SG Flensburg-Handewitt defeated MT Melsungen 40–30 (19–15) on Friday evening and is now back in second place in the DAIKIN HBL. The SG’s top scorers were Emil Jakobsen (9/3) and Simon Pytlick (6).
Twenty days after their last home game—and a full four weeks after their last Bundesliga appearance—the atmosphere in the “Hölle Nord” was electric. The entrance ceremony was an even bigger highlight than usual. The next highlight was Aksel Horgen’s contract extension. On the court, the SG initially faced seven attackers consistently. Emil Jakobsen scored the first lead of the day. But that didn’t matter much given the sluggish pace. While shorthanded, Blaž Blagotinšek appeared at the opponent’s circle and scored to make it 6:5. Benjamin Burić sparked wild cheers with his saves—and was a real game-changer. Niclas Kirkeløkke was on a roll and extended the lead to 10:8 with a three-goal streak. The SG was now consistently ahead. Marko Grgić broke through the defense and spun the ball into the net for a 12:9 lead. There were a total of three video reviews, which dragged out the first half. After the last one, MT left-hander Dainis Kristopans was shown a red card. The opponents from Hesse were at times down three players. The SG took advantage of this. Lasse Møller extended the lead to 17:13. Practically as the halftime buzzer sounded, Simon Pytlick scored to make it 19:15.
SG never let up The SG entered the
second half with a four-goal cushion. It started perfectly: a goal by Johannes Golla, a save by Benjamin Burić, and a penalty shot by Emil Jakobsen. In the blink of an eye, the score was 21:15. The SG was in control of the game and switched gears incredibly quickly. After 40 minutes, Emil Jakobsen scored from the wing. The 27:18 score was already a sort of early decision. The SG raced through the final phase—and rotated players freely. Thilo Knutzen scored the 37:28. Simon Pytlick secured a ten-goal lead. “Hölle Nord reigns here,” chanted the North Stand. Patrick Volz rounded out the 40-goal mark practically as the final whistle blew. After the final whistle, the team celebrated a bit more with “Hölle Nord.” That was exactly the right mood to set for Wednesday, when the SG hosts TSV Hannover-Burgdorf in the GP JOULE Arena for the first quarterfinal. Tip-off is at 8:45 p.m.
