Playoff basketball life has never been easy for the Telekom Baskets Bonn as they are still seeking their first Beko BBl title and since their last second game 5 defeat to current nemesis EWE Baskets Oldenburg in the 2009 finals, they really can´t be thinking what could be, but just hope hope hope for a good reality after 40 minutes. When looking at the current Oldenburg series, it is just hard to contemplate what could have been after the first three games, but instead of a 3-0 sweep, Bonn came into game four trailing two games to one and really had they been able to finish game one more cleverly in Oldenburg, coupled with their game two win and had they not turned the ball over in game three and made better decisions in overtime then Bonn Germans like Andrje Mangold and David Mccray could of spent a beautiful Sunday late afternoon possibly in Cologne hanging out at the Hard Rock café watching FC Bayern Munich defeat Ludwigsburg, watching Hamburg march their way to the second Bundesliga in Furth or just sipping a smooth cool drink debating how badly Dortmund was robbed against FC Bayern Munich in the cup final in Berlin where a Hummels goal was ignored ripping the seeds for a well deserved 2-0 Munich win. Instead the two Germans and their Bonn teammates were fighting for their lives against arch rivals Oldenburg to dead lock the series and force a game five in Oldenburg  which they did thank an extremely hard fought game 72-71 in OT. After the game, Bonn point guard Eugene Lawrence reflected on why Bonn wasn´t able to relax on Sunday night and watch Bamberg get kicked out of the playoffs by the Artland Dragons. “We really had a chance if you look back at game three where we had bad starts in the first and third quarter where we missed our first 14 shots and were down by 15 points. You can´t play like that on the road and expect to win. One really has to watch the little things which can change the course of a whole game especially in the playoffs. We didn´t have any of that on our minds as we knew it was a do or die game and fought hard for the win”, expressed ex St Johns point guard. Ex Fraport Skyliner Ryan Brooks literally took the words out of the mouth of Lawrence as to why Bonn was still playing a game four. “We had a chance to sweep and this series really has shown that each possession counts. You can never take off a play, because you never know what can happen”, warned Philadelphia native Ryan Brooks.

A sold out Telekom dome of 6000 patrons wanted to see if the Telekom Baskets Bonn could force a game five and saw a very hard fought first quarter in which the EWE Baskets Oldenburg picked up the intensity at the end gaining the 27-16 lead. Oldenburg got in their comfort zone early going on a 5-2 run as 2008 cup winner with Artland Adam Chubb made a sweet fade away over Jamel Mclean and Serb Nemanja Aleksandrov hit free throws. Andrej Mangold scored inside and Chris Kramer made a free throw. Oldenburg was very physical inside and was getting easy buckets as Aleksandrov scored giving Oldenburg the 7-5 lead. Lawrence who has a pretty release then nailed a big three pointer giving Bonn their first lead of the game 9-8. That didn´t impress Oldenburg much as they picked up their game gliding out on a 8-2 run to retake the lead 15-9. Oldenburg kept pounding the ball inside as Alksandrov scored twice, Mr Oldenburg Rickey Paulding completed a rapid executed transition play and ex Bamberg center Philipp Neumann connected on free throws. Oldenburg kept up their intensity as Bonn had massive difficulty matching it and getting stops as the Oldenburg offensive machine was rolling as Julius Jenkins connected for a three pointer, made free throws and Chubb buried a mid distance shot. Just when you thought that Bonn had ended the first quarter in high fashion as Lawrence dropped another three pointer, it was Jenkins who stole him the show making an off balance step back three pointer at the buzzer and banking it home for good measure as Bamberg showed they were in early cruise control having the big 27-16 advantage. “We knew that we couldn´t come out flat and had to go out fighting. We did a good job getting the ball inside. We wanted to make them play defense. We had everyone involved on the offensive end and were defending very aggressively. You never know with a shooter like Jenkins, because he can hit big shots. The shot at the end was big. He is a great shooter”, stressed ex Frankfurt Skyliner Travon Bryant.

The second quarter had a tale of two stories as the EWE Baskets Oldenburg held their comfortable lead for the first five minutes, but let the Telekom Baskets Bonn back into the game knotting the game at 39-39 at the break. The Telekom Baskets Bonn got the second quarter going with a bang going on a 5-0 run to cut the Oldenburg lead to 27-21. Ex Giessen 46er Brooks hit a runner, then found teammate Mclean inside for an easy lay in. However Oldenburg knew when to stop the new born Bonn momentum as ex Skyliner Dominik Bahiense De Mello hit a bomb from the parking lot and forward Robin Smeulders completed the pick and role with Kramer as Oldenburg extended their lead to 32-21. Bonn then went on a 6-2 run as ex Boston Celtic Tony Gaffney scored three consecutive times and on the final bucket spinning around the Real Madrid Sergio Rodriguez look a like Aleksandrov forcing him to give a nod of respect for that move. Gaffney was extremely focused to win this game as he had gone to sleep the night before in his Larry Bird socks once again showing why one is always superstitious coming from Boston. Bonn was only trailing 34-27 and would continue to chip at the Oldenburg lead. They continued to have consistency in their offensive sets and closed out the third quarter with a 12-5 run to dead lock the game at 39-39. After a Benas Veikalas three pointer, it was ex Giessen 46er Chubb getting an easy bucket inside as Bonn trailed 38-30. A Lawrence three pointer, Gaffney steal and Veikalas free throws cut the Oldenburg advantage to 38-35. Gaffney then made free throws and defense specialist Kurt Lobby scored a put back as Bonn had regained the lead again 39-38. Jenkins closed out the second quarter with one free throw. “We were making too many quick shots which led to easy lay ups on our misses. We didn´t rebound very well and gave them too many second chances for points”, added Los Angeles native Travon Bryant.

Every so often you encounter a quarter in basketball that you want to quickly forget as a head coach, but can´t simply because nothing was going right on offense and breaking down that quarter on video could be as nasty for a head coach as it is for a five star chef trying to figure out how a piece of hair could have gotten into the main dish. The third quarter was just plain ugly from an offensive point view for both sides, but then again both teams would have been lauded for their zeal on defense. It took 12 possessions for the first field goal to fall as Ryan Brooks hit a jumper to tie the game at 41-41. The game had turned into a wild affair as fans were witnessing just about every turn over there is too see and just bricks being tossed around as if that had been on the menu by the coaches. After seven minutes of play in the third quarter, the score was 2-2, a score that Dortmund soccer fans would have dreamed for at the end of 120 minutes in the 2014 cup final in Berlin. A few more buckets were made in the last three minutes starting with a Konrad Wysocki lay in and free throw for the Oldenburg 44-41 lead. That was quickly erased as Tony Gaffney nailed a three pointer completing the nice drive and kick by Mangold tying the game at 44-44. Bonn ended the third quarter with the momentum going on a spectacular 5-0 run as Mangold dropped a huge three pointer and Veikalas hit a buzzer beater from the corner getting help from the backboard as Bonn led 49-44. “Bonn did a good job carrying over their good defense from the middle of the second quarter into the third quarter. We had no flow on offense”, stated Adam Chubb. “We were able to disrupt their perimeter shooters and we rebounded very well and just battled on defense”, warned Ryan Brooks. The Telekom Baskets Bonn were shooting 45% from the field and 40% from outside while the EWE Baskets Oldenburg were shooting 38% from the field and 20% from outside. Bonn had the 25-19 rebound edge. Bonn had nine turnovers and Oldenburg 10 turnovers.

The fourth quarter was a battle as Oldenburg would regain the lead and loose it right away, but send the game into overtime on the last play of the fourth quarter. The Ewe Baskets Oldenburg started the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run to retake the lead 60-59. Oldenburg went back to their roots scoring inside three straight times as Neumann made two put backs and Jenkins snuck home two points on an inbounds pass from Lebron James friend Dru Joyce. Bonn retook the lead on Lawrence and Gaffney free throws for the 54-50 lead. Chubb then made a free throw, but missed the second as Aleksandrov tipped home as Oldenburg trailed 54-53. The game remained extremely exciting as Mclean found Gaffney back door for the one handed dunk and and Jenkins connected on a jumper as Bonn still led 56-55. Ex Ludwigsburg guard David Mccray who cans core in spurts then took responsibility hitting a high rainbow as Bonn led 59-55. One could sense that no team wanted to win it more than the other as both were fighting to the end. Ex Purdue guard Chris Kramer collided with a Bonn player sustaining a cut on his head and finished the game with a yellow head band. Oldenburg wasn´t going down easily as Paulding scored inside while Lawrence made free throws as Bonn led 61-57. Chubb them made a jumper as Bonn led 61-59. Lawrence then took a page out of ex Bonn guard Jared Jordan feeding Looby an ally-op pass that was risky, but so perfect that the American banged home as Bonn led 63-59. Kramer then quickly scored inside as Bonn led 63-61. With 23 seconds to play, Bonn had possession, but coughed up the ball as Chubb got the ball got Kramer on the fast break, but Gaffney came out of nowhere and swatted the ball seemingly into the Rhine river. With three seconds to play, Kramer caught Oldenburg napping as he found Paulding open and he sent the game into OT with a lay in. “You can´t let a guy like Paulding get open. We did a good job getting him the ball”, stressed Adam Chubb. “We simply had a miscommunication on the switching. I am happy that that last play didn´t bite us in the butt at the end”, added Ryan Brooks. The Telekom Baskets Bonn were shooting 43% from the field and 35% from the three point line while the EWE Baskets Bonn were shooting 39% from the field and 17% from the three point line. Bonn had the 33-32 rebound edge, but 14 turnovers while Oldenburg had 11 turnovers.

In the overtime, The Telekom Baskets Bonn maintained control until the end, allowed Oldenburg one more lead change until regaining the lead and winning the contest. Lawrence started the overtime period with a three pointer which was matched by a spectacular shot by Kramer falling to his right as Bonn still led 66-65. Paulding and Brooks then exchanged free throws as Oldenburg trailed 68-66. Mccray then found Brooks on the inbounds play and he gunned the ball back inside for the easy lay in. Kramer scored on the other end as Bonn still led 70-68. Bonn then made a costly turnover as the 24 second clock expired and Oldenburg took advantage of as Mr Oldenburg Rickey Paulding did what he does best hitting clutch three pointer as Oldenburg suddenly silenced the Telekom dome leading 71-70 with 21 seconds to play. “That is the moment when we want a guy like Paulding taking that shot. We have many guys that can take that shot, but Paulding is the guy you always want in that phase”, explained Dominik Bahiense De Mello. With 21 seconds to play, Bonn didn´t waste much time as David Mccray was the hero making the lay in to give Bonn the 72-71 lead. “We had an upscreen for Mclean.He gave me a good block and I saw the hole and took it. My defender was behind me so I just took the chance”, stressed David Mccray. “We had no help side. We knew that Mccray would do that. We have to be able to defend better in a moment like that”, warned Dominik Bahinese De Mello. “Mccray had much confidence in this game and had good rhythm.  He saw open lane and took it. I am happy for him”, explained Ryan Brooks. Oldenburg had 16 seconds to win the game, but ex Wurzburg guard Kramer was unable to make the runner in the lane. “The game had been back and forth and had been a battle. Kramer had a good look, but it just didn´t want to fall”, said Adam Chubb.

The Telekom Baskets Bonn were led by Eugene Lawrence with 17 points and five assists. Tony Gaffney contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds and Benas Veikalas had 12 points. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg were led by Nemanja Aleksandrov with 14 points. Julius Jenkins added 13 points and Rickey Paulding 10 points. Bonn shot 42% from the field and 35% from the parking lot while Oldenburg shot 40% from the field and 21% from the parking lot. Bonn won the rebounding duel 40-35, but had 15 turnovers while Oldenburg had 12 turnovers. An interesting statistic has been the domination of the boards of Bonn that lead 4-0 in the series. “We have not been taking care of the boards and have given up too many long rebounds. We have to be more focused and give more effort. We have shown that we can, but need to do it each night”, expressed Adam Chubb. Game five is in 72 hours and both coaches really don´t have to teach any more x and o´s as both teams know each other inside out. “The team that works harder and wants it more will win game five”, warned Adam Chubb. “We did  a pretty good job on Jenkins and Paulding and hope it carries into game five. We need to control the game in Oldenburg and I have to take better care of the ball and stay out of foul trouble”, warned Eugene Lawrence.

After the cup mishap in Ulm where FC Bayern Munich finished in an unbelievable fourth place where the only thing missing in the Boulevard newspaper photos the next day was a collage between father and son duo Svetislav Pesic and Marco doing the famous impression of Macaulay Culkin in the cult movie Home Alone with his hands on his cheeks and looking gaunt and shockingly. After the club boldly predicted before the season that basketball hardware would be moving to the Bayern capital Munich this season, getting whipped out in Ulm was definitely not on the menu of Germany´s most famous team. FC Bayern Munich now have to let actions speak and win nine games in the post season. The club now has to wait until May 10^th with their playoff mission and the time until then most likely will feel like an eternity as the organization is as focused to finally win a title as are the Oklahoma Thunder who gave all the doubters a message forcing a game seven against the Memphis Grizzlies as stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were being publicly bashed, but came through in game six in flying colors. Just waiting until May 10^th will be as difficult for the club as it is for a little kid waiting  to be able to play X-box again after being grounded. Sports life in Munich hasn´t been easy as of late in Munich after the 4-0 loss to Real Madrid by the soccer team, but the positive news is that the basketball department can still bring some color and happiness to the organization with a title should the soccer team fail in the cup as well to Dortmund with a loss. The good news for the FC Bayern Munich basketball team is that after the cup embarrassment, the team is focused to win a title after still being title less while the soccer team lost some focus going into the champions league end spurt after having won the league title in March.

For the MLP Riesen Ludwigsburg, they aren´t reaching for the stars or have title aspirations, but are just overjoyed for having reached the playoffs again. The last time that fans were discussing Ludwigsburg playoff basketball with tasty spaetzle, current MBC mastermind Silvano Poropat was controlling the reigns as he had built a very competitive team with  solid players, but not necessarily a team that one would have put their money on before the start of the season that they would finish the regular season in second place in 2007 was their last playoff ticket as guys like Jerry Green, Nate Harris, Gordon Scott or Je Kel Foster were creating havoc and annoying top teams on a regular basis. Seven years later, the club slipped in on the eighth spot. Besides the consistent play of the team, most of the credit goes to mastermind John Patrick who once again came into a situation and turned the season into gold as he had also had coming into low market areas like Goettingen and Wurzburg in the last years. After coming in as a fireman last season, he was able to form a new team with complete control and once again found the right pieces that made another playoff appearance in his coaching career. He might not have had the best budget in Ludwigsburg, but he brought NBA glitz to the organization as well as bringing potent role players that meshed through the season. In what other small market can you see a George Karl or John Stockton sitting in the seats and observing a Beko BBL game? It has been a nice little run in Ludwigsburg and it will be interesting to see just how much energy is left in the basketball gas tank of Ludwigsburg and how much they can annoy FC Bayern Munich?

Ever since slamming into the Gordon Herbert defensive wall in Frankfurt in mid March where the Fraport Skyliners allowed FC Bayern Munich to the fewest points of the season with 62, they have been undefeated in the Beko BBL riding an 8 game winning streak and have a record of 30-4 tops in the league. The club also understood that defense wins titles and got into that mode keeping teams like SC Rasta Vechta, Bremerhaven and ratiopharm Ulm under 60 points. FC Bayern Munich is led by current MVP Malcolm Delaney who wants to keep his title streak alive in consecutive seasons as a professional at three after winning in France and the Ukraine. FC Bayern Munich´s motor is fueled by the play of the Virginia native. You can go down the list from 1-12 as each player has a defined role that helps to the success of FC Bayern Munich. If it’s the explosiveness of Heiko Schaffartzik who never met a shot he knew he couldn´t hit from the Marien place in Munich or the Messe tower in Frankfurt or the versatile Nihad Djedovic who can always decide a game to forwards like Mr energy Bryce Taylor who is the x factor in any series or the shooting qualities and mismatch factor of Robin Benzing or the never ending, overpowering big man rotation of John Bryant, Deon Thompson, Yassin Idbihi, Boris Savovic or Chevon Troutmann. This deepness down low is shear ridiculousness as Pesic is like a magician with a wan that sways it back and forth as his players create the magic and the opponent slowly gets overpowered . With so much deepness on the roster, Pesic can dabble with the audacity to throw a Paul Zipser at you who is one of the biggest German talents from the year 1994 and could be the only player to play the positions 1-5 if asked.

The MLP Riesen Ludwigsburg reach the 2014 Beko BBL playoffs with a 18-16 record fighting off the feisty Mitteldeutscher BC who were giving Ludwigsburg a real hard test for the last spot, but finished the season losing four of five games while the team led by John Patrick wining four of the last six games, but losing two of the last three games which puts a very very little damp note for the club. They definitely displayed that they belong in the playoffs beating playoff teams like Alba Berlin, ratiopharm Ulm, the Telekom Baskets Bonn and Artland Dragons. The club is led by their Malcolm Delaney MVP version in American Keaton Grant who has scored in double figures 28 times and one could say without his services would have won 2-3 games less this season. Just looking back to an early season game in Frankfurt where Frankfurt  let a huge lead dwindle as Grant took control in the second half that led Ludwigsburg to the win. The guard position is definitely their strongest position as the fresh breath of NBA air in Michael Stockton and Coby Karl have made the atmosphere sweeter on the court for Ludwigsburg. Stockton has become a solid Beko BBL player after a slow start while Karl gives the club so much experience and can really do it all on the floor. CJ Harris has kind of been that unsung hero that has had an up and down rookie season, but is the clubs best three point shooter and has hit the timely ones. At the forward spot, Ludwigsburg have more experience with Mario Stojic who somehow hasn´t fit into the system of Patrick, but at any time will be that warrior on the court if given the minutes and Shawn Huff who is a defensive specialist, but showed his scoring ability netting 46 points in two games against Bonn. In the big men area, Patrick has a nice mix of athletic ability, finesse and physicality down low with the offensive board and high flying crasher Patrick Flomo, Adam Waleskowski that has a cute inside/out game, Mr body Robert Tomazek who might not be able to scare away John Bryant as easily as a burgler in his home this season and Gary Mcghee who came late to the team and has been up and down, but is always fresh for a double double.

FC Bayern Munich swept the season series 2-0,  95-71 and 92-67. Ludwigsburg were crushed under the boards in Munich, but the 36-36 rebound balance in the loss in Ludwigsburg gives some hope in that category. Ludwigsburg has a nice rotation, but can´t match that of FC Bayern Munich which has the deepest rotation in the Beko BBL. Key for the MLP Riesen Ludwigsburg of not being swept will be their guard play which will be their bread and butter in this series as that is where their scoring power is. Catching FC Bayern Munich napping on transition defense also will be vital for success. On the defensive side, Ludwigsburg has to find a away to limit the FC Bayern Munich inside play which is easier said than done. Here the guards again will be in the focus as their track meet stamina will be a key issue in the series. Each guy has to help out as help-side, rotating and denying the ball inside as much as possible will be important. FC Bayern Munich also like to run so continued high energy stamina will be needed for Ludwigsburg to stop them on transition. Ludwigsburg really could use an invisible Quantez Robertson or Akeem Vargas to help bolster their stamina level. FC Bayern Munich should sweep the series, but it would be nice to see Ludwigsburg win a game at home. FC Bayern Munich advances to next round 3-0.

Every season seems to be getting more and more difficult for the Brose Baskets Bamberg to dominate coupled with the vast competiveness that the Beko BBL seems to increase in each season and this season is no exception. Each team guns for Bamberg and the simplicity that Bamberg once had to win games in the past when guys like Kyle Hines, PJ Tucker and Marcus Slaughter were on board has become history as it seems to be getting more and more tough to win games as this season has shown.  Bamberg  finished the season in second place with a record of 28-6 record and is  very commendable, but the way they win has changed. They had stellar back to back wins against Wurzburg and Frankfurt allowing only 49 and 43 points, but then had an interesting span of four games in a row where they really were challenged winning by not more than a combined total of 11 points against Bayreuth, Bremerhaven, Tuebingen and Braunschweig. Mind you these are not playoff teams and with some misfortune which they definitely didn´t have in Bayreuth the club could of lost all games and now have eight loses and be in fourth of fifth place and having some real heat behind them with team sneaking up the rear. Bamberg as always has talent, but that killer instinct and total reliance of each player is simply missing that has been seen in the past. In the first three years where Bamberg was unbreakable the club also never had more than two new players coming in, that changed last season with more players coming and going and really hit its pinnacle this season as guys like Jamar Smith, Rakim Sanders, Novica Velickovic  and Damir Markota came and during the season more new faces came with Elias Harris, D or Fischer and Jared Jordan. Even that is a lot for manager Wolfgang Heyder to digest from his standing place at center court in the entrance to the visitor dressing room in Bamberg. However when push comes to shove, Bamberg is still the defending champion and team to beat and are still the best crunch time team. You can ask any Beko BBL coach who the favorite still is and each will say Bamberg except for maybe Sveislav Pesic. In a basketball town like Bamberg that is known as freak city, there is constant jibber jabber and rumors flying about anything which doesn´t make it easier for coaches and players. However now it is that time of year again where Bamberg shines and plays their best basketball. Despite heavy competition from teams like FC Bayern Munich or Alba Berlin, Bamberg is still the favorite. The only time when one knows that something has changed is when café´s in Bamberg increase their sales in May at times when there should have been Bamberg games being played at home

The Artland Dragons moved up to the Beko BBL in 2003 where some German citizens were bewildered for the first time about the Michael Jordan hype in Germany which wasn´t a certain 6 time champion from North Carolina, but a gregarious, but fierce competitor from Philidelphia with the same name. The only title for the Artland Dragons was under current Bamberg head coach Chris Fleming in 2008 where they beat Ludwigsburg in the cup in Hamburg. Since moving up, playoffs have mostly been a yearly occurrence except for two times during the short Thorsten Leibenath era. However since then, Stefan Koch did it three times and nothing has changed as with a new coach Tyron Mccoy, the Dragons are one of the eight best teams in the Beko BBL again. However one thing that they have never done is beat Bamberg in the playoffs.  The most memorable, but also disappointing was their final appearance in the 2006-2007 season where the team was led by guys like Adam Hess, Darius Hall and Bryan Bailey. Artland surprised Bamberg in game one in Bamberg and seemed like they were a competitive opponent, but then had serious misfortune as Puerto Rican point guard Filiberto Riviera was hurt and missed the rest of the playoffs as Bamberg went on to win their second Beko BBL title. In 2010-2011, Bamberg crawled through the series having massive problems winning in a five game series and in the 2011-2012 season, Bamberg had an easier time as they swept Stefan Koch and co 3-0. The Artland Dragons are back again for a fourth time trying to get by the Brose Baskets Bamberg. It would be an enrichment for the Beko BBL to see a massive upset, but before that happens, it seems like Dragon mascot Toby  would have to transport his lab from Quackenbruck as it seems like during home games he has orchestrated some secret dragon business from the dungeon, but in Bamberg, Artland really has to leave it all on the floor to have any chance to win an dhope Toby is praying from his dungeon in the Artland arena.

The Brose Baskets Bamberg arrive into the playoffs with a  14-3 record since the Allstar break losing to top playoff teams FC Bayern Munich, Alba Berlin and Oldenburg. They had some more close wins, but also blew out teams like Wurzburg and Ludwigsburg. Even without the recent services to top point guard Jared Jordan who missed the last four games, the team registered a 3-1 record and got by without him, but his 10,0ppg and 7,8apg obviously are missed in the offense where without the Hartford native, Bamberg has less options in the playmaking. Since March, the team has played 13 Beko BBL games and their defense has been consistent as they have held opponents to 69 points per game.  Even with the deep and talented roster that Bamberg has, the club is led by Anton Gavel and their strong suit has to be their guard play. Gavel keeps the team together and focused and is leading the team in scoring, would be first in assists with 3,7 if Jordan wasn´t on board as is the teams second best three point shooter. Their guard rotation lives from its versatility of the individual players. Jared Jordan should be the key to the team winning their fifth title in a row. He has less pressure than in Bonn to shine and can be rested more. Jamar Smith has been a consistent performer in the last months after a slow start and can challenge a Gavel for making big shots. John Goldsberry who just might have the biggest heart on the team with his will to always come back after injuries. He is the perfect classic point guard that is one of the teams best defenders once getting 10 steals for Leverkusen as a rookie. German national player Kartsen Tadda rounds out the guard rotation. His defending skills are respected and he is always able to make a shot even if his three point shooting has been suspect this season. At the wing positions, Bamberg has the talented duo of ex NBA player Casey Jacobsen and Rakim Sanders. Jacobsen has won nine titles with Bamberg and belongs to the most professional players in the Beko BBL. Smartness and shooting is his trademark and Rakim Sanders has been one of the more consistent Bamberg players down the stretch as he could challenge a Marcus Slaughter for the best hang time. Five months ago, one may not have believed it, but Bamberg´s sore spot was at the big positions. Bamberg manager Wolfgang Heyder understood this and got D or Fischer and Elias Harris. Fischer has been their staple on defense. Even if you get by the front guards, there is still that big Fish greeting you. The worth of Fischer to the Bamberg defense is indescribable. Harris came from the Los Angeles Lakers and has made a fine transition and his inside out game is difficult to defend. German national player Maik Zirbes isn´t having his best season, but he knows it and is still giving support with 8,5ppg and 3,8rpg. Having the beast in the game can wear down any team quickly. Sharod Ford who was top rebounder three seasons in a row in Italy was injured for a while, but seems as good as old as he produced 14 points and seven rebounds in the last regular season game against Bonn. There isn´t a better 1-2 center defensive punch in the league better than Fischer and Ford.

The Artland Dragons finished the regular season in seventh place with a record of 20-14. They arrive into the playoffs not having played their best basketball winning only two of their last six games. They beat the Mitteldeutscher BC on the last game 89-69. They showed during the regular season that they are capable to beat top teams like FC Bayern Munich and Alba Berlin. The team is led by David Holston who returned back to Quackenbruck. He isn´t as potent like in his first time in the 2011-2012 season, but he is shooting better than then and playing a bit less. A positive note is that the club isn´t as dependent on him as in the past. The club also has Antonio Graves at the guard position who thanks to his European experience had no problems blending into the Beko BBL. He has been up and down, but without his 20 points and eight assists, the team surely wouldn´t have defeated FC Bayern Munich. Back up point guard and German national player Bastian Doreth is the perfect guy to come from the bench as his activeness on both ends of the court are more than commendable. At the wing positions, Mccoy has Brandon Thomas who is one of the more consistent players that is an offensive force and without his 28 points against Vechta and 24 points against Bremerhaven surely would have had problems winning those two nail bitters. It is difficult to say that Chad Toppert has been a disappointment, because his stats are fine in the minutes he is getting and he is shooting over 40% from downtown. Don´t let him get hot as Frankfurt found out in Artland in late January as he hit seven of eight three pointers nailing the door shut on the opponent. The Artland Dragons have a strong four man rotation at the big man positions with Americans Anthony King, Lawrence Hill, Kenny Frease and German Guido Grunheid. Artland knows where to go when they need scoring as the American trio is averaging 31 points and 17 rebounds per game. King is having his best season in Artland as he has improved his scoring in each season and his rebounding of 6,4 is his best with the Dragons. One of the unsung hero´s on the team has been Hill. The ex Stanford star is averaging 11,6ppg and 6,6rpg while shooting an astronomical 49,6% from the parking lot. He has shown in his second season in Europe that he could make the transition from the Israel to German league. He is very dangerous as he can hurt you from inside and out. Kenny Frease has been a reliable role player coming from the bench. His stats and minutes are down from Tuebingen, but he causes the needed energy for the club when he is inserted. The seven German titles and experience are golden for the club when Guido Gruinheid speaks.

If one looks at the two Artland loses this season to the Brose Baskets Bamberg, there seems hope for the Dragons as they lost by only a combined total of nine points. Perhaps this could be the chance of the Artland Dragons to catch Bamberg off guard early in the playoffs and steal one in Bamberg.  However regular season and playoffs is a totally different story. Bamberg has been known to heighten their game as the playoffs move on. Bamberg is known for their experience, routine and continuity. The Artland Dragons have a potent attack and have beaten each of the top four teams. An interesting duel in this series will be down low. This series could be a lot closer than many expect when looking at the stats of the first two games. Both teams shot pretty much even from outside, while Bamberg grabbed only three rebounds more and had one less turnover. Artland will need to have a big series from David Holston. Even if the club isn´t as dependent on him, the club will get a boost mentally if he has the series of his life.  Bamberg has been known to heighten their game as the playoffs move on. The series will be decided down low and the team with the better team basketball which will be Bamberg.

 

 

If there was one thing that Brandon Bowmann had much of the last months while playing for SC Rasta Vechta was time on his hands if he wasn´t at practice or in the gym. There really isn´t much to do in Vechta and perhaps one could find more pleasure counting the steps from Vechta to Quackenbruck and see if it was less than the seemingly million steps that Houston Rocket Jeremy Lin recently took to the basket in a playoff game. However if one were to take the Los Angeles native Bowmann behind the Rasta Dome and have a chat on a deserted pasture with a few cows chewing out the grass and ask him what has unnerved him most in his career not reaching the NBA or not winning the 2009 Beko BBL title with the Telekom Baskets Bonn against the EWE Baskets Oldenburg, the question could be a tossup as the NBA is never a sure thing, but winning the 2009 Beko BBL final seemed like the sure thing. That title loss remains a big scare in the Telekom Baskets Bonn basketball history as well as being labelled as the Buffalo Bills of the Beko BBL as reaching the final has always been their reality 8 times, while winning hasn´t been on their menu yet. Their last final was the 2012 cup and they have reached the playoffs seven of the last eight years, but all this is meaningless until the club can finally celebrate that first title in Bonn. Sometimes it seems like there is a mini curse in Bonn as titles can be won more easily as Oldenburg showed for the first time in 2009 and the Opel Skyliners showed for the first time in 2000, but then again don´t let a Tony Gaffney instruct you about curses or winning titles. He had to wait 20 years until his beloved Boston Red Sox beat the curse of the Bambino winning the World Series again after a 86 year dry spell in 2004. That Bonn and Buffalo start with the same letter is no coincidence, but Bonn fans should hope that Buffalo still not winning a Superbowl after reaching four isn´t.

Not only this 2009 loss for Bonn gives a displeasureable  connection to the EWE Baskets Oldenburg, but also their ex coach Predrag Krunic who was the head coach during the title run in 2009. However the ex Bonn head coach didn´t really take big steps forward in Oldenburg after the 2009 title, but maybe  a few back in the next years as he was unable to build continuity as the team really slipped in the 2011-2012 missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007. The Serb was sacked and Oldenburg CEO Herman Schuller had the right touch again bringing 1995 Korac cup winner with Alba Berlin Sebastian Machowski that brought success and happiness back again to Oldenburg. In his first season in Oldenburg, Machowski led the team to a surprise final giving Chris Fleming and the Brose Baskets Bamberg a tough time being swept, but losing only by a combined point total of seven points. Machowski grew and developed as a head coach in Braunschweig for three years and took the next correct step to Oldenburg and kept an already intact team together that didn´t let down from their superb season last season, but once again are a kind of dark horse team that will act as a hyena and pounch into any group and possibly exiting having the last laugh if top teams like FC Bayern Munich, Bamberg or Alba Berlin don´t take care of the meat. The EWE Baskets Oldenburg are always capable of upsetting one of the top three, but have to be aware of the Telekom Baskets Bonn and first get by them to get the chance to annoy a top team.

The Telekom Baskets Bonn arrive in the playoffs with a record of 25-13 and ended the season in fifth place. Despite a very interesting season where they had problems winning at home, the Jared Jordan Bamberg affair and Tony Gaffney returning, they reached their season goal of the playoffs. They enter the playoffs having won four of the last nine games, but four of the last five games showing that they have gotten used to the departure of Jared Jordan as new American Eugene Lawrence has been more just a suitable replacement, but has put up Jordan like assist stats with 6,0, but been able to score better than the ex Bonn player at 10,2 as the club really got the perfect player to combine scoring and playmaking to their advantage. Bonn celebrated big victories against Alba Belrin, ratiopharm Ulm and the Artland Dragons and most importantly had the number of Oldenburg twice sweeping the season series.  The club is really solid all the way down the board from the guard position to the center position.  The team is led by Ryan Brooks who really has paid his dues going from non playoff BBL teams Giessen, Frankfurt and even a season in Finland to a team that is in the playoffs. He has become a leader and with teammate Benas Veikalis have a potent 2-3 position force that will give any team nightmares with their never ending aggressive offensive. Even if Jordan is gone, Lawrence just about has balanced the offensive skills that a Jordan would have had, but has added physicality to the defense which they didn´t have with Jordan. With David Mccray and Andrej Magold, Bonn has two nasty defenders that just annoy offensive players until they force turnovers. On offense, both guys can score in spurts. On the big positions, Bonn is just as strong as ex NBA player Tony Gaffney gives that athletic push on the boards and on the break coupled with the routine inside game of Jamel Mcclean who does nothing really fancy except score near the basket and does the bulk of the rebound work. Mcclean has had a superb season averaging 13,7ppg and 7,2rpg. He has been consistent for 80% of the season scoring in double figures 25 times including five double doubles and a 25 point 18 rebound explosion against medi bayreuth. Bonn head coach Mathias Fischer has superb role players in American Kurt Looby who wont necessarily supply scoring punch, but his shot blocking and rebounding could be the difference in one or two crunch time possessions and German Steve Wachalski is one of the few players to go from Regionaliga to Beko BBL has the perfect team character and can hurt you with his three pointer.

The EWE Baskets Oldenburg finished the season in fourth place with a record of 25-9 and enter the playoffs  with a four game winning streak and having won seven of their last eight games with the only loss being against the Telekom Baskets Bonn. This season Oldenburg celebrated huge wins against FC Bayern Munich, The Brose Baskets Bamberg, Alba Berlin, swept ratiopharm Ulm and the Artland Dragons. Beating the top three teams at least once speaks for the EWE Baskets Oldenburg as they can beat anyone on any given night. You had John Stockton in Utah, Larry Bird in Boston, Magic Johnson in Los Angeles and Rickey Paulding in Oldenburg, all great players that have had that special relationship to their club. Paulding is mr Oldenburg and just might keep a second home here after his playing days. His worth to the team is indescribable  as he is one of the top five best players in the league for years. Oldenburg is solid at every position, but their strongest are the small positions 1-3 with the scoring bulk from Paulding and Julius Jenkins who is having another big season and wants to win a third title in Germany after Berlin and Bamberg. Jenkins is the team top scorer and especially from downtown he is hot shooting 49,4%. The point guards are filled with Leborn James friend Dru Joyce who is the playmaker and gets the team going in the right direction and  is having a solid season with 8,0ppg and 3,9apg and Chris Kramer that also can play the two position that is really a player that can lead the team on any night in points, rebounds or assists. He belongs to the top defenders in the league and is even more nasty  in one on defense that Quantez Robertson or Akeem Vargas. The ex Frankfurt Skyliner Germans Konrad Wysocki and Dominik Bahiense De Melo have minor roles, but still add spunk to the team with De Mello giving that aggressiveness on defense and hitting the one or other big three pointer and the ex Ulm player Wysocki playing that superb inside out game that has been his trademark for years. On the big positions, Oldenburg has had some misfortune this season losing American Adam Chubb to injury, but the ex Penn player has returned and not resigning Italian Adrea Crosariol as his short term contract expired and the club didn´t know that Chubb wouldn´t be healthy again. Crosariol was a force on offense and defense and has been missed. Nemanja Aleksandrov has had problems pleasing the fans averaging 9,9ppg and 4,3rpg as his seemingly life long comparison as the next Serbian Dirk Nowitzki has haunted him. The club brought in German Philipp Neumann that was unhappy in Bamberg and has been solid averaging 7,2ppg and 3,4rpg and ex Skyliner Travon Bryant who adds that experience, but hasn´t been a major force. The club always has German banger Jannik Freese from the bench that can bring solid minutes.

This is a very very interesting series and perhaps the only one that will go five games.  The Telekom Baskets Bonn go into the series having swept the season series winning 86-75 and winning a nail bitter in overtime 84-79. Bonn go into the game as the slight underdog as Oldenburg had a better season record and thus attained the home court advantage. Oldenburg have the experience factor and really should be able to win this series. Oldenburg match up well at the small positions with Jenkins and Paulding who can handle a Brooks. The big man position match ups are more balanced now with Adam Chubb back. The x factor for Bonn will be Eugene Lawrence. If Oldenburg can somehow find a way to limit his physicality and playmaking and win the inside game than Oldenburg will advance into the next round. Kramer with seven inches on the American in height should be the player to stop Lawrence who has eight kilo more than the Indiana native. But one should never count out the Telekom Baskets Bonn. Can they continue to beat Oldenburg and will their thinner roster be able to withstand the deeper bench and energy of Oldenburg will be the question. If Oldenburg can up their game from their two meetings against Bonn, then it will be a long summer again for Bonn fans without a title while Tony Gaffney goes home to Boston to follow the Boston Red Sox and hope at least for a another title in October for his home town team.

Alba Berlin has been like a troubled child of the league the last years that is so gifted, but can´t use its talent to shine in basketball life as the 8 time Beko BBL champion hasn´t won a league title since 2006 and really has been overhauled by Bamberg in the last years as the top team in the Beko BBL. They have been one of the hottest teams in the Beko BBL in the last months having had a 17 game winning streak at one time and reached the Eurocup last 8 and might have the perfect roster this year that combines deepness, character and skill that will be enough to finally win that ninth league title. Last week, Alba Berlin played an unsatisfactory first half against the Fraport Skyliners where they looked anything like a future championship team as they couldn´t find a sound offensive rhythm against a young Frankfurt team, but very aggressive defensive orientated club in the first half. Under ex coaches like Luca Pavicevic, Gordon Herbert or Muli Katzurin, Alba Berlin probably wouldn´t have been able to come back and win the game in seven out of ten games, but the three time European champion with Yugoslavia head coach Sasa Obradovic made the necessary adjustments in the second half, had trust in his star players David Logan and Reggie Redding and just knew which players had to have the ball in their hands and who were to make the right decisions. Alba Berlin found their rhythm in the second half and outplayed and controlled Frankfurt until the end. Head coach Sasa Obradovic did a superb job finding the right mix of players again this season and the question is can the team still heighten their play in the playoffs to make that next step getting new hardware back to the German capital? If Obradovic can bring his third coaching title to Alba Berlin this season, it would be the most in two seasons in comparison to only two titles in seven years previously.

Ever since Mike Taylor got the Ulm coaching job in 2003 there has been something very healthy growing in the Schwaben city. Taylor planted the seed which has grown into Ulm reaching the Beko BBL again in 2006, making the playoffs in 2009 and even as he had to go in 2011, the positive curve of the organization has continued to move upwards as a new arena was launched and the playoff appearances have become a consistent occurrence and with more and more success, the expectations continue to rise with fans in the region. However there is one direction that the club doesn´t want to continue to move in and that is being the distinguished, but content runner up which started for the Telekom Baskets Bonn and hasn´t left them. In the last three seasons the team has been a finalist three times reaching the Beko BBL final in 2012 and reaching the cup final the last two seasons. Five weeks ago, it would have been the perfect gift to win the cup in their own arena, but Alba Berlin was a tick better, but ratiopharm Ulm was so close. Traditions are always there to be broken as mr Ulm and heart and soul of the team, German national player Per Guenther is still searching for that first title. If there is any guy that deserved a title as much as a Mike Taylor in Ulm then it is Per Guenther. Guenther always looks so focused on the court, but if needed can really show his emotions on the court would probably let out the biggest cry of joy that probably could scantly be heard in Hagen if ratiopharm Ulm ever won a title.

Alba Berlin reached the 2014 Beko BBL playoffs in third place with a record of 26-7 and despite a winter lull where the club lost three of four games including their traditional game in Hagen which has been on the norm in the last years, the team comes into the playoffs having won nine of the last ten games. Their biggest wins of the season was against FC BayernMunich, Bamberg and sweeping ratiopharm Ulm. Especially on defense, the club has shifted up a few gears in the down stretch giving up under 70 points in seven of the last nine games leading up to the last game of the regular season against FC Bayern Munich. Everyone lauded Alba Berlin for getting big time player David Logan that played with top Euroleague teams the past two seasons in Athens and Tel Aviv and has 101 Euroleague games under his belt and he has been one of the leaders this season hitting huge shots and just bring defenses in turmoil with his active aggressive play on every touch of the ball, but fact is that the best player for Alba Berlin this season has been Reggie Redding who does everything on the court. He is second in team scoring, third in rebounding, first in assists, second in steals and first in field goal percentage. The fact that Redding can play positions 1-4 makes him all the more valuable.  Alba Berlin has a sound guard rotation with American Clifford Hammonds who knows exactly how to separate scoring from creating for his teammates and like Logan has a similar uncanny aggressiveness in his game. Young German Akeem Vargas who came as a nobody from Tuebingen to BG Goettingen where he had  a huge season in the Pro A to Alba Berlin where he has fought for minutes and received them. Recently he has been more in the German basketball news for his aggressive defense, but Sasa Obradovic wouldn´t want it any other way. Vojdan Stojanovski has been an adequate role player coming from the bench and shines more through his penetration than outside shooting. It took Alex King six years to reach a top German team as his development continued to grow from Frankfurt to Bonn to Wurzburg and has had a solid season for Alba Berlin. He is often in the starting rotation and when controlled can give the team energy on both ends of the court and he may never reach the 54,2% from outside from last seasons Eurocup season, but he takes the three pointer with much more confidence since his Frankfurt days. The big strength for Alba Berlin is the big positions. The club has a strong four man rotation with Jan Jagla who won the 2008 Uleb Cup with NBA player Ricky Rubio is still a force at 32 years of age. He took force in the Frankfurt game with three put backs off offensive rebounds in one quarter, Leon Radosevic who is injured and might play in the Ulm series is a capable inside/out player, Levon Kendall is a modern 208cm player that is smart around the bucket and has a nice touch from outside and young German Johannes Wohlfarth-Botterman that gives the club another dimension in their pick and role game.

Ratiopharm Ulm finished the season in sixth place with a record of 20-14. Ratiopharm Ulm come into the playoffs playing under 500 having won four of their last nine games. Their biggest wins of the season were against Bamberg, Artland and Bonn.  They are a team that can definitely light up the scoreboard, but the question is always, do they feel like defending as their defensive performances this season have been as up and down as actress Delta Burke´s weight in the last 20 years. ratiopharm Ulm is led by Per Guenther who is their leader and playmaker and gets their offense going. The Ulm guard play is a big strength as their three top scorers are all guards. Besides Guenther, there is American Cameron Long who has had a solid season can always present problems in crunch time, but has an unreliable three pointer as he was 0/6 against FC Bayern Munich, but 5/8 against medi bayreuth. Puerto Rican Edgar Sosa who learned the basketball trade under coaching legend Rick Pitino on the other hand can hit the three pointer with consistency making 7/8 against Cantu in Eurocup play, but also when his shot is turned off can be the playmaker as he displayed eight assists against Phoenix Hagen and seven assists against Wurzburg. The club also has a solid core at the wing with German Philipp Schwethelm who will never be a big scorer, but shines with his defense and can hit the three pointer under pressure,  experienced Adam Hess who won titles early in his career in the Czech Republic isn´t the youngest anymore, but still has the stroke from downtown and will help out on the boards and American Wil Clyburn who is the Super Tez of Ulm definitely shines with his athletic play, but didn´t bring the consistency on offense. The club had no easy task finding replacements for John Byrant as no player was able to duplicate the two time Beko BBL MVP, but the team has a solid four man rotation with 2008 NBA Draft pick Trent Plaisted who has almost identical stats with German Daniel Thiess with points, rebounds and field goal percentage. The only difference is that the German has a three pointer in his arsenal. Two time NCAA finalist with Butler Matt Howard is possibly the hardest working player on the team averaging 10,8ppg and 5,1rpg. Wisconsin alumnist and third year man with Ulm Keaton Nankivil is that diligent worker that has a solid inside out game and who could forget his three point buzzer beater against FC Bayern Munich.

Alba Berlin won the season series 2-0 winning the first game in a blow out in Berlin 102-74, but in the return game in Ulm, it was a lot closer as Alba Berlin won 92-87. Alba Berlin won the rebounding  duel in both games and used their deep rotation to their advantage as they were able to share the ball and get everyone involved. Alba Berlin has the home court advantage in this series and that first game will be very crucial. If ratiopharm Ulm could make the big surprise and steal it, then this series could go five games. However if Alba Berlin wins the first game then they will match through to the semi finals. Ratiopharm Ulm isn´t as potent as in recent years as big country John Bryant is gone. There is more pressure on the shoulders of Per Guenther who brings that team basketball quality to the team. When he is off the floor, then the ratiopharm Ulm style changes to less team basketball. This game will be decided on the boards and on the defensive end and since Alba Berlin do both much better will win this series. Logan and Redding are the key players to control for ratiopharm Ulm, but to get both off their game in the same game is more than unlikely. The roles in Berlin are more defined than in Ulm that other guys like Hammonds, Kendall or Radosevic will be able to carry them.

 

Tom Johnson is an Irish-Canadian that is a basketball coach and as a player played in countries like Belgium, Germany, France and Italy. As a coach he has coached in countries like Finland, Belgium and as of late in Austria for team Oberwart. He recently talked to German Hoops about basketball.

 

Tom thanks for talking to eurobasket.com. Where are you at the moment and are you a guy that likes to follow the NCAA March Madness?

 

Hi thanks for inviting me for this conversation. I am currently in Belgium. I do follow the March Madness and it is a great tournament this year.

On your eurobasket.com profile, it states that you were fired from your head coaching duty at Oberwart. You also were experiencing some health problems. What exactly was the cause for your dismissal? The club was at position seven and not necessarily down in the cellar.

I left Oberwart due to unexpected health issues that started in November. The treatment required 3 surgeries that took me away from the team for short and extended periods of time. The last surgery left me in the hospital for 9 days and took a lot out of me. It was impossible for me to continue at 100% energy and focus so the club and I agreed on an extended medical leave of absence until end of season. This decision was best for me and for the club.

Oberwart has had an up and down season having some nice winning streaks and also losing streaks. Why wasn´t the team able to be more consistent this season?

Well winning on a consistent basis is a seasonal phenomenon even under the very best of conditions but we had a completely new group of foreign players from last season and we had the unfortunate run of key injuries right at the end of preseason that affected our process of building integration and roles. The injury problems came back again down the road and then my health issues began so it was difficult to find a steady level with these distractions. I always believed that we were going to be tough at the end of the journey and I think the team can still do more than everyone expects in the playoffs.

You have been head coach in Finland and a long time in Belgium and in Austria the last two seasons. How was the step coming to Austria, a lower league in comparison to Belgium. Did you see it as a step backwards or a time to continue to develop and take on a new challenge?

I saw the decision to come to Austria as a new challenge and opportunity to have good results in yet another country that plays basketball on a very good level.

After a strong rookie season in Germany, Abe Lodwick has had a stellar season with Oberwart and is the second best rebounder on the team for 201cm. How important has this season been for him in developing further? Is Lodwick ready to go back to a higher level and succeed with the experience that he had in Austria?

Abe is one of the finest character guy I have ever coached. He approaches each day with professionalism. This season has been very important for Abe as I feel it has allowed him to play a more complete role and with this has helped him become a more complete player. I think the summer training will be very important for him. If he dedicates himself to bring new dimensions of specific strength and conditioning combined with better ball handling he can surely play a larger role in BBL as a combo 3-4.

American Sammy Zeglinksi came to Oberwart via a solid NCAA career at Virginia and a strong rookie season as so many players do like Derrick Allen did. Is Zeglinski ready next season for the next step like in the Beko BBL or a higher league?

Sammy is so talented and he has great natural instincts to score, make plays. He is a game changer when the chips are down. For the next level Sammy needs to also bring his conditioning level in the summer to a higher level going into his next preseason. I think he is a great piece for a team at the next level because. With another guard beside him that can create and make good scoring and passing decisions he would flourish. I kind of see him being a Taylor Rochestie type with continued development.

What was the most challenging thing that you had as a headcoach in Austria with Oberwart. If you had to compare your experience in Austria to other coaching stations in your career how would you describe it?

I think the challenges are the same everywhere you work as a professional coach. The overall professionalism is different on a daily operational sportive level when I compare BELGIUM, GERMANY and Turkey to Austria. It is difficult when you don’t have everyone in practice consistently…so the challenge then is to create and foster he best practice environment possible when you have 4 or maybe 5 players in morning practice. This can be tough but you have to teach and work constructively and intelligently inspite of the circumstances.

You came late in the 2009-2010 Beko BBL season to the Deutsche Bank Skyliners to assist Gordon Herbert and almost won a Beko BBL title. What exactly is your connection to Herbert? Did you guys meet in your short stay in Finland as a coach?

Gordie and I are both Canadian and from the same province of British Columbia. We both played on the Canadian National team albeit in different eras but this is the strong common bond we have. We met in Europe when he was coaching in Wurzburg and I was on an interim playing contract in Bamberg. We have been friends since. Gordie helped facilitate my first contact with a team in Finland where I started my coaching career.

Are you disappointed that you weren´t able to assist Gordon Herbert in Berlin or now in Frankfurt? It is no secret that Frankfurt has a Klaus Perwass since years as assistant coach and very dedicated non removable staff, but possibily in Berlin there could have been room for you?

I was talking to Gordie at the time he was about to go to Alba but I had the desire to head coach again after Assistant coaching positions in Frankfurt and Turk Telekom in Turkey. I think it would have been great to assist him in Alba but things just didn’t materialise in time. I would be great to work together with him in the future.

You played a season in Giessen as a player and was an assistant with Gordon Herbert. How appealing would be a return to Germany as head coach?

There are many many great coaches without jobs. Germany is one of the top leagues in Europe. Any aspiring pro coach would love to have an opportunity to work as a head coach there. I would love to have that opportunity. My experience working in multiple countries has prepared me for this but you need an opportunity.

Would you be willing to coach in the German Pro A if you had the possibility or is the Beko BBL main goal?

I think Pro A can be a great situation to build and move into the BBL. I am ready for an opportunity in the Beko BBL.

If you could describe yourself in a few sentences as to why any basketball team would love to have your coaching services how would you describe it?

Well, I believe I have distinguished myself by maximizing the potential I have had thus bringing the best results possible. I think I have a strong ability translate technical knowledge into a successful program for the players, coaching staff and management. I feel on a personal level I am extremely disciplined and competitive but I love people and want to connect on a human level with people from top to bottom within the organization. Without this human connection it is impossible to perform on the highest level and be successful.

Gordon Herbert has been a very successful basketball coach and is doing his magic again this season with the Fraport Skyliners as he has led some impressive wins against Munich and Ulm and fought through adversity with many injuries. You know him as coach and besides the normal blab la as to why he is so successful, what vital attribute in his coaching ability would you see as most vital as to why he is so consistent and successful?

Gordie has all the technical expertise that the top 1% coaches have. He is a great team builder understanding the personal human connection with different personalities. I think in professional European basketball you have people on your team from many different races, colors, religious backgrounds and if you can’t reach people as individuals than the culture of your team will never share and be responsible for the common goal. Gordie is a master at creating a culture and mentality of winning.

You have been coaching for a while. What satisfies you most about coaching besides winning?

Interpersonal relationships and the feeling of helping players develop to their potential.

What was your most memorable experience in your short time as assistant coach with the Deutsche Bank Skyliners?

Going to the Finals vs Bamberg and coming one win away from championship

 

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

 

The Butler.

 

Thanks Tom for the chat.

Joston Crow is a 26 year old 193cm swing man from Spring, Texas that is playing hiss econd season in the German Pro A for Crailsheim. Last season he played  30 games: 11.0ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 73.9%. Before turning professional, he played for : Sam Houston St. (NCAA,) and palyed 31 games: 12.7ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 42.3%, 3PT: 32.1%, FT: 70.0%. He spoke to German Hoops before the final game in Goettingen for the title.

 

 

Josten thanks for talking to German HoopsIt has been a whirlwind and exciting of a season for Crailsheim. If someone had told you last September that Crailsheim would be in the German Pro A final, what would have been your reaction?

 

Great speaking with you as well. My first reaction would be that it is truly a blessing and a huge turnaround. I feel like we have a really have a good mix off guys that love to see each other succeed within our team concept.

The German Pro A had been a very very tight league. What was the biggest strength of head coach Willie Young and the club that it was able to have a strong season and reach the final?

Coach Will is a former player and has had a lot of success himself, so he knew what it takes for a team to prosper in the long run. I believe that his ability to stay calm in pressure situations, allows us to do the same and focus at the task at hand.

What is your general reaction of the Pro A final format in that it is a two game series like in soccer and the team that has the better point difference wins

Its something that I’ve never experienced before, but not hard to adjust to. But Ideally, I believe winning both games is the ultimate goal.

Crailsheim won at home 93-91 and made a tough fourth quarter comeback for the win. What was key for grinding out the win at home against 2010 Eurochallenge winner BG Goettingen.

Well I honestly believe we have the best fans in the League. They always play a huge part in our home success. I also believe we are battle tested in close-game situations, and believe that we can overcome a lot as a team.

Do you ever lose track of words how important the worth has been of Carlos Medlock for Crailsheim? Where would the club be without his services this season?

First off, Carlos is a great friend of mine, and a great player as well. He has been vital to our team’s success. Only God knows, where we would be without him.

Your stats have been down from last season, but still you have been a very important player for Crailsheim. You are shooting over 40% from outside. How pleased have you been with your play and I am sure you will leave it all on the floor once again Sunday in Goettingen.

I think we have a very deep team this year, and team success is the most important thing to me. So I am very pleased with that at this point. Individually, you always want to improve and I feel like I will continue to do so. I am very anxious for Sunday’s game, as are my teammates.

How positive are you going into the last game Sunday in Goettingen? Crailsheim have a 2-1 season record against BG Goettingen. However BG Goettingen need to win by more than two points. Crailsheim forced BG Goettingen to 20 turnovers in the last game. I guess the main focus is to just win the game and Crailsheim will be Pro A champion. What else will be key in going home champion?

I am positive and thankful for the opportunity to compete in this game in Goettingen today. And I agree 100% Winning the game will be our focus. I also think that taking care of the ball and making free throws will be crucial to winning this game, as it usually is.

Have you been surprised by all the close NBA series in the first round?

I have been shocked by all the close series in the NBA playoffs. Im a native Houstonian, so to see the Rockets lose in the first round was disappointing but I believe they will bounce back next year.

Can the Dallas Mavericks win game seven in San Antonio? What is your prediction and why?

Sure, I believe Dallas CAN win, however, San Antonio’s championship experience and deep roster sways me in their direction. I pick SA. Home court in the deciding game is big, and Tony Parker remains to be one of the league’s most underrated PG’s in my opinion.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Soul Men with Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac.

Thanks Josten for the chat.