When you have been in the easyCredit BBL for the length of time that Quantez Robertson (188-G-84, college: Auburn, agency: Interperformances) has, then every now and then you meet up with guys from the past. It isn’t every weekend, but every so often as the Fraport Skyliner legend almost witnessed on the last weekend of the regular season. In a span of 48 hours, he almost played against an ex NCAA foe Murphy Holloway and two days later did battle against ex teammate Johannes Richter. In the 2008-2009 season, Quantez Robertson was a senior at Auburn while Holloway was a freshman at Mississippi. The schools split with Mississippi wining the first game 78-59 at home as Holloway added 8 points and 4 boards while Robertson had 7 points and 4 rebounds while in the return game, Auburn won at home 77-64 as Robertson supplied 7 points and Holloway mustered only 2 points. Holloway had no problems remembering Robertson noting that he remembered his braids and him being a lefty while Tez chuckled when he was confronted with the distant NCAA memory. ‘He was also left handed, but he didn’t go against me. I went against Chris Warren. I remember him being a pretty strong guy. It’s a small world and it’s great when you have the opportunity to play against guys you played against in high school or college’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Then on the last game day he dueled ex big man teammate Johannes Richter who played in Frankfurt form 2013-2016 and since has been able to call many arena’s home in Germany as he bounced from club to club with the Telekom baskets Bonn, Gotha, Wurzburg, Giessen and Hamburg. The American remembered Richter’s break out game in the Eurochallenge where he supplied 15 points and 6 rebounds off the bench and not allowing any honey for the Baaken Bears. After the victory Tez was able to catch up with the ex Bamberg player. ‘I asked him about his wife and baby, but most importantly told him to stay healthy’, said Quantez Robertson. He and the German big man shared the court for many games and also remembers how vital he was during the successful Fiba Europe Cup run in 16-17. ‘He has always been an aggressive player. It doesn’t matter if he is in practice or in a game, he always gives 110%. He was really important in our Fiba Cup run. I remember him always being aggressive in practice and helping the other big men. He pushed the big men and made sure that they played hard in practice’, stated Quantez Robertson.

It was a crazy and special 20-21 season for every team in the easyCredit BBL as each club could write a book about their experiences this season. It wasn’t any different for the Fraport Skyliners who went through seemingly unending quarantines and up and downs, but at the end of the season finished in 11th place and held their heads high. They finished the season with a two game winning streak despite having four players out. ‘I was pleased how we played the last games. We fought, played hard and never gave up no matter what the outcome was’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Despite all the drama with COVID on and off the court, winning games wasn’t easy for Frankfurt this season. They only had a three game winning streak against Vechta, Goettingen and Giessen. All in all it was a very up and down season and it is difficult to seriously rate the season with all the COVID distractions, but there were positive moments especially with a lack of a walking wounded list. ‘I thought the season was a success in that we didn’t have too many major injuries. We were able to have the whole team for the majority of the season. I also think that we would of played even better in the games before the last two game wining streak had we not had the guys in quarantine. I think we still would have been in rhythm after the Crailsheim win. We would have had the momentum from that win and carried into the next games’, expressed Quantez Robertson. Impressive was also that despite COVID, guys never hung their heads. ‘I thought it was great how we played in phases when things weren’t going well. Even when we lost games, we always played tough and stuck together no matter what’, warned Quantez Robertson. The American also had to say farewell to head coach Sebastian Gleim who is headed to Crailsheim as he made the next step. ‘Gleim was a different person than Gordie and also had a different style. It took some time getting used to, but after a while I feel like we executed what he wanted us to do. Even if he didn’t have much success with us, I still think that he had two great years. I believe that he will have success in Crailsheim. He is a great coach’, warned Quantez Robertson.

Every season Quantez Robertson who most likely will visit Chic-Fill-A when he touches down at home plays with new teammates and sees how they develop further and it wasn’t any different this season. One player that had a very solid rookie season was ex Davidson (NCAA) guard Jon Axel Gudmundsson from Iceland. He averaged 12,2ppg, 3,1rpg and 3,5apg and shot 35% from outside. He scored in double figures in 22 games including 25 points against medi Bayreuth and 24 points against the Hamburg Towers. Of course he had his ups and downs, but overall was an important scoring option. Even if top team scorer Matt Mobley took the most shots, at times it felt like the Icelandic player was taking too many shots, but he had had total freedom from head coach Sebastian Gleim. ‘For him scoring was what coach expected from him. He was our spark plug from the bench and when he started. He did over dribble at times, but he also made plays. Coach had no problems with that’, stressed Quantez Robertson. It will be interesting to see what his next step will be. Recently after a game he was seen smiling during a conversation with EWE Baskets Oldenburg head coach Mladen Drijencic. ‘I think like Jon could fit into the Oldenburg system. They like guards who can shoot and attack the rim’, added Quantez Robertson. Another player who made a massive jump in his career was Rasheed Moore. Three years ago the Philadelphia native was balling in the Regionalliga and was as far away from the easyCredit BBL as the JobStairs Giessen 46ers are from wining a BBL title in the near future. He has been one of very few that have made the slow jump from the Regionalliga to the easyCredit BBL via the Pro B and Pro A. In his first season in the BBL, he averaged 11,2ppg, 4,0rpg and 1,3apg and shot 37% from outside. He scored in double figures in 20 games and had 23 points against Wurzburg twice and 22 points against Brose Bamberg. He also had his ups and downs, but finished the season strong scoring in double figures in his last four games. ‘Rasheed is a tough guy. He always plays with balls to the wall. He always gives his all whether if it’s in practice or in games. But we expected that from him. He was one of our leading scorers on the team. He had a very good first season in the BBL. It would be great to have him back’, stated Quantez Robertson.

The young Fraport Skyliners players profited the last weeks as Michael Kessens, Len Schoorman and Bruno Vrcic were in quarantine and Matt Mobley and Konstantin Konga were out, head coach Sebastian Gleim had to juggle the roster bringing guys like Leon Pullen and Philipp Hadenfeldt from their Pro B farm team. Other guys like Alvin Onyia and Maxi Begue had been with the BBL team all season long. In Begue’s first three games, he averaged only 3 minutes per game, but in his last 6 games in the last three weeks, he averaged 16 minutes per game. Quantez Robertson had commented recently that Begue still has to balance when to play fast and when to slow down, but overall was impressed of how he played the last weeks. ‘He did a great job with the time that he was given. He played in games just like he did in practice always played hard. He made mistakes, but we all do. He felt more and more comfortable with the more time he got’, commented Quantez Robertson. Another young German who made huge strides was ex FC Bayern Munich guard Bruno Vrcic who only two years ago was the NBBL finals MVP and now has become a solid BBL role player. He averaged 6,1ppg and 1,4rpg and was easily the team most improved player. ‘I would agree that he was the most improved player. Last season he was barely on the floor and this season he was a key guy off the bench that could score. He is a big spark when he is making shots. He makes our jobs easier when he is standing in the corner and we want to attack the rim. He already got minutes in the bubble last season and he always got more and more comfortable with us’, stressed Quantez Robertson. He scored in double figures in three games including 18 points against Hamburg and 16 points against Crailsheim.

For Quantez Robertson who sees NBA Mr triple double Russell Westbrook as a top 10 player has witnessed another season is in the books as he completed his 12th professional season with the Fraport Skyliners. He averaged 10,1ppg, 4,4rpg, 3,1apg and 1,7spg. On paper, he had another solid Tez season, but the Skyliner legend is his own hardest critic. ‘My game could have been better. I didn’t shoot the ball as well as I should of. Sometimes things don’t go as planned’, warned Quantez Robertson. But the Cincinnati native who now resides in Alabama didn’t check his stats well enough as it was his best outside shooting year since 2015-2016. ‘I was locked in this year and just tried to stay as aggressive as possible. I took open shots and tried to pass up as few as possible’, said Quantez Robertson. His bread and butter has been his defense since his standout days at Auburn (NCAA) and for many could have been an NBA player just with his defensive qualities and he continues to defend with a passion. ‘It’s still fun to play defense. I love having guys pass up a ball or take a tough shot. I love making guys make mistakes’, expressed Quantez Robertson. This summer he will continue to grind in the lab as he wants to continue to age well on the court. ‘I will work on all parts of my game and continue to try to get better. I also will run and stay in shape so when I come back to Frankfurt, my condition is good’, said Quantez Robertson. His two year contract extension was announced yesterday as he will remain with the Fraport Skyliners until 2023 when he will be 38 years old. He has two wishes when he comes back to Frankfurt. ‘I want to stay healthy and win another title in Frankfurt’, warned Quantez Robertson. These could be the last two years and then possibly come retirement. But then again as long as Mr Oldenburg Rickey Paulding keeps playing then there is a good chance that Robertson will also. That won’t bother anyone in Oldenburg or Frankfurt.

COVID-19 has been a massive problem in the German basketball world as it has sent clubs into quarantine, cancelled teams season abruptly after they were trying to make a run in the playoffs and in general just made the season and unpredictable and not enjoyable time.  It wasn´t any different for the Fraport Skyliners who had began a new winning streak in early April after a convincing win against playoff team Hakro Merlins only to see some players test positive soon after which led to a two week quarantine. Lucky for the Fraport Skyliners that they had secured themselves a spot out of the danger places at the end. The two week break didn´t help their fitness or game as they came back to play and were rusty suffering a five game losing streak where they were playing with four farm team players plus their top scorer Matt Mobley was also out. The club finally exited their losing streak and woes and struck s.Oliver Wurzburg hard on the road whipping them badly 95-66  48 hours ago as they got super performances from Skyliner lifer Quantez Robertson and ex wiha Panther forward Rasheed Moore who combined for 45 points. The 2016 Fiba Europe Cup winner wanted to end the season on a positive note as they welcomed playoff team Hamburg Towers for a last regular season game clash. Many may have thought that the Frankfurt crushing defeat over s.Oliver Wurzburg may have taken all of their energy, but they arrived back into their living room wanting to close out the season on a high note and did letting it rain three´s as they nailed 15 shots from the parking lot disposing of the Hamburg Towers 96-89 giving head coach Sebastian Gleim his last win as he will coach the Hakro Merlins next season. Even if Hamburg lost the last regular season game head coach Pedro Calles was rather calm as he knew that the club still had 11 days to get ready for their showdown with Alba Berlin in the playoffs. “Congrats to Frankfurt for the win. We didn´t do a good job on pick and roll defense letting them get the shots that they wanted. We also didn´t do a good job defending in the low post giving up too many points. We will recover in time for the playoffs”. After the win Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson reflected on the huge win. “We have played well the last two games and moved the ball well. Even if we were tired a lot, we always fought no matter what. The last seven games felt like the last seven days. I felt that we rebounded the ball well and even if not everything was going right for us in the first half, we stuck together and fought to the end”. The Hamburg Towers didn´t have it easy being without their two best players Maik Kalev- Kotsar and Kameron Taylor and the organization and overall play was missing a bit from their offense. “We didn´t have the necessary energy today. Frankfurt had a very good rhythm from the start. They played with a lot of self-confidence. We made a push near the end, but it just wasn´t enough”, stressed Hamburg Towers guard Bryce Taylor.

               The Fraport Skyliners continued to have a walking wounded list as Matt Mobley and Konstantin Konga were out while Len Schoormann and Michael Kessens also were out because of COVID. Both teams didn’t have their normal starting lineups. Frankfurt got the early advantage with a bucket form ex Miami (NCAA) center Kamari Murphy, but Hamburg rapidly got the lead from ex Lacrosse player Patrick Spencer who was aggressive in the open floor and scored twice on transition giving the guests the 4-3 lead. The Fraport Skyliners then got the energy spark they needed from the bench as ex Davidison (NCAA) standout Jon Axel Gudmundsson scored five quick points for the 8-4 lead. You always have to guard him closely, because he will beat you on the drive and from outside as he demonstrated with a lay in and three pointer. His energy sparked his teammates as ex FC Bayern Munich guard Bruno Vrcic who came into the game shooting 31% from outside nailed two trey’s for the 16-7 lead. Hamburg couldn’t hit the side of a barn door as they were 0/6 and could only get baskets inside. Ex University of California – Davis (NCAA) guard TJ Shorts who may be only 175cm tall, but he can get to the hoop quicker than most in the easyCredit BBL scored two baskets and ex Richmond (NCAA) forward Terry Allen made a lay in on transition as Hamburg found a little fire at the end going on a 8-4 run to cut Frankfurt’s lead to 20-15 after 10 minutes. ‘Gudmundsson got us going making tough shots. He lit that fire that helped us get going’, said Quantez Robertson.

The Fraport Skyliners led by as much as 14 points in the second quarter, but allowed the Hamburg Towers on a run in the second half of the quarter allowing them to creep back into the game and trail only by seven points at the break. Both teams found their scoring touch early as Hamburg got key help from German 22 year old Osario Rich with a lay in on transition that Frankfurt didn´t combat well at all and got further baskets inside as their three´s didn´t fall from Allen and ex Coastal Carolina College (NCAA) forward Zac Cuthbertson. Frankfurt received a three pointer from ex wiha Panthers forward Rasheed Moore who was all alone in the corner and Murphy took advantage of a mismatch netting a hook shot as Frankfurt had the slim 25-21 lead. The Fraport Skyliners then took control of the game again cruising out on a 18-7 run to extend their lead to 43-28. In the run Frankfurt continued to get impressive support from Bruno Vrcic who contributed 8 points with a three and five free throws. Gudmundsson also remained very aggressive hitting a trey and a lay in. He never hesitates when he is outside. If he sees he has room, he fires away right away  something the world has seen with ex Davidson(NCAA) legend Steph Curry for more than 10 years. Robertson also got a bucket making a great play on a Vrcic airball and reading exactly where it would land and making the easy basket. “I didn´t know that would be an airball when he released it. I just played the shot and was at the right place at the right time. After the play, I told him great pass”, smiled Quantez Robertson. Frankfurt was moving the ball well and not allowing Hamburg to get into their plays as they continued to be cold from outside. Ex Northwestern(NCAA) player Pat Spencer had made the team´s first three at the 5,55 mark. But basketball wouldn´t be basketball without it being a game of runs as the Hamburg Towers didn´t allow the game to slip away going into half-time with a 11-3 run to trail only 46-39. In the run, it was ex Fraport Skyliner center Johannes Richter who made his break through in 2015 in an international game against Danish team Baaken Bears scored six points inside giving Hamburg some more confidence and momentum going into the third quarter. “We weren´t aggressive in their run and didn´t execute. They put more defensive pressure on us and couldn´t get open shots”, stated Quantez Robertson.

              

Quantez   Robertson from down town       

  Both clubs went on runs, but at the end of the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners still had a double digit lead. The Hamburg Towers took that momentum from their second quarter ending run and went on a commanding 12-6 run to cut Frankfurt´s advantage down to 54-51. In the run the Hamburg Towers were led by TJ Shorts who last season as a rookie played with BK Ventspils scored 8 points. Shorts game lives with the drive and mid range as he is shooting only 26% from outside as he excelled from those areas. “Shorts is really quick in the open court. He is quick on the pick and roll and can get to the rim well.  His teammates fed off his energy”, added Quantez Robertson.  Rich also scored as did ex Alba Berlin guard Bryce Taylor. Frankfurt had no remedy how to stop Shorts and got a bit sloppy on offense coughing up the ball and taking hurried shots. After a Frankfurt time out, the players came out inspired and shot back with a 12-2 run to extend their lead to 66-53. In the run Frankfurt connected very well from outside as Quantez Robertson hit back to back three´s. He has shot the ball really well in three of the last five games against Ludwigsburg, Bonn and Wurzburg and it wasn´t any different against Hamburg as he finished shooting 60% from the parking lot. Gudmundsson also continued his hot outside shooting with a trey and shot 57% from outside. Frankfurt closed out the third quarter strong getting five more points from Gudmundsson and a jumper from Rasheed Moore while Hamburg got consistent production from Terry Allen who had five points including a tip in dunk, but Frankfurt led 73-62 after three quarters. “We remained aggressive and attacked the rim well. We made the easy plays and hit three´s. Moore, Vrcic and Gudmundsson all hit big shots”, said Quantez Robertson. “Shorts is a guy that can create for himself and others. He is at his best when he can play his style”, stressed Bryce Taylor.            

The Fraport Skyliners continued to have control of the game in the fourth quarter leading by as much as 15 points, but a late surge by the Hamburg Towers where they cut Frankfurt´s lead down to four points wasn´t enough as Frankfurt could close out the game with supreme shooting. Hamburg found some instant energy off the bat getting a Rich lay in and trey from Allen to cut Frankfurt´s advantage down to 73-67, but Frankfurt then erupted out on a 12-3 run to take the 85-70 lead as their hot shooting was too much for Hamburg. In the run they got clutch three´s from Vrcic and Moore and free throws from Robertson and Murphy. Hamburg also had extreme difficulty stopping the Frankfurt drive as their one on one defense was nonexistent. Hamburg wasn´t able to find an offensive rhythm as they had two turnovers during the run. The Hamburg made one late run going on a 14-3 run to cut Frankfurt´s lead down to 88-84. In the run, Hamburg did everything inside as it seemed like they were too shy or afraid to attempt any more three´s. Shorts and Rich scored on lay ins while Cuthbertson lifted Hamburg with 7 points including a three pointer. Young 20 year old German Justus Hollatz also made a massive two handed dunk with Quantez Robertson on his back door. “I saw a couple highlight videos of Hollatz. He is a young athletic player thar attacks the rim well. If he keeps it up, he will be going places”, warned Quantez Robertson. Frankfurt didn´t allow Hamburg to do anymore damage closing on the game strong with hot shooting getting three´s from Moore and Robertson and a jumper from Gudmundsson. “We weren´t comfortable with our lead. We stayed aggressive and made sure that we took open shots and didn´t overpass”, stressed Quantez Robertson. “Frankfurt is a solid defensive team and did a good job running guys off the three point line. We have to do a better job creating better shots for our shooters”, warned Bryce Taylor. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Jon Axel Gudmundsson with 24 points. Rasheed Moore produced 19 points and Bruno Vrcic and Quantez Robertson added 18 points a piece while the Hamburg Towers were led by TJ Shorts and Tery Allen with 17 points a piece while Zac Cuthbertson had 14 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 52% from the field and 54% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Hamburg Towers shot 51% from the field and 26% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 6 turnovers

Frank Bartley IV (190-G-94, college: La-Lafayette, agency: BeoBasket) is a 27 year old 190cm guard from Baton Rouge that completed his third professional season and first with medi Bayreuth averaging 14,3ppg, 2,7rpg, 2,4apg and shot 32% from outside. He played his first two professional season in Canada with the Saint John Riptide (Canada-NBL Canada) averaging 19.6ppg, 5.1rpg, 3.2apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 82.0% and last season played with Carramimbre CBC Valladolid (Spain-LEB Gold) averaging 16.3ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.1apg, Steals-5 (1.5spg), FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 67.5%. He began his basketball career at Brigham Young University (NCAA) in 2013 and played 64 NCAA games and then finished at the University Louisiana at Lafayette (NCAA) playing 64 NCAA games and as a senior averaged 18.0ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 86.6%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the 99-95 win in Goettingen.

Frank thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the big 99-95 win on the road against BG Goettingen. How proud are of the guys for finishing the season with a 4 game winning streak?

I’m so proud of how the guys won in Goettingen and how they finished the season. This was a very crazy season. We were so up and down. To be able to finish the season on the road on a good note speaks for the resilience of the team.

How tough was it watching that 41 point first quarter explosion from BG Goettingen? Did you ever see a display of offense in your career like that against a team you played?

Yeh I did see this actually this season as teams made shots against us. They made a lot of three’s. Dawkins lit up the first half. They played very good team ball and made open shots.

What adjustments did medi Bayreuth make in the next two quarter allowing only 31 points?

We just found a way to get the job done. We switched things up on defense with full court press and zone and took them out of their rhythm. We were more aggressive on defense and rebounded the ball very well. It also helped that we made shots.
BG Goettingen fought all game, but would you agree that the medi Bayreuth consistent offense for 40 minutes got you the win?

Yes I think so. Minus the first quarter, I think that we stuck to our offense and made many shots. Important was also that every one pitched in and stepped up. Tiby, Doreth and Olisevicius made big shots that helped us secure the win.

Matt Tiby said that David Walker is the team’s hidden gem. He only scored 5 points, but his three at the end of the game was the biggest shot of the game.

David is a baller. I have to agree with Matt that he is our hidden gem. He is our most athletic player and one of our best defenders. He does so much that isn’t seen on the stat sheet. He has been shooting the ball with a lot of confidence. He didn’t shoot so much tonight, but he made the shots when we needed them.

The club was strong on the offensive glass and took care of the ball well. What strength do you feel was a bit off the radar?

We always have known what were capable of as a team. We just sometimes weren’t able to show it this season. Our chemistry has been pretty good this season. When we play hard for long periods of time, then we are hard to beat. I thought we played hard for three quarters tonight.

Medi Bayreuth found it’s groove at the end. This team was a lot better than it’s record. How would you summarize the team’s season best?

It was definitely a special season. It was a type of season that we had never seen before. We can be very grateful for having a group of guys that really went through so much like being quarantined, then coming out and finding a rhythm. That’s shows the resilience of the team. We lost some games and had downs and we could of quit, but came back and were in the playoff picture. We fought hard all season long and wanted to end the season strong for our fans and ourselves. We didn’t leave anything on the table.

Which player do you feel was the most improved player on the team?

I felt that our most improved player was Kay Bruhnke. He battled injuries early and had school and didn’t play much. He never quit, but stayed with it. Some young players who don’t play get frustrated which messes with their attitude and work ethic, but he never showed that. He came to work each day and we saw the results in his growth in games. He got better with time and has a crazy future ahead of him.

Let’s talk about your game. You averaged 14,3ppg, 2,7rpg, 2,4apg and shot 32% from outside. How content were you with your game?

This was probably the hardest season for me. This was my first time in the BBL and I had personal goals for myself. I wanted to accomplish things, but couldn’t. I’m very grateful for the opportunity and enjoyed every moment. My season was Ok, but not great. I know what I have to work on this summer. I need to work on my three pointer and being more consistent and efficient.

After leading the Spanish Leb Gold, you made a new step in a higher league. How do you feel did your game grow this season?

I think key this season was learning how to play with better players. I learned to find my spots well and take good shots and improved on reads.

You have put up very consistent stats in Canada, Spain and Germany. What is your secret to being so consistent?

I was proud how I played this season, but I hold myself to very high standards. I know that I can score with the best at any level. I’m just a very confident player. Moving forward I need to improve my shot selection and shooting at a higher clip.

Who was the toughest guard that you battled this season in the easyCredit BBL?

The best player that I played against was Wade Baldwin. He is one of the best on ball defenders in the BBL. He really made me work.

Chris Paul recently passed Magic Johnson for fifth all-time in assists. Where do you rank him with the best point guards all-time despite never having won a ring?

CP is top 5.

Where do you see the journey going with Jayson Tatum who recently scored 60 points? Is he a top 10 player in the NBA now?

Tatum and Doncic will be the top players in the future. They aren’t even close at their peak. They are still getting better. Both are top 10 and have bright futures.

Dino Radja recently said he couldn’t see Russell Westbrook leading a team in Europe to success. Do you agree?

No not at all. That’s crazy. He took the Wizards to a ninth place. People think that it’s normal for him to get triple doubles, but it’s really hard to do that. I believe that he can go anywhere and win. He has the drive to win.

Draymond Green recently said he is the best defender of all-time. Do you agree?

No I don’t agree. He is top five though.

Have you seen the Coming to America sequel? It has had mixed reviews. Shouldn’t they just have left it alone?

I think so. There are some classics that aren’t to be messed with. I guess that they needed to make one for the modern day.

Thanks Frank for the chat.

Murphy Holloway (201-F-90, college: Ole Miss) is a 31 year old 201cm forward from South Carolina playing his eight professional season and first in Germany with s.Oliver Wurzburg averaging 11,1ppg, 4,9rpg, 1,5apg and 1,4spg after having started the season with Al-Muharraq (Bahrain-Premier League). He has a lot of experience having played in countries like Turkey, Israel, Italy, France, Philippines and South Korea. He played 129 NCAA games with The University of Mississippi (NCAA) averaging double figures in scoring in three of his four seasons there. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the tough 95-66 loss to the Fraport Skyliners.

Murphy thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. s.Oliver Wurzburg lost a tough 95-66 game to the Fraport Skyliners. The club has lost 10 of it’s last 11 games. Have you ever been involved in a losing streak like this?

I don’t think so. If I did have a longer losing streak then it happened in France with Cholet. That was a tough season. But we did beat Asvel twice who went on to win the title that season.

How tough is it for you in general not being able to help your team when your out?

It’s tough when you can’t help your team. I’m like a leader on the team and the anchor on defense. I’m like a big brother for the younger guys.

You have played in many leagues in the world. Where would you rank the easyCredit BBL in competition, style and players in comparison to other leagues you have played in?

To be honest it’s a toss up between Germany and France.

You had a lot of success in Israel. Isn’t that league up with France and Germany?

No it isn’t. The style in Israel is free and loose. In Germany they play real Euro basketball. But the Winner league is still a great league. Israel was the best country I played in.

You have played with ex NBA players over the years, but what has it been like sharing the court with Perry Jones? What have you learned to appreciate most from his game?

Perry is an NBA Player, an elite player. I mean some of the schemes that we run here aren’t designed for NBA players. He has struggled in some games. It is difficult for NBA guys coming overseas, because they don’t get the freedom that their used to. But when he gets going, he is unreal. In practice he is the real deal. Then you see that he is an NBA player. You definitely see the difference.

There are many very talented German players old and young on the team like Florian Koch, Felix Hoffmann or Joshua Obiesie or Nils Hassfuerter. Which player ahs impressed you the most?

A guy that I really like is Joshua Obiesie. I like his game and think that he is an NBA talent. He still needs to pay his dues here. All my teammates are great. I also like this other kid Julius Boehmer. He has the potential to play at the next level. I have seen the kind of work that he puts in with trainer Rico. He is definitely going in the right direction.

Your like a young buck compared to Alex King. What has impressed you most about his character?

It is a lot of fun to be around Alex. He is a great guy. I have asked him many things about the Euroleague. He is a guy that will always keep it real with you. He is a great teammate.

You have had a solid season in the easyCredit BBL needing no adjustment period. What have you enjoyed most about the league?

They call a lot of fouls in the BBL. I’m a physical guy so I like it. I was in Asia the last two years and am very happy to be back in Europe. I just love watching the skill set of the players here. The league and players are so competitive. I had to get in better shape and rebound better here. You have to get used to not playing as much here.

You have an unending motor and energy. Did you always have this or was it something that gradually developed over the years?

I always had a motor. If you ask my mom she will tell you that I was very hyper as a kid. I have to be in great shape to play the way I do. Only that way can I be effective. The physicality kills you more than the running. I remember when we played Munich, I was battling Jalen Reynolds the whole game in the paint. He told me man your really strong and your left hand is really tricky. There hasn’t been one guy that has talked trash to me. It’s been all love.

You have put up great and consistent stats where ever you have played. What is your secret for your overwhelming consistency?

I’m an everyday person on and off the court. I try to be the same Murph every day. If you can be consistent in everything you do, it really makes life easier for you.

You averaged double double in stats in The Winner League in Israel and the second league in Italy. Is it as much a riddle for you as it is me why you haven’t gotten at least a Eurocup opportunity yet?

Believe me I have had my chances. When I was playing in the Philippines. I had the chance to sign with two Russian Eurocup teams, but I remained in the Philippines because I was making 40,000 grand a month. But now I’m at a point where I want to play at higher levels.

The last two years you stayed away from Europe and played in Asia. Was money a factor in turning your back on Europe?

Yes money was definitely a factor. When you do something like that you do lose respect in Europe. But it gets hard to turn down so much money when you have a family. The pay is a big difference as is the lifestyle. I’m really happy to be back in Europe. I hope that I can stick here

What kind of an experience was it playing in Korea? Last season you were the only lone American on the team. Any kind of experience there off the court that you wont forget?

I had Shannon Shorter on the team, but only one American at a time on the court. It was a culture shock. Nobody speaks English and I had an interpreter. I was lucky that I was in Seoul that had army bases. I remember playing with a rookie. He wouldn’t go out at all. All he did was play video games.

What I always wanted to know about guys playing in Asia especially Korea is how do you remember teammates names? Do you make special nicknames for them?

Yes I had Nicknames like BB or snake. The players usually tell you what their name means in English. I just rolled with that.

You always had very solid games against Macabbi Tel Aviv. What do you believe is missing from your game to land on a team like that?

Not too much was missing. I think a reason why may have been is that I’m undersized. I don’t shoot jump shots, but am more a back to the basket kind of guy, take the mid range and shots off the bounce. I play more like a Draymond Green or Julius Randle. I don’t put up many shots, but when I do I take good shots and play great defense. I don’t like to get scored on. Today if a Macabbi Tel Aviv called, I would go there and not to Korea. I believe I still have a chance to make the next step. Look at James Gist. He is older than me and playing Euroleague

When you played with Macabbi Rishon you were teammates with Mr Euroleague Keith Langford. What will you never forget about him as the player and person?

The great thing about Keith is that he doesn’t think that he is better than anyone else. You would think that a guy of his talent would put himself above the rest, but he doesn’t. I saw Jeff Adrien block his shot twice. He was so fired up and motivated and just wanted to keep going at Adrien and eventually scored. He is an everyday guy like me and wants it everyday. I was in awe of him. He would never think that you would be in awe with him. He was a good teammate and friend of mine.

When you played with Galil Gilboa you beat Macabbi Tel Aviv twice. Was your 26 point game in the 92-91 win one of your top three pro games?

I missed so many free throws in that game. They gave me MVP, but I didn’t think that I deserved it. I told them not to give it to me. I had many good games. I can’t say that one was better than the other.

When you played with Cholet, you played with one of my top 3 guys that I ever covered in my 18 year career Dashaun Wood. Did you ever witness a quicker guy than him?

Dashaun was the first guy that talked to me about Germany. He enjoyed talking about his time in Berlin.

He didn’t talk about the Fraport Skyliners in Frankfurt?

No he didn’t. I didn’t know that he had even played there until coach Wucherer told me. I saw a picture of him in the Wurzburg arena. He had that quick twitch and good hesitation. He slowed down a bit when we were teammates, but I would say he is probably one of the quickest guys that I played with.

In 2014-2015 you played with Pallacanestro Trieste 2004 (Italy-A2 Gold). What memories do you have of balling in the second Italian league. I always felt that was a very underappreciated league.

I loved the Italian A-2 league. That league made me and defined my game. That season gave me a chance to be seen by all of Europe. I thought Italy was a great experience. I learned that you have to zip up your pockets. I was pick pocketed in Milan. I learned the hard way.

In your rookie season you played in Turkey and Israel. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were very far away from home?

People not paying on time. They really thought that we worked for free. But all in all it was all good.

You played four years at the The University of Mississippi (NCAA). What were your fondest memories there?

Having Marshall Henderson as a teammate was great. He was one of the greatest players that we had. He didn’t have that typical overseas career. Winning the SEC tournament as also memorable. We beat Florida that had players like Erik Murphy and Patrick Young.

In your freshman year you must of played senior Quantez Robertson of Auburn who has been playing with the Fraport Skyliners since 2009 and played in Wurzburg tonight. Do you remember him being a defensive pest?

The basketball world is very small. I did play against him and remember him being left handed and having braids. He probably went against Chris Warren.

How did head coach Andy Kennedy groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

He taught us that no one gives you anything and no one pays you for average. He was and is still my guy. He told me that if I ever need a coaching job to call him.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Reginald Bucknor?

Reggie was a bit too big for me. We never really played. He would win in the post and I would win from outside.

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

Guys from Kentucky like Demarcus Cousins and John Wall.

Please name your five best teammates of all-time?

Reginald Bucknor, Shannon Shorter, Rob Lowery, Eric Griffin, Isaiah Grayson

Please construct your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Shaq

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan or Lebron James?

I think it’s Lebron because of the way he plays. He makes his teammates better and has that killer mentality. But then again you can’t teach what Jordan did. I will always be a neverending debate because you will never get people to say 100% that it’s Jordan or Lebron.

Have you seen the Coming to America sequel? It has had mixed reviews. Shouldn’t they just have left it alone?

I think that they should of left it alone.

Thanks Murphy for the chat.

When you hear the name Chris Carter in German basketball, the first thing that comes to mind is winner. The guy has proved that he can play at the easyCredit BBL level even if he didn´t get the minutes that he may have wanted in Vechta, he still shined there with his unending work ethic and leadership qualities despite having to accept not having the type of role he had had in the Pro A. He took it like a true competitor and still was the teams biggest towel waver the way Boston Celtics fans witnessed in the 80´s with ML Carr. But where Chris Carter has really made a name for himself has been in the Pro A. He helped Rasta Vechta reach the easyCredit BBL in 2018 and did again last season with the Niners Chemnitz. Instead of remaining in Chemnitz, he took on the next challenge with the very ambitious Rostock Seawolves to try to help his third Pro A team reach the first division in Germany. The Rostock SeaWolves have been one of those very very serious teams that would do all it could to move up which showed when they hauled in legendary coach Dirk Bauermann. The club had a very potent season belonging to the top 4 teams in the regular season and made the playoffs. They had a tough playoffs where they had a 2-4 record and were in danger of not making their BBL goal. But then the Pro A season abruptly ended because COVID had to rear it´s ugly head into the affairs of the Pro A. But all isn´t lost yet. The 20-21 season could still have a happy end for the Rostock SeaWolves and Chris Carter, but the way COVID has played with the feelings, hearts and patience of everyone, the American who believes when all is said and done that Chris Paul will be an all-time top 3 point guard in the NBA may not be able to enjoy it as one would think. The Pro A final is between Heidelberg and Leverkusen, but since Leverkusen will remain in the Pro A, there will be one spot left. That will be determined with a wild card auction between Rostock, Vechta and BBL team Giessen. “At this point I don’t care if they do or they don’t. If they do move up great, if not that is okay too. I know the wildcard is not easy to get and will be expensive. We will see”, stressed Chris Carter. 

                Carter who played at Florida Institute of Technology (NCAA2) before turning professional had a tough season with COVID, but so did thousands of other players all around the globe like a Eric Kibi who balled in Germany years ago in Herten and Rendsburg lived a few days at the Buenos Aires airport and got to know what it felt like for the Tom Hanks character in “The Terminal”. It wasn´t quite that drastic for Chris Carter, but still it was a lifestyle that wasn´t normal. If you were to take 10 random players in Germany, you could bet that 8 out of 10 players would have the same two answers that Carter had concerning what the toughest adjustments were during the brutal COVID season. “Playing an entire season with no fans, and not being able to really do anything outside of being home was the most frustrating due to the fact that we were on a hard lockdown for most of the time”, explained Chris Carter. The American who believes the sky is the limit for NBA super star in the making Jayson Tatum who recently scored 60 points remembers one prime example just how crazy this season was. “The fact that Jena was pretty much in first, second place the entire season and then they get covid the week before the playoffs and had to forfeit the game with a 20 point deficit put them in 4th place was crazy”, stated Chris Carter. The club was battling in the playoffs and played their hearts out leaving everything on the floor and returning to the locker room drenched in sweat, with heavy emotions and had that special adrenaline rush that you don´t get on a daily basis. Soon after you learn the season is over. All the hard work didn´t pay off. “Ending the season like that was very disappointing. We had the team and the means to but just did not get it done. We can make lots of reasons why but at the end of the day we did not get it done. That is life”, stressed Chris Carter.

                The Rostock SeaWolves had a very strong roster and the season had three faces. The club started off very positively finding that groove early winning 10 of 12 games, but then suffered a lull having an unsatisfactory 5-5 record, but then busted open again finishing the season strong having a 11 game winning streak and taking momentum into the playoffs. Carter who doesn´t believe that Golden State Warrior versatile forward Draymond Green is the best defender of all-time, but gives him credit for his confidence had a simple explanation for the mid season blues on the team. “We had a really good team this year. Great guys and it was fun to be a part of. The only reason we went 5-5 was because we had 6 different injuries that we had to deal with.”, remembered Chris Carter. Rostock understood how to put up a heavy dose of points averaging 87 per game and even if they couldn´t get that consistent Bauerman imprint on the defensive end allowing 81 points per game, they did have their moments during the season. They did master some defensive gems keeping teams to under 70 points four times. He definitely witnessed two very very explosive offenses in Chemnitz and Rostock where he was an instrumental part of. “One type of offense was more up tempo and the other was a bit slower and strategic”, said Chris Carter. The club then strolled into the playoffs with their heads riding high and sprouting with a confidence level as high as what a Russell Westbrook has each game when he is staring into the eyes of his opponent. But anything can happen in the game of basketball. Sometimes one result can impact the way a club plays there after and can also have a mental effect when you lose an annoying nail bitter the way they did 85-81 in the first game of the playoffs against Science City Jena. . “It would have been nice to win the Jena game away and I´m sure that would have changed the course of the playoffs but you can’t cry over spilled milk”, commented Chris Carter. After that they lost the second game to the Artland Dragons which hurt. A win there could of stabilized them going into back to back games against the rising Bayer Giants Leverkusen which they both lost. Then the nail was put on the coffin with a brutal and antagonizing 80-79 loss to Artland. Carter is 100% certain that fatigue didn´t get into the way of the team searching for success in the post season. I don´t want to know how Dirk Bauermann was coping the days after the season ended, because a guy like that is used to winning. “He is a fierce competitor and always wanted to win”, remembered Chris Carter.

                The American who doesn´t agree with Croatian legend Dino Radja and his bold statement that Russell Westbrook wouldn´t have success in Europe leading a team to success if given the chance had a group of teammates that he enjoyed leading to success. One of those was Trevor Lacey  who had a phenominal senior season at North Carolina State and as a professional played in Italy and Russia and brought a great resume to Rostock with 38 Eurocup games under his belt. You seldom see a player of his caliber in the Pro A. “Trevor is a great player and great guy off the court too. I learned a lot from him for sure and I am sure he will be playing at a very high level next season”, warned Chris Carter. The vast experience didn´t end there as the club also was able to haul in a player like Brad Loesing who had played five seasons in the easyCredit BBL with teams like Ludwigsburg, Oldenburg and Wurzburg amassing a total of 136 games. “Brad is a great leader who really sets the tone on the defensive end picking up the other teams ball handler. He also can get buckets on offense too. I had a great time playing with Brad this season and he would be a vital part for anybody’s team”, stressed Chris Carter. One has to also give some credit to head coach Dirk Bauermann for not only doing the routine thing of bringing in five or six Americans, but mixing it up a bit and bringing in some different nationalities to spice up the basketball culture which he did with Latvian big man Ronalds Zakis and Behnam Yakhchali from Iran who had played for his country at the 2019 World Cup in China averaging 12,0pp. He was another player where Carter could profit from on the floor as playing with so much talent can only help one´s game further. “Behnam is a silent killer. Very skilled player offensively with great size and can pretty much do everything. I think he was a great team player who played with a lot of confidence and he is paving the way for Iranian basketball coming over to the European market. He has a bright future”, warned Chris Carter.

                The American who saw the Coming to America sequela and like others believe that they shouldn´t have touched the classic movie had another very solid Pro A season averaging 9,7ppg, 3,2rpg, 5,6apg and 1,3spg while shooting 38% from outside. The guy has put up consistent stats in the Pro A for years and at this point of his career knows what to expect and has that certain confidence level that will help him be successful and consistent. “I thought this was a decent season for me. I think there is always room for improvement. But I think when I was at the point this season the ball moved well and we got some really good looks”, stressed Chris Carter. He scored in double figures in 15 games and had 10 assists in three games and had 7 assists or more in 10 games. He had a span in February and March where he scored in double figures in nine of ten games. Overall he did a fine job of having that stellar balance as a point guard between scoring and setting up his teammates. “It’s always tricky when you have a lot of good players keeping everyone happy but that is my job as a point guard while staying aggressive”, said Chris Carter.  His favorite game and most memorable was his 29 point explosion in the heartbreaking loss to Jena and improved on one vital stat this season. “I think everyone knows what kind of player they are getting when they sign me. I am a hard worker and always try to make my teammates better. The only difference I can say is that I had even fewer turnovers this year”, stressed Chris Carter. Of course he is known as being a versatile offensive player, but especially under the defensive Guru Bauermann, he was able to take new steps as a defender. “I thought my defense did get better this year. I was usually given the other team´s best player on a nightly basis. I think coach Bauermann had a lot to do with that”, expressed Chris Carter. This summer he will be focusing most on shooting, 1 on 1 moves, and speed/agility in the lab as he continues to seek new strides as a player. He turned 29 today and still has massive goals as a player as his basketball journey is no more than over yet. “The next step for me is playing at the highest level as I can and having a long career and having fun. Of course the BBL is my goal for sure and I will do my best to get another shot at it. I just want the best situation for me and my family”, warned Chris Carter. It will be interesting to observe where his basketball journey goes next. Sometimes the basketball world can be so cruel as Carter´s opponent Chase Adams saw in Trier. Carter and Adams battled for two years in the Pro A and know each other´s games well. Adams was let go as his leadership qualities were questioned. Leadership is something that Carter knows very much about and isn´t in any way concerned that Adams will have problems finding a new basketball home. “He is a great player but he should not worry because he will get another job for sure. He can play”, warned Chris Carter. The basketball community is small in Germany and not only in these hard pandemic times and even when the world was still hunky dory, American players stick up for each other. It isn´t any different with Carter as his stellar play and special character has always helped him find a new job. It won´t be any different this summer for him. Who knows we might even see Chris Carter back in the easyCredit BBL with the Rostock SeaWolves. In these so crazy times, anything is possible.  

Sha’Markus Kennedy (203-F-98, college: McNeese St.) is a 22 year old 203cm forward from Tuscaloosa, Alabama playing his rookie season in Germany with Rasta Vechta. He began the season with Acqua S.Bernardo Cantu (Italy-Serie A) playing 21 games averaging 9.3ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.8bpg, 2FGP: 54.8%, 3FGP: 33.3%, FT: 75.0%. he began his basketball career at Northridge High School where he also participated in track and field. He then played at Chipola College (JUCO) from 2016-2018 playing 59 games and then finished at McNeese State University (NCAA) where he played 68 NCAA games and as a senior averaged 18.6ppg, 10.9rpg, 1.5apg, 2.6bpg, FGP: 68.4%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 77.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the 84-80 win over the Syntanics MBC

ShaMarkus thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the 84-80 victory. How good did it feel to break the four game losing streak?

It felt good winning again. Everything was clicking for us on offense. A big goal for us is too always keep the opponent at 80 points and we did that tonight.

Do you feel like the tough 82-81 loss to Alba Berlin recently was stuck in your heads for longer than you may have liked?

Yes out of all the games we have had since I have been here that was the toughest to digest. That stuck with me for a long time. We wanted to prove the doubters wrong, because most had us losing by 20 points.

Rasta Vechta led 17-5 in the first quarter thanks too good work in the paint, but then allowed a 14-2 run to allow the guests back into the game. What did the defense get away from in the latter part of the first quarter?

They went to a 2-3 zone which stopped our confidence and slowed us down. When we weren’t scoring it also took a toll on our defense.

In the second quarter both teams began to hit more three’s. Josh Young began the game well and ended the second quarter the way a leader should. What have you been able to pick up from his leadership shills as a rookie?

I like Josh as a mentor and leader. I like how he isn’t afraid to talk. I respect that about him a lot. I remember not knowing who he was when I arrived, but he let it be known from that first day that he was the captain. He really has embraced the leader role. I have never seen that ever before from a player.

What did head coach Derrick Allen tell the guys to do better in the second half?

He just told us to continue to play hard on defense. He told us that as long as we play defense and get out on transition, we will be ok.

In the third quarter MBC got a lead at the start with the help of Michal Michalak What made it so difficult to contain the BBL top scorer Michal Michalak who dropped 23 points?

He is a player that plays at his own pace. We had to live with him making tough shots.

The fourth quarter was really tight and exciting, but at the end Rasta Vechta was able to pull out the win. How huge was the play from Edgar Sosa?

Edgar was huge. In the first quarter he had something like 6 points and I told him that he would get something like 18 points by the end. I knew that he would make big shots in crunch-time. I knew that he would make that shot from the corner. He is so poised and confident with his game.

what has it been battling young German Philipp Herkenhof in practice? Has he given you some useful tips about European basketball?

It hasn’t been Phil as much, but more the older guys like Josh Young, Robin Christen and Dennis Clifford. The biggest form of advice is knowing the different reads on defense.

Let’s talk about your game. How tough has your rookie season been playing in Italy and Germany after having averaged 31 minutes as a senior at Mcneese State? Your only averaging 14 minutes with Rasta Vechta.

It hasn’t been tough. I just came in and tried to embrace my role as best as possible. I played 20 plus minutes at Cantu. I told coach D.A that I didn’t care how many minutes I would play, but I was just happy that I could play and give me an opportunity.

Your were a double double monster at Mcneese State. Despite not putting up those states overseas how do you feel has your game progressed overseas?

I think that I came overseas with confidence. D.A gave me confidence as well as my teammates. Whenever I have been down, my teammates have always been there to pick me up. I didn’t shoot much in college, but shot more jump hooks. I would take normal jump shots in practice, but never in games. I have the confidence now with Vechta to take jump shots in games.

You had many massive rebound games in the NCAA like 21 rebounds against Central Arkansas or 20 rebounds against Nicholls State. How much of a challenge has it been making your mark on the boards overseas?

Rebounding was tough at first, but I had no problems scoring. It took me around a month to assert myself on the glass. I had difficulty with the physicality, but once I found my groove it has gone well.

You began the season in Italy. What was your wake up call to being a rookie in Italy where you knew that you were very far away from home?

My wake up call was only hearing English at practice. Every where else if it was in the store or in a restaurant, I wouldn’t hear English. It took me time to get used to that. It has been great in Germany. Everybody knows English here. I really like to talk to people and to get to know them.

Joe Dumars the legendary Detroit Piston is probably the most well known player that had played at Mcneese State, but do you remember ever hearing stories about point guard Demond Mallet who played at your school?

I heard the name Demond from my coach.

Chris Paul recently passed Magic Johnson for fifth all-time in assists. Where do you rank him with the best point guards all-time despite never having won a ring?

That’s tough. Him not having a ring plays a big role in his stance. I think he is at least top 7. I like Chris Paul. He has been affecting teams his whole career. It doesn’t matter if the team is good or bad, he is always able to make the team better. He has had a big effect on the Suns this year.

How have you seen the development of Boston Celtic Jayson Tatum? He has scored 50 plus points this season and recently 60. Where will his journey go as a player in the next years?

Yes for sure. After the Lebron and Durant era, he will be battling Luka Doncic as best player in the league. He is already leaving a big mark. It is crazy as he hasn’t been in the league that long.

Dino Radja recently said he couldn’t see Russell Westbrook leading a team in Europe to success. Do you agree?

No I disagree. Westbrook makes everyone around him better. He has a game that nobody has ever seen before. He can shoot, but if he was able to shoot even better, he would have the most complete game ever.

Draymond Green recently said he is the best defender of all-time. Do you agree?

No I disagree. He is top 10 though. For me Dennis Rodman is the greatest defender of all-time.

Have you seen the Coming to America sequel? It has had mixed reviews. Shouldn’t they just have left it alone?

No I haven’t seen it yet. I don’t understand why they made a sequel. It has been so long since the original.

Thanks Shamarkus for the chat.

Matt Tiby (203-PF-92, college: Milwaukee) is a 28 year old 203cm center from Urbandale, Iowa playing his fifth professional season and first with medi Bayreuth (Germany-BBL) currently averaging. As a professional he has played for teams like Atomeromu SE Paks (Hungary-A Division) where he averaged 15.6ppg, Reb-1 (8.8rpg), 1.4apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 55.7%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 71.4%, Belfius Mons-Hainaut (Belgium-Euromillions League) where he averaged 8.6ppg, Reb-2 (7.2rpg), 1.2apg, FGP: 47.9%, 3PT: 31.4%, FT: 84.1%; and played FIBA Europe Cup averaging 9.7ppg, Reb-4 (8.1rpg), 1.4apg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 68.6%, played for Demir Insaat Buyukcekmece Basket (Turkey-BSL) averaging 11.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 56.2%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 82.3%, played for Vanoli Basket Cremona (Italy-Serie A) averaging 9.4ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.0apg, 2FGP: 47.7%, 3FGP: 25.0%, FT: 65.2%, and played for the JobStairs Giessen 46ers (Germany-BBL) averaging 11.5ppg, 5.8rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 57.1%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 83.7%. he began his career at Urbandale High School and played a season at Kirkwood Community College (JUCO). He played at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (NCAA) from 2013-2016 playing a total of 93 NCAA games. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the 81-58 win over the Fraport Skyliners.

Thanks Matt for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the 81-58 victory. Are you guys aware that you can end the season with a winning streak?

It has been a goal of ours to finish strong and go out on good terms. We want to win the last game in Goettingen. Not too many teams can say that they won the last four games
How disappointing was the losing streak at the beginning of April? The playoffs could have been realistic. Is medi Bayreuth better than their record shows?

Yes we are. We had our ups and downs this season, but so did every other team. We became more consistent at the end of the season and found our groove. Unfortunately a little too late. We knew that we could of played better and something like that leaves a sour taste in your mouth.

Medi Bayreuth’s offense was on fire in the first quarter as 7 guys scored. When the team shares the ball the way they do, what does that remind you of?

When we play together it shows just how tight we are as a group. We have confidence in every guy on the team to step up. Anybody on the team can have an impact in the game.

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners rushed out on a 8-2 run, but medi Bayreuth recovered well. Was the fact that they were very undermanned a bit in your heads?

Yes it did play a factor. We knew that Frankfurt was undermanned so we played fast. We knew that they liked to play switch defense, so we exploited the mis matches as much as possible especially on transition. We knew that they had just come out of quarantine so we had to push the ball and make plays.

Medi Bayreuth had the 43-30 advantage at the break. What did Raoul Korner tell the club to do better in the second half?

The biggest key for us going into the second half was to keep sharing the ball and do the little things. We had messed up a bit on the help side and been a split second late on the rotations. Frankfurt plays physical so we knew that if we could match that then we would have a better chance to win.

David Walker gave the team instant spark scoring the first 5 points of the third quarter. How valuable has this guy been this season for the success?

I honestly believe that he is our hidden gem on the team. He hasn’t been getting the glory all season long. He is a player that has to match up against the opponents best player and also play well on offense. He has done that all season long and that has been a big achievement. We know exactly how valuable he is for us. With his ability to bring energy and athleticism, he can play at any level. He is a bit shy, but at the same time very outgoing. Once he is in his comfort zone, he is a very nice guy and great character for the team.

Medi Bayreuth had good defensive games against Bamberg and Chemnitz, but gave up the least points of the season against Frankfurt. How can one rate a performance like this without a Matt Mobley?

It is always a great achievement to hold a team to a certain amount of points. We showed that we were ready for them and despite them having injuries, we never allowed them to get into a groove. That showed the professionalism of the team. Just because they were down, we didn’t play sloppy.

The club shot the ball well and rebounded well, but what do you feel was the team’s biggest strength of the game?

Sharing the ball was our biggest strength. We are something like top 3 in the BBL for assists per game. That is a very valuable quality. It was one of those days where David Walker got hot and everyone else came in and made a direct impact. Our energy was there and our mental toughness was big.

You had another solid game scoring 11 points, grabbing 7 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists. You had a good first half of the season, but didn’t score as much in the second half. What has been the biggest overall challenge to playing in the easyCredit BBL?

The biggest adjustment for me was finding my groove within my role. Early in the season we had inconsistencies in the team which allowed me to be more of a scorer. In the second half of the season, it was all shook up as everybody played well. After showing I could spread the floor and shoot at a high percentage, teams began to play me different. I had to find another way to get involved. Since I played the 4 more, it brought light to me how I could improve and make an impact.

Your shooting the best from outside in your career? What has been your secret to being a danger from outside?

I didn’t start to shoot three’s until my first year of college. I have prided myself to continue to get better. I felt from the start that it was my duty to put in the work in order to become a consistent shooter. People had questioned me if I was a true stretch four player so I wanted to show them wrong and improve my shooting. I began working out three times a day during the summer so I could become a more solid shooter. I know where I get my shots during games so I practiced shooting from there. Being able to play the four has allowed me to play at a high level.

How valuable has the easyCredit BBL been for your game developing in a good direction?

Every night you never know what will happen. Every team in the BBL come to play and they all play at a high level. There are never any off nights and each player is valuable for their team. I have to be ready to shoot and play defense. The BBL has allowed me to realize the potential of the league and my game.

You played briefly in the Giessen organization. Do you feel for them with the season they have had or do feelings like that not come when you weren’t even a whole season there?

I loved Giessen. My time was awesome there. Coaches Ingo Freyer and Steve Wriedt helped me realize that I could play at the BBL level. Despite my short stint in Italy, they allowed me to play in Giessen. They let me play freely and not have me overthink. They allowed me to rejuvenate my career. It was very fun to play hard for Ingo and Steve. I have nothing but love and respect for the Giessen organization. There are still guys there that I played with and I do feel for them. It is tough to see them go through that. I know that they fight until the end of the day and I wish them all the best. Giessen helped my career move forward.

Chris Paul recently passed Magic Johnson for fifth all-time in assists. Where do you rank him with the best point guards all-time despite never having won a ring?

You have to put the rings aside and evaluate his career. He should be at least top 10 if not top 5. But there are probably five guys ahead of him. Some guys just off the top of my head are John Stockton, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy the original to manifest the point guard position. But I really like Chris Paul’s game.

How have you seen the development of Boston Celtic Jayson Tatum? He has scored 50 plus points this season and recently 60. Where will his journey go as a player in the next years?

Hopefully he will still be with the Celtics. The Celtics have a great roster and great talents with Brown and Taytum. I think the team needs to find a nucleus to outbalance all. They need more of a Chris Paul type of point guard.

Dino Radja recently said he couldn’t see Russell Westbrook leading a team in Europe to success. Do you agree?

No I don’t agree. He is leagues ahead of all in athleticism. We will look back in 20 years and still say that he was ahead of his time. There will be more kinds of point guards like him that can affect the game in multiple ways with rebounding and getting to the basket. I think that he could do well in Europe and lead a team to a title.

Draymond Green recently said he is the best defender of all-time. Do you agree?

No I disagree. There are plenty of guys ahead of him like Ben Wallace, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen and Gary Payton. I do love his self-confidence though. You can’t knock him about that. Every player should bye into themselves the way he does. He has a great skill set. He is top 15 now and could be top 10 by the end of his career.

Have you seen the Coming to America sequel? It has had mixed reviews. Shouldn’t they just have left it alone?

I haven’t seen it. I think it is always fun for a group of actors to get back together. I think it is always nicer to have fun then coming back to do a sequel where the actors think they are only doing it because it’s their job or something that will boost their career.

Thanks Matt for the chat.

It takes some guys time to leave an impression while for other guys the genuine character and positive attitude leaves an impression instantly as Diijon Allen-Jordan did in Rhondorf. His time in Rhondorf was way too short as COVID-19 struck the world ending his season in March 2020. Unfortunately the American also was way to short on earth as he passed away at the age of 27. How he died hasn´t been released yet, but there has been a large outpour of grief and sadness on social media concerning his death as well as nonstop prayers going out to his family. The American didn´t play the 20-21 season as his last place of employment were the Dragons Rhondorf in the 19-20 season after having began with the London Lions. Family and friends in the States are devastated, but not only there, but also in Germany. He wasn´t in Germany for more than a month and he left such a long lasting impression that one can see how much of an effect he had on people. “Diijon was a unique character. He was very polite and respectful for everyone. He had a great sense of humor and was smart. He was a very talented and athletic player. He also had the correct attitude each day. At the same time he was a team player and leader. He played with a lot of pride and strength on offense and always played fair on defense. When other players shone, he was truly happy for them and when he played well, he never showed it. Off the court he was helpful and had an open ear. He always found motivating words after loses. It was fun and an honor to play with him, because he never gave up. We all miss him much. I still can´t believe it and my tears are flowing as I write this. He left us way to young. He still had his life in front of him. He was a super role model for the young generation”, stressed ex teammate Lotola Otshumbe.

                 Allen-Jordan was born in Plainfield, New Jersey and attended Plainfield high school. He didn´t go the normal route of having the luck of showcasing his basketball abilities in the much coveted NCAA, but played at 3 separate levels JUCO, NCAA 2 and NAIA. He began at Western Oklahoma State College (JUCO) in 2013 playing 27 games averaging 16.3ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 45.6%, FT: 70.4%. In 2014-2015, he moved to Francis Marion University (NCAA2) playing 16 games averaging 16.9ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.8apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 43.8%, 3PT: 50.0%, FT: 70.2%. He would make one more move attending Campbellsville University (NAIA) playing 36 games averaging 17.3ppg, 9.5rpg, 2.0apg, 1.9bpg, 1.7spg, FGP: 54.1%, FT: 69.1%. Despite moving around so often, he was thankful for being able to have all three opportunities. “Starting at Western Oklahoma was a complete eye opener for me . First day of workout there were 25 guys on the team and I was so nervous watching everyone look more skilled than I was. But that didn’t stop me from working hard. Being there showed me how many people there are in the world fighting for the same chance that I was Francis Marion showed me that I couldn’t just be an athlete but I had to put in the work to be great. It also showed me the business side of basketball and how some coaches truly care about their job position more than helping out players And Campbellsville was my calling going to a Christian school and reconnecting with my Christian side that I left behind when my grandmother passed away in 2010. But it was always great because I got to play with my best friend Sekou Harris who I played with from 8 years old until my senior year in high school. We made it to the final 4 of the NAIA 1 level and was the first to do so in years . I also met some of my closest friends there from different ghettos in America and we all were respectful young men”, stressed Diijon Allen-Jordan in 2020.

            Despite playing in the NAIA, he didn´t remain unnoticed and was drafted by the Los Angeles Defenders of the D-League in the fourth round with the 77^th pick in 2016 and got an early taste of the NBA spending training camp with the club. He began his professional career overseas with the Cheshire Phoenix (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 18 games averaging 13.3ppg, 7.2rpg, 2.1apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 51.6%, FT: 68.1%. He scored in double figures in 14 of 18 games including 25 points in a thrilling 87-86 win over the London Lions. In his second season he remained with the Cheshire Phoenix (United Kingdom-BBL) continuing to give consistent stats playing 33 games averaging 14.1ppg, 6.8rpg, 3.7apg, Steals-3(2.1spg), FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 70.9%. He scored in double figures in 25 games including 29 points against Newcastle C and 26 points against London CR.  He began the 2019-2020 season in the UK again, but would only remain a few months as he balled with the London Lions (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 11 games averaging 12.9ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.9apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 39.6%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 59.6%. Despite having solid stats as he averaged double figures in scoring for the third straight season in the UK BBL, he didn´t remain and traded the big city and bright lights for the small town and pretty Rhein river with Rhondorf.

              The American came to an interesting situation with the Dragons Rhondorf. Just reaching the playoffs wasn´t enough, but their goal was to win the Regionalliga West title so they could move up a level again to the Pro B. A big problem that season for the Dragons was their defense where they allowed 86 points per game. Some games it looked like it was getting better, but then bang the next game they stunk up the gym again with inconsistent play. “Defense was an issue prior to me getting here and that is another component that Yassin has emphasized to me. He wanted me to come in and pick up the guys to play harder tougher defense. We believe we had a chance to win the title yes and we worked every day to make sure we had the right mindset to win”, warned Diijon Allen-Jordan in 2020. He played only 5 games with the Dragons Rhondorf, but in that short time, he showed exactly what kind of a player he was. He demonstrated his inside out game on offense at ease, grabbed rebounds with a passion and hit the trey. On defense his biggest strength is his one on one defense. He simply brings the whole package at both ends of the court with brutal versatility and coupled with a positive character can carry a team in tough moments. “I was always taught to be versatile and to be a man of many tricks so that I wouldn’t be stuck in one category. But defense and rebounding will be my main focus because I believe that’s were the team lacked before I got here. We have a deep rotation of guys who can score. That part of the game will work its way out because off the motor I carry. Defense just comes with determination to stop whoever is in front of you. Scoring usually helps the game become easy and comfortable so if I can make whoever I am guarding to be uncomfortable on offense they will not focus on defense as much. And lifting helps my body continue to be able to compete, I am a CrossFit coach as well as a CrossFit athlete and I believe that every athlete should get involved with it”, stressed Diijon Allen-Jordan in 2020.

            One guy who wasn´t only impressed with Allen-Jordan´s game, but also his character was Dragons Rhondorf CEO Yassin Idbihi. He left this tremendous heart felt tribute to a player he knew for only a short time, but obviously the American had a huge effect on him like so many others. “ Diijon´s death has caught me completely off guard. My condolences to Diijon´s family and his friends. We are all shocked and all of his teammates from last season are really upset. The world has lost a really good person who was trying to make this world a better place. We don´t have enough people like him which makes his loss incredibly sad. I feel bad because I was so focused on winning and building the Rhondorf basketball program that I didn´t really make time to get to know the person Dijon. The first time I realized Diijon was different when I saw he was reading a book on our way to a road game in the back of the bus. I was kind of shocked which is not a good sign for us US basketball players. I took some time to talk to him after that and he told me about all the community work he was doing in the US. He left me really impressed because he was trying to help young people through basketball. He was already doing so much at such a young age. The world has lost a beautiful soul. I can´t imagine the pain that his family is going through. Diijon always practiced hard, was a role model to the young players and friendly and respectful to everyone. He was a good person. Rest in peace Diijon. We will never forget you. It was a pleasure meeting you”, said Yassin Idbihi. I covered Diijon Allen-Jordan for a month and saw a few games of him. I interviewed him, but unfortunately had only a few short conversations with him that weren´t long enough. Sometimes you can realize what type a person is even if you didn´t have hours and hours of deep conversations. My conversations were brief, but I noticed with his gentle way that he was a genuine person and  a guy that had a real heart. I´m very sad that I couldn´t get to know him better. I´m really happy that he effected so many people in a positive way. R.I.P Diijon Allen-Jordan.

                               It is already tough enough for fans to be excluded from the arena´s this season, but even worse is when you can´t experience the top teams like FC Bayern Munich or Alba Berlin which is the top ticket each season or simply to sit back and enjoy a battle between two easyCredit BBL legends Rickey Paulding and Quantez Robertson. They share 26 BBL seasons between them and have had so many unforgettable duels over the last 12 years, that one can only pray at the end of the season that they will return next season as they have 74 years of age between them. Quantez Robertson would never miss a battle with Paulding and remembers his favorite moment with him. “He is definitely in my top 3 best opponents. I am always up for the task of guarding him. Especially a guy of that caliber that can shoot the three, mid distance and get to the rim. My best memory with him was last season when we did that interview. We had this stare down, but it didn´t last very long. After half a second, we started to laugh”, stressed Quantez Robertson. Rickey Paulding and the EWE Baskets Oldenburg won the first meeting 86-69 as Paulding had 16 points and Robertson only 2 points. Oldenburg came to Frankfurt in fourth place with a 22-8 record while Frankfurt was reeling off a loss in Bonn and had a 11-19 record. The EWE Baskets are fighting for third place with FC Bayern Munich and want to close out the season as best they can, but they were fortunate that Frankfurt was depleted with injuries and COVID cases, because they didn´t always play their best basketball, but their offense always had an answer when Frankfurt was trying to threaten. After the win, Mr Oldenburg Rickey Paulding was happy the team won and having had another meeting with Quantez Robertson. Both easyCredit BBL legends had a brief meeting after the game. “We always talk about family. I commended him on being a leader and how much I admired him for his work with the young guys. Frankfurt was in a tough situation and we worked on some things like our zone and helping Mahalbasic in the post when he was double teamed. Frankfurt really battled. You have to tip your hat to them”, stressed ex Missouri(NCAA) forward Rickey Paulding. The Fraport Skyliners were severely undermanned again for the fourth straight game and did they best they could, but just couldn´t put a dent into the Oldenburg offense. “Rickey and I talked about our situations. He told me he will play next year and I told him that I still have to talk to management about a new contract. It was tough for us, because we played 3 games in a week. We fought as hard and as long as we could. They hit a lot of three pointers and we gave up zoo many offensive rebounds and second chance points. I thought we executed and moved the ball well at times”, stressed ex Auburn(NCAA) guard Quantez Robertson.

                The Fraport Skyliners continued to be without three COVID cases with Michael Kessens, Len Schoormann and Bruno Vrcic while Matt Mobley was still out with an injury while the EWE Baskets were missing their defensive energizer Nathan Boothe. The Fraport Skyliners began high spirited  forcing Oldenburg to a turnover and then executed on their first possession on the pick and roll as ex Miami(NCAA) center scored a floater with the dime going to ex Braunschweig guard Joe Rahon. But the EWE Baskets Oldenburg didn´t waste anytime moping about their turnover as they hit Frankfurt with a 9-0 run. In the run, the 2015 BBL cup winner received a four point play from ex ratiopharm Ulm guard Philipp Schwethelm, a trey from ex Boston Celtic Phil Pressy and a pretty runner by Rickey Paulding. Oldenburg was forcing Frankfurt to contested shots late on the shot clock. Oldenburg continued to execute well as ex Bamberg guard Karsten Tadda who played his 500^th game hit a three pointer and Paulding remained aggressive making an incredible catch and pop turn around shot and then played some cat and mouse with Frankfurt as he went give and go with Rashid Mahalbasic and finished with a thunderous one handed dunk and 17-7 Oldenburg advantage. Oldenburg was displaying amazing ball movement that reminded one of the magical Skyliners team of 2015-2016 that played the same kind of game with Jordan Theodore and the two German twin towers Johannes Voigtmann and Danilo Barthel. Frankfurt just couldn´t keep up with the Oldenburg ball movement on defense as they were always a step slow and didn´t have good communication. In the last 4-5 minutes, the EWE Baskets Oldenburg had problems executing on offense, but it didn´t hurt them as Frankfurt couldn´t take advantage of it on offense. After 10 minutes the EWE Baskets Oldenburg led 19-9 as they had gotten some solid production form young German Norris Agbakoko who cleaned up on the glass. “We played a little better in the second half of the first quarter. We slowed down their offense. Taking more time off the offense limited their offensive touches”, stated Quantez Robertson.

                In the second quarter the EWE Baskets would gain their biggest lead of the game and led by 19 points at the break. 16 year old Joshua Bonga who is the younger brother of Isaac Bonga of the Washington Wizards really has profited from the Skyliner COVID cases and played his third BBL game in a row and scored a beautiful tap in alley-oop as Joe Rahon gave him the perfect pass. Frankfurt cut the Oldenburg lead to 19-11, but the guests struck back like a strike of lightening going on a swift 8-2 run to extend their lead to 27-13. In the run they got vital support from their bench as ex Louisiana State University (NCAA) guard Keith Hornsby made a lay in, ex Trier guard Sebastian Herrera drilled home a trey and ex  KK Cibona VIP Zagreb forward Tomislav Gabric also dropped a trey. As quickly as the guests would give a rapid dose of offense, they also were just as quickly able to be scoreless for a 2-3 possessions which gave Frankfurt the opportunity on offense to execute which they did as ex wiha Panther Rasheed Moore hit Oldenburg for a three pointer. But Oldenburg were simply too powerful as they let their ball movement go into total effect finding great shots as they went on a 13-5 run to extend their lead to 40-21. In the run, the guests got the three ball rolling as Hornsby, Mahalbasic and Pressy all connected. They also got a 15 footer from Paulding and a lay up from Herrera. Frankfurt spent a lot of attention on Mahalbasic making it tough on his touches in the paint, but being that he is an exceptional passer if not best big man passer in the BBL, Oldenburg always had open guys and they took full advantage making their shots. Joe Rahon continued to play a good offensive first half as he found Quantez Robertson for an alley oop lay in and then also made a three pointer, but the EWE Baskets Oldenburg still had the very comfortable 45-26 advantage at half-time. “We came into the game with a different defensive strategy on Mahalbasic sending another guy to him when he had the ball. We didn´t rotate well. They always had open players and they made their three´s”, said Quantez Robertson.

            The Fraport Skyliners played their best quarter of the game in the third winning it 16-14, but after 30 minutes the EWE Baskets Oldenburg still led 59-42. The Fraport Skyliners came out of the break red hot going on a swift 9-2 run to cut the Oldenburg lead down to 47-35. In the run the Fraport Skyliners received key support from Rasheed Moore who supplied 5 points on a trey and lay in while Kamari Murphy made a runner and a big alley-oop two handed dunk as ex Davidson(NCAA) guard Jon Axel Gudmundsson served up the stellar pass. In the run, Quantez Robertson got his 2000 BBL rebound off a Paulding miss. “I didn´t even know I got it until the announcer said it in the arena. It was an awesome moment”, smiled Quantez Robertson. The EWE Baskets played extremely sloppy on offense playing totally untypical of what their capable of forcing too much and not calming down and simply allowed Frankfurt to hang around. But the EWE Baskets Oldenburg displayed their ability to produce instant offense whenever Frankfurt was trying to threaten as they rallied going on a 8-2 run to lead more comfortable again at 55-37. In the run the guests let it rain three´s again as Tadda and Hornsby connected and Mahalbasic made a runner. In the last minutes the Fraport Skyliners got some help from farm team player Philipp Hadenfeldt and Rasheed Moore with buckets while the EWE Baskets got some baskets inside on the penetration from Herrera and Schwethelm. “We got sloppy. Coach did get on us after the quarter. We tried to work on our zone. We didn´t move the ball the way we should of”, stated Rickey Paulding. “We didn´t fight hard enough on defense. When we did get closer, we then weren´t able to finish at the rim or make our open shots”, added Quantez Robertson.

            In the fourth quarter the Fraport Skyliners began well again, but then couldn´t get over the hump and cut the Oldenburg lead under 10 points. The Fraport Skyliners struck with a 5-0 run as Moore nailed a trey and Murphy scored on transition as Frankfurt showed unselfish basketball. Quantez Robertson made the steal and could of made a lay in, but dished the ball to young German Alvin Onyia who then made the extra pass to Murphy who finished with another dunk as Frankfurt trailed 59-47. Then as usual the EWE Baskets Oldenburg took matters into their own hands again after Frankfurt was somewhat pressing going on a 9-2 run to extend their lead to 68-49. In the run, Oldenburg got important support from Phil Pressy who made a one handed dunk and three pointer while Paulding got into the offensive act once again with a finger tip roll in and free throw. The 183cm guard Pressy was thrilled with his dunk. “I had a nice dunk against Munich this season. I try to get 1-2 dunks per year. I have to save some for Oldenburg”, laughed Phil Pressy. Both teams kept scoring down the stretch. Keith Hornsby who had had a tough first half where his shots didn´t want to fall made up for it in the second half especially in the last minutes of the fourth quarter making 7 points. “Keith kept looking for shots. Nobody got on him for missing early shots. He has a lot of self confidence. I´m glad that he kept shooting”, explained Rickey Paulding. After Gudmundsson hot a three pointer to cut the Oldenburg lead down to 75-57, the guests closed out the game with a 7-0 run to win 82-59.. In the run, the EWE Baskets Oldenburg got buckets from young German Jacob Hollatz, Gabric and Herrera. German Leon Pullen of Frankfurt also scored his first BBL basket “We couldn´t execute and we did take care of the ball”, stressed Quantez Robertson. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg were led by Rickey Paulding and Sebastian Herrera with 14 points apiece. Phil Pressy and Keith Hornsby supplied 12 points apiece while the Fraport Skyliners were led by Rasheed Moore with 13 points while Quantez Robertson and Jon Axel Gudmundsson had 10 points  apiece. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg shot 47% form the field and 37% from outside and had 43 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 37% from the field and 31% from outside and had 32 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Virgil Matthews (191-PG-83, college: Montana)s a 37 year old 188cm guard from Federal Way, Washington that is playing his 14th professional season and sixth with the Niners Chemnitz. Last season he helped lead them to the easyCredit BBL playing 27 games averaging 7.1ppg, 3.4rpg, 4.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP-2 (73.2%), 3PT-3 (46.2%), FT: 77.1%. In 2018-2019 he averaged 7,4ppg,39rpg and 6,1apg. Four seasons ago he played with the Nuernberg Falcons BC (Germany-ProA) playing 24 games averaging 8.3ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.9apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 50.5%, 3PT: 28.4%, FT: 71.4%. Five seasons ago he almost led Chemnitz (Germany-ProA) into the BBL playing 40 games averaging 9.4ppg, 4.2rpg, 4.8apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 63.0%, 3PT: 32.1%, FT: 86.7% He played at Montana (NCAA) and in his senior year played 31 games averaging 10.1ppg, 4.6rpg, 4.0apg, 1.7spg, FG: 49.8%, 3PT: 48.4%, FT: 76.1%. In 2006-2007, he turned professional and came to Germany and played for KICKZ Muenchen Basket (Germany-2.Bundesliga) playing 29 games averaging 18.0ppg, 6.1rpg, 5.2apg, 2.6spg, 2FGP: 57.3%, 3FGP: 31.8%, FT: 66.5%. In 2007-2008, he played for Tacoma Jazz (IBL). In 2008-2009, he returned back to Germany and played for Schwelmer Baskets (Germany-Regionalliga). In 2009-2010, he played for Olympia Reign (IBL) playing 28 games averaging 23.1ppg, 7.2rpg and for Seattle Aviators (NABL).In 2010-2011, he played his first season for Erdgas Ehingen playing 32 games averaging 11.6ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.6apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 57.6%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 71.3%. He would play until 2014 with Ehingen playing 126 games with three seasons in the Pro A and one in the Pro B. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the tough 85-70 loss against ratiopharm Ulm.

Virgil thanks for talking togermanhoops.com. A tough 85-70 loss at home against ratiopharm Ulm. The club was shorthanded. A few months ago it wasn’t any different. How annoying has this season been for you concerning the whole COVID issue?

It is what it is. I don’t think it has been annoying, but more sad. The fans are so important for the team and not having them has been tough for them and us. In a way having so many guys out was also our fault. We had to suffer the consequences.

How tough was playing with in 48 hours and then being severely undermanned? How much did this game effect the body?

We didn’t do too much yesterday. Just some of our normal recovery. I heard some guys talking about their bodies. We had some guys playing big minutes. But we couldn’t take fatigue as an excuse. I felt like we fought harder than on Friday.

Despite being undermanned the Niners came out on fire scoring 27 points. What was key for the offense beginning so well and what adjustment did Ulm make in the second quarter?

We came out and surprised them playing zone. Malte Ziegenhagen and Marcus Thornton hit many big shots. We did a good job moving the ball and taking good shots. We missed more shots in the second quarter. Ulm is a tough team that played Eurocup and have good players. They slowed us down on offense.

What did head coach Rodrigo Pastore tell the team to do better in the third quarter?

He told us to keep fighting and playing hard and see where we end up.

Ratiopharm Ulm exploded for 31 points in the third quarter. How annoying was the duo of Troy Caupain and Thomas Plepeisz who combined to score the first 9 points of the second half?

Both players are tough. Caupain has been tough all season and is one of the best players in the BBL. He is a talker and was talking from the start. If your going to talk, you have to back it up and he did.

The NIners scored only 26 points in the second half. Was it more the Ulm defense that effected your play or was the team just pooped?

Ulm made adjustments on the defensive end. They trapped and sped us up and got us out of our rhythm. We didn’t have our flow from the first half. We couldn’t find Marcus Thornton anymore.

This season you have battled against ex NBA players on a regular basis. What made it most difficult to stop Troy Caupain?

He is a very solid player that plays many minutes. He is a strong guy that needs the ball and finishes with contact. He doesn’t really do anything extraordinary, but is a player that can do a bit of everything. Those are usually the toughest players to guard.

How much was Terrell Harris missed? Isn’t he a good candidate for season MVP of the team?

Yes for sure. He is our glue guy. He always keeps us together and in a good mood. He can explode at anytime. Usually when he plays well we win.

Were the 10 team offensive rebounds and 20 points of German Malte Ziegenhagen 2 of the real bright spots?

It is always a good thing when Malte has a good game. But I think our brightest spot was having 16 year old Brenden Gregori get in the game and score. He is always working very hard in practice and we wanted him to get in the game. He is a good kid.

Your playing 14 minutes this season compared to 19 minutes last season. How do you feel has the club profited most from your game?

Reading the pick and roll. Each guy can do something well. I also help make sure guys are in the right spot and know when to call the right plays on the court.

Coming from the Pro A to the easyCredit BBL, what has been the biggest adjustment for you?

Just the speed. The teams and players at the BBL level are so smart that they don’t need much time to recover from mistakes. At the Pro A level you can expose players a lot easier. In the BBL every player can play.

You are an unbelievable unselfish player and like to pass the ball as does scorer Marcus Thornton. How do you believe have you both profited from each other this season?

Marcus doesn’t need me. I’m better for him for things off the court. He is so special. I help relive him from being on the ball and just let him be a scorer. That is what he does best

Chris Paul recently passed Magic Johnson for fifth all-time in assists. Where do you rank him with the best point guards all-time despite never having won a ring?

Chris Paul is up there. You don’t need a ring to be considered one of the best. He is up there with his longevity and having always played for winning teams. He won’t pass Magic Johnson, but he is top 5.

How have you seen the development of Boston Celtic Jayson Tatum? He has scored 50 plus points this season and recently 60. Where will his journey go as a player in the next years?

He is very special. He is a different version of Kevin Durant. He is close to top 5. Once he rounds out his game more besides just scoring, he will be able to show more. The Celtics are too inconsistent. Once they win more, his game will show more.

Dino Radja recently said he couldn’t see Russell Westbrook leading a team in Europe to success. Do you agree?

No I disagree. It would be different for him in Europe. He isn’t a dumb player, but so dynamic and athletic. Once he adapts to the game and reads in Europe, he would be ok. The guy is so underappreciated.

Draymond Green recently said he is the best defender of all-time. Do you agree?

I don’t know. That is tough. He is a versatile defender in this new age NBA. He has a right to say that. But there have been many great defenders like Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone. He defiantly gets to be mentioned in the conversation. He is up there.

Have you seen the Coming to America sequel? It has had mixed reviews. Shouldn’t they just have left it alone?

I think the movie was made so kids could see the fun their parents had. The sequel is more child happy, but it’s still pretty funny. The sequel had it’s own special style.

Thanks Virgil for the chat.