Juhwan Harris Dyson:

There was no scouting avaliable for this game

In the last 2 seasons, the Dragons Rhondorf and Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors had displayed 2 very exciting games that both went to overtime in Rhondorf. In the 2023-2024 season, the Dragons Rhondorf won while last season it was Frankfurt that won on the road. Both teams met again tonight with only 2 differences. This time it was a pre season contest and two that it actually wasn´t in Bad Honnef, the home of the Dragons, but in Linz which lies on the scenic Rhein river only 11 kilometers away. This game almost went to overtime as well. It was early in the pre season as the Dragons Rhondorf had a new coach with Max Becker and many new faces while Frankurt also had a new coach with Markus Klusemann and as always a very young team and many talented German players. It was the first test for the Dragons Rhondorf that featured more than a handful of very young players that was led by veteran Jorge Mejias and big man Benjamin Sadikovic who combined for 40 points in the 80-76 win in Linz on the Rhein. “We played with a lot of energy and played fast. That is exactly what coach wanted. We defended very strongly with a lot of protection. It was a strong first showing”, warned Dragon Rhondorf guard Juhwan Harris-Dyson (198-SG-1999, college: California, agency: Origins Sports Group) The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors as usual were very young, but a team that have played together for years and have a certain chemistry. They as always gave a strong fight and at the end could of forced overtime, but Alvin Onyia´s shot just didn´t want to fall. “We had our ups and downs for 40 minutes. We gave a good effort and stayed together at both ends of the court. Every test game is a good learning experience”, stressed Frankfurt Skyliner Junior Fabrice Heberer.

Leif Zentgraf at the FT line

The Dragons Rhondorf were without giant Daniel Mayr while Frankfurt was without young German Ivan Crnjac. The Dragons Rhondorf came out on fire taking the rapid 8-2 lead. Rhondorf did a good job getting the bigs involved as ex Oberaching center Benjamin Sadikovic scored twice and ex Neustadt forward Duje Dujmovic and ex Phoenix Hagen guard Juhwon Harris Dyson scored. Rhondorf stopped Frankfurt guard Jamie Edoka three times as their aggressive defense was spot on in the first minutes. However Frankfurt retaliated and slowly began to claw their way back moving the ball better and being more aggressive on the glass. The Zentgraf brother Joscha and Leif supplied a lot of firepower combining for 7 points as suddenly Frankfurt trailed only 12-11. After a Jorge Mejias bucket, Frankfurt really buckled down and got 9 consecutive stops going on a 9-0 run to lead 20-12. In the run, Frankfurt did a good job being aggressive as they got to the free throw line and got a clutch trey from Fabrice Heberer off the bench. Rhondorf did end the first quarter strong with a 51run by ex RheinStars Cologne guard Kenan Reinhart who dropped 5 points as Frankfurt led 21-17. “We had a few turnovers in their run. They switched a bit on the pick and roll. It was tough figuring out the mismatches. We later found ways to get our bigs involved again”, stressed Juhwon Harris Dyson.

Jorge Mejias from outside

The second quarter was a massive up and down for both teams as Frankfurt held the lead for a little bit, but the Dragons Rhondorf rebounded and came back to take the lead and keep it with 3 at the break. Frankfurt began strong getting 2 baskets inside from Joscha Zentgraf and ex Kronberg center Florian Dietrich to lead 25-19. Rhondorf was sloppy with the ball as a few turnovers hindered their come back attempt. However Spaniard Jorge Mejias showed that he most likely will be one of the main candidates this season to take the big shots as he made a 20 footer and runner to keep the Dragons come back intact as the game was dead locked at 28-28. The Dragons kept attacking and went on a 9-2 run and had their first lead of the game 34-28. They got big support from the bench as young German Vuk Scepnaovic came up big from the bench scoring 5 points including a trey while Dujmovic was also vital with 4 points. However Frankfurt never laid down, but fought back stealing the lead back at 35-34 getting a big bucket from Joscha Zentgraf who does the dirty work at both ends and German youth national player Jamie Edoka made a lay in. However the Dragons Rhondorf regained the lead again and kept it until half time leading 42-39. Sadikovic made a lay in, Mamadou Diallo hit a 10 footer and young German and Remi Voelkers went coast to coast for the lay in. “Jorge Mejias did a good job running our pick and roll and going down hill. He put a lot of pressure on defense and was aggressive getting to the rim”, stated Juhwon Harris Dyson.

Maxi Peters with the lay in

In the third quarter it looked like the Dragons Rhondorf would run away with the game as they got a double figure lead, but as always Frankfurt clamped down and came back to trail only by 2 points after 30 minutes. The Dragons Rhondorf escaped on a 15-7 run to extend their lead to 57-46. In the run, they found back to their pick and roll supremacy as Benjamin Sadikovic exploded for 4 buckets as his length was unstoppable. Mejias also added 4 points and Harris Dyson made a lay in. Frankfurt got some offense going as Leif Zentgraf added 5 points and Edoka a lay in. Frankfurt continued to claw back and took advantage of misses by Diallo and Reinhart answering with back to back three´s by Maxi Peters and ex Isaac Bonga teammate Alvin Onyia to trail only 61-59. Both teams continued to trade baskets as Frankfurt was unable to get over the hump. Mejias scored back to back baskets while Frankfurt received buckets from Peters and Edoka as the Dragons Rhondorf led 67-65. “Frankfurt gave 100%. You can´t allow a team like that to come back. They have young players that play with a lot of heart”, stressed Juhwon Harris Dyson. “We showed a lot of character. No matter what the score board showed, We never stopped fighting”, added Fabrice Heberer.

Kenan Reinhart at the FT line

In the fourth quarter, the game remained tight, but Frankfurt could never regain the lead despite tying the contest once. Edoka and Joscha Zentgraf hit free throws to dead lock the game at 67-67. However the Dragons Rhondorf took the lead and would never look back. The Dragons´s offense executed better while Frankfurt did a good job getting offensive rebounds, but their shooting percentage was poor in the last quarter. The Dragons set the tone going on a 5-0 run as Mejias made consecutive baskets as Rhondorf led 72-67. Leif Zentgraf made a lay in, but the Dragons always had an answer. Diallo nailed a trey for the 75-69 advantage. Lukas Smazak made a lay in to trail 75-71, but it was Diallo again making a clutch lay in for the 77-71 advantage. Leif Zentgraf made another clutch lay in to trail 77-74. However the Dragons Rhondorf remained cool under pressure as Mejias scored on the drive again giving Rhondorf the 79-74 advantage. Edoka then made a steal and Joshca Zengraf made the lay trailing 79-76 with 23 seconds to play. After a Reinhart miss, Alvin Oniya had the opportunity to take the game into overtime, but missed. Sadikovic made a free throw ending the game. “Our defense locked in in the end. In the crucial moments, we made big shots. We had that next ma ´n mentality and scrambled and figured it out”, added Juhwan Harris-Dyson “Some shots fall and some don´t. We had 2 good looks, but they didn´t want to fall”, stressed Fabrice Heberer.