Tre Bowman is a 23 year old 196cm guard from York, Pennsylvania that will be playing his second professional season and first in Germany with the ETB Wohnbau baskets Essen. Last season as a rookie he played for Zornotza Saskibaloi Taldea (Spain-LEB Silver): 26 games: Score-3(16.0ppg), 3.5rpg, 1.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 82.4%. He started his basketball career in 2010 with Penn St. (NCAA) where he played 16 NCAA games. He then transferred to Iona(NCAA) and played there from 2012-2014 playing a total of 64 NCAA games and as a senior played Iona (NCAA) played 32 games averaging 13.9ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 40%, FT: 79.0%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Congrats on signing with German Pro A team ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen. As a rookie you played for Zornotza Saskibaloi Taldea (Spain-LEB Silver). Were you ever able to pronounce your Spanish team correctly last season?

Yes, I learned very quickly how to pronounce Zornotza Saskibaloi Taldea. Zornotza Saskibaloi Taldea is a wonderful organization. I learned how to pronounce their name before I arrived; I was really excited about the opportunity, and beginning my professional career.

You come from the third league to the second league in Germany. What were the main reasons on signing with the ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen?Have you been able to talk with ETB Wohnbau Baskets head coach Igor Krizanovic? What was your first impression of him and how vital do you see your scoring ability to be?

During the offseason my main goal was to play for a team where I could continue to learn, and contribute. After speaking with Coach Krizanovic, and researching the teams winning tradition I quickly realized I wanted to be a part of it.I thought it would be fantastic to be in another environment where I could just focus on playing basketball, and be a part of a team that had an expectation of wining. Coach Krizanovic really seems like a Coach that will really teach me a lot, and will create a environment for me to continue to develop. I think if I can continue to work hard I can play a significant role on the team, and really help the team win games.

The German Pro A is very competitive and seems to be getting better and better and the Spanish Silver league isn´t too shabby either. How confident do you feel that you can be a game changer in the German pro A?

Pro A is a great league, I’m really looking forward to giving my best every game- I know good things happen when I do my best.

Three great attributes to your game is your shooting, athleticism and work ethic. What else do you bring to the table that will help the ETB Wohnbau Baskets be successful this season?

I appreciate your critique. I really don’t feel like I have peaked in any category yet. With the exception of my work ethic, every category you mentioned I still work on every day during the summer. I feel my ball handling, and passing is really something I worked on often in Spain. I was able to utilize this by bringing the ball up at times and getting our team into sets. I will do anything to help contribute to the team winning, so I will bring any and everything I have to the table.

What is a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t always get noticed on the court? Is your defense and free throw shooting at times overlooked?

It’s really hard for me to honestly say what parts of my game go unnoticed; I’m not really a guy that focuses on what other people think of my game if it isn’t a coach making a suggestion. I really focus on parts of my game that give my team the best chance of winning. Free throw shooting and defense are really emphasized in the Spain basketball system, I believe my coaches constantly pushing me to improve these aspects were very valuable in my development.

What was your wake up call to being a rookie in Spain last season where you knew you were very far away from home in York or New York city?

That is a great question, and I really felt I was aware of my settings from the very first day I walked off the plane. Spain is very different from New York, but I quickly adapted; I learned to appreciate the cultural aspects in Spain very quickly. It’s a wonderful country!

Where does your buzzer beater against FC Barcelona 2 rank in your biggest shots in your career?

That was an exciting game for my teammates and I. That game was fun because we opened up the season wining 5 of 6 games. I was really happy we won that game because we won the next game too, which made three in a row. I would definitely place that as one of my top shots.

Did you ever kid your friends at home saying you hit a buzzer beater against one of the top teams in the world with FC Barcelona however not mentioning it was their second team? Lol

Hahaha. Well I actually never got the opportunity to mention it. Most of my friends play professionally as well, so we usually battle each other on the court and rarely speak about the season. I can tell when my friends have a good season by the way they play when they return home. I hope they could see the improvements in my game as well.

You started your college career at Penn State in 2010. Was this always the plan to go to school in your own home state? Why was your freshman season there nothing like what you expected it to? Did you and head coach Pat Chambers not see eye to eye?

I thought Coach Chambers was a fair coach, it’s very difficult at that age to really find a program that will evolve with your game because you are still growing as a player and person. I loved being close to family and friends; I was very young when I attended Penn State. I think at that stage of my life being close to home was a good thing. I don’t have anything negative to say about Coach Chambers, I appreciated Penn State for bringing me into their system, and I’m happy I was able to briefly compete in my home state.

Penn State had talented players like Jeff Brooks and Talor Battle who has played in Germany in the Beko BBL. You then played at Midland JC in the 2011-2012 season. How important was this season for restarting your college career and moving on to Iona?

I think Penn State did a great job recruiting talented guys. I enjoyed competing against them, and I’m sure it helped my game. Midland was a good opportunity for me, and I learned lots from their coaching staff. Again, I’m very grateful they gave me an opportunity, and everyone truly helped me develop. Iona is just filled with coaches that love the game of basketball; everyone is a classy professional there. Iona has a very rich tradition of producing good players. There is no doubt that they helped mold and put me on a path to succeed.

You had a stellar two year career at Iona(NCAA). You won the MAAC tournament in 2013, but did the 2014 final appearance somewhat taint your career in the end? How much did it hurt not ending your career with the win?

It still stings to this day. There is an expectation of wining every game at Iona. I feel like I learned from that loss, and do everything in my power now not to have that feeling of disappointment again. That game still inspires me to this day.

Did the fact that you were in the shadow of Sean Armand and AJ English help your game putting the pressure off you a bit?

I know we were able to feed off of each other’s energy on a daily basis at Iona, I enjoyed competing against the two of them in practice. I also enjoyed going to war with them in games. Everyone on the team played a role and we all held each other accountable, so we were all under pressure to live up to the coaching staff’s expectations, and our own expectations for each other. The pressure was always on, but we embraced it by wining a championship together.

Sean Armand had a great rookie season with the Fraport Skyliners and now will play his second season in Turkey. What are your fondest memories with him and what could you learn from him on and off the court?

I’m very excited for Sean, and I know he deserves his success because I watched him work very hard. I believe my most memorable moments with him and the team are the moments we shared before the ball was tipped every game. I could see the expectation of wining every game in his eyes, and I know that is something we all have taken with us at the professional level.

Who would win a one on one in practice you or Sean Armand?

ME!! haha it would be a great competition though.

How did Tim Cluess prepare and groom you best for a professional basketball career?

I loved Coach Cluess. He is really a remarkable guy. The entire coaching staff at Iona including Assistant Coach Grasso- are really wonderful people. Coach Cluess really influenced my game and my person, I will always be grateful for the lessons he taught me, and the way he embraced me. I love them all.

You had a workout with the Houston Rockets in 2014 where Arizona player Nick Johnson was also present. Are you a bit sad that the NBA didn´t happen for you? Do you still dream about this happening?

I don’t really look at it a rejection. That experience just gave me a glimpse of what the next level will be like. I aspire to be the best basketball player I can be on a daily basis, I know my work ethic will help me attain my dreams. However, my goal is just to improve on a daily basis.

How vital has your trainer Andre Oupoh been for you? Where would you be physically now if he wasn´t guiding you?

Andre is a great guy, I really enjoyed working out with him last summer. He really pushed my conditioning, and that helped me going into my rookie season.

How does a summer workout plan look like for you on and off the court in 2015?

Oh currently I train about three times a day. But on days I have pro-am I typically get the weight room in during the morning, and skill-development in the afternoon. The actual pro-am game is my night cap.

What is the state of Lebron James in 2015? Do you feel like he will ever be mentioned in the same breath as Michael Jordan?

Lebron is absolutely one of the greatest players I have seen. I was inspired by his effort in the first few games of the finals.

What was the last movie that you saw?

To be honest I haven’t watched a movie in years, I really can’t remember the last one I have seen. Training eats up most of my time, and during our down time we are usually going through film. During the summer I enjoy watching old film of players; my father has a vast collection of great players on tape. This summer I really enjoyed studying some of Oscar Schmidt a prolific European scorer, and also my favorite D Wade. As a perimeter player I really can learn a lot from their shot selection, and flawless techniques.

Thanks Tre for the chat.