Janek Schmidkunz is a 26 year old 183cm point guard that is playing his first season for the Giants Nordlingen. Last season as a rookie he played for the MLP Acaaademics Heidelberg. He started his basketball career with Central Hoops Berlin (Regionalliga) in 2008. He then also got further experience at ALBA Berlin II (Regionalliga). He then went to the states and played at Amer.Internat. (NCAA2) from 2010-2014 playing a total of 86 NCAA games and as a senior played 26 games: 10.9ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 38.5%, 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 61.5%. He spoke to German Hoops after the big 84-59 win against Oldenburg in game one.

 

 

 

 

 

Janek congrats on the huge 84-59 win against Oldenburg for the 1-0 series win. How was the two week preparation different for this Pro B north team then it was for the Pro B south teams this season?

Thank you. I think the obvious difference was the time we had to not only prepare our game plan, but also get our rest from the long season. With a smaller rotation like ours that was definitely something that helped us.

 

How exciting was this game for you? It was your first playoff game as a professional. Was the two week wait very long for you?

Extremely exciting. We have a very special bond as a team and all the things we accomplished throughout the season so far were great memories, but eventually you will remember the way you end your season and we want it to be memorable in a positive way. The two weeks did feel long at times.

 

Did you have some nerves at the start of the game or was it a normal game for you despite it being your first post season game?

There was definitely a mix of emotions going into the game. We played an opponent we haven’t seen all year, so despite all the preparing, the first minutes of the game showed us what they are about and once we found our rhythm, the nerves definitely faded away.

 

At halftime Nordlingen had the overwhelming 49-23 lead. How much % of the game plan had the Giants successfully completed after the first 20 minutes?

Obviously when you look at the halftime score it is hard to deny that our game plan didn’t work. However, I think that we still need to analyze the first half and look closer to what worked and what didn’t, because they will adjust their game as well and we need to bring an even better effort next week to get a win in Oldenburg.

 

Nordlingen was defending great in the first half and had a good offensive rhythm going early. Was this Nordlingen basketball that the team was playing where everything was working?

The defense started everything for us. We rebounded very well despite the size disadvantage and once we stopped them we ran the floor. This is when we are at our best yes.

 

You led by as much as 34 points in the third quarter. Was it tough to focus at times in a big lead or was the big lead a benefit more by how they were playing?

Tough question, but I think we knew that if we push the lead to plus 30, the game would probably be over. So that was our goal and my feeling was that we remained focused till late into the 4^th even.

 

Winning the rebound duel 35-34 may not seem like much, but Oldenburg has a huge size advantage over Nordlingen. How proud are you of the team that they were able to match up well down low?

Very proud, when we rebound the ball well we can play our game and that is when we can compete with anyone in this league. So it is one of our keys to winning. We have been undersized all year so the size disadvantage is nothing new to us.

 

How confident are you that when the big three score in double figures plus two more players with Leo Vrkas and Kwame Duku that you will go very far in the playoffs?

I mean, if you have 5 players scoring double figures, I believe you have a good chance of winning. I am confident that we can produce more performances like this, where winning is a total team effort and we don’t rely too heavily on individual performance.

 

You almost played 30 minutes How did you feel after 40 minutes? Did the two week break benefit your conditioning a bit?

 

I think this was one of the fewest minutes I played this season, which was also due to the high lead we held early. The two weeks benefited me in terms of resting my body. However, it can be hard to keep your rhythm over a 2 week stretch like this. I do think that we managed it very well.

 

You scored 22points, grabbing, two rebounds and dishing out five assists. You also shot very well picking your spots. Was this a normal shooting day at the office for you?

I tried to be patient and not force much. Also we wanted to share the ball and looking at 28 team assists, I can say that we did a great job at getting each other involved.

 

Nordlingen can wrap the series next weekend in Oldenburg. Nordlingen had 17 steals in game one. Will another defensive effort like in game one get you the win even if the offense isn´t as sharp getting 28 assists and more points in game 2?

If we defend like we are capable of, I am confident that we can win next week. Also we put Oldenburg in a do or die situation which puts the pressure off us and on them. Therefore, we need to have a good week of practice and bring the energy on the defensive end again, the offense will usually come on its own then.

 

Were you surprised by so many upsets in the NCAA March Madness? Is there more parity with NCAA schools than possibly in the past?

No, I am never surprised about the upsets in March, they call it Madness for a reason. I can’t say if mid-major schools are getting on a level with the big time programs, but I had a feeling over the whole college season that there won’t be that one team that is everyone’s favorite. It is one of the more open field that I have experienced.

 

What sleepers that are alive now do you see possibly making a run in the 2016 NCAA March Madness?

I like Gonazaga to advance to the elite 8 and even though they are higher seeds, I like Miami and Indiana’s chances.

 

 

What was the last movie that you saw?

 

Creed.

 

Thanks Janek for the chat.

Richard Williams is a 28 year old 178cm guard that is playing his first season with the Kirchheim Knights averaging 12,2ppg, 7,8apg and 4,2rpg at the moment. He recently played for the Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt (Germany-BBL): EuroChallenge: 2 games: 9.0ppg, 3.5rpg, 6.5apg, 2.0spg; German BBL: 9 games: 8.2ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.0apg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 40.6%, 3FGP: 48.0%, FT: 70.6%, in Jan.’15 moved to SC Rasta Vechta (Germany-ProA): 12 games: 4.6ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.3apg, 1.0spg. He is a very fast guard that can play either one or two. Great at pushing the break. Can score by shooting the three or using his explosiveness to beat his man. Gets to the basket and scores in traffic. A specialist in steals that uses his quickness to intimidate on defense. Great ball control. Gets the whole team involved when playing the point but can takeover a game at any time. He started his basketball career at San Diego St. (NCAA) in 2005 where he played until 2009. In his senior year he played  36 games: 7.2ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.5apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 40.9%, 3Pts: 37.5%, FT: 64.2%. In 2009-2010, he started his professional basketball career for The San Diego Surf (ABA), in Jan.’10 moved to FSU Selfoss (Iceland-Express League, starting five): 8 games: 27.5ppg, 8.1rpg, 3.4apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 46.2%, FT: 72.7%. In 2011-2012, he played for  UBC Hannover Tigers (Germany-ProB) 33 games: 18.3ppg, 5.1rpg, Assists-4(5.7apg), Steals-2(3.2spg), FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 75.8%. In the 2012-2013 season he played  for SC Rasta Vechta playing  38 games: 15.6ppg, 5.2rpg, Assists-1(6.7apg), Steals-1(2.5spg), FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 79.9%. In the 2013-2014 season for Vechta he played 34 games: 14.6ppg, 4.7rpg, 4.4apg, Steals-3(1.9spg), FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 82.7%. Last weekend, he helped steer Kirchheim to a 88-75 win with 11 points and 11 assists, but spoke to German Hoops after the big 77-66 win against Rent4Office.

 

Richie congrats on the big 77-66 win against Rent4office. You swept this team this season holding them to 61 games average. How good does it feel when you can beat a team twice with an all around good defensive effort?

Defense is what will carry us through the playoffs. Getting stops and winning at this point in the season is very important. It is good for our confidence as we want to head into playoffs feeling good about ourselves with a good rhythm.

Kirchheim was down 33-29 at halftime and came out focused in the third scoring 28 points. You had five points and five assists in the third quarter. How much responsibility did you feel that you had to take in the third quarter to get the team going again?

We all had a responsibility to perform better in the second half, starting with myself. When we are focused and play with energy we are a pretty tough team.

How vital was the 8-0 run and energy from Forward Dennis Tinnon at the start of the fourth quarter to get Kirchheim on the winning road quicker?

Dennis has always been an energy guy for us. He does a great job of getting his hands on the ball, running down rebounds, and starting fast breaks for us. The plays he made during that run really set the tone for us.

How much do you enjoy these type of games where the team defends hard and plays team basketball getting 25 assists and no one player scoring 20 plus points, but spreading the scoring around?

It’s great for team chemistry. Everyone feels apart of the game and the win. It really makes us hard to guard when we share the ball like that.

Kirchheim didn´t shoot well at 17% from downtown, but did the 20-9 turnover advantage help the team out?

. Definitely. We got some much needed extra possession.

The last regular season game is against Rhondorf while Gotha plays Science City Jena as both you and Gotha have 42 points. How bad does the team want the third position?

Developing a good rhythm going into the playoffs is the most important thing, regardless of our position. That is our main focus right now.

Kirchheim won the first game against Rhondorf 85-59. Kirchheim had 16 steals in that game and Rhondorf now is without ex top scorer Sterling Carter. With what kind of a frame of mind do you go into this game? Stay focused and not underestimate them?

Respecting your opponent is how we approach every game. Rhondorf has a much different look now than they did when we played them first game of the season.

The Kirchheim Knights have been playing solid basketball as of late having won three of it´s last four games. What do you feel has been the clubs strong point in this phase besides their defense?

Right now it’s our energy and the focus we been playing with. It has been much better these last games and it is important for us to sustain it.

Head coach Michael Mai has done a great job getting Germans Andreas Kronhardt and Tim Koch more minutes this season and they have produced. How vital will their play be for Kirchheim making a run for the Pro A title?

Tim and Andi have earned the position they’re in. They have been a huge part of our success and we need them to keep it up if we want to finish the season as strong as we envision.

You don´t keep slowing down with age as you are averaging the most assists in your career with 7,8 and averaging two steals per game. Does your high assist average have to do more with your skill and taking care of your body as you get older or the overall skill level that Kirchheim has?

It can attributed to all of those things. I’m continuing to grow as a player, my health has been improving and my teammate’s make me look good.

In a span of five games in December and January you were averaging 12 assists a game and then in a span of seven games were averaging only five assists and now in the last four games are averaging nine assists a game. As a point guard how do you explain these type of fluctuations?

Some games require me to be a distributor while others require me to be more offensive minded. Every team doesn’t defend the same way so I have to take what they give me.

You helped SC Rasta Vechta into the Beko BBL in 2013. How confident are you that you can do it again?

Very confident. We have the pieces to do it now it’s a matter of making it happen.

Were you surprised by so many upsets in the first round of the 2016 NCAA tournament? Is there more parity among schools this year?

The tournament surprises me every year. I threw my bracket in the trash right after the first round. Haha

What sleeper school that made an upset thus far could you see making a big run in this tournament?

I like Syracuse

What was the last movie that you saw?

The Place Beyond the Pines

 

Thanks Richie for the chat.

 

Brandon Lockhart is a 25 year old 185cm guard from St Louis, Missouri that is playing hiss econd professional season and first with German team Giants Nordlingen. 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%. He spoke to German Hoops after the big 84-59 win in game one against Oldenburg.

 

 

Brandon congrats on the huge 84-59 win against Oldenburg for the 1-0 series win. How was the two week preparation different for this Pro B north team then it was for the Pro B south teams this season?

Danke Miles! I wouldn’t say that we prepared any differently for this team than we have for any other team all year. We did not close the season the way we wanted to, so that really helped our focus during the 2 weeks of practice before post season play began.

How exciting was this game for you? It was your first playoff game in Germany. What memories did you have from your series against Inter Bratislavia two years ago?

This game was really exciting for myself and my teammates! Our team played really well to open the playoffs which made it even more exciting. Since we got swept by Bratislava, no real positive memories haha. But I gained experience from it and did not want to have that happen again.

Did you have some nerves at the start of the game or was it a normal game for you despite it being your first post season game in Germany?

I wouldn’t say that I was nervous for this game. The preparation and focus we had in practice the past 2 weeks did not allow for nerves to get to me.

At halftime Nordlingen had the overwhelming 49-23 lead. How much % of the game plan had the Giants successfully completed after the first 20 minutes?

  I think we did a really good job of sticking to our game plan in the first half, especially in the second quarter. Since it was only the first half, guess I would say only 50% since we still had 20 more minutes to complete the job. We struggled at times this year to put games away when we had the chance, so I think not allowing them to get back in the game in the 3rd was a better accomplishment for us.

Nordlingen was defending great in the first half and had a good offensive rhythm going early. Was this Nordlingen basketball that the team was playing where everything was working?

We definitely played Nordlingen basketball last night! We have a good group of guys that really enjoy playing together. We had 28 assists last night which means everyone is involved and that makes it more fun to be out there.

You led by as much as 34 points in the third quarter. Was it tough to focus at times in a big lead or was the big lead a benefit more by how they were playing?

It was not really tough to focus because its the playoffs and we wanted to keep our momentum going. We did not want them to get on a roll and make the 4th quarter interesting.

Winning the rebound duel 35-34 may not seem like much, but Oldenburg has a huge size advantage over Nordlingen. How proud are you of the team that they were able to match up well down low?

 Extremely proud of our guys! It’s something that we talk about every day in practice since we are a smaller team. If we get killed on the boards by an opponent, it will be difficult for us to win games.

How confident are you that when the big three score in double figures plus two more players with Leo Vrkas and Kwame Duku that you will go very far in the playoffs?

At this time of the year, you need positive contributions from everyone. So that was really big for us last night. If we can continue to get positive contributions from everyone that plays, I like our chances against any opponent. But its always one game at a time.

You almost played 31 minutes How did you feel after 40 minutes? Did the two week break benefit your conditioning a bit?

The two week break was extremely beneficial in getting healthier. Small nagging injuries happen throughout the season unfortunately. So having time to rest up and get healthier was the biggest benefit of the break.

You scored 14 points, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out seven assists while getting seven steals. Did your energetic defense spark your offense?

We play our best when we play good defense because it allows us to get out in transition. So playing good team defense definitely ignited my offense, as well as the teams.

Nordlingen can wrap the series next weekend in Oldenburg. Nordlingen had 17 steals in game one. Will another defensive effort like in game one get you the win even if the offense isn´t as sharp getting 28 assists and more points in game 2?

Defense will be key for us again because that gets our offense going. We will go up there and play our game and see what happens.

Were you surprised by so many upsets in the NCAA March Madness? Is there more parity with NCAA schools than possibly in the past?

I know I should not be surprised by the upsets that happen every year, but I always am! The gap between the major and mid major schools is getting smaller every year. There are a bunch of good players and teams out there and the tournament shows that.

What sleepers that are alive now do you see possibly making a run in the 2016 NCAA March Madness?

Not many people are talking about Xavier, but I can see them making a deep run. I also could see Gonzaga making a run at it since Michigan St. got knocked out early in their region. But I am a Duke fan! So I’m hoping they repeat this year as champions haha

What was the last movie that you saw?

Deadpool!!

Thanks Brandon for the chat.

 

Jordan Talbert is a 25 year old 198cm forward from Little Rock, Arkansas that is playing his second professional season with the Giants Nordlingen. He came to Germany as a rookie last season and played with the Giants TSV 1861 Noerdlingen (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 26 games: 21.6ppg, 9.6rpg, 3.2apg, 2.0spg, Blocks-4(1.5bpg), FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 28.9%, FT: 78.4%. He played his college career at Missouri SO(NCAA2) from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 31 games averaging 11.7ppg, 7.4rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1spg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 70.1%. He spoke to German Hoops after the big 84-59 win in game one against Oldenburg.

 

 

Jordan congrats on the huge 84-59 win against Oldenburg for the 1-0 series win. How was the two week preparation different for this Pro B north team then it was for the Pro B south teams this season?

The preparation wasn’t much different. We just had more time to do it. We prepared the same as always which is focusing on playing at our best instead of worrying about what the opponent does.

How exciting was this game for you? It was your first playoff game as a professional. Did you have some nerves at the start or was it a normal game for you?

 I was very excited for the game especially since we had a 2 week break leading up to it. I’m nervous before every game but once the game began the nerves always goes away.

At halftime Nordlingen had the overwhelming 49-23 lead. How much % of the game plan had the Giants successfully completed after the first 20 minutes?

 We definitely executed our game plan to great satisfaction. We came out and played team basketball at an extremely high level.

Nordlingen was defending great in the first half and had a good offensive rhythm going early. Was this Nordlingen basketball that the team was playing where everything was working?

Yes this was one of those rare games when the team comes out and the chemistry is at its full potential. We’ve had a couple games like this early in the year so it was perfect that we could start the playoffs this way.

You led by as much as 34 points in the third quarter. Was it tough to focus at times in a big lead or was the big lead a benefit more by how they were playing?

We’ve given up big leads before. You want to ease up sometimes but we know that the minute we do we give them confidence which can carry over to the next game and ultimately change the series. We really just wanted to keep our intensity and focus at the same level it was the entire game.

Winning the rebound duel 35-34 may not seem like much, but Oldenburg has a huge size advantage over Nordlingen. How proud are you of the team that they were able to match up well down low?

Rebounding has been a struggle for us sometimes this year. For us to win the rebounding against a bigger more physical opponent is something to be really proud of.

How confident are you that when the big three score in double figures plus two more players with Leo Vrkas and Kwame Duku that you will go very far in the playoffs?

I definitely like when we’re all scoring because it means we’re playing as a team and makes us extremely tough to guard. I think our effort on the defensive end was the most impressive thing. When we guard like we did then rebound and get out in transition it makes our offense that much potent.

How much did the defensive energy of American Brandon Lockhart spark Nordlingen in game one?

Brandon did a great job of disrupting their offense and making their guards uncomfortable. He’s really good at reading plays and picks good spots to get in the passing lanes.

You almost played 40 minutes How did you feel after 40 minutes? Did the two week break benefit your conditioning a bit?

Yea the two week break definitely helped. I felt good physically going into the game. After the game I was pretty tired but I’m sure I’ll be ready to go again for game 2.

You scored 13 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and getting six assists while getting two steals and two blocks. It wasn´t your best shooting game, but were you happy that you contributed in so many other areas?

Yes I think that’s the best part of my game. Even if I’m not able to score I think I can still find ways to help the team win. My teammates picked up the scoring slack for me and I got to contribute in other areas of the game.

Nordlingen can wrap the series next weekend in Oldenburg. Nordlingen had 17 steals in game one. Will another defensive effort like in game one get you the win even if the offense isn´t as sharp getting 28 assists and more points in game 2?

It’s going to take great effort on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. We know they’re going to come out with high energy and motivation to stay in the league. We’re going to have to weather the storm and just play our game that’s gotten us to this point.

Were you surprised by so many upsets in the NCAA March Madness? Is there more parity with NCAA schools than possibly in the past?

There’s always a good amount of upsets every so no I wasn’t surprised at all. Anything can happen when it’s single game elimination. You know there are going to be upsets you just have to choose which team.

What sleepers that are alive now do you see possibly making a run in the 2016 NCAA March Madness?

 I haven’t really kept up with the NCAA this year because of the time difference. But from what I’ve seen I like Iowa St. I think Niang is a great versatile player with enough skill and experience to lead his team to a championship.

What was the last movie that you saw?

 Deadpool.

 

Thanks Jordan for the chat.