If you aren’t tough on the court, you probably won’t survive anywhere and it isn’t any different in the NBA. Ok so if you’re a diminutive guard and try to go up against Shaq in his prime and have fear of getting squashed, then it is understandable that you might try to avoid him. But then again there are enough other players who have shown over time that they won’t shy away from anyone. The world’s top league has supplied some very tough cookies over the years that have defined what the word resilient really means. Some examples over the years have been guys like Kendrick Perkins who would go through opponents like a bull dozer even if it meant tearing his PCL and MCL which paved the road in the 2010 playoffs for Kobe and the Lakers to win, or Scott Skilles despite his size was always a pest and didn’t shy away from the taller and stronger guards or former #1 round pick James Johnson which Miami Heat fans will never forget their gladiator who’s second degree black belt in karate and 20-0 record in MMA matches is as tough as they ever got. Or who could forget the epic scene of pandemonium in the Boston Garden in May of 1991 during game 5 between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers as Larry Legend Bird trotted back on the court in the third quarter after having had to leave the game in the second quarter as his face had crashed to the floor. He came back fired up and led the Celtics to the victory. These are just a few examples of some very rugged and unbreakable players that have mixed it up on the court. First year Fraport Skyliner Lorentz Brenneke isn’t a house hold name yet in the easyCredit BBL, but is seeking to make that next step in Frankfurt after getting a fine training experience in the last years with top youth program Alba Berlin. He is a forward who hasn’t had the number of wars that a James Johnson has encountered, but has been introduced to toughness on the court. His ex NBBL (U-19 league) coach Josef Dulibic remembers an experience where one saw just how tough the young German is. ‘We were at a NBBL game. He was hit hard with an elbow in the face. He came to the bench and told me that he couldn’t see so well. His eye then got swollen in a matter of a few minutes. The game was over for him. He didn’t complain or cry about this. On the way home he joked about the whole experience with his eye. That is how he is. He is a tough player. He is also a great guy that understands to have fun sometimes even if it’s at his expense’, remembered Josef Dulibic.

Lorenz Brenneke (206-PF-2000) who’s toughest opponent so far in his career has been Luke Sikma was born on January 2, 2000 and had spent his whole young career in the Alba Berlin organization before arriving in Frankfurt in the summer of 2021. He took all the steps that a regular young player would playing for the Alba Berlin U-14, U-16 and U-19 teams. Alba Berlin have such an influx of young talent that they also have various professional teams to help youngsters get that first taste of what it is like being a boy playing with men. Brenneke made his first experience with the men as a 16 year old playing Regionalliga 2. His development moved smoothly as he then played Regionalliga as a 17 year old averaging 10,7ppg and 5,2rpg. He made his Pro B debut as a 18 year old with Lok Bernau and that season averaged 8,8ppg and 3,5rpg. At the same time, he got extended minutes in the NBBL averaging 16,1ppg and 5,8rpg. In his last two years with Alba Berlin, he got a chance from legendary Spanish coach Aito Gonzalez Reneses playing 18 easyCredit BBL games and also saw action in 2 Euroleague games. He continued to up his stats in the Pro B averaging 10,4ppg and 5,4rpg in 2019-2020 and last year made another step averaging 13,8ppg and 7,8rpg. He helped Alba Berlin win the 2018 NBBL title together with NBA rising star Franz Wagner and also won the Albert Schweitzer tournament with Germany in 2018 and helped Germany win a Bronze medal at the 2019 U-20 European championships. Josef Dulibic remembers the first time that he witnessed Brenneke on the court in 2017. ‘Alba Berlin always have so many talented guys, but you see early which guys have that basketball body and which don’t. Lorenz definitely had that basketball body. He was an interesting player for me and a player where I thought could become a professional player’, said Josef Dulibic.

It would have been interesting to see how the German’s development would have continued with Alba Berlin had he stayed and not embarked to the Fraport Skyliners. It is apparent that a reason why the German left was the lack of roster spots and the massive competitive level from players at his position. In the last years there have only been a few that have made the next step with players like Jonas Mattisseck, Franz Wagner and Malte Delow ‘The roster spots are limited. Young players practice a lot, but you also need adequate minutes in order to continue to develop. To make that next step is difficult. There were many players at his position. When you don’t get minutes then there is the fear that the development will be stopped’, added Josef Dulibic. A road block for Lorenz Brenneke was talented German Tim Schneider. The German had a few advantages in that he is three years older, has been on the roster since 2017-2018 and has 128 easyCredit BBl games on his resume. Tim Schneider also had a contract and Brenneke didn’t. ‘With Tim Schneider in the way, Lorenz Brenneke just wasn’t guaranteed to be able to get minutes and make the next step’, warned Josef Dulibic. Despite leaving, his valuable experience he got the last two years being able to practice with the BBL team will help him immensely make the next step with the Fraport Skyliiners. Seeing the versatile game of Luke Sikma is something that will help him in his battle for playing time with the other Frankfurt bigs. ‘Playing with Luke was very beneficial for Lorenz. If you have a dream to play professional and then can practice with guys like Luke Sikma, your confidence automatically rises. Luke was great for him. He is very open and likes to help the young players. Lorenz had a front row seat and seeing that professionalism that Luke has helped him a lot’, stressed Josef Dulibic.

Lorenz Brenneke who enjoys chess is a 206cm power forward that actually began at the position three with Alba Berlin. He has that all around fine offensive arsenal who can score, rebound and possesses a solid passing game. But his biggest strength is something that not every player has. Lorenz has absolutely no fear on the court. He is a real competitor that always plays hard. ‘He has no fear of contact. He is a lefty that is very dominate with the left hand. It is important that he continues to work on getting his shot to a good level’, said Josef Dulibic. His game developed nicely with Alba Berlin. He began at the position three. In his second NBBL year he made the jump from the position three to four. His game exploded as suddenly as it was easy to play the position four. His athleticism really helped him adjust to the four as well as his drive. But as is the case with just about every player, not every ability of his is on the radar. He has a hidden strength that is a big asset for the Fraport Skyliners. ‘He has a good feel to slip a block. He has great timing and knows when to get into the space. He is able to do this surprisingly perfect’, stated Josef Dulibic. With the Fraport Skyliners, he has been in a rotation with Dutch rookie Matt Haarms, unproven professional Brooks DeBisshop, and raw 17 year old Alexander Richardson. Being able to perform for a coach like Diego Ocampo who is known for allowing young players to play and develop was surely a vital reason why he came to Frankfurt. Josef Dulibic is more than confident that his ex player will be able to make the next step with Frankfurt. ‘He has finished school and now can concentrate fully on being a professional player. He will practice two times a day. I’m sure that he will be able to establish himself and fight for a chance under the sun’, warned Josef Dulibic. He has had a solid first season with a struggling Frankfurt team averaging 6,4ppg and 4,0rpg in 24 minutes per game. He has scored in double figures in seven games and has had one double double. He had 14 points against Hamburg and 12 points against MBC and BG Goettingen. Dulibic has observed Brenneke from a far, but those memories that he could share with the young German will always be there. ‘I got to know Lorenz as a listener. He is very laid back and quiet. But on the court he shows that he isn’t laid back, It may seem like he just woke up, but as soon as he gets into the game, he plays very hard. Everybody loved him in Berlin’, remembered Josef Dulibic. Brenneke has continued to display that sheer toughness on the court and has proved that you can continue to love his game in Frankfurt

Jeff Roberson (198-F-1996, college: Vanderbilt) is a 25 year old 198cm forward from Houston, Texas playing his fourth professional season and first in Germany with BG Goettingen. He played part of a season with Trefl Sopot (Poland-EBL) averaging 8.7ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.0apg, 2FGP: 43.8%, 3FGP: 37.8%, FT: 89.2%. He also played parts of three seasons in the G-League with Maine and Greensboro. He began his basketball career with the Kinkaid school and then played at Vanderbilt (NCAA) from 2014-2018 playing a total of 131 NCAA games and as a senior averaged 16.8ppg, 7.2rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 85.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the win over the Fraport Skyliners

Thnks Jeff for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the 76-72 win over the Fraport Skyliners. How huge was this win after the embarrassing loss in Braunschweig?

This win against Frankfurt was huge. We had been struggling the last games. But we came back and had good practices the last days and were able to translate that energy into the games.

BG Goettingen had the 19-15 lead after one quarter. You got going quickly and produced 8 points. Did you go into the game with a good feeling knowing it was time to step up quickly?

I didn’t necessarily know it would be me. The ball just happened to come my way. My mind set in every game is to be aggressive. We were in rhythm and the ball found me and I knocked down shots.

BG Goettingen didn’t waste anytime in the second quarter jumping all over the Fraport Skyliners with a 9-0 run. You showed your passing qualities with back to back assists. Is passing off the radar in your game?

Yes I take a lot of pride in my passing. I like to get guys the ball on target. I believe that passing is a underrated part of my game. As long as I can help my team win, I’m happy. I really enjoy passing the ball.

In the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners went on a run and cut your lead down to 42-40. Ex NBA player Jeremiah Martin then scored 7 unanswered baskets. Is he the perfect example of a walking bucket?

Jeremiah is a bucket. He has been showing that his whole career. We have embraced his game with open arms and he has shown who he is as a scorer. He helped us a lot today. He is very comfortable in his scoring role and gave us a big boost tonight.

The Fraport Skyliners made it exciting in crunch-time, but what was key for you getting the win?

I think the key was getting timely stops. They did a good job putting pressure on us and keeping the game close. We got stops when it counted and were ready at the same time.

Your playing your second season overseas and first in Germany for BG Goettingen. What have you enjoyed most about the experience in Goettingen?

It has been a great experience. It was a learning experience at first, because I got off to a slow start. But with time, I was able to find my role and be able to be efficient in the minutes I get. We have good chemistry and we all want to win.

BG Goettingen is in a big fight for the playoffs. Many people didn’t understand the 37 point loss in Braunschweig. How could a team give a performance like that at this juncture of the season?

It is a long season. Sometimes there are games where it feels like nothing will go your way. They were more physical and tougher than us and that trickled on throughout the game. When your down big, it’s tough to come back. But that game was a learning experience that we used for fuel for the Frankfurt game.

The team also lost games with Kamar Baldwin before he went down. But in Braunschweig the team showed how helpless they are without him. Is that a good reason why Kamar Baldwin is a MVP candidate?

Kamar should be MVP for his body of work. He has been consistent in crunch time and he has to have one of the highest efficiency rates in the league in crunch time. He is always locked in. He has saved us so many times this season. But we are still a very good team without him.

Your putting up solid stats in the easyCredit BBL. What has been the biggest adjustment in your game?

The style in the BBL is different than in the G-League. The play is a lot more physical here and you have to be locked in every night, because anybody can beat anybody. The league is very competitive. I feel like I have settled in well. I have focused on attacking the close outs, rebounding and being versatile and being able to defend as many positions as possible.

You had great games in the nail bitter wins over ratiopharm Ulm and medi Bayreuth. Which one was more memorable?

That is hard to choose. The game in Ulm was crazy. Kamar hit a game winner. The Bayreuth game was strange, because they only had 6 players.

Last season despite Covid you had a very solid season in the G-League with the Greensboro Swarm. What was the toughest thing that you had to cope with last season?

It was a very strange season. There were stretches of months where all I was doing was working out and not playing games. You didn’t know when you would play. I only played 15 games. It was tough not getting a full season.

You played parts of three seasons in the G-League. What kind of an experience was it. You never averaged more than 20 minutes in the G-League. How tough is it with all the talent to reach a NBA call up?

It is very difficult. Your playing time is very inconsistent. The two way players get the majority of the minutes. All you can do is play your role and be as effective as possible. I learned that you have to be a professional and always be ready, because you never know when your number will be called.

In 2019-2020 you played your first season overseas with Trefl Sopot (Poland-EBL) playing 17 games averaging 8.7ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.0apg, 2FGP: 43.8%, 3FGP: 37.8%, FT: 89.2%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were very far away from home?

There were a couple of wake up calls. The first was when I arrived in Poland and got to my apartment. When the team manager left is when I felt ok I’m alone now. The other time was at Christmas. I had always been used to being away from home in school, but being in Poland was different. When I saw all my friends with family on Social Media I knew I was far away. But I knew I was making a sacrifice and in the end all would be good.

How fortunate were you having two vets like Cameron Ayers and Carlos Medlock in Poland. What was most key in them helping you adjust best?

Those two guys were huge. They made a very positive impact on my first season overseas. Thy showed me what it takes to make it overseas. I saw that you don’t always get your way, but I watched how they handled themselves and how they prepared and were professionals helped me.

After a strong senior season at Vanderbilt (NCAA), you landed in the G-League with the Maine Red Claws (NBA G League) playing 36 games averaging 4.9ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.2apg. What was your wake up call to being in the G-League?

Sometimes you end up on a team where you feel like there are 12 individuals. In college it is different where there is more chemistry. In the G-League all guys have aspirations to make the NBA. It was a culture shock for me seeing that not every player was on the same page.

What kind of an experience was it being a part of the Boston Celtics organization? Did you meet any note worthy people in that time that gave you good advice?

It was an incredible experience. I was around the whole team. Seeing guys like Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford and Terry Rozier were incredible. One day you saw them on TV and then the next day your practicing with them. You see just how good they are and you try to learn from their work ethic. It was a priceless experience learning from the best coaches in the world.

What was the best example that you witnessed in the G-League that proves the NBA will always be a business first?

There are so many. I was teammates with PJ Dozier in Maine. He is a great player. When he was there he was on his second or third two way contract. He then eventually made it to Denver. He then was traded a few more times. Once he gets healthy he can help any team. His journey has shown that when you get hurt, teams will move on without you. It must have been hard going through what he experienced.

What memories do you have of Robert Williams. He has suffered many growing pains but come a long way from your rookie season. Has his current success surprised you?

He is one of the most freak athletes that I have ever seen. I played against him in school. His ability to jump was incredible. He could put his head on the rim. He can cover so much ground. The Celtics defense funnels in to him. He is a big reason why the team has been so good on defense.

You played at Vanderbilt (NCAA) from 2014-2018. What memories do have starting against Powerhouse Kentucky (NCAA) as a freshman and playing against so many future NBA guys like Devin Booker, Willie Cauley-Stein, Karl Anthony-Towns and the Harrison brothers.

It was funny.We had no expectations going into that game. On the scouting report on Karl Anthony Towns it was just man up. All you can do is try to be physical on him and try your best. You can’t stop him. They were a team with Devin Booker coming off the bench. That was crazy. He is a guy that could win NBA MVP. You have to wonder how this team didn’t win the NCAA title.

In your second season you beat Kentucky and had a great game of 16/8 and saw future NBA player Jamal Murray explode for 33 points. Does a game like this prove that there are so many talented players in the NCAA and too little NBA spots?

Yes that is the nature of the game. Only a small percentage make the NBA. You have to be lucky. In college you focus to be the best that you can. Just stay in the moment and hope that it will lead to new opportunities.

You had two NCAA runs losing to Wichita State and Northwestern. I guess that 68-66 loss to Northwestern is one you will never forget.

That was an unfortunate game. Everybody made a big deal about it. We were up by one and my teammate Mathew Fischer-Davis though we were down and intentionally fouled and we lost the game. But we wouldn’t have been in the game without his strong play that game.

Every year you played against so many great players form Kentucky like Dearon Fox, Malik Monk, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Kevin Knox to name some others. In your four years in the NCAA, which Wild cat player will remain most in your memories?

Jamaal Murray gave us a lot of problems.

You had many great games as a senior like against Mississippi State, Florida or the 83-81 loss against Kentucky. Which game was your best in your career?

I think beating Florida at home my senior year was my best game. It was a great feeling winning that game at home. At that time, it was a huge win for us. The atmosphere was great and the fans crazy.

How did head coach Bryce Drew groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

He was a player’s coach. He treated us like we were in the NBA. We would eat at nice restaurants on the road. His biggest thing was helping us be better people. I really appreciated that.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Matthew Fischer-Davis?

We never really played. It was more shooting drills. We played the same position freshman year. One game I would play 30 minutes and he 10 minutes and then next game it would be reversed. We had no problems with that. We pushed each other every day. He was one of the most natural talented players I ever knew.

Who was the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that went to the NBA?

Ben Simmons gave us a lot of problems. Back then he was playing the one and he used his speed. He gives teams problems in the NBA and back in college it was even tougher.

Please name your five best teammates of all-time?

Damian Jones, James Siakam, Riley Lachance, Kamar Baldwin, Matthew Fischer-Davis

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Lebron, Jordan, Kobe, Magic, Larry Bird

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest Jordan or Lebron?

It is neverending but not fair. Basketball has evolved so much. There are more talented players now. I have more appreciation for Lebron. He has continued to change his game to fit the NBA year to year. Plus he is a role model. Lebron is my goat but you can’t disregard Jordan’s legacy.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?

Yes they should of left it alone. But that is what typically happens with sequels. I wasn’t upset that I saw it and it didn’t hurt it’s legacy.

Thanks Jeff for the chat.

Stanley Whittaker (183-G-1994, college: Keiser) is a 27 year old 183cm point guard from Philadelphia playing his third professional season and first in Germany with PS Karlsruhe. He played his rookie season in Lithuania and last season had his break through with UBSC Raiffeisen Graz (Austria-BSL) playing 24 games: Score-2 (21.5ppg), 6.3rpg, Assists-2 (8.0apg), Steals-1 (2.6spg), FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 78.4%. He played his college ball at Frank Phillips (JUCO) and Keiser (NAIA). He teams up every week with Miles Schmidt-Scheuber to talk basketball.

Thanks Stanley for talking to eurobasket.com. PS Karlsruhe suffered a tough 112-85 loss to Tuebingen. Was there a mental factor going into the game knowing you would play 2 and 1 teams within 6 days?

Tough stretch for our group and we are undermanned but we have to make a better effort in competition. We can’t make any excuses for ourselves, the job still has to get done.

Tuebingen is without a doubt the massive surprise team for me. If one would of asked me at the start of the season, I would never have predicted this success. A new coach and one American seems to be the recipe for success. The team had a bad stretch in January losing 5 of 7 games, but since have won 9 of 10 teams. What makes this team so good?

They’re well coached, they play with a high level of energy and they get after it defensively and have great movement on offense.

Talk about the 40 minutes. How difficult was it defending them for 40 minutes? They scored 27 more points than in the first game.

They move the ball well, execute at a decent level and just last night it seems as though they couldn’t miss from 3.

They nailed 15 three’s. I guess when your that hot it’s difficult to win. Was that the main sore spot that PS Karlsruhe couldn’t defend? They also rebounded the ball very well?

It was just their night overall, we had some communication issues as well as matchup problems, they made us pay when we slipped defensively. That’s what good teams do.

How much of a factor does Isaiah Crawley make in their game. In the first game against you, he wasn’t present.

He’s a high energy guy, crashes the glass and he’s very athletic. He helps them a lot.

How is Tuebingen better today than when you faced them at the start of the season? They had 8 guys in double figures. That is very impressive. You don’t see that often not even in Europe. Can they make a run for the Pro A title?

They were in a such a great rhythm all night. They’re pretty much exploded in the 3rd quarter when we missed some looks, they were able to get out in transition and make us pay!

You had 20/4/5/4/3 stats. The biggest flaw was your shooting. Obviously teams key in on you. They did a better job than other teams. How much of a challenge is it to find good shots when your being keyed on well?

The ball just wouldn’t go in for me tonight, it was pretty frustrating because I got to my spots but just couldn’t convert. Credit to Tubingen, they sub in different guys that play hard and try to make things difficult for me.

The team now has to regroup and find a way to beat Rostock. Who can forget the thrilling 87-86 win. Now you must travel to Rostock where you will experience very tough fans. This will be a huge challenge for you. A win would be perfect for the self-confidence going into playoffs. What will be key for escaping with a win?

We have to do whatever it takes to get a win!

The 2022 NCAA final was very exciting with Kansas overcoming North Carolina 72-69. Will this go down in history as one of better finals?

I didn’t get a chance to watch it. But from what I’m hearing it was a thriller.

Thanks Stanley for the chat.

Patrick Richard (196-G/F-1990, college: McNeese St., agency: Inception Sports) is a 32 year old 196cm guard from Lafayette, Louisiana playing his ninth professional season and third with U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca (Romania-Liga Nationala). He has gained vast experience having played in countries like Australia, Holland, Germany, France, Israel and Spain. He began his basketball career at Carencro high school and played at Mcneese State (NCAA) form 2008-2012 playing a total of 122 NCAA games. As a professional he has won three titles and played 300 plus professional games. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the exciting 76-73 BCL win over the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.

Congrats Pat on the huge 76-73 win over the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in the quarterfinals of the Basketball Champions League.

Thanks miles!

How enjoyable is it being able to play in front of 10,000 enthusiastic fans now again after 2 years of Covid?

It’s great for all of Europe who follow champions league to really see how great the fans are in cluj Romania.

IT must be like day and night seeing the capacity of other arena’s in Romania. Does an atmosphere like that sometimes bring you back to your NCAA days?

It can bring me back a little bit but being around Europe In a lot of top leagues and also Australia that’s a norm in some places.

U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca have bene the underdog all season long in the Basketball Champions League and pulled out another big win. Is all this underdog talk and beating teams becoming more normal or is every 40 minute affair still a big challenge?

To be honest we have been an underdog to the outside world BUT we always feel we belong!

U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca had a super start allowing only 13 points in the first quarter. What has been the big staple on the team defense this season that has helped the team be successful?

Our coaches do a great job with preparation and we just try and execute to our best the gameplan. Consistently being aggressive on defense is what we try to maintain each game

The guests got better into the game in the second quarter scoring 21 points. Big Man Ethan Happ was a menace. He is a big body that knows how to use his body, but did you know about his hook shot going in?

We knew he was their best post presence and he did a good job of getting to his spots in the post to be affective

Elijah Stewart had the highlight of the game with an incredible alley-op dunk at the end of the second quarter. Where does that rank in your all-time best dunks in your career? You recently had an incredible shot where you switched the ball in mid air to your right hand and saw nothing but net. Which shot was sweeter?

I’ll give it to stew for sure. That was crazyyyyyy to see up close lol

The third quarter continued to be a close battle. I really enjoyed Karel Guzman’s energy. What do you feel of his game doesn’t get appreciated enough?

UNDERRATED PLAYER! That’s all I’m going to say about Guz! All of Europe will see soon enough how big time he can Be!

Dustin Hogue is like this programed Duracel energy bunny. Does that guy ever cool down or does he sometimes have that energy off the court?

Dustin is a guy my whole career I always wanted on my team but hated to play against lol he is a laid back guy off the court but on the court what he does is infectious and we all feed off of him

You were down by 7 points in the fourth quarter and one has to say that veteran Brandon Brown was the unsung hero of the game. He added 8 points with hot shooting and you also made some big shots How valuable is his leadership and calmness on the team?

He is very valuable and the point guard that leads us out there. After his injury he came back very determined to bring himself once again and as his backcourt mate I try to make it as easy as I can for him to be himself

With the game tied at 68-68 came the turning point. Elijah Stewart and Stefan Bircevic made massive three’s and they then did cut it down to one point with a minute to play, but you buckled down to get the win. What was key for getting the win?

To get this win it was just staying the course. They are a tough team and what they do is what they do. We just continued to believe and having a 6th man (our crowd) helped tremendously

Did you get a little lucky that Jonah Radebaugh missed a lay up and three in the last minute?

I wouldn’t call it luck but the coverage was messed up a little bit! He got a good look but Karel was able to recover and get a great contest on the shot

Are the 13 Ludwigsburg offensive rebounds a danger? There were quite a few rebounds and loose balls that just didn’t go Dustin Hogue’s way. Are you confident that the team will show a different face on the glass in Ludwigsburg?

That’s a key in ludwisburg game. Offensive rebounds after their misses. They are by far are the best team in champions league with this. We must do a better overall job of gang rebounding in game 2

The arena won’t be as loud in Romania next week, but it will be a battle. What will be the biggest key for the win?

We must bring our defensive attitude with us and take care of the ball much better on the road. Keep them off the offensive boards as best as we can to give us the best chance at a win

Kansas recently beat North Carolina in a exciting final. What was your favorite NCAA final to watch growing up?

Well while being in Europe I don’t watch too many finals lol too late for me. BUT just off the top of my head I can say when I was a kid I think it was Duke and UConn when Rip Hamilton and those guys took the title from my favorite college player at the time Trajan Langdon.

Thanks Pat for the chat.

Elijah Stewart (196-G-1995, college: USC) is a 26 year old 196cm guard from Los Angeles, California playing his fourth professional season and first with U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca (Romania-Liga Nationala). He gained further experience overseas in countries like Finland and Poland and also had a stint in the G-League. He began his basketball career at Westchester High School and then played at USC (NCAA) from 2014-2018 playing a total of 137 NCAA games. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the massive 76-73 win over the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in the Basketball Champions League quarterfinals.

Congrats on the huge 76-73 win over the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in the quarterfinals of the Basketball Champions League. Before I start I have to ask you does your hair ever get in the way of your play?

Of course not. It’s kind of cold outside so my big hair keeps my head insulated well. I think also with my hair it is a type of imitation factor reminding opponents of 80’s basketball.

How enjoyable is it being able to play in front of 10,000 enthusiastic fans now again after 2 years of Covid?

I actually have preferred COVID. I don’t mind playing for no fans. I feel it is the better team that wins on the court. We always had talented teams wherever I played and never really felt we needed that extra support. But the crowd can be very helpful and they really support our team.

IT must be like day and night seeing the capacity of other arena’s in Romania. Does an atmosphere like that sometimes bring you back to your NCAA days?

Yes for sure it does. Tonight it was rocking. The crowd was in it and it was fun to play. It was a blast. This was one of the best games that I ever played in in Europe.

U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca have bene the underdog all season long in the Basketball Champions League and pulled out another big win. Is all this underdog talk and beating teams becoming more normal or is every 40 minute affair still a big challenge?

I feel the whole underdog talk is like chicken little. Everybody has counted us out all season long. They hope we slip and make mistakes like an underdog. We feel like we can beat anyone. We will keep going with it and play hard and keep winning.

U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca had a super start allowing only 13 points in the first quarter. What has been the big staple on the team defense this season that has helped the team be successful?

Making them guard and knowing who the guards are. Not letting them play in their comfort level and knowing what to give up and what not to. I feel like we did a good job executing coaches game plan.

The guests got better into the game in the second quarter scoring 21 points. Big Man Ethan Happ was a menace. He is a big body that knows how to use his body, but did you know about his hook shot going in?

We weren’t so much prepared for his hook shot. Their interaction with their big was a wrinkle in our plan. We felt like it was better if he go for 20 than other guys. We can live with it and happy to give that up.

You had the highlight of the game with an incredible alley-op dunk at the end of the second quarter. Where does that rank in your all-time best dunks in your career?

That is up there. Top 3 in my career. On the stage in the BCL, a dunk like that will get pushed up to #1. That was friendly justice. My defender Justin Simon and me go way back. We are from the west coast and played in the Pack 12 and know each other.

Patrick Richard recently had an incredible shot where you switched the ball in mid air to your right hand and saw nothing but net. Which shot was sweeter?

My dunk for sure. I know Pat would say the same thing. He played a very good game tonight. We are both from Louisiana and have a southern Connection. He was a big help at the start of the season for me getting comfortable.

The third quarter continued to be a close battle. I really enjoyed Karel Guzman’s energy. What do you feel of his game doesn’t get appreciated enough?

Karel can really go. His defense definitely gets disregarded in the BCL. He is a real menace. We put him on the other team’s best player. We put him on Troy Caupain and he scored something like only 6 points in two games. He scored 32 points in another game. He really gets underestimated. He has made me better because we guard each other every day in practice. He gets me ready for tough games.

Dustin Hogue is like this programed Duracel energy bunny. Does that guy ever cool down or does he sometimes have that energy off the court?

He has that east coast energy. Off the court he is pretty chilled. He rehabs like crazy and really takes his body seriously. He gets to the gym an hour before practice and lifts and rides the bike. He is an undersized big and knows that he has to keep his body right. He is crazy. I hope that I never have to play against him.

You were down by 7 points in the fourth quarter and one has to say that veteran Brandon Brown was the unsung hero of the game. He added 8 points with hot shooting and you also made some big shots How valuable is his leadership and calmness on the team?

His play has been big. We missed him at the start of the season and we doubted the team could react and perform. But when he came back, he did a great job keeping the team together. He understood to hold the tempo and facilitate. He is a real floor general that also knows how to shoot that thing.

With the game tied at 68-68 came the turning point. You and Stefan Bircevic made massive three’s and they then did cut it down to one point with a minute to play, but you buckled down to get the win. What was key for getting the win?

Key was not giving up second chance points and covering the three point line well. When there are 10,000 people yelling, it becomes tough. Them missing two free throws was big for us.

Did you get a little lucky that Jonah Radebaugh missed a lay up and three in the last minute?

We got lucky. That is when preparation and opportunity meet. We contested the lay up and had the intimidation factor of the fans.

Are the 13 Ludwigsburg offensive rebounds a danger? There were quite a few rebounds and loose balls that just didn’t go Dustin Hogue’s way. Are you confident that the team will show a different face on the glass in Ludwigsburg?

Many balls didn’t go our way in the first half. We were very lucky that they didn’t convert them to points. We didn’t want to allow so many offensive rebounds. We wanted to keep them under 10, but they got 14. We have to look at film. Dustin Hogue goes against 2guys in the paint. Someone has to help and clean up over him.

The arena won’t be as loud in Romania next week, but it will be a battle. What will be the biggest key for the win?

We have to refine key points of this game. We have to do a better job stopping them to crash the boards, know their tendencies better and don’t let the guys that can score score. Let others be the hero.

Thanks Elijah for the chat.

                It is a fact that it doesn´t matter where you played college ball, because guys have proved over and over that you can come from JUCO and not only make it the pro level, but also get to the highest level. The guys who have done it have been numerous and it hasn´t been any different for Dustin Hogue. Only a few years after showing his potential and growing skill level at Indian Hills(JUCO), he landed in Greece in the first division. It didn´t take him long there to find his niche and perform on a consistent level and swipe down rebounds like an art as he ended his rookie season as the second best rebounder in Greece. It also didn´t take long for him to get comparisons to top center Kyle Hines who currently has the distinction of being the winningest American Euroleague player with 4 titles. He rapidly received the nickname Hines like and that has stayed with him until today. At that time Kyle Hines was continuing to build his incredible resume with CSKA Moscow and their paths wouldn´t meet until 2019. Hogue also continued to carve out his resume after three prosperous years in Italy and in the 2019-2020 season he moved to Enisey Krasnoyarsk (Russia-VTB) and finally would be able to play against Hines. Ino time was wasted either as they met on the first game day in the VTB. If the American were to retire tomorrow, he could always boast that I am 1-0 against Kyle Hines. His team surprisingly beat CSKA Moscow 80-71 and he didn´t disappoint with his trade mark double double play with 11/10. Kyle Hines came from the bench and played only 14 minutes with 2/4 stats. That 1-0 record could forever stand as Kyle Hines is in the twilight of his career and could finish his legendary career retiring on top in Milan. The Hines talk is something that will always be with him and he won´t forget. “In my first season playing I was always told I played like him and didn’t even really knew who he was “no offense I didn’t follow” but years later I finally got a chance to play against him and wanted to make a note to myself to try to play well since it’s such a good team with great talent”, remembered Dustin Hogue. The Kyle Hines Similarities and Sixth Sense of knowing where the rebound will go will never end for Dustin Hogue who believes the classic Coming To America should have been left alone.

                Dustin Hogue is a 29 year old 198cm center from Yonkers, New York who lists current top NBA player Joel Embiid as the toughest player he batted in the NCAA even though he wasn´t the player then what he is now played ball at Lincoln high school. He was ranked at 208 in the country at that time. In his freshman season he attended Indian Hills(JUCO) averaged 10,6ppg and 5,7rpg and in his second season led the team to a brilliant 24-1 record reaching the Elite 8 and finishing seventh. He averaged 12,9ppg and 5,4rpg and also got Second-Team All-Region XI. He was in very good company at Indian Hills as some other great players had played therebefore him  that would later play at high levels like Dwight Buycks but also guys like Brandon Spearman, Chris Mcneal and Terry Black. It doesn´t matter who I have spoken to, but 99% of guys that have told their journey always credit JUCO for being the best thing that could of ever happened to them and it wasn´t any different for Dustin Hogue. “For me it was my first time away from home and I wanted to show my independence. I wanted to make sure I can handle going to school and becoming the player I was meant to be I’ve always said JUCO helped make me the player I am today. One thing about JUCO is there’s 12 players from all around the world fighting every single day for a spot on the court and practice would be relentless and aggressive and once you develop that hunger to stay on top of your game and get better you never really lose it. So I agree JUCO definitely helped me”, stated Dustin Hogue.

                After a fruitful career at Indian Hills(JUCO) the center who remembers always beating future NBA player Abdel Nader in one on one´s made the next step to the wonderful program of head coach Fred Hoiberg at Iowa State. He came at a very successful time as the school had reached 6 consecutive NCAA tournaments and he was there twice. In his junior season he averaged 11.6ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 66.4%. He scored in double figures 22 times and had had 7 double doubles. He helped his team shock North Carolina 85-83 in the NCAA tournament having 14 points, 7 boards and 3 assists. “That game was so important being that everyone had us as an underdog going against that team and I wanted to be able to dominate that matchup to give my team that edge. There were many moments during my two years there and that for sure is one of them”, remembered Dustin Hogue. They then went on to lose a heart breaker 81-77 to eventual winner UConn but he left his mark exploding with 34 points. In his senior season he played 4 less minutes and his stats dipped to 9.3ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 61.4%, 3PT: 43.1%, FT: 55.0%, but he vastly improved his three pointer. He scored in double figures 16 times and season highlights included scoring 19 points against Oklahoma and a classic 13/13 game in a win over arch rival Iowa. He will never remember his time at Iowa State not only of the team success, but also his teammates as a whole pack reached the NBA with Monte Morris, Nazareth Mitrou-Long, Georges Niang, Abdel Nader, Matt Thomas and Bryce Dejean-Jones. There was never any doubt that these guys would go far in their careers. “I have always had the most faith in my team and I really believed that Iowa State team was special and surrounded by great talent. These are things we all would talk about when we would hangout and I’m glad I’m able to watch my teammates all playing somewhere”, commented Dustin Hogue.  It was also a no brainer as to which of his ex Iowa State teammates had the biggest impact on him. “The summer going into my senior year was for sure the most impactful with my brother Abdel Nader. We both played the same position and were both roommates so we were great friends off the court but his red shirt year was ending so it was a matter of which one of us would have the small forward spot and that caused us to compete on the court in the weight room and it was maybe the most intense summer of my career”, remembered Dustin Hogue. He started all 70 games and left as only one of two Big 12 players to record 700 point and 450 rebounds in his last two seasons. He won two Big 12 tournaments and also was named to the NCAA All-Tournament East Region Team  and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. He knows today just how vital the guidance of head coach Fred Hoiberg was. “He was a coach that had a very professional style system more letting us play the way we did and it helped a lot that we were one of the top 3 point shooting teams in the country so he would work with me after practice to help with my shot and form and confidence was a big factor because when a coach puts trust in you to make plays it makes you confident in your abilities”, explained Dustin Hogue.

                The New York native who believes Lebron James is the greatest of all-time with Michael Jordan a close second began his rookie campaign with  AE Nea Kifisia Dimoulas Athens (Greece-A1) playing 28 games averaging 12.5ppg, Reb-2(8.1rpg), 1.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 66.0%. It is never easy for an American to come overseas for the very first time as there are so many cultural differences as well as playing styles. His play on the court never suffered, but he had to make adjustments off the court. “Trying to order food and nobody speaking English was a real wake up call. Basketball is going to be something you can adjust to but the neverending game of charades trying to communicate with people in your outside like or mistakenly buying flowers thinking it’s sugar. It was a learning experience but I’ve adjusted”, laughed Dustin Hogue. He scored in double figures in 21 of 28 games and recorded 10 double doubles. His biggest highlights that season was battling against top Euroleague teams Panathinaikos and Olympiakos. He lost all 4 games, but twice was very close to winning and registered two double doubles. He played against ex NBA players and top European players like Othello Hunter, Shawn James, James Gist and Miro Raduljica? Being able to stand his own against top talent like that was massive for his early development. “Those games were everything in my rookie year seeing they were where I wanted to be. It was my chance to play against the best guys in the country so I had a different energy for the game and was excited to play against James Gist I wanted to see his versatility and what a euro league talent looked like”, stressed Dustin Hogue. Instead of becoming a basketball nomad, he next played three seasons with Italian Serie A team Dolomiti Energia Trento. Here he made the next step in his career becoming a top 5 rebounder in the Eurocup and Serie A averaging 10/7, 9/7 and 10/6 in the Serie A and 12/5 and 12/6 in the Eurocup. “Those were maybe 3 of the best years from being pro I was real involved with people around the community. We visited schools and fans and friends were always great but the games that stick out the most were the games in Venice. It would get so loud we couldn’t hear ourselves talk or think it had the atmosphere of a college arena and it didn’t help they didn’t like me too much haha but definitely memorable games”, added Dustin Hogue.  In his three years in Italy he played 112 Serie A games scoring in double figures in 61 games and had 13 double doubles including hitting Euroleague team Milan for 23 points and Grissin Bon RE for 21 points. In Eurocup action he played 17 games and scored in double figures in 11 games and had 4 double doubles having a massive 27/10 game against Cedivita and 20/10 game against Asvel. He was fortunate to have two great teammates in future Euroleague player Shavon Shields and Dominique Sutton who became like brothers to him. “Both those guys were great teammates I still speak to them from time to time to check in and see how they are doing. I miss those guys and still follow Shavon in Milan. Sutton was undersized like me and was able to exploit matchups and take advantage of his size so I was able to learn a lot from watching those guys as well playing besides them and getting better every day in practice”, remembered Dustin Hogue. He then took another step in his career heading to Russia to play for Enisey Krasnoyarsk (Russia-VTB). He put up consistent stats as usual and belonged to the top rebounders in the VTB averaging 11,6ppg Reb-5(6.9rpg), 1.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 64.5%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 63.6% in his first season and 12,0ppg, Reb-3(7.6rpg), 2.2apg, FGP: 65.7%, 3PT-3(50.0%), FT: 55.6%. He played 41 VTB league games and scored in double figures in 27 games and had 10 double doubles including 27 and 21 points against Euroleague team Lokomotiv Kuban and 23 points against Kalev/Cramo and 22 points against Euroleague team Khimki.In Eurocup play he averaged 11.2ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT-1(80.0%), FT: 61.4%. He scored in double figures in five games and had two double doubles including 24 points against Leiden. His time in the VTB was eye opening as his game really flourished. “I’ve always been good at reading where the ball is going and being able to move around bigger defenders. I think now I’m starting to shoot the 3 ball a little more and finding my spots scoring the ball better I’ve been playing much more power forward this year and my coach is taking advantage at my ability to defend more guards”, stressed Dustin Hogue. One player that he won´t forget from his two year Russian experience was athletic freak Garlon Green who is the brother of NBA dunk champion Gerald. “I shared his book on my Facebook to show some support and I got myself a copy and trust me it’s some great things in there you should order one. Garlon Green was always a freak of nature with his jumping ability. No stretching no warm up can go up and do any dunk he felt like it was amazing”, said Dustin Hogue.  

The undersized center who lists Aaron Craft, Shavon Shields. Leyton Hammonds, Domonique Sutton and Robert Lowery as his five best teammates of all-time is a player that has never been amused of comparing his game to an NBA player, but if he had to it would have been the worm Dennis Rodman as a guy who can hang and rebound with any big and prides his game on defense. When he hangs up his jersey one day, he won´t be able to get around to people forever saying that rebounding was his bread and butter as a professional. “I have been good at seeing if a ball is going long or falling short.  It’s always been like a 6th sense for me and getting to my spots faster than bigs that are 2.08 and it don’t seem so difficult if I do my work early”, commented Dustin Hogue. His success as a player can be traced back to childhood and beyond where his older brother Doug had a huge influence on him. He had a very short NFL career which can´t always be avoided and his whole journey has been pivotal in the route that Dustin has been able to enjoy to follow. “I’m very blessed to have a sibling guide me throughout his career and tell me how to be a professional. On the court I’m having the most fun every game and I’m really happy to be out there competing with some of the best talent. My brother is actually the one that taught me how to play basketball and my first sport was actually football and as you can see I bring a lot of that aggression with me on the floor now I understand it’s a different game but basketball is still a very physical sport”, stated Dustin Hogue. One aspect of his game that hasn´t changed at all through his development has been his consistency which has been with him since JUCO ball. “I think I’ve been fortunate to have coaches that have let me play my game without changing it too much to where I’m not myself from Italy and Russia and now in Romania I have great coaches who instill confidence and my desire to get better every year has kept me on a good pace “, added Dustin Hogue.

So let´s fast forward to 2022 as the American who has Lebron James Kobe Bryant Michael Jordan Shaquille O´Neal and Magic Johnson on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is in his seventh professional season and first with U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca (Romania-Liga Nationala). For a guy who in six seasons had only reached two Serie A finals and was seeking that first chip, it finally came true this year as he helped the Rumanian team win the Super Cup. Plus the team is running away with the Regular season title sporting a 23-2 record and are in the Basketball Champions League quarterfinals. If that wasn´t a good enough reason to contemplate a longer stay with this organization, I wouldn´t know what would be. “I wouldn’t have any problem staying here. This city and team was built very well and I think I’m a good fit here. The coaching staff and the players I’m surrounded by let me be the type of player I am and the normal day to day life is also comfortable”, said Dustin Hogue. The organization has won 14 league titles and with Covid he has seen what kind of a difference the true faith of the fans are. “The fans have made me really understand this is a basketball city. When I first arrived here the Covid restrictions stopped us from having any fans in the gym but now I see how loud the crowd gets and how they travel to distant games and show support it’s a warming feeling knowing there’s a full city behind you with big expectations”, stressed Dustin Hogue. The two loses the club had in the Romanian league were very close and they lost the cup final by one point. Sometimes you need that experience of losing to understand things better about how you can win. “We try to take every game seriously and use it as a stepping stool to get better and move forward and sometimes that doesn’t always go as planned. Voluntary played a great game and helped us understand some things about us and how we need to become better. Nothing but respect for them but now we are on a mission to redeem that loss and win the title at the end of the season”, warned Dustin Hogue. Every season he has new teammates from whom he can learn valuable things. He knows that one can always learn things from veterans like Patrick Richard who had great and productive seasons in Germany. “There’s always something to learn with the game of basketball and Pat definitely helps me and all the players get better with the little things. When and how to read defenses or how or when to be assertive so that 5 guys can show their full potential without stepping on each other’s toes. I think he’s done a great job of that this season”, expressed Dustin Hogue. The next hurdle in getting his second professional title continues in Ludwigsburg, Germany tomorrow in a quarterfinal clash against the MHP Riesen. In this competition being the underdog has definitely made them stronger. “We have been the underdog every game we played and it’s like we are used to it. Some of the other teams are big names in comparison to Cluj Napoca but we are trying to put the league on notice that we are a force to be reckoned with. They are a hard playing team maybe one of the hardest playing and best defensive team of all the teams left. I think this is going to be a physical and hard fought game about two teams that have to show who has the most heart in the end”, warned Dustin Hogue. This international club games are usually also a great scouting opportunity and often you see players that had great games suddenly land in that country the next season. Who knows if MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg head coach John Patrick will jot down Hogue´s name on his note pad, but then again the 2010 Eurochallenge winner with BG Goettingen probably already knows the game of the Hines-Like player. But if the Basketball Champions League Cinderella story continues and the Romanian side can win another or even two more titles, then I can bet that Dustin Hogue will pull another Dolomiti Energia Trento. Why not stay in a place like Romania where you can win? Why not continue winning while keeping the Hines-Like comparison and sixth sense for grabbing rebounds.

Stanley Whittaker (183-G-1994, college: Keiser) is a 27 year old 183cm point guard from Philadelphia playing his third professional season and first in Germany with PS Karlsruhe. He played his rookie season in Lithuania and last season had his break through with UBSC Raiffeisen Graz (Austria-BSL) playing 24 games: Score-2 (21.5ppg), 6.3rpg, Assists-2 (8.0apg), Steals-1 (2.6spg), FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 78.4%. He played his college ball at Frank Phillips (JUCO) and Keiser (NAIA). He teams up every week with Miles Schmidt-Scheuber to talk basketball.

Congrats Stanley on the huge 102-82 win over Bochum. Was the added rest with not playing against Schwenningen much appreciated?

I’m sure the additional rest helped us some, we had a pretty long travel to get there but I’m glad we were able to get a needed win.

The fight for the playoffs is very exciting. Is the team aware it can reach fourth place with a strong finish?

The race is very interesting, we just want to take one game at a time and not look too far ahead. Hopefully we’re able to control our own destiny and take care of business.

PS Karlsruhe had the slim 46-45 advantage at the break. In the third quarter you could break away a bit. What was key for taking control of the game?

We were able to get stops! They scored 27 points in the first quarter which is far too much. 3rd quarter we were able to get stops and convert on the offensive end.

PS Karlsruhe saved some extra energy for their offense overpowering Bochum with 33 points. How vital was knowing you can step it up late in the game?

We just wanted to try and get quality looks on the offensive end. We are a very good group when everyone is engaged and has a rhythm offensively.

How proud are you of the team defense on the three point line? You held the team to 16% shooting and three of their starters to 2/21 shooting.

It was a good effort on our end. We understood that they were one of the higher 3 point shooting teams in the league so we wanted to make sure the looks they got were contested.

You slowed up ex Washington (NCAA) forward Dominic Green from the three point line, but not from the free throw line. What was it like battling this guy?

He’s a good player, got a very good feel to score the ball. We wanted to make sure we challenged all his looks and make him shoot contested shots.

The team had 6 guys in double figures. It doesn’t get any better than that does it in terms of sharing the ball?

Exactly, we’re a much tougher group to play against when we’re sharing the ball at that level!

You played 40 minutes displaying 28/10/7 stats. How good do you feel physically at this late stage of the season?

I feel as though I want to make the playoffs so whatever it takes I’m up for it!

Your getting closer to a triple double, but you had 5 turnovers. Is it easy to forget a game like this when you play 48 hours later?

5 turnovers were bad but glad we were able to win the game. We move forward now.

You next play Tuebingen who you lost to 85-75 in the first game. What will be key to splitting the season series?

Playing a good brand of basketball, controlling the glass, taking care of the ball and valuing possessions.

Thanks Stanley for the chat.

T

I always believe in the best. I never thought that the Fraport Skyliners would be in as much danger as they presently are in actually leaving the easyCredit BBL, but at the moment the chances are as good as it is for the current high flying Boston Celtics to make some surprises in the playoffs. There have been some real down times in the 20 plus years history of the Fraport Skyliners, but none as bad as now. The trepidation coming into the do or die game against the EWE Baskets Oldenburg on the last game day in the 2005-2006 season may have made some hard core Frankfurt fans uneasy, but at the end of 40 minutes Kavossy Franklin and Pascal Roller had combined for 40 points for the 81-67 victory and continued BBL life. But now at the begining of April 2022 and 8 games to go, the Fraport Skyliners are on a good route of moving down to the PRO A for the first time in their history. They are three games behind the last secure spot in the standings. The only thing that can save the Fraport Skyliners now is a miracle. Can new head coach Luca Dalmonte be that man?

Luca Dalmonte is a 57 year old Italian head coach that has jumped into the precarious Frankfurt situation as a fire man. He spent more than a decade as an assistant coach for various teams in the Serie a in Italy like Siena, Scandone Avellino, and Tisettanta Cantu and as a head coach for teams like Rome and Pesaro. He has had experience of saving teams and did it last season with Lavoropiu Fortitudo Bologna (Serie A). He came into that seemingly helpless situation where the team had only had one win in December 2020 and then he took charge leading the team to 9 wins and remaining in the Serie A in Italy. After a week, the Italian has a 0-2 record as Frankfurt slip more and more into the dragon’s dungeon, but so far he has left a good impression on ex NBA player Will Cherry. ‘He is a cool guy. He has kept some of Diego Ocampo’s things implemented. He really values our input. He talks a lot to the leaders on a daily basis. He makes sure that everyone is on the same page. He came into a very tough situation., He is trying to make the best out of the situation and help us achieve our goal and finish the season strong’, warned Will Cherry. So far in the first two games, one hasn’t really seen a personal touch of Dalmonte as the defense has continued to be potent, but the offense as usual is very weak. ‘Coach is putting his spin at both ends of the court. He is starting to emulate some things, but at the same time also keep some of the things that Klaus Perwas has’, stated Will Cherry.

The biggest problem this season as been their offense. Producing points on the board has been as big a task for the Fraport Skyliners as it has been trying to understand why the Los Angeles Lakers won’t make the playoffs this season. Frankfurt has enough capable scorers like Will Cherry, Jamel Mclean, Brancou Badio and Quantez Robertson, but have totally underachieved as an offensive club. You would think with the talent they have and with guys like Matt Haarms and Len Schoormann who can help give scoring punch, they would be somewhere in the high 70’s or low 80’s, but instead look stagnant on offense. ‘We don’t get enough easy baskets and don’t run enough transition. When we do have an advantage to run, we either slow it up or make silly turnovers. It is all under an umbrella of experience. In today’s game you can’t just play half-court basketball. Teams are too big and fast. When we get stops, we have to put on the pressure and run. We are more like robots than just trying to feel it’, commented Will Cherry. It also doesn’t help that they are shooting a dismal and unacceptable 30% from outside. ‘Our three point shooting is terrible. This goes back to moving like robots again and second guessing. We should be shooting more on transition where were getting the open tree’s. But that isn’t happening. We are also taking a lot of three’s at the end of the shoot clock’, explained Will Cherry.

The loss to ratiopharm Ulm was another game of many this season that the Fraport Skyliners should have won, but let slip away. Luca Dalmonte didn’t show much emotion on the sideline and in the game against Heidelberg, it seemed like assistant coach Klaus Perwas was coaching at the end. ‘No that’s not true. Klaus drew up one play. The rest was all coach Luca coaching’, stressed Will Cherry. So can Dalmonte be a motivator that the team so badly needs now? ‘He has had his speeches and motivates us, but that doesn’t matter at the end of the day. We still have to play. It is all about tactics. You want to win as a team’, added Will Cherry. The games don’t get any easier as they play in Bamberg today, in three days in Goettingen and a few days later host top team Telekom Baskets Bonn. Dalmonte has only been in Frankfurt 11 days, but Cherry already appreciates something about his coaching style. ‘His biggest strength is his attention to detail. He has done a good job breaking down things and knows how to get us all on the same page’, warned Will Cherry. Bamberg arrives in the game with a 12-14 record and are two games away from the playoffs and still hoping for their own miracle. They have a three game winning streak and added self-confidence. ‘We have to be on the same page in Bamberg and exploit the mis matches and take out their key players’, commented Will Cherry. If Dalmonte can be the start to a miracle man will show in Bamberg. Of course it is unfair to put pressure on him. The players themselves have put themselves in this nasty situation. One thing is for sure, no matter what Will Cherry never believes there is a game he can’t win even after so many loses with Frankfurt. ‘Every game has been big for us especially the last 10-11 games. All we can do is give our best and try to win. I always think that we win’, warned Will Cherry. A win in Bamberg in Sunday would be so huge for the Frankfurt moral. Right now any win is like wining a seventh game. A win on Sunday might even blind the most hard core Skyliner fans about just how rare it is to come off the floor as the winner in Freak City something that was almost impossible more than a decade ago.

Paul Albrecht (208-PF-1993) is a 29 year old 205cm forward playing his second season with the Dragons Rhoendorf (Regionalliga). He has played 162 pro A games with teams like Jena, Paderborn, Essen, Hanau and the Artland Dragons. He also played 49 Pro B games with the Baskets Akad.Weser-Ems/Oldenburger TB. Last season with the Dragons Rhondorf, he averaged 8.3ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 56.5%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 50.0%. In 2010, he played for Germany at the U-17 World Championships dueling against Future #1 NBA Draft Pick Anthony Bennett and future NBA player Andrew Wiggins. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the massive 92-74 win over Lok Bernau.

Congrats Paul for the big win over Lok Bernau in the first Playdown game. How good did it feel to win again?

It is always good to win. We are all happy. It is priceless to win the first game of the playdowns. But we still have five games to go. We all had a lot of energy and every player was on tonight.

With kind of feeling did you go into the game knowing it was your birthday and you had last hit them with a triple double?

Today was a nice birthday. My family did all they could to make me feel good. Even though it was my birthday, it wasn’t any different than usual. I was still able to have my normal game day routine. We had a very good practice week. All were motivated going into the game. Plus we had a very good feeling going in.

Today you turned 29 years old. Do you feel like the boys were extra motivated to play tonight?

I don’t know. We recently had a few birthdays. Yesterday it was Oshane Drews birthday. We already had a good feeling at the shoot around this morning. It was nice to see that we were able to translate our good week of practice into the game.

When Oshane Drews nailed the three for the 5-2 lead, did you know that this could be a very good evening for the Dragons Rhondorf?

Yes definitely It isn’t usual for him to make three’s. I didn’t even notice it right away. But when I did I was very happy for him.

The Dragons Rhondorf exploded for 33 points in the first quarter. Isn’t it usually a good omen when Nicolas Buchholz gets going early?

Yes it is a good omen. He scored the last games, but his percentages weren’t as good. But we all know how good of a shooter he is. But not only that he also drives very well to the basket.

A big strength tonight was not allowing Lok Bernau to get over the hump. This already began in the second quarter. Was the mental toughness where you wanted to see it today?

We were all very strong tonight and were on the same page. Every player did their job tonight and were mentally strong.

In the third quarter Lok Bernau continued to fight. A big thorn in the Dragons side was Gian Aydinglu. Is he the type of small guard that every opponent hates and teammate loves?

Yes he is very small and quick and a real pain. He did a good job against us and annoyed us. But despite his play, I feel that we were always ready to give them an answer and not give up a crazy lead.

In the fourth quarter the Dragons Rhondorf continued to hold the double digit lead. What was key in crunch-time for conserving the win?

We remained focused at both ends of the court. I have to give a lot of praise to Oshane Drews. He always made good decisions. He would drive and draw some guys and then find the open man.

How key was it holding ex easyCredit BBL player Mauricio Marin to 8 points? He did leave some open looks at the three point line

We knew that he is a good shooter. He took a lot of three’s tonight. I thought that we had him pretty good under control and was able to take him out of the game.

In the last five games the Dragons Rhondorf gave up more than 85 points per game. What did you like with the defense against Lok Bernau?

Our defensive philosophy this season is simple. The whole team have to be there on every possession. If one guy is sleeping, we get punished. We were all there tonight and had little individual mistakes.

The Dragons Rhondorf hit 16 three’s. Did the team take extra shooting practice last week or was the self-confidence just higher than usual?

When you get stops and make little mistakes on defense, you get self-confidence. When you get on a roll and have self-confidence, it gets easier to execute.

The Dragons Rhondorf have legendary Martin Otto on the sidelines. What new nuances has he given the team since his arrival?

He motivatesd us a lot. He also has been focusing on certain basics that we had forgotten. One is not to give up when a guy is near you. He has been very key for the young players believing in his concepts. Also he and Julius Thomas took turns on the sidelines. I think it is great that Julius accepts it. That isn’t self-evident as I could imagine other head coaches not accepting this. They split up the coaching and each guy gives their own impulses.

The Dragons Rhondorf start with three homes games. Is that something that could bite the team in the butt on the road?

We couldn’t have it any other way since their will be repairs done on the Dragon Dome. I think it was important to have this great start. If we can keep it now in the next home games will be important. We will be on a wave and have a lot of self-confidence and go in focused into the last 3 road games.

You beat the RheinStars Cologne twice. What will be key to winning for a third straight time this season?

It will be a tough game. They have had an upward trend since their loss to us. But we know that each playdown game will be big. Today we will enjoy the Bernau win. We will focus on Cologne starting Monday.

What is your favorite childhood birthday moment?

Just being with my family. Back in the day with my parents and brother in Oldenburg. They couldn’t be here today, but I know we will celebrate soon. Now I have a family with two kids and a dog. It is the nicest feeling to be with them on this day.

Thanks Paul for the chat.

Ta

When your young you usually want to do everything your own way. And when your mother creeps in from behind and tells you elsewise about something that she feels against with all her heart, one usually counters with the phrase ‘oh come on mom, it’s not like that at all. She’s a nice girl or Ronny is a good dude’. There are countless examples and one could be talking about it all day. A great example is from the classic American family show Brady Bunch where mother says ‘Don’t play ball in the house’ and son Bobby breaks mom’s favorite vase. As usual Mama was right. Often later in life when you are more experienced and mature about life matters, one realizes that mom was right back in the day. Ok so professional hooper Jeremiah Hill (188-G-1995, college: Valdosta St.) is still a young man at age 26, but when he recently received a phone call from his mom in the wee hours of the night, he didn’t hesitate or give any flak, but took the advice of his mother and took action instead of starting a long discussion that he probably wouldn’t have won. There were countless Americans playing in the Ukraine that had to find a way to leave before war broke out there. But there was also another side to the picture. What must it have been like for Americans who were under contract to a Russian team? Jeremiah Hill who often gets the Steph Curry comparisons regarding his game played for VTB league team Parma Basket Perm as war was slowly approaching in the Ukraine. They were having a pretty solid season and on playoff course. The American also was continuing to show why consistency has to be a second middle name as he belonged to the top point guards in the VTB. But then came that deciding phone call from his mama that would change his season. ‘I was sitting at home a day after practice about 2 am when my mom called and said I need to leave immediately because our government put out some warning that said we needed to leave. Then I talked to my agent and he suggested we leave until it settles down, so I packed everything I had and left by 7:25 that morning. I really did not even have time to process it all’, remembered Jeremiah Hill.

The American who played the last two seasons with BK Astana (Kazakhstan-National League) and led the VTB in assists last season in a league that also showcased top Euroleague and ex NBA player Mike James was having a solid season and just living life as best as he could in Russia. He is a guy that has seen a lot in his young life having played at two schools Savannah State and Valdosta State and also played in the ABA, G-League and in Kazakhstan. Being in Russia was just another stop on his basketball journey. War broke out in the Ukraine on Feb 24th and ever since, it has been no secret that reports coming in from many sides have explained that the Russian folk don’t even know what is really going on in the Ukraine. The American definitely got a feeling of that already before war had broke out. ‘At first we heard very little about it and thought that it would blow over, that it would not really happen. Then when things got to get more serious most of the news I was receiving was from my family and friends back home’, stated Jeremiah Hill. It is very sad when your own mother that is thousands miles away has to tell you what is really going on because the news outlets in Russia are controlled. You have to wonder how life must have been 30 years ago before the internet? Thank God for the internet in 2022. ‘I would not say blinded by propaganda but more likely kept in the dark about what was actually happening. I cannot myself speak Russian so it was not much help to watch the news because I could not understand but my teammates were finding out stuff more so from the internet rather than the news’, commented Jeremiah Hill.

It is always a blessing for that American rookie going to a foreign country and having some American vets as teammates. It is even harder when your balling in a small town where there is no English spoken and no Mcdonalds. But how tough must it be being the lone American on a Russian club that is about to go to war? For Hill who lists NBA player Delon Wright as his toughest cover in school, he had to make the best of the situation. Lucky for him was that he wasn’t a rookie anymore. Also he had lived the last two seasons in Kazakhstan and been to Russia numerous times on basketball trips. Anybody would have understood his need to go into a situation like that ‘Being the only American definitely did make it a little different in trying to get some of the guys to understand the urgency of me leaving but I hope they understood. I did not talk to other guys until after I had gotten back to the states’, remembered Jeremiah Hill. But all is all, his six months in Russia were definitely a time he won’t forget. ‘It has been a pretty wild ride being overseas since continuous things seem to be happening every year but life in Perm was not bad at all. Most of the time it was just regular everyday life. When you are sharing a journey that everyone around you is going through you kind of look for the positives rather than the negatives because it makes it easier to deal with. Although at times is could get hard it was not to much of an issue’, expressed Jeremiah Hill. When looking back at his time with Perm, he will never forget that his teammates had his back on the court, but also always off the court. As the lone American on the team, you have to reach out to each other in tough times. ‘Nothing changed for us in the city or the locker room to me unless I was just oblivious. I had a bunch of good guys around me that made sure they expressed they would help me if things escalated to a point where I would need it. They were really confused and upset by the whole thing and were against it from what I could tell’, remembered Jeremiah Hill.

The Richmond Hill Georgia native who has Jordan, Lebron, Kobe and Steph Curry on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore played his last official VTB game for Parma on Feb 13 beating Kalev/Cramo netting 13 points and last official game for the team on Feb 15th at home in the Fiba Europe Cup losing against Legia. Just packing up and departing for reasons beyond his control weren’t easy. ‘We had a ton of potential to do some great things this season maybe even something unthought of. Now it will always be a what if so to say but life goes on and we will just have to find a way to remember the good of the year’, stressed Jeremiah Hill. In the Ukraine, it was tough for some players to get out of their contracts. But for Hill, he was able to go back home without any bad memories about club management. ‘It was a really strange situation but we ended up reaching an agreement and separated from the contract allowing me to go elsewhere. All of the foreigners left and I believe will stay gone’, warned Jeremiah Hill. At the same time he was also keeping an eye on the situation in the Ukraine with his fellow American players. ‘I did know one player and I talked to him a little bit as it got really more serious. By then he had already gotten himself and his family home and was safe. I would assume that it was really stressful for them so I’m just glad they are okay’, said Jeremiah Hill.

The guard who was teammates with current Chicago Bull Malcolm Hill returned back home to be with friends and family and especially his mama. But his stay at home wasn’t long. He got that itch to play again and with the help of agency Power Sports got another gig. This time in a safer place in France with BCM Gravelines Dunkerque Grand Littoral (France-Betclic ELITE ProA). The club is battling for a playoff spot and he feels right at home. He has been starting games and is teammates with ex NBA players Ray Mccallum and John Jenkins. Plus he has needed no adjustment period as he is putting up solid stats in 4 games averaging 13.3ppg, 4.5rpg, 4.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 66.7%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 80.0%. Players in general know how much of a blessing it is to find a new job, because there are so many guys jobless as finding a new opportunity is never easy especially in Covid times. But those blessings are raised even more especially after his experience in Russia. ‘Basketball has always been how I have dealt with anything ever. In times like this is when I learn more how to realize the blessings I personally have been given both with the game and my family’, added Jeremiah Hill. He will never forget the last months even if he wasn’t Live in war torn Ukraine or took notice to so much suffering on TV. ‘Honestly, ever since the war we had with Iraq, I do my best to stay away from looking at the bad things going on in the war because some of those things will scar you for life. I really have not seen much of it just heard about some bombings’, remembered Jeremiah Hill. Even if he is still a young man, he knows never to doubt what mama says. She always knows best.