Tom Arkan led Hanau to win with 28 points

One thing is definitely missing for NBBL team Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners this season and that is seeing the big teams like FC Bayern Munich, Ibam and Ludwigsburg in their BCM living room, but when one suffers a horrible 1-11 season last year, then one has to work their way back to the top division. At the moment Eintracht Frankfurt.Fraport Skyliners are in the B-group and play teams like Sudhessen, Wurzburg and Heidelberg. So far they had started off perfect into the season with a 3-0 record and like most teams in the last years have sparkled with their consistent defense allowing only 63 points on average. On a cool autumn Sunday, Frankfurt met 0-3 team Hanau who had gotten off on the wrong side of the bed and were still searching for a defensive identity as they allowed 96 points on average. There´s always that first time in a season for a team and TG Hanau White Wings finally showed some passion on defense as they stifled Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners 72-65 on the road. The guests controlled the game from the get go and always had an answer when Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners tried to get over the hump. It also helped that Hanau got incredible support from captain Tom Arkan (189-G-2005) in crunch-time as he took control and hit big baskets to secure the win. “We finally had a full roster. We fought hard and just wanted it more than Frankfurt. We fought for every rebound. We wanted to win in Frankfurt very much and show that we belong in the league”, stressed Hanau guard Tom Arkan. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners didn´t have their best offensive game and were handicapped without their top scorer Dusan Nikolic who wasn´t 100%. “We underestimated them and didn´t fight and play with energy at the start. We didn´t defend well nor did we rebound well. We didn´t play team basketball and everyone wanted to be the star”, stressed Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners guard Dusan Nikolic.

Marvin Esser at FT line

Even if Hanau had most of their roster in Frankfurt, they were missing 2 vital players with Danis Salhovic who was out with a hand injury and Eren Yildiz was out with a finger injury. Somebody had to take over and did with Jeremie Okitasumbu who was a one man wrecking crew as he scored Hanau´s first 4 buckets as he was unstoppable in the zone and on the boards. Frankfurt had no player who could match his intensity or rebounding ability. Frankfurt had problems with 1-1 defense and after Tom Arkan scored on penetration, Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was staring at a 10-3 deficit. Hanau was very physical and Frankfurt didn´t have great shot selection and coughed up a few balls. German Marvin Esser made a lay in for Frankfurt, but Hanau always had answers as Okitasumbu scored again on a hook shot as Hanau led 14-6. Frankfurt received a vital basket from young 15 year old German Jamie Edoka to cut Hanau´s advantage to 14-8. But Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was unable to slow down Hanau´s execution rate as they closed out the first quarter with a 9-2 run to lead 23-10 after 10 minutes. Hanau got a basket from Felix Sinning and 2 lay in´s by Tom Arkan who´s speed was difficult to control. “We had Okitasumbu on the scouting report. He is very athletic and we didn´t box out well enough against him. He and Arkan made plays. We just didn´t take them seriously. We thought hey it´s only Hanau”, warned Dusan Nikolic. TG Hanau White Wings shot 47% from the field and 0% from outside and had 13 rebounds and 2 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 27% from the field and 13% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Jeremie Okitasumbu at the Ft line

In the second quarter TG Hanau White Wings continued to control the game, but both teams made runs as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners pulled back within 1 point, but only to lose the momentum and trail by 11 points at the break. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners came out on fire going on a 5-0 run to cut the Hanau lead down to 23-15 as Namori Omog made a lay in and Leif Zentgraf drilled home a trey. Hanau rapidly answered with a trey from Ben Williams for the 26-15 advantage, but Frankfurt had spark on offense going on a 12-2 run to trail only 28-27. In the run, Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners got additional big support from Leif Zentgraf with another three pointer and free throw, while energizer Rephael Edward made a lay in as did Omot and 2023 JBBL finalist Maximilian Peters drooped a trey. Joscha Zentgraf had a poor shooting day and had much misfortune, but twin Leif had the hot hand as his play really pushed Frankfurt to new heights. Hanau lost intensity on defense and couldn´t slow down Frankfurt´s good decisions. But Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners couldn´t hold the momentum as they encountered another poor phase with defensive break downs as Hanau sped out on a 9-1 run to lead 37-28. In the run Hanau received fine support from their bench as Germans Vadim Maisels connected on a trey and quick footed Nabil Alsabagh scored on penetration. Valentine Konstantinov also supplied offense power with a lay in and put back. Frankfurt gave up too many easy baskets as their defensive aggressiveness was lacking. Frankfurt showed a little daylight with back to back buckets from glue guy Marvin Esser and Omog to cut Hanau´s lead to 37-32. But Frankfurt continued to have their ups and downs as they relinquished a 6-0 run by Hanau to trail 43-32 at half-time. After being quiet for some minutes, it was time for Jeremie Okitasumbu to get going as he scored twice in the lane and Sinning also scored inside. “We didn´t expect them to be so good on offense and were just overwhelmed. “We couldn´t contain Okitasumbu. Our bad offense came off our bad defense”, stated Dusan Nikolic. TG Hanau White Wings shot 47% from the field and 17% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds and 7 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 39% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Tom Arkan with the lay in

n the third quarter TG Hanau White Wings continued to control the lead, but Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners continued to fight back, but still were unable to get over the hump trailing by 5 points after 30 minutes. But Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners had another super start going on a 8-2 run to cut Hanau´s lead to 45-40. In the run, it was Namori Omot who led the charge as his organizing of the game was superb. He had a great knack of knowing when to finish and when to find his teammates. In this phase, his scoring was spot on as he added 6 points including a trey while Leif Zentgraf made a hard dunk. “Omot plays very well. He plays with high intensity and reads the game well. I also like his ball handling. I try to push him in practice. I see him being a leader in the future”, stressed Dusan Nikolic. Hanau stopped the run with lay in´s from Arkan and Sinning to extend their lead to 51-43. Hanau did a good job being clever and knowing how to get easy baskets against a lax Frankfurt defense that just lacked aggressiveness. Hanau wanted to slam the door on Frankfurt as they added consecutive three´s with Maisel and Arkan as Hanau led 57-43. Just when one thought that that was the final blow, Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners retaliated with a new blow closing out the third quarter with a 7-0 run to trail 57-52 after 3 quarters. In the run, Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners got a tip in by Peters and a runner from Esser at the buzzer. Frankfurt also got to the free throw line but missed 2. After 40 minutes they missed a total of 17 free throws which didn´t help in their winning attempt. “We did a good job executing our plays and just fighting hard”, stated Tom Arkan. “Hanau was playing well, but we never gave up. We did a better job playing as a team”, added Dusan Nikolic. TG Hanau White Wings shot 42% from the field and 31% from the parking lot and had 35 rebounds and 11 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 39% from the field and 33% from the parking lot and had 31 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

Namori Omog with the jumper

Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners had a golden opportunity in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter to take control, but as usual couldn´t execute consistently. Frankfurt made 5 stops, but could only make one field goal by Omog to trail 57-54. Okitasumbu hit a three pointer at the 6,00 minute mark for Hanau´s first field goal to lead 60-54. After a Joscha Zentgraf lay in, Konstantinov reacted with a trey for the 63-56 Hanau lead. Frankfurt had the next answer with a Edward put back, but Maisels reacted with another three pointer for the 65-59 advantage. After a Frankfurt turnover, Arkan reacted with an off balance shot for the 67-59 lead for Hanau. Frankfurt got a lay in by Leif Zentgraf and free throws from Omog to trail 67-63. Hanau was struggling and gave Frankfurt extra chances but Frankfurt couldn´t take advantage of it. Hanau made another turnover and Joshca Zentgraf punished Hanau with a lay in to trail 67-65 with 22 seconds. But Tom Arkan made a free throw and then got an offensive rebound and drew another foul and hit 2 free throws. Athletic Jeremie Okitasumbu blocked Leif Zengraft which led to a Tom Arkan lay in to end the game. “Our intensity was higher. We were strong mentally and stuck together. We got a big 50/50 ball at the end. I really felt it today. We played well as a team and my teammates found me”, said Tom Arkan. “They played smarter and made better decisions. They knew when to use their strengths and wanted it more than us”, stressed Dusan Nikolic. TG Hanau White Wings were led by Tom Arkan with 28 points. Jeremie Okitasumbu added 18 points and Vadim Maisels 11 points while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners was led by Namori Omot with 18 points while Leif Zentgraf added 15 points. TG Hanau White Wings shot 42% from the field and 33% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 18 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 35% from the field and 24% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 19 turnovers.

Feliciano Perez (210-C-1990) is a 33 year old 210 cm center that is playing his first season in Germany with Regionalliga team Bona Baskets Limburg. He began his career in his homeland Brazil where he won 2 titles with the Carioca League and Ouro title and then came to Europe in 2018 and played 4 seasons in Portugal before coming to Germany. He spoke to germanhoops.com after a loss to Vamos Soeflingen

The Bona Baskets Limburg suffered a tough 99-61 loss to Vamos Soeflingen. The big loses continue. Why could Limburg get on the winning road?

We didn´t respect their space on the court. We didn´t play good help defense and didn´t have good shot selection. Key tonight for the loss was defense. We played bad defense.

Welcome to Limburg. Your nickname is Feliz. Are you always happy?

I´m generally always happy. We don´t like to lose in Brazil. We have hot blood and always want to win. We never give up.

Your playing your first season in Germany with the Bona Baskets Limburg. What has been your impression of the country and it´s basketball?

I think that good basketball is played in Germany. I feel the system is close to what you see in Spain and Italy. The basketball has improved a lot.

What does it mean to you playing in the country that houses the World Champions? Was this an incredible happening or did you await it?

It is a very interesting thing. One can see how the game has developed at all levels. It is very important that the young Germans play in the Regionalliga. Limburg gives young Germans that opportunity. I think that the more minutes that they get, the better chance they will get to play at a higher level.

What kind of an experience has it been playing with the Bona Baskets Limburg? What have you learned to appreciate most about the organization?

I appreciate the fact that everyone tries to help you. They want to make you feel comfortable and I feel comfortable here. I think that the whole system works well here.

The club has had a tough start to the season. The club is very thin on quality in the roster. Can this team survive without more help in the roster with additional bodies?

I think that we need a better system to understand the game better and how to select better shots. If we aren´t able to take good shots then we won´t have good efficiency. It is difficult for Kljaic and me because all teams focus on us.

What kind of an experience has it been teammates with captain Justin Stallbohm? How infectious is his smile?

Justin is always positive. He is like a gentleman always trying to help everyone off the court. On the court he organizes our game very well and puts everyone in good position to score.

You had a double double in your first game. How do you compare the zone here to the Portugal first and second divisions?

It is a lot tougher in Portugal, but the German first 2 leagues are stronger than in Portugal. I like the Regionalliga. I can run here and get in shape.

You have always been a scorer and rebounder. Do you feel like you could be that double double monster in the German Regionalliga?

I can easily be a double double monster here.

You had a huge dunk in the fourth quarter. Will we see more of that?

I had 4 dunks in the first game. I injured myself a bit in that game. I didn´t practice last week but just did rehab.

You played the last 4 years in Portugal. Did Portugal become like a second home to you? What did you enjoy most about the country?

Portugal was like a second home to me. Everything was easy for me there. It was my home language which was a big help. I´m a very easy going guy and their way of life fit me well.

Last season you won the Proliga Antonio Pratas Trophy with Portimonense (Portugal-Proliga) What was so special with this team?

We pushed us each day because our goal was to win the title. We actually won 2 medals. Doing something like that in 1 season is very special.

A few years ago you had a solid 12/6 win over top team Benfica Lisabon that had ex NBA guys Bryce Alford and Quincy Miller-Scott. Was that one of your biggest wins in Portugal?

Honestly that game was normal for me. When you practice 2 times a day, you will be able to improve and reach your goals. You need to practice 6-7 hours a day and then you can play against high level players. I´m used to playing against top players. I was a member of the national team and saw many great players.

You also played briefly in Argentina with Centro Deportivo Rivadavia de Mendoza (Argentina-La Liga Argentina) averaging 9.5ppg, 7.6rpg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 9.1%, FT: 56.6%. What is it in general for a Brazilian to play on a team full of Argentine players?

People in South America really only have conflict with people from Chille for supporting England in the war with Argentina. I had a very good relationship with my Argentine teammates. The only conflict Brazil and Argentina have is with football.

You played most of your career in your homeland. How difficult is it general for a Brazilian to get out of their country and play in other countries. How lucky do you feel you have been?

Obviously you have to be very good to get out, but to be honest it isn´t that difficult anymore. Basketball is more global now. You can see games more on TV and in the internet with you tube which makes the scouting easier. Players are seen more now than years ago.

10 years ago you were teammates with ex NBA player Edward Basden. What memories do you have of him?

He is a very good guy and a great player. We won a title together. I was 21 when we were teammates. He taught me to be more ambitious and more aggressive on the court. He always told me to keep working hard because he felt I had potential.

Who was the toughest player that you faced in your career that reached the NBA?

I played against very many good players. Guys like Nicolas Laprovittola or Facundo Campazzo, but the best I played against was Alex Garcia. He was a Brazilian national player and a legend in Brazil. I also played against Anderson Varejao when he came home from the NBA.

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Jordan, Kobe, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Love

Who is your GOAT and why?

Jordan

Thanks Feliciano for the chat.

After having to play their first 3 games on the road, the EPG Baskets Koblenz came home with at least one win in their bag. They presented their fans in their first home game against Rasta Vechta 2 with a spectacular finish winning by 2 points. Less than a week later the team was back in their living room and wanted to keep their winning streak alive against the VFL Sparkassen Stars Bochum who had begun the season out on the wrong foot losing their first 4 games. They had been near 80 points scored per game, but hadn´t found an identity on the defensive allowing 96 points per game or more twice. On a cool and rainy late October evening the EPG Baskets Koblenz welcomed Bochum to their always bright CGM arena and had to endure a Bochum rainfall of three´s as they hit 20, but at the end couldn´t make that extra one to force overtime as the EPG Baskets Koblenz escaped the Bochum three point frenzy winning a 95-92 nail bitter. “We came in strong with a good tempo but lost a bit as the game progressed. I think we were influenced a bit by their hot three point shooting. They hit deep three´s and we didn´t defend that well. We moved the ball well, were unselfish and weren´t dominated by the other team on the boards. I´m just happy we won. Every pro A game is tough”, warned EPG Baskets Koblenz captain Marvin Heckel (190-PG-1997) Bochum gave all they had, but just couldn´t get a few extra stops at the end to force the overtime. “We had a tough start but soon found to our game. I thought we played well for 35 minutes. We hit a lot of hail marry shots. We dominated the three, but still it was very difficult to play against their bigs. They were very tough and put much pressure inside on us”, stressed Bochum guard Niklas Geske.

Moses Poelking at the FT line

It had been a tough week for Bochum as they let go of 2 imports Oluwasesan Russell and Kalu Ezikpe and came to Koblenz with a 8 man rotation and youth players. A new sniper is already waiting in the wings who has Pro A experience with a team in south Germany, but won´t be made official until he has his work permit. The VFL SparkassenStars Bochum began with fire power as they sped out on a rapid 7-0 lead as American Matthew Strange who is a rookie and played at Southeastern Louisiana (NCAA) drilled home a trey as did German Vincent Friederici who has 11 BBL games on his resume. Koblenz seemed a bit dazed and couldn´t match the guests intensity. But that the EPG Baskets Koblenz can speed back from nothing is no secret as they did better than matching Bochum´s run, but scored 10 unanswered points to lead 10-7. In the run Koblenz spread the love around and got buckets from ex Wurzburg forward Rytis Pipiras, a lay in from top Pro A center Maurice Pluskota, a lay in from Marvin Heckel who was back early from his injury and a three from defensive specialist Trey Hall. Marvin Heckel looked as good as new as he made quick strides in his rehab. “It is crazy. Marvin came in and controlled the game instantly. He brings high quality and is very mobile. He makes everyone around him better and makes the quality of each player better”, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz manager Thomas Klein. Koblenz continued to have the slight lead getting additional baskets from Heckel and Pipiras, but Bochum stayed with them getting baskets from Strange and Quinn Nelson. Nelson who played at Southwest Baptist University (NCAA2) came into the game shooting a dismal 22% at 5/22 and he had to break out sooner or later as the game was dead locked at 17-17. Koblenz allowed Bochum to play their run and gun game. Koblenz got superior work from their bigs Moses Poelking and Gabriel De Olveira as they made baskets inside for the 27-21 advantage. But Bochum just kept firing away and got 2 more three´s from ex Hagen guard Niklas Geske and Matthew Strange as the EPG Baskets Koblenz had the tight 29-27 lead after 10 minutes. “Bochum played their run and gun game. They had to play it. We weren´t playing bad, but they were shooting from all angles and hitting much. We rebounded well and did good transition”, stated Thomas Klein.

Vincent Friederici at the FT line

In the second quarter Bochum continued to let it fly and the EPG Baskets Koblenz couldn´t break the Bochum zone as the guests went into half-time with the 53-48 advantage. After a Koblenz turnover, Quinn Nelson connected on free throws to tie the contest. Koblenz then had a good phase getting back to back buckets from rookie AJ Plitzuweit and a trey from ex Rhondorf center Gabriel De Olveira to up the Koblenz lead to 34-29. But Koblenz simply had to many lapses on defense and just couldn´t cover the three point line well enough as they allowed Bochum to produce a 10-1 run to retake the 39-35 lead. Nelson added 5 points including a trey and sturdy German role player Emil Loch supplied another three pointer. Rytis Pipiras gave offensive stability with an offensive rebound and put back and Poelking free throws, but Bochum just continued to pour it on from outside as Loch connected again as did Nelson and Geske added a lay in as Pat Elzie and co were staring at a 47-39 lead by the guests. Hall added a trey but ex Trier German Killian Dietz made a massive dunk and Strange added a trey. Marvin Heckel ended the second quarter in style with an open three pointer, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz trailed by 5 points. “We didn´t play well enough against the zone and lost our rhythm. They continued to shoot very well from outside and we didn´t play our game with transition”, said Thomas Klein.

Marvin Heckel jumper

In the third quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz rallied and even took the lead, but after 30 minutes Bochum led by 1 point as no team could get away from the other. In the first few minutes it was the superb play of inside/out player Rytis Pipiras who kept Koblenz in the game as he scored 3 buckets. But Koblenz couldn´t make any ground as German Vincent Friederici scored 5 points including another trey and ex TV Langen big man Tom Alte made free throws for the 60-52 lead. Koblenz then had a good offensive phase once again going on a 7-0 run getting stops and getting lay in´s from Hall and Moses Poelking and a three pointer from Plitzuweit to capture the lead back 61-60. Both teams now went back and forth as Bochum got additional three´s from Nelson and ex Hagen German Daniel Zdravevski to tie the game at 67-67. “It was a tight game. We weren´t able to play to our strengths, but let them play their strengths against us”, commented Thomas Klein. Both teams were playing at a high rate of intensity as they continued to trade baskets as Bochum got lay in´s from Dietz and Friederici as Koblenz displayed no 1-1 defense, but on offense got production from Malcolm Anderson with a lay in and a trey by Gabriel De Olveira. But Bochum had the last laugh as Dietz used his wide body to barge into the lane again and score ending the quarter with the Bochum 73-72 lead. “I thought we did a good job executing our plays. We weren´t only hitting crazy shots. Our zone worked. Our focus with the zone was to conserve our energy”, stressed Niklas Geske. “We tried different defensive options which we weren´t so used to. We let them play their game and weren´t prepared well enough against their zone. I felt our man to man worked better than the zone”, stressed Marvin Heckel

Niklas Geske with the drive

In the fourth quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz could finally break free, but Bochum continued to rely on their three ball and came back making the last minutes very exciting. The EPG Baskets Koblenz jumped all over Bochum whirling a 11-0 run at them and capturing the lead back to lead 83-73. In the run, they once again showed how lethal their offense can be when executed properly. De Olveira made a trey while Maurice Pluskota made a tip in, but the real deal was Pipiras who continued to be that solid consistent scorer and leader nailing a three pointer and a reverse lay up. “We searched for the 1-1 game and penetrated well. We got the needed offensive rebounds and they missed shot”, said Thomas Klein. The guests continued to chip away at Koblenz and just wouldn´t give up getting another three pointer by Strange, a runner by Friederici and a lay in by Geske high off the glass to trail 89-82. Heckel didn´t only score, but also dished out an incredible 12 assists as he found Poelking for the lay in and commanding 91-83 lead with 1,51 to play. “We got out on transition and weren´t frustrated by their three´s. We tried pushing the ball each time before getting into our sets”, said Marvin Heckel Heckel also supplied 11 points for the double double. It made everyone in the CGM arena happy that he was able to come back so quickly from injury. “My rehab went very well. I received great support from all and I did my job. Maybe genetics helped with my quick return. I felt ready. It was a good return even if I made mistakes. I need to find game rhythm again. I think that I gave my teammates confidence with my return. Now guys could concentrate more on their own roles instead of doing many things”, commented Marvin Heckel One would have thought that that was enough of a cushion for Koblenz, but Bochum had other ideas. They continued to rely on their three´s as Nelson made 2 back to back and suddenly Koblenz only led 91-89 with 19 seconds to play. De Olveira made a big dunk for the 93-89 advantage with 8 seconds to go. Nobody had Nelson covered and he made another crazy three with 3 seconds to play. It was his eight three pointer of the game. He had only made 5 in the first 4 games. Pipiras made 2 free throws for the 95-93 lead. Niklas Geske let one last three to go, but it only saw the back board as the EPG Baskets Koblenz went to 3-2 and Bochum to 0-5. “We were lucky. Nelson hit many crazy shots. I really thought that every time he released a shot, it would go in. Lucky that Geske missed the last shot”, added Marvin Heckel “We fought hard until the end and never sunk our heads. We were close to tie. My last shot felt good, but it then sailed left. We gave it a good fight”, stressed Niklas Geske. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Rytis Pipiras with 26 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals. Moses Poelking added 17 points and Gabriel De Olveira 16 points while the VFL SparkassenStars Bochum were led by Quinn Nelson with 30 points while Vincent Friederici and Mathew Strange chipped in with 13 and 12 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 52% from the field and 38% from outside and had 45 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the VFL SparkassenStars Bochum shot 45% from the field and 44% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

When you have interviewed as many players as I have in 20 years, you sometimes tend to lose track what happened to certain guys after interviewing them. There are tens of thousands playing in Europe and it’s just tough being able to keep track of everyone. Just the other day bright Mensah wrote me asking if he could do an interview with me again. It didn’t even take a second for me to remember who he was, but when I looked in my archive when I had interviewed him, I was shocked that it had been April 2019 when he was playing with KIT SC Karlsruhe. I would have predicted 2021. So much has happened in that time. I didn’t have the last seasons of his career in my head so I checked his Eurobasket.com profile and saw that he had played one more season in Germany and then in Portugal and Spain. And not to forget in between Covid shocked and rattled the world and now has left us again. Covid affected everyone’s lives and some had a harder time living through it then others, but for Bright Mensah, he is still living the dream overseas in 2023. But at the moment he is searching for a new team, but feels so blessed that he was able to grind through the last 4 years and have success and continue to grow as a player. ‘ It’s crazy how quickly four years have flown by. A lot has happened since our 2019 interview. I’m really grateful to still be pursuing my passion for the game. To be honest, when Covid initially struck, I had doubts about the possibility of continuing my overseas basketball career. I’m relieved to see the world making progress toward returning to its pre-pandemic state’, remembered Bright Mensah (193-G-1992, college: William Pater., agency: Helping Ballers)

So let’s rewind 4,5 years back to the 2019-2020 season as Bright Mensah who compares his game to Victor Oladipo played another season with KIT SC Karlsruhe. He produced remarkable stats again and the club had incredible team chemistry, but then came Covid and ended the season. ‘My second year with Karlsruhe was amazing. We accomplished our goal by winning the league even before Covid brought an abrupt ending to our season. My main focus was just to get home and be with my family’, remembered Bright Mensah He scored in double figures in 21 of 22 games and really had Fellbach’s number scoring 31 and 29 points. ‘Fellbach was a strong team that consistently brought out the best in both me and my teammates. I always felt the responsibility to perform and carry the team in games like those’, said Bright Mensah Then came March 7th, 2020 a day that many ballers will forever remember because it was their last game in the 19-20 season. Mensah contributed 15 points in a 85-73 victory against Giessen. ‘It’s crazy because I remember that game as if it were yesterday. The previous week, we had clinched the league title, so we came into that game feeling a bit flat against a young and hungry Giessen team. We ended up winning the game, but I do remember it being a difficult one’, added Bright Mensah In his 2 year career with Regionalliga team KIT SC Karlsruhe, he scored in double figures in 43 of 46 games and scored 20 points or more 26 times and exploded against Mannheim for 46 points.

The versatile guard who lists Kyre Irving as the toughest player he has ever faced on the court actually had a job the next season in 20-21. Many guys sat out the next season as Covid was in full swing, but he found a new challenge in Portugal, but he definitely felt the pandemic the whole season. ‘The season in Portugal was undoubtedly the toughest I’ve ever experienced. With Covid protocols in place, we had to play in empty arenas and undergo regular testing. Also, nearly all stores, except for grocery stores, were closed, which meant I couldn’t fully explore and experience the country as I would have liked’, expressed Bright Mensah He played for Maia Basket Clube (Portugal-LPB) playing 26 games averaging 12.6ppg, 4.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 27.7%, FT: 85.5%. After having played 2 seasons in Germany’s 4th division, it’s fair to say that this was his break out season as a professional. ‘I would definitely say that I had my breakout season that year in Portugal. It showed teams and agents that I could compete at a high level and that what I had been doing in previous years in Germany could translate to other leagues’, commented Bright Mensah He finished the season with a bang totally exploding in his last 4 games scoring a total of 109 points averaging 27,0ppg in that span. ‘I’ll say the last 8 games in Portugal, I started slowly feeling like myself both health-wise and mentally. I injured my shooting shoulder 4 games into the season, and it didn’t really improve until the last few months of the season. Once I began to feel like myself again, I felt unstoppable’, warned Bright Mensah He closed out the season strong scoring 38 points in a win over top team Benfica that had well known players on the other side of the court. ‘That Benfica game is definitely my favorite as a pro. Facing players like Quincy Miller-Scott and Bryce Alford, whom I had watched on TV, made it even more satisfying after having a performance like that. It being the last game of the season, I wanted to prove not only to myself but to the world that I could compete with anyone’, stressed Bright Mensah

The scoring guard who likes to train with Jordan Theodore’s trainer Leo Jones in New Jersey felt Covid the next season and decided not to sign with a team, but it was less Covid, but more family related. ‘Right after the season, I got married, and my wife got a job in California. So we had to relocate from New Jersey to California, and I didn’t want her to go through the transition alone. So, I made the decision to take a year off and be with her’, remembered Bright Mensah Being not able to strap on the jersey and lace up the sneakers was an experience that he won’t forget. ‘The year I didn’t play was challenging. I felt like I had lost my identity without playing basketball anymore. With Covid and the absence of basketball, I can honestly say I experienced a depressive state, but it also contributed to my personal growth, making me a stronger man and a better husband’, said Bright Mensah He came back refocused last season and played with La Antigua Tormes (Spain-LEB Silver) averaging 15.3ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.1apg, 2FGP: 53.2%, 3FGP: 38.2%, FT: 71.4%. ‘Leb Silver league is known for its talent and strong technical play. Unlike some leagues, it requires players to think strategically, not just rely on their skills. In comparison to Pro B Germany, Leb Silver appears stronger due to its rules. Spain’s allowance of more foreign players contributes to the league’s competitiveness’, stated Bright Mensah He had some massive games against Ponferrada netting 35 points and 30 points against Talavera, but also had some off nights. ‘During the Leb Silver season, I caught COVID-19 for the first time. It had a significant impact on my health and productivity. It took me several weeks to fully recover my strength and rhythm, and unfortunately, it did affect my performance in a few games’, expressed bright Mensah. He then made another step in his career signing with Melilla Baloncesto (Spain-LEB Gold) a team in the second Spanish league but averaged only 2.9ppg, 1.4rpg. ‘Joining a team halfway through the year is already quite challenging, but to add to the complexity, the coach who brought me in was fired during my first week there. This sudden change shifted the dynamics of the team significantly. However, I managed to turn this adversity into an opportunity for growth. It was a valuable learning experience that ultimately helped me improve my game significantly’, commented Bright Mensah

The 2023-2024 season has started and Bright Mensah who was surprised Germany won the World Cup and feels if USA brings it’s best 13 guys to the 2024 Olympics, then nobody will have a chance against them is looking for a club to play for. From the last time we spoke in 2019, it is only obvious that he is a different player now than then. ‘I believe my game has evolved significantly since my days in Karlsruhe. I now possess a better understanding of the game, and my skill set has greatly improved. While in Karlsruhe, I heavily relied on my athleticism, but with age and experience, I’ve found that the game has slowed down for me, enabling me to make more strategic choices on the court’, warned Bright Mensah So what is the next step for him? Would a new country be on his menu or possibly a return back to Germany? ‘I’m currently a free agent and I would love the opportunity to return to play in Germany, especially in the Pro A league. I’m fond of the style of play that the German league offers, and I believe that my skill set would allow me to have an outstanding season there. I also love life outside of basketball in Germany. Living there was hands down my favorite country to be in’, stressed Bright Mensah He has a message for all clubs searching for a talented guard like him. ‘I’m confident that I can make a great contribution to any team that signs me. I’m a scoring guard, with strong defensive abilities who can also pass the ball. I take immense pride in my relentless work ethic and maintain a high level of professionalism both on and off the court’, warned Bright Mensah I personally would love to see him in Germany, because I have never seen him play live before. After 4,5 years of knowing him, It is definitely time to see him work his magic on the court.

Jaivon Harris (197-G-1982, college: Ohio) is a former professional player that enjoyed a 10 year career in Germany playing for Chemnitz, Bayreuth, Nurnberg and BG Karlsruhe. He belonged to the top guards in the German second Bundesliga for many years and amassed a total of 289 games. He averaged in double figures in 8 of his 10 pro seasons. Before coming overseas, he enjoyed a 4 year career at Ohio University (NCAA). He spoke to germanhoops.com about his career at his memories of Brandon Hunter who recently passed away.

Thanks Jaivon for talking to germanhoops..com. Where are you at the moment and how is life treating you?

No problem Miles. Life is good. Happy to still be involved in the game here in Ulm.

You were a pro baller for 10years and have been retried 10 years. What do you miss about the game?

Honestly it´s the preparation that I miss the most. The grind. The practices. Trying to improve as an individual and a team on a daily basis. Preparing for an opponent. Putting the game plan together both offensively and defensively. The game inside the game.

When looking back at your career in Germany. Would you have liked to have explored some other countries?

I had an opportunity my last year in Chemnitz after our season was finished to leave the country for Greece. I was dealing with an injured ankle and groin and didn’t take the shot. I believe it worked out best for me because a year later I met my wife and we have been together ever since. At that time it seemed like you had to leave the country to get a shot in the first league but I’m happy with how things played out.

You have been coaching in Germany for many years and recently got the DBB coaching certificate. What are you doing today?

Currently I am Mini-Koordinator in Ulm. Mostly responsible for kids 3-11 years old. First my first three years in Ulm I was also involved with the women’s Regio 1 team and trying to leave the women’s side of the club in a better place. I’ve also had the opportunity to run our camps for the youth and be involved with individual training for players who play JBBL and NBBL. Many different jobs which have helped me gain an understand for how a big club runs.

You ex teammate Brandon Hunter passed away. How did you hear about the death?

I heard about Brandon’s passing through a mutual college teammate and friend Steve Esterkamp who is now coaching in Paderborn. I was just waking up to go on a dog walk when I checked WhatsApp and saw the message from Steve. I was really surprised by the news. Did a few google searches and confirmed what he told me. Honestly a pretty shocking moment for me that made me pause for a moment. Brandon and I were college roommates and I was probably the teammate who was closest to him at the time. Made me think about how we hadn’t had nearly as close of contact as probably either of us would have liked after he left OU to pursue the NBA.

It was a shock for many as he was only 43 years old. Does that make you think about having to cherish every moment in life?

It was definitely a shock. It made me think about the little things that I have in my life which I appreciate that could be taken for granted or overlooked. It also made me think about the impact I may have on the kids who I come into contact with on a daily basis and the imprint I want to leave on them.

How do you remember your first meeting with him at Ohio? What was your first impression of the young man?

The first time I met Brandon was during my first open gym session during summer school. I’m not sure if I was on his team but I remember him talking trash to one of the upperclassmen about how I was getting the better of the matchup. Brandon was a competitor who was always trying to get the best out of people.

You played 3 years with him at Ohio. He was a beast his senior year. Did you know from the first time you saw him that he could play in the NBA?

I thought for sure he could play in the league just because of his physicality, athleticism, and his ability to do everything on the court. Above all that was his work ethic and how he stayed in the gym. His drive was that of someone who could play in the NBA. He worked non-stop and it showed each year how he improved his game.

What was your fondest moment of him on the court? The guy had so many incredible games in the NCAA.

My fondest memory of him was the game we won at UNC in the Dean Dome. That was an incredible experience. Brandon played with no fear. That rubbed off on the whole team that day and we were able to escape with a tight win in North Carolina. My most fond memories of B Hunt was being his roommate on the road my freshman year. In the pre season I was getting little playing time and then I got shut out of the rotation. He used to make fun of me a lot for not playing and mock me for saying wait until next year. Although it sounds mean it wasn’t. He drove me to work harder and do all I could to get on the court and help the team. I think at the time he thought I could play but I didn’t have that same killer instinct and work ethic that he did. He pushed me to be better and I’m happy for that experience with him.

What kind of a guy was he off the court? On the court he was a beast? Did he have a softer other side to him?

B Hunt had a softer side but it was tough to break through. At least then he didn’t just open himself up immediately. You had to work your way into his inner circle. From my time with him his focus was purely on basketball and making it to the league. If he wasn’t at home resting or eating he was in the gym. He really helped me to realize that I needed to be doing more and although I wasn’t in the gym nearly as mush as he was I joined him from time to time for some after hours sessions.

How did you follow his career after he left? He reached the NBA very quickly.

After he left OU I just kind of watched from a distance. Unfortunately we didn’t stay in super close contact. I was always on the lookout for where he ended up in the NBA. Unfortunately he didn’t stick to long with one team but I know that was his dream and I’m happy he got to live that out.

He played a season in Germany with Bayreuth a team you played for the season before. How disappointing was it not reuniting with him in Germany?

Although we didn’t play together in Bayreuth I was only up the road in Nürnberg. Bayreuth is basically my wife’s hometown so we would go back for games and I was able to speak with him after games and occasionally during the week.

Even though USA didn´t have their best at the World Cup, how did you experience the loss to Germany?

Germany played very well and deserved the win. If my memory is correct that is the first time they were able to bring most the German stars who are playing in the NBA and in other countries together to play a full tournament. I think it shows just how global basketball has become and how the sport has grown in Germany over the years.

Will the NBA stars win the Gold at the Olympics with Lebron and Co. If so will it be a cake walk or will the other countries make it more exciting?

I think it is all up to who plays. The game is as global as ever. There are talented players all over and although the best league in the world is the NBA many of the top level players are now coming from different countries. Looking at the past few MVP’s there hasn’t been a single one for some time that has been an American. To be honest I think the Olympic and World Cup games mean more to other countries then it does to the US players. They have generational wealth to lose if something happens to them out there on the court. I think the US can pull it out but the fight that the other countries will bring will make it difficult to be a landslide.

Thanks Jaivon for the chat.

Ricardo Artis II (198-F/G-1993, college: Wiley) is a 30 year old 198cm forward from Texas that is playing his second season in Germany and first with the bringiton Ballers Ibbenbueren (Germany-ProB). Last season he tore up the Regionalliga with SV Hagen-Haspe 70 (Germany-Regionalliga): 30 games: Score-2 (29.3ppg), Reb-3 (11.5rpg), 2.7apg, Steals-4 (3.2spg), FGP: 57.4%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 81.1%. Before coming overseas, he played back at home for TBL teams Dallas Skyline, and the Enid Outlaws and the Potawatomi Fire. He also played with the North Texas Prowlers (PBA) and Newfoundland Rogues (ABA). He played at 4 schools with Eastfield College (JUCO), McLennan Community College (JUCO), North Lake College (JUCO) and Wiley College (NAIA). He teams up with germanhoop.com each week to talk basketball.

After a big win last week, Ibbenburen suffered the next loss against Iserlohn with 85-75. How tough was losing again after coming off a high with the win last week?

It’s very frustrating but as one of the leaders for this team I have to stay positive and focus on the next game.

The first half was tight but at the break, Ibbenburen had the 39-34 lead. What was key for you having the lead at half-time?

They came out energized and more ready to play than we did.

Iserlohn went on a little run to begin, but Ibbenburen continued to fight back and came back, but couldn´t get over the hump trailing 65-57 after 30 minutes. Iserlohn seemed to use their whole team. What was most difficult trying to get over the hump?

They actually only played 8 players. Some of the guys they had didn’t play and I think that actually got more of their key players to find their rhythm. As for us, we played all 12 of our guys and we still struggled to match the energy they had.

You made a few baskets and helped cut down the lead to 5, but they came back and got easy baskets. What was missing on the defensive end in crunch-time?

We just couldn’t get the stops. They executed very well down the stretch which made it hard to cut into the lead.

What positives could you take form the game. Was the 45-31 rebound advantage and 16-5 offensive rebounds something to build on?

That’s something we’ve came accustomed to doing all season and which helped us win one game but it’s not enough. We have to figure out more advantages we can take from the game to come out with the win.

You told me a few weeks ago that Ibbenburen have enough scorers. But on this day that’ second reliable scorer was missing or not?

I believe that my statement is still true but the stats continue to say otherwise. I’m trying to remain confident in my guys but if we being honest like I always am with you Miles, then yes. A reliable scorer was missing. Hopefully, soon those guys will step up on a consistent basis to reach the goals we want to reach.

You had another sold game with 18/8/4/3 stats. Was your shooting percentages your biggest flaw?

Honestly, I struggled last night from the field. I should have made shots that I attempted but that’s how the game goes sometimes. Credit to the defense from the Kangaroos but I missed some of the shots I usually make. I got to my spots, I just couldn’t get most to fall. Still a solid game but I’m frustrated with the ending result.

You next play Berlin BG who are 3-2. The battle of the 2 new Pro B teams. What will be key to getting the win?

As of right now, I don’t know. We will watch film on them this week and I’ll let the coaching staff determine that.

Thanks Ricardo for the chat.

Thanks Ricardo for the chat.

Shawn Scott (185-G-1996, college: SW Christian) is a 27 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 germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.

BG Hagen suffered a tough 77-67 loss to the Lowen. It was the team´s second loss in a row. How tough was it digesting this loss?

It was really tough for me because I absolutely hate losing no matter what the situation is. Both games, no matter who we’re missing or how bad we play, I believe we should still be able to win the game.

It wasn´t a high scoring game like in many previous games. Talk a little about the 40 minutes. Did BG Hagen have a chance to win this game?

Well, we on average score 95 points a game and Herten did a great job scouting us and they played 2-3 zone for 40 minutes because they know we struggle with it and on top of playing bad defense we were not able to get our offense flowing and the game was too hard for us the whole 40 minutes. But again, I believe we still had a chance to win if we were able to play defense and get stops.

Where was the game lost? The Lowen did shoot the ball very well from the 2 point range?

I think the game was strictly lost off of effort. We did not take pride in defense and were not able to guard anybody. We will not win any more games if we continue to play defense like this.

BG Hagen scored it´s fewest points this season. What was wrong with the offense against the Lowen?

Like I said, they played 23 zone the whole game and we were not able to capitalize on our transition offense, which makes us super strong. when we don’t have transition we don’t score the maximum points that we can and we were not able to rebound the ball and play fast like we want to.

The Lowen got 16 points from bench player Adam Raczkiewicz. Did you have him on the scouting report?

We definitely did and we knew that he could shoot the three and when he came in the game he hit five threes in a row. We were not mentally ready to play in this game, and we did not pay attention to scouting because we knew exactly who to watch out for.

What positives could BG Hagen take out of the game?

The rebounding continues to be ok. I think in the second half towards the end of the game, we finally saw that if we played hard and played good defense that we could’ve had a chance to win. It all continues to be about effort.

You had another good scoring game with 11 rebounds and 6 assists, but 6 turnovers. That turnover stat has to really worm you? That’s 11 in the last 2 games and you average 4 per game. How can you correct it`?

I have to be more aware of when I should speed up the game and when I should slow down because I think that’s when I start to have many turnovers. I think it’s an easy fix for me. I just have to focus and control the ball more. We play such fast basketball that the coaches understand and say that it’s OK and it will happen that we have many turnovers but still, I don’t need to have many alone.

You next play 1-6 Bonn 2 a must win. How confident are you with a win and less turnovers by you?

I’m very confident that I will have less turnovers than before, and I believe that it is a must win for us. We really need to get back on track and go back to playing the basketball that we know makes us hard to beat. But we will never underestimate our opponent because we know that anyone can beat anyone in our league.

Thanks Shawn for the chat.

pic credit Withita State athletics

Morris Udeze (203-F-1999, college: N.Mexico) is a 24 year old 203cm forward from Richmond, Texas playing his rookie season with King Szczecin (Poland-OBL). He began his basketball career at Montverde Academy in Florida. He then played at Wichita State (NCAA) from 2018-2022 averaging 10.3ppg, 4.7rpg, FGP: 61.1%, FT: 68.0% and 10.2ppg, 6.1rpg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 72.6% in his last 2 seasons. He then played one more season at University of New Mexico (NCAA) averaging 16.2ppg, 9.7rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 60.4%, FT: 62.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Basketball Champions League game against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.

Thanks Morris for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?

I´m in Germany preparing for a BCL game.

Your playing your rookie season overseas with King Szczecin. What kind of an experience has it been for you? What have you learned to appreciate the most about the country Poland?

The reception has been good in my rookie season. It has been a great experience so far. Everything is cheap especially the food. The food is good. I also have gotten to know a great bunch of guys on the team.

You already won your first chip with the Super Cup? Is there already something special about this team?

Winning the Super Cup was a good boost for our self-esteem. I think like we will have a good season. We have to take it one game at a time.

The club has some fine guard play with Dunn and Woodson and nice complimentary parts. What is exactly your role on the team?

They are good scoring guards. My role is just to play as hard as I can. I have to bring energy and do whatever it takes to help the team win.

What has it been like battling veteran Tony Meier on a daily basis. How has he helped you with vital tricks about the Euro game?

Tony is a good person. He plays hard and hits the 3 ball well. He is a good person to be around.

How vital has other veteran Zac Cuthbertson been? Has he been like a mentor for you in the early going?

He is a cool person. Yes he has been like a mentor for me like you said. He has helped me on the court and take me around the city. He has taken me under his wing.

You have needed no adjustment time tearing up the Polish first division. What do you feel has been your secret to being able to adapt so quickly?

I play hard and with energy. With energy I find the ball. I take that energy and just keep playing hard.

Let´s talk a bit about your game. You’re a 203cm forward that has been described as unorthodox. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

I don´t compare my game to anyone. I just have my own style.

You’re a strong scorer and rebounder, but what other assets does your game incorporate?

I rebound the ball well and talk on defense.

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

I can guard positions 1-3. I want to become more vocal on defense.

You have never really developed a three pointer. Is that a goal of yours overseas?

I was just talking about that today. I want to develop that trey ball. I think having that in my bag would make me so much more dangerous.

You played at Wichita State University (NCAA) from 2018-2022. You reached the NIT Final 4 in 2019 as a freshman and NCAA tournament in 2021. Was that 53-52 loss to Drake the worst in your career?

I´m not going to lie. I would say so. We were pretty down after in the locker room. We had such a great group that year. That loss was tough.

How do you feel did you develop best under Wichita State University (NCAA) coach Gregg Marshall and Isaac Brown. What did each guy give you that helped your game most in your 4 years there?

They just taught me to never let your highs be too high and your lows to low. They taught me to always play hard and to always leave it on the floor. I also learned that it is important to accept criticism. Not all criticism is bad.

You opted for a 5th season at the University of New Mexico (NCAA) and broke free averaging 16.2ppg, 9.7rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 60.4%, FT: 62.0%. How did your game grow under Richard Pitino the son of Rick?

Coach Pitino was my guy. I always listened to him and played hard. He told me everything that was going to happen and it did. I have a lot of respect for him.

You had explosive games against N Colorado and SJSU, but what was your all-time favorite game there?

The San Jose game was good and I remember the crowd at UNLV as being huge. Even though we lost in the NIT, that was my favorite game. It was my last game. It was bitter sweet. I just enjoyed playing with those guys.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Josiah Allick?

I used to cook him everyday.

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I can´t name 5. I played with too many great players.

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore

Kobe, Lebron, Jordan, Hakeem, Tim Duncan and Dirk

Who is your GOAT and why?

Lebron James. He paved the way for the young guys.

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

The original was great. I don´t think I have it in me to watch the sequel.

Thanks Morris for the chat.

Jeremy Ingram (183-G-1991, college: AAMU) may still be many years away from being in the company of Regionalliga legend Ricky Easterling, but there is no doubt that this walking bucket has been one of the best players in that league in the last 3 years as his explosive scoring showed in Idstein, Mannheim and Bargteheide. That the guy hasn´t landed in the Pro A or Pro B is already a scandal, but that’s how the basketball wheel spins in Germany. One thing he hasn´t lost is his love for the game and if no teams in higher leagues sign him, well then he will continue to do his magic in the Regionalliga and terrorize teams. This season he was set to take on a new challenge with Wusterhausen and he was as excited as a little kid on Halloween about this new experience. But instead of already having played 3 games, he actually didn´t play any games in the last month, because he had been released by his team without explanation. “To be honest I still don’t know the exact reason why they tried to terminate my contract but 1 of my sources said it was due to a sponsor dropping out so they wouldn’t be able to pay me. Instead of management talking to me and trying to figure something out they pretty much called me and said “You can’t play here no more”. No explanation, no anything. Just pretty much told me I can´t play or practice with the team no more. There are clauses that protect players which is why I sued the club and took them to court”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. To be idle and see everyone playing was very difficult for him to witness. “It was super tough simply because out of all my years here in Germany teams have showed me nothing but love and respect so this whole situation caught me off guard. Some of my friends say I was spoiled since I have been here so maybe I needed something like this to happen to see that everything won’t always be peaches and creme. But emotionally it was tough”, said Jeremy Ingram.

I reach Jeremy Ingram who knew before the start of the World Cup that team USA wouldn´t win it all in Braunschweig who just moved into his new apartment and is feeling upbeat again after his horrible calamity that he experienced in Wusterhausen. It was obvious that in his down time in the last month that he checked the Regionalliga box scores every Monday. It was also no surprise that he noticed the explosive play of BG Hagen American Shawn Scott. “I checked around the different leagues to see what´s going on. I don´t really know Shawn like that but I do see he has been having a great season so far. Another guy that is proving he deserves to play in a higher league so kudos to him. Hopefully he gets the opportunity sooner or later”, stated Jeremy Ingram. He is super thrilled that he gets a new chance in Braunschweig, but also super disappointed how the whole situation began and ended in Wusterhausen. The way the organization treated him was just unacceptable and not how any human being should be treated in any job. “They treated me very bad and inhumane. It was already too late to find another team and they didn’t pay me, and they told the coaches and team they weren´t allowed to talk to me or they could possibly lose their job. All of this after they pretty much begged me for months to come play there. I turned down at least 3 other teams to go there which is why I was disappointed the most. I moved all my stuff to Berlin and pretty much was there prepared for the whole season and they kicked me off the team and treated me like a random person on the streets. Most unprofessional and disrespectful organization I have ever been a part of”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. One would think that there are clauses in players contracts to protect them, but apparently he was at a dead end “They never gave me any options to stay, I guess it was we can’t pay you so you will not play here. Thats the only option they gave me. They just told me it wasn’t my fault at all but they have to terminate my contract and that was the start of the madness”, commented Jeremy Ingram. On top of not being able to suit up for the team, he had difficulty in his free time to work on his craft as he had to find places to get up shots on his own. “The team wouldn’t let me use any of the facilities so I had to pretty much get shots up on outside courts. I was in the weightroom and was very heavy during that period of time because I wasn´t able to play basketball for like 3-4 weeks”, expressed Jeremy Ingram.

The Alabama native who thinks the NBA will see a Golden State-Bucks final this season now has landed with Regionalliga team Braunschweig. He is super excited that he will be playing for the farm team of easyCredit BBL team Braunschweig that is run by NBA player Dennis Schroeder of the Toronto Raptors. “When all this happened with Konigs Wusterhausen I reached out to a few teams I played against before and I started talking with the coach, who is a great guy by the way, I really appreciate him because he let me come and workout with the team and here we are today. Yea Dennis is pretty much the president here in this town and apparently I just missed him when I got here. I met his brother and talked with him so hopefully I’ll meet Dennis when he is back here”, added Jeremy Ingram. Ingram is a guy that doesn´t shy away from giving his 2 cents about NBA players, but surprisingly the 10 year vet Dennis Schroeder hadn´t been on his radar for that long. “I actually just started to like Dennis the past 2 years. At first I thought he was overrated but he is developing and maturing a lot and I have nothing but respect for him because he is becoming a very good basketball player”, warned Jeremy Ingram. The team is very young as nobody is older than 22 years of age except Ingram who is 32. “I´m excited to play with the young guys. They are very energetic and athletic and they have those young fresh legs so hopefully we can get out and run the fast breaks and have many highlight plays”, stated Jeremy Ingram.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Jeremy Ingram in Limburg, Germany 2022

The explosive guard who believes Shai or Steph could win the NBA MVP award, but thinks that the Greek Freak will probably give Europe the 6 MVP title in a row is a guy that has been used to scoring in the Regionalliga. One would think that he might score more with a weak young team, but he doesn´t see it that way. There is definitely scoring talent on the club. “I have now been back on the court like 2 weeks now and I am feeling excited and blessed to be back. But I am definitely ready to start terrorizing people again. I will take on more of a leadership/veteran role here I assume. The young guys already admire how I play so I will try to do what I can to be a good vet teammate to not only win games but to help them develop more also. But it doesn’t matter what team I play for, I will always be myself and I´m sure teams already know this. These guys are young but they can score and they play not only Regionalliga but they also play with the BBL team. So they are young but they can play basketball so I´m not really looking to put up career numbers just put up enough numbers to help my team win games because that´s all that ever matters to me”, warned Jeremy Ingram. Not every player overseas is going to have a flawless career. So often players get screwed by teams and some guys react well while others don´t. For Jeremy Ingram, it was definitely a vital learning experience. “A few of my friends said I needed this experience because since I’ve been in Germany all my teams have showed me so much love and kindness that I was completely blind to the other side of overseas basketball. And things like this happen but I let my guard down because I have been so blessed in my 6 year career. This situation has definitely made me be more alert now”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. He will suit up for his first game this Sunday against ASC Goettingen. As soon as the jump ball has happened, Jeremy Ingram will be focused 100% on basketball. The Wusterhausen experience will be long behind him. All he cares about is playing the game he loves. Braunschwieg has shown him real love. That is all he ever asked for.

When was the last time, you had 2 undefeated teams battling against each other in the Suwag Energie arena? It for sure didn´t happen the last 2 seasons as Frankfurt was losing on a regular basis. But after a few weeks in the Pro A, the Fraport Skyliners continue to excite their fans as they raced out to a 3-0 record. But they didn´t have some amateur team as foe, but the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim hadn´t been too shabby either as they came to Frankfurt with an identical 3-0 record. Kirchheim had pulverized teams with their explosive offense while the Fraport Skyliners had found an early identity on the defensive end as they had only allowed only 62 points per game. It wasn´t only the duel of the 2 clubs, but also the 2 coaches Denis Wucherer and Igor Perovic who shared a very rare incredible trait in that they had both produced triple doubles as players in the BBL. On a cool Sunday afternoon, 2 undefeated clubs met and no fan was disappointed as after 40 minutes they witnessed a very exciting game that went down to the wire as the Fraport Skyliners stayed undefeated beating the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim79-72. It was a game where Frankfurt was challenged for 40 minutes, but when it came down to making the big plays and shots, they were the team that made them at the end. “We played hard and matched their competitiveness. They were one of the best teams that we have faced this season. We did a good job keeping up our energy and stayed positive which helped us not getting down in difficult phases”, stressed Fraport Skyliner guard Cameron Henry (198-G-1999, college: Indiana St.). For Kirchheim, it was one of those results you hate, because they could and should of won this game. They had the last play but couldn´t get the job done. “We had a rocky second quarter. We didn´t play our best basketball, but we turned it around in the second half. We found our rhythm. After our bigs Muszynski and Dorn carried us in the first half, our guards Miller and Flowers carried us in the second half. We just came up a bit short at the end”, stressed Kirchheim guard Demetrius Ward.

David Muenkat at the FT line

Both teams found their rhythm well in the first minutes. The Fraport Skyliners did a fine job getting 2018 NBBL champion Lorenz Brenneke into good position to score twice while Kirchheim received a deep three pointer from the Main river from Michael Flowers and ex Orange Academy center Antonio Dorn was banging on the boards getting offensive rebounds. Especially Dorn´s presence and intensity carried Kirchheim on the boards as Kirchheim would grab 7 offensive rebounds. After trailing early, Frankfurt got the lead back with a trey from rookie Aiden Warnholtz to lead 11-10 who would finish with a dismal 3 points after getting in early foul trouble and never finding his rhythm. Frankfurt would keep the lead simply because they executed well and were spreading the ball around well. A Jordan Samare lay in and Cameron Henry three pointer gave Frankfurt the 15-11 advantage. Ex Belmont center Nick Muszynski made 2 late baskets with his beautiful old school play while Kayne Henry made a massive dunk, but a David Muenkat three secured the tight 20-18 lead for the Fraport Skyliners after 10 minutes. “We had problems slowing down the offense. Muszynski was really good. He kept them in the game. Once we eliminated their second chance points and contained Flowers better, we were able to control game better”, stated ex Indiana State guard Cameron Henry. The Fraport Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 29% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim shot 37% from the field and 20% from outside and had 13 13 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

Michael Flowers from down town

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners were able to make some adjustment slowing down Michael Flowers, rebounding better and whipping the ball inside and challenging their big men and winning many duels and getting easy baskets leading 43-34 at the break. Kirchheim actually had the better start as they went on a 5-2 run getting a pretty old school hook shot from Muszynski and a trey from Demetrius Ward to recapture the lead 23-22. But Frankfurt possibly then played their best 3-4 minutes of the game shocking Kirchheim with a 12-0 run to gain the lead back at 34-23. In the run, Frankfurt totally mutilated Kirchheim with their inside play scoring 5 lay in´s in a row. Brenneke began the run with consecutive lay in´s which was followed by a David Muenkat lay in and veteran Marco Voeller followed with a second left on the shot clock and Minnesota native Booker Coplin followed with a acrobatic shovel lay in. Frankfurt did a great job taking advantage of the mismatches and just exerting their physicality that Kirchheim was unable to match. Kirchheim lost their offensive rhythm and got away from their team basketball and relied a bit too much on the hero ball. The guests took a time out and came back refreshed and were able to match Frankfurt´s intensity and physicality as Antonio Dorn looked like a seasoned easyCredit BBl player as he scored 3 buckets. But Frankfurt also got special production especially from 34 year old Marco Voeller who made an incredible basket playing like a 25 year old guard making the lay up. “Marco is one of a kind. You wouldn´t believe his age if you didn´t know it. He has great speed and toughness. We are a young team, but he is one of us. He has that nice pump fake and then he explodes. He has done that against me before in practice. We need him so much on the team. He is like a big brother for us”, warned Cameron Henry. 19 year old German sensation Justin Onyejiaka added a three pointer as Frankfurt led by 11 points at half-time. “We slowed the game down and made better choices. We also played better as a team. Often when a key player is out like Aiden Warnholtz was because of foul problems, teams struggle, but we all came together and got the job done as a collective”, expressed Cameron Henry. The Fraport Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 27% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim shot 45% from the field and 22% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Cameron Henry with the step back

The Fraport Skyliners held the lead in the third quarter, but could never really shake KIrchheim as they hung around even tying the game but after 30 minutes trailed by 4 points. Kirchheim definitely listened to head coach Igor Perovic´s half-time words and stormed out in the third quarter with a lethal 10-2 run and suddenly washed out the double figure Frankfurt lead and trailed only 45-44. In the run, Kirchheim continued to get consistent support from Nick Muszynski who won a OVC title at Belmont as he scored twice. Kirchheim also tried to get the guard play cooking as Michael Miller made a pull up jumper and Flowers connected on 2 of 3 free throws. Frankfurt seemed a bit nervous and just lost their smooth flow form the second quarter while Kirchheim found back to their team play. But basketball is known as a game of runs and Frankfurt fired back with a 9-1 run to extend their lead to 54-45. In the run, Frankfurt went back to their dominant inside paly as Muenkat and Brennecke scored while Marco Voeller continued to play his game being aggressive and showing his nice inside out game as he made a left handed lay in and made an open three pointer. But once again Frankfurt couldn´t keep the lead as defensive lapses continued to surface as the next run was produced by Kirchheim as they came back with a 11-2 run to dead lock the game at 56-56. Michael Flowers who had been fairly quiet mainly because of Cameron Henry´s spot on defense, but in this phase dropped 2 three´s including making a 4 point play while Miller made a fade away jumper and Dorn a lay in. “Flowers was definitely hard to guard. He is a 3 level scorer. I tried to use my length and make everything difficult for him. When he makes that first easy one then come the next 3 or 4 shots. I just tried containing him as best I could”, said Cameron Henry. But Frankfurt reacted well stopping the run and closing out the third quarter with a 5-0 run as Jordan Samare nailed a trey and German Jacob Knauff a tip in for the 61-57 advantage. “Kirchheim came back with their guard play. The third quarter was a game of runs. But we did a good job weathering the storm when they got on fire”, added Cameron Henry. “We came back because of our defense. We were able to get running. We got some easy baskets which gave us self-confidence to keep going”, stated Demetrius Ward. The Fraport Skyliners shot 47% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 22 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim shot 47% from the field and 25% form the parking lot and had 20 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

Michael Flowers at the FT line

The fourth quarter promised to be a dog fight as the game would go down to the wire. Kirchheim came out storming getting continued superb play from Antonio Dorn with an offensive rebound and put back while Ward hit another three pointer as Frankfurt led only 63-62. Frankfurt remained calm and struck back with back to back three´s from Muenkat and Coplin to lead 69-62. But Kirchheim just kept chipping away and getting good looks. Miller made a lay in and 2 stops led to 2 more lay in´s from Flowers and Muszynski and suddenly Frankfurt had their lead shaved down to 73-70. A turnover by Coplin led to 2 free throws by Miller as Kirchheim trailed only 73-72. Cameron Henry made a pull up jumper, but Aitor Pickett made a clutch lay in to tie the game 75-75. Frankfurt them made a bad decision giving Voeller the ball in the corner as he stepped out of bounds. Miller added free throws for the 77-75 lead with 39 seconds to play. ”They began to play more together. We weren´t disciplined on defense”, stated Cameron Henry. “We were more physical and rebounded better. We got some easy baskets and got to the free throw line”, added Demetrius Ward. Brenneke then made a clutch shot to tie the game at 77-77. Frankfurt then produced a massive stop and Cameron Henry who had made clutch plays at both ends all day long made a huge shot with 5,8 seconds to go to lead 79-77. “We had 2 or 3 options. I told Book to get me the ball at 8 or 9 seconds, I came off a back screen for the big and Book had just told me to be aggressive and take what they gave me”, stressed Cameron Henry. “He made a tough finish and we just have to live with it”, commented Demetrius Ward. Kirchheim had one more attempt with 5,8 seconds, but couldn´t get a shot off. “We played good defense. He thought we would switch, but they tried to hit the big on the roll. I just tried to make it as difficult for him”, expressed Cameron Henry. “They hedged hard and we made a bad pass, But I think we still played a good game”, said Demetrius Ward. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Lorenz Brenneke with 16 points while David Muenkat added 13 points and Booker Coplin 11 points. The Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim were led by Michael Flowers and Antonio Dorn with 15 points a piece. Nick Muszynski added 14 points and Michael Miller added 13 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 45% from the field and 27% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 15 turnovers while the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim shot 45% from the field and 25% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 15 turnovers.