Dramatic 60:59-success against hosting team Thuringia Bulls
RSV have gotten their first title of the season in a dramatic final against title defendants RSB Thuringia Bulls, becoming German Cup winners once again. After a season without titles, RSV won the tight game 60:59. In their game for the third spot, RSV II showed a courageous performance again in their first ever Cup Final Four, losing 83:45 against BG Baskets Hamburg.
RSB Thuringia Bulls – RSV Lahn-Dill 59:60 (17:13/33:33/46:44)
The fight was a level one from the star. After the 6:4 (5th min) by Koehler, the Thuringia team was afloat for a while. Just before the end of the first quarter, RSV Head Coach Nicolai Zeltinger was forced to take his first time out.
But it still took the Middle Hesse team 13 minutes, until Piotr Luszynski finally got the 21:21-equalisation. For the opposition, the game was carried by Joakim Linden. He steered the game, hit almost everything, and therefore made up for Aliaksandr Halouski, who was held at bay by the RSV defence. This turned the game into an intense race, where both teams were ahead one minute, and behind again in the next.
All of a sudden, in the third quarter, it seemed like RSV were shooting off at 35:37 (23rd min) and 44:37 (28th min). This was mainly down to Tommy Boehme, who upped his game immensely and by that kept the way open for team mates Luszynski and Paye.
But a three by Bienek was the start of a caching up for Thuringia Bulls, who could get close again at 46:44. But this tiny advance was fought against courageously by RSV. They acted well together and with mental strength, despite their recent blows.
In the last quarter, Hafeli scored two baskets to 54:50 (35th min) before Linden changed the score to 58:54 (38th min). Now it was Halouski, who pushed his team up to 58:57 after a three-point-play. Boehme scored again 50 seconds before the final whistle, before Thuringia got their last opportunity at 60:59 and ball possession. But RSV kept up their defence, getting the rebound after a failed attempt.
Thüringen: Joakim Linden (25), Aliaksandr Halouski (19), André Bienek (11/1 three), Jens Eike Albrecht (2), Raimunds Beginskis (2), Benjamin Kenyon, Marcus Kietzer, Teemu Partanen, Marvin Malsy (n.e.).
Lahn-Dill: Piotr Luszynski (20), Thomas Böhme (17), Michael Paye (10), Philipp Häfeli (9), Dirk Köhler (4), Joe Bestwick, Annabel Breuer, Jan Haller, Björn Lohmann.
BG Baskets Hamburg – RSV Lahn-Dill II 83:45 (20:15/39:27/58:41)
RSV II had another strong and courageous game, this time against BG Baskets Hamburg. Depsit the 45:83 defeat, the second division team gave another convincing performance, especially in the first three quarters.
After the first few seconds and the 3:0 (1st min) scored by Johannes Hengst it was obvious that RSV II were not scared. Though the game had turned again already at 7:16 (8th min), especially the performances by Schell, Dreimueller and Kind were worth watching. Before half-time they even got closer again at 23:31 (17th min) and could hope for a surprise.
After changeover RSV II kept close to Hamburg, Huber scoring the 33:41 (22nd min) and Dreimueller the 37:45 (24th min). In the end there was nothing to be done against the northern Germans with the deep bench, who took advantage of their tired opponents.
Hamburg: Nik Goncin (20/2 threes), Ghazian Choudhry (14), Reo Fujimoto (13), Kai Möller (10), Matthias Heimbach (8), Mitsugu Chiwaki (6), Jake Williams (6), Hiroaki Kozai (4), Karlis Podnieks (2), Anne Patzwald.
Lahn-Dill II: Nico Dreimüller (14/1), Johannes Hengst (13), Felix Schell (8), Christopher Huber (4), Marian Kind (4), Marco Zwerger (2), Sebastian Arras, Tristan Paar.