RSV can look forward to a working Sunday
Title defendants RSV Lahn-Dill are back in the race for the German Championship title. Hard work got them the final score of 74:59 (13:15/34:33/58:47), beating Thueringen in the second game of the best-of-three series. Now a third game on Sunday will bring the decision. The game took place in front of 1.600 spectators, and it wasn’t for the fainthearted. From the first minute onwards the pressure on the hosting team was noticeable and the 1:6 (5th min) said it all. It took seven minutes until Steve Serio was able to score the first basket within the game. But this still didn’t turn around the game, despite the fact that Thueringen too acted nervously. The game continued via 11:15 (9th min) and 21:27 (16th min), which showed how tough this second game was. But the team surrounding Michael Paye understood the message and fought themselves back into the game for the title. Ten points scored by Thomas Boehme turned the scoreboard to 29:27 (18th min) for his team, who got more and more confident with the noise that their fans were making for them. At half-time the score was 34:33.After the break the current Champions closed the game.
In the second half of the third quarter the team seemed only stoppable with fouls, which they took advantage of by scoring them sovereignly. Despite Thueringen’s impressive efforts, RSV made up for the past six quarters in this playoff series. Boehme played outstandingly, putting himself into great positions and assisted brilliantly by Michael Paye and Steve Serio. In the end the 23-year-old scored 36 points for his team. “This was really hard work for us, and I’m very proud of our team, how they managed to recover from last week.” said RSV Head Coach Nicolai Zeltinger after the game. Now the Middle Hesse team has a shot to win the title again on Sunday, having the same odds as the guests from Thueringen. “It’s 1-1 now, a single game will decide who wins the title. We have to be focused and know how to take our opposition.”
Lahn-Dill: Thomas Böhme (36), Steve Serio (17/1 Dreier), Michael Paye (12), Joe Bestwick (7), Dirk Köhler (2), Björn Lohmann, Annabel Breuer, Nico Dreimüller (n.e.), Jan Haller (n.e.), Christopher Huber (n.e.), Felix Schell (n.e.), Marco Zwerger (n.e.).
Thüringen: Alex Halouski (19), Sebastian Magenheim (11), Teemu Partanen (11), André Bienek (8), Dan Highcock (8), Nerijus Venckus (2), Jens-Eike Albrecht, Raimund Beginskis, Bart Nulens, Marvin Malsy (n.e.).