The Brose Baskets Bamberg have started off this season where they left off last season winning, winning, and winning and no
team has been able to rip off the win from their foreheads as the club has been tearing apart teams as if a holy win slogan was plastered to their foreheads. Winning for Chris Fleming and his gang has become as common in Freak city the last two seasons as it is for actresses in general spreading for Playboy once their money runs out or their fame as Lindsay Lohan is going to do, kids going through neighborhoods getting some Halloween fun smashing pumpkins of NBA stars or a famous word by professional athletes, “I never threatened to kill my wife” as former Los Angeles Dodger Milton Bradley recently claimed being uttered time in and time out. So far this season, The Brose Baskets Bamberg have a perfect 5-0 record and have taken care of business in Beko BBL arenas as easily as the Green Bay Packers have in the NFL as the Bavarian team has outscored their opponents 464-323. It really seems like Beko BBL teams are as helpless against Bamberg as Paris Hilton is shopping at K-Mart. It seems like the only way to have a possible chance of beating Bamberg in the Stechert arena is if the opponent came with Dirk Nowitzki and Derrick rose in their baggage, Tom Brady allowing wife and model Gieselle Bundchen to do a sexy dance on the sidelines preoccupying the team or some tycoon let 1000 euro bills fall from the ceiling to cause a commotion and put a temporary dent in the rhythm of Bamberg. After the humiliating 83-57 loss to 8 time Beko BBL champion Alba Berlin, The Fraport Skyliners will have nothing to lose, but even if a Bamberg dares to 
underestimate an opponent, they still have the audacity to win. “Any team can beat Bamberg on a good day. The Skyliners have to go into the game remembering that Duesseldorf beat Bamberg last season and that anything is possible”, warned Alba Berlin assistant coach Mauricio Parra. There is a lot of fields and grass next to the home of Bamberg, so maybe Muli Katzurin and his team might be looking for some added green luck to take into the game. “ Well Bamberg is a class of it’s own but they still have to show up and play each night. With all the success they have they have a target on their back but teams have to play very well to beat them and maybe each Skyliner should carry a four leave clover in their pocket”, smiled TBB Trier guard John Bynum. The Fraport Skyliners do have a minor minor detail worth keeping in their mind as the last team to have won in Bamberg were the Deutsche Bank Skyliners in the 2010 playoffs. Players like Jimmy Mckinney, Quantez Robertson and Marius Nolte should use that as an added motivation.
Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Larry Wright (Fraport Skyliners Juniors): I Try To Help Young Players Keep The Right State Of Mind In Tough Situations
Larry Wright is a 24 year old 187cm guard from Saginaw, Michigan that is playing his first professional season in Germany fort he Fraport Skyliners juniors(PRO B). He started his NCAA career with St Johns in 2006 where he played until 2008. He played a total of 60 games for St Johns and then transferred to Oakland where he played from 2009-2011. In his senior year, he played 34 games: 9.8ppg, 3.4rpg, 3.0apg, FGP: 43.9%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 80.2%. He spoke to German Hoops about the game he loves basketball.
Welcome to Frankfurt Larry. How do you like here?
I am adjusting and grocery shopping can be tough, but I enjoy here.
You came from the NCAA. How difficult was the team finding process?
It was a tough process. There was a time where I thought that I wouldn´t play this season, but my agent did a good job finding this opportunity in Frankfurt.
Marcus Slaughter (Brose Baskets Bamberg): The Old Players Want To Create History And The New Players Want To Become Part Of History
Marcus Slaughter is a 26 year old 203cm forward from Riverside California. He played at San Diego State from 2003-2006. In his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 16.5ppg, 11.0rpg, 1.9apg, 1.2spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 49%, FT: 76.2%. He started his professional basketball career in Turkey for Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir playing 29 games averaging 13.3ppg, Reb-3(10.2rpg), 1.3apg, 2.3spg, 2FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 67.2%. In 2007-2008, he was with the Miami Heat in preseason and then played in Israel and France for Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem, Israeli League: 8.0ppg, 6.4rpg, ULEB Cup: 5 games: 5.6ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.8apg, waived in Dec.’07, in Jan.’08 signed at BCM Gravelines Dunkerque Grand Littoral 15 games: 9.5ppg, 7.2rpg, 1.4apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP-3(63.2%), FT: 58.9%. in 2008-2009, he started with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven(8 games: 18.8ppg, 10.0rpg, 1.3apg, 2.6spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 60.0%) before moving to France to Le Havre playing 21 games: 16.0ppg, Reb-1(9.5rpg), 1.6apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 58.8%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 65.4%; Eurocup: 6 games: 12.2ppg, 8.7rpg, 1.0apg, 1.5spg, 1.8bpg. In 2009-2010, he played for Sluc Nancy Basket Pro (France-ProA): EuroCup: 6 games: 8.5ppg, 9.0rpg, 2.8spg, 2.0bpg, FGP: 50.0%, FT: 76.7%; French League: 29 games: 12.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.4apg, 1.5spg, Blocks-5(1.4bpg), FGP: 64.5%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 69.1%. Last season, he played for Blancos de Rueda Valladolid (Spain-ACB, starting five): 34 games: 9.9ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.4spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 65.0%, FT: 67.5%. He is back in the Beko BBL with the Brose Baskets Bamberg. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.
What was your impression of Adnan Hodzic of The Walter Tigers Tuebingen when you played him?
He is a strong player with a lot of energy. A guy that plays with the crowd. He has a lot of talent that can shoot inside and out. He will get better with age. It seems like playing comes easy to him.
Brose Baskets Bamberg coach Chris Fleming has the tough job of keeping the old players motivated for the triple, but I am sure that the new players with Jenkins, Tucker and yourself will be very motivated.
I don’t think that coach will have a hard time motivating anyone. We play to win. We have been practicing hard and the new players bring a lot of excitement and we know what is in front of us. The old players want to create history and the new players want to become part of history. Everyone is highly motivated to win.
Steven Wright: Once I Figured Out What Murat Didin Wanted Me To Do My Game Got Better Individually
Steven Wright is a 28 year old 191cm guard from Dayton, Ohio. He was playing his first season in Finland for Namika Lahti, but left recently. He is an extremely athletic combo guard with great quickness, an explosive leaper and has great ball handling and passing skills. He hurts you with his penetration or a pull up for the mid ranged jumper, pick and roll, coming off picks for the shot, and when left open he’ll hit the three pointer also. At the same time he is an unselfish player who creates scoring opportunities for others and has a very good ability to finish around the basket. He is a great defensive player because of his quickness and athletic abilities and is a great and mature person with a good work ethic. He played at Bowling Green from 2002-2006. He finished his NCAA career at Northern Kentucky in 2006-2007 averaging 16,8 ppg., 5,3 rpg., 3,2 apg., 1,6 spg., FG: 46.1%, 3PT: 34,6%, FT 77,5%. In 2007, he came to Germany an dplayed for The New York Phantoms Braunschweig averaging 7.4ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.3apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 44.9%, 3PT: 32.6%, FT: 75.5% in 34 games. In 2008-2009, he helped lead The Paderborn Baskets into the BEKO BBL playoffs averaging 7.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 40.8%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 77.2% in 36 games. In 2009-2010, he played for The Walter Tigers Tuebingen playing 26 games: 5.5ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 42.0%, 3PT: 29.9%, FT: 81.6%. Last season, he played for the Gloria Giants Duesseldorf 32 games: 8.7ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 29.7%, FT: 71.9%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball in his future.
You had only a short time in Finland. Why didn´t it work out?
Yes a very short time. Things didn’t workout there because me and the club could not come to an agreement with residency for my family and the health care. I was playing well but that wasn’t the most important thing. Me and my family wanted to be comfortable.
You are back in States. How does your plan look now. You have mostly played in europe. Would you give a go at playing in the States?
Acutally I’m still in Finland right now my flight leaves here on Monday. I would rather stay here or come back to Europe once a job opportunity is available for me that fit’s the best situation for a player with a family.
DaShaun Wood And His Baldi´s Angels Solve How To Take Apart The Fraport Skyliners 83-57
Sometimes returning back to an ex stomping ground can be as painful for a professional athlete like it is for a once cute Jerry Maguire kid Jonathan Lipnicki getting blasted by Family Guy for growing into something less than attractive, Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler falling on his face in a Paraguay hotel room shower loosing a few teeth suffering from dehydration or ex NFL star Terrell Owens giving a topless try out for NFL teams and not getting a thumbs up from NFL legend Jerry Rice and Keyshawn Johnson. This weekend marked the return of Baldi´s Angels who are the three ex Skyliners Derrick Allen who will always have hero status in Frankfurt and 2004 Beko BBL champion head coach Gordon Herbert and 2011 Beko BBL MVP Dashaun Wood who left on less friendly terms sneaking out the back door to the German capital last summer. Charlies Angels is a popular American detective series from the 70s and had a successful movie a decade back who were a trio of hot women solving crimes, while the 8 time Beko BBL champion Alba Berlin have Baldi´s angels who solve ways to win on the court and had little difficulty getting run off the court, but moreover solved quickly how to lead their team to a demolition of their ex team 83-57. “ We three have fought hard to have a career in Berlin and now are in the process of bringing titles to Berlin. Herbert and Allen have played for
titles in Frankfurt and I being the current MVP, we hope that these three angels can come together and bring titles to Berlin”, warned Detroit native Dashaun Wood. “Those angels bring much to the table. Herbert leads them, Wood does so much setting team up and creating for himself and Allen is a tough player that brings energy and goes hard to the glass”, stressed 2011 Milwaukee Bucks Draft pick Jon Leuer. “Herbert, Allen and Wood are agreat combination. They play well together like basketball angels”, added Skyliner guard Michael Thompson. Second year man Bryce Taylor had to watch from the bench nursing a shoulder injury, but watched Baldi´s angels with enjoyment. “We have a great coach who is tough on us, but gets the best out of each player. Allen and Wood are our leaders and we know that we can count on them. They lead by example, but can be vocal. They solved a way to lead us to victory, but each guy on the team helped tonight. They didn´t need me tonight. We have a deep team. When a guy is out, others step up”, commented Bryce Taylor.
Can The Fraport Skyliners Slow Down Alba Berlin And Baldi´s Angels
When making tasty American Tollhouse cookies, delectable Frankfurter Wuerstchen or scrumptious maultaeschen and Spaetzle from the Schwabenland, you cant just add ordinary spices, but you need that special mix that will get your stomach itching for more and more. In sports its no different as in order to be successful, a team needs the right gusto. The ex Skyliner trio of Gordon Herbert, Derrick Allen and Dashaun Wood want to follow trios like Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen who won 6 NBA Tiles in Chicago, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Adam Vinitieri that won 3 Superbowls in Boston and Fox Broadcasting Company, Matt Groening and Homer Simpson that have been on the air for 24 years and be successful and get that first title together with Alba Berlin together. Only Herbert has won a title in the BEKO BBL while Wood has his 2011 Beko BBL MVP trophy and has stated that winning is the first order on the agenda for the road runner who will go that extra distance down the long and lonely road is looking for his first and Derrick Allen who has supplied the league with his beautiful ballerina moves for years and is itching for that first title and is as motivated as Karl Malone once was with the Utah Jazz. Alba Berlin last won a title with the Beko BBL Cup in 2009 and with this trio have as much motivation and heart as any team would ever want to have. Any male that has watched TV will have seen reruns of the well knows 70s detective show Charlies Angels or the movie version with Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu with the man in the backround Charles Townsend pulling the strings. It is no different in Berlin with Marco Baldi who brought in his trio of basketball angels Derrick Allen, Dashaun Wood and Gordon Herbert who don´t solve crimes, but solve ways to bring titles to the Spree. “I think these guys will help Berlin out a great deal this season and as far as who you can compare them to is hard to say. DA does deserve a title as hard as he plays and what he has done for the BBL. He is a reps Ted player around the league and hopefully he will get his chance before his time is up”, warned TBB Trier guard John Bynum. “Baldi has done a good job getting his angels. First it was Derrick Allen and now Gordon Herbert and Dashaun Wood. Frankfurt has shown in the last years doing a good job developing basketball talent. Herbert always has a trick up his sleeve and I think this year that a title is in the making for Alba Berlin”, stressed Skyliner Fabian Franke.
Corey Stokes (BBC Bayreuth): Dwayne Anderson Was Like A Big Brother To Me
Corey Stokes is a 23 year old 195cm guard from Bayonne, New Jersey that is playing his first season for BBC Bayreuth. He 
played at Villanova from 2007-2011. In his senior year, he played 29 games: 14.9ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 43.3%, 3PT: 43.2%, FT: 89.4%. He reached the NCAA Final 4 in 2009. Recently, he took part at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft): 3 games: 16.0ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.0apg, 1.0spg. Corey took some time to talk to German Hoops about his rookie season in Germany.
What was it like being on the same court with ex NBA player Bobby Brown and 2004 NBA Draft pick Rickey Paulding?
They are great team players and it was exciting playing against them. They both kept telling me during the game on the court to keep my head up and keep shooting.
BBC Bayreuth have started the season slowly. On what things does the team still need to work on?
We need to work on our team chemistry, but we are very motivated and work hard in practice each day.
Chris Kramer(s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg) Is Mr COOL With That All Business Touch
40 minutes after Justin Gray had sent the s. Oliver Baskets Wurzburg home with a beautiful fade away buzzer beater giving the
faithful Wurzburg fans brewing nightmares on the horizon for consecutive days to follow, Chris Kramer departed the locker room with a hat on seemingly trying to hide his face as if he had been responsible for some cheap shot on the court, not covering Gray on the last shot or having dove into the first row and doused a fan by mistake with their coke. He had not been responsible for any of that, but that was just the spur of the moment nature of the American who had quietly led his team in scoring with 16 points and shown his versatility in so many other aspects of the game as he retrieved 5 rebounds and dished out two assists as well. If it hadn´t been for his strong play in the fourth quarter where he led the s.Oliver Basekts back on a furious come back on a 10-2 run where he scored in the penetration three times looking like a second Dashaun Wood who was returning to haunt Frankfurt in a new uniform, it may never have come to the last possession play where Frankfurt was able to win the game. In many ways, he was the best Wurzburg player on the court and after a bitter loss like that it is only understandable that players will be down have problems finding the right words or even not wanting to speak, but the second year professional was Mr cool, but with that business touch as he answered the questions as if he had been playing for 10 years. He has showed his scoring skills early since the Frankfurt loss leading the team to a win against BBCBayreuth and being second top scorer in a tough loss in Artland.
Dane Watts Leaves His Surfboard At Home Riding The Basketball Wave Elegantly With ratiopharm Ulm Past The Fraport Skyliners 85-79
All good and sometimes less pleasant things come to an end sometime like the wild baby hit me one more time days of 
American singer Britney Spears before becoming a mom, actor Jaleel White famous for his whining line “Did I do that” from his days at the sitcom Family matters to finally getting some respect at age 34 for a new sitcom called “Love that girl” or Alba Berlin losing their seven year Beko BBL champion title run in 2004 to the hands of Bamberg. On December 9th ratiopharm Ulm will move into the new ratiopharm arena across town in Neu-Ulm and will depart from the Kuhberg Halle which had a small like American style high school gym where the loudness and fan presence near the court will always be remembered. With the good play of ratiopharm Ulm perhaps the team should think twice about leaving the loved Kuhberg halle. “I feel very good in this gym, but I am sure that we will feel good in the new arena as well”, smiled ratiopharm Ulm headcoach Thorsten Leibenath. Young Skyliner Danilo Barthel has had a great season so far, but found himself with a big DNP, but still had memories of the Kuhberg Halle. “I always had good games here with the NBBL teams, but never played in front of so many people as tonight. If they can get an atmosphere in the new arena like here then that should be good”, commented Skyliner forwar Danilo Barthel. For Skyliner Jon Leuer, he was more used to playing 15,000 NCAA arenas, but liked the high school gym atmosphere. It was a very small gym and the fans were really in to it. It would have been nice if we had won, but I am glad that I am not coming back”, expressed Jon Leuer.
The Fraport Skyliners entered the Kuhberg Halle having a less than satisfactory 2-3 record since ratiopharm arrived in the Beko BBL in 2006 and wanted to leave the small place with their first win as the Fraport Skyliners and somehow escape being trampled by the Incredible Hulk John Bryant and getting flooded by the waves of the surfer dude look alike Dane Watts, but returned back to Frankfurt with their second loss in a row with a bitter 85-79 loss in the last minute. After the game new coach Thorsten Leibenath had a grin as wide as three Michael Hakim Jordans put together and didn´t need to give difficult analyse about why ratiopharm Ulm won. “We hit tough three pointers all night long and were very consistent at the free throw line which helped us win a close game like this. We also won the rebounding”, stressed ratiopharm Ulm head coach Torsten Leibenath. The Fraport Skyliners played a lot better than again Bonn, but were missing that added luck and making the big play down the stretch. “We couldn´t execute our offense at the end or get the needed stops. Dane Watts hit two tough running shots at the end”, stressed Skyliner guard Justin Gray.
Can John Bryant And Dane Watts Sail ratiopharm Ulm On A Green Wave Into The Beko BBL Playoffs?
The Beko BBL have had many strong 4/5 combo punches the last years like Hines/Pleiss in Bamberg, Fenn/Boumtje Boumtje in Artland or now with Allen/Francis in Berlin, but if you happen to see a white incredible hulk and surfer dude look a like Jeff Spicolli from classic 80s movie Fast Times At Rindgemount high making the paint area in the Kuhberg gym a stomping ground misery situation for opponents with a likely wreckage and totally awesome cries after a block, then it wont be the two fictional characters from TV, but Americans John Bryant and Dane Watts going about their business and just playing the game that they love. Bryant was one of the most effective players in the Beko BBL last season playing 34 games: 14.6ppg, Reb-1(10.9rpg), 1.1apg, Blocks-2(1.5bpg), FGP: 60.4%, FT: 74.2%. He was one of the top centers in the league and was never a pleasant opponent to have. Dane Watts has belonged to the top power forwards the last years last season playing for the Walter Tigers Tuebingen playing 33 games: 13.7ppg, Reb-4(7.6rpg), 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 54.5%. Watts however always seems to have been a bit underrated possibly because he never played for a playoff team. “They are a great combo and they compliment each other very well. Bryant does a good job controlling the middle on both ends and watts is a great inside outside guy who does well at both ends of the court as well. If I had to describe them from a movie it would be Paul Bunyon and I cant think of one for Dane Watts. They complement each other very well and both are very talented players. They both do so much for that team and if you look how affective both of them and go by what they are doing so far, then yes they could be one of best 4/5 combos in league”, warned TBB Trier guard John Bynum.
