It Was One Of Those Nights Where Almost Everything Fell As The Skyliners Overpower Cluj Napoca 113-97 In Eurocup Action

The Frankfurt Skyliners came into the next Eurocup game with a lot of vengeance as their fantastic 5 game winning streak had been snapped last week by Spanish ACB team La Laguna Tenerife. But Frankfurt still had confidence as they had won 5 of their last 6 games. Frankfurt had an interesting next Eurocup opponent with Romanian top team Cluj Napoca who came to Germany sporting a 2-2 record in Eurocup action. They came into the game having lost 2 of 3 games and brought a slew of players that once played in Germany with Patrick Richard, Javon Bess, Malcolm Hill, and Otis Livingston. On a very mild Tuesday evening a few days before the start of November, the Romanian team wanted to keep their current winning streak alive, but couldn´t as they almost scored 100 points, but that wasn´t enough as they caught the Skyliners on a very good scoring night as they produced 113 points in their third Eurocup win of the season. “They began hot, but we made adjustments at the break getting out higher on their ball screens and we took away their bigs. Our guards also did a great job with their extreme pressure. We worked well together as a team and limited their open shots”, explainer Skyliner forward Race Thompson. Cluj Napoca had a great scoring day, but always had to play catch up basketball and never ever got over the hump. “Frankfurt was a lot more skilled than when I played against them some years ago in the BBL. They played fats and aggressive. They played with a lot of intensity, energy and scored the ball really well. We didn´t have our best defensive day. We were always a step behind”, stressed Cluj Napoca guard Otis Livingston.

Isaiah Swope at the FT line

The first quarter was an old fashioned shoot out as 57 points were produced and the Skyliners led 30-27 after 10 minutes. The guests jumped all over Frankfurt rapidly as 213cm ex Tennessee (NCAA) center Uros Plavsic scored 4 points, but it didn´t take the Skyliners long before firing back with 2 Til Pape three´s to take the 6-3 advantage. However the top team from Romania started to set the tone with extreme quick ball movement as they kept punching while the Skyliners mostly had an answer. Ex Milwaukee Buck guard Javonte Smart and ex easyCredit BBL player Otis Livingston who scored 42 points in a BBL game were hitting shots left and right. Smart´s IQ allowed him to find his spots well while Livingstons quickness rattled Frankfurt all night long. Ex Chicago Bull Malcom Hill who played in the BBL 9 years ago also scored twice as Frankfurt trailed 20-15. Frankfurt also got great support from their bench as ex Chemnitz forward Roman Bedime hit a three and ex NCAA champion with Villanova Ryan Archidiacono made a lay in. The guests continued to execute at a high level as ex Creighton (NCAA) forward Richard Bishop added 5 points with a dunk for the 27-21 advantage. Frankfurt continued to fight and attack the paint area as ex Syracuse (NCAA) guard Judah Mintz and Pape made lay in´s to lead 27-26. Ex Wurzburg forward Javon Bess made a lay in, but the Skyliners had the last laugh as ex St Louis (NCAA) guard Isaiah Swope stroked home the deep three for the 1 point lead after 10 minutes. “I didn´t have a good start getting 2 quick fouls. My team held it down. We shared the ball well and all began to contribute”, stressed Race Thompson. Frankfurt shot a crazy 62% from outside and had the 9-7 rebound edge.

Javonte Smart from outside

In the second quarter both teams continued to punch back and forth, but half way through the punching back from Cluj Napoca slowed down and the Skyliners could get away and led 62-51 at the break. They would have to paly catch up basketball until the end.The Romanian side remained being aggressive and tied the game at 36-36 with lay up´s from Bishop, Livingston and a trey by Bess. But Race Thompson then got going scoring 5 points for the 41-38 lead. After a Plavsic lay in, Frankfurt then launched their first run of the game of 11-3 to lead 52-43. They heightened their defensive intensity a bit which led to a few stops and turnovers while on the offensive end, they got key support from 5 players as the unselfishness and team play was very evident. Ex Chemnitz guard Will Christmas made a lay in as did Pape, while ex Ulm guard Tommy Klepeisz showed that he still has speed and Isaiah Swope then buried a trey. The guests couldn´t match Frankfurt´s physicality and Frankfurt slowed down Livingston better. The Skylkiners did a good job maintaining the big lead and had no let ups as they continued to execute as Mintz was extra aggressive adding 4 points while Thompson added a lay and free throw for the 11 point lead at half-time. “We locked in as a team. We had that mentality that they had to miss shots. We also rebounded very well”, added Race Thompson. Frankfurt still shot really well from outside at 50% and 66% from the 2 point area and had the 16-12 rebound edge and only 1 turnover while the guests shot an overwelming75% from the 2 point area and 44% from the three point line.

Malcolm Hill at the FT line

The Skyliners continued their explosive scoring adding on to their lead winning the third quarter 28-22 and leading comfortably 90-73 after 30 minutes. This quarter saw both teams go on small runs as Frankfurt began with a rapid 6-2 run to lead 68-53 as they continued to attack the paint area as Christmas and Pape made lay in´s and Mintz free throws. However Cluj Napoca answered with a 5-0 run as ex Mercer (NCAA) forward Jaylin McCreary made a lay in while ex Bilbao Basket guard Kristian Kullamae made a trey to trail 70-58. Scoring continued to be the main entrée on the court as defense played little of a role. After ex St John´s (NCAA) guard Nahiem Alleyne made free throws, Cluj Napoca went on a 9-4 run to trail only 77-67. Smart added 5 points including a trey while Kullamae added a tap in. He showed his versatility all game long making pretty dimes on spectacular passes and also got physical inside and hauled down rebounds. Despite Livingston making two contested three´s down the stretch, the Skyliners didn´t cave in, but continued to punch back getting a clutch trey from ex Ludwigsburg forward Radii Caisin and lay in´s from Pape and Christmas to hold down the fort having the 13 point advantage after 30 minutes. “Everybody hit shots. This was a real fun night where our offense was really working”, added Race Thompson. “We let them get to the free throw line and hit open three´s. It was tough. We fought and played hard, but we also need to do the right things”, stated Otis Livingston.

Radii Caisin to the rim

Cluj Napoca actually won the fourth quarter 24-23, but defensively they were never able to develop a rhythm that could in any way help them get back into the game. The guests never gave up and it looked like they might just make a comeback as they began with a lethal 10-4 run to cut the Skyliners lead down to 94-83. In the run, they were led by Bishop who is a bit in the shadow of prolific players Smart and Livingston, but he proved in this phase that he had real game contributing 6 points. Livingston added free throws and Plavsic a big dunk. But then came the ultimate unexpected play that felt like a knife had pierced through the heart of the guests. Klepeisz made a contested off balance shot from the wing that hit at the shot clock buzzer which also gave him the and one for the four point play. When shots like that go in, you just knew nothing more could go wrong on this night. “It felt good when I released it. I knew after that that we had the game won”, smiled Tommy Klepeisz. A 8-0 run resulted in this phase as Bedime also made free throws and Swope a lay in for the 102-83 lead. Both teams punched back and forth until the end. Livingston continued to produce a great stat line adding 5 more points while Christmas added a trey and dunk. Big German prospect Jamie Edoka who had had time in the first quarter was inserted again for garbage time and added 4 points. Kullamae closed out the game with a floater and runner, but it was too little too late. “Klepeisz´s shot looked good. It was a little dagger that hurt in front of their bench”, said Race Thompson. The Skyliners had 6 guys score in double figures led by Judah Mintz and Till Pape with 17 points a piece while Cluj Napoca was led by Otis Livingston with 23 points and 10 dimes. The Skyliners shot 66% from the 2 point area and 42% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 6 turnovers while Cluj Napoca shot 73% from the 2 point area and 36% from outside and had 30 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Mr 83% Viktor Kovacevic Hits Timely Shots Leading The Giessen 46ers To Convincing 83-68 Road Win Against The EPG Baskets

The EPG Baskets Koblenz had a long 10 days to recuperate from the tough 73-70 loss in Wolmirstedt. It was a very heartbreaking loss for Koblenz, but one that one learns from. The EPG Baskets had a great 3-1 start to their fourth Pro A season and wanted to start a new winning streak in their own living room. Their next opponent was the always tough Giessen 46ers who had had a slow start to the season with a 2-4 record and were riding a 2 game losing streak coming into the contest. Koblenz had an advantage since they had already seen them once in pre season and beat them. A big joy for Koblenz fans was to be able to witness 37 year old legend Robin Benzing who still belonged to the top players in the Pro A despite his age. On a cool Monday night, the Giessen 46ers Took control of the game in the second quarter and never looked back winning 83-68 on the road. The EPG Baskets had two major deficiencies on this night and that was a lack of hitting the three pointer and grabbing rebounds. It is no secret that it will be very difficult to win when you are lacking in those areas. “We didn´t play together as a team tonight. We were too selfish and didn´t swing the ball the way we know how. They didn´t allow us to run and were more physical than us. We also didn´t fight enough”, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz guard Mason Kraus. Giessen came prepared to play and gave a must needed response after their slow start to the season. They defended consistently for 40 minutes and took away the strengths of their opponent and also had a very potent Viktor Kovacevic (203-F-1999, college: West Liberty, agency: Octagon Europe) who had an incredible shooting day at 83% going 10/12 from the field and netting 24 points. “We played harder than they did. We were very good on the rebound. We defended very well as well always helping the other”, stressed Giessen 46er Viktor Kovacevic.

Tyler Peterson at the FT line

The Giessen 46ers came out ready taking the quick 6-2 advantage as they got a big 4 point play by ex German national player Robin Benzing who was 0-4 against Luka Doncic in ACB play, but twice scored 23 points in games. Newcomer American Tyler Peterson who had already won 3 titles overseas and played at South Dakota (NCAA) also added a lay in. The EPG Baskets were sluggish in the early going, but soon found track attacking the rim getting lay in´s from ex Coburg (Pro B) forward Jannis Sonnefeld and a lay in from ex Boston College (NCAA) guard Chase Johnson while ex Bonn center Alex Moeller made an offensive rebound and put back to tie the contest at 8-8. Koblenz had punched back slapping Giessen with a 6-2 run. However Giessen had the higher intensity and now really took advantage of it and beat Koblenz at their game slowing them down and running themselves getting transition baskets from ex Braunschweig guard Luis Konig Figge and Kovacevic who dunked for the 19-12 Giessen lead. Along the way new Koblenz guard Frankie Collins also scored his first Pro A points. The first quarter was a real back and forth battle as no team could get away from the other. Koblenz ended the first quarter with a 5-1 run to trail 20-17. In the run, Koblenz got a lay in from ex Leverkusen center Ferenc Gille and a clutch trey at the buzzer from Jayden Williams. “We had a lack of concentration at both ends. Giessen punished us on the boards and we couldn´t hit the three”, stressed EPG Baskets sport director Thomas Klein. The Giessen 46ers shot 50% from the 2 point range and 14% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 58% from the 2 point range and had 6 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Frankie Collins from outside

In the second quarter the Giessen 46ers continued to lead and led by as much as 12 points, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to stay in striking range and only trailed 47-40 at the break. Giessen had the better start cruising on to a 12-3 run to extend their lead to 32-20. In the run, Giessen received a clutch trey from Ohio native Alex Williams and remained aggressive getting to the free throw line something Koblenz did not. Giessen got 4 points from the line from Peterson and Kai Musse. Giessen didn´t allow Koblenz to get into their sets and demonstrated good transition defense. Here and there Koblenz was able to execute getting a lay in from Johnson and trey from ex Kirchheim forward Jonas Niedermanner, but they couldn´t make any solid ground as Konig Figge and Kovacevic scored inside and Giessen still led 36-26. The 1-1 defense by Koblenz was suspect on this day as aggressiveness and physicality was lacking. Both teams continued to punch back and forth and it was new player American Frankie Collins who played for Bobby Hurley at Arizona State (NCAA) kept the EPG Baskets Koblenz in the game as he stayed aggressive getting to the free throw line making 4 points and also scored in the zone. Collins had a solid Pro A debut with 12 points shooting 44% from the field. “Frankie was really good for us tonight. He helped us all around. He took on his role well. I´m really proud of how he played. He will get the job done for us”, warned Chase Johnson. Kovacevic continued to be a real work horse netting 5 points in the last few minutes, but Badu Back closed out the first half with a shot at the buzzer as Koblenz trailed only by 7 points at the break. “Collins kept us alive at both ends. His scoring was key”, added Thomas Klein. The Giessen 46ers shot 59% from the 2 point line and 27% from the three point line and had 25 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 60% from the 2 point line and 18% from the three point line and had 13 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Robin Benzing from outside

The Giessen 46ers continued to play their game and upped their game at both ends again winning the third quarter 24-14 and establishing the commanding 71-54 advantage. One would have thought that the EPG Baskets Koblenz might come out in the second half motivated and hungry, but instead allowed a costly 12-2 run to trail 59-42 something from which they wouldn´t recover from on this night. In the run the guests took advantage of the lax on ball pressure and 1-1 defense getting lay in´s from Kovacevic and Peterson while Konig Figge continued to give valuable energy and scoring support with 5 points with a trey and lay in. Koblenz continued unable to match Giessen intensity or physicality. Romanian national player Dragos Diculescu stopped the run with trey and Johnson made an acrobatic lay in to trail 59-47, but Giessen always had an answer and responded right away punching back with a 8-0 run and 67-47 advantage. The Giessen guards continued to attack as Peterson scored his 3rd uncontested drive in a row while Cooks also drove with ease for two and Kovacevic continued to work for his excellent shooting percentage of 83% from the field with a trey. “He is so important for Giessen especially in the paint. His shooting percentages have been really good this season and better than last season. He is an emotional player, but knows when he has to stay calm. He knows his role 100%”, stressed Giessen Pointers (Regionalliga) head coach Kai Schallenberg. Koblenz finally did a better job getting to the free throw line as ex Dartmouth (NCAA) guard Jayden Williams scored as did ex Santa Clara (NCAA) center Cameron Tongue, but is was all too little as their trek up the comeback trail look bleak. “Coach was really on us at the break. We came out aggressive and took it personal. We upped our defense and got easy baskets”, stated Viktor Kovacevic. “We continued not to shoot well and got beat on the boards, because we weren´t physical enough”, added Mason Kraus. The Giessen 46ers shot 63% from the 2 point area and 28% from the parking lot and had 36 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 58% from the 2 point area and had 20 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Mason Kraus at the FT line

The scoring tailed off in the fourth quarter and Giessen allowed only 12 points and never allowed the EPG Baskets Koblenz to get closer than 10 points. Koblenz had a stellar start to the last frame with a 4-0 run as Williams made a runner and Gille a massive dunk on transition to trail only 71-58. Giessen then took advantage of Koblenz´s overall poor scoring consistency getting 2 stops which led to 3 points by ex Rostock center Till Gloger for the 74-58 Giessen lead. Robin Benzing had a cold shooting night going 1/9, but also dished out 3 assists as his passing skills are underrated. The EPG Baskets had one last push going on a 8-2 run to trail only 76-66. In the run, they got great support and effort from Chase Johnson who used his bread and butter the drive for 3 consecutive baskets. The Koblenz defense were more aggressive getting big stops, but time was running out as crunch-time had arrived. Koblenz though ran out of steam and let Giessen end the game with a 7-2 run as they hurt Koblenz 2 last times with lay in´s from Gloger and Kovacevic to seal the must needed win. “We stuck together and played smart and didn´t gamble. We closed out the game strong”, added Viktor Kovacevic. “We never gave up, but you can´t let yourself get in a hole like that. We have to give a good 40 minutes and not only 30 minutes”, warned Mason Kraus. The Giessen 46ers were led by Viktor Kovacevic with 24 points while Luis Konig Figge added 13 points while the EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Chase Johnson and Frankie Collins with 12 points a piece. The Giessen 46ers shot 59% from the 2 point area and 22% from outside and had 48 rebounds and 15 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 61% from the 2 point area and 15% from outside and had 29 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

Jamie Edoka Has Outside Range Leading The Skyliners Juniors To Overwelming Massive 102-72 Win Over TSV Oberaching Tropics

After a slow 0-2 start into the Pro B season, the Skyliners Juniors have finally found their groove winning their last 2 games. They made an incredible fourth quarter comeback against the Dragons Rhondorf to win their first home game and then returned 72 hours later easily disposing of Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg. However Frankfurt didn´t have an easy next opponent with the TSV Oberaching Tropics who had witnessed one of their best starts in a while having a 4-1 record. The club led by experienced head coach Mario Matic could have been 5-0 had they not lost a close nail bitter to Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg. Both teams had current winning streaks and wanted to maintain their momentum in this game. On a cool early autumn afternoon the TSV Oberaching Tropics entered the game as the favorite on paper, but after 40 minutes had experienced a shocking 102-72 loss. The Skyliners Juniors sped slowly away from their opponent in the second quarter, but totally decided the game in the third quarter with a lethal 34-12 quarter keeping their winning streak alive at three games. “I think that we did a good job staying pretty much steady for 40 minutes. We were never too high or too low. It wasn´t a great ending letting them have a big run in the fourth quarter, but we could afford it with such a big lead. However we should focus on not letting that happen again. We were consistent today and hit our shots really well in the second half. We did a good job figuring out who their 3-4 main scorers were and slowed them down”, stressed Skyliners Junior Jamie Edoka (194-G-2008). The TSV Oberaching Tropics had a solid first quarter, but later had problems slowing down the lethal Frankfurt offense and couldn´t erase mistakes on the offensive glass. “We played a good first half, but our defense wasn´t aggressive enough. We didn´t have a good start to the second half and our shots didn´t fall. Our zone also didn´t work, but we never gave up”, stressed TSV Oberaching Tropics guard Dzenis Hodovic.

Dzenis Hodzic with the lay in

The first quarter saw a few little runs from both teams as no team was able to get away for a good lead. TSV Oberaching Tropics had the 6-4 lead early on getting a big dunk from Frankfurt native Max May and ex Bonn/Rhondorf (NBBL) guard Frederick Mueller also scored in the paint. The Skyliners Juniors were still figuring out to find a groove and did with 2026 AST winner Jamie Edoka who added 5 rapid points with back to back buckets and the 9-6 advantage. The game was a high tempo and the TSV Oberaching Tropics did a good job using their bench and the role players stepped up. Ex IBAM forward Daniel Riedrich hit a trey and ex Limburg center Aike Bensmann made a lay in and Nedzad Muratovic made a beautiful old school running hook shot ala Toni KuKoc for the 17-12 lead. However the Skyliners Juniors were able to punch back and serve good execution as the universal genius Ivan Crnjac nailed a trey, Maxi Peters snuck inside for a lay in and Moses Poelking used his swiftness to make a pretty left handed hook shot, but Frankfurt trailed 17-16 after 10 minutes. Both teams had miserable 3 point shooting percentages with Frankfurt at 22% and Oberaching at 14% while the field goal percentages were at 35% for Frankfurt and 47% for TSV Oberaching Tropics. Frankfurt had the slim 10-8 rebound edge, but had the 4-1 offensive rebound lead. The high tempo and aggressive defense led to 6 Frankfurt turnovers and 5 for the guests. “We had to get used to the style. They were pretty physical, but nothing that concerned us”, stressed Jamie Edoka

Moses Poelking at the FT line

In the second quarter the Skyliners Juniors stepped on the gas pedal and began hot going on a 10-3 run to get the 26-20 lead. One part of the TSV Oberaching Tropics game plan was to try to subdue the talented trio of Edoka, Crnac and Smazak, but in this run, Smazak added 6 points and Crnjac a lay in. Energizer Dusan Nikolic added a lay in. The TSV Oberaching Tropics began sluggish and couldn´t match Frankfurt´s intensity. Frankfurt´s aggressive defense didn´t allow the guests any good ball movement and their hustle on the boards rewarded them with extra possessions and easy baskets. Mueller stopped the run with a lay in, but Frankfurt didn´t hesitate to punch back right away as they went on a 9-3 run to lead 35-25. The Frankfurt offense was smooth and in a groove where good team basketball created good opportunites with a 15 footer form Edoka and a lay in on transition by Crnjac. The Skyliners Juniors also remained aggressive at the same time attacking the rim resulting with free throws from Nikolic and Peters. The TSV Oberaching Tropics couldn´t muster much offense except for Hodovic who nailed a trey. The 18 year guard from Bosnia that played 2 years in the FC Bayern Munich youth program had such a refreshing game as his inside out game and three level scoring sparkled. His intense incredible ball handling presented problems for Frankfurt´s on ball defense all day long. Frankfurt held the momentum in the waning minutes getting a lay in from Peters and Crnjac to lead 41-29 at the break. Team captain Alvin Oniya was instrumental in this quarter with his excellent floor general qualities and pretty dimes. “Alvin is a beast. He has a great motor. At both ends. He makes great passes, puts the tempo high an djust has so much energy”, stated Jamie Edoka. Philipp “White Chocolate” Bode made a long shot behind center court, but it didn´t count because time had elapsed. The Skyliners Juniors shot 41% from the field and 17% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 40% from the field and 31% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 12 turnovers. “We stuck to the game plan and defended really well as a team”, said Jamie Edoka.

Philipp Bode from outside

The big turning point came in the third quarter where the Skyliners Juniors ran away with the game and led by as much as 34 points and at the end of 30 minutes led 77-44. The Skyliners Juniors came into the second half focused and reeled off a lethal 22-6 run to extend their lead to 65-38. Edoka began with free throws which was followed by 4 points from Smazak with a lay in and pretty floater. May who had a large cheering gallery in the stands did all he could getting inside and using his physicality for 2 big buckets. However Frankfurt then finally found their outside shot and let it rain three´s as Edoka and Peters let it fly which resulted in 2 three pointers a piece. One has really noticed in the early part of the season that Edoka´s three pointer has really improved. He went 5/9 increasing his confidence. “I have worked so much on my shot. My confidence is very high. I´m fortunate that being able to play at the Pro B level is a good chance for me to take and improve it”, comemnetd Jamie Edoka. The TSV Oberaching Tropics mostly used the defensive zone, but they couldn´t get any stops. Hodovic continued to play his game and scored on the drive again as Oberaching trailed 65-40. However Frankfurt´s offense was simply to well oiled on this night as their confidence kept growing which led to added positive execution. Smazak continued to remain hot as he dropped 5 more points for the 70-40 advantage. The defensive intensity just wasn´t enough to string along some extra stops for some added confidence. It also didn´t help the guests that they couldn´t hit free throws consistently. The team missed 11 on the night and May was extremely unlucky at 2/8. Nikolic added a lay in as well as little used Dutch forward Chris Widmer to end the third quarter. “They tried to give us different looks with their defense. Their zone didn´t work and we found quick shots”, explained Jamie Edoka. “We didn´t defend aggressively enough and had problems controlling the defensive rebound”, commented Dzenis Hodzioc. The Skyliners Juniors shot 47% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 35 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 34% from the field and 22% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

Maxi Peters from outside

The TSV Oberaching Tropics had their strongest quarter in the fourth scoring 28 points, but couldn´t make any real ground to get over the hump allowing 25 points. The fans definitely had no complaints as there were 53 points worth of offense delivered in the last 10 minutes. Frankfurt decreased their defensive intensity a bit in the last frame which led to a Muratovic offensive rebound and put back and Niklas Schuler trey as all of a sudden he was left all alone on the three point line for the trey, but Frankfurt still had the overwhelming 80-50 lead. After a Muratovic trey, it was Frankfurt that released another severe blow with an overwhelming 15-2 run for the 99-56 advantage. In the run, it was Jamie Edoka who responded again finding his range from outside with back to back three´s and two free throws for his own 7-0 run while Smazak continued to produce adding 5 points while Oniya also got into the scoring spree with a lay in as Frankfurt led 99-56. It then took Frankfurt a little time to reach the 100 points as the TSV Oberaching Tropics then made the last punch of the game going on a strong game ending 16-3 run to at least finish the game with some sort of positive feeling. Oberaching added 7 points in a row with a May dunk and 5 points from Hodzic including a trey as Frankfurt led 99-63. Joscha Zentgraf then missed 4 free throws in a row, but got an extra fifth as a opponent ran to early after the free throw. The German finally hit the fifth free throw as Frankfurt had finally reached 100 points. Oberaching finished the game strong then with two more three´s from Hodovic and Muratovic. “We can´t allow fourth quarters like that where we have such a big lead. We have to learn from this and treat the next games fourth quarters with more discipline and treat it like it was 0-0”, warned Jamie Edoka. “We wanted to play our game and did. We stayed together as a team and finished strong”, warned Dzenis Hodzic. The Skyliners Juniors had 5 guys score in double figures led by Jamie Edoka with 25 points while Lukas Smazak had 20 points while the TSV Oberaching Tropics were led by Dzenis Hodzic with 24 points while Max May had 14 points and 10 boards. The Skyliners Juniros shot 48% from the field and 31% from outside and had 52 rebounds and 19 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 37% from the field and 29% from outside and had 32 rebounds and 21 turnovers.

Cooper Creek Shows His 2-Way Player Qualities leading TV Langen To 78-60 Victory over Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg

How totally different 2 early autumns can be, is exactly what Pro B team TV Langen have experienced the last 2 seasons. Last season they were plagued with injury woes and began 0-6, but this season they have been relatively healthy and were sporting a potent 3-1 record and had stamped their game staple early already on the defensive end. With a super duo of Germans Niklas Pons and Henk Droste plus 2 incredible newcomers with beast Noah Kamdem and Australian shooter Cooper Creek, the club led by head coach Tobias Jahn had cemented the foundation of a nice team. Their next opponent were Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg who as always have very young teams and this season´s team was no exception. It was filled with 3 big time German prospects with Lars Danziger, Kenan Youdom and Yohann Tchouaffe. They had started slowly with a 1-4 record, but played Erfurt and Leitershofen close. On a cool early Autumn day, it was actually the guests from Ludwigsburg that shocked TV Langen with a potent first quarter, but couldn´t hold the momentum as two crushing TV Langen runs to begin the second and third quarters paved the road for a convincing 78-60 win. “We had a slow start and were sloppy, even though our defense was solid. We had our first run in the second quarter and then were able to play our game. We relaxed more and executed better on offense taking better quality shots. We worked hard on defense and covered well for each other on the defensive end”, stressed TV Langen forward Cooper Creek (203-F-2001, college: Assumption, agency: Dominion Sports Group). Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg had a strong first quarter, but then had massive problems taking care of the ball and couldn´t find consistency on the defensive end and had problems with their inexperience as they had an average age of 18,7 years. “We started well. We then made young mistakes and couldn´t take good care of the ball. We did a good job holding them to 1/14 in the first quarter, but then couldn´t execute our game plan the rest of the way”, stressed Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg head coach Jordi Salto.

Sebastian Kuhn at the FT line

Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg had a splendid start taking the 7-0 lead and stopping TV Langen on six consecutive possessions. The guests played great defense with very aggressive on ball defense. TV Langen was experiencing extreme pressure which led to two steals by Lukas Modic which led to a transition basket by him and a steal by German U-16 national player Yohann Tchouaffe which led to a dunk by German Daniel Mack. Ex Reutlingen German Thomas Duarte also added a trey. Australian forward Cooper Creek stopped the run with free throws. The aggressive defense by the guests didn´t allow TV Langen to find a rhythm plus their undersized big man Noah Kamdem was being denied the ball in the post. The geusts also was forcing turnovers which didn´t allow TV Langen to find a very smooth offensive rhythm. Here and there, TV Langen got good looks, but shots just didn´t want to fall which can happen to anyone. Ex Sudhessen (NBL) German Kventin Kostan made a tip in to trail 9-4. The guests also got good bench support as young German Sebastian Kuhn hit a trey and 2026 AST winner Kenan Youdam also connected for a three pointer to lead 15-5. Hidalgo added a lay in while Modic a free throw for the 16-8 Ludwigsburg advantage after 10 minutes. “We had a really slow start. We didn´t come to terms with their pressure. They played good defense and forced us to mistakes and didn´t let Kamdem play his game”, stressed Cooper Creek. Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg shot 20% from the 2 point range and 40% from outside and had 15 rebounds and 7 turnovers while TV Langen shot 11% from the 2 point range and 0% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Cooper Creek to the hole

The turning point of the game occurred in the second quarter as a large TV Langen run allowed them to lead in double figures at the break and they would never look back until the end. Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg actually punched first with a trey from 2026 AST winner Lars Danziger, but then came the crushing 15-0 run from TV Langen giving them the 24-19 advantage. In the run, TV Langen did a beautiful job sharing the scoring love as six different players scored. TV Langen finally hit their first three´s of the game as ex Skyliner Junior Niklas Pons connected as did Kostan while ex Leverkusen forward Henk Droste scored inside as did ex Erfurt center Noah Kamdem and ex Speyer guard Carlos Hidalgo. All in all the total intensity from TV Langen was upped and they finally began to hit shots better and made better decisions. TV Langen also rebounded better and were able to put Kamdem into better position to be himself. This quarter proved that basketball is a game of runs as Ludwigsburg weren´t shocked by the TV Langen run and punched back with their own 7-2 run to dead lock the game at 26-26. Danziger became more aggressive attacking the rim scoring twice while Tchouaffe hit from the parking lot. The momentum had swung back over to the guests, but it didn´t stay there long. TV Langen were able to get their game going again closing out the second quarter with a smooth 11-5 run to extend their lead to 48-38. Kamdem and Droste attacked the rim and scored with the first spinning to the hoop like a ballerina while Kostan dropped another trey as he gave timely shots a new meaning. TV Langen played fierce defense in the run getting more steals which put TV Langen into good position to score. TV Langen went into the break with the momentum. “That 15-0 run got us into the game and we kept going with it. Our experience was really key in this quarter. We got Kamdem better into position and when everyone sees the ball going in, it definitely gets everyone going”, stated Cooper Creek. TV Langen shot 43% from the 2 point range and 30% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 10 turnovers while Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg shot 31% from the 2 point area and 31% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 14 turnovers.

Bink De Goede from outside

In the third quarter TV Langen continued to control the game and executed really well on offense while defending consistently and not allowing the guests to find a run. TV Langen came out and punched right away going on a lethal 12-0 run to take the overwhelming 50-28 lead. Hidalgo and Creek hit back to back three´s while Droste remained aggressive always finding cracks in the zone for easy lay in´s. Hidalgo also scored on the drive. TV Langen did a super job putting their feet on the gas pedal from the start while Ludwigsburg came out lethargic, sloppy and had a poor body language. It seemed like their youth and inexperience affected them mentally. Ludwigsburg found some daylight getting a mini 4-0 run with Modic free throws and a Mack offensive rebound to trail 50-32. However TV Langen at this point just stuck together and didn´t allow any big let down, but instead struck back with a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 57-32. In the run, it was great role player Kostan that showed his inside out skills again with 5 points with a trey and lay in while Creek scored with a lay in in traffic. Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg didn´t have many guys on this night that could take over while TV Langen showed that their bench can step up as did young German Mika Kroner who scored twice in the lane on the drive. The ex Wurzburg guard was always in attack mode and was really refreshing to observe as TV Langen had young blood from the bench step up. Sebastian Kuhn and Youdom hit three´s in the last minutes, but the guests couldn´t get over the hump trailing 64-42. “We punched first and played to our mentality. We played great defense and got everyone involved on offense”, added Cooper Creek. “We showed that we are a very young team. We didn´t have any confidence, but we never gave up”, said Jordi Salto. TV Langen shot 48% from the two point area and 47% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 15 turnovers while Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg shot 29% from the two point area and shot 32% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 23 turnovers.

Kventin Kostan from outside

In the fourth quarter TV Langen took their feet off the gas pedal a bit as Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg won the quarter 18-14, but couldn´t get over the hump. TV Langen had the big lead and in the first 5 minutes of the last quarter, it was evident to see that the guests simply didn´t have much fire power support on this night. TV Langen outscored the guests 8-7 sharing the ball well as Kamdem made a lay in and Creek and Kostan added three´s while the guests got all of their 7 points from Modic who was a one man wrecking crew, but couldn´t make any ground as TV Langen led 72-51. The game was decided as in the last minutes the guests got another trey by Kuhn while Mack made a tip in and Danziger a lay in. TV Langen got 5 more points from Cooper Creek and one of the nicest plays of the night happened near the end. Carlos Hidalgo showed his Milos Teodosic passing qualities making a magnificent over the shoulder pass to Creek for the dime and trey. “A month ago I wouldn´t have expected that pass, but now I know I always have to be ready. He looked at me shortly before passing and I had a feeling it might happen. It was like Magic Johnson and very magical”, smiled Cooper Creek. “I told you before the game that I will make a pass like that. It is always easier to do it when your up 20 points”, smiled Carlos Hidalgo. “We showed good mentality in the fourth quarter and never gave up. Having vets like Droste and Pons really helps on the defensive end. We want to develop that defensive mentality where we don´t let teams do their thing for at least a minute”, warned Cooper Creek. TV Langen had 5 guys score in double figures and were led by Kventin Kostan and Cooper Creek with 17 points a piece while Henk Droste added 13 points. Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg were led by Lukas Modic with 16 points while Sebastian Kuhn had 13 points. TV Langen shot 47% from the field and 48% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 22 turnovers while Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg shot 29% from the field and 27% from outside and ahd 41 rebounds and 24 turnovers.

Looking For Blood Is Jeremy Ingram´s Forever Mentality And Getting Incredible Feedback From Dennis Schroeder Was Conformation That He Can Play With Anyone

My basketball love for Jeremy Ingram (183-F-1991, college: AAMU) just doesn´t stop. I mean I will never forget watching and meeting him for the first time in November 2020 in a small town called Idstein and have been covering him for 6 years and 34 interviews/articles for eurobasket/German Hoops have been produced in that time. You just have to Love him. There may not be a more talented guy to ever play in the Regionalliga Germany and never make the Pro B. Despite having a chip on his shoulder that has to be heavier than an elephant, the guy simply has always grinded and kept going. Playing in the Regionalliga doesn´t produce big pay checks, but he has learned over the years that earning money away from his playing career would be instrumental and he has done that with various off the court businesses that has allowed him to keep playing the game he loves. He is playing his 11th season in Luxemburg and continues to dominate at the tender age of 35. The guy is such an incredible competitor and has a heart of Gold and has that special self confidence in his game and himself that has allowed him to be successful on and off the court. “I´m 35 and been training harder than I ever have since I been overseas and my 3 ball is looking better than it ever has so I´m looking to have my best season ever So Don´t sleep on me. I don´t care what age I am when I step on that court I´m looking for blood, that´s my forever mentality”, warned Jeremy Ingram. This past summer he had the golden opportunity again to show the world just how good of a player he is and a confirmation that he is a lot better than in the leagues he has played in Germany, Croatia and Luxemburg as he proved his worth at the LGCY.

The LGCY was brought into life by the help of NBA player Dennis Schroeder which was an event where German national players formed teams that competed on state of the art courts in Berlin and Munich and combined it with entertainment. The event was stocked with a lot of NBA players like Franz Wagner and Isaac Bonga who supported their national team captain Dennis Schroeder. But the teams also needed other players from overseas and Jeremy Ingram who has played overseas for a decade was on board, but how does a guy who played most of his career in the Regionalliga get picked? “This team pretty much reached out to me to see if I was available. I know these guys from the basketball world and from playing in Berlin.”, stressed Jeremy Ingram who currently is in Germany again running his business in Kaiserslautern and Stuttgart. The American who also has balled in Luxemburg and Croatia in the past had to get used to some things he doesn´t usually see in a regular 40 minutes game. The rules had 4 quarters of 5 minutes each and 3 points for a dunk while the floor was of digital glass. “The first round of the tournament took us some time adjusting to the rules and really understanding it but we caught on pretty quick. Always try to get them dunks. The whole light up LED court was amazing and I actually had conversations with the guy who helped design it. It was super dope to play on but it was also very slippery. We were out there skating most of the game but it was still fun”, said Jeremy Ingram. What kind of teams did he play against and was there a club that was toughest to paly against me? “My team played against a Spain team both games and they were pretty decent but non of those guys can guard me. Respectfully”, added Jeremy Ingram.

The incredible one on one player who has a killer cross over to die for had really good players on his team including 4 first division players as well German Shawn Gulley that had Pro A experience. Due to certain circumstances, he had to show different facets of his game, but was there team ball involved or was it more isolation? “The first round of the tournament I had to play point guard so I felt very limited but I had some really good players on my team so I tried to just be a pg. In the 2nd round they brought in different point guards and moved me to the shooting guard and that´s where I got busy. Because I´m a natural scorer. I would say it was more iso because none of us really played with each other before so we didn´t really have too much chemistry on the court to be honest. We practiced maybe once or twice then we had to play so we played more streetball freestyle type of basketball”, warned Jeremy Ingram. The American was able to showcase much in his box including really sweet three´s, but was he overall content with his performance? “I always think I can play better but the way I play is fast and crossing people over but the court was so slippery it was hard to play that style so I just tried to take my shots and ended up going on a little hot streak so I would say I played pretty decent actually. Unfortunately my teammates weren´t able to hit too many of their shots so maybe I tried to take matters into my own hands a little too much. I get like that sometimes”, commented Jeremy Ingram. Was it difficult selecting just one favorite own play from the tournament or was the 3 level scorer who has countless breathtaking highlights each game pick only one? “Easily when I pulled up from like 6 feet behind the 3 point line. It was a heat check shot because I hit a 3 right before that”, remembered Jeremy Ingram.

Being able to battle at the LGCY was a massive stage for Jeremy Ingram. Where would he rank this experience in his all-time best basketball experiences? “I would say the Quai 54 in Paris was probably the all around best basketball event I have played in since I have been in Europe. But the LGCY atmosphere and just the stage and the light up floors was super dope so I rank this right there with the Quai 54”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. There was so much prominence there with guys like Franz Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Andreas Obst so it was only logical that he would network. “Franz was pretty much around us the whole tournament, even our practices. He’s such a cool and laid back guy. I networked with a lot of people and players who play in other countries. I also was hanging with the guy who actually created the LGCY Series, he’s a very cool guy also”, said Jeremy Ingram. He had an amazing LGCY experience on and off the court especially meeting Dennis Schroeder and on the court proving he is a lot better than in any league he has ever played in overseas. “Dennis stayed in the same hotel as me and after watching me hoop came to me in the hotel and said “I heard you played for my team in Braunschweig a few years ago”. So apparently I was doing my thing in the LGCY for them to be talking about me and we took pictures together. That was probably my top moment from the LGCY event. I got respect from almost everyone there and even got respect from Dennis Schroder so that´s my confirmation right there that I was hooping out there. I learned that just because a lot of those guys are in higher leagues than me doesn’t mean they are better than me. I already knew that but playing against guys in this series just confirmed it. I can hang with the best of them”, warned Jeremy Ingram. He may be 35 years old, but still has strong wheels as he is in his 11th pro season overseas with Grengewald Hostert (Luxembourg-LBBL) “I am super excited to be back a part of the Grengewald family and even more excited to help them in the first league this season”, stated Jeremy Ingram. Last season he played with German Mr Regionalliga player Ricky Easterling who last season averaged 12,0ppg in the German Regionalliga with Saarlouis at age 42 while also coaching him in Luxemburg. Both have that killer mid range game. “Ricky and I have known each other for a long time. He is one of the most efficient players I have played against. He was a great player and already shaping out to be a great coach. Got nothing but love and respect for him”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. Could Easterling give him extra motivation to play until he is 40? “ Well I don’t know about playing until I´m 40. Not that I can’t, it´s just my business is becoming so big and the bigger it gets more time consuming, so we’ll see about playing until 40 but I doubt that”, added Jeremy Ingram. Even if he doesn´t play until 40, one should enjoy every new game of Jeremy Ingram in the future, because his game will always be unforgettable.

Even 19 Years Later The Shammond Williams NBA Overseas Suit Look Never Slipped The Mind Of Assistant Coach Albert Oliver(La Laguna Tenerife)

Albert Oliver (187-PG-1978) is a 48 year old 187cm guard that is currently an assistant coach With La Laguna Tenerife. He enjoyed an incredible 25 year career playing 675 ACB games that was spent all in Spain. He played for teams like Caprabo Lleida, Ricoh Manresa, Pamesa Valencia, Asefa Estudiantes Madrid, FIATC Joventut Badalona, Herbalife Gran Canaria 2014, Coosur Real Betis Sevilla, and Monbus Obradoiro CAB scoring 5,211 points in the ACB. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his memories of a ULEB cup game between Valencia and Frankfurt from 2007.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing ex NBA and North Carolina guard Shammond Williams in Frankfurt in 2007

When I say the date December 10th, 2007 Does anything pop up in your mind?

I actually remember that time very well. But not necessarily for basketball, but for another reason. My son was born on December 18th, 2007.

On this day you were in this arena in Frankfurt almost 19 years ago. Now being back does the arena seem familiar again`

It actually looked a little familiar when I first entered for shoot around today. I thought maybe I had played here before. Now I know I played here since you told me.

What does it mean for you to be back here 19 years later?

My first feeling is I´m old now. I was 29 when I played here then. Looking back I think we won. I never lost in Germany before.

I was here in 2007 and so were you. Now were here again in 2026. Does that show how small the basketball world can be at times?

Yes the world is small. I didn´t expect that. We here again 19 years later.

I remember the game really well. I interviewed Shammond Williams and Ruben Williams before the game for my radio show and then called the game on the radio. What about you?

I don´t remember much. I do remember that we had a really talented team with those guys and others.

It was a low scoring game that Valencia won 76-68. Mindaugas Timinskas led Valencia with 20 points. Unlike like tonight which was a shoot out.

He is from Lithuania and played the 3 and 4. Now it seems like everyone is going to the NCAA from Europe. He had done it also back then which was a lot more rare. He had played at Iona. He was a really good shooter, but more important a good person.

Do you remember the 203Cm Derrick Allen of Frankfurt. He had the special ballerina moves.

No I don´t remember him. I played a lot of games in my career.

You had 0 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 14 minutes. It was only the second game in Euro competition that season where you had the goose egg. As a point guard was scoring 0 points less than a problem for you since you were a fine playmaker?

I obviously want to play better and score more, but for me the most important was always getting the win.

You were 29 years old in 2007 so ex NBA player Shammond Williams wasn´t a mentor. What memories do you have of him?

He was a really talented player especially on the offensive end. He was a scoring point guard that could do it all. He was physical and liked playing fast.

I will never forget him. He arrived at the game with a suit on as if he was still in the NBA. What was up with that suit approach?

Yes he was always wearing a suit. Maybe he thought he was still in the NBA. He always dressed like that home or away. He had many suits.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Shammond Williams?

Shammond for sure.

Who was the toughest player that you faced in the ACB in your career?

Elmer Bennett and Jorge Manuel Calderon

Who is your Spanish GOAT?

Juan Antonio San Epifanio.

Thanks Albert for the chat and memories.

Marcelinho Huertas(La Laguna Tenerife) Will Never Forget Having Special Conversations In Spanish And Italian With Kobe Bryant During His Laker Days

Marcelinho Huertas and Miles Schmidt-Scheuber in Frankfurt Germany

Marcelinho Huertas (191-PG-1983) is a 43 year old 191cm point guard from Brazil playing his 23rd season overseas and 9th with La Laguna Tenerife. The Sao Paulo native began his overseas career in 20024 with DKV Joventut Badalona (Liga ACB). He also played with Iurbentia Bilbao Basket (Liga ACB), GMAC Real Estate Bologna (Italy-Serie A), and Caja Laboral Vitoria (Liga ACB). He then played 4 seasons with FC Barcelona (ACB) before making his NBA break through playing 2 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. He then returned to Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz (Spain-Liga ACB) before moving to La Laguna Tenerife. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Eurocup game against German team Skyliners,

Marcelinho thanks for talking to eurobasket.com. You are 43 years old and in your 23rd season after coming overseas in 2004. You are the Lebron James of overseas. What is your secret of being able to compete at the highest level?

There isn´t a secret for me. I live every day like if it was the first day of my career. My dream as a kid was always to be a pro. I never expected to get this far. What keeps me going is simply that the dream inside me is still alive. I couldn´t imagine my life any different. I just go out and play with passion and try my best. Obviously not having many injuries helped my body hold up. I play the sport I love competitively and with pride.

You have played 732 ACB games and retired player Felipe Reyes has the game record with 824. Are you striving to get by him?

That is really something that really doesn´t concern me. For me it was never about chasing something and beating records. I just go out on the court and have fun, be a good leader and be competitive.

You are playing your 8th season with La Laguna Tenerife. What is so special about this organization that has made you remain so long?

I found a place with this organization that I never expected when I arrived. But everything fits with this organization. The club, fans and city are great and my family and I feel very comfortable here since day one. It is simply a great surrounding where the players want to stay for a long time. We compete against the best teams and fight well in all competitions. There is no reason to have to move around like other players do. It is a perfect location and I´m happy.

Your teammate Aaron Dornekamp also loves the team as he is in his ninth season. Have you guys shared a special bond over the years more than other teammates?

We connected here and I already knew him from when we faced each other with our national teams. We have a special bond, but that is also the case with so many of the other guys who have been here a while. We have created a really nice team bond here and we like to be around each other. When one has a winning environment, it makes everything so much easier on the court. We have so many high IQ players that it makes everything easier on the court.

Was winning the Basketball Champions League in 2022 your biggest success with La Laguna Tenerife? What was so special about this team?

That is hard to tell. Winning titles are important and mark a special place. But there have also been so many other moments in my time here. Having 1 great day winning a title can´t replace 8 years. I like being around nice people in a nice environment. There were also other great accomplishments like reaching the ACB semi-finals a lot. Beating Real Madrid as a eighth seed was also very special. I believe having nice ties with your teammates last longer than titles.

You have played often against German teams over the years. How have you observed German basketball over the years and how has it developed in the last 10-15 years?

German basketball has grown so much. I see the results with the national team and they have been great. The teams have been so highly competitive and physical over the years. There are so many so gifted players like a few Brazilians that are playing for the team where I´m a bit bitter. They are a great team with a great future.

Before arriving in Tenerife, you played two seasons with Kirolbet Baskonia Vitoria. There you were teammates with current Euroleague player Johannes Voigtmann. How did you see his development the last two years and why isn´t a guy like him in the NBA?

Joe is such a talented player that can do it all as a big man. He can shoot, hit the 3, pass and play above the rim. He is one of those players where you don´t know how to guard him. He has gotten so much better and comfortable over the last years. He also has played with the best teams. Why he didn´t go to the NBA is a good question. You would have to ask him. Maybe he just knew that his place was in Europe. Sometimes it is better having a good status somewhere instead of having a frustrated dream. He has had a great career in Europe and I believe he is happy with that.

You played in the NBA from 2015-2017 playing 76 games with the Los Angeles Lakers. What kind of experience was that for you? What did you learn most from the experience?

I had to bring my A game each day. There was nothing guaranteed with my situation and I always had to earn my minutes. It was frustrating sometimes when I was in the rotation and out even though I believed that I deserved to be in the rotation. I had to always be ready and could only control what I could and not mess up. I feel like I did the best that I could. I was around incredible players and tried to learn as much as possible.

Was your 10 points and 9 assists in the win against the great Golden State Warriors one of your fondest single game performances? You can always tell your grand children that you beat Steph Curry in a game.

That game was very special for me. Being able to beat the beat team in that era was great. It was so memorable winning and me having an impact in it. That game was my most memorable in my 2 years with the Lakers. I didn´t beat them, but we did it as a team.

You were teammates with the late Kobe Bryant. What was your fondest story with him?

I will always remember Kobe being a really nice guy to me. I was very lucky to share special moments with him in the locker room. We sat next to each other in the locker room and training room. I will never forget having conversations in Spanish and Italian. He liked talking in different languages and not having his teammates know what he was saying. We spoke about random things and had nice private time together. But at the same time, I really respected his space and didn´t try to invade it too much.

What was the best example that you saw in your two year NBA stay that showed that the NBA is a business first and nothing else?

The NBA really is a business. There is so much money and ego´s involved. Clubs are so worried about reconstruction that the feelings for the players isn´t there. Sometimes decisions are made by clubs where the player has no power. Some guys will move to 2-3 teams in a season and that is hard. It isn´t easy for families, but that is part of the business. I was very lucky that I had no problems with that and stayed 2 seasons with the Lakers.

You played 4 years with FC Barcelona from 2011-2015 winning 4 titles. Would it be fair to say that this was the most memorable time in your professional career?

My dream as a kid wasn´t only to be a professional player, but one day to play for FC Barcelona. That dream came true. When I was there, I put in as much effort and competed at a high level and tried to win as much as possible. I had 4 good years, but am disappointed that I never won a Euroleague title. We reached 3 final 4´s. The Euroleague is that one title that I really wanted to win. We really tried our best, but it just didn´t want to happen.

There you played a season with the Lithuanian legend Sarunas Jasikevicius. What memories do you have of his last season. What story do you have of him that you will never forget?

Sarunas is an amazing person foremost and was also an incredible player. When he was there, he was at the end of his career and he was nice to be around. I loved his stories and I was able to learn a lot from him on the court. We are still well connected today and talk often. He is a great coach now and I´m very happy that he is having success now as well.

You played 4 seasons with the Spanish legend Juan Carlos Navarro. What kind of an influence did he have on you and what kind of relationship did you have with him?

Juan was one of the most gifted players that I ever played with. What he did for the FC Barcelona organization and Spanish national team for so many years was out of the ordinary. His ability to score and lead the team was incredible. He didn´t speak much, but he was one of the nicest guys. He is very family orientated. He did so much for FC Barcelona. Being able to be around him and learn so much on a daily basis was very inspirational for me.

You played two seasons at Caja Laboral Vitoria with Dusko Ivanovic at. How do you remember his teaching and what valuable qualities could he give you that helped you become a better player?

Dusko was very important in my career at that time. He shaped me then to be a better playmaker. He taught me how I could put players in position at the right time. His advice made click with me and I believed that I could be a better playmaker. He also taught me to fight through pain and to never give up. He forced me to the limit. I began to see things through a different perspective. I didn´t agree with him at first, but that helped me develop a certain toughness and I learned to bounce back during adversary. I´m really grateful to him.

In your second season you were 22 and a very talented 15 year old Ricky Rubio was on the team. What do you remember him doing in a practice that never left your memory bank?

When you saw him then at age 15, he wasn´t the future, but already the present. He was that good. I saw things from him at age 15 that I didn´t see from players at age 25. His maturity and expertise at that age was extra ordinary. We all understood the hype. He didn´t need to score and made everyone around him better. He was a great leader. He is still playing at a high level today which is really inspirational. I came to the team and was 21 and he was 14. When we saw him practice with his youth team, we were all amazed at what he could do on the court. How he took care of little things on the court were amazing. It was a joy for all to watch. Luka Donic was a bit older when he began to dominate.

How has basketball in Europe changed since your days in Badalona? Is there anything you miss from the early days playing in the ACB?

Today teams play faster. The style also changed more since there are more Americans overseas now. Everyone is running more, quicker possessions and more three´s being shot. It is less structured now and the old fashioned game isn´t as visible anymore. But it is fun to see when teams play each other with different styles. There are more mental battles now. It is like a chess match. All you can do is to adapt as much as possible.

You played a very good World Championships in Turkey in 2010 as well as a very good Olympics in 2012. What tournament do you honestly feel did you play your best?

Our best time with the national team was from 2010-2016. We should of won medals those years, but lost close games that we know that we should of won. We lost because of small details, being nervous and making bad decisions in crucial moments. I really wanted to win a medal for my country. I feel like we deserved more than what we reached.

How memorable was your 32 points in the 2010 World Cup win over arch rival Argentina? Is this a game that you enjoy rewatching?

I never rewatch games of mine. I will watch highlights every so often. I think that when I retire one day, then I will have more time for things like that. I will be bitter and watch my old games and suffer. But I will remember moments like this and live with joy. I will watch my old games then with a different perspective. Now I´m focused most on continuing to learn and improve my game as best as possible.

What has it meant to you being a teammate with Tiago Splitter in the national team and also in Spain? Is he a close second to being the greats Brazilin player of all-time behind Oscar Schmidt?

It is tough to tell since my country has had many great players over the years. I wasn´t alive when we won Gold and Silver medals at the Fiba World Cup. I heard that that generation had incredible players. I watched Oscar play and that generation as well as my generation had great players as well. Spliter had an incredible career being All Euroleague and won an NBA title. His career was cut short due to a hip injury. He could have had a longer and had an even better career. We had so many great players that it wouldn´t be fair to others if he was behind Oscar. But he was one of the best Brazilian players. He had a huge impact.

Please list your 5 all-time best teammates in your career? I´m sure Tiago Splitter is on this list.

It is very hard to name just 5 players since I had so many great teammates. I will list a few bigs since they always made my life so much easier on the court. Tiago Splitter, Ante Tomic who was so smart and my current teammate Giorgi Shermadini. I have an unbelievable connection to him. I owe him a lot. I can name so many others like Rudy Fernandez, Ricky Rubio, Juan Carlos Navarro or Kobe Bryant. I could add 20 more guys.

In the two years that you played in the NBA who was the toughest player you battled and who was your toughest foe in Europe?

In the NBA, I remember Russell Westbrook being so quick and explosive in his prime. Steph Curry also. You blinked and lost him. In Europe, my toughest were Rubio, Diamantidis, Spanoulis, Lull Etc.

Please list your own personal NBA and Euroleague Mount Rushmore.

Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Lebron James And Shaq

Dimitrios Diamantidis, Vasilios Spanoulis, Juan Carlos Navarro, Kyle Hines and Luis Scola

Who is your Goat?

Michael Jordan. Steve Nash and Jason Kidd inspired me growing up.

Thanks Marcelinho for the chat.

The Miles Vs D´Monte Brown Basketball Conversation Volume 3

D’Monte Brown (193-G-2000, college: Langston) is a 193cm guard from Petersburg, Virginia who is playing his first Pro B season in Germany with the Fellbach Flashers, He played his second season overseas with Culture City Weimar helping them move up to the Pro B. He played his rookie season overseas with the BG Aschersleben Tigers (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 24,6ppg, 11,2rpg, 3,8apg, 2,9spg and 1,0bpg. He began his basketball career at Petersburg High School. He then played at 3 schools starting with Garrett College (JUCO) averaging 13.5ppg, 6.4rpg, 2.2apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 90.2% and 20.6ppg, 8.3rpg, 3.5apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 57.4%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 80.9%. He then played a season at Miami Dade College (JUCO) averaging 16.2ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.6apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 82.7% and then played 2 years at Langston University, OK (NAIIA) averaging 11.5ppg, 6.0rpg, FGP: 60.4%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 74.0% and 9.8ppg, 5.4rpg, FGP: 60.9%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 75.0%. He teams up with germanhoops.com to talk basketball every week and bring insight to his overseas journey.

Thanks Dmonte for talking to germanhoops.com. mI forgot to ask you before the game what your nickname was. I called you Mr acrobatic. I hope that was Ok? You were really incredible with your athleticism. What is your proper nickname?

Yes it is nice.

A tough 72-57 loss in Rhondorf. That was not how the team wanted to perform. How tough and long was the ride home? Did you reflect a little on the loss and have ideas what the team could do better in the next game?

It was a tough loss for us. I spent the long ride home trying to think of ways how we can win together as a team.

The first quarter was good scoring from both teams, but the second quarter became more defensive. What adjustments did the teams make?

Both teams were struggling to shoot the three. Both teams were trying to find a rhythm.

The third quarter was back and forth and you had the slim 2 point lead. But in the fourth quarter, they began with a 12-0 run. Did that cut the Fellbach throats?

Yes, big shots win games.

Rhondorf did a good job on Jonathan Zeisberger. How tough was it getting through their wall in the zone in the fourth quarter?

I honestly think that we lost the game on ourselves. We couldn´t defend the three point line and didn´t rebound well. When we take that away, we win for sure.

24 turnovers against Reutlingen and 25 turnovers against Rhondorf. How do you explain the problems of not being able to take care of the ball?

We have to all take care of the ball better.

You had a 23/5/3/2 game but 4 turnovers. Is turnovers your biggest own focus?

I tried to get warmed up, but my biggest focus for this week is to win games and come back stronger and work on everything at practice to be better for this week.

You next play Speyer. They are a tough team. What will be key to getting the win?

We have to believe in ourselves, trust each other and learn from the last two losses. We have to be ready and get better at practice. We have to be focused for Speyer.

Thanks D´Monte for the chat.

Ex NBA Player Kyle Guy Puts On A Show Leading La Laguna Tenerife Past The Skyliners 104-94 In Eurocup Play

The last weeks have been splendid for the Skyliners as they had been winning something very refreshing as in the last years, it was more losing. Currently they were riding a potent 5 game winning streak and had a solid 2-1 record in Eurocup play and were riding a 2 game winning streak in that competition. Their next Eurocup foe was Spanish ACB team La Laguna Tenerife that had a solid 3-1 record in the ACB in second place and were 2-1 in Eurocup action. They are an organization that played in the ACB from 1983-1991 and then left and returned back in 2010. They are a team that had some interesting players with ties to Germany with Tim Abromaitis and Aaron Dornekamp that had very special ties to the Skyliners as he won the Fiba Eurocup with Frankfurt a decade ago. They also had many other interesting players like former NBA players Marcelinho Huertas, Kyle Guy (188-SG-1997, college: Virginia) and Vincent Hunter. On a cool Autumn evening both clubs met in Frankfurt and fans saw a potent first half by the Skyliners and an even stronger second half by La Laguna Tenerife who exploded for 43 points in the third quarter snatching the lead back which set the foundation for the 104-94 Eurocup win. The guests from Span shot only 22% from outside at the break and had 5 turnovers and after 40 minutes finished at 39% and had 8 turnovers. “The summary of the game pretty much was our 10 minutes in the third quarter where we scored 43 points. We finally made shots and made hustle plays. I don´t ever remember scoring so many points in one quarter in my career”, smiled ex Braunschweig forward Tim Abromaitis. The Skyliners scored well for 40 minutes, but allowed more than double the points in the second half than what they allowed in the first half. “One good half and one bad half sums it up for us. We were the better team in the first half playing great team basketball. However in the second half, we really struggled with boxing out and defense”, stressed Skyliner German Radii Caisin. “They punched us first in the first half. We found our game in the second half. We shared the ball nicely and had 26 assists and 8 turnovers and forced turnovers. We haven´t really shot the ball well from outside this season, but tonight we did”, added ex Miami Heat Kyle Guy.

Ethan Happ at the FT line

Both teams began finding a good rhythm in the first possessions of the first quaretr as La Laguna Tenerife got consecutive three´s from sniper Kyle Guy while the Skyliners got a trey from ex Syracuse guard Judah Minitz and an offensive rebound and put back by ex Bonn forward Till Pape. However the Skyliners then went on a 10-2 run to lead 17-8. In the run, Frankfurt upped their defensive intensity and just played real physical which the guests couldn´t come to terms with leading to tough contested shots. The Skyliners shared the ball very well getting 5 points from ex Indiana University (NCAA) forward Race Thompson who sparkled with a massive dunk and trey while ex Syracuse guard Judah found his spots really well early hit a turnaround shot and ex Virginia Tech (NCAA) guard Nahiem Alleyne scored inside on the pretty back door pass from ex NBA player Ryan Archidiacono. The Skyliners stifled Tenerife with their potent on ball pressure and disrupted their pick and roll. The guests couldn´t muster much offense except free throws from ex Wisconsin (NCAA) forward Ethan Happ and a trey by ex Houston (NCAA) guard Wesley Van Beck. The Skyliners counted with a trey from ex St Louis (NCAA) guard Isaiah Swope and Mintz added a floater in the offensive attack as the Skyliners led 22-14 after 10 minutes. “The Skyliners came out more ready and were more physical than us”, said Tim Abromaitis. The Skyliners shot 50% from the 2 point area and 60% from outside and had 11 rebounds and 4 turnovers while La Laguna Tenerife shot 23% from the field and 27% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

Judah Mintz with the mid distance shot

In the second quarter both teams were able to generate runs, but the Skyliners were able to keep the comfortable 43-31 advantage at half-time. The Spanish side had the better start going on a quick 8-2 run to suddenly only trail 24-22. In the run the guests got more aggressive attacking the paint area and had more space to operate something they lacked in the first quarter. Hunter added 4 points with free throws and lay in´s while Kyle Guy scored back to back buckets again only this time both were on the drive. He was able to get to the rim so easily, because his speed was elite. Guy also delivered a sweet no look pass for Hunter´s lay in. Frankfurt let up a bit with their intensity, but woke up as they punched back with a lethal 17-3 run to gain the overwhelming 41-25 advantage. In the run, the German side were led by Judah Mintz who supplied 6 points as his aggressive offense punished the guests, while Till Pape added a trey and ex Chemnitz forward Roman Bedime and Alleyne scored baskets inside. The Skyliners were playing energetic team basketball while on defense remained aggressive and physical, but Tenerife did have some misfortune missing some open looks. The Skyliners couldn´t hold the momentum until the break as the Spanish side finished strong erasing some of the Skyliners big lead going on a 6-2 run to trail only by 12 points. In the run, Tenerife got 3 points from 216Cm ex Euroleague player Giorgi Shemadini and a trey from Uruguay guard Bruno Fitipaldo who is in his eight season with La Laguna Tenerife. “The second quarter was a game of runs. They continued to hit shots well and we didn´t rotate well on defense”, stated Tim Abromaitis. The Skyliners shot 55% from the 2 point area and 41% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 6 turnovers while La Laguna Tenerife shot 38% from the 2 point area and 22% from the three point line.

Till Pape at the FT line

The turning point of the game came in the third quarter as La Laguna Tenerife exploded for a crazy 43 points to lead 74-66. The guests punched Frankfurt first with a lethal 17-5 run to steal the lead back at 49-48. Kyle Guy was instrumental again in the run scoring 8 times as he dropped 2 three pointers and also added free throws. He finished the game as top scorer with 26 points and seems to really enjoy the Eurocup competition. “Every ball I shoot tends to be hit or miss. Airball or swish. I hit my shoots fairly well tonight, I like these rims. It was my night”, stated Kyle Guy. Abromaitis also connected on a trey and Hunter scored again in the paint. Tenerife also began to be more aggressive on the offensive glass getting an offensive rebound and put back from Van Beck while running on transition better getting baskets from Guy and Hunter as Tenerife led 55-54. Frankfurt got 3 points from Mintz and a trey from Thomas Klepeisz to stay close. The guests were defending a lot more aggressively and had an offense that worked like clock work and ball movement that was elite. The Spanish team upped their lead to 72-57 going on a 17-2 run. In the run, they received 7 points from ex NBA player Marcelino Huertas who added 7 points with a pull up jumper and trey after his shot hadn´t fallen in the first half. They also got a trey from Van Beck on transition, an offensive rebound and put back from Abromaitis and a trey from ex Unicaja Malaga guard Jamie Fernandez. However La Laguna Tenerife couldn´t keep the momentum until the buzzer allowing the Skyliners to come back on a 9-2 run to trail by 8 points. In the run, the Skyliners got ood production from race Thompson with 5 points and a lay in by Caisin and free throws by Mintz. Thompson seemed to be on a poster from a Tim Abromaitis dunk or wasn´t he? “That was my first dunk of the season. I don´t think he was on the poster. He was beside me. I´m more concerned about getting the 2 points than a poster”, commented Tim Abromaitis. “They began to hit shots better and we were always a step behind. Their off ball screen also worked better”, stressed Radii Caisin. “We came out with more physicality and with more intensity. We played with more purpose at both ends. We made the needed adjustments”, said Kyle Guy. “We hit our first shots and got more comfortable. We forced more turnovers and made easy baskets”, added Tim Abromaitis. La Laguna Tenerife shot shot 54% from the 2 poi t area and 34% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 51% from the 2 point area and 47% from the parking lot and had 24 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Kyle Guy from downtown

In the fourth quarter La Laguna Tenerife did a super job managing the lead and never allowed the Skyliners to lead by less than 6 points. La Laguna Tenerife were able to extend their lead to 84-69 with a rapid 10-3 run. Kyle Guy remained hot adding 5 points with a lay in and a tough off balance in your face trey of Race Thompson. “Any shot that I take, I have practiced before and I take each shot with the utmost confidence. I always stay level headed. I´m never to high or too low”, commented Kyle Guy. Hunter also added 5 points as Guy also found him once with a pretty no look pass. The Skyliners never gave up and bounced back with a 8-0 run as Bedime and ex Chemnitz guard Will Christmas added lay in´s and Swope hit a trey to trail 84-76. However La Laguna Tenerife always had an answer and just kept the offensive pressure on as ex easyCredit BBL player Tim Abromaitis hit consecutive three´s and Fernandez also added one as the guests led easily 95-81. Time was running down, but Mr Iso Iisaiah Swope gave some added hope for the Skyliners as he scored all points in the 8-3 run to trail 98-89. Swope made 3 free throws a lay in and a trey. After an offensive rebound and lay in by Hunter, Frankfurt countered with Klepeisz free throws and a Caisin lay in to trail only 100-94, but there was less than a minute to play. Tenerife closed out the game with a Van Beck lay in and Fernandez free throws. “We imposed our rhythm and didn´t play too fast. We hit open shots and played good defense until the end”, said Tim Abromaitis. “We never gave up. We played until the end giving 100% and did the best we could”, added Radii Caisin. La Laguna Tenerife were led by Kyle Guy with 26 points. Vincent Hunter added 21 points and Tim Abromaitis and Wesley Van Beck added 13 points a piece while the Skyliners were led by Judah Mintz with 20 points and Isaiah Swope added 15 points. La Laguna Tenerife shot 54% from the 2 point area and 39% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 51% from the 2 point area and 52% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 13 turnovers,

Marvin Nduche(Dragons Rhondorf) Makes Brilliant Pro B Debut Getting the Defensive Seal Of Approval From Offensive Ace D´Monte Brown

Last weekend in the first quarter of the Dragons Rhondorf-Fellabch game, there was an offensive show being put on from athletic scoring guard D´Monte Brown who simply had the hot hand. He demonstrated his 3 level scoring and scored with ease time in and time out again. After 10 minutes, he had paved 14 points on to the stat sheet and it looked like he was on the verge of having a possible career night in the Pro B. He had balled the last 2 seasons in the Regionalliga and averaged 24,0ppg with Aschersleben and Weimar Culture City and even exploded for 40 points against Braunschweig. Could he do it again at a higher level in the Pro B? However at the end of 40 minutes, he had produced 23 points, which was still another good night for him and above his average. It was another good day at the office for him. Dragons head coach Max Becker had made an adjustment and put young German Marvin Nduche (190-SG -2008) on him in the second quarter and he was able to stop Brown on a few possessions and he would score no points in the second quarter as Nduche simple showed lock down qualities. It was also the German´s Pro B debut and it was only logical that he was super focused and motivated to give a memorable performance. He even got a feeling what trash talking feels like at the pro level. “We were talking during the game. He told me it wasn´t easy playing against me and said I´m a really annoying defender”, smiled Marvin Nduche. The German has had that lock down defender in him already in younger youth leagues. “I love to defend the opponent´s best player. I did a good job defending Davi Remagen in the JBBL. I love putting 100% focus on the opponent”, said Marvin Nduche. The German also sparkled against Fellbach´s other great scorer Jonathan Zeisberger blocking him twice. “Marvin is a young great defender that does a lot of the things not seen on the stat sheet. He does whatever the team needs to win and had a big impact against us. He will be great this season. He will prove a lot of players and teams wrong. I´m looking forward to seeing that happen”, warned D´Monte Brown.

After a disastrous fourth quarter and loss in Frankfurt 72 hours earlier, the Dragons Rhondorf returned home and needed a positive reaction against top team Fellbach. After 40 minutes they had begun a new winning streak with an incredible 72-57 win. “We were a bit shakey at the start, but I learned that you can come back with good defense and that is what we did. Our second five did many key things for the win. We played as a team”, stressed Marevin Nduche. The Dragons Rhondorf trailed 47-45 after three quarters, but totally stepped up in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter exploding on a 12-0 run to set the foundation for the win. “Coach Becker told us to stick to the basics and just trust ourselves. We concentrated on Brown and Zeisberger and had the wall in the zone that slowed them down as a team. We had the momentum then, and we were all flying around and played with extreme hustle. Everybody helped each other”, stated Marvin Nduche. At the end of 40 minutes, the stat line of Marvin Nduche read very nicely with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. He had logged 20 minutes and shot 40% from the field and even netted two three pointers. “This game was a lot of fun. I liked playing in front of the fans. I liked how everyone supported each other. If I had to give myself a German school grade mark then it would be a 2”, smiled Marvin Nduche who´s toughest defenders so far in his career have been Noah Koch and Davi Remagen.

The German who compares his game to a mix of Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown is a 17 year old 190cm guard who is playing his third season with NBBL (U-19) team Bonn/Rhondorf. He made big strides last season as he went from averaging 3,5ppg, 1,0rpg, 1,0apg in the 2024-2025 to averaging 10.0ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.5apg, 2.6spg, FGP: 63.2%, 3PT: 26.5%, FT: 71.4% last season. At the same he has the massive challenge of fighting for Pro B minutes which isn´t easy with his competition with Malik Idbihi and Tom Viehofer. “My role with the Pro B is challenge my teammates putting up the intensity in practice and in games always being ready to step up. I´m a defensive motor and like trying to be a lock down defender, but at the same time also being able to display my offensive skills”, warned Marvin Nduche. His strengths on the court are visible and he understands that being in the lab is very important now for his future development. “I would say my catch and shoot three is my biggest strength on offense and my on defense just not letting my guy get by me and just being on him at all times. I want to get better at taking more responsibility on offense and being able to beat my defender better on 1-1 situations”, commented Marvin Nduche. He also has exact visions of what his future is and do the other young teammates motivate him to work harder? “My goal is definitely to become a pro. Guys Like Malik Idbihi and Carlo Schmid definitely motivate me. We are best friends”, added Marvin Nduche. It will be interesting to observe how Marvin Nduche continues to develop this season. One thing is for sure. It will be an extra treat to visit the Dragon Dome as new performances of his like against Fellbach will surely happen again.