Anthony Young is a 24 year old 200cm forward from Indianapolis, Indiana that is playing his second professional season with ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen. He started his basketball career in 2008 for  Kankakee CC (JUCO) where he played until 2010. He finished his two last seasons of school at  Ky Wesleyan (NCAA2) an din his senior year played  31 games: 19.7ppg, 7.9rpg, FGP: 49.9%, 3Pts: 40.0%, FT: 84.6%. Last season as a professional rookie he played for BSV Wulfen (Germany-ProB, starting five): 22 games: Score-4(21.1ppg), 8.7rpg, 1.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 82.3%. He spoke to German Hoops after his huge 39 point effort in a Essen win in Giessen

Anthony congrats on the big 94-72 win in Giessen. Did your German teammates Fabian Franke or Marco Buljevic call you the new Logan Stutz after your amazing 39 point game? Stutz had some big games last season for Essen like you did in Giessen. Did the name Stutz come about in the ride home to Essen?

No I didn’t hear the name Stutz at all. I know who he is from previous conversations about last year’s team but as far as my game high compared to his no. We are two totally different players.

You had a monster game with 39 points. When was the last time that you scored 39 points and where do you rank this game alltime in your basketball career in terms of individual performance?

The last time I scored 30 plus was last season in my rookie year with Wulfen, I would have to rank this as my number one performance. I have been in a zone like this maybe 3 or 4 times in my life where I really just couldn’t miss. In summer tourney’s with other pro’s and a college game. But this is number one so far.

I remember ex NBA player Desmond Ferguson hit seven three pointers in a Frankfurt skyliner win in 2005 where he connected on seven three pointers in Giessen. Your shooting the three very well this season at 47%, but did you ever think that you were capable of making eight three pointers?

I honestly dont think about how many three’s I could make in a game, I guess it kind of just happens. I think it’s going in every time I shoot honestly, it’s a self confidence thing.

You hit your first three pointer at 4.42 of the first quarter. How were you feeling then? How sure were you that this could be a very good scoring day for you?

I have gotten off to good starts in the past in the first half’s of games and then cooled off some in the second half’s but I knew the night was going to be special in the third quarter. The feeling I had was unexplainable! I was in a zone, I wanted the ball so bad and my coach just let me isolate time after time again and it just kept dropping for me.

After a three game losing streak, this was a very big win. What really did you like from the Essen game? Obviously, your 39 points led the way to the win, but basketball is always a team win.

The biggest thing I liked was our team defense, we were really playing well on the defense end and rebounding extremely well. This was our best defense performance of the season!

The ETB Baskets rebounded very well winning the battle 37-27. How proud were you of Michael Fakuade who helped you out getting nine rebounds?

Mike always rebounds well for us, so honestly it was nothing new, we expect Mike to rebound well and block shots. That’s just what he does.

What has been your early impression of Diego Kaplen? He chipped in 14 points and had five assists. Is he the missing link to the team that could make a run in the second half of the season?

I like Diego and what he brings to our team, he gives us more of a scoring threat so that really helps me and Chris out on the offensive end. He is exactly what we were missing. Also he is a very good passer as well and can really see the floor.

You tore up the German Pro B last season and this season you are having a very respectable Pro A season having scored in double figures 17 times. Does a game like this give you an added spec of self confidence that you can make the next step?

This game gives me a bigger boost of confidence for sure, I would be lying if I said it didn’t, Im already looking forward to the next game just so I can get back out there. It’s a really good feeling.

After a game like this, could you think about a change in your role on the team or will you keep doing your thing helping with scoring and rebounding?

No, my role won’t change, that’s why I like playing for Igor so much because he know’s that I am, capable of having games like I did against Giessen. But I just haven’t played up to my standards for the majority of the season scoring wise. Individually these are all career lows for me. But Igor want’s me being aggressive and gives me the green light to go, it’s just on me weather i’m making shots or not.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The last DVD movie I saw was Insidious chapter 2, which is a horror movie. Horror and comedy are my favorite films to watch in my spare time.

Thanks Anthony for the chat.

David Pruett is a 24 year old 190 cm guard from Gainsville, Georgia that is on  atry out basis with German Beko BBL team SC Rasta Vechta. He started his basketball career in 2008 with Armstrong Atlantic (NCAA2) where he palyed until 2010. He played the last three seasons for  Lander (NCAA2) and as a senior played  26 games: 16.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 38.4%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT: 83.5%. Awards/Achievements in his basketball career have been PeachBelt Tournament Semifinals -09, and PeachBelt All-Academic Team -12. He spoke to German Hoops about his new basketball adventure in Germany

 

David thanks for talking to eurobasket.com again. Congrats on the 73-58 win against Leipzig. Was the win as easy as the score indicates?

The deciding factor in the win over Leipzig was the big run we had in the third quarter. However, Leipzig was short handed so we took advantage of that with our size advantage.

You had five points, couldn´t find your range from outside going 0/4, but you hustled down six rebounds including three offensive rebounds. How much pride do you take in rebounding?

Yea it was a tough shooting night, on nights were the shot isn’t falling I look for other areas where I can help the team, weather it be defense, leadership or rebounding. I take pride in every aspect of the game as long as it helps us win.

You have played five games and the team has given up only an average of 58 points in the last two games. What improvements and adjustments has the team done in the last two games on the defensive side?

Well, Coach has really done a good job focusing on team defense during training. The team is buying in and taking pride on the defensive end. Defense is all about understanding position and when to help. Everything else is just heart and effort. I believe the team is putting more effort and heart on the defensive end. Its a lot of fun when we do that.

How much fun is it playing with Martins Woods and Jermel Kennedy? What things do you appreciate the most from their games?

It is fun playing with them because they are complete opposite. Martinis does a great job getting position deep in the post early and making it easy for him to score. While Jermel scores in a variety of ways. He uses his athletic ability and his basketball IQ very well.

Sebastian Barth like yourself is a very good shooter. Barth has been with TV Langen with the exception with a short stay in Nurnberg his whole career. Is he one of those players where you instantly listen to his words of wisdom during games and in practice?

Sebastian is a great leader on the team. He has helped my transition to the team. Sebastian’s has the ability to make others around him better, many people don’t see that right away. Its a hidden talent of his that helps the team play at a high level. He is a team first guy and plays with a lot of heart. I enjoy going to battle with him.

You had a short stay with Beko BBL team SC Rasta Vechta before coming to Langen. What during this short stay helped you the most on the court that you have been able to use on the court?

The Rasta Vechta stay was wonderful. It gave me an idea of where I needed to improve physically and with my skills. Coach Elzie is a great coach who I would love to have another chance to play for. He helped me understand what I needed to work at on the basketball court. I have been keeping up with Rasta the whole season and wish them well.

Currently you are only averaging 16,4 minutes per game. Are you content with your role and minutes and do you see them being increased in the last months?

With the ProB rules of only allowing two imports on the court at once, I knew coming in that I wasn’t going to get many minutes right away. Plus I joined TV Langen mid season when they already had a solidified lineup with Woody and Jermel in the post. I know my role on the team. To help the team with some scoring off the bench, increase the defensive pressure off the bench and compete every minute I’m on the court. Coming off the bench is a role I have never played. This is great experience as I believe it will just help me improve.

What has been the easiest adjustment on and off the court as well the most difficult adjustment in Germany for you?

Easiest has been on the defensive end. The most difficult has been on the offensive end on when and where to take the right shot or make the right pass. I improve every game on that part of the court. It just comes with experience.

With only a few months left in the season, what are your main goals to achieve with TV Langen on the court?

We are playing every game as if it was our last. We are fighting to get a good position in the playoffs. Once we get to the playoffs anything can happen.

Who wins a one on one in practice you or German Filmore Beck?

Whoever has the ball last wins. Every time we play its back and forth. He is an awesome talent on the court. He is working hard on improving his overall game.

If someone had told you before Super bowl 48 that Seattle would cream Denver the way they did would you have believed them?

I wouldn’t! I honestly thought Denver was going to win. But in my heart I was pulling for the Seahawks as I am a big fan of their head coach Pete Carroll. He has a coaching method that hopefully one day I will be able to bring to the basketball court.

Were you surprised how badly Denver lost and how much of a dent does this loss put on the Peyton Manning vita in terms of being a choker in big games?

I am surprised. Just as everyone else is! This definitely puts a dent on Manning’s legacy. Its not an argument anymore. Tom Brady is better than Peyton Manning.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Escape Plan.

 

Thanks David for the chat.

 

Blake Poole is a 25 year old 195cm center that is playing his first season with RheinLand Versicherungen Hertener Lions (Germany-ProB). He started his basketball career in 2007 with St.Martin’s (NCAA2) where he played until 2011. In his senior year he played 29 games: 19.3ppg, 11.6rpg, 2.8apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 54.7%, 3Pts: 28.9%, FT: 73.5%. In 2011, he started his professional basketball career with Bellingham Slam (IBL) left during the season: 17 games: 12.5ppg, 10.9rpg, 1.8apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 49.3% and then played for BG Dorsten (Germany-ProB) playing  26 games: 14.9ppg, Reb-1(12.9rpg), 2.8apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 58.3%, 3PT: 24.0%, FT: 70.1%. Last season he played for  Bellingham Slam (IBL): 20 games: 18.7ppg, 13.2rpg, 4.1apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 52.7%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 80.4%
and for BG Topstar Leitershofen/Stadtbergen (Germany-ProB), injured in pre-seaon, in Oct.’12 moved to BG Dorsten (Germany-ProB): 10 games: 14.7ppg, 14.1rpg, 2.4apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.4%. He spoke to German Hoops before the next game against Hannover.

 

Herten suffered a tough 99-86 loss last weekend to Wolfenbuettel. This was a game that Wolfenbuettel controlled despite having only a six man rotation. How much did this loss hurt and take to digest?

 It was a tough loss for us as a whole, but they played well and had players step up. We knew we made mistakes and look to correct them.

Herten were led by their three Americans while Wolfenbuettel had four players in double figures including two Germans and a Canadian. What were the main reasons for the loss.

 I think the main reason for the lost was going out of the structure. When we played to our strengths we made good runs in the game, but once we deviated from the structure we were unsuccessful.

Herten has averaged giving up 98 points in the current two game losing streak. Has the team been losing track of their defensive principles?

 I don’t think we have lost track of the principles. I think we need to just take more pride on defense and be a lot more consistent.

Despite the loss you had a monster game with 32 points and 16 rebounds. Is there any way you can enjoy a performance like that even after losing the game?

It’s really not something to be that happy about if you don’t get the win. I would rather score zero points, grab zero rebounds and get the win any day.

You are currently averaging 20,3ppg and 12,5rpg this season for Herten. You are nearly averaging 3,0apg and 2,0spg. Is there any point in your game that isn´t appealing to you at the moment?

 Right now I just want to work on being a better defensive player and staying active the whole game. I like the direction my game is heading, but I definitely have room to grow.

Currently Herten has a record of 7-10 and in ninth place. What does the team have to do now to turn the season around and start a new winning streak?

We have to come together and play to our strengths, stay positive and play team defense.

The next game is against Hannover. What memories do you have form the 89-78 loss on the road?

 I remember that they are a physical and talented team.

In the loss to Hannover they had six guys in double figures and easily won the rebounding. How important will be support on the boards for you against Hannover?

Very important as much as I like rebounds, I cannot grab them all. I will always need the support of my teammates.

How proud are you of the Seahawks and did you do your own victory dance after the Seattle Sea Hawks Superbowl win or did you celebrate quietly in Herten?

 Oh yea I loved watching the Seahawks win the championship in the fashion that they did. I definitely was jumping up for the many good plays for the Hawks, just like the rest of the 12th man.

What for you was the big Superbowl story of 2014?

It just supported the quote. “Offense wins games, defense wins championships.”

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The last DVD I saw was Next Friday.

Thanks Blake for the chat.

 

Michael Fakuade is a 24 year old 201cm forward from Chicago, Illinois that also has the NIgerian citizenship and is playing his second professional basketball season with the ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen. He just completed his rookie season for UBC Hannover playing 15 games: 15.2ppg, Reb-5(10.6rpg), 1.1apg, 1.3spg, Blocks-1(2.8bpg), FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 67.6%. he started his basketball career in 2007 for  N.Illinois (NCAA) where he played until 2010 playing 54 NCAA games. He then changed to play for  Ill.-Springfield (NCAA2). He played a total of 45 NCAA 2 games and as a senior played  24 games: 14.5ppg, RebNCAA2-6(11.0rpg), BlocksNCAA2-2(3.5bpg), FGP: 55.9%, 3PT: 3-6, FT: 56.7%. He spoke to German Hoops before the next game against Giessen.

 

 

A tough 83-73 loss last weekend to NBC. NBC controlled the game and Essen couldn´t turn it around in the second half. What was key for getting the win?

 

We did not take care of the ball .We gave them too many easy buckets in transition.

33year old Bingo Merriex had a solid game with 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. What was your impression of the forward who still seems to have game in his legs?

I thought he was very solid; he did exactly what they needed him to do. He did not force the action and made plays when he needed to.

Last week Diego Kapelan was signed and he responded with 25 points. Is he the player that could turn the season around and what do you like most about his game?

Diego brings another scoring punch to our backcourt, as well as another ball hander. I think he can really help us turnaround the season around.

Essen is riding a three game losing streak and has a less than satisfactory 7-10 record. How much has consistency been a big problem this season for the team especially in crunch time?

I think that we are still trying to figure out how to close out games. We are in every game, but we can’t seem to get over that hump.

You are currently averaging 9,3ppg and 7,7rpg. Your rebounding work is very solid, but your scoring is down. Is a goal besides winning to demand more shots on the court?

Of course my main focus is to win Games. But I do think I need to focus on being more aggressive on the offensive end.

The next game is against the Giessen 46ers. What memories do you have from the 74-67 loss earlier in the season?

To be honest that game was so long ago I really do not remember it too much. I just know that we need to come out hungry and play as hard as we can to get the win.

In that loss, Brit Myles Hesson scored 18 points, but is injured now. What kind of game can we await and what will be key to getting revenge this time?

It will be a very hard fought game. I think the key to this game is to take care of the ball and not give them easy buckets. If we do that we should be fine.

Were you surprised how Seattle totally blew away the Denver Broncos and what was your Superbowl moment of 2014?

I was a little surprised, but Seattle had the number one defense. Defense really does win Championships. I have yet to experience a Super Bowl moment.

 

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Ride Along.

 

Thanks Michael fort he chat.

 

 

How often does a grown man get his long awaited Sunday morning rest sleep or an intense Sunday afternoon football game with a nice plump burger and fries interrupted by an annoying, high squealing voice of a female in freak turmoil that would put the shouting of a pubescent girl in pig tails and braces in the first row at a Justin Bieber concert in shame when they see a little harmless spider crawling up a wall or moving in despair in a bath tub trying to escape? This fear of the eight leg creature doesn´t just pop up sometime before puberty, but studies have shown that female babies already associate creepy crawlers with being afraid before their first birthdays unlike boys who appear unfazed by the creatures, while other studies have already displayed that women are four times more likely to have a phobia for spiders than men. Men on the other hand are also afraid of things, but of more conventional means like talking to your boss, speaking in public, meeting women, dancing or dying. So for a man to be afraid of a spider its big news, even if the male recipient is German big talented basketball player Danilo Barthel that is making massive basketball headlines this season in a rising, but still rather secondary sport in Germany. Recently the 207cm forward that is slowly making dunking a normal daily occurrence for him as it is for Kevin Love to get an NBA double double found a spider in his mail box, but it soon was revealed that it was a fake rubber spider and the secret of his dislike for the quick runners was slowly lifted. Who the prankster was that placed the spider in the mail box of Barthel was never revealed, but I would have bet a fat money ball or my Dominique Wilkins autograph on prankster Jacob Burtschi or the silent and innocent looking Johannes Voigtmann. One thing that Barthel is not is scared to present is his sharp and improving basketball skills on the court as he continues to develop since coming to Frankfurt in 2011. Barthel may be the first guy that will be half way up a tree by the sight of a spider before a kid has had three licks on a chocolate ice cream cone, but if Beko BBL teams came upon the idea to place a spider on a rim to keep Barthel away, they better think twice, because despite his fear of the little creature, the rim is the best friend of the German on the court. That is probably the only place where Barthel will forget how disgusting a spider really is ,because put a big black spider on the basketball rim and Danilo Barthel will dunk it into sweet misery. Small bored kids who have a ban on playing their beloved X-box or an embargo on internet might go outside and decide to play doctor and experiment with spiders terrorizing them until they can no longer move. So what better way than to put the hairy creature out of its misery by placing them on the rim that Barthel will attack that day so he can put them out of their misery quickly with another thunderous two handed dunk instead of letting kids dissect it and let it have a slow and painful death.

Since coming to the Fraport Skyliners in the 2011-2012 season nothing seems to have changed with the demeanor of Danilo Barthel as he is still the calm quiet big man from Heidelberg that at times can glide past you in a hall way as if he was trying to avoid his university professor from getting the result of the last paper, but his appearance in no way is any disrespect, but just how he is. He may still come over as reserved as a person, but his game is anything but restrained, but he has become a real force on the court and among young Germans one of the best candidates of making the big breakthrough in the next two years as according to current top Beko BBL rebounder Larry Gordon from Phoenix Hagen. As a rookie in the 2011-2012 season, he had to play for Muli Katzurin who wasn´t known for giving young Germans a chance as he had coached Alba Berlin to the 2011 Beko BBL final without ever really letting German national players Lucca Staiger get heated up or letting Andreas Seiferth take off his warm up jersey. However on a cool rainy autumn day in Tubingen in October 2011, Katzurin put Barthel into cold water as the club was hampered with injuries and attitude problems as his eight points were less remembered than ex NBA player Jermario Davidson sitting at the end of the bench playing with his mobile phone. “I was very surprised. I played little minutes in the preseason and then to come in and score so well was like a dream for me”, stressed Danilo Barthel. In his first year the Heidelberg native played 13 Beko BBL games and averaged a very respectable 8,33 minutes per game averaging 2,8ppg and 1,1rpg. It wasn´t simple getting ample playing time that season as four man Jermario Davidson was the work horse of the team and one of the main factors why the team almost made the playoffs. As a rookie, he got valuable experience in Eurocup play playing four games and continued to be able to work on his game in the German Pro B playing 16 games averaging 13.1ppg, 7.2rpg, 2.7apg, Blocks-4(1.6bpg), FGP: 57.4%, 3PT: 22.7%, FT: 71.4%. Having current NBA player Jon Leuer as a teammate for three months helped his game mature as well at the start. “Playing against such a strong offensive player like Jon Leuer that is so versatile really helped my game. My 1-1 defense was helped with his play. I also remembered some of his spin moves to incorporate into my game”, stressed Danilo Barthel.

In his second season with the Fraport Skyliners, management made it clear early with the arrival of further German wunder kids Konstantin Klein and Johannes Voigtmann that they would go a totally new route by taking advantage of the 6-6 rule and giving young Germans playing time. The concept of signing talented Americans and reaching the playoffs was first put on hold as rebuilding and looking to the future was first on the agenda. Back in the day when the team was called Opel Skyliners, they also went this route and principally only had two talented Americans with Tyrone Ellis and Chris Williams and were able to win the German Beko BBL title in 2004 after a three year plan of bringing along Germans. If the team will be able to challenge for the Beko BBl title in 2015 after three years is highly doubtful since the competition has improved and risen in the last ten years, but why not in four to five years? Last season, Muli Katzurin noticed the talent level of the Germans and gave them minutes. The role of Barthel increased from his rookie season as he played 30 games and averaged 17,3 minutes per game. Just like in his rookie season he had a another work horse in front of him with Zach Peacock, but what better way than to learn from him the way he did from Davidson. Last season Barthel averaged 4.3ppg, 2.9rpg. He scored in double figurers four times with 15 points against Bayreuth being his best points effort. It was last season that he found a new relationship to the rim besides just hitting shots, but getting a better feel for what they feel like and how soothing a dunk is when one rams the ball through the netting with authority. His dunking breakthrough came in the first month in a home game against the Telekom Baskets Bonn where he flew through the air making a fierce penetrating two handed dunk over Patrick Ewing junior and Johannes Wolfarth-Bottermann feeling the breeze of the German. That dunk seemed like that special basketball release for him. From then on dunking has become a big part of his basketball repertoire. If you were to have told NBA legend Larry Bird that he could jump, one would have been lying, because he grabbed rebounds more through effort than athletic ability and that white men can´t jump is more of a cliché, because Danilo Barthel could star in his own movie called White men can jump. He continued to play in the Pro B last season as well playing 12 games and averaging 12.7ppg, 5.6rpg, 2.3apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 67.7%, 3PT: 30.6%, FT: 75.6%. He ended the season with massive back problems, but worked hard over the summer and came into this season fit.

Barthel who´s favorite player is Dwight Howard and likes to mold his game around 63 point man Carmelo Anthony of the Knicks is playing his third season with the Fraport Skyliners and currently is the second leading scorer of the team behind ex NBA player Andrew Rautins. This season, ex Toronto Raptors assistant coach Gordon Herbert has given the big German three of Voigtmann, Klein and Barthel more responsibility and are in the starting lineup each weekend. Barthel is averaging 29 minutes per game, Klein 25 minutes per game and Voigtmann 22 minutes. If one had predicted this last season that this could happen, many might not have thought it happening so quickly, but a lot of the credit goes to the Skyliner coaches of Gordon Herbert, Klaus Perwass and Eric Detlef who put in countless hours of teaching the kids how to get better. A big reason for his breakthrough season is the immense confidence that Gordon Herbert has given the German. Currently he is averaging 11,9ppg, 5,2rpg and 1,6apg. Barthel who seems to continue to not have reached his fullest athletic or skill potential is a player that shows that that unending killer instinct to want to get to the bucket whenever possible and just finish off the play with a monster dunk. However a criticism in his game this season at times has been his hesitation of taking the three ball. Currently the Heidelberg native is shooting 31,6% from the parking lot at 12/38 in 18 games. From a span from December first until January fifth, the German was 0/10 in six games including two games where he didn´t even attempt a three pointer. However in the last two games, he has taken on more responsibility from downtown and with the absence of injured Andrew Rautins and Oklahoma native Jacob Burtschi, Barthel has had to take more of the bulk of the three pointer as he is 5/9 in the last two games making three against Alba Berlin and two in Artland. His passing gets underestimated, but there isn´t a better passing combination of four and five men in the Beko BBL with Johannes Voigtmann and Barthel as he has improved his passing with the daily practice with the German center. He has been working on his one on one defense which has improved from last season as blocks are becoming more of a standard in each game for him. His mobility is a strong suit which will help him more and more with experience on the defensive end.  He has registered five blocks in the last four games and is getting less fouls as his timing and IQ on one on one defense continues to improve. Consistency also has been a negative point in his game, but he has still scored in double figures 12 times this season and there are Americans in this league who have played more than double as many years as Barthel and aren´t as consistent. Experience and playing minutes will always help Barthel and one has to remember he is only in his third professional season. His ex coach Thorsten Daume at USC Heidelberg always preached to give all he has in every minute on the floor and that is what Barthel has done. Recently he made his debut at the 2014 beko BBL allstar game in Bonn as only the second German Skyliner  ever after legend Pascal Roller and held his own scoring eight points and showing his usual aggressive play and blocked ex Euroleague player David Logan. 1993 German European champion Henning Harnisch who heads basketball academy and won just about everything with Leverkusen in the 90s and was general manager of Alba Berlin had nothing but praise for Barthel after examining his play in Bonn at the Beko BBL allstar game. Barthel surely would have been invited by German national coach Frank Menz last summer to training camp, but his back problems  put a dent in getting this invitation. For Barthel not to be invited this summer to show his basketball skills with the best other German players is about as unlikely as Boris Schmidt finding new friends in Bayreuth. There is massive competition at the four position for Barthel, but just another reason to see just how far he is when he mixes it up with guys like Elias Harris, Robin Benzing and Maxi Kleber at the four position. But until then Barthel will continue to be standing in the starting lineup each week for the Fraport Skyliners giving his best to win, filling up the stat sheet and giving fans a never ending new basketball moment with a pulsating dunk. In his free time, the 22 year old does what many others like to do like relax with play station, watch a movie like Harry Potter which he did as a rookie with ex teammate Falko Thelig or reading a book from David Hunter. The German also is an enthusiastic cook who won´t shy away and cook for his teammates. As long as no teammate has the food wish of fried spider which is a delicacy in Cambodia, then there will be no fear of Barthel hanging up the apron and dragging the team to Mcdonalds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CJ Harris is a 22 year old 191cm guard from Winston-Salem, North Carolina that is a Beko BBL rookie playing for the Neckar Riesen Ludwigsburg. He played at Wake Forest from 2009-2013 playing a total of 124 NCAA games. AS a senior he played 31 games: 15.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 43.1%, FT: 84.7%. He won the three point shooting contest at the 2014 Beko BBL allstar game and spoke to German Hoops after winning the title in Bonn.

 

How has it all sunk in moments after winning the 2014 three point shooting contest at the Beko BBL allstar game?

 

This was my first title ever in a competition like this. I feel good and had a great time cheering on the guys. I had Per Guenther going into the competition as the favorite. I knew that he was a good shooter and I had seen Edgar Sosa hit seven three pointers in Eurocup play.

 

You weren´t really classified as a pure shooter when you were coming up the ranks, but was there a pure shooter that you liked?

 

I really liked Reggie Miller as a kid. When I was a kid, I was skinny and had big ears and everyone said that I looked like Reggie Miller. I also liked Ray Allen who was one of the best shooters ever. I also don´t want to forget Justin Gray who was one of the best shooters I ever saw at Wake Forest.

 

You were the last guy to shoot and had to beat the 19 by Guenther and Sosa. Did you feel pressure as you stepped into the corner to start shooting?

 

I am a rookie and felt that I wasn´t on the radar while Guenther was more known. I loved the fact that I was last so I knew what I had to reach. I knew that I could do better than 19.

 

Did that money ball feel good as you released it for the win?

 

The money ball always feels different than the normal ball, but that is more in mind than anything else. Having to hit with the money ball put added pressure, but I felt good all day and the release felt good as well.

 

How did you enjoy the 2014 Beko BBL event?

 

The atmosphere was amazing, the fans were great and their support makes the event so special. The whole event was run very well.

 

What guys were you looking forward to see play in the 2014 Beko BBL Allstar game?

 

I obviously had to root for team international and I wanted to see Isaiah Swann and David Logan the most.

 

The Neckar Riesen Ludwigsburg are in ninth place. How happy have you been with the first half of the season?

 

We had many close games that could have gone either way. We have to work on finishing games better, rebounding and defending.

 

What has been the most important thing that you have learned from head coach John Patrick in the first four months?

 

I have learned that you have to play tough either night wheather your playing the best or worst team in the league. Every team will come at you and you have to be ready. He takes no game for granted and he preaches good preparation for each game.

 

Who has been the unsung hero of the Neckar Riesen Ludwigsburg in the first half of the season?

 

Our heart and soul Keaton Grant has been our unsung hero. When he is on a roll than the whole team goes with him.

 

What is a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t get noticed right away?

 

Everyone knows that I can shoot, but I have more athletic ability than what I get credit for.

 

Who was the best player that you ever played against in your life?

 

That would be Chris Paul. He comes from my state North Carolina and back in high school I played for his CP3 team. I know him since I am 16 years old. Whenever he is back home, he returns back to Wake Forest and plays pick up. He has two faces on and off the court. Off the court he is the nicest player, but on the court he just wants to win. Chris Paul taught me that you can´t be a nice guy on the court.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

 

The Hobbit.

 

Thanks CJ for the chat.

Jermel Kennedy  is a 24 year old 201cm forward from Toronto Canada that is playing his first season in the German Pro B with TV Langen. He started his basketball career in 2008 with  Iowa Central Community College (NJCAA) playing 26 games: 4.3ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP:47.3%, FT: 57.1%. In 2009-2010, he played for Volunteer State Community College (NJCAA) playing  27 games: 11.7ppg, 8.2rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 26.0%, FT: 83.0%. He finished his college basketball career at Lander in 2012 playing two seasons there and as a senior played  27 games: 11.0ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.2spg, FGP: 66.1%, FT: 70.5%. Last summer he was drafted by Moncton Miracles (NBL Canada,1rd(6). He spoke to German Hoops after the 73-58 win against Leipzig

 

 

Congrats on the 73-58 win against Leipzig. TV Langen are riding a two game winning streak. Life feels very good for you guys. What has been the turn around for the team in the last two weeks?

On the defensive end we been bonding much better as a team and continuosly communicating which has been working

It was a tale of two halves as there was offense in the first half and more defense in the second half. Is this something that one could have predicted at halftime that there would be les scoring in the second half?

Well coach Thomas continuously emphasizes defense so I guess we picked it up more in the second half and coach utilized the fresh legs on the bench to combatant there limited rotation

TV Langen had the comfortable 46-36 lead at halftime. You held Leipzig to six points in the third quarter. What adjustments defensively did TV Langen make in the third quarter?

We simply kept our original game plan and it consistently worked. They lost most of their momentum in the third and we benefited from it

TV Langen was up 65-42 after the third quarter. Thanks to the big lead, TV Langen weren´t punished for scoring only eight points in the fourth quarter. Was the team mentally tired in the last quarter?

Not necessarily we decided to be more patient and value more our possessions and most of our offensive threats weren’t on the court at this time

Martins Woody had a monster game with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Would TV Langen have won the game without his services?

Woody got it going early in the game and we definitely needed his offensive prowess around the rim it was very effective

You had more a quiet game with six points and three rebounds and you only took three shots. Was what the defense was giving you something that didn´t get you into a healthy rhythm?

Well Woody was playing extremely well and the team was focusing on finding more shots for him so that’s what we concentrated on. Also they played a zone a good part of the game and I couldn’t find much offensive opportunities there during the time I was on the floor

TV Langen gave up 58 points the last two weekends. You held Leipzig to 36% from the field and 20% from outside. Was this a better defensive performance than last weekend and what has improved on the defensive end the last weeks?

We have been playing well defensively lately and we will just continue to do that. I wouldn’t measure it with our last win but I’m sure we came in with the same mentality

Did Sebastian Barth treat the team after the win since it was his birthday or will he make amends on another day?

He will make his amends tomorrow Super Bowl Sunday he knows he has too

 

Thanks Jermel for the chat.