There are quite a lot of reasons why one would adore seeing the s.Oliver baskets Wurzubrug play this season. Seeing the return of 2010 Eurochallenge winner Dwayne Anderson, witnessing the possible complete breakthrough of German Chris Mcnaughton, asking Derrick Allen friend Lamont Mcintosh if he also gets around with a bike in Wurzburg as he did at Artland, seeing the continued development of the three pointer of Alex King or just observing the three amigos Jason Boone, Ben Jacobson and John Little who might as well settle down in the same town once their playing days are over. However if you are a Fraport Skyliners fan than the number one reason for seeing the squad of Marcel Schroder play is ex Skyliner Jimmy Mckinney. After missing the opportunity to see the St Louis native play his ex team 11 days ago in Wurzburg at the Rexoth tournament, fans finally had the chance to see him play again in his ex practice living room stomping ground of the BCM. One had many memories of Mckinney from his countless injuries to his numerous short term contracts and it was difficult knowing which he saw more of. The American reached the playoffs in Frankfurt in four out of six seasons and it took until his last season where he became the sole leader. It was difficult seeing Mckinney in red as he returned back home in good spirits, but his home coming was ruined by the sharp shooting of Larry Wright who led the Fraport Skyliners past the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg 69-56 with a 27 point effort. Despite the loss, Mckinney had a smile on his face when seeing old friends. “I think this game was a set up. This was our worst game this pre season. However it was great coming back and seeing the fans and club again. It was a great atmosphere and it was great to be back in the old gym”, stressed Wurzburg guard Jimmy Mckinney. His ex teammates enjoyed seeing him again, but the color of the jersey took time getting used to. “It was weird seeing Jimmy in red. My nicest two memories last season was when he taught me to drive a stick and the game where I passed him the ball and he hit a game winning shot. He said “good job Devin”. That was really nice to hear from him”, added Devin Gibson. “I didn´t want to steal the show from Jimmy. I just wanted to help my team win. It was weird playing against an ex teammate. Last week in Italy I played against my ex teammate Reggie Hamilton at Oakland. Jimmy is a very good player on offense and defense”, commented Larry Wright. Teammate Lamont Mcintosh is glad to have Mckinney on his team. “One could see that when Jimmy doesn´t have his shooting touch that we struggle. His play will be a difference maker in our offense. He is a great teammate”, said ex Artland Dragon Lamont Mcintosh.

After finishing in third place in basketball tournaments in Wurzburg and Italy, the Fraport Skyliners returned from their week long training camp in Trevisio fresh and ready to take on a potential Beko BBL playoff team. After a pretty even first quarter, the Fraport Skyliners broke away in the second quarter, allowed Wurzburg too only eight points in the third quarter and stayed consistent in the fourth quarter slamming the door on the Bavarian team. After the 40 minute game the question was did the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg stink up the house or did the Fraport Skyliners annoying defense have a part in this win? “Our defense was very strong, but I would say that it wasn´t just us. Wurzburg seemed to have quite  a few mental lapses. We were very consistent and Larry Wright hit big shots”, commented Fraport Skyliner guard Devin Gibson.  For the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg, they can only forget this performance and concentrate on their first game against BBC Bayreuth. “The Skyliners prepared very well and there defense was good. We were just bad. We were flat and it was just one of those days where nothing went right. I hope that we don´t have one of these days during the regular season”, warned Jimmy Mckinney.

Before the game started, Fraport Skyliner manager Gunnar Wobke awarded Jimmy Mckinney with a tuxedo. Last season, the whole team wore tuexedos to a team function and the American kept saying how much he wanted to own one. It was a nice gesture of the Fraport Skyliners and Mckinney seemed more than overjoyed about accepting the gracious gift from his ex team. The Fraport Skyliners had 11 players on the stat sheet with six being PRO B players. Frankfurt is still seeking after a shooting guard and a big man. The Fraport Skyliners started with Johnathon Jones, Konstantin Klein, Dion Dowell, Quantez Robertson and captain Marius Nolte while the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg countered with John Little, Jimmy Mckinney, Lamont Mcintosh, Dwayne Anderson and Jason Boone. The s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg got the board first with a Jason Boone stuff, but the Fraport Skyliners countered with a typical give and go from Konstantin Klein to Marius Nolte. Klein also likes the target Johannes Vogtman.  Wurzburg had their shooting touch early as Dwayne Anderson and Lamont Mcintosh scored from down town. Quantez Robertson had a spectacular penetration drive that had him sliding on the BCM floor as if a secret coating of ice had been layed down.  Wurzburg was able to extend their lead to 13-7 with a pretty ally-op pass from Mcintosh to Anderson. However the Fraport Skyliners didn´t seem startled as they regrouped and finished the first quarter with a 9-3 run to have the game deadlocked at 16-16. PRO B player Larry Wright scored seven of the nine points. He started the run with three free throws. Dion Dowell then made a hammering dunk after getting a quick feed from Danilo Barthel who had secured an offensive rebound. Wright then hit two more free throws and made a steal and scored on a routine lay up. Mckinney then ended the first quarter in typical Jay roc manner putting some fakes on his opponent and drilling home  a three pointer.

In the second quarter, the game started to turn as the Fraport Sklyiners took control and were more efficient with their shooting consistency. The Fraport Sklyiners went on a 8-2 run to lead 24-18. After ex Bamberg guard Maurice Stuckey hit a runner, it was Larry Wright who continued to show that he learned his trade shooting at St Johns and Oakland as he nailed a three pointer. Quantez Robertson connected for a mid distance shot and Danilo Barthel made a three pointer. Wurzburg had lost some intensity on defense coupled with mental lapses while the Fraport Skyliners continued to show a lot of confidence in their shots. Wurzburg tried to come back and did going on a 9-5 run to cut the Skyliners lead to 29-27. Ex BG Goettingen center Jason Boone scored twice in the paint while pit bull John Little scored on a pretty finger tip role. However this quarter remained a up and down run for both teams. The Fraport Skyliners finished the quarter strong going on a 10-3 run to lead comfortably at halftime 39-30. In the Skyliner run, Nolte scored with a baby hook, Wright with a mid distance shot, Robertson with a lay up after being fed by Jones with a no look pass and Klein finished the second quarter with a contested three pointer after beautiful ball movement by the team. “We were working too fats in the first quarter. In the second quarter we calmed down and executed well on offense”, stated Larry Wright. “The Skyliners had more desire and energy. We were unable to match their intensity”, commented Lamont Mcintosh.The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 48% from the field and 36% from outside while the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg were shooting 38% from the field and 45% from outside. Frankfurt had the 20-14 rebound edge and both teams suffered seven turnovers.

The third quarter showcased the lowest scoring quarter of the game as the Fraport Skyliners outscored the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg 9-8. Wurzburg could of cut the lead down even more had Jason Boone not missed four free throws in a row, but he had hurt his shooting arm in the pre season game against Hapoel Jerusalem and was fighting to find his shooting motion.  The s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg had some hope after starting off on a 5-0 run as John Little hit from the parking garage at the Northwest center and Mcintosh also scored with a jumper as the Fraport Sklyiners only led 40-36. However the Fraport Skyliners continued to stay calm and kept their defensive pressure up and annoyed Wurzburg in their offensive sets. Klein nailed a wicked shot off the dribble and Dowell and Robertson made free throws as the Fraport Skyliners led 48-38 after three quarters. “We overplayed our options. Frankfurt defense forced us out of our sets and we were unable to execute our sets”, added Lamont Mcintosh. “We turned up our ball pressure. Our help side was excellent and each guard was excellent”, commented Larry Wright.

Larry Wright saved his best for last as he didn´t even let the s.Oliver Baskets get closer as he nailed the door shut gunning 17 points in the fourth quarter. Mckinney did start of the fourth quarter with what he does  best and that is being parked in the corner and dropping shots as Wurzburg trailed only 48-40. However the Fraport Skyliners kept up the offensive pressure as it was Wright who was on fire. After a Jones steal, Wright got fed for the dunk. After a Robertson off balance shot it was Wright who hit back to back with a lay up and Three pointer as Frankfurt led 58-45. Whenever Wurzburg was trying to come back, it was Wright who had a return answer. Mckinney drilled a three pointer for the 61-49 Frankfurt lead, but Wright hit a three pointer as Frankfurt led 63-49. Anderson agve Wurzburg hope again with a three pointer as they trailed 63-52, but Barthel scored inside for the 65-52 lead. After Boone made a jumper, it was Wright again who hit a three pointer from the corner sealing the win as Frankfurt led 68-54. Mckinney hit the last shot of the game leaving his Skyliner fans with something to remember him by. “We locked down in the fourth quarter. We showed that defense wins games more than offense does”, stressed Larry Wright. “That was not Wurzburg tonight. We had mental lapses and we missed Ben Jacobson.  We will have to make adjustments during games when things aren´t working”, added Lamont Mcintosh.

The Fraport Skyliners were led by Larry Wright with 27 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Wright was modest after his performance, but one could feel that he was overjoyed as well as relived about his play. “I just was aggressive looking for my shot. I was open and my teammates found me. I know that I can play in the BBL, but that is up to management. I can play basketball all day long”, stressed Larry Wright. Devin Gibson had a bright twinkle in his eyes after describing the play of teammate Wright.  “Larry was amazing. That was one of the best performances that I have seen in Frankfurt”, stressed Devin Gibson. Lamont Mcintosh had not heard of Larry Wright before the game, but knew who he was now. “He can flat out shoot. I got burned a few times over helping. He played division one and was given a chance to play at the PRO B level. He has proven that with hard work and consistency he can make the jump to the BBL. The best example that it is possible is Julius Jenkins. He played at Nurnberg and made the jump to the BBL. He may be the best player in BBL history”, warned Lamont Mcintosh. Quantez Robertson added 13 point, five rebounds and three assists. Dion Dowell had a double double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg were led by Dwayne Anderson with 14 points and five rebounds. John little produced 11 points and Lamont Mcintosh 10 points and four assists. Frankfurt shot 43% from the field and 28% from the three point line while the s.Oliver baskets Wurzburg shot 37% from the field and 44% from the three point line. Frankfurt won the rebounding battle 37-33 and had 12 turnovers while Wurzburg had 15 turnovers. With less than a week to go, the club knows what it can work on. “We can always work on defense and make our offense more smooth. We are rebounding well. We are small and our guards are always fighting and doing the dirty work”, stressed Devin Gibson.  Despite the thin rotation of the Fraport Skyliners, ex teammate Jimmy Mckinney is optimistic about the chances of his ex team this season. “Marius Nolte will keep the team focused and in line. They are a good group of young guys experience isn´t always most important, but just that they like playing with each other and that showed”, warned Jimmy Mckinney. The Fraport Skyliners open the season on the road in Ludwigsburg October 3^rd at 17:00.

Brian Harper is a 27 year old 206cm forward that is commencing his first season in Germany in the Beko BBL for TBB Trier. He started off playing guard at 6’5″ at Paine and grew to 6’10” and never changing positions. Brian’s a smooth shooting wing with explosive athleticism. He has tremendous lateral movement with a wing span of 7’4″. Brian is a talented ball handler. He adds an extra advantage as he utilizes his size to rebound over smaller defenders. He played at Paine(NCAA2) from 2003-2007. He turned professional in 2007 and played for Gimle BBK Bergen (Norway-1Div., starting five): 15 games: Score-3(25.1ppg), 8.3rpg, 1.7apg, 1.2spg, 2.0bpg, 2FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 21.5%, FT: 66.3%. In 2008-2009, he played for KCC Egis (Korea-KBL, starting five): Korean League: 9 games: 15.1ppg, 5.6rpg, FGP: 55.0%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 76.7%; released in Nov.’08, in Feb.’09 moved to Sioux Falls Skyforce (D-League): 8 games: 3.5ppg, 1.6rpg; in March ’09 signed at Reno Bighorns (D-League): 5 games: 1.2ppg. In the last three years, he played in Japan for  Toyama Grouses (Japan-BJ League) playing a total of 102 games. Last season, he played 49 games: 16.3ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 28.7%, FT: 61.3%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Congrats on your new job with TBB Trier in the German Beko BBL: Wat were the main reasons why you decided to join this team?

Thanks, I decided to join TBB Trier because of the opportunity to play in a great league and for a great organization. Also it’s going to give me a chance to play under a coach that really understands the game of basketball.

You played the last three years in Japan. You played as a rookie in Norway in 2007. Did you miss Europe or why did you decide to leave Japan?

I did miss Europe and always at some point of my career wanted to come back and play in Europe again.

Some basketball players perfer to stay in one country. There is a good lifestyle in Japan. Did you ever think about possibly having a long basketball career in Japan?

Leaving Japan wasn’t an easy thing to do I love the culture, fans and professional basketball league in Japan , but I knew that if I wanted to continue to grow as a basketball player and wanted to play at the highest of levels it was something I had to do . I’m extremely excited and grateful to be playing in Trier this upcoming season.

As an American what was the most difficult thing that you had to get used to to the Japan way of life?

I would have to say the bowing and taking off of the shoes …..Lol, yeah those two things took a little getting used to.

You are the ultimate swing man at 206 cm that can rebound, but also is very quick and can create massive mismatches at the position three. Where do you feel more comfortable at the three or four?

Honestly I feel comfortable at both positions. I feel that with my size and skill set I can contribute to a team at either of the two positions.

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

I would say my ability to play defense and block shots.

How excited are you about playing for coach Hendrik Rodl at TBB Trier? Do you remember watching the 1993 NCAA March madness where North Carolina Won? Rodl was on the winning team that won it all?

I’m very excited about playing for Coach Hendrik Rodl. It’s not often you get the chance to play for a coach that has had so much success as a player and as a coach. I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can from him! Yeah I remember Coach winning it all in 1993!

Who was your fiercest competitor that you played against in the NCAA 2 that might be in the NBA or Europe now?

Monyea Pratt from Stillman College we played in the same conference and he always played real hard and was a good ball player. He plays pro ball in Germany now.

As a rookie you played in Norway for Bergin. What was your wake up call to professional basketball in Europe as a rookie?

The wakeup call was everyone that I was playing with and against could really play there were no breaks every night you had to come ready to play

In your second season, you got experience in the D-league playing for Sioux Falls Skyforce and Reno Bighorns (D-League). What experience will you never forget in the D-league?

Yeah when I got back from Korea I spent about a month in the D-League and really enjoyed it. I will never forget the NBA style of play.

The United States have many stars on the Olympic team. Who will be the MVP of the team in their quest for the gold?

Kobe Bryant

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Safe House

Thanks Brian for the chat.

Nate Rohnert is a 25 year old 197cm guard from Colorado that is embarking on his third professional absketball season and first in Germany. He played at Denver (NCAA) from 2006-2010 playing  a total of 100 NCAA games and in his senior year played 32 games: 14.5ppg, 5.7rpg, 3.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 74.4%. He turned professional in 2010 and played for  Tartu Ulikool/Rock (Estonia-KML): only pre-season, in Feb.’11 moved to Landstede Basketbal Zwolle (Holland-DBL, starting five): 11 games: 15.8ppg, 8.3rpg, 5.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.8%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 70.0%. Last season, he played for  Denain ASC Voltaire (France-ProB, starting five): 34 games: 12.1ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 76.8%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Welcome to Germany and the Beko BBL. Last season you played in teh French PRO B for Denain ASC Voltaire a small town near the Belgium boarder. Forests were abundant there as are there in Bayreuth. How comfortable have you gotten in Bayreuth and could it be a neighboring town to Denain in terms of scenary?

I have gotten very comfortable here in Bayreuth. It is a beautiful small city and the people here have made me feel right at home.

After playing in Holland and France, you are making the next step in your basketball career in the strong Beko BBL league. How excited and ready are you for this challenge?

I am extremely excited to play in the Beko BBL. I have heard nothing but great things about the league and I am definitely ready for the challenge.

Head coach Marco Van Den Berg has put together a very interesting squad for the upcoming season. What will be your role in the team?
I believe my role on the team will be to do a little bit of everything. I am a very versatile player who can play multiple positions and do several different things well on the court.

In your first two season as a professional, you shot over 40% from downtown something you weren´t able to do in your last three seasons at Denver(NCAA). Has it been more knowing how to deal with self confidence than putting up more shots in practice or just shot selection which has improved your shooting?

I have worked very hard on my shot of the last couple of years. I realized that if I wanted to be effective at the next level I would have to be able to knock down open shots so I have worked hard to make that a staple in my game.

You are a very versatile player that puts up high stats in points, rebounds and assists. To what NBA player would you describe your game to?

Thats a tough question. I dont know if there is one player that I could compare myself to, but I really like watching Deron Williams, Manu Ginoblili, and Chauncey Billups. If there is anything I can pick up from watching these guys play I try and do that.
What is a strength in your game that doesn´t get noticed right away?

I would say my passing and ball handling ability. Since I am pretty tall for a guard sometimes people do not think I can do those things but I really enjoy them.

Gary Mcghee is surely going to be a force in the Beko BBL under the basket this season. What has been the most amazing thing that you have seen him do in practice so far?

He is just an anchor down low on defense. He is so big and strong that I am sure he is going to give other centers in this league fits.

Kevin Hamilton is your typical classic point guard. How has your on court relationship developed with him? What do you like most about his game?

Kevin is a true leader out there on the court who makes everyone around him better. He is easy to play with because he is so unselfish and always makes the extra pass.

How did Joe Scott prepare you best for a professional career in basketball. What are you most thankful having learned from him?

Coach Scott taught me so much on and off the court. He taught me hard work, discipline, and many other things that helped me get to where I am at today.

Who was the best player that you played against in the NCAA that might be in the NBA or Europe now?

In college I played against Blake Griffin and the Lopez twins at Stanford and they were all monsters.

If you and Joe Trapani were parked in the corner and got 100 shots to take, who would hit more shots on any given day?

I would win every day of the week easily no questions. I could probably beat Joe in a shooting contest left handed haha

Who would win in their prime in a game the Dream Team or Team USA 2012?

I would have to go with the Dream Team. Their size down low would be too much for the 2012 team.

What was the last DVD that you saw?

Ted it was hilarious. I highly recommend it to everyone

Thanks Nate for the chat

Tyrone Lewis is a 24 year old 180cm point guard from Levittown, Pennslyvania that recently announced his retirement. He played at Niagra(NCAA) from 2006-2010 playing  a total of 120 NCAA games. In his senior year, he played 27 games: 17.1ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.7apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 38.6%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 75.4%. In 2010-2011, he was a rookie with  Maccabi Be’er Ya’akov (Israel-National League): got injured just after arrival and missed the season. Last season, he came to Germany and played for SC Itzehoe Eagles (Germany-Regionalliga, starting five): 22 games: 26.0ppg, 4.6rpg, 3.3apg, 3.0spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 59.3%, 3Pts: 29.4%, FT: 74.6%. This season, he was going to play in the German PRO A for the Finke Baskets Paderborn, but decided to retire. He spoke with German Hoops about basketball.

You recently signed a contract with the Finke Baskets, but instead of being at practice today, you walked your niece to the bus stop. Is this the perfect example of how life can take unexpected turns?

Yea I guess u can say that but that’s life. Getting hit with unexpected turns I’m no stranger to but it’s how we over come those things is what matters. I had to make a decision I thought was best for me and my family. I was just doing my uncle duties lol

You are a 24 year old 180 cm guard in tip top condition, but recently announced your retirement from professional basketball after only your second professional season. How diffiuclt was it to make this decision?
It was very hard basketball was my life and my way of living. I will always love the game and miss it. Basketball was good to me and it open up a lot of doors in my life.

For so many young players it is a huge challenge to come overseas as well an adventure. Did you just miss the States too much or what were the main reasons for hanging up your sneakers so early in your career?

Lol no I wasn’t home sick I’m used to being away from my family of course I miss them but they know and I know it’s part of the business. My choice for leaving the game early is a personal choice. It is a challenge to come play overseas because it’s not like playing for your high school team or college because this is a business the americans come over there and y’all expect us to be the best players on the floor every night and we have no room for error one bad game or injury could be the end of our career there is no loyalty it’s hard to play looking over your shoulder every night.

The Finke Baskets Paderborn where you were headed to had had some turbulence this past summer. Money problems, a new owner and name came. Where you possibly a bit unclear how your future could be in Paderborn with all the problems the club had had in the past?

I knew nothing about their past history which is crazy I didn’t know any of that. I like I said it was a personal reason why I left

You had a stellar NCAA career at Niagra where you were a MAAC tournament winner and MVP as a freshman in 2007. Coming in as a freshman were you a bit surprised at the end of your freshman year how much individual success you had considering that team had very talented guys with Clif Brown, Charron Fischer and Benson Egemonye?

I was a little surprised because as a freshmen you want come in your first year and do well kind of set the tone for your career. It didn’t hurt having great teammates around me to take all the attention off of me.

How much fun was dishing the ball to a Clif Brown that season? What was your sweetest memory with him on and off the court?

It was a lot of fun playing with Cliff. He was a machine on the court worked hard every day. Best moment on the court with him watching kill it in the play in game he had 33 that night. Off the court its to many. Cliff is a different man of the court lol

You had Joe Mihalich as head coach all four years. How did he make you better as a player and person on and off the court?

It was a blessing to play for him. He gives u this confidence where you believe you can do anything on the court. He brings the best out of you. Off the court just watching him live his life the right way he was a true leader and father figure to me and he always talked about playing and living your life one way and he didn’t just preach it he lived it

You played in the NCAA and NIT tournaments. When you look back on your NCAA career, which was the biggest challenge you had against a player that might be in the NBA or in Europe now?

Playing against that great Kansas team as whole. I believe that starting 5 all got drafted

How would you like people to remember the basketball player Tyrone Lewis most?

I want people to remember that I played the game the right way and for the right reasons and I always played for the name on the front not the back and that I was a class act

What is next for Tyrone Lewis? What kind of new career are you striving for as a retired professional basketball player?

My second love and that’s helping young people giving back because you owe it to them.

How has basketball in general shaped you to being the man you are today?

Basketball did it. In a lot of ways like being responsible learning how to handle your success and failures

Your uncle John Lewis was a corner back for the Buffalo Bills in 1987. What is your favorite story that he told you that has always stuck with you?

The one thing my uncle told me that will always stick to me is he told me to never take a day off because its someone out there in the world working harder

You come from Pennsylvania. What are the chances that either the Eagles or Steelers will bring home a Superbowl championship in 2013?

Hope neither one of them win I’m a cowboys fan but they are both really good teams and their chances are pretty good

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?
Think like a man. A very funny movie.

Thanks Tyrone for the chat.

Preseason duels for basketball teams don´t only benefit the players finding a feel for each other on the court or testing their strength and weaknesses, but can also bring back some nostalgia to some fans who have been on board longer on the Skyliner train from Rhondorf. When looking back one might remember Ricardo Greer playing in the BCM four years ago for Strassburg in a test game against Murat Didin or just unleashing that famous Arsenio Hall phrase, things that make you go hmmmmmmm thinking what love the Greer brothers Ricardo and Jeff might have for France as they will be starting their 21 season combined in France this season. Ex Beko BBL veteran Louis Campbell who played in Paderborn, Giessen, Bremerhaven, Oldenburg and Tuebingen also belongs to the “lets reminisce about the past” as he stepped on the BCM floor the first time seven years ago with the LTi Giessen played against the Deutsche Bank Skyliners in a preseason joust  as the Skyliners had just been gotten the new sponsor Deutsche Bank, Nino Garris was brought in from Alba Berlin as a type of Pascal Roller identity figure side kick and fans were starting to mope around about the loss of Americans Chris Williams and Tyrone Ellis. Campbell was getting instructions from Stefan Koch and he was dishing the ball to Euroleague player in the making Chuck Eidsen, had NCAA champion Souleyman Wane inside and fan favorite Florian Hartenstein ready to make an impact off the bench. After a strenious 29 minute performance where the New Jersey native was shaken up after getting hit on the knee and being looked at by the trainer, he racked up six points and five assists and doused any signs of having his injury in the Beko BBL last season not being cured as he looked as quick as ever. After the game the American did some of his own reminiscing about the BCM training facility. “The BCM is a familiar place for me. The smell was familiar. I just like to come back and play here”, stressed ex Walter Tigers Tuebingen Tiger Louis Campbell.

When the reminiscing was finally done  a basketball game was to be played and the fans got a tale of two halves as the first clearly belonged to SIG Strassburg while the second too the Fraport Skyliners. SIG Strassburg totally controlled the first half not letting the Fraport Sklyiners settle into their comfort zone as they were unable to find a rhythm and find a cure for their stingy defense. In the second half, the Fraport Skyliners got more into the game picked up their defense and started a big comeback that fell a little short in the last three minutes aS SIG Strassburg Prevailed 67-64. All in all, Fraport Skyliners head coach Muli Katzurin was pleased by the effort of his team. “This was a good training game. I talked to them about showing effort at halftime and they reacted in the second half. They showed their true character then”, stressed Fraport Skyliners head coach Muli Katzurin. SIG Strassburg let up a bit in the second half, but the Fraport Skyliners also picked up the intensity level on defense and the French PRO A team can be very happy that they won a game despite having 20 turnovers which was due to the Muli Katzurin trade mark tough defense. “Frankfurt was missing some key players, but their young players stepped it up. We knew that they would come back in the fourth quarter. I am happy that we stayed together and could win the game. We are still learning to mesh, but that will come”, added ex EWE Baskets Oldenburg guard Louis Campbell.  Devin Gibson who hurt his knee and is expected to play next weekend in Wurzburg was unable to play and had a perfect front row seat from the bench to observe the game. “Strassburg took us out of the game for the first three quarters. We picked it up in the fourth quarter with our defensive pressure, drew fouls, got to the free throw line and hit big shots. We showed then what we are capable to do on the court when we are tuned in”, commented Texas native Devin Gibson.

The Fraport Skyliners were looking for their fifth preseason win in a row, but without the services of Americans Quantez Robertson and Devin Gibson as well as captain Marius Nolte, that this would be a difficult challenge against a potential French Pro A 2013 playoff candidate was no secret. It also marked the debut of new Skyliner Dion Dowell who had arrived in Frankfurt from Houston last Saturday and was still getting the jet lag off his back. The power forward started and got the first rebound for the Skyliners showing his presence.  Strassburg started with a zone irritating the Skyliners and quickly jumping on a 4-0 lead with Campbell free throws who was very active in the eraly going penetrating and running like a mad man getting free for the open shots. Ricardo Greer then made an easy lay in after getting a no look pass from former Dirk Nowitzki teammate Alexis Ajinca.  Johannes Herber who was absent in the last few games because of an illness was back with a bit scruffier beard than against Toyota Alvark and nailed a three pointer. Ajinca scored inside easily after getting an offensive rebound. Frankfurt stayed on their backs  as it was Anthony Jones who is always free and parked in the corner when they need  a big shot making a three pointer as Strassburg led only 6-5. However Frankfurt then lost their rhythm a bit as Strassburg rolled on a 9-0 run to lead 15-5. Strassburg showed all their class on offense displaying solid team basketball. Ricardo Greer scored inside twice, Axel Toupane caught the Skyliners napping twice scoring on a transition play. Despite this rude answer, it didn´t scare the German dynamic duo of Konstantin Klein and Johannes Voigtmann who attempted their likeable give and go play as they have displayed this preseason,  the big man found the point guard back door for two quick points. American Johnathon Jones hit a big three pointer from the parking lot, but the Fraport Skyliners still trailed 19-12 after one quarter. “We looked dead and just didn´t have enough energy”, stressed Fraport Skyliner guard Devin Gibson.

In the second quarter, 2005 PRO A champion SIG Strassburg continued to dominate the game and they could increase their lead and go into half time with a comfortable lead.  The French team got rolling quickly jumping out on a 8-2 run to lead 27-14. Klein started the second quarter with two free throws, but Strassburg answered with 8 unanswered points as Jeff Green nailed a three pointer from the corner as he was wide open, Xavier Francois scored inside as he was fed by Jeff Greer and then a ex Beko BBL combination of Campbell to Jeff Greer gave Strassburg the 27-14 lead. Strassburg was playing more clever, but at times one could see the obvious difference in individual talent as well as weight, size and strength. After German youngster Voigtmann scored a pretty lay in, he right way got  a learning experience  as ex NBA player Alexis Ajinca rolled over Voigtman like a lawnmower does easily over high grass as Frankfurt trailed 29-16. Herber and Ajinca traded free throws and then it was Voigtman again who made a huge bucket as he was able to finally get  a lay in on the third attempt as Strassburg only led 32-20. However SIG Strassburg was able to close out the second quarter with a 6-2 run to lead 38-22 at the break. In this run, Toupane scored inside again, hit two free throws and Ricardo Greer punished Frankfurt with a hard penetration to the basket. “The first half is always our strong play. We are fresh and click right away. We get problems when we get tired and we need to concentrate more as one saw in the second half”, stressed Louis Campbell. “We hit no shots in the first half. We didn´t do a good job on offensive execution and we could of defended better”, said Fraport Skyliners forward Dion Dowell. SIG Strassburg was shooting 46% from the field and 25% from outside while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting  a miserable 21% from the field and 15% from outside. Strassburg had the easy 24-17 rebound edge. Strassburg had nine turnovers and Frankfurt six turnovers.

SIG Strassburg pretty much picked up where they left off in the second quarter by going on a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 44-22. French big man Nicolas De Jong scored with a pretty turn around shot over Voigtman, Ricardo Greer scored easily inside getting  a no look pass from Campbell and scored again inside. Strassburg  was closing the lane well, but even when Frankfurt was kicking out passes couldn´t get any open shots. With the lead getting bigger and bigger, the only bright spot and highlight for the Fraport Sklyiners at that point was Quantez Robertson jumping up from the bench and wiping away some sweat form the floor in front of the bench. The untypical burst of Super Tez energy may have given the Fraport Skyliners the needed boost that they needed at that time because they started to play with more spirit and slowly clawed there way back into the game. Frankfurt then went on a 8-3 run to cut the Strassburg lead down to 47-30. Anthony Jones scored on a lay in, Voigtmann made a fabulous baby hook over De Jong and then made free throws as did Herber. Campbell then made a dent in the run as he went hard to the hoop and scored. Strassburg led 49-30, but the Fraport Skyliners never threw in the towel, but buckled down and closed out the third quarter with a 9-4 run to trail only 53-39 after thirty minutes. The Fraport Skyliners now showed their annoying defense as they let their defense translate into their offense. Klein made a steal and forced a turnover in consecutive plays. Anthony Jones read a pass perfect jumped in between and fed Johnathon Jones who was off to the races and an easy lay in. The whole run belonged to the Frankfurt Jones clan. Anthony Jones then showed again why he is a pure scorer and guy who can score in bunches as he scored in the lane and then from downtown. Johnathon Jones then made four consecutive free throws. The only thing that put a dent into the run was a Hugo Invernizzi jumper at the buzzer. “The third quarter continues to be our Achilles heel. We didn´t play the basketball that we are capable of”, stressed Louis Campbell. “We had more energy, forced more turnovers and got into the game”, said Anthony Jones.

With the heavy rain outside, if a fan had quickly jumped out to the Mcdonalds to grab a big mac and been delayed because of  a long cue of people who had more looked for shelter from the down pour might not have believed their eyes if they had returned and seen a 53-39 for Strassburg turn into a 56-55 lead for the Fraport Skyliners. However there was no error, the Fraport Skyliners started an incredible comeback to start the fourth quarter as they paralyzed Strassburg going on a 17-2 run to lead 56-55 as possibly one of the least likely candidates made a huge contribution to the run with PRO B player Larry Wright. Larry Wright started the attack with a big three pointer which was met by Alexis Ajinca who seemed to have steam coming out of his nostrils as he did a stinging running dunk coming from the free throw line. Ajinca who played a total of 70 NBA games and was a teammate with Dirk Nowitki in Dallas in 2010-2011 looked like an infant Shaq making that dunk. If there was one body on the court that looked like a typical NBA body then it was that of Ajinca and no player disagreed. “He is one of the biggest guys that I have ever played against. He is 7.2 and all 7.2 players have NBA bodies”, smilied Larry Wright. Devin Gibson didn´t have to confront Ajinca in the zone, but could just watch and be amazed. “He is really skilled and good. That dunk was good”, joked Devin Gibson. Dowell wasn´t surprised by the dunk. “He is supposed to do that”, added Dion Dowell. After not being able to throw a ball into the ocean in the first half, now the fortune of the Fraport Skyliners  seemed to change 180 degrees as they could throw a ball of a small narrow brick wall 10 meters away. They were hitting their shots better. Dowell hit a big three pointer which got the crowd going as if the BCM had turned into a Ballsporthalle like atmosphere. Johnathon Jones then scored on a pretty penetration as Frankfurt trailed only 55-49. Strassburg looked as if their hands were tied as they couldn´t hit anything. The spirited play of Larry Wright continued as he hit a huge three pointer to cut the Strassburg lead to 55-52. Wright will be starting his second season for the PRO B team, but has found extra time on the Fraport Skyliners mainly due to a shortage of players, but he made the most of his minutes in the fourth quarter and was very calm after the loss. “The fourth quarter was very exciting. I just wanted to come in and catch my rhythm, pick up the defense intensity and just give a spark”, said Larry Wright. After two Johnathon Jones free throws, it was youngster Johannes Voigtman who made a lay in giving the Fraport Skyliners  their first lead 56-55.  However the fourth quarter just had too much minutes left as the Fraport Skyliners seemed to have lost some gas after getting the lead. Strassburg went on a 10-2 run to lead 65-58. Ricardo Greer continued to be a pain as he scored inside. De Jong used his strength inside scoring twice. The Fraport Skyliners had lost Voigtmann, Barthel and Dowell and just didn´t have the needed punch inside to make big stops when they needed to.  The Fraport Skyliners had one last straw of energy as Anthony Jones nailed a big three pointer to cut the Strassburg lead down to 65-61. However it was Jeff Greer who decided the game with a three pointer as Frankfurt now had little chance of regaining the lead as they led 67-61. “Defense helped pick up everything in the fourth, but I helped on roll and left Grier out. I should of contained more instead of helping”, stressed Larry Wright. Klein made a three pointer at the buzzer giving the 67-64 loss a strange taste. “We started to hit shots. IF you play good defense down the stretch, then usually that will get you the win”, added Louis Campbell.

SIG Strassburg was led by Ricardo Greer with 17 points and eight rebounds. Axel Toupane and Alexis Ajinca added 10 points a piece. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Anthony Jones and Johnathon Jones with 14 points a piece. Johannes Voigtman added 10 points and nine rebounds. American Dion Dowell gave his debut playing 18 minutes and scoring four points, grabbing four rebounds, getting two assists and coughing up the ball twice. He is positive that he will show more in the games too come. “I arrived three days ago. I will play better. I want to get in better shape, be efficient and learn the plays”, added Dion Dowell.  SIG Strassburg shot 48% from the field and 25% from the three point line while the Fraport Sklyiners shot 33% from the field and 30% from the three point line. Frankfurt lost the rebound battle 39-29 and had only 12 turnovers while SIG Strassburg had 20 turnovers.  Despite losing the rebound battle badly and shooting poorly, there was one highlight. “We fought no matter what tonight. That was our best strength”, warned Devin Gibson. The defense continues to grow and new Skyliner Dion Dowell is thrilled about the play of his new team. “We can build off the second half of this game. WE have a good team. If we don´t let our effort level go down and always play hard then we will have a good season”, stressed Fraport Sklyiner Dion Dowell.

Jefferson Mason is a 24 year old 198cm guard from Crystal Minnesota. He played his first three seasons of college ball at  N.Colorado (NCAA) playing a total of 58 NCAA games. He then played at Minnesota State-Mankato (NCAA2) from 2009-2011 and in his senior year he played 33 games: 19.2ppg, 8.8rpg, 2.2apg, 1.2spg, FG%: 55.5, 3FG%: 30.6, FT%: 70.0. He started his professional basketball career in Germany for  the Webmoebel Baskets Paderborn (Germany-ProA, starting five): 31 games: 17.1ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 56.5%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 65.8%. He scored in double figures 28 times and scored 20 points or more 10 times. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Jefferson thanks for taking some time to talk to eurobasket. Where are you now and how has your summer been?
I am currently in Minneapolis Minnesota working out and training and keeping myself in shape.

It is September and your still not signed. Despite a tough market, how surprised are you that you are still waiting for the phone to ring?
I’m a little surprised that I haven’t signed with any team yet but it is a tough market and thats expected. I know that something good will happen soon for me.

You had such a strong season with the Webmoebel Baskets averaging 17.1ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 56.5%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 65.8%. Have you not had any offers at all or just not the right situation?
I have had several offers in different countries and some interest in Germany but nothing that has really made me comfortable on a decision. It isn’t all about the money for me, its also about the right fit and the right organization for me.

The Webmoebel Baskets had money problems changed ownership and now are called the Finke Baskets. Was there no chance of you returning back to Paderborn?
I was not aware of their money problems until late in the season last year. They paid me all the money I was due so there was no problem at all with that. Coach Thomas Glasauer was an amazing coach and friend to me too and I loved playing for him. We never spoke of an option for next year because I think my agent and I were hoping for an opportunity in the BBL.

What were the most important things that you were able to learn on and off the court with the Webmoebel Baskets Paderborn?
I learned to stay patient and to stay humble with the game of basketball. Every game and practice is a different opportunity to increase your skills and to develop relationships with your teammates. I learned to take each day in stride. I also learned that basketball was much more then performing on court but it was also about being a good person in the community and developing bonds with fans in people of the city. When you fly across the ocean to another country to live, it helps you grow up really fast and realize what your priorities really are.

You had some big games in the PRO A scoring 20 or more points 10 times. Which player was your toughest opponent last season?
I think that playing against Cheminitz was our toughest team to play because of their amazing defense. I was usually guarded by Jorge Schmidt and he was an extremely physical and disciplined defender. Playing against him was a tough challenge but extremely fun at the same time. Those are the games that you look forward to, when trying to define yourself as a player!

Your ex teammate Justin Stommes was signed by Beko BBL team Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. That could have been you. Not to take anything away from his amazing talent, how does that make you feel when you see teammates getting jobs and your not?
Well first off Justin Stommes is an amazing basketball player and good friend of mine. He definitely deserved the opportunity to play in the BBL after last season. I believe that every team has different needs and there are also very limited spots opening every year in the BBL for players. This may be why I didn’t get a call. I believe its all about timing and hopefully a team will take the gamble on me, because in the end it will pay off for them.

Will Justin Stommes be able to make an impact in the Beko BBL?
He definitely will be able to in my opinion. He is a 6’8 1-3 guard that can shoot the lights out and that can handle the ball better than most pg’s. When you can shoot at a high clip from the 3 like he can, then success surely will follow.

What is your biggest strength and how could you help a team right now?
I would say my biggest strengths are my competitiveness, athletic ability, efficiency, and will to win. At every level that I have played on, I have had success. I’m a good teammate that believes that team chemistry is the identity of a championship team. I bring numerous highlights and very consistent play every day. I can defend 1-4 positions and play in any style of basketball. Winning is my number one priority and that is hard to find in some guys.

Describe your game and why should a European team be interested in your services?
I am a player that can play in a fast up and down system like in Paderborn, but that can also play in a half court system like I did in college my senior year. I rebound like a mad man, and I can score from anywhere on the court. Driving and creating shots for my teammates is something that I do well and I also score with the best of them. One thing I pride myself in is my efficiency. Scoring a lot of points without shooting every time and putting my foot print on every aspect of the game.

What is your biggest dream as a professional basketball player?
I would love to get the chance to play in the NBA but truly I would love to play this game until my body will no longer allow me to and to be as successful as possible in terms of winning games and championships. I believe that individual accolades will only go so far but team accomplishment will last in memory for a lifetime.

How does a typical workout day look like for Jefferson Mason?
Monday-Friday I get up when my wife goes to work at 7:30am and I go to the gym to get my first workout in. This includes cardio of about 3-5 miles on the treadmill, then weight training for an hour or more after that to increase strength and quickness. I will return to the gym around 2pm to do individual drills with my high school coach to work on shooting, ball handling, free throws and defensive skills. After that on Mon, Wed, and Fridays, I play 5 on 5 with local college and pro basketball players. I live, eat, sleep basketball because I want to be ready when my next opportunity comes!

Who would win in their prime the Dream Team or Team USA 2012?
Definitely the Dream Team! I say this because they had a guy on the team by the name of MICHAEL JORDAN!

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?
I actually watched the Green Mile the other day. Michael Clarke Duncan just passed away so I had to pay my respects. My teammates from last year will also laugh about this though, because I watched it for the first time last year and was absolutely obsessed with it. They all gave me a hard time about it!

Thanks Jefferson for the chat

Dane Watts is a 26 year old 203cm forward from Warrensburg, Missouri. He will be  playing his season season for ratiopharm Ulm.  Last season for ratiopharm Ulm, he played  38 games averaging 9.6ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 24.6%, FT: 58.1%He played at Creighton (NCAA) from 2004-2008 with NBA player Anthony Tolliver. In his senior year, he played 33 games: 11.3ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 53.4%, 3Pts: 42.5%, FT: 71.8%. In 2008, he came to Germany and started his professional basketball career with EnBW Ludwigsburg (Germany-1.Bundesliga, starting five): 32 games: 8.9ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP-1(68.4%), 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 68.7%. In 2009-2010, he came to The Walter Tigers Tuebingen playing 34 games: 10.2ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 57.1%, 3PT: 37.6%, FT: 71.0%. In 2010-2011 for Tuebingen, he played 33 games: 13.7ppg, Reb-4(7.6rpg), 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 54.5%; in May’11 moved to Hyeres-Toulon Var Basket (France-ProA): 3 games: 7.0ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.7apg, 1.0spg.  At Creighton, he won awards such as MVC Tournament Winner -05, 07, MVC All-Freshman Team -05, MVC Regular Season Runner-Up -07, and MVC Tournament Semifinals -08. He spoke to German Hoops about his summer and future of ratiopharm Ulm

ratiopharm Ulm had a very long season carrying through until mid June. With your old Beko BBL teams, you had had been back in the States by May. How fast did the summer go and how quickly will your son have a basketball in his hands? lol

This summer has flown bye. It is a tough trade-off for the family waiting in the states, the more successful my team is, the less time we get to spend with them. Ezekiel already has a ball, trying to get him to palm it with his left already.

You will be starting your fifth professional season with ratiopharm Ulm. As you slowly get older does anything change in your off season workout plan in comparison to when you were a rookie?

I continue to work on multiple areas of my game and conditioning. Getting older is not an issue for me right now as much as managing my time to raise my son and continue to put the work in the summers to get better. Daddy daycare was open from 9-1 this summer while my wife finishes up her schooling.

When you look at the Beko BBL offseason transactions, how satisfyed are you with the new players that have arrived in the league? What players are you looking forward to playing against?

I feel like the league continues to get stronger, the clubs are professional and the games are a high level product for the fans, I am happy to be a part for another season. Im looking forward to seeing Bonn’s new guys, Kyle Weems played in the MVC and Pat Ewing Jr. is a part of Active Faith sports brand I am involved in.

After the incredible last season in Ulm, how difficult will this season be for the team? The Beko BBL is always getting more competitive and teams will be gunning for ratiopharm Ulm.

I am glad that we were able to bring back the majority of our team and keep some continuity from last season. We know that we are not going to surprise any teams this season, they will be ready for us.

The team kept a majority of the team and added some important components to the team. What is the season goal for the team?

We will establish the season’s goals when we meet next week with all the players. I know that we will add new goals for the European competition. With all the success we had last year, I know that no one on that team was satisfied we got the silver medal.

The team has gotten German national player Philipp Schwethelm on loan from Bayern Munich. What do you like most about his game?

He did not have much of a role with Bayern last year but we have seen him be an impact player in this league previous years. I think that he will be a big help for our team with his shooting, passing and basketball IQ.

How excited are you to be playing with Allan Roy? You will be playing with an ex Boston Celtic. What will be his best quality?

I remember him playing at Villanova when I was in school. He was a great scorer and player for them. Im sure that he will fit in with our team and bring a lot of high level experience.

Each player on ratiopharm Ulm had their special role last season. There were no egos mostly and everyone did their job. You were consistent. Would you like anything to change in your role this season?

That was a big key to our success, everyone putting winning first. That is something that the new additions must commit to as well for us to continue building on last year. I want to continue to help our team win, whatever that means I can do. Consistency is something that I want to continue to bring, knowing the team can rely on me every game.

The Brose Baskets Bamberg have lost key parts to their winning team while Bayern Munich really has stocked up for this season. Could FC Bayern Munich win it all this season?

I think that there are numerous teams solid on paper, it is a long season and lots can happen. I like the team ULM put together though.

Since playing in the Beko BBL, have you ever seen a better front court than Jared Homan, Chevon Troutman, Lawrence Roberts and Jan Jagla? How much are you looking forward to these challenges?

That was big for them to bring back Troutman and Homan, they were big parts of their attack last year. Having Roberts as well just adds to the strength of their front court. It will be a fun game with Bryant, Nankivil, Theis and myself battling those guys.

Who would beat whom in their prime? The Dream team or team USA 2012?

That is the question that everyone wants to know but no one ever will. People say that this team wasn’t as good because they didn’t blow everyone out like the 92 team did. The game is so much different now, that 92 team inspired the world to play basketball and they got better. The best player the 92 team played against was a young Toni Kukoc? These guys are playing teams with 5-6 NBA players on them, All Stars, NBA champions. Im like both teams, 92 team has size advantage with Dwight and Bosh not playing this year.

What was your favorite Olympic moment?

Men’s Basketball taking the gold. I was completely amazed with gymnastics, those people are crazy athletic.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Hear no evil, see no evil. 80s movie with Richard Pryor, recommended by my good friend Jay Thomas.

Thanks Dane for the chat.

The  great thing about pre season basketball is that Beko BBL teams have the chance to test against a wide spectrum of teams coming from Japan, the Pro A, Holland or even France as the Fraport Skyliners are doing this season. Another advantage is getting reacquainted  with former players like Fabian Franke or former big German talent like Marco Buljevic who started his basketball career up the A5 in Giessen. Fraport Sklyiner fans didn´t only have the chance to see shot specialist Marco Buljevic show his straight forward parked stance in the corner, but also observe Fabian Franke again  who returned back to his living room in the BCM with PRO A team ETB Wohnbau baskets Essen to duel against the Fraport Skyliners. Franke played three seasons in Frankfurt playing a total of 29 games in the Beko BBL mostly getting garbage time and also having a double license for the PRO B team playing a total of 53 games and being the third best German scorer last season in the PRO B. Franke will always be remembered for being able to completely fill up the stat sheet in the Pro B, decline at times to take open shots in the Beko BBL, his 31 point explosion against BG Illertal last season and last season for his growing GQ looks and fancy outfits which easily would have given him best dressed Skyliner if there had ever been an award like that.  After a strong first half by the Fraport Skyliners, the ETB Wohnbau Baskets came back in the third quarter to cut the lead down to five points, but were unable to regain the lead as they ran out of gas. Franke was a central figure in the team and Fraport Skyliner captain Marius Nolte was thrilled to see his ex teammate again. “I was happy to see him again. I had 1-2 flashbacks of how he played with us when he was able to defend me well. However I was able to block him once. Fabian is a great guy and friend”, stressed Paderborn native Marius Nolte. Franke was unable to remember the Nolte block. “It was like  a home coming for me. I got a warm welcome and it was cool to see all the people again. I don´t know if Marius blocked me, because I wanted to pass the ball, but he did a good job on me”, added Fabian Franke.  Ex teammate Devin Gibson was also happy to see his ex teammate. “I spoke to him before the game and it was nice. This was a good test, because we will also play against Jimmy Mckinney and Jacob Burtschi this season.  I think that he will be a solid player for them and produce much”, commented Texas native Devin Gibson. “It was nice coming back to the BCM. I played here from 2006-2008 with Giessen. My dad comes from Hessen and I really like this training facility”, said 2009 Beko BBL champion with Oldenburg Marco Buljevic.

After the more than convincing 100-57 win against PRO A team BV Chemnitz 72 hours ago, where the Fraport Skyliners stifled the team from the former eastern Germany often with their press defense not allowing them to inbound the ball, the team had their second meeting with a PRO A team with the ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen where they didn´t have as an easy time. They had a big second quarter, fell asleep in the third quarter like a overblown black bear after a tasty feast of berries, but closed out the game in the fourth quarter with big shots from the Jones gang, Danilo Barthel and Konstantin Klein.  “We played a good first half defensively. Essen came back in the  second half and played well. The result may be a bit too high from their stand point. We weren´t able to keep up the tempo in the third quarter which gave Essen the chance to come back. Chemnitz didn´t come to terms with our pressure, but Essen did. Essen should be able to be a top team in the PRO A”, stressed Skyliner sport director Kamil Novak. The ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen played with a lot of heart, but in the end were a bit overwhelmed by the higher class of players that the Fraport Skyliners have. “We played hard for 40 minutes. We had some mental lapses and weren´t always as well organized when they pressed. We were in game and we wanted to win and we showed that we could hang with a Beko BBL team. The way we were able to play them will help our confidence”, stated Orlando, Florida native Rickey Claitt.

The Fraport Skyliners entered the game without former German national player Johannes Herber who was out with the flu. The team also had a void at the forward position as Alexander Franklin had been cut recently and the team was still without new power forward Dion Dowell who was expected to arrive in Frankfurt on Saturday. The Fraport Skyliners had young German Konstantin Klein in the starting lineup and right away produced as he made a nice pump fake on American 198cm forward Terren Harbut and scored inside off the glass as if he was a very undersized power forward.  Essen made a lot of pressure on offense and had for a stretch the lead, but always had to contend with the full court press of Frankfurt. Fabian Franke gave Essen its first lead with a three pointer. German forward Danilo Barthel who had a long shooting day from the parking lot at 2/9, but had better luck from the field as he gave Frankfurt the lead back 7-4 as he scored on a runner and slammed home a beautiful Konstantin Klein bounce pass.  Essen then went on a 5-0 run as Marco Buljevic hit a brilliant fade away jumper in the corner over Klein and American Logan Stutz nailed a three pointer as the ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen led 11-7. The Fraport Skyliners didn´t let this little burst of energy from Essen startle them as they closed out the first quarter 8-4 to dead lock the game at 15-15. Frankfurt displayed some crisp ball movement and the guy who you want to get the last shot is a guy like Anthony Jones who is parked behind the three point line and always ready to release a bomb hitting. After a Joey Henley tap in, Klein drew a foul making two free throws and ended the first quarter scoring on a lay in getting a quick feed from German Johannes Vogtmann showing once again his masterful passing qualities.

Both teams got going slowly in the second quarter as no team was able to get anything going inside and rather focusing on finding that open shot from the mid distance or from outside. The Fraport Skyliners then finally scored inside as Devin Gibson did his typical quick steps finding the open space and then serving Marius Nolte cusine in form of a basketball with a high lob that he easily put home. Essen then got a timely three pointer from Lexington, Kentucky native Terren Harbut who has played his entire career in Germany for teams like Paderborn, Herten and BV Chemnitz. The Fraport Skyliners led 18-17, but would now open up the game as they went on a 26-7 run to close out the second quarter leading 44-25. Danilo Barthel started the scoring attack with six straight points as he scored inside using his wit and waiting for the defender to commit and fall on him as he was in the air making the lay up and one and then nailed a three pointer with his typical high rainbow. Essen trailed 24-17. After a Marco Buljevic three pointer, the Skyliners hit three consecutive three pointers often on the transition as the club continued to go make the game fast after each defensive rebound. Johnathon Jones hit and PRO B player Larry Wright connected twice as the Fraport Skyliners led comfortably 37-20. The Fraport Skyliners continued to hit at a high percentage as Vogtmann made a mid distance jumper , Johnathon Jones read a pass perfectly jumped in front tipped the ball away and went coast to coast with a one handed dunk. Anthony Jones closed out the scoring in the second quarter making an open three pointer. The ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen went into half time with a lot to talk about as they trailed 44-25. “We had very good defensive pressure in the second quarter. We had better ball movement and started to make more shots”, stressed Fraport Skyliners guard Devin Gibson. “We weren´t getting into the passing lanes, gave up too many offensive rebounds and just let them play. If that happens you can quickly be down by 20 points”, added Marco Buljevic. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 42% from the field and 40% from outside while the ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen shot 37% from the field and 36% from outside. Frankfurt had the 20-15 edge, but only three turnovers while Essen had 11 turnovers.

The ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen kept the basketball adage alive that basketball is a game of runs and set forth theirs as they battled back into the game. Essen did start off fast going on a mini 4-0 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 44-29 started to push the ball inside more with success. 196cm forward Joey Henley who is an avid Dallas Cowboys fan scored hard over Nolte and Buljevic showed that he wont shy from going inside scoring over Klein. It seemed like Essen might be in the middle of their run, but instead was put on hold as the Fraport Skyliners were able to bounce back on a potent 10-0 run to extend their lead to 54-29. Nolte started the run finding some daylight in the lane getting a pass from Gibson. Anthony Jones then responded hit twice from the field and from the corner for three getting a four point play. Whenever the shot clock is down or the Skyliners seem to be in trouble, it is the American who hits the big shots. The ETB Wohnbau Baskets had had enough and now made the game interesting again going on a 17-4 run to close out the third quarter trailing only 58-49. Essen got back into the game playing a clever inside out game. Buljevic started the run with a three pointer. Essen then got two back to back buckets inside as 24 year old 205cm forward Logan Stutz that played for Leitershofen and in Austria last season scored over Nolte and Henley made a reverse lay up who was very active all day long on the boards. Henley then scored again making  a guard type play coming from the second row in the lane and stepping in front of a pass and going coast to coast for the basket. PRO B player Tim Oldenburg then hit a mid distance jumper from the corner as Frankfurt still led 58-38. Essen closed out the third quarter with a 11-0 run to trail 58-49. Stutz hit from outside, German Carsten Bartels scored inside and Harbut scored from the top of the key. “We played better defense, got in the passing lanes, got steals and had better ball movement”, stressed Essen guard Marco Buljevic. “We were a bit winded in the third quarter. We were getting the shots that we wanted, but they just weren´t falling”, added Devin Gibson.

The ETB Wohnbau Baskets still had energy and kept their 11-0 run from the end of the third quarter going as 21 year old 201cm forward and ex LTi Giessen 46er Roben Christen scored inside and Stutz scored easily inside as the Fraport Skyliners had little defensive pressure or body containment in the paint as the PRO A team was suddenly only down 58-53. However the Fraport Skyliners finally stopped their scoring drought of almost seven minutes dating back to the last bucket from Tim Oldenburg in the third quarter by getting production from captain Marius Nolte who got a lob pass from Gibson. Gibson then nailed a jumper as Essen trailed 62-53. However Essen still  was clawing their way back as Harbut hit a free throw and Rickey Claitt hit a fade way as Essen trailed only 62-56. However the Fraport Skyliners had had enough now and simply were still too overpowering even so late in the game closing out the game with a forceful 16-4 run. Barthel nailed a three pointer to help improve his poor shooting day from down town and Anthony Jones lit up the scoreboard again. Henley then grabbed an offensive rebound and got a put back as Essen trailed only 68-58. After a Johnathon Jones three pointer at the shot clock buzzer, it was Konstantin Klein that ultimately that brought Essen back to reality with two consecutive three pointers to lead 77-60. Klein closed out the game with a free throw only after Skyliner head coach Muli Katzurin had raced over to the referee to get the free throws as most everyone had seen the game as over. “We were more focused in the fourth quarter and increased our defensive pressure”, stressed Devin Gibson. “One could see the big difference in individual class that there is between both teams in the fourth quarter. We defended the pick and roll very bad and Frankfurt was always able to penetrate into the heart of our defense. We didn´t have the strength to come back down by so much”, added Marco Buljevic.

The Skyliners were led by Danilo Barthel with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. Anthony Jones added 14 points, four rebounds and three steals. Konstantin Klein produced 13 points and four assists. Johnathon Jones contributed 12 points. The ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen were led by Joey Henley with 16 points. Logan Stutz added 14 points and Marco Buljevic 10 points. The ETB Wohnbau Baskets Essen shot a tad better from the field at 44% as Frankfurt did at 42%. Frankfurt shot 38% from the three point line and Essen 37%. The Fraport Skyliners easily won the rebound battle 37-31 and had nine turnovers while Essen had 15. One player who continues to make strides is 21 year old German Konstantin Klein who scored in double figures and started at point guard and is blessed with a healthy confidence level. He already has the respect of his teammates as training camp isn´t even a month old. “Konstantin Klein is a great player. He can really do it all. He really has no weakness. He can shoot, is a great passer and plays hard defense. He will be a great player”, warned Skyliner teammate Devin Gibson.  As time goes by, the public and players will know who Konstantin Klein is. “I didn´t know who he was before today, but I like his game. He plays with a lot of snap. He is very aggressive on the ball defense and gets in the passing lanes. He also showed that he is a good ecision maker on offense. I sensed that he isn´t afraid of nayone. He has a lot of potential. He also shows not too much respect of the opponent in a positive way”, stressed Marco Buljevic. The Fraport Skyliners test against Dutch team Nijmegen today.

Don Beck has been a professional basketball coach for 34 years. He started his coaching career in 1978 for Santa Barbara College. After that he got further experience coaching Bentley College, Rutgers University, and Fresno State University. He came to Europe in 1992 to coach Sunair Oostende (Belgium). He then spent 9 very successful seasons with TBB Trier reaching four cup finals and winning two. He then coached the EWE Baskets Oldenburg from 2002-2007. In 2007-2008, he coached  Euphony Bree (Belgium-D1). The next season he coached  Euphony Bree (Belgium-D1), in Jan.’09 hired by Eiffel Towers Den Bosch (Holland-Eredivisie). In 2009-2010, he coached  Eiffel Towers Den Bosch (Holland-Eredivisie). He has been head coach of Toyota Alvark (Japan-JBL) since 2010. He spoke to German Hoops during his three team tour of Germany while he was in Frankfurt.

Thanks for talking to eurobasket Don. It has been five years since your last engagement in Germany with the EWE Baskets Oldenburg. What do you miss the most on and off the court in Germany?

I still live in GermanyWhen I am not working in Japan I spend my off season in Trier and the States. I can´t really say that I miss anything, because I am always back in Trier. I have learned to drink white wine which the Mosel region is famous for.

You had coached many years in Trier and Oldenburg and since have coached in Belgium, Holland and Japan. Did you have enough of the German basketball scene? Did you still have offers from German teams in the last years? Why did you go to Japan?

I have been blessed of having my best years as a coach before coming to Japan. I won two cups with TBB Trier and went to four finals. We played international and went to the playoffs. With Bree we finished in first place and went to the finals. Then I went to Holland and coached Den Bosch. We reached the final and lost a seven game playoff series to Amsterdam who had kicked out Oldenburg from international play the season they won the BBL title. Amsterdam had a real good team that year. The next season the team made changes and we weren´t as successful and I had to go. I then had the choice between Mons and Toyota Alvark. It was a tough decision, but Japan was a great opportunity. Everything is done so professional and it’s the best training facility I have ever seen. Toyota is a great sponsor and it was just a great opportunity where I couldn´t say no

You coached young players Doron Perkins and D or Fischer in 2006. How happy are you how much they have progressed and how much were you able to help in their development as players?

That last year in Oldenburg was very unstable with a lot of mistrust. I am glad that I had Fischer for a whole year. He really needed that and he was already a good player at the time. Perkins came in the middle of the season and was a very unique player. He was athletic, could get to the rim and could be as good a defender as anyone when he wanted to. After I left I took Fischer and Perkins to Bree. They continued to play well and their stock went up. Soon after they would play for Macabbi Tel Aviv. I helped them, but I had good assistants who helped as well. The programs in Oldenburg and Bree really benefited their development.

You gave a young Heiko Schaffartzik a chance in 2006 after he had been with Giessen and in Nurnberg. He had a very bad shooting year with Oldenburg, but how sure were you in that season that the German could become  a top German team national player?

I was sure from the start that Heiko was a way better player than what he was showing. His minutes fell as Perkins was brought in. But I am not surprised with how his development has gone. Already in Oldenburg, Heiko always played hard with big balls. He was great to coach and was never afraid of anyone. I would of kept him in Oldenburg if I would have stayed.

You also coached very talented Desmond Penigar for two seasons who had played briefly with the Orlando Magic. After an injury, Penigar came back to have strong seasons in Austria and last year in Lebanon. Why wasn´t Penigar able to develop into a Eurocup/euroleague type of player?

I think his knee injury has kept him from that. He was never 100% healthy, but I remember he had a great playoff series against Alba Berlin. We should have moved him in his second season. He had a great attitude and was just a tough kid. He probably played 5-6 years more than he should of just because his knee was never correct. However the way he has held up, I wouldn´t be surprised if he plays until 40, because he is that special.

After you left in 2007, Predrag Krunic came in and two years later he won the German Beko BBL title. Players come and go each year, but did you build something in Oldenburg that Krunich ended with winning the title?

I can´t take any credit away from him, because he did it all on his own. Working in Oldenburg was good for me with Dr Brinker the chairmen of the EWE. Before I came, Oldenburg was never higher than 13. He was a big reason for our success. he had great vision and gave me great support. They wanted a team that would be competitive and we lived up to that when I was there. I am sorry that we could never win a cup or get deeper in the playoffs. When Krunic came, he got full reigns of the team. I never had that. We never had a training camp or plane. We never had the budget that he had. I played the path for him, but he simply demanded the things that I didn´t. I congratulate him for winning the title in 2009. It is so hard to win a title as it is

What is a strength in your coaching style that isn´t always recognized right away?

In my last five years, all my teams have been top 1 & 2 in rebounding and defense. We already had good defense in Oldenburg and was able to keep it in Bree and now in Japan. In the Japan league there are 11 categories and Toyota Alvark is #1 in nine categories and #2 in the other 2. I implemented a transition in Bree and it has carried over to Japan as well. I am very proud as well of the success of the offense as it has also been #1 with the defense in Japan which is unheard of.

How would you describe the style in the J-league? Was it difficult to adjust to this style coming from Europe? Did you have to make any changes?

There are two leagues in japan. The JBL where we play. It has 8 teams. It is the better league and most prestigious. We can carry only two foreigners and only one can be on the floor and never at the same time. The other league is the BJ league which can have 3-4 foreigners. The difference to the BBL is that at the 4-5 position there is no difference. But at the 1-3 positions, the players in Japan are shorter and less athletic

Toyota Alvark won the double last season. Of course it was a team effort, but where would the team have been without Jeff Gibbs?

Gibbs has been a good addition. We are very balanced and have no stars. We don´t have the best 1,2,3 players or even 5 man Japanese player, but the difference is that the team plays together. They just all play very well. On any given night Gibbs or Ricci can have a double double even though they split the minutes and never play more than 20-22 minutes.

You have coached many great players in your career, but where would you rate a Jeff Gibbs?

Gibbs is very unique. He just brings so much to the court. He can run the break, can pass and just has a great basketball mind. He reads the ball movement well and can shoot from outside. The opponent usually don´t take him serious when they see him play. When he gets going, he is a 6.11 player. He always creates havoc for the opponent with match up problems. I love his wisdom and is one of the best players that I have coached in the area of him doing what I want him to do. When he wants to make an impact then he is Mr incredible.

Toyota Alvark is on a German city tour playing in Frankfurt, Trier and Munich. How important is this visit bringing exposure to Japanese basketball in Europe?

We think it is important that our players see how the European style works. We want people here to see that we do play a different style but are still competitive. We played very well against TBB Trier and FC Bayern Munich. It was important that our players are exposed to the defensive intensity and bigger wing players in Germany. All the teams are physical in the BBL and playing here will help us in our quest to defend our title in Japan.

You will be back in Trier playing the team of Henrik Rodl. Do you remember where you were in 1993 when North Carolina beat Michigan in the NCAA final?

I was at the game. It is always great to watch ACC basketball and North Carolina is one of the best programs in the NCAA. Rodl playing in the NCAA was a big step for young German kids going to the NCAA. Last season there was something like 9 Germans playing in the NCAA. It seems to be growing each year.

What is your sweetest memory of your coaching days in Trier?

There are so many. Of course being in one place for 9 years in unbelievable. Trier is just a great place with great fan support. The players always feel comfortable there. We had the lowest budget, but still reached 4 cup finals. The cup wins were a great memory as was the wins against Alba Berlin. I don´t support the BBL now how the cup is set up. I think that it is wrong. In the old format there was always one team that wasn´t on the radar and snuck into the Top 4. With the new format, that surprise effect is taken away of a sleeper getting in.

You also had some nice battles against Frankfurt. I remember Malick Badiane kicking a chair in Oldenburg in 2005. What is your fondest memory playing against Frankfurt? Do you remember the game against Frankfurt on the last game day in 2006?

We always had fun games against Frankfurt. I remember some good wins against Gordie Herbert. Gunnar Wobke has done  a good job there and was always a forward thinking guy of how to build teams. I don´t remember that game, but it was a good win for Frankfurt.

You also coach against Bayern Munich. They have moved up to the Beko BBL and have enriched the German basketball name. How excited were you about playing the most famous German sports team and will you buy dinner for the team if they win?

I have always tried to promote basketball with needing them in a big city. It is very important that FC Bayern Munich is in the BBL now. Perhaps with this branding it could happen in the future in cities like Hamburg or Dortmund. When FC Bayern Munich plays basketball, then they are still FC Bayern Munich the name and that is very important. They have one of the best coaches with Dirk Bauermann who has had numerous success. They might not have been that successful last season, but I am sure that they will challenge for the title this season.

Who would win in their prime, the Dream team of Team USA 2012?

I am over 50 and I can only go with the Dream team. The Dream team was a special team like the first man on the moon. The 2012 was a great team too, but the Dream Team was one of a kind

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The French film Ziemlich beste Freunde

Thanks Don for the chat.