Leader Vechta is still unbeaten at home (10-0 games), has the strongest offense in the league and is ahead of the challenger in almost all statistics.
The team around US top scorer Tajuan Agee (323 points), also one of the strongest rebounders in the league, is the clear favourite. However, the surprising result of the first leg contained the following lesson for all protagonists: Anything is possible on a good day! Led by a famous Buzz Anthony (25 points, seven assists), the Uni Baskets were the first to beat Vechta at 86:80. And the first to storm the lion’s den? “Our mentality is a weapon. We’ve already found a way to beat them,” says Managing Director Dominik Meyer. “In any case, they won’t make the mistake of underestimating us.” The pressure is low. Head coach Steven Esterkamp gives one order above all: “Just enjoy and have fun, without any stress.”
It is clear that Lagerpusch and James Fleming are just watching. Whether Buzz Anthony can participate in the evening is questionable. “It looked good when we were shooting in practice. But the medical department has the last word,” says Esterkamp. Meyer suggests a decision of reason. “We won’t take any risks and won’t burn Buzz in Vechta.”
In the past five games, all of them wins, Vechta’s defense only allowed 74.4 counterpoints; a top value. “If we play together with a lot of energy and as a team, we have a chance,” predicts Esterkamp. “With George Brock, we’ve become a different team.” Rasta colleague Ty Harrelson swears his team to a game of patience: “Paderborn lets the ball run very well and also rebounds well. On offense, they don’t look for quick shots, but play their attacks out for a long time.” The mood is likely to be extraordinary. The Rasta Dome was sold out at the end of January for the fourth time this season at the game against the Kirchheim Knights with 3140 spectators. The audience cheered a controlled 86:75, with which the bankruptcy from the first half of the season was ironed out. The basis was a 52 percent quota from the triple line. Vechta has the same in mind today against Paderborn. Then the only two failures in the Primus’ season so far would be “avenged”.
Vechta, Bremerhaven: For Steven Esterkamp (“It’s going to be loud in the Rasta Dome. I think my boys will love it and the atmosphere”), the next few days will be a journey into his own past as an active player. In October 2013 he was given a trial contract by Rasta. However, his commitment to the then first division promoted team only lasted a few weeks. And on the North Sea coast (2009 to 2011) he was only injured. “It was all a long time ago and wasn’t my best time as a player,” says Esterkamp.
Meanwhile, Basketball Villingen-Schwenningen GmbH, the economic sponsor of the wiha Panthers Schwenningen, has filed an application for the opening of insolvency proceedings with the district court of Villingen. Since the table bottom of the 2nd Basketball Bundesliga ProA is in an ongoing re-licensing process, the league will wait and check the documents required by February 13th at the latest. The management of the league will then decide together with the committee of experts whether the wiha Panthers Schwenningen will continue to participate in the ProA game. “It doesn’t reflect well on the league. If things go really badly, we’ll have one less home game. This is not good”. Dominik Meyer is annoyed. “Should Schwenningen not be able to continue playing, the first match will be rated 20-0 for us. But nothing is decided yet. We have a league conference next week, so that will definitely be discussed.”
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