March 8th saw the highly anticipated U18 boys‘ event in Leipzig—the Final Four of the Saxony Championship. The four teams battling for the title were Dresden Titans, BC Dresden, USC, and NXTGEN, who were participating in their first Saxony Championship. As in the preliminary Leipzig round, NXTGEN was proud to host the event—this time at the Quartiersschule Ihmelsstraße gymnasium.
The first match of the day was between the Titans and NXTGEN. The game started at a steady pace, with both teams assessing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This was evident in the first-quarter score, which was tied at 14 points. However, NXTGEN soon took control of the game, thanks to Amadou Bah turning up the heat offensively. They closed the first half with a 29-26 lead.
In the second half, Erik Richter carried the momentum for NXTGEN, sinking two threes and penetrating the Titans’ defense for a strong 12 points. Richard Juhrs added an impressive eight points in the final half, including two threes, contributing to the team’s total of eight perimeter buckets. With a dominant performance, NXTGEN secured a commanding 70-48 victory, guaranteeing their place in the qualification round for the German Pokal in Thuringia on March 22nd.
The last game of the day mirrored the final matchup of the preliminary round—even down to the final score—as USC won by 19 points. However, this time, the NXTGEN boys once again proved that the experienced USC squad, who hadn’t lost a game against the U18 Lakers in nearly two seasons, could be challenged. Though USC’s dominance was clear by halftime with a 48-37 lead, the NXTGEN boys staged their biggest fight yet in the second half.
An outstanding performance by 15-year-old Isaiah Suss—who secured four threes and finished as his team’s top scorer—set the tone in the first half. In the second, his teammates rallied around him, fighting back to take a brief one-point lead. With a total of nine threes in the game and notable double-digit contributions from Prince Aiwelera and Erik Richter, NXTGEN delivered a powerful response. However, an explosive performance from USC’s Bruno Telle (a former Laker) fueled an unstoppable run, sealing USC’s victory and crowning them Saxony champions.
In the end, it was still a win for our city, as two Leipzig teams advanced to the German Pokal qualifications in Thuringia. A huge thank you to the parents and supporters who contributed to the NXTGEN buffet at both events!
Next up: Thuringia, then Prague!
