pic credit Rasta Vechta

Harm-Ubbo Horst is a German head coach currently coaching the Young Rasta Dragons NBBL (U-19) team. He began his coaching career in Vechta and then coached 2 years in Dresden where he was an assistant coach with the Pro B team Titans and also the NBBL coach. This season he led the tYoung Rasta Dragons team into the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin and spoke to germanhoops.com about the season.

The Young Rasta Dragons are back in the NBBL Top 4 for a third straight season. Alba Berlin is out. Is this the season that the Young Rasta Dragons finally win it all?

That is the goal. We reached the final the last 2 years and finally want to win it in our third try. We had a tough series against Alba Berlin, but that prepared us well. Our goal since the start of the season was the NBBL title.

The Young Rasta Dragons finished 11-4 in the regular season. Alba Berlin was only 7-7 and not as strong as other seasons. This years roster seems a bit stronger than last season despite not having Johan Grunloh. What was your summary of the season? Did it underachieve? Didn´t this team have the talent to go undefeated?

The focus wasn´t on the NBBL this season. Our players concentrated more on the Pro A and Regionalliga. It was tough since the NBBL team never practiced together. That showed in games when the team had no flow. Often guys played different roles in the pro teams and the NBBL. In the first half of the season we won many games through individual class and in the second half of the season the opponents had found their rhythm better and all wanted to beat us. We put guys in cold water which forced them to develop. The team practiced together for the first time before game 3 against Alba Berlin.

The Young Rasta Dragons Vechta kept many guys from last season and added talent with guys like Joshua Bonga and Jack Kayil. What is the team´s biggest strength?

Our strength is our depth and good character and team chemistry. We have many that practiced and played Pro A and Regio games and youth national players.

How did you see the development of Joshua Bonga? In 2019 many said he was more talented than brother Isaac at age 14, but now 5 years later he wasn´t able to make the steps that his brother did. He missed a year in his development with an injury. How much upside does he still have?

We truly feel that Joshua will make big steps. He still needs to get used to the German level after being in Lithuania and being injured for a season. He is getting back to peak before injury. He still has much upside.

One player I have enjoyed watching is Karl Buehner. He may be the best rebounder at his position for his age. What steps has he made?

He has added physicality through his Pro A experience. His role changed a lot. Last season he played behind Brockhoff and Gruenloh and this season he had full responsibility at his position. This season he is a real leader. He had 0 points in game 2, but he was fit. The day before he was in Trier and came home at 3AM and left the next morning at 8AM for Berlin. In game 3 he had a great game after being rested.

2 of the biggest talents in their year are Michel Schillmueller and Moritz Gruess. You coached them last season in the JBBL. What steps have they made this season?

Schillmueller had a brutal injury where he was out 3 months. He is fit again now. He made the biggest gain in his personality. The injury taught him how important his body is. He was in the JBBL last season and has gotten used to the NBBL level this season. He also got responsibility in the Regio. Gruess became more adult in tactics and reading situations. Being able to play in the Regionalliga helped him get used to the physicality at the men´s level.

Another player that adjusted well to the team is ex Frankfurt player Noah Koch. How did you see his development and how much potential does he have?

You saw in the last games just how clever he has become this season on the court. In the JBBL he lived off his athleticism and tempo, but now in the NBBL he understands the game better. He is still explosive and will go coast to coast, but he needs to improve his shot. When he does that sky is the limit.

Did you feel a lot of pressure taking over for Hendrik Gruehn after all his success the last 2 years? How was the step from the JBBL to the NBBL for you?

This season was nice but also tough. In the JBBL we had 3 practices per week and the games and this season the focus was on the Pro A. I was an assistant in the Pro A for Hendrik Gruehn. I coached the NBBL games with no NBBL practices. The NBBL games were used to develop the players. Of course Hendrik and I worked with the Kids that practiced with the Pro A.

How do you view your own development this season? What is the toughest adjustment going from JBBL to NBBL?

The biggest challenge was playing the games with no practices. The tricky part was helping the players find solutions on the court the best way possible.

What kind of a relationship do you have with Hendrik Gruehn. Can he give you pointers this season despite not coaching in the youth anymore?

We have a great relationship. We think a lot about the Pro A, but at the same time, he always supported me with my questions concerning the NBBL. We are very close and talk about everything.

The Young Rasta Dragons will battle FC Bayern Munich. In a way this is like a final. Is it not a bit disappointing that this is the semi-final and not the final?

I think so. We are preparing for them. It will be an intense game. The team that has more energy and will will win. It won´t be the most beautiful game.

This will be a very interesting game. FC Bayern Munich have a very deep roster, but I feel like the Young Rasta Dragons Vechta roster is deeper. What kind of a game can we await?

Munich is very big 1-5. I think that there will be much switching which will make the game more static and more 1-1 will be played. We have to find a solution to combat that. That is what I´m most afraid of. We have to find a way to slow down Ivan and Martin. It will be a fast game where both will get out on transition.

This game will pit the top guards Jack Kayil and Joshua Bonga against Ivan Khartchenkov and Martin Kalu. Do you feel like this game could be decided by the guard play?

I don´t think so. I think that the focus will be more on the positions 3-5. They will make the deciding plays.

As a vechta coach how do you scout a guy like Ivan Kharchenkov? He is fearless and quite unstoppable at the NBBL level.

I think key will be that the team as a whole always know where he is on the court. We have to defend aggressively and try to keep ball out of his hands.

Who will win the other final between BBA Porsche Ludwigsburg and Oldenburg?

Ludwigsburg have the same traits as the BBL team in that they are a good defensive team. Oldenburg has had a great development this season. They play with so much energy and push each other and play for each other. They are well coached. It will be an exciting game. I think Oldenburg will be a bit hotter.

Thanks Habbo for the chat.