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 before the game against the Fraport Skyliners juniors.

Jermel thanks for talking to German Hoops. You are a rookie playing for TV Langen in the German Pro P. You are having almost double double stats but what has been the biggest challenge playing at this level so far?

The biggest challenge I’ve had this far is adjusting to the college lifestyle into the pro lifestyle its different in many aspects everything professional and you have to be more responsible and independent.

TV Langen are currently in 10^th place at 4-7 and have  a three game losing streak. Why has the team started off this slow?

We have started off slow simply because some of my teammates havent been healthy so practice and games have been up and down.

On what things does the team need to work on?

We need to get better as a team and better on defense

How much fun is it playing with Martinis Woody? You guys are the twin double double machine. How do you guys compliment each other best?

Its interesting playing with him and  he sees the floor well also his size compliments my speed and athleticism

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

I believe a strength that is hardly noticed is my Ability to involve myself in every defensive play no matter what side of the court I’m on if its me digging for a steal on a guy attacking or if its just contesting a shot that may seen pointless to others.

You played with the little brother of Kris Douse. He told me you can really jump and they call you air Canada at home. How does it feel to be called that? Vince Carter the original has the Air Canada nickname.

Yea I played against and with Kiefer Douse a couple times at the Rec really good and smart player good up and coming athlete. My athletic ability has been my strong suit I wouldnt put myself in the same sentence as Vince Carter tho its just a name that describes me since I’m Canadian and I play above the rim

The next game is against the Fraport Skyliners juniors whom you lost to earlier in the season 85-66. What memories do you have from that game?

Losing by so much to the Skyliners was really a let Down since their such a young team I remember them being very aggressive and physical and us not running our sets through to the end which led us to taking bad shots and led them to fast break situations

It seemed like Frankfurt did a good job containing you and Woody. What will TV Langen have to do better this game to win?

Woody and I werent aggressive enough I think we will be much more tommorow since we lost by such a large deficit the first time

Many years ago Filmore Beck was seen as the next big player to play for the Beko BBL team Fraport Skyliners, but he never panned out there. What has been your impression of him and can he get back up to a higher level?

Ive always been impressed with filmore’s skills and abilities I think hes one of the best 2 guard in the league. Some of our sets are just not designed for him to get the shots he needs so its a learning process for me and the team to find the spots that are comfortable for him

Martins Woods and you are exactly 201cm. Who wins a one on one game and how do you beat him best?

Well Woody is pretty strong and physical guy we never got to play one and one before but I’m sure it would be a good and competitive battle

What was your nicest memory of David Pruett at Lander? He scored 34 points in his last game against Francis Marion. It seemed like his athletic ability was overshadowed?

It was approximately 4 sec left on the clock in the first round of the conference tournament my senior year of university and the gym is roaring and were down 3 coach Burkhamer draws up some new play in a timeout to get David a shot off a flare screen I honestly thought they would switch every screen but they didn’t they let David catch it and he makes the biggest 3 ball to send us into overtime it was a surreal moment it was so loud in there. His athleticism progress is like night and day when I played with him he would dunk periodically now its extremely easy for him its actually amazing

Where will the journey of the Toronto Raptors end this season?

They just traded Rudy Gay. I hope it turns out positive for them it seems as if there trying to get Andrew Wiggins from Kansas that would be great for the city

Thanks Jermel for the chat.

Brian Harper is a 28 year old 206cm forward that is playing his first season for the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. Last season he played for  TBB Trier (Germany-BBL, starting five): 33 games: 11.0ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 60.3%. He started off playing guard at 6’5″ at Paine and grew to 6’10” and never changing positions. Brian’s a smooth shooting wing with explosive athleticism. He has tremendous lateral movement with a wing span of 7’4″. Brian is a talented ball handler. He adds an extra advantage as he utilizes his size to rebound over smaller defenders. He played at Paine(NCAA2) from 2003-2007. He turned professional in 2007 and played for Gimle BBK Bergen (Norway-1Div., starting five): 15 games: Score-3(25.1ppg), 8.3rpg, 1.7apg, 1.2spg, 2.0bpg, 2FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 21.5%, FT: 66.3%. In 2008-2009, he played for KCC Egis (Korea-KBL, starting five): Korean League: 9 games: 15.1ppg, 5.6rpg, FGP: 55.0%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 76.7%; released in Nov.’08, in Feb.’09 moved to Sioux Falls Skyforce (D-League): 8 games: 3.5ppg, 1.6rpg; in March ’09 signed at Reno Bighorns (D-League): 5 games: 1.2ppg. In the last three years, he played in Japan for  Toyama Grouses (Japan-BJ League) playing a total of 102 games. Last season, he played 49 games: 16.3ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 28.7%, FT: 61.3%. He spoke to German Hoops before the game against the Artland Dragons.

Brian thanks for talking to German Hoops again. How good is life at the moment? Its Christmas time and Bremerhaven have won four of their last five games?

No problem at all Miles. Christmas is always a great time of year, and it’s even better with a few wins under our belt. We’re just looking to continue getting better and to keep things moving in the right direction.

Congrats on the 99-83 win in Tuebingen. Tuebingen is in a real slump at the moment. Do you as a basketball player feel for a team like that just a bit when you went through something like they did at the start of the season?

It’s a long season and throughout the season teams have ups and downs. Tuebingen is a talented team I’m sure they will be fine.

The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven experienced something bizarre after the game where the team jerseys were stolen. How did you experience this and were you shocked this could actually happen?

Yeah it was definitely something I have never experienced before but things happen.

What on the court has sparked this turnaround with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven and was there a guy that stepped it up a bit more vocally in the lockerroom? What has improved on the court in the last weeks?

I feel like the whole team has stepped it up. We have a good group of guys that all want to do everything they can to help the team be successful. I’m not sure there was one thing that sparked a turnaround but just us having time to gel and get a rhythm going.

So many people are talking about players like a Jared Jordan or David Logan, but hardly anyone besides maybe in Bremerhaven is mentioning Darius Adams. How important has he been for the success after getting some criticism to start the season?

Darius Adams has played a instrumental part in our success over the past month! His ability to score the ball and come up with big plays for us when we need them has been huge. If people are not talking about him then they need to be. He has been playing extremely well !

After a slow start, it also seems like American Anthony Smith is finding his game. What has changed in his game that has made him more effective on the court?

Anthany Smith has definitely been a great addition to the team since he’s got here. He has had a chance to get comfortable and catch his rhythm and he has been big for us over the last few weeks.

Adas Juskevicius is also playing a lot better. Many guys have been turning it up. Head coach Calvin Oldham was criticized harshly at the start, but how vital has he been for getting this turnaround?

Adas Juskevicius has been playing really well also and has played multiple positions for us over the last few weeks which has been big for us and our recent success. Coach Calvin Oldham has continued to stay positive and work hard through the entire season and his leadership and example has been huge.

The next game is against the Artland Dragons that are 8-4 and this will be another test for Bremerhaven. What kind of game can we await?

Like you said Artland is 8-4 and has had a great start to the season. We expect to be in a dog fight this weekend. Artland is a team full of talented players, and they play real well together. So it’s going to take us coming out ready to play, and executing our game plan.

A very interesting duel for you could be against American Lawrence Hill. He played with the Lopez brothers at Stanford and you have a few inches on him. Can you scout a bit better from the bench than if your in the game on your man?

I think that whenever you get a chance to watch a player from the sideline before seeing them on the court it’s an advantage. It’s always hard to gage things like speed, quickness, strength, ect. from watching film.

What do you like most about the Christmas season in Germany?

The Christmas Markets are my favorite thing about Christmas in Germany. Wish we had them in the States!

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The Call.

Thanks Brian for the chat.

Marcus Hatten is a 32 year old 186cm point guard that is playing his 11 th professional and first in Germany. He started his basketball career in 1999 with  Tallahassee (Fla.) JC. H eplayed at St Johns from 2001-003 winning the NIT title in his senior year. As a rookie in 2003, he was in training camp with the Los Angeles Clippers and then played in Poland and Spain. In 2004-2005 he started the season with the  Denver Nuggets (NBA): released at the end of Oct.’04, in Dec.’04 was tested by Ramat Hasharon (Israel-Premier L., starting five) and signed for the rest of season: 19 games: Score-4(20.3ppg), 5.9rpg, 2.7apg, Steals-2(2.6spg), 2FGP: 53.9%, 3FGP: 26.5%. In 2005-2006 he played for  Hapoel Tel-Aviv (Israel-Premier) Israeli League: 30 games: Score-1(23.0ppg), 5.5rpg, 2.9apg, 2.2spg, 2FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 28.7%, FT: 76.3%; FIBA Europe Cup: 6 games: Score-1(22.7ppg), 4.3rpg, 3.3apg, 1.7spg, 1.0bpg, 2FGP: 51.6%, 3FGP: 18.2%, FT: 69.8%. In 2006-2007 he played for  Panellinios Athens (Greece-A1), in Oct.’06 moved to Elitzur Ashkelon (Israel-Premier League) playing  26 games: Score-3(20.0), 5.0rpg, 4.5apg, Steals-1(2.7), 2FGP: 55.0%, 3PT: 28.2%, FT: 76.6%. In 2007-2008 he played for Legea Scafati Basket (Italy-SerieA) playing  32 games: 15.9ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.7apg, 2.7spg, 2FGP:52.8%, 3PT:29.7%, FT:68.4%. in 2008-2009: New Basket Brindisi (Italy-Lega2) he played  30 games: Score-4(20.6ppg), 5.2rpg, 2.1apg, 3.2spg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 77.2%. In 2009-2010: UCC Casalpusterlengo (Italy-Lega2) he played  30 games: 14.9ppg, 6.2rpg, Assists-1(4.8apg), Steals-3(3.5spg), FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 28.4%, FT: 65.8%. In 2010-2011 he played for Dexia Mons-Hainaut (Belgium-D)  EuroChallenge: 14 games: 10.4ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.4apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 44.3%, 3PT: 28.0%, FT: 73.4%; Belgian League: 38 games: 10.6ppg, 4.7rpg, Assists-2(3.6apg), Steals-2(2.3spg), FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 67.9%. He played for  VAP Kolossos Rodou (Greece-A1) the last two seasons. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Marcus thanks for talking to German Hoops. How did you celebrate your first Thanksgiving in Germany. Did you hang out with the players and have a nice Turkey feast?

I had fun with the team we had ah gathering with fans and sponsors so I enjoyed it.

You are playing your first season in Germany for MBC and in your 9th country. What is your first impression of Germany as a country and the basketball league Beko BBL?

It’s very competitive and up and down style it’s similar to the states way of playing.

Has it been a huge culture shock coming from a bigger sized city Baltimore to a very small town of Weissenfels?

No not really I can adapt to any environment but I like the European lifestyle so I’m always looking forward to experiencing the life culture of Germany .

You were signed very late into the season which has been untypical for you in your career. Do you feel for guys like Michael King who is home in Baltimore looking for a team? How difficult was it waiting and waiting trying to find a team?

Yea this was the 1st I waited to sign but it wasn’t a difficult process I was just waiting for a situation that was good for me, but had no idea about the situation here in MBC until I signed

How important and a factor was that your ex teammate Michael Cufree is on the team? Did he influence you somewhat in making your decision?

Mike Cuffe is a good friend of mine and I am glad the we got a chance to play on the same team again. He’s a very good player

You come to MBC as a type of saviour guy coming to a struggling team. The club got you to help strengthen the playmaking. What is your main role on the team?

Two things I want do is 1st is win and 2nd is have a great year stats wise.

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

A strength in my game that goes unnoticed is that I make other players better on my team

What has it been playing with Josh Parker. He is a scoring point guard. How have you been able to help him on the court?

Well being as that I’m a scoring guard I try to tell him the same things that will make him a better decision maker. Things that will make the game much easier for him. Josh is a good player

You have played two games in the Beko BBl so far and have played in many top leagues in Europe like Greece and Italy. What has been your impression of the Beko BBL. Where would you rate it to the other leagues that you have played in?

The BBL league is an up an coming league it will be one of the best leagues in Europe in the years to come. Greece and Italy has the history so they will forever be at the top

How has it been like working with Silvano Poropat. You already played 29 minutes against  FC Bayern Munich. Has he guided you in a direction in more wanting you to distribute the ball to get the playmaking going or having that healthy combination of scoring and getting assists?

He wants to win so that’s always good. The time that I’ve been practice here for him has been a very intense time. He’s big on intensity

Early in your basketball career you took part in the Clippers and Nuggets training camps. What kind of experience were they and did you notice early that the NBA was not going to be a cake walk to make?

Having a opportunity to play for the Clippers and the Nuggets was a great experience got to play against the best players in the world. Wish I would’ve got an opportunity to really play I know I would’ve been a household name in the NBA. But I’m forever grateful for those opportunities.

You won the 2011 cup with Dexia Mons-Hainaut (Belgium-D1). What made this team so special that season?

In Mons we had a lot of good talent and the guys really wanted to win. Plus we all got along on and off the court. We all saw that we had a chance to do something special and we did

You played two seasons with Marci Killingsworth. What are your nicest memories with him on and off the court?

Marco Killingsworth is a very good friend of mine and we enjoyed playing with each other and we pushed each other all the time to get better. It’s like family with me and him. He’s one of the best big men I’ve ever play with. We complimented each other game perfectly.

You played your last two seasons in the NCAA with St Johns from 2001-2003. You won the NIT title in 2003. What will you remember forget about that final game?

When we won the NIT at St.Johns in 2003 was a great moment in my career cause nobody thought that we had what it take to win that year and we proved a lot of people wrong. Those guys were some hard workers and we made the best out of every moment

Where will the NBA journey of the Washington Wizards end this season?

Well I don’t know where the wizards will end up cause I’m a Lakers fan. I think the Kobe will get that 6th ring

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The last DVD movie that I saw was Malcolm X. A very intelligent man.

 

Thanks Marcus for the chat.

For an American basketball player to stay in the Beko BBL for seven years is about as uncommon as an American soccer professional playing in the German Bundesliga for a longer period of time with the exception of Steven Cherundolo who has played with Hannover 96 since 1999, Boston Red Sox nasty rival New York Yankeees not stealing a player every few years through free agency as they recently did with Jacoby Ellsbury or New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady not having another amazing comeback one more time this season in a regular season game or possibly a playoff game. It just seemed like yesterday when New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig guard Immanuel Mcelroy was celebrating the cup win with Rhein Energie Colonge with the likes of now Alba Berlin head coach Sasa Obradovic, current Regionaliga player Johannes Strasser, current NBA player Marcin Gortat of the Washinton Wizards, current FC Bayern Munich manager Marko Pesic or new basketball team Hamburg Towers person in power Marvin Willoughby. The year was 2005 in the Ballsporthalle in Frankfurt and time surely has flown as have the slick smiles that Mcelroy has dueled with on the court as teammates or opponents like  Michael Hakim Jordan and Titus Ivory. Texas native Immanuel Mcelroy is celebrating his 10 year anniversary this season of playing in the Beko BBL and he can wear a big smile as he has accomplished so much in this time winning  two cups with Cologne and a league title and a cup title with Alba Berlin as well as being a four time Beko BBL all star and being the best defensive player in the league for five seasons. Imac as his fans call him is 33 years old who is a proud father of four kids is always a delight to watch and one never knows how much longer he will still be around so every new visit to Frankfurt should be an experience that one should just enjoy. He is playing his third season in Braunschweig and is in the twilight of his career and is the leader of the team can still fill up the stat sheets and battle with anyone on the court. The American returned back to Frankfurt with the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig and lost for the second time in Frankfurt as a Phantom 79-53. It is never easy covering the ex Alba Berlin champion as Oklahoma native Jacob Burtschi has known since he entered the Beko BBL in 2010 with Phoenix Hagen. “Imac is a good guy and a leader in this league. He is always a tough cover and  a lot of respect that he has been in the league now 10 years, because not many survive that long”, stressed Fraport Skyliner forward Jacob Burtschi. Mcelroy finished the game with four points and four rebounds in 27 minutes and even if it wasn´t his best game, his teammates are thankful for his play. “Imac does all the little things on the court. When he is playing well usually good things happen. He is one of the strongest players I have ever played with when you go pound by pound and one of the best teammates I ever had”, stressed ex Wake Forest center Kyle Visser. Who knows how many more years, the American will play in the Beko BBL, so teammates should cherish every added game with him. “He is always the same even when he misses a shot, he always plays 100% for the team. It may not always show on the stat sheet, but it shows on the court. When he was defending Rautins, he had more difficulty getting good shots”, stated Braunschweig guard Achmadschah Zazai.

Some of the keys for the game was how well the two shooting aces Andrew Rautins and Isaiah Swann would hit shots as well as how the bench would perform. Two weeks ago Frankfurt scored 39 bench points against Phoenix Hagen, while Braunschweig had only 7 bench points in a 89-74 loss to the Artland Dragons. Rautins won the scoring battle against Swann 26-12 and the Frankfurt bench won the bench points 27-12 even though one could subtract four points from the 12 as four were made by Pro B players in garbage minutes while the only real bench points came from Kenny Kadji who contributed eight points. In the last weeks the trio of Aziz Ndiaye, Ramon Galloway and Jarred Dubois have come up big often in different games and have stayed very consistent. The hero today was Ramon Galloway who chipped in with 11 points, had five rebounds and dished out five assists. After the game he was sporting a smile that could have impressed his fellow Texan native and opponent Immanuel Mcelroy who had enough to smile about during his Cologne and Berlin days and was thrilled about his game and bench play. “I was happy with my game. I felt comfortable out there and I just played the way I should. I want to be consistent in every game. The bench has been so important in many games this season. Some teams have only a seven man rotation, but we have a 10 man rotation. We want to participate every time. When we get in we talk a lot and keep telling each other to pick it up”, stressed ex La sale player Ramon Galloway. After the game Andrew Rautins who was wearing stylish torn Jeans had his usual relaxed look and was soft spoken and also saw the Bench as the vital part to the equation win. “It was a total team effort. When we get good contribution from the bench then we are hard to beat”, added Andrew Rautins. The New Yorker Phantoms know that their bench is a problem and that when their starting five isn´t on, it will be more difficult to win games. “The bench was a factor tonight. We have a lot of guys that have to play a lot of minutes and it really took  a toll on us”, commented ex ratiopharm Ulm player Isaiah Swann.

The Fraport Skyliners entered the game in 11^th place and wanted to make amends after they stunk out the Weissenfels gym so bad that even dead  animal corpses  would have had a better aroma then what the 2004 Beko BBL champion performed on the court. 96 hours after the bitter 30 point loss against the Mitteldeutscher BC, the 2000 Beko BBL cup champion were like day and night totally turning their game around and playing Skyliner basketball. They shot at a high rate, rebounded well again, had a nice offensive flow and most importantly played solid aggressive defense again. “We watched a lot of film after the MBC win. After we had some wins, we went to MBC much too comfortable and lost badly. We came into this game more focused and just really wanted to win the game. We stuck together on defense and was a great effort. If we have more defensive efforts like that then we will always be in very good position to win games”, warned ex NBA player Andrew Rautins. The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig came into the game in tenth place with an identical 6-6 record like the Fraport Skyliners and a big win against the Telekom Baskets Bonn, but were down fast against Frankfurt and were never able to recover as their play reminded one of their poor performance losing against medi Bayreuth and mustering only 49 points. After the loss, the Braunschweig players had little to say about the loss, but they were able to find direct words about what went wrong. “Andrew Rautins started hot and Frankfurt hit everything. After they had a big lead, it was hard getting back into the game. Despite the large margin of victory, I didn´t think that they were much better than us. We were simply too soft and they were very physical”, stated ex Giessen 46er Achmadschah Zazai. Braunschweig didn´t shoot the ball well or rebound and often had to work extra hard to get good looks and then there was Andrew Rautins who had another typical day at the office. “Frankfurt came out and took care of business and we didn´t. They were very aggressive form the start and it carried over into the Rautins hit everything and even when we contested his shots he made them. There isn´t really more one can do when he is on like that”, said ex Ludwigsburg center Kyle Visser.

3,340 fans were in the Fraport arena for a rare Wednesday night game       and German national head coach Frank Menz was in attendance observing Germans Danilo Barthel and Johannes Voigtmann. Frankfurt was without Marius Nolte and Quantez Robertson while the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig were without Harding Nana. The Fraport Skyliners got off on the right foot hitting on all cylinders as Andrew Rautins connected on his first shot and Voigtmann nailed a mid distance jumper. After an off balance jumper by Canadian Aaron Doornekamp, Rautins made it 3/3 from the field for Frankfurt with a lay in. Immanuel Mcelroy then hit a jumper and Swann a three pointer to knot the game at 7-7. Jacob Burtschi and Georgia native James Florence traded three pointers as the game was tied at 10-10. The Frankfurt Germany of Konstantin Klein and Voigtmann gave Frankfurt the 14-10 advantage with a lay in and jumper, but Florence then cut the Phantoms lead to 14-13 dropping a three pointer. Swann who´s passing gets unnoticed and is seen more as a scorer took apart the Frankfurt double team and kicked out a beautiful pass for the easy basket. Frankfurt then closed out the first quarter with a swift 8-2 run to lead 22-15. Rautins hit two three pointers and Voigtmann scored inside getting the perfect lob pass from Rautins. “Both teams started out very well, but the difference was that Braunschweig couldn´t contain Rautins and Frankfurt did a better job on Swann”, commented Pro B head coach of the Licher Basket Baeren Igor Starcevic. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 82% from the field and 100% from outside while the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig were shooting 40% from the field and 38% from outside. Frankfurt ha dthe 8-2 rebound edge, but six turnovers while Braunschweig had three turnovers.

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliner defense took charge holding Braunschweig to five second quarter points and a comfortable lead turned into a 24 lead where Braunschweig would never recover from. Ramon Galloway scored twice demonstrating his first quick step and James Florence hit from way down town as Frankfurt still led 26-18. The Fraport Skyliners now would run into the half time break on a 18-2 run to lead 44-20. Ex Vanderbilt guard Kevin bright started the massive run with a high rainbow over Kenny Kadji. Gordon Herbert then brought in Aziz Ndiaye who right away brought the needed spark starting on defense where he swatted a Kadji shot back to Senegal which jumpstarted his offense and gave him the needed energy for a lay in and mega stuff over Kyle Visser as the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig trailed 33-18. Frankfurt was playing with a very high intensity and were causing serious turmoil in the sets of Braunschweig. Swann then stole a ball from Rautins and went coast to coast for the lay in. This big defensive play didn´t inject Braunschweig to turbo gear, but moreover kept Frankfurt active in their offensive sets. Frankfurt  then played a little over the rim as Barthel made a spectacular tip dunk on a Klein miss and Barthel then was the giver instead of the receiver as he usually is on dunks lofting up the pass for Galloway to tip into the hole. Galloway then continued to do solid playmaking finding Rautins for an open three pointer. Jarred Dubois then got the first free throws of the game for either team as 19 minutes had elapsed. Barthel closed out the first half with a lay in after Voigtmann made the perfect lob pass to the Heidelberg native. “It seemed like when they put in their bench players Kadji and Zazai nothing happened on their offense. Braunschwieg had little intensity and Frankfurt closed down the zone and Braunschweig couldn´t get anything going on offense”, stated Igor Starcevic. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 62% from the field and 46% from the three point line while the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig were shooting 32% from the field and 33% from the three point line. Frankfurt had the 17-9 rebound advantage and eight turnovers while Braunschweig had 12 turnovers.

In the third quarter, the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig were able muster two little runs of 6-0 and 5-0, but could never make a dent into the big Fraport Skyliners run as their consistent offense remained in the third quarter. There was little scoring in the first few minutes and more wild play until Klein hit free throws and Rautins escaped around Mcelroy scoring with  a lay in from the baseline. Klein then gave Voigtmann a quick shovel pass under the basket for two quick points as Frankfurt led 50-22. Braunschweig then went on their first run as they scored six unanswered points as Florence continued to be so sturdy hitting from the parking lot and Swann then possibly made one of the nicest buckets in the game as he spun around Barthel from the wing leaving him paralyzed and made the easy la yupa s Voigtmann was a step too late. Florence made a free throw as Frankfurt led 50-28. Barthel and Mcelroy then traded baskets and Frankfurt then went on a mini 4-0 run as Dubois made a hard penetration to the hoop and scored and Voigtmann made his patent mid distance shot as Frankfurt led 56-30. Braunschweig then compensated on some Frankfurt turnovers going on a 5-0 run as Swann hit another three pointer and Kadji hit a jumper as Frankfurt led 56-33. Rautins then hit a runner and then the Skyliner fans saw possibly the most prettiest play of the night as a touch of NBA Showtime was in the arena as Frankfurt played magical fast break basketball as Burtschi came down on the right side, swung the ball left to Dubois who touch passed the ball to the trailer Galloway who made the lay in. “We all felt each other. Anyone could of made the lay up. It was total unselfish play of us”, stressed Ramon Galloway. “That was text book basketball. It was fun watching that fast break”, smiled Jacob Burtschi. Doornekamp finished the third quarter with a three pointer cutting the Frankfurt lead after three quarters to 60-38. “We knew that Braunschweig would make a run, but we were able to limit them”, added Jacob Burtschi. “We had some runs, but our starters were losing strength”, added Achmadschah Zazai. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 60% from the field and 33% from the parking lot while Braunschweig was shooting 39% from the field and 44% from the parking lot. Frankfurt had the 23-14 rebound lead and 11 turnovers while Braunschweig had 16 turnovers.

The New Yorker Phantome Braunschweig were able to score better in the fourth quarter but were still outscored 19-14 by the Fraport Skyliners. The lead was so big that the Fraport arena saw the German license players battle in the last minutes as the game was more than decided. The Fraport Skyliners kept up their potent offense as they poured on a 14-0 run to lead 74-38 as the MBC debacle was at latest forgotten now. Rautins scored consecutive baskets, Burtschi then drilled a three pointer which was followed by more hot shooting from Rautins and a lay in by Ndiaye and free throws from the big man as Frankfurt led 74-38. The fourth quarter was the tale of two halves as Frankfurt dominated the first and Braunschweig now closed out the game with a 14-4 run that nobody will remember when they wake up the next day. Frankfurt did have one spectacular play left as Burtschi fed Ndiaye for the perfect ally-op lay in. Braunschweig got production from Kadji with a runner and three pointer and Florence scored inside. Near the end of the game, fans saw youngsters like Max Merz, Johannes Richter, Tim Oldenburg, Jorn Wessels, Brian Wenzel and Dominque Johnson on the floor. This was the normal garbage time procedure as the Frankfurt starters could savour the last moments before the final siren sounded. After the game Fraport Skyliner head coach was his usual self and was very pleased how his team rebounded from the big loss at MBC. “This was a different team than at MBC. The guys knew what their purpose was today. The last six minutes of the second quarter was the best defense we have played this season. We had 21 assists and our offense was flowing. We played well as a team and that usually results in a win”, stated Gordon Herbert. “Frankfurt did a very good job continuing to press our guards and they made us take tough shots all night long. On defense we often stopped their initial play, but they would react with an easy basket”, stressed Isaiah Swann. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Andrew Rautins with 26 points. Ramon Galloway added 11 points and Johannes Voigtmann with 10 points. The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig were led by James Florence with 16 points and Isaiah Swann contributed 12 points. Frankfurt shot a hot 57% from the field and kept Braunschweig under 40% from the field and outside. Frankfurt easily won the boards battle31-20 and kept their turnovers to 14.  Frankfurt dominated the paint points 38-8. Fraport Skyliner Ramon Galloway described it best what the biggest strength was of Frankfurt using his hands to do the talking. We played as team and brought the whole fist instead of individual fingers”, stated Ramon Galloway. Frankfurt now has 10 days off until they  meet ratiopharm Ulm on the road on December 21^st.

John Gilchrist is a 29 year old 187cm guard from Virginia Beach, Virgina that is a tough, physical point guard who runs the floor with proficiency and possesses an uncanny ability to finish. Characterized as a winner and a competitor. With his strength and determination, he is a very effective point guard. He played at ACC power house Maryland from 2001-2005 and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2003. As a rookie in 2005-2006 he played for Maccabi Rishon Le-Zion (Israel-Premier L.): 30 games: 13.2ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.2apg, 1.9spg, 2FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 33.7%, FT: 66.2%. In 2006-2007, he played for  Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez (France-ProA): 5 games: 9.6ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.8apg, 1.0spg, left in Oct.’06, then joined Hapoel Ironi Nahariya (Israel-Premier League, starting five): 7 games: 12.3ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.1apg, 1.9spg, 2FGP: 59.5%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 72.7%; FIBA EuroCup: 6 games: 12.2ppg, 3.3rpg, 4.0apg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 63.3%, 3FGP: 35.3%, FT: 68%; left in Jan.’07, then moved to Los Angeles D-Fenders (D-League), left in March’07, in April ’07 signed at Idaho Stampede (D-League): 3 games: 5.3ppg, 1.3rpg, 2.3apg, 1.7spg. In 2007-2008, he played for  BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL): ULEB Cup: 1 game: 2pts, 1reb, 1ast, 1steal, left in Nov.’07: LBL: 2 games 5.0ppg 3.0rpg 3.0apg 0.5bpg 1.0spg; Baltic League: 6 games: 6.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.5apg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 55.6%, FT: 60.0%; ULEB cup: 1 game 2pt 1reb 1as 1st, later that month moved to Iscar Nahariya (Israel-Premier League): 22 games: 11.3ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.0apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 73.3%. In 2009-2010, he played for Adelaide 36ers (Australia-NBL, starting five): 25 games: 16.9ppg, 5.4rpg, Assists-4(4.2apg), FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 68.5%. In the last few years he played in countries like Slovakia, Hungry and Venezeula. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Hi John thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how was your thanksgiving?

Hello Miles. I am currently living in my hometown of Virginia Beach/ Norfolk area and my Thanksgiving was great spent time with my family which is not always available playing abroad.

The new basketball season is now a few months old and your still sitting around without a team. How difficult is it at the moment not knowing what your basketball future is?

It is a bit difficult but being apart of this profession for 7 years I understand that it is a game of patience and being in shape and ready for an opportunity to arrive.

You are in the best basketball age now at 29. How surprised are you that a guy like you are without a team at the moment?

I am much wiser now than before that is the best part of all of the experiences that I have encountered. It is not surprising to me that I would have to work my way up in this industry due to the poor market in many countries and also I had setbacks of wrist injury last season.

You had a torn anterior cruciate ligament and it took a while for you to get back where you were inactive. Do you think that many teams forgot you in this time and that that hurt your market value?

Yes as an athlete an injury is a red flag and going through that process has made me realize that I must be in my most healthiest form at all times because in this business it is no time for mistakes. I appreciate the game for all that it offers so I take the good with the bad. It happens to all athletes. I love to play basketball. It is the most important thing in my life outside of God and my family.

What do you think has been the main reasons for your present inactivity? An increase in difficulty in the basketball market or have you had offers that just didn´t fit your ideal situation?

Honestly this game is a bit of give and take teams offer what they can and some sell you the world and cannot afford it so I am at a point in my life that I understand the risk versus rewards in this industry. I just try to use the game for any positive situation that can come from it.

Who has been keeping you focused the most in this time besides your family and friends? Is there a particular basketball mentor or former teammate that has kept you positive?

I have had older teammates that I have kept in contact with that give me advice as well as rivals that we became friends and past coaches. It is always great to network and associate with good people because it is always opportunities in when you may be able to help the next person or vice versa.

Last season you had a tough season playing briefly in Hungry and then in Venezuela. Were these just the wrong decisions that you made picking these jobs? How would you summarize your season last year?

Last season was a wash I had hit my wrist in Hungary playing and that was diagnosed as a small tear that required me to get a cast on my hand. I thought I would be tough and play through it in Venezuela being a competitor but I decided to get it fixed and get it better for the long run. Your body is the main tool in sports. Without health you have nothing and I learned that you must make sure everything is fine because when you go to a organization it’s ShowTime.

How has your offseason workout schedule looked like the last months? How does a normal John Gilchrist workout day look like?

I work out twice a day as if I were at a team. I’ve learned a lot from past teams and I contact many coaches and trainers in my area so I live in the gym. I lift, run, bike, swim, skill train and play. Those are the things that keep me ready to play on call.

You are a tough, physical point guard who runs the floor with proficiency and possesses an uncanny ability to finish. What is a strength in your game that doesn´t get noticed right away?

Now that I have experienced more I am learning how to play without getting knocked to the floor as much in order to start to play smarter. Taking a lot of contact is very grueling on your body over the years so the main thing I focus on now is watching more basketball and study crafty players to find an advantage in a game. If I see something that worked for a certain guy or girl ( I watch all genders of basketball) I will write that play down as a focal point to practice when I touch a basketball again.

If you could sell yourself in a few sentences as to why any professional basketball team would be thrilled to have you now how would you describe it?

I am the same passionate guy inside with a vast awareness of knowledge from my experiences. I just ask for the opportunity to prove my value to a team. When you are young in the game your focus is more selfishly driven in making a name so you want to focus on stats or things like that. When you mature you realize the real value of a player is simply doing what it takes to make the team win. I can defend, play various positions other than point guard and I focus on my leadership qualities to make the team a better team.

What do you know from the German basketball leagues? Do you have any friends playing in Germany and would you like to play here?

I have heard any great things about Germany. I have had people that I knew participate in the various leagues and they explained it as competitive.

You played three solid seasons in Europe from 2005-2008 in good leagues like France and Israel, but after that have bounced around playing in lower leagues. Why did your career go down this path?

After I left Israel I decided to leave Europe and try the NBDL and when that did not work out I ended up in Australia which was my strongest year and also when I injured myself in the final month so it was unfortunate timing in why I never returned to Europe. This business is a lot of chance and the paths you take make it difficult to go back when the jobs are filled.

You were drafted by the Colorado 14ers in 2008. Why didn´t you ever play longer in the States? You had a short stint with the Idaho Stampede. The pay isn´t as good as in Europe, but sometimes a player gets a break in the D-league and it is a good stage to present your basketball skills.

The NBDL is a good league but also a league as any that you have to be in a situation in where you are on a team that you are able to play to show what you can do. In professional sports it’s competitive and that’s what we all love about it but also when you are in a situation in where the rosters are already set and your role is to be a backup player it is difficult to find minutes so that is why I tell guys that are in good situation that it is a chance anytime you go to a new team because you never know the situation of the work environment.

Early in your professional basketball career you played with Jeff Greer in Israel who has had a very long basketball career. What could you learn from him as a young buck that helped you as a player?

Jeff was a great professional and a good teammate. He was one of the older guys that taught me what this business is all about. Basketball skills are valuable but being a positive asset to the organization is even bigger and that’s what Jeff specialized in. He would do what was asked of him to keep his job and that takes a professional mindset.

You played briefly in 2006-2007 for Pau Ortez. Your coach was Gordon Herbert. What do you remember him as coach and how was he advantageous for the young players on the team?

Yes coach Gordie Herbert was a serious big time coach and was a national team coach of the  Republic of Georgia at the time and I honestly wasn’t experienced or good enough of a professional point guard to do that job at that time in my career. I’ve always been a scorer at will and there I averaged 12 ppg or something similar, which is solid in Top French league & Euroleague competition, but only in my 2nd year out of USA college style I still didn’t fully understand the position I was trusted in and that team didn’t have time for me to groom me to the learning curve. I was very talented but to lead a group of men at 22 years old is a task that you must understand how to play. How to act how to motivate how to gain your respect from your peers. I was appreciative for the opportunity but it was a great opportunity to learn and I owe coach Gordie Herbert for that experience to learn from.

In 2009-2001, you had a very strong season with the : Adelaide 36ers (Australia-NBl) playing 25 games: 16.9ppg, 5.4rpg, Assists-4(4.2apg), FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 68.5%. What do you remember most from this season and what was it like as an American living down under?

I loved Australia it was great weather and the basketball was competitive also.

As a freshman you played behind future NBA player Steve Blake. How was he able to make you into a better player and help you become the strong starting point guard that you were with Maryland?

Steve was a pro and I didn’t even realize how great he was due to his playing style. When you are a pass first guard it opens up the game more because people forget that you have an offensive arsenal and that is what Steve Blake did in the NBA his strength is he knows how to make others better, he can push the tempo of the ball game but his main weapon is his mind. He’s IQ is of a basketball genius!

You helped Maryland win their first ACC tournament in 20 years by beating Duke, Wake Forest and North Carolina State. What do you remember from the Duke win where you led Maryland back from 12 points down and 6 future NBA players?

It was a great time more like a perfect storm. I have traveled the world and seen many good players and at that time I was hot on the basketball radar. What I’ve learned is that I lived a basketball dream during that time. The game gives you those moments sometimes when you are dedicated to it.

Your teammate at Maryland Was Ekene Ibekwe that has played in Germany. What is your fondest memory with him and do you still keep in touch?

Yes I speak with all of my former teammates over the phone or social media. Ekene and I were roommates in college so we will forever be friends. I root for guys all the time and we are supportive of each others careers.

Who was the best player that you defended against in the NCAA that is in the NBA now? How did you do against him?

Chris Paul was fast played the pick and roll masterful could get to the free throw line and shot it 90% from the free throw. I actually study his game. His one on one isolation game is good or his pick and roll ability and his leadership qualities are what makes him my favorite player to watch and learn from his playing style.

Many described you as having an NBA type body like Stephon Marbury. You played NBA summer league for the Cavaliars. Your mental immaturity was seen as something that prevented you from going to the NBA. When you look back at this time, is there something you could of done different in your mental approach that could of steered you in the right direction of your NBA dream?

Yes I was very immature. I always looked as the game as that and when I have entered the professional ranks it dawned on me the business of this “Sports Industry” it is more than myself taking you one on one in which was the way I learned to play the game. They’re many aspects to the game of basketball and the only way to improve is to add to your value and that is why I.Q is important to any player to grow as a player.

Coaching seems to be something you will want to get into after your professional basketball career. You played for well known coach Gary Williams. Are there any coaching qualities that you learned from him as a player that you would like to incorporate into your coaching?

Coach Williams was a master motivator and he had the great quality of getting the whole organization to understand his vision and make it come to fruition. That takes a genius and dedicated person to make that happen. He is legendary.

Thanks John for the chat.

In the small quaint town of Weissenfels of 40,000 getting lost is about as difficult as NBA superstar Derrick Rose not getting hurt the last years on the court, but if MBC guard Josh Parker did get lost after a trip to the local Mcdonalds and stumbled into the woods and heard the howl of a wolf, he probably wouldn´t be in danger because despite the predator being one of the most ferocious animals in the forest hated by cattle ranchers and feared by humans and other animals, the fury beast has a suave side as studies have found that when wolves get separated from a pack member a  howl demonstrates affection or in the case of the Chicago native Josh Parker possibly some extra basketball love because no matter where you are in the vicinity of Weissenfels, the wolves love their basketball and especially a player like Parker who has shown that he can play at the Beko BBL level. He is one of the few players in the last years that has successfully made the jump from the German pro B to the Beko BBl as he has followed guys like Tuebingen guard Josh Young or last season ex MBC forward Devin Uskoski who has taken his talent on to Japan this season. Last season the American native who loves the game of Derrick Rose because he can score and at the same time get his players involved dominated the German Pro B like no other player in the last years averaging 28.5ppg), 4.5rpg, Assists-2(7.1apg), 2.2spg, He had 20 point games, 30 point games and 40 point games and was already sought after the winter break by MBC, but decided to remain in Leverkusen and continue to work on his game which at the end of the season earned him various Eurobasket.com awards. So far this season he has scored in double figures eight times. He showed in the Pro B that he can rack up those assists the way a Chris Paul can while still scoring well, but now in the Beko BBL, he is seeing more abstract defense formations and is only averaging 1,8apg, but still sees his passing as underestimated. “. People say I can shoot, handle the ball or score but doesn’t notice my passing right away. I take pride in passing the ball as I continue to grow as a player I would like for that to be noticed more also”, stressed Josh Parker. Despite the fact that his assists are down, he is happy with his development and understands that getting an assist isn´t as easy as getting those dimes in the Pro B. “It’s really been an adjustment playing at a high level that the BBL brings and has really helped me to continue to work harder to compete at this level. My coaches and teammates have really helped make my transition a lot easier. Trusting me and showing me different things that they experienced to know that will help at this level which has been great. When you talk about a league like the BBL it’s strong both offensively and defensively. Yes the guards are bigger and talented defensively for me on trying to get a good pass to my teammate but the shots we do get are shots that will be difficult to make because the BBL is strong in team defense. It’s been an adjustment for my entire team, but as season progresses it’s gotten better”, warned Josh Parker. If it was any consolation for the Fraport Skyliners who wanted revenge in Weissenfels for being swept last season against the Mitteldeutscher BC, Josh Parker lost once to Frankfurt last season to their farm team, so he also was looking for some revenge as it was just another game to prove himself as a player and he led all scorers with 19 points as he did all damage in the first half scoring all his 19 points including fascinating the home crowd with his lightening quick release nailing five three pointers. With the arrival of American Marcus Hatten who won the NIT with St Johns in 2003, Parker has less pressure to have to score and can go all out at the shooting guard position. “Josh has developed well. He had some problems at the start of the season as point guard, but now he has a better role and continues to score and is even more effective. The rapid development that he has made is something that you don’t see each day from a  German division three player”, stressed Mitteldeutscher BC head coach Silvano Poropat. After the win, the Chicago native was soft spoken and one may have thought he was only 15 with the youthful voice. Even though he has scored 19 points or more five times this season, one could sense that this was his biggest game of the season because of the importance of the win and how well the team played. “This was like a break out game for me. My coach told to play free, take my shots and get everyone else involved. I have to give credit to my team for my game”, commented Derrick Rose friend Josh Parker.

Josh Parker might have led the Mitteldeutscher BC in scoring, but the club had much support on this night getting the needed support from many players like Malte Schwarz who had 14 points was drilling three pointers at ease and just doing what comes natural to him, American Marcus Hatten had his break out game doing a superb job leading the team at the point guard position finishing with 15 points and 10 assists and just penetrated at leisure always finding a way to score, draw fouls or find the open man and last but not least American/Italian stallion Angelo Caloiaro who came to life in the second half and scored 11 of his 13 points and just broke the back of the Fraport Skyliners in their attempt to come back. Caloiaro who hails from San Jose, California and played at USF(NCAA) has had no problems adjusting to the Beko BBL after coming from the lower league Bulgaria. Caloiaro finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block filling up the stat sheet like Richie Williams does for SC Rasta Vechta this season. Caloiaro gave MBC that needed energy and punch on offense and defense in the second half that just paralysed the Fraport Skyliners and got the home crowd fans howling as if they were following a mating call of the real live wolves in the woods. Josh Parker who already showed that amazing humbleness last season where he refused to admit that he was a man playing with kids in the German Pro B where he led the league in scoring with 28ppg and 7apg and had the utmost respect and thankfulness for the play of Caloiaro and Hatten. “Angelo is the type of player any player or coach would want on his team! For us he has been the glue that keeps this team strong and I as his teammate am impressed by his play and how he comes up big when his team needs it.. Hatten came up big and played so hard. Hatten led the team and his experience not only has helped the team, but me with my new role”, added Josh Parker. “Every player and team want a guy like Caloiaro on their team. He has a great eye for his teammates and showed why he is one of our best players”, stated Martin Geissler.

The Mitteldeutscher BC came into the game in 14^th place and the only high point this season was their positive home record of 3-2. The fans had experienced three very tight games in Weissenfels beating Wurzburg, Vechta and Braunschweig by a combined point total of only nine points. The Mitteldeutscher BC has to win their home games and they showed again how dangerous they can be when they play in front of their own home crowd. They found their rhythm in the first quarter and played an all around super game for 40 minutes never allowing the Fraport Skyliners to find a groove and when Frankfurt cut the lead to eight points in the third quarter, they then shifted up to sixth gear and totally destroyed the Fraport Skyliners 39-19 to make a somewhat comfortable lead into a bitter debacle for the Fraport Skyliners. Mitteldeutscher BC manager Martin Geissler had a small smile on his face after the win and had very strong words to the performance of his team. “We have not played this well on offense and defense for 40 minutes this season. We found the balance to how we can really play. Josh Parker did a great job at the position two and Marcus Hatten did a great job leading the team. It was a great team performance”, stressed Martin Geissler. The Fraport Skyliners came into the game riding on a three game winning streak and seemed to be the up and coming basketball team in the Beko BBL, but their play in MBC was like night and day compared to the previous games and at times looked very frightening how they were able to play so uninspired at times especially on the defensive end. The Fraport Skyliners started well playing very versatile making the game fast, getting into their sets, but then all of a sudden they missed easy lay ups and from then on nothing worked anymore as it almost seemed more like a mental thing than mechanics. The Fraport Skyliners fought, but just couldn´t get back into the game and totally lost steam in the fourth quarter as the Mitteldeutscher BC were feeling it on offense and just shot out the lights making it into a blowout. “We missed some easy shots at the start and lost our rhythm. We continued to fight back, but MBC just kept making shots. We weren´t able to take care of the ball and once again had too many turnovers”, stated Los Angeles, California native Jarred Dubois.

It also didn´t help the Fraport Skyliners that the injured list got even longer as Germans Konstantin Klein and Kevin Bright were added to the already injured players Marius Nolte, Quantez Robertson and Stefan Illzhoefer. The Mitteldeutscher BC were without American Michael Cuffee and German Oliver Clay. The Fraport Skyliners started off hot going on a 4-0 run as Jarred Dubois took responsibility right off the bat with a spin move and lay in and German Johannes Voigtmann connected on a mid distance jumper. However the Mitteldeutscher BC found their rhythm going on a 17-2 run to lead 17-6. Josh Parker hit his first three pointer, Croatian Hrvoje Kovacevic who was aggressive whenever he had the ball drove inside with a nifty around his back dribble and scored. Dubois then scored again inside cutting the MBC lead to 7-6. Parker and Kovacevic then hit back to back three pointers as MBC led 13-6. Frankfurt missed some easy lay ups and got costly turnovers which seemed to put a dent into their confidence while the high intensity of MBC just couldn´t be matched by Frankfurt. Djordje Pantalic scored inside, Parker hit another jumper and Kovacevic hit an off balance shot as MBC led 19-7. Andrew Rautins then dropped a three pointer as Frankfurt trailed 19-10. MBC then closed out the first quarter with a 4-0 run as Caloiaro scored inside on a back door pass from Parker and Parker hit a runner as the Mitteldeutscher BC led 23-10 after one quarter. “We found our rhythm after one or two minutes. The start reminded me of the Braunschweig game where they couldn´t get used to the atmosphere and that was the same with Frankfurt. Parker had a big first quarter. He is still a long way from being a very good BBL player, but he still needs more experience at this level. His teammates set him up with good passes”, stressed MBC manager Martin Geissler. The Mitteldeutscher BC was hooting 56% from the field and 43% from outside while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting 29% from the field and 17% from outside. Frankfurt had the 9-8 rebound edge, but five turnovers while MBC had only one turnover.

In the second quarter, the Fraport Skyliners would claw their way back into the game, but it was Josh Parker that made a tight game back to a plus ten lead for the Mitteldeutscher BC in the last two minutes. Andrew Rautins started off the scoring in the second quarter ripping a catch and pop jumper through the net as MBC led 23-12. Then it was Croatin Kovacevic who kept making the lane unstable with his dribbling and penetration scoring with his left hand. Then came the up and down play of Skyliner rookie Aziz Ndiaye who showed glimpses of that zone Senegalnator play scoring consecutive hoops, but then also missed three free throws as Frankfurt trailed 25-16. Ex Phoenix Hagen guard Malte Schwarz who dropped seven three pointers against SC Rasta Vechta annoyed Frankfurt all night long hitting big shots at moments where it seemed like Frankfurt would make a run as the Mitteldeutscher BC led 29-16. Frankfurt then showed one their best spurt of the game going on a 9-0 run to cut the MBC lead to 29-25. Dubois started the run with a crisp pull up jumper, Danilo Barthel then made an easy layup as he got a perfect pass from Voigtmann and Jacob Burtschi finished the run with a pair of free throws and a three pointer. Each team has a player that can explode at any time and score in bunches and that is what Josh Parker did scoring eight unanswered points with a lay in where he demonstrated his very lethal ball handling coupled with quickness getting to the hole and then hitting two three pointers as the Fraport Skyliners trailed 37-25. “Josh Parker really lifted us at the end, but we were lucky that Rautins and Burtschi weren´t playing their best, but one always have to be careful with them, because they can turn a game around at any time”, warned MBC manager Martin Geissler. The Mitteldeutscher BC was shooting 48% from the field and 38% from the three point line while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting 34% from the field and 20% from the three point line. MBC had the 18-17 rebound edge and seven turnovers while Frankfurt had nine turnovers.

The Fraport Skyliners got on the board first in the third quarter as Johannes Voigtmann scored inside getting the extra pass from Danilo Barthel as MBC led 37-27. Marcus Hatten then continued his scoring which has been his staple his whole career leading the Israel league and Eurocup season in 2006 in scoring hitting a three pointer and Voigtmann then made a turn around shot as MBC still led 40-29. Frankfurt just were unable to get some consistency in their defense time in and time out allowing MBC to go on little runs which handicapped their comeback. Caloiaro got hot in the second half scoring inside and Hatten took advantage of a weak lob pass inside by Frankfurt getting picked off and the American scored on the layup. Latvian national player Martins Meiers hit free throws as Frankfurt trailed 47-29. Frankfurt made another push going on a 11-1 run to cut the MBC lead to 48-40. This was the best phase of Andrew Rautins who found Ndiaye for a lay up and hit a three pointer and scored inside. Ndiaye also made a spectacular block inside on Parker and Rautins stripped the ball from Sasa Leutloff leading to two easy points. It seemed like Frankfurt now finally was going to make that much needed run, but it was the timely shooting of Malte Schwarz again who was a nasty thorn in the side of Frankfurt as he hit a three pointer. This was the start of an unacceptable 9-0 run by MBC which in a way sealed the win for them as they led 57-40 after three quarters. Parker then scored inside and Caloiaro made free throws and made a steal and went coast to coast for an easy bucket. “Frankfurt kept fighting back and they made their run and with Rautins you never know what he will do since he can hit three or four shots in a row. We played very hard defense at the end and had more intensity”, stressed Josh Parker. The Mitteldeutscher BC was shooting 43% from the field and 33% from the parking lot while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting 39% from the field and 23% from the parking lot. MBC had the 28-25 rebound edge and ten turnovers while Frankfurt had 16 turnovers.

The Fraport Skyliners had their necks broken with that last run of MBC in the third quarter and couldn´t withstand the continued aggressive offense as MBC poured in 30 points in the fourth quarter to easily cruise back into their wolf den ready for a five course meal. The Mitteldeutscher BC started the fourth quarter with a mini 4-0 run as Schwartz hit a jumper and Pantalic a baby hook shot. Ramon Galloway who had been extremely all game long hit an off balance shot and Dubois a shot inside as Frankfurt trailed 61-44. However MBC was just too strong on offense and kept pouring it on as Schwarz connected on another three pointer and Pantalic was left alone inside as Caloiaro fed him with a no look pass as MBC led 66-44. Max Merz then shot an airball that Burtschi caught and scored and Merz then found Barthel for the easy dunk, but this didn´t help much as Hatten hit two more three pointers as MBC led 72-48. MBC then went on a 9-2 run to lead 81-50. Fraport Skyliner head coach Gordin Herbert speculated that this game couldn´t be saved anymore as he inserted little used German license players Johannes Richter and Jan Novak. In the run, MBC got more support from Caloiaro with a dunk and lay in and another three pointer from Schwarz and a dunk from Meiers. Hatten scored back to back buckets and Dubois helped his stats with free throws and a lay in and even little used German Walter Simon got into the scoring as he hit a jumper as MBC won easily 87-57. “The air was out for Frankfurt. Hatten helped us win the game by more with his scoring steals and drawing offensive fouls. We did a good job today not letting Frankfurt develop self confidence in the game”, stressed Martin Geissler. “MBC did what they wanted to do. We didn´t do a good enough job on defense as they hit open shots. We didn´t do a good job communicating and just didn´t follow the game plan”, said Jarred Dubois. The Mitteldeutscher BC was led by Josh parker with 19 points. Marcus Hatten had 15 points and 10 assists. Malte Schwarz contributed 14 points and Angelo Caloiaro  chipped in with 13 points and Djordje Pantelic had 10 points. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Jarred Dubois with 14 points and Andrew Rautins had 12 points. MBC shot 48% from the field and 39% from outside while the Fraport Skyliners shot 42% from the field and 21% from outside. MBC dominated the boards 39-30 and had only 10 turnovers while Frankfurt had 21 turnovers. “Our biggest strength tonight was our defense and rebounding. We played with much energy and our fans helped us and we just fought until the end”, warned Josh Parker.

Josh  Parker is a 23 year old 183cm point guard from Harvey, Illinois that recently was a rookie for the Bayer Giants Leverkusen and helped the team win the Pro B title. With Leverkusen he 33 games: Score-1(28.5ppg), 4.5rpg, Assists-2(7.1apg), 2.2spg, FGP: 43.3%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 80.3%He played at Drake from 2007-2009 and then played for Dayton(NCAA) from 2010-1012. He played a total of 130 NCAA games. Currently he is tearing up the German PRO B. He scored in double figures 33 times scoring over 20 points 26 times, 30 points or more 15 times and 40 points or more four times including a 48 point explosion against Dresden. He cleaned out the Eurobasket awards as well getting Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Player of the Year -13, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Guard of the Year -13, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Import Player of the Year -13, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B 1st Team -13, and Eurobasket.com German 2.Bundesliga Pro B All-Imports Team -13. Many teams were aware of his stellar play in the pro B including the Mitteldeutscher BC who signed him for the 2013-2014 Beko BBL season. He spoke to German Hoops before the game against the Fraport Skyliners December seventh.

 

 

Josh thanks for talking to German Hoops again. A tough 106-81 loss last weekend in Munich. What was your summary of this game for 40 minutes? Were the MBC wolves like little boys playing on a court with men?

 No problem thanks for the interview. It was good game I felt like we fought to the end. Munich is a great team and well coached! It was their night last weekend they played well.

This was the first time for you playing against top guards like Heiko Schaffartzik and Malcolm Delaney. What player on FC Bayern Munich impressed you most?

What impressed me most about Bayern Munich is the depth of that team. Going down the bench into their top 12 players was very strong! Their guards like Delaney and Schaffartzik are great players on a great team!

MBC is currently in 15th place with a record of 3-8. What kind of experience has it been for you playing for such an exciting scrappy team and very emotional fans?

 It’s been a great experience for me especially in my first season in the BBL. My team works hard and stays together no matter what the situation is and the fans are like our 6th man on the court! I’m glad to be a part of this club.

What has been the most positive thing so far in this season for MBC? Possibly the fact that the club was able to show nerves of steel in the big wins against Wurzburg, Braunschweig and Vechta?

 The positive thing this season for me has to be of course the wins but overall just the way the team fights and sticks together.

How well has American Marcus Hatten been integrated into the team? He has a lot of international experience and could be a key factor for MBC making a few places good in the standings.

 He has been a good addition to the team. He has a lot of international experience and a good feel for the game which has been good for the team and can really help us moving forward!

What has been your impression of American/Italian Angelo Caloiaro? He is the top rebounder on the team, scores consistently and has a good eye for his teammates with 2,2apg. He is possibly a type of unsung hero for the team in the early going?

Angelo is the type of player any player or coach would want on his team! For us he has been the glue that keeps this team strong and I as his teammate am impressed by his play and how he comes up big when his team needs it.

Caloiaro comes from San Jose, California, but has Italian roots. Do you ever kid him about how only good soccer players come from Italy?

Lol Lol not really it is funny that you say something about that because he can actually play and his brother playing soccer here for a club here in Weissenfels so it’s definitely in their genes!!

Congrats on your very good adjustment to the Beko BBL. After tearing up the Pro B last season, you are the top scorer for MBC. Have you been surprised how well the transition has been or does that self basketball confidence outweigh any doubt one may have going into a new situation?

 Thanks a lot! It’s really been an adjustment playing at a high level that the BBL brings and has really helped me to continue to work harder to compete at this level. My coaches and teammates have really helped make my transition a lot easier. Trusting me and showing me different things that they experienced to know that will help at this level which has been great.

Your assists are down. What is the most difficult thing in the Beko BBL to get adjusted to when trying to find the open man? Are there more flying hands in the passing lanes?

 When you talk about a league like the BBL it’s strong both offensively and defensively. Yes the guards are bigger and talented defensively for me on trying to get a good pass to my teammate but the shots we do get are shots that will be difficult to make because the BBL is strong in team defense. It’s been an adjustment for my entire team, but as season progresses it’s gotten better.

The next game is against the Fraport Skyliners that have a three game winning streak. MBC won the season series last season. This is a team with a very aggressive set offense as you will see on video and kept Phoenix Hagen under 80 points last weekend. What kind of game can we await?

It’s going to be an exciting game!! They have been playing well and have a lot of tendencies to prepare for. We see it as another opportunity to get better and compete so we are really looking forward to it!!

How excited are you to be playing against ex NBA player Andrew Rautins? Do you remember watching him play when he was at Syracuse?

 It’s going be good to play against him just a familiar face playing on the same league as you is always good! I watched him play at Syracuse and he can play. It’s going be good to compete against not just him but their whole team Saturday!

How much do you feel for your ex team Bayer Giants Leverkusen that started off the season at 0-9? Do you sometimes wish like you could moonlight one game and help them out?

It’s tough seeing the rough start that they have had. Of course I still communicate with some of the guys especially Jack Eggleston and we joke around a little bit about it lol but I have faith that they will turn it around! I’m still rooting for them from Weissenfels!

What is your take on the Derrick Rose situation? You are a guy that likes his game a lot. Do you see the criticism as fair and will he ever be able to play injury free or is he becoming a sad case of a player that is flat out injury prone?

 It’s a tough situation for D Rose and I feel for him! To go through what he went through last year and now to deal with this I can only imagine how he feels. All the criticism he has gotten over this I don’t feel is fair but people will always have their opinions. I know him and had the opportunity to play with and against him this summer and I know the type of person and character he has and I know he will come back even stronger next year!!

Where do you see the journey of the Chicago bears going this season? Can they make the playoffs and who will make the Superbowl Sea Hawks or Saints?

 I believe we can do it!! We have a some big wins and I feel like we are coming together. I think the Saints will make the Super Bowl.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

 Fast and furious 6

 

Thanks Josh for the chat.