Author: Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Basketball journalist and play by play commentator

Bryan Bailey (Artland Dragons) The Basketball Atmosphere Is Special In Quackenbruck

Bryan Bailey is a 30 year old 185cm combo guard that is playing his 9th professional basketball season playing with The Artland Dragons. He is a true team leader both on and off the court. He possesses a diverse game, with an ability to stroke the long-range jumper, penetrate to the rim or distribute the ball. He is solid on the defensive end of the floor as well. His fierce competitive drive rubs off on his teammates. He started his professional basketball career at Bucknell and player there from 1998-2002 and in his senior year played 17 games averaging 18.1ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.4apg. He made All-Patriot League 1st Team in 2001 and 2002. In 2002-2003, he started his professional basketball season in Germany with DJK S. Oliver Wurzburg (Germany-1Bundesliga, starting five): 26 games, 15.4ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.4spg. In 2003-2004, he played in Holland for Landstede Zwolle (Holland-Eredivisie, starting five): 35 games: 17.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.1apg, 2.4spg, 0.2bpg. He then played with The Artland Dragons from 2004-2007 reaching the league and cup final in 2007. His best statistical season was 2005-2006 playing 33 games and averaging 11.4ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.7apg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 25.3%. In 2007-2008, he played with Bosna ASA BH Telecom Sarajevo (Bosnia-D1, starting five): ULEB Cup: 12 games: 10.3ppg, 2.3rpg, 4.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 20.8%, FT: 84.3%. In 2008-2009, he played in Poland for PGE Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-DBE): Eurocup: 6 games: 7.3ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.7apg, 1.7spg; Polish League: 32 games: 8.0ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 77.0%. Last season, he played with the EWE Baskets Oldenburg playing Euroleague: 4 games: 8.3ppg, 1.5rpg, 1.8apg; German League: 6 games: 9.3ppg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 89.7%. He sat down and spoke with German Hoops about basketball.

The Artland Dragons have missed the playoffs the last two seasons. Do the players feel added pressure to make the playoffs?

No I feel we dont feel any pressure. We all have the same goals and that is too reach the playoffs.

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Nic Wise Steals The Show From Dashaun Wood In Crunch Time Pacing The Telekom Baskets Past The Deutsche Bank Skyliners 92-89

With Christmas gifts and scrumptious food on the back burner, the Deutsche Bank Skyliners had their last game of 2010 on the schedule and wanted to depart 2010 and halt the 2,187 day winless streak in Bonn with a win and didn’t lose any of their focus that they have had this season as they were in the zone as much as the Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki are this season looking for that first NBA title, The New England Patriots are threatening to win a fourth Super Bowl title with Tom Brady and an inexperienced and young defense that continues to make strides or the motor city Detroit Red Wings who are playing with a zooming passion and have a 21-8 record and are seeking another Stanley Cup win after winning their last in 2008, but as so often this season on the road, the Deutsche Bank Skyliners lost their fourth game on enemy territory in crunch time all games that they had in their grasp, but lost control of falling to the Telekom Baskets Bonn 92-89 in a high scoring game. In crunch time, Frankfurt let referee decisions get in the way of their play and emotions. . It was a very physical game and it seemed with the flow of the game that the referee´s lost a handle on the game. “We seem to have had a problem this season with referee calls and we have to find a better way not to get involved with it. Today it bit us in the butt. I told the referee “he pushed me” and I get a technical foul for that”, stressed BEKO BBL top scorer Dashaun Wood. The Telekom Baskets didn´t let any calls disturb their rhythm as they finished strong and had a handle on their emotions and their shots in crunch time. “We hit big shots at the end. At times we lost our game plan, but at the end when we needed it most, we followed our defensive plan and we kept Frankfurt from making the key three pointers”, stressed Telekom baskets Bonn forward Patrik Flomo. “This was a disappointing loss, but one cant forget that Bonn is a very good team and we played them in their arena. A loss is a loss, but we fought back and made it a good game at the end”, said Skyliner forward Kimmo Muurinen.

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Can Dashaun Wood Lead The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Past The Telekom Baskets Bonn And Halt The 2,187 Day Winless Drought in Bonn December 29th?

Much has changed with The Telekom Baskets Bonn since the depressing and back breaking five game Frankfurt semi final playoff loss in Frankfurt in 2008 as Skyliner captain was unable to score on the last penetration drive which could of propelled the club into the finals against Alba Berlin. The team now plays in the Telekom dome while the old arena the Hardberg halle remains a school gym filled with chilling memories, while players John Bowler, Johannes Strasser and Bernd Kruel have changed jersey colors within the BEKO BBL and Americans Winsome Frazier and Ronald Burrell have gone east to showcase their basketball talents in Poland. The only pieces that still remain from that thrilling 2007-2008 BEKO BBL season is the heart and soul of the team coach Michael Koch, the magentas shirts, Bonny the lion mascot and the offensive rebounder flyer Patrick Flomo who could probably play a game of poker in mid air with Skyliner Quantez Robertson during one of their flights to the basket. That last miss by Pascal Roller in game 5 is more than 900 days ago and is something that the small diminutive German guard had to first think a moment about and recollect his thoughts about that experience. “That is something that I wont be thinking about. That moment was a long time ago and not in my head anymore”, stressed Pascal Roller.”I don’t think that that loss will be on his mind to be honest. That was a few years ago and Frankfurt is focusing on this season and looking to get a good seed and secure any kind of advantage for the playoffs”, warned TBB Trier guard John Bynum. Bynum isn’t Pascal Roller, but can remember a bitter moment in the BEKO BBL that hasn’t left his mind yet. “When I was playing for Bremerhaven, I can remember losing game five at home against Cologne after leading the series 2-1. We blew a seven point lead in game four with four minutes to play in the fourth quarter and then came home losing game five in double figures. This stands out in my mind”, added John Bynum. Frankfurt only has the current Bonn team on their mind and only have Roller, Jimmy Mckinney and Dominic Bahiense De Mello who played in that bitter game five loss. The rest of the team is new and will be gunning to make life uncomfortable for coach Mike Koch and finally win again in Bonn after 1,797 winless days.

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Dashaun Wood Does His Usual Offensive Damage And Kimmo Muurinen The Invisible Dirty Work As The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Cruise Past BBC Bayreuth 83-75

With presents, food, snow, loved ones, chilling and more snow on the minds of The Deutsche Bank Skyliners the last days, the club had to return to action on the second German Christmas holiday and be as focused and energetic as Giselle Bundchen is before every click of the camera and every snap by Tom Brady when she is watching, paparazzi have to be when trying to catch new developments between actress Sandra Bullock and 2010 People magazine most sexy man in the world Ryan Reynolds and the way the Boston Celtics were ready in their 14 game winning streak despite not always having the services of Rajon Rondo, Delonte West, Shaq, and Jermaine O Neal who missed a combined 36 games in this time, but Frankfurt was able to overcome a slow first half to storm back in the second half and take control of the game and defeat BBC Bayreuth 83-75. Frankfurt won their sixth game in a row in the Ballsporthalle and nothing seems to be able to stop them at home especially when their sixth man is always present. “We knew that BBC Bayreuth is a good team and the reason that we didnt loose this game tonight was because of our defense. The Crowd got us back into the game”, stressed Skyliner guard Dashaun Wood. The BBC Bayreuth losing woes continue as they lost their fifth game in a row. “Frankfurt went on a run and got us out of our offensive rhythm with a lot more pressure on defense. They made adjustments on defense and we didn´t react. Frankfurt did what good teams do by finishing the game”, commented ex NBA player Jared Reiner.
A big riddle surrounding last weekend was the overwhelming and humiliating 102-51 loss of 8 time BEKO BBL champion Alba Berlin against three time BEKO BBL champion Brose Baskets Bamberg, but the biggest mystery of the young basketball season is the 3-12 and 17th placed record by BBC Bayreuth. This isn´t a Nordlingen or Paderborn of past years that were filled with talent, but nothing compared to what BBC Bayreuth has. BBC Bayreuth with ex NBA player Jared Reiner, NCAA champion Marcus Ginyard that played with many current NBA players like Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson or Ed Davis, BEKO BBL champion and Euroleague participant Koko Archibong, 2010 Dutch league scoring champion Danny Gibson or mini pistol Pete Campbell, one would never have believed if one had left for a deserted island 3 months ago and returned today that the club of coach Andreas Wagner would be in the cellar of the BEKO BBL standings.

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Can NBA, Euroleague and North Carolina Tar Heel Experience Propel BBC Bayreuth Past The Deutsche Bank Skyliners December 26th?

Sometimes seeing teams with a very mediocre record despite a very talented roster is as unexplainable as seeing UFO sightings over Rosewell, New Mexico, witnessing rapper 50 cent attending a classical concert at Carnegy hall in New York and then deciding to make a classical CD with some of his raps from his most famous tracks, German tennis legend letting German comedian Oliver Pocher beat him in a game of tennis on a grass court or seeing an ally-op hook up from the top of the key from Orlando magic Dwight Howard to point guard Jameer Nelson. But so fra this season, the basketball fans in Bayreuth have had to believe and accept the current 3-11 record. “They are a talented team and are struggling a bit now. I think that they will beat some teams and finish the first half strong and be ready for the second half”, warned TBB Trier guard John Bynum. “It has been a crazy season for them so far. They are very talented. But just seem to have some wrong bounces at the end of games”, stressed Phoenix Hagen American Quentin Pryor. The club also has incredible experience and talent with an ex NBA player with Jared Reiner, a BEKO BBL champion and Euroleague player with Koko Archibong and an NCAA champion from North Carolina with Marcus Ginyard, but it seems like the basketball god has no mercy for players who have achieved amazing things in other places. “I don’t know what it is with BBC Bayreuth. They are a great team on paper for sure. They can beat any team in the league as we found out earlier in the season. I still think that they are better than their record shows. They will have success in the second half of the season”, warned John Bynum. “It doesn´t really matter who a team has, but it is all about the chemistry and how it develops”, added Quentin Pryor. Ex NBA player Jared Reiner came to the BEKO BBL in 2008 joining the Brose Baskets Bamberg and saw first hand what success can be like, but then at the end of December 2008 joined Bremerhaven and suffered a 6-17 record. It seems like déjà vu all over again as he is in the BEKO BBL cellar again. If that negative experience in Bremerhaven is on his mind now? “I don’t think so. As a player, you seem to forget about past seasons. You are only as good as your last game. It was a bad experience for him for sure, but I am sure that he and his teammates are thinking about ways to get on track”, commented John Bynum. “I am pretty sure that Bremerhaven is on his mind especially how things are going”, added Quentin Pryor.

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Kevin Worsley (BC ENERGIE ZWICKAU, Regionaliga) The 1, 2, And 3 Are All Interchangeable Positions So You Should Be Able To Play Them All If You Are A Good Player

Kevin Worsley is a 24 year old shooting guard/small forward from Chesapeake, Virginia that is playing in Germany for BC ENERGIE ZWICKAU. He is a very versatile player, who started his college career as a point guard at Neosho CC and then moved to the 2 and the 3 positions. He plays above the rim with his 36 inch vertical and has an outstanding mid-range jumper. This is why he can spend time even at the 4 position if needed. Also, he is a defensive stopper that always wants to check the team’s best player. Was top 100 in the nation in steals his senior season. He played at Norfolk Sate(NCAA) from 2006-2009. In his senior year, he played 32 games: 5.3ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.0apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 44.4%, FT: 69.7%. Last season, he played for Hampton Roads Cardinals (EBA): 18 ppg, 6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.8 spg. He took some time to talk to german hoops about basketball.

You are from Chesapeake, Virginia. What was your childhood like?

My childhood was like most kids I am the youngest out of 3 kids. I have an older brother named Kenny who has taught me mostly everything that I know about basketball and I have an older sister name Cassandra who is my biggest fan. I was raised with both of my parents living together so I am very blessed if I would say. My parents made sure I have the latest things so I could focus on sports and school instead being in the streets with the guys who gave up on their dreams. I had a strong supporting cast which consists of all the people in Virginia who believed in me and saw that I was determined to be successful. My family and friends never allowed me to get in trouble because they saw potential in me so they kept me on a straight path.

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Dashaun Wood(Deutsche Bank Skyliners) Both Pascal Roller And I Are Leaders On the Court

Dashaun Wood is a 25 year old 185cm point guard from Detroit, Michigan that is playing his first season in Germany for The Deutsche Bank Skyliners. 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: 70.4%. This past summer he played NBA Summer League in Las Vegas (LA Clippers). Dashaun took time to talk to german hoops about basketball.

Congrats on the 72-55 win against TBB Trier. Why was this win a lot more difficult than how it looked?

They played very hard. Even when they were down by 20 points, they were able to cut it down to 10 points. They play very hard on offense and defense and never give up.

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Face To Face With Whit Holcomb-Faye

Whit Holcomb-Faye is a 26 year old 185cm guard from Winston Salem, North Carolina. He is a hard-nosed competitor; has the natural scoring instinct with the ability to draw the foul and convert the bucket; has the ability to breakdown defenses with his penetration and is A very good free throw shooter; An under rated three-point shooter. He recently played with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen and now is playing in Austria for Wels. He played at Radford from 2002-2006. In his senior year, he played 29 games: 23.1ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.0apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 39.5%, 3FGP: 33.5%, FT: 80.9%. He played with the Kaiserslautern Braves and played 29 games: 16.4ppg, 2.5rpg, Assists-1(5.8apg), FGP: 47.3%, 3PT: 33.5%, FT: 69.7%. In 2008-2009, he played for BBC Bayreuth (Germany-ProA, starting five): 29 games: 12.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 4.1apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 47.7%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 76.1%. Last season, he returned to the Saar-Pfalz Braves (Germany-ProA, starting five): 30 games: 16.0ppg, 2.8rpg, Assists-1(8.4apg), 1.1spg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 26.6%, FT: 76.1%. He spoke to german hoops about basketball before leaving The Walter Tigers Tuebingen for Austria

After playing in the German PRO A for four years, you have made the jump to the BEKO BBL: What do you like most about the league?

I like that there are more people at the games. I always have liked to play in front of large crowds. The gyms are bigger here and the following is a lot greater. I am still trying to find myself and help the team as best as I can.

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The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Eliminate BC Khimik Yuzhny 72-60 , But Dont Advance In Eurochallenge Play Because Maccabi Haifa Get Caught In Yogi Bears Cave Losing To BK Ventspils

For the second straight week in Eurochallenge play, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners had their backs to the wall and were as desperate to win as Besiktas Istanbul fans are for an answer how the club can bow out of Eurocup play with an Allen Iverson on board and why the NBA legend wants to depart, for the Gloris Giants Duesseldorf starting a new long winning streak in the BEKO BBL so Murat Didin can go into 2011 with a new motivation and The Giessen 46ers getting back to their winning ways since suffering a seven game losing streak so the mascot son Fabi of Fabius will not be more apt to be scared away by the more increasingly angry fans with the more loses that arise. However, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners had more stress than just their backs to the wall as they entered a meaningless game, because Maccabi Haifa had been unable to beat BK Ventspils losing 99-62 thus dashing the hopes of Frankfurt of being able to advance, because BK Ventspils had to win the game. Frankfurt won a hard fought physical game against BC Khimik Yuzhny 72-60, but had mixed emotions at the end. “The whole outcome is a real disappointment. We didn´t know the result of Macabbi Haifa going into the game. We went into the game wanting to win. We fought very hard and got incredible support by the fans. We had a lot of misfortune losing two games by one point. If only I would of made my free throws. It was a great experience for me and the team and its too bad that our travel had to end like this in the Eurochallenge”, stressed Skyliner center Marius Nolte.

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Pascal Roller Gets A Pre Christmas Gift Finding His Shot Propelling The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Past TBB Trier 72-55.

Dashaun Wood couldn´t even take a break against TBB Trier after the track meet last weekend against Mark Dorris as he had to be sharp, focused and have his track speed on course against Lebron James friend Dru Joyce. Wood had to be alert against the crafty, smart, diminutive Joyce like Miley Cyrus will have to be even more alert against the paparazzi after her embarrassing confrontation with a bong, The way three time BEKO BBL team Brose Baskets Bamberg will have to be ready every weekend for every BEKO BBL team who will be gunning for them more and more especially Alba Berlin after being humiliated 103-52 on the road, as well as The New England Patriots having to be alert for teams who want to deny them winning a fourth Super Bowl and pe0ple in Central Europe knowing how to cope with any additional snow coming in the coming days. However Wood didn´t have any serious lapses against Dru Joyce as he was able to win the point guard duel on the court and help lead The Deutsche Bank Skyliners to a comfortable 72-55 win in the Ballsporthalle. “This was the first time that I played Joyce in a professional game in Europe. We played each other in college. Joyce plays like Jason Kidd and has gotten better and smarter. He is a leader and is not the kind of player that will lose a game for you. He just to shoot from way outside, but now he gets into the lane well and passes great on the pick and roll”, stressed Dashaun Wood. “We played against each other in college and I am familiar with his game. He is doing agreat job in Frankfurt and led his team to the win. He has a lot of poise which comes with experience. His game has really matured”, commented ex Ratiopharm Ulm guard Dru Joyce. Even though Wood won the scoring duel 15-11, the matchup seemed pretty equal. “It was a good duel and I think that nobody got the better of each other”, said TBB Trier American John Bynum. “It was a good duel, but I think that Wood was a bit quicker”, warned Giessen 46er center Jannik Freese. “Wood-Joyce was a good matchup. Frankfurt did a good job keeping Joyce out of the lane, but our offense should of helped him out more”, said TBB Trier American Barry Stewart. “Wood played better. Our defense played strong on the ball screen and pressured Joyce on the ball”, expressed Skyliner forward Roger Powell. Frankfurt won their third game in a row and even though the result looked like na easy win, it wasn´t. “The game was a lot harder than it seemed. TBB Trier played hard on offense and defense. They really make you work at both ends of the court. It was a tough game and we had to fight it out”, warned Dashaun Wood.

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