Month: March 2011

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Look For Their 7th Win In A Row And The Walter Tigers Tuebingen Might Need Some Special Igor Perovic Serb Luck March 16th?

With a stimulating and emotional 6 game winning streak in the last weeks, business on the basketball court had been going as well for The Walter Tigers Tuebingen as it has been for FC Schalke recently reaching the Cup final and Championsleague quarterfinal, Minnesota Timberwolve center Kevin Love keeping his double double streak alive from November 22nd to March 13th and Jerel Mcneil getting rewarded with his strong play in the D League with Rio Grande Vally Vipors and getting a 10 day contract from the New Orleans Hornets, but since the 40 point loss in Bamberg, 18 point loss in Giessen and losing American center Kenny Wiliams and not having a 100% fit Chris Oliver, it seems like the team could use some luck against The Deutsche Bank Skyliners on Wednesday March 16th, becuase Tuebingen is still battling to reach the 2011 BEKO BBL playoffs. Likeable Walter Tigers Tuebingen coach Igor Perovic might want to turn to some Serb superstition like wearing his underwear inside out at the game since it will bring luck. Superstition or not, The Walter Tigers Tuebingen will have to be ready for another hard fought duel as the Deutsche bank Skyliners will be seeking their 7th win in a row and with their current hot play, Tuebingen coach Igor Perovic will take any luck even hoping that bread at the Skyliner breakfast be left upside down could bring them misfortune. “Well, every team deals with injuries. I dont know about superstition, but the only thing Tubingen can do is go out and play hard. Even though they have injuries, they can still fight for a win if they are confident and not worrying about the losing streak”, warned MBC American Wayne Bernard. The question will be how much did the two loses to Bamberg and Giessen effect the club as well as the injury to American Ken Wiliams? “I dont think it will affect them one bit. Bamberg is a machine and when that final buzzard sounded I’m sure it was in the back of there mind knowing that they are fighting for a playoff spot. Kenny gives them solid rebounding off the bench and does a lot of dirty work for them. Other players have to step up now and we will see who is able to do it for them”, warned John Bynum.

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Another Typical Day At The Office For Dashaun Wood Displaying A Strong Combination Of Monta/Kemba/Lebron Stats As The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Outgrind BG Goettingen 88-82

This season, it has become a fact that Skyliner Dashaun Wood has been reigning the BEKO BBL and has been as dominant in his sport as internet hero Mr facebook Mark Zuckerberg is with his company worth of 23 billion, Sergey Brin co founder of the search engine Google and Jimmy “jimbo” Wales who came up with the unique website Wikepdeia as his net worth is calculated at 25 million in their jobs. Wood might not be making the astronomical sums of these internet junkies, but his worth to The Deutsche Bank Skyliners is seen each weekend as he is the motor that makes the Frankfurt engine run so smoothly at all types of precarious situations and on top of that his engine is as vital to the club as that of a X-43 plane. Wood has to see different defensive guard formations on him each weekend, but he always finds a way to have great games. Against BG Goettingen, he didn´t have to put up with organized chaos, but moreover a controlled pressure that gave Frankfurt some problems in the first half, but in the second half as if somebody had ordered him to finally take control, Wood showed why he is the 2011 BEKO BBL MVP leading his team to a 88-82 win. It doesn´t really matter what type of pressure defense BG Goettingen hurled at Wood, the American was able to escape all danger as if a halo was over his head at all times. BG Goettingen coach John Patrick was sad about the loss, but in awe about the play of Wood. “I have been coaching 12 years now, but Wood is about as close to unstoppable as I have ever seen. We tried to use so many different strategies on him, but nothing seemed to work. I thought we did a pretty good job on him, but his 25 points and 12 assists shows how good he really is”, stressed BG Goettingen skipper John Patrick. “Wood is a great player. He hit a couple of three pointers and then the basket gets a lot bigger. We wanted to keep him out of the lane, but that was easier said than done”, added BG Goettingen guard Trenton Meachem. Wood teammate Quantez Super Tez Robertson, who might be a regular in the highlight films, but knows who the real BEKO BBL MVP is. “Wood didn´t make many shots in the first half, but got us going. In the second half, he hit big shots and got to the free throw line. For me he is the BEKO BBL MVP and has a big lead over the other players”, warned Quantez Robertson.

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Michael Jordan (Giessen 46ers): We Have To Play Hard, Smart And Together For 40 Minutes Against Tuebingen

33 year old Michael Jordan is a 183cm guard from Philadelphia. He played at the University of Pennsylvania graduating in 2000. His first two years found him jumping around leagues in France and Spain before he found a new home in Germany with TSV Quackenbruck. In the 2002-2003 season, he helped lead Quackenbruck into the BBL with exceptional stats in 30 games, 21.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 6.9 apg. He helped turn The Artland Dragons into a playoff team in the 2004-2005 season as they lost the BBL Quarterfinal playoff series to The Opel Skyliners in five games. That season he averaged in 34 games: 11.1ppg, 3.4rpg, Ast-1(6.4apg), 1.3spg, 2.6bpg, 2FGP: 52.5%, 3FGP: 31.3%. The next season, he was released by The Artland Drgaons, but went to Rhein Energie Cologne and won the BBL championship in 2006 averaging in 33 games: 9.8ppg, 2.3rpg, Assists-4(4.1apg), 1.0spg, 2FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 40.3%, FT: 52.2%. The next season, he went to Italy and played at Cantu where he led the league in assists and averaged in 37 games: 13.8ppg, 2.7rpg, Assists-1(5.2apg), 2.0spg, 2FGP: 54.6%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 74.0%. The next season, he played in Belgium for Charleroi averaging in 15 games: 9.5ppg, 1.6rpg, 3.6apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 90.0%;. He had injury problems and finished the season in Greece with PAOK. In 2008-2009 after a very short stay in Israel, he played a few months in Bamberg before going to the Cologne 99ers averaging 10,5ppg, 2,4rpg and leading the BBL in assists with 6,2apg. Last season, he played for Phoenix Hagen helping the team remain in the BEKO BBL. He played 16 games: 8.9ppg, 2.3rpg, Assists-5(5.3apg), FGP: 44.2%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 73.3%. This season he started with MBC before going to the Giessen 46ers recently. He spoke to German Hoops before the game against The Walter Tigers Tuebingen March 12th.

The Giessen 46ers are coming off a tough 81-62 loss against The Deutsche Bank Skyliners. How well has the club digested the loss the last days?

Our last 2 losses have been very hard to digest, but I think we have focused in on what we need to do and are ready to prove ourselves in the next games. The intensity and focus in practice this week has been a lot better. Coach has us ready for the next opponent.

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Can The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Withstand BG Goettingen And New John Patrick Surprises Out Of His Lokcave March 12th?

In the last weeks, it seems like intriguing point guard duels Wood-Rice and Wood-Jordan have jumped into the foreground of the pre game chat of The Deutsche Bank Skyliners, but this weekend when BG Goettingen glide into the Ballsporthalle, chatter might evolve around a non player challenge , but more of a fierce coach joust between Gordon Herbert and John Patrick. The Canadian Skyliner skipper Herbert is a coach that is able to get the best out of each individual player no matter the circumstances while Patrick has the talent to keep forming strong teams despite a little budget and the constant coming and going of players each season. BG Goettingen won the Eurochallenge last season and this season is a silent favorite to win the Eurocup. Somehow one has the feeling that Patrick who coached one season in Japan for Toyota Alvark winning the league title, that he has his own type of Patrick cave(Bat cave) under the mysterious Lokhalle where he secretly is able to form college players into BEKO BBL top players as he has demonstrated in the last years with guys like Chris Oliver, Taylor Rochestie, Dwayne Anderson and Jason Boone. Coaches in the BEKO BBL might be wondering what dazzling potions the American is brewing up and helping his players develop so rapidly? “I’d call the potion Patrick’s Cola, named after the ever-so-popular Coca-Cola. Because he is able to take ingredients (players), put them in a bottle (a team), and make it successful without anybody knowing the recipe”, joked MBC American Wayne Bernard. The magic of the BG Goettingen coach isn´t only present in his halo Patrick cave, but in the off season. “I think he does a great job doing research on his players that he is bringing in and they all buy into his system. All of his players seem to play hard for him and that style of basketball is attractive to most players”, added TBB Trier guard John Bynum. Patrick also has been able to have his club reach realistic goals in international play the last two years. “I think it has to do with the players buying into the system and they are a tough team to prepare for. They have a lot of versatile players at the 3/4 spot and cause match up problems for a lot of teams that have traditional players down low and they come at you with pressure with there guards and dont let up”, stressed John Bynum.

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Jevohn Shepherd (Deutsche Bank Skyliners) Has A License To Fly To The Hoop And No Cinderella Reality Hanging On His Shoulders

In the last 10 months, the basketball career of 24 year old Canadian Jevohn Shepherd has been sort of a whirlwind like that of Bayern goalie Thomas Kraft who was always in the shadow of Hans Jorg Butt and then got the call, 19 year old soccer player Andreas Merkel who came to Germany from Kazakhstan and lived in a village in the Westerwald and now is getting press in Germany after being discovered by AC Milian and recently playing Champions League or actress Gabourey Sidibe going from Americas got talent to being nominated for a Golden Globe for Precious. Last summer Shepherd who had graduated from Michigan played in Canada in Halifax, the gateway to the Atlantic for the Rainmen possibly enjoying the breathtaking city street scapes often used for motion pictures to stand in for other cities that are too expensive to work in and then a few months later mixing it up for the Canadian national team at the World championships in Turkey with top basketball players like Marc Gasol, Boris Diaw or Linas Kleiza. He then started off the 2010-2011 basketball season in Germany in the PRO A for the Giroballers Live Osnabrueck and a few weeks ago played against Chemnitz against Americans like Gary Johnson and Ty Law and a few days ago against the Giessen 46ers against Michael Jordan and with ex NBA player Roger Powell. Despite all this excitement, it seems like the friendly Canadian is taking it all in stride despite looking at me a bit lost in the expression in his eyes as I was flooding him with German in the post game radio interview, but he then showing some relief as the English came in the translation. “I am extremely excited this is a great club to be apart of and to be able to be apart of it is a great opportunity I cant really express much more how excited I am .I felt comfortable in my first game. Frankfurt has a good group of guys that talked to me a lot. Coach prepared us well and there was adjusting to do since this league is a lot more physical and the players are smarter”, stressed Jevohn Shepherd.

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The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Get Extra Energy By The Marius Nolte Lego Man As They Win Their 8th Game In A Row In Giessen 81-62

Playing in the Hessen Derby in the Osthalle is always something extremely fascinating with the Frankfurt-Giessen rivalries like a Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees, Boca Juniors-River Plate or AC Milan-Inter Milan battle, because it doesn´t only bring out the best in the players, but also with the fans. The Osthalle is never an easy place to play in because the location can be as hostel and brutal as being stuck on 5th avenue in New York in rush hour, having to survive the blizzard of 78 in New England or hanging out in front of Yankees stadium after a New York loss and chanting New York sucks. The atmosphere was incredible as usual and stayed in the heads of the players, but The Deutsche Bank Skyliners had less problems as they out played the Giessen 46ers 81-62. “The atmosphere was great and the perfect place to play a derby game. The atmosphere in Giessen beat many big places in the league”, added Skyliner forward Kimmo Muurinen. “I had played in many tough places in the PRO A, but I had never really experienced a place like Giessen. We had great support from the fans tonight”, said Skyliner Air Canada Jevohn Shepherd. “It was a derby game, but we didnt give the fans anything to cheer about. If we dont play well then they are not satisfied which effects the atmosphere. I have played in a better atmosphere”, stated Giessen forward Elvir Ovcina. Frankfurt won their fifth game in a row and keep showing that they are the second best team in the BEKO BBL. “We simply sucked tonight. We could´t execute on offense or defense. We let them do what they wanted to. We play harder in practice. They outworked us and deserved to win”, stated Giessen 46er guard Michael Jordan. Frankfurt continues to look like a fine tuned Ferrari thats ready to win the Monte Caro Grand Prix. “It all looks so easy for us because we have a great coach who prepares us well with the game plan. We play for each other”, stated new Canadian national player Jevohn Shepherd.

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The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Want To Prevent The Giessen 46ers and Michael The Fireman Jordan From Putting Out The Next Frankfurt Fire On The Court

The Hessen derby as a whole is the main course this weekend in the 25th BEKO BBL game day as The Giessen 46ers host The Deutsche Bank Skyliners as Frankfurt try to win their 8th game in a row in Giessen on Saturday March 5th. The last win for the home team, they were called Avitos Giessen and BJ Mckie was top scorer. The spunky guard duels continue each weekend as last weekend it wasthe lightening quick Dashaun Wood against Mr floater Tyrese Rice and this weekend it will be Dashaun Mr road runner Wood against Michael the fire fighter Jordan going head to head to see who can lead their team to victory. “Well I guess you have to say that Jordan is trying to put out the flame in all that speed that Wood has”, laughed John Bynum. Wood is an early MVP candidate in the BEKO BBL and Frankfurt would be as lost and helpless without as Paris Hilton would be without her lear jet, St Elmos Fire actress Demi Moore without Twitter and 1990 World Cup champion Loather Mathaeus without young girls. Michael Jordan is with his 6th team in Germany and saved Phoenix Hagen last season from moving down to the PRO A and returns to his next tour of duty with his fire truck and uniform ready to douse the fire and problems and keep The Giessen 46ers in the BEKO BBL. “He seems to put out fires when the team is on fire meaning he comes in with that water hose and saves the day. He just brings a lot to the table, his experience and his competitiveness rubs off on his teammates. He always wants to wins and it rubs off on his team”, added John Bynum. Jordan has that big smile and carefree demeanour on the outside, but in the inside, he is as focused to keep Giessen in the BEKO BBL like Kevin Garnett is every single game wearing the green, Tom hanks is preparing for a movie like Philadelphia or ex President Bill Clinton is deciding to chose Mcdonalds or Burger King as his next munching stop. The roadrunner and the fire fighter already met in the Ballsporthalle, but the Osthalle will be a whole different atmosphere for both competitors. “It will be a competitive match up, Wood brings the heat and MJ doesnt back down from anyone. It will be interesting by all means, because both are great players”, stressed TBB Trier guard John Bynum. The question remains is his big smile more an advantage or disadvantage for teams? “Well considering he has all those teeth, it is tough to beat, but at the same time I do have a cute smile but not as much teeth though. I’m not sure if it is an advantage or disadvantage but playing against him you dont want to see that smile cause that usually means they are winning the game”, joked John Bynum.

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Jacob Jaacks(Telekom Baskets Bonn): I Feel Like Sometimes I Pass Too Much When I Should Be Shooting

Jacob Jaacks is a 33 year old 208cm forward from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He played at Iowa(NCAA) from 1998-2000. He started his professional basketball career in 2000 with Limoges (France-ProB) and then played for St. Quentin (France-ProB): 28 games: 18.4ppg, Reb-1(11.5rpg), 2.3apg, 0.9spg in 2001-2002. In 2002-2003, he started a long career in Italy as he played for Acqua Lauretana Biella (Italy-SerieA): 12.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 67.4% 2, 48.6% 3 (1.7 made a game), in 29.5 mpg. In 2003-2004, he played for Edimes Pavia (Italy-Lega2): 23 games: 12.0ppg, 9.8rpg, 1.0apg, in March ’04 moved to Calefacciones Farho Gijon Baloncesto (Spain-LEB1): 5 games: 15.4ppg, 5.4rpg. In 2004-2005, he played for Lauretana Biella (Italy-SerieA): 32 games: 11.3ppg, Reb-5(8.2rpg), 1.6spg, 2FGP: 62.4%, 3FGP: 33.3%,. In 2005-2006, he played for Amatori Snaidero Udine (Italy-SerieA): 33 games: 11.1ppg, 7.7rpg, 1.8spg, 2FGP: 65.4%, 3PT: 29.5%, FT: 52.4%. In 2006-2007, he played for Amatori Snaidero Udine (Italy-SerieA, starting five): ULEB Cup: 10 games: 11.6ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.2apg, 2FGP: 62.7%, 3FGP: 55.6%, FT: 75.9%; Italian League: 32 games: 11.0ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.0apg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 56.2%, 3PT: 34.8%, FT: 67.6%. In 2007-2008, he played for Besiktas ColaTurka Istanbul (Turkey-TBL), in Oct.’07 signed by BC Kyiv (Ukraine-Superleague): Ukrainian Superleague: 18 games: 5.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 2FGP: 53.0%, 3PT: 42.0%, FT: 70.0%; ULEB Cup: 11 games: 5.9ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 57.1%, 3PT: 20%, FT: 64%. In 2008-2009, he played for Banca Tercas Teramo (Italy-SerieA): 31 games: 6.2ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.1spg, FGP: 59.4%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 83.9%. Last season, he played for Hapoel Afula (Israel-Premier League): 13 games: 7.6ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 65.2%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 68.6%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

The Telekom Baskets Bonn have a solid 9 man rotation but it seems like often the club is carried by Nic Wise, Folarian Campbell and Jeremy Hunt. Is it not dangerous to always rely on them for scoring input?

We seem to depend on them in many games and we need to find a balance in our play. We have a lot of young players and other guys that step up when they might have an off night.

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Jimmy McKinney(Deutsche Bank Skyliners): Every Player Has Been A Hero This Season

Jimmy McKinney is a 26 year old 192cm guard from St Louis. He is a is a solid knock-down shooter, but also can score from penetration and with rim-rattling dunks. He played at Vashon High School winning the State tournament three times. He played at Missouri from 2002-2006 with well known players like Ricky Paulding, Travon Bryant and Jason Conley. In his senior year he played 28 games averaging 12.6ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.3apg, FG: 40.6%, 3PT: 35.5%, FT: 78.2%. He turned professional in 2006 and joined the Deutsche Bank Skyliners. In his rookie season, he played 30 games averaging 12.3ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.6apg, 2FGP: 44.9%, 3FGP: 38.5%, FT: 77.2%. He is playing his fifth season in Frankfurt and spoke to German Hoops before the game against The Giessen 46ers March 5th.

Congrats on the superb 83-72 win against The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig. Where does the team find this energy despite not having Pascal Roller and Dominik Bahiense de Mello?

We are showing a lot of character and very much mental toughness.

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