John Murry (192-G-1995, college: Austin Peay) is a 27 year old 193cm guard from Indianapolis, Indiana that is playing his fourth professional season in Germany and first with TuS 59 Hamm Stars. He began the season with new Pro A team Art Duesseldorf. After playing only 3 games in his first 2 seasons with BSG Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga) because of injury and Covid, he was able to play 25 games in 2021-2022 averaging 28.2ppg, 5.2rpg, 4.6apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 38.4%, FT: 82.2%. Before that he had experience with the Kitchener-Waterloo Titans. He played two years at Owens Community College playing 63 games and two years at Austin Peay State University (NCAA) playing 56 NCAA games and as a senior averaged 16.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 81.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping Hamm with 30 points beat Leverkusen with a buzzer beater

Congrats John on the big 83-81 win against Leverkusen 2. The team is 2-0. I can imagine the record is more important then your pretty buzzer beater?

Yes, most definitely, the win was the most important objective of the evening and getting that made the night that much better. Big shoutout to my teammates for fighting from beginning to end.

Before we get to the buzzer beater, let’s talk a bit about the game. Was it a back and forth tight rope battle from the start as the score suggests?

It was a battle but nothing we didn’t prepare for, we knew coming into this game it was going to be a dog fight and fighting til the end is what got us the win in the end by fighting until the horn sounds.

It was a real battle on the boards, but Hamm shot very poorly from outside. Do you feel like Hamm could have had an easier time had you shot better as a team form outside?

We put emphasis on boxing out and grabbing the boards before the game and it’s a working process, with that I believe we will definitely be better with correcting our poor efforts in the next weeks to come.

What was it like playing against top point guard Viktor Frankel-Maus who had 22 points. He was a top Pro B player for years and played in the Pro A. Were you extra motivated to play against a guy like that?

I definitely have to take my hat off to Viktor, he hit some big shots down the stretch with a few hands in his face, especially in the closing minutes but as the saying goes
Iron sharpens iron and I definitely enjoyed the battle between the two of us during the entire 40 minutes.

Sometimes you play against sons of legends as you battled young Justin Gnad. Did you know his dad Hansi is the coach of Leverkusen (Pro A) was drafted by the 76ers in 1987 and helped Germany win the 1993 Euro over Russia in Munich?

I did not know this information but I definitely had a form of respect as we shook hands before and after the game. He has some good words for me afterwards and I have nothing but respect for him and his career throughout the years.

Let’s talk about the crunch-time minutes. Did you think 2-3 minutes before the end that the game could come down to a last second shot?

I was honestly prepared for the worst and expecting the best outcome. However, I wasn’t happy with our defense in the closing minutes so that’s something we will definitely go over in practice throughout the week.

On the last play you had the ball. I guess everyone knew that you would make the last shot. I mean there was nobody coming out to set a pick. Were you 100% sure on the inbounds that you would take the last shot?

Respectfully, I work hard at my craft and the shot is nothing I haven’t worked on 1000 times. Just believing in myself and skill in the end is what got me to true point, the only think left was to make the shot.I thrive in moments like that and love them more then anything in the game.

What was going through your mind a few seconds before the floater. How comfortable are you in general with using your floater?

Something I worked hard at all summer getting to my spots, making sure I get the right lift and muscle memory on the shot, like I said I love moments like that and look forward to many more in my career.

How much percent were you confident when you released the ball that it was going in?

Respectfully, when it left my hands I knew it was good, I’ve spent more then 10,000 hours working on my game, coach Ivan did a great job in believing in me to make the right play and the positive confidence boost from your head coach goes along way especially in the closing seconds of the game.

How many buzzer beaters have you had in your career and where does this one rate?

I’ve hit quite a few game winners in my career but this one has to be the sweetest, considering we needed this win to get off to a 2-0 start for the season.

Now looking back, how much satisfaction does that shot give you when you think back at your Duesseldorf days? Even though you had nothing but good words for Art Duesseldorf, I know that you as a competitor was pure joy when it went in?

It felt great, the last week of September was a rough time for me mentally considering the move from Duesseldorf to Hamm, so this was definitely a booster heading into the month of October and moving forward.

How huge were your teammates Mateo Zvoko and Marcel Kirsch who combined for 32 points? You didn’t always have that support with Grevenbroich last season?

They were huge in yesterday’s game, Mateo made some tough shots down the stretch that we really needed at the time and Marcel did a great job finishing under the rim off penetration drop offs. I couldn’t have been more proud of my guys last night for their efforts and fighting to win the game for us.

Hamm now face BG Hagen. Hamm is 2-0 and strutting with a lot of self-confidence. What will be the key to getting the win?

Mainly just staying discipline, we know they are not a team to just lay down so we must come with the same intensity and fight that we had against leverkusen.

What is your general opinion of the Udoka scandal in Boston. Will the Celtics rebound without him?

Prayers go out to him and his family on what’s up next in there life. I just know it will not be an easy task for him moving forward but wishing all good to him and his career in whatever decision is made upon his behalf.

Tags : JOHN MURRY, ART GIANTS DUESSELDORF, GERMAN BASKETBALL