67:54-triumph at Champions Cup final 2015
The German Champions RSV Lahn-Dill have returned to the European throne with a very strong performance. The team dominated the Spanish Champions CD Fundosa ONCE Madrid in this last game of the tournament with an incredibly strong defense. In the end they were able to celebrate their well-deserved 67:54 (20:6/35:16/49:31).
With this win the Wetzlar team have broken another record: no other team has won the European title as many times as RSV Lahn-Dill in the 39-years of its existence. The team were deeply moved listening to the German anthem during the closing ceremony.
Despite the fact that RSV were considered an outsider for this year’s tournament, even after winning 80:50 against last year’s winners Galatasaray, the game started off with a three by Steve Serio after only 40 seconds. The fans of the club had to rub their eyes in disbelief when the scoreboard showed a 15:4 score after nine minutes, and the Spaniards must have been just as baffled. They were not able to work against the tough RSV defence, which got tighter and tighter.
The German Champions moved via 24:6 (11th min) off to 33:13 (18th min), both scored by Thomas Boehme, who played extraordinarily. Italy’s national coach was heard saying “grandioso, Boehme, grandioso”. Old dog Dirk Koehler had a brilliant game too, scoring 17 points, and the team was smartly lead by US-Americans Michael Paye and Steve Serio, the latter scoring 10 points and making 10 assists, as well as getting 13 rebounds.
In the end there were only two precarious situation, the first was in the second quarter, when Madrid’s Terry Bywater shortened the gap to 12:24, and the second in the 33rd minute when Bill Latham got his team closer again scoring the 37:51.
But the Middle Hesse team stayed calm and knocked the Spanish opposition out within 19 seconds of the fourth quarter. Steve Serio had the ball and was on his way to the basket, when Latham committed a technical against him, getting him out of his chair. Still falling, he scored, did make the additional free throw and due to the kind of foul also got ball possession. What followed was another 3-point play by Dirk Koehler, and it was done.
“In this game, absolutely everything worked out. We had a super strong tournament, and won deservedly.” says Zeltinger after the game with barely anything left of his voice. “The team can be proud of themselves! A brilliant performance by a brilliant team, getting another title for their club.” Manager Andreas Joneck added, before the trophy was handed to Michael Paye by IWBF Europe president Jan Berteling.
Madrid: Terry Bywater (20/2 Dreier), Bill Latham (10), Martin Rodriguez (8), Rafael Munio (6), Pablo Zarzuela (6), Petr Tueck (4), Daniel Stix, Pablo Cubo (n.e.), Javier Gomez (n.e.), Jaume Llambi (n.e.), Sara Revuelta (n.e.), Carlos Vera (n.e.).
Lahn-Dill: Thomas Böhme (30), Dirk Köhler (17), Michael Paye (10/1), Steve Serio (10/1), Joe Bestwick, Annabel Breuer, Nico Dreimüller, Christopher Huber, Björn Lohmann, Marco Zwerger, Jan Haller (n.e.), Felix Schell (n.e.).