Trent Weaver is a 22 year old 203cm forward from Columbus, Ohio that is playing his rookie season in Europe in Germany with FC Schalke. He got an early taste of being  a professional this year as he played for the Columbus Condors (CBA). Before turning professional he played for Ohio Dominican (NCAA2) from 2012-2016 playing  atotal of 98 games. As a senior he played 28 games: 15.5ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 72.5%. He spoke to German Hoops after the 86-77 win against the VFL Astrostars Bochum.

Trent congrats on the 86-77 win against the VFL AstroStars Bochum. How good does it feel coming into 2017 with a big win?

Thank you Miles. Coming into a new year, you always want to set the tone for the remainder of the season. The win against Bochum was a big one for us to gain momentum towards the Playoffs.

After a slow start in the first quarter, FC Schalke picked it up in the second quarter scoring 25 points. What adjustments did you make on the offensive end to be able to score easier?

As a team, we cleaned up a lot of the little errors that we were making defensively. Our defensive stops then lead to our offensive success.

Patrick Carney was in the zone scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter including two key three´s in crunch-time. Would FC Schalke have won this game without Carney on this night?

Patrick definitely came up huge in the fourth by knocking down shots when he needed to. However, we had many guys for us making crucial plays on both ends of the floor that made a positive impact during the game.

Was this one of those performances that was just fun to watch on the court and from the bench?

The performance was steady and was not forced. Every shot made came within the flow of the game. It was exciting to see the crowds reaction after such consistency in making big plays. This made for an electric game atmosphere.

Would it be fair to say that Patrick Carney is that glue guy for the team? What is his most valuable attribute that he gives the team?

Pat is the type of guy that you want on your team. He is a true veteran that has been through various situations throughout his professional career in Germany. His presence as a leader whether he is the one knocking down the big shots or someone else is, is something that benefits our team on a daily basis.

This was another strong team rebounding performance. Do you feel like that whenever the club can rebound this well that they will always be in a good situation to win the game?

Rebounding is always atop of the list of priorities when preparing for any game at any level. If a team can come out on top on the rebounding battle, it creates second chances and overall more opportunities. This also significantly limits the opponents chances of being successful.

The team is 7-7 now. What was your overall summary of the first half of the season. How much potential does the team still have and where can it still improve?

I don’t believe that anyone on our team is satisfied with a .500 record. We have lost to a few teams that we are more than capable of beating. Look for us to continue making up ground in the coming weeks.

The next game is against the Rostock Sea Wolves a game you won by 29 points. What is always the most tough thing besides underestimating an opponent when you play them a second time and what will be key in getting the win?

We really have no reason to underestimate any team in our league. It has been shown that anyone can beat anyone on any given night. After a long trip to Rostock, we need to come out mentally prepared to give our best shot in such an important game.

You are continuing to have a solid season averaging 11,8ppg and 5,1rpg. What was your personal summary of your own game at the break?

Honestly, there is so much left for me to improve on. I have had a few nice games individually down the stretch, but I need to work on playing more to my strengths on a nightly basis.

On what areas in your game do you want to pick up your game as the team moves to reach the playoffs?

I want to really get back to being aggressively smart on the offensive end. I need to begin finishing at the rim and knocking down jump shots at a more consistent rate, while letting the game come to me, rather than forcing things. I also need to attack the glass harder on both ends of the floor for the remainder of the season.

What did you learn to appreciate the most about the holiday season in Germany this season?

I really enjoyed feeling the vibe surrounding the local cities. The numerous Christmas shops throughout city centers were filled with character and really cool products.

Klay Thompson recently hit 60 points in 29 minutes touching the ball for only 90 seconds. Where does this performance rank with you?

Klay’s performance on that night will easily go down as a top five of all time. I can’t think of another player in the league today that could manage to do what he did and how he did it..11 dribbles!!

One always talks about Lebron and Curry, but one has to mention Russell Westbrook. He is averaging triple double stats at the moment. Is he stat wise the best player in the world right now?

When Russell is currently doing, is remarkable. We have never seen someone consistently earn triple-doubles like that. As a lifelong Lebron fan and Ohio native, I still believe the King is on top of his throne and that the Cavs will win the championship.

What was your most memorable Christmas experience when you were a kid?

Not really sure about one specific experience. I just really enjoyed getting to spend quality time with family and eating delicious holiday dishes made by my mother and grandmother (Presents were also a nice touch).

What was the last movie that you saw?

 

Passengers.

Thanks Trent for the chat.