Instead of coming home to the Dragon Dome to continue a winning streak, the Dragons Rhondorf were seeking to start a new winning streak. After the incredible season opening win over SC Rist Wedel with the young German guns, the former pro A team was brought back down to reality with a tough 80-74 road loss in Schwelm. It was a game where the troops of head coach Max Becker had difficulty taking care of the ball and they had miserable shooting percentages. 48 hours later they met 0-2 Iserlohn that was hungry to get their first win of the season. The Iserlohn team led by head coach Toni Prostran had 2 solid Americans with Trey Hubbard and Tyson Leitao and many talented German players ready to step up. On a rainy. cool early Autumn day, The Dragons Rhondorf were involved with the same kind of pattern that they witnessed 48 hours earlier in Schwelm in that they had to play catch for most of the day, but the only difference that this time there would be a happy end. The Dragons Rhondorf were able to take a lethal 13-2 run in the fourth quarter and regain the lead again and then were able to close out the game and win 87-84. “We battled all game long. That has been our focus this season. When the fourth quarter arrives, we look at the score at 0-0. We have shown the last 3 games that we can always come back when down. We simply fight hard the whole game”, warned Dragons Rhondorf Dragons guard Juhwan Harris-Dyson (198-SG-1999, college: California). Iserlohn was in the game in the last minute, but an easy missed lay in to force overtime and a technical foul cost them the game. “This was a great fight from both teams. The game was up and down and it was exciting for the fans. In the end, it was simply details that decided the game. That run in the fourth hurt us and allowed them to get the momentum back”, stressed Iserlohn Kanagaroos head coach Tony Prostran.

Tyson Leitao at the FT line

The first minutes were very tight as no team could lead by more than 3 points. Both teams attacked the rim diligently. The Dragons Rhondorf got a hard dunk from ex Oberaching center Benjamin Sadikovic on the pick and roll with Jorge Mejias and the big then scored again while the guests also got easy baskets inside from ex Schwelm center Sadiq Ajagbe who did a good job getting to his spots and American Trey Hubbard also scored on the drive for the 9-6 Iserlohn lead. Spanish magician Jorge Mejias then dead locked the game with a trey at 9-9. It always seemed like Iserlohn would try to get away, but the Dragons always had an answer and this would happen until the end. Iserlohn got baskets from German David Pavljak and free throws from American Tyson Leitao for the 13-11 lead, but the energizer Lagui Diallo gave instant production with a trey for the 14-13 lead. But then came the first big run of the game as the guests exploded on a ruthless 11-0 run which was sparked by 3 steals in a row by Jordan Illoanya, Tyson Leitao and Trey Hubbard. Two steals led to transition baskets from Hubbard and Leitao while ex Ehingen guard Daniel Zacek nailed a trey for the 24-14 lead. However the Dragons Rhondorf didn´t wilt in the last 2 minutes, but clawed back with 2 clutch three´s from Mejias and ex Neustadt center Duje Dujmovic as the Dragons Rhondorf trailed 26-21 after 10 minutes. “It is always tough suffering back to back turnovers. We just went play by play and stuck to our principles. We knew that it was still a long game and just played our game”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 67% from the field and 50% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 58% from the field and 57% from outside and had 4 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Kenna Reinhart from outside

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf had to play catch up basketball and trailed by as much as 11 points, but they were able to stage a late come back before the break and trail only by 2 points. Iserlohn began with a 8-3 run to extend their lead to 35-24 as Daniel Zacek remained aggressive scoring 5 points and young 18 year old German Julius Gebauer added a clutch trey from the bench. The Iserlohn zone continued to be a thorn in the Dragons side as well as their press. The Dragons Rhondorf also got away from their team basketball as ball movement was weak. Iserlohn continued to be aggressive and attack the rim as Leitao continued to be super efficient and Hubbard scored again. The Dragons received 2 jumpers from Kenan Reinhart and a lay in by young German Carlo Schmid on transition, but couldn´t make any real ground as the guests led 41-32. Iserlohn continued to execute at ease and get easy buckets inside as ex BBL player Kevin Strangmeyer scored as did Ajagbe while the Dragons got continued input by Reinhart with free throws and a lay in, but the Dragons couldn´t make any sufficient ground as they trailed 46-38. But the Dragons had some energy left and closed out the first half with a vital 9-3 run to trail 49-47. In the run, they got a basket by young German David Boning who made a lay in after getting a pretty behind the back pass from Carlo Schmid that had something Larry Bird about it. “We know that he can pass the ball like that. We see it every day. He works very hard. His game reminds me more of Franz Wagner than Larry Bird”, smiled Juhwan Harris-Dyson. In the run, Reinhart continued to shoot the ball well hitting a trey and Mejias made a lay in. “Iserlohn got into foul trouble early. We attacked the guys more and that helped us get to the free throw line and get back into the game”, commented Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 56% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 14 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 58% from the field and 60% from the three point line and had 12 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Trey Hubbard with the lay in

In the third quarter the Iserlohn Kangaroos had a few more runs, but the Dragons Rhondorf always had an answer and rallied. The Dragons Rhondorf last run rewarded them with the one point lead after 30 minutes. The Dragons got on the board first as Kenan Reinhart executed a perfect pick and roll that led to a lay in by Sadikovic to tie the game at 49-49. But once again Iserlohn was able to get away on a 7-0 run as Strangmeyer added 5 points and a trey and Ajagbe was in beast mode again with the offensive rebound and put back to lead 56-49. But just as easy as the Kangaroos could go on a run so could the Dragons slapping their opponent with a 7-0 run to trail 57-56. In the run, the Dragons got baskets from Mejias, Dujmovic with a steal and transition basket and Harris Dyson lay in. However Iserlohn continued to execute well on offense as Tyson Leitano was a pest all day long getting to the free throw line netting 4 points while Zacek hit a trey and Iserlohn was threatening again to get away leading 67-61. With a few minutes to play, the Dragons Rhondorf buckled down on defense and went on a 7-0 run to lead 68-67 after 3 quarters. In the run, the Dragons Rhondorf got another clutch trey from Diallo off the bench and Reinhart was able to stroke home another three pointer. “We never ever feel like we are out of the game. We are always fighting. Dujmovic was huge with his defensive pressure which helped us get transition points”, expressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. “It was an up and down game. They played with more intensity in the last minutes. We lost too many easy balls. That just can´t happen”, added Toni Prostran. The Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 50% from the field and 50% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 47% from the field and 31% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Juhwan Harris-Dyson at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the usual happened with Iserlohn trying to get away, but then came the real game changer as the Dragons Rhondorf went on a 13-2 run to take the lead back and manage it until the end. Iserlohn began with a slick 8-1 run to lead 75-69. In the run, the Kangaroos got key production form their bigs Leitano and Ajagbe with lay in´s while Pavljak made a big three pointer as the Dragons had less intensity. However the Dragons Rhondorf were able to turn the lever around to their benefit going on a lethal 13-2 run to retake the lead at 82-77. In the run, the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Harris Dyson with 8 points as he sparked the defense with his play as good defense led to easy offense. “The game is never over. I didn´t t have a good first half. I knew I had to help the team somehow. I helped them on defense which led to transition baskets”, stated Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Ajagbe and Sadikovic then traded baskets but Rhondorf still led 84-79. Leitao kept Iserlohn in the game with 3 free throws as the Dragons led 84-82. Sadikovic then missed an easy lay in as did Leitao to possibly force overtime. However then came the real game ender as Daniel Zacek was hit with a technical foul with less than a minute to play. That led to 3 Reinhart free throws for the 87-82 advantage. German Christian Schultz then added free throws to end the game. “We had a little cushion at the end, but they really fought hard. It was a real grind out game. I´m happy we got the win”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. “We lost intensity in too many crucial times in the fourth quarter. Details was key and we missed that easy lay up at the end”, stated Toni Prostran. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Kenan Reinhart with 24 points while Juhwan Harris-Dyson added 13 points while the Iserlohn Kangaroos were led by Tyson Leitao with 27 points while Daniel Zacek and sadiq Ajagbe added 13 points a piece. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 44% from the field and 45% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 41% from the field and 25% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 21 túrnovers.