The Dragons Rhondorf ended 2025 on a positive note with a big win at home against Neustadt and started 2026 with a big win against the TKS 49ers and all looked rosy, but then stunk up the arena in Iserlohn allowing 100 points. They had been on a good track allowing 76 points on average in the 2 wins, but then lost their defensive identity again in Iserlohn. Their next task didn´t get any easier as they welcomed top team the ETB Miners from Essen who were sitting a top the Pro B north standings with a 14-2 record. They had the best offense in the league and belonged to the best defensive teams as well allowing only 74 points on average per game. Dragons Rhondorf head coach Max Becker had to be on his A-game coaching wise and his players had to be wide awake against the best 3 point shooting team and a club that had 4 rugged big men ready to clash under the boards. However a game has 40 minutes and the Deargons Rhondorf stayed with Essen for 14 minutes having the 31-30 advantage, but then allowed a 23-7 run to spark the ETB Miners Essen to the big lead and something they would manage well until the end winning 107-78. “We knew that there was good energy at their place and we had to be ready. We wanted to get the ball inside a lot and be a presence inside. We did that and had quick decisions and a good flow. We also wanted to make it hard for Reinhart who we had under control”, stressed Essen guard Quashawn Lane (188-G-1999, college: New Haven). The Dragons season continues to be a roller coaster as they have good defensive performances and then again real stinky ones where they couldn´t find any consistency. 23 turnovers and losing the rebound battle by 19 and allowing 26 offensive rebounds sealed the loss for them. “They are a tough team. We simply lacked team habits. We didn´t rebound well as a team even when we showed moments of effort as a team. They had too much fire power and did a great job capitalizing on our mistakes very often”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Juhwan Harris-Dyson.

Ben Uzoma at the FT line

The first quarter had a rapid start by the Dragons Rhondorf only to see the guests punch back with a massive run and lead easily 23-16 after 10 minutes. The Dragons Rhondorf began swiftly with a 6-0 run as ex Oberaching center Benjamin Sadikovic had 2 scores in the paint and ex RheinStar guard Kenan Reinhart buried free throws. The ETB Miners couldn´t come to terms with the Dragons aggressiveness and also seemed a bit nervous as nothing went right for them. However Essen finally calmed down and hit Rhondorf with an annoying 14-0 run to lead 14-6. In the run the guests received great firepower as their inside out game sparkled as Lane made 2 lay in´s while ex Itzehoe forward Niclas Sperber and Canadian guard Mychael Paulo dropped three´s while ex Dresden guard Marc Friederici made a steal and dunk. Rhondorf lost intensity and coughed up the ball too much as they couldn´t find any good shots on offense. The individual qualities of the ETB Miners really stood out and the team had 13 points off turnovers. The Dragons struck back with Dusan Iilic free throws and a trey from ex Real Madrid junior player Jorge Mejias to trail 16-11. Ilic followed with a trey and Mejias a floater as all of a sudden the Dragons trailed only 18-16. However the season of the Dragons has been plagued by these crucial ups and downs as they relinquished a 5-0 run to trail by 7 points after one quarter. Paulo hit an off balance jumper while ex Wulfen guard Gabriel Jung connected on a trey. “We did a god job weathering the storm early and punching back”, stressed Quashawn Lane. The ETB Miners Essen shot 39% from the field and 33% from outside and had 13 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 31% from the field and 25% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Jorge Mejias with the lay in

In the second quarter there were 2 big runs, but like in the first quarter, the ETB Miners Essen had the last punch and led comfortably 53-38 at half-time. The Dragons Rhondorf came out reborn into the second quarter going on a 15-7 run to steal back the lead at 31-30. In the run the Dragons Rhondorf hit the 3 well as California native Harris-Dyson connected twice while young German Vuk Scepanovic also scored. Kenan Reinhart also added 3 points with a lay in and free throws. The Dragons did a better job taking care of the ball having less turnovers and upped their defensive intensity. However Essen didn´t let that Dragons run irritate them as they hit back with a massive 23-7 run to go into the break with the 15 point advantage. The ETB Miners spread the offensive love around as Croatian forward Leon Kalinic added 7 points as he demonstrated his inside out game while Marc Friederici was also a menace connecting on 2 three´s while Lane also stayed aggressive adding 5 points. The Dragons Rhonndorf continued to have difficulty rebounding allowing too many second chances for Essen and the communication on the defensive end was also lacking as well as their physicality. “We did a good job coming out of adversary again and then just played our game. We read their decisions on the pick and roll well and played off the chips that fell”, stated Quashawn Lane. The ETB Miners Essen shot 49% from the field and 39% from the three point line and had 28 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 39% from the field and 47% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Leon Kalinic from outside

In the third quarter the ETB Miners continued to manage their lead well and never allowed the Dragons Rhondorf to get over the hump. The Dragons Rhondorf got off to a stellar start again like in the first quarter going on a 9-2 run to trail 55-47. Ex Neustadt forward Duje Dujmovic got going supplying 4 points in the paint, Mejias nailed a trey while Harris-Dyson dropped free throws. However Essen always had an answer hitting back to back three´s from Friederici and Paulo and then suddenly Essen led nicely again with 61-47. Both teams scored well, but the Dragons just couldn´t get closer than 8 points. Ultimate role player Liagi Diallo hit a trey, Dujmovic a runner and Ilic a jumper, but trailed 66-58. Rhondorf kept fighting, but just continued to have problems rebounding and finding a better offensive rhythm and allowed a brutal 12-4 run in the last few minutes to trail 78-62 after 30 minutes. In the run of Essen, they continued to attack the rim well and executed well with their added Athlecism as Paulo scored twice and Lane also scored. Rhondorf had a few good looks, but also a few turnovers and allowed offensive rebounds that allowed the guests to extend their lead. “We worked hard and well on the boards. Coach prides us on attacking the offensive glass and we worked and got many offensive rebounds and second chances. He tells us to be disciplined and just be in the right spot”, warned Quashawn Lane. “It was the little things that cost us. They wanted it more and were more aggressive and physical than we were”, commented Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The ETB Miners Essen shot 45% from the field and 36% from the parking lot and had 45 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 44% from the field and 43% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Juhwan Harris-Dyson at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the ETB Miners Essen continued to display their ruthless offensive fire power connecting for 29 points and eclipsed the 100 points for the second time as young German Lukas Ophelders hit for the magic 100 points. “Lukas will supply the donuts for us on Monday in practice”, smiled Quashawn Lane. The Dragons Rhondorf got on the board first as Sadikovic supplied instant energy with a thunderous dunk to trail 78-64. But that was as close as the Dragons would get in the final frame as Essen exploded for a 14-1 run to lead 92-65 putting the exclamation mark on the win. In the run, Essen began with a Jung trey and Sperber free throws and then got 2 three´s from Kalinic and free throws from Paulo off 3 turnovers in a row by the Dragons. Then came a pretty sequence by Harris Dyson who had a tough day from the free throw line going 3/10 as he scored 2 consecutive baskets as he made a tap in on an alley op pass from Mejias after his steal and then made a steal and lay in to trail 92-69. “I always play until clock says 0. I always want to win. We continued to fight and wanted to show our pride”, added Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Essen continued to be aggressive and simply never let up as Kalinic hit another trey and Lane scored inside with an acrobatic lay in for the 102-78 advantage. “I´m a player that can finish in many ways. I remained aggressive and saw an open lane”, smiled Quashawn Lane. “We kept making mistakes and missed assignments on defense. It is really deflating when you have so many turnovers. We have much room to improve”, warned Juhwan Harris-Dyson. “We never let up. Despite our record, we have been tested a lot this season. We have seen a lot of adversary this season, but do a good job remaining poised. We stick together and go from possession to possession”, stated Quashawn Lane. The ETB Miners had 6 players in double figures in scoring and were led by Leon Kalinic with 20 points. Quashawn Lane added a potent 18/7/6/4 game while Mychael Paulo had 17 points and Gabriel Jung had 14 points while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Juhwan Harris-Dyson with 15 points while Jorge Mejias had 14 points and 11 assists. The ETB Miners Essen shot 45% from the field and 44% from outside and had 54 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 44% from the field and 35% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 23 turnovers.