There is always something happening in FC Hollywood or also known as FC Bayern Munich soccer team as they aren´t only the most famous sports team in Germany, have the best  talented and expensive players, but also are used to mostly having success. The last two weeks have been sheer excitement as the team blew out FC Barcelona at home and then advanced to the Champions league final against German team Borussia Dortmund. With all this fuss happening with the soccer team, one may get a bit distracted from the basketball department FC Bayern Munich, but they quietly have reached their second playoffs in a row. There are thousands of bitter and unwanted things that have occurred in the Beko BBL this season for teams and players for instance Bamberg having so much misfortune and losing many close games in the Euroleague, a Jimmy Mckinney getting injured again a thing that unfortunately has plagued him throughout his career, a player like American Robert Vaden being released right before the playoffs hurting the playoff chances of the Telekom Baskets Bonn,  Frankfurt losing in Oldenburg this season on  a botched in bound play in the last seconds of the game or a traditional Beko BBL team like Giessen having financial woes, losing half their roster getting beat often by 40 points and then having to move down to the Pro A. With the post season starting, not only FC Bayern Munich have some misfortune, but also 8 time Beko BBL champion Alba Berlin who have to face each other in the quarterfinals of the playoffs in the best of five series. Both teams don´t have any time to waste to ponder about their calamity, but need to get prepared as quickly as possible for the most exciting head to head competition in the first round of the playoffs.

After finishing last season their first in the Beko BBL since returning from the second division in fifth place with a record of 22-12, they couldn´t make any real ground this season despite having the command from upstairs to improve their standings situation finishing in fourth place with a record of 21-13. One can´t forget that the team had massive turmoil shortly before the start of the season as ex German national coach Dirk Bauermann was let go and they didn´t name Svetisslav Pesic until December when he took over a 5-5 team. They did lose in the first game under his guidance in Berlin, but then as if a nasty cold Serbian wind had followed and blew away the next opponents won seven games in a row including the first four with 100 plus points and 11 of 12 wins. It didn´t take Svetislav Pesic long to cradle his wan and put his stamp on how the team was to play. Disciplined, hard defense, quick sets on offense with the first open shot to be taken and unending freedom for his players was key to the success. The team did let up a bit in the last two months having a record of 5-6 and losing in the cup against Alba Berlin. Their biggest problem in the stretch drive was losing too many close games like with two points to Bremerhaven, with three to Tuebingen, four to Artland and three to Oldenburg. With three wins more, they would have an easier time now with the Vaden less Telekom Baskets Bonn.  Their biggest wins of the season were against Bamberg and ratiopharm Ulm and they had a 1-2 record against Alba Berlin.  Fc Bayern Munich has an incredible roster with possibly the best three man big man rotation in the league with Jared Homan, Chevon Troutman and Lawrence Roberts. Tyrese Rice is belongs to the top point guards and with Brandon Thomas an allrounder at the shooting guard position. Pesic  has his freedom to pick from top talented German players like Robin Benzing, Jan Jagla, Stefen Hamann and Demond Greene. Top Israel player Yotam Halperin has been somewhat of a disappointment, but he can explode at anytime. It is always sweet when you have two starting five teams plus an 11^th man like Aleksandar Nadjfeji that can still gun the ball out of the post to the open shooter. The biggest strength of FC Bayern Munich  is their famous and experienced coach, deep roster and combination of lethal offense(83 points per game) and rebounding(37 per game).

Times weren´t easy for the organization or fans of Alba Berlin when the last time they were Beko BBL champion was 2008 and cup winner in 2009. Three seasons title less is about as difficult and grueling as trying to find your way through Berlin without a navigation system. However club and fans finally shared that winning feeling again when they won the 2013 Beko BBL cup in the O2 arena beating ratiopharm Ulm. The team has at least won one title, but a player like Dashaun Wood is still hungry for more hardware  as is his team despite going 4-4 after winning the cup. Last season Alba Berlin finished third with a record of 26-8, but weren´t as productive this season finishing in fifth place with a 20-14 record which most likely added a few months on the body of tough head coach Sasa Obradovic who can yell and scream with the best of them. From the view of Alba Berlin except for a strong stretch in the first half of the season where they won eight games in a row, it was a very inconsistent Beko BBL season as they weren´t able to string together more than a two game winning streak the rest of the way. Their biggest wins were beating Bamberg at home and in Bamberg in Euroleague play. One of the reasons for the demise of the team in the second half was the injury to Vule Avdalovic who was the guy that kept the team together. Obradovic put together another strong team keeping Dashaun Wood who had less of an offensive role this season due to the many scorers, but was able to focus more on defense. Berlin has a very solid trio under the hoop with Yassin Idbihi, ACB veteran Albert Miralles and French man Ali Traore who recently got injured and will be lost for the season. Deon Thompson who still has aspirations of the NBA will have to help out even more under the basket. The unsung hero of the team is Zach Morely who has a lethal inside out game. German national player Heiko Schaffartzik  is at home at any parking lot and will shoot over the meter maid if necessary and Nihad Djedovic can score in bunches and take over a game at anytime. The club picked up insurance down the stretch with Americans Derrick in flight Byers and 2009 Beko BBL champion Je Kel Foster. Experienced Sven Schultze is the bench leader, isn´t afraid of anyone and can still hit the clutch three pointer. Alba Berlin also has a potent offense averaging 79 points per game and are always good for many points as they scored 80 plus points 20 times. They also do a great job taking care of the ball as they have the least turnovers in the league and are the best at hitting free throws at 80%. The biggest weakness of Alba Berlin is their outside shooting as they were third worst in the Beko BBL this season.

This is the most exciting series in the quarterfinals and should go the distance, but FC Bayern Munich has the home court advantage. The match up of the series with be the two top points guards Tyrese Rice and Dashaun Wood. Rice is a player that loves the big time moments in crunch time and is just unstoppable when he has to be while the danger with Wood is that he loves these type of challenges where he can shine and even if he is far from his Beko BBL MVP season of 2011, he can get hot and change a game at anytime. This makes him very unpredictable and extreme perilous since his main focus is playmaking now, but as soon as he sees the hole, he will be gone before Obradovic can yell road runner. Key for Alba Berlin will be to match the physicality of FC Bayern Munich which will be a real task with monsters like Homan and Roberts sitting in the paint. On offense they should use the pick and role option more to stifle the slower Munich big men and get them into foul trouble. FC Bayern Munich should test the Alba Berlin shooting early and if they aren´t on play zone and let them shoot. FC Bayern Munich also should run a lot and try to wear down Alba Berlin since their bench is thinner than that of FC Bayern Munich. If Alba Berlin can steal one in Munich right away, then that will only be an advantage. This series will go five games with an emotional fifth game in Munich. FC Bayern Munich have the 1-0 series lead and now it is time for Alba Berlin to strike back in game two. Dashaun Wood took over a game in 2011-2012 in Munich carrying Alba Berlin to a big win in the Audi Dome and will burning with fire in this series to repeat glory.

 

If legendary sports broadcaster Marv Albert came to Ludwigsburg and yelled Kung Fu instead of Yesssssssssss, he may get more  response simply because the cities karate club  MTV 1846 e. V. Ludwigsburg has tasted numerous success in the last years being known as having the top Karate players in the country. Changing a name in the German basketball world often has to do more with a transition of a sponsor, more than with luck which is seen often in China. Changing a name doesn´t always bring luck as the feisty Napoleon lost his empire and for EnBW Ludwigsburg who are touring the German arenas this season as the Neckar Riesen and have been living in the lower places and are being thretaned of moving down to the second Bundesliga. If it was solving internal problems with jerry Green, switching players late in the season where team chemistry should be carved on the fore heads of the players or changing the coach, basketball life has been tough once again in Ludwigsburg as a new name brings no new luck. There was so much turbulence in Ludwigsburg that one could of expected them not to be in the playoff places, but being near the end for so long would have surprised even the most staunch basketball critic. After a bitter loss against TBB Trier, German point guard Konstantin Klein was asked why Ludwigsburg has struggled so much, but the German had no answer, because he was still trying to digest the loss. However TBB Trier German Mathis Monninghoff who was smiling after the win and had an answer for the woes with Neckar Riesen Ludwigsburg. “It has been a tough season for Ludwigsburg. One can´t forget that the Beko BBL not only remains strong where each team can beat each team, but gets stronger each season. Ludwigsburg has had very much misfortune this year. It isn´t the fault of John Patrick. He came late and brought in new players and it is always difficult to integrate them so late in the season. Its hard for  a young German like Lucca Staiger to lead the team in a situation like this. He is a very good player, but he can´t do it all himself”, stressed Mathis Monninghoff.

 

It has been a while since the wins for EnBW Ludwigsburg were as frequent as they have been for the Brose Baskets Bamberg in the last years. There was one season, where the team was winning, winning, winning and Who could forget the 2006-2007 EnBW Ludwigsburg  Cinderella team that started the season on a seven game winning streak, winning the first 11 of 12 games and dominating the BBL the whole season until losing in the semi finals against The Brose Baskets Bamberg who would later win the BBL title. There was something so fresh with this team as team basketball had been taught by coach Silvano Propat and his players had learned it as quickly as first graders do their a,b,c´s. However the last two seasons were a downgrade as the playoffs were missed. In the 2007-2008 season, the team reached the BBL cup final losing to The Artland Dragons, but management somehow had their differences with coach Silvano Poropat as he had to pack his bags and go. In 2008-2009, management brought in ex Bamberg player Rick Stafford as the team missed the playoffs again and were searching for an identity all season long, but never found one. After December 14^th, 2008, the team would not win more than one game at a time before losing again. It was a very disappointing and weird season as the biggest highlights were the three B wins against Berlin, Bonn and Bamberg, and then the strange 1-0 win as The Giessen 46ers were unable to get to Ludwigsburg on time as they were stuck in traffic. It also marked the last professional season of all rounder and likeable American Brandon Woudstra who decided to hang up his sneakers and return back to the States to start  a new life with his family. The 2009-2010 season marked a rebirth as a new arena was introduced, a new coach with Tolga Ongoren and many new Americans that would hopefully lead the club back to the playoffs. Many fans had to get used to watching basketball in a new state of the art arena as the club said goodbye to the old, but comfy Rundsporthalle that had been alive for 37 years. The goal last season could only be the playoffs as the club has a lot of pressure from their sponsor to perform in the new arena, but this important goal was missed as the team missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season finishing the season in 11th place with a record 17-17. In the last three seasons, the club had a dismal record of 48-54. Two years ago, the club started well last season winning seven of their first nine games including a six game winning streak, but then lost nine of 11 games. The team had the problem of being consistent and was unable to beat the big teams. Their two biggest wins of the season was against Oldenburg and BG Goettingen. The team was strong on paper, with players like Kyle Bailey, Michael King, Quadre Lollis, Kyle Visser, Michael Haynes, Domonic Jones and Richard Chaney, but coach Tolga Ongoren was unable to produce a chemistry on the court and something else was missing as well. “It seemed that winning wasn´t as important to some guys as their selves. They definitely were talented enough for the playoffs, but they lost some games that they should of won”, stressed ex Paderborn guard Steven Wright.

Last season despite having a talented roster, one can describe the season two ways. It was a catastrophe of a season and one where one could only shake their head in disbelief about how such a collection of players could only land in 16^th place with a record of 10-24. The team was just too inconsistent and losing nine of ten games in the first half of the season didn´t help much either. They also had the misfortune of losing five games with less than four points. With a new name, the club decided to make a huge facelift saying goodbye to nine players. When reading the list of guys like Alex Harris, John Bowler, Mark Dorris, Matt Howard(2 time NCAA finaklist with Butler), Jeff Greer or a Johannes Lischka, one has to ask the question how a team like this was battling to stay in the Beko BBL for months instead of hanging around the playoff door. Management has continued to give trust to American head coach Steven key who will remain as head coach. His way of keeping his team focused in the big games at the end of the season and not moving down gave him a lot of credit. Despite the new name, the club did experience a few negative things this past summer concerning Kurt Looby and Jerry Green. Looby left to play in Puerto Rico despite not getting the clearance from the German team. The team and Looby seem to have solved their differences, but the big man wont be returning. Recently, the club and Jerry Green parted ways. Green who had been a fan favorite in Ludwigsburg for years after bringing the team much success wasn´t asked back on account of his fitness. Apparently Green still had a valid deal, but the court will solve this problem. Green had been practicing with PRO A team Kirchheim Knights.

With the team budget only reduced by 200,000, the club was still able to bring in an interesting core of players from Beko BBL players too newcomers in the Beko BBL.The club brought in five ex Beko BBL players and three newcomers. The most interesting signing has to be German national player Lucca Staiger who is hoping for his breakthrough. The club also brought back experienced Wayne Bernard who will be playing for this third Beko BBL team. Ivan Elliot remains in the Beko BBL who will bring much on court versatility. John Turek is also back after having played in Hagen a few years ago and has made a name for himself in the Dutch league. Max Weber enjoyed a strong individual season in Goettingen and could play a big role for the team with his hustle play on the court. The three newcomers are Kammron Taylor, David Weaver and Darryl Jackson. Taylor will take the role of Jerry Green at the point guard position. David Weaver is a young player who will be banging inside and could be on some highlight films this season giving a Quantez Robertson competition and Darryl Jackson brings scoring routine from lower leagues. The question will be how well he can adjust to a stronger league in Germany. The strength of the team is the Beko BBL experience that many of the new players bring as well as the new hope that the roster has. The team had little consistency in their chemistry last season and it will be the job of head coach Steven key to develop something early. The team will need to find a new type of identity. A weakness could be not having that one or two identity figures early on. The team will need to establish one or two leaders early, so when the team has a tough stretch that there will be guys that can lead the team. Guys like John Bowler and Jerry Green aren´t around anymore to bark the needed commands.

However the season came totally different for the Schwaben team. They did have a super start crushing Frankfurt in the home opener and embarrassing ratiopharm Ulm, but instead of keeping that trend the team then lost 10 of their next 12 games and didn´t necessarily have a Christmas with nice memories of the first few basketball months. They just seemed to have a nasty combination of misfortune and inconsistent play. The ylost by 30 points at MBC, gave up 100 points to Bonn, lost at home against Giessen and even when they played well against TBB Trier, couldn´t get anything going on offense scoring only 60 points. Despite getting  a big 79-75 win in Wurzburg, management decided to let go of Steven Key and replace him with an unlikely fireman John Patrick. Patrick not known for coming to teams in mid season, but moreover building teams with lower budgets to winners as he showed with BG Goettingen leading them into the BBL playoffs in three of his four years and winning the Eurochallenge as well as leading Wurzburg into the playoffs as a new team in the league and upsetting Alba Belrin in the playoffs. He also had numerous success in Japan leading Toyta Alvark to titles. He is a coach that likes the pressure basketball and knows how to motivate his players to get the fullest out of them. He also made some changes as Americans Kammron Taylor and David Weaver had to depart. He brought in Americans Marquis Blakely who has brought scoring punch who has valuable experience having been in pre season for the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. Patrick also brough in Eric Coleman who played together with his ex players Ben Jacobson and John Little at Northern Iowa and finished sixth alltime in scoring and always brought up consistent stats in the Ukraine. He also brought in guard Lawrence Westbrook who got injured and missed the rest of the season. The last component that Patrick brought in was Derrick Zimmerman who is a crafty athletic point guard that can fill up the stats. He played at Bamberg back in the 2006-2007 season and even played two NBA games for the New Jersey Nets. “He is our floor general and he is cat quick. He is very long for a point guard at 190cm and his arms are 210cm. You can´t take the ball from him and he has a great eye for the floor. He is a great ball handler. He is so athletic and is like a human highlight reel”, expressed John Patrick. After losing the first two games under Patrick, the team then seemed to find their stride winning three games in a row but against teams in the middle of the standings. However since then they have a 4-7 record. They demonstrated that they could stay with teams like ratiopharm Ulm losing by six points and keeping Alba Berlin at bay on the road before losing gas in the fourth quarter and losing by 13 points.

 

The Fraport Skyliners have nice memories of the last 14 games against EnBW Ludwigsburg having a 9-6 record. They have a 4-1 record in the Ballsporthalle. One player who has fond memories of playing EnBW Ludwigsburg is ex Skyliner Derrick Allen who was the top scorer of Frankfurt in four of the last six games including a 37 point performance in a 96-87 win in 2008. In 2008-2009, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners split the season series 1-1 winning 68-64 at home getting 19 points from Aubrey Reese and losing the last game of the season 71-62 on the road getting 18 points from Derrick Allen. In 2010-2011 The Deutsche Bank Skyliners beat EnBW Ludwigsburg 74-67 in a low scoring affair. Frankfurt was led by Roger Powell with 16 points and six rebounds while current beko BBL top scorer Dashaun Wood chipped in with 13 points and eight assists. EnBW Ludwigsburg was led by Alex Harris with 18 points and ex Telekom Baskets Bonn center John Bowler was tough with 13 points and nine rebounds. In the last game of the season in Ludwigsburg, the Skyliners whipped EnBW Ludwigsburg 94-79 as ex NBA player Roger Powell had his best game as a Skyliner pouring in 28 points and Dashaun Wood added a double double with 19 points and 10 assists. Last season, the teams split the season series. The Fraport Skyliners played a horrible game in Ludwigsburg where nothing went their way losing 82-57, but won at home 76-72 as Jermario Davidson led the team with 21 points and Michael Thompson chipped in with 17 points. In the first game this season, the Fraport Skyliners stunk up the building losing 74-56. They only managed 23 points in the first half. Despite scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter, it was too late. Frankfurt was led by Quantez Robertson with 16 points and Johnathan Jones added 11 points. The season now comes down to one game. Do or die in the Fraport arena on Saturday. Frankfurt has the destiny in their hands and just need to win to stay in the Beko BBL. It could be the last game of Quantez Robertson and the last thing that he wants to do is go out losing his last game and not being able to help the team stay in the league. “We will have to fight for 40 minutes. It will be a hard fought game where we have to execute on defense first and limit them too one shot. The biggets game of my career was game five in Bamberg, but this game is up there with that”, expressed Quantez Robertson. Moments after the loss to TBB Trier, Ryan Brooks was disappointed by the loss, but his confidence was already set for the do or die game. “We have to go out and fight and play as hard as we can. We know what we can do right and wrong, but I am sure the results will be in our hands”, warned Ryan Brooks.

The team is led by John Turek who is a 29 year old power forward/center from Council Bluffs, Iowa. He is a very effective front court player, who improved his performing year after year and seems now ready for the higher level. Bangs well inside, can score from outside and defends hard. Hesn’ t so athletic, but knows how to do and where to stay in almost any moment of the game. Great attitude and team mentality. He played at Nebraska(NCAA) from 2001-2005. In his first four seasons, he played twice in Holland and in Belgium and Poland. In 2009-2010, he played for Phoenix Hagen (Germany-1.Bundesliga, starting five): 28 games: 12.4ppg, Reb-5(6.6rpg), 1.0apg, Blocks-1(1.4bpg), FGP: 52.8%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 61.8%. Last season, he played for  Trefl Sopot (Poland) winning the cup and playing 48 games: 14.1ppg, 7.4rpg, FGP: 58.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 62.5%. The last new addition that will be making his Beko BBL debut will be Darryl Jackson. Jackson is a 26 year old 189 cm guard from Oregon that also has the Malta citzenship. He played at Warner Pacific(NAIA) before turning professional in 2008. In his first three seasons, he made a name for himself in Romania. He got experience playing eight Eurochallenge games. Last season, he played for  InterCollege Etha Engomis (Cyprus-Division A): Greek League: 13 games: 10.0ppg; EuroCup Qualifications: 2 games: 6.0ppg, 1.5apg; EuroChallenge: 5 games: 11.4ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.2spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 76.5%, in May’12 joined Sokhumi Tbilisi (Georgia-Superleague, starting five): 5 games: 13.2ppg, 2.6rpg, 3.4apg, FGP: 59.3%, 3PT: 34.8%, FT: 83.3%. He won the super cup and league title in Cyprus last season.

Wayne Bernard who was the 2009 PRO A player of the year is a 31 year old 190cm combo guard from Poway, California who is playing his first season for the Neckar Riesen Ludwigsburg. He has displayed a knack for knocking down clutch baskets in key situations and is a player that performs at his best in pressure situations. He has superb range on his jumper, and can also drive to the hoop with slashing moves. He is also a capable ball handler. He played at Davidson(NCAA) from 2000-2003. Bernard has very much experience having played in countries like Israel, Greece, France, Sweden and Finland It doesn´´t matter where Bernard has played, he has always been a scorer. in the 2008-2009 season where MBC moved up to the BEKO BBL, he played 30 games: 14.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.6apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 43.2%, FT: 80.4%. In 2009-2010 for MBC, he played 34 games: 8.6ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.7apg, Steals-5(1.5spg), FGP: 41.6%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 80.8%. In 2010-2011 for MBC, he played 34 games: 11.1ppg, 3.1rpg, 1.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 85.7%. Last season for the LTi Giessen 46ers, he played 34 games: 9.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.9apg, Steals-5(1.4spg), FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 85.2%. The team also added Ivan Elliot who is a 25 year old 203cm power forward/center from San Francisco, California that played at UCSB. He is a very versatile on the offensive end, able to shoot the 3-pointer with confidence, slash to the basket, and play underneath the basket with his physical strength and overall skills, is the ultimate team player who always gives everything he has in every practice and game, highly motivated and willing to do the extra work to become the best player. He has experience having played for SK Valmiera (Latvia) as a rookie and two years ago for MBC. In 2010-2011 for the s. Oliver Baskets Wurzburg, he played 30 games: 10.6ppg, 6.0rpg, FGP: 59.3%, 3PT: 41.0%, FT: 77.8%. Last season for the  s Oliver Baskets Wuerzburg (Germany-1.Bundesliga) he played  34 games: 8.6ppg, 4.7rpg, FGP: 43.1%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 74.0%

The team also brought in Americans Lucca Staiger and Max Weber. Staiger is a 24 year old 195cm shooting guard that was born in Ulm. He started his basketball career with TSG Ehingen in 2003. He once scored 106 points in a youth game at age 16. He played at Iowa State from 2007 until January 2010 where he moved to Alba Berlin. At Iowa State, he played a total of 49 NCAA games. In his senior year, he played  17 games: 9.4ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 42.5%, FT: 75.0%,. He played for Alba Berlin from 2010-2012, but never really got a chance to get sufficient minutes. He played a total of 69 NCAA games. Last season for Alba Berlin, he played  German League: 21 games: 2.2ppg; EuroCup: 8 games: 0.9ppg; Euroleague Qualifying Round: 2 games: 7.5ppg, also played at ALBA Berlin II (ProB): 8 games: 14.5ppg, 5.4rpg, 5.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 27.9%, FT: 83.3%. Staiger played at the World Championships in Turkey -10: 4 games: 7.3ppg, 1.0rpg, FGP: 66.7%, 3PT: 37.5% and European Championships in Lithuania -11: 6 games: 2.7ppg, 1.2apg. This past summer, Staiger played eight games at the 2012 European qualification games averaging 9,9ppg, 1,9rpg and 1,4apg.

Max Weber also has joined the team. Weber is a Weber who is a 201cm small forward and be only 27, but he has much experience having played in Peru and winning a Beko BBL title with Bamberg in 2005 at the age of 20. He started his basketball career with BBC Bayreuth (2.Bundesliga) in 2003 and then played for GHP Bamberg and TSV Troester II Breitengussbach from 2004-2oo6. He then played for TV Langen (2.Bundesliga) and the Deutsche Bank Skyliners from 2006-2009. He played a total of 19beko BBL games and seven Eurochallenge games. In 2009-2010, he played for the  LTi Giessen 46ers playing 28 games: 2.6ppg, 1.4rpg. In 2010-2011, he played for the Saar-Pfalz Braves (ProA, starting five): 27 games: 11.5ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 46.6%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 60.0%. He was a member of the German U-16, U-18, and U-20 national teams and played at World University Championships in Bangkoki n 2007. Last season for BG Goettingen, he played EuroChallenge: 6 games: 4.5ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.2apg; German League: 33 games: 6.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 48.4%, 3PT: 27.1%, FT: 59.6%. The club also has The club also has big german/Albanian talent Besnik Bekteshi who is a 19 year old 188cm guard. In 2009-2010, he played for BSG Ludwigsburg (Germany-Regionalliga): 19 games: 12.6ppg, played also for BBA Ludwigsburg (NBBL): 11 games: 16.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.4apg, 3.7spg. He made an early name for himself in the summer of 2010 at the European Championships U17 in Hamburg (Germany) -10: 8 games: 15.5ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.9apg, Steals-4(2.3spg), FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT-3(87.0%). He won  a bronze at the 2010 Albert Schweitezr tournament in Mannheim. He played at the European Championships U18 in Wroclaw (Poland) -11: 8 games: 9.1ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.4apg, Steals-5(2.4spg), FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT-3(87.5%). Last season he played for  EnBW Ludwigsburg (1.Bundesliga): 2 games: 1.5ppg; had also a license to play for VfL Kirchheim Knights (Germany-ProA): 33 games: 4.9ppg, 1.9rpg. The team also kept Tim Koch who is a 23 year old 196cm forward that has been in the Ludwigsburg system since 2006. He has only been able to play a total of 32 Beko BBL games as he has moved between BSG Ludwigsburg(Regionaliga) and Kirchheim Knights(PRO A). The team also has young German talent Johnathan Maier who is a 19 year old 211cm center. Last season he played for  EnBW Ludwigsburg (1.Bundesliga): 2 games: 1.0ppg, 1.0rpg; had also a license to play for VfL Kirchheim Knights (ProA): 15 games: 2.3ppg, 1.3rpg.

 

Steven Monse is a 23 year old 200cm forward that is playing for Alba Berlin and t ALBA Berlin II. He started his basketball career in 2005 with  Marzahn Basket Baeren (2.Regionalliga). He then played for TuS Lichterfelde II from 2006-2008. He then played for  ALBA Berlin II (Regionalliga) from 2008-2010. He then played for UBC Hannover Tigers (ProA): 6 games: 3.0ppg, 1.3rpg, in Nov.`10 moved to Bayer Giants Leverkusen (ProB, starting five): 16 games: 4.1ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.3apg. Last season he played for the  Brose Baskets Bamberg (1.Bundesliga): 2 games: 0pts; played also at TSV Troester Breitenguessbach (ProB): 1 game: 3pts, 2reb; in Jan.’12 moved to BBC Febro Eagles Magdeburg (Regionalliga): 11 games: 10.5ppg, 7.6rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.6%, FT: 52.5%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

You played in the Alba Berlin organization form 2006-2010. Why did you
decide to return after two seasons away?

The reason I returned after two years is not just because it’s nice to
be back in my hometown but also to be able to play with such talented
and ambitious players and coaches.

One seasons ago you were in the Bamberg orgnaization and now back with
Alba Berlin. How do you explain the luck of playing for the top Beko BBL
teams? Is it just good connections or excellent agent work?

I was recently asked that question by my father, too because there was
never a big hype about my person but the teams know that I play with
heart. Basketball world is a big family everybody knows everybody but my
Agency is doing for sure a good job.

So why should Teams like ALBA or Bamberg choose a player like you?

I will always try to do anything to help my team to win. Thats what it
is all about if you ask me. No one wants a player of the loosing team
with great stats. Especially because of my high ambitions, I am always working hard on my
goals.

You are playing with Alba Berlin 2 and practice with the Beko BBL team.
It has never been easy for German players to breakthrough with Alba
Berlin. What are your goals and what keeps you striving to go ahead
despite the tough competition with the top notch roster?

I always try to play the best possible Basketball. To achieve that it’s
necessary to compete with the best in order to become a better player in
the long run even if that means to struggle from time to time in the
beginning.My goals for this season are to be able to help the team and support
them to reach the championship.

Alba Berlin 2 have had a solid season in the Regionaliga. What is your
role in the team and what parts of your game are you improving on most?

Since I am the oldest player on the team I had to take the most
responsibility which gave me the opportunity to improve my offensive game.

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

I think my ability to assist my teammates and create various options for
them to score is something that I’m not getting the most recognition for
but is a big part of my game.

What has been the most important thing that you have learned from Nihad
Djedovic? I am sure you could talk hours about his game?

There’s a lot to say about his game but what really impressed me is his
floater which I started adapting into my own game.

What is the most amazing thing that you have seen Dashaun Wood do in practice?

Dashaun once impressed me in practice with an alley oop dunk he dished himself off the backboard. It’s incredible what he is able to do despite of his size.

Alba Berlin just won the cup. Do you think that they can peak during the
playoffs and win it all?

No doubt about that. I absolutely think that we can make it all the way
and win this thing!

With Joey Ney and Sebastian Fulle, you have two young German teammates
who are also looking to break into the Alba Berlin rotation. What part
of their games do you like most?

Joey and Sebastian definitely have improved their game and always kept
on working hard despite the tough schedule.

How do you combat criticism when people remind you that German talents
have often left Alba Berlin because of a lack of playing time. Many have
fled to Trier. How do you justify to critics and to yourself that you
can make it a second time?

As I already said I still see it as a challenge and a way to improve my
game in the long run and not as something that’s going hold me back in
the future.

Early in your career you played for Tus Lichterfelde. There your
teammates were Germans Oskar Fassler, Philipp Heyden, Oliver Clay or
Andreas Seiferth. How difficult is it seeing how they have developed and
are playing in the Beko BBL now?

I don’t see the difficulty in this. I’m happy for all of them which
doesn’t mean I’m not standing behind my own decision.

Matjei Mamic was your coach who had to retire from active playing on
account of an accident. What could you learn from him early in his
coaching career?

The essence of what he taught me is best said with this quote: “It ain’t
about how hard you hit, it’s about how you can get hit and keep moving
forward.”

From 2008-2010, you played for Alba Berlin 2 and in 2010 won the
Regionaliga championship. You played with a young Nils Giffey who is
playing at Uconn. how much potential does he have? Could he become a top
player in the Beko BBL?

I’m confident that he has the potential to become a very successful
player wherever he’ll go after college. Maybe even NBA!?!

What do you remember the most from Konstantin Klein who is already
getting good minutes in Frankfurt. Was he already a tough defender then?

Konstantin has always been a defense hustler putting a lot of pressure
on his opponents. What I remember most was his ability to carry along
his teammates with his spirit.

In the last three seasons you have played for six teams. Why have you
turned into a basketball nomad?

Sometimes you can’t influence your path and just have to go with the
opportunities that come your way which I did.

In 2010-2011, you played with Josh Young. Did you already know then that
he could make the jump to the beko BBL?

It was crystal clear to me that the beko BBL is where he belongs since
he stuck out from the beginning. I’m very happy for him and hope that
he’s going to make it to the top because he really deserves it!

Last season, you played for Bamberg and Breitengussbach, but ended the
season in the Regionaliga. Why was the Bamberg stay so short?

We had players with injuries and when all were back on the roster, we
have been too many, so I decided instead of sitting behind the bench to
change the team before the transfer deadline and that was for sure the
right decision.

Who has been the toughest player that you ever played against in a game?

I’ve played a lot of tough opponents but from the top of my head I’d
name Predrag Suput as the toughest one so far.

What were the most free throws that you made in a row in practice
without missing?

56.

What was your most crazy shot that you ever made in a game?

Trying to save the ball I once hit a three point shot backwards. Of
course this was more skill than luck.

Where will Steven Monse be in 5 years?

Hopefully I’ll just be healthy and still able to do what I love the most.

What do you rather eat a curry wurst or a Döner?

Berliner Kebab.

If you could ask Dirk Nowitzki one question what would you ask him?

What his motivation was to stay with Dallas after the first couple
season didn’t go that well for him.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Get low.

Thanks Steven fort he chat.

When looking visionally at the cities Frankfurt and Trier, there is about as much difference as the music of Rihanna and old school rocker Ozzy Osbourne as Frankfurt is the financial capital of Germany with a mini skyline in comparison to New York City, while Trier is a beautiful quaint German town that is filled with alluring nature, the river Mosel, beautiful wine hills and TBB Trier team manager and mascot Aggi who for some basketball fans is just worth a visit. On the court the teams of Henrik Rodl and Muli Katzurin have one very distinct similarity in which both coaches preach Defense as the way to achieving basketball success.  The Fraport Skyliners have had three hard fought defensive battles against the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg  and the last season both teams had a defensive battle in the trenches in the Fraport arena with TBB Trier digging themselves free of the Skyliner clutches winning 64-54. In that game TBB Trier was able to keep Frankfurt to 21% shooting from downtown and forced them to cough up the ball 17 times. Jon Leuer and Jimmy Mckinney both had 14 points  a piece and ex NBA player Jermareo Davidson had 10 points, but had less luck with his fade away jumper shooting 4/11 from the field. The Fraport Skyliners have had nice memories winning the battle in Wurzburg twice, but losing the last two defensive battles in Frankfurt against Trier and Wurzburg and now were focused to finally come out of the ditch with their chests held high with an important victory. However if it was just the grind of a long season or more missed assignments, switching or just mental lapses, TBB Trier had not defended the way head coach Henrik Rodl had liked averaging giving up 88 points in the last six games, but against the Fraport Skyliners showed their defensive face beating the Fraport Skyliners 78-70. “We knew that Frankfurt was one of the best defensive teams in the league and we anticipated a defensive battle today. Defense is our identity and we got back to our old ways tonight. We didn´t really change anything stragitally, but we just raised our defensive intensity and just played with a lot more energy than in the first half. We gave a total team effort today”, stressed Ohio native Nate Linhart.

Win or lose the best Skyliner basketball news in the last week was the release of jovial point guard Dawan Robinson from the hospital. The Philadelphia native was held up in the hospital the last two weeks because of  a lung problem, but finally was given the green light to depart the place where hospital food has its own made up name for each patient. If the penetrating scoring point guard will ever be able to step on the court again and give his 110% is unknown, but against TBB Trier the American was on the court again even if it was only on the sideline. He had made known that he will be a sort of right hand for Muli Katurin as an assistant coach. Robinson who at times looks like he can´t wipe that serious smile of his face, but then at the jolt of mascot Dunking Kong stamping up and down on the court, the American flashes a lightening smile that would light up any room even in a steel mill in Allentown.  Robinson gave a solid debut as a helping coach on the sidelines getting excited at times as if Toby the Dragon had given him some of his secret energy dragon potion via DHL from Quackenbruck. Robinson may never had played in the NBA like fellow Philadelphian from 1994-2008 and five seasons for the 76ers, but both have one thing in common, both are on the bench as the ex NBA player is an assistant coach for the NBA team, while Robinson could be an assistant in the making. When one was observing Robinson in the second half and the woes of the Fraport Skyliners, one could see that he wanted to be on the court more than anything, but instead was sitting next to Taylor Brown at the end of the bench. “I was a bit upset that I was so far away from the team. I wanted to be on the court so bad, but it hurt that I couldn´t do anything. In a way, this loss is my fault, because I couldn´t be on the court. Even though I am from Philadelphia, I am not a fan of the 76ers, because I haven´t liked some of the decisions the team has made over the years, but as far as Aaron Mckie, I think he has done  a good job there. He helped me a lot when I played Summer league there. When I was younger, I wanted just to spend more time with my family after my playing days, but now as I am getting older, I like to see players get better and develop. I think coaching is something I would like to do after my playing days are over”, stressed Dawan Robinson.

The Fraport Skyliners came into the game coming off a bitter loss in Bonn and had the chance to secure the season with a win against TBB Trier, but a poor second half gave TBB Trier the lead and they never looked back. The Fraport Skyliners really picked a brutally bad time period to play a lousy second half and now must tremble next weekend and beat the Neckar Riesen Ludwigsburg to stay in the Beko BBL. Frankfurt didn´t shoot that bad, but just were unable to find their offensive flow in the second half not getting into a groove and allowing TBB Trier to take the momentum. “TBB Trier played very good team defense in the second half. We allowed too many open looks and they made their free throws. We had problems executing on offense and defense and gave up too many second chance points at the rim”, expressed Fraport Skyliner forward Quantez Robertson. TBB Trier was riding on a five game losing streak and weren´t totally safe to stay in the league, but the team wanted to return back to the Mosel city with a win in their baggage and travel to their last two games in Berlin and Quackenbruck with no more worries. It took TBB Trier a while to find their rhythm, but in the second half, they played excellent basketball and deserved to win the game. “We played well as a team and just did everything right on offense and defense. We made the right passes and shots. I can´t remember anyone turning down shots. We stepped up our defensive intensity in the second half. We denied all entries and just took them out of their comfort zone. I think that this was our best game of the season”, expressed Canadian native Jermaine Bucknor.

4,470 fans wanted to see the game and some fans even remembered who the tall man was wearing glasses as Derrick Allen was back in his old living room taking in the game where he dominated from 2007-2010. Frankfurt was without Dawan Robinson and Devin Gibson and the point guard duties were held by Konstantin Klein and Max Merz. Before the first fan could scoop some tasty buttered popcorn and stuff their face, Quantez Robertson gave the fans the first hurra with a mega slam dunk with  a perfect ally-op pass from his Auburn teammate Laquan Prowell. TBB Trier took the lead 3-2 with an Andreas Seifert lay in and Linhart free throw. The Fraport Skyliners quickly got their offense rolling escaping out on an 8-0 run to lead 10-3. Frankfurt did heavy damage in the paint as Konstantin Klein hit a runner, Robertson a lay up and Peacock twice. TBB Trier seemed asleep on defense just standing around which Frankfurt took advantage of. Klein then scored again on the penetration making it look as easy as his teammate Dawan Robinson as Frankfurt led 13-5. TBB Trier had no groove on offense, but someone hung around as Andreas Seifert kept them in the game. TBB Trier made a little comeback going on a 7-2 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 15-12. Seifert scored inside and made free throws as did Bastian Doreth. With Klein getting two early fouls, Muli Katzurin inserted 19 year old German Max Merz. Prowell hit  a huge three pointer and Ryan Brooks a pull up jumper, but TBB Trier stayed on their heels as Doreth made a running left handed hook shot and Brian Harper hit free throws. Frankfurt only had a 22-18 lead after one quarter. “Frankfurt started very well on offense. TBB Trier had problems getting used to the Frankfurt defense. Andreas Seifert kept TBB Trier in the game”, expressed TV Langen German Sebastian Barth. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 77% from the field and 25% from outside while TBB Trier was hooting 50% from the field and 0% from outside. Frankfurt had the 6-2 rebound edge, but four turnovers while TBB Trier had only one turnover.

The Fraport Skyliners started off very hot getting out on a 9-2 run to extend their lead to 31-20. Johannes Voigtmann started the run with a mid distance jumper and Brooks and Super Tez hit free throws. German Max Merz then scored his first Beko BBL points with a shot from downtown. However as quick as Frankfurt started, they all of a sudden lost rhythm as the  second half of the second quarter was like day and night as TBB Trier made their come back going on a 14-4 run to go into halftime trailing only 35-34. It was Nate Linhart who led TBB Trier in the run adding three buckets, getting assists and grabbing key offensive rebounds. Seifert also made an easy lay in after being served a quick pass on a platter by Linhart. Linhart faked a shot and like back in the 80s in best Larry Bird manner passed the German the ball. Linhart almost seemed embarrassed when being compared to the passing talent of Larry Bird, “Larry Bird was one of my idols. I thought Andreas had the better shot so I passed him the ball. I just try to make team plays that make my teammates happy”, stressed Nate Linhart. Despite being a big reason for the win, the Ohio native didn´t  see anything out of the ordinary of his performance. “I am not a flashy player. This was just a normal day at the office for me”, added Nate Linhart. His teammate Jermaine Bucknor was all smiles when he heard the name Linhart. “He is a great player. He simply does everything on the court. He is best offensive rebounder that I have ever played with. He is always seeking out the ball from the wing. His ability to get the offensive rebound is incredible. He is hard to guard because he is a lefty. I think that he will get more credit that he deserves after this season”, commented Jermaine Bucknor. His opponent Quantez Robertson was also impressed with his play. “He had an all around good game. He got to the rim, got extra offensive rebounds and just did what was needed”, added Quantez Robertson. TBB Trier trailed only 35-34 at halftime. “Frankfurt led up a bit in the second quarter. TBB Trier kept hanging around. They got big offensive rebounds and some floaters. Frankfurt lost their rhythm on offense and weren´t aggressive going to the hoop. Max Merz did a good job. He was a bit nervous at first, but he hit a big three pointer and played solid defense”, stated TV Langen German Sebastian Barth. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 60% from the field and 33% from the three point line while TBB Trier was shooting 46% from the field and 0% from the three point line. Frankfurt ha dthe 13-11 rebound advantage, but eight turnovers while TBB Trier had four turnovers.

The Third quarter was the most exciting of the game and at one point there was no difference on the court of both teams as there were seven lead changes, but TBB Trier was able to pull away in the last minutes of the third quarter. Andreas Seiferth gave TBB Trier the lead back again 36-35 with free throws, but Klein retrieved it back for Frankfurt with an off balance lay in as Frankfurt led 37-36. Frankfurt went on a 5-0 run to extend their lead to 40-36 as the German boys did the damage as Klein made free throws and Voigtmann a jumper. TBB Trier wasn´t fazed as they returned back on a 5-0 run to get the lead back 41-40. Harper who had been quiet up to that stand point scored twice inside. Brooks and Stewart then traded buckets as tBB Trier led 43-42. Frankfurt got the lead back going on a 4-0 run as Brooks kept having the hot hand making a lay in and Max Merz connected on a runner as Frankfurt led 46-43. TBB Trier found a hot streak again at the right juncture ending the third quarter with a 13-5 run. Stewart and Prowell traded baskets as Frankfurt still led 48-45. Athletic forward Vitalis Chikoko made a lay in getting a quick bullet pass from Linhart. Linhart and Bucknor then nailed back to back three pointers as TBB Trier led 54-48. TBB Trier was outhustling Frankfurt getting key offensive rebounds and working for the perfect shots which they hit. TBB Trier seemed to want it more at that point. Bucknor made an off balance shot on the last possession as TBB Trier led 56-51 after three quarters. “TBB Trier played better offense and just played better pick and roll and got the ball inside and stepped up their defense”, added Sebastian Barth.

In the fourth quarter The Fraport Skyliners had to step up, but instead were greeted by a 10-3 TBB Trier run which got them into full gear and helped them gain the momentum and cruise to the win. Ex Gonzaga sniper Mathis Monninghoff and Quantez Robertson traded three point bombs as TBB Trier still led 59-54. Frankfurt was unable to keep pace as TBB Trier continued to score as Buchnor hit a jumper and free throws and normally little used Joshiko Saibou buried a three pointer from the corner as TBB Trier led more comfortably 66-54 and the Fraport arena suddenly got very quiet. “Frankfurt wasn´t taking care of the ball, missed easy lay ups and couldn´t secure offensive rebounds”, added  TV Langen forward Martinis Woody. Zach peacock came back into the game and even though Frankfurt was trying to come back, turnovers was hindering them as well as missed free throws. Danilo Barthel who was back after missing some games due to back problems scored in traffic and Robertson made a free throw, but TBB Trier still led 68-58. Peacock and Bucknor then scored back to back, but Frankfurt still trailed 71-60. Peacock then suffered two turnovers landing on the line on the base line and getting an offensive foul his fifth and having to leave the game. American Barry Stewart punished him and the Skyliners dropping a three pointer extending the TBB Trier lead to 76-62 and deciding the game. Prowell hit a three pointer as TBB Trier only led 76-65, but with time running out Stewart connected on free throws as TBB Trier led 78-65. Frankfurt closed out the game with a 5-0 run with Klein and Tez free throws, but too little too late. “We were playing good team basketball. We all stuck together and kept our composure. We learned from our loss last weekend in Tuebingen and executed better down the stretch”, added Jermaine Bucknor. “They were more aggressive in some spots. We had some miscommunication on defense. They were just tougher than we were. The game is 40 minutes.  You either make plays or you don´t. Our offense was stagnant. Even when a team like Trier is aggressive, you can punish them. We just weren´t able to do that”, said Ryan Brooks. “We kept the lead and did good team management. Coach called good plays and we executed them to perfection”, expressed Nate Linhart. “I think that we were just missing leadership in crunch time”, added Dawan Robinson.

TBB Trier was led by Jermaine Bucknor and Andreas Seiferth  with 14 points a piece. Barry Stewart added 13 points. Nate Linhart chipped in with 12 points and nine rebounds. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Quantez Robertson with 14 points. Ryan Brooks contributed 13 points, five rebounds and three assists. Konstantin Klein produced 11 points. Max Merz got his first Beko BBL field goal and finished with six points. Experienced Skyliner point guard dawan Robinson was thrilled with his performance. “Merz did a great job coming from the bench. He did more than was expected for a 19 year old. He had no turnovers, made shots and did good decisions. It was a great game by him”, added Dawan Robinson. The Fraport Skyliners shot 51% from the field and31% from outside while TBB Trier shot 47% from the field and 36% from outside. TBB Trier won the rebound duel 30-28 and only had eight turnovers while Frankfurt had 14 turnovers. The Fraport Skyliners now have a do or die game next weekend against the Neckar Riesen Ludwigsburg. The Fraport Skyliners will need  every player next weekend even a Dawan Robinson on the bench. Young German Mathis Monninghoff is content that the Fraport Skyliners will go into summer vacation with the ticket to the Beko BBL for the 2013-2014 season. “Frankfurt has a great arena and fans. They play great basketball and will be ready and hit their shots against Ludwigsburg. I am sure that they will win the game”, stressed Mathis Monninghoff.

Malik Mueller is an 19 year old 188cm guard that was born in Frankfurt, Germany. He spent  a part of his life in Miami, but grew up in the rhein-main region. He is a guard with enormous potential. Has shot, court vision and personality. He could became a top player very soon. He started his basketball career at TV Langen and played for EOSC Offenbach before moving to  SG Urspringschule/Schelklingen in 2007. He moved up to rdgas Ehingen/Urspringschule (ProB) in that same season. In 2010, he took part at the well known Jordan Brand Classic Game and was named MVP. He played at the World Championships U17 in Hamburg (Germany) -10: 8 games: 6.9ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 26.9%, FT: 46.2%. Last season he played for Erdgas Ehingen/Urspringschule (ProA): 18 games: 5.5ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 25.5%, FT: 52.2%, also a license to play with SG Urspringschule/Schelklingen (2.Regionalliga, starting five): 7 games: 13.4ppg. This past summer, he took part at the European Championships U18 in Lithuania -12: 9 games: 8.3ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 36.5%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 71.4%. He spoke to German Hoops during the regular season with eurobasket.com.

What exactly is your role in the team?

I am a player that brings energy from the bench giving the starting point guard a rest.

Erdgas Ehingen has five Americans. You grew up in Miami, Florida in very young years. Are you able to build up special relationships with the Americans?

The Americans  are all very open and very nice guys. I don´t have a better relationship with one player than with the other. They have a good relationship to all the players on the team.

Your teammate American Virgil Matthews has stated only positive things about you and pushes you in practice. What have you learned from him in the last years.

I have learned very much from him in the last years. He pushes me evry hard in practice and really makes life difficult for me on the court. The most important thing that I have learned from him is to control the tempo something I had no idea how to do before I switched to being  appoint guard.

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

I think a strength that doesn´t always get noticed is my ability to be a leader on the court. I like to keep the team together in hard situations and give tips.

What do you still need to improve in your game?

I can get better in all phases of my game. The most important thing is improving my defense, showing more court vision and presence.

Your teammate Jake Anderson played at Northern Iowa and Iowa State and has had experience in the D-league. He is a super rebounder for his height. Has he explained his rebounding secret to you?

No, but he really has amazed me how well he rebounds for his size and he is a little shorter than me. He fights for every ball at the rim.

Erdgas Ehingen head coach Ralph Junge is known for being able to develop young German players well. What is the most important thing that you have learned from him?

I came to Ehingen as a 13 year old and had mostly played the sport as a hobby before coming here. I learned everything I need to know about the basics of the game. I learned how to understand the game.

You lived for a time in Miami, Florida because you had an American dad. What memories do you have from Miami?

I only have memories from the end of my time there spending lots of time with my relatives and playing basketball.

You grew up in the Frankfurt area. Were you a Frankfurt Skyliner fan?

I went to games, but not every weekend since I had games on the weekends. I did like the team and my favorite player was Jimmy Mckinney.

Who were your NBA idols as a kid?

My number one idol was Michael Jordan. When I was very young, I liked Allan Iverson. I had a big poster of him in my room. Now my favorite player is Dwayne Wade.

How easy was your decision to go to Erdgas Ehingen in 2007?

It wasn´t difficult. I always knew that I wanted to play basketball. In Offenbach, I could only practice three times a week and in Ehingen the gym is always open. I had to make the choice of giving up the city life for the country life, but I was ready to do it because I just wanted to play basketball.

In 2010, you played at the Jordan Brand Classic where all the best basketball talents meet. You were named MVP. How often do you look back on this event?

It was a great experience for me. Back then I thought more about it, but now less because I am looking ahead now to the future and try to meet those goals. The Jordan Brand Classic was a nice thing, but now I need to concentrate on the future.

You met Michael Jordan. What question would you have liked to ask him that you couldn´t then?

I would have liked to have asked him how he was able to come back after winning the first three titles and then winning another three after his baseball experience. It is amazing how he can stay so humble and still had so much passion after having success. Often players that have success then disappear.

How have you seen your own development as a player since the Jordan Brand Classic in 2010?

My development didn´t go so well the season after that as I was a bit preoccupied with the hype and didn´t really know how to deal with it. However I was able to come back and have a good season last season.  I think that I have been able to make the jump from NBBL to the PRO A. I made the transition well from a combo guard to a point guard.

Who were the best players that you have played against in international games so far in your career?

Albert Homs and Guillermo Hernan Gomez from Spain and American Dwayne Otis.

Do you think that your ex teammate Kevin Bright will make the breakthrough in the NCAA with Vanderbilt?

I was positively surprised how well he played in his first NCAA game. I think if he works hard in every practice , then he will make his breakthrough.

Would you like to play in the NCAA?

Yes I do. I am preparing my next steps on what schools I would like to look at. I want to play for a team that always plays against the best schools.

What is your biggest basketball dream?

My basketball dream is like it should be for any person and that is to play in the NBA.

What were the most free throws that you have made in a row without missing?

I have made 48 of 50.

What was your most crazy shot that you have ever made in a game?

That was a long time ago when I was very young playing in Offenbach. I made a wild three pointer to win the game against Giessen. I wasn´t a very good three point shooter.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Looper with Bruce Wills. I like action movies and this is a very good one.

Thanks Malik for the chat.