The superb play of the Dragons Rhondorf continues as they came back home to the Dragon Dome riding a 2 game winning streak and had won 3 of their last 4 games and were 2-1 in 2024. Usually one hands the label must win to a losing team and one that is in dire need of finding back on the winning track, but in the case of the Rhondorf-Schwenningen contest, it was a must win for both teams. Even if the difference in talent and success had been like day and night between both teams, the Dragons could only win the game against the doormat of the Pro B south. The Dragons continue to be an offensive powerhouse having scored above 90 points in the last 2 games while the Black Forest Panthers continued to struggle on the defensive end and taking care of the ball. After weeks of bitter cold, fans returned back to the Dragon Dome escaping to more mild temperatures and wanting to see beautiful basketball. Very beautiful basketball is exactly what fans saw from the Dragons Rhondorf in the first half as they exploded for 49 points, but in the second half, they let up on defense allowing Schwenningen to achieve 54 points, but thank the massive lead in the first half squeezed out a 91-78 win. “We had a really good first half, but in the second half we lost energy and let up. We weren´t able to keep up the very big lead. Schwenningen went inside more and just had more energy than us”, stressed Dragon Rhondorf guard Tyreese Blunt (191-PG-2002). The Black Forest Panthers continue to prove that they are one of the best teams on paper that can´t win games on the court. They played very well for a half, but on account of their lousy first half, couldn´t get over the hump in the second half despite putting up a great battle. “We continue to struggle with ups and downs all season long. We came in with no energy and they hit shots. It seemed like we gave up. In the second half we fought and came back. We played with more energy on defense and were more aggressive and got steals and easy baskets. Our second half was positive going into the important game against Ehingen”, stressed Black Forest Panther Agust Kjartansson.

Thomas Gaus from outside

The Dragons Rhondorf stormed out of the gate with a rapid 9-4 lead as they got their 3 ball going as ex Bamberg guard Tyreese Blunt scored twice and Texas native Avery Sullivan connected once. The Black Forest Panthers got their inside game going quickly as Emmanuel Womalla who forgot his jersey played with a Alex Lagermann one who was out with the flu. Okolie would score twice getting set up for the second time from Icelandic guard Kjartansson, but Rhondorf simply was executing better and had more scoring options as ex Bamberg center Leon Bulic scored on the pick and roll with a pass by Blunt and young German phenom Janne Muller scored on transition for the 14-7 Rhondorf lead. The guests got a floater from Kjartansson and a trey by new American Damezi Anderson who hails from Indiana and played at Detroit Mercy (NCAA), but the Dragons had the 19-12 advantage after 10 minutes. The Dragons Rhondorf surprisingly shot only 35% from the field and 33% from outside while the Black Forest Panthers shot 45% from the field and 25% from outside while the guests had the 11-9 rebound edge, but had 4 turnovers while the Dragons had no turnovers. Blunt had been instrumental in bringing his team energy right off the bat. “That is what I always try to do to start the game by bringing my team energy. I always give my all”, warned Tyreese Blunt.

Kelvin Omojola at the FT line

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf totally broke open the game exploding for 30 points while the Black Forest Panthers mustered only 12 points. Everything clicked for the Dragons Rhondorf as they buckled down on defense making 7 stops and went on a 13-0 run to extend their lead to 32-12. In the run, the Dragons got more of that motor by Tyreese Blunt as he added 8 points with 2 three´s while Las Vegas native and 3 level scorer Kelvin Omojola added a three pointer and ex Ehingen forward Antonio Pilipovic a lay in. The Panthers finally got their first field goal of the second quarter as Kjartansson hit a trey as the guests displayed their prettiest ball movement of the evening. But the Dragons didn´t waste anytime going on their next explosive run as they scored 9 unanswered points to lead 41-15. In the run, the Dragons were sparked by a Sullivan offensive rebound and put back, Blunt lay in on transition, three pointer by ex Paderborn guard Badu Buck and 2 free throws by Pilipovic. The Panthers had problems matching the Dragons physicality and always seemed a step behind on defense as their intensity wasn´t high. Ex Ulm German Thomas Gaus added some energy with consecutive three´s to cut the Dragons lead down top 41-21, but whenever the guests had a burst of energy, the Dragons would squash it and punch back. The Dragons closed out the second quarter with a 8-1 run to lead 49-22 at the break. In the run the Dragons got production from the 3 ball again as Sullivan hit again as did Bulic while Muller scored inside. “We played with even more energy than we did in the first quarter. We had good communication on defense and were aggressive. We gave up 2 three´s to Gaus, but then went right away on a run. That is what you have to do. You have to strike back right away”, stated Tyreese Blunt. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 52% from the field and 53% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Black Forest Panthers shot 32% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Agust Kjartansson from the baseline

In the third quarter the Black Forest Panthers stepped up their offense, but couldn´t make ground, because they continued to give up too many points on defense. The third quarter showed that basketball can be a real game of runs as the Panthers began with a 4-0 run as German Laurin Ertekin made a runner and 218cm giant Daniel Mayr connected on a left handed lay in to trail 49-28, but the Dragons struck back with 8 unanswered points as Bulic and Buck let it fly from the parking lot and Bulic than made an off balance shot as the Dragons led 57-28. But the Panthers didn´t fret, but executed again going on a lethal 9-0 run to trail only 57-37. In the run, the guests received production from 4 different players as they shared the ball well. Mayr made a dunk, new French guard Alexandre Fanchini scored on transition, Womalla hit from outside and Kjartansson made a neat bank shot off a floater. The defensive aggressiveness of Rhondorf sunk and on offense, they didn´t have that offensive flow anymore and were playing too much of a hurried offense instead of calming down and just playing their game. Both teams executed well in the last minutes as Christian Okolie scored three times as he was efficient inside and Rhondorf got 2 buckets from Sullivan and a lay in from Omojola where he came on transition and faked a pass to Silic and then just finished himself. At the end of 30 minutes the Dragons Rhondorf still had the comfortable 71-50 advantage. “We weren´t as concentrated as the first half, but we still kept up the big lead. We let up on defense playing with less intensity”, said Badu Buck. “We fought back, but we had our problems on defense. They are the best team in the league and have 10 guys that could play in higher leagues. They continued to make shots. It´s difficult to come back against a team like that when your down by 20 points”, said Agust Kjartansson. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 51% from the field and 525 from the parking lot and had 27 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Black Forest Panthers shot 43% from the field and 26% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Badu Buck with the floaterf

In the fourth quarter the Black Forest Panthers were able to heighten their game another level as they scored 28 points led by the dominating game of Daniel Mayr who contributed 13 points and 6 rebounds to lose only by 13 points. Mayr got going early getting 4 points while the Dragons got a basket from Omojola leading 73-54. Despite Rhondorf´s defense not at their best, every now and then there would be a spectacular play as Matej Silic made a block on Kjartansson and continues to be that strong defender that makes big plays. “He brings energy. We know what he can do. His energy sparks us”, warned Tyreese Blunt. After a Kjartansson lay in, the Dragons had some offense execution going as Bulic and Pilipovic made back to back three´s to lead 81-59. Even if the game was winding down, the Black Panthers never gave up and went on a 11-3 run to trail only 84-70. In the run the guests did a good job getting to the free throw line while Mayr made a tip in and lay in´s by Fanchini and Kjartansson. Kjartansson made pretty passes all night long and finished with 6 assists and he saved his best for last on the bucket from Fanchini as he made a half court bounce pass on transition in Doncic manner. “I have worked on my passing since growing up in Iceland. I see the game well and if you make the right read at the right time then you´ll probably have success. Doncic likes those passes. He had 73 points last night. He is one of the top 3 players in the NBA”, stated Agust Kjartansson. After a Pilipovic three pointer, the guests closed out the game strong with a 8-4 run as Fanchini, and Jeremia Agyepong made lay in´s while Mayr unleashed a massive dunk. “They were stressing a bit. We made runs and played together better. They always had the upper hand and it was hard to come back”, commented Agust Kjartansson. “Mayr was hot. His play gave them momentum. It would have been nice to win by 30, but in the end all that matters is the win no matter what the score is”, expressed Badu Buck. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Tyreese Blunt with 20 points and 10 assists while Leon Bulic added 17 points and Avery Sullivan 14 points and 10 rebounds while the Black Forest Panthers were led by Daniel Mayr with 20 points and 15 rebounds while Agust Kjartansson added 14 points and 6 assists and Thomas Gaus had 11 points and 5 assists. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 46% from the field and 48% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the Black Forest Panthers shot 42% from the field and 20% from outside and had 42 rebounds and 14 turnovers.