Toru Dean (183-PG, college: Langston) is a 183cm guard from Miami Florida playing his rookie season overseas with the TSV Bargteheide Bees (Germany-Regionalliga). He began his basketball career with South Miami High School and then played 3 seasons at Barry University (NCAA2) averaging 8.8ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.3apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 65.1% and in his second season averaged 12.0ppg, 3.6rpg, 4.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 39.2%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 46.2%; and in his third season averaged 9.1ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.1apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 39.9%, 3PT: 31.7%, FT: 62.9%. He then finished at Langston University, OK (NAIA) averaging 10.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.5apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 81.0% and 9.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.1apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 69.4%. He teams up every week with germanhoops.com to talk basketball.

Congrats on another crunch-time win this time over Braunschweig 67–63. Bargteheide has now won 3 of their last 4 games in crunch time. How has the team grown in the last 4 games?

Over the last four games we’ve really matured in terms of composure. Earlier in the season, tight moments sometimes sped us up or made us lose focus, but lately we’ve been embracing those situations instead of fearing them. Our communication has improved, our defensive rotations are sharper, and we’ve started trusting each other more in late-game execution. That belief that we can grind out a win, even when things aren’t pretty, has definitely grown.

How good does it feel to win when you only shot 21% from outside and had 21 turnovers as a team?

It feels great because it proves we can still win when everything is not going our way. Shooting that poorly from three and turning the ball over that much—normally that’s a recipe for a long night. But we stayed locked in defensively and kept fighting. Winning a game like that shows our toughness, and it’s the kind of win that builds character going forward.

Talk about the 40 minutes against Braunschweig. Was it tight throughout, or were there stretches where either team pulled ahead?

It was mostly tight throughout. Both teams had small runs here and there, but nothing that blew the game open. Every time one side tried to create separation, the other answered right back. It felt like a chess match—physical, defensive, and all about who could maintain focus the longest. That’s why the game came down to crunch time.

Talk about the crunch-time period. What was key in the last minute for getting the win?

Discipline and execution. In the last minute we finally settled down, got the stops we needed, and made sure we got a good look offensively instead of rushing things. Defensively we communicated well on switches, and offensively we trusted the spacing and hit the free throws and shots that mattered. It wasn’t perfect, but it was poised.

You had another great scoring game with 32 points but 6 turnovers. How annoying were those 6 turnovers? There is always room to improve every week.

Yeah, the 6 turnovers definitely bother me. As a primary ball handler and someone who has the ball a lot, I know I have to be sharper. Some of them were forced plays, some were just careless. The scoring is nice, but the turnovers stick with me more because I know they could’ve cost us in a close game. So it’s something I’ll keep working on, staying under control, reading the defense, and valuing every possession.

Your three-pointer this season is still a work in progress. Are you mixing anything up with your shooting to improve besides just getting up reps?

Besides reps, I’m focusing a lot on consistency, same release, same footwork, same balance every time. I’ve also been working more on game-speed shots, not just stationary reps. Another thing is watching film to see if my shot selection is helping or hurting my rhythm. And I’m spending time on mental routines: breathing, resetting, and staying confident even after misses. It’s a process, but I feel it coming along.

The next game is against 8–4 Stade. This will be another tough battle. What will be key to getting the win?

Stade is disciplined, physical, and plays at a high pace, so the keys are going to be taking care of the ball and controlling the defensive glass. We can’t afford to give them extra possessions. Offensively we need to stay patient, move the ball, and attack their rotations instead of settling. And since it’ll likely be another close game, maintaining our defensive intensity for all 40 minutes will be huge. If we stay united and execute, we’ll give ourselves a real chance to come out with the win.

Thanks Toru for the chat.