Tahlik Chavez (188-G-2001, college: La Tech) is a 25 year old 188cm guard playing his first season with Dziki Warszawa. He played his rookie season with the Koping Stars (Sweden-Basketligan) averaging 21.9ppg, 3.8rpg, 3.9apg, SPG-3 (1.6), FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 38.4%, FT-5 (88.1%). He began his basketball career with Lake Ridge High School and then played a season at Garden City Community College (JUCO) averaging 20.4ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 45.8%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 82.9%. He then played a season at Iona College (NCAA) averaging 3.2ppg, 1.2rpg and then played 2 seasons at Charleston Southern University (NCAA) averaging 11.7ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 45.7%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 75.0and 11,.1ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 40.9%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 77.9%. He then added a season at Louisiana Tech University (NCAA) averaging 13.9ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 46.1%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 76.7%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after reaching the ENBL final beating CSO Voluntari.
Congrats on the big 87-80 win over CSO Voluntari to reach the 2026 ENBL final. How big is this win for you personally? Your one win away from your first pro chip. It felt really amazing to be in the position to be able to win my first pro chip as well as first international chip for the organization.
How strange is it having a top 4 in the middle of the week? Was this a tough adjustment? It actually didn´t feel that strange. We already had had some back to back games this season like against Greece team Iraklis. I know it will be tough playing the final tomorrow, but we will be ready.
Voluntari went into the game as the favorite. Do you feel like the underdog role suited the team best? How big was the desire to win?
We saw ourselves as the underdog. We wanted to stamp ourselves as the dog against the defending champion. Our desire was so big to win. We won for each other.
Dziki Warszawa led by as much as 6 points in the first quarter, but led only 21-20 after 10 minutes. How key was it for your team making that first punch? We have had problems this season not being able to punch first. We just try to stick together. Tonight we didn´t want to start the wrong way.
You scored 8 points in a row in the first quarter including 2 three´s. How motivated were you to improve your 0/7 night against Iraklis in the last ENBL game? I actually had forgotten that last shooting game against Iraklis. Good shooters have a short term memory. I actually remembered my last shooting game of 7/8 in the polish league.
CSO Voluntari went on a little run late in the second quarter and led 48-41 at the break. What was key for the opponent getting the lead and keeping it? We got down on each other. We let down a bit. We didn´t fight back the way we should of.
In the third quarter Dziki Warszawa fought back and led 66-60 after 30 minutes. What did head coach Marco Legovic tell the team to do better? He told us to keep our heads up. We didn´t play our best defense in the first half. He told us to play better defense and we did that. We were more aggressive and were hands down.
American Landrius Horton got going and made key baskets in the come back. How vital has his play been all season long for the team success? He has been great all season long. He is a great player and even greater person. Some of the things that he does in practice shocks me. He is an amazing player that has helped us win many games.
In the fourth quarter, Dziki Warszawa led it rain three´s to conserve the lead well. What was the biggest strength on defense for your team? Our ball pressure and heart were key at the end. Every guy put their body on the line for the team. We also did a good job getting the rebounds.
Darren Edge finished with 17 points and made key baskets in the fourth quarter. How vital has his paly been since he arrived from German team Ludwigsburg? He also has been great. Often you have guys that come from other teams and it takes some time to fit in. But he fit in right from the start. He wants to win as badly as the other guys. He fit in offensively and with us as who we are as players.
Both teams shot well and they rebounded a bit better than your team. Was this game won on the possessions? Dziki only coughed up the ball 7 times? Our ball pressure helped cause turnovers for the opponent. We kept the pace up and we had more depth.
You were very efficient with 21 points in 20 minutes. You have been very efficient this season. Have you always had that in your game?
This is the least that I have played in my life. I have to come in and make shots when they count. I feel like I have been able to grow in my role doing that this season
You next battle Manchester. What will be ´key to getting title? We just have to be ourselves and be who we are. I feel like we have the heart to take it.
How big is the team belief that Dziki Warszawa will win the title? It is huge. We were able to beat Iraklis in a very tough environment. We believe that we can beat anyone.
Last summer young German Leonard Kroger (205-C-2008) had his first experience playing for the German U-16 national team finishing in 7th place averaging 3/3. He saved his best for last hitting Turkey with a 12/7 game getting the 73-64 victory. He had to wait 9 months to get that next experience with a youth national team competing at the Albert Schweitzer tournament recently and winning the Gold medal. “The rosters at AST was a totally different one than at the Euro-18 last summer. I feel like we had a totally balanced roster at AST. Last summer we had a very good player with Mathieu Grujicic who was at a totally different level. There were also different coaching philosophies and we played a lot faster this time”, said Leonard Kroger. The young Paderborn center experienced a week that he will never forget where he helped Germany have an incredible 7-0 record to win Germany´s third title at AST. He was so fortunate to have a massive family gathering at every game. “I was so relived when the buzzer sounded in the final. Slovenia was a very tough team. I´m happy that we could pull it out despite them coming back. I was so happy that we won. We had a great team. It was such a great experience. It was even nicer to win in front of so much family. The brother of my father lives near Mannheim. I had cousins and uncles there. There were always 5-6 family members at every game. It was fun talking about the game and just seeing their support and them believing in me was special”, stressed Leonard Kroger.
pic credit: photosbykellz
Germany played Bahrain first at AST and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “Of course it was vital having an easier opponent in the first game. We had never played together as a team and only practiced a few times together. This game gave us the chance to make mistakes and get adjusted to each other better”, stressed Leonard Kroger. Jamie Edoka had a solid first game scoring 11 points and filled the stat sheet and was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the tournament. Could he be the next German after Isaac Bonga from the Skyliners to reach the NBA? “Jamie is a really good guy with a lot of potential. He is very athletic and is a super teammate. I really appreciate how he will accept criticism like when you tell him you were open and he didn´t pass the ball. He definitely has NBA potential”, stated Leonard Kroger. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We learned from that first Slovenia game that we had to play better defense. We also realized that we had to play even faster. We played to their tempo and simply had to play our game”, remembered Leonard Kroger. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “The shot also looked a bit long to me. I was right under the basket and saw everything. At first I thought that I had to jump in and try to make the basket, but luckily it fell in”, said Leonard Kroger. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “Caspar is a really good player and is a really good dribbler. He also pushed the ball well and attacked the rim well. He is an allrounder and we could always rely on him to do his job”, added Leonard Kroger. Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “Turkey was an annoying opponent. Even after that weak third quarter, we always stayed together. We played really well after that and we always got extra new energy from the bench that helped us get win”, expressed Leonard Kroger. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 13 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “Fin is a very athletic player. I had never seen him play before AST. I felt like he fit really well into our system. He is long, can shoot and finish. We definitely always had an advantage on transition with his game”, remembered Leonard Kroger.
pic credit: DBB
Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “I didn´t play so well this game. Felix and Anton had very good games. When we are able to win the win the rebound s and have more possessions, it makes it easier to win”, said Leonard Kroger. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Not only did Kiehlneker have a dominant double double, but so did Alba Berlin talent Anton Kemmer. “Felix is very athletic. His biggest strength is on the offensive rebound and likes getting the alley-ops”, commented Leonard Kroger. The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “Key in beating Japan was that we had a big advantage under the basket. We beat them easily on the rebound. Japan had a good answer against our fast game so we had to find another way to beat them and did so on the glass”, added Leonard Kroger. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds. Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “Key in beating Brazil was that they were too slow. In the second half, we picked up our offense to the next level. After making a few fast break baskets and a three pointer, our self-confidence rose. Plus we continued to get new energy from the bench which made it easier to play”, stressed Leonard Kroger. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “Lucai is really quick and a great shooter. He was a real game changer in the first game against Slovenia after making many three´s in a row. He put our game at another level”, explained Leonard Kroger. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times.
pic credit: DBB
The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “We never got scared or let up when they came back. We just played our game until the end getting rebounds and playing fast”, remembered Leonard Kroger. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Our biggest strength in the AST was that we were very athletic and all defended well. We also were consistent pushing the ball well. We were able to overrun all teams. Even when teams scored on us, we always had an answer being able tom push the ball”, warned Leonard Kroger. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states. The German who lists player Alessanco Vazquez Dos Santos of Brazil as the player that impressed him most during the tournament had a solid tournament averaging 8/9/1/1per game “I was very content with how I played at AST. I feel like I did my part to help the team be successful. I finished, rebounded and was a rim protector”, warned Leonard Kroger. He played against 6 different nations and against the best youth players on earth which helped his game make another step. “I think that I gained a lot of extra experience. It was great playing against non European countries like Brazil and Japan. It was also great being able to work with a different coaching staff and receive different view points”, added Leonard Kroger. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “He didn´t give me one special tip, but I was alert to be ready to take small things that he said. For example keeping the ball at my chin after a rebound so small guards can´t steal the ball. It was a lot of fun playing for Alan´s philosophy and playing fast”, said Leonard Kroger. Of course seeing his family after games was a huge highlight off the court, but he also had an on court favorite moment. “My favorite own play was my last dunk against Slövenia that helped put us in winning position”, said Leonard Kroger. It will be interesting to see where Leonard Kroger´s basketball journey will go in the future. At the moment, he is focused on winning a do or die NBBL playoff game at home against Alba Berlin and finishing the Pro A season strong with Paderborn.
That successful German coach Florian Flabb is a basketball junkie is no secret. The guy just loves the game. On top of that he is also a nice guy who had a heart for my work last summer when he took time out of his long summer days supplying me with key quotes to single Germany games during the 2025 U-18 Euro championships. He led Ulm to the NBBL top 4 last season and this season led Pro B team Orange Academy with an average age of 18 to the best record in the league and now is battling to win the title. He also has an incredible knack of helping develop young talent and it is only logical that he supports his own players as best he can. It didn´t surprise me when I saw him at the Albert Schweizer tournament in Mannheim recently. His player Felix Kiehlneker (210-F-2008) was playing with Germany against Slovenia and he took time on his free Sunday to drive 200 + kilometers to help support him. “I knew that he would watch the Slovenia game, but I was very happy that he supported me like that. This is now my second season playing for Flo. I didn´t play so much last season because I was from the youngest year, but this season I began to play Pro B and he gives me a lot trust. I really appreciate his feedback after practices, games and timeouts. He told me at the start of the season to work on my physicality and energy and I have worked on it”, stressed Felix Kiehlneker.
Pic credit: photosbyKellz +Joshua Hoffmann
Germany played Bahrain first at AST and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “It was my personal goal to win the title, but I have to admit, I didn´t expect that we would win most games so easily. I think that we didn´t 100% need to start against a weaker opponent like Bahrain, but it was still good. We had never played together and only practiced 5 days before. All in all, it was good to begin against a team like Bahrian”, stressed Felix Kiehlneker. Jamie Edoka had a solid first game scoring 11 points and filled the stat sheet and was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the tournament. Could he be the next German after Isaac Bonga from the Skyliners to reach the NBA? “I have known Jamie since he is 14. He is a good friend, but also a great talent. With a lot of hard work, he could make the NBA”, warned Felix Kielneker. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We definitely learned a few things from that game that we then did better in the final against Slovenia. We played overall better team defense, rebounded better and defended the pick and roll better in the final”, remembered Felix Kiehlneker. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “The shot looked a bit far and we were a bit lucky that it went in, but in the end all that counts is that we won. We were so happy after that we all ran on the court”, said Felix Kiehlneker. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “Caspar´s energy was so important for us, but also his support for everyone. He was always happy for everyone else”, remembered Felix Kiehlneker. Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “We had problems in the third quarter. Edoka and I had gotten our fourth fouls. But we never broke down, but everyone fought back including everyone from our bench. We fought until the end”, warned Felix Kiehlneker. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 13 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “Fin also was so key for our success not only in this game, but in every game. I didn´t know him before AST and was a little surprised how good a player he was. A big factor that helped us was how good of a scorer he was”, added Felix Kiehlneker..
Pic credit: photosbyKellz +Joshua Hoffmann
Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “I remember that we played extremely hard against Sweden. I had one of my best games. We passed the ball really well and won the rebound battle which was our goal to do every game”, expressed felix Keihlneker. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Not only did Kiehlneker have a dominant double double, but so did Alba Berlin talent Anton Kemmer. “I love Anton´s energy. He is very communicative. He will be so happy for you when you make a big play like a dunk and will slap you. He is always talking”, said Felix Kiehlneker. The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “Japan was very quick and hard to control. They ran very well, but we still were too strong for them and outpowered them”, said Felix Kiehlneker. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds. Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “I think the game changer was in the third quarter where we were able to put our tempo at another level. We ran more something we didn´t do as well in the first half. I had a phase where I made 8 points in a row. Everyone contributed”, stated Felix Kiehlneker. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “I had never played with Lucai before, but what impressed me the most was his ability to shoot the ball so well. He shot over 40% from outside. His extreme confidence in shooting the ball was amazing considering he was a year younger than us”, remembered Felix Kiehlneker. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times.
Pic credit: photosbyKellz +Joshua Hoffmann
The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “I think that we wanted it more than they did. It was our mentality to fight until the end no matter if we were up by 50 points against Bahrian or 1 point against Slovenia. We always wanted to play with more energy than the opponent”, warned Felix Kiehlneker. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Our biggest strength at AST was our tempo. Nobody could stop us. We always pushed the ball so well and were a very strong offensive team that played very well together”, stated Felix Kiehlneker. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states. The German who lists player Alessanco Vazquez Dos Santos of Brazil and Turkish forward Darius Karatasu as the players that impressed him most during the tournament had a solid tournament averaging 6/7per game “It was an Ok tournament for me. My 1 point game took me down a bit. But I feel like averaging 6/7 was solid. I definitely have things that I can work on this summer”, said Felix Kiehlneker. He played against 5 different nations and against the best youth players on earth which helped his game make another step. “I think that I adjusted to play against the physicality and also was able to play with tempo and hold my own against the top quality of players”, added Felix Kiehlneker. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “Alan is a really good coach. He gave me total trust. He always gave positive feedback how I could improve my game. I remember in the game against Bahrain when I missed my first 2 shots, he told me to up my energy as it was down. Another valuable piece of advice that he gave me was not to dribble extra in the zone, but go up right away for the dunk”, remembered Felix Kiehlneker. It will be interesting to see where Felix Kiehlneker´s journey will go in the next few years. However for now he is totally focused on helping Orange Academy win the Pro B title and help Ulm reach the NBL Top 4 in Berlin.
How cool must it be for a kid living in the States to come overseas and play internationally at the youth level? In Germany in the last years there have been guys who have had that opportunity like Sam Griesel who grew up in Nebraska, but has German roots won a Bronze at the 2020 U-20 European championships. But there have been other examples in the last years like the Anderson brothers with Christian and Lucai. Their dad Christian is German and played professionally for Bamberg and married an American woman. Christian has had an amazing track record for Germany since making his debut in 2022 at the U-16 Euro winning a Gold. He then won a Bronze at the U-18 Euro in 2023, then a Gold at the U-18 Euro in 2024 and a Bronze the same year at the Albert Schweitzer tournament and last year came up short losing to USA at the U-19 world Cup winning the silver. His younger brother Lucai helped Germany win the Gold at this years Albert Schweitzer tournament as did William Dopfer. Dopfer is a red head kid from Georgia who got to spend his Easter break in Germany and along the way pick up a Gold at AST and play against some of the worlds best U-18 junior players. But how exactly do his roots to Germany look like? “My whole family is from Germany including my parents. I have been in Germany a lot before. I was the first American born in my entire family including my ancestors. So when I was born, I was registered in Berlin and have dual citizenship. He must have had special stories to tell his classmates the week after? “Yes I did. It was great spending Easter in Germany. I didn´t go to church, but it was still awesome playing at AST. Playing against such elite competition and playing a very different style of basketball was very eye opening for me”, stressed Will Dopfer. It didn´t take him long to feel like home in Germany. “I liked how everyone spoke English. But actually how nice everyone was. Once I got to know everyone and started speaking to them, they opened up and were all really nice”, remembered Will Dopfer.
pic credit: I am Wosz
Germany played Bahrain first and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “It was key to have an easy win under our belt. It was our first game playing together, being able to knock the rust off and get a feel of each other in a game where we were the superior opponents was a confidence boost and also a learning period”, said Will Dopfer “Dusan Ilic had 12 points and gave great energy from the bench. Was his quickness or his motor most beneficial for the team? “Dusan was great. He played extremely hard, and that really helped us a ton. On the offensive end, being a point guard and able to play fast isn’t easy. He did a great job handling the ball and not turning the ball over while maintaining the speed and energy he plays with”, remembered Will Dopfer. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We learned this wasn’t going to be easy, winning this whole thing. We knew there was a chance we could play them again. But in that game, we all came together and played for each other, which propelled us to the win. And if we did that again, we can definitely win this thing”, remembered Will Dopfer. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “Jamie is a special player. He does a lot of things really well. He gets to his spot like no other. He plays with poise and confidence. He knows when he needs to take over, but also where the ball needs to be if someone is hot or there is a mismatch. His game winner was amazing, knowing we had come back from that deficit was a great feeling, and seeing that ball drop was the cherry on top. The nerves were there the whole 4th quarter, and as the ball went up, you could definitely feel the air get sucked out of the gym”, added Will Dopfer. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “Caspar is relentless; he plays super hard and physical, which not a lot of people do. His excelling at that was a key factor in our success”, commented Will Dopfer.
Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “I don´t remember but, we shot the ball really well. I think over 40% from 3 on quite a lot of attempts, which really helped us pull away”, said Will Dopfer. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 13 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “Fin was an X factor for us. When Fin played good the team thrived. We was crucial for us, hitting tough shots, playing hard, and guarding”, expressed Will Dopfer. Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “ I remember how dominant we were. I didn’t play in that game so I was able to watch and nitpick everything. After the game I came into the locker room and said that we looked like the better team for all 40 minutes. In every other game there were stretches were we looked worse but against Sweden it was dominance for 40 minutes”, stressed Will Dopfer. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Orange Academy big man Felix Kiehlneker had a great game of 12/13. “I remember how active Felix was for us. He is constantly working on both ends of the floor. He’s athletic, has great timing on shot blocking and crashes both sides of the glass”, commented Will Dopfer.The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “ his win was another confidence boost heading into bracket play”, said Will Dopfer. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds
pic credit: Iamwosz
Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “ We decided we needed to be more physical; we were getting out-rebounded and they just out physicaled us the whole first half. At the break, we knew if we played harder and tougher, we could win this”, warned Will Dopfer. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “Lucai is an effortless scorer and a brilliant shot maker. He scores like no other. He shoots the ball at a very high clip. Has a tight handle and is definitely a 3-level scorer”, warned Will Dopfer. Where would he rate Lucai´s play compared to his brother Christian´s play at that age? “I never watched Christian at Lucai’s age, but right now Lucai is bigger size-wise so that’s an advantage he has. But it will definitely be interesting to see how he pans out compared to Christian”, stressed Will Dopfer. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times. The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “We just stuck together, if we turned on each other and started playing for ourselves, it wouldn´t go well. We knew if we played selflessly, looked for the best shot on offense, and played team defense, we will win”, remembered Will Dopfer. Hearing the buzzer to win the AST was definitely a very special moment. “I felt a lot of different emotions, happiness, completion, and hunger. It was just so cool to play for my country, and it was such a blessing to play there. It felt like my hard work paid off”, stated Will Dopfer. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Obviously, winning the whole tournament was the goal going in. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but if we all bought in, we knew we were very capable of winning. Our pace was our biggest strength in the tournament. We averaged over 95 points. Playing fast, it allowed us to really put the beating on our opponents. But you can’t play fast if you don’t rebound and play defense, so those definitely were big contributors to our pace as well”, stressed Will Dopfer. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states.
The German who lists player Alessanco Vazquez dos Santos of Brazil, Darius Karatasu of Turkey Maks Ciperle of Slovenia, and Kenichiro Benedict Of Japan as his toughest opponents at AST had a solid tournament averaging 6/3/1/1. “I feel like I impacted where I could. I definitely could’ve scored the ball better but my role was to bring energy and be the glue guy and I think I did that very well”, stressed Will Dopfer. Was it a tough adjustment coming from US high school ball and playing euro ball? “It was definitely an adjustment. The rules obviously are different here in HS vs out there. The travel rule was big for me, and the 24-second shot clock was fun to get used to”, said Will Dopfer. He played against 5 different nations and against the best youth players on earth. He did at both ends of the court. “I wouldn’t say my game grew as much but my IQ definitely did. I learned lots from the coaches and understanding how they play here. I did a great job showcasing my two way ability. guarding multiple positions, blocking shots and then scoring in transition on the other end”, added Will Dopfer. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “European coaches are very team oriented. and where as Americans are team focused but also very player oriented and 1 on1 compared to getting everyone involved. It was fun playing for coach Ibrahimagic. I always enjoy learning from different coaches, seeing what each one emphasizes and how they teach. he definitely helped a lot with IQ, teaching pick and roll reads and defensive decision making”, remembered Will Dopfer. There were so many great highlights during AST for Germany, but what about his favorite own plays? “My favorite personal game highlights was put back dunk, and then my hammer in the championship game”, stressed Will Dopfer. Dopfer has committed to Longwood and it will be interesting how his game grows at the next level. It will also be interested to see if Will Dopfer plays for Germany again. I definitely would love to see him compete again for Germany and I´m sure the German coaching staff will as well in the future.
Chris Barton (190-G-1996, college: Niagara) is a 29 year old 190cm guard from Michigan playing his fifth professional season and first with Delta Gurjaani (Georgia-Superleague). He has pro experience having played in the TBL in the States and overseas in countries like Finland, Luxemburg, Belgium, and Azerbaijan. He began his basketball career with Avondale High School and then played 4 seasons with Niagara University (NCAA) playing a total of 122 games. He spoke to germanhoops.com after scoring 50 points in a pro game in Georgia.
Thanks Chris for talking to germanhoops.com. You recently scored 50 points in a game and was the highest scorer in the world. You did it in Georgia. What does this feat mean to you?
It really means a lot to me because there were many questions about if I was fully healed from my Achilles tear from 2024, so to go out and achieve a career high after being doubted meant the world to me.
I guess the only thing missing was the win. Could you still enjoy the feat a bit?
It definitely would’ve meant a lot more if the win was attached to my performance. I tried everything I could to get us a win, but the other team was just better that night.
Andre Weir also put on a show with 42 points. Were you guys going head to head at one points with scoring? Andre is a great player and an MVP candidate, so it was great competing with him for 40 minutes. I think we both just wanted to give our respective teams everything we had to ensure a Win, but I definitely noticed that both of us were kind of trading buckets out there.
You never averaged in double figures in the NCAA and highest points total was overseas in Finland with 38 points. Did you always know that you had such great scoring potential in your blood?
I would say that when I was in college, that might’ve been the only time I wasn’t considered a scorer. We had so many talented scorers that I played with that I didn’t need to saturate our team bringing the same thing to the table. So I decided to do everything else like defensive, leadership, rebounding, etc.
Did you have a special breakfast or do something different on this day to help you achieve so many points? The only thing I ate before the game was an orange and a can of peanuts to be honest. I always feel better when I eat light before games. I also watched some Dwayne Wade highlights from the ’06 NBA Finals to get me motivated.
How did you feel going into the game? Do you sometimes know how your game may go after warm ups and how your shot is feeling? Going into the game I felt good physically. The only thing I knew before the game was that I was going to be aggressive because I felt that’s what my team needed from me with some key guys being hurt. Once I saw a few go in early, I knew I was going to stay in attack mode.
How did you get into the game flow? How rapidly did you know that you might have a real good scoring day? I got an open three pretty early into the game that started everything, then I got another jumper to go followed by an and one on the break. Once I saw the ball go in that early into the game I knew I had to do my best to keep it going for my team.
The team had 11 assists in the game and you 3. I imagine you scored a lot on the isolation. I guess you were really feeling it. Did your self confidence rise from bucket to bucket? I’d say the first half was more of my teammates finding me for open looks, then once I had that rhythm going I started to get some isolation baskets as well. My confidence was for sure at an all time high after the first half. Been a while since I felt like that in a game.
Did you know in the fourth quarter that you were close to 50 points?
My coach actually pointed it out to me, because he asked if I wanted a sub or if I wanted to keep playing. I’m always going to keep playing as long as my body allows me to so it was an easy decision.
You took 41 shots and had a solid %. Were you content with your shot selection? I would say for the most part all of the shots I took were shots that I work on, so I can live with the results. Although I was pretty gassed toward the end of the game, which I felt like led to more misses.
What was your favorite own basket of the 50 point game?
I would say my favorite basket had to be the first one just because it felt good when it left my hands and it kick started everything for the night.
Did you get any special messages from people that you might not have expected from? I’d say my favorite message came from my cousin because he photoshopped my face on Wilt Chamberlain’s body with a piece of paper that had the number 50 on it.
Did you have to get your teammates donuts after game? Haha no I didn’t, but I told them how appreciative I was that they allowed me to do that.
With the Pro A regular season coming to a slow end, the playoffs are only around the corner. The Giessen 46ers were resting in seventh place and had no real chance to get home court advantage or miss the playoffs with 3 games remaining. However they wanted to ride into the playoffs with momentum and wanted to keep their winning streak alive after a big blow out win in Bochum last weekend. They welcomed the RheinStars Cologne who were in 10th place and still had a minimal chance of securing a playoff spot having 2 wins less than the eight placed team. The RheinStars came into the game having won 2 of their last 3 games, but were reeling from a tough 69-67 loss against PS Karlsruhe in their own living room. Boisterous Giessen fans saw a tight first half, but in the second half the RheinStars punched first and from that point controlled the game not allowing the Giessen 46ers to get over the hump winning 87-77. “Giessen is a playoff team and we fought really hard tonight. Every player from 1-12 competed for us. I feel like we handled their runs well. We were able to whether the storm and punched back. It was a very good team win”, stressed RheinStars forward Adam Paige (203-F-2000, college: Alberta). The Giessen 46ers also fought in the second half, but just couldn´t find ways to string along consecutive stops and produce their own run to get over the hump. “I feel like we did a decent job for long periods of time. They rebounded the ball very well and made shots when they had to and we didn´t. They got us too much on the short roll and Rohwer hurt us in the post. We didn´t help well”, stressed Giessen 46er Aiden Warnholtz.
Robin Benzing at the FT line
The first quarter was a tight affair as the Giessen 46ers led 21-19 after 10 minutes. Giessen began slowly as they couldn´t find a offensive rhythm as the guests produced 5 stops and took the rapid 4-0 lead with buckets from their 2 Americans ex N Texas (NCAA) guard Mike Millar and ex Ohio State (NCAA) guard Cedrick Russell. Giessen was playing very physical, but had bad shot selection and not calm enough in the set play. They finally got their first field goal at the 6,47 minute mark as ex Rostock center Till Gloger made a lay in and they then unreeled 5 more unanswered points to lead 7-4 as Bosnian guard Adnan Arslanagic made free throws and Gloger another lay in getting the pass from other big man Viktor Kovacevic. Giessen was in a groove and kept the lead 12-9 as Arslanagic hit a trey and ex Bremerhaven guard Daniel Norl hit a 20 foot step back jumper. However the RheinStars stayed in the game thanks to Russell who rattled off 3 buckets in a row adding 7 points as his mid range game sparkled and Giessen led only 12-11. Then both teams let it rain three´s as ex Longwood (NCAA) forward Zac Watson gave superb energy from the bench with 2 three´s while Aiden Warnoltz did the same with 2 three´s. Warnholtz hasn´t had an easy time getting more minutes on a team that is infested with talented guards, but he does the best he can with his situation. “I come in and do my job which is hitting shots. It feels good to help my team. I just have to take advantage of the opportunities that I´m given”, warned Aiden Warnholtz. The Giessen 46ers shot 47% from the field and 57% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the RheinStars shot 41% from the field and 30% from outside and had 11 rebounds and 3 turnovers. “We started well. The game was very physical. Both teams were getting used to each other”, stated Adam Paige.
Bjoern Rowher with heh lay in
The Giessen 46ers took control of the game in the second quarter leading by as much as 10 points, but couldn´t totally shake the guests as they fought back and trailed only 43-40 after 20 minutes. Giessen came out in the second quarter and spanked the RheinStars right away going on a 8-0 run to lead 29-19. Instrumental in the run was 37 year old ex German national player Robin Benzing who proved that age is only but a number. He added 4 points including free throws and a pretty lay in where he barreled through the defense like a raging bull and also produced a steal. Warnholtz also hit a beautiful floater and Serbian guard Simon Krajcovic made a lay in as his speed gave the RheinStars fits. However basketball is a game of runs as the RheinStars punched back with a 11-4 run to trail only 33-30. The guests fought back getting out on transition as ex Frankfurt guard Maxe Begue scored twice under the watchful eyes of ex teammate Alvin Oniya, Rohwer made a lay in and Paige hit a trey. The RheinStars had some momentum and now always had an answer ready when Giessen scored. The RheinStars got the three ball involved again as German Timothy Davis who played 4 years at Cedarville (NCAA2) hit a trey while Mike Millar also made 2 three´s including one at the buzzer as the RheinStars trailed by 3 points. Giessen got a trey from ex Hagen guard Kyle Castlin to help keep the lead. “We didn´t defend as well at the start giving up some easy ones. However we always found a way to punch back. Millar hit a big three at the end which helped give us some momentum”, added Adam Paige. The Giessen 46ers shot 50% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the RheinStars shot 45% from the field and 39% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 5 turnovers.
Adnan Arslanagic from outside
In the third quarter, the RheinStars took control of the game punching right away with a shocking run and from then on would manage the lead well and never look back. Giessen came out of the break flat allowing a 12-2 run falling back to 52-45. In the run, the RheinStars was led by ex Kirchhein guard Mike Millar who added 6 points and did a good job finding the cracks in the zone with his speed and scoring 2 lay in´s while Begue and Paige added 2 three´s. The RheinStars broke the Giessen zone and were calm in their set play and displayed good switch defense. The RheinStars controlled the game, but always had to withstand punches by Giessen, but always had answers especially from their bench. Giessen got good support from Kyle Castlin who remained aggressive scoring 3 buckets to have Giessen trail on 58-54. But the RheinStars always had an answer as Davis stepped up again from the bench nailing a trey who averaged 36% from outside in his last 2 seasons at Cedarville and the always dangerous Harris Hujic also hit a trey for the 66-61 lead after 30 minutes. “We had a good start into the third quarter. We also wanted our run. We were more calm and minimized our defensive errors and made them work for every shot and we executed well on offense hitting big three´s”, said Adam Paige. “We had a bad start. That made it tough coming back. We didn´t do a good job attacking the rim. We did a good job though fighting back”, commented Aiden Warnholtz. The RheinStars shot 47% from the field and 43% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 7 turnovers and the Giessen 46ers shot 50% from the field and 32% from the parking lot and had 24 rebounds and 9 turnovers.
Jasper Guenther at the FT line
In the fourth quarter the RheinStars did an excellent job managing the lead and never allowed the Giessen 46ers to get closer than 5 points. The RheinStars benefited from Hujic free throws and a Benzing technical foul to keep the lead at 69-61. Giessen punched back with a Gloger lay in and Warnholtz basket, but couldn´t make any ground as German Bjoern Rohwer continued to punish Giessen with his post up play scoring twice to keep the RheinStars ahead 73-65. Giessen remained aggressive getting to the rim getting easy buckets from Krajcovic and Benzing, but they couldn´t match the RheinStars intensity on the rebound and get stops as a Paige lay in and Watson put back kept the guests ahead at 79-70. New Giessen guard Arslanagic kept their slim hopes alive with a nice lay in to trail 79-72, but the RheinStars then slammed the door on Giessen with a clutch Adam Paige trey and Begue tip in to lead 84-72. It also didn´t help Giessen´s come back attempt with 2 Benzing misses at the free throw line. The Ost gym was quiet now with 1 minute to go. Paige and Arslanagic then traded three´s to end the game. “Even if Giessen punched back, we held back until the end. We attacked their weaknesses and hit big shots”, added Adam Paige. ““They did a good job hitting shots from multiple guys. We didn´t do a good job on defense allowing open shots. We also got into foul trouble and they punished us getting to the free throw line”, expressed Aiden Warnholtz. The RheinStars were led by Michael Miller with 17 points while Adam Paige added 15 points and Cedrick Russell added 13 points while the Giessen 46ers were led yb Adnan Arslanagic with 18 points and Till Gloger added 13 points. The RheinStars shot 48% from the field and 45% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the Giessen 46ers shot 48% from the field and 27% from outside and had 29 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
It was high noon in the Dragon Dome as the Dragons Rhondorf had their season on the line. The stage was a do or die game to save the season against top Pro B team Orange Academy. The Dragons Rhondorf had no chance in game one on the road as they were destroyed 102-73. Orange Academy had better shooting percentages and totally crushed the Dragons on the boards 60-42. The Dragons had to find a way to tie the series in their own living room. It was all about playing for pride and showing that heart that in certain difficult moments can do wonders for a team. Orange Academy had the youngest team in the league at age 18 and had an incredible team chemistry built by head coach Florian Flabb who had instilled a special defensive discipline not often seen with young kids that the Dragons needed to halt to force a new do or die game 48 hours later. However after an incredible fight for 40 minutes where 4 Dragon players had 4 fouls in the fourth quarter, Rhondorf was unable to force a game 3 losing 78-74 thus ending their season. It was the Milicic family of Teo and Zoran that scored 11 of the last 15 Orange Academy points propelling them to the next round against Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg. “This wasn´t an easy game for us. The Dragons made adjustments from the first game and played well. I´m very happy that we stuck together as a team. I give a lot of credit to my brother Zoran who turned the game around at the end”, stressed Orange Academy guard Teo Milicic (180-PG-2008). The Dragons Rhondorf played with a lot of heart until the end, but just couldn´t execute better at both ends in crunch-time suffering the season ending loss. “We played a heck of a game. We fought until the end and left it all on the court. We had some unlucky turnovers at the end and some boards and calls didn´t go our way. But that is how basketball can be like”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Juhwan Harris-Dyson.
Kenan Reinhart at the FT line
The first quarter was a serious back and forth battle that saw 8 lead changes and after the end of 10 minutes, Orange Academy had the slim 17-16 advantage. The Dragons got great support from ex Neustadt forward Duje Dujmovic who gave the word scoring in bunches a new meaning as he scored 4 times in a row with 9 points. The three of the guests wasn´t falling, so they opted to attack the rim and got baskets from Polish guard Teo Milicic and Dutch center Endurance Aiyamenkhue as Rhondorf led 10-9. The Dragons Rhondorf played great defense especially on ball and getting in passing lanes forcing 3 turnovers to help bolster their game. Orange Academy was carried by French prospect Meissa Faye that used his extreme athleticism and speed to get to the rim with ease scoring 7 points in the first quarter. The Spanish magician Jorge Mejias only played 4,34 as he was hit with 2 early fouls, but was aided by back up Dusan Ilic who kept the pace up adding 2 points and 2 steals. All in all, Rhondorf was the better rebounding team showing the best rebounding team in the league that they could keep up and was able to match the physicality of Orange Academy something they weren´t able to do in game 1. Orange Academy shot 40% from the field and 25% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 33% from the field and 29% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 5 turnovers. “The Dragons did a real good job crashing the boards which changed the game. They also moved the ball well. They were lucky that some open three´s from Orange Academy ´didn´t fall”, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz assistant coach KJ Sherrill.
Meissa Faye from outside
The second quarter remained tight as both teams had runs, but at the break the Dragons Rhondorf had their nose in front leading 36-35. Orange Academy stepped up their defensive pressure in the first minutes scooting out on a lethal 8-0 run to lead 25-18. In the run they forced Rondorf to 3 turnovers and scored 3 times on transition from Faye, ex Skyliner Junior Namori Omog and a dunk from Aiyamenkhue. The Dragons couldn´t penetrate the Orange Academy zone while Teo Milicic scored an easy lay up as if it he was on a calm Sunday afternoon walk through Ulm. However the Dragons Rhondorf responded with an annoying 11-4 run to dead lock the contest at 29-29. They also upped their defensive intensity and were able to run again. Ex RheinStar Kenan Reinhart finally came to life adding 5 points and a trey while Harris-Dyons swiped a ball and ran transition finishing with a thunderous dunk. Young German Carol Schmid also added a nifty basket splitting the defense with a lay in. He was a force having a 10/6/2/1/1 stat line in 24 minutes. “When I first saw Carlo 2 years ago, he looked frail, but since then he has gained a lot of confidence and strength added with his height and ability has made him a very effective player”, added KJ Sherril. Orange Academy tried to get away 2 more times gaining the lead with a Leni Kunzewitsch trey and Omog lay in, but the Dragons always punched back adding a Dujmovic trey and a trey by Lagi Diallo for the 1 point lead at the half-time. All in all Rhondorf continued to find a way to compensate Mejias who got his third foul early and played only 14 seconds in the second quarter. “The Dragons did a good job on Teo Milicic and were very active on him. The Dragons also got good energy from the young guys from the bench. Ilic did a good job for Mejias who was in foul trouble”, stated KJ Sherril. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 45% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 12 turnovers while Orange Academy shot 43% from the field and 18% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 9 turnovers.
Carlo Schmid with the runner
In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf were able to lead by as much as 12 points, but Orange Academy never gave up and fought back tying the score at 57-57 after 30 minutes. The Dragons Rhondorf came out very focused and kept up their aggressive defense and began with a lethal 11-2 run to lead 47-37. They halted Orange Academy in their first 4 possessions and got potent support again from leader Kenan Reinhart with 5 points while Harris-Dyson continued to be super aggressive on defense getting a steal and two transition buckets including a slam dunk as well. The Dragons intensity on defense was about as high as it ever was this season totally bringing Orange Academy´s offense out of wack and just causing turmoil. Rhondorf had the momentum and kept the pressure on adding a Dusan Ilic trey and baby hook shot from Schmid for the 52-40 advantage. However Orange Academy clawed their way back ending the third quarter with a 17-5 run to tie the game. They came back into the game getting to the free throw line as Rhondorf suffered their 5th foul at the 4,47 minute mark. Instrumental in the run was Meissa Faye who demonstrated his three level scoring qualities netting 2 three´s while Zoran Milicic gave incredible support from the bench adding 7 points as his energy was intense. Orange Academy once again displayed their great defense not allowing the Dragons good looks, but moreover led them to hurried looks and turnovers. “We were unable to create on the offensive end. We couldn´t secure defensive rebounds. They were the best rebounding team in the league which made or broke the game”, added Juhwan Harris-Dyson. “We were able to get to playing our game and we were able to play fast again. My brother Zoran also gave great support changing the game around”, commented Teo Milicic. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 47% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 17 turnovers while Orange Academy shot 46% from the field and 27% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 16 turnovers.
teo Milicic at the FT line
The Dragons Rhondorf led by as much as 6 points in the last frame, but couldn´t get away from Orange Academy as they staged a comeback. Once again the Dragons Rhondorf began focused into the last quarter going on a 9-3 run to extend their lead to 66-60. Harris-Dyson continued to be aggressive on offense getting a lay in while Dujmovic added 4 points and Mejias a trey. Teo Milicic hit a trey to keep his team close. But then came the turning point of the game as Orange Academy shocked Rhondorf with a brutal 11-0 run to steal the lead back at 71-66. In the run, Orange Academy attacked the rim as 4 Dragon players had 4 fouls. Orange Academy got lay in´s from Omog, Zoran Milicic and Faye while Teo Milicic added 4 points. Rhondorf couldn´t gamble on defense and were forced to play with that potential fifth foul in mind. However Rhondorf wasn´t going to give up with a few minutes to go, but fought getting an answer from Harris-Dyson with a lay in, but the guests had an instant answer as Zoran Milicic made a lay in for the 73-68 lead. With Mejias out, Dusan Ilic stepped up like a veteran with a tough lay in and contested trey as suddenly it was 73-73 and the Dragon Dome was in pandemonium with a minute to play. Reinhart made 1 of 2 free throws for the 74-73 advantage, but that turned out to be the last Dragon points of the season. Orange Academy then showed why they were the best defensive and rebounding team in the league getting a few stops and executing with a lay in by Zoran Milicic giving them the lead and Teo Milicic and Faye closed out the game with free throws. “Rhondorf played a great game, but I still think that we wanted it a bit more. For me it was a combination of taking over and what the defense gave me. I´m happy that I got the trust from my teammates and how I played”, smiled Teo Milicic. “They ran their sets well and executed well while we had trouble scoring the ball. Teo Milicic had a great game attacking our drop defense. They made all the right decisions”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Orange Academy was led by Teo Millicic with 22 points while Meissa Faye added 19 points while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Duje Dujmovic with 17 points while Dusan Ilic added 13 points and Kenan Reinhart 12 points. Orange Academy shot 46% from the field and 25% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 21 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 43% from the field and 29% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 22 turnovers.
For German Anton Kemmer (198-F-2008), coming in second place on the basketball court was like second nature to him the last years. He knew exactly how crappy that felt just like the Buffalo Bills did in the 90´s losing in 4 Super Bowls. He like teammate Fin Borczanowski had suffered some brutal loses in the last 2 years and it all didn´t happen in a tough atmosphere, but in their home town of Berlin at the JBBL and NBBL top 4 tournaments. Last season he lost in the semi finals to FC Bayern Munich 83-63, but severe heart break had already surfaced 2 years ago when he was in the JBBL (U-16) final against the EWE Baskets Juniors Oldenburg. It was the perfect David and Goliath scenairo where you had the overwhelming favorite with Alba Berlin against the massive underdog from Oldenburg. Oldenburg was the more energetic team that should of slammed the door shut in the second half, but allowed Alba Berlin to come back. Oldenburg led 74-72 and Alba Berlin had the last shot from Jona Drucke, but it fell short. “The final against Oldenburg was a very tough loss especially after we had made a major comeback in the semi-final. We were really motivated to win the AST title at home. That JBBL loss was one of my most bitter loses ever”, remembered Anton Kemmer. But his tough losing streak actually went further than just the last two seasons. “Fin and I talked about our loses the last years before the AST final. We actually once finished second at a tournament in Switzerland and also were second at the U-14 championship. It was simply awesome to win this title after all that we have gone through. It was my first gold medal. It was really nice winning it with great fans and such cool boys”, stressed Anton Kemmer. After so many tough loses together and finally a title, it is only logical that Borczanowski and Kemmer have a special relationship. “We have a really good connection. We are the Alba duo in the national team”, smiled Anton Kemmer.Pic credit
pic credit: JHoffmann
Germany played Bahrain first and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “Having a weaker opponent like Bahrain was good for our self-confidence. We were able to see how well we could play with each other. We were able to gain experience and play freely”, stated Anton Kemmer. Jamie Edoka had a solid first game scoring 11 points and filled the stat sheet and was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the tournament. “Jamie has this special power to the rim with his drive. He also has good shooting qualities. He has such good athleticism that teams couldn´t defend him”, remembered Anton Kemmer. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We learned in that game was that we have to keep playing no matter the circumstances. We showed in that game that if we keep up the pace then they will get tired and miss shots.We1took the momentum then and turned the game around and always stuck together”, said Anton Kemmer. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “We wanted someone to take the last shot closer to the rim. It felt like 5 seconds when the ball bounced around on the rim. It felt like 5 minutes before the ball went in. I was watching from the bench. When it went in we all went crazy”, stressed Anton Kemmer. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “Caspar showed how good of a driver and scorer was and had great athleticism. His play always gave us energy and we relied on him producing”, stated Anton Kemmer. Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “That was a really cool game. I had the most highlight in that game including some cool dunks with one flying through the zone. The game was similar to the first Slovenia game with the only difference that we made them tired a lot earlier”, said Anton Kemmer. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 113 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “ Fin has a cool head. He had good drives and hit big shots. He was always aggressive and made big plays”, commented Anton Kemmer.
pic credit: JHoffmann
Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “We showed our dominance against Sweden. They had a high pace and shot the ball a lot. We never let up and just keep attacking and running. We never allowed them to get into the game”, added Anton Kemmer. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Orange Academy big man Felix Kiehlneker had a great game of 12/13. “Felix brings a lot of energy and has a good touch around the basket. He is very athletic and gave us great support on the rebound”, remembered Anton Kemmer. The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “Japan was small, but played very aggressive. They were a real mental monster. No matter how far behind they were in the game, they never stopped fighting. But our physicality, size advantage and overall skill set were better”, expressed Anton Kemmer. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds. Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “That was a real shoot out. We had crazy shooing and possession percentages. We expressed so much self-confidence in that game. Even if they defended really well for 20 seconds, we still were able to hit 3 three´s in a row”, remembered Anton Kemmer. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “He is a great shooter and just keeps firing away. He has really good ball handling off the dribble and always confident. He has the ability to hit high percentage shots”, said Anton Kemmer. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times.
pic credit: JHoffmann
The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “We were so motivated to win. We wanted it more. We always got support from the bench and are energy on defense was so high. We left it all on the court. William Dopfer made a big rebound at the end. Every player did their part to 110%. It was a team win as always”, stressed Anton Kemmer. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Our biggest strength was having a deep bench and every player had the ability to score, but also play together. Other teams didn´t have our depth”, commented Anton Kemmer. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states. The German who lists player Alessanco Vazquez Dos Santos of Brazil as the player that impressed him most during the tournament and Anid Pasic of Slovenia as the most annoying who trash talked like a champion had a solid tournament averaging 6/4 in 14 minutes per game “It was an Ok tournament for me. Some games were better than others. It wasn´t always easy getting the ball as we were guard dominated. I did a good job bring energy. My play wasn´t great and not bad”, stressed Anton Kemmer. He played against 5 different nations and against the best youth players on earth which helped his game make another step. “I learned that I could play hard against guys in my age group and stick with guys with similar skill seta s mine”, expressed Anton Kemmer. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “He played a very modern basketball with running and attacking and kicking. We were able to finish the play quicker instead of letting the play continue. We simply had the freedom to play”, remembered Antom Kemmer. It will be interesting to see where Anton Kemmer´s journey will go in the next few years. However for now he is totally focused on helping Lok Bernau win the Pro B title and get Alba Berlin back to the NBBL Top 4 as well as fighting for easyCredit BBL minutes.
Darius Dawson is a 23 year old 198cm forward from South Carolina playing his rookie season overseas with German Pro B team BBC Coburg currently averaging 17,8ppg, 7,4rpg, 2,4apg and 1,3spg. He began his basketball career at West Florence High School. He then played a season at Marion Military Institute (JUCO) averaging 12.3ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.3spg, 2.0bpg, FGP: 55.7%, 3PT: 46.9%, FT: 69.8%. He then played a season at Francis Marion University (NCAA2) averaging 8.2ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.6apg, 1.0spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 40.7%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 61.5%. He then played a season with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (JUCO) averaging 13.9ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.0apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 57.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 81.3%. He then played a season with Missouri Southern State University (NCAA2) averaging 14.0ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.0apg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 79.1%. He then added a year with Austin Peay State University (NCAA) averaging 3.5ppg, 1.6rpg. He spoke to Germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Darius for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your rookie season overseas for BBC Bayreuth. What kind of an experience has it been? What have you enjoyed most about the experience?
It’s been a great experience. I’ve always been someone who looks for new opportunities and challenges, and living in another country has been exactly that. The part I’ve enjoyed most is the relationships I’ve built with my teammates, coaches, and the fans. Being part of BBC Coburg has made the transition overseas very rewarding.
What was your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home? My wake-up call was realizing that things like clothes dryers and free refills at restaurants don’t really exist here. Those little everyday differences made it clear very quickly that I was far from home and outside of what I was used to.
You grew up in South Carolina. What have you learned to appreciate most about the German culture?
The biggest things I’ve learned to appreciate are the respect for rules and the overall cleanliness. Everything is very organized, and people take pride in their surroundings.
BBC Coburg have been kind of a surprise team in the Pro B this season. It began with a 7 game winning streak. What was the secret to the early team success with the top strength defense? Our trust in one another really fueled that run. Everyone trusted that their teammates would show up, execute their role, and give their best effort. That collective mindset, especially on defense, helped us get off to such a strong start.
The club had some misfortune losing 3 of the last 5 games. Have clubs figured the team out?
I look at basketball as a marathon, not a sprint. It’s never going to be perfect all the time. I believe everyone in the organization is putting in the work, and if we stay consistent, the results will come.
How valuable has a guy like Nico Wenzl been for you. Despite being near the same age, he is a real veteran. How has he helped you get adjusted mostly to Euro ball? Nico is a great guy, and his understanding of the game is unmatched that’s why I’ve given him the nickname “Captain.” He always has an answer when it comes to basketball and has helped me find my niche within the team, not just as an individual player, but as a teammate.
You are one of the oldest guys on the team, but a rookie. Have you had to be like a leader? I can imagine the young Germans look up to you as the import? When you’re one of the older guys, the younger players are always watching. I try to lead by example by giving extra effort in practice, bringing positive energy, and competing with intensity every day.
What has it been like being teammates with Canadian Dylan Fasoyiro? What do you appreciate most about his game?
Dylan is someone I can relate to since we both played Division I and Division II basketball. We have good conversations about our experiences, which helps since we’re both rookies adjusting to life in a new country. What I appreciate most about his game is his defensive tenacity and his ability to knock down shots, qualities that benefit any team and add an important piece to Coburg’s puzzle.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 198cm forward. If you had to compare your game to an NBA or Euroleague player who would fit the description best? The closest comparison to my game right now would be Stephon Castle from the San Antonio Spurs. He’s a quick-twitch, dynamic player who uses his speed and athleticism to get past defenders while guarding multiple positions on defense. Another similarity is our shooting, the numbers might not fully show it yet, but as confidence continues to grow, that development will become more visible.
You have always been a player that can score and rebound. Talk a little about what kind of a offensive player you are and what your biggest strengths are?
I use a combination of ball-handling, quickness, and athleticism to attack the lane and finish at the rim. I’m continuing to develop my mid-range game to expand my scoring options. Rebounding has always come naturally, and being able to grab defensive rebounds and push the ball in transition is a big strength of mine.
You played at 5 different colleges/Universities. How valuable was getting so much different experience with coaches? Did that help you become a 2 way player? I’ve always believed there’s never too much to learn, especially in basketball. Being exposed to different coaching styles and systems broadened my understanding of the game and helped me grow as a more complete, two-way player.
You’re an excellent shooter. How have you seen the development of your outside shot. What is your biggest goal as a shooter now overseas? Shooting is all about confidence. In my final college season, I only attempted one three-pointer, which definitely affected my confidence. My goal this year is to regain that confidence, trust the work I’ve put in, and let the results follow.
Talk about the development of your defensive game? Is being a lock down defender at the highest level a big goal for you? I enjoy playing defense, I don’t like being scored on or losing games. Defense plays a huge role in winning. My goal isn’t just to be a lockdown defender at one level, but to be known as a lockdown defender at every level I play.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now as you continue to improve your skills on the court? My shooting consistency and basketball IQ. Improving both adds value and helps me better understand the game as it unfolds on the court.
You began your basketball career at Marion Military Institute (JUCO) averaging 12.3ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.3spg, 2.0bpg, FGP: 55.7%, 3PT: 46.9%, FT: 69.8%. Every guy that I have interviewed that played JUCO have said that the grind was tough, but one they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?
I wouldn’t say I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but I do believe it was necessary for my development, both mentally and physically. It helped shape me as a player.
How valuable was head coach Tim Rodgers in your early basketball development? How did he help your game most?
Coach Tim Rodgers played a huge role in my growth by giving me the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. That trust boosted my confidence tremendously as a young player.
You then were 2 seasons at Francis Marion University (NCAA2) but only played one season averaging 8.2ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.6apg, 1.0spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 40.7%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 61.5%. Your second season was canceled due to Covid. How tough were these 2 years? What did you learn about the game and life in this time? Francis Marion taught me a lot about decisions and their consequences. Especially, not taking opportunities for granted and limiting distractions to stay focused. I don’t regret my time there; it was another step I needed to grow as both a person and a player.
You then took a step back and played JUCO again for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College averaging 13.9ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.0apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 57.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 81.3%. Why did you play JUCO again? Do you feel like your game wasn´t ready for NCAA 2 yet? I needed a reset and a second chance at my collegiate career. That decision changed everything for me. It wasn’t about my ability, it was about belief in myself, and getting that belief back made all the difference.
How do you remember your second JUCO season there under Tim Ryan? How did your game grow another step there? It was a good experience, and I made friendships I still value today. Coach Tim Ryan is a Hall of Fame coach, and there was a lot to learn. Unfortunately, his health challenges limited that opportunity, but it still prepared me for the next step.
You then made the next step and played at Missouri Southern State University (NCAA2) averaging 14.0ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.0apg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 79.1%. You made big steps in your game here. What kind of a player did you become here under Sam McMahon?
Missouri Southern State was my favorite stop in my college career. I had great experiences both on and off the court. Coach McMahon built genuine relationships with his players while still demanding accountability. I learned what it truly takes mentally and physically to succeed at the Division II level.
You had so many great games at Missouri against Lincoln, Central Mo and Rodgers State. What was your fondest moment there on the court? Scoring 29 points against Central Missouri with great efficiency stands out the most.
You made one more jump reaching the NCAA and played with Austin Peay State University (NCAA) averaging 3.5ppg, 1.6rpg, How tough was this season seeing a big dip in minutes from, 30 to 6.9. What positives could you still get from this season? That season was the most challenging of my career. Going from heavy minutes to a much smaller role humbled me and forced me to grow in ways beyond basketball. It helped me gain perspective and maturity that I’ll carry with me moving forward.
Who is the toughest player that you ever battled in your life on the court that reached the NBA or Euroleague? I never really played anybody that made it to a high level like the NBA or Euroleague. But the best player I had to guard was definitely South Carolina legend, B Wright.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Russell Morton, Joseph Hannah, Prince Agbaeze, Javon Anderson, Shakeem Shaquille
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?
Kobe, Shaq, MJ, Lebron, Giannis
Who is your GOAT? Lebron
Did you se the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?
If I’m honest, I didn’t even know there was a sequel to the movie. The first movie was amazing though; I couldn’t imagine a sequel coming close to that.
Three is a charm was the perfect phrase for Fin Borczanowski (195-F-2008) at the 2026 Albert Schweitzer Tournament as he had suffered the last few years in the German JBBL and NBBL Top 4´s in Berlin. Last season he lost in the semi finals to FC Bayern Munich 83-63, but severe heart break had already surfaced 2 years ago when he was in the JBBL (U-16) final against the EWE Baskets Juniors Oldenburg. It was the perfect David and Goliath scenairo where you had the overwhelming favorite with Alba Berlin against the massive underdog from Oldenburg. Oldenburg was the more energetic team that should of slammed the door shut in the second half, but allowed Alba Berlin to come back. Oldenburg led 74-72 and Alba Berlin had the last shot from Jona Drucke, but it fell short. “I thought that it would go in. Even though I contested it, it looked so good. When he released it I was thinking please don´t go. I had that Kawhi Leonard feeling”, remembered Djorde Klaric. But there woudn´t be a third hard ship for Borczanowski as he finally won a gigantic title. “I was very overjoyed when the buzzer sounded and we had won. I never thought that we could be so dominant since we had never played together before, but we always knew what we were capable of. I had often been second in the past and now I had finally made it. It was extra special winning it together with Anton Kemmer. We said before the final that we wouldn´t be second again and we kept that promise”, stressed Fin Borczanowski.
Pic credit: IamwoSz
Germany played Bahrain first and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. Having Bahrain first was good for us getting into the tournament. We could get used to everything especially ourselves with each other on the court. We also figured out what we also still needed to work on”, said Fin Borczanowski. Jamie Edoka had a solid first game scoring 11 points and filled the stat sheet and was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the tournament. “Jamie can simply do everything on the court. He did a really good job carrying the team through the tournament”, stated Fin Borczanowski. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We learned that we had to have better starts in games. We needed to start with more energy. We also understood that if it is close, we can still stay with an opponent”, added Fin Borczanowski. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “Jamie´s shot looked a bit long when he released it. I first didn´t think that it would go in, but was more so overjoyed when it did”, expressed Fin Borczanowski. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “I feel like Caspar´s dunk were vital for our motivation. It helped us that we had a chance in games”, commented Fin Borczanowski. Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “They were a year younger than us. They were physical and we had our problems with them at first. But when we began to run more and better, they couldn´t keep up with us”, said Fin Borczanowski. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Anton Kemmer had a solid game of 11 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “ Anton is very versatile. He has the ability to hit three´s despite being very tall. His size also helped us immensely on the rebound and on defense”, added Fin Borczanowski.
Pic credit: IamwoSz
Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “Our plan was to take them apart on the offensive glass and we did that. Leonard Kroger gave us a big lift on the offensive glass and on defense”, commented Fin Borczanowski. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Orange Academy big man Felix Kiehlneker had a great game of 12/13. “Felix is big, moves really well for his size. He is really skilled on the pick and roll and good at alley-ops. You can always lob the ball and be sure that he will be there”, said Fin Borczanowski. The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “Japan was really annoying to play. They were small and were always on the ball. But we decided the game quickly running and using our size advantage”, stressed Fin Borczanowski. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds. Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98. Did Germany make any major adjustments in the second half? “The Brazil game was a crazy one to play. We scored so much that game. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “Lucai can shoot from all positions on the court. He showed in all the games how good of a shooter he can be and how he can score with ease”, stressed Fin Borczanowski. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times.
pic credit: IamwoSz
The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “The difference was that we stuck together and played a team. We played good defense at the end and hit our shots”, explained Fin Borczanowski. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Our biggest strength in this tournament was that we always stuck together. Even when we were behind, nobody ever got down. We just kept playing with high energy and played fast. Nobody could stop us”, warned Fin Borczanowski. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states. The German who lists players Igor Stjepanovic of Slovenia and Kenchiro Benedict of Japan that impressed him most during the tournament had a solid tournament averaging 10/2/1 “I was content with my game. It was the first time that I was with the youth national team. I was happy with all my games except the final. I noticed that I need to work on my body and shot”, said Fin Borczanowski. He played against 6 different nations and against the best youth players on earth which helped his game make another step. “I saw that I could stick with every opponent with my drive and athleticism. I also hit my three pointer at the end of the tournament”, added Fin Borczanowski. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “I liked playing for Alan. He gave me trust to score. I knew that if I made a mistake, it wasn´t the end of the world. I liked how he balanced the minutes well of all the players”, explained Fin Borczanowski. It will be interesting to see where Fin Borczanowski´s journey will go in the next few years. However for now he is totally focused on helping Lok Bernau win the Pro B title and get Alba Berlin back to the NBBL Top 4.
German Hoops 