That the German Regionalliga showcased real American winners in the 2025-2026 season is no understatement. The South west had Miles Mallory who had won numerous titles in the NCAA 3 and as a rookie in Karlsruhe and did it again in his third professional season in Reutlingen. But not only the south boasted a winner, but also the north with Toru Dean (183-PG, college: Langston). The Florida native had won 2 SAC titles with Langston University, OK and just missed winning a NAIA title as well. He came overseas in 2025 and joined the TSV Bargteheide Bees and bang cranked out his first pro chip. He showed his leadership qualities right away overseas as a rookie as his winning qualities transformed over from the NAIA level to the Regionalliga. “Winning my first championship as a professional definitely means a lot. You work your whole life to compete at the professional level, so to win in my rookie season is something special. It validated all the hard work I put in over the years and showed me that I belong at this level”, stressed Toru Dean. But how was it different winning that first pro title in comparison to winning at the college level? “Winning in college was amazing, especially at Langston University because we built a strong culture there. But winning as a pro feels different because everybody is older, more experienced, and basketball becomes your job. There’s more pressure and more sacrifice involved. It just hits differently because you know how hard it is to win professionally”, stated Toru Dean.

The explosive scorer who is a mix of Chris Paul and Patrick Beverly came overseas in the summer of 2025 and soon didn´t have the all around warm weather like in Florida, but felt the cooler weather of north Germany. On the court he quickly adjusted as he was able to play his game and help his team have a real magical season. But what was his first impression of the team when he arrived in August 2025? Would he have believed someone if they had predicted then that the Bees would win it all? “Honestly, I probably would have believed it after seeing the talent we had in training camp. We had a group that competed every day, and the chemistry came together quickly. I knew we had something special early on”, remembered Toru Dean. The Bees didn´t waste anytime starting the season on a 7 game winning streak and quickly taking control of the standings. “That winning streak was huge for us. It gave us confidence and helped us build trust in each other right away. Winning early created momentum and showed the league that we were serious contenders. I think that stretch really laid the foundation for our championship mentality”, said Toru Dean. The only 2 teams that had the Bees number during the regular season was Charlottenburg winning both games and Braunschweig who won once. What made it difficult playing these 2 teams? “Those two teams were tough because they were disciplined and very physical. They also had a lot of experience and could punish mistakes. Against teams like that, every possession matters, and during the regular season we didn’t always execute the way we needed to”, added Toru Dean. The Bees knew going into the playoffs that they had to present themselves differently as they would have to face both teams again in the playoffs. “We learned that details matter in playoff basketball. We cleaned up our turnovers, communicated better defensively, and trusted each other more in pressure situations. By playoff time, we were mentally tougher and more prepared”, warned Toru Dean.

The Bees arrived into the playoffs prepared winning 6 of their last 7 games, but had to be on their toes as they faced Braunschweig first who had beat them on a few weeks earlier. The Braunschweig series went down to the wire. The Bees buckled down and won an exciting 78-77 game 3 over Braunschweig. Was that a top 3 most thrilling games in his career? “Absolutely. That Game 3 against Braunschweig was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever played in. The atmosphere was crazy, and every possession felt like life or death. Those are the games you dream about as a kid”, warned Toru Dean. The Bees then lost game 1 in the finals to Charlottenburg 91-89 and then had 2 do or die games. The team really reacted after that showing that they could handle adversary with excellence. “After losing Game 1, nobody panicked. We stayed together and focused on what we needed to improve defensively. We started playing with more urgency and energy, and I think our toughness really showed in those final two games”, remembered Toru Dean. In the finals series he faced a real sniper in German Marley Jean-Louis who had showcased his shooting abilities in the Pro A. Did a competitor like that heighten his game to new levels? “Marley Jean-Louis is a very talented player and definitely somebody you have to respect. Competing against experienced players like that always motivates me because you want to prove yourself against high-level competition. Those matchups bring out the best in you”, stressed Toru Dean. The final buzzer sounded and 8 months of hard work had finally paid off. What was his first thoughts when the buzzer sounded in game 3 against Charlottenburg? “My first thought was honestly just gratitude. I thought about my family, my teammates, and everybody who supported me through the journey. The thing I’ll always remember most is celebrating with the guys in the locker room because we really became a family over the season”, added Toru Dean.

The team was a scoring machine and buckled down on defense consistently the whole season. Being able to shine at both ends and being able to buy into the system from coach Sukran Gencay was key for having success. “I think our biggest strength was balance. We could score in a lot of different ways, but we also took pride in defending. When you have a team that’s connected on both ends of the floor, you become very difficult to beat”, remembered Toru Dean. The American had a supporting cast that was also key for the success. One of those players was German Abulai Abaker who was another potent guard that filled the stat sheet like no other. Did he become like a brother to him? “Me and Abulai definitely became close throughout the season. He brought toughness, energy, and passion every single day. What I’ll remember most is how hard he competed no matter the situation”, said Toru Dean. German Marcel Hoppe proved to be a real walking bucket. How much easier did he make his life during certain phases of the game? “Marcel made life much easier because defenses always had to account for him. He could get hot at any moment and completely change a game. Having a teammate like that takes pressure off everybody else”, answered Toru Dean. 2 other vital players for the success were Simonas Paukste and Yngve Jentz. They were those vital role players that simply always did their jobs. “Simonas and Yngve were extremely important for us. They did a lot of the little things that don’t always show up on the stat sheet. They brought energy, communication, and professionalism every single day in practice and games”, explained Toru Dean.

The versatile guard who lists NBA players Anthony Edwards and Scottie Barnes as his toughest foes ever on the court and the game 3 win over Braunschweig as his favorite game of the season had an exceptional rookie season averaging 20/4/7/3 and won awards at Eurobasket.com including player of the year and import player of the year. “Overall, I was very happy with my rookie season. Of course, there are always areas where I can improve, but I felt like I adjusted well to the European game and proved that I can impact winning in multiple ways. Those awards mean a lot because they reflect the respect people had for my season. At the same time, none of that happens without my teammates and coaches. Individual awards are great, but winning the championship is what matters most to me”, stressed Toru Dean. He scored in double figures in most games and had season highlights against Charlottenburg with 33 points, 32 points against Braunschweig and 31 points against Oldenburger TB. “I think my game matured overseas. I became more patient, learned how to read defenses better, and improved my ability to control the pace of the game. Playing professionally forces you to grow mentally as much as physically”, stated Toru Dean. He never averaged more than 4,0apg in the NAIA, but doubled that in the Regionalliga. He had multiple games where he dished out more than 10 assists in a game. What kind of a playmaker did he become in Germany? “I became more of a complete floor general in Germany. I learned when to attack, when to create for others, and how to make the right reads consistently. I took pride in getting my teammates involved”, remembered Toru Dean. But he didn´t only shine on the offensive end, but also showed his 2 way abilities making an impact on the defensive end. He almost averaged 4,0spg in the Regionalliga. How did his defensive game grow further overseas? “My defensive growth came from effort, film study, and understanding angles better. Overseas basketball is very tactical, so I had to become smarter defensively. I wanted to impact the game on both ends every night”, warned Toru Dean. He was an absolute menace getting to the hole, but shot only 25% from outside. Is shooting one of his main focuses this summer? “Shooting is one of the biggest areas I’m focused on this summer. I know improving my consistency from three will open up even more opportunities for me and make me a more complete player”, added Toru Dean. What is the next step for him? Unfortunately the Bees won´t move up to the Pro B, because of certain ramifications beyond the control of the organization. Could he imagine staying in Germany? The Pro B has to be a realistic goal for him. “The next step is continuing to climb and compete at a higher level. I could definitely see myself staying in Germany because I had a great experience there. Playing in the Pro B is absolutely a goal, and ultimately I want to keep moving up as high as possible”, warned Toru Dean. It will be interesting to witness where he will play next season. Wouldn´t it be beautiful to see Miles Mallory and Toru Dean battling each other in the Pro B next season?