The Fraport Skyliners did themselves a giant favor by having a blow out win at home against the VFL SparkassenStars as they hadn´t played their best basketball the previous games in Dresden and Artland. They now had to be super prepared for the massive pre Christmas showdown against Phoenix Hagen who came to Frankfurt sporting a strong 9-3 record and had won their last 3 games. Phoenix Hagen have demonstrated their scoring consistency this season, but like so many other teams in the Pro A were still not all on the same page on the defensive end. Both clubs wanted to keep their winning streak intact going into the X-mas week, but it was Phoenix Hagen that was the first club to beat the Fraport Skyliners in their living room this season with a masterful 91-81 victory as they proved their crunch-time strength once again making the big shots when they needed them. The duo of Nawrocki and Schneider did Frankfurt in as they combined for 48 points and just destroyed Frankfurt in the last minutes. “We were very motivated coming to Frankfurt. We really feel like we are the best team in the Pro A. We came here feeling we had a good chance to win. Our energy and focus was good and we shared the ball well and played good defense”, stressed ex University of California at Davis guard Siler Schneider. The Fraport Skyliners didn´t begin well and had to play catch up ball the whole night. The only difference to other crunch-time games at home was that this time they couldn´t pull out the win. Frankfurt was outclassed on the rebound and field goal percentage and that was enough for Phoenix Hagen to move to 10-3. “We showed fight, but we needed more execution from start to end. Our shots didn´t fall consistently and we needed a minute to get into our plays. We reacted too much instead of taking action and adjusting”, stressed Fraport Skyliner guard Kevin McClain.

Nolan Adekunle at the FT line

Even if David Muenkat began the game with a basket, It didn´t take Phoenix Hagen long to show who was boss in the Skyliners living room as the guests rolled out on a 16-2 run. In the run Phoenix Hagen showed pure team basketball as everyone got into it as ex Clemson (NCAA) American Naz Bohanon scored, ex Jena German Dennis Nawrocki (193-SG-1992) hit a trey, Schneider a jumper, ex Post (NCAA2) guard Devonte McCall a tip in and ex Orange Academy guard Kristopher Krause connected on a three pointer. Frankfurt was getting some good looks, but also had to contend with Hagen´s aggressive on ball defense and a lack of finding space in the zone. Phoenix Hagen also controlled the boards and just made the plays. Frankfurt finally made some shots as McClain scored and ex Indiana State guard Cameron Henry made a trey, but they just couldn´t make much ground as Schneider was a one man wrecking crew hitting 2 shots for the 20-12 lead. Ex Alba Berlin forward Lorenz Brenneke made 4 free throws at the end to ease some of the pressure that the guests had given as Frankfurt trailed 24-16. “I think that Frankfurt was a bit shocked by our speed and physicality. It took them a little time to adjust”, stated Siler Schneider. Phoenix Hagen shot 53% from the 2 point range and 33% from outside and had 15 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 29% from the 2 point range and 22% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

Brock Mackenzie from down town

Phoenix Hagen continued to control the game in the second quarter and led by as much as 15 points as the Fraport Skyliners just had no remedy how to get over the hump. The Fraport Skyliners actually began hot going on a 7-3 run to trail the guests by only 27-24. Frankfurt provided inside out basketball getting a trey from Canadian David Muenkat and lay in´s from ex Duesseldorf guard Booker Coplin and ex Carleton guard Aiden Warnholtz. Frankfurt definitely moved the ball better and found more daylight in the paint area which gave them even better looks. But Phoenix Hagen didn´t let that burst of energy from Frankfurt deter their game as they went on a 9-4 run aided by Siler Schneider who produced 7 points. He was in constant attack mode and one has to wonder if he was motivated by his friend and ex teammate TJ Shorts at UC Davis 27 points a few days ago in Eurocup action? “I try to watch his game and support him as much as possible. For him to score 25 points and get 10 assists is a normal thing these days. His game continues to motivate me and I just try keep working hard to maybe reach his level one day”, said Siler Schneider. Phoenix Hagen continued to do a great job taking advantage of Frankfurt´s mistakes and ruled the boards. Phoenix Hagen then got some energy from Washington native and rookie Brock Mackenzie as he gave his team 6 straight free throws for the 42-27 advantage. Frankfurt got some vital three´s late from McClain and Coplin, but also allowed buckets to Phoenix Hagen as Devonte McCall dropped an alley oop dunk with the feed from Mackenzie and Nawrocki used his quickness and IQ to get a lay in as Phoenix Hagen still controlled the game easily going into the break with the 48-33 advantage. Phoenix Hagen shot 50% from the field and 38% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds and 4 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 30% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 8 turnovers. “We did a good job taking what the defense gave us. We key in on their ball screen defense and just made plays”, added Siler Schneider.

Dennis Nawrocki at the FT line

In the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners were down by as much as 19 points, but just kept chipping away and only had a 10 point deficit after 30 minutes. Booker Coplin began the second half with a trey, but Frankfurt just couldn´t get any positive consistency as soon they were at the 5 team foul mark with only 2 minutes elapsed. Phoenix Hagen got to the free throw line and got 5 points from Nawrocki and Lennart Boner to lead 53-36. Frankfurt would show flashes of success on offense getting lay in´s from Coplin and Warnholtz, but just couldn´t get stops as Nawrocki made free throws and ex Giessen forward Tim Uhlemann made a pretty fade away shot from the wing in Nowitzki manner to lead 59-40. But the Fraport Skyliners never gave up and just went play by play and produced a lethal 18-7 run to trail only by 66-58 after 3 quarters. In the run, Frankfurt was led by Kevin McClain who took maters into his own hands and played the way a point guard should leading his team back with 12 points. He dropped a trey, made a lay in and scored 7 free throws. 2018 JBBL (U-16) winner Nolan Adekunle also contributed 6 points with 2 three´s. Frankfurt stepped up the defensive intensity and physicality as the guests got tough looks and were met hard in the paint when they drove to the rim. “We fought hard and never gave up. We played more aggressive at both ends and attacked the rim more”, expressed Kevin McClain. “We got in the bonus quickly and they adjusted well. I feel like they matched our speed and physicality”, commented Siler Schneider. Phoenix Hagen shot 44% from the field and 33% from the parking lot and had 34 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 34% from the field and 38% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

David Muenkat with the step back

The Fraport Skyliners still had energy in their gas tank and came out hard in the first minutes of the fourth quarter making 4 stops and forcing Phoenix Hagen to 3 turnovers. Frankfurt received Coplin free throws and an offensive rebound and put back by Brenneke to trail 66-62. You would think that Frankfurt could make some ground with Siler on the bench with 4 fouls, but they couldn´t as other go to guy Dennis Nawrocki just continued to play his game and shined as he produced the guests next 7 points with a 2 point jumper, three pointer and lay in for the 73-66 advantage. Frankfurt was fighting, but now seemed like they would get beat by someone else than Schneider. But Frankfurt still saw hope and just continued to chip away and got some vital buckets from Adekunle with another trey and a left handed hook shot from Brenneke to trail 75-73. Then a defensive stop led to a Cameron Henry three pointer as Frankfurt had after seemingly an eternity got the lead back at 76-75. The teams would trade baskets as Bohannon executed a put back only to be met by Brenneke with another lay in for the 78-77 Frankfurt lead. But then it wasn´t Nawrocki who would lead the crunch-time heroics, but it would be Schneider who would find back to his crazy 1-1 play as he nailed an in your face trey on Bren eke and after a clutch trey by ex Giessen guard Bjarne Kraushaar, it was Schneider again on the baseline with a turn around shot with 37 seconds remaining and Frankfurt staring at the 85-80 lead of Hagen. “I was feeling it. I didn´t think of his face but just shot it. The second one was a broken play. I was just glad that it went in”, stressed Siler Schneider. McClain then had the chance to make 3 free throws, but missed 2 as Phoenix Hagen still led 85-81. Phoenix Hagen then closed out the game with Nawrocki and Schneider free throws. “We were in foul trouble with McCalla and me. But Dennis Nawrocki stepped up big time. He has been incredible for us the last weeks. He is our heart and soul and just came up big when we needed it most”, stated Siler Schneider. “We played save the day defense, but then just lost Nawrocki and Schneider. You have to respect them. They made big shots. We fought hard, but sometimes the game just doesn´t go your way”, stated Kevin McClain. Phoenix Hagen was led by Dennis Nawrocki with 27 points while Sila Schneider added 21 points. Naz Bohannon had 14 points and Brock Mackenzie added 10 points while the Fraport Skyliners were led by Kevin McClain with 22 points. Booker Coplin added 17 points and Lorenz Brenneke had 12 points and Nolan Adekunle had 11 points. Phoenix Hagen shot 45% from the field and 44% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 37% from the field and 37% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

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.

Congrats on the huge 96-72 win over Recklinghausen. The team now is on a 4 game winning streak. Does the team feel as confident currently or more or less than that first 6 game winning streak?

Thank you. It was a great way to finish before the much needed break. I think we definitely feel more confident now especially after the small struggle we had before this. This is the perfect time to gain confidence going into the second half because it’s a great sign that we’re playing good basketball this deep into the season.

After a tight first quarter, BG Hagen was in control until the end. Talk a little about the 40 minutes and how you felt the team played?

I think we deservedly won this game with no fear of potentially losing. We played a close to a complete game of basketball and everyone did their part and we were having a lot of fun. When you have everything clicking and going right it’s not hard to see and everyone picks up on the energy and contributes. I was very satisfied with everyone’s play this game.

Both teams took care of the ball well, but where was this game won?

It was won definitely on defense. Recklinghausen has a team who shoots a lot of threes and can put up a lot of points and to be able to make it difficult for them and essentially shut down their best scorer shows that we were locked in prepared.

Zach Hinton scored 19 points. Were you pleased with how the team was able to slow him down somewhat?

More than pleased. The bigs did a great job with making all his touches difficult and making all his shots more or less harder than normal. That was our main goal to limit him and I believe we did that.

You had another high scoring 32 points. Do you feel like teams are scouting you better now as the big explosive games from the first 2 months have become less?

Definitely but like I said before, I´m always trying to find ways to counter and be a step ahead so I’m also adjusting as teams adjust as well. Each game getting more confident with shooting the three which is opening other things up for me. But I think for me, I do way more than just scoring that impacts the game and contributes to winning. There is always something to critic even after a very strong game.

How do you summarize the team season for 2023? On what areas does the team need to work on?

I think we should be proud and more than satisfied with how the season has turned out thus far. To be in second place right now is right where we want to be especially after 3 unexpected losses. We had our ups and downs but as a team we figured it out and now we’re back on a 4 game win streak to end the break. I think we need to work on just staying disciplined and just being ready to play when the game starts. As playoffs quickly come around this will be fixed for sure.

What are your main goals with your game going into 2024?

I think just to continue to find ways to be unpredictable and not let anyone think that they have me figured out. It’s always hard playing a team the second time because they know your every move but I want to be in a position where you still will never know what I do the next time around.

The team next will play Hagen Haspe. What will be key to getting win?

The main thing is everyone comes back from break healthy and fit so that we can hit the ground running like we never left. It will be a big test because most will probably not even think about basketball in this time and we will have little time to get back into rhythm for the derby against Haspe. We will be ready and full of energy for sure.

Thanks Shawn for the chat.

It doesn’t really matter what league you observe, but there will always be those teams that have that incredible season out of the blue. In the German easyCredit BBL some teams that have shown that over time for example there was Ludwigsburg in 2006-2007 as they were the best team in the regular season only to lose against Bamberg or this season the Niners Chemnitz that momentarily have left the mighty FC Bayern Munich and always potent Alba Berlin in the dust. Last season it was the Telekom Baskets Bonn that set the German basketball scene on fire with incredible basketball and consistency to win the Basketball Champions League, but then surprisingly lose to another surprise team ratiopharm Ulm in the final. The Bonn season was magical and I was happy to see many games live. Of course the success was very much aided by the dominant play of diminutive guard TJ Shorts, but at the end of the day the 2 biggest strengths was head coach Tuomas Iisalo and the never break team chemistry that never stopped growing from day one. It didn’t really matter who it was from a Sebastian Herrera, Tyson Ward, Finn Delaney or a Jeremy Morgan, every player was equally as important and could decide a game on any night. Oh did I forget Collin Malcolm (201-SF-1997, college: WPU)? He was another vital player that gave 100% every night and was always playing with incredible energy and was dangerous from outside, a rebound terror and defensive impact player. One thing that was surprisingly totally off my radar was his past. My favorite players are those that came from the bottom from JUCO or the NAIA to reach the top. Collin Malcolm is exactly one of those guys that played in the NAIA (4th college division) and has reached a very high level. ‘I think about where I’ve come from all the time. Sometimes I go to read the scouting report about whatever team that we are playing and see someone that I was playing for my favorite NBA team (Portland Trailblazers) or someone that I was watching play at the D1 level. I feel extremely blessed to be where I am but I also know that with all the work that I have put in that I deserve it’, stressed Collin Malcolm. He had to pay his dues for 3 years before reaching the big time last season in the easyCredit BBL. His rise to the BBL last season wasn’t easy and Covid didn’t exactly make the path any smoother or easier. ‘The toughest challenge in my first three years was definitely being alone in a new place without having my wife with me. Also in my first year covid hit so I had to go home early and then in my second year in Finland I was in the small town of Kauhajoki without being able to be visited by anyone because of the Covid protocols. But basketball wise I always looked at it like a chance to prove and improve myself. When I was in college, I always believed that I could compete with D1 athletes, and Europe is full of them so I always attacked head on’, warned Collin Malcolm. He knows exactly where he came from and with continued hard work proves that a NAIA past can get you to a high level.

Collin Malcolm who lists Mike James and Payton Pritchard as his toughest opponents he has ever played against was born on July 2nd, 1997 in Ashland, Oregon and began his basketball career at Ashland high school. He then played at Warner Pacific high school (NAIA) from 2015-2019 playing a total of 121 games. He helped the school reach 2 Cascade finals and led them to 2 NAIA Sweet 16 runs. The only thing missing was a title, but he will always cherish his time there, because he experienced so much with very special teams and guys. ‘Anyone who went to Warner during those years knows that it was a brotherhood like no other. I loved just being around those guys. Most of them were older than me and really took me under their wing, setting a good example for me to follow. Out of those 4 years we had 5 Players go on to play professionally which is something I don’t think is too common for an NAIA school’, said Collin Malcolm. Individually he had an incredible career scoring in double figures in 82 games and averaged in double figures each season in scoring and in total in his 4 year career averaged 15,0ppg and 7,0rpg. His great career couldn’t have been mastered without the superior guidance of head coach Jared Valentine. ‘He had a lot of trust in me to do multiple things on the court. You could credit him with my defensive versatility today. In my senior year he put me on the opposing team’s best scorer no matter if it was a five man or a point guard. I think that versatility has helped me well in my pro career’, stressed Collin Malcolm. Even if he didn’t toast his senior year with a chip, he did end his NAIA career with a bang as he averaged an insane 26,0ppg in his last 8 games. ‘We weren’t having the best season so at that point the mentality was just to do anything to help the team make the conference tournament. I entered into a zone in those last 8 games ready to scrape and claw to get us there and we ended up reaching that goal. Also at that point I thought that it may be the last competitive basketball game that I would play in my life. I knew a little about overseas and that I might have a chance at it but it wasn’t guaranteed ‘, remembered Collin Malcolm who remembered never losing a 1-1 against teammate Dejon Bowman but remembers him being a key reason why the team reached the Sweet 16 in 20018 due to his high energy and long arms. Some of his best scoring games included 34 point explosions against Corbin, Northwest and E Oregon.

The Oregon native who loves the Portland Trailblazers and doesn’t shy from showing that love with his personal NBA Mount Rushmore with guys like Michael Jordan, Brandon Roy, Damian Lillard, and Lebron James began his professional career with with Basketball Club Batumi (Georgia-Superleague) averaging 19.0ppg, 8.3rpg, 2.3apg, 1.2spg, Blocks-2 (1.6bpg), FGP-2 (64.7%), 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 75.0%. Every American that comes overseas has that first wake up call to being away from home. For some it is an easier one than for others and sometimes can also be scary as he witnessed. ‘When I landed in Tbilisi, I was picked up by someone who had ties to the club and spoke very little english. Batumi was 4 hours away so I assumed that we would be riding together the whole way, but he stopped at a gas station, pointed at a minivan, and said ‘Car go Batumi’. Nervously, I got in the minivan and waited for what felt like hours for the driver to take myself and the other people in the van to Batumi .The whole ride I had no one who spoke English and no service for 70% of the ride. I was nervous the whole ride and thankful when I did finally arrive but that stood out as like a ‘you’re not home anymore’ moment’, explained Collin Malcolm. He scored in double figures in each game and registered 5 double doubles. He had a 37 point explosion against Tskhum-Abkhazeti. In his second season he made another leap up the basketball ladder playing for Karhu Kauhajoki (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 18.1ppg, 6.0rpg, 3.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 61.8%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 79.8%. He was still searching for that first chip and had to endure a tough playoff series loss against Vilpas where he gave all he had in game 5 and 6 combining for 55 points. ‘That was a tough series, our team was very banged up from the first 2 rounds and Vilpas was on a roll. Plus they had Teemu Rannikko who not only hit big shots when they needed them, he also was able to lead the players on that team to perfect their game plan. But that’s what you would expect from an ex-euroleague player. I have nothing but respect for that Vilpas team’, commented Collin Malcolm. He scored in double figures 25 times in Finland.

The versatile player that names Tyson Ward, TJ Shorts, Xavier Cannefax, Earl Jones, Dre Burns as his best teammates of all-time came to Cyprus in 2021 and left in 2022 with 3 titles. He played with with Keravnos Strovolou (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) averaging 17.5ppg, 9.5rpg, 2.8apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 62.4%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 74.2%. ‘This team enjoyed being around each other. We always were having great conversations in the locker room or just joking around. We never got down even though we had our struggles as a team. We went through 4 coaches and 4 different players went in and out. Our 3 veterans Nikos, Simon, and Chris kept our minds on winning the next game and that was able to carry us to 3 championships. The hiring of Coach Kakiouzis before the cup and playoff was a huge boost to our team right when we needed it’, added Collin Malcolm. He won 2 cups and defeated AEK Larnaca in a 5 game dog fight series where his team was always a game behind. He saved his best for last having a 16/12 performance in 45 minutes in game 5. ‘I remember fouling out in the last minute and having to watch from the bench as AEK took the final shot that would either win the game for them or result in a championship for us. It was like the ball was in the air for an eternity. Thankfully it missed long and we were crowned champions. For sure a moment I’ll never forget’, stressed Collin Malcom. He scored in double figures in 28 0f 30 games and was a double double monster with 17. He scored 29 points against Omonia and 28 points a piece against Apoel and Apop. He will always cherish his time in Cyprus as it laid the foundation for his winning. ‘These were my first championships in not only my professional career, but also the first I have ever won since starting playing basketball when I was 3. It felt incredible to finish a season as the best team and only fueled my hunger for more’, said Collin Malcolm. Last season with the Telekom Baskets Bonn he averaged 9.6ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 68.1%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 62.9% in the BBL and in the BCL averaged 8.8ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 64.9%, 3PT: 32.6%, FT: 61.9%. He was an instrumental part of Bonn winning the BCL as they dominated posting a 13-2 record and beat Hapoel Jerusalem in the final. There was that turning point early in the BCL season where he knew the team was special and could possibly do something historical. ‘We won a game in the first half of the season by 20+ points. After the game everyone was in the locker room quiet and frustrated because we knew that we didn’t play our best basketball and it bothered everyone. I had never seen that from a team that I have ever played for and it spoke to how much all those guys cared about not just winning, but doing it the right way. That’s when I Personally knew that the team was special’, warned Collin Malcolm. The season wasn’t crowned with a BBL title, but that didn’t diminish what the club had achieved. ‘Obviously the season didn’t end how we wanted but in that moment of defeat I couldn’t help but to be thankful and proud of the journey that we had been through that year. It’s something that I will cherish for the rest of my life’, stressed Collin Malcolm.

The ex NAIA great who lists Michael Jordan as his personal GOAT moved on to France this season to Paris Basketball and isn’t lonely as something very unique happened as 5 of his teammates followed him and head coach Tuomas Iisalo from Bonn. The success has continued as Paris Basketball is in second place in the Pro A behind Euroleague club Monaco and first in Eurocup play. The bond is very unique with the whole team, but one can’t deny that the Bonn players make the chemistry even stronger. ‘I really view this as a whole new team. Even though some of the faces are the same, the questions and answers that we will have this season will be totally different from those in Bonn. This team has great chemistry on and off the court and I believe we can be playing for titles in the spring and summer. It’s a special bond that I don’t take for granted, we have a lot of on court chemistry that is invaluable when it comes to overcoming obstacles on the court. This year our schedule is crazy with playing 3-4 games a week but doing it with guys that you have a genuine brotherhood with makes it fun’, warned Collin Malcolm. His teammate TJ Shorts continues to display greatness as he is second in assists and fifth in steals in the Eurocup and third in scoring and second in assists in the Pro A. Nothing is stopping him in his route to the Euroleague. ‘The guy is special. Not only on the court, but off the court as a teammate and leader. I have no doubt that he will be one of the best players in the Euroleague in the next few years’, warned Collin Malcolm. When inspecting his stats in the last few years one does notice that he doesn’t have that big scoring role anymore as this season he is averaging 8,8ppg, 3,3rpg and 1,3apg in the Pro A and making that adjustment hasn’t been easy. ‘There was for sure an adjustment period in Bonn, because of how demanding Coach is to every tiny detail. I’ve never had this level of discipline from a coach and it was something I had to learn to adjust to. But it’s been huge for the growth of my personal game as I would say my basketball IQ has made the biggest jump’, said Collin Malcolm. But he has accepted the scoring role in the Eurocup, but is it a different role than in the Pro A? ‘I think that my role is the same in the two competitions. I never really thought about why there is a difference in numbers. I try to take the season one game at a time and give the same effort no matter who we are playing’, stressed Collin Malcolm. Who knows where his career had gone had he not attracted Tuomas Iisalo after his strong Cyprus season. It is fair to say that Iisalo has been a massive factor in his basketball development in the last 2 seasons. ‘Attention to detail and focus are the two things I would say I learned from Coach. I look at the game in a whole new way if I’m on the court, or even just at home watching a game. I never really knew how deep the game could get mentally and it has opened my eyes to see the game more for what it is’, warned Collin Malcolm. He has come a very long way from his Warner Pacific days and living in Portland. You can be more than sure that he is a guy that is waking up every morning in Paris with a smile on his face. ‘My wife and I are enjoying everything that Paris has to offer. Basketball life is always treating me well, it’s been my dream to be a professional since before I can remember so it can’t get much better than this’, warned Collin Malcolm. He has stayed on the ground and cherishes every moment simply because he knows exactly where he has come from.

photo credit AEK Athens

Chasson Randle (188-G-1993, college: Stanford) is a 30 year old 188cm guard from Illinois playing his 9th professional season and first with AEK Athens. He played at Stanford University (NCAA) from 2011-2015 averaging 18,0 and 19,0ppg in his last 2 seasons. He turned professional in 2015 and played for CEZ Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL). He played parts of 4 seasons in the NBA for teams Philadelphia, New York, Washington, Golden State and Orlando amassing 119 games. He also played in the G-League and in China, New Zealand and Spain where he suited up for Euroleague team Real Madrid. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Basketball Champions League game against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.

Thanks Chasson for talking to germanhoops.com. You’re a rare guy that went to the NBA after a season in Europe. Will their be a third time or do you see yourself finishing your career overseas?

I don´t have a crystal ball, so I can´t tell you that there will be a third time. But I´m enjoying my time in Greece now. I still have a love and passion for the game so wherever my career goes, I will be willing to do it. I´m thankful for my season with AEK and excited to keep playing.

After playing in the Czech Republic and Spain, you now are in Greece with AEK Athens. What kind of an experience has it been playing for this great organization?

It has been a great experience. It is great living in Athens. The city has a lot to offer and playing for this organization has been a joy. It has been a season of trials and tribulations where we have had up and down games, but the team has done a great job of sticking together and finding ways to win games. The organization has supported us from the start until now and we will continue to work and get better each day.

There is an NBA reunion with guys like Kuzminskas (former teammate Knicks), Mcelmore and McRae (Wizards). Plus the club has many more great players. The club is playing superb in the BCL, but haven´t found their stride yet in the Greece first division. What is this team capable of achieving this season?

The sky is the limit. Unfortunately we don´t have Bem Mcelmore anymore, but we have a lot of talent and just have to put it together and play consistently at both ends of the floor. If we can do that then I think the ceiling is high and we can continue to impress and win games.

You played at Stanford from 2011-2015 winning 2 NIT titles. Which title was sweeter?

There is a saying that you treat your first like your last and your last like your first. That is what happened in both titles. I can´t say which is sweeter, but the last was in Madison Square Garden and I ended up playing for the New Knicks. That was a pretty cool experience to have.

How did head coach Johnny Dawkins groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

He did a great job of talking to me what it meant to be a pro. He helped me prepare my mind and body for what was to come. He shared his experiences with us and what it was like when he was playing. Experience is the greatest teacher, but when you have someone that can share their stories, it´s second to none. I´m thankful for having coach Dawkins for 4 years.

You played your rookie season overseas with CEZ Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL) averaging 15.3ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.3apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 56.7%, 3PT-1 (54.5%), FT: 71.4%. What was your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

As soon as I got off the plane. I had to get my own bags and I realized I´m in it and I´m here. Once the snow hit for the first time, I realized I´m not in California anymore and reminded me off my home in Illinois. I had a great experience there and had great teammates there that helped me adapt. Without them, I wouldn´t have made it. I´m really thankful for Mike Dickson and Howard Sant-Roos who helped me a lot as a rookie.

In your rookie season you played VTB and lost in the playoffs to CSKA Moscow and had your first introduction to top player De Colo, Hines, Teodosic and Higgins. What memories do you have of this series and these great players?

I just remember the intensity that these guys played was great. All were great players. They had great careers in Europe. Every possession mattered to them. They had the bigger budget, but never took us lightly, but serious. We were fortunate to get a win, but it was tough. We had great battles but they took the series.

You reached the NBA in your second season playing 26 games for Philadelpha and New York. What do you remember being your wake up call to the NBA?

My wake up call happened in training camp. I was on the court with other guards like Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings and there I was guarding D Rose. I´m from Illinois about 2 hours where Rose is from. He was one of the guys I looked up to growing up. Being on the same court and guarding him was incredible.

You made your first field goal against Washington. What memories do you have of that first check in?

I believe my first field goal was against Milwaukee. I think I scored my first field goal in pre season against Washington. I had an open look and I think Melo kicked it out to me. He was unselfish to give the rookie a chance and I knocked down the shot. He believed in me and I remember articles in the paper where he spoke highly of me. We remain friends to this day.

You finished the season with New York and was teammates with Carmelo Anthony. How do you remember him as a teammate? Was he as great as a person as player?

Yes he was. Carmelo was incredible to be around. He brought a certain intensity to practice everyday. He never took plays off or reps. He was there early and late. I remember him working in the low post on his fade away and just doing it over and over and over. He never slowed down. That stuck in my mind. He is a great person as well. Whenever we had team events, he made sure that everyone was included including the rookies. I was fortunate to sit across from him and other veterans on the plane and they shared stories with me about the game and their families and how they handled certain situations. He will be a first ballot hall of famer when his time comes.

In your third pro season you played with top organization Real Madrid and was teammates with Luka Doncic. It was his last season before the NBA. You saw close up what he did in Europe, but had you thought he would become a NBA superstar the way he has?

Yes I get this question a lot. I just remember in the first practice that his size and the pace that he played with really stood out. He had a great ability to make great reads on the offensive end. My first game was against Efes. He had had something like 25-30 points 5-7 rebounds and assists. He also hit the game winner without sweating. And he did this in 20 minutes. I knew right away that he was incredible and he was definitely a pro and should be the #1 NBA draft pick. I didn´t think he would become a NBA superstar as quickly as he has, but I always knew give him 4 years, but he was a superstar from the start. He is an incredible player and generational talent.

You played your fourth pro season with the Washington Wizards (NBA) averaging 5.5ppg, 1.1rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 69.4%. You played a full season and had many great games. What did you learn to appreciate most about the NBA grind that season?

I learned in that season not to take anything for granted. I learned to always be present and always be in the gym, because you never know when your number will be called. I remember it being successful, but also that it was a grind. There was 1 week where I played in the NBA, the G-League, NBA and G-League. It was 4 games in like 4 days. That was the first time I did that since high school. It was real eye opening and you realize what your capable of once your tested.

In 2019-2020 you played with the Tianjin Pioneers (China-CBA) averaging 24.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 4.0apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 44.8%, 3FGP: 36.6%, FT: 86.6%,. What memories will you always have from China? The CBA is a league where guys can definatly get confidence in their game.

Yes that’s true. Important that season was that I could work on my game every day and get as many reps as possible. My teammates were awesome and I enjoyed playing there, but then came Covid. I was forced to leave the country before it was shut down. The CBA has a lot of talent with international and domestic players. Asia has a lot of talent with guys with size and quickness. I think you will continue to see the league grow.

In 20-21 you played with the at Orlando Magic (NBA) averaging 6.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 44.9%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 79.2%. What was your craziest story concerning Covid? Every guy witnessed something that was unforgettable?

I remember having to be tested every day through the nose. Nothing super crazy happened.

Last season you played with the Grand Rapids Gold (NBA G League) averaging 14.6ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 53.2%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 72.5%, in Feb.’23 signed at Oklahoma City Blue (NBA G League) averaging 12.1ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 49.1%, FT: 77.8%. Did you lose faith in the NBA process last season? Did you ever feel like you were close to an NBA call up?

Yes I felt I was close a couple times. There weren´t many injuries or opportunities for a NBA call up. I enjoyed my time in Grand Rapids and Oklahoma city.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your career in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

A man child in the NCAA I faced was Solomon Hill form Arizona. We had no answer for him then. Arizona was the only time I never beat in the Pac 12 and I still regret it.

Who are your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I can´t put a number on it since I played with so many great players.

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Kobe, Jordan, Isaiah Thomas (Detroit Pistons), Kareem

Who is your Goat and why?

My GOAT is Michael Jordan because he set the blue print for my favorite player Kobe and so many after. The way he won 6 titles was incredible. He had great style and charisma. My dad showed me tapes of Jordan and got me interested in the game.

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

That’s a great question. They tried with the sequel. People love to recreate nostalgic movies. But they should of left it alone.

Thanks Chasson for the chat.

More than 2 months ago the Wurzburg U-19 team suffered a brutal 19 point loss at home to the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners, but since then have player superb basketball having won 6 games in a row. Back on the second game day Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners played incredible defense allowing only 2 three´s and forcing Wurzburg to a mediocre 31 turnovers. Now it was time for the revenge game in Frankfurt a week before Christmas. It would be the perfect Christmas present for the Bavarian squad to come into Frankfurt´s living room and come out with a victory. Frankfurt finally had their young German talent Ivan Crnjak who had recently returned from an injury and played his third NBBL game of the season and brought a solid 19,0ppg into the game. But Wurzburg had no chance in the return game as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners showed a powerful consistent offensive and defensive effort for 40 minutes as Wurzburg was unable to slow down the many scoring options that Frankfurt always displayed. “We dominated the game. We knew what we had to do to be successful and did it for 40 minutes. We wanted to take Steinbach out of the game and did a good job. Overal it was a great team effort especially on defense”, stressed Dusan Nikolic (191-PG-2005). Wurzburg had problems with the three ball and just couldn´t find consistency on offense and continue to strike back when Frankfurt gave blows. “The game was decided after a few minutes. I think we would have played better had we not been intimidated. There is a big difference between Frankfurt and Wurzburg. You saw the university kids against the street kids”, stressed Wurzburg head coach Alex King.

Ivan Crjnac at the FT line

Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners showed right off the bat to what they are capable on offense as they exploded for 31 points in the first quarter. Before anyone had noticed Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners were up 11-2. Young German universal genius Ivan Crnjac got going rapidly with 6 points including a 4 point play while all rounder Leif Zentgraf hit a trey and Dusan Nikolic scored on a drive. Frankfurt´s offense was rolling with fast ball movement and team harmony pleasing all. Wurzburg finally got going getting baskets from their 2 top German players Hannes Steinbach and David Engelhardt who came into the contest averaging combined 47 points per game as Frankfurt led only 11-8. But Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners had a potent offense that wasn´t going to disappoint on this day and cruised on a 12-4 run to extend their lead to 23-12. In the run, the team got incredible support from Joschua Zentgraf who supplied 8 points and brutal energy from the bench. He was injured for some time, but slowly is finding his rhythm again. That he is a real scraper in the zone is no secret and that is where he sparkled most. Down the stretch, Wurzburg got buckets from Germans Jaden Brown and Leon Kasche while Frankfurt´s offense continued to execute as Dusan Nikolic scored twice with his dangerous penetration and Joscha Zentgraf added 3 points. “Joscha was huge for us. I´m so happy for him. He is so important for us. He gives us so much energy and makes big hustle plays. We had great ball movement and got to the free throw line”, stated Dusan Nikolic. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 56% from the field and 38% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 2 turnovers while Wurzburg shot 45% from the field and 0% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Noah Wendland at the FT line

The scoring onslaught continued in the second quarter as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners added 28 points and they tightened up their defense allowing only 8 points to lead by a crazy 30 points at half-time. Frankfurt got going cruising on a 9-2 run to extend their lead to 40-22. In the run Frankfurt got key support from Ivan Crnjac with 5 points as he attacked the rim twice and scored and Joscha Zentgraf scored again as did defensive specialist Finley Pruever. The Frankfurt defense layed out the press defense that gave Wurzburg many problems as they coughed up the ball 5 times in the first few minutes thanks to the aggressive Frankfurt guard defenders. The defense remained consistent as Namori Omog stayed aggressive and registered 3 steals in a row that led to a transition basket by him and three pointer by Ivan Crnjac for the 45-24 advantage. “Namori played incredible. He was in a hole for a few games, but he showed just how important he can be for us. It is great that he is playing so well again”, stated Dusan Nikolic. Frankfurt´s aggressive defense forced 12 turnovers in the second quarter. It was apparent that Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners wanted to decide the game by half-time and kept the pressure on at both ends and closed out the second quarter with a 14-5 run to lead 59-29 at the break. In the run Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners got 4 points from Nikolic, 5 points from Marvin Esser who came back the day after and had an incredible 9/8 game in the Pro B win over Coburg and Jamie Edoka also added a left handed lay in. Nikolic doesn´t only shine with his scoring, but also has potent passing skills. On the one Esser bucket, he displayed a pretty bounce pass similar to Luka Doncic who likes to undress that from his sleeve during games. “I have copied that pass from Luka. I like to practice it. I think that I´m getting more of a feel from his game”, added Dusan Nikolic. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 56% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 6 turnovers while Wurzburg shot 38% from the field and 0% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 16 turnovers. “Our defense totally took them out. We got great pressure from Omog and Pruever. We got in passing lanes and got easy transition baskets”, expressed Dusan Nikolic.

Dusan Nikolic to the hole

In the third quarter the offensive machine of Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners continued to execute at ease while the guests had a better groove on offense and scored 19 points but the hump to reach the peak where Frankfurt´s game was simply to high. Frankfurt led by 37 points after 30 minutes. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners began with 3 stops that led to baskets by Leif Zentgraf and Ivan Crnjac and the 63-29 advantage. Wurzburg finally got their first field goal at the 7,57 minute mark as Tyrese Leonce snuck into the paint area and made an offensive rebound and put back. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners then had a solid spurt once again going on a 13-4 run to lead masterfully 76-35. In the run Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners spread around the scoring love as both Zentgraf brothers scored as did Nikolic and and Crnjac while 2023 JBBL finalist Maximillian Peters added free throws. Frankfurt continued to remain consistent at both ends and just didn´t lose any intensity at both ends of the court. But basketball is a game of runs and they do occur even for the losing team as Wurzburg struck for a 7-2 run to trail 78-42. In the run the Bavarian team got support from Steinbach with 5 points. The dominant big man who averages 31,0ppg can only be slowed down so long. Down the stretch Frankfurt got lay in´s from Nikolic and Esser and Pruever added a trey as Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners led very comfortably 85-48. “Wurzburg got better into the game. We let up a bit which can happen when you lead by 30 points. We lost concentration a bit, but still won the third quarter”, said Dusan Nikolic. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 52% from the field and 26% from the parking lot and had 32 rebounds and 11 turnovers while Wurzburg shot 39% from the field and 11% from outside and had 24 rebounds and 21 turnovers.

Hannes Steinbach with the runner

The game was already decided after 3 quarters and in the fourth quarter Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shifted down a few gears scoring only 16 points while the guests were able to match their point total. Frankfurt head coach Thore Bethke used the opportunity with the big lead to give some of the bench more minutes as guys like Peters, Rephael Edward and Julian Haskins got more time. Julian Haskins did most of the opportunity scoring 4 points. Peters also added a lay in. Wurzburg got some baskets from Kasche and Engelhart scored twice. Meanwhile Dusan Nikolic was still playing and must have had his stat line on his radar. He was flirting with a triple double, but first got that double double with his 10th assist. One could see in the few plays before that he was trying to find his teammates instead of finishing. One could see that the few misses by his teammates irked him a bit, but was so much more pleased when he finally got the 10th assist. “I definitely knew I was at 9 assists and really wanted the 10th. It took some time, but I finally got it”, smiled Dusan Nikolic. At the end, he barely missed the triple double as he needed 1 rebound more, but he did end the game by making the 101th point. “I knew that I would get that basket. I always want to take the last shot. Everyone knows that”, warned Dusan Nikolic. “We got better into the flow in the second half. We fought hard until the end”, stated Wurzburg head coach Alex King. “We closed out the game letting our bench play more”, said Dusan Nikolic. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners were led by Dusan Nikolic with 20 points. Joscha Zentgraf and Ivan Crnjac added 17 points a piece and Leif Zentgraf added 10 points while Wurzburg was led by Hannes Steinbach with 19 points and 11 boards. Noah Wendland added 12 points and David Englehart had 11 points. Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners shot 48% from the field and 21% from outside and had 43 rebounds and 15 turnovers and Wurzburg shot 39% from the field and 8% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 28 turnovers.

The up and down weeks continue for the Fraport Skyliners Juniors as they continue to have massive problems on the road sporting a mediocre 1-5 record. A big inconvenience is not having all their players when the Pro A team is playing the same evening. Still that shouldn´t be an excuse as they have a deep and talented roster. The good news was that mostly after an away game, the club comes home and wins again. The bad news was a week before X-mas, Frankfurt had to play a very annoying team with BBC Coburg who might be underachieving a bit with only a 6-5 record. They have very talented players and a club that knows how to score as they average 86 per game, but like Frankfurt have their ups and down on defense allowing more than 88 points in the last 3 games. On a untypical Sunday night Pro B game, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors didn´t have their top roster as Nolan Adekunle, Jordan Samare and Nils Leonhardt were absent, but as usual they had enough fire power as Justin Onyejiaka (195-SG-2004) and Trevion Bell combined for 61 points and their bench gave great support as Frankfurt was able to complete the weekend sweep as all 3 teams Pro A, Pro B and NBBL cracked the 100 points and Pro B beat BBC Coburg 100-80. “It was cool to see 3 teams do this. It doesn´t happen often. This shows that Frankfurt is a good place for basketball. We have to keep it up”, smiled Justin Onyejiaka. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors played a strong game for 40 minutes and showed how brutal their athleticism was for Coburg to have to handle. “The key word for this game was sense of urgency. We ran our offense very well and did what we wanted to. We got great bench support and many young guys stepped up”, stressed Justin Onyejiaka. BBC Coburg had their moments on offense, but just had an off day defensively and you can´t afford that against a potent offensive team like Frankfurt. “We had a tough time getting into the game. We didn´t play our game which is fast. Our 1-1 defense was horrible and there was no help defense. When you don´t do that, you can easily give up 100 points. We also had big problems with their athleticism”, stressed BBC Coburg guard Sven Lorber.

Jujstin Onyejiaka dunk

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors exploded in the first quarter scoring 32 points as Onjejiaka and Bell combined for 28 points with 14 points a piece. BBC Coburg actually had the better start leading 5-3 as Utah native Kolton Mortensen hit a trey and ex Paderborn German Adrian Petkovic scored a lay in with his quickness. But Frankfurt then erupted for a 13-3 run to lead 16-7 as fans witnessed the Onyejiaka and Bell show as they combined for 10 points. After Onyejiaka made a lay in, he then served up the perfect dime for the Bell alley-oop dunk as the gym erupted. “It just happened. I saw he was going to the rim. I just threw it up for him. It was one of the better dunks this season”, stressed Justin Onyejiaka. Young German Joshua Zentgraf interrupted their athletic show with a lay in and free throw, but the show then continued as both dropped three´s and Onyejiaka then showed his flying hawk skills with a brutal one hand dunk. Frankfurt had more intensity and were on transition as often as they could. Frankfurt were dominating the boards and didn´t allow an offensive flow for the guests. Here and there, Coburg showed flashes of brilliance on offense as they got lay in´s from Mortensen, ex IBAM guard Gabriel Kuku and a clutch three from Austrian bench player Marco Hollerl to trail only 19-14. But Frankfurt´s offense was unstoppable as they closed out the first quarter with a swift 13-2 run to lead 32-16. In the run the Onyejiaka and Bell show continued as he connected on 2 more three´s and Onyejiaka made a runner and pull up jumper. “We were in the flow. Bell and I are a duo. We just know how to score. We can dominate in the Pro B”, stated Justin Onyejiaka. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 61% from the field and 71% from outside and had 13 rebounds and 3 turnovers while BBC Co burg shot 33% from the field and 29% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

Adrian Petkovic jumper

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors still kept the lead in the second quarter, but BBC Coburg got a solid offensive rhythm and actually won the quarter 23-21. BBC Coburg came out strong going on a 10-6 run to trail 38-26. Like Frankfurt, the guests also got crucial bench support as Lithuanian U-18 national player Danas Kazakevicius who looked comfortable in the paint area scored twice and Kuku who averaged 10ppg with Hanau last season nailed a trey. After Drago Crnjac and Petkovic traded three pointers, BBC Coburg got added support from the bench from young German Abdelkahar Karioui who also showed he could wheel and deal in the paint scoring twice as Frankfurt allowed the Bavarian team to hang around leading only 44-33. But Coburg only showed flashes of success on offense as defensively they couldn´t find an identity allowing Frankfurt easy baskets inside as Onyejaika made an offensive rebound and put back and pass first point guard Philipp Hadenfeldt dished the perfect bounce pass to Joshua Zentgraf for the lay in and soon after hit a trey for Frankfurt. But Frankfurt couldn´t shake BBC Coburg as their bench came up big all night long as ex Trier U-19 player Nils Piprek dropped a trey to close out the first half as they trailed only 53-40. “We let up a bit. They upped the tempo and we didn´t respect it”, stated Justin Onyejiaka. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 50% from the field and 50% from the three point line and had 23 rebounds and 9 turnovers while BBC Coburg shot 45% from the field and 42% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Adrian Worthy at the FT line

In the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners Juniors upped their offense a bit again and defensively didn´t allow BBC Coburg to play their quick game as much and got more stops. Frankfurt came out storming going on a 21-8 run to extend their lead to 71-48. In the run, Frankfurt got 4 baskets from Onyejiaka including a massive dunk as his athleticism overwhelmed BBC Coburg all night long. Trevian Bell also added 2 three pointers and his second displayed a sick cross over and deep three and young German Leif Zentgraf produced a trey. “That crossover was nice. His big strength is creating his own shot. I knew it would go in. He shows it in practice every day”, stressed Justin Onyejiaka. Frankfurt found their smooth offensive flow again and really lived off their transition and athleticism. BBC Coburg relied too much on 1-1 play as they couldn´t move the ball the way they wanted to and on defense continued to have extreme difficulty containing the Frankfurt drives. In the last minutes BBC Bayreuth executed better getting continued support from Kazakevicius as he scored twice and the quick and athletic guard duo of Adrian Worthy and Gabriel Kuku scored while Onyejiaka continued to do his magic adding 2 more buckets and young German Dustin Nikolic made a running hook shot. “I felt free tonight. I did what I do best and that is getting to the rim. I played off instincts”, stated Justin Onyejiaka. The Frasport Skyliners Juniors shot 55% from the field and 48% from the parking lot and had 32 rebounds and 11 turnovers while BBC Bayreuth shot 45% from the field and 41% from the parking lot and had 21 rebounds and 9 turnovers. “We got a lot of steals and a lot of support from Joshua Zentgraf and Marvin Esser. That allowed us to play transition”, commented Justin Onyejiaka. “We had good phases on offense but just couldn´t get stops. We also played good defense at times, but it just wasn´t enough”, stressed Sven Lorber.

Marvin Esser at the FT line

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had such a huge lead that at the end it didn´t matter that BBC Coburg narrowly won the fourth quarter in scoring 21-20. Frankfurt head coach Sepher Tarrah did the right thing giving the young kids added playing time as Ivan Crnjak got extra minutes as did Marvin Esser. Ivan Crnjak had a strong phase early scoring 7 unanswered points with a step back jumper, transition lay in and three free throws to give Frankfurt the 89-64 advantage. BBC Coburg sniper Sven Lorber added back to back three´s and Petkovic also answered from the parking lot, but they couldn´t make any ground still trailing Frankfurt 92-72. BBC Coburg also got added support from Petkovic with a 20 footer and Worthy lay in while Marvin Esser continued to quietly play a solid game making a lay in for the 96-76 lead. Frankfurt was getting close to the 100 points. Leif Zentgraf scored a lay in for 98 points and the 100 points was achieved in style as Marvin Esser made the crushing dunk. The young German finished with incredible 9/8/2/1/1 stats and was the third most efficient player after Onyejaika and Bell. “Our bench played very well and fought until the end. I have a lot of respect for them”, added Justin Onyejiaka. “Our offense was ok, but we just couldn´t get closer. Our communication and help side defense needs to be better”, stressed Sven Lorber. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Justin Onyejiaka with 34 points and Trevian Bell added 27 points while BBC Coburg were led by Gabriel kuku with 14 points while Adrian Petkovic had 13 points. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 53% from the field and 42% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 14 turnovers while BBC Coburg shot 47% from the field and 48% from outside and had 29 rebounds and 14 turnovers.

The good news for the Fraport Skyliners shortly before X-mas is that they were still in first place, but the bad news was that the other teams were creeping nearer in the standings and spinning a web looking to catch Frankfurt in the next weeks. So much time has elapsed since their last win at home on November 19th as since then the club had made a turn down losing their last 2 games on the road against Dresden and Artland. The low point of the season was losing to 0-10 Artland and finally allowing them to celebrate a win last weekend. Frankfurt has lost track of their gritty team defense they had played prior to the last 2 games as they allowed 84 points on average way below their average of 68 points per game. The good news from the standings view was that 3-8 team Bochum came to Frankfurt, but this was a team playing beneath their qualifications as they have began to play better since making changes in the roster adding David Cohn. Bochum was the perfect opponent for the Fraport Skyliners to get back on track and start a winning streak in their living room a place where they hadn´t lost yet this season. That winning streak at home remained as Frankfurt showed another great team effort dishing out 30 assists and having German Nolan Adekunle (200-PF-2002) come alive as he paced his team in the second half scoring 17 of his 22 points and leading Frankfurt to their 10th win of the season. “We needed a little time on defense to get going, but we did a good job forcing them to tough shots from the second quarter onward. We moved the ball and were able to get out on transition. All in all it was a good team effort”, warned ex Alba Berlin forward Nolan Adekunle. The VFL SparkassenStars came into the contest weakened as their potent guard duo of David Cohn and Niklas Geske were out as was their best big man Tom Alte. But Bochum didn´t hang their heads but fought hard, but just couldn´t slow down the Frankfurt offense. “We showed a good fight. We lost steam in the end. We had to have that next man up mentality with 3 guys out. I feel like we all came to play. They hit some big shots in crucial moments and that hurt us. I like how we came out with that shot out of the cannon mentality”, stressed Texas native and Bochum guard Matthew Strange.

Lorenz Brenneke had the FT line

Despite the VFL SparkassenStars being so undermanned, they came out on fire shocking the Fraport Skyliners with back to back three´s from 2019 NBBL champion Daniel Zdravevski and ex Paderborn guard Lars Kamp. That basketball is a game of runs is no secret as Frankfurt struck back with a powerful 8-0 run as ex Vechta JBBL MVP Justin Onyejiaka added 5 points and ex Augsburg (NCAA3) great Booker Cooplin added a lay in. Bochum struck back with a lethal 11-6 run which was fortified by 3 three´s by flat out sniper Quinn Nelson and a tip in by ex Bremerhaven youth player Vincent Friederici for the 17-14 advantage. Bochum kept the lead and pressure on as they just loved to shoot the three as Friederici who played 11 easyCredit BBL games answered with a trey and 20-16 lead. Frankfurt wasn´t playing hard edged team defense and simply allowed the Bochum shooters too much room. Frankfurt also wasn´t aggressive enough on the boards as Bochum had the 12-6 edge at that point. Frankfurt showed that they could play Bochum´s game by closing out the first quarter strong nailing 3 three´s as ex Paderborn forward Jacob Knauf connected twice as did ex Indiana State guard Cameron Henry. Matthew Strange finished the scoring with a trey, but Frankfurt led 27-25 after 10 minutes. Frankfurt was shooting very consistently at 56% from the field and 50% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the VFL SparkassenStars Bochum shot 39% from the field and 44% from outside and had 13 rebounds and 4 turnovers. “Bochum surprised us with their start. They took a lot of shots and we had problems with our 1-1 defense”, said Nolan Adekunle.

Killian Dietz dunk

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners kept the lead but couldn´t shake Bochum completely as they led only by 10 points at the break. The Fraport Skyliners had a super start going on a 7-0 run as they let the ball flow nicely in their ball movement as they got a trey from German Jordan Samare and lay in´s by Knauf and athletic German Nolan Adekunle for the 34-25 advantage. Frankfurt stepped up their defense and didn´t allow open shots and produced 5 stops. Strange finally broke free with Bochum´s first field goal at the 6,46 minute mark, but Frankfurt still led 34-28. Strange kept up the pressure and hit another jumper as Bochum trailed only 34-30. But not only Bochum showed that they could score in bunches, but so did Frankfurt as they scored 5 unanswered points with a lay in from 2018 NBBL champion Lorenz Brenneke and another trey by Adekunle for the 39-30 lead. Frankfurt was more calm on offense and not as hectic as in the first quarter and they upped their intensity on the boards and overall had higher defensive intensity. After a Quinn Nelson three pointer, Frankfurt was able to score in bunches again and grab their biggest lead of the game at 46-33 as they received lay ins from Brenneke and Canadian David Muenkat and a trey by ex Duesseldorf guard Booker Coplin. Bochum got some crucial baskets down the stretch as German Killian Dietz wo played 12 seasons in Trier scored as did Friederici. Aiden Warnholtz hit a three pointer as Frankfurt went into the break with the 49-39 advantage. “We played better transition defense and moved the ball better on offense. We got more open shots and were more aggressive getting to the rim”, added Nolan Adekunle. The Fraport Skyliners shot 35% from the field and 47% from the three point line and had 26 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the VFL Strassenstars Bochum shot 39% from the field and 28% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Aiden Warnholtz from outside

The Fraport Skyliners broke open the game in the third quarter exploding for 29 points and leading by 19 points after 30 minutes. The Fraport Skyliners were unable to keep their consistency for the first few minutes as Bochum came out of the locker room refocused and shocked Frankfurt with a 7-0 run as suddenly Frankfurt´s lead had dwindled to 3 points. In the run, Bochum got incredible support from Zdravevski who steered 5 points in the run with a trey and lay in and Vincent Friederici added a pretty floater. Frankfurt was playing hectic again and not focused at all which led to terrible decisions and turnovers. But the good thing for Frankfurt is that they have the ability to come back with all their talent and just roll over opponents as if it was the easiest thing. Frankfurt stormed back with a lethal 18-3 run to have the very comfortable 67-49 lead. In the run the Fraport Skyliners where steered by Nolan Adekunle with 8 points and 2 three´s. Warnholtz also added 5 points as Frankfurt was in cruise control. Frankfurt´s quick ball movement led to open shots as Bochum´s energy level was going down as they couldn´t get out on the shooters any longer. Bochum may have been getting tired, but their heart´s were still in fighting mode as they got 5 points from Friederici and a jumper from Nelson, but they couldn´t make any ground as Frankfurt´s offense never let up. Frankfurt continued to give Nolan Adekunle the ball and he stroked home two more three´s. This was Adekunle´s break through game as his months of inactivity as he was in a contract dispute seemed forgotten now. “I had to find my rhythm and today was another stepping stone. I had to keep building from game to game and this game gave me more self confidence. I had to make quicker decisions and my shots kept falling”, stressed Nolan Adekunle. The Fraport Skyliners upped their shooting percentages over 50% and had 36 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the VFL SparkassenStars shot 39% from the field and 36% from the parking lot and had 24 rebounds and 11 turnovers. “We began too sloppy. We have to get better at starting quarters. We finally woke up and had better execution. We upped our aggressiveness on defense because we knew that they would get tired”, added Nolan Adekunle. “Frankfurt had more depth and used it to their advantage. They knocked down many open shots and forced us to tough shots”, added Matthew Strange.

Quinn Nelson from downtown

he Fraport Skyliners kept up their consistent offense scoring above 20 points again and tightened up their defense allowing only 15 points and finishing the game strong. The Fraport Skyliners began strong again going on a 9-3 run to ultimately decide the game as they led 87-62. In the run Frankfurt attacked the rim taking advantage of the mis matches and height advantage as Jordan Samare scored twice, Knauf made a tip in and Adekunle dropped another three pointer. Frankfurt kept their defensive intensity high forcing Bochum to terrible shots and offensively kept attacking and allowed Adekunle to keep shooting. Bochum got some added energy from a Friederici jumper and 2 handed dunk by Killian Dietz, but Frankfurt then put the last exclamation point on the win as Swiss army knife Cameron Henry scored 7 unanswered points to give Frankfurt the 98-66 advantage. Bochum did get some garbage points from Friderici and 5 points from Strange, but it just wasn´t enough. Strange made a difficult lay up on the base line reading the defense and angle perfectly. “I always go hard until the buzzer. I never get worried about getting blocked. I was confident and you just have to be a little crafty to make that shot”, added Matthew Strange. Jacob Knauf made the last basket giving Frankfurt the magical 100 points. The ex Lincoln Memorial great is one of those players that can just explode at any moment. “We finished the game well. They took tough shots and their fatigue set in”, stated Nolan Adekunle. “We were exhausted and ran out of legs. We have to learn to keep up the good start and play consistently for 40 minutes”, added Matthew Strange. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Nolan Adekunle with 22 points. Jacob Knauf added 14 points and 10 rebounds and Jordan Samare 12 points and Cameron Henry 11 points while the VFL SparkassenStars were led by Vincent Friederici with 21 points while Quinn Nelson had 19 points and Matthew Strange 13 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 53% from the field and 49% from outside and had 51 rebounds and 17 turnovers while the VFL SparkassenStars shot 37% from the field and 31% from outside and had 29 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

pic credit Brose Bamberg

Tyreese Blunt (191-PG-2002) is a 21 year old 192cm guard playing his first season for the Telekom Baskets Bonn/Dragons Rhondorf. He currently is averaging 13/3/2/1 in the Pro B. He played the last 2 seasons in the Bamberg organization and played 6 easyCredit BBL games. He also played 44 games for farm team BBC Coburg. He began his career with the MHP Risen Ludwigsburg and played 1 BBL game there. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Tyreese for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on signing with the Telekom Baskets Bonn/Rhondorf. After 2 years in Bamberg why did you chose this new challenge?

I felt going to the Telekom Baskets Bonn would be a good next step for me. I also felt it was a good decision being able to play for the Dragons Rhondorf.

Do you see greater chances of developing under 2 new coaches with Blode and Moors and a team with many new faces then Bamberg.

Yes I did. Both are very good coaches. I can´t complain. They know their basketball.

You made huge steps in your game last season in the Pro B from the season before. What are your personal goals this season?

I want to remain consistent in the Pro B and maybe even better. I also want to get minutes in the BBL and BCL.

What has it been like playing for Stephan Blode so far. What have you enjoyed most from his coaching philosophy?

He is very vocal. He gets to the point right away. He is really good at helping young players.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 192cm point guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would make the best fit?

Russell Westbrook, but not as explosive.

Is it fair to say that you’re a scoring point guard? What are your biggest strenghs on the court?

I´m a good scorer. I also shoot relatively well. I also can create for myself and others.

You’re a skilled defender. Talk a little about your defensive qualities? Will your defensive game give take the Dragons transition game to a new level?

Yes I think I can. I bring a lot of energy. If I bring my all, then my team follows.

Your three pointer continues to be a work in progress. Last season you were up and down. You had games with 6 and 7 three´s and then in a 3 game span where you were 3/26 and was 0/7 and 0/8. What is the biggest challenge for you in being able to get a reliable three?

All it is for me is continued repetition over and over. I know I can shoot well. I just have to work hard and keep practicing my shot.

On what area´s of your game are you working on most so you will be able to keep making steps in your game?

My shot.

You played the last 2 seasons in Coburg. How do you feel did your game grow most in these 2 years?

I played a big role in my second season. That really helped me make the next step. I trained really hard the summer before which also helped my game.

How important was a guy like Chris Wolf on and off the court? Was he like a mentor for you?

Yes he was. He is very experienced. He was also a cool dude. He helped me a lot mentally.

Last season you played 6 BBL games. What do you feel is still missing in your game in order to make the next step to the BBL?

I need to work more on my defense and get a more consistent shot.

You were teammates with Spencer Reaves. What was he like as a guy and did he tell any Austin stories?

Yes once in a while. He once told me Lebron James gave him as many shoes as he wanted to have.

You began your career with the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. You improved your play in your first 2 seasons in the NBBL. What memories do you have of those times. How fierce was the guard competition? There were talented guys with the Patrick brothers, Lukas Herzog or Nico Santana-Mojica?

It was a really good experience. I was already a physical player at that time, so I feel like I held my own against those guys. I didn´t have a NBBL season in my last year because of Covid.

You played your first BBL game against FC Bayern Munich winning 91-77. What memories do you have of those 2 minutes?

I just remember being very nervous. When I look back at that game, I think I should of just played my game and not been so nervous.

What memories will you always have of John Patrick? How keen was his focus on young German players time to develop?

He would put in the young Germans in the fourth quarter if we were up by 20-30 points,

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your basketball career?

Mike James

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Ariel Hukporti, Kelan Martin, Justin Wright-Foreman, Marcus Knight, Chris Sengfelder

Please name your NBA Mount Rushmore?

Lebron, Jordan, Kobe, Steph Curry, Giannis

Who is your GOAT?

Kobe Bryant

Thanks Tyreese for the chat

Pic credit Alex Mihm

I have to be honest that there are times where I’m more excited about watching a game than other times. For example in 2018, I was counting the days until game day and was in awe seeing legendary head coach Larry Brown doing his coaching magic when he coached against the Fraport Skyliners or when I was in Bonn last season where I could reunite with ex NBA player Tim Frazier who I had met on a Boston street some years ago when he was balling with the New Orleans Pelicans or anytime when I can see massive German talent Ivan Kharchenkov play as he is my absolute favorite young player since he arrived on the scene in 2021 as a young 15 year old player who has reached the Euroleague with FC Bayern Munich in only 2 short years. That moment of excitement has popped up again for me as this weekend is that time again where I’m so excited to see a guy play. His name is David Cohn and plays this season for the German Pro A team VFL SparkassenStars Bochum. The reason why I’m so worked up to see him play is because it is the first time I will ever see him ball live. I had had contact with him 2 seasons ago when he played with the wiha Panthers Schwenningen now called Black Forest Panthers as I had written a career portrait on him and also conducted a post game interview after he nailed a game winner against Nurnberg. I will never forget his forceful, but so confident words after. ‘I didn’t look for any teammates. I couldn’t even tell you if anyone was open. I felt so confident to take the last shot. I really really wanted that last shot. I really saw no alternative. That last shot for me was meant to be. There are moments in sports where you suffer that black out. It was one of those moments for me’, stated David Cohn (188-G-1995, college: William & Mary, agency: Diamond Sports) It hasn’t been a great season for Bochum, but things have changed since the arrival of David Cohn It’s David Cohn’s Opportunity now to turn around the season of the VFL SparkassenStars as he is a player that always makes the right play.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Larry Brown in Frankfurt in 2018

David Cohn who lists Donovan Mitchell as his toughest cover in the NCAA is a 28 year old 188cm guard from Elmhurst, Illinois that is playing his fifth professional season. He is a guy that needed grooming in the NCAA as he averaged only 3,9ppg as a freshman at Colorado State and after averaging only 7,0ppg and 4,0apg in his first 2 seasons at William & Mary, he finally had his break out season as a senior averaging 14,0ppg and 6,0apg. The waiting and adjusting continued in his first 2 pro seasons as he never averaged more than 1,0ppg with clubs Hapoel Eilat (Israel-Winner League) and Maccabi Hunter Haifa. He finally had his break out season with Schwenningen as he averaged 12.0ppg, 3.5rpg, Assists-1 (9.1apg), Steals-4 (2.0spg), FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 39.5%, FT: 70.0%. He had a strong individual season, but the club didn’t have success and he didn’t see eye to eye with head coach Alen Velcic. ‘I had a solid season, we won a lot early on. Without going into detail some things in life just don’t work out or aren’t meant to be and this was just one of those things. It provided me an opportunity in Europe to showcase my abilities. Again everything happens for a reason and I wouldn’t change anything, just a stop in a long journey’, remembered David Cohn Last season he took on a new challenge playing with the Newcastle Eagles (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 38 games averaging 10.2ppg, 2.9rpg, Assists-2 (6.3apg), 1.4spg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 36.2%, FT: 82.6%; BBL Cup: 2 games: 12.0ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.0apg. He scored in double figures in 16 games including a 31 point explosion against Surrey S, but he wasn’t content with his game last season, but that didn’t deter his feelings about England. ‘I just want to say that it was by far and away the most enjoyable year of my professional career. The UK is an amazing place to live and Newcastle is an awesome city. I didn’t play as well as I would have liked perhaps for a plethora of reasons, but I still learned a lot about myself and grew as a player. I am still getting better as this is the first year of my ‘athletic prime’, so every stop that I’ve had has added value in one way or another’, said David Cohn He was teammates with ultra veteran Jermel Kennedy who after his only stay in Germany with TV Langen more than a decade ago has since been with 17 organization and left a huge impact on him. ‘Jermel Kennedy, absolute legend. One of my all time favorite teammates and one of the nicest dudes I’ve had the pleasure of being around. I’m not sure I’ve seen a 33 year old jump like he can. He is super talented and works so damn hard. He will be super successful in anything he does because of who he is on and off the court’, stated David Cohn

Now the elegant playmaker who is a mix of Steve Nash and Chris Paul has a new challenge in Germany with the VFL SparkassenStars Bochum. I reach David Cohn on a Tuesday, 4 days before the game against the Fraport Skyliners and he is real upbeat. ‘Since the first day I’ve landed in Germany I’ve been impressed with the professionalism of Bochum, from Felix to Toby (the GM) to HP (club owner) and everyone in between. It’s been a pleasure being here. The players are all awesome, talented guys, and I know everyone is looking forward to officially turning a corner and rattling off a lot of wins in a row and getting into play contention’, expressed David Cohn Bochum began slow losing 5 of it’s first 6 games, but since Cohn’s arrival are 2-3. Interesting to note that the 2 wins were against top teams Trier and Hagen. ‘I believe this team hasn’t even scratched the surface of what we can become. Since I’ve been here so far it’s been a bit strange in terms of our wins vs losses, but beating the best teams in the league certainly gives us optimism and confidence in the long run, which is what our coach stresses regularly. So we’re just trying to build week by week and put together a solid body of work in the end’, added David Cohn The team likes to run and they will have to find a way to shave down the points in order to be more successful. ‘ It’s no secret that we play really fast and like to push the tempo, so naturally the games are going to be higher scoring. With that being said, our defensive energy has fluctuated too much from game to game and our focus needs to be more consistent’, warned David Cohn That David Cohn can shoot out the lights and be consistent is no secret as he is one of 10 NCAA players since 1993 that reached the magical 50/40/90 plateau in the NCAA, but teammate Quinn Nelson can also shoot, but is in no way one dimensional. ‘ Quinn is a great guy, really enjoyable to be around. He is more than just a knock down shooter, he is a smart defender who knows how to position himself and knows how to move well without the ball on offense. I’m really looking forward to seeing the growth he has this season as a player and the almost all but certain long great pro career he has in front of him’, said David Cohn One teammate he really adores is center Tom Alte a player that reached the easyCredit BBl at an early age and since has become a solid and respected Pro A player. ‘I can’t say enough good things about Tom. I truly believe he doesn’t have a weakness on the court; he can jump, he can pass, he can shoot, he has good hands and footwork. We have developed a nice rapport in the pick n roll which has been a lot of fun. He is one of the best bigs I’ve played with at any level, his IQ is through the roof. Lucky to have bigs like him and an absolute workhorse like Kilian Dietz’, warned David Cohn Another player that has a bright future ahead of him is 16 year Fynn Lastring who gets minutes every so often. ‘Fynn is certainly a huge talent. I think the sky is his limit, he has shown flashes in practice where he looks fantastic. He is in good hands at the moment with Coach Felix and Bochum, and wherever he takes his next step there is no doubt he will find success’, warned David Cohn

One of the very exciting aspects about the SparkassenStars offense is the guard duo of David Cohn and German Niklas Geske. Both can score and dish with the best of them and have dominating personalities. Can that work on the court? So far it has, In the first 4 games together where they have played together David Cohn has averaged 16 ppg and 8apg and Geske 11,0ppg and 4apg. ‘To be compared to Geske is a great compliment. He is a phenomenal leader and captain for us. Although we are similar in ways, we are different enough to compliment each other brilliantly, the more we play together the better it will get. We have already shown that when we’re both rolling that we can beat anyone. He is a lot of fun to play with, I feel like this becoming the main theme of my answers’, laughed David Cohn The question is will the time come that they will understand each other blind? ‘I think we are already getting close to that and we have shown it at times. He is such a smart player that it’s easy to move off of him and go as he does. Again we have a lot of room to grow as a team as a whole, Geske and I are just one aspect of that but when we are consistently clicking and playmaking out there it really will elevate the team to the next level’, stressed David Cohn Currently he is averaging 17/3/7 stats. Is a big difference to Schwenningen that Bochum head coach Felix Banobre has given him the keys to the team? ‘What I will say is that Coach Felix is awesome, both on and off the court. He is easily at the top of my list for favorite coaches I’ve played for, he just ‘gets it’. He trusts me to make good plays and I try my best to make that happen for him and the team. I don’t feel like I’ve played particularly well yet, I still know there is another level I can get to’, warned David Cohn He is averaging 5 turnovers a game this season. He played 5 minutes more in Schwenningen and had 2 less turnovers per game. As a guy who has always had the ball in his hands and knows how to lead a team, he isn’t worried about the early season turnover blues. ‘I’m just going out there and having fun, playing in the moment. Historically, not turning over the ball is my thing. Throughout college, Israel winner league , Pro A and BBL UK last year I have always been in the top two AST/TO ratio, so I’m not concerned in the long run’, added David Cohn He last shot over 40% from outside as a senior at William & Mary and has been on the bringk of 40% in Germany as in Schwenningen he was at 39% and currently the same with Bochum. With so many good shooters around him, it will be interesting to see how his percentages develop in the next months. ‘I just try to shoot good shots for me and the team. Shot selection is super important in terms of what percentage you shoot. To hover around 40% is the goal, that means I’m taking good shots and helping the team. This is the best shooting team I’ve ever been on, it’s easy to pass up a good shot for a better shot’, commented David Cohn He has had a great individual start with Bochum and it is no secret that the easyCredit BBL is a place he would like to land in someday. ‘I think the motivation is still the same, it hasn’t changed. I’ve always wanted to play at the highest level I’m capable of. I believe that with the right fit and opportunity I would have success in the BBL. That being said, everything happens for a reason and I’m lucky and proud to be here in Bochum and taking things one week at a time, whatever happens next, happens next’, warned David Cohn For now his highest order of business to help the SparkassenStars continue to get better game by game and help achieve wins. The Fraport Skyliners are riding a 2 game losing streak and want to get back on the winning track. David Cohn will do all he can to put a further delay in the winning streak.

10 years ago, you couldn’t have counted a handful of Canadians playing in Germany. But how times have changed. Some Canadian players have shown in the last years to be have been real gems. I have been lucky that I was able to cover Canada’s greatest college player of all-time with Philip Scrubb in the 2015-2016 season as he played for the Fraport Skyliners and continued his winning ways there helping the club with his precision deadly three point shooting and rare unselfishness to the Fiba Europe Cup title. What made him to be the greatest Canadian college player of all-time was his amazing 8 titles at the famed Carleton University. You just can’t go wrong with Carleton players as this season the Fraport Skyliners have another gem from Carleton with Aiden Warnholtz who won 6 titles there. He may not have won as many titles as Scrubb, but hey 6 isn’t too bad either. By most standards, it’s the titles that give players the standing as greatest just ask Michael Jordan. But sometimes guys sparkle with their overwhelming incredible statistics even if the titles didn’t grow from a tree the way they did for Scrubb. Germany now has another gem from Canada by the name of Javon Masters (182-PG-1994, college: UNB, agency: Blacktop Management) who signed with easyCredit BBL team Tigers Tuebingen. He may only have won 1 title in his career in Canada, but his stats what he showcased at the University of New Brunswick (CIS) were literally mind boggling. In his 5 seasons in the CIS, he averaged 24,0ppg and already lit it up in his freshman and sophomore seasons average 28,0ppg and 27,0ppg. In comparison, the best scoring average season of Scrubb was 18,6ppg. He won 5 scoring titles and one could say from his play, he was a master of Canadian College basketball. But who knows what would of happened had he gone to Cape Breton where he initially wanted to go, but didn’t because in the last moment another player took his spot. Not having gone to Cape Breton put a massive chip on his shoulder that hasn’t left him. ‘, It’s funny every time telling this story but it sure put a chip on my shoulder and it’s stuck with me even in the professional ranks now. I’m always willing to get better and push myself and always use that slight to motivate me to try and be the best I can be no matter the circumstance that I face’, warned Javon Masters. If you mention the name Philip Scrubb to Javon Masters, then you get nothing but respect. ‘Philip Scrubb is one of the greatest to ever play CIS basketball. I never played against him but we did cross paths my freshman year at the National awards and he did play in a different conference than me’, stated Javon Masters. Javon Masters was definitely a master of Canadian college basketball and continues to make strides overseas.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Phil Scrubb in Frankfurt in 2018

Javon Masters who lists Jamal Murray and Xavier Rathan Mayes as the toughest players he ever faced is a 28 year old 183cm guard that was born in Kitchener, Canada. He attended Forest Heights high school and was introduced to basketball at a young age. He was allowed to shoot on the Toronto Raptors court and quickly found a love for one of the greatest dunkers of all-time. ‘Being able to shoot on that Raptors court really did spark my interest in basketball but like many Canadians that go on to play high level, I think the biggest inspiration was Vince Carter and what he meant for not just Toronto but the entire country’, stated Javon Masters. He has followed the Raptors his whole life and now will observe from a far how new German world champion Dennis Schroeder will fare there. ‘Dennis will love Toronto, the culture and the atmosphere that the city will give him is second to none and being able to play with Pascal and Scottie will give him opportunities to thrive’, stressed Javon Masters. He played at the University of Brunswick from 2013-2018 winning the Aus title in his last year. ‘Winning the title means everything to me. UNB will hold a special place in my heart and to cap off my career with a title that the school didn’t see for 51 years just there aren’t really many words to describe it’, said Javon Masters. He had so many incredible games in school, but besides the AUS title, there was another thrilling game. ‘It would be the game against St Mary’s where I became the all-time leading scorer in Canadian university history where I had 39 points and we won that game in my senior season’, remembered Javon Masters. He didn’t only discover his lethal scoring in school, but also the all-day breakfast for energy. ‘It helped when you had early classes and it filled you up plus it was kind of cheap so could save me some money you know’, smiled Javon Masters. Every player in school has that coach that helped groom them to become the player they are today. For Phil Scrubb, it was Dave Smart and for Javon Masters it was Brent Baker. ‘Brent Baker helped me become the man and player I am today. Just how to prepare, game me a different perspective not just in basketball but in life and he was always there for me during the good and bad times of my career’, warned Javon Masters.

The explosive guard who lists Lebron, Jordan, Shaq & Steph on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore began his professional career in Spain with Rio Ourense Termal (Spain-LEB Gold) averaging 5.9ppg, 1.6rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 40.3%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 74.7%. It was a difficult rookie season as he had to swallow not averaging 20 plus points per game like in Canada. ‘I learned just to stay patient and be ready, that was a different experience for me because I was the main guy in University and then coming to that situation I wasn’t playing much and I felt like I wasn’t providing anything for the team. So I just worked and prepared myself to be ready for any situation that was thrown my way’, stated Javon Masters. His probably 2 best memories of that season was beating FC Barcelona’s farm team and battling against future NBA player Leandro Bolmaro. ‘He was a skilled big guard that was physical, can shoot It a bit but was very good at distributing the ball to his teammates’, remembered Javon Masters. He finished his rookie season gaining experience at home with the Hamilton Honey Badgers (Canada-CEBL) averaging 2.0ppg, 1.2rpg. But after one time, he preferred to work on his game during the summers instead of continuing. ‘It’s a great league, and the biggest memory for me was making the final in its inaugural season’, remembered Javon Masters. He then played his next 3 seasons in Romania starting with CS Dinamo Stiinta Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) putting up solid and consistent stats averaging 12.7ppg, 3.4rpg, 4.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 26.8%, FT: 76.4% and in his second season averaged 12.0ppg, 3.0rpg, 3.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 55.4%, 3PT: 41.5%, FT: 62.3%. Romania became like a second home to him. ‘I got use to the language and food a bit so that was nice. Basketball wise it was really good test at the time for me playing against so big teams that played European competitions so that kind of set me up for France and now here in Germany. I think living in Bucharest was good getting a different experience as opposed to the one I lived with in Canada, different culture way of live new surroundings makes you appreciate a lot of things’, commented Javon Masters. His best scoring game in those 2 years was 23 points against Cluj Napoca. In his third season in Romania he played with CSM Galati (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 15.9ppg, 3.2rpg, 4.2apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 79.6%. His game reminded him again a bit on his scoring days in Canada as he scored in double figures in 30 of 34 games and exploded against Craiova with 35 points. ‘I was just being confident and trusting myself and all the work I put in during the season and before as well’, expressed Javon Masters. Last season he had a change of scenery playing with Stade Rochelais Basket (France-ProB) averaging 13.7ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 29.7%, FT: 80.8%. He lost 8 of the first 9 games. After that the season went in a certain direction that wasn’t up. ‘It was a tough way to start the year but we rallied in the end of December to get on a hot streak and just pulled it thru in the later months. Just to try and stay level headed, it’s a long season you’ll have lows and highs but just to buy in and believe you can accomplish something was the biggest thing I feel’, remembered Javon Masters. He scored in double figures in 25 of 34 games including scoring 23 points against Asa twice and once against Angers.

The Canadian native who feels the classic flick Coming To America should have been left alone has started a new challenge in Germany with easyCredit BBl team Tigers Tuebingen. Not every player can say ‘hey I’m playing in Germany home of the 2023 world champions of basketball. ‘It’s amazing, being able to play here in such a high level league like the BBL and it’s always nice to challenge yourself and play the best and this is something I’ve been working on for my entire life to get to this point’, said Javon Masters. He has joined a team which is back in the easyCredit BBL after many years in the Pro A. Will he feel more pressure than in other situations? ‘It’s been great so far being with the players, coaches and being within the organization and they have made my time so far so comfortable but in terms of pressure I don’t see it that way, I see it as a way to get better and play against some of the best teams in Europe and measure ourselves against them. Obviously our goal is to win every game, but we just need to get better week to week’, warned Javon Masters. He is finally on the biggest stage in his basketball career as the German easyCredit BBL is a top 5 league in Europe. How well will his game translate to the BBL and will he be a scorer again? I’m excited, these are always the leagues you want to challenge yourself and go against the best and I’ve been working hard and preparing myself as best as I can to try and get to this point. I feel my game can translate to here but I just got to trust our coaches and my teammates to put us in positions to succeed and work together. I mean, you’re always playing with great players around you so it’s adjusting to who’s around you. These last couple years I’ve been more of a point guard getting others involved but any moment like you said I can score so it’s always picking and choosing those spots to be effective in both facilitating and being aggressive’, stressed Javon Masters.

Javon Masters who remembers winning more 1-1 duels in practice against Jessie Kendall is a small guard that has that pit bull in him a la Kyle Lowery. He also has been compared to Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook on account of his speed. Even if he is known as a pure scorer, versatility is a big part of his game. ‘I’m just trying to put our team in positions to be successful and be an extension of the coach on the floor and do anything to win. So if that means to score, defend ,rebound or facilitate then I’m cool with it’, stated Javon Masters. His three pointer continues to be a work in progress as it has been up and down, but he hopes that it can become more stable in the next years. ‘Just reps on reps, last year I over thought a lot of shots but I know I’ve put in the work to be a consistent shooter. I just got to trust my mechanics and the believe that every shot will go in and the results can speak for itself’, stressed Javon Masters. He doesn’t only want to shine with his offensive input, but also on the defensive end. ‘I feel with my quickness and lateral speed I can guard a lot of guards and I think to add on that side of the ball just off ball being more better’, warned Javon Masters. To be able to be consistent and successful in the easyCredit BBL, you have to grind extra in the lab. ‘Just being more assertive and just playing, I think sometimes I overthink in situations which causes me to lose confidence and what not so just going out and playing and leaving it all out on the floor and just live with the results’,added Javon Masters. Making the next step in the easyCredit BBL is a tough one as he is averaging only 4,6ppg, 1,4rpg and 2,2apg in 14,4 minutes per game. The All day breakfast definitely must of given him extra energy on game days in Canada. He definitely didn’t get the full dose of the all day breakfasts in Tuebingen, but this fierce competitor will get another chance to show his worth as the club prolonged his short term contract to mid January.