TBB Trier head coach Henrik Rodl has had an illustrious basketball playing career that not many from Germany can master besides a Dirk Nowitzki and new Alba Berlin forward Nils Giffey can compare which NCAA ring is more pretty. In German basketball circles he will be best remembered for helping Germany win the 1993 European title or in Berlin his 11 titles while on the hallow basketball grounds of Chapel Hill in North Carolina of his assistance in winning the school´s NCAA title in 1993 now one of surprisingly only 5 titles in their history. Even as a head coach The German has gained the ultimate respect having formed Alba Berlin youth teams where a guy like Giffey developed and made the next step to a role player with Uconn and since 2010 has been the man in charge with TBB Trier that last reached the playoffs in 2004 and won their last title of only two in 2001. At times it seems like Rodl has had to break out the food stamps to afford a player whereas a Marko Pesic can dabble with the Gold card with FC Bayern Munich. Rodl has had to scrape from the TBB Trier budget ever since 2010, but as always he has that rare talent of always bringing in the best possible players with the money that he has. As a result TBB Trier has always been somewhere in no mans land the last years and even were near the Beko BBL playoffs in 2011 at #10 in his first season. Rodl has brought forward German big men Maik Zirbes and Andreas Seiferth and this season has another very young roster and Mathis Monninghoff seems like his next project for further stardom. He has a majority of players that were born in 1991 or later and a few guys in the 87-89 year zone and of course two veterans on the team that are as vital for Rodl as Big Macs might have been for ex Tar Heel Sean May that tipped the scale at 270 pounds once. Rodl was already introduced to Canadian basketball at North Carolina in his first two years as Rick Fox who later played for the Boston Celtics was pivotal for the Tar Heels run to the 1991 NCAA Final Four as he averaged 16,9ppg and 6,6rpg as a senior. Rodl has incorporated two fine Canadian players that not only hold the team together but also help put some points on the board and not let the club lose their nerves in crunch time. 31 year old Canadian Jermaine Bucknor is playing his third season with TBB and 31 year old Jermaine Anderson his second. They have two similarities in that both have been teammates with the Canadian national team and also have Jamaican roots. Bucknor who played many years in France, but also found a home in Frankfurt and Wurzburg has improved his scoring, rebounding, assists, field goal and three point shooting percentage each season in Trier while Anderson like Bucknor also has had ample experience in the BBL having played for Bamberg, Tuebingen and Braunschweig. Both guys are exceptional players, have the right attitude and that special heart for basketball. The two Canadians may not be the top scorers on the team as Vitalis Chicoko and Ricky Harris have carried that burden on their shoulders, but Anderson and Bucknor have kept the team positive as best that they could in the last months which have been hard with the TBB Trier financial crisis and their vast experience in good and bad times has been a plus even if finding positives this season in Trier has been as unlikely as finding a razor in Aggy Mock´s locker. Especially in the huge 79-74 home win against FC Bayern Munich which was the biggest win of the season, the call barking of Roedl and stellar play of the Canadian duo of Anderson and Bucknor who were one and two in scoring in the game at least saved one special moment for this summer when they are remembering this season in an otherwise forgettable season. A big miracle has to happen for TBB Trier to stay in the BBL, but strange things do happen in the sport of basketball.

It is always a challenge for Henrik Rodl to lead TBB Trier each season with the limited budget, but once again his team had no business staying at the end of the standings. They finished last season in 13^th place and they were incapable of beating one of the top three teams, but beat ratiopharm Ulm and swept the season series from the Telekom Baskets Bonn, Ludwigsburg and MBC proving they are able to have a teams number for the course of a season. A big problem was there defense which for many seasons was their bread and butter that part of the game that was holy for team and coach. The club started out well into the season holding teams to under 70 points in two of the first three games, but then only did it three more times. Their defense was too erratic coupled with the fact that they couldn´t put points on the board on a consistent rate either hurt their overall chances to win games as well. And in those games where they mustered offensive punch, their defense was their Achilles heel. Rebounding was also a problem as they had no real classic big man that can scoop down rebounds with ease the way the eccentric Dennis Rodman did back in the game. Their number one center German national player Andreas Seiferth averaged only 4,9rpg which is definitely too little for a guy like him. Seeing the quality they had last season coupled with the experience, it is kind of scary to imagine where the team will land this season as they have lost key players.

TBB Trier lost two of their key figures from last season with top scorer TreVohn Hughes who has moved on to medi bayreuth and Andreas Seiferth who has taken his talent on to the Artland Dragons. Despite losing these two figures the club did a fine job despite not having the biggest budget to keep an identity within the team holding 8 players. Even if the combination of these 8 players may not be equal to most other clubs in the Beko BBL in talent, sometimes a healthy chemistry will do wonders for a team. The two biggest and most important players held were Canadians Jermaine Anderson and Jermaine Bucknor. The overall success of their play, fitness level and staying healthy will be vital for TBB Trier between finishing in the middle or fighting to stay in the league .Anderson who is a 31 year old 188cm guard got his first real basketball experience at FordhamNCAA) and has played much of his career in Germany for teams like Bamberg, Tuebingen and Braunschweig. He also played in countries like Poland, Canada, Croatia and Russia. Last season for Tuebingen he played 34 games: 10.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 38.9%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT-1(96.9%). Never foul him in crunch time, because he is one of top free throw shooters in the Beko BBL. Bucknor is also 31 201cm forward and played at Richmond(NCAA) and then for the first four seasons as a professional in France before coming to Germany in 2010 where he played for Frankfurt, Wurzburg and now his third season with TBB Trier. Last season he played 27 games: 9.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 60.8%, 3PT: 42.7%, FT: 75.8%. It was his best statistical season in Germany and is the glue guy of the team.

The club also held on to Vitalis Chikoko who is a 23 year old 207cm forward that is a talented, lanky forward/center who has a huge upside. Even standing almost at 6-10, he can spend yet time at the PF position, thanks to enormous athletic skills, versatility, and good feel for the game. He is playing his third season with TBB Trier after having Rodl notice him in the 2010-2011 season where he played for BG Goettingen. He has improved his scoring each season in Trier and last season played 34 games: 8.0ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 17.1%, FT: 52.0%. He raising his game to another level this season also will be beneficial for the teams success. Mathis Monninghoff is a 22 year old 200cm swing man that started his career with Leverkusen and played 52 NCAA games for Gonzaga having ex NBA player Elias Harris as a teammate. His shot is his big asset, but he isn´t one dimensional, but smart turns over the ball seldom and plays aggressive defense. Like Chikoko, he also improved his stats from his first season in Trier and last season played 30 games: 5.0ppg, 1.9rpg. Laurynas Samenas is a 26 year old 192cm guard from Lituvania that is playing his second season out of his native country and second for TBB Trier. Last season he played for  BC Siauliai (LKL) playing 22 games: Score-5(15.0ppg), 2.2rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 78.4%; Baltic League: 17 games: 14.2ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 50.7%, FT: 79.1%. He is known for his shooting and defense and can give the team energy from the bench. Last season for TBB trier he gave played 30 games averaging 8.9ppg, 1.9rpg, FGP: 44.7%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 74.7%.

After four seasons and 74 Beko BBL games with Bayreuth, Stefan Schmidt came to TBB Trier last season searching for a new challenge. Schmidt is a 25 year old 207cm center that was born in Schwandorf. He had the chance to play behind two ex NBA players with Jared Reiner and Brandon Hunter. Schmidt never was able to make his breakthrough in Bayreuth and in Trier will came from the bench last season to give Seifert rest. He always works hard and this could be his breakthrough season with Seiferth gone if he decides to use it. Last season the German played 34 games: 3.4ppg, 2.4rpg. Anthony Canty is a 23 year old 183cm guard that has had problems with injuries last season as he played 1 game: 0pts, played also at SG DJK/MJC Trier (Regionalliga)1 game: 25pts. He started his career in 2007 with  BSG Bremerhaven (Oberliga) and in 2009 to Beko BBl team Eisbaeren Bremerhaven where he played a total of 63 games in four seasons. He is another very big German talent that could shine in Trier this season if given the chance. His speed is his biggest asset and isn´t shy to take big shots if no one else wants to. . Andreas Wenzl is a 21 year old 201cm center that arrives to Trier as a big project and is playing his second season there. He started his career with ratiopharm Ulm and played at the 2011 and 2012 NBBL Allstar games. In the NBBL he has shown his scoring and rebounding ability, but knee problems have slowed him down. In Trier he will get a chance to get minutes with the Regionaliga team and Beko BBL club.

The club hauled in American Ricky Harris as he got a short term contract because the club has injury woes. Harris is a 27 year old guard 187cm guard from Baltimore that is playing his fifth professional season. He played at Massachusetts (NCAA) together with ex NBA player Tony Gaffney and turned professional in 2010. He played in countries like Lithuvania and the Ukraine and two seasons ago played for Biancoblu Basket Bologna (Italy-Lega2): 28 games: 13.3ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 40.2%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 77.3%. Last season he played for the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg playing 20 games: 11.4ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 47.0%, FT: 84.1%. It takes a lot of courage to have only a few slots open to choose players and then pick young ones from other countries. That is exactly what Rodl did bringing in 22 year old 207cm forward Marko Lukovic from Serbia. It is his first destination out of his country. He played for Mega Vizura (A League) Adriatic League from 2009-2014 and last season played 24 games: 4.8ppg, 2.5rpg; Serbian League: 12 games: 5.3ppg, 3.6rpg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 64.0%. He has played for the Serbian U 18 and U 20 teams and is a player that plays the positions 3-4 and presents huge miss match problems there and is agile and can shoot well. The club also brought in another young player that is more or less expected to perform as soon as possible with Adin Vrbac who is a 20 year old 204cm shooting guard and huge talent from Bosnia. He started his basketball career at KK Spars Sarajevo (D3) in 2009. Last season he played for KK Spars Sarajevo (Division I, starting five): 30 games: 10.7ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.6apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 21.6%, FT: 63.1%. Last summer he played at the European Championships U20 Division B in Sarajevo (Bosnia) -14 (Gold): 8 games: 11.9ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.6apg, FGP: 59.6%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 46.2%. He is a very athletic player that likes to create for his players, but his shot has to improve. The club also brought in Dennis Kramer. Kramer is a 22 year old 211cm center and rookie. His mother is German, his father Arvid Kramer is a former pro player (spent several years overseas playing in e.g. Italy and Germany) and NBA draftee, who worked as a general manager of German Bundesliga team Telekom Baskets Bonn for six years after his playing career. Kramer grew up in the States and played at San Diego (NCAA) from 2010-2014 playing a total of 123 NCAA games and as a senior played 31 games averaging11.3ppg, 6.8rpg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 71.2%. “Dennis is a young talented player that fits well into our concept.He can play both big man positions. I am happy that we could find

Six wins and 17^th place doesn´t seem like much, but Roedl still has done as good as a job as possible with the quality of the roster that he has compared to other teams. The club started the season very solid with a 2-2 record beating Braunschweig and Goettingen, but then lost six of seven games until the legendary home win against FC Bayern Munich. Then came another mini high point having a two game winning streak against Phoenix Hagen and the EWE Baskets Oldenburg where they held the two opponents combined to an average of 63 points a game as the Roedl defensive concept infected his team early on. However they then lost eight of nine games again including the down point of the season being the 84-44 massacre in Bamberg. The only other high point of the season besides the Munich win was sweeping 2015 BBL cup winner Oldenburg. Their biggest obstacle is their lack of being able to score points on a consistent rate as they have been held to under 70 points 12 times this season. TBB Trier have been playing pretty good basketball of late beating Oldenburg and losing a bitter crunch time game to Alba Berlin in OT by three points. The Fraport Skyliners come to Trier reeling off a tough loss in Braunschweig, but should make the playoffs. They play two games within 48 hours and could use a strong game in Trier to get their self confidence going for the showdown against FC Bayern Munich on Sunday. In the first meeting this season between Frankfurt and Trier, Frankfurt won the defensive battle as they were led by Richard Williams with 17 points and Quantez Robertson steered home 15 points. TBB Trier was led by Vitalis Chikoko with 15 points while Jermaine Anderson chipped in with 12 points. TBB Trier host the Fraport Skyliners April 17^th.

In the past, The Frankfurt Skyliners have had a positive record against TBB Trier. In 2009-2010, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners lost the first game on Trier 71-67 as Ex Skyliner Derrick Allen contributed 19 points and eight rebounds and Frankfurt won at home 71-69 winning the game with Pascal Roller free throws. Derrick Allen led Frankfurt with 17 points. In 2010-2011, Frankfurt swept the season series. They won at home 72-55 as Pascal Roller led the home team with 17 points. The return date in Trier was an exciting battle as Frankfurt clawed out a 69-61 win as they came from behind going on a 10-0 run in crunch time to prevail. Dashaun Wood led the charge with 18 points and Jimmy Mckinney added 11 points. In their first meeting in 2011-2012, TBB Trier came out with a 64-54 victory as defense played a key role. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Jon Leuer and Jimmy Mckinney with 14 points a piece. In their second meeting that year, the Fraport Skyliners were riding the wave of a very strong second half of the season where they had beat top teams like FC Bayern Munich, ratiopharm Ulm, Bamberg, Artland Dragons and the EWE Baskets Oldenburg and came to Trier with a lot of self confidence winning 72-52 displaying another trademark top defensive performance as ex NBA player Jermareo Davidson steered 19 points to the win and Jimmy Mckinney added 18 points. In the 2012-2013 season TBB Trier swept the season series won at home against Frankfurt 78-59. At halftime everything looked ok as Frankfurt trailed by only one point, but TBB trier exploded in the third quarter winning it 25-8 leading them on to the win. American Brian Harper proved too much for Frankfurt with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Skyliner Ted Scott gave his debut netting 20 points. In the return game in Frankfurt, TBB trier won 78-70 sending the Fraport Skyliners into a do or die game with Ludwigsburg as Jermaine Bucknor and Andreas Seiferth led the way with 14 points a piece. Frankfurt was led by Quantez Robertson with 14 points and Ryan Brooks added 13 points. In their first meeting last season, the Fraport Skyliners came out of Trier with a big 85-75 victory as Andrew Rautins smoked Trier for 30 points. Jacob Burtschi and Danilo Barthel added 15 points a piece in Trier. TBB Trier was led by Trevohn Hughes with 29 points and Vitalis Chikoko added 11 points. In the return game, The Fraport Skyliners won at home 67-56 as TBB Trier showed a good defensive effort, but Frankfurt buckled down a few gears better on defense. Frankfurt was led by Danilo Barthel with 15 points and American Jarred Dubois added 10 points. TBB Trier was led by Trevon Hughes with 18 points and Andreas Seiferth added 11 points.

Braydon Hobbs is a 24 year old 196cm point guard that is playing his third professional season and first in Germany with rent4office Nuernberg (Germany-ProA). He started his basketball career in 2008 with : Bellarmine (NCAA2) playing a total of 133 games. He turned professional in 2012 and played for Caceres Basket (Spain-LEB Gold, starting five): 35 games: 7.1ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.9apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 41.9%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 87.9%. Last season he played for Alba Fehervar (Hungary-A Division, starting five): Eurocup: 10 games: 11.9ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.6apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 40.4%, 3PT: 52.3%; Hungarian League: 32 games: 9.1ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.4apg, Steals-2(2.3spg), FGP: 52.8%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 72.7%. He also palyed two summers professionally in Australia. He spoke to German Hoops before game one against the Giessen 46ers.

Braydon congrats on the big 83-63 playoff win at home against the ETB Wohnbau Baskets. You have played in Spain, Australia and Hungary before coming to Germany. In how many of these type of games had you been involved in in your career being down in a 2-1 like situation and how often did you win?

I have been fortunate to play in the playoffs in every country I have played in. I have only been in one situation like that before though. We were down 2-1 in the semifinals in Spain and we ended up losing that series. I’m glad our team was able to battle back and win the series.

After an even first quarter, Nurnberg held Essen to 18 points in the second and third quarters. What adjustments did the team make on defense to stifle Essen in their offensive sets?

I think we managed to play better team defense after the first quarter. We were struggling with 1 on 1 defense and help side defense, I think we took better care of those two things in the 2nd quarter.

You led your team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Did you make yourself an extra promise before the game the way you wanted to play or was this very important game just another game for you where your confidence was high enough for you to perform the way you know how without putting unneeded extra pressure on yourself before the game?

I think this was a very important game 5. I told myself to leave everything I had out on the court. Our team was extremely focused because it was a do or die game for us. There was no added pressure but we just needed to do what we have did all year.

The Golden State Warriors have the splash brothers and Nurnberg have the Young and Hobbs brothers. How blind is your understanding with him on the court? How has it grown during the season where you can easily pick the moments when who does what to bring success to the team?

I think we are a much better team when both of us are on the court together. We understand each other’s strengths and that helps us feed off each other. We try to do anything we can to help the team be successful.

How important was German Robert Ohle? He only had four points and three rebounds, but was big on defense with four blocks. The big men match ups will be interesting against Giessen especially with Ohle playing against his old team

Robert was huge for us in the win. He has been that way all year. He can really mix things up in the paint and that helps our team defense big time.

How proud are you of your team? What was the atmosphere like when the team was down 2-1? Was this we believe feeling always there in the minds of your teammates?

I’m really proud of the team because we never gave up. We never counted ourselves out of the series. We have been a competitive team all year so we never believed we were going to lose. We had confidence and were able to pull through.

Nurnberg held Essen to 66 points in the four game series. What was the biggest strength on the defensive end that led the team to being so consistent?

I think our biggest strength was that we played solid team defense the entire series. We obviously had a couple minutes here and there that weren’t the greatest, but overall we really worked together on that aspect of the game. We had to focus on 1 on 1 defense as well.

Nurnberg now faces Giessen. Giessen is one of the top defensive teams in the German Pro A. Can we expect a defensive series?

Giessen is definitely a great defensive team. They can shoot the ball well also so it’s not only their defense that can hurt you. I don’t think it will be strictly a defensive series because both teams can be really good offensively as well.

Nurnberg lost both games against Giessen by a combined point total of only nine points, but you averaged 79 points which is extremely high considering how well Giessen defends. Does the confidence level of your team rise knowing that you have had success against them this season be able to score consistently?

I’m not sure if the confidence level rises because of that. I think if we execute and take care of the basketball then the offense will take care of itself.

Giessen has a very solid roster that plays amazing team basketball. Nurnberg saw them twice this season and you can´t key in on 1-2-3 players because each guy can go off at any time. What will be key in getting to the final of the Pro A?

They are a very deep team with multiple options. They are one of the deepest teams in the league. I think our defense will be key against them. It’s been the key for us all season long. They can play a lot of different players but hopefully we can manage to play solid team defense to help limit them.

The other semi final pits Wurzburg against Gotha. You can never underestimate them with Chris Ensminger as head coach. How do you see this series? Could Gotha make an upset?

You can never underestimate any team at this level. Anything could happen in the playoffs as well. It will definitely be a competitive series because that’s how Gotha plays. They compete every game so it will be interesting to see what happens.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Last DVD movie I watched was American Sniper.

Thanks Braydon for the chat.

Preston Wynne is a 28 year old 184cm guard from Wellpinit, Washington that is a rookie playing for the Baskets Akad.Weser-Ems/Oldenburger TB (Germany-ProB). He started his basketball career at Spokane Community College. He then finished his college career at Vanguard (NAIA) and as a senior played 36 games averaging 20.9ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.9spg, FGP: 41.6%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: NAIA1-1(90.7%). He spoke to German Hoops before game two against Rostock.

Preston thanks for talking to German Hoops. You celebrated a huge 83-74 win against Rostock in game one. How important was that 32 point outburst in the first quarter? Did that pave the way for Oldenburg and carry them to the win?

It was sure a big part of the win thats for sure. If we could have more like it i’d be happy.

What did the team learn from that first loss that has helped them play better in the last two games?

Rostock is a very good team. The first time we played them we were not nearly ready for the speed in which they played.

Your ex head coach Mladen Drijenicic became head coach of the first team, but what was his biggest strength that has made the team so successful this season?

Mladen is a perfectionist. Even if we ran our plays nearly perfect, he would always remind us that there were things each one of us could do a little better. He would bring the most out of every player, and would have a big smile on his face every minute of it. He loves his job.

Rostock did a great on the boards. How key will rebounding be and what else will be most vital for the team to advance?

Rostock is a very aggressive rebounding team. If we can lower their rebounds and stop their drives to the basket, we will have a good chance to win.

What has been the secret to the success of Oldenburg?

I think its our trust we have for each other. From our coaches all the way to the last guy on the bench.

They have only one import and mostly young Germans. How special and important has this roster of Germans been for the success of the team this season?

They have been a huge part of the teams success. The younger players don’t have a slow down button, they only know one speed and thats as hard as they can go. It makes the older players play harder.

You seemed to have no problems adjusting to the German Pro B. Was it difficult having to be a leader as a rookie?

At first it was a little tough, but once I got the hang of German basketball it wasn’t to hard. I try to lead by example.

How challenging was it this season battling against the top guy of the other team and coming out on top?

It hasn’t been too tough. We have such a well rounded team that on any given night anyone can score 20+, if I´m around 10 points and we get the win I am 100% okay with that.

How much fun has it been playing side by side with German Dominik Lockhart? This may be the best 1-2 guard combo in the German Pro B. How do you guys make each other better?

Playing with Dominik has been wonderful this season. He is a very gifted player, very selfless player, who is always trying to make his team the best they can be.

How have you seen the play of Jan Niklas Wimberg develop this season? Even though you are a rookie do you sometimes shake your head that he is actually 9 years younger than you?

Niklas has improved a lot in all areas of his game in this short year. His on court IQ is very impressive for such a young player. Every day I go to practice I´m reminded by my age, The youngsters talking about their homework.

Steph Curry recently hit 77 three pointers in a row in practice. How amazing is that and what were the most three pointers that you hit in practice in a row?

It seems pretty good, i’ve never tried it personally. I have made 168 free throws in a row though.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

That was a while ago in august right before I left the states. It was The Lego Movie with my son and daughter.

Thanks Preston for the chat.

Diante Watkins is a 24 year old 174cm point guard that is playing his third professional season and second with SC Rist Wedel (Germany-ProB). He started his basketball career in 2009 with Daley CC (JUCO): 28 games: 26.5ppg, 5.8apg, 2.7rpg, 2.0spg, FGP: 44%, 3Pts: 38%, FT: 86%. He then played two seasons with Robert Morris (NAIA) and as a senior played 27 games: 24.4ppg, 7.4apg, 3.0rpg, 2.1spg, FGP: 47.0%, 3Pts: 38.9%, FT: 82.7%. Last season for SC Rist Wedel (Germany-ProB) he played 30 games: 16.2ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 86.9%. He spoke to German Hoops after the 94-85 victory against Iserlohn

Congrats Diante on the 94-85 game one win against Iserlohn. You can wrap the series at home this weekend? How badly did SC Rist Wedel want to steal that first game on the road?

We wanted to win game 1 pretty bad, we wanted to give ourselves a chance to end it in Wedel and not have to play a game 3 on the road. Now we have a good chance to close the series at home!

The first half was very tight, but SC Rist Wedel came out in the third quarter limiting Iserlohn to 12 points which sparked the team to the win as they led by nine points after 30 minutes and never looked back. What kind of advice did head coach Michael Claxton give the team at halftime that especially helped on the defensive end?

That was the speech during halftime. Our defense wasn’t good in the first half so we just wanted to do better and we did in the 3rd quarter and we made some baskets to stretch the lead!

You and American Brandon Spearman combined for 56 points of the team 94 points. Do you guys ever feel pressure to having to perform as the team does rely on you to score much?

It’s a little pressure on us to score. But we understand that anybody on our team can have a big night and pick us up, we have a really balanced team so it’s not as much pressure we just have to play our game and stay aggressive which allows our offense to be better!

Without one or two of Fabian Straus´s three pointers and Wedel could have had problems winning. How key has his play been overall this season coming up with timely big plays?

Fabo made some clutch shots when we really needed them, he has played a huge role in making big shots for us. He is stretching the floor which makes it hard for the defense to help off of him which allows me and others to get easy baskets at the rim!

You had another typical big game filling the stats sheet. Was your three point effort the only category that annoyed you on that night?

Yes my 3 point effort annoyed me but they were tough shots as well as my turnovers I had a few that were unforced, I have to limit those mistakes!

What was your impression of English national player Orlan Jackman? He can go off at any time like you? He is the motor of the team and his energy can infect his teammates at anytime.

I think he is a good player, he can stretch the floor. We have to do a better job at guarding him in game 2. I think he is a small forward playing the power forward position so he has more speed than our bigs and we have to be ready for his perimeter game!

It seems like both teams match up pretty well. Will this series pretty much be decided by the little things?

I think this series will be decided by who wants it more, who can play the best defense, get stops and get out and play the fast break & execute!

The other series pits Oldenburg and Rostock two teams you played this season. Oldenburg leads 1-0. How do expect the rest of this series to go and what will be key for both teams to win?

I think Oldenburg may pull it off at home! I think both teams are really good so it’s a 50/50 game but I think the rebounding is key for that game Rostock gets after the glass and I think whoever controls the rebounds will get the victory! That series is very interesting! They are two hard nose clubs!

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

I watched Focus with Will Smith it was a really good movie!

Thanks Diante for the chat.

Logan Stutz is a 26 year old 205cm forward from Kanas City that is playing his fourth professional season and second with the ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen. He started the season with Bike-Cafe Messingschlager Baunach (Germany-ProA).Last season he played for LF Basket (Sweden-Basketligan): 17 games: 13.9ppg; Balkan League: 13 games: 9.3ppg, 5.8rpg, 2FGP: 56.4%, 3FGP: 43.8%, FT: 63.0%, in Dec.’13 moved to Balkan Botevgrad (Bulgaria-NBL): 18 games: 6.7ppg, 4.7rpg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 80.8%, 5.2rpg, Blocks-2(1.8bpg), FGP: 63.5%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 71.9%ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen (Germany-ProA): 28 games: Score-1(20.1ppg), Reb-5(8.1rpg), 1.2apg, FGP: 64.0%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 74.0%. He started his basketball career at Washburn (NCAA2). In 2011-2012, he was a rookie and played for  BG Topstar Leitershofen/Stadtbergen (Germany-ProA, starting five): 11 games: 16.1ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.2spg, FGP: 68.1%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 76.8%, left in Dec.’11, in Jan.’12 moved to WBC Raiffeisen Wels (Austria-A Bundesliga): 16 games: 4.2ppg, 2.3rpg.He spoke to German Hoops after the big 60-57 win.

Logan congrats on the huge 60-57 win in game three against Rent4Office Nurnberg. How quiet was the Nurnberg arena as the buzzer sounded. How much did the saying “Anything in basketball is possible” take effect in the last three minutes?

Thanks Miles! It was a tight game all second half, we had our moments and they had theres, but once again the execution down the stretch its what sealed the victory for us, even when our backs where against the wall.

With 2.52 to play Essen was down 57-54 as anything was possible. Essen closed out the game with a 6-0 run. It wasn´t pretty, but Essen came up big when they had to. What was key at the end for Essen to come away with a real tough win on the road?

It wasn’t pretty but a win is a win. The key was staying positive and fighting every second that we could. It came down to defense and a few offense of rebounds. We controlled the hustle plays in the last 3 minutes.

Chris Alexander was big again getting two buckets inside in the last minute. How much does his experience and play infect his teammates throughout a game?

He leads us, and he does a great job. He knows when to go get a bucket and when to get people involved. His experience and will to win has become contagious on the team.

Essen kept Hobbs and Pena to 1/13 shooting in the game. This has to have been a huge key since had they hit a few more buckets then Nurnberg would have won. Did the team as a whole key in on them more or was it just great team defense?

The credit goes to the team, but starts with the guards. Our guards have been applying pressure at a high intensity and they expect everyone else to follow.

This was a defensive game as both teams had poor shooting percentages. Essen has improved their defense in each game throughout the series. How proud are you of how the club has buckled down on defense as the series moved on?

We spend much of our time focused on scouting and our defensive rules and I give a lot of the credit to our coaches for putting us in the right position defensively to be successful. Its good to see the it all come together and get better.

The Wohnbau Baskets Essen were down 1-0, but now are 2-1 and one game away from a date with the Giessen 46ers in the semi finals. How has Essen grown as a team in this series?

Its been about focus and toughness. Everyone in this league can do it it just comes down to the right timing the right focus and the right effort and right now it is working for Essen

In 24 hours Essen can close out the series. Both teams know each other in and out now. What will be key for getting by Nurnberg in game four on your home court?

Our home court advantage is big, we need the right energy and atmosphere in the gym. Then we just have to take care of business.

Wurzburg was swept 3-0 by the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg. What was your overall impression of the season of new team Hamburg Towers?

I only got to play them once this year and it was in Hamburg. I think the potential for basketball in Hamburg is amazing. They had a great gym, great fans, and great city. I think one area they would have wanted to improve on was finishing the year strongly. The pro A is a long season and mostly one game a week. The coaches and organizations have a hard job making sure their players are still at a high level in the last few months. I am sure they will improve on this in the next years.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Interstellar

Thanks Logan for the chat.

Logan Stutz is a 26 year old 205cm forward from Kanas City that is playing his fourth professional season and second with the ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen. He started the season with Bike-Cafe Messingschlager Baunach (Germany-ProA).Last season he played for LF Basket (Sweden-Basketligan): 17 games: 13.9ppg; Balkan League: 13 games: 9.3ppg, 5.8rpg, 2FGP: 56.4%, 3FGP: 43.8%, FT: 63.0%, in Dec.’13 moved to Balkan Botevgrad (Bulgaria-NBL): 18 games: 6.7ppg, 4.7rpg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 80.8%, 5.2rpg, Blocks-2(1.8bpg), FGP: 63.5%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 71.9%ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen (Germany-ProA): 28 games: Score-1(20.1ppg), Reb-5(8.1rpg), 1.2apg, FGP: 64.0%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 74.0%. He started his basketball career at Washburn (NCAA2). In 2011-2012, he was a rookie and played for  BG Topstar Leitershofen/Stadtbergen (Germany-ProA, starting five): 11 games: 16.1ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.2spg, FGP: 68.1%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 76.8%, left in Dec.’11, in Jan.’12 moved to WBC Raiffeisen Wels (Austria-A Bundesliga): 16 games: 4.2ppg, 2.3rpg.He spoke to German Hoops about before game three against Nurnberg

Logan thanks for talking to German Hoops A big 76-73 win against Nurnberg in game two at home. How motivated was the team after the poor 87-59 loss?

Right after the game the team was pretty low. We needed some life. Gary Johnson really challenged everyone to step up and show ourselves in the next game. I think our response was a move in the right direction with more to come.

On what things did the team want to concentrate more on in game two and were able to do?

As a team we made many mental mistakes in game 1. We all knew what we needed to do but for some reason we were slow in our reactions. We had a very informative walk through where we cleared up everything that really helped us hold them under 75 points. It came down to just executing the small things.

Game two was a very close battle, but in the end Essen Had the better nerves. What was key at the end for getting the win?

The key was staying focused and limiting mistakes late in the 4th quarter. We still made errors during the game but late in the 4th quarter we grabbed rebounds, controlled the ball and hit our free throws.

Describe the last seconds as American Josh Young missed both free throws. What was Essen expecting to happen with these free throws? It seemed like Young unexpectedly missed the first free throw?

For starters I think we made a great choice to foul them and not let them get the 3 pointer off, because Josh just hit a 3 pointer. We were expecting him to hit the first and miss the second. The moment was intense and the crowd was great, he missed the first shot just a bit long. We still needed a solid box out and rebound on the second shot because we knew he would miss, and we executed well.

It seems like Chris Alexander is relied on to always having to score. He only had 10 points. How big were American Devin White and German Michael Jost taking some of the bulk from the shoulders of Alexander?

We have so much talent and experience on this team. Chris is a great leader and shows up to play every day. Any time we get multiply guys contributing we become a very dangerous team, and that’s how we will make a late run into late April and early May.

How valuable was increasing your team intensity and physicality down low as Essen made amends for losing the rebound battle in game one?

We knew we need to be tougher. Everyone stepped up guards and bigs were all getting in and getting the job done on the boards.

Stealing a game in Nurnberg would be so important. What will be key to taking the 2-1 series lead on Friday on the road?

Its a must! It wont come easy as they are a very good team at home, but we made a mistake in the first game that we wont make again. We have a second chance, that makes us a very dangerous team, and Nuernberg knows it.

You played 17 games for Baunach averaging 11,6ppg and 4,2rpg. When you look back at this experience what positives could you take from your short Bavarian stay?

There was a lot of positives. I got a chance to practice a few times with Brose, I got to play with some great up and coming German talent, and I got to meet some great people and make some great connections.

You closed out the regular season scoring in double figures in your last four games. How have you come to terms with a new role and how difficult was it coming back to an old team so late in the season?

I knew coming to Essen that things would be different then last time. Essen was an established team this season and I was excited they wanted me back. I needed to find a way to contribute as a leader on and off the court. There has been ups and downs just like any situation but through time I found my role here and I love it.

You were very effective scoring nine points and getting three rebounds in 13 minutes. How vital is it being an effective player now and making the prefect offensive decisions?

This is my role/job. I need to be effective in my minutes. Some nights l get more minutes some nights I get less,. I just need to make sure when I am in the game I am working hard and contributing, offense is my strength and everyone knows thats where I can contribute but I need to be active and surprise people with my defense too.

When you look back at the 2015 NCAA tournament what were the big surprises for you?

I think it was a great tournament as always. I thought Kentucky would win it all, but the thing I was most excited about (not a surprise to me) was seeing Wichita State beat Kansas.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

American Sniper

Thanks Logan for the chat.