Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Basketball journalist and play by play commentator

Vincent Sanford (TG s.Oliver Wurzburg) We Are A Group Of Guys That Are Very Hungry And Have A Lot To Prove

Vincent Sanford is a 26 year old 190cm guard from Lexington, Kentucky playing his third professional season and first with TG s.Oliver Wuerzburg (Germany-ProB). Last season he played with Barrancabermeja Ciudad Futuro (Colombia-Liga DirecTV)Liga DirecTV-1 playing 20 games: 14.8ppg, 5.5rpg, 3.0apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT-2(42.9%), FT: 76.8%. He started his basketball career with Georgetown (NCAA) in 2009 where he played until 2011 playing 54 NCAA games. He then played two years at Dayton (NCAA) playing 68 NCAA games and as a senior played 37 games: 9.6ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 30.2%, FT: 69.8%. As a rookie, he played for Thor Thorl (Iceland-Dominos League): 13 games: 22.1ppg, 7.9rpg, 2.1apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 73.0%. He spoke to German Hoops after the huge 89-86 win against PS Karlsruhe.

Vincent thanks for talking to German Hoops. 2017 is here and did you set any new years resolutions or are you the type of guy that doesn´t really put too much focus on setting those type of goals?
Our main goal is to get in a good spot to make the playoffs, and play in the post season.

Congrats on the huge 89-86 win against PS Karlsruhe. How proud are you of the guys for getting the victory against the first place team in the Pro B south?

Definitely proud, we are beginning to find our stride as a team which is very pivotal at this time being the last few games in the season.

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Seth Hinrichs (Kirchheim Knights) Playing A Full 24 Seconds Will Need To Be Our Focus Moving Forward

Seth Hinrichs is a 23 year old 203cm guard from Clara City, Minnesota that is playing his second professional season in the German Pro A with the Kirchheim Knights. Last season as a rookie he played for FC Porto (Portugal-LPB): 20 games: 8.7ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 55.0%, 3PT: 20.7%, FT: 79.1%; FIBA Europe Cup: 6 games: 6.7ppg, 3.2rpg, FGP: 64.7%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 83.3%. He played at Lafayette (NCAA) from 2011-2015 graduating from Lafayette as the all-time leader in 3PG % in Patriot League history. As a senior he played 32 games averaging 12.9ppg, 5.8rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 55.5%, 3PT: 38.3%, FT: 83.1%. He spoke to German Hoops after the incredible 93-90 OT win against Gotha.

Seth welcome back. You were out for a month and now are back. Was that the most basketball time that you had missed since your injury as a junior at Lafayette(NCAA)?

Thanks Miles I appreciate that it’s good to be back. I actually broke my foot last year and missed the last three months of the season unfortunately.

How tough was it not playing and missing three games? One could be mean and say the team didn´t need you in the three game winning streak, but seriously how proud are you of the team continuing to win despite your absence?

It was tough to miss those games but I was glad we were winning. It would’ve been a lot worse had we lost those games. We had a rough stretch in December losing all four games so it’s nice to be back on a winning streak and be back out there playing.

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Marcellus Barksdale (TG s.Oliver Wurzburg) Defensively We Have A Chance To Really Lock Teams Down

Marcellus Barksdale is a 23 year old 196cm guard from Lexington, Kentucky that is playing his first professional season in Germany with TG s.Oliver Wuerzburg (Germany-ProB) and will start his professional career against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. He played at IUPUI (NCAA) form 2011-2016 playing a total of 131 NCAA games. As a senior he played 31 games averaging 8.7ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.6apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 28.1%, FT: 73.1%. He spoke to German Hoops after the big 89-86 victory against PS Karlsruhe.

Marcellus thanks for talking to German Hoops 2017 is here and did you set any new years resolutions or are you the type of guy that doesn´t really put too much focus on setting those type of goals?

New Year resolutions are always a personal focus for me. I use them as a tool for personal growth. On the court, my formula never really changes. It has always been fueled by hard work individually and doing everything I can to add value to my team and teammates.

Congrats on the huge 89-86 win against PS Karlsruhe. How proud are you of the guys for getting the victory against the first place team in the Pro B south?

It was a huge win for us! Hopefully the momentum from this win will help carry us to a strong finish for the rest of the season.

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AJ English Is A Slithering Snake That Isn´t The Saviour Of The Fraport Skyliners, But Just Another Piece To The Puzzle

From November 2014 until October 2016, the Fraport Skyliners were able to have a very stable time in that there was little roster movement as head coach Gordon Herbert had brought in the right mix of players which translated into a Eurochallenge Final 4 appearance, Fiba Europe Cup title and two BBL playoff appearances in a row. In this time, the club had grown massively with their team chemistry as the two point guards Justin Cobbs and Jordan Theodore as well as the big German 3 of Johannes Voigtmann, Danilo Barthel and Konstantin Klein were the main components that held the team together and in a way guaranteed success. However this season was another story as suddenly head coach Gordon Herbert who has been known for reeling in the right point guards in the last years with guys like Dashaun Wood, Justin Cobbs and Jordan Theodore was dealt the wrong card in Markel Starks who had to depart early as another American Kwame Vaughn was brought in. Overall players coming and goings continued to be as prevalent the way new American President Trump has fired cabinet employees in his first two weeks of office as ex Maryland(NCAA) forward Ekene Ibekwe and buzzer beater champion Antonio Graves had to pack their bags. On December 11th, the Fraport Skyliners were sinking quickly in the standings after a brutal 77-57 loss against FC Bayern Munich at home and head coach Gordon Herbert had 10 long days to figure something out until the next game in the Champions League against Slovenian team Helios. Herbert had some candidates to choose from and also heard the same normal bla bla from agents telling how great their clients were and in the end chose AJ English who like Justin Cobbs two years ago was also a rookie and known to having shot out the lights at Iona(NCAA).Ex Skyliner Sean Armand surely didn´t play a role in helping make Herbert´s appetite grow for his ex teammate and the 2004 BBL champion decided to haul in English and one could carefully say the rest is history for the time being. English very much like Cobbs two years ago has been Veni, Vidi Vici as he has come seen and conquered. Since the arrival of English, he has been nothing short of spectacular helping the team to an 8-0 record and helped move to the Champions League playoffs and has scored in double figures in each game, made a buzzer beater and in the lone game Frankfurt lost in Oldenburg, he was unable to play. During the Pro B game of Fraport Skyliners farm team Juniors against the Dragons Rhondorf where the BBL players often watch and support when they have time, English was able to deny in his soft voice that he is the savior for the team. “I don´t believe that I am the savior, but just another piece to the puzzle. You need to have the right pieces for success. The team just has been meshing together in the time that I have been here”, warned AJ English.

English is a 24 year old 192cm combo guard from Middletown, Delaware who is the son of ex NBA player AJ English who played for the Washington Bullets from 1990-1992 and is playing his rookie season and started his professional career in Italy with Enel Basket Brindisi (Italy-Serie A) playing 8 games averaging 7.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 38.7%, 3FGP: 25.0%, FT: 75.0%. In his time there, the team went 4-4 and decided to make changes. The club had talented rookie Nicolas Moore who had a stellar career at SMU(NCAA) and was also on the radar of some NBA teams and also experienced 33 year old guard Phil Goss who has made a name for himself in Italy having played in Rome and Venice and English seemed to have gotten lost a bit in the mix and found himself unemployed in mid December. In his eight games with Enel Basket Brindisi, he was able to score in double figures in three games including 15 point games against Brescia and VF Pescaro. He started his professional career against Dolomiti with a 0/6 performance from the Parking lot, and was never able to fully gain a rhythm with his bread and butter as he shot only 32% from outside. Despite only being with Enei Basket Brindisi for a short time, the American didn´t see his departure as one that was due to poor play. “I didn´t necessarily have to go, but I had just come out of school and they wanted me to play a certain role. I can play the positions 1-3. They wanted me to play one position like you see in the NBA where guys are signed for one particular strength. I guess I wasn´t ready for that role, but I am happy that Frankfurt took me and saw me as a point guard, but also a guy that can also play the two position”, commented ex Iona(NCAA) guard AJ English.

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Kofi Josephs (Herten) I Am British To The Core And It Will Always Be That Way

Kofi Josephs is a 25 year old 198cm forward playing his first season with the Hertener Loewen Basketball (Germany-Regionalliga). He got valuable experience at three schools starting with UALR (NCAA), and then moved to John Brown (NAIA) where he played two seasons playing 65 games and then finished at Fort Lewis (NCAA2) where he played two season amassing 34 games and as a senior played 31 games averaging 8.0ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 40.1%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 74.1%. He recently spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Kofi thanks for talking to German Hoops. 2017 has come and are you the type of guy that makes new year´s resolutions or don´t you bother with that?

Thank you for having me, I’m not really the type of player to make new years resolutions, I am more so at anytime decide and something I need to work on it and start on it there and then.

You’re a rookie from England playing your first season in Germany with the Herten Lions. You recently beat the Telekom Baskets Bonn 2 107-98 and you poured home 49 points. Was this a once in a lifetime game for you or do you feel like you have the ability to score like that again?

No it wasn’t a once in a life time game, I know I have the ability to shoot and score like this again, I’ve had other good games this year. I just have to stay confident and find my groove early.

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Andell Cumberbatch (Redwell Gunnars Oberwart) If You Want To Improve Your Game You Have To Live In The Gym

Andell Cumberbatch is a 23 year old 196cm forward from East Ornage, New Jersey playing his second professional season and first with the Redwell Gunners Oberwart (Austria-A Bundesliga). As a rookie he played for JBC MMCITE Brno (Czech Republic-NBL): 10 games: 16.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.5apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 54.1%, 3FGP: 31.4%, FT: 58.8%, in Dec.’15 moved to Michelin Etha Engomis Nicosia (Cyprus-Division A): 17 games: Score-5(16.4ppg), 7.1rpg, 1.9apg, Steals-4(1.8spg), FGP-3(58.4%), 3PT: 22.9%, FT: 76.9%. He started his basketball career with Barton County CC (JUCO) and then moved to St.Bonaventure (NCAA) for his last two years and as a senior played 31 games averaging 10.1ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.9apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 36.2%, FT: 70.1%. He spoke to German Hoops before a Fiba Europe Cup game against the Telekom Baskets Bonn.

Andell welcome to Germany. Your playing your second professional season and first with the Redwell Gunners Oberwart (Austria-A Bundesliga) and playing Fiba Europe Cup as well. This competition has taken you all over Europe. How blessed do you feel as a guy from east Orange to be traveling the world at age 23?

I am very blessed to be able to play basketball at a professional level, this allowed me to experience different parts of the world I would have never seen coming. I never take anything for granted.

You play and live in Austria and are experiencing a totally new kind of lifestyle in Austria and last season lived in the Czech Republic and Cyprus. What has been your most memorable experience so far in Europe off the court that none of your friends in New Jersey had ever seen before?

Something that I enjoy that my friends dont get to experience would have to be some of the popular landmarks that many people travel to see. it humbling to be able to witness these things while playing basketball.

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AJ English Releases The Fraport Skyliners From Their Start Funk Helping Crush The Walter Tigers Tuebingen 84-64

Sometimes there are certain factors that could come into play why a player wasn´t able to stay in a situation, but for Middletown, Delaware native AJ English, living in paradise in Brindisi, Italy on the beautiful Adriatic sea which was a far cry from the long grey winter nights in New Rochelle, New York where he worked on his basketball trade for 4 years at Iona(NCAA) didn´t seem to help his play that much there the last few months. So for his rookie season with Enel Basket Brindisi (Italy-Serie A):where he played 8 games averaging 7.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 38.7%, 3FGP: 25.0%, FT: 75.0% to turn out so unspectacular most likely had nothing to do with his surroundings as he could of spent all his free time on the beach in early autumn and annoyed his friends back home with the exotic scenery via a Skype conversation. Since leaving the kodak picture scenery of Brindisi, Italy where he had an unspectacular 4-4 record with the club, he has been nothing short of spectacular with his new home in Germany and the Fraport Skyliners as he came and conquered as he has helped the team to a 7-0 record and aided the team to the Champions League playoffs while scoring in double figures in each game. The grey winter´s of Frankfurt would remind him more of New York city with the skyscrapers than anything else, but moreover there must be a reason for his stellar play and being able to feel so comfortable in his new location. English came into his eighth game with the Fraport Skyliners looking to remain perfect and had very fond memories of the Walter TIgers Tuebingen as shortly before the new year, he made all Tiger fans hearts sink as he dropped a spectacular off balance buzzer beater in traffic that would even have had NBA legend Larry Bird smiling from his French Lick living room sofa as the American finished with 21 points and six threes. English has been a type of spark plug for the team as head coach Gordon Herbert made the right choice in hauling in English who could be that missing piece for that playoff hope. English didn’t have any last second buzzer beater heroics this time, but still played an instruemental part in the game as he was a major force coming into the game in the first quarter with Frankfurt down 11-2 and stinking up the Fraport arena with their play worse than a dead skunk could on the side of the road. English didn´t play as many minutes as teammates Kwame Vaughn or Shawn Huff or have their stats, but the American made key plays, shots, passes and got the team ball movement rolling in the last 5.08 of the first quarter which helped turn around the game and lead the team on the right path to victory where they would never look back. At the end of the day, The American finished with 12 points, three rebounds and five assists and everyone noticed. “English hit a big shot in Tuebingen and did again today. He attacks well and is like a snake that slithers around the court. I saw him play at Iona(NCAA) and he put up good numbers there. He can definitely play”, stressed ex Telekom Baskets Bonn point guard Jared Jordan.

Basketball BL, FRAPORT SKYLINERS - WALTER TIGERS TÜBINGEN

The Fraport Skyliners arrived into the game in 12^th place with a record of 7-11 and came into the game having won three of their last games and had lost their last BBL game in Oldenburg 71-64. Like in Oldenburg, they had problems against the Walter Tigers Tuebingen in the first quarter, but rebounded from their funk and then played a complete game for 35 minutes. “We played good defense for long phases of the game and did a good job not allowing them any open shots. We had good ball movement and when we can do that in the game, we usually have a good chance to win”, warned Fraport Skyliner point guard Max Merz. The Walter Tigers Tuebingen were clinging to their basketball lives at 16^th place having a 4-15 record. They had lost their last eight games and last weekend to Science City Jena and in the first five minutes of the first quarter, one carefully could have thought that this may be the turning point of their long losing streak, but a basketball game has 40 minutes and Tuebingen was unable to offer any resistance against the Frankfurt offense for the last three quarters and couldn´t come to terms with the always aggressive and consistent defense. “We wanted to have a good start in Frankfurt something we hadn´t had in the last three games and did. But Frankfurt came back and did a good job making shots and getting to the free throw line. Shawn Huff gave them a huge boost with his shooting and they played good defense. You have to give Frankfurt a lot of credit with their defense. They play very good one on one defense, switch well and have good help. Coach Herbert always has good defensive teams”, added ex Marist(NCAA) point guard Jared Jordan. “We didn´t have a good start, but came back with our energy and defense. We did a good job staying calm and got back into the game”, added Fraport Skyliner forward Niklas Kiel.

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Travis Thompson Owns The Parkling Lot Charging The Fraport Skyliners Juniors Past The Dragons Rhondorf 92-81

In his short basketball career Rilwan Bakara has really gotten around the block as he was never comfortable playing at one school as he bounced around the States playing for schools like Columbus State Community College (NJCAA), Danville Area Community College (NJCAA), Campbellsville (NAIA) and Texas Wesleyan (NAIA) before turning professional two seasons ago. Now in his third professional season, the 26 year old 201cm forward that hails from Chicago is already playing with his fifth professional team with the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. After playing his rookie season in Germany with TuS Breckerfeld (Germany-2.Regionalliga) where he played 18 games averaging 19.9ppg, and 10.5rpg where he was able to get a first feel for the European game, he moved to BK Iskra Svit (Slovakia-SBL) last season where he played 18 games averaging 11.2ppg, 6.8rpg, FGP: 57.8%, FT: 58.5% and demonstrated further that he was prepared for tasks in higher leagues. This season the big American has really been active as he started the season with Pernion Urheilijat Basket (Finland-1st Division playing 2 games averaging 20.0ppg, 11.0rpg, 1.0spg, in Oct.’16 moved to Union de Santa Fe (Argentina-TNA), where he played 17 games averaging 4.5ppg, 3.4rpg. Usually when you leave a misfortunate situation, you want to get back on the floor as quickly as possible and forget the last experience, but just doing that was a problem the last weeks as he wasn´t cleared to play for Frankfurt, so sitting around and watching the Frankfurt BBL team battle and new team Fraport Skyliners Juniors duel against opposing teams was a difficult matter for him to accept and adjust to, but last weekend he finally made his debut in Germany scoring four points and hauling down two rebounds in a bitter 80-74 loss at Weissenhorn. Bakare was ready to finally make his home debut, but had to match his skills with the top power forward in the Pro B and good buddy Aaron Nelson who was his teammate in high school in Illinois as both the Fraport Skyliners Juniors and Dragons Rhondorf were looking to rebound from loses and Frankfurt came away with the big 92-81 loss.

After the tough loss, Nelson was sitting on the floor looking as pooped as if Shaq had just run full speed around the court, but he still had a smile ready for his small daughter who had made the trip to watch big daddy play and was disappointed at the loss, but blessed that he could play against friend Rilwan Bakare. “It was fun playing against Rilwan. Who would have thought 7-8 years ago that we would both be playing in Germany one day. It has been a great experience for both of us in Germany. He has gotten stronger and I know his strength and weaknesses. Not only he made me tired today, but the whole Frankfurt team. Rilwan is a great player”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf forward Aaron Nelson. After making his home debut and winning, Bakare strolled over to a battered Nelson in front of the Dragons bench and the American looked a lot fresher than Nelson and was also blessed to finally play against his ex teammate. “I knew from day one when I arrived in Frankfurt where Aaron played and had marked this day on the calendar. When I was playing in Finland earlier this season, I always watched his games. I haven´t seen him play in 7-8 years, but he has gotten better, but is still the old Aaron Nelson in that he is still a dominant player. I like how Rhondorf gives him the freedom to shoot the ball”, stressed Chicago and Fraport Skyliners Junior Rilwan Bakare.

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Jervon Pressley( MBK Lucenec) Adversity Really Does Show You People’s True Character

Jervon Pressley is a 21 year old 203cm forward from Charlotte, North Carolina that is playing his rookie season and started with the Dresden Titans playing 10 games averaging 10.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.0bpg, 2FGP: 51.4%, FT: 49.1%, but got released and joined MBK Lucenec (Slovakia-SBL). He started his basketball career in 2011 with Towson (NCAA) playing 31 games averaging 3.6ppg, 3.0rpg. In 2013 he moved to Hampton (NCAA) playing 21 games averaging 6.6ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 43.8%, FT: 56.9%. In his junior year he played 32 games averaging 6.1ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.4bpg, FGP: 44.3%, FT: 54.5%. As a senior he played 27 games averaging 6.6ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 46.7%, FT: 53.2%. He spoke to German Hoops recently about his time with the Dresden Titans and future with MBK Lucenec (Slovakia-SBL).

Jervon thanks for talking to German Hoops. You are back on your way back to the United States after being released from German Pro A team Dresden Titans. Were you able to wind down on the flight a bit or was the Dresden Titans season fiasco in your head?

I mentally moved on to getting myself prepared to help my next team and not dwell on the past. Short term memory. What’s done is done.

The Dresden Titans released you and American Randal. Do you feel it was the right decision to release it´s two best players so late in the season?

To the club it was the right decision to release the team’s two best players.

When you came out of training camp this season and somebody had told you on the eve of the first game that the team would only have 2 wins by late January and be the door mat of the league what would you have thought?

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Randal Holt (If The Team Were Winning I Wouldn’t Get All Of The Credit Just As I Shouldn’t Take All The Blame For The Losing)

Randal Holt is a 25 year old 185cm point guard from Bedford, Ohio that is playing his third professional season, but was recently released by the Dresden Titans where he played 20 games averaging 16,0ppg, 3,0rpg and 4,5apg.He started his basketball career at Kent St. (NCAA) in 2009 and played 131 NCAA games until 2013 and as a senior played 33 games averaging 14.6ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 36.4%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 86.0%. As a rookie he played for Weissenhorn Youngstars (Germany-ProB) playing 25 games: 19.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 4.2apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 81.6%. Last season with the Dresden Titans he played 15 games: Score-3(21.7ppg), 4.3rpg, Assists-3(6.1apg), 1.8spg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 85.1%. He spoke to German Hoops after being relased by the Dresden Titans.

Randall thanks for talking to German Hoops. You are back on your way back to the United States after being released from German Pro A team Dresden Titans. Were you able to wind down on the flight a bit or was the Dresden Titans season fiasco in your head?

Hello Miles thank you for the interview. I was able to unwind on the flight and just focus on getting home safely and eager to see my family.

The Dresden Titans released you and American Jervon Pressley. Do you feel it was the right decision to release its two best players so late in the season?

Yes we were released from the team and it was a decision that came down from management who is in charge of those decisions so if they felt it was the right move for the team then I can’t argue that at all.

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