Luke Loucks is a 25 year old 196cm guard from Clearwater, Florida playing his fourth professional season and first in Germany with the Hebeisen White Wings Hanau (Germany-ProA). He started his basketball career with Florida St. (NCAA) in 2008 where he played until 2012 playing a total of 136 NCAA games. He reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2011 and as a senior played 35 games averaging 7.1ppg, 3.3rpg, 4.3apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 44.2%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 70.8%. In 2012 he started his professional season with VEF Riga (Latvia-LBL): VTB League: 6 games: 1.5ppg; VTB United League: 6 games: 1.5ppg; Latvian LBL: 4 games: 1.8ppg, 3.3rpg, 5.3apg, in Jan.’13 moved to Forex Time Apollon (Cyprus-Division A) playing 11 games: 10.4ppg, 3.3rpg, 6.4apg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 76.5%. In the 2013-2014 season he played with the Kangoeroes Basket Willebroek (Belgium-Ethias League): 26 games: 10.3ppg, 3.3rpg, Assists-2(4.7apg), FGP: 43.2%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 77.9%. Last season he played with the t Erie Bay Hawks (D-League): 10 games: 4.0ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.4apg, in Feb.’15 moved back to Maine Red Claws (D-League): 9 games: 2.4ppg, 1.2rpg, 2.2apg. He spoke to German Hoops after the wins against Essen and Rhondorf.

 

 

Luke congrats on the successful double win weekend. How good does it feel to go through a whole weekend without any real basketball complaints?

Thank you, Miles. It’s always nice to talk to you and Eurobasket. It is also always nice to win ball games. Winning two games in less than three days is very satisfying for our club and our fans, especially as a newcomer to Pro A.

Congrats on the 98-76 win against the ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen. How key was it keeping your composure as a team in the second half after the explosive 28-9 second quarter?

We knew Essen was a better team than their record shows. We beat them at their place a few weeks ago so we knew they would come to our place ready to battle and play physical. The second quarter we stepped up our defense and pressured Essen into a few turnovers and easy fast break points. The second half was more even but our defense, rebounding, and ball movement really made the difference.

When an offensive is working dishing out 22 assists and shooting 45% from the field and from outside, can one blame the 21 turnovers a bit more on an over anxious offense forcing a bit more than it really should?

We have a team full of unselfish players who usually enjoy making the extra pass for an easy shot. Sometimes this passing leads to some unnecessary and careless turnovers but we still feel that if we move the ball to create the best shot available this will help our offense be the most efficient for our roster. To quote Gregg Popovich on ball movement, “you move it or you die.”

In the second game of the weekend, you pulled out an important win on the road against Rhondorf. How proud are you of the team for withstanding a few runs by Rhondorf in the fourth quarter to preserve the win?

We knew going into Rhondorf after a short one day break from Friday’s Essen game would be difficult. It was not a pretty game but we made a few keys plays down the stretch that helped us sneak out of Rhondorf with a road win. I’ll take a sloppy win over a pretty loss any day of the week.

Was controlling the boards with hauling down 48 rebounds and keeping Sterling Carter in check key who went wild earlier in the season in Hanau for getting the win over 40 minutes?

I think both of those were key to our victory. The rebounding war is always important and we did a good job of securing a lot of long loose rebounds tonight. Carter was the main figure on our scouting report. He takes a lot of really tough shots and can make some really difficult shots over contested hands. Holding him to single digits is an attribute to our team defense and off the ball help. We must’ve had 4 or 5 guys guard him at different points of the game.

How key has it been for the team to realize that the club doesn´t have to fully rely on American Kruize Pinkins to carry the team as more and more contributors are surfacing game by game?

Kruize has done a really good job this year with his rebounding and activity around the hoop. He’s my rookie – he lives just a few doors down from my wife and I – so I always try to get in extra work with him before and after practice. He’s done a great job in his first season in Europe and will play for a long time if he can keep it up. Recently more guys have stepped up production on our team so a few roles have adjusted a little but I think it’s worked out really well for everyone.

The Hebeisen White Wings Hanau have 11 wins and one win away from the last playoff place. Three months ago the season looked bleak, but now very rosy. Despite wanting to stay in the league, are playoffs on your minds as the team is so close to being there?

Our club’s goal was always to stay in the league for the first season and have more lofty goals in the years to come. Obviously as competitive players we have our internal goals and we are well aware that the playoffs are within reach. We’ve dealt with a lot of injuries and bumps in the beginning of the season but I think we have stuck together and our coaches Simon Cote and Ryan Pannone have done a great job leading us along the way.

How important is it for the team to have many functioning parts instead of one or two guys averaging 16-17 points per game?

Our team doesn’t have an outstanding explosive scorer but we have eight or nine guys that can reach double digits on any given night. It’s been really important for our team to play together and be as efficient as possible. If it’s not a huge scoring night for some of our guys, they try to help the team with defense, assists, rebounds, or anything else to bring value to our team.

You averaged 13 points and five assists on the weekend. How far away are you from solid to very good in your opinion about your own performance?

I enjoy the five assists more than the 13 points as a point guard. I’m just glad we’ve been able to compete at a high level and turn the ship in the right direction for these last few games of the regular season.

Currently you are having your best scoring stretch of the season as you have scored in double figures in 4 straight games. Are you feeling more confident at the moment than you ever have this season with your game?

I am feeling more confident and finding a good shooting rhythm. This is just a reflection of the work we’ve been putting in outside of regular practices. Just an extra 20-30 minutes a day of shooting and extra work can go a long way and our coaches are always willing to come help us out when we want extra work.

Your defense also has picked up in the last weeks. Has your defense also been key for getting you going with your offense in the last weeks?

Miles Jackson-Cartwright, Till Joenke, and Chris Von Fintel do a tremendous job pressuring the ball and their activity on opposing guards is terrific. This makes it easier for me to read a few passing lanes and pick up a steal here and there to start the offense. Good defense always leads to better offense.

You also have taken more three pointers in the last 4 games than in any other 4 game stretch this season. Have you got the green light more just to shoot more or has it been more a result of what the defense has given you?

A mixture of both. I am and always will try to be a pass-first point guard. Recently the coaches have implored me to be more aggressive offensively and look for myself sometimes instead of always searching for the open man. This has made defenses not play the passing lanes so much as they respect my shot and it can open up some great opportunities for assists and easy dump offs to teammates.

You live in an area with many beautiful places. What place in the Rhein-main area has really taken to your heart since arriving in Hanau last September.

That’s tough to narrow it down to just one place. This region of the world is really unbelievably rich with history, beauty, and places to see within just a few hours drive on a day off. The castles and history along the Rhein River are awesome to see and unlike anything we have in America. My wife and I love to grab lunch in Frankfurt on a day off and enjoy a cappuccino at a few different cafes while walking around the city.

Recently ESPN made a poll of the 100 best NBA players of all time with Lebron at #3 before legends like Larry Bird, Bill Russell and Magic. Do you feel this as being justified?

It’s funny you asked. Our old Florida State teammates have a huge group chat and we’ve all been arguing these rankings for the past week. If Lebron retired today it would be tough to argue that he deserves to be ahead of Bird, Magic, and Russel… even with his four MVP’s. However, I’ve said for a while now that if Lebron continues his trajectory for a few more years he will go down as the number 2 player of all time behind MJ. His statistics are incredible in nearly every major category and he’s unlike anything we’ve seen before in the game of basketball in terms of athleticism, skill, power, and basketball IQ. He also has a worldwide following much like Jordan did with fans, endorsements, and popularity that helps increase the following of the NBA and the sport in general.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The Revenant.

 

Thanks Luke for the chat.

 

Jordan Talbert is a 24 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 113-105 3 OT win against the Uni Riesen Leipzig.

 

 

Jordan congrats on the huge 113-105 win against the Uni Riesen Leipzig. How do your muscles feel on Monday morning?

I’m pretty exhausted to be honest. It was already a physical game to begin with and the three overtones didn’t make it any easier.

How big was this win? Was the 84-83 heartbreaking loss in the back of your minds for the whole 55 minutes?

This win was big for us. The loss from the first game was somewhat in the back of my mind. We felt we gave the game away at the end the first time we played and we almost did again but luckily we came out on top in the end.

The Giants Nordlingen played a three OT game and you played 50 minutes. Can you remember ever playing so many minutes in one game?

Nah I definitely don’t remember ever playing so many minutes. In games like those you’re so caught up in the competition you’re not thinking about how tired you are or how much your body hurts. All that matters is getting the win.

Lets talk about the game as your memory is still fresh. At halftime, the Giants were leading 45-39. Was there any moment were you were feeling this could be a long afternoon/night?

At no point did it feel like the game was in or out of our hands. It was competitive from beginning to the end and that’s what I expected since our first game went down to final seconds also.

Leipzig had the 69-67 lead for three minutes until Leo Vrkas sent the game into OT with a bucket. He actually scored the last two baskets before OT. How key was a phase like this for his mental toughness?

Yea his baskets were major for us at that point. We were struggling to get our offense going and were making a lot of careless mistakes. We were desperate for any kind of basket and Leo stepped up for us.

In the first OT, it was back and forth, but you made big plays and got the Giants the lead, but Leipzig battled back with Sacha Leutloff drawing a foul and bringing the game into a second OT. Is there any way to defend this experienced German without him drawing a foul?

He’s a tough player to guard because he’s so crafty and experienced. He has great instincts and always finds a way to be in the right place to make a play for his team.

You played against him twice now as he finished with 27 and 28 points. Where does he rank with being the most smart German players that you have played against in this league?

He’s definitely at the top of the list when it comes to Germans I’ve played against this year. His intelligence allows him to capitalize on whatever mistakes you make on defense. Also so much of their offense involves him there’s never a time to break when you’re defending him.

In the second OT, it looked like Nordlingen would finally pull through and win as Jankek Schmidkunz hit a three, but once again Leipzig never gave up and got to a third OT once again with free throws. Was this a lesson not learned from the first OT?

Yea that foul call really hurt us. Moritz and I made a play on defense stripping one of their players on a rebound and scored it, but a late whistle came calling a foul. Since we were already in the penalty it was a 4 point swing off that one call. We had to forget about and move on to the next play and I think we did a good job of that.

In the third OT Nordlingen had had enough pouring home 19 points. Was the will to win overcoming any physical pain the team was having?

Yea we really wanted this win bad so we had to push through. Have to give Leipzig credit also for continuing to play through that pain. They are maybe the only team in league with a smaller rotation than ours, us playing 7 key players and I believe them playing 6. So for us to battle it out for that long took a lot of heart on both sides.

The big three of You, Brandon Lockhart and Janel Schmidkunz supplied the necessary winning punch with 17 points to secure the win. In the win, it was you guys coming through like so often this season. Did you guys know inside, it was time to buckle down and take care of business?

At that point we all just wanted to make plays for our team to secure the win. We don’t care how it happens or who makes it happens as long as it happens.

How vital was this win for further upping the team self confidence as the playoffs draw closer and closer?

It’s another good confidence boast. To win a long close game like that is what it takes to be a good team. We have to know how to close out games in the end in order for us to be successful.

Do you sense week by week that the Nordlingen Giants are a very special team and on a mission to do something very special this season despite all the turbulences that it has gone through?

Yes I believe we’re a special team. We have great chemistry and we have fun playing together. Those turbulent times are what made us closer as a unit because we were determined enough to keep fighting and not give up.

You won two Eurobasket.com Pro B player of the week awards. With your 18 point and 10 rebound is a third one in the row coming?

Nah I don’t think so. I’m sure there were players this week that were more deserving than me.

The Nordlingen Giants have won 10 of their last 11. Has the team peaked yet or do you see it getting even stronger?

I still don’t believe we’ve peaked. Our last 2 games were really close and I don’t believe we played well. We were lucky to get victories in both of those but we know that one day luck is not going to be on our side. We know we have to play better in the playoffs than we have recently.

How do recap the NBA trade line deals? What teams did the best?

I like the Clippers getting Jeff Green. I believe that’s a huge pickup for them. Gives them some athleticism they didn’t have on the wing and if Blake comes back and plays well they can shock some people in the playoffs.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Legend.

Thanks Jordan for the chat.

 

Brandon Spearman is a 24 year old 190cm guard playing his second season in Germany in the Pro A for the Gladiators Trier. He started his basketball career in 2010 for Dayton(NCAA) where he played 36 NCAA games. He then moved to Indian Hills CC (JUCO) and finished his last two seasons at Hawaii (NCAA) and as a senior played 26 games averaging 11.2ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 52.8%. As a rookie last season in Germany he played for SC Rist Wedel (Germany-ProB) playing 18 games: 17.1ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.8apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 41.0%, FT: 64.0%. He spoke to German Hoops after the double weekend win against Kirchheim and Essen.

 

 

Brandon thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on the successful sweep weekend of beating Kirchheim and Essen. Did you guys learn something about how to win games within 48 hours through the tough experience from losing the other two double weekend games earlier in the season?

We have been playing playing some great ball, the best ball this season and it’s coming at a great time right now while we continue this playoff push and also everyone is healthy.

Did you ever realize that if you had won the other 4 games in the double weekend games earlier in the season against the RheinStars, SC Rasta Vechta, MLP Academics Heidelberg and Science City Jena that the team would be in second place now with 18 victories?

That is something I haven’t realized until now but were fine sometimes things don’t go as planned in a full season. Extremely happy how were bouncing back from those losses.

Since then you have lost only one more close game a week ago against Baunach. How have the Gladiators Trier become a better crunch time team?

Well right now were clicking as a team we have a good rhythm playing with each other also everyone is healthy now.

In the 92-82 win against Kirchheim, fans saw a fine offensive performance from both teams. Trier rebounded a lot better. Was that and the 36 point explosion by Dwayne Evans key for the win?

Yea most defiantly Dwayne played out of his mind and he made great plays when it was needed. That was a great win for us.

In the second game on the weekend, Trier pulled out another win against the ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen 87-69. How difficult was it preparing for this team in such a short time and then being able to defend so well again?

I think it’s more us. If we prepare and have a great mind set for the game I know things will go good. If we play our way every night were going to be just fine. In both games this weekend we were locked in on both ends.

Tre Bowman has scored in double figures in 19 of 23 games this season and Trier is the only team that has controlled him twice limiting him to 10 points. How key was it keeping him in check as when he is on, he fuels his team to get going?

Well we played good defense and made it hard for them to score

How proud are you of the team that it won two games over the weekend without Kwadzo Ahelegbe? Did you feel more pressure to have to do more things than the usual for success?

No there was no pressure going in to these games. And not having Kwadzo was difficult, but we have plenty of other guys that can step up and play.

The Gladiators Trier now have a 14-11 record and in the playoff standings, but everything is very tight. The club is defending very consistently, but can the offense get more consistent?

Yes we still growing and still becoming better as a team while most teams have reached their peak already, I feel as if were still evolving.

Dwayne Evans scored 58 points this weekend and has been so key this season to the success of the team. What besides his consistent play has been most valuable for the team?

Just his effort and attitude and everyone enjoy being around him and he’s a nice guy. He plays hard every night. He had a very great weekend for us.

How much easier does the play of Dwayne Evans make your game easier in terms of being able to pick your spots and just do other things on the floor besides score to help your team win?

Me and Wayne are always feeding off each other when I’m going he looks for me and when he’s going I look for him. Wayne and I draws a lot of attention from defenses so you can’t stick with both of us. We pick them apart with a steady inside & out game. He defiantly makes it easier this 2nd half of the season.

You also continue to remain very consistent having scored in double figures in 22 of 24 games just like Dwayne Evans. What do you feel has improved in your game that has on account of how Dwayne Evans plays?

Well me and Wayne are just two guys that is going to give all we have every night and we have been doing that all season and we just want to continue this play we must.

Free throw shooting hasn´t been your strong point this season as your shooting 60%, but in the last 5 games your 16/17. Your best season shooting free throws was your junior year at Hawaii where you shot 72%. What continues to be your biggest problem in this area?

Well there are always areas throughout your career as a basketball player you want to work on as a player and this is one of them. But as you can see you things are changing.

Now that the Super Bowl is history, do you focus on NCAA March Madness?

Yeah March should be a lot of fun. Don’t sleep on my Hawaii Warriors! They are having a great year and defiantly will make the tournament.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The Martian.

 

Thanks Brandon for the chat.

 

Brandon Shingles is a 28 year old 190cm guard from Albany, Georgia playing his third season in Germany and first with the Uni-Riesen Leipzig (Germany-ProB). He started his basketball career at Morehead St. (NCAA) and as a senior played 32 games: 4.8ppg, 2.2rpg, 4.8apg, 1.5spg. In 2010 he started his professional basketball career at Aschersleben Tigers BC (Germany-2.Regionalliga) playing 15 games: 14.5ppg. He led the team to the Regionaliga 2 title. In the 2011-2012 season he played for Guildford Heat (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 6 games: 7.5ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 57.1%, FT: 31.3%; left in Nov.’11, then moved to BBC Febro Eagles Magdeburg (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 7 games: 16.1ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.9apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 61.8%, FT: 63.0%. He then played for KB Drita Gjilan (Kosovo-SuperLeague) and two years ago for GBP Badajoz (Spain-EBA) playing 15 games: 15.5ppg, 8.3rpg, 3.6apg, 2.3spg, 2FGP: 60.8%, 3PT: 6.3%, FT: 57.3%. He spoke to German Hoops after the bitter 113-105 triple OT loss against the Giants Nordlingen.

 

 

Brandon a bitter 113-105 lost against the Giants Nördlingen . How do your muscles feel on Monday morning?

Thanks for the interview Miles. I’m a bit sore after a triple overtime game. Hahaha

What is the worst about a loss like this when the team played 55 minutes? The body or the mental part?

I think the body gets it the worst. Especially in a hard fought game like this was.

Do you sense that the 84-83 heartbreaking loss was in the back of the minds of Nordlingen for the whole 55 minutes?

Of course. We came back down from 20 to win. We knew the whole season they wanted revenge and they got the win .

The Uni Riesen Leipzig played a three OT game and you played 55 minutes. Can you remember ever playing so many minutes in one game?

I know I played in a double overtime conference championship my Jr. Year in college to go to the NCAA tourney. I think I may have played a little over 40 plus mins but never 55 mins.

Lets talk about the game as your memory is still fresh. At halftime, the Giants were leading 45-39. Was there any moment were you were feeling this could be a long afternoon/night?

We knew they were a good team and of their current winning streak. We know that every game is going be a grind so at half time we stayed positive and discussed on what we needed to do to fight back .

After three quarters of good scoring for Nordlingen, Leipzig buckled down in the fourth quarter taking the game in OT limiting the Nordlingen scoring machine to four points. What was key for limiting them so much?

Our pick and roll defense was much better in the second half. And we limited them do one shot per possession.

Leipzig had the 69-67 lead for three minutes until Leo Vrkas sent the game into OT with a bucket. He actually scored the last two baskets before OT. Did Leipzig suffer some defensive breakdowns in this phase of was the mental part also present?

We just had some breakdowns as you said and like a good team does they capitalized off our mistakes .

In the first OT, it was back and forth, but Jordan Talbert made big plays and got the Giants the lead, but Leipzig battled back with Sacha Leutloff drawing a foul and bringing the game into a second OT. How important does it remain for the big German to be able to take pressure off of you and Julian Scott at any time of a contest?

Like I said in a interview before, Sacha is one of the best forwards in this league. He brings it night in and night out. His ability to make plays takes pressure off our whole team .

In the second OT, it looked like Nordlingen would finally pull through and win as Janek Schmidkunz hit a three, but once again Leipzig never gave up and got to a third OT once again with free throws. How confident was your team just being able to do what you wanted to and draw the foul when it was needed?

We were very confident and most important we were having fun. I haven’t seen that look in our team eyes since before the Christmas break.

In the third OT Nordlingen had had enough pouring home 19 points. Was there a fatigue factor present in the third OT?

Yea both teams were running on fumes. Plus two of our starters fouled out and they had a little bit more left in the tank than we did .

Despite the heartbreaking loss was there anything possible that the UNI Riesen Leipzig could take that will be able to spurn them on to further success in the next games?

Of course. We learned to play through adversity and stay together. With this attitude I’m very excited about heading into the playoffs .

Is the fact that four players combined for 100 of the 105 points scare you a bit?

Not really. No one on this team is selfish. We just did what had to be done this game. Hopefully the points can be spread throughout our whole team the next game.

How proud are you that the club stuck with a very powerful Nordlingen team despite having a seven man rotation and five guys that combined for 259 minutes?

Very proud of our effort.

How do recap the NBA trade line deals? What teams did the best?

Jeff Green to the Clippers for Lance Stephenson. I think the Clippers got an important key to a deep playoff run.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Dawg Fight.

Thanks Brandon for the chat.

 

Cliff Tucker is a 27 year old 198cm forward from El Paso, Texas playing his fourth professional season and first with rent4office Nuernberg (Germany-ProA). He started the season with Sopron KC (Hungary-A Division). He played at Maryland(NCAA) from 2007-2011 playing a total of 131 games and as a senior played 33 games: 9.6ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 67.2%. In 2012-2013, he started his professional career with the Springfield Armor (D-League): 13 games: 6.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.6%, 3PT: 41.4%, FT: 33.3%,. In the 2013-2014 season he played with Huracanes de Tampico (Mexico-LNBP playing 42 games: 16.9ppg, 4.6rpg, 4.0apg, 1.8spg, 2FGP: 48.9%, 3FGP: 29.3%, FT: 72.8%. He also played with Toros de Aragua (Venezuela-LPB): 7 games: 9.6ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 24.0%, FT: 16.7%. He played for athird team that season with Indios de San Francisco (Dominican Republic-LNB) playing 7 games: 10.7ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.1apg. Last season he remained with Huracanes de Tampico (Mexico-LNBP) playing 44 games: 15.0ppg, 5.0rpg, 3.1apg, Steals-2(1.7spg), FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 72.7%. He also played with Academia de la Montana Alavaro Contreras (Colombia-Liga Direct TV) Liga DirecTV-1: 4 games: 20.8ppg, 4.8rpg, 5.5apg, 1.8spg. He recently spoke to German Hoops about basketball.
 

 

 

Cliff thanks for talking to German Hoops A tough 68-64 loss on the weekend against Science City Jena. It was a dog fight at the end. What was key at the end that Rent4Office were unable to pull out the win?

The key in the end of the game was that we were not able to execute our offense in the end of game and we made some key turnovers and fouls in the end of game that caused us to lose

Despite the loss, the team is 12-11 and right in the thick of things and still on course for the playoffs. You had been part of the 3 game winning streak. Despite the loss is this team playing like a confident play off type team?

Despite the loss our team is very confident and playing like a playoff team. We have depth now on our roster and we just need to get a good rotation and continue to play hard as a team

You have only been here a short time, but in the short time have seen that Rent4Office is a team that can put up many points on the board, but also come to defend. What would you say is the teams biggest strength?

I think our teams biggest strength is our depth. We are a very deep team and we have a good group of guys that start the game and come off the bench

This is your first season in Europe after being in the States your whole life. How has the adjustment been for you on the court in general?

The adjustment for me in Europe has been good and a learning experience .Guys play very hard the whole game in Europe and the basketball is very organized.

You are a guy that can fill up the stat sheet. On a club that has many scoring options what exactly is your role on the team?

.My role on the team is to just simply make a difference in some way and help the team win. Whether its rebounding, defense, scoring or passing my job is to get on court and make a difference and give the team a big lift.

You can do very much on the court, but what do you feel today is still a hidden strength in your game that gets overlooked?

A hidden strength in my game that gets over looked is my defense. I am very long and athletic and can guard any position 1 through 3

Head coach Ralph Junge is probably the best German coach that deals with young players. What experience has it been so far working with him and what have you learned in the short time so far?

Coach Ralph is a great coach and very understanding. He is willing to work with players and help them with their game. I have learned that coach does not expect you to score 20 points a game he just wants you to play hard and help the team win

You have two very young German teammates with Kevin Bright who was the leading rebounder at Vanderbilt the one season he played there and Mauricio Marin. Bright is older than Marin, but how much potential do these two guys have?

The 2 young Germans have great potential. Kevin is a tough player very athletic and can also shoot Marin is a great scorer and can put the ball in the basket. They both will be great players in the future to come

You started the season with Sopron KC (Hungary-A Division). What was your wake up call to being in Europe where you were very far away from home?

The key wake up call to me being in Europe was the 8hr time difference from home and also the food.

After being a rookie in the D-league you played the last two seasons with Huracanes de Tampico (Mexico-LNBP). This is a step that many Americans take before coming to Europe. Did the individual success give you the needed self confidence to come to Europe?

Yes me playing in the D league and Mexico helped me out a lot and gave me confidence to go play in Europe with the best guys in the world. It also gave me experience to learn the game

Last summer you played briefly for Academia de la Montana Alavaro Contreras (Colombia-Liga DirecTV). What experience in South American will forever stay in your mind that you had there?

My experience in South America was great. I will forever remember the fans and how beautiful a city Medillien Columbia was.

In Mexico you played together with Ken Horton who is currently in the German Beko BBL with medi Bayreuth and Giesen 46er Suleiman Braimoh. Are these two guys a good example that hard works does reward a player by reaching a higer level in Europe?

Yes Ken Horton And Suleiman are great examples that hard work pays off. They started in small leagues and played great and kept working their way up to the top league. Those guys are close friends and great players

Ken Horton has been a very consistent performer for medi Bayreuth. He has scored in double figures since he arrived at Central Conn in 2006. What did you appreciate about his game most?

I appreciate how hard Ken plays and his shooting. He is an undersized 4 man, but plays hard and scores the ball really well

As a rookie you played for the Springfield Armour of the D-League. You played 13 games averaging 6.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.6%, 3PT: 41.4%, FT: 33.3%. How was this whole experience for you? Did you learn quickly that making the NBA doesn´t always have to do with being the most talented?

Playing in the D league was a good experience. I learned that there are many politics involved with the NBA and its not always about how good you are but its about who you know and how big a name you have

You played at Maryland(NCAA) from 2007-2011. Despite some very talented teams why do you feel did Maryland in your time never make any noise in the NCAA tournament?

I feel like we did not make much noise in tournament at Maryland because we had a lot of selfish guys that did not want to play as a team

Is your buzzer beater against Georgia Tech where you had eight points in nine minutes and was the first buzzer beater since the Drew Nicholas buzzer beater in 2003 that beat NC Wilmington what you are most remembered by?

I am most remembered by my buzzer beater at Maryland. Was a great game and experience in a sold out arena. Helped our team tie for the ACC Chanpionship that year

Were your two best games against North Carolina where you averaged 20 points? Do you look back on those games remembering against all the future NBA talent that you played against?

Yes I think back to all my North Carolina games and remember the great players I played against. It helps my confidence and shows me that I can play with the best guys in the world

How did Gary Williams groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

Gary Williams made me work for every minute I played and everything I had. He made me work on my game and taught me a lot about basketball and life

Who was the best player that you battled against in the NCAA that is in the NBA now?

One of the toughest players is Harrison Barnes. He is a great player and good defender

Recently ESPN named the 100 best NBA players of all time. Do you feel it was justified to have Lebron before legends like Bill Russell, Magic and Larry Bird?

I am not sure if Lebron should be ahead of all those great hall of fame guys

What was the last movie that you saw?

The last movie i saw was Bad Boys 2.

Thanks Cliff for the chat.

There are numerous guys that have played in the Fraport arena over the years that one could describe as athletic specimens like a Jawad Williams that had the honor to play with Lebron James and Shaq on the same team or a Brandon Bowmann that was close to reaching the NBA twice with the Nets and 76ers, but instead found himself packing his bags and returning for another Europe season adventure when Allen Iverson decided to come back to Philly. When you look at both guys, they have that certain swagger that one can only compare to the tall and athletic creatures that roam the NBA arena´s. Bowmann has had the opportunity to battle the Fraport Skyliners with three different teams and coming into the Europe cup game he has a 500 record with a record of 3-3. In just his third season as a professional after having an illustrious career at Georgetown where he had as much game as a Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green, but had to watch them live their dreams out in the NBA while he came to Europe helped the Telekom Baskets Bonn sweep Frankfurt in the 2008-2009 season and in his first ever game in Frankfurt scored 22 points and hauled down 11 rebounds while getting four steals. However his next two attempts with SC Rasta Vechta and medi Bayreuth didn´t turn out as well as he only had a 1-3 record with them. With SC Rasta Vechta he lost two nail bitters 70-67 in Frankfurt where he mustered 13 points and then a very bitter 76-75 loss in Vechta as Quantez Robertson made the steal on a William Conroy inbounds play and fed German Kevin Bright for the buzzer beater three pointer. Last season, Bowman who is known as a gym rat and might call Los Angeles his address, but the gym worldwide as his address lost a heart breaker in Frankfurt with Medi Bayreuth 90-89 as American Javon Mccrea could put home the easy bucket from close range. After a bitter cup final loss last weekend, Bowman was back in Frankfurt hoping to make some positive news with his club Petrolina AEK Larneca, but the California native fell to 3-4 against the German team in his career as the Fraport Skyliners played their typical ruthless and almost flawless defense and had their offense playing Skyliner basketball losing 83-60 as Frankfurt took the 1-0 series lead in the best of three series. After the game, ex Seton Hall guard Jordan Theodore was stretching and he had his normal another day at the office expression as telling what happened continues to be the same procedure after a big win. “We wanted to bounce back after the loss in Ludwigsburg. Being 13-0 in this competition feels good. We set the tone on defense and did a good job moving the ball. We knew that they had many older guys, so we wore them down. I just feels good to win with guys that always want to win and compete every night. This is what separates us from the other teams. I also have to give a lot of credit to coach Herbert who always has us well prepared”, stressed Fraport Skyliners guard Jordan Theodore. After the loss a dejected Brandon Bowman exited the locker room and only had one word on his lips for his summary of the game. “Their defense is my summary. They are great at scouting. They knew everything that we ran. They knew our defense and were well prepared. They played me tough. We got no steals. Doornekamp got in rhythm and Morrison also played very well. It will take all of us to beat them at home”, stressed AEK Larnaca forward Brandon Bowman. Ex Fraport Skyliner Jimmy Mckinney who plays for the Telekom Baskets Bonn was the team´s good luck charm. “Jimmy just showed up and started to laugh. He put some excitement into the atmosphere”, smiled Quantez Robertson.

In the first few minutes both teams were trying to find a rhythm, but couldn´t as shots weren´t falling at all. Ex Maryland(NCAA) guard Parrish Brown opened up the scoring with a three pointer and German national player Johannes Voigtmann got some flair into the rather quiet Fraport arena with a massive two handed dunk as ex Auburn star Quantez Robertson dished him the perfect pass. The Fraport Skyliners then finally found a rhythm on offense as Robertson nailed a three pointer. Jordan Theodore then let his defense do the talking making a rapid steal and finding Florida native Mike Morrison on the break with the lay in as Frankfurt led 8-3. After AEK Larnaca took a time out, it was ex NBA player Primoz Brezec who played 8 seasons in the NBA and tailed a total of 342 games with 6 different teams made a pretty fade away from the baseline to cut the Frankfurt lead to 8-5. However this little spark of offense didn´t faze Frankfurt as they started to play Skyliner basketball on offense going on a 9-0 run to lead 17-5. The run was sparked by Mike Morrison who got two easy buckets inside, 5 time CIS winner Philip Scrubb scored on transition and Canadian national player Aaron Doornekamp dropped a three pointer. American CJ Leslie who played at North Carolina State with Phoenix Suns American TJ Warren was inserted and instantly gave the Cypriot team energy as he used his athleticism scoring from the base line and then made a turnaround jumper. Robertson made free throws and the Fraport Skyliners led 20-10 after one quarter. “Frankfurt was better at everything and had more structure. Their defense was superb as the rotations were good and weren´t giving up the pick and pop”, stressed agent Kevin Koch. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 54% from the field and 67% from outside while AEK Larnaca was shooting 29% from the field and 20% from outside. Frankfurt had the 12-5 rebound edge, but four turnovers while the Cypriot team had five turnovers.

In the second quarter, the Fraport Skyliners were able to ultimately pull away from AEK Larnaca having the double digit lead. Frankfurt got on the board first with a Theodore coast to coast lay in and Konstantin Klein trey while the only input the AEK Lanarca offense could get were two buckets from Slovenian Brezec as Frankfurt led 25-14. Frankfurt then got big time production from ex Braunschweig forward Aaron Doornekamp who hit for two three pointers and scored inside extending the Frankfurt lead to 33-16. Frankfurt had a very good rhythm on offense having a strong ball movement opening up easy shots. AEK Lanarca are always capable of getting some offensive power going and did surprising the Frankfurt stellar play with a 7-2 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 35-23. In the run it was Flint, Michigan native Thaddus Mcfadden nailing a jumper and free throws while ex SC Rasta Vechta forward Bowman hit a pretty shot over Doornekamp. However a big strength of Frankfurt is too never panic and just play their brand of Skyliner basketball closing out the second quarter with a nasty 8-2 run to lead to go into the break comfortably 43-24 as Jordan Theodore tested his 40% three point shooting accuracy and hitting as did Doornekamp his third of the quarter. “The Frankfurt offense was very consistent. They were getting quality shots and hitting. Frankfurt did a good job having 4-5 guys touching the ball on every possession while AEK Larnaca had two guys at best three touching the ball. Doornekamp was hitting shots. That is just what he does”, stressed American Zeon Gray. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 52% from the field and 58% from the three point line while AEK Larnaca were shooting 33% from the field and 17% from the three point line. Frankfurt had the 22-11 rebound edge and both teams had seven turnovers a piece.

The Fraport Skyliners continued to dominate the game in the third quarter leading as much as 20 points, but despite a small run and lack of concentration in the later part of the quarter, the team were able to go into the fourth quarter strong carrying the momentum into the fourth quarter. AEK Larnaca came out of the locker room motivated and quickly went on a 4-0 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 43-28. Chicago native Parrish Brown opened up the second half with free throws and then made a pretty off balance jumper. Frankfurt got their offense on track again dominating in the paint as Theodore made a pretty spin move and lay in Robertson made a steal and found 2010 Eurochallenge winner John Little for the easy lay in as Frankfurt led 48-30. Frankfurt was able to extend their lead to 54-34 as Mike Morrison continued to have the hot hand scoring on transition as Scrubb made the perfect bounce pass and Robertson fed the big man for the alley-oop dunk. AEK Larnaca then had their best three minutes of the game going on a stunning 9-0 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 54-43 and giving the 2015 Cypriot champion a glimmer of hope. In the run, the club got solid support from their Americans Bowman and Mcfadden. Bowman connected on a three pointer and lay while ex Braunschweig guard Mcfadden scored on transition and made a step back jumper. “We gave up 19 points in the third quarter. It´s not always easy when your up 20 points and keep the same intensity. We need to remember the game isn´t over then and that basketball is a game of runs and have to continue to execute until the end”, warned Jordan Theodore. Frankfurt stayed on their feet and showed moral stopping the AEK Larnaca run and going on a 6-0 run to lead 60-43 after 30 minutes. Frankfurt got production from Morrison getting an easy put back, a jumper from Scrubb who then fed Robertson for the transition lay in. On the Morrison basket, Frankfurt once again displayed why they adore giving up the good shot for the great shot which ultimate team player Doornekamp proved once again. “We lost focus on defense on their run. We had no communication on defense and weren´t boxing out. They got a few shots to fall”, stressed Ohio native Quantez Robertson. “We went small, were aggressive and hit shots. This is how we got quality wins in the last month when we went small”, added Brandon Bowman. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 52% from the field and 50% from the parking lot while AEK Larnaca was shooting 42% from the field and 23% from the parking lot. Frankfurt had the 26-18 rebound advantage. Frankfurt had 10 turnovers while AEK Larnaca had 13 turnovers.

In the fourth quarter, the Fraport Skyliners continued to play their dominating game letting their offense flow while their defense wore down the opponent leading at one time by 26 points. Frankfurt had a lot of fortune in the game getting the majority of the loose balls on the evening. After a Morrison free throw, he was standing under the basket ready to get back on transition defense, but instead suddenly found the ball resting in his hands that he disposed in the bucket. The Fraport Skyliners then nailed two three pointers from Doornekamp and Klein extending the Frankfurt lead to 71-48 as AEK Larnaca were just going through the motions and already thinking what their post-game meal could be. After a Leslie bucket which cut the Frankfurt lead to 71-50, Frankfurt fans got another act of brilliance from Philip Scrubb who is like a green Leprechaun as the only thing missing is a slick green outfit and pot of gold as most everything he touches has turned to gold. He came into the game shooting 66,7% from down town, but before he nailed another trey, it was his hidden strength of passing that dazzled everyone. The Canadian was forced into the corner by two Cypriot players and somehow heaved up a perfect lob pass as if he knew where Voigtmann was to center court who then fed Robertson for the crushing two handed dunk as Frankfurt led 76-50. AEK Larnaca had one last ounce of energy as Bowman rode his team on a 5-0 run with a three pointer and lay in as Frankfurt led 78-55. Frankfurt then inserted their youngsters Max Merz who nailed a trey and Stefan Ilzhoefer while AEK Larnaca put in 19 year old Cypriot Christoforos Leontiou who also hit a three pointer ending the game. “We continued to make open shots, got on the fast break leading to easy lay ups and hit our free throws”, expressed Quantez Robertson. “The Frankfurt offense over rolled us. After we were down by 12 points, we went back to our game plan. That is when Frankfurt went on another run”, stated Brandon Bowman. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Aaron Doornekamp with 19 points. Mike Morrison added 17 points and Quantez Robertson had 13 points. Thaddus Mcfadden had 12 points and Parrish Brown chipped in with 11 points. AEK Larnaca was led by Brandon Bowman with 14 points. Thaddus Frankfurt shot 51% from the field and 57% from outside while AEK Larnaca shot 42% from the field and 31% from outside. Frankfurt won the rebound duel 35-25. Frankfurt had 15 turnovers while AEK Larnaca had 17 turnovers. Frankfurt won all the important other stats on the night like points in the paint 32-24, bench points 37-10, steals 11-4, and assists 26-8. Ex Fraport Skyliner Jimmy Mckinney made the trip from Bonn and had a long chat with ex teammates Quantez Roberston and John Little and is very proud how well his ex team is doing. “Frankfurt can win the Europe Cup and BBL cup. They are well coached and just stay within and play the right way. The chemistry is there as well. The team sees blood and just want to win very badly”, stressed Jimmy Mckinney.