Tyson Ward (198-G/F-97, college: NDSU) is a 23 year old 198cm guard/forward from Tampa Bay, Florida that is playing his rookie season in Germany with s.Oliver Wurzburg currently averaging 9,1ppg, 4,2rpg and 2,8apg. He played at North Dakota State University (NCAA) from 2016-2020 playing a total of 129 NCAA games. He was able to improve his scoring and rebounding season averages each year. In his senior year he played 33 games averaging 16.9ppg, 7.2rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 41.0%, FT: 77.8%. he spoke to germanhoops.com after the big 82-78 win against Brose Bamberg.

Tyson thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the massive 82-78 win. How good did it feel to get this win after losing 5 games in a row?

This win was like a fresh breath of air. Losing takes a lot of the wind out of the sail. This was a big win. It had been a long time since our last win against Crailsheim. It was great to bounce back. This was a big step for us.

s.Oliver Wurzburg had some very tough weeks losing by 50 points to Oldenburg, losing by 24 points to Ulm and 23 points against BG Goettingen. What has frustrated you the most about how the club has performed on the defensive end in this span?

Defense is something that we have needed to work on all season long. We have to be able to put our best foot forward. Our problem is that when we play bad defense, we get down on ourselves. That’s when the opponent gets a big lead. Every team is so good in the BBL that it is hard to come back when your down by so much.

Did you sense that the team was focused than ever wanting to get revenge after losing to them twice this season?

It was a combination of having guys back and just having that chip on our shoulders. We had a long week and a half to prepare for this game. Our practices were more intense and everybody was really competitive. It is good see that our practice effort was able to translate over into the game.

s.Oliver Wurzburg began slow, but really picked it up in the second quarter scoring 31 points. What adjustments did the team make to finally find their offensive rhythm?

Energy really helped us. We were up and down in the first quarter while Bamberg stayed solid. We played harder on the defensive end in the second quarter and began to capitalize on their mistakes.

s.Oliver Wurzburg did a good job not allowing any points from Bamberg for almost 5 minutes in the fourth quarter, but then allowed three consecutive three’s from German Kenneth Ogbe. How much of a pest was he in making it a game again?

We had to make defensive adjustments. Bamberg has many good shooters. It wasn’t just Ogbe, but it could have been any other player sitting in the corner and making shots. His three three pointers definitely bothered us. We took a good timeout to regroup.

How instrumental was Murphy Holloway for the win? He was without a doubt the team’s MVP in the fourth quarter.

Murph always brings big energy. He is a dawg. You saw it all game from him with his energy. It is a testament of how hard he plays and just how much his energy affects us. It is awesome having him on the team. He brings a different energy boost.

How much of a spark does his defense truly give the offense?

It gives us a big boost. Defense sparks offense is the biggest motto of any team. The more stops you get the more transition baskets you can get.

How key was it limiting David Kravish to only 2 points. He could have been the difference had he been able to score more.

Slowing him down was a testament to our bigs and our help side. We gave strong contact in the low post when he caught the ball. Kravish is a talented dude. You really need to key in on a guy like him.

What do you believe was s-Oliver’s biggest strength on the court tonight?

Being together was huge for our success tonight. We were giving constant encouragement from the bench and bounced back to the next play. Energy and effort helped us win this game

How confident are you that the team will finish strong with the better integration of Rob Lowery, Brekkott Chapman and Perry Jones?

It definitely felt a lot better having those guys back. Murphy, Hunt and I had to do a lot and we had tough times. We are still learning the pace of the BBL to this day. Having Chapman and Lowery back was a huge help. You really see how they affect the game.

You had a solid game with 13 points and filled the stat sheet nicely. How tough have the last weeks been for you being able to produce well on the court?

It has been tough as a rookie. I have been up and down. Teams pick on you and bet on you to make mistakes. It took me a while to understand that I have to slow down more. Your emotions can get the best of you. I learned that I need to lock down more and have fun and not worry about making mistakes.

You have had an up and down rookie season. Do you feel that the many offensive options that the club has has limited your scoring output?

I think for me it has been a learning curve as the season has gone on. It hasn’t been about the team having natural scorers, but about me learning the game. I think that my game has become more consistent half way through the season. I have learned a lot and I feel that I have had a decent rookie year. It is something that I can build on. I learned that I had to stop putting pressure on myself and just stay solid.

You compete against many great players each game including ex NBA players like Devon Hall. Do you ever ask yourself what you still have to do to get better when you watch a guy like that operate?

I didn’t even know that he played in the NBA. I just try to get better each day and stop the guy in front of me no matter who the player

Chris Paul passed Magic Johnson for fifth on the NBA all-time with assists. Where do you rank a Paul in the NBA’s best all-time point guards when he hasn’t won a ring yet?

I think he is really underrated. He is so dynamic. He has played for great and bad teams and always proved where ever he was that he got it. He is a top 5 point guard.

Croatian legend Dino Radja recently said that he couldn’t imagine Russell Westbrook being able to lead a team in Europe to success. Do you agree?

I don’t know. You need to be able to shoot the ball at the Euro level. The floor is a lot tighter in Europe. I can see where he is coming from with that statement.

Draymond Greene recently said that he is the greatest defender of all-time. Do you agree?

No, absolutely not. He is one of the great defenders, but not the greatest.

Did you see the Coming to America sequel? It has gotten mixed reviews. Shouldn’t they just have left it untouched?

Classics should never be remade. It is hard to redo a classic.

Thanks Tyson for the chat.