After ending 2020 with a bang winning their last three games, the EPG Baskets Koblenz are still searching for their first victory in 2021. They were riding a two game losing streak having lost to Karlsruhe and Oberaching when they welcomed Orange Academy. They continue to have problems finding that identity on defense not being able to put it together for a full game. Another problem is their walking wounded list as American DJ Woodmore and veteran Edin Alispahic were out. Despite the injury woes, the club has a deep enough roster to compensate the loses. They had their hands full with top German youth program Orange Academy who landed in Koblenz with a 9-5 record. They were coming off a brutal 85-82 loss in Frankfurt 96 hours earlier. EPG Baskets head coach Danny Rodriguez had a suitable game plan and as usual had his guys ready as they played a very strong first half, but then as usual let up in the second half. The EPG Baskets Koblenz had everything in their cards to win, but allowed an annoying 12-2 crunch-time run by Orange Academy to decide the game for the guests. ‘We started well. Ulm likes to play that high pick and roll. We changed our pick and roll defense hedging well. But in the second half we were less aggressive and had problems on the help side defense. We have problems with our set offense. We are good when we are in transition. We always start with good energy, but then loose it’, stressed EPG Baskets head coach Danny Rodriguez. Orange Academy head coach Anton Gavel wasn’t happy with the first half, but he always stayed calm on the sidelines. In the second half, one could understand his excitement in crunch-time when his team produced a brutal 12-2 run to decide the game. ‘I congratulate my players. Key in this game was the second quarter where we could cut down the Koblenz lead from 15 points to 5 points. That gave us more self-confidence going into the second half. We began to rebound better and made good decisions’, added Orange Academy head coach Anton Gavel. 

The EPG Baskets Koblenz went into the contest with some key players out, but their lethal first quarter of allowing only 8 points showed that they had come into the game well prepared. The EPG Baskets Koblenz didn’t waste any time jumping all over Orange Academy taking a quick 9-2 lead. In the run, Koblenz as usual got their athletic freak Brian Butler involved early as he got two buckets and made a free throw. As usual the ex easyCredit BBL slam dunk champion Brian Butler used his physicality getting as close to the rim and then unleashing his fakes which helped him be successful. Ex Bayer Giants Leverkusen forward CJ Oldham also contributed scoring twice on transition as he used his athleticism to the fullest. The EPG Baskets Koblenz defended very aggressive taking away the pick and roll from Orange Academy and limiting the touches from 212 cm German big man Nicholas Bretzel. The strong Koblenz defense led to better offense. Orange Academy had problems with their set offense getting good shots as Koblenz limited them to taking very bad shots. Polish national player Jeremy Sochan and German Julius Ferber helped Orange Academy with two baskets. The EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to get vital support from Butler who made his patent turn around shot, ex Fordham (NCAA) guard Zaire Thompson used his quick speed for a finger tip role in and ex Giessen German guard Lukas Mayer scored on a drive. After 10 minutes the EPG Baskets Koblenz had the comfortable 16-8 advantage. ‘We lost control. We didn’t play our game. We didn’t follow the saying act and don’t react. We only reacted. We didn’t defend well enough’, said Orange Academy center Nicolas Bretzel (212-PF-99). 

In the second quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz were able to lead by as much as 15 points, but allowed Orange Academy to storm back and trail only by 6 points at half-time. The EPG Baskets Koblenz cruised out on a rapid on a 9-2 run like in the first quarter extending their lead to 25-10. In the run, the home team did a fine job spreading the scoring love around as four different players scored. The drive began with a Joshua Luebken dunk which was followed by a Oldham lay in, then Dutch forward Chad Wellian dropped a trey and German sniper Marley Jean-Louis made a runner. The EPG Baskets Koblenz had found a very sound offensive rhythm and continued to take away Orange Academy’s pick and roll. But basketball is always a game of runs and Orange Academy continued to fight and began to claw their way back closing out the second quarter with a 19-9 run to trail only 34-29. Orange Academy didn’t try to work too hastily, but remained calm and took it play by play. Orange Academy attacked the rim better and picked their spots more cleverer as Polish national player Igor Milicic and ex Vechta forward Nat Dialo scored in the paint and Jeremy Sochan made a hook shot as Orange Academy trailed only 29-19. Koblenz had done a good job limiting the guests three pointer, but couldn’t stop their drive or them getting to the free throw line. Orange Academy continued to chip away and got some more baskets inside from Milicic and Dialo scored twice. Orange Academy also did a better job working on the glass. ‘We did a good job forcing turnovers and getting stops. We also boxed out better on the boards’, stated Anton Gavel. 

The third quarter was a real dog fight as the EPG Baskets Koblenz were never able to lead by more than 5 points, but they kept the lead and didn’t relinquish it quite yet to Orange Academy. Orange Academy got on the board first as Nicholas Bretzel scored on an old school hook shot. After a Butler dunk, it was pass first point guard Marius Stoll that connected on a long trey and Bretzel made free throws to cut Koblenz’s lead to 37-36. The game now would take mini runs as Koblenz went on a 5-0 run to lead 42-36 as Mayer hit a three pointer and Thompson made a runner, but Orange Academy always had an answer battling back to go on a 7-2 run to trail only 44-43 as Bretzel scored inside and Sochan made free throws and a bucket. The EPG Baskets Koblenz held the lead getting baskets from Thompson, Jean Louis and Butler to lead 52-47, but Orange Academy countered with a clutch Milicic three pointer to cut the Koblenz lead down to 52-50. Milcic showed his calmness icing a beautiful trey as his inside out game was at full force on this day. Despite a pretty tip in by Ferber at the end, it was the EPG Baskets Koblenz that held the tight 53-52 advantage after 30 minutes. ‘On offense we played faster and played our plays better while on defense we matched the physicality of Koblenz’, stated Nicolas Bretzel. 

The fourth quarter was a nail bitter in the first five minutes as there were four lead changes, but in crunch-time it was all Orange Academy as the EPG Baskets Koblenz lost total control of their game. Butler began the fourth quarter scoring with a back door cut and bucket as Thompson fed him perfectly and then Ferber made a tap in as Orange Academy trailed only 55-54. But Orange Academy finally earned their first lead of the game as German Latrell Grosskopf scored . But that lead was very short lived as Butler scored again for the 57-56 advantage. But Orange Academy took the lead back with another clutch trey from Marius Stoll for the 59-57 lead. Athletic German Jacob Mampuya then gave Koblenz the lead back one last time 60-59 with a trey. A Thompson free throw was met by a Bretzel runner to dead lock the game at 61-61. But then came the ruining point of the game as the EPG Baskets Koblenz suddenly couldn’t execute anymore at both ends allowing a 12-2 run by Orange Academy to win the game. The EPG Baskets Koblenz had slowed down Nicholas Bretzel most of the game, but now when it counted most were beat three times in a row by point guard Stoll who found the big man each time for the 65-61. ‘We used the slip screen and Marius Stoll read it well. We know each other since 12 years and know where the other is’, stated Nicolas Bretzel. Koblenz got a spark of energy from Butler with a hard tip in dunk to cut the Orange Academy lead to 65-63. But Orange Academy didn’t let up, but slammed the door in the EPG Baskets Koblenz face with a 8-0 run. Orange Academy stayed calm and did a great job getting to the free throw line and producing key stops. Stoll, Sochan and Bretzel dropped free throws while Ferber made a lay in to seal the victory. It was another disappointing loss for the EPG Baskets Koblenz who are 0-3 in 2021. They once again proved that they show glimpses of defensive greatness, but can’t hold it for 40 minutes as a game has more than 10 minutes. ‘We didn’t get stops and it was hard to come back when we had to gamble’, stressed Danny Rodriguez. ‘We created stops and rebounded well. Bretzel was very important for us with his inside out game’, said Anton Gavel. Orange Academy was led by Nicholas Bretzel with 17 points and 8 boards. Jeremy Sochan added 13 points and 6 rebounds while Julius Ferber added 11 points and Igor Milicic 10 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Brian Butler with 21 points and 6 rebounds while CJ Oldham had 10 points and 7 rebounds. Orange Academy shot 42% from the field and 24% from outside and had 42 rebounds and 19 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 38% form the field and 18% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 17 turnovers. 

 Patrick Lyons is a 25 year old 187cm point guard from Ireland that is playing his first season in Germany with TuS Bad Aibling Fireballs (Germany-Regionalliga). He began his basketball career with Moycullen (SuperLeague). He also played with Medway Park Crusaders (United Kingdom-EBL D1) and played 7 years with SSE Airtricity Moycullen Galway (Super League) and last season played 17 games averaging 9.0ppg, 3.2rpg, 4.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 21.1%, FT: 71.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Patrick thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how do you like Germany?

Thank you very much for having me. I’m currently in the beautiful Bavarian town of Bad Aibling. I have loved my time in Germany so far. The people are incredibly kind, the scenery is stunning and the basketball has been very enjoyable.

It is not often that we see Irish players playing in Germany. What does it mean for you to play in Germany and what do you know in general about the country Germany and it’s basketball?

To me, playing in Germany means I am taking another progressive step in my basketball career. It means I get to achieve a long-term goal of mine: to play basketball at a professional level outside of Ireland. Whenever I finish playing basketball, I want to say that I pushed myself to progress as far as I could, and tried to reach my full potential. It’s nice to be added to the short list of Irish players who have played here. I have competed against and looked up to all of those guys. Seeing those guys do it, helped me to visualise that I can do it. What I know about Germany is that it’s a proud nation that it is rich in culture and history. Germany produces some of the best beer, bread, wurst and cars in the world. In basketball, Germany has produced some world class players. Germany has strong, well-ran leagues with a healthy mix of domestic and international players. 

I remember some years ago this talented Irish lad by the name of Paul Dick who wrecked havoc in the German Regionalliga. Did you talk to him about Germany and get some tips?

Paul Dick is a tough and talented player. He is always a key factor of our scouting reports in the Irish SuperLeague. Yes, I caught up with Paul before coming over and he had some great advice for me. I also caught up with another Irish player and friend, Adrian O’Sullivan. He played at Ademax Red Devils Bramsche in the Regionalliga last year and is now playing in Spain at Aquimisa Carbajosa in LEB Plata. 

You played many years in Ireland and now have joined German Regionalliga team TuS Bad Aibling Fireballs (Germany-Regionalliga). What were the main reasons for joining this Bavarian team?

I’m grateful for the opportunity Bad Aibling Fireballs have given me. One of the first things I noticed was the strong community values the Bad Aibling Fireballs club has. My home club, Moycullen Basketball, also places a huge importance on community and place. At Moycullen, playing and competing is just one element of being a club member. I firmly believe in this culture and could tell this was the same at Bad Aibling. I’ve already enjoyed helping with coaching and helping on game day for the other teams. 

What has been your early impression of German basketball? How would you compare the Regionalliga to the Irish Super League.

We have only had a few preseason games so far so it’s hard to compare, but I think there are a lot of similarities. COVID-19 has caused a knock-on effect to clubs in terms of budgets, player availability, etc. It might result in a totally different league this year. 

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 187cm point guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

Tough question, thanks to Rory Gilson for helping me with this one. If I had to compare my game to someone, I think I would go with Jrue Holiday. Holiday is versatile on offence and is solid defensively. He is strong in transition and does a great job at drawing the help and finding the open guy. Most importantly to me, Holiday is a leader and a fantastic teammate. He was recently awarded NBA teammate of the year. Holiday doesn’t need to be the top scorer or the loudest voice. He stays calm, leads by example and his teammates can rely on him. 

In the last years at SSE Airtricity Moycullen Galway you weren’t that explosive scoring point guard, but it seemed a player that could do a bit of everything. Is that a fair assessment?

Yes, I’ve been the team captain at Moycullen for the past few seasons where my role has been to be a player that does a bit of everything on a young, majority home-grown team. We had a decent spread of scoring across the team, and while not focusing on being an out and out scorer, I found my scores within the offence and when needed. (9PPG on 4.5FGA’s)

In the German Regionalliga there is a lot of scoring from import guards. Would you be up to the challenge if coach told you the team needs a lot of scoring?

It’s often the same in the SuperLeague with import guards, especially when they’re from the US. I’ve spoken with Coach Wichote and I am clear on what I need to do to help the team. We have a nice combination of experienced and younger players. I like how we have been progressing through preseason and I think I’ll be able to score the way coach wants me to. 

Talk a little about your strengths on the court. What do you feel is your absolute biggest asset on the court?

I feel like the qualities mentioned above in the comparison question speak to my strengths. I think my versatility on defence is one of my biggest assets. Defence is tough and it’s tiring but I like it. I like to defend aggressively and can guard multiple positions/players. I love how momentum can swing with good defence. 

What do you feel is a hidden strength in your game that doesn’t get noticed right away on the court?

I think a hidden strength that doesn’t get noticed right away is my ‘engine’. I have worked hard to condition my body which allows me to keep my energy output high for long periods. 

On what areas of your game did you work on most this summer so you would be best prepared for the new challenge in Germany?

Due to COVID, it was difficult to get into a gym from March onwards. However, I saw this as an opportunity to try new ways of training. I started training with an elite sprinting group at athletics club, Galway City Harriers, which I really enjoyed. The training was extremely helpful for basketball, (speed, power, endurance, strength, etc.), but I also loved the challenge of trying a totally new sport. My coach, Brendan Glynn and the entire group are amazing. It was fantastic to be around such a focused group of athletes, especially during such a challenging time. We trained independently and connected virtually when restrictions were high. As things lifted slightly, we started training together. I was really happy to finish the season by running in my first ever 200m race at the National Championships. Through the first full lockdown, I did the Insanity exercise program to help stay in shape. As restrictions lifted, I spent a lot of time working on my jump-shot.

How much of a challenge has it been having a day job in Ireland and also being a professional player? How do you feel were you able to help your game most despite possibly at times not having all the resources available due to having a normal day job?

It’s a challenge but for a lot of players, it’s all we know. Currently, there isn’t really money or a framework for players in Ireland to just focus on basketball. You have to be good at organising your day to get the most out of every hour. I found it easier to train when I was in university and had a part time job. It was when my career in marketing started to progress, things became tougher to manage. After some fantastic experiences, I decided to put my marketing career on hold to pursue some of my basketball and life goals. 

You played the last 6 seasons with SSE Airtricity Moycullen Galway winning one league title. How do you feel did your game grow most in these years?

I grew up in Moycullen. Over the past few years, I quickly went from being one of the young guns on the team to one of our most senior and experienced players. In my earlier years, my game developed by soaking up everything I could from our import and experienced players. Puff Summers and Salva Camps both really helped me establish myself as a point guard. More recently, my game has grown through having a good relationship with my coach, John Cunningham. John has helped the entire team grow and develop over the past few seasons. He helped me to look at certain areas of my game that needed tweaking or addressing and worked with me to improve them. 

Back in the 2015-2016 season you had the great opportunity to play Fiba Europe Cup. Was that the coolest experience that you have had as a professional player?

It was an amazing experience to play for Team Hibernia in the Fiba Europe Cup. Yes, as I think back on it I think it was the coolest experience I have had so far. 

You had some very tough loses being outscored in 2 games to top Czeck Republic team Nymburk by 227-90. What memories do you have form those severe blow outs?

The losses were tough but I was just focused on enjoying the journey. I was the youngest on the team and just wanted to take it all in and contribute as much as possible when I was on the floor. I remember Nymburk had some loud home fans, even when they were up by 50!

In one of the games you played against Czech legend and ex NBA player Jiri Welsch. Was it an overwhelming feeling seeing a player like that on your home court?

When the game starts I don’t really think about those things. It’s nice to say that we played against Jiri but it wasn’t overwhelming. He only played for 8 minutes in that game, perhaps he was more interested on enjoying his trip to Ireland. 

Back in 2014 you were set to play at Tennessee Temple University (JUCO), but didn’t attend. What were the main reasons for not playing in the United States?


I attended Tennessee Temple University but I joined a little late. The coach there reached out to me at the very end of the summer so we decided that I would join during the semester break. While my experience there was extremely positive, unfortunately, it was short-lived. The school closed down in the summer of 2015. After a summer of working in Boston I had interest from a few new schools. However, I decided to return to Ireland. 

In 2018 you played at the European Championship for Small Countries in San Marino winning the Bronze. What memories do you have of that and where do you keep your medal today?

This was a huge personal achievement for me. I’ve represented my country at underage level but have always dreamed of playing for the senior team. I wasn’t sure if I would make the final 12 but I got the opportunity and grabbed it. Playing against 229cm, (7’6′), Samuel Deguara from Malta is something I don’t think I’ll ever forget! 

How is the state of Irish basketball in 2020? How have you seen the development in the last years and what are the main problems why the sport isn’t as established as in the UK?

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the 2020 Irish basketball calendar. Without considering the pandemic, I think the current state of Irish basketball is quite good. I came through the underage system during the tail-end of some really bad financial times for the National Governing Body. Thankfully, these times are over. Since then, I believe basketball in Ireland has had a strong and healthy growth across all areas, including: general awareness & promotion; development & participation; and performance & success at elite levels, (nationally and internationally). To borrow from the Business Lifecycle idea, I think that Irish Basketball is still in a rapid growth phase. There is a long way to go, but the Irish basketball community is strong and passionate and there is a lot to be proud of. Regarding the UK comparison, I think it would be an interesting study. At an elite senior level, there’s no denying that Team GB/the UK is further ahead. However, considering just England instead of the whole UK, and looking at basketball as a whole, I think the level of establishment in both countries is a lot closer than people think. I might dare to say that in relevant terms, basketball in Ireland is more/better established, at least in certain areas. One to discuss with some of my peers in England maybe!

Who is the best player that you ever faced on the court that played in the NBA or in Europe?

When I was with Hibernia in the FIBA Europe Cup, we played against Chasson Randle with CEZ Nymburk. He’s currently with the Golden State Warriors. I played at the City of Palms Classic tournament in Florida in 2013 with Barking Abbey, (London). There were some big names at the tournament that year, D’Angelo Russell, Donovan Mitchell, Ben Simmons, Jaylen Brown, Jahlil Okafor, Grayson Allen, etc.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I have had some amazing teammates so it’s hard to name just 5. Not including all of my Moycullen teammates over the years; Pat Sullivan, Justen Best, Joseph Lockwood, Tomas Mitkus, Oisin Kerlin.

Please construct your own personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present players?

Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and for Germany, Dirk Nowitzki

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

I don’t think it should be a debate until LeBron finishes playing. 

What was the last movie that you saw?

Murdair Mham Trasna. It’s a docu-drama about a gruesome and mysterious murder that took place in 1882 in an extremely remote area of the west of Ireland, not too far away from my home town. An innocent man was wrongly convicted and hanged for the murders. The movie is in Irish but here is a great podcast about it in English. https://irishhistorypodcast.ie/category/podcast/the-maamtrasna-murders/ 

Thanks Patrick for the chat.

Stopping at the Alster Lake in Hamburg is always a mandatory thing to do for me. Hanging out at the beautiful and tranquil Alster Lake is as normal for me as relaxing on the Charles River in Boston or roller blading on castle island when I´m home. The Alster Lake is that special place in Hamburg where people can just go for an hour and forget about their problems and just get engulfed with the beauty of nature in a small area in a major German city. If it´s doing laps around the lake while jogging, taking a boat trip or just proposing to your loved one, the Alster Lake is that magical place that can take you into your special own world. Kameron “i´ts Seton Hill not Seton Hall” Taylor is in his fifth professional season which has taken him to exotic land Hungry, but he has also had the luxury to be able to call Germany home for the other four seasons. He has lived in many places and each place had it´s own unique identity. His first stop as a rookie was the 24,000 city town Ehingen that was the typical pretty town with old architecture. In his second year he took a step back to make two forward dominating the Pro B with the Dragons Rhondorf. The tiny town Bad Honnef is situated on the famous Rhine River and only a 30 minute drive from Cologne. He finished that season in the BBL with s.Oliver Wurzburg which is another old city best known for the Residence on the hill. In his third professional season he called Pecs, Hungry home where that big city atmosphere with it´s 145,000 people gave him more of a challenge with traffic on the streets. He lived in one of the oldest cities in Hungry and could of learned something new each day with it´s vast amount of sights like the cathedral of St Peter and Paul. Last season he came back to Germany and played for Brose Bamberg. In Bamberg there were only about half as many people living there as in Pecs and he could go have a coffee and piece of cake in one of Germany´s best known old historical part of the city. The American from Maryland has lived in so many amazing places in his basketball career, but none as stunning as the place he calls home this season. The ex Seton Hill(NCAA2) guard is balling for the Towers this season and can call Hamburg home. Of course Bavarians from Munich will argue and say no city in Germany is nicer than their´s, but Hamburg natives can also argue that they are living in one of Germany´s most beautiful cities. Granted Hamburg may have 1,8 million inhabitants, but there are so many area´s in the city where you would never have thought that it is one of the biggest cities in Germany. From the massive harbor, to the beautiful historic architecture like the Michel church to the beautiful Alster Lake that can be that enchanting get away for anyone on a warm summer day. Hamburg is one of those unique cities where your never bored as there are always things to do. Of course now during the annoying COVID-19 crisis, people are limited to doing things, but if you use your imagination, you can always get away and just enjoy the cities finer points like the Speicher Stadt which is the world´s largest warehouse complex. Usually in small towns where you have nothing to do, you can work extra hard and long in the lab on your game, but in places where there is always entertainment, it could be more difficult to focus on basketball. “The city is huge and  the big Alster lake is definitely my favorite spot in the city. There were some great restaurants I’ve been to like Dulls Burger, before everything closed down”, stressed Kameron Taylor. Despite all the Hamburg distractions, Kameron Taylor has been able to lock in, help his team be successful and continue to make strides in his game. This season his personal game focus is to become that complete offensive and defensive player.

                Three years ago the former DeMatha star Kameron Taylor experienced a real Cinderella story like basketball season moving from the Pro B Dragons Rhondorf to the easyCredit BBL team s.Oliver Wurzburg to finish the season under legendary German basketball coach Dirk Bauermann. He rapidly proved that he couldn´t only hold his own against other top players in the BBL, but that he could be that impact player. In the following years he continued to move up the basketball ladder having played in Hungry and last season had his true BBL break out season with Brose Bamberg. Him being a Cinderella story is long reality as currently he is an established BBL player that continues to perform at a high level and continues to develop further. After a successful first full season in the BBL  with Brose Bamberg, the American decided to set up camp in the north of Germany with BBL club Hamburg Towers. So far the decision has panned out as the club has a strong 8-4 record and with head coach Pedro Calles on board, the chances of continued success are good. The BBL regular season began with a bang for the Hamburg Towers as they won their first game at home. It was extra special because Kameron Taylor battled his ex team Bamberg and won. “It’s always nice getting a win against your old club but it was even more nice because we started out season off the right way”, stressed Kameron Taylor. He didn´t have a good shooting day as he shot 3/11, but he did a great job filling the stat sheet something that is as usual for him as it is NBA fans getting on Kyrie Irving´s back about his escapades with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and a block. Plus he got to the free throw line and made his free throws. Every now and then ex NBA players will appear on the court, but Taylor has seen this kind of thing a lot in the BBL, so matching up against a high quality guy like Devon Hall is nothing special anymore. He knows what he is capable of and is just focused on always getting better no matter if it´s an ex NBA player in his face or that hungry NBBL player getting that first shot to shine. “I’m motivated for every game. I continue to improve my game not only because I want to become the best player I possibly can but also because I know guys such as Devon Hall are probably doing the same thing”, warned Kameron Taylor.

            Despite COVID-19 wrecking serious havoc around the world, the German easyCredit BBL is experiencing a very very exciting season. When was Alba Berlin and FC Bayern Munich only in fourth and fifth place?. The top three teams are Ludwigsburg, Crailsheim and Oldenburg who are giving the league an even better name making it more competitive as ever. And lurking in the shadows of Munich and Berlin and ready to pounce on them are the Hamburg Towers currently in sixth place with a solid 8-4 record. The team´s big goal in pre season was to establish the club in the BBL and that is exactly what they are doing. They have that focused attitude of knowing that the season isn´t over now, but know they still have a lot of work to do. They began the season on fire winning six of their first seven games. The biggest win was over Bamberg and the rest were all huge wins mainly because they were against opponents who they had to beat. They established an offensive identity quickly scoring more than 80 points in five of thé six wins. The team has talented scorers and the brutal offense was something that could have been expected. “There is no secret, we play together and we play for each other. Everyone is aware of what they bring to the team and as a team everyone tries to maximize what they bring”, added Kameron Taylor. The club has had a bit of a lull in the last weeks having won only two of it´s last five games. But losing to top teams FC Bayern Munich and the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg can always happen. They celebrated massive wins over pesky Rasta Vechta and top team Crailsheim wining by 17 points. Even good teams have their up and downs. “We aren’t changing anything. We understand that we aren’t perfect, so we go over our mistakes and what we need to work on and continue to work trying to get better individually and as a team”, warned Kameron Taylor. Hamburg next battle the always tough Fraport Skyliners who are coming off a disappointing loss to s.Oliver Wurzburg. They know that even if they can slow down sniper Matt Mobley, that that won´t be a guarantee for success. “Matt Mobley has been playing at a high level. But energy, team defense, and execution are our keys for the game”, said Kameron Taylor. One player Taylor will really be geared up for is BBL identity figure and Fraport Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson. The ex Auburn(NCAA) star is 36 and one has to enjoy every new meeting not knowing when it might be the last encounter on the floor. “I would like to add his experience for sure. Tez is definitely a BBL Legend and just the experience alone I would like to add to my arsenal, knowing he has played and guarded so many different scorers, shooters, and slashers. He probably is prepared for every type of player”, stated Kameron Taylor.

            Kameron Taylor has been a big part of the current Hamburg Towers success, but it´s all about team and the club wouldn´t be where it is now without the support of everyone. One of those guys that has brought great leadership qualities is diminutive California native TJ Shorts who had a brilliant NCAA career at the University of California – Davis. He has been that scorer, creator and defensive spark that every team always wishes from their point guard. “It’s great to see him do well. He one of those guys that gets extra work in after and before practice and it clearly translates to the game. It’s fun being on the court with him because we both are guys that actually like playing defense and accepting the challenge of guarding the better players on the team”, expressed Kameron Taylor. Another player that has been a great addition has been the versatile 30 year old Jordan Swing who has played in countries like Belgium, Australia, Israel and Spain where he averaged double figures in scoring in the ACB with RETAbet Gipuzkoa BC San Sebastian. Just saying that he is only a shooter is an insult. “J swing is not shooter, he is a bucket. He is a tough shot maker. Guarding him in practice is a challenge I love to accept it, because he scores in variety of ways”, expressed Kameron Taylor. Having that game moment of battling against BBL legends like Quantez Robertson and Ricky Paulding only happens a few times per season so enjoying those engagements are mandatory. But luckily he doesn´t have to wait for those few special meetings each season, because he also has a BBL legend with Bryce Taylor on the team that has played with top teams like Alba Berlin and FC Bayern Munich. Having Taylor on the team is an enrichment for everyone. “Honestly the fact that he has been through it all is the best thing not only for me but for the team. He’s been on championship teams and he brings that pedigree/experience we need as a group. He keeps our team focused and prepared not only on the court but helping us learn from real life situations off the court as well”, stressed Kameron Taylor.

            The American who last watched the movie Green Mile has continued to make strides in his game again this season and continues to climb up the basketball ladder. Last season he put up very good stats in his first full BBL season with Bamberg playing 26 BBL games averaging 10.2ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 57.0%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 82.8%, and played 12 BCL games averaging  9.5ppg, 3.8rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 41.2%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 86.2%. Last season he had very talented teammates, probably a bit more than what he has this season with Hamburg, but his game is still consistent with the Hamburg Towers. Besides filling the stat sheet, he has a very special role this season that he didn´t have with Bamberg last season. “I’m one of the older guys so I have to be the one who brings the energy, and to make sure my teammates are in the right places to be successful”, warned Kameron Taylor. He had some big scoring games at the start of the season scoring 19 points in a victory over Wurzburg and 21 points over the Telekom Baskets Bonn, but his game isn´t only about scoring. His scoring has been down in the last weeks, but he has been making up in other areas. “Playmaking has always been one of my favorite things because it’s gets yourself and your teammates going as well. It’s easy to make plays passing to teammates like mine”, said Kameron Taylor. He has been a very good three point shooter the last two seasons shooting 40% in Hungry and last season in the BBL and BCL, but is struggling currently at 26%. He stays positive and knows that if he can get his team going in other areas, then he will have success with his shooting again. “I´m just staying confident and getting my reps up. As long as I continue to positively affect my team I’m happy. The shots will fall”, warned Kameron Taylor. Not only on the offense end is Taylor a force, but also on the defensive end where his athleticism, long hands and intensity gets the Hamburg Towers transition baskets. Having defensive pit bull Max Di Leo as a teammate also is vital in his motivation to continue to get better as a defensive player. “Max is another guy that loves to accept the challenge of defending the best players as well. For me there’s no better feeling and playing with other guys who love to play defense”, commented Kameron Taylor.  Currently he is averaging 12,0ppg, 5,8rpg, 4,0apg and 1,8spg, but knows that despite being that versatile player at both ends of the court, his mission to greatness is a daily grind that he accepts. “As a player I try to improve every year. This year my focus has been trying to be a complete player offensively and defensively. Still have a lot of room to improve”, warned Kameron Taylor. It will be very interesting to see exactly where the journey of the Hamburg Towers will go this season, but with rising BBL coach Pedro Calles at the helm and his Vechta history still very much present, the playoffs could be a very realistic reality in May. If that does happen and the weather is warmer in Hamburg, nobody will get annoyed if Kameron Taylor takes a break from the lab and spends some more extra  time at the Alster lake. He can still work on becoming that complete player at both ends of the court even when he is off the court by scouting players on his lab top while taking in the stunning Alster atmosphere. And if he is in the mood for some exercise, then he can still take a lap around the lake while shifting from the pretty scenery to locking in about basketball in his thoughts

Maik-Kalev Kotsar is a 24 year old 211cm forward from Estonia that is playing his first season in Germany and first with the Hamburg Towers currently averaging 12,6ppg, 6,2rpg, 1,5apg and 1,1spg.. He played at the University of University of South Carolina (NCAA) from 2016-2020 playing a total of 130 NCAA games helping the team reach the NCAA Final 4 in 2017.. In his senior season for the University of University of South Carolina (NCAA) he played 31 games averaging 11.2ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.3apg, 1.5spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 49.8%, FT: 69.0%. Last year he took part at the FIBA World Cup 2019 Qualifiers playing 4 games averaging 8.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.3apg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 46.9%, FT: 62.5%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career. 

Maik thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been despite the whole COVID-19 effecting the world

Thanks for showing interest in me. Currently I am in Hamburg, Germany working out and getting myself in the best possible shape for the season. The summer was full of working out. Because of COVID there really weren’t too many distractions so it was possible to put all the focus on getting better

How have you experienced the whole COVID-19 crisis in Estonia the last months How much did the last 6 months change your life and how much of a challenge was it finding the time and places to be able to stay in shape and be able to work on your game?

It was hard and unusual at first. Once I got to Estonia, I had all the opportunities needed to work out. The people ahead of the Estonian NT put together a ‘Basketball NT home’ where players had the opportunity to work out every day and I used it to its full extent 

How do you feel did COVID-19 make you stronger as a man?

COVID certainly showed how lucky I am to not be in a risk group and it showed me as well as the rest of the world that we all have to work together and be responsible to protect those with an immune system that is weaker and of course the elderly

Congrats on signing with the Hamburg Towers. What have you learned about the German basketball over the years. Was Germany a place you always wanted to play in?

Thank you! I never thought about where in Europe exactly I would play or would like to play. Growing up I always had the dream to play in the NBA and that is the goal that I have been and will continue to keep working towards. I have faced Germany a few times over my career. once or twice at the youth National Team level and once at the National Team level. 

The Hamburg Towers really love your game. What was your impression of head coach Pedro Calles? Did you find out that he is one of the top up and coming coaches in Germany?

One of the reasons of choosing The Hamburg Towers was head coach Pedro Calles. I saw a few of Rasta Vechtas last years games and I liked that he puts a lot of emphasis on the defensive side and I feel like that is where I excel. Overall from my perspective he is a very professional coach who takes his time to learn and study his players and make the whole team run as one unit. 

What was the biggest reason for you to come to the Hamburg Towers? Was them wanting a strong defender one of the real main reasons?

Yes, that was one of the main reasons. As I said before, Pedro was one of the reasons for me to decide to come here but that wasn’t the only reason. I really liked how much professionality I saw from the organization even before signing the contract and after signing it, they have stayed just as professional if not more. Also, I have heard only good things about the city and the fans.

You attended the University of South Carolina Darla Moore school of business. You achieved so much in the classroom being named to the Presidents list, was on the SEC honor roll, was on the honors court and was the University of South Carolina’s Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. Do you see yourself stimulating your brain this season when you have some time or will basketball be 100% on your mind?

I am interested in working on something on the side. Of course basketball is going to be my main priority and I am not going to let anything else distract me from performing my best. That being said, I want to educate myself further on the business side of things and I am also trying to connect with some people to try and bring awareness to mental health and overall the mental side of things for athletes. Overall, I am the type of person who always wants to stay busy and also help people 

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 211cm power forward/center. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

I do not even know who I would compare my game to. I usually just like to be myself and not compare myself to others but just try and be the best that I can be. I’ll leave it up to who you want to compare me to 

Would be fair to say your more of an old school big man? You only attempted 3 three pointers in the NCAA. Is the three pointer a part of your game that you would like to develop further?

Yes, I am working to be more consistent at the 3pt line. In South Carolina being the one to create opportunities for others I really didn’t have many chances to get a catch and shoot 3 but I would say that I am capable of hitting 3 pointers. That is going to be one of my main focuses throughout the season that I want to work on

You have a strong offensive game and are a tenacious defender. What do you feel is your biggest asset on the court?


I think my best asset would be defense, being able to guard forwards that are fast as well as bigs who are really strong. I enjoy having a task given to me and to study the opponent, learn his tendencies and to lock the given person up.

On what area’s of your game did you work on most last summer so you can continue to grow as a player as a professional?

I put the most emphasis on being more agile. To be lighter on my feet on the court. I also worked a lot on footwork and new moves both in the post and facing up 

You played at the University of South Carolina (NCAA) from 2016-2020. Do you sometimes wonder where you might be today had you skipped the NCCA route and turned professional 4 years earlier?

That thought has crossed my mind but I don’t dwell on it. I am extremely thankful for the path that my parents advised me to take and eventually I chose to take. I really value the education I got at the university of South Carolina and the experiences that I received from there were really valuable and something I will remember for the rest of my life 

You reached the NCAA Final 4 as a freshman. You had huge wins over Duke and Florida, but then lost a heartbreaker to Gonzaga 77-73. What memories do you have from this Cinderella run back in 2017?


It was an amazing run. It was a pleasure to see all of the team come together as one unit. How. Everyone sacrificed everything for the good of the team. How the fans went out of their way to come and watch us across the country and supported us until the end.

You started 33 games as a freshman and in the NCAA Final 4 loss you had 3 future NBA players along your side with Thornwell, Dozier and Silva. Did you know then that these 3 guys would go to the NBA?

Seeing what they were like in practice I knew that they were going to make it big. I didn’t know if that was going to be the NBA or somewhere else but I was sure they were going to make it because they were great teammates and they took every day as a chance to get better

You had so many great personal games at South Carolina. You had MIssissippi State’s number having many good games against them or had a 25/11 game against Missouri. What was your favorite personal game for you?

I would say my favorite two games were the last 2 home games, vs Georgia and vs Mississippi state. I was extremely grateful that my family came all the way to South Carolina to support me in person and to win against Georgia in overtime and then against a really good Mississippi State team was truly special.

How did head coach Frank Martin groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?


Frank Martin did a lot for me. He always pushed me to become better and better. He never let me take any shortcuts. He saw that I was committed to getting better and so he pushed me even further every day

Who won a one on one in practice you or Chris Silva?

I’d say it was pretty even most of the time

In 2018 you played a World Cup qualifying game against Germany getting beat badly 86-43. Did it surprise you how poorly they played at the 2019 World Championships?


Yeah that game wasn’t the best for us, our shots were not hitting at all. It was probably one of the hardest games I have played because just a few days before the game I had come back from the US so I remember being extremely jetlagged during the game. But in the end Germany played great against us, and dominated the game until the end so hats off for that. When it comes to Germanys play in the 2019 world championships, yes, I was surprised about it. I knew they were capable of performing better.

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the NCCA or anywhere that went to the NBA?


Probably one of the toughest guys to go against was Grant Williams, he is a really smart player and capable of doing almost anything. He would always take what was given to him. He would always have a counter to my every move and as much as it was hard to go against him, I really enjoyed it and I like to think I gave him a hard time as well

Please list your 5 best teammates of all-time?

In no particular order
Chris Silva
PJ Dozier 
Sindarius Thornwell
Hassani Gravett
Siim-Sander Vene

Please construct your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present players?

Past

Michael Jordan
KAJ
Larry Bird 
Magic

Present

Lebron
KD
Kawhi
Curry

What is your personal opinion between the never ending debate between Michael Jordan and Lebron James concerning who is the greatest of all-time?

I would go for MJ pretty much any day, I just admire the way he was able to take over, his fierce competitiveness and how he always pushed himself and his teammates. That does not mean I don’t respect Lebron. I actually love everything he is doing, how he is an all around player that can do pretty much anything that is asked of him. How he cares for the community and is always active regarding social issues as well

What was the last movie that you saw?


I rewatched interstellar which is also in my top 5 movies 

Thanks Maik for the chat.

                               It´s always a delight when the ambitious German youth programs waltz into Basketball City Mainhatten and in the last week, there had been no lack of it. Last weekend the mighty FC Bayern Munich 2 displayed their talented young players winning a tough and tight 78-73 nail bitter and this week it was Orange Academy that came to do battle with the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. Orange Academy have been developing young talents for years that have continued to move on and play for their easyCredit BBL team ratiopharm Ulm. This season they have been a delight to observe in the Pro B as they are in first place in the Pro B south. With young prospects like Polish guard Igor Milicic, athletic forward Nat Diallo and 16 year old Jacob Ensminger who´s brother Zach has made a steady transition to the Pro A and their father Chris is a BBL legend, the team always have interesting up and coming players to watch. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had their hands full coming into the game in tenth place and sporting only a 2-10 record, but their spirited and more improved game of the last few weeks carried over into the match against Orange Academy as they survived a real nail bitter winning 85-82. After two poor performances where easyCredit BBL license player Len Schoormann scored only two points in the last two games, the 18 year old German guard found his love to the ball again and stroked home 29 points in helping Frankfurt win only their third game of the season. After the 40 minute battle, Fraport Skyliners Juniors head coach Miran Cumurija was delighted about how his boys played. “We really heightened our game in the last week. There was a big change noticeable in how the team played against Munich. We really needed to win a close game. Everybody played well tonight and the team made a huge step. Everybody supported each other and the team executed the game plan”, stressed Miran Cumurija. Orange Academy gave it a massive fight for 40 minutes and last second come back and could have brought the game to overtime on the last shot, but the basketball God was on the side of the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. “I thought that we played solid offense in this game, but what hurt us the most in this game was that we didn´t play transition defense”, stressed Orange Academy guard Igor Milicic.

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had a great start in the first quarter, but how it often it is in basketball games, Orange Academy was able to match Frankfurt´s run and storm back into the game and make it interesting. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors offense started to click rapidly as they broke out to a 11-4 lead. Orange Academy actually got on the board first as 212cm big man Nicholas Bretzel scored inside quickly after only 12 seconds as he showed what kind of an evening the Frankfurt defense would have as he would play havoc in the Frankfurt paint all night long. But Frankfurt then went on a 11-2 run spreading the offense nicely. They tried to get undersized German big man Noah Kamdem into a rhythm quickly and did as he scored twice while athletic German guard Maxi Begue who has heightened his offense in the last weeks also got going as he made two lay in´s including one on transition. Schoormann also contributed to the early onslaught with a transition lay in. Orange Academy was lazy on transition defense and Begue´s early aggressiveness helped spark the Frankfurt offense. Frankfurt continued to keep the offensive pressure on extending their lead to 18-8  as they practiced nice inside out basketball getting a lay in from Schoormann and one from German Jordan Samare while ex Wurzburg guard Philipp Hadenfeldt who has 5 BBL games on his resume drained a trey. But Orange Academy didn´t let up, but closed out the first quarter on a 8-4 run. German forward Nat Diallo who won the Albert Schweitzer tournament came off the bench getting a bucket and lay and then followed that with two more free throws. 17 year old German Jakob Hanzalek also added a basket while Frankfurt got added production from Schoormann who displayed his crazy athleticism with a massive two handed stuff from the baseline. “After a good start, we let up a bit on defense. Our help side wasn´t good and we didn´t communicate well”, said Len Schoormann. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 71% from the field and 50% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 5 turnovers while Orange Academy shot 33% from the field and 0% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

                The second quarter witnessed two runs by the two clubs as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had another superb start and led by as much as 10 points only to see it subside as Orange Academy sped back to trail only by one point at the break. Like in the first quarter, Orange Academy got on the board first as 17 year old 206cm Montenegran Andrija Grbovic nailed a trey to cut the Frankfurt advantage to 22-20. Frankfurt then rushed out on a 8-2 run to extend their lead to 30-22. In the run they allowed it to rain three´s as ex TV Langen forward Leon Pullen and Len Schoormann connected and Noah Kamdem scored a left handed hook shot over Bretzel. Kamdem did a super job all night long on offense not getting taken advantage of Bretzel´s length, but doing a great job scoring. German Marius Stoll made a perfect alley-oop pass to Bretzel who slammed the ball home. Frankfurt kept the lead as they continued to feed Kamdem the ball inside and he executed at a high rate scoring twice. Two time ANGT player Alvin Onyia scored on transition and Schoormann finally found his three point shot again scoring twice. Orange Academy got a three pointer from versatile Nicholas Bretzel and also got 5 points from Igor Milicic who drilled home a trey and scored on a back door cut, but Frankfurt still led 42-32. “Being able to hit a consistent three is all mental. I made a few lay up´s and then I started to hit three´s. I wasn´t thinking about my shot. When I start to think too much is when I start to struggle”, stressed Len Schoormann. It seemed like the Fraport Skyliners Juniors would cruise into half-time with a very comfortable lead, but instead allowed Orange Academy to stage a comeback going on a 11-2 run to trail only 44-43 after 20 minutes. In the Orange Academy run, they were led by German forward Moritz Krimmer who has 8 BBL games on his resume. The German who was a pest the whole night always being in attack mode hit a three pointer and left handed hook shot while 17 year old Polish national player Jeremy Sochan hit a trey, lay in and free throw. “We had problems with 1-1 defense in this quarter. We didn´t help and rotate well. We gave them too many easy baskets”, stated Len Schoormann. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 69% from the field and 63% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 10 turnovers while Orange Academy shot 47% from the field and 38% from the three point line and had 11 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

                The third quarter was a real dog fight as there were six lead changes and no club led by more than five points, but after 30 minutes the guests led by one point. Orange Academy had the better start in the second half going on a 10-3 run to take the52-47 advantage. In the run Orange Academy got more active in the paint and executed the pick and roll over and over as Bretzel scored three times as Frankfurt had absolutely no cure for stopping it. Energy bunny Marius Stoll did a great job always finding him in the right spot. Krimmer and 19 year old German guard Julius Ferber also scored in the paint. But the Fraport Skyliners Juniors didn´t let the paint domination of Orange Academy hinder their focus and motivation as they rallied back going on a slick 8-2 run to recapture the lead 55-54. In the run, Frankfurt was carried again by Len Schoormann who hit four free throws and also made a bullet pass assist to ex Nurnberg guard Matthew Meredith while Hadenfeldt also connected on a jumper. In the run, Frankfurt was carried by Schoormann´s aggressiveness which allowed their self-confidence to rise and they also played better pick and roll defense. Frankfurt held the lead momentarily as ex Hanau forward Calvin Schaum dropped a trey and free throws, but Orange Academy fought back getting the lead back 60-59 with a Latrell Grosskopf lay in as he waltzed to the rim as if he was on a Sunday afternoon stroll through the park. Orange Academy kept the lead 63-62 after three quarters as Grbovic hit another three pointer. “Bretzel really hurt us on the pick and roll. I feel like Noah Kamdem still did a good job on him. It wasn´t easy defending him with his length”, said Len Schoormann. “We came out with more energy. Nicholas Bretzel was key in us staying in the game with his pick and roll game”, added Igor Milicic. Orange Academy shot 47% from the field and 32% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 58% form the field and 46% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

                The Fraport Skyliners Juniors did a good job staying aggressive on offense and building a nine point advantage, but Orange Academy didn´t sink their heads in the sand and staged two come backs and could have brought the game to overtime on the last shot. Once again Orange Academy got on the board first with a Nat Diallo lay in for the 65-62 lead, but Frankfurt was in run mode again scoring nine unanswered points to retake the lead at 71-65. In the run, they spread out their offense again getting two three´s from Schoormann which resulted in a 4 point play and Hadenfeldt while Samare scored in the paint. Schoormann entered the contest shooting 14% from outside and needed some kind of a boost again with his trey. He shot 4/5 from the parking lot and was all smiles after his 29 point game. “I watched a lot of video this week. I wasn´t playing good defense. I saw with the video that I wasn´t doing enough off the ball. I had to be more in love with the ball. I talked more and got more balls which resulted in my shots to fall”, stated Len Schoormann.. Frankfurt also had another good phase on defense stopping Orange Academy´s pick and roll monster Nicholas Bretzel. One couldn´t totally shut down Bretzel as he continued to attack the rim scoring with a lay in and free throw cutting Frankfurt´s lead to 71-68. Frankfurt then found some new offensive daylight going on a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 77-68. In the run, Begue hit another trey and Schoormann made a lay in and free throw. ““Len had a small low in the last games. He had to be more active with the ball. His three finally fell again and I hope it is here to stay”, warned Frankfurt head coach Miran Cumurija. It seemed like Frankfurt was going to pull away again, but basketball proved again that it will always be a game of runs as Orange Academy struck back with a 6-0 run to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 77-74. In the guests run, it was the seemingly one man wrecking crew of Nicholas Bretzel who made an offensive rebound and put back and then sunk another trey. However Frankfurt didn´t lay down, but continued to execute on offense getting a clutch Hadenfeldt three and Kamdem lay in for the 83-77 advantage with one minute to go. Orange Academy did make it exciting one last time getting a vital trey from Grbovic again and a Sochan lay in to cut the Frankfurt lead to 83-82. Hadenfeldt then contributed two free throws to ice the win at 85-82. “The first eight minutes were strong for us. We were able to kick out the ball more which allowed us to make the three´s”, added Len Schoormann. “Schoormann made tough shots. We didn´t think he was capable of that. That changed the game for them”, said Igor Milicic. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Len Schoormann with 29 points. Noah Kamdem added 14 points while Philipp Hadenfeldt had 10 points while Orange Academy was led by Nicholas Bretzel with 23 points while Jeremy Sochan and Igor Milicic chipped in with 10 points  apiece. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 56% from the field and 48% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 20 turnovers while Orange Academy shot 44% from the field and 33% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

It seems like it was yesterday when Trae Bell-Haynes was playing for the Fraport Skyliners, but at closer glance it has been 2 years. He lasted only 4 and half months in Frankfurt before finishing the season in the G-League, but he also missed a month in Frankfurt with an injury. He was playing his first time overseas and at times it was difficult trying to convince Gordon Herbert that he could play an abundance of minutes on a team that had many good players. But the Canadian showed his basketball class rue colors in many games including a game against Braunschweig in late November 2018. Frankfurt was having their problems with Braunschweig until mid way through the second quarter when they exploded on a 19-3 run. Key in the run was rookie Trae Bell-Haynes who carried the team with 10 points. He scored four buckets in the paint with his unstoppable drives that has put him in the category with ex Skyliner greats Dashaun Wood and Jordan Theodore as guys that scored the most effective using this method. “My penetration is my all. I have worked and used it all my life. I am a small guard and always have to find ways to score. My game is made a lot easier when you have to respect guys like Eric Murphy with the pick and pop and Brady Heslip with the catch and shoot”, warned Trae Bell-Haynes after the  82-77 victory. I wasn´t the only one who noticed the incredible and dominating penetration of the Canadian, but so did his head coach Gordon Herbert. I talked to the x Fraport Skyliners head coach recently who is coaching in Russia this season and he agreed with me. “Trae can get to the rim as fast as Jordan Theodore can. Theodore and Bell Haynes are the two best penetrators that I have seen”, stressed Gordon Herbert. His penetration has continued to be the bread and butter of the Canadian who is tearing up the easyCredit BBL at the moment third in the league in scoring and first in assists. He continues to not only be in attack mode at all times when going to the basket, but also in improving his biggest strength. “I feel that I will continue to become a better penetrator as soon as I continue to become a better three point shooter. When teams respect my penetration, it will also allow me to pass the ball more. And as I become a better shooter, then teams will also respect me there more and let me to do more with my game”, warned Trae Bell Haynes. The Canadian is in his third professional season and with some grooming in Frankfurt and Helsinki has taken off in the easyCredit BBL.

         Bell-Haynes was born on September 5^th, 1995 in Toronto, Canada and began his basketball career at Bill Crothers secondary school and as a senior was captain and led his team to a 36-6 record and led the team in scoring and assists averaging 18,7ppg and 7,6apg and was named MVP of the Ontario Prep Championships tournament. He then played at the University of Vermont from 2014-2018 playing a total of 140 NCAA games. In his freshman season he averaged 8.4ppg, 2.6rpg, 3.5apg, FGP: 47.7%, 3PT: 60.0%, FT: 78.9% and was named to the AEC all rookie team. He scored in double figures in 10 games including a 21 point effort in a win over New Hampshire. In his second season, he took on a larger role and led the team in scoring averaging 12.2ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 39.4%, FT: 79.9%. He earned All-American East Third Team honors, and also reached the All-Tournament Team . He scored in double figures in 21 games and had some massive games against Niagara pouring in 28 points in the 85-67 win and scored 27 points in the 90-72 victory over Maine. In his junior season, he averaged 11.2ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 72.7%. In his junior year he helped lead his team to a  29-6 overall record and perfect 16-0 record in conference play and had a fascinating 21 game winning streak. He was named America East player of the year and was named to the all conference team and he topped off the season winning the AEC tournament. He scored in double figures in 16 games including scoring 23 and 22 points against Vermont and had 20 points in a loss against UMBC. He remembers one strange game beating Lyndon State 79-20. “We always had that 1 game each season where we played against a lower team. It was a weird game. As a competitor, you always want to win, but really winning like that is no fun. The game was good for our younger players getting more minutes. This was definitely one of the more forgettable games”, said Trae Bell-Haynes.

 As a senior he averaged 14.6ppg, 4.2rpg, 4.0apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 73.7% and was named American East player of the year for a second straight year. Only 2 other Vermont players had achieved that with Taylor Coppenrath and Marqus Blakely who both also have played overseas. He scored in double figures in 26 games and had  unforgettable personal games against Dartmouth and Umass-Lowell scoring 27 points in each game. He also scored 21 points a piece in wins over Maine, Albany and Binghamton. He had a lot of good memories at Vermont, but one was most special. “Playing at March Madness was my fondest moment. We lost in the first round against Purdue by 8 points. It is every guys dream to play there. Just seeing the atmosphere there is great. We were the underdog and I remember the fans of Iowa State cheering for us who played after us. That was an amazing thing to see”, stated Trae Bell-Haynes. Another game that he won´t forget was the first of his senior year as he and Vermont took power house Kentucky to the brink, but lost 73-69. In that game, he battled against future NBA players like Kevin Knox, PJ Washington Hamidou Diallo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The American held his own dropping 16 points. “I´ll never forget the atmosphere at Kentucky. It was one of the nicest arena´s that I ever played in. I remember going into the game not expecting much. But as the game kept going, I slowly really believed that I and my team belonged on the court with them. I feel the same today when Crailsheim is on the court with an Alba Berlin or Munich, I know that I belong. Ever since that Kentucky game, I always feel like I belong and deserve to be on the court with any team I play against”, warned Trae Bell-Haynes. He also won´t forget dueling against future NBA player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who was teammates with German national player Dennis Schroeder in Oklahoma City. “I remember him being the least talented of their recruits. He was a tough and solid player and a few months later when he was playing well, I wasn´t surprised at all. I am proud that I gave him a hard time on the court and he couldn´t have his way with us”, remembered Trae Bell-Haynes. The Canadian who remembers beating his old high school and college buddy Steffan Smith a lot in 1-1 games is very thankful for having been able to fine tune his game for the pro´s under head coach John Becker. “He was all about discipline and hard work. He always pushed us and really had his head on defense. He made sure we defended well. He is a big reason for my success as a professional player”, expressed Trae Bell-Haynes.

Before turning professional with the Fraport Skyliners, he was able to get a taste of the NBA Summer League with the Milwaukee Bucks playing 5 games averaging  5.6ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 61.5%. “It was nice to be able to work out with guys who had NBA experience. A couple of times the bucks head coach came to our practices and was able to give us advice and talk to us”, remembered Trae Bell-Haynes.  He then joined the Fraport Skyliners. There he was able to play in 2 competitions with the: Eurocup averaging 8.1ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.7apg, 2FGP: 49.1%, 3FGP: 43.8%, FT: 69.6%, and in the easyCredit BBL he averaged 6.1ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.6apg, 2FGP: 49.1%, 3FGP: 20.0%, FT: 90.3%, It isn´t always simple for a rookie coming over to make the adjustment from college to the easyCredit BBL and the Canadian had some early growing pains. “My wake up call was that the college success I had wasn´t just going to roll over into my professional career. I learned that in order to be successful, I had to work twice as hard. I had to build myself up and I realized that whatever I had done in the past wouldn´t help me in Frankfurt”, warned Trae Bell-Haynes. In the EasyCredit BBL, he scored in double figures in 5 games and in Eurocup he also scored in double figures 5 times including 22 points in a loss against Unicaja. In the BBL, his best games occurred against Braunschweig with 17 points and he had 16 points in a brutal 91-90 loss against Giessen. His best play came in a 5 week period in November and December when he was a starter. “My confidence rose in those 5 weeks. Being able to work together with high level guys like Quantez Robertson and Shawn Huff and seeing their work ethic really helped my game. Ever since I played in Frankfurt, I always focus on being a hard worker the way Tez Robertson was”, stressed Trae Bell-Haynes. Coaches have always played a huge role in the career of the Canadian and it wasn´t any different with ex Fraport Skyliner head coach Gordon Herbert. It helped his stay in Frankfurt that he already came in with a very high basketball IQ. “I couldn´t have come to a better situation in Frankfurt. He always kept a very high standard. He set the bar very high and it never dropped. I hadn´t been used to that kind of coaching. I had to catch up with everything very quickly, but once I did, everything worked out for the best for me”, stated Trae Bell-Haynes. After his Frankfurt gig, he then found a new challenge in the G-League with the Wisconsin Herd averaging 6.7ppg, 1.9rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 69.2%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 71.4%. “That was pretty tough. I used this time more for my rehab. I came to a team that had no chance for the playoffs. Guys were waiting for the season to end. I am grateful that I could get back on the court and get minutes, but at the same time the atmosphere was different to what I was used to”, said Trae Bell-Haynes. He scored in double figures twice scoring 12 points in loses against Long Island and Iowa. He was fortunate to have ex NBA player Xavier Munford who he calls a close friend today as one who showed him the ropes. “We were roommates. I always try to soak up as much as possible from high level players like him. We went to the gym a few times to play 1-1. I´ll never forget how competitive he was. He was always challenging guys to 1-1 games. He was very serious and was a high level competitor”, expressed Trae Bell-Haynes. He finished out the season that summer playing with the Niagara River Lions (CEBL) averaging 12.4ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.7apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 58.1%, 3PT: 29.0%, FT: 78.4%. he scored in double figures in 12 games and had a 21 point and 20 point games in wins over Saskatchewan R.

Last season the Canadian who calls Caleb Swanigan of the Portland Trailblazers as his toughest opponent in the NCAA played in Finland with the Helsinki Seagulls (Korisliiga) playing 36 games averaging 12.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 4.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 59.1%, 3PT: 34.1%, FT: 86.8%. He won his first professional title winning the 2020 cup. Being able to win that first professional chip is one that he will never forget. “I made the right decision going to Finland. I was lucky to be teammates with Shawn Huff again. I remember that cup final as being very intense. The game went to overtime and I played against my current Crailsheim teammates . Jamuni Mcnease and Tim Coleman. I still trash talk with them to this day. I keep telling them that my team was the best. We won the only title, because the playoffs were cancelled because of COVID-19”, said Trae Bell-Haynes. He also was very fortunate to have a very experienced veteran in Richard Williams who played in many leagues in Germany including the BBL. He was able to take something very important from Williams game and add to his. “His poise stood out the most. I was able to play more composed. He never got rattled and was always under control and played at his pace”, remembered Trae Bell-Haynes. In Finland he scored in double figures in 25 games including a 26 point game in a win over Kobrat, 23 points in a victory over Kauhajoki, and 22 points in a victory over KTP Basket. He finished the season in Canada during COVID-19 for Niagara River Lions (CEBL) playing 6 games: averaging 16.2ppg), 3.3rpg,4.2apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 60.5%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 88.2%. “Plaiyng in the CEBL helped me a lot to expand my game. I helped my team win and was able to develop further”, said Trae Bell-Haynes. He scored 23 points against Edmonton and Hamilton. He also has had the pleasure of playing for the Canadian national team back in 2018 scoring 5 points in 11 minutes in a loss against Chile and in 2020 played against the Dominican Republic registering 9 points and 6 points in 2 wins. “Playing with the national team has been a very cool experience. “Being around veterans and learning from them has been very important for my development. I was lucky to be around a guy like Phil Scrubb and try to steal as much as I can from his game. Another guy I looked up to has been Melvin Ejim who took me under his wing”, stated Trae Bell-Haynes.

2020 has been a difficult time for everyone and like so many other players, Trae Bell-Haynes who last watched the movie Troy experienced a lot during COVID-19 on and off the court. Like so many other players he was able to spend extra time with the family something that he wouldn´t have been able had corona not struck. He didn´t touch a ball in the first month and a half. It was the first time in a very long time that he didn´t play, but he used that time wisely. “I used the time to decompose from basketball. I watched a lot of film. Two months later I found a facility where I could play and my friend Kassius Robertson and I worked out there every day. I then played in the CEBL league. It was tough ending the season early in Finland, but overall it gave me time to get better as a player”, stressed Trae Bell-Haynes. He didn´t only get better on the court, but also got better as a man off the court. “I learned that with COVID-19 I had to roll with the punches and become more flexible. That helped me deal with the circumstances that I didn´t want to be in, but I used them to better myself”, said Trae Bell-Haynes. The Canadian who lists Jordan, Lebron, Kobe and Shaq on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore signed with the HAKRO Merlins for the 2020-2021 season. After a year away from the easyCredit BBL, he is overjoyed to be back and doesn´t see a big adjustment from the big city Frankfurt to the small city Crailsheim. Unfortunately he got hurt early with Frankfurt and had to go. It is different living in the big city and now in a smaller one, but at the end of the day it is the same just going to the gym and doing your job and then going home. “In Frankfurt I was focused on the job and didn´t let any of the outside distractions get in the way. Tuomas is similar to Gordie with the intensity and experience. Both wanted 100% all the time. So really there isn´t much change for me”, stressed Trae Bell Haynes. Crailsheim has started off very well in the easyCredit BBL currently at 11-2 and is a team that many teams will have to watch out for. “I think that as the year goes on, we will be known as a team that outworks other teams. We don´t have the biggest budget, but will always play hard for 40 minutes. We make up for what we lack with how hard we play”, warned Trae Bell-Haynes. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo is a coach that has made a name for himself in Germany and gets the full respect from his players. “He knows how to get the best out of each player. When I arrived, he knew exactly on what skills of mine we had to focus on. He took 2-3 of my skills and it has made me more effective on offense. He makes sure we always work hard and he motivates us to always give 100%, added Trae Bell-Haynes. He has a very good bond to his teammates and expects ex NBA player Haywood Highsmith to become an impact player and has been very impressed with American Jeremy Jones. “I appreciate Haywood´s versatility. We have had some injuries and he has been able to slip into multiple roles and be effective. He didn´t score so much in the first games, but he did a very good job against Bamberg´s scorer Devon Hall. He is the type of player that will do whatever job the team needs. I had seen Coleman and McNeace last season in Finland, but never had seen Jeremy Jones. He has never played in Germany. I remember how hard the adjustment was for me in the BBL as a rookie. Jeremy came in and has done exactly what coach has said. He has stood out the most for me”, said Trae Bell-Haynes.

The Canadian who lists his 5 best teammates of all-time as Shawn Huff, Brady Heslip, Fabian Bleck, Kurt Steigel and Elijah Stewart is a pass first 188cm point guard that is currently third ins coring at 19,2ppg and first in assists with 8.2apg, but also knows when to score has tried to play like the legendary French player Tony Parker. “The way I get into the paint and use ball screens resembles Tony Parker. I would like to say I play like a Damian Lillard, but that is going a bit far. I just try to be myself. People know how I play and the hard work that I put in. I really don´t like people putting expectations on me”, stressed Trae Bell-Haynes. He has torn up the easyCredit BBL like no other player in many years and credits his current success to his Finish coach Tuomas Iisalo. “Coach has been a big reason for success. He has put me in the right situation and put a lot of confidence in me. He has given me freedom and responsibility. He has let me be myself and given me the green light. His confidence in me gives me more confidence”, warned Trae Bell-Haynes. Of course having a similar system in Finland last season and just having that extra season to grow as a player has also been vital for his current success in Germany. “Having the same system has helped me. I was able to step into the offense here and already knew the reads and looks which gave me a leg up on the league and I didn´t have to learn anything new. My season in Finland helped me build added confidence. In Frankfurt I had more of a limited role and in Finland, I had a bigger role. The smaller league in Finland helped me grow to where I am now. I had a lot of confidence coming back to Germany”, warned Trae Bell-Haynes. Another big strength is his ability to draw fouls. Getting to the free throw line above 10 times isn´t anything uncommon for him these days. “I think that it has to do with experience. I know better where my spots are and I´m always in attack mode. I also think that the more minutes I have and the more I have the ball will increase my trips to the foul line”, added Trae Bell-Haynes. If the HAKRO Merlins want to continue to be successful, then the leadership qualities of the Canadian will also play a giant role which he credits as being his second biggest strength after his penetration. “I feel my leadership has taken huge steps since Frankfurt. I know when my team is playing bad that I have to keep the club calm and steady the ship and just be an extension of the coach”, warned Trae Bell-Haynes. He is still very young and still has a very long career ahead of him. His ex coach Gordon Herbert stressed recently that the Canadian could reach a very high level in Europe, if he continues to improve his defense, strength and three pointer. “I feel that I have taken steps on defense. I´m more locked in and am not taking plays off which is the key. I´m getting more in the gym taking shots, but I still have a ton of work to do. I´m also more in the weight room getting stronger. I spent a lot of time in the weight room during COVID-19. I feel like I have taken steps forward, but I´m never content. I still have a long way to go”, warned Trae Bell-Haynes. He has come a long way in 2 years and is a lot better now than when he was with the Fraport Skyliners. “I´m better now because of the confidence I got in Frankfurt. There wasn´t much expected of me in Frankfurt, but now with Crailsheim, the expectations on myself are high. I hold a high standard and the confidence I have built over the last few years has made me better”, stressed Trae Bell-Haynes. The sky continues to be the limit for Trae Bell-Haynes and it will be interesting to see how his second season continues to develop as his high self confidence will be key for him being the possible 2021 MVP of the easyCredit BBL.

DJ Woodmore is a 28 year old 190cm point guard that is playing his first season with the EPG Baskets Koblenz. Last season with Morgenstern BIS Basket Speyer (Germany-ProB) he played 21 games averaging 15.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT-2 (50.0%), FT: 87.3%. In 2018-2019 13.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 60.2%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 71.6% in the Regionalliga. In his first two seasons with Speyer he averaged 14.5ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 40.1%, FT: 72.1% and 17.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 76.4%. he played at Virginia Wesleyan College (NCAA3): from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 31 games averaging 20.1ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 50.3% (219/435), 3Pts: 46.0% (91/198), FT: 76.9% (93/121). Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and DJ Woodmore team up each week to talk basketball.

TheEPG Baskets Koblenz suffered a tough 90-82 loss against TSV Oberaching Tropics. The guests had the overwhelming 49-43 lead at the break. 49 was way too much to have given up. What was giving the team the biggest problems on the defensive end in the first 20 minutes?

I thought we didn’t defend well at all in the first half and the third quarter as well. They were doing a good job of penetrating and getting into the paint, and when we collapsed, they kicked it out and made the right plays. 

You had to play catch up basketball the whole night. How tough was it doing this conserving energy and what lessons do you think did the team learn from this catch up game you were playing? 

I think we learned that we can’t dig ourselves in a hole at all. Yeah I think we’re talented enough and experienced enough to make a comeback, but once we give a team confidence, it’s hard to take that away. 

The EPG Baskets Koblenz were in the game at the end with a few minutes to go down 85-82. But then sharp shooter Janosch Koegler hit a brutal three pointer deciding the game. Was there serious fatigue with the team at that point?

I think we had a few guys that were tired, some guys had to play a lot of minutes because of the injuries, but we have to find a way to get that much needed stop, regardless of the situation. It was a big shot off of a broken play, so you have to give them credit. But they beat us on 50/50 balls the entire game. and it finally came back to hurt us. 

How tough was sitting out and watching? What kind of discoveries did you make watching your team something you wouldn’t necessarily have seen had you been in uniform? 

Extremely tough to watch and know that you can’t do anything to help except be as vocal as possible. I thought we showed a lot of fight in the final quarter but it was just too little too late. I always think there are some areas we can improve on, but sometimes you don’t see it as clearly from the court as you do from the bench. We’ll talk about them this week, and get ready to try again next weekend. 

Zaire Thompson had a huge game with 14/8/6 stats. What strides did he make in this game? 

Z has always been capable of this kind of performance. He’s also had to sacrifice a lot of his offensive game because of the depth of our roster, but we knew he would step up when it was needed. He’s shown it all season. 

On what area’s will the team be working on most this week?. It lost the rebound battle and allowed 90 points

Defense forsake. I think Oberhaching did a lot of really good things this weekend. But at the end of the day, I feel like we shouldn’t be giving up 90+ points to any team. And they were able to do it twice. 

Next weekend Orange Academy arrive in Koblenz. You lost the first game by 23 on the road. What will be key in splitting the season series?

I think we just have to go out there and play with pride. I think our team should take the first loss personaly and want to do everything possible to get even with them. We need to hit them first and keep hitting for 40 minutes. 

When do you expect to be back in action and what are you doing to get back?

I’m hoping to be back this weekend for the Orange Academy game, but I’m not sure. Physio treatments and rehab have been going well so far so we’ll see. I’ll try to ease my way into practice this week and go from there.

James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant on a team. Will this work?

I think they have a chance to win a lot of games, butIi think their lack of depth and size at the big position will hurt them in the playoffs. We’ll see how they stack up against some the top teams in the Western conference.

Thanks DJ for the chat.

                After a tough start to the season where the Fraport Skyliners had to play a number of the top BBL teams, they have slowly come into their own and are beating the teams that they have to. In the last weeks they beat teams like Chemnitz, Bayreuth, Braunschweig, MBC and BG Goettingen all teams that they had to beat to keep competitive in a very exciting league this season. They could of even had one more win more, but threw away a victory in Giessen. The Fraport Skyliners met s.Oliver Wurzburg sporting a 5-6 record while their Bavarian opponent had a unsatisfying 3-7 record, but last weekend had beat the Telekom Baskets Bonn 89-77 and had a spec of self-confidence as did the Fraport Skyliners. It was one of those games where one of the best players Matt Mobley took a step back and watched two ex Pro B players Cameron Hunt and Rasheed Moore steal the show as they exploded and combined for 46 points, but Hunt had the last laugh as he helped carry s.Oliver Wurzburg to a much deserved 80-72 victory. “Moore is very powerful inside., His big strength is his outside shot. He is tough, versatile and a tough cover”, stated Cameron Hunt. “Hunt is a quick guard that hit tough shots. When he gets going and attacks the rim, he is hard to stop. It is nice seeing guys from low levels succeed. I always root for the low level guys”, stated Rasheed Moore  It was a game that was even in the first half and a game in the second half that gave both teams runs, but it was Wurzburg that had the last run that decided the game. S.Oliver Wurzburg head coach Denis Wucherer had the same stern expression on his face despite having a big win, but one could see that he was very proud of his boys. “The team showed today that when you have the right heart, chemistry, attitude and energy, that you can come away with a win. Today we gave a very good answer”, stressed Denis Wucherer. The Fraport Skyliners played a solid game, but when it mattered most in crunch-time were unable to execute on offense or get the needed stops. “We didn´t play with the necessary physical energy in the second half. We had problems on the offensive glass and it hurt that we didn´t have Kessens. It was one of those days where not everyone was clicking and we didn´t have guys step up when we needed it”, stressed Fraport Skyliner forward Rasheed Moore.  “We played together despite missing some guys. One of our goals was to win the rebound battle and we did. Our German guys and bench really stepped it up”, stressed Wurzburg guard Cameron Hunt.

                The first quarter was a tight battle that saw both clubs share the lead, but no team led by more than 4 points. S.Oliver Wurzburg got the rapid 5-2 lead as German Felix Hoffmann connected on a trey and ex Weber State(NCAA) center Brekkot Chapman scored on a lay in after getting the perfect feed from American Tyson Ward. Ward who balled at North Dakota State University (NCAA) came back and hit a trey from the corner extending the guests lead to 8-4. Frankfurt got some key baskets from ex Vechta center Michael Kessens and ex Davidson)NCAA) guard Jon Axel Gundmundsson to dead lock the game at 8-8. Frankfurt continued to work for good shots and gained the 14-10 advantage as Gundmundsson nailed a trey and ex Miami(NCAA) center Kamari Murphy hauled in a bullet pass from Quantez Robertson for the easy lay in. At the 2,15 minute mark, American second year man Cameron Hunt was inserted. He quickly took over the reigns of the Wurzburg offense and led it on a 7-3 run to end the first quarter tied at 17-17. The American who tore up the NAIA averaging 31,5ppg as a senior at Southwestern College, KS (NAIA) was involved in the last three Wurzburg scores. He hit free throws, then made the extra pass for a Koch trey and then hit a tough turn around shot to end the first quarter. “The first quarter was a feeling out process. After a while both teams found each other out”, stressed Cameron Hunt.

            The second quarter continued to be a very tight affair as no teams could get away from each other as no team led by more than 3 points. In the first minutes, it was Gundmundsson and Hunt that carried their teams. The Iceland national player connected for 5 points as he made a coast to coast lay in and dropped a trey from the wing while Hunt connected on a three pointer and then displayed his amazing first step scoring with his left hand and giving Wurzburg the 26-22 advantage. There had been no real runs in the contest until now where the Fraport Skyliners found some offensive daylight and went on a 7-0 run to capture the lead back at 29-26. In the run the 2004 BBL champion got important support from guard Joe Rahon and Quantez Robertson who scored in the paint and Gundmundsson nailed another trey as his calmness behind the parking lot was mesmerizing. Despite Frankfurt having an offensive rhythm, they continued to have little break downs on defense that allowed Wurzburg to still be able to peak their heads through the back door. A Chapman 20 footer and another Hunt trey tied the game at 31-31. Wurzburg was able to go into the break with the narrow 38-35 advantage, Wurzburg did a fine job spreading the ball around as Ward made a lay in in traffic, Koch showed that his quickness is underrated scoring with his left hand on a lay in and Chapman hit free throws. Hunt was a big help for Wurzburg as his key offense continued to carry the team. “I just took what the defense gave me. When I had open looks, I took them. I knew that we needed a spark”, said Cameron Hunt.

            In the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners broke free and led by as much as 11 points, but allowed s.Oliver Wurzburg to hang around as they came back and trailed only 59-58 after 30 minutes. The Fraport Skyliners didn´t waste anytime to make a change in the tight game by cruising on a lethal 16-2 run to take the 51-40 lead. In the run, it was the domination of Rasheed Moore who got on fire as he scored 11 points. He hit two three pointers,scored in inside and got to the free throw line. Mobley also added a three pointer as the Fraport Skyliners moved the ball better and forced the guests to tough shots. “This was a good career day for me. I didn´t play that well in the first half and wanted to be more aggressive in the second half. My teammates told me to shoot the ball more which helped me get into a rhythm”, stated Rasheed Moore. But just as quickly as Frankfurt got a double digit lead, they also lost it again as s.Oliver Wurzburg took their run out scoring Frankfurt 18-8 to trail only 59 -58. In the run the guests did a good job taking advantage of Michael Kessens having had to leave the game because of injury getting the ball more to Chapman who scored. But Wurzburg also showcased their offensive versatility as they let it rain getting three pointers from Koch and Hunt. Hunt was also on fire in this run scoring 7 points including a floater. “We also had been down in Bonn and were able to come back. So we knew that it was all about sticking together. We knew that it was still a long game and it was a game of runs and we would come back”, said Cameron Hunt.

            The first five minutes of the fourth quarter remained a dog fight, but as crunch-time approached s.Oliver Wurzburg made the last punch of the game and decided the game with a game ending 13-6 run to win their second game in a row. S.Oliver Wurzburg kept their offensive pressure on keeping the lead as they got a bank shot trey from Julius Albus and Cameron Hunt showed twice how well he can pick between finishing and finding his teammates as he fed young German center Jonas Weitzel for two easy lay ins. Rasheed Moore continued to execute and keep Frankfurt close with another three pointer and lay in to trail only 67-66. S.Oliver Wurzburg then went on their run as German Florian Koch was huge making a lay in and 15 footer while the Wurzburg defense forced a turnover and Gundmundsson shot an air ball as Frankfurt trailed 71-66. Wurzburg continued to defend hard and got two more stops which led to a Chapman lay in taking advantage of Frankfurt´s small ball and young German Joshua Obiesie hit a trey for the 76-66 Wurzburg lead with little time remaining. It didn´t help Frankfurt´s cuase that they couldn´t get to the free throw line on a consistent basis. Wurzburg did a great job not letting Frankfurt top scorer Matt Mobley get shots. “We really needed to get him the ball more. He didn´t have a great game, but all a scorer like that needs is to see the ball go in once. That can help him get on a roll. Once he gets going, it opens up everything for us”, stated Rasheed Moore. After Mobley hit a free throw, Wurzburg then slammed the door shut on Frankfurt with a Ward lay in and Chapman free throws for the 80-67 lead. Gundmundsson closed out the game with five consecutive points, but it was too late too little. “We saw Frankfurt go small so we gave Chapman the ball more. On defense we did all the little things and everyone was talking”, stated Cameron Hunt. “They hit big shots and their offensive rebounds killed us”, said Rasheed Moore. S.Oliver Wurzburg was led by Cameron Hunt with 23 points and 7 dimes, Brekkot Chapman had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Florian Koch added 14 points while the Fraport Skyliners were led by Rasheed Moore with 23 points and Jon Axel Gundmundsson had 21 points. S.Oliver Wurzburg shot 46% from the field and 36% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 45% from the field and 39% from outside and had 27 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

In the last 10 days the Fraport Skyliners Juniors have had an abundance of meeting Bavarian clubs. Last week the Frankfurt club had to battle the TSV Oberaching Tropics twice within 72 hours. They displayed their best performance of the season winning 99-76 where they had five guys score in double figures and they cleaned up on the boards easily and coughed up the ball only 10 times. However in the return showdown in Bavaria, the TSV Oberaching Tropics were able to get revenge winning 84-68 as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were unable to take advantage of the 21 Oberaching turnovers. A new Bavarian team came to Frankfurt with FC Bayern Munich 2 who had a slow start this season, but have been playing inspired basketball in the last weeks having won four of their last six games. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors sought revenge after losing the first contest in Munich 87-51 where the Bavarian club shot very well from the parking lot and forced Frankfurt to 25 turnovers, but this time the contest wasn´t so one sided as Frankfurt was in the game from start to end, but made some little mistakes at the end and had to suffer four free throws from Jason George who iced the 78-73 victory for FC Bayern Munich 2. After the win FC Bayern Munich 2 head coach Andreas Wagner had that relieved look on his face as his team had finally won a crunch time game after losing a few too many this season. “We were streaky in the first half and didn´t play transition defense. In the second half we played better transition defense and took away their easy baskets. Key at the end was our defensive intensity and better ball movement that helped us secure the win”, stressed FC Bayern Munich 2 head coach Andreas Wagner. Frankfurt played a well rounded and spirited game, but just couldn´t make the right plays at the end.” I felt that we played a good first half. We started well and had good energy. I also felt that we had a good start to the second half, but we then lost our flow in the last five minutes. At the end we made easy mistakes that cost us the win”, stated Fraport Skyliners Juniors guard Mathew Meredith.

                Both teams had their offenses rolling right out of the gate as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors got two baskets from undersized but powerful Noah Kamdem who scored twice while FC Bayern Munich 2 was carried by 17 year old German 199cm forward Michael Rataj who was active in the paint scoring twice tying the game at 4-4. Frankfurt would keep the slight 7-6 lead as German Maxi Begue who has played 4 BBL games and Jason George who has 3 played 3 BBL games traded baskets. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors then cranked out a 9-2 run to get the overwhelming 16-8 advantage. In the run Frankfurt got vital baskets from Begue, German Jordan Samare who has played one BBL game and a trey from ex Wurzburg guard Philipp Hadenfeldt. Frankfurt did a good job getting transition baskets and on defense contained Munich top scorer Jason George. However not only Frankfurt had run on their mind as FC Bayern Munich 2 escaped out of their funk reeling in a 8-0 run to deadlock the game at 16-16. In the run the Bavarian team did a good job being aggressive and scoring in the paint getting baskets from 18 year old 204cm center Mohamed Sillah from Sierra Leone, 16 year old German Christian Skladanowski and Rataj. Frankfurt did keep the lead in the last minute getting baskets from Meredith and 2017 JBBL finalist Calvin Schaum. Jason George hit a buzzer beater ending the first quarter, but FC Bayern Munich trailed Frankfurt 21-18. “I thought that we defended well and did a good job on Jason George. We let up a bit at the end allowing them to come back”, stressed Matthew Meredith. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 46% from the field and 25% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 5 turnovers while FC Bayern Munich 2 shot 39% from the field and 0% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors picked up their offense in the second quarter and led by as much as 11 points, but let up a bit at the end and led only 40-35 at half-time. Joshua Bonga who turned 16 four days ago got Frankfurt on the board first sneaking inside and fishing an offensive rebound and making the put back for the 23-18 Frankfurt advantage. Frankfurt kept the lead getting a big basket from 17 year German center Alexander Richardson and a tap in From Meredith who had gotten the offensive rebound for the 28-22 Frankfurt lead. But FC Bayern Munich 2 stayed in the game by Austrian guard Erol Ersek who always had an answer making a jumper and trey to shave the Frankfurt lead down to 28-25. Ersek finished the game with 24 points and carried the guests all night long. “I have known him for years. He is a good shooter and hits big shots. He has made good steps with FC Bayern Munich, but it is hard to establish one´s self on a team like that”, stressed Matthew Meredith. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors then went on a huge 12-4 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 40-29. In the run it was Meredith who had the hot hand contributing 7 points. Defensive specialist Maxi Begue who has had some offensive off nights this season was spot on hitting a trey testing his 23% three point percentage and also displayed his crazy athleticism making a beautiful acrobatic lay in. FC Bayern Munich 2 had defensive lapses and continued to have difficulty getting back on transition defense while on offense bad shot selection cursed their offensive production. But Frankfurt lost some intensity in the last minutes and couldn´t keep the big lead letting up a costly 6-0 run. In the run, Munich began with a three pointer form Jason George which was strengthened by solid ball movement and Skladanowski scored inside getting the perfect back door pass from 2019 NBBL champion Luis Wolf. “Munich is a good team and fought back well. I was in the flow and sometimes everything goes in”, said Matthew Meredith. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 42% from the field and 30% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 9 turnovers while FC Bayern Munich 2 shot 41% from the field and 28% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

In the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners Juniors once again were able to lead by as much as 10 points quickly, but once again allowed FC Bayern Munich 2 to sneak back into the game and get the lead 59-58 after 30 minutes. Frankfurt began well stopping the Bavarian team on their first three possessions and forced two turnovers while on offense were rewarded by a transition basket by Jordan Samare and a trey from Calvin Schaum. But Frankfurt experienced another down phase not being able to mange their lead, but instead relinquished a brutal 12-0 run to FC Bayern Munich giving the guests the 47-45 lead. In the run FC Bayern Munich got big baskets from Jason George, 20 year old German Lukas Zerner, five points from Michael Rataj and another clutch trey from Erol Ersek. The guests heightened their aggressiveness on defense as Frankfurt totally lost their rhythm on offense. FC Bayern Munich shared the ball better and improved their shot selection. Frankfurt recovered from the big Munich run and got some added vital baskets from Noah Kamdem and Maxi Begue who made a thunderous dunk after being helped by the ref´s back as the loose ball bounced to him having a break away to the hoop with no Munich defenders in sight giving Frankfurt the 53-47 advantage. FC Bayern Munich fought back getting baskets from Ersek and Rataj to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 53-51. Both teams would trade baskets in the last minutes as Frankfurt was aided by a Hadenfeldt trey and Kamdem lay in while the guests got three´s from their top two players George and Ersek. Ersek then made a lay in at the buzzer for the Munich lead. “It was a back and forth game. Nobody could get away from the other. I felt that we felt good defense, but they hit tough shots. We took good shots”, said Matthew Meredith. FC Bayern Munich 2 shot 51% from the field and 43% from the parking lot and had 22 rebounds and 17 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 46% from the field and 33% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

                The fourth quarter was a dog fight where FC Bayern Munich had the better nerves and in the crucial crunch-time got to the free throw line while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors couldn´t execute on the offensive end. Frankfurt got on the board first as ex TV Langen forward Leon Pullen made a terrific pass out of the double team finding Hadenfeldt for the easy bucket and 60-59 lead. As usual the dangerous and always aggressive Erol Ersek sunk another three pointer, but Kamdem struck back using his physicality inside and dead locking the contest at 62-62. Munich would take the lead three times in a row only for Frankfurt to tie the game each time. Mohamed Sillah had been contained well in the first half as he only made one basket, but in this phase he was the focus of the Munich offense scoring four consecutive baskets. He scored each time inside as Noah Kamdem wasn´t able to contain him. On Sillah´s fourth basket, FC Bayern Munich led 70-66 and they would never look back. “We did a good job on him in the first half, but we just couldn´t stop him in the second half”, stated Matthew Meredith.  Begue continued to have the hot hand drilling home a three pointer to cut Munich´s lead to 70-69, but as usual it was Ersek again who once again came up with a massive three pointer for the 72-69 lead. 16 year German Sebastian Hartman who made his Pro B debut made a huge basket for the 74-69 lead. Frankfurt then got a stop and got four free throws from Hadenfeldt to cut Munich´s lead to 74-73 with 53 seconds to play. But Frankfurt was unable to get the lead back as Jason George sealed the win with four free throws while Alvin Oniya made a turnover. “We were a bit more clever at the end. I also have to give a huge compliment on our young players today with Rataj, Skladanowski and Hartmann who helped us very much”, stated Andreas Wagner. “Turnovers cost us at the end and we didn´t play as a team. We also didn´t play our plays to the end playing pick and roll and seeing what will happen”, stated Matthew Meredith. FC Bayern Munich were led by Erol Ersek with 24 points. Jason George added 21 points while Michael Rataj added 11 points and Mohamed Sillah had 10 points and 7 rebounds while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Maxi Begue with 17 points. Matthew Meredith and Philipp Hadenfeldt added 12 points a piece. FC Bayern Munich 2 shot 48% from the field and 39% from outside and had 28 rebounds and 20 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 47% from the field and 30% from outside and had 30 rebounds and 20 turnovers.

A little more than a year ago Cameron Hunt from Duncansville, Texas who never disliked a basket during his amazing and decorated NAIA career at Southwestern College, KS  averaging 27,0ppg in his last two seasons and 31,0ppg as a senior played a game against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors in Frankfurt in his rookie season and played in front of about 70 people. After a slow start his team TG s.Oliver Wurzburg stormed back in the third quarter deciding the contest with a ruthless 33 point onslaught winning after 40 minutes 99-67. It was another normal day at the office for Hunt who scored 28 points and dished out 7 dimes. There were two stretches in the game where the American showed how anyone could call him Mr scoring in bunches as he scored three buckets in a row. In the first quarter he started with a with a pull up jumper, then whipped out a left handed lay in and finished with a step back jumper showing exactly how much he had in his offensive arsenal. He then proceeded to do it again in the third quarter showing Frankfurt that he could score in so many different ways. He finished his rookie season leading the Pro B in scoring with 21.7ppg, 4.9rpg, 4.4apg, 1.7spg, Blocks-3 (1.2bpg), FGP: 60.4%, 3PT: 41.2%, FT: 88.2%. He picked up so many awards, he could easily have decorated his grandmother´s living room mantle with Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Player of the Year -20, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Guard of the Year -20, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Defensive Player of the Year -20, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B 1st Team -20, and Eurobasket.com German 2.Bundesliga Pro B All-Imports Team -20 awards. Last season Hunt had had the luxury of being able to practice with the easyCredit BBL team s.Oliver Wurzburg. Manager Kresimir Loncar knew all too well how good the American was lauding his versatility and basketball IQ not to mention his sniper qualities. Last summer the team signed him to an unbelievable three year contract something you seldom see in the BBL and even less for an unproven BBL player who had only dominated at the Pro B level. The decision to sign him has paid off as he has had absolutely no sophomore blues. A little more than a year later Hunt returns to Frankfurt, but not to play in the Skyliners practice gym like last season, but to play in the Fraport arena that can house 5,000 patrons. The arena is bigger, the players more skilled now, and the play more physical, but he has held his own averaging 10,9ppg, 2,0rpg and 2,3apg. Basketball life surely has changed, but despite these hard times, he is staying focused and concentrating on basketball. “Not much is going on as all I really do is practice and go home. Which I’m thankful for during these crazy times”. Stressed Cameron Hunt.

                It hasn´t been an easy season for s.Oliver Wurzburg as they have a 4-7 record coming into the game against the Fraport Skyliners. They lost five of their first 7 games, but have been playing more spirited ball as of late having a 2-2 record. “This year has been full of ups and downs. We have dropped many close games as our record could be the complete opposite right now. There is a long season ahead of us so we are pretty optimistic”, stressed Cameron Hunt. The club has been solid on the offensive end averaging 78 points per game, but have had their woes on the defensive end allowing 84 points per game. They have had a few good defensive games where there were signs of an indentity, but overall they are giving up way too many points allowing 80 points or more in nine games. “I think it all starts in practice. Making it a habit to make every possession count so when it comes to the game we are locked in”, warned Cameron Hunt. Last season the club had the luxury of having the amazing American guard trio of Cameron Wells, Jordan Hulls and Skyler Bowlin who produced consistently on offense, but also gave the defensive end that extra energy for 40 minutes. This season the club has a number of guys averaging in double figures, but no one is averaging more than 11,0ppg. One has to wonder if the club sometimes is lacking that true genuine scorer that can decide a game at any moment. “I feel with this team it is best if we all chip in how we can. I do feel everyone can add in a little more and I believe we can. We are down a couple guys so many guys will have to step up for the next few games”, added Cameron Hunt. They will have their hands full with the very much improved Fraport Skyliners who have rebounded fantastically after starting slow 1-4, have come back and won five of the last 7 games. But despite playing on the road and not being the favorite on paper, Wurzburg aren´t lacking confidence after winning against the Telekom Baskets Bonn. “With us down a few import players and losing both of our big men to injuries I think the most important thing to us will be playing physical. What we lack in size right now has to be made up in other areas. We did it against Bonn so now we have to do it against Frankfurt”, warned Cameron Hunt.

                Last season Cameron Hunt had some special teammates in the Pro B having the versatile Lithuanian Rytis Pipris and many many young Germans who he still has this season as they have double licenses to play Pro B and BBL like guards Nils Hassfuerter and Joshua Obiese. But this season he has teammates that are simply a lot more skilled then the guys he called teammates last season. He knows what it is like being a rookie and can relate to what American Tyson ward is going through. The two time Summit League tournament winner with North Dakota State University (NCAA) is putting up solid stats in the BBL as he is getting a grip on the style averaging 9,4ppg, 3,5rpg and 2,4apg. “I feel for this to be his rookie year I feel he is adjusting well to European play. He has a lot to learn but I feel he can have a long successful career”, said Cameron Hunt. Sometimes cruel things happen on the court that absolutely no one is ever expecting, but brutal injuries are a part of the game. In the last game against the Telekom Baskets Bonn ex Yale Ivy league champion Justin Sears suffered a tough ACL injury and being a witness of something like that will sit in a guy´s head for a long time. “The Justin injury was hard to watch and it’s still hard to think about right now. He was probably the most valuable player at the moment so his presence will be missed. I also have never witnessed anything like that live”, warned Cameron Hunt. Every once in a while, a club is blessed having that true veteran on the squad where not only the young bucks can profit from, but even older guys. In the last years, s.Oliver Wurzburg had the services of Croatian Kresimir Loncar who made a huge impact on the players. It isn´t any different with German 34 year old Alex King who helped the Opel Skyliners win the 2004 BBL title at age 19. “Alex has been a great addition for the team and also a great mentor for me. He is a very positive guy which I feel I can take from him. With him being a true veteran I always ask him questions since he has been around the league for so long”, expressed Cameron Hunt.

                The last movie that he watched was “This Is Not The End” began the season slow averaging 6,0ppg and 13 minutes per game, but has picked it up in the last six games scoring in double figures in five games. In the last six games he is averaging 15,0ppg in 22 minutes time. Even if he is always thinking about how he can get better with his game and how he needs to translate it over into games, the number one focus is always getting that next win. “I´m still not where I want to be as a player in this league but as of late. I am seeing improvements in myself. I have a long way to go. I feel I’m slowly figuring things out but I’m still not where I want to be individually. All that matters to me right now is figuring out how to beat Frankfurt”, stressed Cameron Hunt. He doesn´t only shine on the offensive end, but is also a very capable defender. He likes how NBA player D´Angello Russell is always looking to make the right play. It isn´t any different with the Texas native and has improved his lock in mentality from his rookie season. “I feel now that I’m aware what I’m capable of doing on the defensive end I can be even more locked in on defense. I still have some mess ups here and there but that’s basketball”, stated Cameron Hunt.. At the end of last season he made better reads and this season he has done a fine job getting adjusted to the easyCredit BBL physicality. “I’m slowly adapting to the physicality. Once I do that I feel I will be a great player in this league”, warned Cameron Hunt. He has the same kind of self-confidence that ex Wurzburg player Kameron Taylor did. Kameron Taylor like Hunt came from the Pro B to the BBL with Wurzburg three years ago and since has made himself into a very good BBL player. Perhaps Hunt can follow in the footsteps of Taylor and become an established easyCredit BBL player. It´s the same first name, but only a different first letter. Perhaps this is all good enough for a good future omen? “He is definitely motivation for sure. Seeing where he came from let me know there is light at the end of the tunnel. I also know he is a great guy. Hopefully I can follow in his path and even do a little more”, said Cameron Hunt. Hunt does know that he still has a lot of ground to cover with his game. “As of right now it’s knowing when to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive. I feel I’m slowly understanding that game by game”, stressed Cameron Hunt. He also knows that it isn´t only about working and grinding his butt of until it falls off, but that having that head coach who stands behind him and guides him the way German Denis Wucherer does is vital. “Dennis has a great understanding of my capabilities and strengths but he is also teaching me how to use them to make others better as well. Which I’m grateful for so in return I want to help him win some ball games”, warned Cameron Hunt. The season already has felt like an eternity with all the COVID-19 drama around each day, so at times he just has to get away. But he isn´t necessarily tuning into the NBA now. “I personally don’t like the NBA right now without a packed house of fans but this is how it is. Sports are for the fans as well”, added Cameron Hunt. One team to watch closely are the Brooklyn Nets, because that whole atmosphere there is like a basketball soap opera ready to explode with Kevin Durant and Kyre Irving who already has been asked by Stephen Smith to retire. Some people like Hunt are optimistic about the Nets being successful even if his answer was a day before James Harden arrived. “I feel they can. I think it’s all about kyrie Irving locking in on the season”, stressed Cameron Hunt. Even if the James Harden signing won´t wet his NBA interest, all isn´t lost yet. He could still go to Alex King and ask for some special exclusive stories about Dirk Nowitzki. He definately won´t be disappointed.