Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Basketball journalist and play by play commentator

Steven Wright: I Will Never Forget The Practice Of Murat Didin, Because They Were Tough

Steve Wright is a 28 year old 191cm guard from Dayton, Ohio. He recently played in Finland for Namika Lahti. 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 recently about basketball life in Finland.

Your recently in Finland How much of a culture shock is it compared to the Beko BBL?

The style and skill level is a lot different than compared to the Beko BBL. I am using my time here as an opportunity to get better individually and help the team win.

Some years ago you were thinking about hanging up your sneakers. What motivated you to keep going?

I think that having that desire to quit had to do with not being successful on the court. I talked over my situation with some people and they told me to stick with it and that it would pay off in the end. I am trying to make the best of it.

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Frank Robinson: The Artland Dragons Will Have A Lot Of Success This Year Because The Locker Room Is So Close

Frank Robinson is 27 year old 193cm guard that was born in Compton, California and grew up in Los Angeles and just ended a short stint in germany with the Artland Dragons. He played at Cal Fullerton (NCAA) from 2005-2008. In his senior year, he played games: 15.8ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.5apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 45.1%, 3Pts: 34.2%, FT: 73.8%. In 2008-2009, he started with NBA club Atlanta Hawks (NBA), left in Oct.’08, then moved to Union Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-Liga UPC, starting five): Adriatic League: 17 games: 4.5ppg, 1.5rpg, 1.1spg; Euroleague: 8 games: 6.8ppg, 3.3rpg, in Feb.’09 signed at EnBW Ludwigsburg (Germany-1.Bundesliga, starting five): 11 games: 11.0ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 53.2%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 73.5%. In 2009-2010, he started with the Atlanta Hawks (NBA) again, only pre-season, in Dec.’09 moved to Los Angeles D-Fenders (D-League, starting five): 38 games: 12.4ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.7apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 49.8%, 3PT: 24.3%, FT: 69.2%. In the summer of 2010, he played NBA Summer League in Las Vegas (LA Lakers).Last season, he played for Maccabi Haifa (Israel-Premier League): EuroChallenge: 14 games: 9.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.3apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 59.5%; Israeli League: 28 games: 12.9ppg, 4.3rpg, 2.7apg, Steals-2(2.4spg), FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 61.1%. He started this season with Sokhumi Tbilisi (Georgia-Superleague) Eurochallenge Qualifying Round: 2 games: 16.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.0apg, 1.0bpg. He spoke to German Hoops about the disappointment of not being able to play with the Artland Dragons.

You had a short stay with the Artland Dragons. How dissappointed are you that you had to leave the club because of basketball politics?

Artland is a really good team , I was very disappointed this was one of the best group of guys I have ever been around. From coaching staff to players, I honestly feel like I have met some life time friends here. The situation is tough and it hurts more because it has nothing to do with actual skill or talent. The Artland Dragons will have a lot of success this year because the locker room is so close.

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The Brose Baskets Bamberg Form The 31/11 Basketball Equation Breaking The Fraport Skyliners 97-63

After the crushing 83-57 loss to Alba Berlin last weekend where the only thing missing after the game was an unexpected bombardament of rotten eggs by Dashaun Wood to fuel the wound of the loss of the Fraport Skyliners, the club of Muli Katzurin had little time to recover and lick their wounds as they had to visit power house Brose Baskets Bamberg in which some less desirable things now might have been more desirable to encounter then having to experience Freak city now in this vulnerable time like Paris Hilton having to eat raw spinage instead of caviar, Kim Kardashian and NBA player Kris Humphries having to have a year subscription to annoying publicity about their doomed marriage or actor Charlie Sheen going to entertain people in his new Charlie Sheen mask and nobody believing it is really him. Nobody really expected the Fraport Skyliners to win in Freak city even though they had been the last team to do so June 6^th 2010 in the Beko BBL finals as they got hammered 97-63. Despite it being so difficult to win there, no Skyliner wanted to be anywhere else. “I love to play in an atmosphere like this here in Bamberg. I get pumped up better for the game. Bamberg did a good job getting good start and getting fast break points and hitting their shots”, expressed Quantez Robertson. For Skyliner rookie Michael Thompson, he was given the nod to start at point guard and he didn´t seem at all overwhelmed by the conditions and felt at home in the Bamberg zoo. “I didn´t want to be anywhere else tonight. It was hard to play here, but all we can do is learn from our mistakes and take the positives and negatives. I was happy for the start, but I felt that I didn´t get the team ready on offense the way I could of”, expressed Michael Thompson. For Justin Gray, the atmosphere was more like a playful puppy then a vicious German shepherd. “The atmosphere was nothing like what I have seen in Greece. The toughest fans are in Greece”, warned Justin Gray.

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Marcus Slaughter (Brose Baskets Bamberg): I Would Rate My Left Handed Dunk Over Nedzad Sinanovic As One Of My 5 All Time Best

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 after the 79-78 loss against Malaga in Euroleague play.

A tough 79-78 loss to Malaga in Euroleague play. The Brose Baskets Bamberg poured on 27 points in the first quarter. Were you surprised about the run and gun faster pace instead of more a defense typ of style?

I wasn´t surprised about the style in the first quarter. That is how we like to play and we wanted to impose our style and get off to a good start quickly.

In the second quarter, Malaga came back and stifled Bamberg a bit with their zone. Why couldn´t Bamberg react?

We weren´t hitting our shots and they started to hit more which allowed them to come back. We weren´t paying attention to details with their zone and we also had defensive lapses.

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Can The Fraport Skyliners Remove The Engraved Win from The Foreheads of The Brose Baskets Bamberg?

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.

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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.

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Marcus Slaughter (Brose Baskets Bamberg): The Old Players Want To Create History And The New Players Want To Become Part Of History

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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