As usual it had been a long summer for Dragons Rhondorf fans as last season´s roller coaster season and last weeks was one that fans surely won´t forget. First a scare of having to move down, but then a long winning streak to slip into the playoffs only to be swept by Cinderella story team Orange Academy that was a talented team full of kids. The question was what would be in store for the 2026-2027 club? Once again head coach Max Becker had constructed an interesting roster keeping a good core of young players while bringing in three veterans with Mychael Paulo, Sahmi Willougby and Justin Onyejiaka. Their first test was against the Baskets Lowen Erfurt who also did a semi house cleaning losing veterans like Paul Albrecht, Noah Kamdem and German Prospect Musa Abra. On Paper the Dragons Rhondorf were the favorite, but could they also sparkle on the court in their living room debut? On a fairly mild late summer evening, the Dragons Rhondorf took their court and for 29 minutes, it was a very close battle, but the turning point came on the last Dragons play of the third quarter as Dusan Ilic (188-G-2008) hit a clutch buzzer beater giving them the 59-56 lead and momentum helping them explode for a crazy 37-18 fourth quarter to win 96-74. “We showed in this game with all the runs that we never gave up. We did a good job playing to our strength. We had great ball movement and had six guys score in double figures. We showed that we have a deep roster”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Dusan Ilic. The Basketball Lowen Erfurt played hard and well for 30 minutes, but totally caved in the last quarter as they witnessed their opponent finally hit their three´s connecting on eight. “We really played hard and fought against their runs and then to see that result really hurts. That does not reflect the hard work that we have put in in the pre season. We gave up way too many offensive rebounds. If we could of cut down on the second chance points better then we could have had a better chance”, stressed Basketball Lowen Erfurt guard Anthony Watkins.
Anthony Watkins at the FT line
The Dragons Rhindorf entered the game without Kenan Reinhart who was sick and Max Von Saldern who will be out a few weeks, while the Basketball Lowen Erfurt also were missing some young German players like Luca Foerster and Jeremie Fotso Sighom. Young German energizer Carlo Schmid gave the Dragons Rhondorf the first lead 5-0 with a trey and 2026 AST winner Dusan Ilic nailed a floater, but that didn´t faze Erfurt as they roared back on a 10-0 run to lead 10-5. Georgia native Anthony Watkins who played in the easyCredit BBL with Braunschweig took on responsibility adding 7 points with a trey and lay in. Rhondorf was getting little production from imports Mychael Paulo and Sahmi Willoughby. The aggressiveness inside and on the offensive glass was hurting a bit so Germans ex Skyliner Justin Onyejiaka and ex Tropic Benajmin Sadikovic made offensive rebounds and put backs to dead lock the game at 13-13. The Dragons were playing better upping their intensity while tagging up well and getting great production at both ends by the young Germans. David Boening added 2 blocks and Tom Viehofer hit a big trey for the 18-15 lead. Watkins continued to always be in attack mode adding another trey as took 21 shots in the game to tie the game at 18-18. The Dragons Rhondorf were in the process of a 10-3 run and ended the first quarter with a three pointer by young German Malik Idbihi and a lay in by ex Montana State (NCAA) guard Mychael Paulo to lead 23-18 after 10 minutes. “We had a good start and followed our game plan. However then we lost control of the tempo. However our young guys really stepped up and gave us good energy to hold the lead after one quarter”, said Dragons Rhondorf guard Kenan Reinhart. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 58% from the 2 point range and 43%$ from outside and had 11 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Basketball Lowen Erfurt shot 33% from the two point range and 40% form outside and had 10 rebounds and 2 turnovers.
Dusan Ilic jumper
In the second quarter the Basketball Lowen fought back and led by as much as 8 points, but the Dragons Rhondorf never gave up and kept fighting and stole the lead back and led 40-34 at half-time. The Basketball Lowen totally turned the game around exploding for a vicious 15-2 to totally surprise the Dragons Rhondorf and led 33-25. In the run, Erfurt got massive support from Australian sniper Derek Emelifeonwu who added 8 points. Surprisingly no points were from the parking lot, but instead he displayed his potent driving scoring 3 times while he also dropped 2 free throws. Watkins continued to be aggressive adding 5 points with a trey and thunderous dunk on transition. The Dragons didn´t come to terms with the aggressive on ball defense causing some turnovers which resulted in them losing total rhythm and intensity. The Dragons looked sluggish on defense and needed a real push again. Erfurt did a great job playing the Dragons quick game and slowed them down on offense. However the Dragons Rhondorf once again showed their fighting qualities and why basketball is a game of runs ending the second quarter with a lethal 16-5 run to retain the lead back at 41-35. Ex Vechta guard Justin Onjyjiaka added 3 buckets all in the paint as his athleticism and quick first step was too much to handle for Erfurt. “I trust Justin 100% when he drives to the rim. For us it is always an acceptable look when he can get to the rim”, warned Kennan Reinhart. Carlo Scmidt and Benjamin Sadikovic also upped their intensity on the offensive glass grabbing two offensive rebounds that led to easy baskets for the Dragons. The Dragons upped their feisty and scrappy defensive intensity again not allowing Erfurt good looks. “We weren´t able to play our principles at both ends in their run leading us to collapse, but we fought back again and our intensity allowed us to get the lead back again”, added Kenan Reinhart. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 52% from the two point range and 30% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Basketball Lowen Erfurt shot 38% from the two point area and 30% form the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 6 turnovers.
Ilias Amin to the rim
The Dragons Rhondorf led by as much as 11 points in the third quarter, but was never able to shake Erfurt as they even allowed them to retake the lead, but nor long as Dusan Ilic had heroics prepared for the end of the quarter. Carlo Schmid continued to give the name energizer a special meaning as he lived on the glass making a tip in and also connected on a trey for the big 47-36 advantage. But the Erfurt had a trick up their sleeve as ex easyCredit BBL player Marco Bacak finally found his rhythm scoring 3 times. Last season he stepped out and liked to shoot the trey with Koblenz, but one noticed soon that this season he is more there to score inside as he added 4 scores inside as Erfurt clawed their way back to trail only 48-44. Bacak gave Erfurt that needed added energy and his teammates took that with them as Jordan Brand struck with a trey and Erfurt trailed 49-47. Paulo punched back with a trey and 52-47 lead. But Erfurt was making good decisions and moving the ball well searching for good shots and got them and were rewarded with points as Watkins made a runner and ex Berlin Dreams NBBL player Tim Classen made a trey for the 54-52 Erfurt lead. But The Dragons once again got big support from their young Germans as they closed out the third quarter with a 7-2 run. Viehofer nailed another trey while then came the special big moment of Dusan Ilic as he hit the last jumper on the buzzer for the 59-56 lead and had the Dragon Dome in Ecstasy. “I think that shot hurt them mentally. It gave us a big push and we believed that we were stronger. We had ups and downs in the quarter. But our young guys continued to step up”, stated Dusan Ilic. “ “It was a game of runs. We have to be able to handle a buzzer beater like that better. We have to be more firm and find our advantages in a situation like that”, added Anthony Watkins. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 46% from the two point range and 35% from the parking lot and had 33 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the Basketball Lowen Erfurt shot 44% from the two point area and 21% from the parking lot and had 34 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
Dusan Ilic at the FT line
In the fourth quarter the Dragons Rhondorf took total control of the game and easily sailed home in the moonlight for their first season victory. The Dragons Rhondorf pretty much slammed the door shut for the win in the first minutes hammering a lethal 18-3 run to take the commanding 77-62 lead. In the run it was the young Germans again as Dusan Ilic found his shooting range again adding 8 points while Tom Viehoefer continued to execute on offense adding 5 points. Justin Onyejiaka also added a lay in. Ilic couldn´t find the ocean in the first 29 minutes, but he didn´t get discouraged and just kept shooting. “I never gave up. Even if I didn´t shoot well in the first three quarters, I always knew and believed in my strengths and just continued to play my game”, warned Dusan Ilic. Derek Emelifeonwu remained aggrressive and scored twice inside to cut the Dragons lead to 79-66, but the Dragons always had an answer as Ilic nailed a trey. Watkins responded again with a trey as Erfurt was only 13 points behind 82-69. But the Dragons Rhondorf never wilted, but continued to share the ball well and no one player was a hero. The unselfishness was there as Malik Idbihi stepped up with a trey while Mychael Paulo also added two more three´s to seal the massive win. “We found our rhythm again in the third quarter and just played our game. We were more aggressive on the press and on ball”, stated Dusan Ilic. “Their three pointer fell again as they got hot. Their young guys stepped up. You have to tip your hat to them. We need to play with more discipline”, warned Anthony Watkins. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Justin Onyejiaka with 19 points. Dusan Ilic had 18 points and 8 assists while Mychael Paulo added 13 points while The Bassketball Lowen Erfurt were led by Anthony Watkins with 27 points while Derek Emelifeonwu added 15 points. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 47% from the field and 48% from outside and had 47 boards and 11 turnovers while the Basketball Lowen Erfurt shot 39% from the field and 29% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 13 turnovers.
