It was a Kodak picture moment in Berlin Charlottenburg when Rasta Vechta Pro A coach Hendrik Gruhn was going down the line of Young Rasta Dragons players on the bench and giving each play hug by hug and flashing that incredible winners smile that is seen when there is total satisfaction. How tough had the last 2 NBBL years been for the Vechta junior basketball program as they had lost the final both years to Alba Berlin and last season on a buzzer beater by Nils Machowski. This season in their third final in a row, they wanted it to be 3 is a charm. And this season there would be no denying the Young Rasta Dragons as they came on a mission to Berlin and destroyed surprise team Baskets Juniors Oldenburg 89-54. Hendrik Gruhn wasn´t the head coach this season, but in a sense, it was his title as well as all the whole team were his guys. Guys that he had worked hard with the last years and had helped develop them further. Gruhn had worked closely this season with new NBBL head coach Horst Harm-Ubbo who had coached the JBBL team last season and it was a total club effort as everyone was in some way involved. The Young Rasta Dragons came into the final as the big favorite and didn´t disappoint as they led quickly from the start and never let Oldenburg into the game. German captain Karl Buehner had a giant smile on his face as he had suffered the last 2 years, but now was on top of the mountain. “The feeling to finally win the title is amazing. To lose like we did the first 2 times was tough, and we had to win it the third time. We were hungry from the start. We knew we had a big chance to win today. We defended well from start to end. I have to give a lot of credit to Hendrik Gruhn who helped so much and coach Horst Harm-Ubbo who prepared us so well the last 2 weeks”, stressed Karl Buehner. “Vechta is a really strong team with many junior national players. We didn´t show our best game. We just didn´t have enough to challenge their individual qualities. Our game plan was to try to close the zone and get rebounds. We weren´t able to accomplish that”, stressed Baskets Juniors Oldenburg guard Simon Kohlhoff.
Djairo Bernadina form outside
The Young Rasta Dragons didn´t waste anytime jumping all over the Baskets Juniors Oldenburg taking the rapid 12-3 lead. In the run the Young Rasta Dragons showcased their lethal inside out offense that especially focused big German talent Johan Gruenloh who scored twice inside. Give him the ball near the bucket and he will make you pay with an easy basket. Ex Fraport Skyliner Joshua Bonga (190-PG-2005)a also added 5 points including a trey as did Karl Buehner who sparkled as usual on the glass at both ends showing his incredible instincts for the ball. Vechta defended hard and aggressive and didn´t give anything simple to Oldenburg as they had to work hard for every shot. The Baskets Juniors then found some daylight and showed that they can explode in a short time as they made back to back three´s from Germans Johan Helwig and scoring ace Igor Jokic to trail 12-9. Oldenburg took advantage of Gruenloh being on the bench to get back into the game. However they couldn´t ever find a defensive identity in the game as they couldn´t slow down the immense individual quality of the Vechta players. Bonga added free throws and talented young German Moritz Gruess a mid distance jumper to lead 16-10. Collin Schroeder and Marko Petric closed out the first quarter swapping three´s as the Young Rasta Dragons led 19-13. “We begin well, but then our second unit came in and it isn´t always easy to keep the flow. Oldenburg also hit tough shots”, stated Young Rasta Dragon Karl Buehner. “Oldenburg did a good job to come back. They also have many weapons that are capable to make tough shots. Oldenburg did a good job slowing down Vecnta´s transition and didn´t allow easy points. Vechta remained cool despite Oldenburg´s comeback”, stressed German U-18 head coach Alan Ibrahimagic.
Noah Slingerland from outside
In the second quarter the Young Rasta Dragons continued to execute their offense well and were able to break open the game to lead by 23 points at half-time. 2023 NBBL champion Jack Kayil nailed a trey to open up the second quarter, but Jokic had an answer making a jumper as Vechta trailed 22-15. The Young Rasta Dragons continued to supply pressure and went on a 9-1 run to trail 31-18. In the run the Young Rasta Dragons demonstrated again that they have so many weapons as ex Iserlohn forward Linus Trettin supplied 5 points including a trey and massive alley-oop dunk as Kayil supplied the pretty pass. With so many great players on the team, is Trettin a bit in the shadow of Gruenloh and some of the other talented guards. “I don´t feel like Linus is in the shadow of others. He can do it all with defending bigger players, making three´s or dunks. We have so much quality on the team that not every guy can have a big scoring game each night”, stated Karl Buehner. Oldenburg responded with a Kohlhoff jumper to trail 31-18, but Vechta never stopped applying defensive pressure or in anyway to put their foot off the gas pedal. They were able to up their intensity a bit more and go into the break with a lethal 16-6 run to lead 47-24. In the run the Young Rasta Dragons continued to move the ball well and get as many involved as possible. Buehner drilled home another trey while 16 year old Marco Petric gave his usual energy from the bench with 5 points and 2 lay in´s as his speed and athleticism overwhelmed Oldenburg. Kayil continued to be his aggressive self as he just dominated the way a MVP should with 8 points showing his 3 level scoring ability with a lay in, three pointer and dunk after getting a steal. Jokic closed out the first half with a timely three pointer. “Kayil was key leading us. We had a lot of fast break baskets helped by our defense that we also were able to raise. Our guard pressure was outstanding and we helped each other”, stressed Karl Buehner. “Vechta was able to break open the game. They played smart defense, but not too aggressive. When Oldenburg closed the zone, Vechta made three´s”, commented Alan Ibrahimagic.
Karl Buehner with the block
In the third quarter the Young Rasta Dragons remained consistent and just continued to execute very well on offense and defend well as the Baskets juniors couldn´t make any ground what´s so ever. It was obvious that the Baskets Juniors Oldenburg needed to have a strong start into the third quarter, but the opposite happened as it was disastrous. Oldenburg allowed the Young Rasta Dragons on a 10-0 run to trail 57-24 after the first few minutes. In the run, the Young Rasta Dragons punished Oldenburg inside. Vechta used their height and physicality advantage getting 2 lay in´s from Buehner, while Trettin made a dunk, Grunloh a tip in and Bonga a lay in. It seemed like with every new basket, Oldenburg´s confidence went down more and more as they were falling apart. Vechta´s body language was incredible as the only thing on the minds of the players was team basketball. Vechta continued to execute the way they wanted to playing smooth inside out basketball as Bonga connected for a trey with 1 second on the shot clock and Kayil made another lay in to lead 64-30. High damage had been done by the Young Rasta Dragons and in the last minutes, they stepped off the gas pedal and allowed Oldenburg to close out the third quarter with a strong 10-1 run to trail 65-40. Miran Evan who had been a central figure in the semi-final win over Ludwigsburg with 20 points came alive with 6 points all in the paint. He changed his game a little after having misfortune from down town in the first half going 0-4. Little used undersized big Leander Nzume who began to play at age 14 gave immense energy from the bench scoring 4 points. “Oldenburg showed real character by continuing to fight despite being down by 30 +”, expressed Alan Ibrahimagic. “They defended very well and we had to take many contested shots. Their aggressive guard pressure and rim protection hurt us”, stressed Simon Kohlhoff. “We wanted to keep our intensity high right from the start so they wouldn´t have any chance of coming back”, added Karl Buehner.
Karl Buehner 3 is a charm!
There was absolutely no let down by the Young Rasta Dragons in the fourth quarter as even their bench kept the play high and was able to execute and win the quarter 24-14. Both teams came out letting it rain three´s as Vechta got support from Buehner and Petric while Noah Slingerland had the hot hand twice, but the Baskets Junior Oldenburg still trailed 71-46. Vechta made one more run to completely slam the door shut on Oldenburg with 9 points while Oldenburg amassed only 1 point. In the run, Vechta was aided by 2 Gruenloh lay in´s, another three pointer by Karl Buehner and free throws by Joshua Bongaa. “I made some early three´s which boosted my confidence. I missed some easy lay ups, but my rebounding was solid as usual”, stated Karl Buehner. In the last minutes Leander Nzume contiued to give Oldenburg energy and was rewarded with 3 additional buckets. “Leander is a very hard worker and gives energy in every practice. He rebounded very well and all his baskets were hustle plays”, said Simon Kohlhoff. Vechta continued to move the ball well, find open players and execute until the end. Trettin added 5 points. Oldenburg had little energy as a team and had to accept defeat. German Tim Nocke closed out the game with a lay in for Oldenburg. “We put in our bench at the end and there was no let down. They did a good job and it was fun watching them”, added Karl Buehner. “We fought until the end and just wanted to finish the game as best as we could”, added Simon Kohlhoff. The Young Rasta Dragons had 6 guys in double figures scoring led by Joshua Bongaa and Karl Buehner with 16 points a piece. Jack Kayil added 13 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and Linus Trettin 12 points and 9 rebounds while the Baskets Juniors Oldenburg were led by Simon Kohlhoff and Leander Nzume with 10 points a piece. The Young Rasta dragons shot 43% from the field and 29% from outside and had 52 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Baskets Juniors Oldenburg shot 35% from the field and 26% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 19 turnovers.