Not only was it a hot and muggy 27c in Dirk Nowitzki country in Wurzburg yesterday, but 2012 Beko BBL semi finalist s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg felt the annoying steam heat in another aspect as it was learned that their American Chester Frazier was headed back to the States before game 2 against ratiopharm Ulm Thursday thus ending his shortened season in the Bavarian city. Ratiopharm Ulm has been the big surprise team this season in the beko BBL and took away some of the basketball glare and spotlight from the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg this season despite finishing the regular season in sixth place and kicking out 8 time Alba Berlin from the playoffs and making them scamper back to the German capital like scared sick poodles who had been picked at and bitten for 200 minutes by the aggravating Wurzburg defense led by the pit bull duo of John Little and Chester Frazier. It was announced yesterday that Frazier had opted to get out of his contract early and head back to the States to take an offer as an assistant at Kansas State, a job that he had done before last season assisting at Illinois. According to the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg, Frazier had a contract until the end of the Ulm series. Why the American from Baltimore, Maryland opted to return home early is unknown.

Frazier entered the Beko BBL in 2009 after a stellar four year career at Illinois (NCAA) where he led the Big Ten in assists in his senior career and went to MEG Goettingen where he helped the team win the Eurochallenge in 2010 playing 14 Eurochallenge games averaging 3.8ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.2apg, 1.0spg. In the German League, he played 31 games: 5.9ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 34.2%, FT: 53.3%. After sitting out last season and being an assistant coach at Illinois, he returned late this season going to Wurzburg in November 2011 being reunited again with his Goettingen mates John Patrick, Jason Boone, Ben Jacobson and John Little. Frazier was an important piece of the Wurzburg success this season as he scored in double figures 8 times including a 17 point game against the Walter Tigers Tuebingen, 16 points against his ex team BG Goettingen and a huge 15 point, 12 rebound outburst against Phoenix Hagen. Despite some impressive offensive games, his strength remained on defense where he formed a nasty duo with John Little driving guard opponents wild as Alba Berlin guard Dashaun Wood found out twice never finding his rhythm in game two and four in Wurzburg and saying after the game two loss that they are so tough to go against.

 

There are two sides to the Chester Frazier story. Some will say that he is abandoning his team in a very crucial time of the season and looking out more for his best interests. Others will say that basketball is a cruel business where a player has to take care of his best interests and how often does one see an NBA player go to a horrible team for the extra bucks. His leaving seems to leave a sour mark of him letting his team down, but according to a tweet by Frazier yesterday, his team supports his decision. “I won’t respond to criticism of leaving! My teammates gave me their blessing and everyone doesn’t know what and how my decision to leave occurred”, stated Chester Frazier. The departure will hurt the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg team on the defensive side, but the team has shown all season long that they are a fighting team and will continue to play like that. A John Little averaged 18 points in the last three games against Alba Berlin and played like he was related to Dashaun Wood and he wont stop now. The s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg have more than a capable basketball team to overcome this loss and with Chris Kraemer an ace up John Patrick´s sleeve as he plays like a pit bull also even though sometimes his offense strength overshadows his defense cusine. John Patrick will have to make adjustments, but just as ratiopharm Ulm is on a mission and the slight favorite in this series, one should never count out the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg. John Patrick made a BG Goettingen into winning teams with the least amount of basketball means and has done the same in Wurzbug. As long as John Patrick is on the sidelines, its not over until the fat lady sings.

Nate Linhart is a 25 year old 201cm forward from Gahanna, Ohio that will play his third professional basketball season and first in the German Beko BBL with TBB Trier. The American played for Akron (NCAA) from 2005-2009. In his senior year, he played 36 games: 10.3ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.5apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 44.3%, 3Pts: 32.8%, FTBSC Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers (Austria-A Bundesliga, starting five): 44 games: 11.1ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.6apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 59.4%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 76.1%.last season, he played for Erie Bay Hawks (D-League): 50 games: 10.3ppg, 5.8rpg, 2.9apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 73.8%. Awards/Achievements in his career have been MAC East Division Regular Season Runner-Up -06, 08, MAC Tournament Semifinals -06, MAC East Division Regular Season Champion -07, 09, MAC Tournament Finalist -07, 08, All-MAC Honorable Mention -09, MAC Defensive Player of the Year -09
MAC Tournament Winner -09, MAC All-Tournament MVP -09, MAC All-Tournament Team -09, Eurobasket Summer League in Las Vegas Finalist -09, Austrian Supercup Winner -09, Eurobasket.com All-Austrian Bundesliga Honorable Mention -10, Eurobasket.com Austrian Bundesliga All-Defensive Team -10, Austrian Bundesliga A Finalist -10, Austrian Bundesliga A Regular Season Champion -10
and D-League East Conference Runner-Up -11. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

You played in the O2 World arena for the first time. Where does it stack up to the other places that you have played in in your career?

I would place it at the top. It is a state of the art arena and its very nice inside. I have played in some nice NCAA arenas and NBA arenas.

You just completedyour first season for TBB Trier. Was it colder two seasons ago in Furstenfeld, Austria?

I can´t really remember, but I know that there was more snow. I think it is colder in germany than it was in Austria.

TBB Trier lost many close games this season. Why has it been so rough going?

It has been very frustrating. We have been all games except for three games that could of gone either. We just have to stay positive and remember that we were in so many games and just continue to work hard in practice.

What exactly was your role in the team?

I do what the team needs me to do at any moment. I am a versatile guy that can play many positions.

You were six years old when your coach Henrik Rodl won the NCAA title in 1993 with North Carolina. Did you know about it when you came to Trier last summer?

I had met him two years ago and through talks knew about his history as a player. I am very happy to be able to play for him.

A strength in your game that doesn´t get noticed right away is your penetration. Why doesn´t that get noticed more?

I think if you look at me, you might not think that I could handle the ball. People just don´t expect me to do that.

Have you been able to give Maik Zirbes passing tips from the low post?

No I haven´t because we need him to score when he is down low.

How was your childhood in Ohio and why do so many good players come from Ohio?

There was much basketball in my childhood. I always visited the league games of my dad. In Ohio, basketball is the dominant sport and that is why there are so many good players. You want to always strive to get better when you go home and see everybody working on their game to improve.

Who were your NBA idols as a kid?

I liked Shaq and how he dunked on people and his antics on the court. In high school, I tried to model my game around Manu Ginoboli. He is a left hander so I could relate to his game.

You played with Dru Joyce at Akron(NCAA), How has his game improved since the NCAA?

He has continued to develop his penetration and point guard skills the last years. He is a lot more physical and sees the court better. He has improved his pick and roll play the most.

Your ex teammate Romeo Travis is really blossoming in Israel. Is he ready to make the jump to a Euroleague team?

I think he is. Every summer when I see him, it seems like he has added something to his game. I am really happy for him and his success in Israel.

What do you remember from the game against Eric Maynor in the NCAA?

They aren´t to good. He was exceptional getting 30 points and just picked us apart.

You played a season in Austria with Furstenfeld. What are your fondest memories on and off the court?

We made it to the final losing in the fifth game and I made many long lasting friendships there.

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

45.

What was your most craziest shot in your career?

A full court shot in high school.

What is your favorite spot in Trier?

I like to go to this place on top of a hill where you can see all of Trier. I often take a book because I like to read.

Why do you like the movie Superbad so much?

It cracks me up every time when I see it.

Is there a curse on Tom Brady by the Manning brothers?

Maybe, but Eli Manning played very well and got more help than did Tom Brady. Loosing 2 Super Bowls like that is the worst. Kind of how TBB Trier has been losing this season.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The girl with the dragon tattoo with Daniel Craig.

Thanks Nate for the chat.

Demetrius Jemison is a 24 year old 203cm forward from Birmingham, Alabama that just completed his first season with the Fraport Skyliners PRO B team. He played at Alabama from 2006-2010 playing a total of 93 NCAA games. He had a serious injury his senior year and transferred to Manhatten in 2010 playing 22 games: 10.4ppg, 8.6rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 50.0%, FT: 76.1%. Currently for Frankfurt he is averaging 16,8ppg and 9,0 rpg. He spoke to German Hoops about his season in Frankfurt.

Congrats on the 95-75 win against Alba Berlin 2 to keep the Fraport Skyliners juniors in the PRO B. How good of a feeling was that?

It feels great to be able to stay in the Pro B league and to get such a big win over ALBA .

You have played in many big NCAA games in your career. Did you feel a lot of pressure before the game being that you are one of the go too guys?

I didn’t feel any pressure before the game but I knew it was very important for us to get the win.

This was the biggest game of your professional career. Even though the 235 people in attendance wasn´t the same kind of atmosphere like 12,000 at an NCAA game, how were you effected by the positive atmosphere in game 3?

The fans provided us with alot of energy. The way they cheered us on made us want to win even more.

At halftime the game was tied at 40-40. What did Klaus Mewes tell the team to do better in the second half?

Coach Klaus told us to to play better defense and to move the ball mre on offense.

Something he said must of worked since the team came out flying having a 29-9 third quarter. What was key in the third quarter for getting the big lead?

We got such a big lead because we really focused on getting stops on defense and taking great shots on offense.

Was a big reason for the win that the Skyliners were able to contain the Berlin role players while allowing only Joey Ney and Lucca Staiger to have big games while the Skyliners had 5 players in double figures?

Yes, in game 2 of the series we allowed too many guys to make big plays throughout the game. In game 3 we really wanted to keep ALBA from shooting so many threes and not allow their role players to score and effect the game the way they did in game 2.

What was your play of the game that you will remember for a long time from this game?

The play I will remember is when I jumped over one of ALBA’s players for a dunk. After the dunk the crowed was cheering and my teammates seemed very motivated to win.

How has American Larry Wright improved the most this season and what will you always remember from him on the floor and in general?

 Larry’s shooting improved throughout the year. he could already shoot t he ball well but towards the end of the season he started shooting lights out from the three point line he went 6/8 from the three point line against ALBA. He just taught me to always believe the ball is going in every time I shoot the ball. I’m happy I was able to play along side Larry this season.

In the short time where you could practice with German national player Tim Ohlbrecht, what things were you able to pick up from his game for your game?

Tim Ohlberechtn taught me to always play big and to finish high on my shots in the paint. Tim is a great player and I’m happy I had the chance to play with him.

You averaged 15,4ppg, and 8,1rpg and 1,4apg in 24 games this season. How happy were you with your season?

I had a really solid season I didn’t realize I shot 60% percent from the floor. I’m happy with the season I had but this summer I’m looking to get better and have an even better season next year.

Where do you see your future? Will you return to Frankfurt or try to land on a team at a higher level?

I’m very thankful for the Skyliners allowing me to start my career in Frankfurt. However, I see myself playing in first league next season. I feel I have skills and the abilty to play at the first league level. So this summer I’m really trying to get an opportunity on a first division team.

What are your summer plans? On what things will you be working on this summer to improve your game?

My plans for the summer is to get bigger, stronger, and more comfortable shooting three pointers so that I can stretch defenses. I really want to take my game to another level this summer so I’m going to work very hard to improve my game.

 

What was the last DVD that you saw?

The last DVD I saw was The Sitter

Thanks Demetrius for the chat.

Rich Melzer is a 32 year old 203cm forward/center from Minneapolis, Minnesota that is playing his first season for the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig. He played at : Wisconsim-River Falls (NCAA3) from 2000-2004. In his 8 year professional basketball career, he has played in countries like New Zealand, France, Israel and Australia. He had his first tour of duty in Germany in the 2007-2008 season with Artland Dragons Quakenbrueck (Germany-1.Bundesliga): ULEB Cup: 2 games: 5.5ppg, 2.0rpg; German League: 1 game: 11pts, 2reb, 1steal. In his rookie season, he took part at the Washington Wizards training camp. Last season he played for Hapoel Holon (Israel-Premier League, starting five): 30 games: 16.8ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 75.3%. He spoke to German Hoops after the 101-79 loss in Ulm.

A tough 101-79 loss in game one in Ulm. How much is the new arena in Ulm become a type of sixth man against opponents?

Its certainly a great venue to play in for not only them, but for the opposing teams as well. There’s nothing quite like silencing a crowd of 6 thousand with a swoosh or a jaw-dropping play as an opponent to get things going on the road. Unfortunately for us, we weren’t able to do it frequently enough and the momentum of the crowd continued to carry the Ulm team into a frenzy of difficult baskets and enthusiasm. Its obviously an advantage for Ulm, but it doesnt have to be if you match their intensity.

The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig had the 21-16 lead after one quarter, but ratiopharm Ulm had a 31 point explosion in the second quarter. What type of adjustments did they seem to make?

I give them credit, make no mistakes about that. However, I don’t think it was as much as what they did as it was how we executed ourselves. We made pivotal turnovers, committed foolish fouls, and when we made rotations, the readiness and the ability to commit to the speed and intensity of the game just wasnt there for some of us. Me, along with Visser spent most of the game being double-teamed and denied the ball inside for most of the game, which forced us to loft jumpshots for 40 minutes. It was a combination of all of these things that put them in the drivers seat. We have to adjust for Thursday to see to it that they’re forced to match our speed and intensity and force them to make adjustments to us if we want to be in the drivers seat at home.

How tough is it in general to defend when you have a hot Per Guenther penetrating and scoring and Isaiah Swann doing his thing?

Per went 5 for 5 from the field, most of which were lay-ups and even an and-one on my part. This can’t be allowed to the smallest guy on the court. Give him credit, he’s very crafty and skilled and you can’t take that away from Per. However, we have to make it more difficult on them. We’re not considered a “tough” team I believe and its unfortunate because we have “tough” players and skilled veterans here. Maybe more so than any other team in the league. We’re not going out to injure or harm anyone, that’s not our scheme. But we do have to make a statement that it won’t be easy to come into the paint and score, it won’t be easy to make a contested shot, it won’t be easy to just cut through the lane and get to where you want to go. Its going to be a team effort to stop those two…nothing more, nothing less.

A must win in game two. Are there any positives that the Phantoms can take out of game one and what will be key in getting the win at home?

For us its all upside and positive. We got a first hand look at exactly what Ulm is trying to do and take away from us in our first playoff meeting. There were several surprises for us and unfortunately we didn’t make the appropriate adjustments quick enough. Nonetheless, we’ll have almost a week to prepare and work on what’s necessary for us to counter whatevers being thrown at us by them. The coaches here are making sure to put us in a position to succeed with our own protocols and schemes. After that, its up to us as players to perform at a high level with intensity and heart to turn the table and have Ulm try to match our eagerness and our readiness as they’ve done before us.

Rajon Rondo has seven play off triple doubles in his career. Do you think he could eclipse the NBA playoff record of 30 by Magic Johnson?

Its certainly possible. We’ve talked about him prior. There was no doubt in my mind he’d return with a lions fury after being suspended and he’s done so thus far. With that said, even if he were to make the playoffs the next 5 years in a row which I’m sure he will, he’d have to have triple doubles almost every game in the post season from now on. Very unlikely, but I still think he’s up to the challenge and falls into that category later on upon his own retirement should he continue making the progress he already has.

Is the 4-0 sweep of the Thunder against the Mavericks a real big surprise or did you await more resisitence from Nowitzki and co?

I was surprised to see Dirk call out his teammates in the press conference and state “they don’t have enough weapons.” I think he has a great rapport with his teammates and everything, but to say that really has to have some validity and honestly, I think it was unfair of him to some degree. Granted they’ve lost the best defensive player in the league in Chandler. I still think that despite that he could have carried them farther. Perhaps he should’ve taken more upon himself to continue encouraging his teammates to continue making plays as they’ve done during the regular season than to take the entire load within himself in the post-season. But what do I know? You have to give the Thunder credit as well. Probably the most athletic back-court in the league next to Miami, so naturally, they’re going to give teams fits as well. I’m a big Dirk fan, so it would have been nice to see them make a series out of it.

What is your favorite food that you like to take in in a post game win at home?

Nothing says “Victory” like a medium-well done steak. I’m a meat an potatoes type of man and throw a nice side salad in with that and the kid couldn’t be happier. I’m hoping to enjoy that cusine several more times this season should everything go our way.

Thanks Rich for the chat.