Baskets Jena vs. Rhein-Main: Who will get the first win?

This Saturday, we’ll be going for what we’re still missing this season: our first win. At 7:30 p.m., we’ll host the Rhein-Main Baskets at the Lobeda West Sports Complex. The situation in the Toyota 2. DBBL South is tense: After four matchdays, both teams are still winless—we’re in eleventh place, and the visitors are in twelfth. Interestingly, both teams have scored exactly 213 points in these four games.

We’re riding high on the momentum from last Sunday’s strong performance (61–65). Against the second-place team in Bad Homburg, we led by five points with just over five minutes left—we’ve never been this close to our first win this season. The fact that we fell just short in the end was mainly due to our 19 turnovers. Nevertheless, Jada Smith (22 points), Elza Bierina (14 points, 15 rebounds), and Lina Lieckfeld—who contributed ten points right off the bat in her debut for us—put in strong performances.

Our opponent, the Rhein-Main Baskets, is back in the 2nd DBBL after a year in the Regional League. They play their home games at Sportpark Oberlinden in Langen, with head coach Domi Feric now on the sidelines. He’s fielding a very young roster: Six of the 21 players are under 20 years old. The newly promoted team had a rough start to the season, conceding an average of 77 points per game. Although they most recently suffered a 50–61 home loss to Wasserburg, a strong final quarter (19–12) demonstrated the visitors’ fighting spirit.

We need to pay special attention to Paula Süßmann. After four games, the center has already tallied 63 points and 31 rebounds, and she’s recorded a double-double in each of her last two games. In addition, Monika Wotzlaw (who has made 8 of 21 three-pointers so far) poses a major threat from long range. So our game plan is clear: contain Süßmann under the basket and hold onto the ball better on offense this time.

One thing is certain: One of these two teams will earn its first points of the season on Saturday. We’ll do everything we can to make sure it’s us—and for that, we need you in the arena!

All the details about the game:

• When: Saturday, October 31, at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Lobeda West Sports Complex (Karl-Marx-Allee 9)
• Tickets (at the door): General admission 10 euros / Seniors & students 5 euros / Free admission for under-18s

We’ve also prepared a little surprise for every visitor. Come on down and make some noise!