Virgil Matthews is a 32 year old 188cm guard from Federal Way, Washington that is playing in Germany in the PRO A for BV Chemnitz in his second season. Last season for BV Chemnitz he played BV Chemnitz 99 (Germany-ProA) 30 games averaging 14.3ppg, 5.7rpg, Assists-2(6.1apg), Steals-4(1.8spg), FGP: 56.5%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 71.4%He played at Montana (NCAA) and in his senior year played  31 games: 10.1ppg, 4.6rpg, 4.0apg, 1.7spg, FG: 49.8%, 3PT: 48.4%, FT: 76.1%. In 2006-2007, he turned professional and came to Germany and played for KICKZ Muenchen Basket (Germany-2.Bundesliga): 29 games: 18.0ppg, 6.1rpg, 5.2apg, 2.6spg, 2FGP: 57.3%, 3FGP: 31.8%, FT: 66.5%. In 2007-2008, he played for Tacoma Jazz (IBL). In 2008-2009, he returned back to Germany and played for Schwelmer Baskets (Germany-Regionalliga). In 2009-2010, he played for Olympia Reign (IBL, starting five): 21 games: 23.1ppg, 7.2rpg and for Seattle Aviators (NABL).In 2010-2011, he played his first season for Erdgas Ehingen playing 32 games: 11.6ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.6apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 57.6%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 71.3%. He would play until 2014 with Ehingen playing 126 games with three seasons in the Pro A an done in the Pro B. He spoke to German Hoops before the start of the 2016 Pro A playoffs.

 

Virgil thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on a strong season and reaching the playoffs in your second try with BV Chemnitz. How thrilled and proud are you of this accomplishment?

We are very thrilled especially to bring playoffs here to the fans who are so supportive of us they deserve it, but we are focused and concentrating on trying to win not just being happy with being here.

Congrats on the 82-69 win against the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. Is there anything better than sweeping a season series when you beat a professional basketball team?

Winning a season series is always good its so hard to do even against bottom teams every game is tough especially on the road so you can’t them for granted.

BV Chemnitz pretty much secured the win in the second and third quarters letting up only a total of 26 points after giving up 25 points in the first quarter. What adjustments did the team do on the defensive end to get the team going?

We played better offense which helped us not allow them to get out into transition we made a little tweak but nothing major. Getting into the flow is also part of it after such a long trip takes a bit to get to that level we want to be at.

BV Chemnitz hauled down 53 rebounds. Was this one of the best games that the team had on the glass this season?

Yes it was! Rebounding hasn’t been our strongest trait this season so it was nice to dominate the glass like we did.

In the last interviews we talked about you getting your triple double and you finally did in the last regular season game. Was there any point in the game where you knew that you might have the chance of getting it?

The game was still too close to ever get comfortable and think about stuff like that and the game was to get into the playoffs so that was the main thing on my mind. Afterwards its nice to look up and see that though.

If you look back at your career in Germany, can you ever remember getting 17 rebounds in a game?

Never! I’m pretty sure that has never happened to me crazy to find out about that at the end of the game.

Now BV Chemnitz meets powerhouse team Science City Jena. This season you were swept by them? You lost by 30 in the first game and recently by three points. Does that give the team added confidence going into the series?

Playing a team close always gives you confidence especially in their place, I’m sure they will have a good plan and they have a good coach who will have them ready. So even with confidence we have to be ready to play hard and match their intensity

Science City Jena did a pretty good job on you as you had 9 turnovers in the two games. How focused are you personally going into this series to show the league that you can make the upset and lead the team to the win and belong to the top players in this league?

Yea I turned the ball over way too much this season and Jena does a good job. I’m focused and concentrated on doing the best I can for the team.

Your not getting any younger so striving for that title gets bigger and bigger with time. Do you see BV Chemnitz as being a championship team this season?

We feel that at our best we can beat anyone so if we can do that maybe we have a chance, but now we just focus on the first game versus Jena.

Science City is the best defensive team in the German pro A. What is going to be key to picking apart the defense in a possible five game series?

Keys are always the same take care of the ball and get out in transition, easy baskets are important against good defenses.

How key will it be to keep Marcos Knight in check. What does he give Science City Jena that they didn´t have before he arrived?

Its very key he’s great at attacking the rim slashing and scoring, he does a lot for them. He adds another slasher and scorer that they lost with Hewitt and he fit in their system without problems which helps.

Were you surprised by so many upsets in the NCAA March Madness? Is there more parity with NCAA schools than possibly in the past?

I think there are more lower level teams who can beat power teams on any given night and have no fear, but overall power teams are still power teams as we see by the final 4 teams.

Who will march to the NCAA final with teams Villanova, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Syracuse?

Really have no idea I will say UNC because I’ve heard they have the best team when playing their best.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Batman vs Superman.

Thanks Virgil for the chat.