71:63 success against Thuringia Bulls
As well as the German Cup, RSV Lahn-Dill were able to get their German title back. The Wetzlar team won the intense second Playoff-duel 71:63 (13:18/34:25/51:47) on Saturday, getting the 2:0 in the best-of-three series, and their 13th German Championship title. This means the team has drawn with Munich, who have won 13 titles as well.
It was obvious from the star: RSB Team Thüringen were going to fight hard to keep the title, and to make up for the 67:72 defeat of the past week. The 2:2 scored by Luszynski was quickly followed by Linden’s and Halouski’s 9:6 (4th min) and 1818:10 (9th min), whilst the guests were still looking for the right course of action.
But as so many times before, the team found their way back. The 13:18 score at the end of the first quarter was followed by RSV’s strongest quarter. Luszynski and Böhme turned the score around to 19:18 (12th min), when Swede Joakim Linden got his third foul and had to return to the bench. RSV took advantage of the situation, going via 25:20 (17th min) to 34:24 (20th min) after a three by Böhme. The team went into halftime with confidence and returned with two quick baskets at the start of the third quarter, getting the 38:27 (22nd min) score.
The Bulls would not be one of the best European teams though, if they weren’t able to come back from a low. First Linden got the 33:40 (24th min) and then Beginskis the 43:44 (27th min), forcing RSV Head Coach Nic Zeltinger to take a timeout. His team proved their mental toughness and their will to fight though, not only in this final series. Joe Bestwick, Jan Haller and Philipp Häfeli countered to 55:49 (32nd min) and a little later the 62:53 (36th min).
In the end, the Bulls were, despite all efforts, not able to fight back. Böhme got a steal and a fastbreak, changing the score board to 69:61 only 35 seconds before the final whistle, followed by two perfect free-throws by Luszynski, triggering the celebrations of the “third half” away from the court.
Thüringen: Aliaksandr Halouski (19), Raimunds Beginskis (18), Joakim Linden (16), André Bienek (7), Jens Eike Albrecht (2), Benjamin Kenyon (1), Vanessa Erskine, Vahid Gholamazad, Marcus Kietzer.
Lahn-Dill: Piotr Luszynski (25), Thomas Böhme (18/1 Dreier), Philipp Häfeli (10), Dirk Köhler (6), Michael Paye (5), Jan Haller (5), Joe Bestwick (2), Annabel Breuer, Björn Lohmann, Nico Dreimüller (n.e.), Christopher Huber (n.e.).