The fourth matchday of the Opel HBL kicks off with SG Flensburg-Handewitt, which is set to face TBV Lemgo Lippe on Thursday at 7 p.m.
A 6-0 record after three games is always nice, but no one at SG wants to overestimate the significance of this start. “It may have been an advantage that we haven’t had a top-tier match yet and were able to better integrate our new players,” says SG coach Aleš Pajović. “Because now we’re facing a challenge that requires 100 percent focus.” TBV Lemgo Lippe finished fifth in the standings last season, has made only minor changes to its roster, and has given the SG a particularly tough time—especially at home. The SG hasn’t won in the Lippe region in over five years and has managed to pick up just one point in its last five away games. During the last Advent season, the SG lost only 33–34, but trailed by a wide margin at halftime and was only able to make the score look a little better in the closing minutes. It was on May 30, 2021, that the northerners pulled off a 33–22 upset. Of today’s players, only Benjamin Burić and Lasse Møller had SG contracts at the time, though both were sidelined due to injury. “I’m not a fan of looking too far back into the past,” says Aleš Pajović. “The key is for everyone to fulfill their current responsibilities.”
Four Backcourt Players and a Sluggish Pace
The current analysis consisted of a total of six videos: the two matchups from last season, the exhibition game against TBV in Eisenach, and the West Germans’ first three games this season. The opening loss in Kiel was followed by wins against Wetzlar and in Bietigheim. Aleš Pajović’s take: “Overall, they’re a very well-coordinated team, but they’re now playing with four backcourt players more often than before.” The SG coach expects the opponent to slow down the pace a bit, as usual, but also anticipates new ideas from “tactical mastermind” Florian Kehrmann. The key: discipline, patience, and consistency. The 14 players who were on the court in the last game boarded the team bus. Kent Robin Tønnesen participated very well in practice; his return is likely for the home game against HC Hamburg.