These two top teams gave the audience in the Bonner Gymnasium in Tannenbusch a dramatic battle in the first playoff game between the ASV Bonn and the RSV Lahn-Dill. The league leading RSV Lahn-Dill team were down going into the fourth quarter, but managed to pull off a win despite a fantastic performance by Bonn’s Adam Lancia, who hit eight three pointers.
It seemed as if the favorites from Lahn-Dill had the upper hand but their hosts started the game aggressively after Lancia hit his first triple of the night eight seconds into the first quarter. The RSV team were impressive throughout the first half, maintaining their focus with leads of 16:7 (8 minute mark) and 30:20 (15 minute mark).
This trend continued early in the third quarter, with the score 42:32 at the 23 minute mark. But the league’s top scorer from Bonn, 28 year-old Canadian Adam Lancia quickly turned the game into a dramatic thriller. At the 24 minute mark he hit his third three pointer of the game, and despite good defense by RSV he hit three more in less than two minutes to put his team into the lead (44:42). This unbelievable display slightly shocked the RSV team, and their shooting percentage dropped dangerously low. Lancia then surprised his coach and the audience by hitting his seventh and eighth three pointers, putting his team up 54:46.
With the threat of a first round play-off defeat the six time German champions Lahn-Dill showed their fighting hearts and regained some momentum. This resulted in a dramatic finish, and with both teams in foul trouble every possession was crucial. RSV center Dirk Köhler led his team on a twelve point run including two three point plays. This put the RSV side up 59:58 with five minutes remaining. Shortly after that, Lars Lohmann of Bonn fouled out and his teammate Thomas Becker picked up his fourth foul. On the RSV side both Joey Johnson and Richard Peter were charged with their fourth fouls.
After ten minutes of some of the best basketball the ASV Bonn had played all season, they wavered and the last five minutes of the game was all Lahn-Dill. After a stunning 22:6 run the RSV Lahn-Dill held a 68:60 lead with one minute remaining in the game. Captain Joey Johnson tightened the noose in the final minutes with several key rebounds and steals, he finished the game with 18 rebounds and eight steals.
The fans are looking forward to another exciting game when these two top teams meet again on March 21st at 7:30pm in Wetzlar. In the other semi-final arch rivals Zwickau defeated Frankfurt 82:65.
Bonn: Adam Lancia (32/8 Dreier), Thomas Becker (22), Sven Fischer (11/1),
Tarik Cajo (2), Jörg Hilger, Björn Lohmann, Edina Müller, Alexander von
Reth, Mareike Adermann (n.e.), Jan Haller (n.e.).
Lahn-Dill: Joey Johnson (16), Dirk Köhler (16), Richard Peter (16), Michael
Paye (12), Annika Zeyen (6), Kai Gerlach (4), Thomas Gundert (2), Felix
Schell, Gesche Schünemann, Marco Zwerger,Jan Kampmann (n.e.).