Pete Strobl has been around the European basketball scene for 20 years having had a stellar professional basketball career and was an assistant coach for German easyCredit BBL team ratiopharm Ulm this season. He played at Niagara (NCAA) from 1997-2000 and then had a 9 year professional playing career that took him to countries like Germany, Austria, France, Ireland, Iceland and Switzerland. He founded The Scoring Factory in Pittsburgh and wrote a must read book called Backspin. He is a very interesting basketball mind that doesn´t shy away from speaking his mind especially on Twitter. German Hoops and Pete Strobl will team up every so often talking basketball with the title “Current basketball affairs with Pete Strobl. You can follow Pete Strobl on twitter @petestrobl

We recently learned that you won’t be coaching in ulm next season. Why are you leaving and where are you headed next?

My family and I love the city of ulm, the organization and the people. It’s not easy to leave a place that checks all those boxes and it’s been a wonderful experience for all of us. We have had an amazing 3 years here. But now it’s time for a new challenge. I’ve reached the level at which I know I’m ready to be the head coach. That doesn’t mean that I’ll never be an assistant coach ever again, but it means that I trust myself to lead a team and make the important decisions that bring a team success. I’m sure that many assistant coaches eventually find themselves at this point and I’m happy to see that friends like Pedro Calles and Chris O’Shea received the chance to lead playoff caliber teams. That gives me hope that a GM will give me the chance to show what I can do. I’m not yet sure what the future holds and where I’ll be next season. All I can say is: stay tuned.

You’ve developed a great reputation in player development, is that directly related to your time with The Scoring Factory?

I love every aspect of the game including defensive tactics and game strategy, but most people have only had a chance to see my work on the court. I appreciate the compliment and people that know me understand how passionate I am about my craft. I’m not shy and don’t try to hide my desire to be one of the best player development coaches in the world. But just so we’re on the same page, it’s important to know that I also want to be the best at everything I do! There’s a lot of good work being done in player development behind the scenes in Germany. I think Carlos Frade does a fantastic job in Berlin for example. However, I would hope that in the next couple years I’m given an opportunity to showcase some of my other abilities and I can develop a reputation and showcase my other strengths as well.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years?

My primary goal is to simply be proud of the person looking back at me in the mirror. I take pride in knowing that I do everything in my power to be a great husband, father and friend. I’ve been called a “positive disciplinarian” in the past and I think that somewhat summarizes who I am and my overall approach to life, leadership and relationships.

On the basketball coaching side, I would like to be in a position to help people reach their potential and achieve their goals. Only time can tell if that will happen in Europe or in America. Our season just finished and my agent is already updating me with options and possibilities. I’m willing to be patient to make sure my next stop is a great situation with a chance to chase greatness. I love Germany and will always have an affinity for the league here. At the same time, I’m always open to trying something new if it’s with a club that has big dreams that align with my own.

I envision The Scoring Factory having multiple locations around the states run by former players that share in our passion to teach and give back. Ryan Thompson and Jason Thompson are opening our first franchise outside of Pittsburgh this summer serving the greater Tri-State area of New Jersey. Over the years we’ve created a fairly sophisticated curriculum and teaching approach and I know that we’ll be able to have a huge impact on the next wave of talent. It’s become a natural progression for former pros that want to stay involved in the game and I’m proud to be able to provide that platform.

My kids also play basketball and my wife and I are obviously both very supportive of their paths. It’s exciting to think about all of the possibilities on the horizon in all of the areas mentioned above that consume our lives. I’m naturally a planner, but it’s also important to really stay in the moment. As long as I keep doing what I love and attack each day with passion, I’m pretty confident that great things will continue to happen!

                               Sometimes things happen on the basketball court that one wouldn´t necessarily have thought they could have happened. Who would have thought that the Boston Celtics wouldn´t be able to give the Milwaukee Bucks a better run for the money in the playoffs with a Kyrie and Gordon Hayward? Kyrie was there some of time while Hayward was down some Mormon trail in Utah instead of going down the Celtics trail. Ok so the huge rise of EWE Baskets Rashid Mahalbasic has been a refreshing trend in the last two seasons, but who really would have expected him to achieve four triple doubles in one season? Not many, because it has been something as rare in the BBL as it is expecting Rickey Paulding to retire anytime soon. With Cinderella team Rasta Vechta, their feat of beating Freak City and putting them shamelessly into summer vacation was simply incredible, but also at the same time surprising concerning the circumstances. Had everybody been on board going into the Bamberg series, then Rasta Vechta would have been the clear favorite, but instead they arrived in the show down without glue guy Seth Hinrichs, vastly improving big man Clint Chapman and the durable and versatile Tyrone Nash. Instead of being on the next Delta airlines flight to Milwaukee to get back home to Waukesha to tell nonending stories about his incredible season, TJ Bray is still in Germany with one basketball slipper on and ready to try for the next upset against the mighty FC Bayern Munich. Rasta Vechta never lost their style against Bamberg, but played their game until the buzzer and showed amazing fighting qualities for 40 minutes game in and game out that in a way was unhuman. No disrespect to Will Cummings, because he is a great player and was MVP worthy, but the two real MVP´s are TJ Bray and Austin Hollins. Without these two incredible players, Rasta Vechta would just have been an average team and not in the playoffs. A Pedro Calles would still have been able to perform his brilliant basketball knowledge without them and reached many, but the success just wouldn´t have been there. The incredible role model effort of Bray and Hollins sparked their team to extra ordinary abilities. The season of Rasta Vechta has to be classified as one of the BBL´s most incredible team feats in the last 20-30 seasons. There has never ever been anything like it and probably won´t happen again unless Calles coaches a another organization like a Vechta. In 2002-2005 you had the big development of the Artland Dragons and Chris Fleming with the eccentric, but valuable Michael Jordan and the incredible 2006-2007 season of Ludwigsburg, but nothing has matched what Rasta Vechta does. But can they do it again this time against the best team FC Bayern Munich? Most likely not, but if Bray arrives in game one wearing a super man cape, then anything is possible and I´m sure even Marko Pesic will show a smile. Rasta Vechta will moreover need Steph Curry and a superman cape for any miracles to happen.

            FC Bayern Munich come into this very interesting semi final series having swept the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig 3-0. Some may have been expecting serious Munich routes over Braunschweig, but the underdogs played them hard in the three game series losing on average by 10 points per game. In game one, FC Bayern Munich won 70-59 and only one player reached double figures in scoring with ex NBA player Derrick Williams with 12 points. But 11 of the 12 players scored. Braunschweig had three guys in double figures with a potent game from Shaquille Hines with 20 points and 15 points from Deandre Lansdowne. FC Bayern Munich won the rebound duel 37-29. Neither team shot that great, but Munich just made more key plays down the stretch and allowed the Braunschweig bench to only 10 points. In game two, FC Bayern Munich prevailed 84-74. This time Munich had five guys in double figures and were led by Derrick Williams with 17 points. Braunschweig got a huge game from German Christian Sengfelder with 28 points, but once again their bench stunk giving only 4 points. FC Bayern Munich won the rebound battle again 35-31. Braunschweig did a great job coughing up the ball only 5 times, but couldn´t take advantage of their six extra opportunities. In game three FC Bayern Munich closed out the series at home in unspectacular fashion winning 87-77. FC Bayern Munich had five guys in double figures led by German national player Danilo Barthel with 16 points. Braunschweig had three guys in double figures with Christian Sengfelder with 18 points and Shaquille Hines added 17 points. The bench contributed only 11 points. Both teams were firing away combining for 29 three´s while FC Bayern Munich easily controlled the boards again 36-29. The key for the FC Bayern Munich series win was the boards and just doing the needed to win. It seemed like FC Bayern Munich was conserving their energy for the rest of the playoffs.

            Rasta Vechta and Brose Bamberg had the much more exciting series as each game was like a game seven type atmosphere. Rasta Vechta had their biggest achievement in their history beating Brose Bamberg 3-1 and proving that sometimes the seemingly impossible is possible. Rasta Vechta won game one in the Rasta Dome 96-85 and demonstrated early that they had their A game despite having severe injury woes. Rasta Vechta hit a massive 18 three´s led by Austin Hollin´s 8 trey´s and 31 points. Bamberg wasn´t too shabby themselves with 13 three´s. Rasta Vechta knuckled down and were brilliant on the glass outrebounding Bamberg 35-24 with 13 offensive boards. Rasta Vechta had three Germans in the starting lineup that combined for 43 points. The Rasta Vechta bench only had 25 minutes from two players combined. Brose Bamberg had 21 points from ex NBA player Elias Harris and 18 from ex Boston College guard Tyrese Rice. Bamberg played an inexcusable defense. Fans saw the best game in game two as Bamberg survived at home winning 102-98 in OT. Brose Bmaberg got big games form Augustine Rubit with 31 points while Tyrese Rice added 26 points. Rasta Vechta got a huge game from TJ Bray with 29 points and 12 dimes while Josh Young had his best game in the BBL with 28 points off the bench in 27 minutes. Brose Bamberg did a better job controlling the boards 39-27. Rasta Vechta defended with heart and forced Bamberg to 19 turnovers which they couldn´t take advantage of. This is a game that Rasta Vechta could have won. In game three Rasta Vechta returned home and took the 2-1 series lead disposing of Brose Bamberg 87-78. Once again Brose Bamberg was unable to take advantage of the slim seven man rotation as Austin Hollins poured in 21 points and TJ Bray added 13 points and 13 assists. Brose Bamberg spread the scoring around well with four guys in double figures led by Elias Harris with 16 points. Bamberg had the slim 30-29 rebound edge, but all in all Rasta Vechta was the better crunch-time team. In game four Rasta Vechta closed out the series with a 90-86 victor. This was a game that Bamberg led for a long time, but could never shake the Cinderella team allowing them back into the game. Bray and Hollins had their typical strong games combining for 37 points, but it was the German big man duo of Kessens and Herkenhoff who were brilliant combining for 33 points. Rasta Vechta got the best of Brose Bamberg on the boards 34-31 and secured 12 offensive rebounds. Austin Hollins was the hero at the end with the series winning steal. Rasta Vechta´s annoying press defense gave Brose Bamberg fits all series long as they couldn´t make the proper adjustments. This Vechta series win was a great example of what heart and will can do to the confidence of a team that is undermanned. Brose Bamberg was never able to take advantage of Vechta injuries and make the right adjustments. In game 4, it didn´t seem lie Bamberg really wanted to win as much as Rasta Vechta.

This series is about as Davey and Goliath as it will ever get. The Big mighty FC Bayern Munich with 20 plus million budget against the tiny Rasta Vechta which has a small budget that probably would pay for four FC Bayern Munich players at the most. FC Bayern Munich won the first game 79-66 at home. Danilo Barthel led all scorers with 23 points and FC Bayern Munich dominated the boards 33-22. Interesting to note Rasta Vechta´s bench outscored Munich´s 17-15. In the return game, Rasta Vechta easily won 93-75 at home. Rasta Vechta played an impressive offensive game hitting for 14 three´s winning the rebounding battle and forcing the guests to 20 turnovers. But Chapman, Hinrichs and Nash combined for 34 points that will be missing this time. Even with Hinrichs and Chapman back, the FC Bayern Munich depth will be too much This is a series where only FC Bayern Munich can lose almost no matter what they do If they win a tight series, the bashing will be about how they were unable to really destroy a depleted team. Rasta Vechta can go into the series with no pressure as they have nothing to lose. FC Bayern Munich will only be really seen as the winner if they can more or less easily dispose of Rasta Vechta. Of course Rasta Vechta have been doing amazing things all season long and beat FC Bayern Munich once, but can they do it again with a short rotation. They may manage one win, but can they seriously beat FC Bayern Munich in a five game series where they don´t have home court advantage? FC Bayern Munich have to wear down Rasta Vechta from the start and dominate inside. Rasta Vechta will continue to play their game of pressuring the guards early and hoping for steals and as many easy points as possible. Bray and Hollins should continue to play their amazing games, but how much longer can the team energy of Rasta Vechta survive? FC Bayern Munich have to take advantage of this and will if they want to win this series without problems.

It was an extremely warm day in Frankfurt on June 2nd and there was a loud buzz coming from the BCM gym of the Fraport Skyliners, but the BBL team wasn´t there nor the Pro B team as their seasons had ended weeks ago, but instead a young boy by the name of Bonga doing basketball destruction. It wasn´t Los Angeles Laker Isaac Bonga who had made a quick flight back to his old living room for a dunk clinic, but moreover his 14 year old brother Joshua who was helping lead his team to the title. The BCM was the setting of the German U-14 championship as the Fraport Skyliners took on TS Jahn Munich and except for some problems in the third quarter overcame adversary and won the title 95-75. It wasn´t only Joshua Bonga that wooed the fans with spectacular plays and athletic drives, but also his 14 year old teammate Jamaal Phatty who was in early foul trouble, but when the club needed him most stepped up more times than once getting into the lane and finishing with ease as his body was much more developed than all kids around him and he was able to dominate whenever he wanted. After the big win Fraport Skyliners head coach Thomas Koch was pleased, but kept his emotions under control as he described why his boys could win the title. “I am overjoyed that we could win this title. We invested very much into this season and being successful. We practiced a lot as a team and played at many tournaments. Key for the win was that everyone played together in the important phases. We didn´t play so well in the third quarter, but the team then took better care of the ball. That 7-0 run at the end of the third quarter was key which sparked us to get the win”, stressed Thomas Koch.

                TS Jahn had had a tough semi-final beating Art Giants Duesseldorf 72-66 in the semi´s while the Fraport Skyliners destroyed TK Hannover Basketball 75-42. The first quarter was tight for the first 5 minutes as the Fraport Skyliners received the Bonga and Phatty show as they combined for the  first 10 Frankfurt points. Bonga didn´t waste much time getting aggressive and finished with ease in the paint. His body reminded one of his brother Isaac as his athleticism was his big strength. Phatty´s athleticism also stood out as he always searched for that one on one opportunity or mis match chance, but never losing eye of his teammates and potential kick out pass. TS Jahn Munich was led by their Croatian shooting star Tin Udovicit who showed some early cross over´s and scored the majority of his team´s points. Jamaal Phatty was hit early with two offensive fouls and had to hit the bench. But that didn´t faze the Fraport Skyliners as they went on a 8-1 run to extend their lead to 18-10. They got key buckets from captain Josha Zentgraf and Marvin Esser. But TS Jahn Munich found some momentum in the last minutes and cut the Frankfurt lead to 22-19 as their super allrounder Moritz Herbst scored.

                In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners took control and finally broke free going on a 18-6 run to extend their lead to 40-25. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Jamaal Phatty who was back after getting two early fouls and took matters into his own hands scoring 10 points. He scored three baskets taking advantage of his huge strength going 1-1 and using his long steps and arms to score baskets easily in the paint. His play and dominance reminded one of how Bonga flourished at the NBBL level in 2016-2017 and Len Schoorman at the NBBL level in 2018-2019. Frankfurt also got another lay in from talented point guard Joshua Bonga and two baskets from the team´s best defender against small players Finley Pruver. The Fraport Skyliners continued to control the game and execute well on offense while on defense they were able to get consistent stops. Bonga remained aggressive and scored two more times in the paint and Phatty also scored. TS Jahn Munich just didn´t have those players that had the individual class of a Bonga or Phatty except for Udovicit who scored a few baskets, but he had little support from his teammates as the Fraport Skyliners led 51-37 at the break. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 51% from the field and 13% from outside and had 28 rebounds(13 offensive rebounds) and 12 turnovers while TS Jahn Munich shot 38% from the field and 25% from outside and had 14 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

                In the third quarter TS Jahn started to chip away at the Fraport Skyliners lead and got closer to make it a very tight game, but the Phatty and Bonga show in the waning minutes helped Frankfurt get back on track again and within a very short time lead by double digits again before the buzzer sounded. The Fraport Skyliners came out of the break and got a huge three from Roman Holloway and two points from Pruver, but TS Jahn Munich answered with a three from energetic defender Daniel Fackler to cut the Frankfurt lead down to 56-42. Then came the best basketball of TS Jahn Munich in the game as they cruised on a 13-5 run to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 61-55. In the run, TS Jahn Munich got valuable production from Udovicit hitting two baskets, diminutive guard Nico Hirtl made a pretty lay up as he often had big mismatches staring in his face, but found a way to get the hoop through his hard work and will. Big man Janis Grussendorf closed out the run with two massive three´s. In the run TS Jahn Munich was doing everything better than Frankfurt. They stepped up their defense and forced the Fraport Skyliners to countless turnovers and read the plays well and snuck into the passing lanes well. On offense the Bavarian team did a super job staying more calm and executing better. TS Jahn Munich also did a better job rebounding, getting loose balls and just hustling as they had robbed Frankfurt of the momentum. But the Fraport Skyliners stayed tough and didn´t allow the guests to do any more damage, but silenced them to close out the third quarter with a lethal 9-0 run to erase the six point lead and to lead comfortably again 70-55. Sergio Grothe made a basket in the run, but the most damage was done by Phatty and Bonga. Phatty who made huge strides this season hit a huge three while Bonga who has an amazing talent already for keeping his eyes ahead and not looking down so much with his ball handling was key at both ends of the court making a steal and coast to coast drive and basket and then did it again as his defense  was brilliant. He is listed as 173cm, but Sebastian Gleim feels he could become taller than his brother Isaac who is known as a very good defender.

                The 9-0 Frankfurt run at the end of the third quarter somewhat deflated TS Jahn Munich as they were unable to get under 10 points in the fourth quarter. The Fraport Skyliners received early production in the fourth quarter with a Phatty lay in and Esser trey while TS Jahn Munich got key support from Grussendorf who scored two buckets cutting Frankfurt´s lead to 76-61. The Fraport Skyliners now conserved their energy and got support from guys like Pruver, but also got the usual contribution form Bonga who scored in the lane again and Phatty scored in bunches making a sweet turn around shot and then making a steal and going coast to coast for the one handed dunk. In the last year two young Frankfurt talents Elijah Clarance and Len Schoormann showcased their dunking abilities so often and with Phatty a new dunking talent has arrived as his athleticism will continue to turn heads in the next years. With the minutes winding down, bot teams inserted some players for garbage time and TS Jahn Munich got two three´s from Ben Hofbauer while Frankfurt got a trey from Holloway and another lay in from Phatty. As the buzzer sounded there was happiness and enjoyment coming form the Fraport Skyliners fans, family and friends of the young boys as their long season of hard work had paid off. New Fraport Skyliner head coach Sebastian Gleim who helped shape the Skyliners youth program in the last years was very happy for the success of the young kids. “I am really happy for the organization. Frankfurt defended well and moved the ball well. They made a push at the right time at the end of the third quarter. I came here five years to help improve this section of the youth program. I am really happy for Thomas Koch who came with me from Hamburg five years ago. His success is deserved and it is nice seeing him and the boys reach the peak of their work. Winning this title had no priority. Even if we hadn´t won today, we would still have these talents for the next years and continue to help them develop”, stressed Sebastian Gleim. Jamaal Phatty led the Fraport Skyliners with 32 points. Joshua Bonga added 24 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists. Sergio Grothe added 10 points. TS Jahn Munich was led by Tin Udovicit with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and Alan Devries added 16 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 40% from outside and had 57 rebounds(23 offensive rebounds) and 26 turnovers. TS Jahn Munich shot 36% from the field and 31% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 19 turnovers.

In this years easyCredit BBL playoffs point guards have played a major role and that is no surprise as a teams game revolves around the quick decisions of this so valuable position as well as that players leadership qualities as well as having the ability to know when to separate scoring and playmaking best. In the quarterfinals fans saw the always so motivated Deandre Lansdowne who has been living the ultimate Cinderella story since he arrived in Germany in 2015 in Herten and balled sometimes in front of less than 1000 people in the Pro B as he gave a solid performance against FC Bayern Munich that was rewarded on account of the deep roster and more talented Bavarian team. Fans also saw the fierce duel between ex Euroleague champion Tyrese Rice and up and coming possible future Euroleague player TJ Bray who took the BBL by storm and played an amazing season that probably only he or Pedro Calles could have envision before the season. And not to forget MHP Riesen head coach John Patrick actually had Bray on his radar before anyone in Germany some years ago, but couldn´t help him shine then because he got an injury before the season started. So many great guards and the list just continues to grow in these playoffs and now really take the lime light and focus in the semi-final series between Alba Berlin and the EWE Baskets Oldenburg. With Will Cummings and Peyton Siva both teams have top BBL point guards if not two of the three best in the league that will clash for the ticket to the BBL final and to the Euroleague next season a league none has ever played in. Both have had stellar basketball careers, but both haven´t won too much. Siva has an NBA resume having played briefly with the Detroit Pistons and one of basketballs big titles the NCAA with Louisville which he won under legendary head coach Rick Pitino. In Europe Siva has reached 4 finals and lost all of them with Alba Berlin which bears comparison to a Jim Kelly even if his 4 loses were Super Bowls. Cummings has one title and that was the 2018 Eurocup championship with   Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) and this season was instrumental in Oldenburg ending the season in second place helping him be named 2019 BBL MVP. Now both are ready to duel head to head. Both teams swept their respective teams as Alba Berlin got by ratiopharm Ulm and the EWE Baskets Oldenburg by the Telekom Baskets Bonn Cummings was spectacular an din top form averaging 27,0ppg in the series and shot 50% from outside. Siva has had his difficulties with injuries in his three year tenure with Alba Berlin and missed the first two games against ratiopharm Ulm, but returned in the third game and was his potent self scoring 18 points, dishing out 6 dimes, getting 3 rebounds, getting 4 steals and nailing 5 three´s. Even if Cummings is the more explosive scorer, Siva brings that valuable calmness and all-around solid point guard play that always comes in handy on a team that is unselfish. This should be a great battle among the point guards, but slowing down a Cummings more than a Siva will be most vital, because Oldenburg rely more on him than does Alba Berlin Siva.

            Alba Berlin crushed ratiopharm Ulm 3-0 and showed them an offensive lesson where the opponent at times must have felt like they were still in school and trying to comprehend what the teacher was trying to explain, but were unable to let any of their defensive knowledge translate to success on the court. Alba Berlin averaged a massive 96 points in the three game series. The whole series had a pattern in which Alba Berlin won most statistical categories. In game one the Alba Berlin offensive machine won 107-78 and had 6 guys in double figures and dished out 30 assists. The team shot over 50% from outside and Ex NBA player Derrick Walton was superb with 11 points and 12 assists playing for the injured Peyton Siva. He is a true floor general that knew how to lead his team for 40 minutes the way a point guard should. Alba Berlin won the rebound battle easily 34-24. The only solid stat of ratiopharm Ulm was their 12 turnovers, but a big weakness in the game was that that reliable go to guy who could take responsibility and take over was invisible. In game two Alba Berlin won 98-83 and had 4 guys in double figures scorng. Martin Hermannsson led all scorers with 23 points. The club shot in the high 40´% from outside and had 26 assists. Alba Berlin secured the rebound duel again 26-21 and had only 9 turnovers. Ratiopharm Ulm coughed up the ball 16 times which was a big factor for the loss on account of not being able to take care of the ball. In game three Alba Berlin won easily 100-83 as 6 guys cored in double figures and they threw 28 assists. Derrick Walton was solid and had 11 points and 7 assists off the bench. Alba Berlin easily won the rebound contest again 34-25 and nailed 14 trey´s. Alba Berlin were more careless with the ball with 18 turnovers, but Ulm was even worse with 21. Ratiopharm Ulm did a good job in the series having different guys share the offensive load, but all in all too little support came from the bench. A good offensive team will never beat a great offensive team if it can´t defend properly.

            The EWE Baskets Oldenburg didn´t play there best basketball, but if your going to play shoot out then you have to have you’re a-game offense which they did. The Telekom Baskets Bonn showed spurts of good offensive basketball, but as usual like all season long their defense let them down. In game one the EWE Baskets won a 105-94 shoot out contest. They had four players in double figures in the rout. They didn´t need more than a 8 man rotation as their big three of Cummings, Mahalbasic and Paulding combined for 64 points. They shot well from outside and won the boards 33-24. The Telekom Baskets Bonn showcased 5 players in double figures in scoring. Cenetr Charles Jackson had a strong game with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Both teams did a very good job combining for 13 turnovers. The Telekom Baskets Bonn just couldn´t supply the dangerous fire power that Oldenburg did. In game 2 the EWE Baskets Oldenburg continued their offensive assault on Bonn winning 97-87. Again the big three of Cummings, Mahalbasic and Paulding were brilliant combining for 55 points. Mahalbasic layed up his incredible fourth triple double of the season proving he is the most versatile center the league might have ever seen. Oldenburg wasn´t quite as consistent as in game one as they didn´t shoot as well and allowed Bonn many more extra chances on the glass allowing 16 offensive rebounds. But it was enough for the win as the Bonn just couldn´t make any proper adjustments to slow down the big 3. In game three, the EWE Baskets Oldenburg closed out the series winning 97-84. They didn´t shoot as well from outside again, but shot very well in the two point area. They learned from their sloppy play in game two and was more disciplined on the glass winning the rebounds 33-23 and gave up only 5 offensive rebounds. The big three didn´t dominate like usual as Mahalbasic had only 6 points, but they got added support from Nathan Boothe who had 25 points in 27 minutes. Bonn had a superb game from Charles Jackson again with 28 points. He is a center that Bonn should think about holding. He is the team´s best center in many years. Oldenburg did another good job staying under 10 turnovers. Bonn´s inability to defend cost them this series as well as not keeping Cummings under control. A very disappointing resume since they have top defensive guard stoppers in DiLeo and Polas, but sometimes even the best defenders can´t control a MVP like Cummings.

            In the easyCredit BBL regular season the clubs split the two games with each team winning on the road. Alba Berlin won the first game in Oldenburg 93-84. Alba Berlin played a very usual strong offensive game spreading the ball around and involving everyone as six guys scored in double figures. This was early in the season where Peyton Siva was injured and Derrick Walton hadn´t arrived yet, but the club got exceptional playmaking from Stefano Peno with 10 points and 7 dimes. As usual Alba Berlin controlled the boards 36-31 and forced Oldenburg to 11 turnovers while they took good care of the ball with only 6 turnovers.Cummings and Paulding combined for 42 points while Mahalbasic was kept under control with 9 points. In game two the EWE Baskets went to Berlin and walked away with a convincing 94-78 victory. Oldenburg defended very well limiting Alba Berlin´s outside game and offensively were on fire shooting near 50% form the parking lot. The big three combined for 60 points and Cummings exploded with 34 points. Oldenburg kept Alba Berlin off the glass securing 37 rebounds and giving up only 27 rebounds. The only negative point was their 16 turnovers.

            This will be a very exciting series even if history isn´t on the EWE Baskets Oldenburg side and it won´t be again this time. In the last 10 years these two clubs have met three times with Alba Berlin winning each time. In the 2010-2011 season, Alba Berlin rallied from down 2-1 in games to win, in 2014-2015, Alba Berlin swept Oldenburg and last season, Alba Berlin was able to win again in a exciting 5 game series. The way both teams can explode on offense at any time, this could be a series where each team finds a way to win on the road. The only way to beat Alba Berlin is to play defense. They tend to cough up the ball at a high rate and Oldenburg will have to be sneaky and smart and find good defensive game plans to keep Alba Berlin off balance. But that is easier said then done. Alba Berlin has the needed experience and depth to win this series if they can play Alba Berlin basketball which is playing their beautiful team basketball, dominating the boards and playing solid defense. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg are well rested from their non international club schedule, but just don´t have enough consistent fire power from the bench. Granted the big three of Cummings, Paulding and Mahalbasic probably will continue to do damage, but just won´t have enough to get by Alba Berlin. The only way that happens is if they clone Mahalbasic and he averages a triple double in the series.

TJ Bray is a 26 year old 196cm guard from New Berlin, Wisconsin that is in his fifth professional season and first with Rasta Vechta (Germany-ProA). He has put up massive stats this season averaging 15,1ppg, 3,4rpg and 8,2apg and a big reason for the club being in the semi-finals. He began his career in 2010 with Ivy league school Princeton (NCAA) and played a total of 115 NCAA games and as senior played 25 games averaging 18.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 64.9%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 80.1%. He turned professional in 2014 and played with Lighthouse Trapani (Italy-A2) playing 29 games averaging 9.5ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.0apg, 1.0spg, FGP: In his second professional season he played with Novipiu Casale Monferrato (Italy-Serie A2) playing 35 games averaging 14.7ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.1apg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 80.8%. Two seasons ago he got experience with Fit Brussels (Belgium-Euromillions League) playing 33 games averaging 8.2ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 41.7%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 62.5%. Last season he played with Kolossos H Hotels (Greece-A1) playing 27 games averaging 12.1ppg, 3.4rpg, 3.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 76.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the amazing 3-1 series win against Brose Bamberg.

TJ congrats on the amazing 3-1 series win over Brose Bamberg. The Rasta Vechta Cinderella season continues. How special has the playoff ride been in comparison to the regular season?

It’s been a very crazy ride so far. We had a ton of fun in the regular season but knew we would ultimately be judged on our playoff performance. We were short-handed in round 1 but the guys that were left went out and fought and battled as much as we could. To beat a team with the history of Bamberg and to clinch the series on their court made it even more special.

You have played many games and have played in various countries. Were these last 10 days of playoff basketball the most exciting time in your professional career?

The last 10 days have been a blur. All of us were just trying to keep our bodies in the best shape possible with all the minutes we were playing. Once the season is finished, I’ll be able to sit back and digest things a bit more.

Rasta Vechta had so many great wins this season beating Bamberg 4 times, FC Bayern Munich once and Alba Berlin once. After beating so many great teams so many times, could one enjoy this win as much as winning that first unbelievable game against Alba Berlin earlier in the season?

Absolutely. The win against Alba was our first big win but we haven’t taken any of them for granted since then. We know beating great teams is very difficult, so when we’re able to do it, we enjoy it. Winning these games doesn’t necessarily surprise us anymore, but we still enjoy them the same.

You guys went into the series with your backs somewhat to the wall without glue guy Seth Hinrichs, versatile big man Clint Chapman and the energetic Tyrone Nash. How vital mentally was this whole process getting by Bamberg? How important was the team mentality for being able to get by Bamberg?

The injuries we’ve sustained have been almost unbelievable. Losing not only those guys but not having Michael Kessens and Robin Christen in games made things even more difficult. All of our big men have been fantastic for us all season. Each one of them brings special things to the table. We knew going into the series against Bamberg we would be outsized. However, we knew if we played team defense the way we have all season, we could make things difficult for any team. Philipp Herkenhoff, Mike, and Rob, all really stepped up for us in Round 1 and gave us everything they had.

There were so many highs and lows in game 4 in Bamberg. Never to take anything away from the incredible team play, at times it seemed like Bamberg didn’t want to win the game just with certain turnovers. Do you feel like mentally Bamberg had problems they couldn’t win in their own home?

Not at all. Bamberg was a Champions League Final 4 team and have players who have accomplished a lot at the highest levels of European basketball. They know what it takes to win and gave 100% all series. We’ve had three games against them come down to the wire. In two of them, Tyrese Rice was able to make a play to send it into overtime. In Game 4 we were able to get a stop and close them out.

How much fun has it become playing in Freak City now? Do you feel having these brutal playoff experiences in a tough environment helped the club in positive ways that could continue to help the overall toughness and survival rate as you now return to the Audi Dome in a series where you won’t have home court advantage?

Playing a club with the history of Bamberg is always special. I had heard plenty about Freak City before I got to Germany so seeing it up close was a great experience. Their fans were hostile but treated our team with nothing but respect. It was really a fun series to be a part of as a player. We know going to Munich won’t be easy. However, we have been able to have success on the road this year. We have to start this series with great energy and a defensive mindset. We’ll see how the ball bounces from there.

A big reason for the success of Rasta Vechta this season has been the style and press. It is something you have done all season long and no team has really found a cure for. When you look back at the first days of the season as the team was practicing their weapon did you ever think it would be so consistently valuable?

I can’t say I knew it would be as successful as it has been, but I knew we would be a problem for teams defensively. What Pedro has asked from us on the defensive end has been consistent all year. Everyone knows where they’re supposed to be because it has been the same concepts since day one. On top of that, when you have a great defender like Max DiLeo pressuring ball handlers, everything gets easier for everyone around him. In one of our first scrimmages of the season Max forced turnovers on three straight possessions just from hounding the ball handler. When you play with a guy like him, you don’t want to be the weak link. His passion and consistency brings the level of our entire team up.

Austin Hollins had another MVP game, was hitting crazy shots from left and right all night long. He also made the biggest play of the game stripping Tyrese Rice in the last seconds to secure the ball. How often have you had MVP in your thoughts this season when he made a play?

He is definitely one of the best players I’ve ever played with. His incredible shot-making makes things much easier for all of us. Teams have to pay such close attention to him when he’s coming off screens that he consistently opens up easy layups for his teammates. He’s a very smart cutter as well and is always finding ways to get open at exactly the right time. I’m even more impressed with him defensively though. Coach asked him to guard Tyrese Rice full-court for four games and he didn’t hesitate on taking that assignment. Off the ball, he has an incredible ability to jump into passing lanes and get steals. There aren’t many basketball players that can affect a game on both ends of the court like he can.

How tough was losing game two in Bamberg 102-98 in OT. That game looked like it took most of the teams energy. Did this tough loss spark something special in the club that helped them add extra strength to the game three and four wins?

It was a brutal loss. We fought so hard with our limited rotation only to go to overtime and come up short. However, we knew that it was only one loss in a best-of-five series so we had to regroup quickly. Our fans in the Rasta Dome gave us the boost we needed in Game 3 to help us get the upper hand back in the series.

What was the secret for Rasta Vechta being able to play with a 6-7 man roster against a deep athletic team like Brose Bamberg? I could have expected one game like that or maybe two, but never four. Do you feel sometimes that the will and heart of a player can block out serious body pain and help reach new unexpected heights?

It wasn’t really anything special other than our will to fight. We’ve been working hard since August and we weren’t about to stop because of some injuries. We had a depleted front-court but Philipp Herkenhoff, Robin Christen, and Chris Carter all stepped up huge and played a ton of great minutes for us. Philipp had huge double-doubles for us in Games 1 and 2. He was exhausted but still kept pushing hard and hit that huge 3 late in the fourth quarter of Game 4. Rob did a fantastic job on the boards until he got hurt making a difficult defensive rotation and put his body on the line. Chris Carter played completely out of position but battled and gave us 24 huge minutes in Game 3. He hadn’t played the 4 until the playoffs and learned the position completely on the fly. The 5 points he gave us at the end of the second quarter in Game 3 really set the tone for the rest of the series.

Rasta Vechta was without two vital big men Clint Chapman and Tyrone Nash, but Germans Philipp Herkenhoff and Michael Kessens were the x-factors. Please describe the worth to the team and what big step they made only in this series?

Philipp is young but he didn’t back down at all in the series. Those double-doubles were monster performances. He made big shots and battled defensively against guys who weigh many more kilos than he does. He’s going to be a very special player as he continues to grow into his body and develop. Nobody is in the gym more than Philipp. As far as Mike goes, we wouldn’t be here without him. Defensively, he’s incredible hedging against opposing guards. He’s great at seeing things develop and is the anchor at the back of our defensive system. Offensively, I’ve never played with a big man who has better footwork and patience than him. I know when I come off a pick and roll with Mike, I can give him a pass just about anywhere. He is always able to catch it, balance himself, and make the right play for our team.

After many years away from the BBL, Josh Young returned and had a great season. He was also a vital spark in the Bamberg series. How vital was he for you becoming comfortable to a new league early and what one thing did he help you most that made your life a lot easier?

20 minutes after the club announced I signed, JY reached out to me welcoming me to the team. He’s been a great leader for us the entire season. He has an ability to get guys to buy-in and create a family-like atmosphere. On court, he really helped lead this team by buying into his role coming off the bench and making shots. He’s carried us through some difficult stretches in games by knocking down tough, contested shots. His ability to take a 1,2 gather step before catching the ball to create space is amazing. He can get his shot off against anyone.

One of the biggest stories of the season has been head coach Pedro Calles. How do you feel did he grow in the Bamberg series? He took on a new challenge with a deflated line up and succeeded.

Nobody is more prepared than Pedro. After our last regular season game, we had a team meeting and Pedro laid out what we were going to have to do to beat Bamberg. And he was exactly right with the things he said. He’s great with the X’s and O’s but he’s an even better motivator. He’s very consistent with everything he asks from us and as long as we do those things, he let’s us be ourselves out there. It’s been a ton of fun playing for him with this group of guys.

Let’s talk about your game. The guy that first saw your worth was Ludwigsburg head coach John Patrick who already had you on his list in 2016, but an injury cost you your first experience there. Have you had contact to him this season and did you get a congrats message from him after beating Bamberg?

We said hello and shook hands at our games this season but haven’t had any contact outside of that. We’re both competitors so we’ve been focused on our own seasons.

You had some solid seasons as a professional, but never as you have this season. After your first few practices this season would you have thought that you could put up such massive stats like you have?

I knew right away Pedro’s system would be great for me. I’m a read and react player and that’s what Pedro allows us to do. We’ve been constantly finding new wrinkles in our offense that makes life easier for everyone.

You had a huge game two, but didn’t have to be such a scorer in the other games and concentrated more on playmaking. Has your decision making and separating when to score and pass been one of your biggest strengths this season?

I don’t really think about scoring vs. playmaking when I’m out there. I just try to read what the defense is giving me and make the best play for my team. Some nights that’s scoring, other nights it’s distributing the ball.

You more than doubled your assist average this season to all the other professional seasons. You once averaged 5,2apg at Princeton. It is amazing that your averaging 8,2apg while also scoring very much. It isn’t like your averaging 7 or 8 points per game but your scoring a lot and making a lot of assists. Was there something specific that has made you an elite assist man in the BBL or is this something you feel you could of always achieved with the right teammates and coaches?

Again, it comes back to Pedro’s system. We have some basic sets that we run but other than that we’re just reading and reacting. We’ve got a lot of smart players on this team so we’ve been able to get a lot of easy points. We’ve found different ways to score off back cuts and running hard in transition. I know that if I get guys the ball in the right spots, they’ll make a good play.

You play with so much confidence and calmness. Is this something that you always had or has this been something that grew this season with your leadership duties?

I’ve always tried to be an emotional rock for my teams. I never want to get too high or too low on the court. In every game, there are good runs and bad runs but you have to be focused on the entire 40-minute picture.

You led the team to an amazing playoff series win over Bamberg. How do you feel did you grow in this series as a player? How did your leadership and self-confidence profit most?

I knew this would be an important series for me as a player. Going up against guys like Tyrese Rice, Nikos Zisis, Bryce Taylor, and Ricky Hickman, is always special. They’ve collectively accomplished just about everything possible throughout their careers. Being able to win a series against them helped me recognize that this team can accomplish anything. People could write off our regular season win against them as a fluke but now we did it over an entire series.

You next play powerhouse FC Bayern Munich. How excited are you about the semi-finals series and does it feel like a David & Goliath

Series like this are why you play basketball. It’s going to be an awesome test for us and we’re going to continue to chase history. We’ve been the underdog all season so nothing changes now. We’ve got five games to continue to prove ourselves.

Rasta Vechta split the season series in the BBL 1-1. They are well rested and you had a tough taxing series against Bamberg. What kind of series can we await and will Rasta Vechta be able to keep up the intensity again?
Nothing will change from our side. We’re going to continue to battle, fight, and scrap, on every possession. We’ve got nothing to lose and we’re going to play like it.

What is your prediction of the 2019 NBA finals Golden State-Toronto Raptors? Can a Kawhi Leonard do some magic?

I’ll take the Warriors. 4-1.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Avengers: Endgame but I’m currently catching up on the TV show, Barry. That’s my go-to at the moment.

Thanks TJ for the chat.