84:88-defeat after over-time against Zwickau
Title-defendants RSV Lahn-Dill did not find their luck in Valladolid. In the cross-over for the spots 5-8 the team from Wetzlar was defeated 84:88 (20:15/36:32/51:50/73:73) on Saturday night by RSC-Zwickau in a dramatic all-German match.
In a white-knuckle finish the spectators saw a game that started off well for RSV. But the 26:16, resulting from a nice combination by Joe Bestwick and Michael Paye, marked the turning point for Zwickau and the start of a race to catch up. Successively the score moved back and forth between both teams, before a three by an outstanding Ghazian Choudry led to 59:56 (33rd min). But Thomas Boehme and Captain Paye did not hesitate and countered (61:59, 34th min).
The game developed into a dramatic last phase, in which RSV seemed to be on the right track with 67:63 (38th min), before Joe Bestwick managed a spectacular three-point shot three seconds before the final whistle, forcing the game into over-time and giving his team the chance to win. But luck was not on their side in those following five minutes, and it was not possible to win the game with pure fighting-spirit. So the last feeling of success was reached when national player Annabel Breuer minimised the gap to 84:86 eight seconds before the final whistle, leaving RSV Lahn-Dill deeply disappointed with the defeat.
Zwickau: Ghazian Choudry (38/3 threes), Adam Erben (19), Matt Sealy (9), Marcin Balcerowski (8), Ademola Orogbemi (6), Rostislav Pohlmann (6), Bryce Doody (2), Frank Oehme, Jaap Smid (n.e.), Günther Mayer (n.e.).
RSV Lahn-Dill: Michael Paye (27), Joe Bestwick (18/1), Thomas Boehme (13), Dirk Koehler (12), Jan Haller (4), Annabel Breuer (2), Thomas Gundert (2), Bjoern Lohmann (2), Felix Schell (2), Marco Zwerger (2), Christopher Huber (n.e.), Gesche Schuenemann (n.e.).