It was high noon in the Dragon Dome as the Dragons Rhondorf had their season on the line. The stage was a do or die game to save the season against top Pro B team Orange Academy. The Dragons Rhondorf had no chance in game one on the road as they were destroyed 102-73. Orange Academy had better shooting percentages and totally crushed the Dragons on the boards 60-42. The Dragons had to find a way to tie the series in their own living room. It was all about playing for pride and showing that heart that in certain difficult moments can do wonders for a team. Orange Academy had the youngest team in the league at age 18 and had an incredible team chemistry built by head coach Florian Flabb who had instilled a special defensive discipline not often seen with young kids that the Dragons needed to halt to force a new do or die game 48 hours later. However after an incredible fight for 40 minutes where 4 Dragon players had 4 fouls in the fourth quarter, Rhondorf was unable to force a game 3 losing 78-74 thus ending their season. It was the Milicic family of Teo and Zoran that scored 11 of the last 15 Orange Academy points propelling them to the next round against Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg. “This wasn´t an easy game for us. The Dragons made adjustments from the first game and played well. I´m very happy that we stuck together as a team. I give a lot of credit to my brother Zoran who turned the game around at the end”, stressed Orange Academy guard Teo Milicic (180-PG-2008). The Dragons Rhondorf played with a lot of heart until the end, but just couldn´t execute better at both ends in crunch-time suffering the season ending loss. “We played a heck of a game. We fought until the end and left it all on the court. We had some unlucky turnovers at the end and some boards and calls didn´t go our way. But that is how basketball can be like”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Juhwan Harris-Dyson.

Kenan Reinhart at the FT line

The first quarter was a serious back and forth battle that saw 8 lead changes and after the end of 10 minutes, Orange Academy had the slim 17-16 advantage. The Dragons got great support from ex Neustadt forward Duje Dujmovic who gave the word scoring in bunches a new meaning as he scored 4 times in a row with 9 points. The three of the guests wasn´t falling, so they opted to attack the rim and got baskets from Polish guard Teo Milicic and Dutch center Endurance Aiyamenkhue as Rhondorf led 10-9. The Dragons Rhondorf played great defense especially on ball and getting in passing lanes forcing 3 turnovers to help bolster their game. Orange Academy was carried by French prospect Meissa Faye that used his extreme athleticism and speed to get to the rim with ease scoring 7 points in the first quarter. The Spanish magician Jorge Mejias only played 4,34 as he was hit with 2 early fouls, but was aided by back up Dusan Ilic who kept the pace up adding 2 points and 2 steals. All in all, Rhondorf was the better rebounding team showing the best rebounding team in the league that they could keep up and was able to match the physicality of Orange Academy something they weren´t able to do in game 1. Orange Academy shot 40% from the field and 25% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 33% from the field and 29% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 5 turnovers. “The Dragons did a real good job crashing the boards which changed the game. They also moved the ball well. They were lucky that some open three´s from Orange Academy ´didn´t fall”, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz assistant coach KJ Sherrill.

Meissa Faye from outside

The second quarter remained tight as both teams had runs, but at the break the Dragons Rhondorf had their nose in front leading 36-35. Orange Academy stepped up their defensive pressure in the first minutes scooting out on a lethal 8-0 run to lead 25-18. In the run they forced Rondorf to 3 turnovers and scored 3 times on transition from Faye, ex Skyliner Junior Namori Omog and a dunk from Aiyamenkhue. The Dragons couldn´t penetrate the Orange Academy zone while Teo Milicic scored an easy lay up as if it he was on a calm Sunday afternoon walk through Ulm. However the Dragons Rhondorf responded with an annoying 11-4 run to dead lock the contest at 29-29. They also upped their defensive intensity and were able to run again. Ex RheinStar Kenan Reinhart finally came to life adding 5 points and a trey while Harris-Dyons swiped a ball and ran transition finishing with a thunderous dunk. Young German Carol Schmid also added a nifty basket splitting the defense with a lay in. He was a force having a 10/6/2/1/1 stat line in 24 minutes. “When I first saw Carlo 2 years ago, he looked frail, but since then he has gained a lot of confidence and strength added with his height and ability has made him a very effective player”, added KJ Sherril. Orange Academy tried to get away 2 more times gaining the lead with a Leni Kunzewitsch trey and Omog lay in, but the Dragons always punched back adding a Dujmovic trey and a trey by Lagi Diallo for the 1 point lead at the half-time. All in all Rhondorf continued to find a way to compensate Mejias who got his third foul early and played only 14 seconds in the second quarter. “The Dragons did a good job on Teo Milicic and were very active on him. The Dragons also got good energy from the young guys from the bench. Ilic did a good job for Mejias who was in foul trouble”, stated KJ Sherril. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 45% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 12 turnovers while Orange Academy shot 43% from the field and 18% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Carlo Schmid with the runner

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf were able to lead by as much as 12 points, but Orange Academy never gave up and fought back tying the score at 57-57 after 30 minutes. The Dragons Rhondorf came out very focused and kept up their aggressive defense and began with a lethal 11-2 run to lead 47-37. They halted Orange Academy in their first 4 possessions and got potent support again from leader Kenan Reinhart with 5 points while Harris-Dyson continued to be super aggressive on defense getting a steal and two transition buckets including a slam dunk as well. The Dragons intensity on defense was about as high as it ever was this season totally bringing Orange Academy´s offense out of wack and just causing turmoil. Rhondorf had the momentum and kept the pressure on adding a Dusan Ilic trey and baby hook shot from Schmid for the 52-40 advantage. However Orange Academy clawed their way back ending the third quarter with a 17-5 run to tie the game. They came back into the game getting to the free throw line as Rhondorf suffered their 5th foul at the 4,47 minute mark. Instrumental in the run was Meissa Faye who demonstrated his three level scoring qualities netting 2 three´s while Zoran Milicic gave incredible support from the bench adding 7 points as his energy was intense. Orange Academy once again displayed their great defense not allowing the Dragons good looks, but moreover led them to hurried looks and turnovers. “We were unable to create on the offensive end. We couldn´t secure defensive rebounds. They were the best rebounding team in the league which made or broke the game”, added Juhwan Harris-Dyson. “We were able to get to playing our game and we were able to play fast again. My brother Zoran also gave great support changing the game around”, commented Teo Milicic. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 47% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 17 turnovers while Orange Academy shot 46% from the field and 27% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 16 turnovers.

teo Milicic at the FT line

The Dragons Rhondorf led by as much as 6 points in the last frame, but couldn´t get away from Orange Academy as they staged a comeback. Once again the Dragons Rhondorf began focused into the last quarter going on a 9-3 run to extend their lead to 66-60. Harris-Dyson continued to be aggressive on offense getting a lay in while Dujmovic added 4 points and Mejias a trey. Teo Milicic hit a trey to keep his team close. But then came the turning point of the game as Orange Academy shocked Rhondorf with a brutal 11-0 run to steal the lead back at 71-66. In the run, Orange Academy attacked the rim as 4 Dragon players had 4 fouls. Orange Academy got lay in´s from Omog, Zoran Milicic and Faye while Teo Milicic added 4 points. Rhondorf couldn´t gamble on defense and were forced to play with that potential fifth foul in mind. However Rhondorf wasn´t going to give up with a few minutes to go, but fought getting an answer from Harris-Dyson with a lay in, but the guests had an instant answer as Zoran Milicic made a lay in for the 73-68 lead. With Mejias out, Dusan Ilic stepped up like a veteran with a tough lay in and contested trey as suddenly it was 73-73 and the Dragon Dome was in pandemonium with a minute to play. Reinhart made 1 of 2 free throws for the 74-73 advantage, but that turned out to be the last Dragon points of the season. Orange Academy then showed why they were the best defensive and rebounding team in the league getting a few stops and executing with a lay in by Zoran Milicic giving them the lead and Teo Milicic and Faye closed out the game with free throws. “Rhondorf played a great game, but I still think that we wanted it a bit more. For me it was a combination of taking over and what the defense gave me. I´m happy that I got the trust from my teammates and how I played”, smiled Teo Milicic. “They ran their sets well and executed well while we had trouble scoring the ball. Teo Milicic had a great game attacking our drop defense. They made all the right decisions”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Orange Academy was led by Teo Millicic with 22 points while Meissa Faye added 19 points while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Duje Dujmovic with 17 points while Dusan Ilic added 13 points and Kenan Reinhart 12 points. Orange Academy shot 46% from the field and 25% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 21 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 43% from the field and 29% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 22 turnovers.