PS Karlsruhe forward Jordan Talbert has had some huge games in Germany in the Pro B last season as well as this season, but so far in three tries against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors has come away on the short end of the stick in two different uniforms. Last season Talbert was wearing the Giants Nordlingen jersey well as he averaged 17.5ppg, Reb-1(11.0rpg), 2.4apg, 1.7spg, Blocks-5(1.5bpg), FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 73.4%. and he scored in double figures 28 times and registerd 19 double doubles. However he lost a bitter 73-71 contest in Frankfurt steering 14 points and then got smacked around at home 78-56 as he produced 26 points and nine rebounds. This season in a new jersey, he was unable to take the season opener at home with PS Karlsruhe as they lost a nail bitter 61-56 as he was controlled well scoring only seven points on eight shots. He was looking to break his 0-3 negative streak as PS Karlsruhe entered the contest having lost a nasty 76-63 game to the Bayer Giants Leverkusen while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors rode into the game with enormous self-confidence having continued their masterful winning streak to two games having won a tough road game in Rhondorf 74-69 as the savior BBL license player Mahir Agva had been on board for a second consecutive game and was a big factor in the Frankfurt squad winning again. The game pitted two of the leagues best defensive teams as PS Karlsruhe came into the battle leading the league in points given up with 69, while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were the third best defensive team giving up only 73 points. Despite losing the first game at home, PS Karlsruhe did manage to keep Frankfurt at 61 points and wanted to supply another superb defensive performance and did stopping the Fraport Skyliners Juniors 77-72. After the victory, a pooped Jordan Talbert was just happy to finally get that Skyliner monkey off his back. (more…)
Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Brandon Lockhart(ScanPlus Baskets) I Believe We Can Defend Better And We Just Have Too Many Mental Breakdowns Throughout The Game
Brandon Lockhart is a 26 year old 185cm guard from St Louis, Missouri that is playing his third professional season and first with German team ScanPlus Baskets Elchingen (Germany-ProB) As a rookie he played for BK Levicki Patrioti (Slovakia-Extraliga) playing 34 games: Score-5(16.7ppg), 3.8rpg, Assists-5(4.3apg), Steals-1(3.0spg), FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 28.5%, FT: 78.9%. He played at Drury (NCAA2) from 2009-2013 and as a senior played 35 games averaging 12.5ppg, 3.9rpg, 6.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 48.3%, FT: 77.1%. Last season he played for the Giants TSV 1861 Noerdlingen (Germany-ProB) playing 29 game averaging 16.8ppg, 4.1rpg, 5.7apg, 2.5spg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 26.8%, FT: 81.1%He spoke to German Hoops after the tight 95-92 victory against his ex team Nordlingen..
Brandon congrats on the 95-92 win against your ex team Nordlingen. Did this game have any meaning for you since most guys were gone from last season?
Danke Miles! It was a special game since I played for the Giants last season. Since most of the guys from last year are also playing for new teams, I was able to approach it like it was just another team in the league. (more…)
Elijah Allen(Gotha) My Goal Is To Be Aggressive In The Time I Get And Find Ways To Help My Team Win
Elijah Allen is a 26 year old 195cm swing man from Columbus, Ohio that is playing his first season with Gotha in the Pro A. Ke played the last two seasons for Lich and last season played 27 games averaging 13.0ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.9apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 36.2%, FT: 69.3%. He started his basketball career at NW Missouri St. (NCAA2) in 2007 where he played until 2011 playing a total of 103 NCAA games and as a senior played 26 games: 14.9ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.1apg, FG: 44.8%, 3Pts: 23.1%, FT: 74.8%. He came to Germany in 2012 and played his first two seasons for the VfB 1900 Giessen Pointers (Germany-Regionalliga) and in the 2013-2014 season played 26 games averaging 20.0ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 58.7%, 3PT: 30.7%, FT: 68.4%. In the 2014-2015 season for the Licher Basket Baeren he played 28 games: 10.4ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.9%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 72.2% He spoke to German Hoops after the big 64-56 win against Heidelberg last weekend.
Elijah congrats on the 64-56 win in Heidelberg. How good did it feel to win on the road again after 4 straight loses on the road?
Thanks a lot. It was a good feeling. We must continue to build off this.
Danilo Barthel(FC Bayern Munich) Continues To Progress From Frankfurt To Munich Moving Up The Basketball Ladder
There was an instance in Danilo Barthel´s third season with the Fraport Skyliners where a rumor was leaked that the big man who had found a liking to facial hair in his tenure with Frankfurt was not remotely amused by having any kind of confrontation with the insect that has eight legs and at times franticly moves about as nervously as a Paris Hilton does at home in her walk through closet when she doesn´t find the matching outfit for her nightly engagement at some kind of fundraiser. Even if one would have to be very unlucky to meet a tarantula in the Nord west centrum mall where Barthel lived during his 5 year tenure, the little creature surely could of found bondage to the German´s hairy beard. Sometime in the 2013-2014 season, the 207cm forward who has made dunking a normal daily occurrence as much as it is for an Anthony Davis to get a double double found a spider in his mail box, but it soon was revealed that it was a fake rubber spider and the secret of his dislike for the quick runners was slowly lifted. Who the prankster was that placed the spider in the mail box of Barthel was never revealed, but I would have bet my special George Gervin autograph on prankster Jacob Burtschi or the silent and innocent looking Johannes Voigtmann. One thing that Barthel was not scared to present was his sharp and improving basketball skills on the court as he continued to develop since coming to Frankfurt in 2011. Barthel may be the first guy that will be half way to Siberia by the sight of a spider before a Quantez Roberton can be on the break from Frankfurt to Auburn, but if Beko BBL teams came upon the idea to place a spider on a rim to keep Barthel away, they better think twice, because despite his fear of the little creature, the rim is the best friend of the German on the court. That is probably the only place where Barthel will forget how disgusting a spider really is because nothing in safe around the rim when the 25 year old German is on flight. Barthel has made some crashing dunks over his years as he continues his career with FC Bayern Munich this season, but before he could sign on the dotted line and be able to meet Uli Hoeness on a more regular basis and pick his brain about FC Bayern Munich basketball, one has to remember that there was a reason why he was able to move to the charming city of Munich and woo fans there with his skills and that was his development with the Fraport Skyliners from 2011-2016.
Preston Medlin(Kirchheim Knights) We Might Not Have The Deepest Rotation But When We Need Guys To Step Up They Have
Preston Medlin is a 25 year old 193cm guard that is playing his third professional season and first with the Kirchheim Knights in the German Pro A. He started his basketball career in 2009 with Utah St. (NCAA) where he played until 2014 playinga total of 102 NCAA games. As a senior he played 32 games averaging 12.4ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.1apg, FGP: 41.1%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 78.0%. He started his professional basketball career in 2014 with BK Saldus (Latvia-LBL): 29 games: Score-4(14.7ppg), 3.1rpg, 3.0apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 42.7%, FT: 75.8%. Last season he had limited duty with Enosi Kalathosfairisis Kavalas (Greece-A1): 3 games: 3.7ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.3apg. German Hoops talked to Preston after the tough 90-72 loss in Trier.
Preston thanks for talking to German Hoops. You came into the game with Trier with a 11-1 record and had won 8 times. As a professional basketball player does a time come when one has won a lot that you just think it will go on and on?
Going into the Trier game we felt like we were rolling and nothing could touch us and we got a reality check, which I think in the long run, will be good for us.
Nik Caner-Medley(AS Monaco) Coach Chris Fleming Took His Job Very Seriously And That Motivated Me As A Rookie
Nik Caner-Medley is a 33 year old 206cm power forward from Portland Maine that is playing his 11th professional season and first with AS Monaco Basket (France-ProA). He played the last two seasons with BK Astana (Kazakhstan-D1) and last season played VTB League: 17 games: Score-3(18.2ppg), 7.9rpg, 1.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 58.3%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 85.7%; FIBA Europe Cup: 6 games: 14.5ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.7apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 48.8%, 3PT: 44.0%, FT: 73.7%. He has also played in countries like Germany, Italy and in Israel for top team Maccabi Electra Tel-Aviv (Israel-Premier League). He played most of his career in Spain in the Endesa league for six seasons with teams like Malaga, Estudiantes Madrid Gran Canaria, Sevilla and Valencia. He also played at Maryland from 2002-2006 playing a total of 127 NCAA games reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2003. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.
Nik thanks for talking to German Hoops. Welcome back to Germany. You played as a rookie in Germany for the Artland Dragons and have played in Germany over the years like against Alba Berlin in the Euroleague. With what kind of feeling do you have returning back to Germany?
I have great memories of my time in Germany. Playing for coach Fleming was a great experience, he helped prepare me for the rest of my career in Europe. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and as a man, great guy and very hard worker. One of the things I remember most about my time in Germany was the fans. All of the teams had great support from their fans and it was really fun to be a part of such a passionate basketball culture.
Dee Bost Leads AS Monaco To 70-64 Champions League Gut Out Win Against The Fraport Skyliners
When taking a closer look at the beautiful bustling coastal town of Monte Carlo, one of the last things that one would mention would be their basketball team AS Monaco. The first things that pop into mind about the chic town Monte Carlo is the glitz and money that it has to offer not to mention the sheer beauty of the French Riviera coupled with the picturesque mountains that lend the perfect back drop to a place that many people dream of just being able to visit one day. Other highlights about Monte Carlo is the Formula One race that takes place each year or the posh Monte Carlo casino or spending a free hours in front of the famous Hotel De Paris to see just how many celebrities one can spot. Many also come to Monte Carlo to get a taste of their royal family and to see if they can spot prince Albert. One also can try to come up with a list of how many famous people have lived there over the years to save on taxes as the list is massive as guys like Boris Becker brought it into fashion already in the 80´s while over the years a handful of Formula One drivers have called this dream world home. However Monte Carlo also has a basketball team AS Monaco that after numerous years of having totally fallen in obscurity falling from the France Pro A and having played as far back as the fourth division only five years ago moved back to the elite division in 2015 and right away made a bang winning the regular season crown, but falling in the playoffs in the semi-finals. This season the club has found back to it´s success from last season and is a top the France pro A with a record of 9-2 and in the Champions League is 6-1 . The club is also known as being a type of recluse for former BBL players as their present roster boasts four players where Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson has faced two. He could have faced three with Zack Wright, but was injured during the 2013-2014 season embarrassing 73-43 loss in Bamberg . Ex Maryland(NCAA) star Nik Caner-Medley´s first team as a rookie in 2005 was the Artland Dragons. Robertson faced Jamal Shuler in the 2009-2010 season where Shuler played his last in the BBL for Trier before heading to France for good, and had most of his duels against California native John Bryant when he played with Ulm and Munich from 2010-2016. Shuler got the last laugh on Robertson at the 2010 BBL Allstar game slam dunk contest in Bonn winning the crown. Robertson and the Fraport Skyliners split the season series in each season from 2010-2016 with John Bryant but the big man that got the nickname big country during his years in Germany got the better of both in 2015 winning in the playoffs 3-1. AS Monaco came to Frankfurt reeling off a 98-83 loss against Paris, while the Fraport Skyliners entered the game with new focus and life after snapping their 6 game BBL losing streak with an exciting one point win in Braunschweig. AS Monaco was without Jamal Shuler who was nursing an injury and stayed in Monte Carlo and apparently they didn´t need him as they gutted out a 70-64 win in Champions League action.
Quantez Robertson wasn´t only disappointed with the loss but also that he couldn´t get revenge on Jamal Shuler as he also beat him two seasons ago in the Eurochallenge Top 4. The Fraport Skyliners coughed up the ball 22 times including nine times in the third quarter and Robertson had four in the first quarter. “It is always nice to play against familiar faces that you have played against before. You may not know them personally, but it´s always fun. Shuler is a good player. I remember the dunk contest in Bonn. I really thought that I got robbed.Derek Raivio gave him a soccer pass and the crowd went crazy and he caught it on the second bounce. I guess soccer is big in Europe and that helped him. We had too many turnovers. We also were unable to move the ball well in clutch situations. I think I might have had four turnovers in one quarter in college. Tonight I tried to make the big play too much instead of the right play”, stressed Quantez Robertson.
Willie Dean(BK Ventspils)There Is This Misconception In Europe That Once A player Turns 30 That He Can´t Play Anymore But I´m Living Proof That That Isn´t The Case
Willie Dean is a 36 year old 188cm point guard that is playing his 14th professional season and second with BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL). He has played in 11 countries in Greece, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, France and Latvia. He started his basketball career in 2008 with Boston College(NCAA) and then moved to Purdue where he played from 2000-2003 playing a total of 91 NCAA games and as a senior played 30 games averaging 17.8ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 41.6%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 78.2%. Last season he played for STB Le Havre (France-ProA) playing FIBA Europe Cup: 9 games: 13.0ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.9apg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 58.7%, 3FGP: 33.3%, FT: 84.6%; French ProA: 15 games: 9.3ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.4apg, 2FGP: 50.6%, 3FGP: 12.5%, FT: 87.0%, in Mar.’16 moved to BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL) playing 18 games: Score-2(15.9ppg), 3.6rpg, Assists-2(5.1apg), Steals-3(1.8spg), FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 81.3%. He spoke to German Hoopsbefore the Champions League game against the EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Oldenburg.
Willie thanks for talking to German Hoops. Welcome back to Oldenburg. You don´t have the fondest memories losing a Eurochallenge quarterfinal best of 3 to the EWE baskets in March 2013 with Khimik-OPZ Yuzny (Ukraine-Superleague). What memories do you have of this series?
I remember that we were in the game, but Rickey Paulding had a big game that got them through it.
Who was more annoying on the court Julius Jenkins or Ricky Paulding? Jenkins had big games in game one and three and Paulding steered 24 points in game three.
The most important game was game three where Paulding showed up. We had done a good job keeping him quiet for the first two games, but his contribution in game three allowed them to advance.
What memory do you have of ex teammate big man Miro Todic from that team?
Miro was a real good dude. I remember him as being very versatile and he could play the positions three and four and stretch the floor. He was a very good physical player.
You started your professional career in 2003. Have you seen any other places in Germany or has Oldenburg been the only place you have spent time with?
I played against the Artland Dragons when I was with Bulgarian team Lukoil.
You are 36 years old and still putting up stats as if you were 28. What motivates you to keep going and going?
I love to play the game of basketball. There is this misconception in Europe that once a player turns 30 that he can´t play anymore. I am living proof that that isn´t the case.
Besides keeping your body in shape why do you believe that you have been able to have such a long career?
I think that part of it is luck. Nobody can predict injuries and basketball is just an unknown thing. You go to play each day hoping for the best and too always come out after each game without a serious injury.
Often a player´s game goes down with age. What has been your secret to having the fountain of consistency in you?
I noticed that the older I got, the more that I had to do in the summers in terms of fitness. When I was younger, I could take off longer periods of time. When your older you have less time to be able to come back. You are more susceptible to injury as your body isn´t used to getting back to that high intensity.
You won four titles in Bulgaria and one in France and Italy. What drives you on to keep playing? Does winning titles increase a bit more with age?
Basketball is a team game. The teams success is measured by how much you can accomplish. I believe that individual awards don´t belong in basketball. Basketball isn´t an individual sport, but a team sport. I never understood why they give individual awards to players in a game that is a team sport.
You have played in 11 countries for 14 teams. Do you at times feel like a basketball globetrotter? What do you say to critics who might suggest that you change too much during seasons from one team to another that might be on account of your character? I guess you could say it hasn´t hindered teams from various countries to offer me jobs.
Every team that I ever played for wanted me to stay. The reasons for me not staying with teams over my career had nothing to do with my character. In many cases, they weren´t able to afford me further at that moment. It was nothing against me, but just part of the business.
You are playing for a team with a rich basketball tradition. What kind of experience has it been for you playing for this team and does one feel the tradition in and around the city?
It´s a very small town so everybody knows about the team. There is a lot of pressure on the team to hold down the tradition, but we are up to the challenge and we work very hard together each day to keep the tradition up.
BK Ventspils have a 10-1 record in the LBL league. What has been the secret to being at the top? Does the competition level suffer a bit to really give the team tough opponents on a regular basis?
You would think so, but that isn´t the case. When you have the best record, everyone is out to get you and prove you wrong. Many teams find that extra energy to compete against us which is something you wouldn´t have thought possible when looking at their roster.
BK Ventspils is 3-4 in the Champions League and playing better than their record shows. What has been the biggest difference in this competition in comparison to the LBL league?
The biggest difference is the budget of the teams. In Germany teams might be able to afford 6 Americans while in the LBL league maybe 2-3 Americans. The teams are also deeper in the Champions league.
In the 2013-2014 season you played the majority of the season with Krasny Oktyabr Volgograd (Russia-VTB, starting five): 20 games: Score-5(18.4ppg), 4.8rpg, Assists-4(7.0apg), 1.2spg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 83.9%, in May’14 moved to EA7 Emporio Armani Milano (Italy-SerieA): 1 game: 2pts, 1ast. You came and won. In the short time you were there what did you feel was so special about that constellation of players?
The special thing about the Milan team was their depth. We had very good Italian players like Melli who is with Bamberg now and we had American keith Langford. He was pretty dominant then and still playing well today. We also had a very good coach.
In the 2010-2011 season you won the France Pro A with Sluc Nancy. How much fun was it playing with diminutive point guard John Linehan? Where do you rank him in all-time best guard teammates as a professional?
He is probably the best full court defender I have ever seen. He made guys not want to dribble the ball at him. Guys would be resistant to bringing the ball up the court.
You were with the Washington Wizards (NBA) in preseason in 2007. What kind of experience was that for you and did you feel you realistically had a chance of making the team?
I know that basketball wise I should have made it. It was just the wrong time for me. It was a time when Gilbert Arenas was about to enter free agency and the club wanted to open up as much cap space as possible. They didn´t keep anyone. Not even guys from the previous season. For me it was a great experience learning from guys like Antwan Jamison, Caron Butler, Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Hayward.
You won the Bulgarian title from 2008-2010 with Lukoil Academik Sofia. Which title was most difficult to win?
The first one was the most special. We had accomplished two things that season that had never been done before in Bulgaria. We had an undefeated season and reached the last 16 in ULEB Cup.
You put up huge stats in this time. Was this your strongest phase as a professional in terms of your game?
I think my strongest season was with Volgograd where led the VTB in efficiency was first in assists and second in scoring.
What was your wake up call to being a rookie in 2003 in Europe with Ilysiakos Athens (Greece-A) where you knew that you were very far away from home?
My wake up call was not getting paid all the time. That was one of the reasons that I never went back to play. But loved Athens and it was the most fun I had in Europe. The Greek league don’t have their finances in order.
You played three and a half years in Russia. What was the craziest experience that you ever had there with weather?
We went to play in Siberia and it was -40C
You started your college basketball career in 1998 at Boston College and then transferred to Purdue where you played from 2000-2003. How did head coach Gene Keady groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?
Coach Keady preached discipline and details. He enforced it and made you aware of it. He helped me develop further as a player at Purdue.
What memories do you have of then freshman David Teague? He won the scoring title in Germany in 2010 and once lit up Alba Berlin for 35 points. Did you already notice then that he had a scoring gene growing in him?
Yes he always had that’ scoring instinct from the first day that he came. I saw him as a recruit. He was a great scorer and was pretty tall for a two guard which allowed him to shoot over smaller defenders.
Who was the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that made the NBA?
The best guy I ever saw, I didn´t play against. I was red shirted and saw Jamal Crawford put on a show at Michigan. I knew form that game that he would be going to the NBA.
If you had to construct your own NBA Rushmore, which 4 heads would you choose?
I like big men. My top three would be Kareem, Hakeem Olajuwon and Jordan.
Lebron finally brought an NBA title to the Cavs. Where does he stand at the moment in the never ending debate with where he stands as the best of all-time?
He and Magic are the top two most versatile of all-time for me.
Where do you rank Kevin Garnett with the best power forwards that ever played the game?
I see him at the top with Tim Duncan, Karl Malone and Kevin Mchale.
What was the last movie that you saw?
I saw two documentaries Vaxxed and 13th.
Thanks Willie for the chat.
Jamal Shuler(AS Monaco) As I Get Older I Am Always Trying To Find New Ways To Evolve And Bring Something New To The Table
Jamal Shuler is a 31 year old 191cm shooting guard from Jacksonville, North Carolina that is playing his ninth professional season, sixth in France and second with As Monaco. Last season with AS Monaco he played 40 games averaging15.9ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 88.7%. He started his basketball career in 2004 with Va Commonwealth (NCAA) where he played until 2008 and as a senior played 32 games averaging 15.5ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 44.0%, 3Pts: 41.3%, FT: 79.8%. He turned professional in 2008 with TBB Trier in Germany and played there until 2010. Then he went to France and played for teams like JA Vichy Val d’Allier Auvergne basket, Sluc Nancy Basket Pro, and JSF Nanterre. He also played a season with Khimik-OPZ Yuhzny (Ukraine-Superleague). He spoke to German Hoops before the Champions League game against the Fraport Skyliners in Frankfurt.
Jamal thanks for talking to German Hoops Welcome back to Germany and Frankfurt. It has been a while since you played in Germany. Back in the 2013-2014 season you lost two Eurocup games to Alba Berlin. Where would you rank the giant Mercedes Benz arena in Berlin in your all-time best arena´s that you have played in?
Berlin’s arena is definitely one of the top gyms in Europe! It’s always fun to play there because of the competition and also because the crowd was always great!
Travis Thompson Drives The Fraport Skyliners Juniors To 74-69 Victory Over The Dragons Rhondorf
Last year was a season to forget for the Dragons Rhondorf as they finished dead last in the German Pro A and were regulated back to the Pro B, a place where they had played many seasons against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. Two seasons ago, both teams split as the Dragons Rhondorf lost an exciting spectacular game in Frankfurt 77-75 as Kyle Fossmann won the game with his bread and butter the deep three from the parking lot and teammate Johannes Richter was in monster mode under the boards netting 22 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. In the return game in Rhondorf, fans witnessed the total opposite as the Dragons Rhondorf destroyed the Fraport Skyliners Juniors 119-65 as they had five players score in double figures led by American Justin Smith with 26 points and Germans Tim Schonborn had 21 points and Fabian Thuelig contributed 20 points. A little more than two years later the two teams met again as the eighth place Dragons Rhondorf with a record of 4-6 faced the Fraport Skyliners Juniors with a record of 3-7 and resting in tenth place. Only a hand-full players from two seasons ago remained with Viktor Frankel-Maus and Sascha Tratnjek while Frankfurt could only offer Lenny Okeke. The Fraport Sklyiners Juniors now had to contend with the beast Aaron Nelson who carried 23 and 13 stats into game and Frankfurt head coach Eric Detlev wished that he could of had a Johannes Richter on board, but then again didn´t need him because he had Mahir Agva who came on the train with teammate Stefan Ilzhoefer from Braunschweig after helping beat the Basket Lowen Braunschweig the night before with the Fraport Skyliners and helped the Pro B team overcome a Rhondorf come back in the second half and beat them 74-69. After the loss, a dejected Dragons Rhondorf point guard Viktor Frankl-Maus reflected on the loss and buzzer beater from two seasons again. “I remember that buzzer beater as I was just coming back from an injury. I warmed up before the game, but didn´t play. That was an up and down game with less points. I thought that we could get back and possibly win this game tonight with a last shot. It is hard to believe that we couldn´t win despite having 22 offensive rebounds. Usually you should score 80-90 points when you get that much. We didn´t shoot well, but our defense was ok except for the second quarter”, explained German Viktor Frankl-Maus. After the win, Agva was stretching and when confronted with the notion that he had been responsible for the team turnaround after his return where he produced 30 points and the game winner against Leverkusen a week ago and 15 points in Rhondorf, he just innocently sighed and took the winning feeling all in stride. “I try to be the team leader and do what the team needs from me with scoring and rebounding. We were lucky to win this game. Usually when you get 22 offensive rebounds you win. We had big plays at the end and made our free throws. But that is how basketball works sometimes. Our defense was key at the end as well. I am glad that we are winning and I think that we are on a good way”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Mahir Agva.
It was another new home coming for Fraport Skyliners head coach eric Detlev who worked 11 years for the Dragons Rhondorf starting as an assistant coach and getting the head coaching job in 2009 and leading the club to the Pro B title in 2010 and then moved to Frankfurt in 2012. Before the game he felt like he shook 15 hands as well as hugs from many well-wishers from back in the day. When the last well-wisher traded his own anecdote with Detlev, the game finally began which saw the guests get out in a big way leading 6-2 quickly as Alaska native Travis Thompson who tested his 64% three point percentage and ex Ludwigsburg guard Stefan Ilzhoefer dropped consecutive three pointers. However Rhondorf got into the game quickly as they set the tone early on the offensive glass demonstrating their aggressiveness and never ending desire to rule on the rim as they got some easy buckets inside from Illinois native Aaron Nelson and German Florian Wendeler made an offensive rebound and put back dunk and then dunked on the pick and roll with Frankl-Maus as the game was tied at 10-10. Both teams then would trade buckets twice as Ilzhoefer and Thompson scored while Rhondorf countered with a Nelson lay in and Thomas Michel off balance shot to tie the game at 14-14. The Canadian sensation Mike Lucier than muscled down an offensive rebound and made the put back for the first Dragons lead of the day. However 17 year old German sensation Isaac Bonga rammed home an extra athletic exclamation mark as he saw daylight and flew down the lane with a thunderous one hand dunk which silenced the Dragon dome ending the first quarter 16-16. “We did a good job getting second chance opportunities and points. We also played with a lot of heart against the physical defense of Frankfurt”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf CEO Boris Kaminski. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were shooting 50% from the field and from outside while the Dragons Rhondorf were shooting 39% from the field and 0% from outside. Rhonndorf had the 13-5 rebound edge, but five turnovers while Frankfurt had three turnovers.
In the second quarter, Frankfurt gave an early sign that they were in the mood of breaking away, but Rhondorf withstood a few tries, until they wilted halfway through as the guests would break open the game and lead by double digits. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors took control right away going on a 8-3 run to lead 24-19 as ex Bremerhaven guard Garai Zeeb connected on back to back three pointers and young German Armin Trtovac hit a pretty 20 footer. Rhondorf came back getting buckets from New York native Will Trawick and German Bastian Winterhalter who made a running hook shot to cut the Frankfurt lead to 26-24. Then came the turning point of the second quarter as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors exploded for a 14-2 run to go into halftime with the comfortable 40-26 advantage. In the run, Frankfurt dominated the paint area as there was no big body to serve as a wall as Nelson was on the bench. Frankfurt got two tough buckets in traffic from Ilzhoefer and Thompson and then the Alaska native rushed by two Rhondorf defenders for another easy basket. Agva got to the free throw line twice, but connected only twice while Bonga made a runner. Agva really put a dagger through Rhondorf´s heart in the last seconds as he nailed a trey with his usual high rainbow. “Not having Nelson in hurt us in the paint area as Frankfurt got many easy baskets. Our back up point guard Patrick Reusch couldn´t play to add stability when Frankl-Maus was out. It really hurt us when he wasn´t in. We started to lose confidence and had doubt after a few missed shots”, added Dragons Rhondorf CEO Boris Kaminski. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were shooting 60% from the field and 56% from the three point line while the Dragons Rhondorf were shooting 31% from the field and 0% from the three point line. Frankfurt did a better job on the boards narrowing the Rhondorf rebound advantage to 18-17. Rhondorf had six turnovers and Frankfurt had five turnovers.
In the third quarter, the Dragons Rhondorf staged a fierce comeback carving down the Frankfurt lead to 52-50 after 30 minutes. The Fraport Skyliners started off the third quarter with a beautiful play as Ilzhoefer found Bonga back door, but instead of making the lay up chose to distribute the no look pass to the better positioned Agva who made the bucket for the 42-26 advantage. Bonga once again demsonstarted his unselfish play something which can be credited to his early beginings in Koblenz. Rhondorf got some production from Frankl-Maus making free throws and from Nelson getting another easy basket inside to cut the Frankfurt lead to 44-32. Zeeb and Ilzhoefer then made free throws extending the Frankfurt lead to 46-32. Then came the Dragons run of 18-6 which shocked Frankfurt and got the home team back into the life and brought life back into the quieter Dragon Dome. American Will Trawick started the big run with a trey ending the Rhondorf three point drought. Rhondorf just kept chipping way looking for Nelson inside for easy buckets and Frankl-Maus also scored inside showing how well he can help lead a team under pressure. Michel also made a big bucket converting on a trey to cut the Frankfurt advantage to 48-42. Frankfurt got an important basket from 17 year old ex TV Langen guard German Niklas Pons who helped them get some production in this Rhondorf dominated time, but Nelson simply continued to be too much scoring from anywhere as he dropped a 20 footer and then converted an offensive rebound into a put back and Wendeler secured free throws as Frankfurt led by only 52-50 after 30 minutes. “We didn´t play good offense. We all made mistakes including myself. Rhondorf got the momentum and the gym got loud which helped them”, stressed Mahir Agva. “We played a lot better and that showed with our bod language and intensity on the court. We worked from stop to stop and did all the small things better like rebounding and getting loose balls. We also did a good job keeping the Frankfurt defense under pressure”, added Viktor Frankl-Maus. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were shooting 50% from the field and 36% from the parking lot while the Dragons Rhondorf were shooting 35% from the field and 14% from the parking lot. Rhondorf rebounded a lot better again having the 34-24 edge and both teams had eight turnovers a piece.
In the fourth quarter, the Fraport Skyliners executed on another huge run, but the Dragons Rhondorf exhibited heart again not letting their heads hang and fought back a last time. Nelson got Rhondorf on the board first with a lay in over the Frankfurt double team to dead lock the game at 52-52. Frankfurt then burst out on a 12-0 run to claim the comfortable 64-52 lead. In the run, they got continued solid production from Agva who connected on another mid distance shot and rocked home an off balance shot. Bonga also scored on an off balance shot, Ilzhoefer and Thompson connected on free throws and Zeeb poured home a deep three on transition rounding out the run. Frankfurt had the momentum again displaying how quickly their offense can get going and played more rigid defense not letting Rhondorf get good shots. Rhondorf still had some energy in their tank and kept their composure and rode out on a 13-4 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 68-65. In the run, Rhondorf got some much needed support from downtown as Nelson and Trawick connected, but also got vital production in the paint from Wendeler with a lay in and Frankl-Maus showcasing his immense speed once again not getting contested by Bonga. Nelson nailed a baby hook shot over Agva and all of a sudden the Dragon Dome was loud again and Rhondorf down by only 68-65. Bonga and Frankl-Maus then traded free throws as Frankfurt still led 70-67. Despite the youth of Frankfurt as they average only 18 years per player, they stayed very calm in the last minute and a half and gave the reigns to Travis Thompson who drove the Fraport Skyliners Juniors to the win with a very difficult drive form the base line in traffic and connected off the glass for the 72-67 Frankfurt lead. Frankl-Maus then made free throws as did Thompson for the 74-69 lead. Ilzhoefer doused the last attempt by the Dragons Rhondorf with a steal ending the game. “We were a bit tired at the end, but we can´t take that as an excuse. I think that not having Reus today hurt as impulses from him were missing. We played good defense on Thompson and he made a tough shot”, stressed Viktor Frankl-Maus. ”They were tired at the end, but so were we. We were the better team mentally and wanted to win the game more”, expressed Mahir Agva.
The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Travis Thompson with 21 points. Mahir Agva added 15 points and seven rebounds. Stefan Ilzhoefer produced 12 points while Garai Zeeb contributed 11 points and six assists while Isaac Bonga had 10 points, five rebounds and four assists. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Aaron nelson with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Viktor Frankl-Maus produced 15 points, five rebounds and eight assists. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 52% from the field and 38% from outside while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 37% from the field and 22% from outside. Rhondorf had the 43-31 rebound edge including the massive 22-3 offensive rebound edge and both teams coughed up the ball 10 times a piece.
German Hoops 