Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Basketball journalist and play by play commentator

Antonio Pena(rent4office Nuernberg) My Role Is To Be Vocal And Leave It On The Floor

Antonio Pena is a 28 year old 204cm power forward from Coney Island, New York who is playing his fourth professional season and first in Germany for rent4office Nuernberg. He started his basketball career at Villanova where he played from 2006-2011 playing a total of 138 NCAA games and as a senior played 33 games: 9.8ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.5apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 68.4%. IN 2011-2012 he came to Europe as a rookie playing for U.B. La Palma (Spain-LEB Gold, starting five): 34 games: 10.1ppg, 3.9rpg, FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 66.2%. In the 2012-2013 season he played for Caceres Basket (Spain-LEB Gold, starting five): 35 games: 9.8ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.5apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 68.4%. Last season he played for C.B. Tizona Burgos (Spain-LEB Gold): 35 games: 9.3ppg, 4.1rpg, FGP: 56.7%, 3PT: 38.3%, FT: 73.1%. He spoke to German Hoops before the game against the Cuxhaven Bascats.

 

 

Antonio thanks for talking to German Hoops. You completed the first leg of a road trip to Cuxhaven for a game Saturday. How would you compare road trips in Germany to Spain in the Leb Gold league where you played the last three seasons?

 

There is a big difference. Today we had a 8 hour road trip to Cuxhaven, but those were usual road trips in Spain. In Germany we are able to leave often on game day whereas in Spain I remember only doing it once. In terms of comfort it is about the same.

 

 

 

You signed very late into the current season with Nurnberg. Were you surprised how long it took for you to find a club? How was your focus this off season in preparation for finding that right team?

 

I was disappointed that it took me so long to find a team, but very happy to have the chance to play for Nurnberg. After playing in Spain for three years I wanted a change. I always had wanted to play in Germany. I really like Germany and would like to continue to play here.

 

 

You played with current teammate Braydon Hobbs two seasons ago at Caceres Basket in Spain. Did he help you make the decision to come to Nurnberg easier?

 

Braydon helped me to make my decision easier as well as Josh Young who knows Reggie Redding. These two guys and coach helped me to make my decision easier.

 

 

You have played six games with Rent4Office Nurnberg averaging 12,0ppg, 7,0rpg and 2,0apg. It seems like you have had no real adjustment period as you have been coming to terms well with the style?

 

The German Pro A style is fitting to my game, but there is always room for growth. I continue to work hard and get better.

 

 

How would you describe the skill and player talent in the German Pro A in comparison to the Spanish Leb Gold league?

 

That is a tough question, but I would say that it is about the same. In the Leb Gold teams tend to bottom out more near the end while here all the teams tend to be good.

 

 

You are the second oldest on the team after American Dan Oppland. What exactly is your role on the team?

 

My role is to be as vocal as possible and bring it to the floor each game and play hard. Coach told me to leave it out on the floor each game.

 

 

Nurnberg is currently in fifth place with a record of 9-6 and battling to stay in the playoff range. ON what things does the team need to improve on in the second half of the season to get even higher in the standings?

 

I think that we know that we have to continue to bring it each day and just compete. We know that we are good and have to show that to the other teams in the league. I have only been here a short time and am still learning. I am embracing them and want to continue to play hard and take on my role.

 

You are a power forward that can fill up the stats sheet, but what is a hidden strength that isn´t always noticed right away on the court?

 

I like to run and play in the open court. If I don´t get the rebound then I am always trying to get out on transition.

 

 

What has been your early impression of head coach Ralph Junge? He belongs to the top German coaches in Germany for developing very young players.

 

He brings out the best in each player. I am learning new things form him each day and also he teaches us to leave it all on the floor and come back to the bench exhausted.

 

 

What has been your impression of German A-2 national player Stephan Haukohl who has been a big contributer this season like you filling up the stat sheet?

 

He has much potential. He can play and guard multiple positions. He is a good young talent and sky is the limit for him.

 

 

As a rookie you played for U.B. La Palma. What was your wake up call to being a professional your first season in Spain?

 

Taking care of my body. After morning practicing relaxing instead of doing too many other things. I also learned that basketball is having fun, but it is a job.

 

 

How did you and Lukas Sikma push each other as rookies and what NBA story will you never forget from him?

 

He told me a few stories about his dad from the NBA, but that was some time ago. He is relentless on defense and was a part of each possession. He didn´t have to score, but at the end of the game you would always be amazed what he actually did accomplish in the game. He always got it done on the court.

 

 

Last season you played with American Taylor Coppenrath at Burgos in Spain. He is playing his ninth season in Spain. I guess he has some Spain stories to tell. How did you guys compliment each other best on the court?

 

 

I played mostly the three last season, but it was nice playing with him. He was relentless on the glass. He got all his points off the offensive rebound. He was always bumping and getting the dirty work done on the court.

 

 

You had a stellar career at Villanova. Reggie Redding once told me that Dwayne Anderson was like a big brother to him. How do you have Redding and Anderson in your memory. Where do they rack in all time best teammates for you?

 

Redding is my best friend. We just talked after Alba Berlin beat FC Barcelona. I actually got the most out of Dante Cunningham. He was my mentor.

 

How proud are you of your ex teammate Reggie Redding who was always off the radar to have gone from Cyprus to Euroleague team Alba Berlin. Can he still make the next step in his career?

 

I am very proud of him. He always finds a way to get better each season in terms of his shooting, ball handling or reading the game. He is still young and has much time to do what he wants. He can still find jobs in other countries and the NBA is always a possibility. He can do so much especially guarding multiple positions.

 

 

How did Villanova head coach Jay Wright prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

 

He taught me to own up to my mistake and then move on to the next possession. He also taught me to play hard on each possession.

 

 

Where will the journey of the Brooklyn Nets end this season?

 

The east is a scary division. I think they will do ok and scratch for the playoffs.

 

 

 

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

 

Lone Survivor.

 

Thanks Antonio for the chat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Losing Vision In One Eye Losing Games With The Crailsheim Merlins Or Being Stranded On The German Autobahn Nothing Comes Easy For Chris Otule But He Survives

Chris Otule may not have been on earth in 1982 when Milwaukee, Wisconsin proclaimed Cold Sunday as the city got as freezing as -40F where even Frosty the Snowman may have waddled over to the local Walgreens to snatch himself a heater, so cold weather and frustrating snow is something that the American has been used to since he has lived six years there. Last weekend he experienced just how brutal winter can be in Germany, as the rookie left in the morning for a game in Hagen 414 kilometers away from Crailsheim, but didn´t make it in time to the game as they arrived a hour late and thus the game was awarded to Phoenix Hagen giving them their first home win despite never playing a second. “We left at 9:45am. And things just happen sometimes for reasons that can’t be explained. We just have to deal with the unfortunate situation and move forward”, stressed Chris Otule. Nothing has come easy to Chris Otule who is a 24 year old 211cm center that was born in Houston, Texas and is playing his rookie season for the Crailsheim Merlins this season. Injuries like breaking his foot twice or tearing his ACL slowed his development as a college player and playing with a prosthetic left eye wasn´t easy either as well as breaking both feet and tearing his ACL, but the American was able to withstand all hurdles. Only one part of his body has been 100% it seems. “My heart has been 100% since I have always been breathing”, stressed Chris Otule. Despite having a prosthetic left eye it hasn´t driven him back and God has kept him marching forward like a warrior. “My prosthetic left eye never gives me issues because I was born with one so it’s all I know. If I was born with two and lost one that’d be different. I’ve kept faith in God and I’m a big believer. It’s helped me stay sane and get through. God gets all the credit”, added Chris Otule. As a senior at Marquette (NCAA) he played 30 games averaging 5.8ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 60.2%, FT: 54.8%. Head coach Buzz Williams at Marquette was a driving force in helping Otule get by all obstacles to reach the Beko BBL. “He always told me to take advantage of every day, never let a day pass you by where you felt like you didn’t do something to get closer to your goals  Other influences are Brad Autry and Jerry Wainwright”, expressed Chris Otule. This season with Crailsheim, the American has been losing a lot while getting a touch for the Beko BBL while averaging 6,8ppg and 4,4rpg in 16,5 minutes per game. He has scored in double figures three times including a 13 point effort against the Artland Dragons. His defense is also a big part of his game and he has registered two blocks against Goettingen, TBB Trier and Artland. As a rookie he is just trying to learn the ropes especially under the basket where German veteran Jannik Freese has won the starting job after being a journey and back up player his whole career. No matter how many more games Crailsheim win this season or how many buckets and rebounds Otule grabs, he will always be an inspiration for what he has achieved with all his hardships. For kids who suffer eye ailments, Otule always has time for and too listen to what they have gone through. “All the stories have a huge impact in my life  that’s one of the reasons I play  to prove to people that no matter your “limitations” and I put quotes cause that word shouldn’t exist, you can do whatever you want in life”, added Chris Otule.

If one looks back at the last 20 years of the Crailsheim Merlins basketball history, it has been a journey of changing the level of leagues similar to how Afghani-German Achmadschah Zazai has been changing teams the last 10 years. In the late 90s, the club made a rapid surge moving up from lower leagues like the Landes Liga to the Oberliga and to the Regionaliga in 1998. They reached the second Bundesliga in 2001 where they played until 2008 where they went down to the newly established Pro B, but stayed there only two years as they moved back up to the new established Pro A in 2009. After some years in the middle of the standings, they then finished at position six in 2013 and last season moved up to the Beko BBL thanks to a second place finish. In the German Pro A final, the ylost to BG Goettingen, but automatically moved up to the Beko BBL and were able to pass all ramifications to start in the highest German league. However their start into their first beko BBL season has been tough as before Christmas had arrived had already dismissed American head coach Willie Young and Americans Jared Newson and Justin Tubbs. They went into the season with the lowest budget in the league and were able to hold 4 players from the team from last season and mostly added players to the team from lower leagues. The club held Americans Steve Johnson and Joston Crow who were important parts to the club last season as well as German role players Jonathan Moore and Andreas Kronhardt. The club added interesting pieces to this seasons puzzle with scoring point guard Garrett Sim, swing man and explosive scorer Sean Mosley, center project Chris Otule and Germans Jannik Freese and Joshiko Saibu who have been big surprises showing that when given minutes can be solid players at the Beko BBL level. The team recently signed scoring guard Chad Timberlake who has BBL experience. Crailsheim is a team that likes to play fast and aggressive basketball, but so far teams haven´t been impressed by their hungriness as most teams have been able to devour them like helps chicks lost from their mothers. After surprising the Mitteldeutscher BC in their debut 73-71 winning in crunch time, nothing has worked for them since as they have lost 12 of 13 games. They were able to somehow shove the TBB Trier defense away winning 100-84, but also lost 11 games. Defense seems to be their weak point as they have problems not giving up many points as they have given up 80 plus points in 13 of 15 games and 100 plus points twice. If they give up many points, then a loss is usually more programed as they don´t tend to sc0re much either as they have scored 80 plus points only five times this season. On top of that consistency and BBL experience is something that the team lacks and have been holding them back form success.

When looking closer at the Crailsheim roster, it is led by Sean Mosley who is a 25 year old 192cm guard from Baltimore that is playing his third professional season. He is a very good scorer, with great 1-vs-1 skills and shooting range from outside the arch. Can become a star player at European league level. Last season in his second season he made a name for La Fortezza Recanati (Italy-Lega Due Silver) playing 28 games: Score-3(19.9ppg), 6.3rpg, 2.4apg, Steals-3(1.8spg), FGP: 49.7%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 80.6%. As a rookie he played for Kotwica Kolobrzeg (Poland-TBL) playing 32 games: Score-5(15.5ppg), 6.3rpg, 2.5apg, Steals-5(1.6spg), FGP: 41.9%, 3PT: 34.1%, FT: 71.7%. He started his basketball career at Maryland (NCAA) where he played a total of 132 NCAA games and as a senior played 32 games: 10.2ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 83.5%. Garrett Sim is a 24 year old 185cm point guard from Portland, Oregon playing his third professional season. Played the point in his last collegiate season, but he can play the SG position too without any problem. Has great scoring skills and a very good outside shooting range, with quick release and a clean shooting mechanic. A smart player, has a great basketball IQ and personality. He had a solid rookie season with Science City Jena, but really had his break out season last season playing 33 games: Score-1(20.8ppg), 2.4rpg, Assists-5(5.7apg), Steals-5(1.7spg), FGP: 52.2%, 3PT: 40.1%, FT: 89.5%. He started his basketball career in 2008 with Oregon and played a total of 133 NCAA games and as a senior played 31 games: 12.2ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.5apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 46.2%, FT: 85.9%.

Chad Timberlake is a 31 year old 194cm point guard from Brooklyn, New York playing his ninth professional season. He is a very talented point guard with good physical size (6’4″,208 lbs.) and toughness, he can play the shooting guard position, if that is what is needed for the team. Chad is the floor general with excellent court vision and he is a natural team leader. Last season he played for Falco-Szova KC-Szombathely (Hungary-A Division) playing 30 games: 14.9ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.9apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 62.6%, 3PT: 27.1%, FT: 63.0%. He has gathered experience playing three years in Hungary as well as in the Czech Republic and Israel. He played at Fairleigh Dickinson (NCAA) from 2002-2006 and as a senior played 29 games: 15.2ppg, 5.6rpg, 4.1apg, 1.4spg, FG: 49.3%, 3PT: 40%, FT: 65%. Jannik Freese is a 28 year old 211center that is playing his seventh consecutive season in the Beko BBL. Jannik is a big man, that plays with his back to the basket, but who can also step out and shoot the mid-range jump shot. He is an inside force, who makes it extremely hard for any big man to score inside. He is not the typical shot blocker, that blocks the shot into the third row, but due to his length and timing alters many opponents shots. Although he is 211 cm tall, he runs the floor very well. He started his basketball career in 2005 for SG FT/MTV Braunschweig (2.Bundesliga) and also played 6 Beko BBL games for Braunschweig. He then played for Giessen from 2008-2011 and with the EWE Baskets Oldenburg from 2011-2014. Two seasons ago he played 58 games for Oldenburg. Last season for Oldenburg he played Eurocup: 8 games: 4.0ppg, 1.4rpg; German League: 34 games: 1.7ppg, 1.7rpg. Joshiko Saibu is a 24 year old 188cm point guard playing his third season in the Beko BBL. He started his basketball career in 2008 for ALBA Berlin II (Regionalliga). In the 2010-2011 season he played for Alba Berlin and their Pro B team playing 2 Beko BBL games and 2 Eurocup games. He played for TBB Trier from 2011-2013 and last season for the LTi Giessen 46ers (ProA) playing 38 games: 13.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.1apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 48.4%, 3PT: 32.1%, FT: 67.2%. He loves to penetrate and is a hard nosed defender at all times. Josten Crow is a 27 year old 193cm swing man from Spring, Texas playing his third professional season and third for Crailsheim. Last season for Crailsheim he played 39 games: 8.9ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 40.9%, FT: 76.8%. He played at Sam Houston St. (NCAA) playing a total of 115 NCAA games and as a senior played 31 games: 12.7ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 42.3%, 3PT: 32.1%, FT: 70.0%. Crow is a guy that does a little of everything very well, but nothing perfect.

Steve Johnson is a 36 year old 198cm forward American playing his 14th professional season and third with Crailsheim. He is a multi-talented athlete who can play a multitude of positions. Has an NBA body that can defend almost any player on the court. Can overpower opponents 1 on 1 scoring outside or inside. Gives 100% all the time and can carry a team with scoring and defensive abilities. Great at utilizing his strength on offensive and defensive boards. He played at Iowa State from 1996-2000. Since being a professional he has played in Spain for seven years and three years in Iceland and one season in Argentina. Last season for Crailsheim he played 35 games: 13.1ppg, 7.2rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 65.4%, FT: 61.9%. He won three titles in Spain. Jonathan Moore is a 32 year old 203cm forward playing his 10th professional season and third with Crailsheim. He has Beko BBL experience with TBB Trier and Bremerhaven. He started his basketball career at East Carolina(NCAA) and then played two seasons at NC Central(NCAA2).Since turning professional he has had experience playing in the D-League, in Iceland and Sweden and for German teams Bayreuth and BG Karlsruhe. Last season for Crailsheim he played 38 games: 13.3ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.9apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 77.3%.He is a very athletic player that can hit the jump shot or take his man off the dribble. Andreas Kronhardt is a 25 year old 205cm center playing his second season for Crailsheim and last season played 36 games: 5.8ppg, 5.5rpg, FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 54.9%. He started his basketball career with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen in 2008 and played 6 Beko BBL games and stayed until 2010. Then he played for teams like Vechta, Leitershofen and Schwelm. He is a mobile big man that can dance in the paint. Max Rockmann is a 26 year old 198cm forward that started his basketball career in 2003 with Marzahn Basket Baeren (2. Regionalliga). He then played three seasons for TUS Lichterfelde Berlin. He got experience in the States with UMKC (NCAA) playing 34 NCAA games. He then came back to Germany and played for Phoenix Hagne playing 20 Beko BBL games and played for Cuxhaven and Kirchheim where last season he played 28 games: 11.6ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 53.0%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 82.2%. Young Germans Philipp Heilrath, Julian Gais and Alassante Dioubate round out the roster. The Fraport Skyliners host the Crailsheim Merlins on January 4th.

 

 

 

 

Adam Waleskowski (MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg) Johannes Voigtmann Can Be Considered One Of The Top Passing Big Men In The BBL

Adam Waleskowski is a 32 year old 203cm power forward that was born in Cape Girardeau in the United States that also has the German citizenship that is playing his second season for Ludwigsburg. He played at Florida St. (NCAA) from 2001-2005. He played at Erdgas Ehingen/Urspringschule (Germany-2.Bundesliga) from 2005-2007, but in the second half of the 2006-2007 season moved to Etendard de Brest (France-ProB, starting five): 18 games: 14.2ppg, Reb-3(8.3), 2.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 75.0%. In 2007, he recieved the German Citizenship and played for Besancon Basket Comte Doubs (France-ProB, starting five): 26 games: 14.0ppg, 7.4rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 55.8%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 70.6%. In 2008-2009, he played for JSF Nanterre (France-ProB), French League: 7 games: 7.6ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 59.5%, FT: 37.5%; left in Nov.’08, in Jan.’09 moved to Achilleas Kaimakliou (Cyprus-Division A, starting five): 11pts, 17reb, 1ast, 1steal, in April ’09 signed at Besancon Basket Comte Doubs (France-ProA): 4 games: 4.8ppg. In 2009-2010 he played for Achilleas Kaimakliou (Cyprus-Division A). In 2010-2011, he played for  BG Goettingen (Germany-1.Bundesliga): EuroCup: 8 games: 3.6ppg, 2.1rpg, left in Feb. ’11; German League: 20 games: 8.1ppg, 3.4rpg, FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 18.2%, FT: 76.7% In 2011-2012, he played for Pizza Express Apollon (Cyprus-Division A): 7 games: 6.4ppg, left in Dec.’11, in Mar.’12 moved to Astrum Levice (Czech Rep.-NBL): 9 games: 10.9ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 48.6%, FT: 76.5%; played also at Onyx Levice (Slovakia-Extraliga): 4 games: 4.3ppg.In 2012-2013 he played for  Sigal Prishtina (Kosovo-SuperLeague, starting five), in Jan.’13 signed at Duesseldorf Baskets (Germany-ProA): 24 games: 13.3ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 58.2%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 68.8%. Last season for lUdwigsburg he played 26 games: 7.8ppg, 3.7rpg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 73.5%He spoke to German Hoops after the 88-75 win against the Fraport Skyliners.

Adam thanks for talking to German Hoops. Before the current 2 game winning streak, Ludwigsburg were riding a 6 game losing streak. What were the main reasons for the club having such a long dry spell?

This was a tough time for our team. We were not actually playing bad basketball, rather than losing close games. I think there were just a few small problems that were causing us to come up short, and we were really struggling to finish games out in the fourth quarter.

American DJ Kennedy is really tearing up the BBL now. In the last 4 games he is averaging 25 points per game. The club could be 4-0 in this span had they won tight games against Oldenburg and Braunschweig. How important has he been for the team and what extra dimension besides scoring does he give the team?

For sure DJ has been a great addition to our team. He really has a winning mentality, and besides being a great scorer and 1 on 1 player, he is a great rebounder and has picked up our defensives schemes very quickly.

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When Will All That Special NBA Atmosphere And Talent Of The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg Equate Into More Wins?

It seems that with every passing unspectacular season, the lust to have a winning formula again with the combination of shear desperation of getting back to the Beko BBL playoffs is getting greater and greater each season for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. Since leaving the BBL in the 90s and moping around in the Regionaliga via the second Bundesliga, the club finally returned back to the big show in 2002. After finishing their first two seasons in 12th and 14th place, the club had three very successful seasons finishing in eighth, sixth and second place. In the 2006-2007 season, they were one of the big surprises in the league and belonged to the best teams that season. However since 2007, the club has been buried in no mans land in the Beko BBL and last season were only saved by a wild card otherwise they would have been back in the second Bundesliga. Ever since the glory days of Silvano Poropat in 2006-2007, the club has changed their head coaches increasingly the way Tom Brady lost his receivers last season and this season has to mold rookie receivers into guys who won´t drop the ball. In this time, the club has had the services of Rick Stafford, Tolga Ongorin, Marcus Jochum and Steven Key. None of these coaches garnered the franchise better than a ninth place finish. Last January, the club was at the bottom of the Beko BBL standings as winning had become as difficult for the Stuttgart neighbor as it is for Boston Redsox player Mike Napoli from cutting off his ZZ Top looking beard. The club removed Steven Key and inserted John Patrick as a type of a fireman to rescue the team. It is never easy to come in blind in a season, and he helped the team get some wins, but we wasn´t able to save the team from having to declare a wild card. The team got the wild card and kept John Patrick.It really doesn´t matter where Patrick has been, if it was in Japan with Toyota Alvark, with BG Goettingen or the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg, he was able to build winning teams and with the case of BG Goettingen make successful teams out of low budgets and sending unknown rookie players on to bigger and better teams after letting them develop in Goettingen. So last season for a change Patrick now was able to form his own team and it blended it nicely with players that had youth, experience and special desire that helped the club reach the playoffs and give FC Bayern Munich a good run for the money in the playoffs. It is obvious that the club wants to nurture and build a winning tradition with titles and playoff appearances in the future and what the better man to have at the helm than Mr Patrick. Already last season Patrick put together a very strong roster and brought that NBA flair to the small schwaben pueblo Ludwigsburg with Michael Stockton and Coby Karl. This season is no different as these two Americans remained and Patrick also brought big man Jon Brockman on board who has his own fear the beard and probably could scare Shaq at a weak moment when he hasn´t had his daily dose of Big Mac´s. A fourth player that has NBA air is DJ Kennedy who played two NBA games as a rookie for the Cleveland Cavaliers. For the other players it will never get boring on road trips as Karl can babble on for hours about his legendary dad George who has seen it all in the NBA while Stockton can praise and beam about his younger brother David who currently is a rookie in the D-league with Reno and if he keeps up his current assist beast mode might get a call up from the NBA and also debate who looks more like his dad him or his brother. Coupled with break out star Kerron Johnson and solid veterans like John Little, Adam Waleskowski, Shawn Huff, Chris Mcnaughton and Patrick Flomo, this should be a team that should be wrecking havoc each weekend, but currently have only won four games and at the end of the Beko BBL standings. The question is when will this team break out of their funk. Patrick may not have had the injuries that the Fraport Skyliners had, but maybe he should give Gordon Herbert a call and ask for some tips about who they were able to go on a winning streak? One thing is for sure, Herbert won´t send him Justin Cobbs as he has been a huge reason for the turnaround, but Patrick doesn´t need reinforcements, but just wins.

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Justin Cobbs Goes From Slightly Invisible To That Much Needed Glow On The Court Powering The Fraport Skyliners With One Slick Move To The Hole Past BG Goettingen 74-70

When BG Goettingen arrived on the scene in the Beko BBL in the 2007-2008 season, head coach John Patrick and company brought a breath of fresh air to the league as their 40 minutes of basketball hell and unconventional style brought one or the other BBL opponents to unwanted head aches or annoying and painful cramps after a 40 minute battle in the trenches. The Frankfurt Skyliners also had their share of unforgettable games against the 2010 Eurochallenge winner as who could forget the amazing win in the mysterious Lok Halle in Goettingen where Murat Didin had a sick list as long as Shaq´s midnight snack list to Mcdonalds as he dressed 7 players and Maksym Shtein had the game of his life and showed a totally other side of him as he exploded on the court making just about every touch he had land in the basket as he led the club in scoring with 24 points. Other nice memories were in the 2009-2010 season where Frankfurt won in overtime 90-88 as Aubrey Reese tied the game at 88 with a three pointer and then won the game with two free throws with nine seconds to play and Seth Doliboa blocked the last BG Goettingen shot with two seconds to play. That season Frankfurt also got past BG Goettingen in the Cup Top 4 in Frankfurt only to later lose to Bamberg in the final. In the 2010-2011 season Frankfurt swept the season series and then won in the playoffs 3-0. In the last meeting between both teams, American Matt Bauscher preserved the win for BG Goettingen 62-61 with the classic buzzer beater. After two seasons in the German Pro A, BG Goettingen returned back into the Fraport arena with a new coach and all new players and wanted to continue their winning streak there, but couldn´t stop Justin Cobbs last minute transformation from slightly invisible to that needed glow at the end despite giving up a strong fight losing 74-70. After the win, Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson was happy that despite the tight win that he didn´t have to test his nerves even more with a buzzer beater and seeing his old teammate Dominik Bahiense De Mello “I remember BG Goettingen having a good look with that buzzer beater a few years back. Tonight we did a good job executing down the stretch. I made a stupid play at the end letting them get to the free throw line, but we held our composure at the end getting the needed stops. It was a good feeling playing against my ex teammate who I played two seasons with. He is still a good friend of mine today. He made some crucial shots at the end to get his team closer. I am happy there was no buzzer beater today”, expressed Auburn alumnist Quantez Robertson. After the 93-86 loss against the Brose Baskets Bamberg, BG Goettingen was looking to get back on track in the win column and gave a great fight against the Fraport Skyliners, but came up a bit short. After the game, BG Goettingen was more than unpleased about the narrow loss and had a lack of words for the reasons of the loss. “They made the plays that they needed down the stretch. Cobbs is a great player and future Euroleague player that came up big”, stressed former Michigan State forward Raymar Morgan.

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Khalid El Amin May Look Like A Dough Boy But His Heart And Will Could Bring BG Goettingen To New Heights This Season.

In the last eight seasons, basketball has always been alive in Goettingen, but after falling back to the Pro A three seasons ago, the club is finally back in the Beko BBL after playing in the top German league from 2007-2012. In this time, the two biggest highlights was the amazing 2010 Eurochallenge win where German Chris Mcnaughton had the game of his life leading the team to victory with 22 points and the time the club played Eurocup against Beisktas Istanbul with future NBA legend Allen Iverson. Former head coach John Patrick put Goettingen basketball on the map in Germany as well as his special brand of basketball of 40 minutes of basketball hell with his hectic full press type of annoying basketball. This season the club has reached that third major highlight with the acquisition of former NBA player Khalid El Amin who played 50 NBA games for the Chicago Bulls and won the NCAA title with UConn. Alba Berlin swing man Nils Giffey and El Amin could go back to the Uconn campus in Storrs with their three NCAA rings and probably get a hero´s welcome. What makes the welcome of El Amin to the German Beko BBL so interesting and amazing is the risk that BG Goettingen took on the 35 year old 200 pound American that looks like a dough boy that could probably keep up with Shaq for the first five big macs, but then kindly surrender from a Mcdonalds eating binge. Not only does El Amin look out of shape, but he didn´t play at all last season on account of an injury in a Turkish cup game and had many critics questioning the mind of BG Goettinge head coach Johan Roijakkers for making such an unpredictable and bold move. Of course, El Amin has had a stellar track record in Europe as BG Goettingen is his 12th team, but his numbers and titles don´t lie. He has played most of his career in Turkey and the Ukraine and even played two seasons for Besiktas Istanbul (Turkey-D1) where Allen Iverson played. His stats have always been immaculate as he has been at the top of scoring and assists for whatever league he played in. He won titles in Croatia and in Turkey and Ukraine the cup where he was MVP in two titles victories. Even if his appearance and one year off are questionable, his play in the Beko BBL has been excellent as he is averaging 12,5 ppg, 6,2apg and 1,7rpg. Even as he gets older, he continues to be a warrior as he can still battle with guys 10 years his junior as he has the perfect combination of skill, heart and will that could raise BG Goettingen to new heights. Already as a kid he was already focused as he made the North High Polars varsity team at age 14 and led them to three state titles in Minnesota. Before the season, many critics had this club as a team that could move back down to the German Pro A, but so far they have kept their own and are fighting for a playoff spot even if their goal before the season was too stay in the league. Hauling in the old dough boy has paid dividends as once again a she has led BG Goettingen and his experience and leadership skills is what has carried his teammates mostly a list of no name players that are playing their first season in the Beko BBL to new heights. At the start of the season ex Georgetown point guard Jason Clark had the pleasure of being the teammate El Amin in Goettingen and even if he was there only a few weeks before moving to Belgium to Okapi Aalstar, the American was thankful for the experience. “I remember watching him at UCONN winning the NCAA title. When I heard he was playing with BG Goettingen my first reaction was “Is he still playing”? He has had a great career in Europe. It was a great experience for me playing behind him in Goettingen and just learning how he can take over a game and I hope I could take some of his competitiveness with me. Learning from him is vital because everyone wants to reach the next level and get to the Euroleague or NBA”, stressed Jason Clark. It will be interesting to see how BG Goettingen continue to develop in the next months with El Amin leading the team. If the team makes the playoffs or stays in the Beko BBL, the dough boy probably will have no problems if he gets free bread and sweet pastries from local bakeries as a season ending reward.

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Nate Fox Passes Away

The basketball world has recieved some very sad news with the death of Nate Fox (206-F/C-77, college: Maine). According to news reports Fox died from gun shot wounds in Bloomingdale, Illinois 25 miles west of Chicago after finding Fox shot, he was taken to Adventist GlenOaks Hospital in Glendale Heights, where he later died. Fox had been retired from professional basketball since 2012 and can look back on a very long basketball career having played in Europe from 2000-2012. Fox played 5 seasons in Germany four with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen and one season with Braunschweig.

Fox was a 37 year old that was a 206cm power forward and started his basketball career at Boston College. He finished his last two years at college at Maine. As a senior he averaged 19.0ppg 8.0rpg. He came to Europe in 2000 and as a rookie played for Aveiro Esgueira (Portugal) and later replaced injured Darius Hall at Ciudad de Huelva (Spain-LEB1). In his second season he played for Esgueira Aveiro (Portugal): left in Oct. ’01: 3 games: 15.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 2.0apg, 1.3bpg, 3.3spg, then joined Barreirense (Portugal): 15 games: 19.8ppg, 9.5rpg, 2.5apg, 1.9spg. In his third season 2002-2003 he had his first stay with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen and in the always improving Beko BBL put up respectable stats of 11,5 ppg, 6,7 rpg. In his fourth season he got further experience in new countries like Hapoel Haifa/Ramat Hasharon (Israel-Premier L.): 8 games: 15.8ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.9apg, 1.6spg, in Feb.’04 signed at Vastiau Basket Groot Leuven (Belgium-D1): 19 games: 16.0ppg, 10.9rpg, 2.7apg. In 2004-2005 he played for MPC/Capitals Groningen (Holland-Eredivisie): 6 games: 12.3ppg, 8.7rpg, 1.3apg, 2.2spg: left in Nov.’04, in Jan.’05 signed at Bayer Giants Leverkusen (Germany-1.Bundesliga): 14 games: 11.7ppg, 7.4rpg, 2.1apg, 1.5spg, 2.1bpg, 2FGP-3 (70.6%), 3FGP: 31.8%. After finishing the 2004-2005 season with Leverkusen, he would remain three more seasons there and have his most fruitful and successful time there. He played with players like Derrick Allen who built a potent 1-2 punch in the front court and guys like Eric Taylor, Jared Newson, Brandon Woudstra and Brant Bailey will surely never forget his competiveness on the court. In the 2008-2009 season he played for BC Kalev/Cramo Tallinn (Estonia-KML, starting five)Basketball Arbitral Tribunal BAT: 0166/11: Estonian League: 15 games: 12.2ppg, Reb-5 (7.1rpg), 1.5apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 62.8%, 3PT-3 (46.9%), FT: 69.7%; EuroChallenge: 6 games: 14.3ppg, 7.7rpg, 2.3apg, 1.7spg; Baltic League (Elite Group): 19 games: 14.5ppg, 6.6rpg, 2.3apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 67.6%. In 2009-2010, he returned back to Germany to play for Braunschweig playing 18 games: 7.8ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 62.5%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 66.7%. IN the 2010-2011 season he played for STB Le Havre (France-ProA): 13 games: 6.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.8apg, FGP-1 (73.8%), 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 50.0%. He played his last season in 2011-2012 for Generali Okapi Aalstar (Belgium-D1): EuroChallenge: 11 games: 8.5ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 60.5%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 80.0%; Belgian League: 32 games: 4.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.5apg.

Nate Fox (206-F/C-77, college: Maine) will always be remembered as a very hard working big man that loved the physical play and never shyed away from anyone. He may not have been liked by his opponents who tried to avoid his physicality, but was loved on his own team as he was a team player and simply a warrior on the court. The basketball world will miss Nate Fox (206-F/C-77, college: Maine)! R.I.P Nate Fox (206-F/C-77, college: Maine)

The Miles Basketball Minute: The Fraport Skyliners Are Taking The Right Course Down The Basketball Cobbslestone Path To Further Success

Marching the long way down the hall way from the Fraport Skyliners dressing room to the VIP room on some nights can be endless after a loss where the tragic hero can be dreaming about sneaking out of the city on hand of the Frankfurt Skyline pictured on the wall in the catacombs and the lights of the airport when turned on glitter as if your really somewhere on the runway or can be the shortest trek after a win when the rich buffet is already dancing in the mind of the player. There is typically three ways how one can observe a Skyliner during his walk down the hall of fame or shame after a game. You have the American who is loud and joking with his other American teammates, the big German three of Danilo Bathel, Johannes Voigtmann and Konstantin Klein who are silent and focused and in thought but give a gentle hello, or American Justin Cobbs who has that innocent swagger that suggests that he is in his own healthy basketball world possibly going over every play of the game knowing exactly what happened in the short 30 second walk to the entrance of the VIP room. In a way the demeanor and the way Cobbs struts down to the eating parlor reminds me a bit of how ex Fraport Skyliner and 2011 Beko BBL MVP Dashaun Wood went always somewhere in thought about what he had just achieved on the court. The Detroit native Wood who plays this season in Turkey for Tofas Bursa may have had his best game as a professional last weekend with 33 points in a win against Galatasaray, but even if he had similar performances like that in the Beko BBL four seasons ago, he didn´t accomplish it against the quality of ex NBA player Carlos Arroyo who only produced 12 points and made Wood feel on top of Turkish basketball for a weekend. Wood may be in his seventh season while Cobbs is a rookie, but in the few weeks that new Skyliner has been on board, he has had that commanding presence on the team led by head coach Gordon Herbert and has been a big reason for the team success which Wood once had in Frankfurt displaying back in the 2010-2011 season. Herbert once again has proven that he has that eye and correct feeling for grabbing that special player with Wood and Cobbs.

Granted the Fraport Skyliners had started their seven game winning streak at home with a win against the Walter Tigers Tuebingen without Cobbs as the club played without a real point guard as Quantez Robertson took that duty and shone against a weak Tuebingen team that couldn´t get anything going on that day. However as Cobbs came on board, he led the club to six wins in a row and brought a new breath of fresh air into a team that had been haunted with an overflow of injuries that had Gordon Herbert having possibly extra sleepless nights thinking about how to go into games without so many key players. Except for his first game where he had seemingly just jumped off the plane but still produced eight points in a big win in Leipzig against the Mitteldeutscher BC, he has been very solid scoring in double figures in each Beko BBL game against Braunschweig, Oldenburg and Alba Berlin improving his scoring in each game. He was also the pivotal guiding force in the Skyliners advancement to the last 16 in Eurochallenge play as he led the team to a huge 80-58 must win victory against Okapi Aalstar with 20 points in his home debut. The club needed that win very badly and he shone as brightly as the sun on Venice beach does in July. He was also key in big road wins at Baaken and Boras which sealed the advancement to the next round. Cobbs is a guy like Wood that can score in bunches and become explosive whenever he decides to turn on that Cobbs switch. He looks so controlled out on the floor most of the time and is a master of changing speeds. He gives Frankfurt so much stability something they didn´t have previously this season. Even though his stats may suggest that he is a scoring point guard, he actually is a pass first guard even if its hard to believe. When that night comes when his shot is cold, then one will see his passing qualities come to light. He recently had his first loss in a Skyliner uniform in Berlin, but Alba Berlin is 14-0 for a reason so far. Cobbs had 19 points, but had his problems in crunch time and also had to play against the best defender in the league with Clifford Hammonds. A loss like this can prove even more valuable when he is put in a situation like this again when it really counts in April when teams are fighting for the last playoff spots. Cobbs can see the Alba loss and Hammonds in your face play as a learning experience and surely something he thought about on the four hour train ride back to Frankfurt on Sunday night. Despite Cobbs being a rookie, he has gobbled up valuable experience in the first few months in Spain with Laboral Kutxa Vitoria, being the last cut of the Charlotte Hornets and getting a taste of early winter in Lativa with VEF Riga. The biggest Christmas gift for Gordon Herbert will be if he gets the green light from manager Gunnar Wobke to keep him until the end of the season as his short term contract is until the startof January 2015 and a decision will most likely fall after the game on January 4th against the Crailsheim Merlins. The Fraport Skyliners are taking the right course down the basketball cobbslestone path to further success and keeping Cobbs until the end of the season is vital.

 

The biggest problem of the Fraport Skyliners in the first few months before Justin Cobbs came on board was the typical basketball problem that teams get early in a season with roles and chemistry still somewhere between the BCM training facility and Fraport arena floating in the NIdda river. Frankfurt started 1-5 and were still figuring out their defense as they were letting up too many points, but then again defended great on the road in Bremerhaven and Bayreuth averaging giving up only 69 points, but could muster on average only 60 points on offense. They had some big home wins against Bonn and Trier, but as time went on slowly started to lose key players like Mikko Koivisto, Konstantin Klein and Mike Morrison to injuries as they lost in Bamberg. San Diego native Richard Williams would follow in the game against Tuebingen, but at least the team had Koivisto back. Now with the walking wounded list getting shorter and shorter, the club has been getting guys back and winning games. The complete Skyliner guard rotation is still out with Richard Williams, Konstantin Klein and Max Merz. Klein who has been rehabbing in his home town Berlin is due back in January, while the future of Williams has been kept quiet by the team and Merz wont return this season as he will depart on a college semester abroad.

A big success of the team has been their defense as they have averaged giving up 67 points per game in the last four games before the 85-79 loss in Berlin. Defense has been a staple of the Frankfurt game in the last years dating back to Muli Katzurin. The Frankfurt offense also seems to be finding its groove and niche as it has averaged 85 points in the last three games while only averaging 68 points in the 6 Beko BBL games before that. When looking at the individual performances by the players one can say that Sean Armand has been kind of the unsung hero as he has been in the shadow a bit with the arrival of Cobbs. Armand is the top scorer averaging 14,2ppg, 2,7rpg and 2,8apg. He has scored in double figures eight times with his best scoring game of 27 points against Phoenix Hagen. He has shown early on as a rookie that he is a disciplined player that likes to score, but can very easily make the extra pass. He is pretty solid from outside at 36%, but that and his 2,7to rate will be two things on his new year resolution list. He and Cobbs could challenge for the top guard duo in the league should they heighten their game even more in the second half of the season. Quantez Robertson is easily the teams MVP at the moment. Even though Tez has joked since years that he loves to play point guard, his strength is more on defense getting in the passing lane and making spectacular plays on the fast break which will have kids marveling about the next day in class and trying to emulate on the play ground. Tez recently got that wish to play point guard before Cobbs came on board and did a great job as non point guard. Currently he is averaging 11,8ppg, 4,2rpg, 2,8apg and 1,8spg. Tez remains the heart and soul of the team and keeps the team together.

Johannes Voigtmann has been very solid averaging 10,1ppg, 5,1rpg, 2,3apg and is shooting 61% from the field. These three statistical categories are up from last season and he is a force in the Eurochallnge averaging 13,5ppg, 7,5rpf and 2,2apg. He held his own against the very experienced centers like Christoph Maraker and John Tofi. The German was rewarded with a trip to the 2015 Beko BBL Allstar game in Ulm. Danilo Barthel came into this season playing NBA Summer League in Orlando and Las Vegas and a 2013-2014 most improved Beko BBL award in his pocket and with high expectations and so far is searching for his top form. He is averaging 9,8ppg, 4,7rpg and 1,6apg in the Beko BBL, but one sees it time in and time out again that he is trying to hard and putting too much pressure on himself. His best game was a 22 point effort against Braunschweig. His biggest strength is from outside in the early going as he is shooting 46,2% and is doing an excellent job here with his shot selection as he is shooting 12/26. He is playing a major role in Eurochallenge play as he is playing consistent averaging 11,5ppg, 5,3rpg and 1,2apg and is shooting 41% from downtown. Barthel has super star qualities and will go his way this season and will heighten his game as the team chemistry meshes more. The Heidelberg native was also rewarded with a ticket to the 2015 Beko BBL Allstar game. Konstantin Klein played seven games before his injury averaging 9,1ppg, 2,9rpg , 3,0apg and 1,1spg and is shooting 39,1% from outside. Klein was playing his solid game that everyone is used to. It will be interesting to see how he comes back from his two months off. The big question mark remains Richard Williams. He is one of those rare players that has moved up levels from the German Pro B to the Beko BBL and sparkled everywhere he has played. Last season after not being able to save SC Rasta Vechta, but still having a very strong individual season, he was picked up by the Fraport Skyliners. Williams is a guy that is more a scoring point guard, but depending on the system can also show his playmaking skills. His defense is his big weapon and with Quantez Robertson form a very potent duo that could make the fast break their middle name. So far Williams hasn´t brought the type of stats that he is used to averaging 8,2ppg, 2,0rpg, 3,0apg and 1,4spg and those stats got diminished even more on account of the team going 2-7 when he had the reigns. His stats aren´t great, but not horrible either. His strong 48% from outside seems to have gone unnoticed as well. One can´t forget that Williams also wasn´t fit either so the club hasn´t seen a 100% fit player either. The problem is that the Williams health status is under wraps by the team. If the team will keep three guards is unknown, but Gordon Herbert has already communicated that he is leaning towards Cobbs and Klein at the position one.

Mikko Koivisto has belonged to the walking wounded and played seven games averaging 9,3ppg and 1,3rpg and is shooting a skyrocketing 48,6% from outside. He has scored in double figures four times and gave the team a huge push of the bench in the win at home against The Walter Tigers Tuebingen connecting on three consecutive three pointers. The Finish native plays with a lot of heart and energy and is a team player. So far Herbert has always had luck with his Finish players Juka Matinen and Kimmo Muurinen who he brought to Frankfurt and Koivisto will heighten his game as the season moves on. Mike Morrison also has been injured and played nine Beko BBL games averaging 7.9ppg and 3,3rpg. He is back again and his biggest strength so far without a doubt is his cleaning up and paint dominance averaging 77% in the two point area. He was brought to Frankfurt for that quality as well as his defense, but so far the St Petersburg, Florida native has shown only glimpses of his shot blocking art as that is something that he still needs to jack up. The biggest disappointment on the team has been Aaron Doornekamp. The 29 year old 201cm forward from Canada that played as a 19 year old against Dirk Nowitzki in an international game against Germany and has rich experience having balled three years in Italy is still looking to find his true form. In the Beko BBL he is averaging 5,5ppg, 4,1rpg and 1,6apg and is shooting 27% from outside,. His best game was against the Mitteldeutscher BC scoring 14 points and he also scored 12 against Tuebingen and 10 against Oldenburg, but other than that he hasn´t been scoring the way he could. He has put up the goose egg three times this season. He is one of those guys that definitely has a lot of potential to fill up the stat sheet and he has shown unbelievable passing skills, but his consistency just hasn´t been there. Sometimes he makes mistakes on the court where one can only scratch your head, but then again other times makes amazing plays. In Eurochallenge play he is averaging 7,7ppg, 4,7rpg and 1,8apg. His 52% shooting from outside has been key for the team. He is a guy the team needs badly to contribute more in the second half. The biggest surprise has been German Johannes Richter. He had his break out game in the Eurochallenge against the Baaken Bears scoring 15 points and grabbing six rebounds. He is a big man that can do a lot of damage near the rim, but also can unravel the mid distance and three pointer. In Eurochallenge play he is averaging 14 minutes and 6,5ppg and 2,3rpg. In the Beko BBL he is averaging 9,6 minutes 2,9ppg and 2,1apg. He had his break out game against his ex team Brose Baskets Bamberg with 10 points and seven rebounds. Herbert surely didn´t expect this huge development by Richter so quickly, but now sees himself having to find minutes for him because he deserves it and also having a very important insurance player when a Barthel or Voigtman get in foul trouble.

The Fraport Skyliners will continue to play Eurochallenge in the last round of 16 in January 2015 and have a group with Russian team Avtodor, Dutch team Den Bosch and Latvian team Tartu Rock. Just like in their opening round with Baaken, Boras and Okapi Aalstar, the Fraport Skyliners have had luck in that this is a group where they can definitely have good chances to advance. However before 2015 rolls around, the Fraport Skyliners have two very big games coming up with BG Goettingen and the MLP Riesen Ludwigsburg. The Fraport Skyliners will see two teams that have overachieved and underachieved. BG Goettingen has been the big surprise team as many saw them as a team fighting to stay in the league, but instead are flirting with the playoff area while Ludwigsburg have a playoff type roster, but are near the end of the standings. In a span of 96 hours, Fraport Skyliner Justin Cobbs will see some NBA atmosphere again something that he last saw in Charlotte as he will battle 1999 NCAA champion with UCONN and ex Chicago Bull Kahlid El Amin and three days later the likes of Coby Karl, Michael Stockton and DJ Kennedy. Just how well Frankfurt survive these two games may depend how well they digested the Christmas days meal´s and in a week time, one will see if the Fraport Skyliners continue to roll down a comfortable Cobbslestone path or could BG Goettingen and Ludwigsburg present a road block?

Casper Ware (EWE Baskets Oldenburg) You Always Have To Be Ready For Anything In The NBA

Casper Ware is a 24 year old 178cm point guard that is playing his third professional season and first with the EWE Baskets Oldenburg. He started his basketball career at Long Beach St. in 2008 where he played until 2012 playing a total of 131 NCAA games and as a senior played (NCAA) 34 games averaging 17.4ppg, 2.4rpg, 3.4apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 79.3%. In 2012-2013 he started his professional basketball career with Novipiu Casale Monferrato (Italy-Lega2, starting five): 36 games: Score-2(20.4ppg), 3.9rpg, 4.2apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 87.3%. Last season he played for Granarolo Bologna (Italy-SerieA, starting five): 22 games: 11.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.2apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 43.2%, 3FGP: 26.4%, FT: 65.4%, left in Mar.’14, later that month moved to Philadelphia 76ers (NBA): 9 games: 5.3ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 83.3%. This past summer he played NBA Pro Summer League in Orlando (Philadelphia 76ers) Champion: 5 games: 19.0ppg, 3.2rpg, 5.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 36.8%, FT: 88.2% and NBA Pro Summer League in Las Vegas (Philadelphia 76ers): 2 games: 7.0ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 29.4%, 3PT: 20%. He spoke to German Hoops before the game against the Fraport Skyliners.

Casper thanks for talking to German Hoops. When seeing the skyline in Frankfurt, does it remind you of home around Los Angeles? How do you like Germany?

My first impression of Germany is good. The people are very nice here. Frankfurt reminds me of the big cities in California. Seeing Frankfurt is like having a taste of home.

After playing your first two professional seasons in Europe in Italy you are playing your first season in Germany. What has been your impression of the Beko BBL so far?

My first impression of the BBL is good. It is a very good league. You cant take a day off here as anybody can beat you. The level is about the same as what I experienced in Italy.

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Rickey Easterling Does The Ginobili As His Predictable Deadly Go To The Left Leads Saarlouis Past TV Langen 81-71

Except for one season when Anish Sharda was balling for USC Freiburg in south Germany in 2009-2010 where he could visit France and Switzerland within an hour, the US/India native has played professionally since 2007 in the Rhein main area and has built a square like home between Mainz-Hanau-Langen. After starting his basketball career at moorpark(JC) in 2001 and then playing for University of Mary, he made his destination Germany and played two seasons for ASC Theresianum Mainz helping them move up to the German Pro B in 2008 and then played for White Wings Hanau helping them move up to the Pro B in 2011. Sharda was recently signed by TV Langen on account of an injury to starting point guard Maxim Schneider. The 32 year old 188cm point guard is known for his scoring ability. He is comfortable shooting from anywhere, and can score in a number of different ways. His shooting range is pretty deep, but he is effective driving into the post, too. Since coming to TV Langen, he is 0-2 having lost to Iserlohn and Saarlouis. He is still searching for his form and rhythm as he was averaging 5,5ppg, 3,5apg and 1,5rpg and had coughed up the ball 8 times in the first two games. Sharda wasn´t only looking for his first win with TV Langen, but also the first in his new living room the Georg Sehring Halle, but he had stiff competition from Rickey “Mr Regionaliga” Easterling as he led all scorers with 24 points while Anish Sharda had his moments during the game, but finished with 0 points and three assists in 20 minutes as Saarlouis swept the season series against TV Langen while they lost their fourth game in a row. After the game Sharda was contemplative, but one could feel that he wasn´t satisfied with the game of the club and himself and was fuming inside. “I am really happy to be here and unhappy we couldn´t win in my first home game. I am still figuring out the players and how to work with them on the court. My role coming off the bench is one that I have never had before in my career. I have always had tough and interesting games in Langen over the years. I want to thank Jogi Barth for this chance and I will do all I can to help the team win”, stressed Anish Sharda. Baltimore native Ricky Easterling was all smiles after the game because he had helped his club sweep TV Langen this season and was happy to play against Sharda again. “Any win is a good win in this league. We continue to get better as a team and it was just that we played to our potential the two times we played against TV Langen and got the wins. Sharda is a very good and smart player. Normally a guy like that will adjust easily and quickly to a new situation. One could see that he is on a good way finding his teammates nicely and getting up shots”, added Ricky Easterling. For Easterling scoring is a normal day at the office no matter if he wins or loses, but tonight he was scratching a triple double dishing out nine assists and hauling down seven rebounds. His game isn´t necessarlly flashy, but he is simply consistent and his mid distance shot is as deadly as the stomping ground in the paint of Shaq back in the day. “We knew about his back door play, but we were late a few times and he either scored or got to the free throw line. You can´t let him get to the free throw line because he hits all. He is like Ginobili, because you know he will go to his left, but you just can´t stop him. He is good at changing speeds and just a real strong finisher with his left”, added Anish Sharda.

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