Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Basketball journalist and play by play commentator

Mark Dorris: I Had Some Good And Bad Games And Kind Of Fizzled Out At The End

Mark Dorris is a 25 year old 188 cm guard playing in Germany in the BEKO BBL for Phoenix Hagen. He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and visited Princeton high school. He then attended St. Catharine College for a year before transfering to Marshall where he played from 2005-2008. In his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 13.6ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.4apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 39.1%, 3Pts: 34.3%, FT: 75.9%.For Cuxhaven, he played 29 games: 18.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 3.7apg, Steals-3(2.3spg), FGP: 55.4%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 77.3%. He signed with BEKO BBL team Phoenix Hagen last season and played 34 games averaging 15.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 3.6apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 24.4%, FT: 72.8%. Matk took some time to talk to German Hoops about basketball.

Where are you at the moment?

I am back home in Cincinnati seeing my family and friends.

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Achmadschah Zazai(s. Oliver Baskets Wurzburg) The Japan Basketball Trip Was A Huge Experience For Me

Achmadschah Zazai is a 24 year old German/Afghani 177 cm guard that recently completed the2010-2011 season with BV Chemnitz. He signed to play in the beko BBL for s. Oliver Baskets Wurzburg for the 2011-2012 season. He started his basketball career for TUS Lichterfelde Berlin (2.Bundesliga) in 2003 and played there until 2005. In the 2005-2006 season, he played for SG FT/MTV Braunschweig (2.Bundesliga) playing 28 games and averaging 6.3ppg, 1.3rpg, 2.2apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 48.3%, 3FGP: 26.9%, FT: 75.0%. In 2006-2007, he played for BSG Ludwigsburg (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 15 games averaging 19.3ppg, and also had a license for EnBW Ludwigsburg (1. Bundesliga) playing 12 games and averaging 1.1ppg. In 2007-2008, he played for the Bremen Roosters (Germany-ProA) playing 14 games averaging 3.4ppg, 1.1apg, and then went to Denmark to play for Horsens IC playing 8 games and averaging 9.8ppg, 3.0rpg, Assists-3(4.5apg), 2.4spg, 2FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 29.0%, FT: 92.0%. In 2008-2009, he played for Telemotive Muenchen (Germany-ProB) playing 25 games averaging 13.6ppg, 2.4rpg, Assists-4(5.5apg), Steals-5(2.2spg), FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 82.4%. In 2009-2010, he played for Freiburg (Germany-ProA, starting five): 14 games: 10.4ppg, 2.5rpg, Assists-5(4.9apg), Steals-1(2.4spg), FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 21.8%, FT: 76.0%. Last season he played for Chemnitz 99 (Germany-ProA, starting five): 30 games: 11.6ppg, 2.8rpg, Assists-2(5.9apg), Steals-4(2.1spg), FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 34.8%, FT: 64.7%. He spoke to German Hoops from Japan where he recently took part in a tournament with beko BBL players Chris Oliver, Jason Boone, Ben Jacobson and John Little.

Congrats on signing with the s. Oliver Baskets. How happy are you about being back in the beko BBL?

I am very happy!! I really never got the chance to show what I can play in the beko BBL and know I can hardly wait till the season starts!!!

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Dashaun Wood(Alba Berlin): When I Committed To Alba Berlin, A Part Of My Heart Stayed In Frankfurt.

DaShaun Wood is a 25 year old 185cm point guard from Detroit, Michigan that recently completed his first season in Germany for The Deutsche Bank Skyliners. He played EuroCup Qualifying Round: 2 games: 13.5ppg, 2.5rpg, 5.0apg; EuroChallenge: 6 games: 16.3ppg, 3.8rpg, 5.2apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 73.7%; German League: 42 games: Score-1(19.0ppg), 4.6rpg, Assists-2(5.9apg), 1.2spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 33.2%, FT: 80.3%. He won All-German Bundesliga Player of the Year -11, Eurobasket.com All-German Bundesliga Guard of the Year -11, Eurobasket.com All-German Bundesliga Import Player of the Year -11, Eurobasket.com All-German Bundesliga 1st Team -11, and Eurobasket.com German Bundesliga All-Imports Team -11. He is a young point guard with natural leadership abilities, who directs teammates on the floor and takes the ball in clutch moments. Loves to go inside to score, challenging the big guys, but has also shooting range from behind the 3pts arch. Despite lack of size, he can be effective even at the defensive side. He played at Wright state from 2003-2007. In his senior year, he played 33 games avergaing 19.6ppg, 5.1rpg, 4.0apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 43.5%, 3Pts: 37.3%, FT: 88.3%. In 2007-2008, he played his rookie season for Tisettanta Cantu (Italy-SerieA, starting five): 38 games: Score-5(16.9ppg), 3.0rpg, Assists-4(3.3apg), 2.7spg, 2FGP:52.1%, 3PT-2(42.8%), FT:77.4%. In 2008-2009, he played for : Benetton Treviso (Italy-SerieA), injured in Oct.’08 and was off for 2 months: Eurocup: 12 games: 5.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 87.5%; Italian League: 17 games: 7.2ppg, 2.9rpg, 3.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 43.1%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 7. German Hoops caught Dashaun while in Detroit over the phone.

The Skyliner world has been turned a bit upside down in the last 72 hours as Gordon Herbert signed with alba Berlin and you followed him signing a two year deal. Could this move have been prevented?

Yes I think it could have been prevented, but I had certain clauses in the contract and one was being that I would only stay if coach Herbert stayed. I am very thankful to the Frankfurt organization for having been able to come back after not playing for a year and play there. The Skyliner fans showed great support. I told you last season that the most important thing for me is to win titles and Alba Berlin gives me and coach the best opportunity of reaching that goal.

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Ex Skyliner Roger Powell Hangs Up The Sneakers To Become an Assistant Coach With The Valparaiso Crusaders

Some weeks ago as I asked Roger Powell if he would return as a Fraport Skyliner this season, he answered with silence.Perhaps he didnt hear me with the music blaring from the speakers at the Skyliner season ending party, but for Powell not to return and join an ACB team or attempt another shot at an NBA roster would have been the sure bet, but to hang up his sneakers and go into coaching would have been as far from my thoughts as the Minnesota Timberwolves winning the 20i2 NBA title, 2011 NBA champion Dirk Nowitzki playing for Phoenix Hagen if an NBA lockout happens or Hollywood actor George Clooney getting married sometime before 2040. According to http://www.valpoathletics.com, Roger Powell (198-F-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Illinois) will join the Valparaiso Crusaders coaching staff for the 2011-2012 NCAA season as an assistant coach. ‘I am extremly excited to start my college coaching career at Valparaiso University. The Drew family have built a successful and competitive program that prizes integrity and charachter. I am truly blessed to join the Valpo Family’, stated Roger Powell (198-F-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Illinois). Valparaiso head coach Bryce Drew is thrilled that the ex NBA player Roger Powell (198-F-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Illinois) will be able to give his knowledge and basketball experience to the young kids. ‘Roger will be a fantastic asset to our staff. He brings a tremendous basketball resume with him along with the same charachter and values that our university and program represent. We are excited to get him here and on the road to recruit where he should be agreat asset for us’, commented Valparaiso head coach Bryce Drew .

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2011 beko BBL Final Brose Baskets Bamberg-Alba Berlin 3-2

Revenge and long term absence that Alba Berlin is currently suffering can be a very dangerous and uncomfortable experience for any opponent in the beko BBL as Oldenburg and The Deutsche Bank Skyliners recently had to witness in the last weeks, but now they will take this increased stress of the past into the Brose Baskets Bamberg series in the 2011 beko BBl final. Alba Berlin hasn´t been in the beko BBl final since 2008, which might not seem like a long time to a neutral bystander, but for CEO Marco Baldi, it probably seems like an eternity and as horrible as Harry Potter fans seeing the end of the story becoming a reality, George Bush haters not getting the total satisfaction of the ex President getting hit by an errand foul ball at a Texas Rangers-Chicago White Sox game or ex Skyliner coach Murat Didin having to witness and come to terms with being seen by some as a Danny Devito doppelganger. On top of not tasting champagne in three years, the team not only lost the season series to Bamberg, but were drilled on the side of their heads in Bamberg being humiliated 103-52 and the only thing missing was the team departing the arena with bags over their heads. With FC Bayern Munich entering the beko BBL stage next season and ready to rumble with the top teams and Brose Baskets Bamberg being the top team at the moment, Alba Berlin doesn´t want to slide further away from the top and will be as motivated to seek revenge as Dirk Nowitzki had for the game one loss to the Miami Heat taking crunch time in game two into his own hands and scoring the last seven Mavericks points to win game two 95-93, Big Loser contestants in the American TV show impressing new drill sergeant ex tennis goddess Anna Kurnikowa or Paris Hilton trying to upend her party girl image each day with worthy causes. The Brose Baskets Bamberg host Alba Berlin in game one Sunday as both teams enter the finals with long five game series, but Alba Berlin possibly having more momentum coming in having won all three games in Frankfurt and remembering the big 103-52 loss. “Alba Berlin showed that they played with a lot of confidence on the road. They might of had a long series against Frankfurt, but I don´t think they are tired, because they have a long bench. They aren´t tired yet and will have momentum going in. That 51 point loss will still be in their heads. I believe that Alba Berlin will come out with a lot of energy”, stressed Artland Dragon guard Bryan Bailey. The Brose Baskets Bamberg only lost two games all season and had a huge advantage over most of the other 17 BEKO BBL teams in that they have kept a core of their team. This season Bamberg has kept many teams off guard with not just one style of play. “We can play a multitude of different styles. We have players on our roster that can do everything. The style we play depends on our opponent and style of game they play. We will always be able to tailor our game to match the opponent”, added Bamberg forward Kyle Hines.

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Alba Berlin Takes Over The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Living Room Winning Game 5 87-68 As Pascal Roller Departs Gracefully

Sometimes parallels can be small and unconventional, but it can still make one think the Arsenio Hall famous thought hmmmmmmmmmmm as back in 2004 the last time Frankfurt won the beko BBL title then known as The Opel Skyliners, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski were about to start their flight as successful German national soccer players, Lady Gaga was still screeching songs under the shower and actress Katie Holmes still had her cute school girl crush for future husband Hollywood tycoon Tom Cruise. Current Skyliners Jimmy Mckinney was making a name for himself at Missouri with guys like Travon Bryant, Rickey Paulding and Linas Kleiza, Roger Powell was still working on his game at Illinois with future NBA players Deron Williams and Luther Head and Dashaun Wood was a road runner in the making at Wright State. Back then in 2004, Frankfurt had a 27 year old Pascal Roller and raw talent coach Gordon Herbert who won the final against Bamberg in a game five series where each team won their away games until game five where Frankfurt was able to win at home. Now seven years later, Roller and Herbert were both wiser and more experienced and had the same chance to win another game five at home after the first four games had all been won on the road by the away team. Frankfurt also had a positive omen in which they had beat Alba Berlin twice in a playoff series since 2005 and wanted to make the triple against the Spree team in 2011 and despite a fresh Pascal Roller, Alba Berlin ruined his fathers day ending the season of The Deutsche Bank Skyliners 87-68 moving on to the final where they will meet three time beko BBl champion Brose Baskets Bamberg. The past success in 2004 didn´t seem to rub off on Roller and Herbert as Frankfurt was unable to win in their living room losing the fourth game in a row this season in the Ballsporthalle. “I think Roller and Herbert might have looked in their eyes with a small smile thinking about what they did in 2004. Remembering that success might have given them strength to do it again tonight”, stressed ex North Carolina Tar Heel Ademola Okulaja before the game. “I don´t think that Roller or Herbert will have remembered this. I don´t think they would have thought a second about it. It is different circumstances and you can´t compare it”, stressed Skyliner sport director Kamil Novak before the game. Alba Berlin won their fourth game in a row in Frankfurt and just outplayed Frankfurt in so many areas as the sadness was present on the faces of the Skyliners after the game. “This loss hurts very much. You work a whole season to get to the final and then it ends like this. A big problem was the rebounding. We got way to little second shots and we didn´t get on transition enough”, stressed Skyliner forward Jimmy Mckinney. “We did a good job finding the open man on offense. Our big guys also did a good job on the boards and also finding the open man. Idbihi and Taylor gave a lot of energy under the boards”, stressed Alba Berlin manager Mithat Demirel. The game five loss by The Deutsche Bank Skyliners also was the curtain call by captain Pascal Roller who had stated that he would step down from the court at the end of the season at the age of 34.

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Pascal Roller(Deutsche Bank Skyliners): The Most Important Thing In The Alba Berlin Series Hasn´t Been The Home Court, But Who Got IntoThe Game Better

Pascal Roller is a 34 year old 180cm combo guard that is playing his 11th season in Frankfurt. He started his career with TV Langen and then played with Freiburg in the second German Bundesliga from 1996-1999. He has played in Frankfurt ever since except for the 2006-2007 season when he took a sabbatical in Italy with Angelico Biella playing 39 games averaging 5.7ppg, 1.6rpg, 1.4apg, 2FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 85.0%. His best statistical season was the 2004-2005 season where he played 44 games averaging14.9ppg, 3.2rpg, Ast-5(4.0apg), 1.0spg, 2.7bpg, 2FGP: 49.5%, 3FGP-3(43.3%). He has played 19 Euroleague games, 28 ULEB Cup games, and 12 Eurochallenge games. His biggest success with Frankfurt was winning the BBL Cup in 2000 and the BBL championship in 2004. He is a seven time BBL Allstar. He also played with the German National team for 9 years. His biggest accomplishments was playing at the 2008 Olympics at Beijing, winning a bronze medal at the World Championships at Indianapolis in 2002 and winning a silver medal at The European Championships in Belgrad in 2005. In 2009-2010, he played 46 games averaging 8.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 44.3%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT-1(90.8%). currently he is averaging 4,5ppg and 1,3apg. He spoke to German Hoops before game 5 against Alba Berlin

Congrats on the 83-74 win against Alba Berlin in game four. Are these do or die games easy now for you then earlier in your career?

Yes it gets easier, because I have more experience in these games in the last years. Now I know how to react in certain phases of the game and am able to make better decision in certain phases of a game.

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Dashaun Wood Is Back To His Old Tricks As The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Force Game 5 Against Alba Berlin 83-74

Do or die games in professional sports now a days seem to be as common as the gossip that has been surfacing about the Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger in the last weeks concerning his leisurely activities with mistresses, NBA teams playing matador defense letting guys like Dwayne Wade or Derrick Rose get simple buckets and hope to get points back at the free throw line to finish games or Hollywood actor Charlie Sheen keeping his name fresh in the tabloids even if he is just trying to sell his Beverly Hills mansion for a cool 7,2 million. In the last days, fans saw two do or die games in the NBA playoffs as both Dallas and Miami got past Oklahoma and Chicago who had to win to elude summer vacation, in the NHL, Boston and Tampa Bay squaring off in a seventh game where Boston kept their dream alive of their first Stanley Cup win since 1970 or ex Skyliner Ilian Evtimov who got an early summer vacation as his team Chalon lost a do or die game against Asvel. The Deutsche Bank Skyliners faced the same predicament having their backs to the wall down 2-1 against 8 time beko BBL champion Alba Berlin, but had had fond memories of the O2 World arena winning a thrilling comeback win in the fourth quarter out scoring Alba Belrin 24-5 just 8 days ago in game two. Frankfurt might of had their backs to the wall, but finally played Skyliner basketball winning game 4 and forcing a game 5 this Thursday in Frankfurt dominating Alba Berlin for the most part of the game winning 83-74. Skyliner coach Gordon Herbert had been in enough do or die games in his career and knew exactly how he could prepare his players best. “We worked hard on the mental aspect of it. We wanted to be very focused coming into the game. We did a good job coming out with a lot of energy into the game”, stressed Skyliner coach Gordon Herbert. “We had a different kind of week for this game. We focused more on the mental part than on the physical part. We did a lot of mental exercises something that I have never done before, but it was worth it and the game showed that many guys got something out of it”, said Skyliner forward Kimmo Muurinen. “It was not easy for Frankfurt to come into a game like this, but Frankfurt was prepared for the moment and there is a reason why they were the second best team in the league. Many guys stepped up like Roger Powell, Pascal Roller was strong off the bench and Tez does what he always does”, added Alba Berlin forward Bryce Taylor.

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Dashaun Wood Can´t Be A Superman Every Night As Alba Berlin Pound The Deutsche Bank Skyliners 68-52 For 2-1 Series Lead

The way the Alba Berlin Deutsche Bank Skyliners beko BBL semi final series had ended in the first two games couldn´t have been more dramatic or unbelievable than if Lebron James had lost a game on a tip in on his own basket, Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz winning a playoff game against the hated New York Yankees with a suicide squeeze bunt or Boston bruins goalie Tim Thomas winning a playoff game with a full ice flick of the wrist shot that would beat Tampa bay Lightening goalie Mike Smith by accident the same way FC Schalke goalie Manuel Neuer has been prone to allowing goals, or Skyliner assistant coach Klaus Prewas who is usually reserved in the same way after games if the team won by one point or 35 points, but after the game two shock win looked like he had just survived the torture chamber of Hannibal Lector in the Silence of the Lambs. “You never know what is going to happen in the playoffs. I remember that in 2008 we did the same against Oldenburg where all teams won their away games. I was a little surprised how Frankfurt won game two not allowing Alba Berlin to score for eight minutes. Something like that usually doesn´t happen to Alba Berlin”, stressed Telekom Baskets Bonn coach Michael Koch. “The most important thing in the playoffs is always the fighting mentality, playing with heart and getting the rebounds. My most crazy playoffs was when we were down 1-2 in games to Braunschweig and we came back to win 3-2. We had many injuries and played with lesser means. We played fought and played with heart and that is how we were able to get the win”, stressed”, added Alba Berlin sport director Mithat Demirel.
With the surprise effects that had happened in the first two games, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners didn´t want to exit the court again after game three with another insane ending that could of added some extra forehead wrinkles or a few more grey hairs above the brow so the gang of Gordon Herbert entered the game wanting to be as alert as Dirk Nowitzki has been in the current playoffs leading his team to success, as Ashton Kutcher will have to be serving in the role of Charlie Sheen and not getting caught in his pitfalls or how 8 time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl winning against Michael Chang again at a Frankfurt exhibition match last weekend and getting revenge after losing to the then 17 year old American who was suffering from cramps and had to serve under hand 22 years ago at Roland ´Garros in Paris, but every effort The Deutsche Bank Skyliners did wasn´t rewarded as Alba Berlin played sensational team basketball defense pounding Frankfurt 68-52 and taking a 2-1 lead in the best of five beko BBL semi finals series. “We couldn´t make a shot. I think we were a little tired. Alba Berlin was able to keep throwing fresh new guys at us and they had a deeper rotation tonight. They just wore us down tonight”, stressed ex NBA player Roger Powell. Despite the bitter loss in game two at home, Alba Berlin looked fresh and ready to go in game three.

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Uwe Sauer: Basketball Is Just a Game, But The Greatest There Is

Uwe Sauer played at Santa Clara university where NBA superstar Steve Nash also played and enjoyed a very successful basketball career in Germany from 1985-1997 winning titles with Cologne and Bayreuth and being the youngest German playing at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984. After his playing career, he became a coach. He was assistant coach for SSV Ulm from 1997.-1999. He then coached in Tuebingen from 1999-2003. He then coached for BG Karlsruhe from the 2003-2006 season. Since then he coached clubs like the Mitteldeutscher BC, The Teckpro Braves in Kaiserslautern and recently BG Illertal-Weissenhorn. He spoke to German Hoops about the past, present and future about basketball.

Uwe thanks for talking to German Hoops. You coached BG Illertal-Weissenhorn recently. What was your summary of the 10-11 season?

We had a great season and did a lot better than most people expected. We finished in 6th place and made the play-offs, that was a big success for the young franchise of BG Illertal.

You have coached mainly division one and two teams in your coaching career. How much of a challenge is it coaching a PRO B team and younger players?

It was a very big challenge for all of us since we played with the youngest and most inexperienced backcourt in the whole league. But they responded well and really improved over the course of the season and made this a fun year. It was great to see the young players develop and be a part of them growing up as players.

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