Kampmann (n.e.).