77:63 win against Hyeres means Final Four
Six-fold Champions Cup winners RSV Lahn-Dill are taking place in the semi-finals for the 13th time. Their tough 77:63-win (19:14/32:31/61:51) against French Champions Hyeres did not only secure a spot in the Final Four weekend in Tenerife, but also meant that RSV are top of their group. Second became German rivals RSB Thuringia Bulls after defeating Porto Torres 71:65.
RSV Lahn-Dill were struggling more than they had hoped after their defeat the previous day. Especially French National player Nicolas Jouanserre kept jeopardising the RSV zone. After having raised the score to 19:14 at the end of the first quarter, the team seemed to lose this little buffer in the last few seconds before half time. A basket by Haefeli saved the RSV-lead only 17 seconds before half time (32:31).
After changeover, RSV then managed to get ahead further and further. After the 32:33 (21st min) scored by Jouanserre, Captain Michael Paye got a successful three-point-play leading to 35:33 (22nd min) before Boehme added a three to 51:45 (26th min). In the end of the third quarter Piotr Luszynski got the ten-point advance at 61:51.
But not all was well yet, when Spaniard Ivan Toscano got close again four minutes before the end of the game at 65:61. This set off ice-cold counteraction from RSV who started a 12:2-run for the last leg of the game, which secured the spot at the Final Four weekend on Tenerife on the 5th and 6th of May.
„Of course, I’m super happy that we became first in our group. Especially our win against Thuringia last Friday has special meaning for us in this season. Though not everything was perfect this season, but we’re on the right track to get us out of our mess again.” said Zeltinger relieved after this strenuous weekend. “Piotr was really important for us today, his fighting spirit pointed us in the right direction.” Michael Paye as well as Annabel Breuer got well-deserved spots in the Allstar Team. The other spots went to Matt Scott and Fabio Raimondi of GSD Porto Torres and Thuringia’s Aliaksandr Halouski.
The trip to Tenerife in May will bring a match between RSV and MIA Briantea ’84 Cantu as well as a match between Thuringia Bulls and Spanish Champions and title-defendants CD Ilunion Madrid.
Lahn-Dill: Piotr Luszynski (27), Michael Paye (23), Thomas Böhme (12/4 Dreier), Philipp Häfeli (6), Dirk Köhler (6), Nico Dreimüller (2), Joe Bestwick, Annabel Breuer, Jan Haller, Björn Lohmann, Christopher Huber (n.e.).
Hyères: Nicolas Jouanserre (23), Jerome Duran (16), Ivan Toscano (14), Dominik Molser (10), Ibrahim Guirassy, Jerome Laureri, Philippe Nuttin (n.e.).