Pic credit Galatasaray Basket

David McCormack (208-C-1999, college: Kansas) Is a 24 year old 208cm center that was born in the Bronx, New York that is playing his second pro season overseas and first with Galatasaray Ekmas Istanbul (Turkey-BSL). He began the season with Darussafaka Lassa Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) averaging 13.7ppg, 9.8rpg, 2FGP: 64.6%, FT: 72.1%; and played 5 Basketball Champions League games averaging 12.2ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 63.4%, FT: 81.8%. He palyed his rookie season with Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) averaging 9.1ppg, 7.4rpg, FGP: 57.1%, FT: 75.0%. He played NBA Summer League twice with the Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 7.0ppg, 6.0rpg, FGP: 44.4%, FT: 66.7% and with the Toronto Raptors averaging 3.5ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.0bpg. He began his basketball career at Norfolk academy and then played 2 years at the well known Oak Hill Academy. He then played 4 years at the University of Kansas (NCAA) playing 132 games and averaging 10.6ppg, 7.0rpg, FGP: 51.2%, FT: 75.6% as a senior and winning the 2022 NCAA title. He spoke to germanhoops before a Basketball Champions League game against the Telekom Baskets Bonn

Thanks David for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second pro season and second overseas in Turkey. How much has Turkey become like a second home for you? What do you enjoy most about the culture in Turkey?

I have definitely become comfortable living in Turkey to say the least. It wasn’t the easiest adjustment at first, but with time things became more natural. Turkey has pretty welcoming people and I also really enjoy the country’s traditional foods.

You live in the capital Istanbul that has many many teams. How wild is it living in one massive city and so much basketball to choose from?

Istanbul is a great city and I am happy to live in such a place. Finding things I need or receiving packages from home is a lot easier when living in a city like this. On the other hand, with a big city and high population it is inevitable to not have traffic. Also with so many teams being in Istanbul, it always gives me something to do. I love watching basketball. There is always a game in the city that I would drive to to watch.

You began the season with Darussafaka Lassa Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) averaging 13.7ppg, 9.8rpg, 2FGP: 64.6%, FT: 72.1%; in the BCL an din the Basketball Champions League 12.2ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 63.4%, FT: 81.8%. You had very solid stats. Why was your stay so short?

I enjoyed my time in Darussafaka, and my stats wouldn’t have been accomplished without the teammates that I had. Unfortunately, the club had some internal matters that needed to be handled.

You moved to Galatasaray Ekmas Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) that is also a very well known Turkish sports organization. It last won a title more than 10 years ago. How big is the desire inside the organization to win again?

Galatasaray is a famous club with a passionate staff as well as fans. We are practicing, preparing and are very eager ourselves each day to bring another title into this club.

The team is in 9th place in the BSL and 0-3 in the BCL. Despite that how much potential does the team have?

This team has gone through a lot of changes, but with each day we are building better chemistry and learning how to play better basketball with each other. This team has a lot of talent and experience and I feel we can compete with the best of teams.

What has it been like playing with ultra veteran Dee Bost? The guy has so much experience. What have you enjoyed most about his game?

Dee Bost is a great guy and knows the game and teams. From his years of experience, he has been able to give advice on other coaches’ playing style. He also tells me certain players’ habits to better guard or attack them.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 208cm center. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

I’ve honestly never thought of an NBA comparison for myself. I’ve always strived to be the player that I can be. Now I have had teammates who makes jokes say players like Lamarcus Aldridge or Demarcus Cousins but that’s not of my own judgment.

You’re a guy that can score and haul down the rebounds. What else does your game incorporate besides these traits?

I’m sure that it’s hard to tell in a loud gym, but I am also a very vocal player on the floor. Talking, pointing and sometimes pushing players to be in the right position, all so we can work in tandem. Being a better all around defensive player is also something I want to really improve in.

You have only shot 1 three this season. Is the three ball something that you want to incorporate into your game?

I would like to say I am a capable three point shooter, but have never really taken the opportunity to display it. So yes, expanding my shooting range is something that I want to work on.

What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become?

Thinking about my game, I would say I am a slightly above average defender. I realize that I am no shot blocker but I make post-players take a difficult shot attempt. Defensively I know I have the capability, but really honing in on becoming a really good defender that can guard all positions.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?

During the season I try not to change my game too much. I rather make the adjustments the team needs for us to be more successful. Right now, just making the right reads out ball screen actions can really help our flow of offense.

Last season you played with Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) averaging 9.1ppg, 7.4rpg, FGP: 57.1%, FT: 75.0%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

My first wake up call was the 10 hour flight and 8 hour time difference. Another wake up call was the skill development. In college for the most part you would have designated times for your skill development. Now that you’re a professional it all is based on your desire. So if you see people never coming to the gym besides practice and start to lose playing time, it’s on them.

You played NBA Summer League in 2022 and 2023. What memories do you have of them and what was the coolest experience you had? Did you meet any NBA legends?

One of my favorite things about Summer League is seeing a lot of the guys who played a part in your journey. Teammates from high school to college and even overseas. Basketball is a global community and Summer League is almost like a family reunion for everyone that has invested time into the game.

What was the main reason why you didn´t start in the G-League? The NBA must be your dream. Did you see the reality of having a overseas career more than having to fight to reach the NBA?

I felt that playing overseas was a better opportunity for me. Having known some teammates that already played G-League, they gave me their advice which helped with my decision. The NBA is still my dream. I have learned that there is more than one way to reach the NBA and everyone’s road to get there is different.

You played at the University of Kansas from 2018-2022 topping off your career with the NCAA title in 2022. Looking back almost 2 years later, what thing pops into your mind at first when you think about the final win?

It’s really not too much to say besides I enjoyed my time at Kansas. The teammates and relationships I built while I was there. All the hard work and time invested paid off in the end.

You had easy wins against Miami and Villanova, but closer wins against Creighton and Providence. Was there a game at March madness that showed you most that this title wasn´t going anywhere besides Kansas?

I wouldn’t say that there is any easy win during March madness. Any team can get beaten at any time, and that’s the beauty of it. Every team has to bring their best every time they step on the floor, because it could be their last. You always feel strong and wanting to wind while going through the tournament, but I didn’t feel certain we were going to win until the championship game. Even with the halftime deficit.

In the final you were the hero at the end hitting the go ahead bucket with 1.22 to play and an insurance basket with 22 seconds. What was the whole atmosphere like at the end? Did you just block everything out? What memories do you have of those 2 clutch shots?

The last moments leading up to the win were really a blur. I was in this state of flow, where everything felt second nature and I really didn’t have to think about anything. We practice so many times for moments like and all the preparation paid off.

In your 4 years at Kansas you were teammates with many guys that would move on to the NBA. Which teammate had the biggest impact on you?

Dedric Lawson was a veteran roommate my freshman year. When finding my way trying to play at such a historic school, he just gave simple advice to help me see things in a different perspective.

How did head coach Bill Self groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

Coach Self is not only a great coach but a great guy. He was always honest and told you things with transparency. He would let you know how professional teams looked at you and how they would use you. To some players they may have felt discouraged. As for me I took it as motivation in learning how to make myself sought after as a player.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Udoka Azubuike?

If we’re playing strictly post moves Dok gets it. If it’s face up away from the basketball, I’m taking that.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your life on the court that reached the NBA?

I’ve played against a lot of guys but one of the first that comes to mind is also a former teammate Oscar Tshiebwe. He is an athlete and strong as well as being a workhorse.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time

(No specific order)

Keldon Johnson

Christian Braun

Ochai Agbaji

Immanuel Quickley

Mac McClung

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?

Shaq, Jordan, Kobe, Lebron

Who is your GOAT and why?

Jordan is Icon

Kobe is a Legend

Lebron is the GOAT

Case closed.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

Actually I never saw it, so I can’t speak on it.

Thanks David for the chat.

Cameron Henry (198-G-1999, college: Indiana St.) is a 24 year old 198cm guard from Chesterfield, Virginia that is playing his rookie season overseas with the Fraport Skyliners. He began his basketball career at Lloyd C. Bird high school and then played 3 seasons at Lincoln-Memorial University (NCAA2). He then moved to Indiana State (NCAA) where he played 2 seasons averaging 14.3ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 52.8%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 71.3% and as a senior averaged 11.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 3.7apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 76.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the 93-85 win on the road against the Art Giants Duesseldorf.

Congrats Cameron on the massive 93-85 win over the Art Giants Duesseldorf. How important was this win after the ugly loss in Trier?

This win was really important coming off the loss in Trier. Losing by 35 points can tell a lot about a team. It isn´t always easy to respond after a loss like that, but we did.

The 90-55 loss in Trier was very tough to digest for everyone. How could you explain a team performance like that coming from the long Fiba break?

The atmosphere in Trier was really tough. They have a great crowd there. They made great plays and we had problems with their defensive schemes that confused us when they switched. That hit us over the head. They are a real good team with great players. They may be 2-0 now, but I have a feeling we will see them again in the post season.

The Fraport Skyliners had seen Trier 2 months ago and knew how potent the guard play of Trier was. How could one explain the combined 64 points by Barnes, Mann and Yakhcalli?

I think that we didn´t do a good job executing our scouting report. They have a veteran team and came for blood. Those guys are all veterans and great offensive players. You can´t give anyone of them open looks. We tried to run them off the three point line, but overall we didn´t make it hard enough for them to score. They fed off their three pointers.

How much of a wake up call was the loss to Trier? How aware is the team that they would be very tough to beat in a 5 game playoff series?

The loss in Trier was a big wake up call for us. A team will always have nights like that where you aren´t locked in as a team. It happens. You have to be fully engaged when you play against a top team like that at their place. You need a short leash and then just move on which we did well in Duesseldorf.

What do you feel did the team learn from the Trier fiasco?

We learned that we have to always stick together. We didn´t have good body language. We have to learn when it gets tough, to be able to pick each other up.

A positive note to the loss was the 12/6 game of new player Ife Ajayi. How much joy will the team continue to see from him?

He is a very good player. He gives us a different element. That was his first real game where he got good minutes. He is a very physical player that shows it at both ends of the court. He is a veteran on a young team and we just need that kind of physical presence. He always plays with high energy and picks me up on the court when I need it.

How tough was the 48 hours between games? How did the team prepare mentally?

We have gotten used to having that short turn around between games this season. We had a good team talk after the loss and left Trier in Trier. We were focused for Duesseldorf. Nobody was mad at each other after Trier and we just moved on. We saw what can happen in Duesseldorf when your focused.

The best way one can describe the win in Duesseldorf was another up and down game. But you got the win despite a late game comeback attempt?

The win in Duesseldorf was all that counted. One thing that I have learned this season with the Skyliners is that each game has it´s waves. They did a great job fighting and coming back, but we executed when we needed to. It doesn´t matter if we win by 1 or 30, a win is a win and we´ll take it.

Frankfurt had a great end to the third quarter leading by 7 and then took that momentum into the fourth and led by more than 20 points. Was that the tams best basketball of the game?

I thought so. When we led by 7 points after 3 quarters, we just kept getting stops. We knew that they like to play that 1-1 game and we just played with high energy and did all we had to do. If that meant diving on the floor and getting less fouls, we did it.

During this time it was the Henry and Muenkat show. How much fun is it personally for you to play with David Muenkat?

David is the perfect teammate on and off the court. I´m starting to get to know him better on the court. I know where he wants the ball. My best part is passing, so I try to feed him where he can excel most. We are learning to be able to feed off each other. He is an absolute athletic freak. It is a lot of fun to play with him.

David Muenkat had the dunk of the year with your feed off the back board. Is that something you practice in practice and was Lebron an inspiration?

That back board dunk just came within the game. 3 games ago, we had the chance to do it, but didn´t. He was behind me, but I didn´t get him the pass. I promised myself that that wouldn´t happen again. I wouldn´t miss him again. We don´t practice that in practice, but I feel like our connection is always getting better. It wasn´t the best pass, but he was able to finish. I told him after the dunk that that was D Wade or Kyrie to Lebron. That ran through my mind during that play.

Duesseldorf made a massive run at the end but came up short? Raiquan Clark was a beast. Did you guys already feel mentally like you had the game wrapped up?

I think that we lost some focus at the 4,00 minute mark and lost focus on defense. Clark is hard to defend especially when he is hitting three´s. I commend them for the way they fought back. They made real good decisions down the stretch and hit shots.

I really think that a big problem is that the team has nobody that can always step up to totally decide a game. Ok so the team had 5 guys in double figures which is good, but as a whole wouldn´t be nice to have that consistent 25 point guy?

I think that it is better to have 5-6 guys that score in double figures then only 1 guy that can score very much. If that one great scorer has a bad night, then those others who aren´t used to have to score could have problems. We have a deep rotation that will play 10-12 guys. It is nice to have many guys that can score in double figures. I think that depth will carry us to success. We like to go to our bench and have extra energy from the bench which other teams don´t.

How motivated were you after your 2 points in 9 minutes in Trier? You had a great game with a stat line of 14/3/3/2/2. Was this one of your best games this season?

I think it was one of my best games this season. It felt good to bounce back after my disqualification in Trier. I didn´t want to end my weekend in Trier. It was good to be able have a good game in Duesseldorf.

The 2 best positives of the game was the rebounding with 13 offensive rebounds and 25 free throw attempts. Did the free throws win you game?

The free throws was a big part, but I think key was our second half defense which won us the game. It´s always good to get to the line, but defense was the key factor for the win.

Despite the tough ending with Duesseldorf´s run, what positives could the team take from this win?

We learned that sticking together is always important. We also learned that defense will win us games. We won´t always have games where we shoot 40%, so we have to hang our heads on defense. If we want to get far this season, we will have to do it with defense.

You next play Bayreuth who you beat at home at the start of the season. They are an up and down team, but very annoying to play? What will be key to getting the win?

We will have to be prepared, because they are up and down and you never know what you will get from them. We will have to be prepared to whether storms and runs and come together. Our defense will have to be our anchor.

Thanks Cameron for the chat.

With March having popped up, the Pro B is in the stretch run of the regular season as teams jockey for the best position possible in the playoff places. After a 2 week break due to the Fiba break, the Dragons Rhondorf came back home into their living room sporting a 16-4 record and were in first place. They had been playing good basketball in the last weeks having won 5 of their last 6 games and could have had an even better record hadn´t they had a total slip up against Orange Academy in their last home game. They had no simple task with Bavarian team BBC Coburg arrived in Rhondorf with a potent 12-7 record and were playing spirited and super basketball having a 3 game winning streak and had won 6 of their last 7 games. The Bavarian club wanted revenge after the 104-100 shoot out loss at home, but didn´t get it as they lost another close shoot out 96-92. It was a tale of 2 halves for Rhondorf as they had less energy in the first half, but came out reborn in the second half and took control of the game and never looked back. “We didn´t defend well in the first half, but played better in the second half and just fought until the end and wanted it more. Gille and Sullivan were a big help on the offensive rebounds”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Tyreese Blunt (191-PG-2002). BBC Coburg as usual demonstrated that they could score very well, but couldn´t slow down the lethal offensive arsenal of the Dragons as their defense fizzled. “It is really frustrating that we lost another shoot out again by 4 points. We know that we can score, but we have to defend better. The 5-6 minutes in the third quarter where we couldn´t score really hurt us. We had no ball movement”, stressed BBC Coburg guard Sven Lorber. The Dragons had special performances by 3 players as they were sparked by guard Tyreese Blunt who registered only the fifth Dragons triple double in the Dragon Dome in the last 7 seasons as Kameron Taylor did it twice as well as Curtis Hollis and Paul Albrecht with a 14/10/10 game while the dynamic big man duo of Avery Sullivan and Ferenc Gille combined for 41 points and 26 points. The team added 24 offensive rebounds. “They played such a big role tonight. They were huge on the boards and are real leaders. When one guy doesn´t get the rebound then the other one does”, smiled Tyreese Blunt. “If one misses the rebound then the other one gets it. We just didn´t have the height or physicality to keep up with them for 40 minutes”, added Sven Lorber.

Olamide Pederson at the FT line

The first quarter was an offensive back and forth tug of war that ended 24-24 after 10 minutes. Texas native Avery Sullivan got the Dragons Rhondorf on the scoreboard first with a 15 footer, but after that the Coburg zone stifled them as the Dragons were stopped 4 times and Coburg scored 6 unanswered points to lead 6-2. In the run the guests got a dunk by Danish big man Olamide Pederson, free throws by Lorber and a lay in by ex Ibam guard Gabriel Kuku. Rhondorf then got into a better offensive flow getting 15 footer by Las Vegas native Kelvin Omojola and Gille lay in, but Coburg still kept the lead as they continued to feed Pederson who scored. Coburg was playing a solid zone and playing nice inside out basketball and having good shot selection. Both teams then found their range from outside as Utah native Kolton Mortensen hit 2 three´s while Blunt and Omojola also hit from the parking lot as the game was deadlocked at 14-14. BBC Coburg continued to get great input from Mortensen as he added 5 points to give his team the 22-18 lead. But Rhondorf didn´t let that burst of energy rattle them as they closed out the first quarter with a 6-2 run, In the run, Rhondorf got 4 points from Avery Sullivan who was showing his beast qualities in the zone and transition points from young German Janne Muller to end the first quarter. “We were prepared for the zone, but just didn´t execute the way we wanted to. Kelvin Omojola carried us and it´s just great to be his teammate”, stated Tyreese Blunt. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 53% from the field and 38% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 3 turnovers while BBC Coburg shot 50% from the field and 40% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

Ference Gille at teh FT line

In the second quarter BBC Coburg were able to get away from the Dragons Rhondorf with a run and have the 6 point advantage at the break. BBC Coburg began well with a catch and pop shot by Austrian Nico Hollerl and lay in by 18 year old Lithuanian forward Danas Kazakevicius for the 29-26 lead. But Mr tripe double Tyreese Blunt came to life and gave this lightening energy with 6 points with a massive left handed dunk, free throws and offensive rebound and put back for the 32-29 advantage. His overall energy propelled him to a rare triple double. “That was my first in the Pro B. It was cool, to achieve this, but I couldn´t have done it without my teammates who made shots”, expressed Tyreese Blunt. It looked like this could be the turning point of the game, but it was wasn´t as BBC Coburg punched back with an annoying 15-4 run to lead 44-36. In the run the Bavarian side received 5 points from Hollerel with a trey and pretty alley oop dunk, 4 points from Kuku, a lay in by Kazakevicius and three pointer by Lorber. BBC Coburg stepped up their defense and good defense led to offense as they got easy transition baskets. They also opened up their trick basket with the alley-oop. The Dragons Rhondorf lost total focus during the run and had problems with execution against their zone. Down the stretch Rhondorf got some needed energy from German Antonio Pilipovic with 4 points, but they couldn´t get over the hump. BBC Coburg got valuable energy from the bench from Kazekevicius who supplied 6 points as he was always a presence in the zone and had that special knack to get easy baskets. BBC Coburg kept the 50-44 advantage after 20 minutes. “We were very sloppy in this quarter. We gave up too many easy baskets and didn´t hustle at all”, commented Tyreese Blunt. BBC Coburg shot 515 from the field and 50% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 4 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 40% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 28 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Tyreese Blunt from outside

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf made their move and grabbed the lead back and would never look back even if BBC Coburg never backed down, but fought until the end. The Dragons Rhondorf came out of half-time refocused and upped their intensity and cruised out on a lethal 17-6 run to regain the lead 61-54. The dynamic duo of Gille and Sullivan led the charge with 12 points as Gille added 8 and Sullivan 4 points. 3 of the 6 buckets were on offensive rebounds and put backs as BBC Coburg had no answer for them in the zone. Omojola also added a three pointer and Pilipovic scored inside. Gille who didn´t begin to play basketball until he was 15 years old and has 119 Pro A games experience played with so much energy that nothing could slow him down. BBC Coburg did find some resistance stopping the run and closing the gap to 63-61 as they got transition baskets from Lorber and Kuku and a trey by Mortensen. But the Dragons Rhondorf kept the lead in the last minute as Sullivan was in monster mode scoring 3 times with a 15 footer, put back and lay in. Lorber added a three pointer and Kazekevicius a lay in, but Rhondorf had the slim 69-66 lead. “We came out with high energy and intensity and that run to start decided the game for us”, stressed Tyreese Blunt. “They moved the ball well and our zone didn´t work. They were able to score inside and we didn´t they got the defensive rebound”, stated Sven Lorber. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 40% from the field and 22% from the parking lot and had 44 rebounds and 5 turnovers while BBC Coburg shot 48% from the field and 44% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Gabriel Kuku with the lay in

In the fourth quarter the Dragons Rhondorf were able to play with a high intensity and manage their lead well, while always having to resist the comeback attempt by BBC Coburg. The Dragons Rhondorf took their momentum from the third quarter into the fourth reeling off 3 baskets by Avery Sullivan who was in his own little zone as he drained anything he got in the mid distance area and close to the rim while 2018 NBBL champion Badu Buck hit a trey for the 78-71 lead. BBC Coburg had their own special work horse with Kazakevicius who scored twice, but BBC Coburg just couldn´t get over the hump, because besides the continued dominance of Sullivan and Gille who scored also had other weapons as Muller also scored as Rhondorf led 84-77. But BBC Coburg just didn´t lay down, but just fought led by their heart and soul Sven Lorber who nailed 2 clutch three´s twice to keep his team close at 84-80 and 88-87, but time was running down, but Rhondorf wasn´t in the clear yet. Rhondorf got key baskets from Gille and Omojola to lead 92-87, but BBC Coburg kept remaining at their back door getting a lay in by Kazakevicius and a big trey by ex Paderborn guard Adrian Petkovic to trail 94-92 with 7,8 seconds to play. But Antonio Pilipovic closed out the game with free throws. “We wanted it more at the end. We gave all we had. Sullivan and Gille carried us the whole game”, warned Tyreese Blunt. “We scored well and stayed with them, but we just couldn´t get stops”, said Sven Lorber. The Dragons Rhondorf had 6 guys score in double figures led by Avera Sullivan with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Ference Gille added 17 points and 14 boards while Tyreese Blunt had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists while Kelvin Omojola added 12 points while BBC Coburg was led by Danas Kazekevicius with 25 points while Sven Lorber added 21 points. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 42% from the field and 22% from outside and had 56 rebounds (24 offensive rebounds) and 10 turnovers while BBC Coburg shot 48% from the field and 37% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

With the Fiba Break over, the EPG Baskets Koblenz wanted to return after the 2 week break and continue their winning streak. The club won big games in Artland and upset top team Romerstrom Gladiators in their living room and of course wanted more with their next opponent Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. Bremerhaven have been the mystery and disappointment team of the season as their 11-12 record has surprised many since they have a very deep and talented roster. They had a very poor start losing 7 of their first 9 games, but have been playing better basketball as of late having won 5 of their last 7 games. Bremerhaven also wanted revenge after losing their first game of the season against the EPG Baskets Koblenz on their own home turf and got it grinding out an ugly 62-58 win in the living room of the EPG Baskets in a wild west show. This was one of those games that for some reason will be remembered for a long time simply because of how ugly it was. You had one team the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven who play like an NBA team with nonstop isolation and a Koblenz team that was back to their old ways of up and down basketball. At times this game looked like a crazy wild west show with little discipline and just sheer craziness. Any win on the road is big in the Pro A, and the Eisbaeren were happy to take it no matter how ugly it was. “I´m not going to say that we played good or bad, but simply that we stuck with it. It is really important in this league to keep your composure. It may have been ugly, but I´ll take an ugly win any day over a bad loss”, stressed Eisbaeren Bremerhaven forward Jordan Giles. Luckily for the EPG Baskets Koblenz, they only have 48 hours to digest the loss before the next road game against Kirchheim. “I felt that we played good defense. We didn´t always execute well on offense, but this was a real hard game. We didn´t get important rebounds when we needed them, but we gave all we had and fought until the end”, stressed EPG Baskets center Moses Poelking.

Moses Poelking at the FT line

The EPG baskets Koblenz had a terrible start in the first quarter, but then recovered well to trail only 19-14 after 10 minutes. Ex Sacramento State forward Nick Hornsby got the guests on the board first with a 20 footer, but that was rapidly equalized with a Leon Friederici pull up jumper. Then the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven got rolling and went on a lethal 10-0 run and stopped 7 Koblenz possessions. In the run, the guests got vital support from experienced Pro A big man Robert Oehle (209-C-1988) with 5 points while ex Citadel (NCAA) sniper Matt Frierson hit a trey and German Adrian Breitlauch made a lay in for the 12-2 lead. Bremerhaven sparkled with a lot of isolation play while the EPG Baskets Koblenz settled for quick offense, but shots just didn´t fall. Koblenz finally stopped the run with a key three pointer from ex Iserlohn center Gabriel De Olveira and Moses Poelking free throws to trail 14-5. Koblenz brought needed energy as captain Marvin Heckel made a lay in and Gabriel de Olveira was on spot again with a dunk on transition and three pointer to cut the lead down to 17-14. “Gabriel played very well. He made shots and reduced mistakes on the defensive end”, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz sport director Thomas Klein. Icelandic forward Hilmar Henningsson closed out the first quarter with free throws as the guests led 19-14. “We had 6 weak minutes where we were unstable. We played well for 3 minutes with high tempo and good execution. We didn´t defend their cuts well and gave up too many offensive rebounds”, stated Thomas Klein.

Aaron Cook at the FT line

In the second quarter the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven kept the lead and were able to slow down a Koblenz run and go into half-time with the comfortable 8 point advantage. The EPG Baskets Koblenz got some needed energy from big men De Olveira with a lay in on transition and a dunk from Poelking, but they couldn´t close the gap as they couldn´t stop the 1-1 play by ex Georgia (NCAA) guard Aaron Cook who ripped 2 jumpers and the guests had the 25-18 lead. Koblenz kept chipping away as Heckel made a jumper and American Caleb Huffman a deep trey, but had no answer for ex Leverkusen American Nick Hornsby who made a tip in on the inbounds pass by Cook and then hit a trey and Oehle added a lay in for the 32-24 advantage. Both teams suffered defensive lapses as Koblenz climbed back with baskets inside by Germans Leo Saffer and Maurice Pluskota as there was light at the end of the tunnel again for the EPG Baskets as they trailed 31-29. But whenever Koblenz had some momentum, they caved in and allowed the guests to go into half-time with a 9-3 run and lead 40-32. In the run, Bremerhaven got a runner from Henningsson, Oehle lay in, Reischel free throws and a trey by 2018 NBBL champion Hendrik Drescher. “Drescher is a modern day big man. He is a BBL calibur player. It was a very undisciplined game from both teams. Whenever we came back, we couldn´t stay consistent. We were half-hearted on offense”, stated Thomas Klein.

Maurice Pluskota with the lay in

In the third quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to chip away and fight, but as usual were unable to get over the hump. Both teams had a wild start as bricks were being shot left and right, but after a few minutes the EPG Baskets Koblenz calmed down a bit and got some baskets from Pluskota with a lay in on transition and another trey by De Olveira to trail 43-39. Bremerhaven continued to play a lot of 1-1 and took crazy shots and just allowed Koblenz to stick around. Here and there, they made some tough shots as Frierson made an incredible catch and pop three from the corner to lead 46-39. The EPG Baskets Koblenz then went on a 9-3 run to trail only 49-48 with a minute remaining. In the run the EPG Baskets Koblenz got 5 points from Huffman and lay in´s by Saffer and De Olveira. Huffman also shined on the defensive end making a massive block on Henningsson. “That was a monster block. A BBL block”, said Thomas Klein. But once again Koblenz couldn´t close out the quarter strong and allowed a 6-2 run as Bremerhaven produced more isolation buckets as Giles made 2 turnaround shots and Reischel scored on transition. “We got some extra offensive rebounds and didn´t play our best defense, but found ways to get stops”, stated Jordan Giles. “We always knew that we were in the game. We just kept fighting and continued to paly aggressive defense”, stated Moses Poelking.

Hilmar Henningssoln with the lay in

The fourth quarter was a real grind out battle as only a total of 15 points were made. The EPG Baskets Koblenz made the first 3 points with a Huffman free throw and quick Dominique Johnson lay in to trail 55-53. Bremerhaven continued to play 1-1 and miss shot after shot as team basketball was as far away as the Fraport Skyliners were on that day of having any chance of winning in Trier, but Koblenz just couldn´t get over the hump or get a basket when they really needed it. Oehle then made a pretty old school hook shot for the 57-53. Even when Bremerhaven gave them gifts down the stretch, they couldn´t capitalize on it 100% and take the lead. Ohle and Cook missed free throws and De Olveira made a lay in and Huffman a deep three pointer to dead lock the contest at 57-57 with 1,27 to play. Cook then made 2 free throws with 38 seconds to play. Heckel then made 1 of 2 free throws to trail 59-58. The next gift of Bremerhaven came with 2 missed free throws by Hornsby, but then a turnover by Koblenz and 2 free throws by Hornsby and another turnover by Koblenz sealed the win for the Eisbaeren. “I think that both teams wanted it badly, but the way the game ended is how the ball bounces sometimes. We battled to the end and timely stops and free throws got us the win”, stated Jordan Giles. “We were behind all game and it was tough coming back. We began with low energy and never found the right energy”, stressed Caleb Huffman. The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven were led by Robert Oehle with 16 points while Nick Hornsby added 10 points while the EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Gabriel De Olveira with 17 points and Caleb Huffman added 13 points. The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven shot 40% from the field and 11% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 15 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 40% from the field and 26% from outside and had 32 rebounds and 14 turnovers.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Nikita Khartchenkov at the 2023 NBBL top 4 in Frankfurt, Germany

There have been incredible scoring masterpieces in NBA History like when Wilt Chamberlain went for 100 points, or who could forget the 81 point explosion of Kobe Bryant. Recently Luka Doncic went for 73 points and one can only wonder when he will get 80. Fans want to see scoring and even if you don´t get that high clip of scoring overseas like you do in the NBA, it does happen. The record in Germany in a first division game is held by Keith Gray who scored 65 points in 1988. Since then guys have gone for 40 plus points in all leagues, heck Jonathan Braeger scored 100 points in a Regionalliga game in 2022, but did only face 3 guys on the floor for the majority of the game. Last weekend another incredible high scoring game was produced in a Regionalliga game by Canadian Justin Andrew as he scorched Salzkotten for an insane 55 points. But what made this feat so unique was the high number of three´s he made and his potent shooting percentage. His teammate Nikita Khartchenkov has been no slouch when it comes to scoring as he has been a scoring and three point sniper machine for more than 2 decades, but what he witnessed Andrew do is something that really amazed him. “It was a super great performance. I already knew his game from last season when he played with Bonn. I liked his game then, but what he did last weekend was at a totally different level. He could make any shot he took no matter how the defense played him. He missed his last 2 shots and was 14/17 before the last 2 shots. I mean to shoot like that in a practice is great, but to do it in a game with different defenses, is so much more respectable. I was so proud to have seen it with my own eyes”, stressed ETB Miners Essen guard Nikita Khartchenkov (201-SF-1987).

Nikita Khartchenkov is a player that has celebrated a very long career spanning more than two decades and just doesn´t slow down. At age 37, he has played more than 500 games. Currently he is playing for his 16th professional team and third year with the ETB Miners Essen. He played for clubs like TV Langen, Khimki Moscow, Braunschweig, Chemnitz, MBC, Duesseldorf, Freiburg, Sibu (Romania), Leipzig, Hagen, Schalke and Iserlohn. He played 114 easyCredit BBL games and 72 pro A games and shot 40% or better from outside in 7 seasons. He didn´t play in the 55 point game, but had a front row seat and definitely enjoyed every moment of it. He definitely knew what Andrew was capable of, but did he ever imagine him being able to net 55 points in a game? “Scoring 55 points is never easy, but you have to ask yourself, how could he do it on a team like ours? We have a deep roster where our 1-5 position players have no problem scoring the ball. There isn´t much chance of getting 30 plus points on our team and nobody plays 38 minutes a game. We like to play inside out and play to our strengths, so making 55 points is so respectable. I remember him making 30 points against us with Bonn with hands in his face. I never thought he could make 55”, said Nikita Khartchenkov. Andrew and Essen destroyed Salzkotten 125-88 and one has to wonder if he could have had 60 points, because he wasn´t hitting on all cylinders when the game began. “He started a bit cold. He missed his first few shots and went out. When he came back in near the end of the first quarter, he began hitting three after three and playing good basketball. At halftime, he had 22 points and I told him to remain hungry and don´t be satisfied”, said Nikita Khartchenkov. After 40 minutes the stat line of Justin Andrew was 35 minutes and 55 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. You would imagine the normal congrats after a monumental game like that, but the Miners have their own special way of celebrating something great. “When Justin or I or other guys make a three, we yell Boo. I yelled Boo after the game to him and hugged him and shook his hand”, smiled Nikita Khartchenkov.

Justin Andrew shot an insane 20/27 from the field and what is even more amazing was that he was doing other duties on the court besides only shooting out the lights. “That shooting percentage is crazy. He shot incredible, but at the same time was still creating for others and was just doing the right things. He also wasn´t forcing shots which is incredible. He made the right decisions and that just speaks for him as a really good player”, stated Nikita Khartchenkov. His shooting percentage from the field was already difficult to believe, but probably his biggest achievement in this game was his execution of 14 three´s which must be a German Regionalliga record. “This is unbelievable. I mean to make 14 three´s with only 27 attempts is really very difficult to believe. I was amazed when my good friend Marco Buljevic made 11 three´s this season, but 14 from Justin is just wow. I don´t think that’s I ever made 10 three´s in a game. I really wonder how he did that. It just looked so easy. So many of his threes were in isolation. In my prime, it wasn´t usual to play 1-1 and have to create. Basketball has changed so much since Steph Curry came and began taking so many three´s. Back in the day, it was normal to take something like 8 three´s, but now guys are attempting 18 or 19 three´s a game”, commented Nikita Khartchenkov. Did this one game take Andrew to a new level in his game? “He is still the same Justin Andrew in practice. You can´t really expect him to make 50 points again in the next game. We will do all we can to make him feel comfortable on the court. That game was out of the ordinary. Important for him will be to keep his hunger and not be satisfied”, warned Nikita Khartchenkov.

Making 14 three´s was historical, but just how much extra weight can one seriously put on his unique feat knowing just how lethal of a scoring team the ETB Miners Essen are? “To be honest with the type of scoring team that we have, being able to score 55 points seems impossible. But we are a team that just gives the ball to the guy that is super hot. In the game against Salzkotten, it just seemed to be him. Nobody is jealous on the team. We know that many guys get hot so we just play to our strength. Justin was hot, so we just kept feeding him. That’s just how it works. If he would have been 100 degrees colder, he still would have scored, but there would have been somebody else scoring more and getting the ball more”, explained Nikita Khartchenkov. Another crazy fact is that Justin Andrew actually tied the NBA record of most three´s ever made in a game which Splash brother Klay Thompson achieved and at the same time has to realize that he actually has made more three´s in a game than the great Steph Curry. “That is mind boggling. If you do the math, NBA guys have longer games as well. What Justin did is simply sensational. He will be able to tell his grandchildren one day that he scored 55 points in a game and made 14 three´s”, explained Nikita Khartchenkov. He may not make 14 again, but could he hit 10 three´s in a game on a regular basis? “I think that teams will scout him a little differently even if they already knew he could make three´s. I mean if he feels on fire and see´s the target, he will just keep shooting and making shots. That is just the type of player he is”, stressed Nikita Khartchenkov. So what exactly happened after the big win and 55 points? Usually the guy that makes the 100th point have to bring a cake? Was there a cake from Justin Andrew? “I told Justin to bake a cake. But there was no cake. He just isn´t ready to bake a cake yet”, laughed Nikita Khartchenkov. He may not be ready for a cake yet, but this brutal sniper will be ready for the next rim this weekend and continue to fire away and score, score, score.