Garrett Hicks Received So Much Love From The EPG Baskets Koblenz And Could Imagine Returning In 2026-2027

pic credit: Angel Media

It was early afternoon last Wednesday when I got the message that the EPG Baskets Koblenz would give a farewell to Garrett Hicks (183-PG-2001, college: Samford). I was a little miffed at first mainly because he had been injured, but was supposed to come back in about a month. However things turned out differently as he decided it would be best to go back home and end his second pro season overseas. It really was no secret that making that decision to head home was difficult simply because he enjoyed his 6 months in Germany so much. “It was a very tough decision. I had hurt my hamstring and missed a game and then got a MRI. At first my injury didn´t look to bad, but the docs said that it was worse. They figured I would miss about 4 months. After extensive talks with the organization, coaches and doctors, I decided it would be best to return home and shut down the season”, stressed Garrett Hicks. Hicks wasn´t already on the way home to Kentucky and there was no 3 sentence farewell in a press release, but instead he would get a proper farewell before the Bochum game. That is extremely rare in German basketball as usually when a player leaves after a short time, there will be a brief mention in a press release, but instead the EPG Baskets showed real class and love for their player Garrett Hicks. “I wasn´t expecting a farewell like that. I had never gotten a farewell like that in College or high school. I want to thank the organization for letting me experience something nice like that”, said Garrett Hicks. Did the EPG Baskets Koblenz become like a second home for him? “Yes it was. I loved my stay in Germany from day 1. It was great to work with all. The organization treated all with so much respect”, expressed Garrett Hicks.

pic credit: Angel Media

The microwave scorer who first munched on mom´s home cooking and then visited Mods pizza the day after arriving home in the States stepped on the court shortly before the start of the game against Bochum and heard the heart felt words of MOC Dominik Duderstaedt while standing next to EPG Baskets sport director Thomas Klein and head coach Stephan Dohrn. He hadn´t just retired after an illustrious 15 year career, but instead was being honored for 6 months of superb duty. “I thought it was pretty cool being on the court. That was something that they didn´t have to do. That just shows what kind of an organization they are. It was a great ceremony and my parents were able to watch it”, commented Garrett Hicks. The ceremony was in German. How was his German after living 6 months in Germany? “I knew some words. It was a lot different to what I experienced last season in Georgia. In Germany 90% of the people knew English. I knew greetings and farewell”, smiled Garrett Hicks. He then proceeded to observe a wild game that saw Calvin Wishart hit a seemingly buzzer beater, but no, 0,6 seconds were still left on the clock and then the ending didn´t pan out glorious for the EPG Baskets. “We all thought Calvin had won the game. Mangum then sent the game into overtime with a big three. Bochum then finished strong. It is what it is”, stated Garrett Hicks. The defense continues to be a sore spot for Koblenz. What needs to be improved for the club to have a strong last months? “Our biggest problem is our transition defense. We aren´t too bad in the half court, but teams run on us pretty easy. We sometimes lack discipline sticking with our man. We like to crash the boards hard and they just tend to leak out and out run us. We need to find a good balance knowing when to crash and when to get back on defense. If we can clean that up then we will have better chances to be successful”, warned Garrett Hicks. The EPG Baskets Koblenz signed ex Munster player Larry Julian to help fill the void of Hicks departure. “He had been a good addition. He is a quick guard that creates well for himself and others. He is also a great defender. We knew that we got a great talent”, stressed Garrett Hicks.

The American who played 102 NCAA games at Alabama A&M University (NCAA) from 2019-2023 played 18 games for the EPG Baskets Koblenz averaging 7,7ppg, q,8rpg, 1,6apg and shot 36% from outside in 17,6 minutes per game. “I thought that I picked my spots well in some games and attacked and created for my teammates and was able to make an impact. Of course I can work on things, but overall, I thought that I contributed in a positive way in my role”, expressed Garrett Hicks. Last season he averaged 32 minutes as a rookie in Georgia and this season had a massive dip in minutes. He definitely showed maturity in accepting his role. “We had one of the deepest rosters in the league. We had so many talented guys. Some games I would play 25 minutes and other games 15 minutes. As long as I was ready when they called my name, that was all I could control”, added Garrett Hicks. He scored in double figures in 5 games and had a big game in Bayreuth where his three´s had a big impact and he finished with 16 points and the win. My favorite games were his scoring in bunches with his three´s against Munster and Kirchheim. “I had many nice memories with the EPG Baskets Koblenz organization. I loved the first practice. It is always great meeting all the guys for the first time. That is where you build relationships. Our first win at Bayreuth was also memorable. I also will never forget the last game where everyone showed so much love for me. It was great hanging around one more time”, stated Garrett Hicks. How would he like fans to remember him most? “That I always gave energy when I was on the court. I always tried to bring joy to the fans when I came and made a play. I loved seeing the fans reaction. I don´t want them to forget that I always tried to bring the attitude and energy and that I left it all on the court”, warned Garrett Hicks. But wait a minute. He is only 25. Why not return to the EPG Baskets Koblenz in 2026-2027? “I can´t really predict the future. I would love to return to the EPG Baskets Koblenz next season. We will see where I end up next season”, stressed Garrett Hicks.

Tyseem Lyles Is Clutch In Crunch-Time And Feeling At Home Again With His Mid Range Powering Fellbach Past TV Langen 88-80

With the down swing of the 25-26 Pro B south in full swing, the race for the playoffs was in high gear. However the playoffs were becoming less and less of a reality for TV Langen as they were riding a 3 game losing streak going into the home game with the Fellbach Flashers. Their standings situation could have looked a lot better had they been able to win the last 2 games which were nail bitter loses. Basketball life didn´t get any easier for them as 10-9 team Fellbach arrived in their living room. However they hadn´t been playing good basketball in 2026 either as they had lost 4 of 6 games. On Valentines day TV Langen had to play catch up basketball for most of the game and just couldn´t get over the hump as Tyseem Lyles (185-SG-1992, college: Mercy) made clutch shots in crunch-time to preserve the well deserved 88-80 victory. “We demonstrated strong character the whole game. Nik Schlipf carried us in the first half and in the second half, our defense carried us in important phases. Even when TV Langen hit three´s and executed on transition, we were able to power through these moments. We began to move the ball really well at the end of the third quarter and through the fourth quarter. We got easy baskets and Jonathan Gerlinger came up big for us”, stressed Fellbach Flasher Tyseem Lyles. “We were able to generate many good opportunities for shots in the first half, but weren´t able to do that on the switch in the second half. We were solid on defense, but always suffered easy mistakes”, stressed TV Langen guard Drago Crnjac.

Nik Schlipf at the FT line

The Fellbach Flashers had a rapid start in the first quarter, but TV Langen found their offense rhythm and it became a high scoring first quarter with 50 points, but the guests had the 27-23 lead after 10 minutes. Young German Nik Schlipf who has made a rapid progression in the last 2 years going from 5-9 to 14,0ppg began scoring 5 quick points for the 5-0 lead. TV Langen rebounded with easy lay in´s from ex Skyliner Junior Alex Lagerman and California native Jacob Washington to trail 5-4. After Swiss guard Mateus Rodriguez hit a trey, it was Jacob Washington that continued to be aggressive and scored twice in the zone, but Fellbach led 10-7. Fellbach continued to keep control as they had sound offensive execution getting three´s from ex Koblenz guard Jacob Hanzalek and Nic Schlipf for the 16-10 advantage. Fellbach was getting support from many areas as Rodriguez remained aggressive and spot on with his shooting as he produced 5 points with a three pointer and the 23-13 advantage. TV Langen had great difficulty stopping the drive and with their help defense. But sometimes it can go bang bang in basketball as TV Langen found some daylight nailing back to back three´s from ex Pro A player Risto Vasiljevic and ex Limburg guard Drago Crnjac to trail 23-19. However the momentum was still with Fellbach as they continued to attack the rim as Tyseem Lyles and Rondriguez chipped in with lay in´s Vasiljevic continued to fire away and hit one more trey as TV Langen trailed by 4 points after 10 minutes. “The high scoring didn´t surprise me. It was a big game for both teams for the playoffs. Both teams were focused. Nik Schlipf was aggressive and didn´t shy away from the moment. Jeremy Kolev was inured for a long time, but was fearless and Rodriguez hit big three´s and got to the free throw line”, stressed Tyseem Lyles. The Fellbach Flashers shot 67% from the 2 point area and 50% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 3 turnovers while TV Langen shot 46% from the 2 point area and 45% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

Risto Vasiljevic from outside

In the second quarter TV Langen fought back and stole the lead back, but couldn´t keep it and trailed 43-42 at half-time. TV Langen found their touch from outside as Lagerman and Vasiljevic scored from the parking touch, but Fellbach also found their offensive rhythm well getting another trey from Schlipf and a lay in by ex IBAM forward Jeremy Kolev for the 32-28 advantage. But TV Langen was playing with more confidence and then went on a 7-0 run to take their first lead of the game with 35-32. In the run it was walking bucket Jacob Washington again who scored consecutive baskets in the paint and the heart and soul of the team Henk Droste dropped a three pointer. TV Langen upped their defensive intensity and aggressiveness stopping the Fellbach drive better and continued to contain Lyles well. But TV Langen´s lead didn´t last long as Schlipf once again showed that he isn´t a role player anymore which he was 2 years ago, but a dominnat scorer in 2026 and leader as he scored 5 points in a row for the 39-35 Fellbach lead. Schlipf was in constant attack mode, but also demonstrated in the game that he can be a great distributor and guy with a huge Iq. Drago Crnjac also proved that he can score in bunches adding 5 unanswered points to give TV Langen the lead back at 40-39. The game was going back and forth and at eye level. But TV Langen couldn´t hold the lead as Fellbach went on a 4-0 run as Lyles made a lay in as did Jonathan Gerlinger who gave super support from the bench. Niklas Pons who posted a triple double in Fellbach earlier this season ended the first half with a lay in. “TV Langen hurt us in transition and with second chance points. That helped them stay in the game”, stated Tyseem Lyles. The Fellbach Flashers shot 52% from the 2 point area and 38% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 5 turnovers while TV Langen shot 50% from the 2 point area and 41% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Jeremy Kolev with the lay in

TV Langen was able to gain the lead back once in the third quarter, but overall the Fellbach Flashers controlled the game and TV Langen continued to practice catch up basketball. Lagerman began with a rapid 4-0 run to give TV Langen the 46-43 lead with a dunk and lay in, but they were unable to string along some stops. Fellbach struck back right away as Tyseem Lyles who had been 2/7 from the field in the first half, got hot making a step back shot and a trey for the 48-46 Fellbach lead. It was a lead that they would never give up again. After Washington tied the game with free throws 48-48, it was Fellbach again that got some momentum going on a lethal 7-0 run to lead 55-48. Lyles continued to find his spots hitting a trey while Kolev continued being fearless with a lay in and Gerlinger was aggressive in the paint getting an offensive rebound and put back. TV Langen continued to fight and stay close, but they just couldn´t get over the hump. Pons added a three pointer and ex Aschaffenburg forward Aminiu Abibu made a lay in to trail 59-58. Fellbach remained aggressive and closed out the third quarter strong getting a lay in from Schlipf. It was total isolation and good defense, but he simply hit a tough off balance bank shot and Gerlinger made a clutch tip in with a few second remaining as Fellbach led 63-59 after 30 minutes. “We were a lot more physical and that was a game changer for us. We also had better rotations taking their three away”, added Tyseem Lyles. “We had problems finidng a solution for the switch deefnse. Even if he had contained Nik Schlipf better, we still gav eup too many easy baskets”, said Drago Crnjac.The Fellbach Flashers shot 53% from the 2 point area and 39% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 11 turnovers while TV Langen shot 50% from the 2 point area and 34% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Jacob Washington at the FT line

The Fellbach Flashers managed the lead well in the fourth quarter never allowing TV Langen to get over the hump. TV Langen received big three´s from Washington and ex Skyliner Junior Philip Hadenfeld, but Fellbach punched back with a Lyles mid range jumper from Lyles and tip in from Gerlinger for the 67-65 lead. Lyles has always been a 3 level scorer, but this season has been concentrating a lot more on his mid range game again after not being allowed to take it during his Erfurt years. TV Langen continued to fight in their come back, but Fellbach continued to execute well keeping that 4-7 point lead cushion. Schlipf continued to show his smooth 3 point shooting stroke scoring twice as Fellbach led 77-70. After a Washington offensive rebound and put back to trail 77-73, it was Fellbach again that had the usual answer as Lyles made a lay in and Hanzalek for the basket on transition for the 81-73 lead. Abibu made a big basket on transition as TV Langen trailed 81-75 with 1,32 to play. But Lyles then slammed the door shut on TV Langen with a jumper, steal and transition bucket for the 85-75 advantage. “I never think that I have to take over. I just did what I felt was right. Coach Borisov has encouraged me to take the mid distance jumper again”, stressed Tyseel Lyles. Time was running out for TV Langen, but they showed heart getting a Abibu lay in, Kolev turnover and a trey from Washington to trail 85-80 with 17 seconds to play. Washington missed a trey and Hanzalek closed out the game with a lay in for the win. “We stuck to our game plan on the defensive end. We did a good job on the switch and rotated well”, stated Tyseem Lyles. “Both teams switched and Fellbach did a better job in the 1-1”, added Drago Crnjac. The Fellbach Flashers were led by Nik Schlipf with 28 points while Tyseem Lyles added 20 points while TV Langen was led by Jacob Washington with 22 points while Drago Crnjac had 14 points. The Fellbach Flashers shot 52% from the field and 39% from outside and had 40 rebounds and 15 turnovers while TV Langen shot 42% from the field and 38% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Microwave Isaiah Swope Knows Many Hands Have Helped In His Journey To Have Been Able To Produce The New Skyliners 41 Point Scoring Game Record

,Foto: Dmitrij Zibart | ZIBART.DE

I truly never ever thought about Isaiah Swope (178-PG-2003, college: St.Louis) ever getting the Skyliners scoring record maybe because there are millions of other things I’m always thinking about that are basketball related. However the way this walking bucket rookie has played overseas in the easyCredit BBL this season, it was something that was bound to happen. And since I missed his buzzer beater recently with my luck, it also was inevitable that I would miss this incredible club scoring record. Once again I had that problem again of not being able to be in 2 places at the same time. I had chosen to call a Pro A ‘game in Koblenz where I was 0,6 seconds off from witnessing a Calvin Wishart buzzer beater. I have seen many incredible feats in the Frankfurt arena in the last 20 years. I could probably right a book on it, but the first that come to mind are the Jacob Burtschi 10 three pointers, Quantez Robertson, Eric Chadfield and Justin Gray buzzer beaters and many more. Isaiah Swope‘s feat is simply amazing because he did it as a rookie and seeing 41 points in any BBL game is extremely rare. He broke the record of Derrick Allen who netted 37 points against the MHP Riesen in 2008. So what does his club record mean to him? I have interviewed him a few times this season and know that he doesn’t think to highly about personal accolades, but this wasn’t just any old feat, but a major feat. ‘I’m just super super super appreciative what basketball has allowed me to do. I’m super blessed that my team just let me be myself to give me the chance to score 41 points. I have to give a lot of credit to my family, but also myself for having put in the work all these years. I know and won’t forget that there have been a lot of hands that have helped me along my journey’, stressed Isaiah Swope.

,Foto: Dmitrij Zibart | ZIBART.DE

But like with the buzzer beater some weeks ago, I also wanted to be able to report on this club milestone even if I hadn’t seen it in person. I reached Isaiah Swope in the early afternoon the day after his scoring masterpiece in Frankfurt. It is no surprise that he felt different the morning after a loss despite scoring 41 points. Once again it’s not all about what he does on the court. ‘If I had scored 6 points and we won, I would have been happier. I never try to put too much focus on individual accolades. As long as we win I’m happiest’, warned Isaiah Swope. The Skyliners had lost a tough first game in Trier and coming in focused to win was massive. ‘The first loss in Trier was close and came down to the wire. We knew that they were a good team. Every game for us is important. We want to make a run for the playoffs’, stressed Isaiah Swope. Frankfurt suffered a bad start allowing a 9-0 Trier run in the first minutes trailing 9-3. Was the team shocked by their lack luster begin? ‘ No we weren’t shocked. We have had enough games this season where we started like this. We were able to find our rhythm then and keep it in the game’, stated Isaiah Swope. The Skyliners desperately needed some scoring punch and that is exactly what they got when he was inserted and reeled off 8 points in a row. Did he inspect any extra film on Trier or was his heavy scoring output simply what the defense gave him? ‘I had a good feeling coming into the game and just did what I always do which is play off my instincts’, said Isaiah Swope. Swope has been coming off the bench as a rookie and as a walking bucket, has it been difficult to adjust to? ‘I just try to do my role to the best of my abilities. Basketball is basketball. As long as I have good communication with my teammates and coaches then all is good’, said Isaiah Swope. The way he gets going in games, he reminds me a lot of Vinnie Johnson the microwave from Detroit Pistons fame . ‘It has been like that my whole career. I know I can score. I mean there are other guys that can do that. Jordan Roland for example is one of those guys, I just do what I do best’, stressed Isaiah Swope. After 10 minutes, he had scored 10 points, but Frankfurt was trailing 26-23. Frankfurt had had problems stringing along stops and watch as new Trier player Steven Ashworth hit big shots. ‘I give credit to Trier. They played really well together and hit big shots, They play fast paced and put a lot of pressure on us. They aren’t easy to play against. You just have to be disruptive and sit down and guard’, commented Isaiah Swope.

The contest remained tight in the second quarter, but Trier led 44-41 at the break. Swope wasn’t the only guard that night that had a great game, but so did American Jordan Roland of Trier. He came alive in the second quarter scoring 10 points. He has contributed 12 points in Trier and would finish with 31 points in Frankfurt and was in the shadow of Swope. Is veteran Roland a player he watches more closely and try to soak up certain parts of his game? ‘No. He is a good player though. I just focus on myself’, stressed Isaiah Swope. The third quarter was back and forth but Frankfurt had the slim 65-63 lead. He had a bucket and 17 points at that juncture. Did he feel like he had to be more aggressive or was he content at that point how the game was going? ‘The game requires me to score, pass, rebound, play defense and do other things as well. As long as we win at the end, I’m most happiest’, stated Isaiah Swope. The fourth quarter was a real dog fight. There were 7 lead changes in the first 2,32 minutes of the fourth quarter. What was going through his mind? Was he enjoying the game a bit or was he totally focused on work? ‘I always enjoy the game, but at the same time am a Competitor. I was just focused on the rhythm’, said Isaiah Swope. Trier was up 9 points with 2,47 to go in the game. It looked like they were in command. He then scored 13 unanswered points. He had scored 11 unanswered points against Jena and won. Did he feel it was time to step up and do his teammates understand then that it’s totally his time? ‘I think that we all look for each other. It is always whoever is hot. In the last game Ryan Hawkins was hot and he got the ball. We also get others the ball. That is only natural. Our first focus as team is to get the win’, stressed Isaiah Swope. Swope made 2 big free throws for the 95-93 lead with 2 seconds to go. Ashworth then made 2 bigger free throws to force overtime. Did he feel like they had the game won before Trier made the free throws? ‘That is part of the game. We were down 9 points and came back. There were 2 seconds to play and they found a way to force overtime. The game is never over until the clock says 0’, warned Isaiah Swope. Trier took no prisoners in overtime and jumped all over Frankfurt with a 12-0 run to slam the door on them. Did the Skyliners run out of gas? ‘We didn’t run out of gas. We just didn’t find our rhythm. We have to find a way to get stops. They made tough shots the whole game, but also easy ones. If we could have had more stops, then we would have been better position to win’, stated Isaiah Swope.

,Foto: Dmitrij Zibart | ZIBART.DE

The easyCredit BBL standings are tight and 2 of the next 3 games for the Skyliners are must wins. The next opponent tomorrow is Braunschweig that are the doormat of the league. Frankfurt has fond memories of their first meeting as the Skyliners creamed them by 22 points. ‘We have to focus only on ourselves. What happened yesterday is behind us. Every game is a must win now. We have to come in with the right mentality. We need a winning streak to establish ourselves’, warned Isaiah Swope. His 41 point masterpiece from 2 days ago will be long gone from his memory on Saturday, but for the time being, it is still there. Did he get any cool messages from players that he maybe didn’t expect to? ‘I have to be honest that I have only a small circle of friends that I talk to every day. I try to stay out of the light. I just do my job and go home’, stressed Isaiah Swope. He didn’t have a favorite own bucket of his 41 points, but probably would have if they had won the game. The loss against Trier 48 hours ago surely will be forgotten soon, but his 41 point explosion will forever be in present in Skyliner history. I’m sure next week, people will still be talking about it, but he also will be able to talk about something else when he meets young German prospect Jamie Edoka when he arrives back in Frankfurt. At the moment Edoka is in Los Angeles, California taking part at the Basketball without boarders camp during the NBA allstar weekend. ‘Jamie and I talked a little about it before he left. It is great that he got invited. People are seeing his potential. He is a young smart kid that is really athletic. There wasn’t really too much I could tell him. This is a great experience that will really help his career. He will be great there’, warned Isaiah Swope. Perhaps Edoka will have a story for Swope if he is able to have met Lebron James. That is definitely a story where Swope will be able to focus on.

Dogus Balbay`s Phrase You Don´t Have To Do 1000 Things Once But 1 Thing 1000 times Stuck With Jamie Edoka at Next Gen Euroleague

Pic credit. Next Gen Euroleague

The Skyliners biggest German prospect at the moment is Jamie Edoka (195-G-2008) who recently turned 18 years old. He made his easyCredit BBL debut last season and played 4 games and this season so far has played only 1 BBL game. At the same time he is one of the main players and leaders of the Pro B team Skyliners Juniors and NBBL (u-19) team. That is a heavy load, but recently his games plan was heightened as he was invited to play at the well known Next Gen Euroleague. It is a tournament played every year over the course of a weekend where the worlds best young prospects play against each other. This year´s tournament was held in Ulm at the Orange academy which is where the farm team of ratiopharm Ulm train and play their Pro B games. Edoka also trains at an incredible facility in Frankfurt, but seeing something new in Ulm was refreshing. “It is really a cool campus. They have very good training facilities. They have 3 courts and 1 main one. The locker rooms are also great. Everything was run very professionally. We stayed at a top hotel, good meals and getting around was top as well. Adidas did a really good job. The atmosphere was amazing as well. It was busiest at mid day for the games”, remembered Jamie Edoka.

The young guard who likes to observe Maodo Lo video´s came to Ulm with high expectations as any young prospect would. He was having a very potent season in the Pro B and NBBL and wanted to keep the groove going at Next Gen Euroleagiue. “My goal was simple. I wanted to be able to show my abilities on a big stage and show guys my age how good I am”, stressed Jamie Edoka. One of the things that players have to deal with when playing at Next gen Euroleague is getting shuffled together with many guys and having to find team chemistry rapidly. “It is tough coming together with new guys and trying to build chemistry in such a short time. We had a new coach and had to learn new plays. I feel like at times we were able to show chemistry. We did the best that we could”, said Jamie Edoka.

pic credit: Next Gen Euroleague

The first game for Jamie Edoka was against Ratiopharm Ulm where they lost in nail bitter fashion 75-73. It was a game where his team had to fight the whole game trying to get back over the hump. “We didn´t start well. We were always down 10 points, but never stopped fighting. We got close at the end, but lost. Despite the loss we won the last 3 quarters after losing the 1 quarter so something positive came out of it”, added Jamie Edoka. Despite the loss, he had a super game of 20/5/3/1. He also shot well from the parking lot at 2/5. “I found my flow in the second half. When I´m able to find my flow, there aren´t many guys that can stop me”, stressed Jamie Edoka. In the game, he battled other big Polish prospect Teo Milicic who had a great game as well with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks. “Teo is also a really good player. He has been a bit off the radar, but he has shown his abilities really well this season. He is also a really good friend of mine and I´m really happy for his success”, commented Jamie Edoka. This season the paths of Edoka and Millicic have gone different ways. Whereas Edoka hasn´t found into the Skyliners BBL rotation, Milicic has as he began extremely hot in the Pro B at Orange Academy and was promoted on November 1st and since has played 11 BBL games and 10 Eurocup games averaging 8 and 10 minutes in each competition. Does it bother him that Milicic has made the jump quicker to the BBL than he has? Are the Skyliners simply filled with too many guards? “Not at all. I´m really so happy for Teo that he has gotten this great chance to showcase his abilities and make the most of it. I just see it now as not having received my chance yet from the Skyliners. I don´t let that get me down. It actually motivates me more to keep working harder so I can get that BBL opportunity again. My main goal is to play at the highest level”, warned Jamie Edoka.

The fast guard with the lethal drive who lists ex NBA player Carson Edwards as his toughest cover so far in his career got his first win in the second game against Cedevita 74-72. “That was another close game. This was a really good team win. We played together very well as a team and played totally unselfish”, stated Jamie Edoka. He filled the stat sheet as usual with a 12/7/5 game, but wasn´t able to find his groove from downtown shooting 1/6. “I wasn´t so happy about my game. I didn´t hit well from outside. I needed to score more. But at the end of the day, I feel I helped the team in other ways”, expressed Jamie Edoka. His three point shooting percentages at the moment are worse in the Pro B and NBBL than last year, but he isn´t letting that misfortune affect him. “Of course it is annoying when you work hard on your shot, but don´t see the results in games. I´m shooting more three´s than last season. I just need to keep working hard and get in my reps. I won´t let my percentages get me down”, warned Jamie Edoka. Is it more mental or shot selection or his mechanics that has led to his current percentages? “I think that it is a mix of shot selection and my mechanics. I believe that I take good shots and I´m working on my mechanics with many coaches. I always believe that I can make shots”, warned Jamie Edoka.

Jamie Edoka with the montrous dunk against FC Bayern Basket

He only played 10 minutes in the third game against Milan which they lost 93-68. He had to leave the game hurt and also wasn´t able to suit up for the game for 7th place against Olympiakos which they were able to win 89-77 and end the tournament in 7th place. That game had a major challenge as it was played at 9:00Am. “It was really tough to play so early. We only played with 9 guys as 3 guys including myself were out. Despite the early start time, Everybody played hard and gave their best”, stated Jamie Edoka. With one close loss, the team could have gone farther in the tournament, but all in all it was a solid showing. “I think that we could have gone further. Had we beat Milan, we could have become first. You can never totally predict how far one can go, but it happened how it happened”, said Jamie Edoka. He had many great teammates and even one he knew well with Marko Petric of Wurzburg and a coach in ex Euroleague player Dogus Balbay from whom he could learn much from. “Marko and I roomed together at the Euro U-16. He is a big strong wing that can dribble well and is very versatile. His shot making ability is his biggest strength. Coach Balbay has a lot of experience. He told us a lot about his playing career. He really knows the game. The most important thing I took from him was this phrase. You don´t have to do 1000 things once, but 1 thing a 1000 times”, stressed Jamie Edoka. His stat line after 3 games at Next Gen Euroleague was 12,0ppg, 4,3rpg and 3,3apg while shooting 27% from outside. “I´m not completely happy with how I played. I only played 2,5 games. I definitely had some good phases, but I could have done more. I can´t change anything now”, added Jamie Edoka. Were there any players that stuck out to him? “There were some players that stuck out. Obviously Teo Milicic, but there were others as well like Leonard Kroger of Paderborn, Cameron Houindo of Cedevita, Vuk Danilovic of Mega Super and another German player Felix Kiehlneker of Orange Academy”, said Jamie Edoka. It will be interesting to see where the development of Edoka and Milicic continues to go this season How much does a player like Milicic motivate him every day? “I think that we motivate each other a lot. We have competed against each other for years and see each other often. To see how he has improved so much adds that extra motivation to continue to get better”, warned Jamie Edoka. The 2 good friends will meet again in Los Angeles this weekend at the NBA allstar game for the Basketball Without Boarders Camp. “I´m really glad and thankful for the invitation. I´m looking forward to competing against and with good players from around the world. I would like to meet Lebron James”, stressed Jamie Edoka. They will gather moments to serve a lifetime.

The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum Win The Alley Fight In Overtime Edging The EPG Baskets Koblenz 89-88

The race for the Pro A playoffs continue to be in full swing and the EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to battle for the promised land. However their recent 3 game losing streak didn´t help their cause. After a tough loss at home against top team Phoenix Hagen and then on the road against Nurnberg where they allowed on average 107 points in the 2 games, they found back to their old self defeating Munster on the road 96-79 sweeping the season series. Their offense was hot and their defensive game also improved as they were flying around again and getting on transition more. The 10-11 team had another tough challenge with 7th placed team Bochum who had a 11-10 record. Bochum had been playing good basketball as of late having won 3 of their last 4 games, but had lost their last game in their living room to BG Goettingen. They had won the first meeting in Bochum 107-89 and wanted to sweep the season series. In the return game in Koblenz, the The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum led for the most part of the game, but allowed the EPG Baskets Koblenz to come back in the fourth quarter, but in overtime won the alley fight 89-88. It was the little mistakes that cost Koblenz the game and their inability to close out games. “We played hard and fought the whole game. Wishart then hit a big shot and so did they to force overtime. It was back and forth the whole game. We just couldn´t finish the game. That has been a big problem for us this season”, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz forward DJ Jeffries. The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum had to fight adversary twice in the fourth quarter and in overtime, but after 45 minutes were standing last. “We fought hard in tough times and trusted each other. We never gave up and finished strong as a team”, stressed The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum guard Antonio Williams.

Julian Larry at the FT line

Before the game commenced the EPG Baskets Koblenz said good bye to American Garrett Hicks who ´s season ended with an injury and will return to USA for rehab while The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum were without American Malek Green. The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum didn´t waste anytime taking the rapid 11-3 lead as they found their offensive rhythm and played solid inside out basketball getting a trey from ex Phoenix Hagen guard Niklas Geske and lay in´s from ex Trier center Killian Dietz and lay in´s from Americans North Carolina native Dravon Mangum and Chicago native Antonio Williams. Koblenz looked asleep as if the carnival feeling was in their heads. Their 1-1 defense was lax and they couldn´t stop the guests from getting inside a key they wanted to disrupt. Bochum´s quick guards made life difficult for Calvin Wishart who couldn´t play his game and Koblenz also couldn´t run which is their bread and butter. After ex Kirchheim forward Aitor Picket made a pretty fade away shot, Koblenz finally got some energy from Mississippi native DJ Jeffries who supplied 5 points as Koblenz trailed only 16-12. That gave Koblenz some spark and new player Julian Larry who averaged 12,0ppg with Munster this season scored twice in the last minute as The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum led 22-16. “We played fast and brought energy fast and got into the game quickly and caught them having cold feet. We made it uncomfortable for Calvin Wishart”, stressed The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum center Killian Dietz. The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum shot 70% from the 2 point area and 29% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 44% from the 2 point area and 33Y% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Killian Dietz with the lay in

In the second quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz finally found their groove and went on a massive run to gain their first lead, but couldn´t hold it trailing by 4 points at the break. Williams and Wishart traded free throws and a lay in in the first minute, but The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum still led 25-18. Then came a massive 13-0 run by the EPG Baskets Koblenz as they gained the momentum and 31-25 advantage. In the run, it was Ohio native Tim Smith Jr that supplied the hot hand adding 7 points in a row showing his nice inside out game while Wishart added 4 points and ex Duesseldorf center Alex Moeller a dunk for the 31-25 lead. Bochum had a few turnovers in this phase, but also had some misfortune as they had decent looks, but the basketball God didn´t want any shots to fall. Then it was time for The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum to go on a run as they closed out the second quarter hot going on a lethal 14-4 run to lead 39-35 at the break. Bochum got a lot of input from their Americans as Mangum hit a trey and Williams and Alabama native Myreon Jones (190-G-2000, college: Florida) hit an off balance shot. Bochum also continued doing a good job getting to the free throw line as they are third best in the Pro A as German Lars Kamp and Geske made shots. The EPG Baskets Koblenz´s offense became a bit static and they lost a little of intensity on the defensive end as the guests got easy baskets again. “It was a game of runs. Smith found his game. All a team needs to see is a three fall and then they get hot. We then picked up our game and finished the quarter strong”, stated Killian Dietz. The The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum shot 50% from the 2 point range and 33% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 44% from the 2 point range and 36% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Julian Larry off balance shot

In the third quarter Both teams combined for 51 points as both teams were scoring with more ease and the defense took more of a back seat, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz still couldn´t get over the hump and trailed 65-60. In the first few minutes, Bochum received a trey from Kamp and lay in from Picket while Koblenz got lay in´s from Smith Jr and Kovacevic, but trailed 45-40. DJ Jeffries was trying to find his energy from the first quarter and did making a lay in to trail 45-42. However The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum always had an answer as energizer Lars Kamp dropped a trey for the 48-42 lead. However Koblenz also had answers as Kovacevic and Wishart scored on the drive to trail 50-46. Both teams were getting to the hoop without difficulty which allowed Bochum to have the 4-5 point cushion. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz finally were able to string along a few stops and went on a 8-0 run to regain the lead again at 56-55 as ex Phoenix Hagen guard Devonte McCall dropped 2 three´s in a row. However Bochum always had an answer and slapped Koblenz back in the face with a 6-0 run to lead 61-56 as Kamp dropped a big trey and Jones scored on the fast break. Koblenz was unable to get over the hump as Bochum managed the lead well until the end of the third quarter. Dietz and Mangum made baskets inside Keeping the 5 point lead after 30 minutes. “It was back and forth and up and down the whole quarter. Both teams executed well and all were trying to find that advantage of the switching defense. It wasn´t always beautiful to watch, but we managed lead well”, added Killian Dietz. “We didn´t defend well. We couldn´t capitalize on their mistakes, but they could on our mistakes. They got easy baskets”, stated DJ Jeffries. The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum shot 50% from the 2 point area and 39% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 50% from the 2 point area and 44% from the parking lot and had 27 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Dravon Mangum at the FT line

In the fourth quarter it looked early like the The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum might run away with the win as they led by 9 points, but the EPG Baskets fought back and got the lead back as well and led by 5 points late, but then allowed Bochum into overtime with a last second shot. Bochum´s offense took off right away as Jones hit 2 three´s for the 71-62 advantage. However that burst of energy didn´t faze Koblenz as they struck back with a 12-2 run and stole the lead back again at 74-73. German Jonas Niedermanner scored 5 points while Wishart also made a lay in and Julian Larry and Badu Buck converted on free throws. Koblenz was potent on the offensive glass in the run as they got extra attempts for buckets. Jones gave Bochum the lead back with free throws 75-74, but that didn´t last long as Wishart used his speed and quick first step for another lay in and 76-75 lead. Koblenz would extend their lead to 81-76 as Niedermanner and Wishart converted on free throws while Smith Jr made an off balance shot at 1,17 as they had control. Their lead was helped with 2 missed free throws from Mangum and aggressive defense that stopped the Bochum penetration. However Koblenz couldn´t manage the lead to the end. The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum went on a 5-0 run to dead lock the contest at 81-81 as Geske made all 5 points. Koblenz had one possession left for the win and Wishart nailed a clutch three pointer for the 84-81 lead, but 0,6 was left on the clock. Mangum then hit a wide open trey to force overtime. “Koblenz fought hard and got tough bucket after tough bucket. They got fast break baskets and attacked us on the switch. They also got offensive rebounds and controlled us better. But Mangrum brought us to overtime. They covered Kamp and Jones which left him wide open”, commented Killian Dietz. “One Wishart hit the shot, we thought we won. But we still needed one more stop. That Mangum shot drained our energy and momentum”, expressed DJ Jeffries. The Overtime saw 9 points and 2 runs. Koblenz began well with Smith Jr free throws and a Sonnefeld lay in for the 88-84 lead, but Bochum kept fighting. German Jonas Grof scored the last 5 points. His last basket was on transition caught Koblenz napping. Koblenz had one last chance, but Buck and Moeller both missed. “It came down to the last defensive possession. It felt like 1000 hands were on the ball. We simply won the alley fight”, smiled Killian Dietz. “It was the little things that cost us the game at the end. You can´t be beat like that by a transition basket. Mental mistakes cost us the game”, said DJ Jeffries. The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum had 6 players score in double figures and were led by Myreon Jones with 20 points while Dravon Mangum had 14 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Calvin Wishart with 23 points while Tim Smith Jr had 20 points. The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum shot 44% from the field and 37% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 41% from the field and 33% from outside and had 49 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Daniel Grgic(Bulls Kapfenberg) Will Never Forget Thomas Schreiner Always Helping Him In A Calm And Collected Way When Others Wouldn’t

Daniel Grgic (204-F-2004) is a 21 year old 204 playing for the HEFTE HELFEN Bulls Kapfenberg (Austria-BSL). He has played there his whole career. He recently played his 100BSL game. He also has played for Future Team Steiermark (Austria-2.Bundesliga). A few years ago, he played at the FIBA U20 European Championship Division B in Skopje (North Macedonia) averaging 7.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.6bpg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 58.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Daniel for talking to germanhoops.com. You have played your whole life with the Kapfenberg Bulls. What has been the greatest thing about being able to play for this organization?

Probably just growing as a Player and Person. This Organization has given me a lot to learn on and off the court, witch I appreciate a lot.

You have lived most of your life in Austria, but have Croatian roots. Talk a little more about your connection to Croatia?

My whole family is from Croatia and we still have a lot of family living there. I love visiting for longer periods of time and especially having an amazing time there in the summer on the beach.

Have you had changes in roles in your career or has it been the same kind of role the last years? What is your role this season?

I’ve had some changes in my career. I started practicing and playing on the 5 position and then moved to the 4. Now I am even seeing some minutes on the 3 while mainly staying on the 4. My role got a bit bigger over the years but I mainly give the team some outside shooting with energy and versatility on the defensive end.

The club won cups in your time there and last won the league title in 2019. How big is the desire and hunger to win a league title again? At the moment you are battling Oberwart and Wels for the top spot.

The desire has been very big. Especially after the last few seasons have not really been good at all. With the team we have this year we are confident that we can compete for something great. We already reached the cup finals this year but unfortunately couldn’t close it out. So were working to better ourselves everyday and hopefully go all the way.

The team has been struggling in the ENBL. It lost 2 close games but overall allow too many points. What has been your summary of the ENBL season?

Looking at the results only it hasn’t been a good first year in the ENBL. But we took the chance to learn from every of those games and tried to bring the experience to our domestic competition which I think has been working good.

What has it been like being teammates with Serbian veteran Nemanja Krstic? He has been on the team for many years. Has he been like a mentor for you? How has he helped your game most?

Playing with Nemo has truly been a great. From pretty much the first practice on he’s always been supporting and pushing me. Due to us playing on the same position we really could go against and push each other in practice. He really helped me a lot to grow as a player with always giving advice, sharing stories from previous seasons and ALWAYS being as energetic and funny as he can be.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 204cm forward. If you had to compare your game to a NBA or Euroleague player who would it be?

Maybe someone like Kevin Porter Jr. Shooting, athleticism and defence. He has an edge on handling the basketball tough.

You fill the stat sheet well. Would you classify yourself as a modern day big man? How vital is versatility in your game?

Definitely more on the modern big side then classic. I think it really helps me because I don’t feel like I have to rely on only one thing to still have a solid game. So if my shot is off on one day I can try to help the team in another way.

Talk about your defensive game. Would you describe yourself as a 2-way player? What are your biggest strengths on the defensive end?

Yes I think 2 way is fitting. My strengths would be my frame and athleticism. Long arms, high jumps and being able to defend multiple positions can help a lot in a game.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?

I am just trying to understand the game better everyday. And playing with very experienced and talented guys like Nemo Krstic, Vitalii Zotov, Andrew Jones and more really helps me a lot.

You have played more than 100 BSL games for Kapfenberg. What so far has been your personal favorite game for the club?

There have been a lot of games with good memories that makes its hard to choose so Ill say a more recent game like playing Wels in the cup finals which truly felt amazing.

You played for Michael Coffin early in your career and in the last years for many other coaches. Has there been one coach who has had the biggest impact on you so far in your career?

I can´t really pick any single one over everyone else just because I have learned so much from each and every one of them. I am happy to have had some truly amazing coaches in my career.

What was it like being teammates with Austrian Thomas Schreiner? What kind of an impact did he have on you in early years of your pro career?

Thomas is just an overall great person and player. He really had quite an impact on me because I was just starting to practice with the pros so it was quite hard to get used to the level of physicality and speed. He always helped in a calm and collected way when others wouldn’t which was very nice to see from a veteran player like him.

You played at the U-20 Euro in 2023 averaging 7.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.6bpg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 58.3%. What memories do you have of that time? How did you in general experience your years with the Austrian youth teams?

I have some good memories. The people on that team were really special. Each and everyone wanted to give all they had. We really showed some good intensity.

What are your goals for the next years? At what level would you like to play one day?

As high as I can go. If that’s the NBA, Euroleague or Austrian Superliga I cannot tell you yet but I really want to live out my potential to the absolute maximum.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Its hard to only pick five but in no particular order:

Brad Greene, Thomas Schreiner, Rudi Williams, Eric McClellan and Vitalii Zotov

Please list your personal Mount Rushmore of 5 best players ever?

Dražen Petrovic, Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Nikola Jokic and Paul George

Who is your GOAT?

My Father, simply for inspiring me my whole life and keeping me grounded while still showing me who I am and supporting me in everything I choose to do.

Talking only basketball tough – Lebron James. Were done with the 90s

Thanks Daniel for the chat

A Little Eggs And Avocado For Breakfast And After 30 Minutes Daniel Kirakosyan Had Dropped A Ridiculous 84 Points Triple Double

When you think of 100 points in a NBA game, the name Wilt Chamberlain rapidly comes to mind. It happened in 1962 and since then the second closest was 81 points by legendary baller Kobe Bryant. Other guys have scored 100 points or more in the past like Jack Taylor that did it twice for Grinnel (NCAA3) or JJ Culver who did it in 2019 with NAIA team Wayland Baptist. It has happened overseas as well as American Jonathan Braeger did it in Germany in a fourth division game. Recently a high scoring total was accomplished again. It wasn’t 100 points or more, but a crazy 84 points by Armenian player Daniel Kirakosyan (190-PG-2005) in a 160-102 win. What was so amazing by his feat wasn’t only that he did it in a first league game, but he also added a triple double to sweeten his once in a lifetime moment. ‘It feels great to have a performance like that. Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real to score that much, but I’ve put in a lot of work, so I knew I was capable of it. I’m just happy to see that the hard work is paying off’, smiled Daniel Kirakosyan. Even if you could never seriously compare his feat to what Kobe Bryant did a little more than 20 years ago, you just can’t get away from realizing he scored 3 points more than Kobe did. ‘Honestly, it means a lot to be compared to Kobe in any way because I’m a big fan of his game and his mentality. At the same time, it’s hard for me to compare my performance to his because he did it at the NBA level’, stressed Daniel Kirakosyan. Did he do anything special that day like having the ultimate winners breakfast or was it just a normal pre game routine? ‘It was a regular day for me. I always have eggs and avocado for breakfast. On game days, I stick to my routine, I went to the gym in the morning, got some rest, took a walk, and ate some food’, remembered Daniel Kirakosyan. Another incredible side not was that he had only been with Urartu V-bet Yerevan (A-League) for a brief time as he had begun the season with Temp-SUMZ-UMMC Revda (Russia-Superleague). There he played no role playing only 4 games, 13 minutes and scoring a three pointer. At least he left Russia shooting 100% from the parking lot. ‘I feel like I never really got the chance to play in Russia, so I couldn’t fully show what I’m capable of. I truly believe I could’ve been a good player there too, but that’s part of the journey. Sometimes you have to go through struggles to grow and become better’, stated Daniel Kirakosyan.

He had arrived in this game having had 2 great scoring games with 41 and 34. Was this explosive third game with 84 points surprising? ‘ I was planning to keep scoring and stay aggressive, but I wasn’t thinking about scoring 84. I felt like 50 or 60 points would already be an incredible result’, added Daniel Kirakosyan. How quickly did he know in the game to start that he might not have only a really good game, but a super excellent game? ‘I actually missed two of my first three shots, but I stayed confident and trusted that I’d find my rhythm. After scoring 20 points in the first quarter, I knew I could have a big night’, commented Daniel Kirakosyan. He then started to score and it just didn’t stop. ‘Sometimes I was even surprised at how many points I had because I wasn’t looking at the scoreboard. When I reached 50, one of my teammates told me I had a chance to break the record’, said Daniel Kirakosyan. After the end of 40 minutes, he had scored 84 points, but only in 30 minutes. Did his team practice mostly run and gun? ‘Pretty much, yes. It was a fast-paced game, and we were pressing full court to speed them up. I was just trying to score as quickly as possible to help us build a bigger lead because our team needed that to make the playoffs’, warned Daniel Kirakosyan. When one scores as many points as he does, the self confidence must rise like crazy, but he also knows that doing something like that again won’t be a cake walk. ‘Of course I’d love to score more than 84, but I understand it’ll be tougher. After that performance, teams are already adjusting and sending double teams early, so I just have to keep making the right play and win games’, stressed Daniel Kirakosyan.

Did scoring come easier for him on that night? Was it one of those nights where he got many open looks, or was the defense really making scoring life difficult for him? ‘ I’ll be honest-it felt pretty easy to score, especially because I was making shots. I actually liked that the defense was really trying to guard me, so it wasn’t just open looks. When I got to around 50, they started double-teaming me full court, but I stayed focused and didn’t let it affect me’, expressed Daniel Kirakosyan. He got the win which was special, the 84 points was very special and getting a triple double of 14 rebounds and 10 dimes extra extra special. ‘What makes me happiest about that game isn’t just scoring 84 points-it’s that I had a triple-double. It shows I was effective in every aspect on the court, not just scoring. When I realized I had a triple-double, I was even more excited than seeing the 84 points’, smiled Daniel Kirakosyan. He had a very good shooting night of 29/33 from the 2 point range, 7/12 from outside and 5/6 from the free throw line. Did he have a favorite bucket in the game? ‘There were a couple of shots I really liked, but I’d probably say the last one, the shot that broke the record. It was funny because it was a fast-break three-pointer. I wanted to break the record with a three, so I didn’t go for a wide open layup’, said Daniel Kirokosyan. After a brilliant performance like that, it was only logical that his phone was flooded with messages. ‘Yes, I got a lot of messages, literally everyone I know was texting me. I honestly didn’t expect it to get that popular. A couple of content creators even made videos about my performance, and that really made me happy’, added Daniel Kirakosyan. In Germany, a usual occurrence when a team scores 100 points is that who ever got the 100 has to buy donuts. He actually took it a step further than just donuts. ‘I didn’t just buy donuts, I did something even better. I took them out to a restaurant’, smiled Daniel Kirakosyan. The 84 point game is history and he already played his next game. He only scored 30 points, but had a monster 15 boards and 5 assists in a dominating 142.60 win. Only 6 weeks ago, he was a nobody in Russia and today he has landed on the overseas basketball map. It will be interesting where his journey will go. One thing for sure is that one should remember the name Daniel Kirakosyan.

Till Gloger Leads The Giessen 46ers To Easy 92-69 Victory Over The Tigers Tuebingen

There have been many memorable games in the Giessen Ost Halle, but the last buzzer beater loss against Munster is one that even the diehard Giessen fans won´t forget. That McMullen winner surely gave many of the diehard fans indigestion for days. So what does a team do that got a dagger ripped through their heart? Wipe off their mouths and get back on the court and get back to work. The Giessen 46ers definitely needed a positive answer as they came into a must win game against 8-13 team Tigers Tuebingen who broke their 7 game losing streak with a must needed win at home over PS Karlsruhe. On the same day of the famous Super Bowl, both teams came to work on an early Sunday afternoon and it was the Giessen 46ers who demonstrated from the get go taking control of the game right away and never gave any doubt that they would have any chance of losing winning 92-69. Even when Tuebingen had their moments on offense, Giessen mostly led by double digits executing well on offense and controlling the boards and playing aggressive defense. “We came in with a different energy than the last game. We played really good defense from the start and that helped us to put the momentum on our side. We also showed consistency executing our offense”, stressed Giessen 46er Till Gloger (204-C-1993, college: Maine). The Tigers Tuebingen had to play catch up from the first minute and had difficulty coming to terms with Giessen aggressive on ball defense and didn´t have a second or third major scoring option besides new American Jordan Johnson. “We had a very slow start. Turnovers really hurt us today. Whenever they got defensive stops, they did a good job getting out on transition. They executed their offense very well and outrebounded jus badly”, stressed Tiger Tuebingen forward Bernard Pelote.

Bernard Pelote at the FT line

The first quarter belonged to the Giessen 46ers as they played incredible defense allowing only 6 points and banged home 21 points. Before the Tigers Tubingen even knew what had hit them, Giessen led 7-0. Giessen stepped up their aggressive defense from the bell and made life really difficult for scoring point guard Jordan Johnson who couldn´t get the Tigers into their sets. Giessen executed their offense well attacking the rim getting lay in´s from ex Bremerhaven guard Daniel Norl and ex Rostock forward Till Gloger. Ex Phoenix Hagen guard Kyle Castlin also added free throws. Tuebingen got on the board when ex Western Carolina forward Bernard Pelote made free throws to trail 7-2. Giessen continued to execute well and Tuebingen didn´t get their first field goal until the 5,12 minute mark as Pelote made a tip in dunk. Giessen continued to attack the rim and simply played smart using mis matches and inserting their bigs well. Gloger was a walking bucket scoring 3 times including a pretty hook shot against the Tigers zone while ex German national player and fan favorite Robin Benzing showed that he still can get to the hole at age 37 with a nifty finger tip role. At the end of 10 minutes, Jordan Johnson had the big goose egg on the stat sheet. “We did a good job on Johnson as a team and Devon Goodman really made life difficult for him. We also did a good job getting the big involved and receiving easy baskets”, stated Till Gloger. The Giessen 46ers shot 39% from the field and =5 from outside and had 15 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Tigers Tuebingen shot 13% from the field and 0% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Aiden Warnholtz from outside

The Tigers Tuebingen finally found their offensive rhythm in the second quarter and had their best scoring input of 24 points, but couldn´t impact much on the defensive end as Giessen still led 39-30 at the break. The Tigers began with a positive 10-4 run to trail only 25-16. Jordan Johnson was able to find his spots better adding 5 points while ex Vechta guard Kaya Bayram made a trey and ex Boise State (NCAA) American Lukas Milner made a tip in. The Tigers Tuebingen had figured out how to execute consistently against the Giessen defense, but couldn´t make any ground because Giessen also began to execute with ease and keep a comfortable +10 point cushion. Giessen continued to feed their bigs as there was always a new one in line as now it was Serbian Viktor Kovacevic who scored twice giving Giessen the 32-20 advantage while the Tigers got buckets from Johnson and a Pelote dunk. Tuebingen continued to execute well moving the ball well and were rewarded with 2 three´s from ex Nurnberg forward Isaiah Sanders and another one from Bayram. Despite Tuebingen executing well, Giessen was still defending very well as Slovakian point guard Simon Krajcovic led the charge with 2 steals. Tuebingen ended the first half well with a fade away jumper by Johnson and a lay in from ex Mercyhurst University (NCAA2) forward Melkisedek Moreau. “Our offense remained solid and on defense we remained aggressive and we tried to take away their strengths”, stated Till Gloger. The Giessen 46ers shot 34% from the field and 13% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Tigers Tuebingen shot 36% from the field and 27% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Jordan Johnson with the mid distance shot

Both teams continued to execute well as the Giessen 46ers managed their lead well and continued not to allow the Tigers Tuebingen to get over the hump and get under 10 points. Giessen began well again like in the first quarter going on a quick 6-0 run to lead 45-30 and stopped Tuebingen on their first 4 possession. As usual, Giessen looked for their bigs getting 4 points from Kovacevic and a bucket from Gloger as Tuebingen had absolutely no remedy how to contain their bigs. Moreaux stopped the run with a steal at center court and a thunderous dunk. Shortly after Milner would add an offensive rebound and put back and those were some brief positive moments as they couldn´t string along consecutive stops. Giessen always had the rim on their minds and got added lay in´s from Gloger twice and once from Luis Konig Figge and led 53-41. Jordan Johnson was a 1 man wrecking crew who found his touch from Friday night where he dropped 30 in his Pro A debut against PS Karlsruhe as he made 2 three´s and a lay in to trail 53-43. Giessen continued to execute well in the down stretch of the third quarter getting a trey form Konig Figge and a lay in from Benzing. Pelote added a clutch trey in the last seconds as Giessen led 61-50 after 30 minutes. “We came out strong again with great energy. We continued to execute well on offense. We stayed consistent to keep our good lead”, commented Till Gloger. ”Whenever we came close, they always had an answer. They continued to use their bigs well and crashed the boards well”, expressed Bernard Pelote. The Giessen 46ers shot 42% from the field and 14% from the parking lot and had 31 rebounds and 9 turnovers and the Tigers Tuebingen shot 39% from the field and 32% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 16 turnovers.

Jonathan Maier at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the Giessen 46ers had absolutely no let ups and put and exclamation point on the victory with an explosive 31 points to seal the win. Giessen began rapidly with a 16-6 run to decide the game early as they led 77-56. They displayed their long distance shooting abilities hitting 4 three´s as Kyle Castlin scored twice while Krajcovic and Canadian Aiden Warnholtz also added three´s. That run didn´t seem to faze the Tigers as they responded with a swift 8-0 run with a last gasp of energy to trail 79-64. In the run the Tigers received back to back three´s from ex American (NCAA) American Connor Nelson. However that basketball is a game of runs is no secret as that run didn´t disturb Giessen either as they closed out the game with authority going on a 12-5 run to seal the win. In the run, Giessen went back to attacking the rim as Kovacevic scored twice and Gloger also contributed a lay in “My teammates did a good job today putting me in good position to score. When I´m able to use my strengths, then I´m successful”, warned Till Gloger. Giessen also got rewarded time in and time out with offensive rebounds that gave them extra possessions. “We continued to work well on the boards. Our continued good offensive execution allowed us to keep the big lead”, said Till Gloger. “We kept fighting and stuck together. Even when we missed shots, we kept our composure”, said Bernard Pelote. The Giessen 46ers had 4 guys to score in double figures and were led by Till Gloger with 20 points. Viktor Kovacevic added 14 points and Kyle Castlin had 13 points and 13 rebounds while the Tigers Tuebingen were led by Jordan Johnson with 21 points. The Giessen 46ers shot 45% from the field and 32% from outside and had 46 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Tigers Tuebingen shot 40% from the field and 35% and had 33 rebounds and 20 turnovers.

Colin Schroeder Has Career Game Powering The Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede To 110-101 Shootout Win Over The Dragons Rhondorf

It is now the back swing of the Pro B season where every win is so crucial for the playoff spots and from getting away from the cellar. Every new game gets more vital for the Dragons Rhondorf, but their current 4 game losing streak was at the absolute worst part of the season. They drastically needed a win and the only good news for them was that they were only 2 wins away from the last playoff spot. The bad news was that next on the menu was another tough opponent with the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede who were resting in 5th place with a record of 10-8 and wanted to win their fourth game in a row. They like Rhondorf was a team stacked with young German talent led by 2 explosive imports with Jonil Fugett and Beni Fungula. It would be another difficult challenge for the Dragons Rhondorf and like against the EN Baskets Schwelm, they were able to hang on for a half, but in the second half had a disastrous third quarter that helped pave the way for the 110-101 win for the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede. The Dragons Rhondorf did string together an amazing comeback in the fourth quarter to be down 4 points with les than a minute to play, but couldn´t get over the hump. “We played well for ¾ of the game. It was a heartbreaker to be down 20 and then fight back and lose. We couldn´t execute on the defensive end. It is hard to win when they hit three after three in a row”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The guests played a strong game and despite a brief let up in the fourth quarter got the win. “We played a sold game. The first half was pretty even. We dominated in the third quarter and in the fourth quarter let up a bit, but buckled down and stuck together as a team to pull out win”, stressed Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede guard Colin Schroeder (193-F-2006).

Colin Schroeder at the FT line

Both teams found their offensive rhythm rapidly as the Dragons Rhondorf got 2 buckets from big man ex Oberaching center Benjamin Sadikovic while the guests got some proper support from NBBL finalists Johan Helwig and Ore Ewert for the 8-7 advantage. The Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede continued to keep the lead getting support from U-18 Euro gold medalist Colin Schroeder who scored 2 baskets for the 14-10 lead. The young German who has played 6 BBL games sparkled with his athleticism and drive to the hoop. The guests continued to get support from all over as 29 year old German veteran Alan Boger nailed a trey for the 17-13 lead. However the Dragons Rhondorf got a big spark from new player from Italy Josh Petteno a classic 3 and D player that gave much energy leading his new team on a 11-0 run with 7 points. Jorge Mejias also added clutch three pointer and pretty dime to Duje Dujmovic after making an ankle breaker on his opponent. “It is always nice to see a highlight play like that in person. Jorge is very creative. You never know what you will get from him”, smiled Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Ex easyCredit BBL player Fritz Hemschmeier added a big trey with 1 second left on the clock as the Dragons Rhondorf led 28-24 after 10 minutes. “Rhondorf did a good job on Fugett. They played a box and 1 and we had to go to our bigs. Even if they had the lead, it was a game of momentum. A basketball game isn´t only about 1 quarter”, said Colin Schroeder. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 71% from the field and 40% from outside and had 11 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede shot 44% from the field and 50% form outside and had 5 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Jorge Mejias from outside

The Dragons Rhondorf kept a slim lead for a while until giving up a little run and trailed 49-47 at half-time. The Dragons Rhondorf stayed aggressive and looked for openings and were rewarded with lay in´s by Dujmovic and Harris Dyson, but couldn´t get a bigger lead as ex Swedish youth national player Beni Fungula kept his team in the game with his incredible ability for picking his spots as he scored twice as Rhondorf led 32-28. The Dragons Rhondorf kept the lead getting some more baskets from Mejias who hit his bread and butter mid distance jumper and Harris Dyson showed his 2 way player qualities making a steal and dunk on transition for the 36-33 advantage. However the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede struck back like lightening with back to back three´s from Fungula and Fugett for the 41-37 lead. It was Fugett´s first field goal of the game. Rhondorf fought back testing the three point line getting a massive trey from young German Carlo Schmid and Dujmovic also displayed the hot hand as the Dragons swiped the lead back at 45-43. However the Dragons Rhondorf were unable to keep the lead as Fungula added 4 points and Schroeder a trey for the 2 point advantage at the break. “The second quarter was back and forth. It was a lot of fun. We had difficulty securing the rebound”, stated Colin Schroeder. The Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede shot 45% from the field and 40% from the three point line and had 14 rebounds and 7 turnovers and the Dragons Rhondorf shot 64% from the field and 50% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Jonil Fugett from downtown

The turning point of the game occurred in the third quarter where the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede exploded for 37 points to take the 84-64 lead after 30 minutes. Both teams executed well in the first few minutes as the guests got baskets from 2024 NBBL finalists Schroeder and Helwig while the Dragons Rhondorf got buckets from Mejias and a free throw from Harris Dyson who had a tough 4/12 day from the free throw line to trail 55-50. Fungula made a pretty pass to Helwig for the dime and then showed the Binocular look with his hands to his eyes to the bench. “Beni signaled that a nice pass should also be celebrated and not only a nice basket. That gave us energy”, stated Colin Schroeder. Then the tide turned as the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede broke out on a 20-5 run to extend their lead to 75-55. The Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede found the hot hand from outside as Hellwig connected 3 times while Boger and Ewert also connected. Schroeder continued to be a mismatch problem as he also scored inside. The guests picked up the aggressive on ball defense forcing the Dragons to many turnovers while also controlling the offensive glass. “You always know what you will get from Johan Hellwig. He seldom has a bad day. When he is in the corner and let´s it fly, you might as well go away, because that ball is going in”, smiled Colin Schroeder. The Dragons Rhondorf got some offense going with a Harris-Dyson dunk and trey from ex RheinStar Kenan Reinhart, but couldn´t make any ground as Alan Boger connected twice from outside and Hemschmeier made an acrobatic lay in for the big 20 point lead after 3 quarters. “We found together as a team. Three pointers seem to fall well when your in rhythm. We were all on the same page”, added Colin Schroeder. “We left the shooters open. We focused too much on the drive and couldn´t figure a way out to stop their shooters. We also had careless turnovers”, added Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede shot 63% form the 2 point area and 47% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 73% from the 2 point range and 38% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Juhwan Harris-Dyson from the FT line

The game looked decided in the fourth quarter, but a game has 40 minutes and the Dragons Rhondorf staged a late comeback. The Dragons Rohndorf came out in the last 10 minutes in strong fashion going on a 8-0 run to trail only 86-72. In the run, the Dragons got 2 big three´s from Mejias and a dunk from Carlo Schmid. The Dragons stepped up their defense again and on offense moved the ball better and made better decisions. However the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede found their rhythm again and the Dragons Rhondorf couldn´t get under a 10 point deficit. The guests got 3 scores in a row from Colin Schroeder while the Dragons Rhondorf got a lay in from Harris-Dyson and tap in from Schmid, but the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede still led 94-78. Fugett also began to find his spots better again scoring twice while Mejias made the next magical pass behind the back for Dujmovic to trail 96-80. The minutes were winding down and crunch-time arrived and the Dragons Rhondorf found some extra energy and staged a explosive 14-2 run to suddenly trail 102-98 with less than a minute to play. In the run, the Dragons Rhondorf were able to play their game with aggressive defense and transition. Harris-Dyson was instrumental on defense and added 3 transition baskets. Schmid added a beautiful poster dunk on Fungula, Dujmovic added 2 transition buckets and Ilic a trey. However the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede buckled down and got a big Fungula dunk for the 104-98 lead. Dujmovic added another basket to trail 104-100, but the guests got stops and Hemschmeier free throws sealed the win for the Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede. “We knew after the third quarter, that we had to finish the game strong. However we rested too much after that third quarter. We gave up a run at the end, but we woke up just in time. We stayed together as a team and closed out the game”, said Colin Schroeder. “We fought back. We got stops and ran. That is when we are at our best. We just couldn´t finish the game”, said Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede had 6 guys score in double figures led by Beni Fungula with 25 points while Colin Schroeder added 24 points. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Juhwan Harris-Dyson with 23 points and Jorge Mejias added 20 points and 12 assists. The Baskets Juniors TSG Westerstede shot 53% from the field and 41% from outside and had 32 rebounds and 18 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 62% from the field and 42% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

Bernard Pelote Believes The Tigers Tuebingen Are The Hunting Team Now And Going In The Right Direction After The Big 99-79 Win Over PS Karlsruhe

pic credit: Dennis Duddeck

Bernard Pelote (203-F-2002, college: WCU, agency: JCK Sports Group) is a 23 year old 203cm forward from Georgia playing his rookie season overseas with German Pro A team Tigers Tuebingen averaging 15,8ppg and 4,6rpg. He began his basketball career with Woodville-Tompkins High School. He then played 2 seasons at Catawba College (NCAA2) averaging 7.4ppg, 3.3rpg, FGP: 40.8%, 3PT: 31.6%, FT: 76.2% and 13.7ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.1apg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 78.9%. He then palyed 3 seasons with Western Carolina University (NCAA) averaging 5.5ppg, 3.2rpg, FGP: 58.1%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 61.5%, 6.9ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 61.0%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 80.0% and in his last season averaged 13.8ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 48.2%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 70.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big 99-79 win over PS Karlsruhe.

Congrats on the big 99-79 win over PS Karlsruhe. How big was this win for the organization?

This was a must win for us. We had been in a slump for the last 1,5 months. I feel like we are heading in the right direction now. The hard work we have done really paid off.

Was it the biggest win of the season?

I wouldn´t say that it was the biggest win of the season, because every win is meaningful. I´m just glad that we got it going.

How big was the urgency to win? The team was riding a 7 game losing streak and had lost 10 of 11 games?

The urgency to win was really big. We were low in the standings. We knew that we had to steal this one even if they had beat us in their place. We had the dog mentality and were hunting and weren´t the hunted.

Did it seem like every new game was a bigger game then the last one? Was the pressure immense?

I feel like despite having our backs to the wall, we didn´t have any pressure. It was more on them. We focused on playing our game and just fighting.

The game began with 4 three´s and it was back and forth, but Tuebingen found it´s rhythm quickly. New Tiger Jordan Johnson got going rapidly. You also hit shots. Did you sense that you 2 might be carrying the team that night?

I didn´t necessarily think that at that moment. This was a team win. It was big for Johnson to come in the way he did and play so well, but we all played a part in the win.

Ps Karlsruhe began the second quarter with a 13-4 run to get back into the game. What break downs did the Tiger defense suffer?

They wanted to run in transition. Basketball is a game of runs and they will always happen. We weren´t able to slow down the game and limit turnovers.

Jordan Johnson stopped the run with back to back three´s. What do you appreciate most about his game?

I really appreciate everything form his game. He has made an instant impact. I like how he has come in and doesn´t even know me, but talks to me and gives me wisdom. He is a very fast player and has a great IQ

Could he be that special player that will help the Tigers turn the season around?

I think that he will be a big piece to what we want to do. Basketball is a team sport and it can´t be about just one guy to be successful. We need to match it.

The Tigers Tuebingen led 72-61 after 30 minutes. The Tigers had a little run in the last minutes and Connor Nelson hit big shots. What was the difference in the third quarter for getting the double digit lead?

We just kept going and kept our foot on the gas pedal. We never let up. When we saw they were getting tired, we knew that we had them.

The Tigers Tuebingen managed the lead well in the fourth quarter and then closed the door on PS Karlsruhe. How big was that alley-op dunk from Lukas Milner? Was that the exclamation point on the victory?

That alley-op dunk was the finishing touch on the win. That was a very nice dunk.

The Tigers Tuebingen hit 16 three´s, won the rebound battle and had 11 turnovers. What was the biggest strength of the team on the night?

I think we were strong when we got stops and got out on transition. That is when we are at our best. We also got needed stops in the third quarter to pull away.

You had a 18/7/3/1 game in 29 minutes. How content were you with your game?

I just saw what the defense gave me. I tried to make the right plays and crashed the boards. I brought energy and intensity on the defensive end. I feel like I let my defense spark my offense.

Your having a solid rookie season averaging 15/3/1. You had a slow start, but since have been very consistent. How has your game grown?

The start was tough. I wasn´t used to the physicality and I needed to adjust. But then I settled down. At the end of the day, it´s just basketball. My coach believes in me and lets me play through mistakes.

What do you still need to tweak with your game so you can have an even better home stretch of the season?

I need to be more consistent and efficient in my minutes. I also want to be more of a defensive stopper.

You next battle Giessen on the road. You won the first game in dramatic fashion 84-82. Giessen will be hungry for revenge. What will be key for getting the win?

We have to play together and smart. We have to be us. We have to be the hunting team.

Who will win the Super Bowl? Pats or SeaHawks?

I want the Patriots to win. I love Drake Maye. He is a really good quarterback.

Thanks Bernard for the chat.