Back in the day even at the most boring children´s birthday parties like at the local pizza place munching on soggy pie, trying to find humor at the bowling alley while trying to hit a strike and stay clear of the gutter, riding lame donkeys up and down the tiny backyard in your home or playing boring board games while counting each second to when it was time to go home, there was almost always a constellation prize for kids when the party was over with the traditional grab bag or party favor. This going home present was a way to say thanks for coming and by the way here is a gift for you.  Gifts range from tiny toys, candy and pencils. Once you are of a mature age and are able to visit a wedding, there a person has the chance to get a more sophisticated gift like classic favors that can go from the classic sugared almonds or  delicious chocolates to candles and scented soaps. Modern gift trends include CDs with the most desired music of the bride and groom, shot glasses filled with colored candy or beautiful picture frames with a photo of the couple. So what does all this grab bag jibber jabber have to do with the 2013-2014 Fraport Skyliners? Well this is a team that has been constructed in a way that it will be hard to make a real defined prediction what this team will be able to achieve and is sort of like getting a grab bag served at a function and not knowing what is inside it. Guessing how many wins the Fraport Skyliners will achieve this season is no different than having had to predict how many cheese balls legendary comedian Chris Farley could have eaten in the cheese ball machine in a minute, how many times Allen Iverson would utter practice in a practice 2 press conference or how many goals soccer god Lionel Messi will hammer into the goal this season as he already got off to a good start in the first win of the season netting two goals for FC Barcelona. Just the notion of not knowing what this club is capable to achieve makes this season so interesting and exciting in the Beko BBL.

The Fraport Skyliners have returned 2004 BBL champion Gordon Herbert back to Frankfurt for a third tour of duty. In the last years as is the case for most Beko BBL teams except for TBB Trier, Americans are as abundant on rosters as are NBA players on the French national team. Since the 6/6 ruling, there has been more of a need for German players to be on Beko BBL rosters. And since that is the case why have German players rotting on the bench when one can give them minutes and let them develop in a more healthy way. The Fraport Skyliners have usually always lived with their Americans, but already last season showed their interest in getting young Germans playing time. This season the club has only five  imports with Quantez Robertson, Dawan Robinson, Jacob Burtschi, Aziz N’Diaye and raw gem shooter with a golden pistol Andy Rautins.The club this season has displayed a desire to implement more Germans and possibly have fans chant “Here come the German Skyliners. The club has six German players younger than 22 years of age. The team kept Konstantin Klein, Johannes Voigtmann and Danilo Barthel from last season and these guys most surely will get even more minutes this season. The club also added two more Germans with U-18 German national player Stefan Ilzhoefer who was a very interesting pick up that will also get extra playing time with the Pro B team. He comes from the Ludwigsburg system and recently played the European Championships U18 Division B in Strumica (FYR Macedonia) playing  9 games and averaging 6.3ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 61.5%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 40.0%. The club also hauled in Kevin Bright who is a 20 year old 196cm swing man from Mannhiem. He comes from the Ehingen program and left  a lasting impression from his rookie season in the NCAA with  Vanderbilt (NCAA) where he played 33 games averaging 6.9ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 41.8%, 3PT: 40.6%, FT: 58.8%. He was the leading rebounder on the team and few will forget his buzzer beater winner against Georgia. It seems like more and more teams are trying to follow the TBB Trier route of developing young Germans. “I like this new concept of the Skyliners. It is an interesting mix of German talents. The club has kept them for the long term which gives the club planning security and allows the Germans to develop calmly”, stressed ex Basketball player and Lumani agent Jan Rohdewald. The club hopes that all players will develop in their own way, but seeing who develops the best and fastest is also has a type of grab bag effect. “Voigtmann, Klein and Barthel already got their minutes last season and they will profit from it this season. It is really very hard to say, who will develop the best, but all three will make a step forward, plus a very good player with Kevin Bright has joined them. I think that Johannes Voigtmann is very talented, but he needs to get even fitter and use his potential more. He is an intelligent player that already last season had good games.  I think that he will get even more consistent this season”, warned Jan Rohdewald.

Gordon Herbert is a diehard basketball freak that stands for focusing on grooming the tactical measures on the court with his players. In the last two seasons, the Fraport Skyliners had difficulty scoring averaging under 70 points a game and survived many games simply by letting up fewer points and just buckling down and defending for 40 minutes as if it was their last game ever. Relying on top defense surely will be a goal for Gordon Herbert this season as one doesn´t meet more bull dog like defenders than Quantez Robertson and Konstantin  Klein. So making big defensive plays and getting out on the break leading to easy points is something that the team will need to have function. The team may not have the consistent scorers that can individually decide a game even though Quantez Robertson has improved his scoring and Jacob Burtschi can have big games on any night, so the team will have to play as a team each night and need output consistently from each guy 1-12 on the roster. It also won´t help the team if they start out slow like they did the last two seasons under Muli Katzurin because the heroic like second half they had two seasons ago where they had NBA players like Jermareo Davidson and Tim Ohlbrecht to save the day won´t be present this time around. The Fraport Skyliners will also have to get off to a good start and some of the young players will have to take over responsibility.There is no fear that the big German three Klein, Voigtmann and Barthel can do that and a Kevin Bright could be the big surprise, because he had the best experience for his age last season playing against the best in the NCAA. One should never underestimate a Gordon Herbert in that he is known for getting the best out of his players so why shouldn´t he be able to do that from his young players. How well Dawan Robinson will be able to follow up his amazing play from last season is still to be seen as he began contact practice in mid September If he returns to be the old sweet Philly from last season, then this team could surprise many folks. Making a prediction is difficult, because the Beko BBL is so competitive and that is why this grab bag team will be so endearing to watch. “It is difficult to make predictions. All teams made steps forward. Last season, one thought that certain teams would make the playoffs after the first half, but in the second half were near the bottom. Having consistency will help against that. Tez, Burtschi and Robinson are a foothold. Perhaps the young Germans will give the extra added pep that the team needs. I think that Kevin Bryant could be the x-factor with his effort and defense. It will be exciting to watch this team and they will reach an identity with this team”, warned Jan Rohdewald. The addition of Rautins could make the difference between a grab bag season or nipping at the end of the playoff places.  It could be a grab bag season until the end for the Fraport Skyliners and who knows with Gordie at the helm who has had success all over the place, letting fans unveil a ticket to the Beko BBL playoffs from the grab bag would be a party treat and if not just watching the young Germans getting playing time and mature will make the Fraport Skyliners a more experienced team next season and then they will be able to blow up the grab bag and let it pop. Andy Rautins however is that special player that just could let that grab bag pop with hot shooting all season long.

Marcus Smallwood is a 31 year 198cm forward that played with VfL Kirchheim Knights (Germany-ProA,) playing  29 games: 11.1ppg, 7.9rpg, Blocks-5(1.1bpg), FGP: 57.4%, FT: 67.7%He is from Elgin, Illinois and played at Northern Illinois from 2000-2004. He came to Europe for his rookie season and played for Ostromecko Astoria Bydgoszcz (Poland-EBL): 4 games: 9.5ppg, 9.0rpg: was released in and later that month signed at Pyrbasket Tampere (Finland-Sparliiga): 6 games: 13.5ppg, 10.8rpg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 59%, and also played shortly at Solna Vikings (Sweden-Basketligan): 3 games: 8.3ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.0bpg. The next season, he played in Finland for Forssan Koripojat (Finland-1st Division, starting five): 26 games: 19.7ppg, Reb-2(11.1rpg), 1.3apg, 1.0spg, Blocks-1(1.4bpg), 2FGP-3(64.1%), 3PT: 31.6%, FT: 56.2%. 2006: Elgin Racers (IBL). He had a very strong season in Finland, but surprisingly in the next few years played only briefly in the IBL for the Elgin Racers. He played for Kaiserslautern from 2008-2010. In the 2010-2011 season he played for Cuxhaven BasCats (Germany-ProA, starting five): 9 games: 12.6ppg, 10.9rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 51.6%, FT: 52.8%; in Dec.’10 moved to VfL Kirchheim Knights (Germany-ProA, starting five): 20 games: 15.7ppg, Reb-1(10.8rpg), Blocks-2(2.1bpg), FGP: 60.3%, FT: 47.8%. In 2011-2012 he played for  Mitteldeutscher BC Weissenfels (Germany-ProA, starting five): 10 games: 6.5ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 60.4%, FT: 31.8%; left in Nov.’11, in Dec.’11 moved to Sigal Prishtina (Kosova-SuperLeague, starting five), later that month signed at SC Rasta Vechta (Germany-ProB, starting five): 19 games: 12.1ppg, Reb-4(10.5rpg), FGP: 53.7%, FT: 51.4%. At the moment he is practicing with Beko BBL s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg. He took some time to talk to German Hoops.

Marcus, the summer has come to an end. How was your summer despite not being able to relax having found a basketball job early. What were your summer highlights?

Yeah not having a job lined up wasn’t the most fun thing but I had a chance to spend the summer in Germany and really enjoyed it. I was able to see some cities I haven’t been to before and also won the GRC streetball tournament in Koln so that was kind of cool.

Basketball is the ultimate job that basketball players live for. However each summer it is the same old story, of having to find a new team and not knowing if the basketball ride will continue or not. How frustrating was it this summer not getting a job? With your experience as a player, how are you able to cope with the uncertainty?

It was frustrating but understandable because we didn’t have a successful season and also since I worked with Kirchheim directly and gained that job myself and without an agent it meant that I had to network on my own last summer to find a job and it proved to not be the easiest task and not one I hope to not have to do again. But this is what I love to do so I deal with the uncertainty by continuing to work as hard as I can day in and day out.

After playing in Europe early in your career in countries like Poland, Sweden and Finland, you decided to go back home to Chicago to work in a business and played semi pro ball. In 2008 you decided to give European basketball another shot and have been playing in Germany ever since. At the age of 31 are you slowly thinking about life after basketball or is there still a lot of basketball in your tank?

Well the two years I took off from age 25 to 27 probably gives me a body healthy enough to go for another 4 years if I’m lucky. Fitness is central in my life so that is why I think I’ll still be able to play but life after will probably involve that in some way so it will be a natural transition into fitness training or something like that.

Last season you played for the Kirchheim Knights averaging 11.1ppg, 7.9rpg, Blocks-5(1.1bpg). How happy were you with your individual season? A few years back you achieved double double stats at Cuxhaven and Kirchheim?

If given the minutes I had the first time I played in Kirchhiem I think I probably achieve the same stat line. To be honest I would have been happy with those stats if it led to a successful team, but it didn’t so I wish I would have been able to contribute more.

You played last season with point guard Chris Alexander. He is returning back to Essen this season. He has been a very solid pro A player in Germany. Is he a guy that could still play Beko BBL at the age of 30?

Well I think Chris is a guy more comfortable at the type of place where he is currently at, but he has amazing quickness so if he really wanted to make a go of it I think he could find success in the right situation on the BBL level

There are so many talented players in the Pro A that could play Beko BBL and never will. What experiences have you made in your basketball career with having and not having the important contacts at certain situations?

Well I was lucky to have someone give me a type of opportunity that could of led to the BBL (playing at MBC while they were in the Pro A) but what I experienced there were people consistently trying to find faults in me and not giving me a true chance to succeed. So if you’re good enough I think you’ll get the opportunity but it’s more important to be in a place where they truly believe in you as a player, because you might only get one chance

You are one of these candidates that has had strong stats in the German Pro A and Pro B, but never have had the chance at the Beko BBL level. At age 31 your time is running out. You have seen the Beko BBL league. Do you still feel that you have what it takes to play at that level?

I’m a high energy player that feeds off of the atmosphere of a big game or high pressure environment. It’s why I’ve chased the BBL for so long to test myself in that environment. I think there would be a learning curve because I have been at places where I could solely depend on my athleticism, but with a team that really believed in me yes I think I could find success at that level still

You obviously knew some contact at the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg because you have been practicing with them. What kind of experience has this been for you?

Its been amazing to play with a team of full professionals but also to practice against veterans who have had a lot of success in the BBL such as Boone McNaughton Betz Little and McKinney. But they have a really good group of guys and they should have a successful year. You really can’t compare to being on a team full of people who do basketball as their only job being around that makes you better.

The Wurzburg power forwards Lamont Mack and Jamal Boykins obviously have some inches on you. What kind of experience has it been practicing with them and how have you preformed?

I’ve actually been more at the 5 in drills, but both guys are very solid and Lamont Mack is going to do really great things in this league this year and Ruben Spoden is a young guy who I think will have a great year as well

All you want is a try-out at a Beko BBL team. How would you sell yourself best for teams to gain interest in you?

I would say there are people that are a lot more of a risk to bring in then a guy who is currently practicing with a BBL club and has experience playing in Germany. I work hard am willing to learn and in the right system I think I could contribute to a teams goals

You are an intense and hungry rebounder at 198cm. What things do you need to do differently now under the boards with an increase in age. How does rebounding become differently and do you have to change your game a bit to keep the rebounds plentiful in your arms?

Rebounding is mainly a desire to outwork your opponent for a ball every possession and also maintain your conditioning to be able to have a body that can be an active rebounder. So at a higher level it really comes down to maintaining a high fitness level because your going against GREAT athletes every night.

Two seasons ago you played at SC Rasta Vechta helping them move up to the Pro A. .It seems like luck also has a big role in the basketball lives of players. That could have been a situation where you could of stayed and helped the team move to the Beko BBL. Does the rapid rise of Vechta surprise you?

It really doesn’t because when you have a coach who’s been in the BBL before and build a gym that is able to expand to 3,000 you had the possibly of the BBL in mind even if it wasn’t the goal at the start of the season. But they have a enthusiastic fan base that has become accustomed to winning so it will be interesting to see how their year first year goes.

What memories do you have of Whit Holcomb Faye who has made the jump from the German second Bundesliga to being a top guard in the Dutch league. Is he the best point guard that you played with as a professional?

He made me look a lot better than I was by throwing lobs at the rim anywhere on the court maybe it’s my personal bias but he should have had some type of opportunity in the BBL if he really wanted it, but he’s in a place that really values him and he deserves all of the success he is having now

Where will the journey of the Chicago Bears and Bulls end this season?

I’m not a huge Bears fan but hopefully they will make a run at the playoffs and with a Healthy D Rose the bulls should make some noise in the East, but it’s going to be tough because the East is really great this year

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The Dark Knight Rises

Thanks Marcus for the chat.

Kris Douse is a 27 year old 198cm forward from Toronto, Canada  playing for  EVL-Baskets Limburg (Germany-Regionalliga) this season. He played at Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute while Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson played at Laurinburg (N.C.) prep. He started his college career at  Nebraska (NCAA) and then played two seasons at Delaware State. As a senior he played at Point Park (NAIA) playing  27 games: 20.1ppg, 12.6rpg. In 2011-2012 he started his professional basketball career at  Liverpool Mersey Tigers (United Kingdom-BBL, starting five): 18 games: 15.9ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 13.6%, FT: 54.6%; then agreed terms with Keflavik (Iceland-Express League): 6 games: 9.5ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 44.7%, FT: 69%. Last season he played for Turi Svitavy (Czech Republic-NBL): 2 games: 0pts, left in Oct.’12, in Nov.’12 moved to BG Aschersleben Tigers (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 17 games: 14.1ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 50.6%, 3Pts: 10.0%, FT: 50.4%. He spoke to German Hoops after the 96-84 win against Volklingen in the first game of the season.

Congrats on the first win of the season. How did it feel playing your first game for EVL Limburg?

It felt real good to come out and get a win in the first game. We played very hard. We didn´t know if Ron Howard was going to play and found out shortly before game time. His presence really changed the way we played. The game was very fast and I love playing that kind of game.

Volklingen fought hard the whole game, but Limburg was always a tick better. What was key in getting the win?

Our shooters finally got going in the second half. In the first half, we had problems hitting shots. That was the difference in this game.

How fortunate is it to have  a strong guard tandem with Ronald Howard and Justin Stahlbohm?

They are both great players and they are always so aggressive. They keep me active throughout the game and I love running with them.

You do so much on the court, but does their play at times give you the luxury to just sit back and watch?

We have the luxury of having many scorers and our guards handle the pressure so well. I don´t really have to do much, but just happy to have these guys on the team.

This is your second consecutive season in the German Regionaliga. You have played in other countries like England and Iceland. Do you feel your game is a bit overlooked, because you are playing at  a lower level then where you could play?

My focus is to just work hard all the time and maybe sometime in my career a club in  a higher league will appreciate my game. I have learned that good things can happen if you just continue to work hard and stay humble.

Often it is about contacts that puts a player in a league. How important is getting contacts for you today in a day and age where social media is so strong?

I got this Limburg job through networking. The game and networking was a lot different 30 years ago. Now a player has to market himself to get somewhere. Now there are other ways to find open doors and you need to take advantage of it.

Your coach in Liverpool was Tony Garbelotto who is in his second season with Heidelberg. Wasn´t there an opportunity for you to go there and showcase your abilities?

When I was playing for him in England, he felt that I had a lot of potential. But to be honest I still feel that I have much to learn and basketball is still a learning process and I need to gain experience to play at the Pro A level. I need to keep working hard and then I think I could play there someday.

Your erx teammate Myles Hesson is playing in Giessen 30 kilometers away. Will you go watch him play this season

I haven´t been in contact with him for a while, but we were close in Liverpool. I have been following his career closely and actually saw the Germany-England game on TV and am proud of his development. I am very happy for his success. I will travel to Giessen and just show up and say How are you doing Myles.

What is the most amazing thing that you saw Myles Hesson do with Liverpool when you were his teammate?

He could dunk on everybody. That is what he did. He is so athletic and just so hard to stop. He is a big talent.

You played a season at Nebraska(NCAA) with Serbian big man Aleks Maric who played two seasons with top club Panathinaikos Athens. Did you know at that time that he would have such an amazing career?

He was already very good at Nebraska and was an NBA prospect. He was so big  and you couldn´t move him from the paint. I wasn´t surprised at all by his great career.

What things on your game do you still need to work on?

I think that I still need to work on my jump shot. My career since England has really developed in that now I am more versatile then I was there. I have learned that I don´t need to be dynamic at one thing on the court, but to be versatile and do many things well. The more I do this the better I will get.

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

My slashing gets overlooked. I play against bigger guys and I can cause problems in the lane with my speed.

What was your fondest memory with Marcus Neal at Delaware State?

Off the court was being his best man at his wedding in Macedonia. I have known him since 10 years and I have enjoyed watching him grow as a player and into a man. I also have enjoyed seeing his leadership grow from high school all through college.

Marcus Neal just signed with a Beko BBL team. Is his game suited for the top German league?

He can really score the ball. I have much confidence in his game and when he is in the right situation then sky is the limit.

Who was the best player that you played against in the NCAA that is in the NBA?

The best player that I played against was Grevis Vazquez. I was playing more the two three then and was able to guard him. His leadership and energy was at a total different level when he was at Maryland.- Everybody knew that he would go to the NBA.

What were the most free throws that you made in a row?

25-30. I can still work on my free throws.

Will the Toronto Raptors ever win anything?

Well I looking forward to the NBA Allstar Day 2015. We need an allstar to carry the team.

Where do you like to be the most in Toronto?

I like to be downtown. I like the Carabana festival which is a Caribbean festival where they close down all the streets and everyone id dancing in the streets.

You played at the same high school with Quantez Robertson. He was two years older than you. What do you remember from his game?

I haven´t seen him play since then, but I can imagine he is the best defender in the German league. He is super athletic and a freak athlete.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Wolverine.

Thanks Kris for the chat.

Virgil Matthews is a 30 year old 188cm guard from Federal Way, Washington that is playing in Germany in the PRO A for Erdgas Ehingen now in his fourth season. He played at Montana (NCAA) and in his senior year played  31 games: 10.1ppg, 4.6rpg, 4.0apg, 1.7spg, FG: 49.8%, 3PT: 48.4%, FT: 76.1%. In 2006-2007, he turned professional and came to Germany and played for KICKZ Muenchen Basket (Germany-2.Bundesliga): 29 games: 18.0ppg, 6.1rpg, 5.2apg, 2.6spg, 2FGP: 57.3%, 3FGP: 31.8%, FT: 66.5%. In 2007-2008, he played for Tacoma Jazz (IBL). In 2008-2009, he returned back to Germany and played for Schwelmer Baskets (Germany-Regionalliga). In 2009-2010, he played for Olympia Reign (IBL, starting five): 21 games: 23.1ppg, 7.2rpg and for Seattle Aviators (NABL).In 2010-2011, he played his first season for Erdgas Ehingen playing 32 games: 11.6ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.6apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 57.6%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 71.3%. In 2011-2012 for Ehingen, he played  28 games: 11.4ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.8apg, Steals-3(1.9spg), FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 42.1%, FT: 77.1%. Last season for Ehingen you played  Erdgas Ehingen/Urspringschule (Germany-ProA, starting five): 33 games: 11.5ppg, 4.2rpg, 4.5apg, Steals-4(2.1spg), FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 70.5%. He spoke to German Hoops about his return back to Germany shortly before the start of the Pro A season.

Virgil thanks for talking to German Hoops again. How was your summer. What were some highlights this summer on and off the court?

Well didn’t play a lot of games this summer but i’d probably say playing Hoopfest in Spokane was the basketball highlight. And just hanging with my friends out the water and at the cabin were the highlights off it.

How would a nickname like the 96 hours man suit you? I am talking about you jumping in for the Ehingen basketball season which starts in 96 hours? lol

Haha! Is it that soon? Its crazy didn’t really ever think it would happen. It is good to be back though I love the town and the people here are great.

Today the news flash came that you will return back to play for Ehingen for a fourth season. Why did you wait so long to commit back to Erdgas Ehingen? Did it take until the end of September for you to get the suitable deal from Ehingen?

Well I’m getting older was trying to see if there was more money out there or maybe see another part of the world nothing really came of it and Ehingen called last minute asking me back. It was never a terms thing with Ehingen they’ve always been very up front it was my own decision to try elsewhere.

You have been an important player for Ehingen the last years helping the team move from the Pro B up to the Pro A and keeping the team there. Do you get the feeling that management understands the worth that you have to the club?

Yea I think a lot of what I do doesn’t really show up in stats and maybe even on video. A lot of Pro-A teams rely on just Americans to do everything and maybe have some good Germans and they just play. Ehingen is really big on development, that is why that have so many ex players playing in this league and other leagues, its not the situation for everyone. I think I fit here good and I think the Management and coach know that as well.

The season starts on Sunday. This will be your 8th professional season. How challenging will it be to come in learn the plays and be a factor as quickly as possible for Erdgas Ehingen?

Playing for the same coach for 4 years there’s not that much more there is out there to do. Me and Ralph have a good feel I know what he expects from me. He knows I’m a smart player and picking up the plays won’t be that hard for me

How much will it help that you played IBL this summer and also kept in shape?

Our team only had 2 games and I only played in one. Being here so long though you understand what it takes but nothing can get you in shape like playing does. So i’m in decent shape but basketball shape is a whole other level.

Would you have come back if the head coach wasn´t Ralph Junge?

Ehingen probably wouldn’t want me back if the coach wasn’t Ralph Junge. Ralph has confidence in me. I mean he offered me a job after sitting out a year for that i’m always thankful

The team has three new Americans and a new German with Joey Ney who played with Alba Berlin. How excited are you about starting your fourth season with Erdgas Ehingen and where could the club land at the end of the season?

I’m hoping we can build off of where we were last year making playoffs and hopefully moving up some seeds and winning some games. We lost a lot from last year’s team including MVP candidate AJ Calvin but we brought in some young talent we will get better as the season goes on i’m excited!

Do you see yourself being a mentor for rookie Stacey Wilson who comes from Murray State? Is this a role that excites you with each coming year?

I don’t know if i really mentor the new Americans I think with them I just help them get used to the culture more than anything. Helping out the young Germans though is good its important to me because I want to coach one day and its good to be able to do that a little bit while still being able to play.

You have been playing for the IBL Olympia Reign for years during the summers. How has this experience over the years helped your game besides giving you game experience? Is this a time where you work on specific parts of your game?

Really I play IBL because it is a good group of guys and we enjoy it and have fun. When we are all committed and have time to be there all of the time we are a great team in the IBL but everyone works and does other things so we more so just enjoy hanging out and the competition.

What player in the Pro A are you looking most forward to battling against again?

Man there are so many vets at the position we’ve all battled. Me and Ahmad Smith always have pretty intense games since the days I was in Schwelm, I played Gary Johnson while I was there too. So those are probably the two main ones.

Where will the journey of the Seattle Sea Hawks end this season?

Super Bowl thats not even a question!

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Lincoln Lawyer Pretty good movie!

Thanks Virgil for the chat.

This summer the Fraport Skyliners kept more of a lower profile with American signings bringing back a pair of ex Skyliners with glue guy Jacob Burtschi and the million dollar smile and paint worker Lorenzo Gordon while keeping Americans Quantez Robertson and Dawan Robinson. Instead the 2004 Beko BBL champion have set their focus on continued progress and development for their German players. However the 2000 cup champion did have one ace left in their sleeve pocket. In the last years, it usually has been Bamberg manager Wolfgang Heyder that dialed the agent numbers of ex NBA players as he had brought in guys like PJ Tucker and Bostjan Nachbar to spark his roster in the last years. However less than two weeks before the start of the new season, Frankfurt reeled in the missing piece to their team with ex NBA player Andrew Rautins that played five NBA games for the New York Knicks a few years ago. Rautins joined the team at their training camp in Tenerifa. Rautins may seem like a one dimensional type of player in that he could probably nail some ballons at the annual Jamesville ballonfest with his precision shooting, but he can do so much more than that. Rautins is a well rounded player that can make the big plays, has excellent basketball IQ, along with tremendous court vision and his passing skills can sometimes go overlooked. The 26 year old 193cm shooting guard who played for Alicante two years ago and last season in the D-league made his home debut against Belgium team Antwerpen in the last pre season game of the season in the BCM helping the Fraport Skyliners register a 59-59 tie with Port Of Antwerp Giants. After the draw, the Syracuse alumnist was more than impressed with his new organization, but also still was getting used to the time zone. “This is a very special to have this type of practice facility and the crowd was great and I love the atmosphere. The club is very professional and handle everything like a NBA team. We are a very young team and still have much work to do. We have shown flashes of being a very solid team. The most important thing for the team is to cut down on mistakes and for me is too get rid of the jet lag”, smiled ex NBA player Andy Rautins. Rautins finished the game with nine points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals, but was lacking a bit with his biggest weapon his shooting finishing at 3 for 14 from the field. His new teammate Jacob Burtscho already has built a special bond with him, but isn´t quite sold on his music talent. “I am really happy that Andy is on the team. He is a great player that can shoot and pass and will really help us. We were laughing a lot the first days with movie quotes and that has translated on to the court. Andy really understands the game. I am not so sure he should entertain us at halftime with his guitar. He has says that he is good, but I don’t believe him”, smiled Jacob Burtschi. The most important thing is that his own team respects his game even if his opponent wasn´t flashed right away by his game. “I know his history in that he is a great shooter, but nothing more. I didn´t see anything spectacular from him”, commented Antwerpen 178cm point guard Frank Turner.

After a one week training camp, the Fraport Skyliners returned home to finish their pre season at home against top Belgium team Antwerpen that ended with a 59-59 draw. The first thing that drew the attention of every spectator was the new hair do of top Beko BBL defender Quantez Robertson who had his hair standing up as if it had been in the microwave too long. Robertson usually has his hair braided for games and explained the new transformation. “My inspiration was Marius Nolte. He asked me too play with my hair out and I did. But I will have my old hair back in braids in the opener”, warned Quantez Robertson. Teammate Jacob Burtschi didn´t hesitate long coming up with a perfect comparison for the hair of Tez. “He has that Macey Gray look going”, laughed Jacob Burtschi. “Tez looks  a bit like outcast in 2000”, added Andy Rautins. The nicest thing seen on the court besides the hair of Tez was the presence of Philadelphia native Dawan Robinson who looked fit and healthy wearing neon red shoes. The first few minutes of the first quarter were a bit of feeling each other out as shots weren´t falling and the scoring was down. Jacob Burtschi got Frankfurt on the board first with a three pointer which was equaled by a rocket from downtown from ex Cuxhaven forward Scott Thomas who was the second leading scorer in German Pro A last season. Antwerpen was able to take the 8-4 lead as Frank Turner scored inside and Serbian power forward Marko Spica who played at John Bowler school Central Michigan scored inside. The Fraport Skyliners were getting good looks, but just had misfortune with hitting shots in the first few minutes. New Skyliner Andy Rautins who comes from New York then tied the game at 8-8 with a three pointer in which his release and demeanor looked as graceful as Singing in the rain star Gene Kelly as if he was hailing in a cab on Madison avenue in New York City. Frankfurt slowly got their rhythm on offense as Konstantin Klein connected on a three pointer and Rautins closed out a 10-0 run and 14-8 advantage. Antwerpen stayed on the heels of Frankfurt as Belgium national player Roel Moors scored on his patent penetration that was as good as unstoppable on this night and American Clayton Vette scored inside to cut the Frankfurt lead to 14-12. However Frankfurt closed out the first quarter in style with a 6-0 run to lead 20-12. Klein started the run with a beautifully timed penetration where he waited for the perfect time to score, Tez hit free throws as did Klein.

At the start of the second quarter, the Fraport Skyliners got a bit of a shock as Dawan Robinson suffered a blow to the back and had to leave the game. He first stayed next to the bench to get treatment, but then left for the dressing room. Despite their floor general being off the floor, the Fraport Skyliners were able to get a flow on offense. Rautins scored inside, Johannes Voigtman then was the perfect trailer scoring in the lane getting a perfect feed from Tez for the 24-14 lead. Antwerpen then went on a mini 4-0 run as 215 big man Yannick Driessen who played 41 games in the top league in Europe for  MMT Estudiantes Madrid (Spain-ACB) scored on a dunk and lay in to cut the Frankfurt lead to 24-18. Frankfurt continued to roll on offense going on a 6-0 run to lead 30-18 as new Skyliner Kevin Bright who played a season at Vanderbilt showed his shooting touch connecting from outside, and Tez read an Antwerpen pass perfect got the steal and fed Klein for two easy points. Spica then made two shots to get Antwerpen back to 32-24, but then it was Bright again nailing a three pointer as Frankfurt led 35-24. Tez then made a lay in and Moors who at times felt like he penetrated all night long scored with his left hand. Moors was a pest all night long and Antwerpen assistant coach Brian Lynch who has the distinction of being married to 4 time Grand Slam winner Kim Clijsters knows the worth of the national player. “He is our captain and most experienced player. He did a good job keeping us in the game with his leadership. Every team needs a guy like that to give that experience”, stressed Brian Lynch. “We didn´t have to change the game plan after Robinson left. Klein and Merz did a good job. We have  a young team, but we can´t hang our heads when a guy like him goes down. The next guy has to come in and step up”, warned Jacob Burtschi. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting under  40% as was Antwerpen. The rebounding was even at 19 and Frankfurt had eight turnovers and Antwerpen had nine turnovers.

Dawan Robinson returned back in the third quarter, but watched the rest of the game from the bench. The Fraport Skyliners came into the third quarter seemingly half on the court and half in the dressing room. They allowed Antwerpen to cruise out on a 4-0 run to cut the lead to 37-32. Frankfurt was playing lethargic and that calmness of a Robinson on the court was missing. Moors made free throws and then made a steal which led to a bucket on transition by Frank Turner who led the Dutch league twice in assists. The game remained tight as Frankfurt could never fully break away as Antwerpen remained close. Voigtman scored a pair of buckets as Frankfurt led 41-34. Frankfurt was getting out more on the fast break as Oklahoma native Burtschi made a steal feeding Tez for the simple score as Frankfurt led 43-26. Moors who was dribbling Skyliners silly all night long with his quick ball handling found Maxime De Zeeuw for the dunk. Tez then riffled a pass down low to Voigtman for the easy dunk and Vette scored inside as Frankfurt still led 47-41. Frankfurt closed out the third quarter with efficient and smart basketball going on a 7-2 run to lead 54-43 after 30 minutes. After a few minutes where Rautins missed some shots and made turnovers, his light shone now as he showed how explosive he can be on defense making three consecutive steals which led to a Burtschi and Voigtman baskets and he also scored himself. On the first steal, he missed an easy lay up and second chance which was put home by Burtschi on the third try, but the American wasn´t happy about that sequence of play. “I am sure that type of play has happened before to me. I still don’t have the legs and hope for a better result the next time. You have to get something like that out of your system”, stressed Andy Rautins. That great defensive outburst by Frankfurt was overshadowed a bit by the amazing buzzer beater lay in by Moors which cut the Frankfurt lead to 54-43 after three quarters. Everybody is always talking about the offense of Rautins, but this season his defense will also talk volumes. “I really have worked on my defense the last years. I pride my game on defense and I think a big focal point of my game this season will be my defense and not only my shooting”, warned Andy Rautins.

The fourth quarter was all about the miraculous comeback by Antwerpen and can the Fraport Skyliners hold on to the lead. The Fraport Skyliners started out the fourth quarter with quick fast break basketball as Burtschi scored twice on the fly to lead 58-45, but that was about all the offense that they would muster as they wouldn´t score another field goal in the last six minutes of play. Former Belgium U-20 national player Dennis Donkor got the Antwerpen run going with a pull up jumper. Ex TBB Trier guard Barry Stewart then scored twice as Frankfurt led only 58-51. Frank Turner then used every inch of his 178cm to weasel himself into the zone and somehow  shoveled home a lay in high of the glass in best Tiny Archibald manner. Frankfurt kept missing shots and Antwerpen couldn´t capitalize either missing a few more shots, but they then got the athletic brilliance of Donkor as he went coast to coast for a lay in as Antwerpen trailed only 58-55 with less than two minutes to go. Turner then made a steal and Donkor was in front of the pack getting the pass and easy bucket in transition as Frankfurt led only 58-57. Rautins then missed a jumper and Antwerpen actually regained the lead again after having it early in the first quarter with a Driessen basket 59-58. “A big reason for our comeback was that we found our intensity. We showed that once we come together that we can play. We started to defend and communicate”, commented Frank Turner. With 30 seconds to go Johannes Voigtman drew a foul, but hit only one free throw to tie the game at 59-59. Antwerpen had one last attempt to try to win the game, but ex Giessen 46er Barry Stewart missed an open shot to end the game. Both teams agreed not to play an overtime period. “We got away from our defense principles. We were careless with the ball. We need to play more smart basketball”, warned new Skyliner Andy Rautins. Antwerpen assistant coach Brian Lynch was happy with how his team stayed in the game for the 40 minutes and in the 16-0 run. “We got more aggressive on defense. We were able to get consecutive stops and forced them to tough shots. We forced 22 turnovers and were able to stay in the game with our defense”, said Brian Lynch. “We fell apart at the end, were sloppy and had no communication on defense”, expressed Jacob Burtschi.

The Fraport Skyliners were led by Johannes Voigtmann with 16 points. Konstantin Klein contributed 13 points. Antwerpen was led by Frank Turner with 11 points and four assists. The Fraport Skyliners shot a dismal 36% from the field and 25% from the three point line while Antwerpen shot 41% helped by a strong fourth quarter, but were desolate from outside at 7%. Frankfurt won the rebound duel 38-33. Frankfurt had a sloppy 22 turnovers while Antwerpen had 18 turnovers. Antwerpen did what they wanted inside scoring 40 points in the paint showing the little resistance inside by Frankfurt. With the start of the regular season a week away, ex Bremerhaven captian Jacob Burtschi had a short perspective about the last weeks. “Our development has been up and down. We have had steps forward and back. We are a young team, but we need to communicate better, the older guys with the youth”, warned Jacob Burtschi. Antwerpen assistant coach Brian Lynch was impressed by the face of the Fraport Skyliners. “I like this team. They are an aggressive and fast team that likes to play small. That is a fun type of basketball to watch. I like how they play their young players. That is great for German basketball”, stressed Brian Lynch.

Shy Ely is a 26 year old 195cm swing man from Indianapolis, Indiana that will be playing his fifth professional season and first in Germany with the MLP Academics Heidelberg. Last season he tore up the Swiss league playing for  BC Boncourt Red Team (Switzerland-LNA, starting five): 29 games: Score-5(18.3ppg), 4.8rpg, 3.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 49.8%, 3PT-3(45.9%), FT: 83.2%. He started his basketball career in 2005 for  Evansville (NCAA) where he played until 2009 playing a total of 121 NCAA games. In his senior year he played  31 games: 18.9ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 45.9%, 3Pts: 26.5%, FT: 76.9%. He played his first three years of professional basketball in the D-League for the Iowa Energy winning the title in 2011 and also for the Dakota Wizards. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Hi Shy, thanks for talking to German Hoops. After a very strong season in Switzerland, you will now play in Germany for Heidelberg. You signed very late. Was the job market tough, or were you just weighing your options?

I think it was a combination of a couple of different things. I parted ways with my agent of almost 4 years, and hired a new one just recently. I did have a few other options I was weighing, but I believe I made the right decision to join Heidelberg.

You come to a very ambitious team MLP Academics Heidelberg. What were the main reasons for coming to this club?

I thought this club was the right fit for me. The head coach is good friends with the coach that I was with when we won the D-league championship in 2011. I felt this would be a bigger stage to showcase my talents and take my career to the next level. And of course I want to help this team win.

Heidelberg is one of the bigger tourist attractions in Germany. What do you in general know about Germany?

I don’t know much about Germany. Last Pre-season while I was in Swiss, we came to Bayreuth to play in a friendly tournament. We were there for about 3 days, and it was a good experience. They seem to have very passionate basketball fans in Germany.

You have a very neat name with Shy Ely. What are the most common responses that you get to your name?

People generally like my name. The most common response I get is when people ask me if I’m really a shy person. I am.

How was the transition coming from the D-league to Europe? What was the most difficult transition that you had to make on and off the court?

The transition from the D-league to Europe went fairly smoothly. I never was the go-to scorer while I was in the d-league, even though I could score in bunches. In Swiss, I was that player. Off the court, I think the biggest transition was learning some French, and grocery shopping.

Boncourt lost in the playoffs against Lugano. All in all what positives could you take out of your first season in Europe?

I had a great first experience in Europe. I got the opportunity to show that I could adapt and thrive on the European game. Boncourt did not have the talent of Lugano, but we were very competitive, and took our team to the playoffs when a lot of people thought we couldn’t.

You were the fifth best scorer in the Swiss league and now come to the German Pro A. I can imagine that you will put up big numbers this season. Besides winning, what is the foremost thing that you want to achieve with your game on the court?

I just want to remain healthy and make my teammates better in any way that I can.

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

I would say my physical strength and passing ability.

You had two different coaches at Evansville, but in your last two seasons you had Marty Simmons. How did he prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

Coach Simmons has had the biggest impact on my basketball career. When he came to Evansville he put a lot of responsibility on my shoulders and gave me tons of confidence. He taught me how to be a leader and we remain close to this day.

Who was the best player that you played against in the NCAA that is in the NBA now?

Ty Lawson

You were D-league champion in 2011 with the Iowa Energy. How high can one rate winning a title like this considering all the personel changes happening during the course of a season?

The 2011 championship was the high point of my career. It was a crazy season of many ups and downs. I started out playing very well, then I suffered a knee injury, had surgery, and then I worked my way back and helped my team win it all. In the d-league your roster could change week to week. I was blessed to be able to stay with the team the entire season.

What do you remember from playing with Kyle Weaver? He played in Germany also. Does he still have a shot to land with an NBA team in the future?

Kyle Weaver is a tremendous talent and a great guy. He can play and defend multiple positions. I like him best at the point guard because of his size, vision, and ability to shoot the ball. He could easily land on an NBA team.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The last DVD I watched was No Country for Old Men. A very good movie.

Thanks Shy for the chat.