88:33-win against newbies Bonn
RSV Lahn-Dill did not miss any chances on this preferred 17th game day this past Saturday against ASV Bonn. The 88:33 (18:9/44:15/67:25) was topped off with double-doubles by each Bestwick, Koehler, and Paye. Whilst Captain Michael Paye got twelve assists, Bestwick and Koehler procured the lead with twelve rebounds each. All three scored in the double figures.
“We tried to keep up the speed and intensity throughout the games, and I think we managed quite well” said RSV-Coach Zeltinger after the game, highlighting Michael Paye’s performance especially “Mikey lead the game and was able to fire up his team perfectly.” Great performances by Dreimueller and Haller as well, who were both in the starting five and because of their strong offensive game both deserved their 30 minutes on court.
As so many times before, RSV needed some time to get into the game. But after the 10:07 (6th min) score, the team got into gear, tightening the grip around the Bonn offence after ASV-Centre Oliver Hoffmann had scored nine points already. In this phase, it was especially Centre Joe Bestwick who did great from different positions and scored a high percentage. After a three by Dreimueller (33:11, 15th min), the Briton got a perfect three-point-play leading to the 42-15 (15th min) score, and having scored 20 points already.
After changeover, ASV seemed to have picked up their game slightly more, decreasing the gap slightly when Hoffmanns and Marc Hermann scored to 46:19 (21st min). But ASV didn’t stand a chance against the deep RSV bench, even though both teams could not attend with their complete squad. Wetzlar’s topscorer Piotr Luszynski and U22-World Champion Chris Huber were both missing, and injured Philipp Haefeli had to stay on the bench.
Nevertheless, the top-of-the-table team went for a second run, and slingshot the score between the 24th and 27th minute from 48:21 to 63:21. But the team from the former German capital, who won the title themselves three times between 1999 and 2001, did not get their spirit broken and held against RSV as well as possible. What followed was the strongest phase of the guests, following a three by Hannfrieder Briel. Until the 34th minute, Bonn had a 12:6-run, correcting the score to 71:33 before RSV woke up again.
After a three-point-play, eight points by Boehme and four by Paye within the last five minutes, this 15:0-run corrected the score in RSV-favour again, proving their role as favourites right. “It was important for us to keep our concentration, aggression, and speed up for the entire 40 minutes, as we have a big hurdle to jump next week, playing away against Rhine River Rhinos in Wiesbaden.” The team is currently in spot number four of the table.
Lahn-Dill: Joe Bestwick (25), Michael Paye (21), Thomas Böhme (13), Nico Dreimüller (10/1 Dreier), Dirk Köhler (10), Jan Haller (9), Annabel Breuer, Björn Lohmann, Philipp Häfeli (n.e.).
Bonn: Oliver Hoffmann (19), Hannfrieder Briel (10/1), Marc Hermanns (2), Joel Schaake (2), Marcel Gerber, Miriam Palm.