One thing one can´t say is that the Dragons Rhondorf haven´t been performing on the road. They have showed real nerves on the road as they returned back to the Dragon Dome with 2 wins. The only thing missing was having that first dub in their own living room. They were shell-shocked in the home opener losing to the RheinStars, but were also without 3 vital players. Despite the 2-1 record, there was some concern with the Dragons defense as they had let up an average of 106 points in the last 2 games. They had to be sharp for the Basketball Lowen as despite having a 1-2 record like the Dragons were an offensive powerhouse averaging 88 points per game with guys like Lyles, Albrecht and Kamdem, but defensively also had allowed more than 90 points per game in the season. Nothing changed on the defensive end as both teams had trouble not allowing points, but no team made 100 points. Sometimes even high scoring games can be exciting as both teams fought to the end, but the Dragons Rhondorf executed better and made a game saving stop to secure the 96-93 win as Tim Smith Jr. (201-F-2000, college: N.Alabama) made the winning shot and Lithuanian big man Danas Kazakevicius made 3 massive blocks in the fourth quarter to lead the charge. “I´m super proud of the guys. To be able to stay together and fight together despite making small mistakes was big. Danas Kazakevicius won us the game. He stepped up on the defensive end and got the crowd fired up and helped give us the needed energy and physicality that we needed so badly”, stated rookie Dragon Tim Smith Jr.. It was a bitter loss for the Basketball Lowen as they had the win in their hands, but a bad turnover in the last seconds cost them the game. “I feel like we did a good job showing character during slumps in the game. We fought until the end, but we made some defensive mistakes on the pick and roll”, stated Erfurt American Tyseem Lyles.

Danas Kazakevicius at the FT line

The Dragons Rhondorf received a real shock as the team announced before the game that Kelvin Omojola would miss the game as his calf injury came back to haunt him while Marko Rosic was out again. The Dragons had suffered a brutal blow out loss to the RheinStars 2 weeks earlier as their 2 main point guards were out. Young German Dyami Janeck got the nod and coughed up the ball in the first 2 possessions. But he would find his way better into the game. Both teams found their offensive rhythm rapidly as one noticed soon that defense wasn´t on the menu for the 2 teams. Rhondorf got baskets from game captain Antonio Pilipovic and a turn around shot from Tim Smith Jr., but Erfurt had answers as ex Skyliner Noah Kamdem made a lay in and Tyseem Lyles who was in a massive shooting slump connected to tie the game at 7-7. Rhondorf then went on a mini 4-0 run as Janeck made a lay in and Smith a jumper for the 11-7 lead. Erfurt was having difficulty finding calmness in their sets. But Lyles just continued to blast away hitting his second trey of the game. He was averaging only 11,0ppg coming into the game after averaging 19,0 last season, but this game would be his season break out. Both teams just continued executing as ex Rhondorf forward Paul Albrecht scored from outside as did Janeck from the parking lot to tie the game at 16-16. “Janeck was huge tonight. He brought a lot of energy. We just kept telling him to keep working hard. He is so fast and really no one can stay in front of him. I see it in practice all the time”, stressed Tim Smith Jr.. The mini game of runs continued as Erfurt went on a 5-0 run as ex Dragon Sam Nellesson scored form outside and Leni Kunzewitsch scored inside for the 21-16 lead. But Rhondorf fought back and got big support from 2024 u-18 Eurochampion Janne Muller as the Dragons Rhondorf had the slim 27-25 lead after 10 minutes. “They were going down hill on us and picking us apart. We stayed together and took the blows and returned runs”, stated Tim Smith Jr.. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 67% from the field and 60% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the CATL Basketball Lowen shot 73% from the field and 80% from outside and had 3 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Tyseem Lyles from outside

In the second quarter the scoring continued to be the main course for both teams and Erfurt controlled the game, but couldn´t lead by more than 5 points. Erfurt went on a quick 7-0 run as Paul Albrecht made an old school hook shot, Kamdem an offensive rebound and put back and ex Jena guard Jan Heber with a trey for the 32-27 advantage. However the Dragons always had an answer as Pilipovic nailed a three pointer to tie the game at 32-32. However Erfurt just had more rhythm on offense as they cruised out on a 6-1 run to lead 38-33. In the run, the guests received 2 lay in´s from Alieu Cessay and Kamdem and an off balance shot from Paul Albrecht. Albrecht scorched his ex team last season for 32 points in the Dragon Dome and on this night was doing absolutely what he wanted and hitting much. “Albrecht was hitting shots that I had never seen before. Some were real old school shots. He was also making hook shots and the pick and pop”, stated Tim Smith Jr.. Erfurt had better team play and Rhondorf had problems with 1-1 defense. However the Dragons Rhondorf found a way back going on a 10-2 run to steal the lead back at 43-40. In the run, Janeck hit another big trey while ex Bayreuth German Marco Rahn made a lay in and Smith Jr was aggressive on the offensive glass with a tip in. Erfurt tied the game at 43-43 with Jan Heber free throws. However Rhondorf closed out the second quarter strong with clutch three´s from ex Skyliner Alexander Lagerman and lay in´s by Pilipovic and a spin move by Muller as the Dragons led 52-49 at the break. “We stepped up our defense more this quarter and had more intensity”, said Tim Smith Jr.. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 58% from the field and 60% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the CATL Basketball Lowen Erfurt shot 59% from the field and 67% from the three point line and had 12 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Tim Smith Jr jumper

In the third quarter Erfurt got off to a rapid start and would lead by as much as 10 points, but the Dragons Rhondorf never gave up and fought back and trailed only by 2 points after 3 quarters. Erfurt began with a lethal 10-0 to lead 59-54 as Noah Kamden was a beast scoring twice, while Lyles added another trey and Cessay a lay in. Erfurt heightened their defense and forced the Dragons to tougher shots and were rewarded getting easy baskets. Erfurt just continued to play their game and keep that offensive rhythm as Kamdem scored 2 more times and totally dominated in the paint. Albrecht made his bread and butter with a running hook shot and Janne Muller continued to be consistent and was a real spark plug scoring 5 points, but Rhondorf still trailed 65-58. Kamdem continued to be on fire making another lay in and dunk, but the Dragons punched back and Muller and Janeck scored inside and Lagerman made a three pointer to trail 69-65. Both teams continued to play with much energy and were living off their adrenaline as it really didn´t seem like any team was tiring. After an Albrecht running hook shot that saw nothing but net, Tim Smith Jr. delivered again with 2 buckets to keep Rhondorf close trailing 71-69 after 3 quarters. “We were lacking intensity. Kamdem was dominant and we could move him away from the zone. He was shooting over 2 guys. Lyles was picking us apart with his three pointer”, commented Tim Smith Jr.. “They got a lot of free throws which stopped our momentum. Kamdem kept us in the game”, added Tyseem Lyles. The CATL Basketball Lowen were shooting 54% from the field and 47% from the parking lot and had 24 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 49% from the field and 47% from the parking lot and had 29 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Paul Albrecht at the FT line

In the fourth quarter it looked like the CATL Baskets Lowen would break away as they led by as much as 6 points, but the Dragons Rhondorf just continued to chip away and fought and fought. Lyles began the fourth quarter with a trey for the 76-69 lead. Lyles added 27 points in the loss and was out of his slump. “I didn´t go into the game feeling like today was the day where I would break out. I went into the game wanting to have fun. I just feel blessed to be able to play the game and get paid for it”, warned Tyseem Lyles. But the Dragons Rhondorf were ready and struck back with 3 Smith jr free throws and a big transition dunk by Lagerman to deadlock the game at 74-74. But Erfurt continued to have more fire as they tried to break away again as Heber made a lay in and Lyles another trey for the 82-76 advantage. Kamdem and Mueller then traded buckets as Erfurt still led 84-81. Albrecht made a runner for the 86-81 lead. However then came the big time for Muller and Danas Kazekevicius. In a span of a few minutes Kazakevicius made 3 clutch blocks and Mueller a big 3 pointer as suddenly the game was tied at 90-90. “We always get on Danas to play off his butt and he did. He probably had more than 3 blocks. Muller played amazing. He hit tough shots and kept us in the game. He hit some shots that I never saw him make”, expressed Tim Smith Jr.. After a Kamdem offensive rebound and put back, Antonio Pilipovic that got a technical foul and Lyles made the free throw for the 93-91. Rhondorf made a giant stop and had the ball with 16 seconds. Tim Smith Jr. nailed a big three pointer for the 94-93 lead with 8 seconds to play. Aggressive Dragons defense forced a turnover against Erfurt in the inbounds and Smith Jr then sealed the win with free throws. “We wanted to get me the ball in the post, but my shot was actually off a broken play. I knew that after I missed the post up, that I just had to take it. I knew when I released it that it was going in”, warned Tim Smith Jr.. “We wanted to trap and go for the steal and if that didn´t work foul. I saw the ball was ahead of my teammate and I tried to help, but left my man leaving Smith Jr open for the shot”, said Tyseem Lyles. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Tim Smith Jr. with 28 points while Janne Muller had 24 points while the CATL Basketball Lowen Erfurt were led by Tyseem Lyles with 27 points while Noah Kamdem had 23 points and Paul Albrecht 11 assists. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 49% from the field and 52% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 11 turnovers while Erfurt shot 50% from the field and 4 3% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 12 turnovers.