Six seasons ago a certain Kameron Taylor made a big decision in his basketball life and one can say in the best Hollywood phrase ‘and the rest is history’, thus meaning what happened next is well known. Often in Hollywood taking the right role can often help an actor in his career or not. For example a Zac Efron has said he regrated playing Zac Efron in High School Musical because after that he was often typecast or a Sandra Bullock was embarrassed that she was in Speed 2. A certain Harrison Ford was already famous after Star Wars, but him taking the role in Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 surely helped push his career further in the 80’s. Of course all these people still did well in their careers, but it also showed how vital it is in making the right decision. It isn’t any different in the basketball world. In 2017-2018, Kameron Taylor was coming off a solid but not great rookie season in the Pro A with Ehingen where he averaged 10,0ppg. He decided to take a step back to go to the Pro B in Rhondorf so he could have a great season in a lower league to bolster his self-confidence and also tune his game a bit more and have him prepared for that next step. Within 3 years of having super seasons in Hungry and the easyCredit BBL with Wurzburg and Hamburg, he made the jump to the Euroleague and Maccabi Tel Aviv. He proved that anything is possible and lived out his Cinderella story. New Dragon Rhondorf guard Kelvin Omojola (183-G-1997, college: Northwest) is trying the same step even if the circumstances aren’t quite the same. He played last season with Pro A team PS Karlsruhe and averaged only 3,0ppg. The chances of reaching the Euroleague for him are surely smaller than Taylor’s was, but this ambitious guard can still play and is ready for a big season in the Pro B which he already once had as a rookie in Speyer. ‘That is a motivating story but my motivation comes from within. What motivates me is being better than I was yesterday, and not taking a day for granted because I know I’m blessed to have this opportunity to play’, stressed Kelvin Omojola.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Kam Taylor in the Dragon Dome in 2018

Kelvin Omojola who lists Grant Riller and Pierre Jackson as the toughest players he has ever faced on the court was born on April 15th, 1997 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has the German citizenship and began his basketball career at Green Valley high school. He really wanted to play at the legendary school UNLV that has produced famous NBA players like Stacey Augmon, Greg Anthony, Armon Gilliam, Sidney Green, Larry Johnson, and Shawn Marion just to name a few, but he wasn’t able to walk on. Former alumni, the women’s team and staff and others had advocated for him to attend, but it just didn’t pan out for him. He had some private work outs, but too no avail. He went to Canada for his freshman year to play at Red Deer College (CCAA), but left after a season as being away from home was too much for him. He then transferred to Bendedict College (NCAA2) in South Carolina and adjusted better there. He played for a great coach in Artis Maddox and averaged 9.1ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 38.6%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 66.7%.. He played against great players and teams in great environments. ‘There really is nothing like playing at an HBCU and going to Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, Virginia Union, Claflin. The atmosphere at those games were unbelievable. Standing room only, band playing, can’t hear what the coach is saying in the timeout. I had great memories’, stated Kelvin Omojola. He scored in double figures in 10 games including 24 points against Lane, 18 points against Livingstone and Rollins and 17 points against Paine. He moved around a lot in his young years and would make one more move taking a step back and attending Northwest University (NAIA) averaging 7.4ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 36.4%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 62.1% and in his senior year averaged 13.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 3.2apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 55.4%, 3PT: 54.2%, FT: 87.5%. It was a shame that Covid ended his season abruptly in March 2020. ‘It was really tough, I felt I was on pace for an All-American season but I’m glad I was able to take advantage of the opportunity that was available to me’, said Kelvin Omojola. He scored in double figures 6 times including 14 points against Evergreen State. He only played 6 games in his senior year, but saved his best for last against Multomah. ‘That was probably the best game I’ve ever played. Finishing with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists, it was a crazy game and being able to end my final collegiate game with a win was great’, remembered Kelvin Omojola. He also scored 27 points in a loss against Seattle Pacific. His game development and success at Northwest University wouldn’t have been the same without head coach Jeff Drinkwine. ‘I love Coach Drink. He was a great guy and he put me in an opportunity to be successful after seeing that I worked for it. He helped me become a mentally stronger player and an even better person, truthfully’, stated Kelvin Omojola who remembers never losing a one on one duel against former teammate Cacoa Chatman.

The Nevada native who lists DJ Woodmore, Ben Shungu, Lovell Cabbil, CaCao Chatman & Romello Jones as his best teammates of all-time came to Germany in 2021 and played with the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer averaging 15.3ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.3apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 43.4%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 71.8%. Every American has a wake up call and usually it’s off the court, but for him it actually happened on the court. ‘It was when we played at Frankfurt and I had 27 points and we lost. In college, I score that much we’re winning the game. So this made me realize it really is a team effort in order to win games’, remembered Kelvin Omojola. In his rookie season he played 23 games and scored in double figures in 21 games. He really seemed to have Frankfurt’s number as he also scored 31 points in his living room, but lost both by a combined score of only 4 points. The close game loses didn’t go any better in the playoff series against Wedel where he battled against his future coach Stefan Blode. He had a terrific series averaging 19/3/6 stats, but after winning a thrilling 81-80 game 2, he and Speyer couldn’t win the do or die game 3 losing 70-69. ‘I remember that we were giving everything we had to win that series. DJ Woodmore, Darian Cardenas, and myself were playing almost the entire game just to give ourselves a chance and we almost did it. That do or die game was tough because we were up 8 with 2 minutes left and ran out of gas. It was an extremely tough loss because I fully expected us to go to the next round’, commented Kelvin Omojola. Last season he was rewarded by moving to the pro A with PS Karlsruhe, but his minutes were shaved down 16 from 28 in Speyer to 12 with PS Karlsruhe. ‘I didn’t have the season I was expecting to have, but everything happens for a reason. As a team we were very successful and I was glad to be an apart of that. Going from getting good minutes to getting those reduced in the 2nd half of the season is tough. But, I just took it as a new challenge and aimed to be a star in my role and remain professional’, expressed Kelvin Omojola. He scored in double figures twice scoring 15 points in a win over Munster and 12 points in an exciting 95-92 win over 2023 Pro A finalist Tuebingen. He played 21 minutes in the playoffs series win over Artland and 28 minutes in the series against Tuebingen. Despite not having a big role, he did take positives from it ‘I experienced what it takes to make a deep playoff run and the type of work that needs to go into that. How much work each player needs to put in for the team to be successful. And the leadership that is required to help the team navigate the long season’, added Kelvin Omojola who lists last season’s teammate Bazu Kone as the toughest player he had to go against.

The scoring point guard who lists LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is currently in Los Angeles, California working out and preparing for his third professional season in Germany. Coming to Rhondorf was a no brainer for him. ‘I see this as a great decision because I will be able to go back to having a larger role under Coach Stephan Blode. He’s seen my game first hand when we played against Wedel in the playoffs my rookie year and knows what I’m capable of. I get an opportunity to be a leader and help the club win games’, warned Kelvin Omojola. The season is still months away, but he already knows what his role will be and what will help him most coming from the Pro A. ‘ I expect to be one of the go-to guys for Rhoendorf and one of the leaders of the team. Where my game grew tremendously was from a mental aspect. From on court strategies, adjustments, reads and rotations, preparation, and staying mentally ready. Also, matching up and competing against great players every practice and game helped sharpen my skills’, stressed Kelvin Omojola.

So what kind of player will fans see in the Dragon Dome from the 26 year old 183cm point guard who ranks Lebron James as his Goat? When you watch his game, it is apparent that he brings aspects from NBA players Steph Curry and Kyle Lowery. He brings the constant movement and natural aggressiveness of Curry, but also is able to play with or off the ball are things fans will see as well as getting out on transition and pushing the tempo. Fans saw that explosive offensive skills of Devon Goodman last season and surely will see that kind of player again this season. ‘The main strengths in my game are my aggressiveness and shooting. I’m an aggressive offensive player who can score at 3 levels as well as make plays for my teammates. And defensively I’m a tough defender that likes to use my quickness to my advantage and take charges’, said Kelvin Omojola. He had a super rookie season from downtown, but last season shot only 24% from outside. He continues to grind in the lab on becoming the best shooter possible. ‘I put in a lot of work to be a great shooter working on a variety of different shots. I want to continue to be a better shooter and my goal is to be 50-40-90 as I feel that’s the benchmark for being an elite shooter’, warned Kelvin Omojola. But he isn’t only a lethal offensive scorer, but also wants to showcase his skills at the other end of the court. ‘I’m a tough defender who likes to play physical and set the tone defensively. I have a good feel for reading passing lanes and have no problem taking charges to help my team get the ball back. I want to become an elite on ball defender like a Jrue Holiday or Davion Mitchell’, stressed Kelvin Omojola. It will be interesting to see how Kelvin Omojola performs this season in the Pro B. He continues to work on his shooting as well as his craftiness and ball handling to be the best player he can be. Kam Taylor and Devon Goodman had incredible seasons for the Dragons Rhondorf and fans could witness a third great guard in Kelvin Omojola showcase his big talent. He definitely has the correct mind set to follow in their paths.

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Adrian Bergmann (199-PF-2001) is a 22 year old 199cm forward that played the 2022-2023 season with pro B team Dragons Rhondorf averaging 3,7ppg and 2,4rpg. He began his basketball career with the Regnitzal Baskets (2 Regionallga) and then played in the Brose Bamberg organization from 2017-2020 helping their NBBL team reach the final in 2019. The last 2 seasons he played with BBC Coburg (Pro B) and last season suited up for the wiha Panthers Schwenningen (ProA) playing 19 games averaging 1.5ppg. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his season in Rhondorf.

Congrats on a solid Dragons Rhondorf season that ended in a sweep against the Basketball Lowen. How tough was losing this series and having Devon Goodman not play game 2?

We had Game 1 in our Hands and then gave it away and lost in Overtime so I think that the first Game has a huge impact on the series, especially with only 3 Games. We presented ourselves way better in the second game although our main creator was missing. We fought hard and tried our best so in the end I think everyone put out his maximum.

The Dragons Rhondorf gave all they had in game 2. Did fatigue play a role at the end?

We were used to playing a smaller rotation the whole season so fatigue wasn’t an excuse for this day.

From the stats how much did the offensive rebounds of Erfurt and your 7 more turnovers play a role in losing the game?

With turnovers and offensive rebounds Erfurt got more possessions than we did, so they could miss more shots and still win and it effects a game a lot.

It was a tough season for the Dragons Rhondorf. The untimely and tragic death of Mubarak Salami affected all. How proud are you of how the whole organization stuck together after his death?

We as a team and organization stuck together the best way possible. I’m very proud of everybody how we handled the situation.

With all that happened this season, how do you summarize the season of the Dragons Rhondorf? It was their first playoffs in 5 years.

It was a challenging season for everybody on the team but we developed a lot, especially as a group and experienced a lot of struggle. But it made everyone grow and in the end it was successful for everyone. Reaching the playoffs was our minimum goal, but still it’s not that easy to always reach it.

It was a joy to watch the offense of the Dragons Rhondorf, but the inconsistent 1-1 defense plagued the club all season long. Why do you feel could the team never develop a true defensive identity?

We just showed that we can play good defense for couple of minutes or quarters. We were one of the best teams in every other defensive category but just the 1-1 was very inconsistent.

The club had many big wins like over the Sixers and sweeping Schwelm. What was your personal team highlight of the season?

Definitely the Win against Sandersdorf at home. In this game we really showed our identity and how we can come back even being down 16 and only 10 min left to play.

For me the team MVP was Devon Goodman If you had to pick a second MVP who would it be?

I’m going with your choice, he had a tremendous season and helped us a lot

For me the unsung hero was Paul Albrecht. Who was your unsung hero?

Flo Wendler was with Paul also one of the most consistent guys on defense especially so they both were definitely the unsung hero’s.

For me the most improved was Zaba Bangala. Who was your most improved player?

I think we all improved individually a lot during the season, from some you could just see the improvement more on the court. But Zaba made a big step in the right direction.

You averaged 3,7ppg and 2,4rpg. How would you summarize your season?

Challenging but personally for many reasons one of my best seasons so far.

You upped your minutes from your first Pro B season with Coburg to 15. I personally would have liked to have seen you play more of a role and get more minutes. Were you content with your minutes?

Usually everyone wants to play more, but Julius used me very specifically only this number of minutes, because in this time I am most efficient. Sometimes of course he also had to adapt to the game but summarizing around 15 minutes is the best time to play for me.

You’re the ultimate team player that had the role of coming from the bench and being a solid 3 and D player. How did you see your game make steps this season?

The biggest take away this season for me is always being focused and confident while your on the court.

You scored in double figures 3 times. What was your personal favorite game of the season?

The Herford game at the Dragon Dome was the most fun for sure, because the things we have worked on gave us the big lead and he confidence for the next games. And I just did what I can do good: run fast break and make layups after a solid defense.

You’re a player that said before the season that you wanted to work on your ball handling and pick and roll game. On what area’s will you focus on this season?

I want to shoot more consistent in the 3 Point area.

What is the next step for you? Is the Pro B now something you will focus on after this season or would the Pro A be a possible option?

I will stay in Pro B and still be with the Dragons Rhoendorf for the upcoming season, which im really looking forward to!

Who will reach the Pro B finals and win it all?

Vechta is one of my favourites but in the end I think Koblenz will win it.

Who will reach the NBA finals and who will win it all?

I have my hopes for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Thanks Adrian for the chat.

Tags : ADRIAN BERGMANN, DRAGONS RHOENDORF, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Joe Asberry is an American ex professional basketball player that really has seen it all from crime to drugs, but also played against legends like David Robinson (215-C-65, college: Navy), Gary Payton, Jason Kidd and Brian Shaw and was teammates with German legendary player Christian Welp. He had a 11 year professional career that saw him toil around in the minor leagues of Germany, but he belonged to the best in his day at that level. Since retiring from the game, he has been a spokesperson for young kids and drug prevention, guest speaker, worked in the Alba Berlin organization, been a master of ceremonies for UBC Hannover and been a mentor for young Americans coming overseas trying to live the dream of being a professional basketball player. Currently he works with young inspiring basketball kids and has his own podcast. He spoke to germanhoops.com about LeBron James (203-SF-1984) breaking the NBA scoring record formally held by Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

LeBron James has beaten Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s NBA all-time scoring record. Did you stay up to watch history?

Miles, we all know you’re THE MAN with the best Pro Basketball interviews in Europe, so I appreciate you. I didn’t stay awake to watch King James break Kareem’s record, but saw it the next day

How does one put this record into perspective best? It stood almost 40 years?

You can’t put it into perspective. Scoring is so natural for him. He plays the game the right way, so for him to pass Kareem in scoring something that he didn’t even try to do is crazy

He scored 38 points in 26 minutes. Was it another normal day at the office?

I don’t think it was a normal day at the office. He probably said to himself before the game, I’m going to get this over with TONIGHT. I believe if he wanted to go out and get 100 and pressed it, the way Jordan,Kobe,and AI did, he would drop 100 pts

How much is that ball going to be worth?

That ball is going to sell for a few million easy

Russell Westbrook made the pass. Do you think that in 20 years the pass could be remembered more than his triple doubles?

Nobody will ever be able to take away from Westbrook those triple doubles, he makes it look so easy, I love his game

His record breaking basket was a step back over Kenrich Williams. Is that the kind of shot you expected knowing the kind of player he is? Or would you have expected a dunk for the spectacular finish?

His step back was sweet. It also looked “Big Dirk” like with the leg action. Miles, you know me ,I was PRAYING IT WAS GOING TO BE A DUNK! LOL

There obviously is a lot of respect for Kareem, by the basketball world, but what would have happened on social media if Lebron had gotten the record with a sky hook shot?


If King James would have broken that record with a hook shot, Labtops and phones would have EXPLODED

Kareem is such a gentleman. You didn’t grow up with him, but what does his legacy mean to younger guys? Can they even understand what that guy did?

Let me tell the youth this, Kareem’s hook was just like Big Dirk’s 1 legged fade away, nobody could block it ,not even the “Jumping Joe” s of the world, dudes with legit 50 inch vertical leapers in their prime. My bad Miles, I slipped into my ego LOL!

Lebron will have more than 40,000 points when it’s all over. Back in 1984 people said it would never be broken? Will this record be broken?

It’s the evolution of basketball, I think 1 day, someone will Break Lebron’s record.

If Luka Doncic continues to play to 40 stays fit and becomes a physical specimen like Lebron, could he dethrone him?

I love Luca Doncic’s game, but he will NEVER be the type of physical specimen King James Is. Doncic became a pro at a very young age, so I think sooner or later, his body will break down, Nobody beats father time 1 on 1.

Does this record finally give Lebron the GOAT status over Michael Jordan?

In my opinon, LeBron James is now the Goat. No shade on MJ though, He is the reason me and a bunch of ALSO RAN’S were given the opportunity to get paid to play basketball overseas. So I’ll always respect Mike. He was a scoring machine and a killer, King James can do EVERYTHING. It’s scary to watch a man that size, shoot, dribble, and pass the way he does. He is the DEFINITION of TRIPLE THREAT FOR REAL.

What is your favorite Lebron moment that you witnessed live or on TV?

My favorite LeBron James moment was watching him beat Number 1 at the time Oak HIll Academy. I loved his dunks ,and I thought to myself, if I had a NBA Body like that at 17, my Head would have been so big, you couldn’t fit me into a GYM. And after all these years, James remains Humble. That’s what I love about him the most. A fool who played for me in the 6th division in Germany is dumb enough to say things like “I’m GREAT” That’s not GREAT! That’s DELUSIONAL.I won’t say his name online though, that will make him famous ,like I AM! King James is GREAT And a worldwide superstar, and I appreciate him LOL! Shout out to Dru Joyce too, great player and great dude.

Thanks Joe for the chat.

Tags : LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Brandon Bowman at the 2009 BBL allstargame in Mannheim

Brandon Bowman (206-F-1984, college: Georgetown) is a 38 year old 206cm forward who Is still a professional player. His last season was the 2020-2021 season when he played for Giessen in Germany. He has been injured the last 2 seasons and moved to Israel and is working on his comeback. The California native began his career at Westchester high school in Los Angeles and then played at the illustrious Georgetown (NCAA) from 2002-2006. In 2006 he turned professional and played for 26 organizations from 2006-2021. He played 5 seasons in Israel and 4 seasons in Germany and also played in countries like Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, France, Serbia, Korea, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Cyprus, Qatar, Belgium, China, Paraguay and Greece. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his memories of the 2008-2009 Telekom Baskets Bonn team and basketball.

Thanks Brandon for talking to germanhoops.com. I would of thought you would be back home in Los Angeles, but on the contrary. Your living in Israel at the moment. How is life treating you?

Life in Israel is cool. Real laid back. Of course I miss home but this isn’t a bad option at all. And the choice to stay here was clear to me given the citizenship process and all. No time to really leave until I receive my papers unless it’s for basketball.

You played parts of 5 seasons in Israel, but also played parts of 4 seasons in Germany. Is Israel more like a second home to you then Germany?

I honestly consider them both to be very familiar territory to me. I feel just as comfortable being in both places with Obviously Germany being a lot bigger. It seems like I’m more familiar with both Germany, and Israel, than Los Angeles currently.

Your last game was more than 2 years ago. You finished with Giessen beating FC Bayern Munich 95-94 and had 16 points. How satisfying was that win for you personally?

That win was pretty satisfying given the season we had. It started off so tough and picked up tremendously after hiring Rolf as our head coach. And actually I felt as if that win would start a winning streak for us (which it did) but I wasn’t able to join because of breaking my thumb. But still. Getting a winning feeling against a team like Bayern will always be special. Especially playing for the underdogs.

You missed the last 2 seasons because of injury, but at age 38 still want to play again. Are you 100% healthy now? Talk a little about the last 2 years and what your body went through?

First and foremost I’m 100% healthy. I practiced most of the season with a team by my house to keep my game tight so I still approached everyday as if I’m still signed. Over these past two years I’ve also learned more about my body since I’ve never really given it this much time to rest. Breaking my thumb for a second time in one year was truly a setback but made me grow in other areas that were lacking. I really focused on improving my left hand overall. I think you’re never too old to learn so I want to make sure the holes in my game are a small as possible while still keeping a certain amount of athleticism to dunk and make other moves when needed.

I remember when you played in Bayreuth, you lived in the gym. How many extra years of playing professionally would you estimate did your gym work outs allow you to have such a long career?

Man. I really couldn’t tell you. Of course working on your game is very important. But it’s the other things that I’ve stayed loyal to that have kept the longevity up. Eating right. Hitting the weight room. Working on plyometrics. Mobility work is key. I try not to skip a step and use everything at my disposal. My mental toughness had carried me a long way and has given me the chance to play again at a high level and such a high age.

I guess it would make sense to play in Israel this upcoming season. Is that the plan?

Yeah. Playing in Israel is the plan. It’s the most ideal for my situation.

You helped the Telekom Baskets Bonn reach the final in 2009. Bonn is back in the final for the first team as they had an incredible season. Do you still follow your ex team?

I follow most basketball across the world. Espn ally countries I’ve spent a lot of time in so of course I’m following them. They’ve had an outstanding season so far. Hopefully they can finish legendary run with a BBL title.

The 2008-2009 Bonn was a special team that finished the regular season in fourth place. What do you remember being this team’s biggest strength?

I thought everyone bought into what we were trying to do. Mike made it easy for everyone to go with the flow and roles were made at the beginning of the season. We played so many games together that season with league and European competition. We were bound to just get better as a whole.

The team had 2 ex NBA players with Ken Johnson and Vincent Yarbrough and a third player by the name of Brandon Bowman who I felt should always have made it. You played in the G-League, NBA Summer league and NBA training camps. How close do you feel were to getting a NBA opportunity?

Actually that next season I had signed with the 76’ers and made their roster but was later cut because of Allen Iverson making a comeback and me being the 15th man. After being cut, then I headed to Turkey. And to be honest. That chance they gave me in Philly was the first legit shot that I had at making a NBA roster. And I played extremely well. But I also had interest from Oldenburg and Berlin that summer so if I could do it again, I think I would’ve chose the Euroleague route.

How will you remember John Bowler most? He was an unorthodox player that also had a original character and humor.

John was definitely a fun guy who was into everything. That was my first complete season overseas so John and his wife (Biz) showed me a lot about how to move around. What to do. Where to go. And on the court I always thought he was someone I could trust to do his job and do it well. Despite the injuries, I thought he was a huge part of our success today.

What memories will you always have of EJ Rowland? The guy just completed his 18th season at age 40. I guess his wheels never fell off.

Yeah. I mean, me and Erow are still very close. Bonn started a friendship that would never die. And I’m not surprised at what he’s doing currently. There’s a stigma about older players that older players are currently breaking today. Guys are playing longer and in better shape. Whenever I’m on the court, the thought of being older or slower or whatever never crosses my mind because it’s a non factor. I’m able to do and keep up with everyone else. But a big shot out to the coach of Erows team for bringing him in. Not every coach will bring a player in just because he think he’s ‘too old’ my guy will be playing until HE’S ready to retire. Not vice Versa.

Bonn began the playoffs by sweeping Ulm. Could the series have changed for the worse had Bonn not won game 2 71-69?

Losing can always do something psychological to you and give the other team an advantage. But we had controlled Ulm all season long so we knew if we played our game and excited correctly, the series would be ours regardless of losing one game or going for the sweep.

Is Jeff Gibbs one of those guys that you will never forget playing against? Was he one of the greatest undersized bigs you ever saw?

Jeff will definitely be someone I won’t forget in my career. I’ve never seen anything like him on a professional level and there’s no stopping him. Only containing him. Especially me. He outweighed me by about 30-40 pounds that season. Lol

The Alba Berlin series was crazy. Bonn won the first 2 games combined by 5 points and looked like the final was an easy bet , but then they strapped up the defense and allowed Bonn to average 40 points in the next 2 games. What did they change up?

If I’m not mistaken they just used their experience and age to overpower us a little bit. 5 games series are like that. But we responded well. They had some big names on that team but it didn’t matter to us because we knew we could hoop just as well as they could or even better on any given the day. And on top of that. We played Berlin and Oldenburg 8 times each that season (reg season/cup/playoffs) so each team was very familiar with one another so getting the upper hand and controlling the game is easy when the momentum is on your side. And it was for those two games.

Then came the crazy final against Oldenburg. Bonn was always up a game, but Oldenburg always fought back. Was the 71-70 loss in game 5 your toughest loss in your career?

BY FAR THE TOUGHESS LOSS IN MY CAREER. I’m still haunted by the 2nd half of that game. Hard pill to swallow. And can’t help but think where everyone’s career would’ve been if we did win that series.

Talk a little about the last seconds. How do you remember witnessing them?

I just remember the two passes they stole and to seal the game for them. That’s it. That’s all. Smh.

What was the difference in the series? Could Bonn had won the series keeping Ricky Paulding better in check?

I think we could’ve won if we didn’t have the turnovers we had in the last 2 minutes. Ricky is going to be Ricky. Hard to actually stop great players. But we can exploit other options and weaknesses they have. But to sum it up. I think we shot ourselves in the foot.

Was that successful 2008-2009 one of your fondest memories in your career?

Maybe not the fondest but definitely up there. I’ve been blessed to win some championships and meet some great people on and off the court in my career so Bonn definitely goes towards the top.

What made it so special to play for Michael Koch? He was a player’s coach. You did show in Ludwigsburg that you could function under other coaches?

I loved Mike from day one. Definitely a players coach and that helped a lot getting through to the players. Him having success comes easy when you listen to him. Of course there’s seasons where you don’t do as well or what not but my experience with him was always solid. Win lose or draw, I’d go to war for him to this very day. That’s my guy!

Please name your starting 5 of favorite Bonn teammates?

I rocked with Everyone that season. Not one person I could single out or make a starting 5. I literally chilled with everyone that season. Whether it was dinner/club/workouts/games. I was with everyone. So my starting 5 is every player on that team.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Patrick Flomo?

LMAOOOO. Man the only person I played one on one with that whole entire season was Erow. We would go at it all the time while other guys watched. But me and Flomo would guard each other in practice. He had sneaky bounce. Was a great shot blocker and got a lot of rebounds so I always had to be aware of where he was on the floor and what he was doing.

Bonn is down 2-1 in games. Can Bonn pull it out?

Yeah of course they can pull it out. They’ve been playing great basketball all season long. As long as TJ Shorts is involved, they have a serious chance. Absolutely. And I’m rooting for them!

Thanks Brandon for the chat.

Tags : BRANDON BOWMAN, JOBSTAIRS GIESSEN 46ERS, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Patrick Flomo in Frankfurt in 2008

Patrick Flomo (203-F-1980, college: Ohio) is a former professional player that enjoyed a 17 year pro career. After finishing at Ohio University (NCAA), he came overseas and played his rookie season in Finland with Korihait Uusikaupunki and in his second season played with the Eiffel Towers Nijmegen (Holland-Eredivisie). In 2005 he came to Germany and played with Herten (Regionalliga) and would never leave Germany again. He played with clubs like Duesseldorf, Ludwigsburg, Crailsheim and Essen. But he celebrated his biggest success with the Telekom Baskets Bonn where he played 5 seasons. He would play parts of 8 seasons in the easyCredit BBL and played a total of 254 BBL games. 14 years ago, he helped the Telekom Baskets Bonn reach the BBL final. He looked back on his career and the 2008-2009 season.

Thanks Patrick for talking to germanhoops.com. You retired in 2019. You coached the Artland Dragons and also in the youth sector. What are you doing presently?

At the moment I am living in Quakenbrueck coahing the Artland Dragons. I have to say basketball life has for the most part been pretty good to me and continues to do so today.

How much of a joy has it been watching your son Jelani grow as a player with the Young Rasta Dragons? What would you like to believe did he get from your game?

I would be happy with anything my son chooses to do with his life but I am happy that he shares the same love for basketball that I do. Watching him grow and develop his game along with handling the many challenges that come with it has been great and I am so proud of the player and young man he is becoming. He plays a completely different position but has shown talent on the defensive side of the ball, so if he inherited anything from me it would be that.

You played 17 seasons which most guys can’t say they did. You played most of the time in Germany. What will you always remember from Germany the country and it’s basketball?

As far as Germany itself, the cold will never be any one thing that I find memorable. In the different places I played I met so many good people, ate a lot of delicious food and even learned other ways of speaking German. I will say that Germany does have the best beer I have tasted. Coming to Germany was the beginning of the great life that I have now. I met my wife, who helped shape the man I am today and gave me the beautiful family I have. This basketball life isn’t always easy and having a partner to support you in the ups and downs, is immeasurable.

You played 5 years with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. How special was this organization in your pro career?

My time in Bonn will forever be some of my most memorable. I played and worked with some great people. The support given to players by the club but especially by the fans is something to be modeled on in professional sports.

How would the 2009 team had faired against the 2022-2023 Telekom Baskets Bonn? Would the team have won without having to play against TJ Shorts?

Basketball has evolved and changed so much in that time, it’s hard to say how that matchup would go. I do know it would be a battle.

You played 3 years for Tuomas Iisalo in Crailsheim. If someone had told you in 2017 that this coach would become the best in Germany in 5 years what would you have thought?

Without question. In my opinion, the passion, focus & effort he puts into mastering his craft is the reason he has had the success he now has. He is a true scholar of the game and is constantly looking to improve himself.

You played for many eccentric coaches including Murat Didin. What is your most unforgettable experience with him?

A lot happened in my two seasons in Dusseldorf. The thing I will never forget is having a meeting with Coach Didin in a coffee shop at the airport. He traveled back and forth to Istanbul a lot. I still laugh today when I think about the asking me to meet him there like it was completely normal.

The game has really changed. How do you think would your career have gone now? The game is dominated by three’s and the bigs are all so versatile now?

NO way of knowing what kind of career I would have in today’s game, but I do know that I would have played with the same passion that I did in my time.

You helped the Telekom Baskets Bonn reach the final in 2009. Bonn is back in the final for the first team as they had an incredible season. Do you still follow your ex-team?

Of course, and I am so happy & proud of the success the club is having now.

The 2008-2009 Bonn was a special team that finished the regular season in fourth place. What do you remember being this team’s biggest strength?

That we had guys that wanted to battle and do it together every time we stepped on the court.

The team had 2 ex NBA players with Ken Johnson and Vincent Yarbrough and a third player by the name of Brandon Bowman who I felt should always have made it. How important was his play for the success of the team?

Bowman was one of the players that was ahead of his time. He was a forward with guard skills much like many bigs today. The variability he showed on both ends of the floor made him a big part of our success that season.

How will you remember John Bowler most? He was an unorthodox player that also had a original character and humor.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Patrick Flomo in Frankfurt in 2006
JB had a lot of character and was one of the funniest guys I played with in my career. But I remember his competitive spirit most.

What memories will you always have of EJ Rowland? The guy just completed his 18th season at age 40. I guess his wheels never fell off.

EJ’s playing that long didn’t surprise me one bit. He had a clear vision and goal for his career and worked on his game daily.

Bonn began the playoffs by sweeping Ulm. Could the series have changed for the worse had Bonn not won game 2 71-69?

That was a big win for us, and anything is possible in the playoffs. Ulm had some really good players and played good basketball then.

Is Jeff Gibbs one of those guys that you will never forget playing against? How does a 22-centimeter advantage that Ken Johnson still give a big man problems? Was he one of the greatest undersized bigs you ever saw?

I’ve known Jeff since we played AAU ball together for All Ohio Red back in Columbus, Ohio. His football background, and the fact that he had a 7+ foot wingspan with a 40inch vertical, made him a tough matchup for anyone.

The Alba Berlin series was crazy. Bonn won the first 2 games combined by 5 points and looked like the final was an easy bet, but then they strapped up the defense and allowed Bonn to average 40 points in the next 2 games. What did they change up?

Much like today Berlin was one of the tops teams in the BBL and were the favorites in that series. They simply turned up their defensive pressure and broke up our rhythm on offense.

Then came the crazy final against Oldenburg. Bonn was always up a game, but Oldenburg always fought back. Was the 71-70 loss in game 5 your toughest loss in your career? Talk a little about the last seconds. How do you remember witnessing them?

By far. After beating Alba in the semis, we had a lot of confidence in the finals. That last game was tough because until the last 43 seconds of the game I was confident in our win and becoming German champions.

What was the difference in the series? Could Bonn had won the series keeping Ricky Paulding better in check? When you think back on that season, what will you always remember as being your fondest moment on the court?

Ricky was a great player and his game 4 performance in Bonn was something special. Slowing him down surely would have helped but you can never truly be certain of victory in this game. One of the fondest memories of that season was beating Alba because we did something together that very few thought was possible.

What made it so special to play for Michael Koch? He was a player’s coach. You did show in Ludwigsburg that you could function under other coaches?

Playing for Mike was special because he did understand and could relate with what we experienced as players. It also helped because anything he asked us to do we knew he did himself.

Please name your starting 5 of favorite Bonn teammates?

I could never name just 5. I care about and respect all the guys I battled with in Bonn.

Who won a 1-1 you or Moussa Diagne?

The competitor in me would like to say I would win but Moussa was a special player and probably had the advantage.

Who do you remember being the toughest forward that you battled in Germany?

So many to name, but I will say that Derrick Allen was always a tough matchup

The Telekom Baskets Bonn are down 2-1 in the best of 5 series against Ulm. What is your prediction?

The Baskets have shown many times this season that they possess the ability to find ways to win. I predict an interesting game 4.

Thanks Pat for the chat.

Tags : PATRICK FLOMO, ETB WOHNBAU MINERS ESSEN, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Moussa Diagne (203-F/C-1984, college: Furman) is a former professional player from Senegal that played 3 seasons and all with the Telekom Baskets Bonn from 2007-2010 playing a total of 72 BBL games and 14 Eurochallenge games averaging 7.1ppg, 2.9rpg, FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 61.1%. From 2007-2009 he averaged 5,0ppg and 2,0rpg in the BBL. He played at Mount Olive Prep Academy in Marietta Georgia and then played at Furman from 2003-2007 playing a total of 112 NCAA games. He averaged in double figures in 3 of his 4 NCAA seasons. He looked back on his career and gave memories of the 2009 BBL finals against the EWE Baskets Oldenburg.

Thanks Moussa for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?

I am still living in Bonn and still enjoying watching the Telekom Baskets whenever I can.

You retired in 2010. You had a short 3 year professional career all with Bonn. Why did you retire so young? Did you simply have a better opportunity off the court that you couldn’t pass up?

Yes, I did retire after just 3 years of playing professional basketball due to a knee injury. Life outside the basketball court has been great though can’t complain.

How have you been keeping busy since you retired in 2010? Do you still have some kind of ties to the game?

I am living a regular life working and spending time with my family. I will be Coaching the first men’s Oberliga team of BG Bonn next Season. I am still recruiting for my team so any good player around Bonn Koeln is free to join the tryouts the next weeks.

You played at Furman (NCAA) from 2003-2007. What memories do you have of that time. The NCAA game was a lot different than today.

College experiences and specially basketball experiences is something I will live with my whole life. The bus rides to the games and going against some big names players on todays NBA. There are a few great memories.

In your second season you played against UNC Greensboro and an unknown freshman by the name of Kyle Hines. You had a 16/8 game and he a 7/6 game. Do you have any memories of that game and his play?

Kyle Hines, has always been a dominant inside player. He has a great inside presence with great touch’s. To bad he didn’t make it to the NBA. I feel like he was better than lots of forward in the league. I actually have a photo from that game.

In your senior year you played against Davidson 3 times and a certain unknown Steph Curry. Did his hot shooting already stick in your mind then or was he just a normal guard to you then?

I had heard the name of a certain freshman Stefan Curry before our first game against Davidson In 2007. He was back then putting up big numbers before our match up. Curry scored 5 points the first half and I was like that boy and nothing I don’t know why people are so hype about him. Curry came the second half and started shooting from everywhere. He scored 25 points the second half.

Who was the toughest forward that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

I played against Andrew Bogut from Utah in the Alaska invitational in Anchorage Alaska. He was tough to guard. He was the number draft pick that year.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Laquan Prowell?

Quan was a very athletic player. We had some great battles in practice. A one and one game can swing both way.

You came to Bonn in 2007 after having a sensational senior year averaging 13/5. Did you expect your rookie season to be easier than how it went? You hardly played for head coach Mike Koch.

I came to Bonn in 2007 after my senior year in college. I enjoyed playing for Mike Koch and I think I had played pretty good minutes my first year. I told Mike my first year that we have some good scorers on the team and my focus was to be the best defender on the team and I accepted that role.

I can imagine one of your most memorable BBL games was the win against Bamberg where you had 9 points. What do you remember from that game?

My most memorable game in the BBL was my first year during game 5 against Frankfurt in Frankfurt where I scored 17points and a memorable dunk over the best defender that time Koko Archibong. We won that game without our 3 starters to move to the finale against Alba Berlin.

You helped the Telekom Baskets Bonn reach the final in 2009. Bonn is back in the final for the first team as they had an incredible season.

The Final lost against Oldenburg in 2009 was a nightmare. We were so close and the city and fans in Bonn deserved to have that Titel. I live in Bonn and still support the team. I am so happy to see them make the final and I am praying that they will be the champion at the end of the season by defeating Ulm.

The 2008-2009 Bonn was a special team that finished the regular season in fourth place. What do you remember being this team’s biggest strength?

We were a great group that loved to play together and win games. The strength of our team was the unselfishness of the guys. Each player accepted his role and played it to the fullest day in day out.

The team had 2 ex NBA players with Ken Johnson and Vincent Yarbrough and a third player by the name of Brandon Bowman who I felt should always have made it. How important was his play for the success of the team?

All those guys played a big part of our team success. Ken and Vince were two great defenders and Brandon was our go guy on offense. Brandon offensive skills was a big part of our team offensive success in 2008-2009.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and MOussa Diagne in the Ballsporthalle in Frankfurt in 2008

How will you remember John Bowler most? He was an unorthodox player that also had a original character and humor.

John Bowler, was a very good inside and outside player. You never knew which area of his game was going to destabilize your defense. His humor outside basketball is still something that I always remember from him.

What memories will you always have of EJ Rowland? The guy just completed his 18th season at age 40. I guess his wheels never fell off.

EJ is a lion. He wheels ain’t going to fall that easy. He is a grinder a true leader. I enjoyed having him as a teammate. What people may not know about him is that he is a very funny guy outside the basketball court.

Is Jeff Gibbs one of those guys that you will never forget playing against? How does a 22 centimeter advantage that Ken Johnson still give a big man problems? Was he one of the greatest undersized bigs you ever saw?

Jeff Gibbs was definitely one of the most under sized small forward I played against. He was an incredible rebounder and defender for a guy of his size.

How do you remember the crazy final against Oldenburg. Bonn was always up a game, but Oldenburg always fought back. Was the 71-70 loss in game 5 your toughest loss in your career?

That was definitely the toughest lost in my career because it was a final that we thought it was our until the last second. They said it’s not over until the fat lady sings. It was a though one.

Talk a little about the last seconds. How do you remember witnessing them?

I mean we were winning and thought this was going our way. We were feeling good about ourselves until the very last second when we turned the ball over and allowed Oldenburg an and one. It was horrible but its sports life goes on.

hat was the difference in the series? Could Bonn had won the series keeping Ricky Paulding better in check?

Ricky Paulding is an awesome player. One of the most talented played I have played against in the BBL. But we would have won that game if we didn’t turn the ball over in that very last second to allow Oldenburg an and one to take up the lead.

Please name your starting 5 of favorite Bonn teammates?

Vince Yarbrough , Arthur , Mia Davis, Patrick Flomo, John Bowler

Who won a 1-1 you or Patrick Flomo?

I am a better outside shooter so I might won this one .

Who do you remember being the toughest center that you battled in Germany?

Boumthie Boumthie from Oldenburg. He was a giant and I had tough time guarding him.

The Telekom Baskets Bonn are down 01 in the best of 5 series against Ulm. What is your prediction?

I think it will come down to game 5, 3-2 for Bonn. I see Bonn winning its first ever BBL championship this year.

Thanks Moussa for the chat

Tags : MOUSSA DIAGNE, TELEKOM BASKETS BONN, GERMAN BASKETBALL

I last saw Ken Johnson (210-C-1978, college: Ohio St.) 14 years ago when he was playing with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. Time flies and sometimes it is difficult to remember details from interviews especially when you have interviewed so many guys over 20 years. The season before he came to Bonn, the ex NBA player suited up for the then Deutsche Bank Skyliners and I remember interviewing him in his apartment in Basketball City Mainhatten in Frankfurt. I was recording special footage for my then weekly basketball show on radio called Tipoff Basketball Bundesliga magazine. Ken who is a deeply religious man was cooking lunch for himself and I had to stare at him in astonishment a few times when seeing just how tall he was. There had been a reason why he had reached the NBA and become a block monster in every league he had played in. I wanted to get as much information about his playing career and already back then had unending questions. And then it happened, the conversation changed from basketball to family. He told me how much he missed his daughter. I could really feel how sad he was. At that point he was already playing his seventh professional season and somehow was living away from his family. Usually the family is with the player, but often when they aren’t, the basketball dream overseas dies, because the family becomes most important and guys just head home again. After 9 seasons Ken Johnson called it a career and went back to Ohio. ‘I would say the fondest moments for me while playing in Europe was when I was on a plane going back home. That might sound somewhat harsh but I spent 9 years in Europe while my children were at home. That was 10 months out of the year that I could not see them and the little breaks we did get was just not enough. I’m a family man and I believe that family is first that is the main reason why I retired early’, stressed Ken Johnson. 14 years later after I read his thoughts on his daughters during his career, my memory of being in the kitchen in Frankfurt with him and his sadness over missing his daughter popped back into my mind.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Ken Johnson in the Ballsporthalle after the Telekom Baskets Bonn had beat Frankfurt in 5 games in 2008

Ken Johnson enjoyed a fruitful 9 year pro career after having a stellar career at Ohio State where he led the NCAA in blocks in 2000. ‘I do miss playing college ball to be honest that was the best time of my life’, stressed Ken Johnson.

He was drafted by the Miami Heat in 2001 at #48. He played 16 NBA games for the Miami Heat and had the honor to play for the legendary Pat Riley. ‘Pat Riley looks like a tough guy and he is. He wasn’t a screamer but he demanded you do what was asked of you or you would not play. Pat Riley gave us a story once about Magic Johnson and Kareem and said that it was a completely different era and they were very dominant and their practices were just as hard as games if not harder’, remembered Ken Johnson. He played his final NBA game against the Toronto Raptors winning 103-99 and recording 8 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block. After his NBA stint and playing for the Dakota Wizards and Huntsville Flight, he would go on to have a stellar career overseas playing in countries like Italy, France, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and Estonia. He also played for D-League team Alburquerque Thunderbirds. He played two years in Germany with Frankfurt and Bonn. He reached the semi-finals with Frankfurt and reached the final with Bonn in 2009. 14 years later, I wanted to give him a big interview, but because of his job, he answered only some of my questions. I wanted to get his memories of the bitter 5 game series loss to Oldenburg, but sometimes being silent is better. ‘I do not follow the teams that I played for because life has moved on for me. I played for several different teams and they’re just too many teams to follow but every now and then I do hear about the success from Bonn and Bourg in France. Our team in Germany was very talented and we had several guys that cooked and really played high level ball but we all know that the NBA is really politics and your agent. It’s all part of the game and I’ve learned to accept that. I am thankful for that time and I’m very grateful and I thank God for the opportunity’, stressed Ken Johnson. Fans will remember Ken Johnson as a rim protector and big that could get your team out of a jam. He once had 8 blocks against Cologne. It was always enjoyable watching him swat away balls. It would be interesting to see how a young Ken Johnson would fair in today’s game. ‘Today’s game has changed drastically. The big men are basically expected to dribble and shoot perimeter shots. The bigs like Shaq and Yao Ming are rarely needed now they are too slow for today’s game. Today’s game is not as physical as the NBA in the early 2000s’, warned Ken Johnson.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing Ken Johnson after he returned back to Frankfurt with the Telekom Baskets Bonn winning 81-66 as he chipped in with 6 points and 4 rebounds

If you follow Ken Johnson on social media in 2023, you will often see him posting pictures of himself and people next to car’s. His life in the job world now revolves around cars. Anyone that is a salesman knows that selling something can be as demanding as trying to guard a Shaq back in the day. He also knows that he has certain advantages over other salesmen who don’t have that same menacing presence and overwhelming back round. ‘Life after basketball has been good but challenging. My body hurts all the time but I manage to stay active. My sales job keeps me waking up at 6m every day which is good as I age. I have never liked being a salesman because of high pressure tactics but I have managed to do well here just being honest and being myself. Customers love me because of my sports background and not being your typical pushy salesman’, stated Ken Johnson. He has been away for the game now for 13 years and does think often about the happy times overseas. ‘I don’t really miss pro ball what I do miss is the relationships that I’ve gained, I miss the awesome fans in each city, and I miss some of the teammates that I’ve had along the way’, said Ken John son. His time overseas may not always have been easy as he was without family, but he made a living and could support his family. The most important thing now is that he can always be with his family. ‘I enjoy every moment that I am here with them. My oldest daughter has already graduated and my second daughter is almost finished with college as well so I am very proud of them. Life is too short and I believe that there is nothing more important than family’, warned Ken Johnson. Family should always be #1.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Ken Johnson in 2008 in Frankfurt

There is always a first time. Who would of thought that the Telekom Baskets Bonn couldn’t master crunch-time in their own building in the 2022-2023 season? They had mowed down most of their opponents during the regular season, had extreme ease against the Niners Chemnitz and even against an aggressive and fighting squad from Ludwigsburg still it didn’t seem like they would ever lose again at home this season. But beware ratiopharm ulm is for real. Many may be blinded by TJ Shorts eccentric hairdo and the dominance of the Telekom Baskets Bonn, but there is a reason why Ulm got by Germany’s 2 most well-known teams Alba Berlin and FC Bayern Munich. In game 1, ratiopharm Ulm came to play and played an incredible game against Bonn showing that Bonn aren’t invincible in their own living room. Everyone knew that he game 1 loss would have the Telekom Baskets Bonn thinking and everyone knew that Bonn wouldn’t have another poor shooting night back to back again. Had they shot a little better in game 1 they probably would have won the game, because they ruled the boards. On a beautiful Sunday evening the two clubs came to battle again only 48 hours later and this time Bonn found the ocean again nailing 16 three’s, sharing the ball around beautifully and just playing Telekom Baskets Bonn basketball as they demolished ratiopharm Ulm 104-74. ‘We played with a lot more intensity. We simply did us. We focused on our identity for 40 minutes. We did what we do best with rebounding, limiting second chance points and limiting their transition’, said Telekom Baskets Bonn forward Tyson Ward. Ratiopharm Ulm fell apart midway through the second quarter and that was that. They allowed the Telekom Baskets Bonn to play their game and played catch up the rest of the way. ‘We didn’t have the needed intensity. We didn’t defend well, didn’t move the ball well and didn’t rebound well’, stressed ratiopharm Ulm guard Thomas Klepeisz.

TJ Shorts at the FT line

It was a steam filled Telekom dome as the sauna like conditions were in full force as both teams played a high tempo to start, but one could sense that the Telekom Baskets Bonn had a totally different focus and their intensity was a lot higher than in game 1. Two rapid three’s by Australian Finn Delany (200-PF-1995, college: SW Baptist) and ex Crailsheim guard Jeremy Morgan was an early indication that Bonn had their sniper qualities in full force again. The game was tight as ratiopharm ulm got 2 vital three’s by Klepeisz to stay close trailing only 12-10. easyCredit BBL MVP TJ Shorts missed one shot early and was slowed down well, but Bonn had enough other guys step up as American Javontae Hawkins, ex Trier guard Sebastian Herrea scored easy lay ins and Delany made a tip in for the Bonn 19-13 advantage. Ulm had problems staying consistent at the free throw line and Bonn just kept playing under control and executing in fine fashion as Herrea dropped a trey and Shorts remained patient and picked his spots well and made a lay in for the 26-16 lead after 10 minutes. The Telekom Baskets Bonn were shooting at a solid rate of 50% from the field and 45% from outside while ratiopharm Ulm was at 42% from the field and 29% from outside. Bonn also controlled the boards 10-6 and had 4 offensive rebounds. ‘Bonn had a lot more energy than in game 1. Their game 1 jitters were totally gone now. I think game 1 was one of their worst games this season. They finally began to hit shots and were defending with a higher intensity’, stated NCAA 2 most three point shots made in a game with 16 Markus Hallgrimson.

Brandon Paul from downtown

In the second quarter ratiopharm Ulm shocked Bonn with an annoying run, but in the last 5 minutes, Bonn returned with their punch which ultimately put the game near out of reach. But in the first few minutes, it didn’t look anything like a Bonn romp through the dome. Instead it was ratiopharm ulm, that found to their game at both ends and erupted with a tantalizing 10-0 run and suddenly the game was dead locked at 26-26. 5 minutes had elapsed and the Telekom Baskets Bonn had been stopped 7 times. With every new stop, Ulm gained more confidence as they had buckled down on defense and made the decision making a lot harder for Bonn with aggressive defense and made big plays as Robin Christen made a massive block on Tyson Ward. Christen is one of many on the Ulm squad that just does his job and doesn’t complain. ‘He is really smart and knows the game well. He plays his role well and just knows when to shoot and when not to. He definitely has found his role in the BBL’, warned Markus Hallgrimson. In the run Ulm received vital support from German Karim Jallow who played NBA Summer League in 2022 as he had 7 points. He showed his athleticism as always and his versatility making a lay in and three pointer. Christen added a trey for good measure after his block. Bonn finally got on the board for the first time getting a reverse lay in from Jeremy Morgan at the 5,21 minute mark and Bonn led 28-26. Basketball is always a game of runs and the Telekom Baskets Bonn demonstrated it best outscoring Ulm 17-3 to lead 45-29 at the break. Bonn has showed so often this year once they have their game flowing, it is almost impossible to stop. Bonn shared the ball around well as Morgan added 4 more points and sniper Sebastian Herrea added a trey while Finn Delany supplied key support with 6 points. TJ Shorts added a mid distance bank shot. Bonn was like a runaway train and Ulm had no resources to stop them. The Telekom Baskets Bonn were shooting ok, but not great at 42% from the field and 39% from the three point line while ratiopharm Ulm was at 31% from the field and 24% from the three point line, but it was the dominance on the boards that allowed them extra possessions as they had 10 offensive rebounds. ‘Bench was key and Bonn played smarter and faster. Finn Delany also gave them a big push. He had been a little hesitant in game 1, but he seemed like a new player. They are very deep and athletic and showed they could do it even with TJ Shorts on the bench’, stated Markus Hallgrimson.

Josh Hawley at the FT line

In the third quarter the Telekom Baskets Bonn were able to not shift up one gear but two more gears exploding for 30 points and putting the contest totally out of reach leading by an incredible 31 points after 3 quarters. Bonn began the third quarter well going on a 7-3 run to extend their lead to 54-32. In the run, they got a sweet alley-oop dunk from Leon Kratzer, a floater from Delany and three from ex Wurzburg American Tyson Ward. Ulm added a three pointer by ex NBA player Bruno Caboclo. Then Bonn center Michael Kessens was handed a disqualifying foul that had the dome on fire with a mad roar of fans and one would of thought this scene could change the tide of the game, but instead Bonn seemed to use that as a motivation charge and just kept executing their offense going on a 10-2 run to lead 64-36. In the run, Bonn got added support from the long ball getting three’s from Delaney and ex Augusta University (NCAA2) forward Deane Williams while Ward made a lay in for the 64-36 Bonn advantage. Bonn had found their shooting stroke and had consistency while Ulm got nothing easy on offense and had too work for every shot. Bonn continued to own the boards as Ulm couldn’t match their intensity or physicality. Down the stretch Ulm got some buckets from ex NBA player Brandon Paul getting an incredible pass from 19 year phenom Jose Nunez as he made the perfect ball reversal and a lay in from Montenegrin forward Fedor Zugic, but they just couldn’t produce stops. ‘Juan has a good eye. It is really nice to watch him pass the ball’, said Robin Christen. Bonn added lay in’s by Herrera and a floater from Shorts and another three from Delaney to lead 75-44 after 30 minutes. ‘We continued to hit three’s. We didn’t want to get emotional but just kept honing in on our identity. We trusted each other as shots kept falling’, added Tyson Ward. ‘We didn’t play defense the way we wanted to. Bonn punished us every time we made a mistake. We didn’t rebound well. We have to do a better job fighting for the rebound’, stated Robin Christen. Bonn continued to shoot well over 40% from the field and the parking lot while Ulm was at 32% from the field and 29% from the parking lot. Bonn also continued to control the boards well at 33-19.

Finn Delany from outside

In the fourth quarter Ratiophram Ulm finally showed offensively what they are capable of scorching the Telekom Baskets Bonn for 31 points, but you can’t make a dent in the score when you allow the opponent to score 29 points. The Telekom Baskets Bonn began getting good support from giant Leon Kratzer who scored twice as his teammates were making him shine while TJ Shorts made a floater. It is a real delight to watch the diminutive guard slide through the cracks and make Ulm wonder play after play how does one stop this guy as it is impossible in a 40 minute game. With the game more than decided ratiopharm ulm head coach Anton Gavel used his bench inserting 212cm German hulk Nicolas Bretzel and he wasted no time making a pretty left handed hook shot, free throw and dishing out a dime to Jallow. But the Telekom Baskets Bonn continued to execute at ease getting an exciting Jeremy Morgan bank shot three as the shot clock buzzer erupted as well as a Delany dunk and Shorts left handed lay in as ratiopharm Ulm still had a steep climb back trailing 89-58. Now the game showcased little defense as fans saw an offensive show. Deane Williams found his special perch in the left corner and would drill home three more three’s as Bonn had to have given Gavel a lot to think about how they are going to stop the raining of three’s in the next 2 games in Ulm. Williams continued to show that he is one of many special role players in the lineup for Tuomas Iisalo. ‘Deane is a big time scorer. He has so much length and athleticism. His three pointer spaces out the defense. He is a big time player’, warned Tyson Ward. Both coaches went to their bench one last time in the last minute letting young Germans Zach Ensminger who scored 3 free throws and David Fuchs who will attend the University of Rhode Island this fall record a bucket. ‘The only positive thing for us in the fourth quarter was the play of Nicolas Bretzel. He had been injured for a long time. He could become important for us’, warned Robin Christen. The Telekom Baskets Bonn had 5 guys in double figures and were led by Finn Delany with 23 points. Sebastian Herrera added 17 points and TJ Shorts 16 points and 9 assists while ratiopharm ulm were led by Karim Jallow with 17 points. The Telekom Baskets Bonn shot 53% from the field, and 46% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 10 turnovers while ratiopharm ulm shot 43% from the field and 34% from outside and had 27 rebounds and 16 turnovers.

Tags : FINN DELANY, TELEKOM BASKETS BONN, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Devon Goodman (184-PG-1997, college: Pennsylvania) is a 26 year old 185cm guard that completed his second professional season with the Dragons Rhoendorf (Germany-ProB) averaging 19/4/8. Last season as a rookie he played with S.C. Lusitania EXPERT (Portugal-Liga Betclic) averaging 14.6ppg, 3.7rpg, Assists-4 (5.2apg), 1.9spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 47.3%. he began his basketball career at Germantown academy and then played at the University of Pennsylvania (NCAA) winning the Ivy League title in 2018. He spoke to germanhoops.com about the 2022-2023 season.

Congrats on a solid Dragons Rhondorf season that ended in a sweep against the Basketball Lowen. How tough was losing this series and not being able to play game 2?

It’s always tough to lose in the playoffs since you have aspirations to win it all. It was definitely frustrating to say the least, that I was unable to be out there and help my teammates.

The Dragons Rhondorf gave all they had in game 2. Did fatigue play a role at the end?

I am very proud in the way we battled in game 2. Especially in the 2nd half, you can tell how paranoid we were to win, but unfortunately the Loewen was able to make a couple key plays at the end which resulted in us falling short.

From the stats how much did the offensive rebounds of Erfurt and your 7 more turnovers play a role in losing the game?

Anytime you give a team extra possessions, it will ultimately hurt you. The Lowen converted those mistakes into a lot of 2nd chance points which played a key role in losing the game.

It was a tough season for the Dragons Rhondorf. The untimely and tragic death of Mubarak Salami affected all. How proud are you of how the whole organization stuck together after his death?

I am extremely proud of the way the whole organization stuck together. We went through more than any other team in this league had to endure and I am grateful for every single guy apart of this team.

With all that happened this season, how do you summarize the season of the Dragons Rhondorf? It was their first playoffs in 5 years.

Resilient. From injuries, to guys leaving the program, to the tragic death of one of our teammates, this group of guys stayed resilient and stuck together to the end. Although we had bigger goals than just making the playoffs, I am still pleased in what we were able to accomplish this year.

It was a joy to watch the offense of the Dragons Rhondorf, but the inconsistent 1-1 defense plagued the club all season long. Why do you feel could the team never develop a true defensive identity?

It was something that we continuously worked on throughout the season, and I do believe towards the end it was improving, but wasn’t enough. Definitely our Achilles heel.

The club had many big wins like over the Sixers and sweeping Schwelm. What was your personal team highlight of the season?

The Sixers game was probably one of my personal team highlights of the season. I believe we were down double digits going into the 4th quarter and were able to come back in win. The game was exciting as well as the atmosphere in the Dragon Dome with all our fans dressed in crazy costumes for Karneval.

For me the team MVP was you. If you had to pick a second MVP who would it be?

Every guy played a key role in the success of our team, but Florian Koch had a remarkable season. He is one of the best shooters that I have ever played with and just an overall competitor.

For me the unsung hero was Paul Albrecht. Who was your unsung hero?

Paul Albrecht was definitely the unsung hero of our team. As one of the older guys, he brought leadership, consistency, and did all the little things that kept this team together.

For me the most improved was Zaba Bangala. Who was your most improved player?

Throughout the season Zaba has consistently grown as a player on and off the court. In my opinion he is the best youngster in the league and has a bright future if he continues to improve.

You had a great first pro B season averaging 19/4/8. How would you summarize your season?

Overall, I am pretty content in how I played this season, but there is also things that I have to work on. This summer I look forward to taking what I learned from the season and continuing to improve as a player.

You were that important leader on the team. How do you feel did your game grow this season?

I feel my game has grown this season on both ends of the ball . Especially as a PG offensively, I believe my ability to read the defense and make the right reads/adjustments have tremendously improved.

You averaged 2,0spg. How do you feel did your defensive game grow in the German Pro B?

My quickness has always been an advantage for me to get steals and off the ball I am continuing to improve on being in the right spots.

You had many massive games and had 37 points against Erfurt in game 1. What was your personal best and favorite game this season?

Erfurt was probably my personal best this season with 37 points and 14 assists. My favorite game was either beating the Sixers at home during Karneval weekend or winning the Derby against Koln at their place.

Your three pointer remains a work in progress and one that opponents allow you to use more than your drive. Is your shooting a big area you will work on this summer?

Of course. Being a consistent threat from three will open up the floor and make the game a lot easier for me with my quickness. It is definitely a big area I will work on this summer.

What kind of an experience was it playing a Basketball Champions League game against Rytas. What will you always remember form that game?

Playing in a BCL game was a great experience. After practicing with Bonn all year, it felt good to get some minutes on the floor against Rytas and the atmosphere in the Telekom Dome was unmatched.

What is the next step for you? I can imagine you playing well in the German Pro A? Did you see some games. Would that be an option for you?

I think this season will allow me to take a bigger step in my career and German Pro A could be an option. This summer I will sit down with my agent and figure out the next steps in my career.

What was your coolest experience in Germany off the court?

Besides hanging out with my teammates, I was able to do some sightseeing to cities like Frankfurt and Cologne to see amazing buildings like the Cologne Cathedral.

Who will reach the NBA finals and who will win it all?

My prediction is Sixers vs Suns in the Finals. My home-team Sixers to win it all!

Thanks Devon for the chat.

Tags : DEVON GOODMAN, TELEKOM BASKETS BONN, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Omari Knox in Frankfurt, Germany in 2020

Omari Knox (185-SG-1986, college: Bloomfield) is a 36 year old 188cm guard from Brooklyn, New York that played his 12th professional season and sixth with TSV Oberhaching Tropics Deisenhofen (Germany-ProB) averaging 18,6ppg, 5,8rpg and 2,8apg. Last season with them he averaged 17.1ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.1apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 41.0%, FT: 80.0%. Two seasons ago he played with the White Wings Hanau 9.9ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.9apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.3%, 3PT: 39.4%, FT: 89.7%. He has played his whole professional career in Germany including 2 years with OSB Hellenen Muenchen , one season with the RhenStars Cologne and 6 years with the TSV Dachau Spurs. He played 8 seasons in the Regionalliga and has belonged to the top guards in the league averaging over 20 points 5 times and twice averaged 27,0pp in a season. He began his basketball career at Bloomfield College (NCAA2) and as a senior averaged 18.8ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 40.1%, 3Pts: 40.1%, FT: 71.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about Lebron James becoming the NBA all-time leading scorer.

Lebron James has beaten Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s NBA all-time scoring record. Did you stay up to watch history?

Unfortunately, I didn’t see it live, even though I anticipated highly that he would break the record that night instead of in the next game against the Bucks.

How does one put this record into perspective best? It stood almost 40 years?

The fact that this record has been held for almost 40 years shows how great of a player Lebron is. He’s shown, longevity, consistency, as well as constant improvement in his play. I wouldn’t be surprised if the new record holds for just as long

He scored 38 points in 26 minutes. Was it another normal day at the office?

Lebron knew how close he was to breaking the record and it only made sense that he come out aggressive from the start instead of passing and looking for teammates.

How much is that ball going to be worth?

Tickets for the game were going for as high as $70,000 so I can only imagine how much the game ball will be worth

Russell Westbrook made the pass. Do you think that in 20 years the pass could be remembered more than his triple doubles?

Hahaha, nah I don’t think many will remember who passed Lebron the mall, especially since he ended up isolating and taking a step back jumper

His record breaking basket was a step back over Kenrich Williams. Is that the kind of shot you expected knowing the kind of player he is? Or would you have expected a dunk for the spectacular finish?

One of my current teammates asked me that exact same question. I told him I expected Lebron to break the record in storybook fashion with a steal, and a highlight fastbreak dunk.

There obviously is a lot of respect for Kareem, by the basketball world, but what would have happened on social media if Lebron had gotten the record with a sky hook shot?

In regards to social media, I think it might have been 50/50 if Lebron had broken the record with a skyhook. Half of the people would have criticized him for trying to upstage Kareem. The other half would have known Lebron had done it with a skyhook, only to paying homage to Kareem

Lebron will have more than 40,000 points when it’s all over. Back in 1984 people said it would never be broken? Will this record be broken?

I can’t imagine that this record will ever be broken. The majority of the players today are coming into the league already banged up from having played 1000’s of AAU and high school games. Also with many of today’s superstars sitting out games (load management) during the season, it will be hard to score that many points

If Luka Doncic continues to play to 40 stays fit and becomes a physical specimen like Lebron, could he dethrone him?

Luca Doncic is definitely a guy who could break the record if he decided to play as long as Lebron does, but I doubt that he will play that long

Does this record finally give Lebron the GOAT status over Michael Jordan?

Michael Jordan, is still the GOAT in my opinion. Although it is very close, (for me) a few other factors come into play.

What is your favorite Lebron moment that you witnessed live or on TV?

My favorite Lebron moment/play has to be his chase down block in the NBA finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Thanks Omari for the chat.

Tags : OMARI KNOX, TSV OBERHACHING TROPICS DEISENHOFEN, GERMAN BASKETBALL