Garai Zeeb (187-PG-1997) is a 27 year old 187cm point guard that was born in Leimen, Germany and helped PS Karlsruhe win the Pro Tatile in 2023-2024. He began his career with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven and played his first easyCredit BBL game at 17 against FC Bayern Munich. He played parts of 7 seasons in the BBL with the Eisberen, Fraport Skyliners and Basketball Lowen Braunschweig amassing 107 games and also played 87 Pro B games. He also has played 108 Pro A games with the Romerstrom Gladiators and PS Karlsruhe. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping win the 2024 Pro A title.

Thanks Garai for talking to germanhoops.com Congrats on winning the Pro A title with PS Karlsruhe. How does it feel winning the pro A title?

It´s a special feeling. We went through a lot this season, but always stayed together. It was a great season.

You were able to sweep your ex team Fraport Skyliners. I remember how happy you were some months ago scoring 21 points. Your happiness must be at an all-time high?

It was a great feeling to win in an arena that your familiar with. I had many friends here who supported me. The most important thing was that we won the title.

Is it fair to say that this was the ultimate Cinderella story or just a Cinderella story for PS Karlsruhe?

I think that it was only a Cinderella story. Most didn´t think we had much of a chance, but we had a feeling quite early in the season that we had the potential to reach the playoffs. We figured out early as well that we could be good and followed coach´s vision.

If someone had told you in September 2023 that PS Karlsruhe would win the 2024 Pro A title what would you have thought?

I would of thought that it would be nice, but that it would happen as less realistic. I did think that we could have a chance of going far.

Jessi Ani told me on Saturday a day before the final game in Frankfurt that there would be no more fairytale talk after Sunday. Were you sick of hearing all the hate and fairytale talk?

Yes I think so. We came in as a seventh team into the playoffs and nobody thought we could go far. On paper, it didn´t seem like we could reach much, but that gave us motivation to prove everyone wrong. It wasn´t luck that got us the title, but consistent hard work through out the season. We worked hard and it paid off.

I think PS Karlsruhe was locked in as a team from the start of the season. How vital was consistency and team chemistry?

Having this good chemistry was the most important thing. We never lost belief and were always level headed. We were able to find ways to win even when we had smaller rotations.

PS Karlsruhe easily swept the Fraport Skyliners in the final. Is it fair to say that you wanted it more and Frankfurt already had their final against Trier?

Yes I think so. Frankfurt´s biggest goal was to move back to the BBL and not necessarily win the title. They celebrated a lot after beating Trier. They probably had less hours sleep the last week. We were fresher and had more time to prepare.

I joked with you after game 4 in Frankfurt vs Trier that PS Karlsruhe doesn´t even need him as his injury has limited him in the last weeks. What was the secret to performing so well you?

Key was already having that feeling of how it was without me before the playoffs began. I was out and the team was able to get used to play without me earlier. Guys who played less and had lower shooting percentages began to play more. The intensity went down a bit in practice, but that was because we wanted to be able to perform as well as possible in the playoffs and not be tired. I tried to help as much as possible in the minutes that I got.

Michael Flowers was the league MVP, but couldn´t O Showen Williams have been the league MVP? How important was he truly for the team?

I think if you look at his stats and how important Flowers was for his team, then he did deserve MVP. Besides Kirchheim had a better record than us. Williams played super this season. I think he ´was defensively a bit better than Flowers. He was a great team leader and without him, we wouldn´t have won the title.

Victor Bailey exploded for 48 points in the final and was MVP. He was the x-factor. How often did you tell him to be aggressive aggressive on the court?

Sure we told him that all the time. We saw right away when he arrived that he had the special scoring genes. I always told him to be ready to take your shots, I´ll make sure you get the ball.

Dennis Tunstall JR was the real junkyard dog. What was it like for you to share the court with him?

Dennis didn´t take so many shots, but he did so many other vital things for our success. He got the rebounds, loose balls and gave us that important physical presence. He was also a big defender, a man for everything. He also was very vital for our team success.

Lachlan Dent was the perfect point guard. What did you enjoy most about his game and passing? Did you have a favorite pass from him?

He was huge in the finals and had many assists and lob passes. He also didn´t shy away from risking a pass. He wasn´t an easy fit at first. It was his first time away from Australia and he had a longer adjustment period. He had difficulty at first fitting into the system, but in the second half of the season, he hit shots and gained more confidence.

How important has head coach Alexsandar Scepanovic been? How much credit does he get for the success of team?

He had a lot of critics, but he is laughing last. He had a vision from day 1 and knew exactly what he wanted from us. Nobody thought we could be more successful than last season, but we were despite having a better roster last season. He wanted hard defense and a good chemistry. We followed his system and trained hard every day. We were in better physical form than the rest.

Let´s talk about your game. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player would best fit the description?

I have learned in the last years to create my own shot. I would compare myself to a Jrue Holiday or Marcus Smart. I´m a player that is a good defender and can have an impact on offense not necessarily having to score 30 points.

You had a great season averaging 10/3/1/1 stats. Your Pro A minutes were down from the last 2 seasons in Trier. How would you summarize your play this season?

I had highs and lows this season. I had to do a lot more at the start as Williams was injured. I was once very sick and also injured. I just tried to help the team as much as possible.

Jessi Ani said this about you. “People always only look at what happens in the games. But Garai has been with us all the time. When he was injured, he was at all our practices and always gave advice. He was always there to help keep the energy and intensity up”. How tough was it playing less minutes in the playoffs?

It wasn´t easy. With my sickness and injury, I wasn´t physically fit like earlier in the season. It was tough mentally for me not performing the way that I know how. I found other ways to influence the game and helped to motivate my teammates.

Jesse Ani also said this about you. “Garai is like a ticking time bomb. He is a great player”. You scored 12 points in 13 minutes in the last game in Frankfurt.

I thought that I could have a good game in my old arena, but to be honest I would have been just as happy had I scored 0 points. I would have been happy just helping out my teammates as best as I could. There is nothing better than winning a title.

How do you feel did your game grow in the Pro A this season with this so special team?

I think I became an even better attacker with all the switches going on this season. I have to become even more stable at attacking and increasing my shooting percentages and make less mistakes.

Where do you see yourself now as a player? Your 27. Is the easyCredit BBL a topic again after 3 seasons in the Pro A?

The BBL is still a topic for me. I want people to know that I´m not that young kid anymore, but a mature player. I have developed my game further, but still can keep getting better. I can do more as a player now at both ends than in the past.

On what areas of your game will you be working on most this summer so you can continue to improve your game?

I have to work on my body and get stronger. I will work more on my foot work so I can do a better job of keeping my opponent in front of me. I also will work on my shot and decision making.

Who was the toughest player that you faced this season in the Pro A at your position?

Michael Flowers

You began your career with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven and played your first BBL game at age 17 against FC Bayern Munich. You played 2 minutes and saw guys like John Bryant, Anton Gavel and Heiko Schaffartzik. What memories do you have of that game?

I have no memories of that. I do remember making my first BBL points against ratiopharm Ulm. I remember though how hard it was then to be ready in those 2 minutes. Of course now I´m a lot different in those situations.

What memories you have of veteran point guard Lorenzo Williams? How did he help you best as a kid at that time on the floor?

Lorenzo was super experienced and a great leader. I learned a lot from him how to think as a point guard. He always motivated me and how to make the right play. He helped me heighten my self confidence as well.

You then played with the Fraport Skyliners from 2015-2019 playing 50 BBL games. Do you feel like you did all you could to get the amount of minutes that you deserved?

Frankfurt had many great players. I needed more time there to get used to the BBL. In my last 2 seasons, I played more and believe that I did get most out of the opportunity. I trained hard and had some good games.

How special was that 2015-2016 Fiba Europe Cup team. What player on that club had the biggest impact on you?

It was a special team and I´m really proud to have been part of that group. It was really inspiring to have been able to have trained with them. The 2 guys that had the biggest impact on me were Jordan Theodore who was such a skillful player and Tez Robertson the best defender in the league.

You played 4 seasons with Quantez Robertson. What is your favorite story with him?

I remember doing a lot together. I mean even if there was a bigger age difference between Tez, Mike Morrison and Shawn Huff, we still hung out a lot. It was a really nice experience spending time with those guys.

Is there one detail about the game that you will always remember Gordon Herbert telling you that just will always stick with you?

I tried to take everything that I learned from him with me and even give that advice to younger players today. I liked playing in his system which really made it so easy to perform in. I remember him telling me that I was simply too nice on and off the court. He wanted me to develop a bigger ego on the court and get away from that nice image.

You played with BBL team Basketball Lowen from 2019-2021. You averaged 10 minutes in 2 BBL seasons which was a lot more than with Frankfurt. How do you remember this time? You played under Pete Strobel and had solid guards like Robinson, Kone and Releford there. Did you take most of your opportunity?

My time with Braunschwieg could have been better. It was a totally different system than in Frankfurt. I had difficulty adjusting to it at first, but in my second season, I played very well and think that I got everything I wanted to out of the experience. I had a great relationship with the coaching staff and players both seasons.

You played the last 2 seasons with the Romerstrom Gladiators. How did your game grow there?

It was nice to be able to play more in Trier, start games and have more responsibility. I was able to have more freedom. Unfortunately we didn´t perform as well as a team as we should of.

Who was the toughest player that you have played against in your life that reached the NBA?

Peyton Siva and Stefan Jovic

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I have had too many to name 5

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?

Dwayne Wade, Steph Curry. Lebron James, Kobe, Kevin Durant

Who is your GOAT?

Michael Jordan

Thanks Garai for the chat.

Bakary Dibba (206-PF-2001, agency: Blacktop Management) is a 22 year old 206cm forward from Denmark that just completed his first season with German Pro A team PS Karlsruhe helping them win the Pro A title averaging 14,6ppg, 6,8rpg, 1,1apg and 1,2spg. He played with the Tigers Tuebingen from 2021-2023 playing 81 Pro A games averaging 3,3ppg and 7,0ppg in his 2 seasons and also played 27 Regionalliga games averaging 17,8ppg and 20,9ppg. He began his basketball career with Copenhagen Basketball (BasketLigaen) averaging 10.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 53.2%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 54.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Bakary for talking to germanhoops.com Congrats on winning the Pro A title with PS Karlsruhe. How does it feel winning the pro A title?

Thank you! Winning the Pro A title with PS Karlsruhe feels incredible. It’s a culmination of all the hard work and dedication we’ve put in throughout the season. The entire team, coaching staff, and fans have been amazing, and it’s an honor to bring this title home.

Is it fair to say that this was the ultimate Cinderella story or just a Cinderella story for PS Karlsruhe?

I wouldn’t call it a Cinderella story. We knew our potential from the beginning and worked hard to realize it. This victory is the result of our dedication, talent, and perseverance.

If someone had told you in September 2023 that PS Karlsruhe would win the 2024 Pro A title what would you have thought?

I would have believed it. We had the right mix of talent, chemistry, and coaching. From the beginning, we aimed high and believed in our capabilities to achieve this success.

Jessi Ani told me on Saturday a day before the final game in Frankfurt that there would be no more fairytale talk after Sunday. Were you sick of hearing all the hate and fairytale talk?

Absolutely. We were confident in our abilities and knew we were more than just a fairytale. We were determined to prove our critics wrong and show that our success was built on hard work and skill.

I think PS Karlsruhe was locked in as a team from the start of the season. How vital was consistency and team chemistry?

Consistency and team chemistry were crucial. From the start, we focused on building strong relationships on and off the court. Our ability to work together and support each other through highs and lows made all the difference.

PS Karlsruhe easily swept the Fraport Skyliners in the final. Is it fair to say that you wanted it more and Frankfurt already had their final against Trier?

I think we definitely showed more hunger in the finals. Frankfurt had a tough series against Trier, and perhaps they were a bit drained. But we stayed focused and determined to win, and that was evident in our performance.

I joked with Garai Zeeb after game 4 in Frankfurt vs Trier that PS Karlsruhe doesn´t even need him as his injury has limited him in the last weeks. What has been the secret to performing so well without him?

Garai is a vital part of our team, and his leadership and experience are invaluable. Even when he couldn’t play, his presence and support were felt. We had to step up collectively and fill the gap, which speaks to our depth and resilience as a team.

Michael Flowers was the league MVP, but couldn´t O Showen Williams have been the league MVP? How important was he truly for the team?

O Showen Williams was absolutely crucial for us. His ability to make plays, score, and defend at a high level was instrumental in our success. He could have easily been the MVP, and his contributions were invaluable.

Victor Bailey exploded for 48 points in the final and was MVP. He was the x-factor. How often did you tell him to be aggressive on the court?

We encouraged Victor to be aggressive every game. His scoring ability is phenomenal, and we knew that if he played confidently, he could be unstoppable. His performance in the final was a testament to his hard work and talent.

Dennis Tunstall JR was the real junkyard dog. What was it like for you to share the court with him? You are physically a little like him. What could you take from his game?

Dennis is an incredible player to share the court with. His toughness and tenacity are inspiring. I’ve learned a lot from his defensive mindset and relentless energy. He’s a great example of how to impact the game beyond just scoring.

How vital was Garai Zeeb as a teammate during the season and when he was injured the last month? Did his leadership push the team over the top?

Garai’s leadership was vital. Even when he was injured, he was constantly motivating us and providing guidance. His experience and strategic insights were key to keeping us focused and driven.

Lachlan Dent was the perfect point guard. What did you enjoy most about his game and passing? Did you have a favorite pass from him?

Lachlan’s vision and ability to create opportunities were outstanding. He made the game easier for everyone around him. My favorite passes were the no-look assists he would throw, catching defenders off guard and setting up easy baskets for us.

How important has head coach Alexsandar Scepanovic been? How much credit does he get for the success of team?

Coach Scepanovic deserves a lot of credit. His strategies, preparation, and ability to get the best out of each player were crucial. He believed in us and pushed us to reach our full potential.

Let´s talk about your game. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player would best fit the description?

I’d say my game is similar to someone like Draymond Green. I focus on being versatile, playing tough defense, and contributing in multiple areas, whether it’s scoring, rebounding, or making the right play.

You had a great season averaging 14/6/1/1/1 stats. You have improved your game every season in the Pro A. How would you summarize your play this season?

This season, I focused on being more consistent and improving my all-around game. I’m happy with the progress I’ve made, but I know there’s always room for improvement. I’d summarize it as a season of growth and contribution to our team’s success.

Jessi Ani said this about you. “He crashes at the rim with his head and heart. He is very coachable and a great role model”. Is your heart one of the biggest that there is?

That’s very kind of Jessi to say. I do play with a lot of heart and passion. I believe that giving everything you have, both mentally and physically, is crucial in sports and life.

Your minutes rose from 13 to 27 and you made big strides as a defender? How did you grow as a defender and how vital was Alexsandar Nadjfeji in helping your game?

Growing as a defender took a lot of hard work and learning. Coach Nadjfeji was instrumental in that process. He taught me the importance of positioning, reading the game, and being proactive rather than reactive.

You are a modern day big man. On what areas of your game will you be working on most this summer to keep being able to improve your game?

This summer, I’ll be focusing on my shooting, especially from beyond the arc, and improving my ball-handling skills. I also want to continue getting stronger and more agile to better guard multiple positions.

You went from the Regionalliga to the Pro A. How realistic is the easyCredit BBL for you?

The easyCredit BBL is definitely a goal for me. I believe that with continued hard work and development, I can compete at that level. It’s all about staying focused and seizing opportunities.

Who was the toughest player that you faced this season in the Pro A at your position?

There were many tough opponents, but I’d say the toughest was probably Terry Thomas from the Artland Dragons. His physicality and skill set made him a challenging matchup.

You began your basketball career at Copenhagen Basketball (BasketLigaen). How did your game grow there under Jeffrey Fawme?

Playing under Jeffrey Fawme was foundational for me. He emphasized the basics and instilled a strong work ethic. I learned a lot about the game’s fundamentals and what it takes to compete at a high level.

You played 2 seasons with the Tigers Tuebingen. How thankful are you to Danny Jansson for finding you and bring ingyou to Germany in 2021? Where would you be right now had you not signed with Tuebingen?

I’m extremely thankful to Danny Jansson. He saw potential in me and gave me a chance to prove myself in Germany. Without that opportunity, I’m not sure where I’d be, but it definitely opened doors for my professional career.

How important were the day to day battles last season with Kriss Helmanis? How did he make you a better player?

Battling with Kriss Helmanis every day was crucial. He’s a tough competitor and pushed me to improve my game. Those practices were intense and helped me develop resilience and skill.

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?

My NBA Mount Rushmore would include:
1. Michael Jordan
2. LeBron James
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
4. Magic Johnson
These players have had an enormous impact on the game and their legacies speak for themselves.

Who is your GOAT?

For me, the GOAT is Michael Jordan. His competitive spirit, skill, and impact on the game are unmatched. He set the standard for excellence in basketball and continues to inspire generations.

Thanks Bakary for the chat.

Lachlan Dent (184-PG-2000) is a 24 year old 184cm point guard that just completed his first pro season in Europe helping PS Karlsruhe win the Pro A title averaging 9,6ppg, 2,5rpg and 3,0apg. Before coming to Germany, he played his whole career in his homeland Australia. He played more than 100 plus pro games in Australia for teams like the Illawarra Hawks, NW Tasmania Thunder, Northern Suburbs Bears, and Brisbane Capitals. He spoke to germanhoops.ocm about the incredible PS Karlsruhe season.

Congrats Lachlan on winning the Pro A title with PS Karlsruhe. Nobody is calling you Lachlan but Lucky. Why is that?

I guess I´m meant to be lucky. I just go with the name!

How does it feel winning the pro A title?

It is unbelievable. This is one of the longest seasons I have ever been a part of. It has been a whirl wind season just unreal.

Is it fair to say that this was the ultimate Cinderella story or just a Cinderella story for PS Karlsruhe?

To be completely honest no. We always thought from the start that we could beat anyone. That belief was always there. We were always ready come game time.

If someone had told you in September 2023 that PS Karlsruhe would win the 2024 Pro A title what would you have thought?

I don´t know. It is crazy to think that it could end like this. I guess we never thought really about winning it all, but now it´s like holy cow we really did.

The team had no let up´s to the end. Was this like a fairytale season?

I don´t think it was a fairytale. I don´t have words. It is just unbelievable how we played together as a team. We had no big name players, but many that had something to prove. We were able to practice well and our mentality grew in the 10 month period. We were always locked in.

What was the mind set of the team going into the Pro A final up by 14 points?

I never played a 2 game final like this except maybe on Fifa. The only thin g we thought about today was winning the game and getting stops.

What was so special about PS Karlsruhe this season?

I think the biggest thing was that we understood each other so well on and off the court. Every player had their moments and we celebrated each other.

There were so many doubters this season. What was your favorite moment?

I had many favorite moments. The big playoff wins against Giessen and Hagen were very memorable. Sweeping Frankfurt in the final is also a big moment. I think we showed a lot of character after we didn´t get the license.

Was Oshowen Williams your MVP?

He could have been the league MVP. He was our team MVP. He was unbelievable. The way he was able to get integrated into the group after he was hurt was amazing. He dislocated his shoulder and then to come back and play the way he did was one of a kind. He was super important and tough as nails. His ability to score was great. He was our little pit bull.

Would PS Karlsruhe have won the title without Bakary Dibba and Dennis Tunstall Jr?

What I enjoyed most about these 2 guys was to come in day in and day out and do their job without complaining. Their consistency was great. Tunstall truly was our junk yard dog. Dibba was undersized but just fought and fought.

How did head coach Alexsandar Scepanovic help your game best?

His toughness really helped my game. His relentless about me not getting away with anything. He always got on me to take care of the ball. I couldn´t affords to have a bad day under him.

You averaged 9/2/2 stats in 20 minutes. What was your summary of your game this season?

This season was a big learning experience for me. I had some tough times at the start, but had full confidence at the end.

How did your game grow in Germany?

I think that my game was able to grow a lot this season. It was my best decision ever to play for PS Karlsruhe.

You exploded for 42 points against Paderborn nailing 10 three´s. Was that your best game of your career?

From a scoring point of view it was one of my best games. Considering I´m a type of player that likes to defend and move the ball.

Who was the most improved PS Karlsruhe player?

I think Dominick Von Waaden.

What is your coolest David Anderson story?

I was able to do a type of tour de France with him in Wollongong. We were on bikes. He is a menace and I can´t tell stories about him.

Who will win the 2024 NBA final Boston or Dallas?

I think Dallas will win and it will go 7 games. Luka is unbelievable and Kyrie is awesome.

Thanks Lachlan for the chat.

With more than 9 months together as a team, it came down to 1 game for the Fraport Skyliners. The team had won the ultimate do or die game in Trier in an environment that was as far as from their living room as the North pole. Somehow they stuck it out and won and now had another do or die game in the Pro A final against PS Karlsruhe. The question was did they want it as much as game 5 in Trier. They had made the jump back to the easyCredit BBL and was the fire left for a scoring explosion in Frankfurt? In the Pro A final the winner is crowned with the best points difference in the 2 final games. In the first game in Karlsruhe, the Fraport Skyliners had their ups and downs, but like most of this season always showed their fighting qualities and come back qualities. However a 10-0 run to start the fourth quarter sparked PS Karlsruhe to a 93-79 win which left Frankfurt reeling for air, as they had to win in Frankfurt by 15 points or more to secure the 2024 Pro A title. But this simply wasn´t their final as PS Karlsruhe showed clearly in both games that they wanted it more. PS Karlsruhe played fantastic team basketball at both ends and were consistent and never lost their intensity. “Coach told us before the final that we had 1 big game. Each game was a half. We competed hard both games and played with high intensity. We had our doubters the whole season, but we always believed we could beat anyone. We had a great group of guys that fed off each other. When you have good guys working together, usually good things happen. Defending well and consistent for 2 games got us the title”, stressed PS Karlsruhe guard Victor Bailey Jr (193-SG-1998, college: GMU) Frankfurt just weren´t at the same intensity level than PS Karlsruhe and it was quite apparent what had been their real true final. “We had a long playoff series and 5 games against Trier. We wanted to compete to win in the final against Karlsruhe, but the most important goal was getting back to the BBL and we achieved that. We came beat up into the final. They wanted it more and Trier really was our final”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Ife Ajayi.

Justin Onyejiaka

The Fraport Skyliners entered the game with a bang hitting 2 three´s back to back from Minnesota native Booker Coplin and Canadian Aíden Warnholtz and it looked like Frankfurt may have some offensive power brewing up. But as rapidly as Frankfurt got going, so did PS Karlsruhe punching back with a swift 7-0 run to lead 7-6 as ex BBL player Julian Albus made free throws, Danish lanky forward Bakary Dibba hit a trey after making the block and Texas native Vincent Bailey made an off balance shot. Both teams offenses began to roll as both let it rain three´s as Canadian David Muenkat connected twice while the guests got three´s from Albus and Bailey for the 15-12 advantage. PS Karlsruhe had that incredible intensity, but one could see early on that Frankfurt was playing, but didn´t have that defensive aggressiveness that could help them go on that giant run that they needed so badly. Both teams continued to execute as 2 time NBBL allstar Garai Zeeb connected on the three ball and ex NBA Summer League player Kevin McClain made a lay in as Frankfurt trailed 18-16. “I was happy with our start. It was a good one. We came into the game with a lot of energy and fought hard”, stated Vincent Bailey jr. PS Karlsruhe shot 30% from the field and 36% from outside and had 15 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 33% from the field and 44% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

Jesse Ani from outside

In the second quarter PS Karlsruhe made their move and were able to lead in double figures and they would never look back again in this game. PS Karlsruhe jumped all over the Fraport Skyliners going on a 15-4 run to extend their lead to 33-20. In the run, they had good ball movement, but also began with their alley-oop show as New Jersey native Dennis Tunstall had his first of three alley-oop dunks in the game. Zeeb and Bailey dropped three pointers and Georgia native O Showen Williams and German Dominick Von Waarden made lay in´s. PS Karlsruhe dictated the game well and their high intensity and hustle plays continued to be too much for Frankfurt. Frankfurt also had mis fortune missing easy shots. Frankfurt attempted to play inside out basketball and got some layin´s from Jordan Samare and 2018 NBBL champion Lorenz Brenneke. But PS Karlsruhe were hustling and never lost that intensity, but at the same time were clearly having fun as their alley-oop show continued as Dibba made a big dunk for the 40-27 advantage. But the three ball wasn´t totally non existent as Garai Zeeb and Jordan Samare traded three´s to end the second quarter as PS Karlsruhe had the comfortable 42-32 lead. “Our early three´s fueled our game. We continued to defend with a high intensity and made everything tough for Frankfurt”, commented Vincent Bailey. “That early run hurt us. They crashed the boards really well and we couldn´t stop the bleeding”, stated California native Ife Ajayi. PS Karlsruhe shot 42% from the field and 38% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 33% from the field and 28% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Kevin McClain with the lay in

The Fraport Skyliners were able to improve their scoring output in each quarter and mastered 29 points in the third quarter heightening their lead to 18 points and ultimately deciding the game. PS Karlsruhe came out of the break hot as usual starting with a 9-2 run to up their lead to 52-34. In the run, it was the lethal guard play of the guests that sparked their play. Williams added 4 points and Bailey 5 points. After an Ajayi trey, PS Karlsruhe played run again going on a 8-2 run to extend their lead to 60-39. In the run Garai Zeeb hit 4 free throws and Bailey made 4 points including a pretty reverse dunk. PS Karlsruhe played with no pressure and just continued to have fun while the Fraport Skyliners looked tight and were playing as if they were hoping the game would end soon. Dibba continued to be a menace in the paint grabbing rebound after rebound and thanks to his slick athleticism could do what he wanted to as he made 2 lay in´s for the 67-43 advantage. Frankfurt had little bright spots, but did get a buzzer beater trey from Bruno Albrecht to end the third quarter, but did trail 71-53. “You could see that Frankfurt had a tough series against Trier and fatigue was creeping in. But we focused on ourselves and wanted to continue to play strong and not let up. We didn´t want them to see life, but let go of the rope”, expressed Vincent Bailey Jr. “They ran away with the game, but I thought that we did a better job in this game running and playing more together”, expressed Ife Ajayi. PS Karlsruhe shot 45% from the field and 35% from the parking lot and had 33 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 35% from the field and 33% from the three point line and had 25 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

Victor Bailey Jr

The Fraport Skyliners finished the season with a strong scoring quarter with 27 points thanks to a hot Cameron Henry who scored all of his 11 points in the last frame, but it was too little too late. PS Karlsruhe began the fourth quarter off hot with a 11-4 run to extend their lead to 82-57. The PS Karlsruhe team had their hottest alley-oop show in this run as Dennis Tunstall made his second and third alley-oop dunks of the game and Dibba also added a massive one handed dunk. “Our dunking today was like when you see that first three go in, you feel more comfortable and more follow.It was the same today with our dunks. Both Tunstall and Dibba are very athletic and make the game exciting with their plays. They showed what they can do at a high level”, warned Vincent Bailey Jr. “Those 2 guys put on a show. They are very mobile and jump well. They are great players. I have a lot of respect for them”, said Ife Ajayi. PS Karlsruhe knew that they had the title in their pocket and let their feet a bit off the gas pedal and allowed the Fraport Skyliners to close out the game strong with a 23-10 run. Cameron Henry finished his rookie season with a bang with 2 three´s and 2 lay in´s. Ex Schwenningen big man Jacob Knauf also added a three pointer and Justin Onyejiaka a lay in. Little used Latvian player Bogdans Kiselovs came in at the end and added a 20 footer in the title win for PS Karlsruhe. Vincent Bailey was the finals MVP as he dropped 48 points in the 2 games. “My coaches and teammates always told me to be aggressive. I´m really happy for their support and am happy I could help my team as best as possible in the final to get the title”, said Victor Bailey Jr. PS Karlsruhe was led by Victor Bailey Jr with 25 points. Bakary Dibba added 14 points and Dennis Tunstall 12 points while the Fraport Skyliners were led by Cameron Henry with 11 points while Justin Onyejiaka had 10 points. PS Karlsruhe shot 47% from the field and 27% from outside and had 40 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 40% from the field and 36% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 14 turnovers.

Jesse Ani (191-G-2002) is a 22 year old 191cm guard playing with PS Karlsruhe. He has had previous experience with FC Bayern Munich 2 and 2 seasons ago played with the Sunkings Saarlouis (Regionalliga) averaging 13.9ppg, 8.0rpg, 2.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 54.8%. Last season he played with ASC 46 Goettingen (Regionalliga) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 21.7%, FT: 63.6% and also played 4 easyCredit BBL games. He spoke to germanhoops.com before the Pro A final in Frankfurt against the Fraport Skyliners.

Thanks Jesse for talking to germanhoops.com One win away from winning the Pro A title. PS Karlsruhe had so many big wins this season, but where does yesterday´s win rate this season?

Yes I would say so. We don´t want to be called a fairytale anymore. We worked hard all season long. The win yesterday was a big statement for us. We aren´t here to play but to win.

I always said that PS Karlsruhe would be an annoying opponent for Frankfurt in the quarterfinals and now your in the final. How crazy is that?

It really is crazy. You would think that top teams like Trier or Giessen would be here. The 2 best defensive teams are in the final. It shows that defense wins championships.

I guess any-day you hit 18 three´s as a team you will have a very good chance to win. Did the team do anything extra wise shooting the days before?

Nothing was different. We had our regular practices like we have had this whole season. We got up a lot of shots as usual. I just think it has to do with our regular preparation. Our intensity never goes down. I think everybody feels like we have to rely on our three´s but we don´t. We can drive and get to the free throw line just as well. I think that we just had a very good shooting day.

The Fraport Skyliners did a good job withstanding your runs and coming back, but in the end PS Karlsruhe had no real offensive let downs. How big was the 11-0 run to begin the fourth quarter. What did coach Aleksandar Scepanovic tell the team to do?

Coach does a great job keeping us level headed. We as a whole are an unexperienced team. He always had the right words and key are the small details. I also have to give props to Zeeb and Williams who fueled our run.

PS Karlsruhe defended very well against Frankfurt. You did allow 10 three´s but what do you feel was the biggest defensive strength in the win at home?

I think that the hustle plays were big. Von Warden got charges and Joostman was diving all over the court. Plays like that woke us up. We may not be the biggest team, but we use our quickness and energy to help us.

I said in the Skyliners Podcast a few days ago that Frankfurt has to limit Victor Bailey Jr better. They couldn´t letting him score 23 points. How vital is his game for the success of the team?

He was so huge for us. You always have to watch out for him. He is an incredible player and was a great signing for us. He improved our chemistry and is such a special player for us on offense and defense. He always makes something happen for us. He has been such a help to us.

PS Karlsruhe is in the drivers seat. How confident are you that you will hoist the Pro A title tomorrow?

Coach keeps us humble. We don´t see ourselves in the drivers seat. We see it as a game to win. We want to prove a statement. We know that Frankfurt will come out hard, but we will be ready.

The Fraport Skyliners have to win on Sunday by 15 points or more. What will be the game plan going into Sunday?

We treat this game as a new final 0-0. We looked back at game 1 and we know we did mistakes, but we were able to cover it with our energy. We have to be even more focused in Frankfurt and have to be a lot better getting defensive rebounds. Frankfurt got 19 offensive rebounds which is way too much. We have to stick together.

How important has head coach Alexsandar Scepanovic been? How much credit does he get for the success of team?

He is so humble and with all the criticism he has gotten with his coaching style and intensity, he always stuck to his philosophy. We were ranked at 14 in pre season and were 7th after the regular season and still there were doubters. Well look at us now. He always kept his head down and stuck with us in good and bad times.

I joked with Garai Zeeb after game 4 in Frankfurt vs Trier that PS Karlsruhe doesn´t even need him as his injury has limited him in the last weeks. What has been the secret to performing so well without him?

People always only look at what happens in the games. But Garai has been with us all the time. When he was injured, he was at all our practices and always gave advice. He was always there to help keep the energy and intensity up. He is like a ticking time bomb. He is a great player.

How exciting has it been seeing the rise of Bakary Dibba? He is like you in that a few years ago he was balling in the Regionalliga. How much potential does he have?

Sky is the limit for him. He has had a great season but still continues to hear voices against him. Through all the criticism and praise he has received this season, he always stayed level headed. He never changes and is a great teammate. He crashes at the rim with his head and heart. He is very coachable and a great role model.

Michael Flowers has had a MVP like season but what about O Showen Williams? How important has he been for the team?

He has been amazing. He missed some games early and there was doubt about if he could get the job done. But as soon as he found his rhythm, he set the tone on offense and defense. He is a great defender and moves his feet so well and defends quick guards well. He is a great leader.

Where would the team be without the junkyard dog Dennis Tunstall? Is he a player that every team would love to have?

Yes every team would love to have him. He does so much not seen on the stat sheet like defending screens or defending above the rim. He is so athletic and runs the floor so well. He also never complains if he scores 0 or 20 points. He just does his job every day. He is such a reliable player and gets our full trust.

You have averaged 5/3 stats this season. How content have you been with your game?

I have had my ups and downs. I was happy to win best youngster in December. I had a set back with the injury and a shooting slump, but it´s part of the job. This season has been a great learning experience for me. I have been able to see how I can adapt in a system and what I have to do to get to the next level.

You have BBL experience but played mostly Regionalliga the last 2 seasons. Do you feel like your off the radar in basketball Germany?

I think that I´m a bit off the radar, but that´s no problem for me. I think that hard work will eventually pay off. I have seen it with Dibba. So many teams are talking about him now. He put in the work while being under the radar and now his time has come and is shining.

You have had less minutes in the playoffs and missed the Trier series. How tough have injuries been for you this season?

It has been tough. I broke my hand against Jena. I was supposed to be out for the season, but I fought hard in my come back. 6 weeks was a long time. I was playing good minutes and with a team with great teammates. I missed playing. I am back now and feel good. When a team is playing well, it is hard to come back. At the moment coach likes the flow of the team. My minutes are down, but I´m a team player and accept it.

Who will win the NBA final between Boston and Dallas?

I will go with Dallas. Kyrie looks amazing and Luka can turn it up anytime. Tatum can be great, but also shaky.

Thanks Jesse for the chat.

Trevor Hudgins (182-PG-1999, college: NW Missouri St.) is a 25 year old 182cm guard from Kansas that finished his second professional season and first overseas with Le Mans Sarthe Basket (France-Betclic ELITE ProA) averaging 13,0ppg, 1,7rpg and 2,8apg while in the BCL averaged 11,2ppg, 2,6rpg and 3,4apg. He played his rookie season with the Houston Rockets playing 5 games and also split time with the at Rio Grande Valley Vipers (NBA G League) averaging 18.3ppg, 2.8rpg, 5.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 37.6%, FT: 87.7%. He began his basketball career at Manhattan high school and then played 4 years at Northwest Missouri State University (NCAA2) from 2018-2022 playing a total of 139 games. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Trevor for talking to germanhoops.com. You played your second professional season and first overseas with Le Mans. What kind of an experience was France on and off the court? What have you learned to appreciate most about the country and game?

France has been unbelievable from the culture and food to the elite basketball that is being played over here. I have enjoyed every moment so far and have already made some great memories as well. I learned that the people here are genuinely nice and are willing to work through the language barrier sometimes even though the majority of people here speak good english. On the basketball side I have learned that wins and losses matter more than in the G league or NBA. The whole league can be flipped upside down depending on some teams winning or losing on any given night.

What was your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

The energy of the crowds. The people love sports here. They stand and scream the whole game, its really cool.

The season has been up and down for Le Mans. How much of a challenge as a point guard is it for you leading the team coming from the States where the game is a lot different?

It´s been difficult at times but it´s a learning curve and I love learning more about the game of basketball. Luckily I had a great college coach that implemented some overseas techniques in our offense and sometimes our defense in college and I have good teammates on and off the court to help me out as well.

What has it been like sharing the point guard duties with Devante Jones? He played at Michigan (NCAA) and has 1 year of overseas ball under his belt. How has he helped you with the progression on the court?

It´s been a lot of fun. DJ is very good and crafty. He has given me a lot of pointers this season and it´s just been fun playing with another guard like him.

In the NCAA 2 you were a dominant scorer, but what kind of role did you have with Le Mans? You seem to be a scoring point guard in this situation?

I think I am the same player I have been since my college days. I think I´m a playmaking scorer and I am going to continue to grow into being the player I am becoming with the help of my coaches and teammates.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 182cm point guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the bill?

I think I just took a piece of a lot of the point guards we watched growing up. Steve Nash, Chris Paul, and even Steph Curry. I add to my game what I see works for other guards primarily the short guards.

You have always filled the stat sheet, but is your biggest strength your scoring?

I think everyone and myself would probably say shooting is my best threat on the basketball court

Do you feel like if you had to, you could develop into a 5-6 assist man overseas?

Yes

What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become?

I think I am a decent defender right now. I think I could be more physical and learn some things from some of my teammates who play great defense now

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve as a player?

Using ballscreens and my movement off the ball.

Last season you played with the at Rio Grande Valley Vipers (NBA G League) averaging 18.3ppg, 2.8rpg, 5.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 37.6%, FT: 87.7% and played 5 NBA games with Houston. As a guy who came from the NCAA 2 did it feel like a Cinderella story?

It felt like all the hard work paid off. I wouldn’t think of it as a Cinderella story. I think of it as working hard and being able to perform when an opportunity presents itself.

You had averaged 5,4ppg in the NBA Summer League with Houston. Was it a bit surprising that you would make your NBA debut 3 months later?

I would say so, I didn´t know what to expect

What do you remember from your NBA debut against the Bucks? Giannis went for 44 points and you made a three pointer?

All I can remember is Boban passed me the ball and I made a three. One of my favorite memories.

You played twice against the Thunder and Shai Gillgeous-Alexander. When you see a guy like him, is reaching his level something that can be realistic through hard work or is he at another level?

I think he worked really hard and he is proving it now

You had a consistent G-League season. Were you disappointed that you weren´t rewarded with a longer stay?

It’s a business so I didn´t expect anything to be handed to me

What do you remember being your wake up call to being in the NBA? The Rockets had a young team with no real old veterans to expect some extra service?

I think just going to the gym everyday and you see draft picks and guys youve seen on tv and youtube in the gym playing at an elite level was my wake up call

You played at Northwest Missouri State University (NCAA2) and won 6 titles. Despite reaching the NBA is it fair to say that those 4 years were the greatest times in your basketball life?

I think those were my favorite times so far. Northwest means a lot to me and the family that I made there does too.

You won 3 D-2 titles. Was the last one against Augusta your fondest where you scored 31 points and won MVP?

I think the last one was the cherry on top of my whole career.

You had many great personal games like scoring 40 points or achieving a triple double? What was your best personal performance?

I think my best games were MIAA tournament championship in 2020, MIAA tournament championship 2022, and National championship 2022

How did Ben McCullum groom and prepare you best for a professional career? He called you the best player in D-2 history?

I am definitely a product of Coach Mac and NW through and through. He taught me everything you see today.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Byron Alexander?

I will leave the 1v1 question up in the air for you to decide.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your life on the court that reached the NBA?

I´m clueless on this one, there were a lot of players

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time

I can´t pick a top 5, I loved all my teammates

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?

MJ, Kobe, Bron and Steph

Who is your GOAT and why?

MJ. He is 6 for 6 and his mentality was different than all the rest. He was feared in the league and the best players don’t argue with it. He is my goat.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

They should have left it alone

Thanks Trevor for the chat.

Joe Asberry (196-F-1965, college: SF State) is an American ex professional basketball player that really has seen it all from crime to drugs, but also played against legends like David Robinson (215-C-65, college: Navy), Gary Payton, Jason Kidd and Brian Shaw and was teammates with German legendary player Christian Welp. He had a 11 year professional career that saw him toil around in the minor leagues of Germany, but he belonged to the best in his day at that level. Since retiring from the game, he has been a spokesperson for young kids and drug prevention, guest speaker, worked in the Alba Berlin organization, been a master of ceremonies for UBC Hannover and been a mentor for young Americans coming overseas trying to live the dream of being a professional basketball player. Currently he works with an agent and with young inspiring basketball kids and has his own podcast. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Joe for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you now and how is basketball life treating you?

Always my pleasure to catch up with you Miles. You’re my guy. Basketball life is treating me very well. I’m in Berlin.

One can call you a multi functional basketball workaholic. Tell me a little about all the projects that you are involved with now?

I’m involved in quite a few things. Scouting for Pro Basketball, trying to find talent for the Agents I’m working with. Working on putting together a Tour Team with a new Agent I want to work with and my guy, Elijah Allen,so that ‘Imports’ can get a foot in, the door doing Pro Hoops in Germany. So I’m on the grind for sure.

You have some street ball tournaments coming up. What can we await from that and who are some of the players being featured.

The Streetball Tournaments are going to very nice. I’m the MC at a big one at the Hangar. My guys,’Coach Oumar’ and ‘King Hezi’ Josh line it up. The tournaments is at Gorli Park. I’m not sure which players will pull up, but we always have Pro’s if the Stamm is there with CEO ‘Big Dia’

Another duty of yours is compiling the Eurobasket regionalliga awards. What do you enjoy most about compiling this data?

I enjoy it after the awards are up, when my guys that ball in that league, hit me up and tell me they appreciate me. I tell them hey, I didn’t GIVE you an Award, you played great, so you TOOK an Award. I know the ‘Imports’ playing in that league are trying to move up the ladder. I’m an American who dominated that league back in the days, so when guys are telling me they SHOULD be playing in the BBL, I tell them, Stop Talking, Put in the WORK, and prove to the Coaches here that you’re a REAL PRO and deserve to play at a higher level, or go and do Stand up Comedy! LOL!

You have witnessed getting the needed Information from coaches as being a tough task. Why is that?

I don’t understand it Miles to be honest. The last two years, ‘ve reached out to all of the coaches in the league to ask them to Vote for their players. Most Coaches don’t even respond to me. I won’t go too deep into it, because I don’t want to make it worse. So moving forward,I hope the Coaches see this interview and hit me up. The good news is I’m well connected. I get inside info from a few of the Coaches in the league that are my guys. I ask them who are the best players and who deserves to be on the list. After that it’s a numbers game.

How sad is that not all Regionalligas play for the title in a playoff mode? Do you ever see this happening? I hope in the future that every region will have a playoff mode to win the title.

Dyon Dyoeki has been here grinding for years. He had 26 and put his team on his back and carried them to Pro B. Shawn Scott was magnificient in the playoffs. Bryant Allen willed his team to the Pro B. He has been on the grind for years too. Gilbert Gyamfi had a flawless 40 point performance. Big Jascal Knoerig was also great in the playoffs. I watched a game in Hamm and it’s crazy to think coach Ivan Rostic took that gym from 50 fans to 1000 and a packed house. So the playoff vibe in the North and West was Awesome!

How have you seen the development of the Regionalliga in the last years? Is the quality of the players and teams improving?

The players are improving for sure. Guys are getting bigger, better, stronger and faster!

A big topic we like to discuss is these so talented Americans like Shawn Scott and Jeremy Ingram continuing to return to the Regionalliga because of their love for the game, but nobody above Regionalliga is willing to give them a chance. Will this ever change?

Sure hope it will change. Those two dudes are THE REAL DEAL! They can both play at the minimum Pro B. Scott has a motor like a Brand New 2024 Chevy Corvette. He can keep his team involved and then he hits this switch where there is NOTHING you can do. He can get to his spots with ease. Back in the days I played in the SF Pro Am at Kezar with Topper Allen and Richard Morton. Rich played in the BBL here. Those two guys could score between 20 and 50 points and not even break a sweat. Jeremy Ingram is that type of player. I call those guys Prolific Scorers.

What were your highlights of the 2023-2024 Regionalliga season?

My highlight was to see Dyon Dyoeki and Shawn Scott get player of the Year in their regions. Dyoeki has been trying to move up Neustadt for Years and he finally did it. Not alone of course. That was a great team but that last game he literally WILLED his team to a win. I felt like Scott was robbed. He won the chip with the Berlin Braves and they didn’t resign him to play in Pro B. His bounce back was magnificent to average 30,and push your team to the final game means that you’re GOOD enough to play in Pro B! PERIOD!

There were many great players again in the Regionalliga. Who were your best players in the last season?

Come on Miles don’t put me on the spot like that. There are too many ballaz that will be angry if I don’t mention them so I’ll take the high road. Elijah Allen came back from a Major Injury and he helped take a Giessen team that was horrible back to in the conversation to move to Pro B. Not to mention, I want to borrow his Raybans to do 1 of my Streetball Tournaments in 4k,so I must shout him out! LOL!

Who do you see reaching the NBA final and winning it all?

That’s a tough question. I want Minnesota because I feel like Anthony Edwards is the New MJ, but I think your boys in Boston will win it all. I think Tatum and Brown were mean puppies last year and now they’re BIG DAWGS!

Thanks Joe for the chat.

That Shawn Scott (185-G-1996, college: SW Christian) is a walking bucket is nothing new and that he can fill the stat sheet like a Russell Westbrook, but he has also been a player that has proved in his first 3 professional seasons in Germany that he has developed as a player and climbed the basketball ladder beautifully going from the Regionalliga 2 to the Regionalliga last season and helping BG Berlin 2000 win the Regionalliga title and helping them move up to the Pro B. That he wasn´t resigned for the Pro B is a riddle, but that is basketball which is all about politics and that is nothing new. He deserved a chance in the Pro B this season and instead dominated in the Regionalliga again averaging 30,1 ppg and led BG Hagen into the final and lost a bitter do or die game in game 3 to Essen. It is no secret that he has a massive chip on his shoulder and his BG Hagen season obviously heighted it more and put the weight on his shoulders even more. There is no doubt that he will get a job next season, but will he finally get a job in a higher German league or will he turn his shoulder on Germany and attempt a new challenge in another country? “I think for sure I want to test the waters of Pro B or Pro A if the opportunity arises but the biggest thing for me is that I go where I’m wanted. I want to be somewhere that I can be myself and play my normal game and not have to overthink it. I think this is the best version of me but of course I will and have always been coachable. I’m excited for what’s next and I believe for sure I will have some options coming up”, stressed Shawn Scott.

Let´s back track to the 2023-204 season where Shawn Scott led BG Hagen into the Regionalliga final. It is obvious that a season is only great with a title. “Winning a title is always the ultimate goal for me, but overall, I couldn’t be more than proud of how the season ended and making it to the finals again. We were one of the youngest teams in the league and most of the players had never played this deep into the season before so for us to make it this far shows what type of team we are and how proud we should be of this season and for the future”, warned Shawn Scott. BG Hagen finished in second place behind the ETB Miners Essen and had split the season series. Getting to the final was no cake walk as in the first round, they had to go the distance against Hamm where the American left it all on the floor averaging 33,0ppg. BG Hagen then swept Koeln DTV and met the ETB Miners in the final and once again had to go 3 games, but this time, it wasn´t enough for another series win and title. Losing the final was difficult as he is the extreme competitor. “It was extremely tough because this was my first actual finals loss since I’ve been playing in Germany so it definitely hurt a bit to lose this one. I’m extremely competitive and there’s nothing more I hate than losing but after thinking about it I’m just proud of my guys that we fought to the very end of the game”, warned Shawn Scott. BG Hagen fought hard for 3 games, but in the end, the opponent simply was better in too many areas. “I think overall Essen just had way too many pieces than we had answers for. Anytime we stopped one or two key players, two other “role players” killed us. I think we really did give it our all on defense and we played to our defense scheme but against a team like this it’s extremely hard and you have to be almost perfect on defense. I think the rebounding and them hitting 13 three´s cost us the game. I feel we stopped the top shooters, but in game three, other players stepped up and hit big shots whom we wanted to shoot the ball so hats off to them”, said Shawn Scott. Having big banger Dzemal Selimovic was key who was in Kevin Love mode in game 3 and the individual quality of Essen seemed to be too much. “I mean, there’s not too many people who can guard him, but I definitely I think we gave it our all to try and stop him with different schemes and strategies but nothing seemed to work and not having our seven footer really killed us. I mean they just had way too many threats that could have a big game at any moment and it’s really tough to try and stop all of them and every game someone different is going to have a big impact which makes them so dangerous. You could see where the experience came in to play but still extremely proud of my guys because we gave them a run for their money”, commented Shawn Scott.

The explosive guard who lists the ETB Miners lethal scorer Justin Andrews as his toughest opponent this season had great experiences in the playoffs the last 2 seasons. However last season with BG Berlin 2000, he had an easier time sweeping Neustadt and Stade. Were the 2 3 games series mentally a hurdle too much this season? “I think not a hurdle too much. This is part of the playoffs and this is why it’s the best of three series so it’s bound to happen. Against Hamm even though we went to three games, I knew we would win this series and against Essen, we were the underdog and the fact that we forced the game three gave us a bunch of confidence and motivation that we could win this series but unfortunately just came up short. I think in this season compared to last season, I was much more mentally prepared and ultra focused on really wanting to win the championship again because I felt like I was one of the few people that had been in this situation before and it was my job to essentially lead this team through my actions and words as well”, expressed Shawn Scott. He also knows what is the most vital thing of being successful in a playoff series and rough times. “I think the biggest thing I learned was that confidence and trust is the biggest key to how you can perform at your best in this sport. There were times where I didn’t start the game so well, especially in the playoffs and that could get you discouraged and lose your confidence but with the team we had everybody trusted everybody and the coaches had our back no matter what and I think that’s what brought us this far”, added Shawn Scott. He played with a bunch of guys that he will never forget. It was actually head coach Tome Zdraveski who had the biggest influence on him and Jaro Abrams was the most improved. “ I think Coach Vid had the biggest impact on me because from the very beginning of the season, he put that confidence back into my head about my shooting ability and I shouldn’t listen to what anybody says, and he trusted me to lead the team and that only made me play that much better. I told him that I hadn’t been pushed like that in a very long time and I really appreciated that from him. Well, this is my first time playing with most of these players, but I would say Jaro Abrams was the most improved. I think he had a breakout season this year and he made an impact the moment he got here and really was a monster on defense and transition. I think we complimented each other so well and most teams had real problems stopping us together”, stressed Shawn Scott.

The Oklahoma native who lists his 47 point triple double explosion against Grevenbroich as his best game of the season proved again in the Regionalliga that he was a man among boys in the scoring and filling the stat sheet area averaging 30/9/6/2 and was rather content with his play. “Although I would have loved to finish with another championship, I think I had one of the best seasons of my career and I showed how consistent, efficient, and dominate I can be on a nightly basis. On top of that just being able to win. I think it’s not easy to come to a new team and make it to the finals and I believe that speaks to the type of player I am”, said Shawn Scott. When looking at his stats to his play with BG TVO / Jahn last season, the stats are fairly similar, but he still feels like he grew as a player this season. “I think where the most my game grew this season was developing the confidence to shoot the outside three comfortably. I feel I was capable of putting up these numbers last season and I showed that with my abilities halfway through the season with TVO Biggesee but still in this time and my time with Berlin I had zero confidence to shoot the three ball and I feel like my confidence has came back and will only make me a more dangerous player”, warned Shawn Scott. He also knows what part of his game still needs to be tweaked so he can make another step as a player. “I’m still not satisfied with my three pointer until I get it right and make it impossible for teams to stop me. But I want to look at the positive side and the already improvement. If you add the three-point percentage from Berlin that last season, I shot close to 20%, so this season to shoot 10% more it’s already a plus. And If you look from the start of the playoffs to the end of the playoffs, I shot I believe 40% from three. In the biggest moments, I proved that I can shoot the three and all I needed was the confidence. I’m excited for the off-season and will continue to work on it but also happy with how I’ve improved”, stated Shawn Scott. Being that versatile player is always key for a player getting the best opportunities overseas and he knows that continuing to be that lock down defender will give him the best chances for job opportunities. “Defense has been my thing since I was 12 years old. When I couldn’t dribble the ball or shoot or make layups, I always knew how to play defense. Even in high school the only way I got quality minutes was because of my defense and nothing else. It will always be a big part of my game because I take pride in it and it’s fun for me to stop the best players and not let anybody score on me”, warned Shawn Scott.

The off season has already began for many guys, but for him at the moment, it is still a bit to early to start getting in grind mode and being in the lab 24/7. He needs some time to let his body recover from the long season. But he already has a plan set up for this summer when concerning what areas of his game he will work diligently on on improving. “I will be working tirelessly on my three-point shot and not just catch and shoot but moving threes and off the dribble as well. One area I do want to develop for next season is a floater because I feel it will help tremendously when driving to the paint and not having to use so much contact and force under the basket”, added Shawn Scott. But he won´t only be in the gym, but already has other plans with how he will be spending his precious summer time. “I will be playing a little bit of street ball for my first ever so excited for that and will be just in the gym and lifting like normal. I’ll go back to the states sometime in June so I’ll be in Germany until then. I already got some places I want to visit before I go so looking forward to that”, expressed Shawn Scott. The ex Southwestern Christian University (NAIA) guard just completed his third professional season and he is 28 years old and slowly coming into his prime. His heart is in Germany. He is a veteran like 1000´s of other Americans with a chip on his shoulder. He has 2 years of grueling Regionalliga seasons behind him and now finally deserves a chance in the Pro B or Pro A. Let´s go German basketball GM´s. This dude can ball at these levels. Give him a chance, because you won´t regret it.

A few minutes had passed since the buzzer had sounded crowning the Dragons Rohndorf Pro B winners in the 2023-2024 season and there was absolute bedlam on the court between players, management, organization and fans of the Dragons Rhondorf in Cologne. You could see enormous joy in the faces of everyone involved. Now was the time to grab those special moments with the camera. Unfortunately sometimes that perfect picture for the scrap book just doesn’t want to be. I witnessed the hug of the season as Kelvin Omojola (183-G-1997, college: Northwest) and his mom shared their own personal moment and it just wasn’t long enough as I tried to weave between some fans and players to grab the moment, but couldn’t. His mother had flown in from Los Angeles to watch his son win his first chip ever in his life. You win some and you lose some, but on this day, there were definitely enough other long lasting pictures taken for everyone involved to be able to cherish this moment forever. It was a very special season for the Dragons Rhondorf after being stuck in the Regionalliga and Pro B the last 8 years, they finally won a Pro B title again. It was a magical season where the club came together during the crunch-time part of the season mastering do or die games and all throughout the season, the teams was always intrigued to get better which was a big part of the success of the club.

The Dragons Rhondorf didn’t waste anytime last summer building a very potent club and bringing in young and ambitious head coach Stephan Dohrn to help guide the special pieces. It became clear rapidly that the Dragons Rhondorf would have a team that would play near the top of the Pro B standings. The Dragons Rhondorf had 6 ex Pro A players with Blunt, Buck, Omojola, Pilipovic, Gille and Silic as well as 2 very talented youngsters with Muller and Rosic. The club demonstrated the whole season that they had scoring etched in their veins as they averaged 90 points per game. They scored 90 points or more 16 times and 100 points or more 9 times. They weren’t the best defensive team allowing 82 points per game, but they were willing to work hard every day and performed at their best when they needed it most especially in the do or die game against Berlin allowing 57 points and 68 points in the last game against the RheinStars. Head coach Stephan Dohrn never stopped drilling his team daily about the importance of being a good defensive team. Sometimes the effort can take you farther than having the defensive skills. They began the season off well winning 10 of their first 11 games and of course had their ups and downs in the season, but they were never a team that didn’t show up to play. They saved their best for last posting a 8-3 record in the playoffs and sweeping top pro B team RheinStars in the finals. They were an unselfish team that really played for each other and just had a bunch of guys that enjoyed each other on and off the court and that usually is the best recipe for success on the court.

Every player was a winner in their own right. Captain Kelvin Omojola averaged 12/3/6 stats and was the definition of a real floor general that held the team together at all times. His big three’s in the game 2 of the final were massive. Team MVP Tyreese Blunt who averaged 15/3/3 should be a BBL player, but instead played for the team and just carried his team with his crazy energy and motor and just hit big shots time in and time out. Badu Buck who averaged 10/3/3 came from a Pro A team and was a true team player who put his ego aside and played for the team. He was always steady and was so team orientated that everybody respected him. The double double monster Avery Sullivan averaged 13/9 stats and was the consistent force under the hoop. He added a three pointer that made him even more dangerous and his forceful defense made him a big luxury to have on the defensive end. Ferenc Gille came late to the team averaging 10/7 and gave the inside game stability and an extra push. He developed a jumper something he couldn’t showcase in the Pro A. Antonio Pilipovic averaged 10/3/3 stats and was the sniper in the team. He literally saved his best for last hitting 13 three’s in his last 2 games against his former team RheinStars. German Janne Muller averaged 8/2/1 and made big strides as his self-confidence at age 17 is at a level seldom seen. He sparkled with his energy and mid range game and just finding solutions so well for his age. Marko Rosic was a true floor general who also made big strides. His quickness and incredible court vision always gave the second unit the needed push to keep the momentum of the first team going strong. His efficiency was also at a high level in the Pro B. Matej Silic averaged 5/2 and seemed to fall out of the rotation in the last 2 playoffs series, but he always gave 180% and was a valuable defender on bigger players and had his moments as a scorer against Frankfurt and Schwenningen. Leon Bulic averaged 9/6 and missed the last few months, but he was also a steady contributer. His inside out game always gave the big man rotation stability. Jekabs Beck averaged 2/2 and seemed to get lost a bit in the big man rotation, but when he came off the bench, he added the needed physicality and got key rebound. Mamadou Diallo averaged 2/1 and didn’t see much action, but showed his scoring ability netting 17 points against Ehingen. He also demonstrated that he could make an impact on the defensive end. All in all, it was an incredible season for the Dragons Rhondorf. The club had a new head coach and most guys were new. To be able to form a good team chemistry and come together so well so quickly and play consistent for the most part isn’t always self-evident. The Dragons Rhondorf organization deserve a lot of credit coming back into the winners circle after many years of underperforming and having unworthy seasons against what was usually expected from them. It was a lot of fun to observe the team from day 1 until the end. The question will be what will the future hold for the Dragons Rhondorf? They most likely won’t play Pro A as in order to be competitive, you need certain standards that aren’t present at the moment. But I’m know the Pro A is a goal. Until then it is always a delight to watch basketball in the Dragon Dome. The passion for winning will always be there.

KJ Sherrill (203-F/C-1991, college: Augusta) is a 32 year old 203cm forward that enjoyed a 8 year pro playing career overseas. He played with the Bona Baskets Limburg, the SG Luetzel-Post Koblenz (Germany-Regionalliga), Dragons Rhondorf, Telekom Baskets Bonn 2 team, Herten and the Cuxhaven BasCats (Germany-ProA). He played college ball at Charlotte (NCAA) from 2009-2012 playing 75 NCAA games and also played a season at Augusta University (NCAA2). He just completed his first season as an assistant coach with the Dragons Rhondorf helping win the Pro B title. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Congrats KJ on winning the 2024 Pro B title. How were the hours after the title? Did the team celebrate together or did the players go their separate ways?

We all celebrated after the win in the gym taking pics with fans. We celebrated the whole night. We had a team dinner back in Bad Honnef. Today we have a barbeque at 3,30 and then an official meeting at town hall at 6,00pm.

It was the first in your coaching season. I guess a better start into your coaching career couldn´t have happened?

The season couldn´t have gone any better for me as a rookie coach. When I took the job last June, I never thought then that we could have gone so far. But as the team was built and the season went on, we felt like we could go far.

The goal was clear at the start that the Dragons Rhondorf wanted to win the title. The club had ups and downs like any other successful team, but what made this group of individuals so special?

Actually it wasn´t our main topic to have to move up. We felt that it was important to go game by game. We knew that we had a strong team, but also knew that we had to work hard every day. The great thing was that every player was intrigued to get better each day. That showed on the court.

The Dragons Rhondorf allowed a 9-0 run to end game 1 in Rhondorf to win only by 2 points. How much of this was a blessing in disguise for the team mentality going into the final game in Cologne?

Both teams were strong in game 1. We had the lead, but got a bit careless at the end. We threw the ball away too much. We didn´t close out the game. That game was a wake up call for us. We knew how big the last game was and wanted to give all we had. I have to give our fans a lot of credit. The game in Cologne felt like a home game. Half the gym was filled with our fans.

Another blessing in disguise was Antonio Pilipovic who wanted to show his ex team RheinStars that he is an incredible player. Was his focus at another level during the weekend? How sure were you that he could heighten the Friday game on Sunday?

Antonio was definitely on a mission. He took the 2 games against his former team personally and was very sentimental. He was locked in since Friday. He is one of our best shooters and we always encourage him to shoot when he is open. He took the shots with so much confidence. I was really excited for him to have that outbreak against his former team.

Going into the Sunday game, I wasn´t sure the Dragons could eclipse it´s 15 three´s from Friday. It hit I believe a season 20 three´s. What exactly did the team do together on Saturday during shooting practice?

All on team can shoot and we give every player the confidence to shoot. We actually wanted to take it easy Saturday with a little video, but the guys arrived with their sneakers and practice jerseys. They were highly motivated to get up extra shots. They all felt comfortable and that attitude carried over into the game. The guys wanted to win.

The team also played it´s best defense of the season when it counted the most on Sunday in Cologne. Kelvin Omojola told me after the game that the team didn´t really make any adjustments. Did the intensity and passion to defend conquer all?

I feel like we played a good solid defensive game on Friday. We really didn´t make any adjustments going into the Sunday game. We wanted to play with a bit more intensity and just finish the game strong. We wanted to level up defensively and just stick to our priniciples that we had from day 1. I feel like if we would have switched up tactics too much, then it would have been too much for them. We did a good job matching their physicality.

How vital was head coach Stephan Dohrn for the success? Was his motivation and in game coaching that helped you guys the most this season?

He has real structure of detail on defense. He wanted to be polished on the defensive end and we worked every day very hard on it. We worked more on defense than offense, because we know we could score. The guys worked hard all season long in practice and did the best that they could in days. He had a real knack of being able to get the guys going.

The whole Dragons Rhondorf team were part of the success, but talk about the motor of Tyreese Blunt. Where would the club have been without his focus and will to always win and play his best and to be able to hit big shot time in and time out?

Tyreese is a BBL player for sure. He didn´t get the chance with the Telekom Baskets Bonn, but we knew he was a hell of a player. We relied on his great energy and everyone fed off it. He made big shots, steals, and dunks. It was a real pleasure watching him play.

Badu Buck was also a very important player in the season. He may have gotten a little lost in the shadow of Tyreese Blunt. Now looking back what did you appreciate the most about his game?

Badu was the most veteran on the team. He really knows the game and is really patient. He is a real floor general that reads the defense and gets everyone going. He is so team orientated and everyone looks up too him. Sometimes he is too unselfish. He came down from Pro A and never showed any kind of ego thinking he was better than the rest. He was team orientated from day 1. It was a prefect move for him to come here. He fit in well and he was happy to be here and it showed.

Avery Sullivan was a little quiet in the final game in Cologne, but had a great season. How much did he improve? He developed a three pointer and stepped up on defense.

I feel that Avery was one of the best signings of the season. He was so versatile and so strong on defense that he could guard 1-5. He has some quiet nights offensively, but was always a presence on the defensive end.

Janne Muller had an exceptional season. A 17 year old that played many years past his real age. His self-confidence and drive is unnormal for his age. What did you enjoy most about his game?

Janne will definitely become of the best German players at his age. What he can do at his age is amazing. He shocked us how efficient he can be for his age. He is one of the most skilled players on the team. He is like a sponge. You teach him something and he right away absorbs it and uses it in a game. He will be a BBL player. I was so excited to watch how experienced he was for his age.

Another player I like is Marko Rosic, a player that was as efficient as possible whenever he came off the bench. How did you see his game grow as well?

Marko is young, but already very polished. He is one of the best floor generals despite his size. He got our offense going doing a good job with tempo and made the right passes. I think that the older he gest the better he will get. I look forward to continue to watch him grow. It was so important for him to experience winning a title at such a young age.

Who was the most improved player on the Dragons Rhondorf this season?

All have improved, but if I had to pick one then I would say Ferenc Gille. He didn´t get an opportunity in the Pro A. I thought that he could only operate inside, but he developed a nice jumper here something he didn´t have before. We gave him the green light to shoot and he gained a lot of extra confidence doing that.

You were an assistant coach for the first time in your career. How did you experience the season. What did you cherish most about it?

I feel like that it was great for me helping build a team bond and being able to have a voice. I got a lot of responsibility and had talks every day with coach Stephan. I really respect the trust that he gave me. I never would have thought that I could get so much responsibility in my first season. He involved me in all duties. I really cherished that everyone listened to me and respected my voice.

How did you see yourself grow as a coach? Talk about your individual work with players and helping on the bench during games?

I learned along the way this season. I worked with different players and had different drills. On the bench, I took care of the substitutions and coach listened to my suggestions. Once again I really appreciate being able to have so much responsibility. I can imagine that they could of hired many other guys as an assistant coach that had more experience than I.

Did you develop a special bond with a player throughout the season that you will never forget?

I had a strong bond with all guys. We would go to the city and eat ice cream or go to Badu Bucks house and play Super Mario Kart. But I think my strongest bond was with Avery Sullivan who like me is a big man. He lived a few minutes away from me and we spent the most time together. I just tried giving him as much advice as possible.

What is the next step for you? I can imagine that you will remain with the Dragons Rhondorf?

I will stay with the Dragons Rhondorf as long as they want me. I have found a home here and feel safe and secure. I know that this is the right step for me.

It seems like Luka Doncic is for real. Can he win it all for Dallas over Boston?

I think that Dallas has the 2 best guards in the league and with their experience and skill level have a very good chance to go all the way. In my opinion the best players deserve to win the title.

Thanks KJ for the chat