Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Basketball journalist and play by play commentator

Tyson Hinz(Mitteldeutscher BC) I Need To Be Efficient And Effective Whether I play 10 Minutes Or 30 Minutes

Tyson Hinz is a 24 year old 20cm forward from Ottawa, Canada that is playing his third professional season and first in Germany with the Mitteldeutscher BC: He played the last two seasons with Landstede Basketbal Zwolle (Holland-Eredivisie) playing a total of 73 games and last season played 35 games averaging 13.3ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.8apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 34.2%, FT: 76.6%. He started his basketball career at Carleton University (CIS) in 2009 and played there until 2014 playing a total of 123 CIS games and as a senior played 27 games averaging 15.4ppg, 6.1rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 61.1%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 76.1%. There he won four CIS titles and three OUA titles. He spoke to German Hoops after the 79-65 victory against BV Chemnitz

 

 

Tyson thanks for talking to German Hoops. The Mitteldeutscher BC is currently 6-1 and have a three game winning streak. How good is basketball life for Tyson Hinz at the moment?

I am always extremely fortunate to be able to play basketball as my profession. Having our team tied for first in the league is always a nice bonus but there is still a lot of basketball to be played.

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De´mon Brooks Has Stellar Play And That Davidson Curry Character Rubbing Off On Him

In most other towns in the United States a guy like De´mon Brooks might be a household name or atleast featured in the Wikipedia list of notable people, but when you come from a city like Charlotte, North Carolina that is the second biggest banking city in the states as well as having a list of the who´s who of the basketball world like a Michael Jordan and Steph Curry and other well known players like Bobby Jones, Jeff Mcinnis or an Antwan Jamison, you may become not more than just a side note, but rather just another name, but in reality the American is more than just a marginal note, but a very special guy that learned good values at Davidson(NCAA) and also had a stellar four year career there. You don´t always have to go to the top basketball schools in North Carolina like North Carolina or Duke, but recently Davidson has also made a name for itself as being a school that has continuously grown as a program and having NBA superstar Steph Curry play there didn´t actually hurt either. Brooks is a 24 year old 202cm forward that was born in Georgia, but grew up in Charlotte and after playing at Davidson has broadened his basketball horizon in his first two professional seasons in Italy and Israel where he didn´t win any titles, but was a consistent performer and thus starting his early growth as a professional player. This season he is playing his first season in Germany for medi Bayreuth and has helped them be the big surprise of the season having a 6-1 record which the least expected and is one of many new players that head coach Raoul Korner reeled in feeling that one of a kind character in him. Currently Brooks is first in scoring and is very consistent having scored in double figures in each game and having that very humble approach that he inherited living in North Carolina. It has been a while since Brooks won a title dating back to back to back wins with the Southern Conf. Tournament in 2012-2013, but this season, medi Bayreuth may not win a title but finally reach the playoffs with the right coach and players that the club currently has. “What I like about Coach Korner is that he really cares for everyone in his program and his attention to detail. There is no stone left unturned, but at the same time he knows how to communicate with his players to get the best out of us. To me he is a players coach and those are the type to create a winning environment”, warned Demon Brooks. So far the American who compares his game to Golden State Warrior Draymond Greene has had no problem adjusting to the BBL with his versatile game. “I think my biggest strength is the ability to play inside and outside. I am very mobile at the 4 position and I can do a variety of things. But I think my bread and butter is just playing inside and just taking what the defense gives me. If that is scoring the ball or kicking it out to a teammate. I think my passing has come a long way since college. From my past two years I seen a lot of double teams has made me widen my vision”, stressed Demon Brooks. But not only his role model like play has stood out, but his character which grew at Davidson where he played for Bob Mckillop who has been responsible for grooming his players to not only being the best possible players, but the best possible human beings. Brooks knows that the Davidson experience was priceless as well as his dealings with head coach Bob Mckillop. “There is no better coach in the world. He is the reason why I am here today. From the time I stepped foot on Davidson he prepared me for this journey on and off the court. One of the many lesson that stays with me is with freedom comes from responsibility. This is one lesson, especially playing professional basketball in Europe, that is very important for a player to abide if you want to have a long promising career”, warned Demon Brooks. Brooks remembers hearing the great stories from coach Mckillop about Steph Curry that also helped shape him. “My personal favorite story about Steph is during the NBA lockout and he came back to Davidson to finish his classes. He is the best player I have ever seen personally, but with that he is not cocky or arrogant. He is a genuine person and the way he carries himself is like no other. That what stands out most about him to me. Not what he does on court”, warned Demon Brooks. Brooks may not always think about it, but he profited a lot from his Davidson experience and has some of that Davidson Curry character rubbing off on him on and off the court.

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Davon Roberts(VfL Bochum AstroStars) It Is Important We Communicate And Hold Everybody Accountable On Defense

Davon Roberts is a 30 year old 197cm forward from Covina, California playing his first season with VfL AstroStars Bochum (Germany-ProB). He started his basketball career with  Cal.St. Sacramento in 2004 where he played until 2007 playing 83 NCAA games. He played his senior year 2007-2008 with Azusa Pacific (NAIA). He turned professional in 2008 and played with the Spot Up Medien Baskets Braunschweig (Germany-ProB) playing 29 games: 16.5ppg, Reb-2(9.4rpg), 2.1apg, 1.7spg, Blocks-5(1.0bpg), FGP: 60.1%, 3PT: 13.3%, FT: 67.4%. In 2009-2010, he played with  BV Chemnitz 99 (Germany-ProA): 29 games: 10.5ppg, 5.0rpg, FGP: 57.2%, 3PT: 31.4%, FT: 56.3%. In 2010-2011, he played with Mitteldeutscher BC Weissenfels (Germany-1.Bundesliga): 22 games: 3.2ppg, 1.9rpg. In 2011-2012, he played with BiG Oettinger Rockets Gotha (Germany-ProB): 15 games: 5.5ppg, 3.1rpg, FGP: 59.6%, FT: 54.1%. He sat out the 2012-2013 season to back to school and get his degree. He returned to Germany in 2013 and played with BBV Saar-Pfalz (Germany-Oberliga)playing  5 games averaging 25.4ppg, in Dec.’13 signed at VfL Stade (Germany-ProB, starting five): 15 games: 13.7ppg, 7.9rpg, 2.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 49.7%, 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 53.7%. He played the last two seasons with BSG Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga). He spoke to German Hoops after the 81-71 win against FC Schalke.

 

 

Davon thanks for talking to eurobasket.com.German Hoopsd then you came on board and now the team is 3-0 with your services. Have you been the team´s new good luck charm?

Lol Good luck charm? We just been working hard and its starting to show but we have a long way to go so we need to keep up the good work.

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Brandyn Curry(Helios Suns Domzale)I Was Happy With My Aggressiveness But Not At All With My Effectiveness

Brandyn Curry is a 25 year old 187cm point guard from Huntersville, North Carolina that is playing his third professional season with Helios Suns Domzale (Slovenia-Liga NovaKBM). Last season he played with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (Germany-BBL): 27 games: 3.9ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.0apg. As a rookie he  played for the SPM Shoeters Den Bosch (Holland-Eredivisie). He played 33 games averaging 14.9ppg, 4.1rpg, Assists-2(5.0apg), 2.0spg, FGP: 58.9%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 83.7%; EuroChallenge: 12 games: 16.2ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.9apg, Steals-5(1.8spg), FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 40.6%, FT: 72.7% He played four years at Harvard(NCAA) playing a total of 113 NCAA games and as a senior played 23 games averaging 9.3ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.8apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 58.5%. He spoke to German Hoops after the tough 61-56 Champions League loss against the Fraport Skyliners.

 

 

 

 

Brandon a tough 61-56 loss to the Fraport Skyliners in Champions League play. You move to 0-5 against Frankfurt. Are the Skyliners slowly becoming a bad omen for you to play?

Yeah another tough loss to them. Wouldn’t say bad omen but more just like an annoying monkey on my back as some would say.

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Lakeem Jackson(ETB Wohnbau Baskets) I Want To Become A Better Leader And To Enjoy Basketball More

Lakeem Jackson is a 26 year old 196cm forward from Charlotte, North Carolina that is playing his fourth professional season and second in Germany with German Pro A team ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen. He played his first two professional seasons with BK Iskra Svit (Slovakia-SBL). He started his basketball career in 2009 with South Carolina(NCAA) where he played a total of 120 NCAA games and as a senior played 32 games averaging 7.5ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 33.9%. Last season he played with the Rhein Stars Koeln (Germany-ProA) playing 29 games: 12.4ppg, 7.3rpg, 2.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 15.0%, FT: 42.5%. He spoke to German Hoops after his first game with Essen.

 

 

Lakeem welcome back to Germany. Did you become homesick to Germany just a little bit or why did you return and this time sign with the ETB Wohnbau Baskets?

I was just trying to find the right situation for me as a player. I was familiar with the ProA league so I made the decision to come here for my 4th season.

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Brandyn Curry(Helios Suns Domzale)Quantez Robertson Is The Best Defensive Player I’ve Come Across In My Career

Brandyn Curry is a 25 year old 187cm point guard from Huntersville, North Carolina that is playing his third professional season with Helios Suns Domzale (Slovenia-Liga NovaKBM). Last season he played with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (Germany-BBL): 27 games: 3.9ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.0apg. As a rookie he  played for the SPM Shoeters Den Bosch (Holland-Eredivisie). He played 33 games averaging 14.9ppg, 4.1rpg, Assists-2(5.0apg), 2.0spg, FGP: 58.9%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 83.7%; EuroChallenge: 12 games: 16.2ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.9apg, Steals-5(1.8spg), FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 40.6%, FT: 72.7% He played four years at Harvard(NCAA) playing a total of 113 NCAA games and as a senior played 23 games averaging 9.3ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.8apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 58.5%. He spoke to German Hoops before the Champions Cup game against the Fraport Skyliners.

 

 

 

 

Brandyn thanks for talking to German Hoops. Den Bosch, and Bremerhaven were your first towns that you lived in in your first two professional seasons and in your third you are in Domizal in Slovenia playing for Helios Suns Domzale (Slovenia-Liga NovaKBM). What have you learned to appreciate the most in your new surroundings in the first few months?

Well first I just appreciate and thank god that I am fortunate enough to be entering my third year as a professional basketball player. Slovenia is a really beautiful country so just been enjoying the all the sites they have here.

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Tre Demps (Belfius Mons-Hainaut)We Have The Type Of Team Where There Can Be A New Player Of The Game Every Night

Tre Demps is a 23 year old 188cm guard from San Antonio, texas playing his rookie season in Belgium with Belfius Mons-Hainaut (Belgium-Euromillions League). He played at Northwestern (NCAA) from 2011-2016 playing a total of 133 NCAA games and as a senior played 32 games averaging 15.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 33.2%, FT: 66.2%. Before turning pro he took part at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft) playing  3 games: 16.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.7apg. He spoke to German Hoops  before the Fiba Europe Cup game against the Telekom Baskets Bonn.

Tre thanks for talking to German Hoops. You’re a rookie playing your first season overseas for Belfius Mons-Hainaut (Belgium-Euromillions League). Your from San Antonio, Texas and also lived 4 years in Chicago playing for Nothwestern(NCAA). Has it been a big adjustment living in the pretty countryside of Belgium?

The adjustment has been good so far. I’ve moved around my whole life so I’m kind of used to being able to pack up and adjust to new places. Belgium is a very relaxed place with a lot of great places to shop. My family and I love the peacefulness of Belgium the most coming from Chicago.

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Trent Weaver(FC Schalke) We Need The Mindset That We Are The Aggressors From Start To Finish

 

Trent Weaver is a 22 year old 203cm forward from Columbus, Ohio that is playing his rookie season in Europe in Germany with FC Schalke. He got an early taste of being  a professional this year as he played for the Columbus Condors (CBA). Before turning professional he played for Ohio Dominican (NCAA2) from 2012-2016 playing  atotal of 98 games. As a senior he played 28 games: 15.5ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 72.5%. He spoke to German Hoops after the tough 81-71 loss against Bochum.

 

 

 

Trent thanks for talking to German Hoops. A tough 81-71 loss in Bochum. How tough was it losing again after having won a game twice this season and then not being able to extend a new winning streak to two games?

Hey Miles, the loss to Bochum was definitely a tough one. Especially going into halftime with the lead. We need to do a better job as a team to pull out these difficult, but winnable games.

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Scott Machado Puts His Foot Down In Crunch-Time Leading SC Rasta Vechta Past The Fraport Skyliners 68-61

Players come and go and one remembers some very dearly while others get erased off the personal memory bank as rapidly as a nasty hurricane can wipe out a complete neighborhood in Florida in their dog days of September where homeowners pray every year that they still have their own shelter as soon as October comes around. It also is rare for a club like the Fraport Skyliners to present two welcoming mats back to back, but that is exactly what happened this week as five days ago, old friend Jordan Theodore who was a main reason the club won only it´s third ever title last season returned back to Frankfurt in Champions League play and once again displayed that dominance and coolness on the court this time leading his new Turkish team Banvit past his old team in his ex living room. Just how much reunions with loses could the Fraport Skyliners handle as five days later another ex Skyliner Derrick Allen returned back to his old stomping ground especially in the paint where Theodore and Allen do their most damage at will. Derrick Allen is a dinosaur who is a 36 year old 203cm forward from Gadsen, Alabama that just keeps chugging away playing in his 14th professional season and 12th in Germany. He was a rookie in Iceland and also played in Belgium. He has played for teams in Germany with BG Karlsruhe, Bayer Giants Leverkusen, Frankfurt(2007-2010), Alba Berlin, Bremerhaven and Braunschweig. He won a scoring title with Leverkusen, was runner up once with Frankfurt, is a three time BBL allstar and two time finalist with Frankfurt and Alba Berlin. He may not have the speed of his 10,7 track mark in 2009 in Frankfurt, but he still is able to get easy buckets inside with his ballerina moves or his fade away mid distance shot. Since his departure in 2011, Allen has gone on to play with Alba Berlin, Bremerhaven, and Braunschweig and came back to compete against old friend Quantez Robertson who he was teammates when the Cincinnati native was a rookie and almost won the BBl title in 2010 against Bamberg. Allen returned back to his old stomping ground flirting with an 8-5 record against his old team, but had his better run with Alba Berlin where he was 7-2 while with Bremerhaven and Braunschweig only had a 1-4 record. He also has stayed relatively consistent in his games against Frankfurt scoring in double figures nine times in 13 games. Allen was back now, 10 years the senior of Theodore, but just as motivated as the younger ex Skyliner and D.A as his friends call him wanted to rack up win number nine in his head to head encounters with his ex club and did as he contributed 7 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes of work helping SC Rasta Vechta win their first game ever against the Fraport Skyliners 68-61. After the game, Allen was all smiles as he had his two year old daughter in his arms and even was congratulated by ex coach Gordon Herbert. Allen still looks trim and plays like a 28 year old, but knows his days are numbered as a professional. “Whenever I enter the Fraport arena, I always think of the old days. I played here for three years and it is a very special place. Seeing all these familiar faces always brings back good memories. I won´t play into my 40´s. I may look and feel like I could, but I won´t”, smiled Derrick Allen. Allen teammate Scott Machado who is 10 years younger and still has many years ahead of him as a professional could imagine him playing for a long time. “I don´t see why he couldn´t play into his 40´s. If he wanted to he could. He is the energizer bunny and is the life of practice. He is always trying to give us his basketball wisdom on the court”, expressed ex NBA player Scott Machado.

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Khalil Kelley(MTV Herzoege Wolfenbuettel) I Am Farther Along Mentally And My Feel For The Game Is Better Than It Was In Leipzig

Khalil Kelley is a 203cm forward from Rancho Cucamonga, California that is playing his second professional season and first with MTV Herzoege Wolfenbuettel (Germany-ProB). As a rookie he played with the Uni-Riesen Leipzig (Germany-ProB) playing 28 games: 15.0ppg, 9.1rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 49.6%, FT: 63.8%. He racked up Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Center of the Year -15, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B 1st Team -15, and Eurobasket.com German 2.Bundesliga Pro B All-Imports Team -15. He started his basketball career in 2010 with  Pacific (NCAA) where he played until 2014 playing a total of 117 NCAA games. As a senior he played 29 games averaging6.1ppg, 5.0rpg, FGP: 48.8%, FT: 59.8%. German Hoops spoke to the American after signing with Wolfenbuettel last summer.

 

 

Khalil thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on signing with MTV Herzoege Wolfenbuettel (Germany-ProB). How blessed are you start a new chapter in your professional basketball career?

I’m very blessed and grateful to Wolfenbuettel for the opportunity to play basketball professionally again after missing a season which was tough for me. I hope to make the most of this chance and by working hard this season I will.

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