Month: September 2017

Reggie Upshaw (Walter Tigers Tuebingen) I Can Be An Impact Player In The BBL With My Open Mind To Work Hard Each day

Reggie Upshaw is a 22 year old 203cm forward from Chattanooga, Tennessee that is starting his professional basketball career in Germany with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen. He played at Middle Tenn.St. (NCAA) from 2013-2017 playing a total of 139 games. As a senior at Middle Tenn.St. (NCAA) he played 36 games averaging 14.5ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 60.4%, 3PT: 31.7%, FT: 72.4%. Before turning professional he played at the well known Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft) playing 3 games averaging 14.3ppg, 8.3rpg. He spoke to German Hoops earlier in the summer about Basketball.

Congrats Reggie on signing with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen in Germany. As a competitor who played a great Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft): 3 games: 14.3ppg, 8.3rpg as well as playing NBA Summer League with the Milwaukee Bucks are you a bit disappointed that the NBA dream didn´t continue on after Las Vegas?

No I’m not disappointed with how summer league went this past summer I felt like I learned a lot from the Bucks organization about what it takes to be a pro.

Now you will concentrate on your professional career. You have signed with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen. How did you experience your first summer transfer period delving into the professional sector? What made the German offer the most interesting for you?

This summer going into my first year pro I’ve just tried to expand my game. Work as hard as I could on my game overall as far as shooting and ball handling. The deal in Germany was the most interesting because it’s in such a respected league where I could really see myself coming in and making an impact as soon as I got there.

You come over as a guy with a very good character. Just a week before you were battling NBA players every day and then you state how much it´s a dream of yours to play in Germany and for Tuebingen. How much of your good character has been rubbed off from your dad Reggie Sr?

He’s a big part of who I am today if it wasn’t for him I don’t think my character would be like it is now.

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Armani Cotton (Uni Baskets Paderborn) I Have A Name That You Have To Live Up To

Armani Cotton is a 201cm forward from New York that will be going into his second professional season and first in Germany with the Uni Baskets Paderborn. Last season he played his rookie season with Stella Artois Leuven Bears (Belgium-Euromillions League) playing 35 games averaging 4.3ppg, 2.9rpg. He started his basketball career at Yale(NCAA) in 2011 playinga atotal of 104 games in a four year span. AS a senior he played 32 games averaging 6.5ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 66.7%. He spoke to Eurobasket earlier in the summer about Basketball.

Hunter thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

I am in my hometown of New York City for the summer and it’s been great to be back. There’s no place like New Jack City.

Before we talk about your game let me ask you about your striking name. You were introduced as Armani Cotton by your new team Uni Baskets and your eurobasket profile lists you like that also, but you also have Hunter. Is Hunter a name you use when you get sick of Armani?

Haha, no. My father’s name is Hunter and my mom gave me the middle name Armani so I wouldn’t become Hunter Cotton IV. I’ve been called Armani since I was born. I honestly didn’t register that ‘Hunter’ was my legal first name until I got a passport at around 10 years old. That being said, switching it up from time to time is a nice option to have. I might start doing that.

How often do you get asked about your name Armani and what has been something that has stuck with you when somebody meets you for the first time and asks something about your flashy name?

Yeah man, people are always surprised — in a good way though. It’s one of those names that you have to live up to so I’m glad I play a dope sport and am from NYC. It allows me to fit into the name better. A nice personality can go a long way too. Armani Cotton suits me.

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Abdul Gaddy´s Precision And Instincts Secures Wurzburg 2017 Gezeiten Cup Over The Telekom Baskets Bonn 71-67

There were many interesting stories in and around the 2017 Gezeiten Cup as the weekend tournament brought together EasyCredit BBL teams Telekom Baskets Bonn and the s.Oliver Wurzburg as well as Pro A team RheinStars Cologne and home team Dragons Rhondorf. Wurzburg head coach Dirk Bauerman finally made it to the Gezeitencup as a year ago, the s.Oliver Baskets weren´t in his plans yet as he was the head coach of the Iranian national team, but shortly before the start of the cup dropped out. Another big story was the DiLeo brothers in the house with Bonn guard TJ and RheinStars Cologne guard Max, but they never found their way to the court for a confrontation as Wurzburg defeated his Cologne team missing the final while TJ reached the final with Bonn ousting the Dragons Rhondorf. The only conversation they might have had was who would visit whom first in their respective cities or where their favorite spots to hang out are along the beautiful Rhein river. However the most endearing story was that of Andrej Mangold who a few months ago wasn´t sure where his basketball future would be heading after sustaining a nasty ACL in his left knee at the start of the 2016-2017 season with BG Goettingen. He needed all last season to rehabilitate it and this past summer was signed by the s.Oliver Wurzburg as Dirk Bauermann took a chance on him. Mangold had to pay his dues as he toiled around in the Regionaliga, Pro B and Pro A with teams like Oldenburg, Munich and Hannover and didn´t reach the BBL until 2010 with the Artland Dragons. However his most prosperous time in the BBL came with the Telekom Baskets Bonn where he played 5 seasons playing 172 BBL games, 20 Eurocup games and 26 Eurochallenge games. His last game in a Bonn uniform came on May 1^st in a season ending 95-93 loss against Braunschweig where he steered 4 points. After a little more than 16 months later he met his former team again with no former teammates left on the team and even if he was opponents had a fond memory of his times in Bonn playing with guys then like Jared Jordan and Tony Gaffney and helping serve up those tasty alley-oops to the American Gaffney who had that special distinction of being on the Celtics and Lakers rosters, but never having played an NBA game. In the final of the 2017 Gezeiten Cup the Telekom Baskets Bonn clashed against the s.Oliver Wurzburg and it wasn´t Mangold who was the story who scored two points in 8,28 minutes, but his teammate Abdul Gaddy who took control on two plays using precision and instincts sealing the win for the Bavarian team 71-67. “Coach Bauermann told us before the game that it would be a dog fight. We knew that Bonn would be aggressive and we wanted to be the aggressor. We did a good job staying composed when they turned up the heat. Gaddy kept us ahead in the down stretch with big plays”, stressed ex Illinois(NCAA) player DJ Richardson. After the win a tame TJ DiLeo was doing his post-game stretching and had had a special weekend seeing his brother again even if the basketball god didn´t see fit that both play each other in the final. The ex Temple(NCAA) guard was positive with the result even if his team did suffer the loss. “This was a hard-fought final with two good teams. Both teams scouted each other well and it was a shame it got a bit choppy at the end. I am happy the way we looked despite missing some plyers. We need to be more disciplined rebounding even when we were without Julian Gamble. Every player position 1-5 needs to rebound”, stated TJ DiLeo.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing s.Oliver Wurzburg guard Abdul Gaddy after he steered home 17 points in helping secure 2017 Gezeiten Cup over the Telekom Baskets Bonn

s.Oliver Wurzburg found their rhythm first getting out quickly on a 9-4 lead as they got some timely and hot shooting off the bat from Gaddy and sniper Maurice Stuckey while also getting a lay in from Lithuanian Osvaldas Olisevicius who played with all the Lithuanian national youth teams.

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Kerry Carter(Cuore Napoli Basket) The Fluidity Of My Game Has Changed And I’m More Comfortable In Certain Situations

Kerry Carter is a 26 year old 188cm guard from West Covina, California that is starting his third professional season with Cuore Napoli Basket (Italy-Serie A2). Last season he played with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen (Germany-ProB) playing 24 games: Score-1(24.8ppg), 4.0rpg, 5.2apg, Steals-2(2.9spg), FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 34.2%, FT: 84.2%. He racked up Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Player of the Year -17, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Guard of the Year -17, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B 1st Team -17, Eurobasket.com German 2.Bundesliga Pro B All-Imports Team -17, and Eurobasket.com German 2.Bundesliga Pro B All-Defensive Team -17. As a rookie he played for Iberostar Tenerife CB Canarias (Spain-Liga Endesa) playing 5 games: 3.2ppg. He started his basketball career with Citrus College and then moved to St.Mary’s, CA (NCAA) where he played 63 NCAA games and as senior played 31 games averaging 12.1ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5spg. He spoke to German Hoops about his new adventure in Italy with with Cuore Napoli Basket (Italy-Serie A2).

Kerry thanks for talking to German Hoops. How was your summer and what was your nicest memory from spending time at home again?

Always a pleasure. My summer was great, there’s no place like Los Angeles in the summertime. Favorite memory is just being home at the same time as some of my guys who play abroad as well and getting in the gym like old times.

Your last game with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen was more than 5 months ago. You gave it your all scoring 91 points in the 3 game series against Bochum. Are you the type of competitor that had turned off his memory bank once you arrived in the States or did that last game creep up on you from time to time over the summer when you were grinding in the lab?

I always use the losses as motivation. It’s a learning experience. I did the best I could at the time to try and win those games but we still fell short. So put a bigger chip on my shoulder and it helped me during the summer grind.

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TJ DiLeo (Telekom Baskets Bonn) Seeing Improvement In The Second Half Of Last Season Gave Me Confidence Coming Into This Season

TJ DiLeo is a 27 year old 190cm guard playing his fifth professional season and second with the Telekom Baskets Bonn (Germany-BBL).Last season with the Telekom Baskets Bonn he played 36 BBL games averaging 4.2ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.4apg; He also played 16 FIBA Europe Cup games averaging 5.1ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 70.0% He played the first three professional seasons with the Giessen 46ers playing 76 Pro A games from 2013-2015 and helping the team move to the BBL in 2015. Last season for GHiessen he played 19 games averaging 5.7ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 38.7%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 73.3%. He played at Temple from 2008-2013 playing a total of 126 NCAA games. In 2010, he played for the German U20 National Team in 2010 and played for the European Championships U20 in Croatia playing 9 games: 10.7ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP. He spoke to German Hoops about Basketball.

TJ welcome back to Germany. You are playing your fifth season in Germany and second with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. Even though you and your brother are true Americans you also have the German citizenship. Which of you guys has more of a connection to Germany? Is it you simply because you have been here 2 years longer?

Yea, I would say I have more of a connection because I have been here a few years longer, and also because I was born here.

You and your brother will be like neighbors now that he is playing in Cologne. If you had to make a prediction as to who will visit whom most in their city would you take yourself just like you would in a one on one game?

I think I will visit him more, but hopefully our schedules line up so we can see a lot of each other’s games.

How was your summer. Did the summer fly by quickly? What was your most memorable thing that you did in the summer?

Summer was great, but as always, it went by fast. I spent it at home in the states. My most memorable moment was being best man at my friend’s wedding, and getting to roast him during the speech.

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Taylor Young (Breaking Through That Wall To Become A Professional Is An Amazing Feeling)

Taylor Young is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Hawthorne, California that recently played his rookie season as a professional with Rockhampton Rockets (Australia-QBL) averaging 14,5ppg, 3,3rpg and 2,0apg. He played at Bellevue (NAIA) winning the 2014 and 2015 MCAC tournaments. He opted to paly his senior year at Warner Pacific (NAIA) playing 33 games averaging 17.6ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.2apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 76.3%. He spoke to German Hoops about Basketball.

Taylor thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

Thanks for the interview man! Since I got back from Australia, I was back in Los Angeles seeing family. Now I’m in Arizona with my older brother just staying ready.

Technically you aren´t a professional rookie anymore simply because you had a one month rookie season in Australia. Do you in a sense still feel like a rookie waiting for that next game to begin?

No I don’t feel like a rookie anymore. The experience for a month in Australia in a respected league in the QBL, with good talent. So I know what to expect going forward.

How hungry are you currently for continuing your professional career? Now that you have dipped your feet into the water, is the desire to get back even greater than it was before you got to Australia?

I am super eager to continue my professional career, thankfully my short stint this past season in Australia led to me signing a deal for the 2018 season which starts in May with the Port City Power in Gladstone. So it was a blessing. My desire to do well and win is super high. Still proving myself.

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