70:68 win in game for 3rd place
RSV Lahn-Dill have proven their morale after the bitter defeat of the previous day in the game for spot number three in the IWBF Champions Cup on Tenerife. The team beat RSB Thuringia Bulls 70:68 (20:18/34:36/53:53).
The same as the last six games against Thurningia Bulls, this one became close and dramatic. Both teams did not hide that they wanted to make up for the lost semi-final of the previous day and fought hard for a win.
RSV started off with a lead, 15:10 (8th min) after a three by Böhme and then later on a three-point-play by Paye got the 20:16 at the end of the first quarter. But the same as the games of the past few months, the Middle Hesse team seemed to take a break from their offence, in which a basket by Häfeli (27:25, 13th min) was followed by four long minutes without points.
Thankfully, RSB Thuringia Bulls didn’t seem to be able to fully take advantage of the situation, even though a strong Joakim Linden got the 49:42 lead (26th min). But RSV Lahn-Dill wouldn’t have become German Champions and Cup winners if they didn’t believe in themselves. It was again top-scorer Piotr Luszynski, who got his team to 59:56 (34th min) with four successful free-throws.
The final minutes became a neck-and-neck race, in which not even Beginskis was able to prevent his team’s sixth defeat in a row in seven games against RSV Lahn-Dill. After the game it became very emotional, due to the departure of Joe Bestwick, Björn Lohmann, and Nic Zeltinger: “It was a great and very tough season. I’m grateful to have been able to work with such fantastic boys and girls on and off the court. I want to say thank you to our fans, who have stood by us no matter what, and who have helped us so much with their positive attitude. Not every Coach is this lucky.”
Thüringen: Raimunds Beginskis (22), Aliaksandr Halouski (14), Joakim Linden (12), Vahid Gholamazad (8), André Bienek (6/1 Dreier), Benjamin Kenyon (6), Jens Eike Albrecht, Vanessa Erskine, Marcus Kietzer (n.e.).
Lahn-Dill: Piotr Luszynski (23), Thomas Böhme (22/2), Michael Paye (13), Philipp Häfeli (6), Dirk Köhler (4), Jan Haller (2), Joe Bestwick, Annabel Breuer, Björn Lohmann, Nico Dreimüller (n.e.), Christopher Huber (n.e.).