Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Basketball journalist and play by play commentator

Kierell Green Found Out That He Had A Niche For Rebounding At A High Level Playing For NBA Champion Cliff Levingston

Kierell Green (203-C-1997, college: Edinboro) is a 26 year old 203cm forward from Washington DC playing his second professional season andcurrently with DNA Bima Perkasa Jogja (Indonesia-IBL). Last season he played with the Kokomo Bobkats (TBL) averaging 6.7ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 19.0%, FT: 86.8% and with Bali United (Indonesia-IBL) averaging 16.8ppg, 14.3rpg, 1.9apg, 1.3spg, 1.5bpg, 2FGP: 50.3%, 3FGP: 23.3%, FT: 58.1%. He began his basketball career at Integrated Design & Electronics Academy. He then played 2 seasons and 36 NCAA games with Niagara. He then finished at Edinboro University (NCAA2) averaging 16.2ppg, 11.2rpg, 1.2apg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 20.7%, FT: 45.8% and in his second season averaged 14.3ppg, 8.9rpg, 1.6apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 41.7%, 3PT: 30.7%, FT: 75.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Kierell for talking to germanhoops.com. Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 203cm center. To what NBA player would you compare your game to or what comparisons have you heard from people?

I played center in Indonesia. I’m more of a forward wing. NBA comparison would be Robert Covington, Shawn Marion. 3 and D, bringing that extra push to the team.

You’re an undersized big man. Your listed as a center on eurobasket.com, but can play the 3 position. What is your natural position?

One thing I pride myself on is dominating my role whatever it is. I was chosen as a center for Bali united. I’m versatile I can do a bit of everything.

You can fill the stat sheet with ease and are a Swiss army knife. Has versatility always been a big part of your game?

I was always taught to play the game the way it is was supposed to be played. Get to the right spots, play with energy and the rest will take care of itself. Yes I’ve always been able to guard multiple positions and shoot the 3 ball.

You’re an excellent rebounder and also have a high Iq. What other strengths does your game incorporate?

I pride myself for my defense.

Your also an ambitious defender. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of defender do you still want to become?

I can guard a team´s best player. Use my length to make shots tough. I wish to become better at defense just like any other part of my game.

On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?

My body is my main point of focus and and my overall skills being able to shoot, dribble and pass better.

You played your rookie season with Bali United (Indonesia-IBL) averaging 16.8ppg, 14.3rpg, 1.9apg, 1.3spg, 1.5bpg, 2FGP: 50.3%, 3FGP: 23.3%, FT: 58.1%. What was your wake up call to being in Asia where you knew that you were far away from home?

My first wake up call was being in the air for 24 hours that was more than enough, but the culture in Bali is really amazing and I loved every moment of it.

You really dominated in Indonesia and had some monster games eclipsing 20 rebounds. What was your coolest experience on and off the court?

I had a game with almost a triple double. I was 2 assists off with 20 points 19 rebounds and 8 assists. That was a cool experience. Off the court at the beginning of the season we went to the holy temple and prayed under the waterfall it was a great experience. 10/10 recommendation if you go to Bali.

You had your first pro experience with the Kokomo Bobkats (TBL) averaging 6.7ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 19.0%, FT: 86.8%. What kind of an experience was that playing with guys that are playing for their stats and living the basketball dream? What did you learn about yourself?

Well my situation at Kokomo was very different than the average semiprofessional experience. I played under Cliff Levingston NBA champion. The team chemistry was perfect we glued together and didn’t worry about stats more worried about winning a championship. I learned that I could play at the professional level and that I had a niche in rebounding the ball at a high level.

You were 4 years at Niagara (NCAA), but played only 2 seasons and 34 games. How tough were these years? What positives could you take from it?

Those years were tough because I wasn’t playing as much as I would like but it was great for my development as a person and player.

You then finished at Edinboro (NCAA2). Despite taking a step back, you made 2 steps forward. How vital was it playing division 2 ball for your further basketball development?

Those two years were needed for my confidence and development as a player. I appreciate the opportunity to go there and be the no.1 option and play through my mistakes.

You had many big games, but mostly in losing causes. What was your fondest moment on the court there?

My best memory was playing with all my teammates. We never turned our back on each other even with us losing majority of the games. We still are connected to this day.

How did head coach Patrick Clearly groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

Coach Pat gave me an opportunity that was valuable to my development as he allowed me to be a leader of a team and play basketball with no leash around my neck.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Terrence Moore?

Of course I won those match ups. Terrence Moore is a very crafty forward out of Philadelphia Pennsylvania. I loved to play against him everyday in practice.

Who was the greatest player that you ever faced on the court that reached the NBA?

I’ve played against Nick Claxton. I wouldnt say the greatest player but definitely Naji Marshall we grew up together. Great player in my opinion will have a long NBA career.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Khalil Dukes

Matt Scott

Jarion Henry

Jamorko Pickett

James Towns

Honorable mention

Derek Hawthorne

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Lebron James

Michael Jordan

Kevin Durant

Magic Johnson

Wilt Chamberlain

Honorable mention

Shaq O’Neal

Who is your GOAT?

Lebron James has done a lot in the NBA it’s hard to put anyone over him.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

I didn’t see it so idk but I’ll give it a watch.

Thanks Kierall for the chat.

Top ENBL Player Dashawn Davis(Fyllingen BBK) Is Happy He Can Play Free And Not Be On A Leash Like He Was In The NCAA

Dashawn Davis (188-G, college: MSU) is a 188cm guard playing his rookie season overseas with Fyllingen BBK (Norway-BLNO). He began his basketball career at Our Savior Lutheran High School. He then played 2 seasons at Trinity Valley Community College (JUCO) averaging 21.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 6.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 73.5% and 17,7ppg, 6.5rpg, 9.6apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 73.0%. He then played a season at Oregon State University (NCAA) averaging 10.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 5.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 17.4%, FT: 65.5% and then added 2 more years at Mississippi State University (NCAA) averaging 8.9ppg, 1.9rpg, 3.5apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 41.6%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 76.5% and 6.6ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 41.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 70.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a ENBL game against Bamberg.

Thanks Dashawn for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your rookie season with Fyllingen BBK (Norway-BLNO). What kind of an experience has it been for you and what have you enjoyed most about it?

My experience in Norway has been cool and it’s been kind of an easy adjustment because everybody speaks English and the people are friendly. I enjoyed my teammates the most here

What was your wake up call to being a rookie in Norway where you knew that you were far away from home?

When I had to cook for myself everyday after practice

Fyllingen BBK (Norway-BLNO) is playing a great season in the BLNO league. It is in first place. What has been the secret to the success?

Just playing harder and more together then everybody else

How refreshing is it for you to be a walking bucket in 2 competitions. In the NCAA you didn´t average more than 10,0ppg in a season.

It feels good to play more free and be let off the leash and I feel like I got my rhythm and confidence back although I still got a lot to improve on

You are the point guard, but do you have the keys to the team? Your teammate Bouna N´Diaye is also averaging an incredible 26,0ppg in the BLNO.

Yes it’s me and bouna team, everybody else feeds of our energy and we lead the way

What is it like sharing the court with Bouna N´Diaye? How do you guys compliment each other best?

It’s amazing. He’s a great veteran player, I draw a lot of attention and he is a knock down shooter so all I got do is find him. He makes my life easier

You scored 40 points in a BNLO game and 36 points in a ENBL game, but lost both games by 2 points. Which loss was tougher?

The enbl loss was tougher. The enbl games is what I care about most,especially if a player has a good contract on a great team in a good league. I take those matchups personally because I belong on that level

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 188cm point guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

I would compare myself to Fred van fleet, I can play one or 2, score floaters pull-up, strong guard can defend

You’re a guy that fills the stats sheet well. What would you name as your biggest strength on the court?

Biggest strength on the court is playmaking

You were a solid three point shooter in the NCAA. How do you see the current development of your three? What do you have to do to bring that to the next level?

Just to shoot more threes, I can get by people so easy I try not to settle

Your also a very ambitious defender. Where would you rate your defensive game at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?

I would rate my defense8/10 I can definitely improve on off ball defense. I get caught watching the ball a lot

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?

Shooting threes off the dribble

You began your college career at Trinity Valley Community College (JUCO) averaging 21.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 6.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 73.5% and 17.7ppg, 6.5rpg, 9.6apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 73.0%. Every guy that I have interviewed has said that JUCO was a real grind, but an experience they wouldn´t have missed for anything. How was it for you?

I loved juco it was rough but it made me appreciate the things I got now, as far as basketball my coach helped me develop and gave me confidence to be the player that I am today

How important was Mark Leslie for your early development at Trinity Valley? How did he steer you best forward?

Coach Mark Leslie was the coach who developed me, he believed me more than I did myself, gave me the keys, let me learn through mistakes and held me accountable

You played a season at Oregon State University (NCAA) averaging 10.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 5.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 17.4%, FT: 65.5%. What kind of an experience was that? You seemed best prepared coming from JUCO.

It was great playing against great competition in the pac 12, great crowds, great arenas and great coaches

You exploded for 31 points in a tough 94-91 loss to USC. What memories will you always have of that game?

That I scored 21 straight points for my team

You played 2 more years at Mississippi State University (NCAA) averaging 8.9ppg, 1.9rpg, 3.5apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 41.6%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 76.5% and 6.6ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 41.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 70.2%. Your minutes sunk a bit in your last season. What kind of an experience was your last 2 years at Mississippi?

It was great coach Jan’s who taught me how to win at a high level. I also played against great coaches and great players and unbelievable crowds

How did Chris Jans groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

He just taught me how to win, how to work, how to prepare for games, and how to operate when things get tough

Who won a 1-1 in practice you of Josh Hubbard?

We used to go at it in practice, he’s amazing offensively so it sharpened up my defense

Who is the toughest player that you faced that went to the NBA?

The toughest player was Benedict Mathurin or Rob Dillingham

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Trevon Fuller, Posh Alexander, Cameron Mathew’s, Tuon gatkek. and Jayquan Sanders

What is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?

Kobe, Steph, Lebron. Allen Iverson

Who is your GOAT?

My goat is Kobe

Thanks Dashawn for the chat.

Two Way Player Rivaldo Soares(Telekom Baskets Bonn) Wants To Contribute With His Competitive Nature

Rivaldo Soares (198-G-1999, college: Oklahoma) is a 198cm guard from Boston playing his rookie season in Germany with the easyCredit BBL team Telekom Baskets Bonn currently averaging 3,9ppg and 2,6rpg in the easycredit BBL.. He began his basketball career at the O´Bryant School of Math and Science. He then played 2 seasons at South Plains College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.7% and in his second season averaged 15.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 71.8%. He then played 2 seasons with the University of Oregon (NCAA) averaging 4.7ppg, 2.7rpg and 7.2ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 83.1%. He finished his NCAA career at the The University of Oklahoma (NCAA) averaging 9.4ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 69.5%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 80.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Rivaldo for talking to germanhoops.com. How blessed are you to be overseas?

I am in a state of gratitude. Feeling blessed to have this opportunity because people where I come from and my demographic don’t get these opportunities. Basketball has always been a part of my life and I feel like as long as I don’t cheat the game it will continue to treat me as it has my whole career. There are ups and downs but I am just grateful to have this opportunity

Roel Moors brought you to Bonn. What did you appreciate about his basketball philosophy right away?

I appreciated coach Moers approach because he didn’t sell me a dream. He didn’t cut corners or sugar coat anything. He was honest in the process and gave me a blueprint of how he envisioned me as a player.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 198cm forward that can fill the stat sheet at ease. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

I see myself as a two way player that can impact the game in many ways. I can see myself being a Paul George like player who can make tough shots. I also see myself being productive and doing things that don´t always show up in the stat sheet like Josh Hart.

You showed your scoring in JUCO, but in the NCAA never averaged more than 9,0ppg. How would you describe your scoring development in the last years. What are your biggest strengths?

The NCAA is a different system. If you look at it, I never got the same volume of shots as I did in JUCO. I think it’s part of the reason why coach Moers recruited me. I played a role in the NCAA and it was different from the one I had at my JUCO. My ability to play hard, guard, rebound, and play make are reasons I stayed on the floor. When the opportunity presented itself I was able to become that scorer in the later part of the season last year averaging just over 15 in my last 17 games or so.

You had some up and down three point shooting years, but last season as a senior you shot 39%. How confident do you feel like you can continue to let your three point shooting percentage grow overseas?

I have nothing but confidence in my shot. I put a lot of things aside last year and just focused on basketball. I stayed in the gym and my shot was as comfortable as ever.

You’re a very strong defender that can defend 1-4. What kind of a defender would you call yourself now and what kind of a defender would you like to be in a few years?

I know I can guard but to play in a physical league I know I’ll need to get even better. I actually don’t know what type of defender to call myself. Defense has just been embedded in me. It’s just my competitive nature.

On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?

Even the greats are always working on their game. I want to improve everything from on the court to the weight room even down to nutrition. I want to get better at everything so I don’t have a weakness.

You played your first 2 years of college ball at South Plains College (JUCO) averaging 15.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.7% and 15.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 71.8%. Every guy that I have interviewed that played Juco have said that JUCO was tough, but an experience they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?

I would say the same thing. It was in the trenches for two years. It also helped me grow as a man. My first time living outside the city of Boston, MA. It forced me to grow up faster than some kids out of high school would. Being coached by a Hall of Fame coach like Steve Green was also an honor and helped my development drastically. He emphasized winning to us everyday. No one´s looking if you aren’t winning.

How vital was head coach Steve Green in your 2 years at South Plains? How did he help shape your game in those 2 years?

Hall of Famer. I owe him a lot. hard nosed coach but let us play our game. I come to a loss for words when describing what he means to me because without him tracking a chance on me I don’t know if I could say I’d be in the same position I am in right now.

You then played 2 seasons at the University of Oregon reaching the NIT Sweet 16 and Elite 8. You had to suffer a tough 3 point loss to Wisconsin. Is that one of those games that you will never forget?

I’ll never forget it because we had been winning majority of the game if I remember correctly. I had been guarding the kid who hit the shot all game and unfortunately I wasn’t on him for that shot. I had been playing well in the NIT getting my career high a game or two before that and just wished my season continued. Especially knowing now that that would be my last season as a duck.

Your minutes rose almost to 10 minutes in your second season at Oregon. How did your game grow under the legendary head coach Dana Altman?

It honestly started in the film room. There was so much attention to detail that I had never really expected. The scouting reports were so specific and it taught me to watch film and focus on opponents tendencies. He trusted me to guard the opponent´s best players

You finished at The University of Oklahoma (NCAA): averaging 9.4ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 69.5%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 80.4%. How important was it going to Oklahoma? You finished out your NCAA career strong in the last 2 months being a real consistent scorer.

Going to Oklahoma just gave me a fresh restart with a coach that was willing to trust me in any situation. When our team got hurt towards the end of the season it just called for another role from me and it was to put the ball in the hoop. As efficient as I was, coach Moser just gave me more opportunity and poured confidence into me. It felt good having the offensive impact I had. like I had said before I just cleared my mind and forced on what I could control.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jalon Moore?

There weren’t too many one on ones with Jalon. We just competed a lot of live segments. Being close in size we were always one anothers matchup. He´s a strong wing who is very athletic so you always have to know where he is. even when he’s on defense. He got me better as I got him better. but I got this one.

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

No one gave me fits like Will Richardson. Just a high IQ player who doesn’t look it but is wiry strong and knows how to use his body to create space. 3 level scorer with a good handle and could make tough shots.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Will Richardson teammate at Oregon

Jermaine Coousinard teammate at Oregon

Noah Fernandes who I played with in AAU

Tre Mitchell who I played AAU with

Myron Gardner South plains Teammate

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?

Lebron, Kobe, Michael, Shaq

Who is your GOAT?

Lebron James

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America movie? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

They should have left it alone HAHAH.

Thanks Rivaldo for the chat.

Vincent Bailey(Randers Cimbria Basketball) Wins First Title In Denmark In Year 10 But Still Remembers His Vechta Days As If It Was Yesterday

Vincent Bailey (201-C/F-1991, college: LMU, agency: BIG) is a 33 year old 198cm forward from Port St Lucie, Florida playing his 10th professional season and first with Randers Cimbria Basketball (Denmark-BasketLigaen) He has played in many countries including Germany, France, Belgium, Morocco, Luxemburg, Peru, Switzerland and Iceland. He spoke to germanhoops.com recently about winning the cup in Denmark and his basketball career.

Thanks Vinnie for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?

Hey Miles, nice to hear from you. Basketball life is good, no complaints. Enjoying grinding with a hungry team in Randers Denmark.

Our first interview was in June 2014. How many have we done do you think including this one?

Honestly not sure, probably about 3 or 4 now.

This is our fifth interview. I last interviewed you in 2021 prior to the season and you were playing a exhibition game in Germany in Rostock. Has time flown by for you since then?

Time definitely has flown by! Once you hit that 30 mark it moves at rapid speeds lol.

That season you played for Team FOG Naestved (Denmark-BasketLigaen). This season your in Denmark again. Has Denmark become like a second home for you? Granted you did play some years in Switzerland, but what is so special about Denmark?

To continue playing the game I love and being closer to my significant other was important to me at this stage of my career. Denmark is actually home away from home now.

How did you experience that season? You were one of the oldest together with Palo Bubu. Did you guys have the keys to the team?

It was a challenging season, I really enjoyed playing with Bubu Palo. I got a chance to catch up with him in France last season when I returned to continue playing for Pays Salonis Basket.

You have experienced a lot in the last seasons including sitting out a season. Did you lose love for the game? What did you do in the 2022-2023 season?

I took time to enjoy my family, being away from home long periods of time got very difficult for me. It was a much needed year off for me personally. It also gave me and my wife time to establish our life in Denmark. I coached a bit and also worked on some other ventures I´m very passionate about.

What made you come back in 2023 to come overseas again? Did you have the itch to play again?

Firstly, I live now in Denmark. My wife is Danish, so I was still around I got that itch to come back to the grind, the passion was still there and I felt I had more to give before I hung them completely up.

In the 2023-2024 season you played with Pays Salonais Basket 13 (France-NM2). How tough was that season playing in the fourth league in France? You had never played in such a low league before?

It was a season I enjoyed very much. Coach Sebatian helped me get my legs back under me after not competing a whole year. Loved the team and community there, one of my favorite experiences in Europe actually excluding the level.

How did you experience that season? What did you learn about yourself and the game?

We came up one game away from moving the team up to NM1, lost against Metz in the final 4. I learned I still loved the game and I wasn´t ready to give it up so easily. I also learned that the south of France is one of my favorite places in Europe.

This season your playing with Randers Cimbria Basketball (Denmark-BasketLigaen) and are playing first division basketball again. How blessed are you to be playing at a high level again?

Very fortunate. But staying at this level was not my reasoning for sitting 22-23 season. I had opportunities, but sometimes life hits and you have to slow down and focus on other things that are important to you as a person.

You recently not only won your first pro chip, but also the first in that organizations history. Do you still feel like your on cloud 9?

It was a great team accomplishment. It’s been good playing for coach jeff and Randers. Finding that love for the game again is always a blessing. But we have other goals in mind so we are focused and moving forward to the next mission.

From the celebration pictures, it shows like everyone was very very happy. You had won 2 SAC titles. What does this title mean to you? To what would you compare it to?

Only 2 SAC? I have 3 rings lol but this title means a lot being my first one in Europe. I´m happy I came back to compete this season.

Talk a little about that cup win? What is so special about this season´s team?

The Cup win was amazing, like any team we’ve had our challenges throughout this season to help us grow as a team. We stick together through adversity. We are a unit, we want each other to win and we grind each day to push each other towards our goals.

Randers is holding strong this season currently in 5th place at 12-6. Your ex team Naestved and Svendborg are at the top. Do you guys have what it takes to make another run

Let’s find out, lots of basketball to be played.

You already beat Naestved by 18 points and you had a 9/5/3 game. How valuable was that win for the confidence level of the team?

We treat each game the same, with the same mentality. Our confidence is built in training the days before the game.

The team has a lot of skilled Americans including Marquis Addison. How thrilling is it being his teammate and what do you appreciate most about his game?

It’s dope to be on the same team as Marquis. We actually played in the 2014 D2 Reeses All American game together coming out of college and a few games against each other in Swiss, so it´s cool being teammates rather than opponents this go round.

Your only averaging 16,9 minutes per game, but averaging 8/3/1 stats. What kind of a role do you have this season?

I have more of a vet/leader role. Come in and effect winning, whether it be on offense or defense.

Was it a tough adjustment averaging up to 15 minutes less than in previous seasons?

Most definitely.

How valuable is it for you now being efficient? You are showing no problems of it?

I´m never one to be a cancer to a team, I’ll contribute any way the coach sees fit. But it’s definitely been a huge adjustment for me considering I’ve always been a starter playing 25+ mins in my career. But I´m good with how we are working as a team.

You played your rookie season in Germany in Vechta. Do you ever come back to visit? Do you have a favorite place in Germany besides Vechta?

I haven´t been back to Vechta in years! But love the community and basketball fans there. Me and my wife visit the Hamburg Christmas market every year with a small drive from Denmark to Germany. So I have to say Hamburg is my favorite place in Germany so far.

Many of your former Vechta teammates are retired, but Kevin Smit is still playing born in 1991 like you? Who do you think will hang it up first you or him?

Haha, great question. I loved playing with Kev, he is a go getter. I see me probably hanging them up before him.

Thanks Vincent for the chat

Allin Blunt´s Football Back Round Helps His Attacking The Rim And Rebounding Work Under The Basket

Allin Blunt (201-F-1999, college: UMass Lowell) is a 25 year old 201cm forward from Washington DC who has 2 years of professional experience under his belt. He played this season with the EPG Guardians Koblenz avergaing 7,5ppg, 3,4rpg and 1,8apg. Last season he played with the Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 4.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.1spg; and in Jan.’24 moved to Kordall Steelers Rodange (Luxembourg-LBBL) averaging 16.2ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 67.7%. He began his basketball career with Gonzaga College high school and then played at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell (NCAA) from 2018-2023 playing a total of 146 NCAA games. In his last 2 seasons he averaged 11.6ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 32.0%, FT: 68.7% and 10.6ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 50.5%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 84.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Allin for talking to germanhoops.com. Did you ever seek advice from ex assistant coach Louis Hinnant about overseas ball? He played in Europe including Germany.

Coach Lou has been a big part of me getting to the point I’m at today. I talk to him often and I still workout with him. He’s been nothing but influential in my basketball journey and that’s since my senior year of high school, I can’t thank him enough.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 201cm forward. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

Jalen Williams of the OKC Thunder. Just his ability to score at all 3 levels and then he defends 1-4 also.

You are an undersized forward, but a guy that can do it all. Would you call yourself a modern day big man?

No, I wouldn’t say I’m a modern day big. I’m just a bigger guard I can play 2-4 on the offensive end and guard those same positions as well. I’m your do it all type of guy.

How much does your football backround help you with going to those places where it hurts in the zone?

It helps a lot especially when attacking the rim and rebounding being aggressive and not shying away from contact, my football background definitely helps with that.

Your also a very good three point shooter. Where would you rate your three point development at the moment?

I’m always working on my 3pt shot, it’s a big part of my game. Being able to stretch the floor is something that is very valuable in today’s game so being consistent with my shot is a big thing for me.

What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?

I’m definitely a versatile defender I can guard 1-4 and then using my advantages depending on my matchup. Guarding smaller guards just using my length and size to alter shots and then with bigger guys using my speed to take up space and putting pressure on them.

On what areas of your game are you working on most at the moment so you can continue to climb the basketball ladder?

At the moment my cardio and ball handling are what Im working on the most. Then just getting up a lot of shots and keeping my mechanics on point.

You played your rookie season with the Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 4.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.1spg; Cup: 2 games: 6.5ppg, 3.0rpg, in Jan.’24 moved to Kordall Steelers Rodange (Luxembourg-LBBL) averaging 16.2ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 67.7% What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

When I landed in Turkey for my connecting flight to Bucharest, Romania and I had no cell service, that was my wake up call haha.

You played half a season in Romania. You experienced real growing pains there. Could you take any positives out of the experience?

The biggest positive is that I never gave up. I kept working and believing in my abilities and now it´s starting to pay off.

In Luxemburg everything worked for you. Your game cooled down a bit in the last month, but still adjusted well after a tough start in Romania. Did the Luxemburg experience give you the needed self confidence to make the next step in Koblenz?

I always had the confidence, I just needed a better situation and in Luxembourg Kordall provided me with that. So I can’t think Dan Elvinger and Coach Tara enough for taking a chance on me.

You played at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell (NCAA) from 2018-2023. The first 2 years you averaged 15 minutes, but in the last 3 seasons you averaged 29 minutes per game. How did your game grow in your last 3 years?

With work. That’s all it was, a lot of extra work. Putting aside distractions and focusing on my game so I could be the player I know I always could be.

In your second season you played against NCAA powerhouse Michigan scoring 6 points. What memories do you have of that game playing against future NBA guys like Franz Wagner?

All I remember is the sold out crowd and I could not hear my own thoughts at first. But once the game started within a couple minutes. I was good to go. I did outscore Franz that game too haha.

You had so many great games in the NCAA like scoring 33 points against UMBC. What was your favorite game in the NCAA?

My favorite game I played in would have to be senior night for me. Just to see how far I’ve come over the years and then reaching 1,000 points in that game it was just an all around amazing day for me and my family.

How did head coach Pat Duquette groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

He instilled confidence in me and he did that from day 1 when he offered me a scholarship. He saw the potential in me and he made sure I didn’t take it for granted.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Max Brooks?

I did every time haha. Max is a great player but 1-1 vs me. He hasn’t won yet and it’s about a 99.9% chance he never will.

Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

In college I would have to say my tougher matchups none of them have reached the NBA but if I had to choose between those that did probably Toumani Camara that went to Dayton.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Anthony Blunt

Christian Lutete

Obadiah Noel

Chris Lykes

Prentiss Hubb

What is your NBA Mount Rushmore?

Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Penny Hardaway, Tracy McGrady

Who is your Goat?

Lebron James is the Goat but my GOAT is Carmelo Anthony

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America movie? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

No I haven’t seen it but I feel like with certain movies you shouldn’t do sequels to them because it ruins the legacy of the original and this movie in my opinion falls into that category.

Thanks Allin for the chat.

Malik Whitaker Powers The Fellbach Flashers Past The Dragons Rhondorf 87-82

The up and down play of the 8-8 Dragons Rhondorf continues. The good news was that they were at home again in their own living room. But this season that unfortunately doesn´t mean anything when your 3-4 at home. The team is fighting for the playoffs and desperately needs to go on a run. They are only 4-4 since December ist and there doesn´t seem to be any rapid development. Winning doesn´t come easy anymore and it didn´t get any easier with the 10-6 Fellbach Flashers who continue to sparkle in the Pro B since arriving last season. They are a team with veterans and top bigs with Daniel Mayr and Brian Butler and a hungry and talented American with Malik Whitaker (198-G-2000, college: Fort Lewis, agency: Starting 5) The Dragons had some confidence going into the game remembering beating Fellbach on the road 78-75, but that game was the first of the season and since then the guests had improved. On a mild Saturday evening in Bad Honnef, fans in the Dragon Dome witnessed the debut of New head coach Marko Zarovic who had replaced Stephan Doehrn only few days earlier. Would a change in the team´s play occur? It definitely didn´t show at the start, but throughout the game, the Dragons Rhondorf heightened their game every quarter until the end, but they never got over the hump despite fighting hard for 40 minutes. “We got better every quarter, but when you dig such a big hole,it is just really difficult to come back especially against a good team like Fellbach. We played with so much energy in the last 3 quarters that it was contagious for our offense”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Kelvin Omojola. Offensively Fellbach had their ups and downs, but defensively they played very well except for the third quarter where they allowed 32 points. The Flashers continue to play great basketball despite not having Zaire Thompson and Mickey De Souza than more than a month. “We did a good job sticking to the game plan for 40 minutes. We played great defense and were disciplined. Despite being banged up, we had others step up”, stressed Fellbach Flasher Malik Whitaker

Brian Butler at the FT line

In the first quarter the game was at eye level for the first minutes, but The Fellbach Flashers found to their game then going on a 26-7 run to lead by 21 points after 10 minutes. It was no secret that it would be a massive mismatch having 218cm giant Daniel Mayr battling against the undersized Dragons team. In the first few minutes, Mayr who played 1 Euroleague game with FC Bayern Munich scored 6 points and dominated the paint area. The Dragons Rhondorf also tried to go inside getting a basket from Ohio native Tim Smith Jr and free throws by German Janne Muller, but Fellbach led 10-6. Fellbach then really found their game going on a 13-2 run to lead 23-8. Brian Butler led the charge with 5 points like Mayr dominating the paint area with his quick moves while the team also got great support from their role player Jeremy Kolev who scored 4 points and Nikola Jekov also scored. “Jeremy has been big for us since the new year. We always knew he could play. His hard work has paid off as he has become a starter. He makes big plays for us”, warned Malik Whitaker Fellbach was playing with great intensity at both ends, had a stifling zone on display, got transition baskets and dominated the boards. The Dragons Rhondorf couldn´t hit the ocean and couldn´t get the 50/50 balls. Young German Kenan Reinhardt made a rare three pointer and Kelvin Omojola a lay in, but all in all their offense wasn´t moving the ball well and were forced to tough shots as Fellbach were everywhere on defense. On offense, they got 5 points from ex JUCO player Malik Whitaker and Lithuanian guard Tauras Ulevicius nailed a three pointer as Fellbach led 36-15 after 10 minutes. Fellbach shot 72% from the 2 point area and 25% from outside and had 17 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 33% from the 2 point area and 14% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 6 turnovers. “We weren´t ready to play. We knew they had size, but they still punished under the glass. They also had a good zone which we had prepared for”, said Kelvin Omojola.

Marco Rahn at the FT line

The Dragons Rhondorf upped their play in the second quarter especially defensively as they allowed only 15 points, but they couldn´t make up much of the deficit and still trailed by 17 points at the break. The Dragons Rhondorf woke up going on a 10-5 run to cut the Flashers lead down to 41-25. In the run, their mind set was more positive than the first quarter and was more aggressive at both ends. That led to an offensive rebound and put back by Danas Kazakevicius and offensive rebound and hook shot by ex Bayreuth center Marco Rahn while Marco Rosic hit a clutch trey. The Dragons were reborn on the boards as they had the 9-2 rebound edge in that phase. Fellbach didn´t have the easy shots anymore as they had more contested shots. But Fellbach fought back and moved the ball better and got 2 three´s from Texas native Malik Whitaker and a left handed hook shot by ex Schwelm center Daniel Mayr as Fellbach extended their lead to 50-28. The Dragons remained aggressive getting to the free throw line as Smith, Kazakevicius and Reinhart scored, but they still had a long trek to the peak as they trailed 51-34 after 20 minutes. “We were flying on defense. We were helping each other, had good communication and were simply all on the same page. Our defense was huge and kept us in the game”, stated Kelvin Omojola.The Fellbach Flashers shot 61% from the 2 point area and 33% from the three point line and had 23 rebounds and 8 turnovers and the Dragons Rhondorf shot 32% from the 2 point area and 11% from the three point line and 26 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Daniel Mayr in the pain area

In the third quarter the surge of the Dragons Rhondorf continued as they exploded for 32 points and all of a sudden trailed only by 10 points after 10 minutes. The Dragons Rhondorf are a strong offensive team and only time will tell when they will break out and they finally did going on a 16-9 run to trail 63-50. The Dragons finally let it rain three´s as Omojola connected twice as did Antonio Pilipovic and Marco Rahn. Rhondorf´s offense was clicking, but here and there still sloppy getting unneeded turnovers while on defense continued to be all over the court making it difficult for Fellbach to execute. But Fellbach always had an answer. Once they faced adversary, they came back with a 8-2 run to extend their lead to 71-52 as Ulevicius and Whitaker connected for three pointers. “Whitaker is a great player. He is so smooth and polished. He made us pay with his three pointer. It was pick your poison”, stated Kelvin Omojola. The only bright spot in the run for the Dragons was a nifty behind the back pass from Pilipovic to Smith Jr for the easy lay in. “We know that Antonio can pass like that. In practice he is always calling the Doncic pass. He is a great passer”, commented Kelvin Omojola. But Rhondorf stayed tough and on the door step of Fellbach as Janne Muller hit a trey and ex Schwenningen guard Alexander Lagerman for a lay in as the Dragons trailed 73-60. Despite a trey by Nik Schlipf, the Dragons continued to execute getting lay in´s by Smith Jr and Lagerman and Fellbach led 76-66 after 30 minutes. “We knew that they were a good team and strong at home. We also knew they would go on a run. They couldn´t stay cold that long. We never got down”, stated Malik Whitaker “We continued to bring energy and our three finally fell. We were getting stops and our good defense led to our offense”, added Kelvin Omojola. The Fellbach Flashers shot 61% from the 2 point area and 41% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 43% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and 31 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

Alexander Lagerman with the lay in

Defensively the Dragons Rhondorf saved their best for last allowing only 11 points, but still couldn´t get over the hump never trailing by less than 5 points as they mustered only 16 points in the last quarter. The Dragons came out with fire going on a 6-2 run to trail Fellbach only 78-72 as Muller and Rahn made lay in´s and Reinhart a floater. However Fellbach made clutch baskets to keep punching back going on a 4-0 run as Jekov made a lay in and Butler a tip in to lead 82-72. Then it was time for the Dragons to punch back as they made key stops and went on a 5-0 run to trail only 82-77 as Mueller made a lay in and Omojola a trey. Mayr and Kazakevicius then traded baskets as Fellbach led 84-79 with 1,23 to play. The Dragons Rhondorf had their opportunities. Brian Butler missed 2 free throws, but Muller came back and missed. Tim Smith Jr then made a lay in with 19 seconds to play as Fellbach still led 85-81. Then Rhondorf forced a turnover to get the ball back with 18,2 seconds, but then coughed up the ball. Whitaker then sealed the win with free throws. “Our bread and butter our defense was key at the end. We remained locked in and disciplined. They were physical and hit tough shots, but we withstood their pressure”, said Malik Whitaker “We didn´t run out of gas. Turnovers hurt us. Good teams like them will make you pay”, expressed Kelvin Omojola. The Fellbach Flashers were led by Malik Whitaker with 27 points. Daniel Mayer, Brian Butler and Jeremy Kolev chipped in with 12 points a piece while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Tim Smith Jr with 17 points. Marco Rahn added 12 points and Janne Muller 11 points. The Fellbach Flashers shot 46% from the field and 33% from outside and had 42 rebounds and 18 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 35% from the field and 23% from outside and had 47 rebounds and 16 turnovers.

Rookie Malik Whitaker(Fellbach) Knows You Have 2 Choices Get Determined Or Discouraged When Life Challenges You

The name Fort Lewis doesn´t come up a lot for me, bit every once in a while it does. There have been a few guys from there that made it overseas like Alex Herrera and Kofi Josephs, 2 ballers that I have interviewed in the past. However the first guy that I think of first when I read the name Fort Lewis is Deandre Lansdowne. He is a guy that I have covered since he came overseas in 2015. He is the ultimate Cinderella story going from lower leagues to the top. Lansdowne began in the German Pro B in 2015 with Herten. He not only made it to the top leagues in Germany, Italy and France. But also has played in international club tournaments like the Basketball Champions League and Fiba Europe Cup. These are the type of players I love to cover most and enjoy showing a lot of love to. In terms of Lansdowne, I have interviewed him 11 times and written one portrait on him. A week ago I came upon the name Fort Lewis again when I prepared an interview for rookie Malik Whitaker (198-G-2000, college: Fort Lewis, agency: Starting 5) who is playing his rookie season in Germany for Pro B team Fellbach Flashers. Whitaker also played at Fort Lewis and like Lansdowne has to grind in lower leagues to begin his pro career. Whitaker played only 1 season at Fort Lewis, but had an incredible season. He had no idea who Lansdowne is, but after hearing of his story has another focus to shoot for in the next years. “I didn´t know of him when I was there and we never talked or met before. His story is very inspirational knowing he came from Fort Lewis and also started in the Pro B like me. His story shows me that it´s possible to move up and depends on the work you put in”, stressed Malik Whitaker. He doesn´t have to go far as he can watch BBL basketball in Ludwigsburg about 30 minutes away or in Ulm or Heidelberg which is an hour away. He can dissect the games closely of guys playing his position. How far is he away from the BBL?. “I’ve checked out one BBL game so far. It was very entertaining and it had everything you would want to see from a fan and competitors view. I don’t think I am that far away, but I also know there are parts of my game that need improvement in order for me not only to get there but to succeed at that level”, warned Malik Whitaker.

Malik Whitaker who lists Trevelin Queen as his toughest foe so far on the court in his career was born on November 19th, 2000 in Humble, Texas. He began his basketball career at Atascocita High School. He then spent 2 years at Garret College (JUCO). It is always refreshing seeing guys do well at the JUCO level and then move up to higher college leagues and then make it overseas. Getting to the peak isn´t always easy at the JUCO level where guys are playing for their stats and trying to move forward with their careers. I don´t believe I have ever come across a player who didn´t regret playing JUCO. It was a grind, but worth it for every player. “That statement is true! It tests you everyday. It can bring out the worst or the best depending on what you make of it. I faced every challenge that came my way head on and it paid off. If I had a redo I wouldn’t change anything”, warned malik Whitaker. He made a massive jump in his game in his second season. In his first season he averaged 12.7ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 72.2% and in his second season 19.1ppg, 8.7rpg, 3.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 31.1%, FT: 71.0%. Instrumental in his growth was head coach Dennis Gibson. “He let me know going into year 2 that I would be the leader, and he was expecting a big year from me. He trusted me to lead the team, allowed me to make mistakes, learn from them and continue to move forward with confidence. He is a huge part of why I am the player I am today”, stressed Malik Whitaker. In his second season in JUCO, he reached the Final 4. “ The chemistry with that team was great. We finished as the #4 ranked JUCO and only lost 2 games all season. The best thing about us was how we moved as one unit at all times on the court. There wasn’t any selfishness on the team which is rare at the JUCO level”, stated Malik Whitaker. After JUCO, he was rewarded by moving up and playing a season for West Virginia State University (NCAA2) averaging 13.8ppg, 7.1rpg, 2.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 89.4%. He scored in double figures in 17 games that season including having some big games against Wheeling and Frostburg State scoring 26 points apiece. But what memory is better than winning a chip? “The best memory from State is when we went to the Virgin Islands and won the Yes U.S. Virgin Island classic”, said Malik Whitaker. He then made one more move going to Fort Lewis College (NCAA2) averaging 11.8ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 50.7%, FT: 80.0%. Here he won another chip with the RMAC title. “We were a hungry team. Even when we were ranked #2 in the nation in NCAA D2 we felt like underdogs. We felt like we had more to prove and improve on at all times. It pushed us to become a special team and go down forever in the history books”, remembered Malik Whitaker. He had some really incredible games in his last college season including beating Regis 81-80 with a massive 26/10 game, but there were also other great games. “It was one of my better games of the year, but my favorite game of the season was against South Dakota Mines. It was senior night and I had 26pts 9rbs in our last home game of the year. We were undefeated at home for the season which was something we set out to do at the beginning of the season. So it was cool to have my last home collegiate game go like that”, commented malik Whitaker. He scored in double figures 19 times in that season and made the next step as a player under head coach Bob Pietrack. He pushed me everyday to be the best version of myself. The whole staff had faith in me and they wouldn’t allow me to take days off or cheat myself which I really appreciated. He told me once “when life’s challenges come your way you have 2 choices; get determined or discouraged”. And now I live by that sentence”, expressed Malik Whitaker who remembers winning his fair share of 1-1 battles with Amondo Miller.

The Texas native who lists Samier Kinsler, Dwaine Jones, Junior Garbrah, Obi Agbim, and Dmonte Brown as his 5 best teammates of all-time came to Germany for the 2024-2025 season and is lacing up his sneakers for the Fellbach Flashers in the Pro B. He has been there 5 months and simply loves everything on and off the court. “This has been a great experience Coach Kris had a vision for me from our first phone call ever. I’ve continued to trust him and his vision since then. It has put not only myself, but the whole team in a better place. The guys on the team are great people and teammates. I look forward to going out and fighting for 40 minutes with them every Gameday. There is a great fan base who comes and gives crazy energy during the home games. It’s been a great first international experience for me so far. I have enjoyed being in Fellbach. I like that everyone in the area is very active; you’ll always catch people walking around, riding bikes, etc. that’s not really the culture in the states for most cities”, added Malik Whitaker. Last season the Flashers just missed the playoffs. This season they are currently in 4th place with a lot of upside and the possibly to reach the playoffs. “That is a huge focus for us. It would be a step forward from the first season of the club playing Pro B. It’s also something that has never been accomplished in this club before. We as a unit are working to make sure we can accomplish this goal this season”, said Malik Whitaker. There was a span in the season where they won 8 of 10 games and currently have won 5 of their last 6 games. “ Our defense starts everything. It sets the tone for the game and sparks our offense. When we are disciplined defenders we feel as though we’re as good as any team in this league”, warned malik Whitaker. This weekend he will play his first time against the 2024 Pro B champion Dragons Rhondorf who snuck out a 78-75 win in the first weeks of the season. “It’s another game for me. I am looking forward to the challenge knowing we lost the first game at home, and will have to walk into a hostile environment to win an away game. I look forward to moments like those”, expressed Malik Whitaker. He has some great teammates including German giant Daniel Mayr and top pro B undersized center Brian Butler.” Brian is a great vet. He has been very helpful to me making this jump to European basketball. It still surprises me how he dominates most low post battles being “undersized”. He brings a great attitude to the team and is the veteran presence most clubs would love to have”, stressed Malik Whitaker. Currently he is having a very solid rookie season averaging 17/6/2/2 stats. Is that a stat line with what he can be content with? “I would say it’s been decent. It’s a different style of play from college basketball obviously, so of course there’s a bit of a learning curve. But I’m nowhere near being content with how I’ve performed until this point. There’s another level or 2 to my game now that I have not showcased yet, but I’m trusting the process”, warned Malik Whitaker.

The 198cm guard who lists Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and T-Mac on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is a player that doesn´t compare himself to one player, but enjoys watching the games of certain players like Devin Booker, Brandon Ingram, Jayson Tatum, and Kobe Bryant mainly for his footwork. He is a player that has always been a guy that loved to fill the stat sheet at ease. Is versatility his biggest strength? “It’s the biggest emphasis on my game. Being able to handle, pass, shoot, rebound, and defend the ball are the basics. But being able to execute everything in live action makes you more than basic, and that’s what I strive to be”, warned Malik Whitaker. His three point shooting has been up and down in his career so far. He shot 42% in JUCO and a crazy 50% at Fort Lewis, but currently in the Pro B only at 33%. There is a reason for him having these fluctuations. “While the percentage was high in college the volume wasn’t. It was also a lot of catch and shoot open 3s. Now, I’m shooting more 3’s with “higher difficulty” which is something I am adjusting to and working relentlessly on. I enjoy the challenge though and I approach it everyday with the right mindset so I know it’ll turn around. That’s what’s going to help me be a next level shooter”, stressed Malik Whitaker. He definitely doesn´t want to be a one dimensional player as he sees his defensive game as a positive part of his game. “I’m far from a liability on defense but I want to become more of a guy to guard the other team’s best player. I’ve asked coach for the challenge a couple times, but I want that to be the normal for me so I’m working on it”, stated malik Whitaker. Reaching the playoffs is his biggest goal as well as staying consistent and improving strength. It will be interesting to see where the career of Malik Whitaker will go. If he keeps playing well as he does and Fellbach make history, I´m sure that Deandre Lansdowne will hear about it. In the meantime, he can wait until April 6th and see Lansdowne and his team Chemnitz play in Ulm. A meeting of ex Fort Lewis players would probably be a highlight for both.

Eduard Roschnafsky(CS Rapid Bucuresti) Has No Stop Button And Is Always Mentally One Step Ahead Of The Opponent

Eduard Roschnafsky (210-PF-2003) is a 21 year old 201cm center playing his first season with CS Rapid Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) after starting the season in Germany with 2024 Pro B champion PS Karlsruhe. He played 2 seasons for U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca (Romania-Liga Nationala) playing 52 games and winning 4 titles. He began his career in Germany in 2018 with Jena in the youth sector. He then played 2 years with the Niners Chemnitz NBBL team. He had his real youth breakthrough in Germany in 2021-2022 with at BSG Basket Ludwigsburg (Regionalliga) averaging 9.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 27.9%, FT: 66.1%, played also at Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg U19 team (NBBL) averaging 10.9ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 20.3%, FT: 80.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Eduard for talking to germanhoops.com. Currently your training at a basketball camp. How is that going? After 2 years in Romania and 4 titles, you came back to Germany with PS Karlsruhe. How do you feel to be back?

It feels good. I feel like I was a bit under the radar the last 2 years in Germany. I was very focused in Romania the last 2 years.

How vital were the 2 years in Romania? Do you feel like this was one of the best basketball decisions that you ever made in your life?

Yes it was. I learned a lot. I feel like I got stronger mentally. Things didn´t always go the way I wanted to which made me more hungry. I want to show in the Pro a with PS Karlsruhe what I can do on the court. I had little minutes the last 2 years. I was the young guy that came in at the end of the game.

Did you develop the winning gene in Romania?

Yes I think I did. I was surrounded by guys who had won a lot in their career. We all had the same goal to win.

You came back to Germany and was with 2024 Pro B champion PS Karlsruhe. What were the main reasons for joining this ambitious organization?

I like how they play. They like to run and have a fast tempo. I also like the experience of the coaching staff. I feel like I can learn a lot from Aleksandar Nadjfeji. I know that they practice very hard, but that is how I am. I have that will to get better and help the team win. I want to practice hard and make the next step. The BBL is my goal in the next years.

How are you a different player now than 2 years ago?

Not getting many minutes my first year in Romania put me down, but I gained self confidence in my second year there simply because I had nothing to lose. I always felt like the underdog there and had to overperform every game. I´m not satisfied if I don´t play well. I have no stop button. I knew if I had gone to the BBL this season, I would of gotten little minutes. The Pro A was the correct move. because I will play more and get experience.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 210cm power forward/center. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

I don´t like to compare myself to other people. I like to take something from different guys. People have compared me to Kevin Durant. I´m a stretch 4 that play with ball and likes to run.

Is it fair to say that you’re a player that can make an impact at both ends of the court? What is your absolute biggest strength on the court?

I think reading the game is my biggest strength on the court. I do a lot of Cognitive training. I can read things very quickly in games especially by the movements of the opponent. I´m mentally one step ahead of the opponent.

You raised your three´s from 23 to 30 in the Romanian league. Is the three pointer a part of your game that you still want to develop further?

I want to continue to develop my three pointer more. I feel like I couldn´t show it more in Romania. My three is a big strength in my game. If I had played 20 minutes, then I feel like I would of shot 4 three´s per game. I will shoot more three´s this season.

What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?

I would like to add some more kilo´s. I feel like I´m a good post defender and have good foot work. I can also defend smaller players. I don´t have to be near the player as I can use my length

On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?

I´m always working on everything. A big focus is getting stronger. It isn´t so easy with my genes.

Your dad celebrated a 20 year pro career and played 13 years in Germany including 6 years in Bamberg in the 90´s. How much of an influence has he had on your game?

He has had a big influence on me in my life. Even when I had a great game, he will be honest and tell me what wasn´t good. He helped me a lot in many aspects of the game like post defense, shooting and dribbling. He always gives me extra confidence.

After living in Romania for many years, you came to Germany in 2018 and played for Jena in the youth sector. Was it like a culture shock for a 15 year old to come to Germany?

It was a huge culture shock. Life in Germany was so different as well as the people. I came alone and didn´t know German so well. It took a while to get adjusted.

How do you remember your time in Jena? You reached the JBBL top 4. That team was amazing. I saw the games in Jena? What was so special about that team?

We had great chemistry. We as a team thought we were the best and could beat anyone. The coaching staff also gave us a lot of confidence. We all wanted to win and trained very hard. Everyone was so competitive and we understood each other really well off the court.

You then played 2 years with the Chemnitz NBBL team never averaging more than 5,3ppg in a season. Did you suffer growing pains? You were the only real big man. Did you get a fair chance there?

It was a tough time. I practiced with the Pro A team and had 2 practices per day. In between I had school and NBBL practice. We had a good NBBL team, but not at the level of the Jena team. We were a group of guys nothing more. But I understood myself with my teammates well. I really was fortunate to train with the Pro A team and learn from Rodrigo Pastore. The most important thing that I learned from him was having consistency. His practices were very hard. He always looked at small details. He helped me with shooting mechanics and ball handling. He is one of the best coaches that I ever had.

You then moved for a season to Ludwigsburg and had a solid NBBL season averaging 10.9ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 20.3%, FT: 80.0% and in the Regionalliga 9.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 27.9%, FT: 66.1%,. How important was this season in your development? They had so many young talents and were stacked, but you had no problems holding your own?

Ludwigsburg was my best year in the NBBL. We had so many talents there and had good chemistry. My first day in Ludwigsburg felt like I had been there 2 years. They welcomed me with open arms. It was like a family there. Ludwigsburg was like my second home in Germany.

That team had so many great players like the Patrick brothers, Ugbo, Minjoth, Bruce or Mojica? The list goes on and on. Which player had the biggest impact on you?

Every guy had that special impact on me. Every player wanted to be the best. We pushed each other very much. Nobody wanted to lose to the other. I took something special from each guy.

What do you remember about your battles with Georg Cotoara? Did you have a special bond to him since he was also from Romania?

We always spoke Romanian. We had that home feeling. No matter where he goes, he will be like a brother.

How valuable was head coach David Mccray for you? A guard that had a winning mentality. Did he motivate you get better every day?

We were wild boys there. He was critical and had to humble us. On the court he pushed us very much, but off the court he was like a buddy. If you did what he wanted, then all was good.

You then played with U-Banca Transilvania Cluj Napoca (Romania-Liga Nationala) winning 4 titles. Which one was most sweetest?

The first title was the sweetest. It was my first pro title. I had never experienced something like that before. My only title before that was the U-13 title.

In both seasons you had amazing bigs. For example with Emanuel cate and Stefan Bircevic? How vital were guys like them for your development?

They were both important. Cate showed me so much about life and on the court post moves. Another guy that was really vital for me was Andriya Stipanovic. He was 37 or 38 and had so much experience. He was a big man that couldn´t shoot, but was an amazing passer. He may be the best passer that I ever saw. He had no stop button just like me. He gave me so much advice. He told me to go to the Pro A which I did.

Who was the greatest player that you ever faced on the court that reached the NBA?

Sam Dekker.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

That is difficult. I love all my teammates.

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Giannis, Lebron James

Please name your Euro and German Mount Rushmore?

Luka Doncic, Kostas Sloukas, Vasilije Micic, Vincent Poirior

Dirk Nowitzki, Dennis Schroeder, Franz Wagner, Johannes Voigtmann

Who is your GOAT?

Kevin Durant

Thanks Eduardo for the chat.

Former Teammate Kam Taylor´s Success Overseas Has Given Trevor Blondin The Blueprint For What He Wanted To Accomplish In His Career

Pic credit: Jesper Augustsson

Ex Dragons Rhondorf player Kameron Taylor should be in their Wall Of Fame. He only played one season for the Pro B team, but he is without a doubt one of the best players in their history if not the best. He dominated in the 2017-2018 after coming from the higher league Pro A and knowingly took a step back so he could make 2 steps forward. The rest is history as three years later he reached the Euroleague with Maccabi Tel Aviv and then ACB in Spain the other top league overseas where he has been a mainstay since 3 seasons. If you were to ask 100 Rhondorf fans who saw him play in the Dragon Dome 7 seasons ago, I would have the audacity to bet that all 100 fans would all have something positive to say about him. He had an impact with his play on the court and character off the court. It is always interesting to meet ex teammates especially guys from college, because they also only have positive things to report. Overseas Pro Trevor Blondin was able to play with him for 2 years and can truly say that he has found a lifelong friend in Taylor. “Kam was a lot of fun to play with, as long as you had him on your team you felt like you had a chance to win against anybody. He was very unselfish and always played the game the right way on both ends of the floor. If you were open, he was going to find you, but also he knew when to take over and put the team on his back. My fondest memory would probably be when we upset Indiana University of Pennsylvania. They were ranked in the top 10 of division 2 basketball at the time. Kam went crazy that game, I had a pretty good game and we ended up beating them at home in a packed arena. And let’s just say it was a huge party after that”, remembered Trevor Blondin. There was one game against Carlow where Blondin had 27 points and Taylor had a monster 26/16/6 game. Despite Taylor´s stellar play at Seton Hill, did it surprise him just how far he got overseas? “I think it surprises you a little bit because not many people from Division 2 make it to that level and also he started in some lower leagues in Germany Pro A and Hungary. But at the same time, it doesn’t surprise me because I’ve seen his work ethic in person and know what type of person he is, and if anybody was going to accomplish something that unbelievable it would definitely be him. Honestly, his success in Europe gave me the blueprint for what I wanted to accomplish in my career. In a way, it gave me some belief that if he can do it coming from Division 2 Seton Hill, that I could do it to. But I’m super proud of him, there’s not really a more deserving person. While I was in Patras Greece, he got me some tickets to watch him live when his team, Unicaja Malaga played against Promitheas Patras in the champions league final eight. That was cool to watch him play and talk to him after the game and he told me he was proud of me for making it this far. And that meant a lot to me coming from him & knowing where we both started at”, stressed Trevor Blondin. But who won a 1-1 then and who would win now?” The competitor in me is always going to bet on myself. But Kam is obviously a beast and we used to have some good battles in practice back in the day. He was a little older so he probably got the best of me back then, but I’m hoping we can link up this summer and run it back”, said Trevor Blondin. He may not have had the same kind of career as Kam Taylor, but he definitely knows how blessed he is to be overseas in his fifth season. “I feel very grateful for all of the experiences that I’ve had over the last 5 years. I’m getting paid to play a game that I love, I’ve lived in six different countries, I’ve travelled a lot, and met countless people. It’s given me a very unique perspective of the world. To still be playing meaningful basketball at a high level isn’t something that I take for granted and I’m going to continue to do it for as long as I can. Coming from a Division 2 school it wasn’t easy to get a job overseas initially, even after scoring over 20ppg my junior and senior seasons. But I used that as motivation and continued to work really hard on my game. I’ve improved a lot since then and feel like I’ve surpassed a lot of those Division 1 players that were recruited over me. So just always having that chip on my shoulder has probably helped me stick around in Europe for so long”, stated Trevor Blondin.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Kameron Taylor in 2017 in Rhondorf

Trevor Blondin who lists the Martin twins, Caleb and Cody and Jordan McCrae, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Isaiah Cannon as his toughest foes in his career so far was born In Haymarket, Virginia on March 13, 1996 and began his basketball career at Battlefield High School. He then played at Seton Hill (NCAA2) from 2014-2019 and was able to improve his scoring average each season. His game really took off in his last 2 seasons as he averaged 19.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.0%, 3PT: 43.1%, FT: 70.5%, and 20.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 75.4%. “Coming in, I was more of a catch and shoot guy on the wing but as my body got stronger I was able to get to the basket more and become an all-around player. It was really helpful that I got a chance to start and play like 35 minutes a game from the moment I got there as a freshman. I think that in-game experience helped my game develop faster. I had a 30pt game against Millersville my Sophmore year and after that I knew I could score at high level. Also I had some really talented older teammates like Kam Taylor and Dave Windsor, who made me better by competing with them at practice every day. But by the time I left, I was a scoring machine I averaged 20+ points a game my last two seasons and was 1st team all-conference in the PSAC”, remembered Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 59 of 82 games at Seton Hill and in his last 2 seasons scored in double figures in 47 of 49. He had so many great games like hitting Clarion for 31 points and memories and actually had 2 coaches then with Tony Morocco and Kendrick Saunders and had mixed emotions about the 2 as one fit and the other didn´t. “The Clarion game was cool because I had my whole family in attendance. I remember they couldn’t really guard me that game. But my favorite memory was probably the And-1 3- point shot, game winner I made against California university of Pennsylvania. We had an improbable come back in the second half. I had like six points at half time and finished the game with 32. I knew the shot was good before the ball even went through the net. You can look it up on YouTube. Tony Morocco I really can’t say enough good things about him. I don’t think I would be here today without him. He really helped me develop as a basketball player and as a person on the court. He really cared about his players and their families and I have some really great memories playing for him. Kendrick Saunders on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was hired my senior season, and would repeatedly tell us that we weren’t “his guys” because he didn’t recruit us, so we were expendable and he didn’t care about us. He created an extremely hostile environment that killed all the joy of playing basketball. So when I got to Europe the next season, it was a breath of fresh air playing for Jarno Nikula in Finland and I regained that joy from playing basketball again”, stressed Trevor Blondin.

The walking bucket who lists Alexander Pevadze, Josh Perkins, Kam Taylor, Ivan Gandia-Rosa, and Orlando Coleman as his 5 best teammates of all-time began his professional career overseas with UU-Korihait Uusikaupunki (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 13.8ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 28.0%, FT: 69.1%. Every pro baller overseas had that certain wake up call to being overseas and it wasn´t any different for him. “I think maybe our first preseason game against Vilpas. I just remember noticing the drums and horns that fans bring to the game, that was new for me. You don’t really hear that in an American College basketball game. It really stood out to me at first but it’s funny because now I don’t even notice it anymore. Also the snow, cold temperatures, and darkness in Finland was different than anything I’d experienced before. I mean -20 degrees, with 2ft of snow on the ground, and 3 hours of sunlight everyday is not for the faint hearted”, added Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 11 games and hit Ura Basket for 30 points. He will never forget having the perfect mentor in Trey Zeigler. “ It was incredibly valuable having Trey as a teammate and a mentor my rookie year. Not only was he a great player on the court and putting up ridiculous numbers that season. I really soaked up a lot knowledge from our conversations about the business side of pro basketball, and how to move up leagues, and navigate agents. I feel really lucky that I had an experienced guy like him on my team to show me the ropes. I think it really helped me make crucial decisions in my career later down the road. Shoutout to Trey Ziegler, he’s had a great transition into coaching college basketball for some really high level programs the last few years”, stated Trevor Blondin. He played his second pro season with Inter Bratislava (Slovakia-Nike SBL) averaging 15.8ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.0apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 39.0%, FT-1 (92.7%). He played Spisski Rytieri tough in the regular season and then got swept 2-0. Despite not winning a chip, it was another enriching season for him. “I have good memories playing for Inter Bratislava in Slovakia. I think statistically that was one of my best seasons. Oleg Meleshchenko was an intense coach but also one of my favorites. I always liked playing for coaches that have played at a high level themselves and he played for the Soviet Union national team back in the day and has also coached at some high level teams in Russia and around Europe. Life was pretty good living in Bratislava and that team was a lot of fun to play on because we played an unselfish brand of basketball. Ivan Gandia-Rosa was our point guard, Džiguas Slavinskas was a great passer from the four position, Michael Fusek led the league blocks & we had Jure Zubac, & Timo Malovec as well. We had a lot of talented players, who went on to play for national teams, and in higher leagues. The series against Spisski was unfortunate because we had beaten them easily three out of four times in the regular season and we were dealing with injuries late in the season, and then unfortunately we got swept in the playoffs to a team that we thought we were better than. Definitely felt like we let one get away, I thought our team was championship caliber for that league”, commented Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 19 games including exploding for 33 points against Prievidza.

In his third pro season, the Virginia native who lists LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, & Jamal Crawford on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore played with Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 12.9ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 74.4%. Once again he was battling in the post season, but that chip once again was denied, but he got a new stamp on his passport. He played a tough 5 games series against Steaua B and the last 3 games weren´t decided combined with more than 5 points. “That was a wild series, I’ll never forget that. I don’t think anybody gave us a fighting chance to comeback and win that series after we were down 0-2. We pulled off a miracle with our backs up against the wall and won 3 straight games to avoid relegation. That was just a group of guys that had a dog mentality and never gave up. We definitely celebrated that win afterwards. Shoutout to everybody from Laguna, I really liked that group of teammates and I think I developed a lot as a point guard that season thanks to Daniel Nelson and Milan Minic. Romania is definitely a hidden gem, Bucharest will always have a special place in my heart. I met a lot of cool people in my time living out there, it was honestly a blast. I wouldn’t mind making a return to the Romanian league one day”, warned Trevor Blondin. Once again he was consistent again with his scoring in double figures in 19 of 26 games including netting 22 points against Dinamo B and 21 points against Targu Jiu. Last season he split time with Okapi Aalst (Belgium-Pro Basketball League) averaging 10.8ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.5apg, 2FGP: 40.6%, 3FGP: 30.8%, FT: 76.1%, in Mar.’24 moved to AS Apollon Patras (Greece-GBL) averaging 11.4ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 63.6%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 95.0%. Last season was another stepping stone in his career. He finally made the jump to higher leagues. “It’s been a grind each season trying to bubble and move up the ranks of Europe. From starting in the Korisliiga in Finland to making it all the way to the Greek league is definitely something I’m proud of. It feels like the trials and tribulations were worth it. It was a lot of fun playing in Greece, you’re playing against Champions League & Euroleague caliber teams every night, there’s no easy games. It’s a bunch of killers and former NBA players on every team and you got to bring your A-game every night. Add in the crazy atmosphere that the Greek fans bring and it’s just a really fun environment for basketball. The fans show you a lot of love off the court also”, stated Trevor Blondin. He had some growing pains first in Belgium and the demonstrated in Greece that he could hold his own against Euroleague and NBA guys. “Playing for Okapi was a necessary step in my journey. I liked playing for Thomas Crab, I thought he was a good coach. I think I proved that I could play at that level right away scoring 17 points against champions league team Oostende the first game of the season. But I struggled with inconsistency throughout the season. Everything prior to Okapi had gone pretty smoothly in my career, so I think I needed to face that adversity in order to grow as a player and as a person. I have a lot of great memories living in Belgium. Brussels is one of my favorite cities and it was really enjoyable from a day to day life standpoint. Being the only American was tough at times, but not something that I really gave a whole lot of thought to”, expressed Trevor Blondin. In Greece he lost 30 points to Euroleague team Olympiacos. He held his own with 12 points and played against many ex NBA players including Isaiah Caanon. “That game was special to me. My goal was always to try to make it to the highest level of Europe, so it doesn’t really get much higher than that. It felt like the culmination of the basketball journey that I’ve been on since I was a little kid. I mean as a basketball fan you would pay good money to watch Olympiacos play but all of a sudden you’re on the floor playing against them and really seeing what Euroleague caliber looks like up close. But more so that you just want to prove to yourself that you belong at that level. I felt like I made some plays that showed that, like stealing the ball from Papanikalaou and getting a breakaway dunk, knocking down a couple of threes. Blowing up a hand off with Wright and Larentzakis. I mean, that’s arguably a top 3 team in Europe and a team that doesn’t really make a lot of mistakes, so to be able to force a couple turnovers against them. It really just started to feel like another basketball game at the end of the day”, stressed Trevor Blondin. In Belgium he scored in double figures in 12 times including 20 points against Mechelen and in Greece scored in double figures in 6 of 8 games including 24 points against PAOK

This season the scoring guard who lists Lebron James as his GOAT and feels they should of left the classic Coming To America alone is playing in Sweden for Boras Basket. It is his fifth professional season and sixth team and in his sixth country. A basketball globetrotter would be the perfect middle name for him. “It’s pretty crazy to think back on my career and all the different places the game has taken me. It feels like it was just yesterday that I signed my rookie deal in Finland. I was on the plane traveling to Europe for the first time not really knowing what to expect and now years later, here we are. It’s been a fun journey to say the least”, added Trevor Blondin. He signed recently as the job market wasn´t as easy for him as in the past. “It was an interesting off-season for sure. I thought I would get bigger offers after playing well in Greece and having good games against teams like Olympiacos, AEK, and PAOK. I had some offers that I turned down waiting for something better. Once I missed the summer signing window and the season started it got a little stressful. But I just stayed in the gym working out everyday with my trainer Moe Gray from B1B. My homie Nigel Johnson was in a similar situation at the time before he signed in Hungary and we just got after it everyday. They really helped me a lot just by showing up everyday and helping me stay locked in mentally. Eventually, I got the call from Borås and I’m really happy in my current situation”, said Trevor Blondin. He is on a great team and fully aware that he could win his first pro chip. “ That’s always been a goal of mine to win a championship at any level in pro basketball. That was a big reason why I joined this team because of the early success that they’ve had this season as well as their aspirations to win a championship. I think there’s a belief within this team that we have the right pieces in place to achieve great things. We have some talented younger guys mixed with some older experienced guys that know the league well and have a high basketball IQ. So I’m just excited to be a part of it and try to help them win games”, stressed Trevor Blondin. He has been really thankful for having a great teammate like Andreas Person for taking him under his wing. “He’s definitely played a vital role in my adjustment with this team. He’s got a lot of experience; he’s a great shooter, defender, and has a high basketball IQ. We got some other veteran guys that have helped me a lot too like Simon Gunnarsson and Fred Andersson. You can tell how much winning means to these guys”, expressed Trevor Blondin. He came in and scored in double figures in his first game. Scoring continues to be his bread and butter no matter where he plays. “ I think scoring has always just come natural to me. I love having the ball in my hand and from AAU, high school, and college, that’s always been my role. Coming from Division 2 they needed me to score 20 points a night and gave me the green light, so I think that helped me develop my offensive game a lot. I try not to be one dimensional because teams are going to scout you and figure out your weaknesses. So I try to be as versatile as possible and not have too many weaknesses. I’ve always been able to shoot the ball pretty well from three, I can get to the basket, or play o the ball. I just try to mix it up and be unpredictable. This offseason-season in particular, I think I’ve expanded my game and taken it to a whole new level. I’m excited to showcase it this season in Sweden”, warned Trevor Blondin. It will be interesting to see where his basketball journey goes in the next years. Who knows maybe he will suit up with Kam Taylor again. But for now he has only one goal and that is to win his first pro title.

The Miles Vs Malik Riddle Weekly Basketball Chat Volume 12

Malik Riddle (193-G-1999, college: HSU) is a 24 year old 193cm guard from Tennessee playing his second professional season and first in Germany with Pro B team RheinStars Cologne. Last season he played with Gzira Athleta Birkirkara (Malta-BOV League D1) averaging 28.8ppg, 9.4rpg, 3.9apg, Steals-3 (2.6spg), FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 75.5%. He began his basketball career at Rossville Christian Academy. He then played 2 seasons at Morehead State University (NCAA) and then played 3 seasons at Henderson State University (NCAA2). He teams up with germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.

Thanks Malik for talking to germanhoops.com. It was the battle of the best 2 Pro B south teams with the RheinStars and Leitershofen. How excited were you to go into this game?

I was very excited about this game. I knew the energy and the fans would be crazy.

Cologne won the first game 85-80. What was the game plan going in?

Just made stops and executed down the stretch of the game when we played the first time.

The RheinStars suffered a tough 94-92 loss against Leitershofen. How had they improved from the first game?

They had some guys play that didn’t play the first match up which helped them. But I still think we had opportunities to come out with the win

The first half was a battle and the RheinStars led by 6 points. What was key for having the half-time lead?

We were making stops and rebounding pretty well. Also was executing in that first half pretty well

In the third quarter Leitershofen exploded for 31 points. What adjustments did they make to get the 4 point lead after 30 minutes?

We had too many turnovers as well as wasn’t getting back on defense fast enough in transition. Which gave them opportunities to get easy baskets.

Asa Williams exploded for 31 points including 8 three´s. What made it so difficult to contain him?

We left him open too much. Most of the game he was open for a three and his teammates just made good efforts of finding him.

You had 6 seconds at the end down by 2 and you took the last three pointer and missed. Take me through the last seconds? Did the shot feel good?

Rupi came down the court as I sprinted to the corner and he hit me. The shot felt good but just slightly to the left.

You scored 24 points and shot 50%. How valuable was this game for your self-confidence?

It was good for my confidence since I’ve been struggling a bit this month. But I felt I was being more aggressive than usual.

You next face Ludwigsburg who you easily beat in the first game. What will be key to getting the victory?

The key will be play with a lot of intensity and energy. We just came off a tough loss so we have to come out the gate swinging.

Thanks Malik for the chat.

German Hoops

Covering Basketball In Germany!

Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Kierell Green Found Out That He Had A Niche For Rebounding At A High Level Playing For NBA Champion Cliff Levingston

Top ENBL Player Dashawn Davis(Fyllingen BBK) Is Happy He Can Play Free And Not Be On A Leash Like He Was In The NCAA

Two Way Player Rivaldo Soares(Telekom Baskets Bonn) Wants To Contribute With His Competitive Nature

Vincent Bailey(Randers Cimbria Basketball) Wins First Title In Denmark In Year 10 But Still Remembers His Vechta Days As If It Was Yesterday

Allin Blunt´s Football Back Round Helps His Attacking The Rim And Rebounding Work Under The Basket

Malik Whitaker Powers The Fellbach Flashers Past The Dragons Rhondorf 87-82

Rookie Malik Whitaker(Fellbach) Knows You Have 2 Choices Get Determined Or Discouraged When Life Challenges You

Eduard Roschnafsky(CS Rapid Bucuresti) Has No Stop Button And Is Always Mentally One Step Ahead Of The Opponent

Former Teammate Kam Taylor´s Success Overseas Has Given Trevor Blondin The Blueprint For What He Wanted To Accomplish In His Career

The Miles Vs Malik Riddle Weekly Basketball Chat Volume 12