After only winning one game last season, the Fraport Skyliners U-19 youth team Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners had to battle in the B-group this season, but excelled and had a potent season and qualified themselves for the NBBL playoffs in the A group and the chance to earn a ticket to go to Berlin for the top 4 in May. However they had no easy match with the always ambitious and highly talented team of Kickz Ibam that have produced the highly touted Da Silva brothers Oscar and Tristan in the last years. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners had to battle them in a best of 3 series and didn´t have home court advantage. In game 1 in Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners had a tough time losing 83-63 and losing every quarter. They had a struggle on the boards and couldn´t contain their top scorer Matija Milosevic (193-G-2005) who dropped 29 points. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners came home and were facing a do or die game to live another day, but unfortunately for them their season ended in their own living room as they couldn´t force a second do or die game in Munich next weekend losing 79-73. It was a tough battle until the buzzer, but Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners just couldn´t contain team top player Milosevic as he nailed big shots nor solid playmaker Jonathan Zeisberger who also hit tough shots when his team needed it most. “We tried all we could to stop Milosevic and Zeisberger, but they hit countless difficult shots. As soon as Milosevic hit three´s from 8 meters, then I knew that we didn´t have the basketball God on our side. We fought hard, but too often made the wrong decisions, missed lay ups or free throws”, stressed Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners guard Dusan Nikolic. Kickz Ibam played a strong game and just stuck together even when Frankfurt had had the lead and in the second half took great care of the lead. “We gave all we could for 40 minutes. It was enough to win, but we have to improve. We did a good job on defensive pressure especially on Nikolic. We communicated well on defense and stayed together”, warned Kickz Ibam guard Matija Milosevic. Despite the season ending for Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners, Dusan Nikolic was proud of how the team performed this season. “We developed a fighting spirit this season and played as a team. We found our roles and each other”, stated Dusan Nikolic.

Marvin Esser reverse lay in

Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners were complete and ready to battle while Kickz Ibam were without solid role players Philipp Roos and Jordan Knacke. The first quarter was a tight affair as no team was able to escape on a run. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners got top scorer Dusan Nikolic involved early as he scored twice while the guests got big baskets early from German Jeremy Kolev and also from Silver Bieling and Zeisberger who hit tough shots from the get go and which would continue all afternoon long. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was defending well, but sometimes there are just those days where an opponent is makingveryugh shot. But Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners had a solid rhythm on offense and got an early trey from universal genius Ivan Crnjac and as always great energy from the bench from German Joscha Zentgraf who made 2 baskets. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was doing a good job on the offensive boards, but couldn´t slow down Milosevic who got going in the last minutes making a jumper and 4 free throws. German Leif Zentgraf gave Frankfurt big minutes late with 5 points, but Kickz Ibam led 20-19. “Milosevic is tough to guard. If you’re a split second too late, he will get past you. He may not be the most athletic, but he is a tremendous shooter”, warned Dusan Nikolic. Kickz Ibam shot 38% from the field and 20% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 4 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 40% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Caspar Okoro at the FT line

In the second quarter both teams had a run, but at the break it was Kickz Ibam that had the 39-33 lead. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners began the second quarter off with a bang exploding out on a 8-0 run to lead 27-20 as Ivan Crnjac connected with consecutive three´s and glue guy Marvin Esser made a massive dunk on transition off a Nikolic dunk. Frankfurt played with forceful energy and caught Kickz Ibam off guard and surprised them a little. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners defended aggressively and forced the guests to tough shots. But Kickz Ibam wasn´t totally rattled by Frankfurt´s outburst and punched back with a 7-0 run to dead lock the game at 27-27. In the run the guests got vital support from 206cm Nigerian center Williams Itumo who has only been in Germany for 2,5 years got 2 baskets and Kolev made a big trey. Kickz Ibam played super team basketball while Frankfurt weren´t calm on offense putting up some hurried shots. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners got the lead back at 32-29 as Jamie Edoka made a lay in and the game looked like it would stay close, but Kickz Ibam turned the game aground with a fierce 10-1 run to lead 39-33 at the break. Zeisberger supplied 6 points including 2 real tough off balance shots, while Bieling hit a jumper and Kolev made a lay in. Despite the deficit, Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners did a better job on Milosevic holding him to 2 points. “We continued to defend well, but just didn´t get rewarded on offense as we missed easy lay ups and missed free throws”, added Dusan Nikolic. Kickz Ibam shot 48% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 14 rebounds and 8 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 35% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds with the 13-3 offensive rebound edge and 10 turnovers.

Dusan Nikolic from outside

In the third quarter Kickz Ibam led by as much as 8 points, but couldn´t shake Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners totally allowing them to hang around leading only 56-52 after 30 minutes. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners got some valuable buckets in the first minutes by German Namori Omog and Ivan Crnjac, but couldn´t make any ground as Kickz Ibam got baskets from Zeisberger and Milosevic to lead 47-40. Kickz Ibam had to work for their points as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners continued to play aggressive 1-1 defense, but still got little reward with too many missed free throws as after 30 minutes they had missed 8. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners continued to execute as Crnjac made a lay in, but were unable to make serious ground as Bieling made a tough trey over Edoka and Ognjen Cocic made a tip in as the guests were more aggressive on the offensive boards and led 52-44. Both teams continue to punch back and forth on offense as Nikolic who is always in attack mode scored 5 points to cut Kickz Ibam´s lead down to 52-49, but the guests reacted with good energy from the bench from Gunnar Wanninger who made a lay in which was followed by a Zeisberger lay in. Crnjac added a trey at the buzzer as Kickz Ibam led 56-52. “We made tough shots and trusted each other. We also did a better job on the offensive boards. When Frankfurt made tough shots, we didn´t hang our heads”, added Matija Milosevic. “Ibam got good support from the bench. Zeisberger had one kind of a performance. We continued to defend ok. They did a better job on the offensive boards”, stated Dusan Nikolic. Kickz Ibam shot 45% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 13 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 36% from the field and 30% from the parking lot and had 32 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Matija Milosevic with the lay in

In the fourth quarter Kickz Ibam continued to control the game and despite Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners tying the game were unable to truly get over the hump and ever lead again. Kickz Ibam began strong getting a 4 point play by Silver Bieling to lead 60-52. However Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners then buckled down and allowed Dusan Nikolic to take over as he led his team on a ruthless 10-2 run to deadlock the contest at 62-62. In the run it was the pure Nikolic show as he rattled off 8 points including a pretty finger tip roll lay in and Marvin Esser scored on the fast break getting a beautiful shovel pass from Edoka. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners knew what was at stake and so did Nikolic who showed exactly to what he is capable off o offense. He finished the game with 25 points. “I think that my leadership grew this season and I kept the team together”, said Dusan Nikolic. His stellar play carried his team especially on the defensive end as Ibam made many turnovers. However Milosevic had seen enough of the Nikolic show and now even if he did hit 2 big three´s, it wasn´t just his show, but also that of Zeisberger who nailed a trey in the 8-2 run and 70-64 guests advantage. “Zeisberger is a good player and currently in top form. He is always aggressive and does exactly what coach says. He made many tough shots like I did. He watches me in practice”, smiled Matija Milosevic. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners continued to fight getting a Leif Zentgraf lay in to trail 70-67, but Kickz Ibam had an answer for all as Zeisberger made a floater which was matched by Nikolic free throws to trail only 72-69 with 1,08 to play. But Kickz Ibam then decided the game with a 7-0 run as Milosevic dropped another pretty three pointer and Zeisberger added free throws for the 79-70 advantage. “I practice hard every day to be able to make these shots. I believe 100% in my shot”, warned Matija Milosevic. Nikolic closed out the game with 3 free throws, but the season of Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners had ended. “We didn´t play good defense at the end and that is why the game was so close. We believed that we could win the game and made the tough shots”, warned Matija Milosevic. “Milosevic´s and Zeisberger´s three´s hurt us. We had too many turnovers. Every possession is important and we didn´t take care of the ball”, stressed Dusan Nikolic. Kickz Ibam was led by Matija Milosevic with 22 points. Jonathan Zeisberger added 21 points and Silver Bieling 14 points while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was led by Dusan Nikolic with 25 points. Ivan Crnjac added 20 points. Kickz Ibam shot 45% from the field and 36% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 17 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 38% from the field and 24% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Sometimes basketball works in strange ways and for the EPG Baskets in really annoying ways especially when you look at how their results went after the masterful home upset over top team Romerstrom Gladiators. One would have thought the club would not only have been rested after the 2 week Fiba break, but would have meshed even more together on the court with new head coach Marco Van Den Berg, but instead they lost twice within 48 hours and continue to move down the standings. The ugly home loss against Bremerhaven was one of the worst loses if not worst loss in the last years while the team played 2 good quarters in Kirchheim, but their regular bad phases were as rampant as a sea gull hanging around on a busy beach in a frequented area of people and food. A positive reaction had to happen against Jena who strolled into the CGM arena as their next opponent. Even if Jena haven´t been playing their best basketball as of late having lost 5 of their last 7 games, it has gotten better in the last few weeks having won 2 of their last 3 games. Plus they were in third place for a reason. It was like so often this season where the EPG Baskets Koblenz played brilliant basketball in phases, but a game has 40 minutes and in the second half stunk up the CGM arena allowing Jena to totally turn the game around. Like so often this season Koblenz played as if they were in preseason and played like a chicken without a head where they panicked instead of just staying calm and playing their game. “We played well until the third quarter. In the 16-0 run we stayed in rhythm and moved the ball well. We didn´t have the needed intensity in the third quarter allowing them to get back in the game. We have had this problem all season where we get away from basics which effects our mentality on the floor”, warned EPG Baskets Koblenz guard Marvin Heckel. Medipolis SC Jena played solid in the first half, but in the second half made adjustments and increased their defensive pressure on Koblenz´s guards which they didn´t come to terms with. “We stuck with it for 40 minutes. We stuck through adversity. We had our ups and downs, but we stuck together on defense, attacked the paint and got to the free throw line”, stressed Medipolis SC Jena guard Blake Francis.

Leo Saffer at the FT line

The first quarter was a back and fourth battle as no team was able to get away from the other. EPG Baskets Koblenz center Maurice Pluskota got going quickly with 2 baskets, but Medipolis SC Jena led 9-4 quickly getting crucial buckets from ex Shaw University (NCAA2) great Amir Hinton with a lay in while ex Giessen 46er guard Joshiko Saibou (187-PG-1990) hit a three pointer at the shot clock buzzer. Medipolis SC Jena did a good job not letting Koblenz inside and forcing them to tough shots. Medipolis SC Jena continued to move the ball well and got great support from their bench from young Germans Raphael Falkenthal and Rafael Rodriguez with baskets, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz finally got their long ball to drop as ex Rhondorf center Gabriel De Olveira and Heckel scored as Jena led only 13-11. After a key Leo Saffer basket that was polished with a pretty Nicolas Sperber bullet pass, Medipolis SC Jena continued to keep the lead as Saibou made a tough step back jumper and ex Fraport Skyliner Rasheed Moore connected on free throws for the 18-13 advantage. Koblenz ended the first quarter with a beautiful Heckel no look pass in traffic as he almost lost the ball, but regrouped and found Saffer for the lay in as the guests led 18-15 after 10 minutes. “That was a super pass from him. He almost turned it over, but made a great play. It was an open game. Our offense was working and we matched their physicality well. Jena forced us to have to take three´s”, stated EPG Baskets Koblenz sport director Thomas Klein.

Amir Hinto at the FT line

In the second quarter it looked like Medipolis SC Jena would get away from the EPG Baskets Koblenz, but out of seemingly nothing the troops of Marco Van Den Berg produced an incredible run and suddenly led by 8 points at the break. Medipolis SC Jena began motivated in the second quarter and cruised out on a 11-5 run to lead 29-20. The duo of Stephan Haukohl and Amir Hinton were a wrecking crew as they combined for 11 points and 3 three´s. Medipolis SC Jena was moving the ball really well and choosing the extra pass. They just harmonized well as a team and were threatening to run away with the game. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz had other ideas going on a major lethal 16-0 run totally shocking Medipolis SC Jena and bewildered the guests. In the run the EPG Baskets had a beautiful flow something never seen before this season. “That was our best run of the season. It was perfect basketball”, warned Thomas Klein. They let it rain three´s connecting 4 times as Pluskota hit 2 and De Olveiria and Heckel also connected. Poelking also made a lay in. Medipolis SC Jena were totally insecure and opted for 1-1 ball and even put up 2 air balls at the end. Hinton finally stopped the run with a 15 footer, but Marvin Heckel had the last laugh nailing a tough off balance three pointer from the corner for the 39-31 Koblenz lead at half-time. “We played great basketball for 8,5 minutes. We had a good offensive flow and were physical on defense”, stressed Thomas Klein.

Maurice Pluskota from outside

In the third quarter Medipolis SC Jena made a run and came back, but couldn´t shake the EPG Baskets Koblenz as the game was dead locked at 54-54 after 3 quarters. The guests came out focused and surprised Koblenz with a 6-2 run to trail only 41-37. They got solid support from guards Saibou and Serbian Vuk Radojidic with lay in´s. Medipolis SC Jena immediately put massive pressure on the Koblenz guards. Robert Hall was out with an injury so DJ Johnson had to play point guard which wasn´t his natural position. The intensity of Medipolis SC Jena was higher especially on the defensive end forcing Koblenz to 3 turnovers in the first 2 minutes. The EPG Baskets Koblenz kept the lead as Marvin Heckel carried his team on his shoulders with free throws and a lay in leading 47-41. Heckel continued to be the focus on offense as he made a perfect pocket bullet pass to Sperber for the lay in and 49-44 advantage. “The adjustments that the team has made recently really fits my game. We play more open with much movement. It allows me to make these fancy passes. Sometimes I don´t even know I´m making these passes. It is like I´m in the zone. When I see video then I´ll see a pass and say damn nice pass”, smiled Marvin Heckel. But Medipolis SC Jena continued to be aggressive and closed out the third quarter with a 10-5 run to tie the game 54-54. In the run, the guests received support from Saibou and Hinton with jumpers while Alex Herrera, Saibou and Robin Lodders also made free throws. But once again Koblenz had the last laugh as DJ Johnson hit a key three pointer at the buzzer. “We stayed aggressive on defense and attacked the rim more. We also got to the free throw line”, stated Blake Francis. “Jena was more aggressive on our guards and trapped our pick and roll. We couldn´t execute. We wanted to go inside, but they closed our entry and got us out of rhythm. We were like chickens without a head. They were able to get their bigs involved with Herrera and Lodders”, stated Marvin Heckel.

Blake Francis from down town

In the fourth quarter Medipolis SC Jena clearly slammed the door on the EPG Baskets Koblenz increasing their offensive execution with 28 points while allowing only 10 points. Medipolis SC Jena didn´t waste anytime cruising out on a brutal 9-0 run to lead 63-54. In the run the guests just played beautiful team basketball getting three´s from Francis and Saibou and 3 points from Herrera. Herrera had had his struggles in the first 3 quarters and made his first field goal in the fourth quarter and then found to his game better. The EPG Baskets Koblenz couldn´t come to terms with the aggressive on ball defense by Jena and then just played 1-1 ball and threw up brick after brick. Johnson finally stopped the Jena run with a catch and pop jumper for Koblenz´s first field goal at the 7,58 minute mark. After a Lodders hook shot, De Olveira nailed a trey as Koblenz trailed 65-59 and were still hanging on. However Medipolis SC Jena had had enough and produced a nasty 13-0 run to totally decide the game leading 78-59. In the run Medipolis SC Jena shared the ball and got 5 points from Saibou, 4 points from Herrera, a 15 footer from Hinton and another hook shot from Lodders. The EPG Baskets were in a state of a chicken without a head and were just powerless at both ends. Their energy level was very low and couldn´t hit the ocean while on defense had countless break downs and no adjustments were made. Johnson stooped the run with a trey, but the game was long decided. Saffer added an offensive rebound and put back, but the guests finished the game strong with Herrera free throws and a Hinton Jumper. “We did a good job taking away their inside game. We continued to be physical on defense and pressure their guards”, added Blake Francis. “Mentally we hung our heads. We didn´t have the needed fire to stick with a strong team like Jena. Even when the basics aren´t working, you can still gain something with intensity, but we didn´t have that either”, stressed Marvin Heckel. Medipolis SC Jena was led by Amir Hinton and Joshiko Saibou with 17 points apiece while the EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Gabriel De Olveira and Marvin Heckel with 13 points apiece. Medipolis SC Jena shot 47% from the field and 38% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 39% from the field and 48% from outside and had 30 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

Michalis Kakiouzis (206-F-1976, agency: Interperformances) is a former Greek professional player who played 24 years and 14 in his home country. He also played in Italy, Spain, Turkey, France, Italy, Switzerland and Cyprus. He won 11 career titles and played in countries Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Cyprus and was captain of the 2005 Greek national team that won Gold at the Euro. He played 8 seasons for AEK, and also played with FC Barcelona and Siena. Currently he is coaching Keravnos in Cyprus. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Michalis for talking to eurobasket. You have been retired for 8 years now as a player. What do you miss more from playing and competing now than maybe 1-2 years after you retired?

I obviously miss the team and locker room time. But to be honest, I enjoy the time more now being a coach. Being a coach now is a normal thing. I still feel pain from my playing days. I have had enough having been a player.

After your playing career you were lead scout for AEK Athens. What did you enjoy most about the job and were there some young players that you discovered early on that became well known?

My time as a scout was an important time for me before becoming a coach. It helped me discover myself and scout young players. It was something new for me and it was challenging. It helped me most about understanding how to find the right players for my duties later as coach.

You have been coaching in Cyprus for Keravnos. Was starting in another country instead of Greece a decision you feel was smarter than being in Greece?

I actually began my coaching career in Greece coaching young players at an academy. I decided it was better to go step by step to see if I could handle it. I wanted to start low and move up. I love coaching. I saw first hand at the start how it can be as a coach having a team in lower divisions and solving the kind of problems you see there. I saw adversary and that helped me move step by step as a coach.

What kind of an experience has it been coaching in Cyprus. What have you enjoyed most about it and how is the state of basketball in that country? This seems to be a country like many others like Finland and Holland where especially Americans use as a stepping stone to reach higher leagues.

I have enjoyed my time in Cyprus. Before coming here, I had gathered further experience in Romania and won a cup there. Having the opportunity to coach this well known organization has been great. The conditions are excellent something you don´t see with other organizations in Cyprus. We are expected to win which is something I experienced a lot as a player. Having those expectations are easy for me to deal with.

Let´s talk about your playing career. You had a very successful career winning 11 titles and winning the silver and gold at the Eurochampionships. Was the 2005 EM Gold your biggest thrill to win?

For me it´s simple. When you represent your country and win, it will always be the be at the highest position of achievement. For me it is bigger than winning a Euroleague title. It is simply huge.

You played 8 seasons with AEK Athens early in your career winning some titles. You showed real love and loyalty for this team. Didn´t you ever get offers from Olympiakos or Panathinaikos? Why didn´t you play for Greece´s top teams?

Back then AEK was a very well known club. It´s reputation was bigger than today. They played Euroleague and had great coaches and players. I´m still an AEK fan. I had an offer to play with other top clubs in Greece, but at the time I was in Sienna and was happy there.

Do you feel like your loyalty to AEK Athens was respected in Greece? I don´t think you see this now anymore. But 20 years ago was the mindset of players different than today where guys are worried about getting the best contract?

I will always be a AEK fan. The job situation can change any day for any player. If the conditions aren´t right, you can´t do anything about it. No matter how high the loyalty is.

You played with some great players in your years at AEK Athens like Nikos Zisis, JR Holden, Geert Hammink and Pero Antic just to name a few. Was there a player that really influenced you the most in those years?

I´m really lucky to have played with so many great players. Those mentioned here are great ones. I was captain of Greece´s national team and played with FC Barcelona. I could mention so many great players that I had the pleasure being teammates with. We made each other better. I also played for many great coaches. It would be unfair to name just one player or coach that influenced me the most.

You were U-18 world champion with Greece in 1995. How vital was this win for the future of Greek basketball and what was the Greek federation doing correctly then?

I mean Greece won the Euro already in 1987. I think that after that win, Greece continued to build. That team were our leaders. We wanted to be like them. In 1995, we were kids and played in our home country in front of 20,000 loud fans. We were 18 years old and were playing in front of so many people. It was difficult to imagine. We had a great team. That win was the beginning of me. After that I experienced dream after dream that came true.

From 2003-2005 you played with Sienna winning 2 titles. What memories do you have of these 2 years. You had solid Euroleague seasons averaging 7 and 8ppg. How did your game grow in the Serie A and Euroleague?

Sienna is still one of the best organizations that I ever played for. It was my first team out of Greece. The situation was perfect for me at that time. It was a small city and Italy was beautiful. The city was small and when we won the title, we celebrated for a week. The teams we had were incredible. We reached the Euroleague final 4 twice in Barcelona and Tel Aviv. Sienna is like my home. If I could live in a city forever, it would be Sienna. They were amazing years.

You were teammates with a young Luigi Datome. Was his immense talent already present then? Did you see him having the long lasting career that he has had?

Datome was just at the start of his career. You could see early that he wanted to become a great player with the way he played and understood the game at a young age. He was a big listener and worked hard every day. He showed after 2 years that he was on his way to becoming a great player.

In 2005 you were captain of the national team and helped win the Gold medal at the Euro in Belgrade. This was a year after the football team also won the Euro. How crazy was this time. Did you feel like a national hero?

It was a crazy time. We also had had the Olympics in 2004. It is really difficult to explain how huge this time was in Greece. I don´t know if I felt like a hero, but I definitely felt like I was at a different level. It was the best time in Greece sports history. We had it all.

You were teammates with 2 of possibly the greatest guards at that time Spanoulis and Diamantidis. Who was the best player that you played with?

Every teammate I had in the Greek national team played at a high level. There wasn´t just 1 or 2 guys that were better than the rest. All 12 guys were great players and more importantly great guys. I had no one favorite. We all played excellent together and the most important part was that we were friends.

In the final you beat Germany 78-62 despite a 23/9 game by Dirk Nowitzki. What memories do you have of this game. Was the 74-73 semi-final win over Spain, Germany´s real final game?

We as a team had a lot of energy. We hadn´t passed the second round at the previous Euro 2003. Germany had good players and a good coach with Bauermann. Germany had the great Dirk, but we simply had a better team. I think the result was fair. We continued the success at the next World Championships reaching the final. This was the best national team in Greek basketball history.

What memories do you have of Dirk Nowitzki and guarding him? That fade away jumper was unguardable?

All our focus was on Dirk and how we could stop him. We had 12 great players and we tried our best to guard him. We tried to limit him as much as possible in the post and with touches, but there is only so much you can do against a great player like him.

You played with FC Barcelona from 2005-2007. You were 30 and in your prime. Were these 2 years your highlight of your career? You played with one of the world´s most famous teams.

Yes for sure. Playing for FC Barcelona was another dream come true for me in a long line of dreams as a professional player. In Barcelona you weren´t just the player, but had a big obligation to the organization. Everybody treated each other well on and off the court. Winning is all that counts for them. It was an honor being a member of that organization.

You were teammates with Juan Carlos Navarro. Soon he went to the NBA? Do you feel like his worth and legacy in Europe is overshadowed from legends like Nowitzki and Pao Gasol? Where do you see Navarro´s legacy being?

I believe he is one of the top 10 European players to ever play the game. He had good numbers in the NBA. He was a rookie and if you compare that with now, it isn´t so easy to have been successful then than now in the NBA. I see him at the same level as with the Gasol brothers. He is a top 3 Spanish player ever.

Every one has their special Mario Kasun story. He was a beast that made the NBA? Do you remember him riding his motorcycle down the streets of Barcelona.

We are great friends. He is an unbelievable guy. I love him. No no Mario didn´t drive his motorcycle in those days. It was forbidden by the team.

You played against so many great Euroleague players. Who do you remember being the toughest player?

That is hard to say. I always had tough opponents at the highest level with different teams and leagues. It was always tough to play against Greek players.

In the 2007-2008 season you played with Cajasol Sevilla (Spain-Liga ACB) You played with so many Americans in your career, but how does Tyrone Ellis remain in your thoughts?

Tyrone was an excellent shooter and teammate. I really loved to play with him. I will never forget his jump shoot. He jumped very high when shooting. He could score 30 points easily. He was that kind of player that you loved having on your side, but never as a teammate.

In the 2008-2009 season you played with Efes Pilsen Istanbul (Turkey-TBL) averaging 6.4ppg, 3.0rpg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 90.9% in the Euroleague and in the Turkish League averaged 6.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.0apg, FGP-1 (71.0%), 3PT: 31.5%, FT: 75.0%. You won the double. How special was this season and how do you remember the Turkish league being then in comparison to today as it has become a top 5 league in Europe with high team budgets?

Back then you had 6 or 7 teams at eyelevel and the rest were ok. Now the Turkish league is one of the toughest in Europe. Mario Kasun was my teammate here.

In Turkey you were reunited for the third time with American Bootsy Thornton. Did you guys become like brothers and do you still have contact to him today?

Unfortunately we don´t have contact now, but I still see him like a brother. It didn´t matter where we were, if it was at Sienna, Barcelona or Efes, we won something together in each place. He is one of the best guys that I ever met. He was unbelievable on and off the court. He improved his game each season. That is why he was able to play at the highest level. I will never forget him. Together we were something beautiful to see.

In the 2009-2010 season you played with Aris Thessaloniki (A1) averaging 8.7ppg, 5.1rpg, FGP: 64.7%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 80.8%; in the Eurocup and 8.7ppg, 5.7rpg, FGP: 62.2%, 3PT: 27.1%, FT: 66.7% in the Greek league. How special was it playing for David Blatt? What was unique about his coaching style?

This was another incredible experience for me. David Blatt really helped change my mind and helped me view the game in a different way. His preparation was incredible. His resume now shows what kind of a coach he is. We had some problems then at Aris, but he did a great job holding the team together. I use some of his tactics that he used there now in my coaching ways.

You also played in France with Le Mans Le Mans Sarthe Basket (France-ProA) averaging 7.3ppg, 3.9rpg, FGP: 31.3%, 3PT: 45ga %, FT: 91.7% in the Eurocup and in the French League averaged 9.0ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 32.2%, FT: 80.0%. What memories do you have of the French Pro A. You were a player that could adjust to any style anywhere?

I was afraid of nothing. I could play in any league. The France Pro A league was the most athletic that I ever played in. I was never athletic, but here I was able to adjust to that league and still be an important player for the team. I had to think a lot more on the court. Le Mans reminded me a lot of my time with Sienna.

In 2011-2012 you lived in Rome. What was it like playing for Virtus Rome and living in one of the most historic cities in the world. What did you appreciate most about Rome?

Rome was perfect. I had a great coach. Rome was a big city and the traffic didn´t bother me, because I was used to it from Athens. We tried to win the title, but lost. I remember being reunited again with Luigi Datome. He played incredible and a few years later he reached the NBA.

In 2012-2013 you played for SAV Vacallo Basket (Switzerland-LNA) averaging 15.5ppg, 7.7rpg, 2.3apg, 2.0spg, 2FGP: 63.3%, 3FGP: 23.7%, FT: 78.9%. You scored 37 points against Boncourt and was teammates with Larry O Bannon who had won the 1995 NCAA title with UCLA. 2 champions as teammates must have been enjoyable?

This was also a nice team. To be honest, I don´t remember the game. I never cared about the points. Playing in Switzerland was definitely something totally new, but I always showed that I was never scared of trying something new. I think that having played in so many different places always helped me adjust.

In 2013-2014 you returned to Greece to play with AE Nea Kifissia Dimoulas Athens (A1) averaging 7.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 66.7%. What was it like playing in Greece again. How had the league changed in the last 10 years?

The league had changed a lot. We were new in the league but we had good players. At first it was a bit strange being back, but it´s always easier to adjust in your own country. It was a big challenge being in a new team. I helped the young players about giving my knowledge and I was already thinking about my future coaching career.

You ended your professional career with AO Faros Keratsiniou (A2) averaging 5.3ppg, 1.9rpg, FGP-1 (72.1%), 3PT: 36.8%, FT-3 (92.9%). You ended your career on a high note.

Yes that´s true. It was a good way to go out. We won the title to move up and reached the cup final against Panathinaikos where he lost. It was the perfect end.

Who were your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I loved everybody.

Please name your Euro Mount Rushmore of 5 top players?

Peja Stojakovic, Juan Carlos Navarro, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Arvydas Sabonis

Who is your GOAT?

Michael Jordan

Thanks Michalis for the chat.

Shawn Scott (185-G-1996, college: SW Christian).is a 28 year old 185cm guard playing his third professional season and first with BG Hagen. Last season he split time with TVO Biggesee / TV Jahn Lindhorst (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 31.2ppg, 10.4rpg, 6.1apg, 3.6spg, 2FGP: 56.2%, 3FGP: 30.4%, FT: 77.6%, in Jan.’23 moved to BG 2000 Berlin (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 14.2ppg, 8.1rpg, 4.6apg, 2.4spg, FGP: 53.5%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 64.4%. He began his career at Jenks High School and then played 3 seasons at Southwestern Christian University. He teams up with germanmhoops.com every week to talk basketball.

Congrats Shawn on the big 100-94 win over Salzkotten. The winning streak continues. Now it´s at 11 games. Is this the most games that you ever won in a row in your career?

Thank you. I believe it is. I don’t think people understand how hard it is to keep a streak like this especially having to play a team again and getting a win the second time.

It was a shoot out win and the most points the team gave up since Nov 18, 2023. Was the team ever in danger of losing?

I would say don’t let the points fool you because multiple times we were winning by double digits and they went on a run and came back which is normal. I don’t think we were ever in danger of losing because this was some of the best defense we played all season despite the amount of points they scored.

The stats were pretty even. Both teams gave up combined only 11 turnovers. Where did BG Hagen win this game?

We won this game on defense plain and simple. We made it difficult for their top players and even though they scored a lot, I believe we took them out of rhythm and made all of their shots tough to make.

BG Hagen had problems with Keith Hayes and Danius Zvinkyls combined for 48 points. Did you guys focus on everyone else more and let them just play?

I mean if you look at the numbers, Hayes shot 2-9 from 3pt and he’s one of the best shooters in the league. I’d say that was a win for us because we made it tough for him to get going. These are guys that are going to score no matter what but the difficulty of shot and how many they take is what we paid attention to.

Quincy Tjon-Affo had a great game with 24 points. How vital has his game been this season? He has come up big in many games. For sure. Quincy’s been due for a breakout game and I’m

Glad it was this one against the 3rd place team. He really saved us with big time shots in the 4th quarter and I hope this gives him a lot of confidence going into playoffs.

You had another solid game with 30/8/4. Does the game in the Reginalliga become more automatic with each new game or is it a challenge every game?

I mean you have to remember I played in this league last year as well and I’m familiar with these teams and their play styles and I feel the way I play can be adjusted in any way to be successful in this league. The real test is in the playoffs because every team is bringing out every possible plan to stop you then and it’s my job to not let that happen.

The next game is against Essen which is the big showdown. They won the first game by 20 points and Allen and Andrew combined for 45 points. What will be key to getting the win?

If we play the same defense that we played last week and with the same effort and energy, I think we have a good chance of winning. The key of course is stop their outside shooting which means we must be focused for 40 minutes straight and have to make them earn every bucket.

Thanks Shawn for the chat.

It is one thing meeting a Gasol while an added gem is getting to play with one as not many players get that special opportunity. I had the pleasure of really meeting Pau Gasol once and then seeing him again briefly another time. The first time was in 2019 during the playoff series between Boston and Milwaukee in Boston. Pau Gasol was actually injured, but made the trip to support his teammates. I had a meeting to interview assistant coach Charles Lee, a guy I had covered a decade earlier when he was a professional player in Germany. So there I was interviewing Charles and practicing small talk with him after the interview in the hotel restaurant when all of a sudden Pau Gasol walked in. For me it was definitely an awe moment. I mean, it isn´t everyday that you see a legend like that in an arena in Germany even though I had met Dirk Nowitzki and Detlef Schrempf in Germany before, but Pau Gasol was at that level. Gasol surely is one of the top 3 greatest Europeans to have ever played in the NBA. I asked Charles if I could go to him and he said sure go ahead. I went to Gasol´s table as he wasn´t alone, but with some Spanish friends. I sat down and talked a bit and got a few autographs for friends and a picture. It was a great moment. I saw him again 2 years later in Cologne before the Euroleague Final 4 when he was active with FC Barcelona and got the Boston picture signed. I saw him twice for a moment, but imagine actually being the teammate of a Gasol. Current Alba Berlin American Matt Thomas (195-SG-1994, college: Iowa St.) had that opportunity. He wasn´t teammates with Pau, but with brother Marc. Even if Pau may be the better known, Marc had an incredible career that spawned 14 seasons in the NBA where he won one NBA title and was a 3 time allstar. He also was known as being the best passing big man during his prime. So being able to be his teammate is something any player would forever remember. “ Marc was incredible. I loved to be his teammate. We were able to connect in that we had some common ground. He is from Spain and I played 2 seasons there. I learned a lot from him. The most important thing that I learned from him was that you can have a routine, but you shouldn´t live and die by it. So many things can change. You need to go with the flow and roll with the punches. That was something he always had in his mind and I took that with me”, remembered Matt Thomas.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Pau Gasol in Boston in May 2019

Matt Thomas who lists NBA player Buddy Hield as his toughest opponent in the NCAA was born on August 4, 1994 in Decatur, Illinois and grew up in Onalaska, Wisconsin. He suffered a major tragedy when he was 9 years old when his fathered died of suicide. Because of this, he formed a very strong relationship with his mother. He played at Onalaska high school and was an incredible player. He won the division state championship in his junior year leading his team to a 27-1 record and averaged 21,3ppg, 5,3rpg, 2,5apg and 2,1spg. He once scored 50 points in a game in only 2,5 quarters against Tomah. He finished his high school career with a 95-12 record and was a 2 time first team all state pick and scored over 2,000 points. He was a top-100 national recruit and was considered to be one of the best shooters in the country and one of the best players from Wisconsin in the class of 2013. He had many offers, but chose Iowa State where he played a total of 136 games. In his first 2 years he averaged 21and 15 minutes averaging 5.5ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.1apg, and 4.9ppg, 2.0rpg. His minutes rose to 33 and 30 in his last 2 seasons as his role increased and he averaged 10.9ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 89.2% and 12.3ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 44.5%, FT: 89.1%. He reached the NCAA tournament each season and reached 2 NCAA Sweet 16´s and won 3 Big 12 titles. “I would say the last Big 12 title was the most memorable. I had a bigger role and more of an impact at the NCAA tournament. I had been together many years with guys like Monte Morris and Naz Long which made winning that one more special”, stated Matt Thomas. He scored 25 points against Kansas State and Oklahoma State and 23 points against Texas Tech. He wouldn´t have become the player he did when he departed in 2017 without the guidance of coaches Fred Hoiberg and Steve Prohm. “Both were good coaches, but different. Hoiberg had played in the NBA for 10 years and had that NBA mentality. I learned a lot about the routine and how to become better as a player. I learned shooting routines and how to play without the ball in my hands. I learned to be able to take different kinds of shots on the move. When coach Prohm arrived, I had a bigger role, more minutes and more responsibility. That was great for my confidence. He was a defensive minded coach. I improved my defense and had to guard the other team´s best perimeter player. I had never done that before, but I embraced it. I often had to match up against Buddy Hield who in college played like a Steph Curry. He was a tough match up and being able to compete against a guy like that was awesome”, stressed Matt Thomas who remembers beating Naz Long more than losing to him in 1-1 battles in practice. He was a All-Big 12 Honorable Mention twice and made the Big 12 All-Tournament Team in 2017.

The 195cm shooting guard who names Naz Long, Sam Van Rossom, Mike Tobey, Aaron Doornekamp, Kyle Lowery, OG Anunoby, Coby White, Yannick Wetzell, Jose (Pepe) Pozas, and Marius Grigonis as his best teammates of all-time experienced NBA Summer League in 2017 with the Los Angeles Lakers averaging 9.6ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 62.2%. He then made the trek overseas and played his rookie season in Europe´s top national league in Spain called ACB. He played 30 ACB games and scored in double figures 25 times including 30 points against Andorra and 30 and 29 points against Estudiantes. He played twice against top Euroleague team Real Madrid scoring 14 points once. It was the last season where Luka Doncic played in Europe before heading to the NBA. Doncic had solid games in the wins, but not great games. Has his magic and success in the NBA surprised Thomas? “I´m not surprised. He had a different role with Real Madrid and the Euro game is different than the NBA. He was 17-18 years old and was the MVP of the Euroleague. I mean that was a big deal. The way he was able to adapt so quickly to the NBA and have success was remarkable. With what he did at 17 then, anything was possible. He was playing with grown men and was the leader of the team. You just don´t see that often and it could be a long time before we see that again”, warned Matt Thomas. In his second season he remained in the ACB playing with Valencia Basket (Spain-Liga ACB) averaging 11.4ppg, 1.6rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT-3 (48.5%), FT: 84.6% and in the Eurocup averaged 12.7ppg, 1.3rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 47.7%, FT: 90.9%. It was his most successful season overseas as he helped win the Eurocup title with great character guys like Aaron Doornekamp, Will Thomas and Sam Van Rossom. “That was a very special team. We had a lot of talent and possibly the most that season in the Eurocup. We had no ego´s and a good chemistry. But what was also important was that we liked to hang out together off the court. I think that bond translated well on to the court. I still keep in touch with those guys especially Mike Tobey. We were all competitive guys and put our agendas aside and all wanted to win. It was a fun year”, added Matt Thomas. He scored in double figures in 20 of 29 games including scoring 27 points against FC Barcelona and Joventut and in the Eurocup scored in double figures in 16 of 23 games including scoring 22 points against Zenit and 20 points against Dolomiti.

The Three point specialist who lists Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, and Steve Nash on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore then made the jump over the pond and celebrated 3 seasons in the NBA playing 126 games with Toronto, Utah and Chicago. Guys that come overseas usually have a wake up moment to being there for the first time, but how was it for him in the NBA? “Some guys share a moment and experience, but I don´t really have one. When I was a kid growing up in the States, my dream was to play in the NBA. I remember watching the NBA on ABC. I was a Laker fan and my favorite player was Kobe Bryant. My biggest moment was playing that first time at the Staple Center where the Lakers play. Other big moments was being able to play against guys that I looked up to growing up. One of those guys is JJ Reddick. We have many similarities with our stature and game. I try to play like him. I was able to work out with him during the summer after my second year in the NBA. That was a big moment for me”, commented Matt Thomas. He played his first season in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors. He scored in double figures 7 times including 22 points in a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. “I think the biggest moment my rookie season was just playing games in Toronto. I began in Toronto the season when Covid hit. I came in the year after they won the title. The fan base was incredible there”, expressed Matt Thomas. In his second season he split time with the Toronto Raptors playing 25 games averaging 2.8ppg, and with the Utah Jazz (NBA) playing 22 games averaging 3.1ppg, 1.1rpg. He scored in double figures 3 times including 17 points in a 154-105 blow out win over Sacramento where he went 7/7 from the field. He was fortunate to have been coached by Nick Nurse who had to pay his dues before becoming a NBA coach the same way Thomas did before becoming a NBA player. “It was a good experience being able to play for him. We also had some common ground in that he comes from Iowa and I played at Iowa State. We had a similar background. He had had a long past before becoming an NBA coach and I went to Europe before reaching the NBA. He was good for me. He gave me a lot of confidence. He always told me to aggressive and shoot. He was a defensive minded coach and I improved my defense a lot under him. A lot of his defensive principles have helped my game”, stated Matt Thomas. He finished his second NBA season with the Utah Jazz and was fortunate to be teammates with Ersan Ilyasova who soon would retire after a stellar career. “He signed a 10 day with Chicago the next season and we were teammates again. He was great. He was a high level pro that had tons of success. He kept to himself, but he was cool and could be funny at times. He had a good career”, said Matt Thomas. He played his last NBA season with the Chicago Bulls playing 39 games averaging 4.1ppg, 1.3rpg. He scored in double figures in 4 games including 13 points against Memphis. After his third season, he was at a point where he had to choose between trying to continue the NBA dream or heading back overseas. He surely could of found another NBA team. Was his desire for a new challenge overseas to great? “Yes and no. I waited for a while trying to stay in the NBA and that is why I signed so late in Greece last year. I was a specialist and had a role and that was a challenge. I didn´t get huge minutes and wanted to be playing in close games in the fourth quarter. At that time in my career, I had the idea of coming back to Europe or staying in the NBA, but coming back to Europe made the most sense. I wanted to find a consistent role and develop into the player I know I can be. I feel like being able to play for Alba Berlin has been the right choice”, warned Matt Thomas.

The ex Iowa State sniper who lists Kobe Bryant as his GOAT came back overseas mid way through the 2022-2023 season and played with Panathinaikos OPAP Athens (Greece-GBL) averaging 8.1ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 75.0% in the Euroleague. It was a tough season on the court whereas off the court things were different. “I think that I had my best memories off the court. I came midway through the season and they were having a tough stretch. The atmosphere when I was there wasn´t that great. They are playing well again now so that atmosphere is back again. Their fan base is great though. I was very recognizable when I was there and they always supported me. Greece and also Serbia basketball is like a religion. They live and breathe basketball. It is at another level”, added Matt Thomas. He scored in double figures 4 times in the Euroleague including netting 13 points against his ex team Valencia. This season he is playing for Alba Berlin in the rising easyCredit BBL and has recognized differences between that and the ACB. “Every league that I have played in overseas has been different. I can´t really comment on Greece since I only played 1 game in the Greek league, but I can comment on Spain and Germany. The BBL is more physical than the ACB, while the ACB was faster and more tactical. There are many very skilled players in Germany. Every season no matter where I play, I just try to improve and add to my game. Since returning back to Europe, I´m trying to become that player I know I can be. I have been able to shoot the ball well at a high level and especially this season, I draw a lot of attention to myself in the Euroleague and BBL which has allowed me to become more of a facilitator. I have enjoyed this”, commented Matt Thomas. In the NBA he battled against Sterling Brown many times and now are teammates and is more than thrilled with the opportunity. “Sterling is a very experienced player and did a good job adapting quickly to overseas ball. I´m impressed most about his professionalism and hard work he puts in every day. It isn´t a coincidence that he played many years in the NBA and then gets signed by a well known organization like Alba Berlin”, expressed Matt Thomas. He has needed no adjustment time in the easyCredit BBL as currently he is averaging 13,0ppg, 2,5rpg and 1,8apg while shooting 46% from outside while in the Euroleague he is averaging 9,1ppg, 2,0rpg and 1,5apg while shooting 41% from outside. It has been a tough season for Alba Berlin this season as after many winning seasons and titles in the last years are in last place in the Euroleague and only 4th in the BBL. But he is making the best out of the situation. “The season has definitely been a challenge. We haven´t met the expectations in the Euroleague or BBL. But I feel like there is still a big chunk of the season left where we can still improve and finish the season strong. I´m a competitive player and it´s been tough losing games, but at the same time, I remain positive and keep working hard. I have been more of a lead by example guy in my career, but this season with Alba Berlin, I have been vocal. I have really enjoyed being able to do that”, stressed Matt Thomas. It will be interesting to see where the journey goes with Alba as currently the teams from 4th-8th all have 14 wins as it is a real dog fight for the playoff spots. Thomas has won at many levels and knows how to win and will do all he can so Alba Berlin finish the season as best as possible.

In the NBA where scoring is as high on the appetite list as are plants for Bears, it is no surprise that you are able to see guys go head to head on a nightly basis and just score score score. Guys like Joel Embild and Karl Anthony Townes displayed their knack of explosive scoring recently. Sometimes you also see 2 guys go crazy in a contest and try to out score the other. One of the more famous 1-1 battles in NBA history has to be between Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics and Dominique Wilkins of the Atlanta Hawks in 1988 as they combined for a ridiculous 81 points in a 48 minute game as the human highlight reel exploded for 47 points while Bird settled for 34 points. But in the end it was the Boston Celtics who prevailed 118-116 as Bird was hotter and more efficient in the clutch and in the fourth quarter as he delivered 20 of his 34 points. These kind of unique games are rare, but they do happen not only in the NBA or pro level overseas, but also in the youth sector. Last season In the JBBL (U-16) final game, Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners as the underdog delivered an incredible effort against heavy favorite Alba Berlin, but ran out of gas in the fourth quarter losing 93-85. In this game each team´s best player Mathieu Grujicic of Alba Berlin and Ivan Crjnac went head to head and combined for 93 points. At the end it was Grujicic who came out victorious as he dropped a mind boggling 52 points while Crjnac contributed 41 points. “That game is an unbelievable memory for me. It was one of the best and one of the saddest days for me. I had a very good game and when I go back to watch, I remember everything. Grujicic and I had a real battle. His play motivated me. We had to play catch up the whole time. I think that there was a time in the game where we both had 38 points. From then on it was a battle to see who would win. I respect him as a player. He is a really good player. We both proved that day that we could keep up with the other”, stressed Ivan Crnjac (201-F-2007).

Ivan Crnjac who lists Real Madrid´s Deklan Duru and current FC Barcelona player Mattieu Grujicic as his 2 toughest opponents in his career was born on March 10, 2007 in Frankfurt, Germany and grew up in Nieder-Erlenbach. He had a normal and happy childhood. Like many boys, he tried many sports from ages 4-6, and liked soccer but finally landed with basketball at age 6. His brother Drago who is 4,5 years older was always playing basketball. His first team was in Dortelweil and he then made the jump to Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners in 2015. It is no secret that in the Rhein-Main area, if a kid is talented sooner or later he probably will go to the Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners organization simply because it´s the best address in the area and known for years for serving super development to young kids. In the last 10 years players like Johannes Voigtmann, Danilo Barthel and Isaac Bonga were groomed to become Euroleague players. “I felt like I could play at a high level and Frankfurt seemed like the logical choice”, stated Ivan Crnjac. He already displayed in young years just how much potential he has as he once scored 57 points in an U-14 youth game. Last season he was bounced on to the big youth stage leading Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners into the JBBL U-16) 2023 Top 4 in Frankfurt. He came into the contest averaging 24/12 stats and was the main go to guy on the team. The club was very special that had many talented role players like Noah Koch, Julius Messer, Maximilian Peters und Darren Maglocky. “We had experience and brought calmness into the team. We had been there before and pushed the other guys. We all had great will and pushed each other”, remembered Ivan Crnjac. A big time coach in the Skyliners youth department has been Olaf Kanngiesser. He has won the JBBL title, U-14 title and U-18 cup and been in the organization for 20 years. It is no secret that he knows how to win and form players. “He is a very good coach and so important for young players. I know him since the U-14. He always valued my game and pushed me. I honestly don´t know if we would have reached the top 4 last season with another coach. He truly understands young players”, warned Ivan Crnjac.

Drago and Ivan Crnjac at Basketball City Mainhatten in Frankfurt

The versatile point forward lists Lebron, Jordan, Kobe and Shaq on his NBA Mount Rushmore is a 2,00cm forward that weighs 84 kilo and has a similar game to Lauri Markkanen. “The idea came from my dad. When he watched Euro 2022 game between Finland and Croatia, he thought that I played like him. Since that day, I have been watching his videos”, said Ivan Crnjac. It is a delight to watch Ivan play, because he already has such a high IQ for his age not commonly seen with 16 year olds. “I think on the bigger level. I may not be the most skilled player, but I compensate through my IQ. I like to help my team as best as possible and motivate the guys and be a good teammate”, warned Ivan Crnjac. His game continues to develop smoothly as in the JBBL, he was more of a driver and in the NBBL he is taking more three´s. “One could define his game now already as very grown up”, stressed brother Drago Crnjac. After not taking many three´s in the NBBL last season, he worked more on his shot last summer. He suffered an injury before the season and was out for some months. That injury was like a small blessing in disguise. “When I was injured the last months, I was able to work more on my shot. I couldn´t do physical activity so I worked on my shot. Now it has become a big part of my game in the NBBL”, added Ivan Crnjac. He is a solid defender and has the potential to be a lock down defender. “I´m a bit slow to guard guards, but my long term goal is to be able to defend 1-5. I want to be strong enough to guard centers and agile enough to guard guards”, commented Ivan Crnjac.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Ivan Crnjac at Basketball City Mainhatten in Frankfurt

The 2023 JBBL finalist who lists Dirk Nowitzki, Drazen Petrovic, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Giannis on his Euro NBA Mount Rushmore is having a strong NBBL season playing 29 minutes per game averaging 15,8ppg, 5,0rpg, 1,3apg and is shooting 28% from outside and taking 67 three´s per game while in the Pro B, he has already made his debut and averaging 12,3 minutes per game and 3,3ppg and 1,3rpg. “I´m more of a shooter. I´m still playing a lot off the ball as there are more skilled players on ball. I´m going more in the direction of a 3 and D player. In the NBBL, I´m the go to guy and scorer. Despite being in the youngest year in the NBBL, I´m becoming that leader”, expressed Ivan Crnjac. He is so young, but has a normal goal that many young talented players have now adays. “When I was younger, my dream was the NBA, but now I´m heading more towards the Euroleague. I understand the Euro game better than the NBA game. I´m a guy that likes to take small steps. I want to play a good World championships this summer”, warned Ivan Crnjac. An important person in his life has been brother Drago. They played together for the first time in the Kreissliga when Drago was 11 and Ivan was 7 and are doing it again in the Pro B now. Drago is like a mentor for him, because he sees things on the court that Ivan as a younger player might not see and besides they have good chemistry as well. “Drago is a really good player. He has taught me so much. We have a court outside in our town where we play a lot. He has a good mentality and is really competitive and pushes me. He has that I want to win mentality that he has helped instill in me. He has helped me a lot with small things and my shot”, warned Ivan Crnjac. I can remember running around the Suwag arena before the 2023 JBBL semi-final between Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners-Alba Berlin and finally found brother Drago. I asked him please give me a cool nickname for your brother. He didn´t hesitate and fired the name “Universal Genius”. That nickname has stuck with me since that day and is what I call him in the broadcasts. It fits his game. He is simply a universal genius. “Olaf Kanngiesser named me that. It was nice to hear from him. I think it fits my game. I use my versatility and IQ in many ways on the court”, warned Ivan Crnjac. So who wins a 1-1 on the court between Ivan and Drago? “It has been very even games, but I won the last one”, smiled Ivan Crnjac. It will be interesting to see how Ivan Crnjac continues to develop in the next years. If he is already a universal Genius at age 16, then it´s only scary where his game will be in a few years.

Leyton Hammonds (203-PF-1994, college: OK State) is a 29 year old 203cm forward from Texas that is playing his 7th professional season and first with JDA Dijon Bourgogne (France-Betclic ELITE ProA) after starting the season with Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul (Turkey-BSL). Last season he played with Gaziantep Basketbol (Turkey-BSL) averaging 11.2ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 53.1%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 89.5%. in 2021-2022 he played with Yokohama B-Corsairs (Japan-B1 League) averaging 12.9ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 85.6%. In 20-21 he played with Enisey Krasnoyarsk (Russia-VTB United League) averaging 14.0ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 47.4%, FT-3 (93.3%). In 2019-2020 he played with Asseco Arka Gdynia (Poland-EBL, starting five): 22 games: 8.5ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 28.8%, FT: 77.5%. In 2018-2019 he played with Egis Kormend (Hungary-A Division) averaging 13.3ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 59.1%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 82.7%. In 2017-2018 he played with BC Nokia (Finland-Korisliiga, starting five): 48 games: 13.7ppg, 6.8rpg, FGP: 61.9%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 80.6%. He began his basketball career at Richland high school and then played at Oklahoma State (NCAA) from 2013-2017 playing a total of 121 games. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a BCL game against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg

Thanks Leyton for talking to germanhoops.com. You began the season in Turkey and now have landed in France with Dijon. You have been in a new country each season of your 7 pro years. Is learning new cultures and playing styles a goal of yours as an overseas baller?

Yes it is. Everywhere I’ve played I like to immerse myself in the culture. All 7 different countries I’ve played offer something different and I love that about my job.

You began the season with Besiktas and put up pretty good stats there. What kind of an experience was it playing for this well known organization and why did you move on?

It was a great experience. The fans are very passionate and I liked this a lot. I left because I wanted a better experience on the court for myself. Even though I didn’t feel like it was the right fit for me, I’m very thankful Besiktas gave the opportunity to play for them.

Now you have a new challenge in France and will help Dijon in the top 16 of BCL. You won your first and only chip 5 years ago. How big is your hunger to win that next one?

It’s very important to me. When I’m retired, I want to have left my legacy and for leaving a good legacy includes winning championships.

What exactly is your role with Dijon. They have some talented guys at your position. But it seems like you could be a key player on the front line in the down stretch.

My role is to stretch the floor with my shooting ability and versatility on offense and bring toughness and energy on defense.

You have always been a reliable scorer in your career and showed consistency on the stat sheet. How do you feel has your game grown overseas since your days in Finland and Hungary?

In my early career I relied on my jump shot a lot. Also making my first shot determined if I had a good game or a bad game. Now I think I’ve added a lot more to my game like low post, and attacking a close out. Also I try to focus more on getting a stop and a rebound to start the game instead of making my first shot.

How much of a work in progress is your three pointer? You shot the ball best in Russia and also in Fiba Europe Cup. What do you feel is still missing from being a more consistent shooter?

I would say just confidence. I know I’m a good shooter, but I can get in my own head.

You have only been teammates with 38 year old veteran David Holston for a short while. What kind of an impression has this short point guard left on you?

He’s a guard that can see everything on the floor. He plays the game one step ahead of everyone and as a shooter that is helpful because he sees things before that happen.

Last season you played with Gaziantep Basketbol (Turkey-BSL) averaging 11.2ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 53.1%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 89.5%; and in the FIBA Europe Cup averaged 12.4ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 52.6%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 74.2%. What kind of an experience was it playing in the competitive BSL? What was your fondest moment in Turkey?

I enjoyed playing in Turkey. The fans are very passionate. The league is very good so every game was a fight. My favorite memory was just enjoying all of the food in Gaziantep.

In 21-22 you balled for Yokohama B-Corsairs (Japan-B1 League) averaging 12.9ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 85.6%. Japan has become really popular with American players in the last years. What was the biggest challenge for you having to play the same team back to back?

Japan was most likely my favorite country I played in but it was a huge adjustment for me on the court.

In 20-21 you played with Enisey Krasnoyarsk (Russia-VTB United League) averaging 14.0ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 47.4%, FT-3 (93.3%). That was your best season in terms of free throws. What did you enjoy most about the VTB league?

I really enjoy playing for coach Zula. He helped me become a better player and instilled a lot of confidence in me.

You played twice against Euroleague team CSKA Moscow first losing by 49 points and then by 11 points. What kind of an experience was it for you playing against so many top players?

It was a learning experience, especially the first game. That team was extremely talented and I got to see up close what a good euro league team looked like.

In the 2019-2020 season you played with Asseco Arka Gdynia (Poland-EBL) averaging 8.5ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 28.8%, FT: 77.5%:and in the Eurocup averaging 10.0ppg, 3.7rpg, FGP: 58.5%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 81.3% What was key in your play in Eurocup play for this being your break out season after having played in lower leagues in Finland and Hungary?

That year I was trying to prove to others and myself that I can play at a high level.

In your second pro season you played with Egis Kormend (Hungary-A Division) averaging 13.3ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 59.1%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 82.7%; Alpe Adria Cup: 11 games: 14.6ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 56.6%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 65.0%. You won your first chip with the Adria Cup. What memories do you have of the 21 point win over Skrljevo where you scored 24 points?

That was a great time in my career. I was newly married and it was the first season my wife lived with me overseas. My teammates were some of the best guys I’ve met playing so that made that year even more special.

You played your rookie season with BC Nokia (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 13.7ppg, 6.8rpg, FGP: 61.9%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 80.6%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

Walking into my apartment and from my bed I could touch the stove, the front door, the bathroom door and the refrigerator. This was my wake up call. I had never lived in a space so small in my life.

How will you always have Devoe Joseph in your memories. Was he like a mentor for you in your rookie season? He is still playing in Mongolia this season.

He was a mentor for me. I spent a lot of time in his room watching NBA games. He helped me get through the tough times my rookie year.

You played at Oklahoma State University (NCAA) form 2013-2017. How tough were your first 2 years? You did play 58 games, but didn´t average more than 9,9 minutes per game. What did you learn about yourself?

I learned that in high level basketball you have to give the coach a reason to play you and keep you on the court whatever it might be.

You finally got going in your last 2 years averaging 10.5ppg, 5.0rpg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 79.6% and 8.1ppg, 4.9rpg, FGP: 52.7%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 85.1%. How did your game grow in this time?

I grew into my body and I was more physically ready to compete.

In your freshman year you were teammates with Marcus Smart. How do you remember the time with him? How quickly did you know on arrival there that he could be an NBA player?

He was a big prankster. He was a guy that always had the team laughing. On the court it, he was special. He took over a lot of games for us that year.

You saw 2 freshmen arrive with Cameron Mcgriff and Lindy Waters. Would you have thought with their early development and little minutes as freshmen that they had the potential to go so far?

I sure did. They were always in the gym and they were both good kids.

You played for 2 coaches with Travis Ford and Brad Greenwood. How did both guys groom and prepare you best for a pro basketball career?

They both taught me how to deal with adversity. How not allow tough times control my mental.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Cameron Mcgriff?

Me of course

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

Joe Young

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time

Vince Councel

Conner Frankamp

Damyean Dotson

John Egbunu

Angel Delgado

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

Michael Jordan

Lebron James

Kobe Bryant

Tim Duncan

Shaq

Who is your GOAT and why?

Michael Jordan. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t do on the court and he never lost in the finals. But my favorite player of all time is Tracy McGrady

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

I watched the first 20 mins and I left the movie theater.

Thanks Leyton for the chat.

Pic credit Galatasaray Basket

David McCormack (208-C-1999, college: Kansas) Is a 24 year old 208cm center that was born in the Bronx, New York that is playing his second pro season overseas and first with Galatasaray Ekmas Istanbul (Turkey-BSL). He began the season with Darussafaka Lassa Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) averaging 13.7ppg, 9.8rpg, 2FGP: 64.6%, FT: 72.1%; and played 5 Basketball Champions League games averaging 12.2ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 63.4%, FT: 81.8%. He palyed his rookie season with Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) averaging 9.1ppg, 7.4rpg, FGP: 57.1%, FT: 75.0%. He played NBA Summer League twice with the Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 7.0ppg, 6.0rpg, FGP: 44.4%, FT: 66.7% and with the Toronto Raptors averaging 3.5ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.0bpg. He began his basketball career at Norfolk academy and then played 2 years at the well known Oak Hill Academy. He then played 4 years at the University of Kansas (NCAA) playing 132 games and averaging 10.6ppg, 7.0rpg, FGP: 51.2%, FT: 75.6% as a senior and winning the 2022 NCAA title. He spoke to germanhoops before a Basketball Champions League game against the Telekom Baskets Bonn

Thanks David for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second pro season and second overseas in Turkey. How much has Turkey become like a second home for you? What do you enjoy most about the culture in Turkey?

I have definitely become comfortable living in Turkey to say the least. It wasn’t the easiest adjustment at first, but with time things became more natural. Turkey has pretty welcoming people and I also really enjoy the country’s traditional foods.

You live in the capital Istanbul that has many many teams. How wild is it living in one massive city and so much basketball to choose from?

Istanbul is a great city and I am happy to live in such a place. Finding things I need or receiving packages from home is a lot easier when living in a city like this. On the other hand, with a big city and high population it is inevitable to not have traffic. Also with so many teams being in Istanbul, it always gives me something to do. I love watching basketball. There is always a game in the city that I would drive to to watch.

You began the season with Darussafaka Lassa Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) averaging 13.7ppg, 9.8rpg, 2FGP: 64.6%, FT: 72.1%; in the BCL an din the Basketball Champions League 12.2ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 63.4%, FT: 81.8%. You had very solid stats. Why was your stay so short?

I enjoyed my time in Darussafaka, and my stats wouldn’t have been accomplished without the teammates that I had. Unfortunately, the club had some internal matters that needed to be handled.

You moved to Galatasaray Ekmas Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) that is also a very well known Turkish sports organization. It last won a title more than 10 years ago. How big is the desire inside the organization to win again?

Galatasaray is a famous club with a passionate staff as well as fans. We are practicing, preparing and are very eager ourselves each day to bring another title into this club.

The team is in 9th place in the BSL and 0-3 in the BCL. Despite that how much potential does the team have?

This team has gone through a lot of changes, but with each day we are building better chemistry and learning how to play better basketball with each other. This team has a lot of talent and experience and I feel we can compete with the best of teams.

What has it been like playing with ultra veteran Dee Bost? The guy has so much experience. What have you enjoyed most about his game?

Dee Bost is a great guy and knows the game and teams. From his years of experience, he has been able to give advice on other coaches’ playing style. He also tells me certain players’ habits to better guard or attack them.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 208cm center. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

I’ve honestly never thought of an NBA comparison for myself. I’ve always strived to be the player that I can be. Now I have had teammates who makes jokes say players like Lamarcus Aldridge or Demarcus Cousins but that’s not of my own judgment.

You’re a guy that can score and haul down the rebounds. What else does your game incorporate besides these traits?

I’m sure that it’s hard to tell in a loud gym, but I am also a very vocal player on the floor. Talking, pointing and sometimes pushing players to be in the right position, all so we can work in tandem. Being a better all around defensive player is also something I want to really improve in.

You have only shot 1 three this season. Is the three ball something that you want to incorporate into your game?

I would like to say I am a capable three point shooter, but have never really taken the opportunity to display it. So yes, expanding my shooting range is something that I want to work on.

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

Thinking about my game, I would say I am a slightly above average defender. I realize that I am no shot blocker but I make post-players take a difficult shot attempt. Defensively I know I have the capability, but really honing in on becoming a really good defender that can guard all positions.

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

During the season I try not to change my game too much. I rather make the adjustments the team needs for us to be more successful. Right now, just making the right reads out ball screen actions can really help our flow of offense.

Last season you played with Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) averaging 9.1ppg, 7.4rpg, FGP: 57.1%, FT: 75.0%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

My first wake up call was the 10 hour flight and 8 hour time difference. Another wake up call was the skill development. In college for the most part you would have designated times for your skill development. Now that you’re a professional it all is based on your desire. So if you see people never coming to the gym besides practice and start to lose playing time, it’s on them.

You played NBA Summer League in 2022 and 2023. What memories do you have of them and what was the coolest experience you had? Did you meet any NBA legends?

One of my favorite things about Summer League is seeing a lot of the guys who played a part in your journey. Teammates from high school to college and even overseas. Basketball is a global community and Summer League is almost like a family reunion for everyone that has invested time into the game.

What was the main reason why you didn´t start in the G-League? The NBA must be your dream. Did you see the reality of having a overseas career more than having to fight to reach the NBA?

I felt that playing overseas was a better opportunity for me. Having known some teammates that already played G-League, they gave me their advice which helped with my decision. The NBA is still my dream. I have learned that there is more than one way to reach the NBA and everyone’s road to get there is different.

You played at the University of Kansas from 2018-2022 topping off your career with the NCAA title in 2022. Looking back almost 2 years later, what thing pops into your mind at first when you think about the final win?

It’s really not too much to say besides I enjoyed my time at Kansas. The teammates and relationships I built while I was there. All the hard work and time invested paid off in the end.

You had easy wins against Miami and Villanova, but closer wins against Creighton and Providence. Was there a game at March madness that showed you most that this title wasn´t going anywhere besides Kansas?

I wouldn’t say that there is any easy win during March madness. Any team can get beaten at any time, and that’s the beauty of it. Every team has to bring their best every time they step on the floor, because it could be their last. You always feel strong and wanting to wind while going through the tournament, but I didn’t feel certain we were going to win until the championship game. Even with the halftime deficit.

In the final you were the hero at the end hitting the go ahead bucket with 1.22 to play and an insurance basket with 22 seconds. What was the whole atmosphere like at the end? Did you just block everything out? What memories do you have of those 2 clutch shots?

The last moments leading up to the win were really a blur. I was in this state of flow, where everything felt second nature and I really didn’t have to think about anything. We practice so many times for moments like and all the preparation paid off.

In your 4 years at Kansas you were teammates with many guys that would move on to the NBA. Which teammate had the biggest impact on you?

Dedric Lawson was a veteran roommate my freshman year. When finding my way trying to play at such a historic school, he just gave simple advice to help me see things in a different perspective.

How did head coach Bill Self groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

Coach Self is not only a great coach but a great guy. He was always honest and told you things with transparency. He would let you know how professional teams looked at you and how they would use you. To some players they may have felt discouraged. As for me I took it as motivation in learning how to make myself sought after as a player.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Udoka Azubuike?

If we’re playing strictly post moves Dok gets it. If it’s face up away from the basketball, I’m taking that.

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

I’ve played against a lot of guys but one of the first that comes to mind is also a former teammate Oscar Tshiebwe. He is an athlete and strong as well as being a workhorse.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time

(No specific order)

Keldon Johnson

Christian Braun

Ochai Agbaji

Immanuel Quickley

Mac McClung

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

Shaq, Jordan, Kobe, Lebron

Who is your GOAT and why?

Jordan is Icon

Kobe is a Legend

Lebron is the GOAT

Case closed.

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

Actually I never saw it, so I can’t speak on it.

Thanks David for the chat.

Cameron Henry (198-G-1999, college: Indiana St.) is a 24 year old 198cm guard from Chesterfield, Virginia that is playing his rookie season overseas with the Fraport Skyliners. He began his basketball career at Lloyd C. Bird high school and then played 3 seasons at Lincoln-Memorial University (NCAA2). He then moved to Indiana State (NCAA) where he played 2 seasons averaging 14.3ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 52.8%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 71.3% and as a senior averaged 11.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 3.7apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 76.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the 93-85 win on the road against the Art Giants Duesseldorf.

Congrats Cameron on the massive 93-85 win over the Art Giants Duesseldorf. How important was this win after the ugly loss in Trier?

This win was really important coming off the loss in Trier. Losing by 35 points can tell a lot about a team. It isn´t always easy to respond after a loss like that, but we did.

The 90-55 loss in Trier was very tough to digest for everyone. How could you explain a team performance like that coming from the long Fiba break?

The atmosphere in Trier was really tough. They have a great crowd there. They made great plays and we had problems with their defensive schemes that confused us when they switched. That hit us over the head. They are a real good team with great players. They may be 2-0 now, but I have a feeling we will see them again in the post season.

The Fraport Skyliners had seen Trier 2 months ago and knew how potent the guard play of Trier was. How could one explain the combined 64 points by Barnes, Mann and Yakhcalli?

I think that we didn´t do a good job executing our scouting report. They have a veteran team and came for blood. Those guys are all veterans and great offensive players. You can´t give anyone of them open looks. We tried to run them off the three point line, but overall we didn´t make it hard enough for them to score. They fed off their three pointers.

How much of a wake up call was the loss to Trier? How aware is the team that they would be very tough to beat in a 5 game playoff series?

The loss in Trier was a big wake up call for us. A team will always have nights like that where you aren´t locked in as a team. It happens. You have to be fully engaged when you play against a top team like that at their place. You need a short leash and then just move on which we did well in Duesseldorf.

What do you feel did the team learn from the Trier fiasco?

We learned that we have to always stick together. We didn´t have good body language. We have to learn when it gets tough, to be able to pick each other up.

A positive note to the loss was the 12/6 game of new player Ife Ajayi. How much joy will the team continue to see from him?

He is a very good player. He gives us a different element. That was his first real game where he got good minutes. He is a very physical player that shows it at both ends of the court. He is a veteran on a young team and we just need that kind of physical presence. He always plays with high energy and picks me up on the court when I need it.

How tough was the 48 hours between games? How did the team prepare mentally?

We have gotten used to having that short turn around between games this season. We had a good team talk after the loss and left Trier in Trier. We were focused for Duesseldorf. Nobody was mad at each other after Trier and we just moved on. We saw what can happen in Duesseldorf when your focused.

The best way one can describe the win in Duesseldorf was another up and down game. But you got the win despite a late game comeback attempt?

The win in Duesseldorf was all that counted. One thing that I have learned this season with the Skyliners is that each game has it´s waves. They did a great job fighting and coming back, but we executed when we needed to. It doesn´t matter if we win by 1 or 30, a win is a win and we´ll take it.

Frankfurt had a great end to the third quarter leading by 7 and then took that momentum into the fourth and led by more than 20 points. Was that the tams best basketball of the game?

I thought so. When we led by 7 points after 3 quarters, we just kept getting stops. We knew that they like to play that 1-1 game and we just played with high energy and did all we had to do. If that meant diving on the floor and getting less fouls, we did it.

During this time it was the Henry and Muenkat show. How much fun is it personally for you to play with David Muenkat?

David is the perfect teammate on and off the court. I´m starting to get to know him better on the court. I know where he wants the ball. My best part is passing, so I try to feed him where he can excel most. We are learning to be able to feed off each other. He is an absolute athletic freak. It is a lot of fun to play with him.

David Muenkat had the dunk of the year with your feed off the back board. Is that something you practice in practice and was Lebron an inspiration?

That back board dunk just came within the game. 3 games ago, we had the chance to do it, but didn´t. He was behind me, but I didn´t get him the pass. I promised myself that that wouldn´t happen again. I wouldn´t miss him again. We don´t practice that in practice, but I feel like our connection is always getting better. It wasn´t the best pass, but he was able to finish. I told him after the dunk that that was D Wade or Kyrie to Lebron. That ran through my mind during that play.

Duesseldorf made a massive run at the end but came up short? Raiquan Clark was a beast. Did you guys already feel mentally like you had the game wrapped up?

I think that we lost some focus at the 4,00 minute mark and lost focus on defense. Clark is hard to defend especially when he is hitting three´s. I commend them for the way they fought back. They made real good decisions down the stretch and hit shots.

I really think that a big problem is that the team has nobody that can always step up to totally decide a game. Ok so the team had 5 guys in double figures which is good, but as a whole wouldn´t be nice to have that consistent 25 point guy?

I think that it is better to have 5-6 guys that score in double figures then only 1 guy that can score very much. If that one great scorer has a bad night, then those others who aren´t used to have to score could have problems. We have a deep rotation that will play 10-12 guys. It is nice to have many guys that can score in double figures. I think that depth will carry us to success. We like to go to our bench and have extra energy from the bench which other teams don´t.

How motivated were you after your 2 points in 9 minutes in Trier? You had a great game with a stat line of 14/3/3/2/2. Was this one of your best games this season?

I think it was one of my best games this season. It felt good to bounce back after my disqualification in Trier. I didn´t want to end my weekend in Trier. It was good to be able have a good game in Duesseldorf.

The 2 best positives of the game was the rebounding with 13 offensive rebounds and 25 free throw attempts. Did the free throws win you game?

The free throws was a big part, but I think key was our second half defense which won us the game. It´s always good to get to the line, but defense was the key factor for the win.

Despite the tough ending with Duesseldorf´s run, what positives could the team take from this win?

We learned that sticking together is always important. We also learned that defense will win us games. We won´t always have games where we shoot 40%, so we have to hang our heads on defense. If we want to get far this season, we will have to do it with defense.

You next play Bayreuth who you beat at home at the start of the season. They are an up and down team, but very annoying to play? What will be key to getting the win?

We will have to be prepared, because they are up and down and you never know what you will get from them. We will have to be prepared to whether storms and runs and come together. Our defense will have to be our anchor.

Thanks Cameron for the chat.

With March having popped up, the Pro B is in the stretch run of the regular season as teams jockey for the best position possible in the playoff places. After a 2 week break due to the Fiba break, the Dragons Rhondorf came back home into their living room sporting a 16-4 record and were in first place. They had been playing good basketball in the last weeks having won 5 of their last 6 games and could have had an even better record hadn´t they had a total slip up against Orange Academy in their last home game. They had no simple task with Bavarian team BBC Coburg arrived in Rhondorf with a potent 12-7 record and were playing spirited and super basketball having a 3 game winning streak and had won 6 of their last 7 games. The Bavarian club wanted revenge after the 104-100 shoot out loss at home, but didn´t get it as they lost another close shoot out 96-92. It was a tale of 2 halves for Rhondorf as they had less energy in the first half, but came out reborn in the second half and took control of the game and never looked back. “We didn´t defend well in the first half, but played better in the second half and just fought until the end and wanted it more. Gille and Sullivan were a big help on the offensive rebounds”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Tyreese Blunt (191-PG-2002). BBC Coburg as usual demonstrated that they could score very well, but couldn´t slow down the lethal offensive arsenal of the Dragons as their defense fizzled. “It is really frustrating that we lost another shoot out again by 4 points. We know that we can score, but we have to defend better. The 5-6 minutes in the third quarter where we couldn´t score really hurt us. We had no ball movement”, stressed BBC Coburg guard Sven Lorber. The Dragons had special performances by 3 players as they were sparked by guard Tyreese Blunt who registered only the fifth Dragons triple double in the Dragon Dome in the last 7 seasons as Kameron Taylor did it twice as well as Curtis Hollis and Paul Albrecht with a 14/10/10 game while the dynamic big man duo of Avery Sullivan and Ferenc Gille combined for 41 points and 26 points. The team added 24 offensive rebounds. “They played such a big role tonight. They were huge on the boards and are real leaders. When one guy doesn´t get the rebound then the other one does”, smiled Tyreese Blunt. “If one misses the rebound then the other one gets it. We just didn´t have the height or physicality to keep up with them for 40 minutes”, added Sven Lorber.

Olamide Pederson at the FT line

The first quarter was an offensive back and forth tug of war that ended 24-24 after 10 minutes. Texas native Avery Sullivan got the Dragons Rhondorf on the scoreboard first with a 15 footer, but after that the Coburg zone stifled them as the Dragons were stopped 4 times and Coburg scored 6 unanswered points to lead 6-2. In the run the guests got a dunk by Danish big man Olamide Pederson, free throws by Lorber and a lay in by ex Ibam guard Gabriel Kuku. Rhondorf then got into a better offensive flow getting 15 footer by Las Vegas native Kelvin Omojola and Gille lay in, but Coburg still kept the lead as they continued to feed Pederson who scored. Coburg was playing a solid zone and playing nice inside out basketball and having good shot selection. Both teams then found their range from outside as Utah native Kolton Mortensen hit 2 three´s while Blunt and Omojola also hit from the parking lot as the game was deadlocked at 14-14. BBC Coburg continued to get great input from Mortensen as he added 5 points to give his team the 22-18 lead. But Rhondorf didn´t let that burst of energy rattle them as they closed out the first quarter with a 6-2 run, In the run, Rhondorf got 4 points from Avery Sullivan who was showing his beast qualities in the zone and transition points from young German Janne Muller to end the first quarter. “We were prepared for the zone, but just didn´t execute the way we wanted to. Kelvin Omojola carried us and it´s just great to be his teammate”, stated Tyreese Blunt. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 53% from the field and 38% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 3 turnovers while BBC Coburg shot 50% from the field and 40% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

Ference Gille at teh FT line

In the second quarter BBC Coburg were able to get away from the Dragons Rhondorf with a run and have the 6 point advantage at the break. BBC Coburg began well with a catch and pop shot by Austrian Nico Hollerl and lay in by 18 year old Lithuanian forward Danas Kazakevicius for the 29-26 lead. But Mr tripe double Tyreese Blunt came to life and gave this lightening energy with 6 points with a massive left handed dunk, free throws and offensive rebound and put back for the 32-29 advantage. His overall energy propelled him to a rare triple double. “That was my first in the Pro B. It was cool, to achieve this, but I couldn´t have done it without my teammates who made shots”, expressed Tyreese Blunt. It looked like this could be the turning point of the game, but it was wasn´t as BBC Coburg punched back with an annoying 15-4 run to lead 44-36. In the run the Bavarian side received 5 points from Hollerel with a trey and pretty alley oop dunk, 4 points from Kuku, a lay in by Kazakevicius and three pointer by Lorber. BBC Coburg stepped up their defense and good defense led to offense as they got easy transition baskets. They also opened up their trick basket with the alley-oop. The Dragons Rhondorf lost total focus during the run and had problems with execution against their zone. Down the stretch Rhondorf got some needed energy from German Antonio Pilipovic with 4 points, but they couldn´t get over the hump. BBC Coburg got valuable energy from the bench from Kazekevicius who supplied 6 points as he was always a presence in the zone and had that special knack to get easy baskets. BBC Coburg kept the 50-44 advantage after 20 minutes. “We were very sloppy in this quarter. We gave up too many easy baskets and didn´t hustle at all”, commented Tyreese Blunt. BBC Coburg shot 515 from the field and 50% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 4 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 40% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 28 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Tyreese Blunt from outside

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf made their move and grabbed the lead back and would never look back even if BBC Coburg never backed down, but fought until the end. The Dragons Rhondorf came out of half-time refocused and upped their intensity and cruised out on a lethal 17-6 run to regain the lead 61-54. The dynamic duo of Gille and Sullivan led the charge with 12 points as Gille added 8 and Sullivan 4 points. 3 of the 6 buckets were on offensive rebounds and put backs as BBC Coburg had no answer for them in the zone. Omojola also added a three pointer and Pilipovic scored inside. Gille who didn´t begin to play basketball until he was 15 years old and has 119 Pro A games experience played with so much energy that nothing could slow him down. BBC Coburg did find some resistance stopping the run and closing the gap to 63-61 as they got transition baskets from Lorber and Kuku and a trey by Mortensen. But the Dragons Rhondorf kept the lead in the last minute as Sullivan was in monster mode scoring 3 times with a 15 footer, put back and lay in. Lorber added a three pointer and Kazekevicius a lay in, but Rhondorf had the slim 69-66 lead. “We came out with high energy and intensity and that run to start decided the game for us”, stressed Tyreese Blunt. “They moved the ball well and our zone didn´t work. They were able to score inside and we didn´t they got the defensive rebound”, stated Sven Lorber. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 40% from the field and 22% from the parking lot and had 44 rebounds and 5 turnovers while BBC Coburg shot 48% from the field and 44% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Gabriel Kuku with the lay in

In the fourth quarter the Dragons Rhondorf were able to play with a high intensity and manage their lead well, while always having to resist the comeback attempt by BBC Coburg. The Dragons Rhondorf took their momentum from the third quarter into the fourth reeling off 3 baskets by Avery Sullivan who was in his own little zone as he drained anything he got in the mid distance area and close to the rim while 2018 NBBL champion Badu Buck hit a trey for the 78-71 lead. BBC Coburg had their own special work horse with Kazakevicius who scored twice, but BBC Coburg just couldn´t get over the hump, because besides the continued dominance of Sullivan and Gille who scored also had other weapons as Muller also scored as Rhondorf led 84-77. But BBC Coburg just didn´t lay down, but just fought led by their heart and soul Sven Lorber who nailed 2 clutch three´s twice to keep his team close at 84-80 and 88-87, but time was running down, but Rhondorf wasn´t in the clear yet. Rhondorf got key baskets from Gille and Omojola to lead 92-87, but BBC Coburg kept remaining at their back door getting a lay in by Kazakevicius and a big trey by ex Paderborn guard Adrian Petkovic to trail 94-92 with 7,8 seconds to play. But Antonio Pilipovic closed out the game with free throws. “We wanted it more at the end. We gave all we had. Sullivan and Gille carried us the whole game”, warned Tyreese Blunt. “We scored well and stayed with them, but we just couldn´t get stops”, said Sven Lorber. The Dragons Rhondorf had 6 guys score in double figures led by Avera Sullivan with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Ference Gille added 17 points and 14 boards while Tyreese Blunt had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists while Kelvin Omojola added 12 points while BBC Coburg was led by Danas Kazekevicius with 25 points while Sven Lorber added 21 points. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 42% from the field and 22% from outside and had 56 rebounds (24 offensive rebounds) and 10 turnovers while BBC Coburg shot 48% from the field and 37% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 12 turnovers.