Since the last time TBB Trier reached the playoffs in 2004, players have come and gone in the Mosel town like NFL teams changing head coaches as 25% of the NFL teams entered the 2013-2104 with different coaches. If one makes a list of players in the last years in Trier, one had NBA flair with guys like Marcus Taylor or Norman Richardson not to forget current NBA player Chris Copeland who played two seasons in Trier who had loads of talent, but in a way a player of many in the basketball sea that could reach the NBA and did. Who could forget Jamal Shuler who took part at the Beko BBL dunk contest, a George Evans who could tell more army stories then basketball anecdotes, point guard Derek Raivio who was a grown man, but looked like a 15 year old, a Tommy Adams that could shoot out the lights in practice, but not always when it counted or Dru Joyce who had enough Lebron James stories for cold winter bus rides.  However one thing that will never change in Trier is the loyal faithful presence of Aggi Mock who looks like a cousin of ZZ Top with his long black graying beard. However since the arrival of Henrik Rodl in 2010, he has started a commendable trend of signing, giving minutes and developing young Germans and one could almost say here come the TBB Trier Germans. The Fraport Skyliners also have started this type of trend last season and for whatever reasons if linked with a lower budget than usual have had to go the German route. One could say that on November second the TBB Trier Germans hosted the Fraport Skyliners Germans. When looking at the team stats, TBB Trier has five Germans this season and they have played an average of 15,5 minutes per game combined, while Gordon Herbert has seven Germans on the roster and they together average 15,2 minutes per game slightly behind TBB Trier, but if you take away Tim Oldenburg and Stefan illzhoefer who average only 1,0 minute per game and play only if really needed and average together the minutes of Konstantin Klein, Danilo Barthel, Johannes Voigtmann, Kevin Bright and Max Merz, you get 20,5 minutes per game combined. On paper, the Fraport Skyliners won the which team plays the more Germans, but who would win on the court and that was the Fraport Skyliners out toughing TBB Trier on the court 85-75 and also with the Germans having five players on the court to two players for TBB. Fraport Skyliner Danilo Barthel who is the heart of the German development in Frankfurt was proud to play in a game like this where so many Germans were on the court. “It is really great how so many Germans are getting minutes on both teams that are doing ok in the standings. It is apparent to see that the players are developing and improving each day. Some of these guys wouldn´t be getting as many minutes for other teams and they know that. We take the chances that we get and we give the best each minute that we are on  the court”, stressed Danilo Barthel. TBB Trier Canadian Jermaine Bucknor played for the Frankfurt Skyliners in the 2010-2011 season and was also impressed with the youth work of both teams. “What Frankfurt and Trier have done with youth is great. I wish that we had had that in Canada for players like Andrew Rautins, Jermaine Anderson or myself. I think that both coaches have done a great job. Roedl gives the young players so much confidence for them to improve on a daily basis. Herbert does the same thing in that he gives his players so much confidence and some of these Germans are really good”, stressed ex Wurzburg forward Jermaine Bucknor. TBB Trier high scoring American Trevon Hughes had a stern face after the loss, but also gave his five cents to the youth development. “The Germans on the court today really are good and have talent. I think that guys like Anthony Canty  and Matias Monninghoff could of made the difference today. Our Germans are always improving each day. I see it with Andreas Seiferth. He is a beast and is always working hard. He doesn´t talk much, but just does what he is told”, expressed Trevon Hughes. “I think it is great what both clubs do and it is something that you don´t see often in Europe. It is a great opportunity for the young guys like a Max Merz who works so hard each day. He wants to get better each day and I like his aggressive defense. He has raw talent for a point guard”, added Andrew Rautins.

The most important thing for 40 minutes for any team is too get the win, but in order for that to happen other little things need to be done on the court, like big defensive plays, crunch time big shots or exciting player battles on the court. In the NBA, these showtime duels happen as frequently as a player saying the standard reply after a win, we hit shots and played good defense, but in the Beko BBL these duels don´t happen as often, but when they do, it is a real treat to watch for the fans. Fraport Skyliner Andrew Rautins had his best shooting game in Bremerhaven connecting for 32 points and found his groove early on in Trier finding his range from outside as well as unleashing some nifty floaters from his sleeve. Trevon Hughes of TBB Trier who is a scoring point guard also found his rhythm early on and was their go to guy. Rautins who has had many duels with other players in the NCAA and pro´s and likes the challenge, but knows that the team aspect comes before any shooting clinic against an American on the court. “I don´t think that much about these player duels on the court and don´t try to match buckets with him, but just wait for my chance and take it. Tervon Hughes had a great game that knows how to create for his teammates and shoot the ball. He really knew how to draw fouls and score”, stressed Andrew Rautins.  Rautins finished with 30 points, his second 30 point game in the Beko BBL while Hughes finished with 29 points and could of won the duel and game if he had dropped a few more shots in crunch time, but it was just one of those games where missing shots belong to the game. “Having this duel with Rautins was fun. I really like to compete and he didn´t back down. Rautins made me play better. Basketball is a mans game and that is the time where you see what is inside you as a player. Its not about one on one, but it is a team game.  He did a better job getting his team the win”, said American Trevon Hughes. For Canadian Bucknor seeing the two guys battle might have been fun for the fans, but he didn´t have the option to pull out a lazy boy chair and munch on some popcorn and cheer for his guy. “It isn´t as fun to watch on the court. I know Andy Rautins since seven years and played on the Canadian national team and am happy for him. I am happy that Trevon Hughes found his comfort zone early and he is one of the most talented players in the Beko BBL. He will be ready for a rematch in Frankfurt”, smiled Jermaine Bucknor.

The Fraport Skyliners came into the game resting in 14^th place with a record of 2-4 and had just had a very turbulent week that saw experienced point guard Dawan Robinson have to pack his bags and two possible new players Americans Kevin Foster and Jeriem Anderson not pass the obligatory medical checks. The Fraport Skyliners came into the game like a beaten dog or injured coyote that had been hit by a car and reacted like the dog or coyote in that they were most dangerous in that situation when one seems to be on the verge of being down and out. The Fraport Skyliners presented themselves in  a very professional way getting off to a great start and just concentrated on what they had  and not on what they didn´t have mentally and played three strong quarters with the exception of the third quarters where they allowed TBB Trier back into the game being outscored 28-14. Frankfurt gave a magnificent team performance and had big games from Rautins and Burtschi and had sufficient support from the young German guns. “We did a great job concentrating on the players that we had. We had a good week to practice with the players that we had. Konstantin Klein and Max Merz did  a good job at the point guard position controlling the game. The most important thing we achieved was that we won the rebounding. We gave up some offensive rebounds, but as a whole played good team defense. We moved the ball well and had many extra passes”, stressed Heidelberg native Danilo Barthel. TBB Trier was coming off a big 85-79 win in Ulm and were looking for their third win in a row, but had to match a hungry and focused Frankfurt team and were unable to come out with the same energy. “Frankfurt came out with a lot of energy and we were unable to match that. You need to do that and if you don´t you have to play catch up the whole game and we used  a lot of energy. We had to change the pace in our comeback. They made their run at the end and we didn´t have the time to answer”,  stressed Trevon Hughes. 2004 NCAA winner with Uconn Denham Brown who had teammates like NBA players Josh Boone, Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor or Charlie Villaneuva and who also played in the NBA with the Supersonics and is friends with the Trier Canadians Anderson and Bucknor being teammates on the Canadian national team was on hand for the game as he is looking for a team and was impressed by the Fraport Skyliners. “Frankfurt played very smart and had good ball movement and played to their strength around Andrew Rautins. They went to zone and slowed down Trier and rebounded very well. They let Hughes do what he wanted and locked down on everyone else”, stressed Denham Brown.

The game marked a special meeting between Canadians as TBB Trier had their Canadians Jermaine Bucknor, Warren Ward and Jermaine Anderson while the Fraport Skyliners had Andy Rautins and head coach Gordon Herbert. Two of these Canadians also had back to back birthdays as Bucknor turned 30 on Friday and birthday boy Rautins turned 27.  4,182 fans were in the arena to witness the game and saw an even game for the first two minutes until Frankfurt could break away. Stefan Schmidt got TBB Trier on the board first, but Rautins tied the game with a floater. After a Schmidt free throw, the Fraport Sklyiners cruised out on a 16-7 run to lead 18-8. It was the Skyliner Germans that were vital in this run. Rautins started the run with a lay in, which was followed by Barthel and Klein lay ups as Frankfurt was taking apart the TBB Trier defense with quick passes and cutting to the basket to lead 8-3. American Hughes then showed his calm, cool killer instinct as he dropped a three pointer as if he was all alone on the playground in Queens, New York. Frankfurt then continued to play spirited basketball mixing it up a bit also as Rautins  dropped a three pointer and then did like an NFL quarterback heaving a long bomb touchdown pass to Barthel who had snuck behind the defense for an easy lay up. Klein then hit a three pointer and Barthel scored inside again.  Hughes who played at Wisconsin(NCAA) with ex Skyliner Jon Leuer had scored 11 consecutive points in Ulm and showed his ability to score in bunches as he answered seven points in a row to cut the Frankfurt lead to 18-15. Rautins then connected on  a three pointer after having missed two shots in a row giving the classic quotation” If you don’t make shots, keep shooting” true meaning and Barthel scored inside. In the last two minutes, Frankfurt received two three pointers form Rautins and Jacob Burtschi while Bucknor also scored from downtown, but the Fraport Skyliners led 29-20. “We had to come out right away and make a statement and not fall behind. Our start was key for how the game would go for us”, stated Oklahoma native Jacob Burtschi. The Fraport were shooting 58% from the field and 63% from outside while TBB Trier was shooting 45% from the field and 50% from outside. Frankfurt had the 11-6 rebound edge and four turnovers while TBB Trier had five turnovers.

In the second quarter, the Fraport Skyliners continued to dominate leading by as much as 14 points and just executing on offense with consistency. Ex Phoenix Hagen forward Jacob Burtschi hit consecutive jumpers giving the Fraport Skyliners the 34-20 advantage. However TBB Trier didn´t let this  ruffle their feathers as they countered with a 7-0 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 34-27. Basketball is a game of runs and TBB Trier mixed up their offense as Bucknor put on a dribble show at the top of the key getting N#Diaye dizzy as he was up top to challenge him and hit a jumper while Hughes snuck inside again scoring and Vitalis Chikoko did what he does best attacking the offensive boards getting  a tip in. Frankfurt then executed  a beautiful play bringing back memories to the 2010-2011 season where Le Mans player Dashaun Wood would make the perfect back door pass to Quantez Robertson who would come on flight from the wing and finish with a dunk as Barthel found Burtschi cutting inside from the wing for the easy lay in. The beautiful combinations of Frankfurt continued as Klein sped in from the base line and in double team somehow got the pass to Barthel for the easy put back as Frankfurt led 38-29. After a Kevin Bright lay in, Canadian Warren Ward and Rautins exchanged buckets as Frankfurt still led 44-32. In the last two minutes Chikoko continued to hurt Frankfurt with his athletic play inside scoring twice, but that was matched by a Bright bomb from the parking lot and a Johannes Voigtmann dunk that scored at the buzzer after getting a difficult pass out of the double team from Barthel. The Fraport Skyliners led 49-36 at halftime. “We were very aggressive on offense and hit our shots”, expressed Andrew Rautins. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 58% from the field and 58% from the three point line while TBB Trier was shooting 44% from the field and 44% from the three point line. Frankfurt had the 18-14 rebound edge and only six turnovers while TBB Trier had eight turnovers.

Last season, the Fraport Skyliners had played a strong first half in Trier and totally fell apart in the third quarter losing the game and a week ago fell apart in the third quarter at home against Ludwigsburg and for some reason the third quarter remains to be a real sore spot for the Fraport Skyliners. Once TBB Trier starts to hit shots, the arena gets louder and it gets very difficult for the opponent. TBB Trier started the third quarter with a bang with a 5-0 run as Chikoko scored over Voigtmann and Lithuvanian Laurynas Samenas scored from the Porta Nigra with a Burtschi hand that had nothing but net and “are you kidding me” written all over the face of Burtschi as Frankfurt led only 49-41. Rautins and Bucknor then exchanged three pointers as Frankfurt led 52-44. Chikoko remained to be a thorn in the defensive side for Frankfurt as he connected over Voigtmann again as TBB Trier trailed 52-46. Frankfurt then went on a mini 4-0 run as Voigtmann saw a hidden Rautins under the basket and fed him for the easy lay in and Voigtmann then scored inside as Frankfurt had the 56-46 lead. Then it was once again for Hughes to shine as he was involved on the next three TBB Trier possessions as he first nailed a three pointer and then made a Derrick Rose like lay in protecting the ball and using a type of hook shot motion while driving to the basket and finishing and he then penetrated and drew two defenders on him and made the no look pass to Chikoko for an easy put back as Frankfurt led 58-53. Then it was time again for the Rautins-Hughes duel as they traded three pointers with Frankfurt still leading 61-56. Rautins too often is seen as just being able to shoot out the lights, but he can pass just as well as he found Voigtmann free cutting to the hoop and fed him for the monster two handed dunk as Frankfurt led 63-56. However a few bad decisions and turnovers for Frankfurt led to a 8-0 TBB Trier run to close out the third quarter and give them the 64-63 lead. Bucknor started the run with a jumper and Jermaine Anderson and Ward finished with three pointers. “We stuck to our game plan and moved the ball well and hit shots. We made them feel uncomfortable on offense with our defense”, added Jermaine Bucknor. “Trier hit some very tough in your face shots which got them back into the game”, added Jacob Burtschi. TBB Trier was shooting 51% from the field and 50% from the parking lot while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting 56% from the field and 56% from the parking lot. Both teams had 23 rebounds and Frankfurt 11 turnovers and TBB Trier nine turnovers.

The beginning of the fourth quarter was very exciting as the game went back and fourth with three lead changes. Jacob Burtschi gave his team the lead back with a three pointer, but Hughes retaliated with a shot from downtown hitting over Klein as TBB Trier led 67-66. Klein got revenge for his mistake on defense by nailing from beyond the three point line giving Frankfurt the lead back at 69-67 and Frankfurt would never look back again. Rautins then hit some free throws and Hughes scored again from outside, but Frankfurt still led 73-70. Semanas then connected from outside as TBB Trier trailed only 74-73, but every time TBB Trier was threatening to regain the lead, Frankfurt had an answer as Bright scored on the perfect executed fast break getting a pass from Burtschi. Hughes then did his last good deed of the day lofting up the perfect ally-op pass to Chikoko who just tap dunked it home inside of making the big dunk for the highlight reel with the risk that it might have popped out. Klein then scored a big layup to give Frankfurt the 78-75 win and clinch the win as Hughes missed on the next three TBB Trier possessions and Frankfurt closed the door with free throws from Rautins Burtschi and Barthel  closing out the game with a 9-0 run. “The key at the end was that we rebounded the ball something that we couldn´t do against Ludwigsburg”,  stressed Jacob Burtschi. “That is just how the cookie crumbles at the end. I usually make those shots, but they just didn´t want to fall in”, stressed Trevon Hughes. “You can´t blame a guy like Trevon Hughes at the end for missing some shots. He hit big shots all game long to keep us in the game. That is how basketball is sometimes. We had breakdowns and lost as a team”, stressed Jermaine Bucknor.

The Fraport Skyliners were led by Andrew Rautins with 30 points. Danilo Barthel had 15 points, 10 rebound and five assists. Jacob Burtschi contributed with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. Konstantin Klein chipped in with 10 points and four assists. TBB Trier was led by Trevon Hughes with 29 points and five assists. Vitalis Chikoko added 14 points and seven rebounds. Warren ward scored 11 points and Jermaine Bucknor contributed 10 points and nine rebounds. The Fraport Skyliners had great shooting day at 52% from the field and 50% from downtown while TBB Trier shot a respectable 45% from the field and 46% from downtown. Frankfurt who came into the game averaging only 29 rebounds and TBB trier 38 did a great job on the boards winning the rebound battle35-30, but had 14 rebounds and TBB Trier 13 rebounds. Another big stat was the Frankfurt domination of 36-24 points in the paint.  Much respect goes to the Fraport Skyliners sticking through rough teams and stepping up as a unified unit. “Even if we were down a few guys, we played as a team and stuck together. I am very proud of the guys”, stressed birthday boy Andrew Rautins. Skyliner Jacob Burtschi as always found extra special words for the team fight through adversary and kept the Rautins birthday present simple. “Our biggest strength tonight was that we played as a team and stayed away from individual play. Tough times never last, but tough players do. Andy will get a beer and candy bar for his birthday from me”, joked Jacob Burtschi.

Richie Williams is a 26 year old 178cm guard that is playing his second season with SC Rasta Vechta. He is a very fast guard that can play either one or two. Great at pushing the break. Can score by shooting the three or using his explosiveness to beat his man. Gets to the basket and scores in traffic. A specialist in steals that uses his quickness to intimidate on defense. Great ball control. Gets the whole team involved when playing the point but can takeover a game at any time. He started his basketball career at  San Diego St. (NCAA) in 2005 where he played until 2009. In his senior year he played  36 games: 7.2ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.5apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 40.9%, 3Pts: 37.5%, FT: 64.2%. In 2009-2010, he started his professional basketball career for The San Diego Surf (ABA), in Jan.’10 moved to FSU Selfoss (Iceland-Express League, starting five): 8 games: 27.5ppg, 8.1rpg, 3.4apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 46.2%, FT: 72.7%. In 2011-2012, he played for  UBC Hannover Tigers (Germany-ProB, starting five): 33 games: 18.3ppg, 5.1rpg, Assists-4(5.7apg), Steals-2(3.2spg), FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 75.8%. Last season for SC Rasta Vechta he played  SC Rasta Vechta (Germany-ProA): 38 games: 15.6ppg, 5.2rpg, Assists-1(6.7apg), Steals-1(2.5spg), FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 79.9%. He spoke to German Hoops before the game against the Brose Baskets Bamberg.

 

 

SC Rasta Vechta celebrated a hard fought 71-62 win in Tuebingen that was the second win of the season and second on the road. How important is it to have won some raod games early in the season?

 

Road games are huge because you expect teams to take care of home court and what separates the bad, good and great teams come down to who wins on the road. Road wins are good for the team moral and confidence.

How mindboggling is the fact that the team is 0-4 at home? That is very difficult to believe even though the heart breaking losses to Artland and Hagen by a combined three points hurt. Will those home wins start coming?

The plan is to get our first home win this weekend against Bamberg. It will be a very tough task but its one that can be done. The close losses to Artland and Hagen were tough to swallow but we learned valuable lessons that will carry us through the season.

The club is 2-4 at the moment. How happy have you been with the team play so far in the first six games? In what areas can the team still improve on?

 

Im proud of the 2 games we won but every game we lost we were in a position to win. Improving on executing in clutch situations is something that will help us tremendously. We’ve been in every game but have had untimely lapses at the end of some of our losses.

You have had a great start averaging 13,3ppg, 7,0apg and 6,0rpg. There are former NBA players in the Beko BBl that aren´t averaging those stats. Are you surprised how well you have made the transition for Pro A to Beko BBL?

Im not surprised at all. Its been a long time coming for me to get to this point. This is my opportunity to show what Im made of. Hard work, faith and patience have been good to me.

Could one say that your play is a great example that there are so many very good players in lower leagues in the world that are just waiting for their chance to prove themselves in top leagues?

 

I believe so. Im not the first to start from the bottom and I wont be the last. There have been guys before me that made this opportunity possible. Without those guys no one would look for talent in the lower leagues.

How proud are you to have Dirk Madrich as a teammate. He was already a big part of the success last season with Vechta and this is his fifth team in Germany and he never was able to breakthrough until this year as he is leading the team in scoring and three point percentage at age 30. What do you believe has been his secret?

Dirk has been unbelieveable. Given his age you would think a guy like him has peaked but he hasnt. He’s always been a great shooter but now he is establishing himself in the paint and playing really tough.

Despite the 2-4 record, it seems like head coach Pat Elze has done a good job finding the roles early for his players. How important is Elzie for the team and for further success

 

Coach Elzie has done a great job of putting a team together where everyones abilities complements the next man. What I like most about Coach Elzie is his ability to let us be a baskebtall player and play through mistakes. Its helps guys play a little loosely and not afraid to make mistakes.

How important have Marcus Neal and Dylan Talley been for team? These guys are also adjusting well to the grin of the Beko BBL.

Marcus and Dylan have been huge for us. Marcus is a scrappy guy and goes hard every possession. The type of energy we need and Dylan is a great shooter. Dylan made big shots in our first win in Trier. He makes timely shots for us.

The next game is against the Brose Baskets Bamberg. Is this the biggest game of your professional career so far in terms of the type of players that you will be playing against?

This weekend against Bamberg is the biggest game of my professional career. Big time program with a long history of winning, defending champs and a Euroleague team. I been watching these guys since my Pro B days in Hannover waiting for this opportunity.

How excited are you to be playing against Zach Wright? He had a similar career like you in that he started in the German Pro B and made it to the big time playing for top teams in Europe. You haven´t made that step yet, but you are playing in a top league in Germany. Does a guy like that motivate you to keep working to make the next step?

Its definitely motivating and encouraging. Shows me and other guys it can be done if you put in the work to make it happen. He’s a very good player and im looking forward to competing against him.

 

I am sure you watched some Stanford games in the last 90s of Casey Jacobsen and when he played in the NBA. If you could ask him one thing what would you ask him?

What was your NBA experience like?

Bamberg plays Euroleague 48 hours earlier. Will Bamberg get one of the nastiest track meet games? I am sure playing aggressive and unpredictable could ruffle their feathers a bit?

I dont want to give away the game plan but yea, we plan on shaking them up a bit.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Fruitvale Station

 

Thanks Richie for the chat.

In life one  can´t always have everything and at times one must chose because within the ramifications, and often enough one can just have one or the other or at times only one thing. For example a prime example is with women who often have to pick between career and children with both working only if the woman has a cape and super woman on her chest, or in some cases some illustrations are more severe like British soccer hero Paul Gascoigne who had to pick between the booze bottle and getting his life cleaned up and couldn´t get back on to track in life and is still battling the alcohol disease or top UK team Manchester United selling their top stars in 1995 Paul Ince, Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis and bringing in the young guns like Mr metro David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt or Gary Neville. These young guns left or retired and moved on to better things, but up until 2003 when Beckham was the first to leave, Manchester United won 10 titles. After Manchester United lost their first game in 1995, the ex-Liverpool player Alan Hansen said “you don’t win anything with kids”, a quote that he has had to live with the rest of his life. So making this change was for the good for Manchester United. Having a house cleaning in professional sports isn´t really anything uncommon, but at time sone just has to make changes for a new direction. It isn´t really any different in professional basketball and especially in the Beko BBl where the budgets of the teams range from 15 million Euro to 1 million Euro´s. beko BBL team TBB Trier is one of those teams that has a limited budget somewhere in the lower half of the teams and since Henrik Rodl cam eon board in 2010, have chosen to go the route of developing young Germans instead of buying 6 Americans and trying to gun for the Beko BBL playoffs. Granted the club hasn´t been in the playoffs since 2004 when the Boston Red Sox still had the curse of the Bambino ringing in their ears daily and ex TBB Trier guard Dru Joyce was just one year removed from being the teammate of the worlds best player at St Marys high school in Ohio, but somehow the club has survived visiting cafes in May in trier and not in other Beko BBL towns like Bamberg, Artland or Bonn. In 2007 and 2008, the club had some close calls finishing in 15^th and 17^th place and just been entrenched in no mans land. Since Rodl has arrived the club has finished in 15^th, 10^th, 14^th and 12^th place. That is nothing to cheer about, but the 1993 European championships winner with Germany has done the best that he could with his budget and just has lived and breathed basketball with shaping German players. He has made guys like Maik Zirbes, Phillip Zwiener, Bastian Doreth Andreas Seiferth and Matthias Monnighoff into better and more confident players with all except Zwiener who had already been a German national player to reaching that team. The question will always be can a team like TBB Trier that has an abundance of German players like new guys Stefan Schmidt, Anthony Canty and Andreas Wenzl be able to reach the playoffs with their mix of international players. The answer most likely is no since the Beko BBL gets more competitive each season and they don’t have the budget to make that step. However Rodl is doing a fine deed using the 6 and 6 rule to the maximum and helping the German basketball Federation by grooming the next German national players and be. Ex TBB Trier guard John Bynum so first hand how Rodl incorporated the German youth movement in Trier. “Well I think it is great because guys who normally just are practice players get game experience and play roles on a high level. By the time they get in there prime they have experience and they also can help out teams cause they learned at a young age. I think it’s great for German basketball and players who get that chance are taking advantage of it. Without Henrik starting this I think we would only be seeing national players playing at that level on a consistent basis”, stressed American John Bynum. TBB Trier never reached the Beko BBL playoffs, but could be reality in the future. “I think it is a reality because Henrik is a great coach and gets the best from his players and his players always develop during the season because of learning on the fly”, warned California native John Bynum.

The 11^th place finish of TBB Trier with a record of 15-19 may look normal since the club has been in the no mans land practically since 2004, but it rather deceiving because with three games left in the regular season the club was three wins away from the playoffs and three losses away from going down. The last month was a real battle, but the team buckled down and finished strong to breathe another season in the top German basketball league. This season as every season head coach henrik Rodl did a good job keeping a part of the team together and then adding a healthy mix of Germans and international players to help round out his new rotation. He kept Jermaine Bucknor(8,2ppg, 5,8rpg and 2,0apg) who is a 30 year old 200cm forward from Canada that played at Richmond and has good European experience having played in France and for Frankfurt and Wurzburg. His good outside shooting and versatile play inside coupled with his jovial mood and experience will aid the team. Germans Mathis Monninghoff, Andreas Seiferth and Zimbabwean Vitalis Chikoko also return to team. Monninghoff(10,2ppg, 3,4rpg) is a 21 year old 200cm swing man that started his career with Leverkusen and played 52NCAA games for Gonzaga. His shot is his big asset, but he isn´t one dimensional, but smart turns over the ball seldom and plays aggressive defense. Andreas Seiferth(5,3ppg, 3,3rpg) is a 24 year old 209cm center that made the jump to the German national team last summer. He is playing his third season in Trier after learning the trade in the Alba Berlin school. He is a guy that always works hard and has developed a cute hook shot. He is a guy that can still develop and this season will be another test to see if he can make the next step. Chikoko(10,2ppg, 7,0rpg) is a 22 year old 207cm forward that can also play center and has turned into a leading player in Trier this season. He played at BG Goettingen two seasons ago where the league  already took notice as he played 17 games averaging 6.9ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 57.5%, 3PT-2(50.0%), FT: 54.2%. Last season for TBB Trier he played 33 games: 6.2ppg, 2.9rpg, FGP: 60.9%, 3PT-3(50.0%), FT: 61.4%. He has unending athletic ability and can rebound and block shots, but at times his overzealous energy leads to too many fouls.

The club brought in TreVon Huughes(18,2ppg, 4,2rpg, 4,6apg) who is a 26 year old 184 cm point guard from Queens, New York that is playing his fourth professional season and first in Germany. He played at Wisconsin(NCAA) with NBA players like Jon Leuer, Alando Tucker and Marcus Landry. As a professional he has played in countries like Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuvania. He has shown no problems adapting to the skilled Beko BBL and can fill up the stats sheets as a combo guard and will give Rodl smiles with his defense. Jermaine Anderson(9,6ppg, 5,0rpg, 2,8apg) is a 30 year old 188cm point guard from Toronto, Canada that has played in Germany for teams like Bamberg, Tuebingen and Braunschweig. In Europe he has played in countries like Croatia, Poland, Russia and Monetnegro. His three pointer is deadly as he has shown throughout his career like shooting 48% in Greece and Croatia. He will be like an assistant coach on the court for Rodl. Laurynas Samenas(4,4ppg, 2,0rpg) is a 25 year old 192cm guard from Lituvania that is playing his first season out of his native country. Last season he played for  BC Siauliai (LKL) playing 22 games: Score-5(15.0ppg), 2.2rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 39.6%, FT: 78.4%; Baltic League: 17 games: 14.2ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 50.7%, FT: 79.1%. He is known for his shooting and defense and can give the team energy from the bench. After four seasons and 74 Beko BBL games with Bayreuth, Stefan Schmidt(4,4ppg, 3,2rpg) is searching for a new challenge in Trier. Schmidt is a 24 year old 207cm center that was born in Schwandorf. He had the chance to play behind two ex NBA players with Jared Reiner and Brandon Hunter. Schmidt never was able to make his breakthrough in Bayreuth and in Trier will come from the bench to give Seifert rest. He always works hard and this season will be very important in his development. Warren Ward(4,5ppg, 1,8rpg) is a 23 year old 196cm guard and third Canadian on the roster. He is a rookie coming from the University of Ottawa (CIS) and as a senior played  26 games: 18.8ppg, 8.0rpg, 3.8apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 81.8%. He doesn´t have an easy task having to replace Nate Linhardt. Ward is very athletic and can jump very high. He grabbed eight rebounds  a game and will help the team in many ways on offense. Andreas Wenzl(3,7ppg, 1,3rpg) is a 20 year old 201cm center that arrives to Trier as a big project. He started his career with ratiopharm Ulm and played at the 2011 and 2012 NBBL Allstar games. In the NBBL he has shown his scoring and rebounding ability, but knee problems have slowed him down. In Trier he will get a chance to get minutes with the Regionaliga team and beko BBL club. Anthony Canty is a 22 year old 183cm guard that is injured. He started his career in 2007 with  BSG Bremerhaven (Oberliga) and in 2009 to Beko BBl team Eisbaeren Bremerhaven where he played  a total of 63 games in four seasons. He is another very big German talent that could shine in Trier. His speed is his biggest asset and isn´t shy to take big shots if no one else wants to. The club brought in Marin Petric that is a 33 year old 190cm guard that has the German/Croatian citizenship. He has Beko BBL experience with Leverkusen and Duesseldorf and last season played for Murat Didin for  Duesseldorf Baskets (Germany-ProA): 39 games: 10.0ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 67.4%.

Since Rodl has been coach with TBB Trier he hasn´t only made young German player development an institution, but also priding the game of the team on defense. They have belonged to the top defense teams in the Beko BBL, but just weren´t more successful because they often were unable to score more points than what they gave up. As always tBB trier will develop their game through their defense and let the offense work from there. The club lost important players with Americans Nate Linhardt and Barry Stewart, but got good players with Jermaine Anderson and TeVon Hughes. So far this season, the club is still finding each other on the court as the first results have shown. They beat Tuebingen and MBC where they defended well giving up an average 70 points, but then again had problems with new Beko BBL team SC Rasta Vechta losing 87-84, defending well in Braunschweig, but not mustering any offense losing 67-58 and were in the 81-75 loss to Oldenburg. This is a big game for the Fraport Skyliners who

In the last Six years, The Skyliners have a record of 8-7 against TBB Trier with 5-3 at home and 3-4 on the road. Frankfurt lost the last two games in Trier 74-64 in 2008 on the last day of the season where teams were jockeying for playoff places and Frankfurt ended up getting The Bayer Giants Leverkusen in the quarterfinals. In 2009-2010, TBB Trier played a very energetic and spirited game winning 78-70 despite a monster game by American Derrick Allen who registered 29 points and 10 boards. The Deutsche Bank Skyliners lost the first game of the season in Trier 71-67 as Jimmy Mckinney and Qarraan Calhoun were missing due to injury. It was your typical season opening game as both teams were nervous and missing way too many shots. The game was tied at halftime 26 all. Frankfurt had fire power in the third quarter, but went down in the fourth quarter scoring only nine points as Frankfurt had no nerves in crunch time to win. Derrick Allen had 19 points and eight rebounds and despite TBB Trier was without top scorer Chrs Copeland, the team got needed production form Jamal Shuler, Brian Brown and George Evans to conserve the win. In 2009-2010, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners lost the first game ion Trier 71-67 as Ex Skyliner Derrick Allen contributed 19 points and eight rebounds and Frankfurt won at home 71-69 winning the game with Pascal Roller free throws. Derrick Allen led Frankfurt with 17 points. In 2010-2011, Frankfurt swept the season series. They won at home 72-55 as Pascal Roller led the home team with 17 points. The return date in Trier was an exciting battle as Frankfurt clawed out a 69-61 win as they came from behind going on a 10-0 run in crunch time to prevail. Dashaun Wood led the charge with 18 points and Jimmy Mckinney added 11 points. In their first meeting in 2011-2012, TBB Trier came out with a 64-54 victory as defense played a key role. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Jon Leuer and Jimmy Mckinney with 14 points a piece. In their second meeting, the Fraport Skyliners were riding the wave of a very strong second half of the season where they had beat top teams like FC Bayern Munich, ratiopharm Ulm, Bamberg, Artland Dragons and the EWE Baskets Oldenburg and came to Trier with a lot of self confidence winning 72-52 displaying another trademark top defensive performance as ex NBA player Jermareo Davidson steered 19 points to the win and Jimmy Mckinney added 18 points. This was also the game where Eisbaeren Bremerhaven forward Jacob Burtschi was on the floor as much as Boris Becker had dived on the hallowed lawn at Wimbeldon in his career. Last season  TBB Trier swept the season series won at home against Frankfurt  78-59. At halftime everything looked ok as Frankfurt trailed by only one point, but TBB trier exploded in the third quarter winning it 25-8 leading them on to the win. American Brian Harper proved too much for Frankfurt with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Skyliner Ted Scott gave his debut netting 20 points. In the return game in Frankfurt, TBB trier won 78-70 sending the Fraport Skyliners into a do or die game with Ludwigsburg as Jermaine Bucknor and Andreas Seiferth led the way with 14 points a piece. Frankfurt was led by Quantez Robertson with 14 points and Ryan Brooks added 13 points.

TBB Trier are in 10^th place and enter the game against the Fraport Sklyiners with a two game winning streak and huge  84-79 road win in Ulm.  The Fraport Skyliners are reeling off a bitter 90-78 loss to Ludwigsburg and are riding on a two game losing streak, but sit comfortably in 13^th place in the Beko BBL standings. This will be the big battle between the Beko BBL German basketballs chools as the Fraport Skyliners are slowly becoming competitive in the question as to who is developing Germans best and most. The Fraport Skyliners will be focused in winning the game and not seeing where the most Germans are inserted. Fraport Skyliner Konstantin Klein knows what is awaiting him in Trier. “This will be a very hard game. They defend well and are always hard to beat at home. We have to be concentrated for 40 minutes. I am looking forward to playing against my German buddies Mathias Monninghoff and Andreas Seiferth”, stressed Konstantin Klein. After looking at the last box score, it is no secret what will be vital for Frankfurt coming home with a win. “Trier is a tough team. We have to rebound better and cut down on turnovers. We will have to be  ready to play”, stressed Jacob Burtschi. It also wouldn´t hurt for Frankfurt to get back to their staple. “We have to get back to defending well. It all starts there. We have to be focused for 40 minutes”, added  ex Fraport Skyliner Dawan Robinson.

Lamont Mcintosh is a 31 year old 190cm shooting guard from Georgia that has played nine professionals seasons. He played at Georgia State(NCAA) and started his professional basketball career in 2004 for the scottish Rocks (United Kingdom-BBL) and the Southern Crescent Lightning (WBA). In the 2005-2006 season he returned back to Europe and played for : Verviers-Pepinster (Belgium-D1): 28 games: 15.0ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.2apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 51.0%. He then came to Germany and played three seasons for the Artland Dragons Quakenbrueck  winning the Beko BBL cup in 2008. In 2009-2010, he played for Politekhnika-Halychyna Lviv (Ukraine-Superleague) playing 20 games: 16.1ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 73.8%. In 2010-2011, he played for Enosi Kalathosfairisis Kavalas (Greece-A1, starting five): 25 games: 7.1ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 80.8%. In 2011-2012 he played for AZS Koszalin (Poland-PLK): 14 games: 11.2ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 41.0%, 3PT: 43.1%, FT: 85.2%. Last season he played for the  s.Oliver Baskets Wuerzburg (Germany-BBL): 34 games: 7.5ppg, 1.6rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 81.3%; EuroCup: 6 games: 7.2ppg, 1.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 32.0%, 3PT: 31.6%, FT: 81.8%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Its almost November and your sitting around at home looking for a job. How surprised are you that you are still in the States and not balling in Europe?

Honestly, I’m really surprised. Last season in Wuerzburg I felt I had a really solid year. I didn’t have any injuries, which was critical, especially since I had just turned 30 last season. I thought it was most significant that I participated in every meeting, practice, & game from the pre-season until the very last game of the regular season.

Is the basketball market so competitive or haven´t the right offers come around? How have you experienced this off season in terms of finding a team and weighing your offers?

It’s both. Basketball is ever expanding and clubs around the world have more leverage than ever due to the pool of players being so large. My personal challenge this off-season, has been finding the right opportunity to be in a significant role and financially beneficial.

Some years ago you were signed in November and played in the Ukraine, so you know what it is like having to wait for the perfect job. How difficult has it been staying positive. Who has been helping you most mentally and just staying focused?

Staying positive isn’t the difficult part. I’m a very faithful and optimistic person by nature. It does get frustrating however, when you’re training religiously with no real target date in sight. I am pretty self-motivated in remaining focused but I have to give credit to my close friends, family, and Frank Robinson. Frank was my teammate in Wuerzburg last season and we became pretty close. He has inspired me throughout this off-season.

Your 31 now, but still have some gas in your basketball tank. Do you have to work even harder in the off season to keep in shape and stay fit with the young bucks.

Absolutely! I have to, but I LOVE to work. I think any coach who I ever played for will echo that.  Accompany the work ethic and now understanding the importance of diet, I feel like I’m in really great shape. Then of course, there’s a sense of pride to be aging but still have the ability to compete and beat the youngsters. Lol!

Last season you played for the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg. Were you surprised that they didn´t want to keep you?

I was a bit surprised, but this is the business of basketball. We failed to reach our goal of making the playoffs last season and I’m sure the management, coaching staff felt they needed to make some changes to compete for that goal for this current season. I played really hard for the Baskets and I think the fans and the Coaches appreciated that.

The Fraport Skyliners need a combo guard badly. What has been your impression of the club? You played many years against them with Artland and Wurzburg.

The Skyliners are a proud basketball club. They had great success in the past winning BBL titles, deep playoff runs with my boys Derrick Allen and Jimmy McKinney. I think they’re just looking for some consistency right now and maybe some young German talent to build on. Pascal Roller was an integral piece to those previous successful Frankfurt teams, now someone else has to step up!

Do you have any memories in the seasons 2007-2009 when you played against Frankfurt and your friend Derrick Allen with the Artland Dragons?

I just remember talking a lot of trash to D.A., lol! But he played really well against us. I’m not sure of all the results, but I think we split our career series against each other.

Two strong assets in your game is your shooting and experience, but what other things would help Frankfurt or any other team now?

My abilities to lead, to communicate effectively, and my defensive prowess are other skills I possess to help a team win. I think that’s often overlooked in my game. I guard every position from 1-3 and I take great pride in defending well.

How surprised are you that the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven are 0-6? Have you been talking with Derrick Allen and keeping him upbeat?

Of course! Derrick Allen is my brother. He’s a fierce competitor and it’s eating him up. But he’s also a seasoned veteran and he knows how things can change given the right attention to detail and continued work ethic. I try to keep him uplifted and he does a good job on relying on his past success to fuel himself to remaining optimistic.

How does a normal work out day look for you on and off the court?

I usually have a morning smoothie, some water, maybe some solid fruit and then I head to the local LA Fitness. I go through my on court workout first usually. Ball handling, shooting, and some agility work. Then I go into my lift or cross-fit workout. Lastly, I do my off-court cardio. A few times a week I hit the pool & sauna for recovery. Next day, repeat.

Where will the journey of the Atlanta Falcons end this season?

I support the Atlanta Falcons, but I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan. I predict the Falcons will finish 2^nd in NFC South ahead of the Carolina Panthers but will miss the playoffs, because the 49ers & Lions will be the NFC wild card teams.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

“42” was the last DVD I saw. Great movie about Jackie Robinson’s baseball career.

 

Thanks Lamont for the chat.

Richard Chaney is a 29 year old 196cm guard/forward from Los Angeles that also hast he Puerto Rican citzenship. He is currently playing for Malvin Montevideo (Uruguay-LUB).  He played college basketball at Utah and Troy before starting his professional basketball career in 2007 for Oyak Renault Bursa (Turkey-TBL). He then played three years in Germany for Tuebingen, Ludwigsburg and Bremerhaven. In the last two seasons he played in Belgium and Austria as well as playing in Puerto Rico over the summer.This summer he played for Atleticos de San German (Puerto Rico-BSN) playing 8 games: 15.0ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.9apg, 2.4spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 23.1%, FT: 76.7% He recently was named to the Puerto Rican national team playing with guys like Carlos Arroyo and Jose Barea. He won a gold medal at the Marchand Cup. He talked to German Hoops about basketball.

Richard thanks for talking to German Hoops. The summer was very exciting for you as you made the Puerto Rico national team. You once were with the team in 2010, but now you took part at the Marchand Cup and will played at qualifying tournament at the world games in Venezuela. How blessed were you to be able to have this chance to play together with NBA players and against the best players in the Americas?

It was truly a blessing to be part of this team. Playing alongside with Carlos Arroyo and Jose Barea is great. Probably the best dynamic duo combo guards I ever played with. Also being on the floor with Renaldo Balkman has been great as well.

Puerto Rico had a very strong roster and the competition was fierce. When you look at the last years and your development what do you think was the main reasons why you made the 2013 roster?

I think I made this team based off my defensive skills and athleticism. Also rebounding and giving the team extra energy.

Often in your basketball career, you have played for teams where you did many different things on the court, but still scored and rebounded consistently. The last two seasons in Austria and Puerto Rico, you had a scoring role, but with the Puerto Rico national team you concentrated on defense. Explain your special role to this seasons team?

My special role on this team was to come off the bench and spark the team. To wear the other teams best shooter or scorer down.

It would be very difficult to name a better point guard duo on one team than Carlos Arroyo and Jose Barea. Seeing them in practice everyday, which guy in fact would be more difficult to guard if you had to?

Both are tough to guard in practice. Carlos off the dribble moves and pick and roll game is tough to defend. Jose Barea is so fast with the ball and changes directions so quick its tough to keep up with him.

How challenging was it been playing against John Holland who has become a very respected player in Europe and recently played NBA Summer league. Is sky the limit for him and could he break into the NBA in the next few years?

John Holland is an unbelievable player. The thing with about John is that he plays on both sides of the court and has an unbelievable motor. I think John has a great chance to get in the NBA this year.

In the win against the Domincan Republic, it was as usual Carlos Arroyo, Jose Barea and John Holland that did most of the damage in securing the win, but you were the unsung hero of the game coming from the bench scoring nine points, getting seven rebounds(5 offensive rebounds) in 16 minutes. Do you get a pat on the back after a game like that from the NBA players?

Yeah. Carlos and Jose do a great job of giving credit when credit is due. Players like that keeps my energy level high.

In the final against Argentina. Puerto Rico won 89-81 winning their fourth game in a row. What was key to winning, possibly that you never lost aggressiveness on the court that Argentina couldn´t match? You played four minutes in the final netting two points. Is it a big adjustment having to play so little when you are used to playing so much more in club basketball?

That win against Argentina was a good win for us. We had the fans behind us that kept us energized. But playing four minutes is difficult for me when I am used to playing so many minutes. But I did understand my role. I just know when I do get in the game I try to give it my all for the team.

Did you go to sleep wearing your gold medal? What feeling did you have waking up the next morning as champion?

That is my first gold medal. I can’t even describe the feelings that I have. I do keep it in my bag everywhere I go until I get home to hang it up in my basement along with my other trophies and accomplishments.

In your first three seasons as a professional you played in Turkey and Germany. Since 2010, you have played in the Puerto Rican league during the summer. You are from Los Angeles, but it seems like you have a special heart for Puerto Rico. What do you feel when you hear the Puerto Rican national anthem?

When I hear the Puerto Rican national anthem I think about my grandmother and wish she was alive to see me play. It’s an honor to represent Puerto Rico.

You played for German teams Tuebingen, Ludwigsburg and Bremerhaven. After playing in Belgium and Austria and now your playing in Uruguay. Do you think that you will ever return to the Beko BBL?

I would love to play in BBL but it’s just the matter if any teams in Germany require my services.

You played three times with Michael Haynes in Germany and Belgium who ´s nickname could easily have been mr athletic. People might remember his dunks and flights to the hoop, but what will you remember from his game that wasn´t so typical?

I will remember his ball handling and how much of a mismatch he created for the 4 man he played against.

If you look at the three German teams that you played for what was the most enjoyable place where you played that helped you develop? I predict it was Tuebingen, because it is one of the better places for young inexperienced players to play to get minutes and play with less pressure before making the next step.

Yes it was Tuebingen just for the simple fact we did a lot of activities as a team.

What was your fondest memory of AJ Moye in Tuebingen? You both are from Los Angeles. Have you seen him recently and how is he doing?

AJ. Moye was a funny guy. A great guy and cool teammate. I haven’t spoken with AJ for a while now.

Will the Los Angeles Lakers ever be able to win a NBA title in the near future and will Kobe Bryant find to his old ways again?

I am the ultimate Lakers fan so my answer is yes.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

My last DVD movie was s movie called “Note to Self”

Thanks Richard for the chat.

In the last years, the closest one could come to an NBA connection concerning the MLP Riesen Ludwigsburg were ex players like Toby Bailey who played 73 NBA games for the Phoenix Suns or Terrell Harris who practiced set plays with Lebron James as a Miami Heat.  This season the club has a player whos last name is linked with possibly the greatest team of alltime the 1992 Dream team. New player Michael Stockton is the son of legendary guard John Stockton and playing his first season in Ludwigsburg. After two solid, but not spectacular seasons with Pro A club BG Karlsruhe, he made the jump to the Beko BBL. A lot of credit goes to coach John Patrick for giving him self confidence and trust and he played 38 minutes netting 20 points and 8 assists in his Beko BBL debut against Bremerhaven. He also had fine games against Vechta with 17 points and FC Bayern Munich with 12 points. He is shooting at a very high rate at the moment at 45% from the field and 46% from downtown coming into the game in Frankfurt.  He played at Westminster(NAIA) before coming to Germany and played two summers in a row NBA Summer league with the Utah Jazz and also was recommended to him by Charles Barkley that he should be his role model before his own dad.  It will be interesting to see how Stockton progresses who sees his defense as underestimated,  favorite pass to give is the kick out pass and sees his dad as an unbelievable passer and him just a good passer. One thing is for sure, if player evenings going to the scala or Luna cinemas get old, the Utah native can still entertain his teammates with stories like when friends and he were playing basketball outside, and Karl Malone came over took the ball and dunked over 7 kids as some were hanging on to him. Making big plays or shooting out the lights may not compare to Karl Malone or Charles Barkley stories, but the only thing Stockton is concerned with now is helping his team win and he entered the Fraport arena on Saturday in the starting five and despite not having his finer games scoring only two points and dishing out two assists, he was a part of the 90-78 Ludwigsburg win past the Fraport Skyliners. Coming into the game , the Utah native was averaging 12,6ppg, 3,4rpg and 4,2apg and had scored in double figures in the first three games and knows that his whole Beko BBBL is a process in the making. “I think that I have made a good adjustment even if I didn´t play well tonight. At the end of the day it has to do with fitting in with very good players in this league. This league is very physical and it is important to know how to be able to guard the different guards. It are simple adjustments that need to be made”, stressed Michael Stockton. Stockton teammate CJ Harris who played point guard at Chris Paul school Wake Forest had nice words for his teammate. “He has been great and I can learn so much from him. He is a great teacher. It has been a great learning tour in that he shows me the little things about being a point guard”, added North Carolina native CJ Harris. The Fraport Skyliner players were thinking more about their loss than Stockton, but had some words for him. “He has a lot of heritage to live up to, but he ia a very crafty player”, commented Oklahoma native Jacob Burtschi. Ex NBA player Andy Rautins who fouled out at the end of the fourth quarter and wasn´t  as accurate shooting as he usually is only had one short sentence for the point guard.” It was playing like any other point guard”, said Andy Rautins. Skyliner Dawan Robinson was making more thoughts about his performance than about the name Stockton. “I had no idea that they were related. Michael is a quick penetrating guard, but two different type of players”, explained Dawan Robinson.

In the first half, it looked like the Fraport Skyliners were on  a good route to beating MLP Riesen Ludwigsburg and that catchy Kevin Bright title was already in the making. Bright had his break out game as he lit up the score board for 23 points connecting on six three pointers. His shot was finally falling even if it was more consistent in the first half, this performance was very important for his self confidence. However in the second half two Americans Keaton Grant and CJ Harris stole the show from him almost dismantling the 2004 Beko BBL champion on their own. At halftime, Grant and Harris had 10 points combined and after 45 minutes had 48 points combined. They simply turned off the bright shooting light of Kevin Bright by shooting out the lights in the second half Grant started to get hot and Harris followed hitting 10 points in the fourth quarter and connecting for 12 of the Ludwigsburg 15 overtime points. “Grant and Harris were big in our win. We needed someone to take responsibility and they wanted the ball and attacked the rim”, stated Ohio native Patrick Flomo. Harris who is only a rookie showed immense self confidence in his game and just controlled the overtime as the Fraport Skyliners ran around the court like helpless dogs looking for their master. Ludwigsburg head coach John Patrick as he usually does had a good notion of who to give the ball to. “Coach wanted us to be aggressive. We felt that we could attack the ball screens and swings and did  a great job attacking them”, stressed CJ Harris. Frankfurt could of done a better job trying to close out these two guards, but instead kept letting them take them apart and Dawan Robinson surely knows who they are after this loss. “Grant is one of those players that is everywhere that is penetrating, is physical and plays with high energy. Harris did a good job playing his own pace. He really did what he wanted to do, even if he did hit many open shots. The problem is that when a guy like him finds his rhythm then it is hard to stop him”, warned Dawan Robinson. “Harris hit tough shots and we couldn´t stop Grant from getting to the rim. They just wanted it more than we did”, warned ex Phoenix Hagen forward Jacob Burtschi. “They are both very good players. They took over the game and we are very happy they did. They gave us that needed spark when we were down”, commented Michael Stockton.

The Fraport Skyliners were entering the game after a very tough loss in Munich and wanted to get back on track winning in their living room. After their last big win at home against the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg, the team wanted to follow that up with the next big win and seemed to be on their way after playing a solid first half and keeping Ludwigsburg at bay in the third quarter and keeping the lead. In the fourth quarter, they were leading 66-52 and seemed in total control until Grant and Harris started to get heated up forcing overtime and outscoring the Fraport Skyliners 15-3. This was a very bitter loss for Frankfurt and one observer who has been going to games for years in Frankfurt called it one of the worst games he has ever seen at home and not only he was disappointed, but the club as well. “We played well for three quarters, but we have to learn to finish games. We had this game as good as won, but let it go. This is a part of being a young inexperienced team and is a part of growing pains”, stated Syracuse alumnist Andrew Rautins. Fraport Skyliner Konstantin Klein is as quick in his reply about the loss as he is getting to the basket. “We gave up the lead, because we lost concentration on defense. Ludwigsburg took the momentum into overtime and closed out the game easily”, stressed Konstantin Klein.  MLP Riesen Ludwigsburg  were coming off a huge 79-77 win against the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig and in Frankfurt gave their special version of never never never losing faith in being able to win this game. “This was a crazy game. Frankfurt took it too us in the first half hitting three pointers, but in the second half we attacked the basket more and guys like Tanner Smith and Shawn Huff did a great job taking charges and we just got stops that gave us the win”, stressed CJ Harris. Ludwigsburg head coach John Patrick looked pooped after the win as his team got every inch of coaching expertise and Patrick Flomo was the deciding factor that got his team back on track. “Frankfurt played with very much self confidence and had a huge first half. The Flomo tip dunk changed the momentum of the game. We got more aggressive and CJ Harris had a big game. I have to tip my hat to Frankfurt as they have a typically well coached team from Gordon Herbert. I am very impressed with the development of the young Germans”, added John Patrick.

4,170 fans visited the Fraport arena to witness another exciting basketball battle between Frankfurt and Ludwigsburg and that is exactly what they got. Fraport Skyliners forward Danilo Barthel got the home team on the board first with a slick move past Gregory Echenique and the easy left handed lay in. Venezuelean Echenique responded with a tip in as he showed his early dominance on the boards a problem Frankfurt would have all night long. Then followed a few minutes as the game was very wild as there were turnover after turnover and Dawan Robinson airballs. The two big men Johannes Voigtmann and Robert Tomazek traded baskets as the gaem was dead locked 4-4. Voigtmann than found Mannheim native Kevin Bright who scored inside and American Tanner Smith who was the second leading scorer in Holland last season for  Landstede Basketbal Zwolle showed his downtown shooting hitting a three pointer while being fouled as Ludwigsburg led 8-6. Bright then nailed his first three pointer as Frankfurt led 9-8. Jacob Burtschi then got an unsportsmanlike conduct call, but Keaton Grant missed both free throws. However this didn´t hinder Ludwigsburg from going on a 8-2 run to close out the first quarter with the 16-11 lead. Harris started the run with a floater which was followed by a Mario Stojic off balance shot. Harris then hit free throws and Grant made a spectacular dunk over Danilo Barthel. “We lost focus in the first quarter letting Ludwigsburg on that run. We played only well in some phases”, stressed Konstantin Klein. “We didn´t start so well just trying to get used to each other and the opponent. This all snowballed in our game we calmed down went on a run and ended the first quarter with the lead”, said Patrick Flomo. Ludwigsburg was shooting 40% from the field and 20% from outside while Frankfurt was shooting 36% from the field and 25% from outside. Ludwigsburg had the 9-6 rebound edge, and they had six trunovers while Frankfurt had eight turnovers.

The Fraport Skyliners started off the second quarter very focused moving the ball well as Andrew Rautins made a reverse lay up getting set up nicely from Barthel. Bright who was the leading rebounder last season at Vanderbilt kept his hot shooting stroke flowing hit from the parking lot again over Tanner Smith, but the American from Norcross, Georgia made an incredible bank shot as the 24 second shot clock elapsed keeping the Ludwigsburg lead at 20-16. However Frankfurt who at this point had no inside game continued to drill home three pointers as precise as drilling for oil in Texas as Bright and Barthel nailed three pointers to tie the game at 22-22. Frankfurt then went on a 10-2 run to extend their lead to 32-24 as Klein scored inside and hit a three pointer while Rautins also nailed a jumper and Bright again from outside. However a big problem for Frankfurt on this day was that after great spurts of play, they would lose concentration for a short period allowing Ludwigsburg back into the game as they went on a mini 4-0 run as Stockton scored inside and Smith showed his good versatile play giving Tomazek a no look pass for an easy bucket to cut the Frankfurt lead to 32-28. After Klein free throws, it was Smith who couldn´t get the good shot from outside, but made a quick decision penetrating and scoring inside. Bright hit another three pointer and Grant ended the second quarter with a runner as Frankfurt still led 37-32. “This was a good quarter for us in that we played well and had a run. We defended well not giving Ludwigsburg easy shots and we continued to hit from outside”, stressed Konstantin Klein. “We weren´t focused as much in the second quarter. Frankfurt hit too many open shots and our rotations were bad”, added Patrick Flomo. Frankfurt was shooting 52% from the field and 58% from the three point line while Ludwigsburg was shooting 43% from the field and 29% from the three point line. Ludwigsburg had the 16-13 rebound edge and both teams had nine turnovers a piece.

In the third quarter, The Fraport Skyliners would keep the lead, but just were unable to sweep Ludwigsburg away as they kept on their heels like an annoying mosquito that is still alive after being hit. Shawn Huff started off the third quarter with a three pointer and Kevin Bright scored inside as Frankfurt led 39-35. Barthel then used his quickness plowing by Echenique for two easy points, but Huff showed his penetration ability sweeping by Barthel and Voigtman as Frankfurt led 41-38. Klein who found his shooting touch shooting 50% from outside hit a three pointer as Frankfurt led 45-38. However Frankfurt was unable to close the door on Ludwigsburg as there were always phases again where they played with less focus and were unable to capitalize on Ludwigsburg mistakes. Two missed Barthel free throws and a missed Rautins dunk were punished with a Huff pull up jumper and Flomo tip in dunk as Ludwigsburg trailed only45-42. Flomo really came alive in the second half and finished with four points, three rebounds, three blocks and one steal and was a big spark plug on defense for Ludwigsburg. “I think that tip dunk gave the team energy. That deflated Frankfurt a bit. On defense, I just try to play solid and just try to use my athletic ability and try to block the penetrating guards. We had a bad first half, but I think we played more aggressive on defense as a group”, stressed Patrick Flomo. Rautins nailed a huge three pointer, but Grant quickly silenced the home crowd with a three pointer as Frankfurt led only 48-45. However Jacob Burtschi found his outside touch again making a bomb from outside and Grant closed out the third quarter with a jumper as Frankfurt led 53-47. “We did a good job moving the ball and just kept Ludwigsburg behind us”, stated Konstantin Klein. “The third quarter was tough, because we were in a good groove, but everytime we hit a big shot or made big play, they were still able keep their distance”, stressed Patrick Flomo. Frankfurt was shooting 47% from the field and 53% from the parking lot while Ludwigsburg was shooting 43% from the field and 40% from the parking lot. Ludwigsburg had the big 29-19 rebound edge, but 13 turnovers while Frankfurt had 10 turnovers.

The Fraport Skyliners started off the fourth quarter as if they wanted to close out the game early and get to the sports bars early as Burtschi and Bright hit back to back three pointers extending the Frankfurt lead to 59-49. Harris stopped the Frankfurt run with a three pointer, but Frankfurt continued their offensive attack as Robinson who had had misfortune on finishing in the lane all night long scored with pretty stutter steps and Burtschi scored another three pointer and inside which had carried Frankfurt to the 66-52 lead with a 13-5 run. However Ludwigsburg started a comeback and with each new basket got more self confidence and took their team into overtime with a unbelievable 23-9 run. Overtime belonged to Harris, but the foruth quarter to Grant. Ex Real Madrid player Stojic started the run with a three pointer. Grant then showed his basketball ability scoring twice in the lane in traffic, hit free throws and a three pointer as the Fraport arena  was getting quieter with every new Ludwigsburg basket. Grant and Stojic made free throws and all of a sudden Frankfurt led only 67-66. Barthel then made an amazing hard dunk over Grant for the 69-66 Frankfurt lead. Rautins then fouled out and Smith made free throws as Frankfurt led 69-68. Grant then played tough defense on Barthel and Harris made a steal and got Smith the ball on the fast break and he finished giving Ludwigsburg after a long dry spell the lead back 70-69. Robinson then took the game into his own hands making free throws and hit a wonderful bank shot  for the 73-70 Frankfurt lead with 1.04 to play. Harris and Robinson then traded free throws as Frankfurt led 75-72. Ludwigsburg had 13,2 second left to bring the game into overtime and Harris nailed a three pointer as Frankfurt didn´t foul. “There is no question that we should of fouled. We had a miscommunication, but something like that just can´t happen in that situation”, stressed Konsatntin Klein.

MLP Riesen Ludwigsburg entered the overtime period with the momentum and self confidence and the Fraport Skyliners just couldn´t give them any resistance as Ludwigsburg won the overtime period 15-3 and game. Harris got Ludwigsburg on the board first with an off balance jumper, Grant hit free throws and Harris connected again as Ludwigsburg led 80-75. Harris and Robinson then traded free throws, but Harris kept hitting as he nailed a very unorthodox jumper from the corner and then scored inside as Frankfurt trailed 86-76. Frankfurt was getting unnecessary turnovers like Kevin Bright getting caught on the line, a big Patrick Flomo block on Barthel and their shots just weren´t falling anymore. Max Merz scored the last points for Frankfurt as it wasn´t enough. Flomo blocked Barthel again and Harris closed out the game with free throws. “Maybe Frankfurt was tired, but so were we. I think that it could have been a mental thing. Frankfurt had the big lead, but we came back had the momentum going into overtime and they couldn´t react”, added Michael Stockton. “A lack of defensive concentration lost us this game. We defended well in the second and third quarters, but lost it in the fourth quarter and couldn´t get it back. We didn´t think that we could lose this game and were shocked when they came back”, added Dawan Robinson.

MLP Riesen Ludwigsburg was led by CJ Harris with 26 points. Keaton Grant contributed 22 points. Tanner Smith chipped in with 13 points. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Kevin Bright with 23 points. Konstantin Klein and Jacob Burtschi added 12 points a piece. Frankfurt ended the day shooting only 40% from the field and 37% from the field while Ludwigsburg shot 48% from the field and 50% from outside. Ludwigsburg dominated the boards 45-29 and had 38 points in the paint. Ludwigsburg had 19 turnovers while Frankfurt had only 16 turnovers. In the press conference, it was obvious to see that Fraport Skyliners head coach Gordon Herbert wasn´t happy with the play of his point guard Dawan Robinosn. The Philadelphia native played 30 minutes had nine points, three rebounds, four assists, but 5 turnovers and a disastrous shooting night at 2 for 15. Robinson had already been suspended recently for disciplinary reasons and now it is slowly becoming apparent that the point guard and coach dont see eye to eye. Robinson wasn´t happy about his game, but that his demeanor on the court had nothing to do with Gordon Herbert. “I was frustrated with my game. A lot was going through my head and my inability to hit shots. I just wasn´t happy that I couldn´t help my team better”, stressed Dawan Robinson. If one didn´t know how warm the room temperature was in the arena after the game, one might have thought that Andrew Rautins had just come out of an ice tank as his expression was motionless, but didn´t see a lack of effort on the part of the game of Robinson. “Dawan Robinson does a good job keeping the team together until the fourth quarter, but then took a step back. I think that we moved the ball well and that is job of a point guard. Basketball is a team game and a loss doesn´t have to do with one individual player”, commented Andrew Rautins.