Shawn Scott (185-G-1996, college: SW Christian) is a 27 year old 185cm guard playing his third professional season and first with BG Hagen. Last season he split time with TVO Biggesee / TV Jahn Lindhorst (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 31.2ppg, 10.4rpg, 6.1apg, 3.6spg, 2FGP: 56.2%, 3FGP: 30.4%, FT: 77.6%, in Jan.’23 moved to BG 2000 Berlin (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 14.2ppg, 8.1rpg, 4.6apg, 2.4spg, FGP: 53.5%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 64.4%. he began his career at Jenks High School and then played 3 seasons at Southwestern Christian University. He teams up with germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.

BG Hagen suffered a tough 97-77. It was the fourth loss in the last 5 games. The losing seems a bit contagious at the moment.

Yeah it’s just part of the game of basketball. We started season feeling unstoppable at 6:0 and now we see that when we stop doing what works then it all can change immediately. But it’s how you continue to work on the mistakes and bounce back and I’ll make sure we do that.

Talk about the 4 quarters. How did the game develop from the first quarter until the end?

The first quarter we started bad which is a trend for us but as the second quarter came we really picked it up and were able to cut to the lead to 1 at halftime. Essen adjusted in the second half and played box and 1 against us and I think it threw off our rhythm and we were just not able to get the offense flowing like before and that’s where the 20 point loss came.

The defense is taking a real beating. Talk about where the bad areas are and what has to be corrected most?

We are just not able to guard and play defense together and we’re having to change defenses and schemes way too often. We should be able to play man to man majority of the game but we aren’t able to because we make so many mistakes and give them easy buckets and forces us to play zone. We have to figure how to move as one on defense and be able to play man to man and be aggressive on defense.

Akken and Bryant combined for 45 points. They seemed to be too much for BG Hagen. They took a lot of three´s but didn´t do the damage from there.

Essen is just as strong inside than outside and they all play together and have so many weapons. They got a lot of offensive rebounds but we were lucky that they weren’t shooting that well from three.

Did this game show that the club is lacking that second dominant scorer or a scorer you can rely on in a tough game?

At the beginning of the season we had no issue with scoring and everyone getting the shots and points that they should. We are definitely in a slump right now but the good thing is we have 15 more games to get out of it and each game could be the game where someone has a breakout game and I feel it’s coming soon.

You had a solid game with 26 points but those turnovers keep popping up in your game?

I felt like I had to force my way to the basket more than I would have wanted and maybe that caused the extra turnovers but my coaches trust my decisions and they continued to tell me to play fast and push it. And with that comes some more turnovers than you would want sometimes.

You next play 6-5 Wulfen. This is another must win. How aware ist he team that a win is vital? What will be key for the win?

We are aware for sure. We need to make a statement this week with this win and really get back on a run. We have 3 homes games out of 4 before the break and it’s important that we can win all 4 and go into to the break with full momentum and confidence.

Thanks Shawn for the chat.

Michael Hughes (203-C-1998, college: Duquesne) is a 25 year old 203cm center born in Kansas City Missouri and playing his third professional season and first with Jonavos CBet (Lithuania-LKL). Last season he played with Kometa Kaposvari KK (Hungary-A Division) averaging 15.2ppg, Reb-3 (8.5rpg), 2.3apg, 1.3spg, Blocks-1 (1.9bpg), FGP: 61.0%, 3PT: 18.8%, FT: 70.2%. He palyed his rookie season with BC GGMT Vienna (Austria-BSL) averaging 11.3ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.7apg, 1.6spg, Blocks-3 (1.6bpg), FGP: 66.0%, 3PT-2 (50.0%), FT: 64.4%. He began his basketball career at / Liberty North High School and finished his career with school records for rebounds (979) and blocked shots (349) and field-goal percentage (64.9 percent). His 1,209 points were the second-most in school history. He made the jump to the NCAA in 2016 playing a season with the The University of Akron (NCAA) averaging 1.7ppg, 1.1rpg. He then played 3 seasons and 77 NCAA games with the University of Duquesne. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Fiba Europe Cup game against the Rostock Seawolves.

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

I’m currently in Jonava, Lithuania with Jonava C-Bet, been here since early August. Basketball life has been pretty good we’ve been playing two games for the last month or so with some longer road trips in between LKL action and it´s become more routine now.

Your playing your third professional season overseas with Jonavos CBet (Lithuania-LKL). After playing in Austria and Hungary, what kind of experience has Lithuania been? How enthusiastic are the fans? Have you had a special experience with the fans so much?

My experience here in Lithuania has been pretty good, the LKL is a competitive league with great talent on high level teams so every game is important! Swan city army (Jonava Fans) always shows out even when we are on the road. They always show support and I appreciate the energy they bring every week!

Your playing your first full season in an international club competition with the Fiba Europe Cup. How does your game translate best to this play and how has your game continued to develop best in the last 2 seasons?

Our group for FIBA Europe Cup every team has different play styles being from other countries and it´s exciting to be able to play at the international level as well as domestically. I believe that my game translates first defensively with the energy I bring as well as my rim protection. Every summer I’m working with my trainer and we spend time on expanding on my game from the previous season, while also working on the things that helped be successful during that time.

There are only 2 Americans on the squad with you and Mike Lewis. What makes this team special especially with so many unselfish Lithuanians?

This team has to potential to become special, each guy makes is capable of beating anyone on any night no matter the travel in between. We are a competitive squad with great defensive energy and each guy plays for the next.

What has it been being teammates with Mike Lewis? How much fun is it getting put in great situations with the ball from him? I guess you couldn´t have asked for more being reunited with your ex teammate overseas?

Playing with my boy Mike has been great since we seen each last we last played with each other in college so we have a good understanding about how one another plays so it´s easy to communicate about what we see on the floor we feed off each other out there so as much as I’m looking for him he’s looking for me. It’s a blessing to that we linked up here in Europe to play in a different environment compared to college.

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

I don’t really know who i would compare my game to, but the bigs I have watched as a grew up playing basketball were Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan and KG. As transitioned into the European style of play I watched a lot of Kyle Hines and older Euroleague greats. I really love everything about the game and when I watch a good player I look at how I can implement things that I like into my own game.

You have always been a solid scorer and sturdy rebounder, but also a great defender. Is it fair to say that you could be called a two way player?

I could agree. I became more of consistent scorer when I got to Europe. I think mainly because my game translates well to the European style of play on both sides of the ball. and my defense helps me transition into each season as far as getting adjusted early on.

Your also a very good passer. How much do you enjoy passing out of the post?

As much as I like to score, I love finding my teammates and getting them going because it keeps the defense true while also opening things up for myself. I also enjoy it because it shows how I see the floor and impact the game in other ways and it´s something that has always been a part of my game. I get just as excited when I get assists and others score just as much when I score.

You were the top shot blocker in Austria and Hungry getting 7 in a game last season. Where do you still want to go with your defensive game? Your already so good? What goals do you still have?

I´m always working on guarding more on the perimeter when we find ourselves in switch situations during the game. Being able to disrupt teams defensively in different ways along with blocking shots helps my team be successful.

Last season you played with Kometa Kaposvari KK (Hungary-A Division) averaging 15.2ppg, Reb-3 (8.5rpg), 2.3apg, 1.3spg, Blocks-1 (1.9bpg), FGP: 61.0%, 3PT: 18.8%, FT: 70.2%. What kind of an experience was it and what did you enjoy most about your stay there?

Last year being my second professional season, was quite interesting to say the least. The team was successful early on and then hit some bumps on the road later on. The strength of the league was good along with the style of play. But what stood out the most was the environment the fans brought. They brought energy every game depending exactly where you were and it made games even more fun.

You played your rookie season with BC GGMT Vienna (Austria-BSL) averaging 11.3ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.7apg, 1.6spg, Blocks-3 (1.6bpg), FGP: 66.0%, 3PT-2 (50.0%), FT: 64.4%. What do you remember being your wake up call where you knew that you were very far away from home?

My most notable “I´m not at home” moment would be when I went to finish my visa papers and trying to find my way through the city and not knowing German. I ended up getting off the wrong stop on the tram and was an hour in the opposite direction.

You won the double as a rookie. How crazy was that? What was special about these group of guys and what will you never forget?

Going double crown year one was like a breath of fresh air. I was the youngest on the team and what made it so special for me was I had great vets around me such as Andre Jones and Jason Detrick they really helped me adjust to the lifestyle and gave me great tips that still stick with me to this day.

What memories will you always have of Austrian legend Enis Murati who won 8 titles in Austria? How vital was his leadership for the success?

Enis helped that team a lot when it came to things about the league and the things that certain teams did.

You began your NCAA career at the The University of Akron (NCAA) playing 19 games averaging 1.7ppg, 1.1rpg. You had a tough freshman year. Could you get anything positive from the experience?

I wouldn´t consider it to be a tough freshman year, I was coming into a winning program and playing behind a player who ended up winning Player of the year that season. So there was only room for growth. That year I was a sponge soaking up game from my older teammates and taking advantage of the resources that were at my hands.

You then had a stellar career at University of Duquesne (NCAA) playing 77 NCAA games from 2018-2021. You had many great games there like against VMI, Marshall and George Washington. How did head coach Keith Dambrot groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

No Comment

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Marcus Weathers?

Me and Marcus haven’t played 1s I think ever in our time together at Duquesne

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Kwan Cheatham, Jimond Ivey, Daniel Utomi, Tavian Dunn-Martin, Maceo Austin

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Kobe, Jordan, Shaq, Bron

Who is your GOAT and why?

My goat is for sure Kobe, when I was younger I admired his love for the game and watching him play gives you different perspective on the game.

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

I did not happen to watch it because I feel every classic movie does not need a sequel.

Thanks Michael for the chat.

David Muenkat

The Fraport Skyliners just keep winning and continue to find new ways of winning. Their last gem was playing like a non pro A team against the ART Giants Duesseldorf and taking a walk for 30 minutes and down 18 points, to finally waking up and posting their 8th win in a row in the 23-24 season. How much longer can they keep this impressive win streak going. Their defense continues to be their staple as despite allowing 25 points in the first quarter, at the end of 40 minutes it was only 65 points. But their next foe wasn´t a top team once again, but like Duesseldorf a 2-5 team that were riding a tough 5 game losing streak. They are another team like Duesseldorf that can produce a lot of points, but defensively still have a lot of room to improve. Bavarian team Nurnberg came into the game with an extra week of rest and had surely watched the Dúesseldorf game and wanted to be that first team to beat Frankfurt while the Fraport Skyliners didn´t want to produce such a pathetic start into the game like 1 week ago. 4 days before Turkey day for the Americans in America, both teams Americans wanted to go into the Thanksgiving week with a win, but only one team´s Americans had the satisfaction after 40 minutes as the Fraport Skyliners pulled out a hard fought 68-61 win over the Nurnberg Falcons BC. The Bavarian team had to play catch up baskedtball all afternoon and got over the hump in the fourth quarter, but couldn´t keep the lead as Frankfurt rallied in crunch-time. “We won the game for birthday boy Booker. We were good on the glass and took pride in getting rebounds. I felt the ball stuck too much to us today. We struggled shooting. Defense helped us at the end get this win”, stressed Fraport Skyliner David Muencat. After the loss a dejected head coach Virgil Matthews sat with little emotion and despite the fighting qualities was disappointed his guys couldn´t pull out the win: “We played hard but were a little down on the execution. We have to move the ball more consistently. We couldn´t buy a bucket in the first half. We played pretty well defensively and took care of the ball well. We were able to hold their offense in check a little with our offense”, stressed Nurnberg head coach Virgil Matthews.

Aiden Warnholtz at the FT line

The first quarter quickly showed what kind of game it would be as both team´s defenses got a good hold on the other team as there was less scoring and more misses. Frankfurt got on the board first with a Aiden Warnholtz lay in and David Muenkat free throws, but Nurnberg answered back rapidly to tie the game at 5-5 as a Tim Kopple floater and Courtney Alexander dunk who played college ball at Tennessee Tech got the guests going. Frankfurt then upped their offense going on a 10-4 run to lead 15-9 as they moved the ball better and got rewarded with three pointers from Birthday boy Booker Coplin (191-G-1997, college: Augsburg, agency: BIG) who turned 26 years old and a trey from 2018 NBBL champion Lorenz Brenneke. Ex JBBL MVP Justin Onyejiaka added a runner. Both teams were still feeling each other out and Nurnberg retaliated getting some burst of energy from Courtney Alexander with a hard dunk and New York native Anthony Gaines added a runner and free throws. Onyejiaka was on the spot again as he broke the tie with the final shot of the first quarter giving Frankfurt the 17-15 advantage. “The energy was high on both sides as both teams were getting settled. There was a lot of back and forth. We didn´t do a good job sticking to the game plan”, said David Muenkat. Both teams were shooting 40% from the field, but the biggest difference was from outside where Frankfurt was at 50% and Nurnberg at 0%. Frankfurt had the 10-8 rebound edge, but 4 turnovers to Nurnberg´s 2.

Matthew Meredith from outside

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners had their best offensive quarter as they produced 21 points and broke open the game leading by 10 points at the break. Frankfurt got an instant spark from Justin Onyejiaka who made free throws and then a steal and massive dunk for the 21-15 advantage. “Justin is great. He has a lot of tools that aren´t teachable. He is athletic and has great length for his size and is quick. His aggressive mindset helped us flip the switch at the start of the quarter”, said David Muenkat. Nurnberg guard Christian Feneberg then dropped a trey to stay on Frankfurt´s heels, but Frankfurt then roared out on a 10-3 run to lead 31-20. In the run Frankfurt was aided by Muenkat who added 7 clutch points and ex Schwenningen forward Jacob Knauf steered a three pointer to the run. Frankfurt´s offense was more unpredictable as the ball movement was crisp which helped achieve good shots. Frankfurt was playing fierce defense not allowing Nurnberg into their comfort zone and stopping penetration well. Down the stretch the guests got some vital baskets from Gaines with an offensive rebound and put back and ex Giessen guard Tim Kopple connected on a pretty floater high off the glass. But Frankfurt also kept executing keeping their lead comfortable as ex Carleton great Aiden Warnholtz made an off balance shot and ex Hanau guard Bruno Albrecht connected on a three pointer as Frankfurt led 38-28 at the break. “Our shots fell better and we got to the free throw line”, remembered David Muenkat. The Fraport Skyliners shot 45% from the field and 38% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Nurnberg Falcons BC shot 32% from the field and 0% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Tim Kopple at the FT line

In the third quarter it seemed like the Fraport Skyliners would decide the game early as they led as much as 15 points, but the Nurnberg Falcons BC had a comeback surprise in the last 2 minutes. The Fraport Skyliners jumped all over Nurnberg beginning with a 8-2 run to extend their lead to 46-31. In the run, Frankfurt spread out the love around as Jordan Samare did like Justin Onyejiaka in the second quarter getting a steal and going coast to coast for the dunk. Warnholtz added a lay in sneaking into the zone and then came the wow play of the game as David Meunkat surprised Nurnberg with a thunderous alley-oop dunk off a inbounds pass from Cameron Henry for the comfortable 46-31 lead. “That was planned. Teams scout you so you need counters. We practice this a lot in practice. I gave him the look and he gave me the nod and then we executed”, stated David Muenkat. The defensive pressure and stopping Nurnberg´s penetration allowed Frankfurt for the 15 point advantage. Nurnberg responded well from the big dunk getting a lay in from ex Jena forward Julius Wolf and a pull up jumper from Kopple and free throws from Wolf to trail only 49-38. Coplin and Henry took Frankfurt on a 4-0 run with free throws to lead 53-38. But how quickly a game can turn as Nurnberg showed they wanted to keep throwing punches with offensive execution as they closed out the quarter with a 9-2 run to trail only 55-47 after 30 minutes. After going 0/14 from outside, Nurnberg sparkled with 3 three pointers as ex Skyliner Matthew Meredith connected for 2 and German Nelson Okafor for the other. “Matthew is a super talented good offensive player. He always plays hard. We want to help him gain more self-confidence after his tough season in Leverkusen. He has been an unexpected plus for us this season”, commented Virgil Matthews. “We took our feet off the gas pedal at the end. Fatigue kicked in a bit. They began to hit shots. Basketball is a game of runs and it just happened they had theirs then”, expressed David Muenkat. “We hit some shots at the end, but in general we can´t let making shots effect the rest of our game. We have to play hard all the time regardless of what the offense is doing”, said Virgil Matthews. The Fraport Skyliners shot 41% from the field and 30% from the parking lot and had 27 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Nurnberg Falcons BC shot 34% from the field and 17% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Bruno Albrecht from down town

The Nurnberg Falcons BC took the momentum of the raining of three´s at the end of the the third quarter and took it into the fourth quarter retaking the lead. The guests stormed on a 10-0 run to lead 57-55 and turned the arena a few decibles quieter. Meredith began the fourth quarter banging home his third three in a matter of a few minutes while Alexander added a lay in and free throw and Isaiah Sanders who played at Fairmont State (NCAA2) free throws. Nurnberg added intensity to their drives and just literally attacked and got rewarded with free throws. The body language also had turned a complete 180 degrees between the 2 teams. Frankfurt was thinking more instead of just playing and their offense stalled. Both teams traded leads in the next possessions as ex Indiana State (NCAA) sniper Cameron Henry scored from the corner and Lorenz Brenneke made a lay in while Nurnberg countered with Sanders free throws and a Kopple runner as Nurnberg still led 61-60. But that would be their last lead of the game as the Fraport Skyliners as usual took control in crunch-time as Warnholtz sunk 2 free throws. After a Meredith miss, Booker Coplin made free throws for the 64-61 lead. After another Meredith miss, Lorenz Brenneke scooped up the key offensive rebound which led to a beautiful Booker Coplin left handed lay in with the 66-61 lead with 32 seconds remaining. Nolan Adekunle secured the win with free throws. “A coach can only give you as much tips as possible, but at the end it´s 5 guys that have to figure it out on the court. Of course our experience of having won titles helps. We did whatever it took to win. Lorenz got a big offensive rebound and Booker had the confidence at the end to make the big bucket. It was crunch-time and he answered the call”, stressed David Muenkat. “We have to learn to finish games. We were a little tight. We made too many plays instead of just making the shots”, added Virgil Matthews. The Fraport Skyliners were led by David Muenkat with 13 points while Aiden Warnholtz added 11 points while the Nurnberg Falcons BC were led by Tim Kopple with 13 points while Isaiah sanders had 10 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 36% from the field and 26% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the Nurnberg Falcons BC shot 33% from the field and 17% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

Kelvin Omojola

After the first Fiba break, it was time to play basketball in the Pro B south again. The Dragons Rhondorf and the mighty FC Bayern Munich had had 2 weeks to recuperate again and to tweak problems and develop new focus for the upcoming duels. Don´t let the Dragons Rhondorf potent 6-1 record fool anyone, because they have had an incredible knack of surviving winning already 3 games down to the wire. The question is how much longer can one´s fortune keep going and when will they finally find a defensive identity. Their offense is explosive, but allowing 91 games on average won´t get you many wins when the shooters have an off day. Rhondorf welcomed the solid 4-3 FC Bayern Munich a club that always brings the talented youngest players in Germany and this season have 2 real gems with Ivan Kharchenkov and Martin Kalu. Their strong offensive team gets incredible depth when you have a guy like 23 year old Dino Radoncic who played 167 ACB games and was teammates with Luka Doncic at Real Madrid. They are a team that can go off on any team and have had their moments defending this season. The Dragons Rhondorf had to be fully prepared for another battle in the always loud Dragon Dome and didn´t disappoint any of the fans showing an offensive explosion destroying FC Bayern Munich 2 while also showing improvement on defense using an imagery spiders web to annoy their opponent winning 102-78. Would it have surprised Dragons players if someone had predicted them scoring 100 points against Munich? “Not at all. We know what were capable of on offense. We always knew we can score it was all a matter about tightening up our defense. We worked on defense the last weeks working on filling the extra gaps, clogging the lanes more, being m ore attentive and playing with more energy. We were like a spiders web where everyone was helping each other out”, stated Dragons Rhondorf guard Kelvin Omojola. FC Bayern Munich played a solid first quarter, but after that just couldn´t match the intensity of Rhondorf and find a solution to slow down their offense. “We began with little energy. Then when your down by 15 points, it´s difficult to come back against a good team like them. They played a lot of transition which hurt us”, stressed FC Bayern Munich guard Ivan Kharchenkov.

Dino Radoncic at the FT line

The Dragons Rhondorf had Jekabs Beck and Tyrese Blunt back in action and stormed out of the gates on fire taking the quick 7-2 advantage. Ex Paderborn guard Badu Buck (195-SG-1999) added 5 points while ex Lamar (NCAA) big man Avery Sullivan added a lay in. But FC Bayern Munich woke up rapidly going on a 9-0 run as their 3 young stars Kharchenkov, Radoncic and Kalu scored for the 11-7 lead. Munich took advantage of their 3 stars individual qualities and also took care of the mis matches. Rhondorf was still finding their footing on the defensive end. That burst of offensive lightening didn´t rattle Rhondorf as they punched back going on a 7-0 run to lead 14-11. Young German Janne Muller continued his solid play scoring on transition and Badu Buck nailed a trey. Martin Kalu then tied the score at 14-14. For the next minutes both teams would trade baskets as Rhondorf got support from ex Coburg center Leon Bulic with a lay in and Omojola free throws for the 18-17 advantage. FC Bayern Munich retaliated and got a 3 point play from Kharchenkov for the 20-18 Munich lead. Rhondorf finished the first quarter strong with back to back dunks from Bulic and Sullivan to lead 24-20 after 10 minutes. Both teams were shooting well with FC Bayern Munich over 50% from the field and outside and Rhondorf over 40% while Munich had the 8-6 rebound edge, but coughed up the ball 8 times. ”We began strong. There were a lot of runs in the first quarter, but basketball is a game of runs. I felt we did a pretty good job not letting their top 3 players score too much”, stated Kelvin Omojola.

Antonio Pilipovic from outside

The turning point of the game occurred in the second quarter as The Dragons Rhondorf exploded for 31 points to lead 55-39 at the break. Both teams were executing their offense well as FC Bayern Munich stayed on track getting 5 points from Ivan Kharchenkov, but Rhondorf also produced three´s from Antonio Pilipovic and Buck and still led 34-25. Rhondorf was playing good team basketball while FC Bayern Munich was relying too much on their young stars and not sharing the love. Rhondorf was also slowly getting a defensive rhythm as their on ball pressure increased and deflections popped up more. FC Bayern Munich then got a clutch three pointer from little used Matteo Boerries to cut Rhondorf´s lead to 36-28. One thing Rhondorf was doing since tip off was play transition and getting many easy baskets. When young German Janne muller ran coast to coast for the easy bucket, Munich head coach Emir Mutapcic smiled giving that sense of how could we let a youth player do that too us. “Janne is a great player. You might think that about him, but he is a high level player in the eyes of his teammates. If I didn´t know him, I would never think that he was only 17. If you can play, you can play no matter how old you are”, commented Kelvin Omojola. Ex Real Madrid forward Dino Radoncic who averaged 7/5 at the last World Cup made a pretty spin move and finished with his left hand. “He has a great frame. He is a high level player and very athletic”, commented Kelvin Omojola. Rhondorf cruised out on a 8-1 run to lead 46-32. In the run, they displayed fine inside out basketball as Bulic and ex Bamberg guard Tyrese Blunt combined for 2 three´s and Omojola scored inside. The Dragons Rhondorf closed out the second quarter strong getting added baskets from ex Tuebingen forward Jekabs Beck and a trey by Blunt and lay in by Bulic for the comfortable 55-39 lead at half-time. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 51% from the field and 41% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 5 turnovers while FC Bayern Munich shot 50% from the field and 50% from the three point line and had 13 rebounds and 10 turnovers. “We broke out on offense. We tightened down our defense and were able to play our game. Defense leads to offense. And when were playing good defense then it´s only up from there”, warned Kelvin Omojola.

Ivan Kharchenkov at the FT line

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf would continue to control the game despite some punches by the guests which were combated nicely by the Dragons. After Pilipovic began the second half with a trey, FC Bayern Munich came back with a 7-1 run sparked by Desmond Yiamu´s aggressive play on the offensive glass with a few offensive rebounds. German Ivan Volf added a trey and Radoncic a lay in to cut Rhondorf´s lead down to 59-46. “I like Dino´s mentality. He is stubborn, but has intelligent thoughts”, warned Ivan Kharchenkov. But whenever that FC Bayern Munich seemed like they were pressing Rhondorf, the home team had an answer and pushed back going on a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 65-46. Avery “the double double monster” Sullivan connected on back to back buckets and Bulic also scored on transition. FC Bayern Munich also found answers scoring 5 unanswered points as Volf hit another trey and German Marco Frank scored in the paint to trail only 65-50. But there was no stopping the Rhondorf offensive machine as Blunt dropped a trey and Omojola scored on the drive and all of a sudden Rhondorf was up big again at 70-50. A Kharchenkov three pointer and Radoncic lay in didn´t narrow the gap much as Rhondorf still led comfortably 74-56 after 30 minutes. “Despite starting off slowly with some offensive rebounds, our mentality was strong. Once we tightened up and stuck to our principles, we continued to play our game”, stated Kelvin Omojola. “We tried to come back and fought, but they defended very well and played too much transition that made us tired”, expressed Ivan Kharchenkov. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 51% from the field and 39% from the parking lot and had 29 rebounds and 9 turnovers while FC Bayern Munich shot 43% from the field and 33% from the parking lot and had 27 rebounds and 13 turnovers

Jekabs Beck at the FT line

In the fourth quarter nothing changed as the Dragons Rhondorf continued to score at ease and FC Bayern Munich was playing catch up while losing more and more energy as fatigue set in. After Buck and Kharchenkov traded three´s, little used German/Greek guard Nikolas Sermpezis made a lay in to cut the Dragons lead to 77-63. Then came a scary moment as Ivan Kharchenkov collided with the ref and fell to the ground and stayed there for a few moments. He got to his feet and wouldn´t return back to the game getting treatment on the bench. The Dragons Rhondorf then ultimately slammed the door shut on FC Bayern Munich going on a 11-2 run to lead 88-65. They let it rain three´s as Sullivan, Buck and Pilipovic connected. This phase truly looked like a relaxed Sunday stroll for Rhondorf as their offense looked like clock work. FC Bayern Munich had accepted defeat as many of the young Germans from the bench got garbage time. Three´s continued as Blunt and Matej Silic scored while Munich was getting excellent support from Volf who supplied 5 points, but Munich still trailed 96-74. Blunt scored with a lay in after getting the lightening bounce pass from Omojola. “I think Steph Curry has that pass in his game. I was working on my passing last summer. I would of made a risky pass like that even if we were up 2 points. If I feel it´s the right play then I will do it. It´s not about being flashy for me”, warned Kelvin Omopjola. After a Dominik Dolic three pointer, Jekabs Beck scored the 100th point and Blunt closed out the win with a lay in. “Scoring 100 points was good. You can´t complain. But what was more impressive was holding them to 78 points”, said Kelvin Omojola. “We tried to end the game as good as possible. They kept pushing the ball and were simply more aggressive then us”, said Martin Kalu. The Dragons Rhondorf has an incredible 7 players in double figures as Badu Buck added 17 points. Tyreese Blunt added 16 points and Avery Sullivan 15 points and 10 rebounds while FC Bayern Munich was led by Dino Radoncic with 21 points. Ivan Volf added 15 points and ivan Kharchekov had 14 points. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 53% from the field and 43% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 11 turnovers while FC Bayern Munich shot 44% from the field and 33% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

After the first Fiba break, it was time to play basketball in the Pro A again. The EPG Baskets had ample time to recuperate and get injured players back on track and came into the next home battle into the game with a solid 4-3 record and playoff hopes even if still far away a reality. The club led by head coach Pat Elzie have been playing good basketball as of late having won 3 of their last 4 games, but they definitely had no cake walk against the 5-2 Munster team a club led by head coach Gotz Rohdewald. After a slow start where they lost their first 2 games, they have come alive in the last weeks. The terrible 24 point loss to Frankfurt woke them up and since had been cruising on a 5 game winning streak. They came into the contest with a lot of self-confidence because they won the last 2 games against Vechta and Bayreuth in tight fashion. Their defense stalled a bit in the last games, the perfect opportunity for the Koblenz offensive hungry team to take advantage off. On a cool Friday evening in Autumn, both teams came to battle in the posh CGM arena and the guests came out potent right out of the gate and rapidly forced the EPG Baskets to play pick up basketball winning their sixth game in a row dismantling the EPG Baskets Koblenz 80-74. After the big win a drained but content Nathan Scott who looked like a kid in a candy shop was all smiles. “Were still not healthy, but played very well. All we have talked about this season is team basketball. You normally think overseas that the normal job of an American is to score, but my dad always told me to pass the ball. We played as a team. This game was a war. I liked how we crashed the boards and kept our composure. Our goal every week is to prove everyone wrong. This was an ugly win”, stressed ex Uni Baskets Munster Nathan Scott. The EPG Baskets Koblenz could never get over the hump even if they came close. All in all it was a disappointing loss and another one one can learn from. “Munster have had a super run. We knew it would be a tough game. They were the best shooting team and showed it in the first half. We had our chances but too many easy missed lay up´s and loose balls hurt us”, stressed EPG Baskets head coach Pat Elzie. “We hit some tough shots where I thought had we missed them, then Koblenz might have been able to turn the game around. We are playing with much self-confidence at the moment which is important in tight games”, added Uni baskets Munster head coach Gotz Rohdewald.

Maurice Pluskota

The EPG Baskets Koblenz came into the game without key players AJ Plitzuweit, Leo Saffer and Rytis Pipiras while the guests were without Carlos Carter. The guests didn´t waste anytime taking control of the game early taking the quick 11-4 lead. They got 2 early baskets in the paint from ex Ludwigsburg center Adam Touray (206-C-1994), a crazy three from ex Chemnitz German Stefan Wess and a trey from ex Randers forward Nathan Scott. The guests were playing beautiful team basketball while Koblenz was getting g the ball inside as Germans Moses Poelking and Maurice Pluskota scored, but on defense they weren´t aggressive enough. Touray continued to be a menace scoring 2 more times inside as the guests led 16-8. It was no surprise to Munster head coach Gotz Rohdewald that his player was having success against the talented Koblenz big men. “I have known Adam since he was 16. I knew he was a good player. Last year at the 4, he couldn´t display his game but this season he is doing well at the 5. He played well against future Euroleague player Johan Gruenloh and gave him problems. He is a very good player”, warned Gotz Rohdewald. Koblenz couldn´t buy a bucket inside and then ex Fraport Skyliner Junior Cosmo Gruehn drilled home a trey and Munster led 20-11. Munster punished Koblenz with every mistake they did. Finally the EPG Baskets Koblenz found their three pointer and nailed 3 from captain Marvin Heckel, ex Dragon Rhondorf center Gabriel De Olveira and ex MLP Academics guard Leon Friderici also scored as Munster led only 25-20 after 10 minutes. “We closed out the quarter well after not a good start. I feel like many fouls weren´t called. We fought very hard and our injured guys back helped us”, stated EPG Baskets Koblenz CEO Thomas Klein.

Hilmar Petursson from the corner

In the second quarter the UNI Baskets Munster continued their fine team basketball and led by as much as 12 points, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to fight and had good phases in comebacks getting as close as 3 points, but at the break were down by 7 points. The Uni Baskets Munster began the second quarter with a rapid 9-2 run to get their biggest lead of the game at 34-22. Munster shared the ball nicely and got scoring production from many as ex Wurzburg center Jonas Weitzel made a lay in, ex Hagen guard Jasper Guenther connected from the corner, Touray made a hook shot and Gruehn another three pointer. Munster did a good job finding their spots which Koblenz couldn´t close well enough and rebounded the ball well. But basketball will always be a game of runs and now it was the EPG Baskets Koblenz turn as they went on a 12-3 run to trail only 37-34. In the run, Koblenz received good production Gabriel De Olveira who scored twice while they also got vital transition buckets from Heckel and Pluskota. But Koblenz couldn´t turn off the defensive lapses as they continued to give up easy baskets in the zone as Wetzel and Scott scored for the Munster 42-34 advantage. Munster closed out the second quarter well continuing to execute their offense well as Scott found his spots again scoring on a lay in while Wess nailed a trey. American Trey Hall scored at the buzzer as Koblenz trailed only 47-40 at half-time. “We lost the second quarter only by 2 points. We executed our offense better, but we allowed way too many easy points and didn´t make the easy shots”, stated Thomas Klein.

Niclas Sperber lay in

In the third quarter the Uni Baskets Munster continued to control the game and despite some punches thrown from Koblenz, they always had an answer and still led by 10 points after 30 minutes. The guests got out of the gate well hitting 2 three´s from Wess and Scott to up their advantage to 53-44. But the EPG Baskets Koblenz stormed back going on a 7-1 run to trail only 54-51. In the run they attacked the rim more aggressively as Heckel scored with his quickness inside and Poelking made a lay in, dunk and free throw. Koblenz upped their physicality and aggressiveness something Munster couldn´t come to terms at that moment. But the up and down play of Koblenz was annoying as they allowed Munster to get their lead up again allowing a 7-0 run as Scott made a field goal and free throws and Gruehn made a pull up jumper as Koblenz trailed 61-51. “I really don´t have an answer for the play of the Baskets. They are simply unconcentrated and have mental lapses”, stated Thomas Klein. Koblenz got some clutch three´s from De Olveira and Hall, but just couldn´t get timely stops as Gruehn made a trey and tip in dunk. The 50-50 balls for Munster felt like 100%. The Uni Baskets Munster led comfortably again 71-61 after 3 quarters. “We kept our head on. We were all upset in the huddle, but Cosmo Gruehn told us to keep going. We simply stuck together”, added Nathan Scott. “We had too many unforced errors and we had no controlled drive”, commented Thomas Klein.

Adam Touray

In the fourth quarter the Uni Baskets Munster held the EPG Baskets Koblenz to only 9 points and made big stops in crunch-time to secure the victory. Weitzel began the fourth quarter with a 15 footer to give Munster the 73-61 advantage. Koblenz had another good phase going on a 7-2 run to cut Munster´s lead to 75-68. The EPG Baskets Koblenz attacked the zone, but still couldn´t get really good finishes as they often were on the strong side. They did get 2 baskets from Moses Poelking as he was a beast down low. Weitzel made a smooth turn around shot as crunch-time began and gave Munster the 78-68 lead. In crunch-time the EPG Baskets Koblenz gave it one last punch as Friderici and Heckel scored to cut Munster´s lead to 78-74. In the last minutes, the UNI Baskets Munster played solid defense especially their guards who didn´t allow Marvin Heckel to do his magic securing the win. All in the EPG Baskets Koblenz had their chances in crunch-time, but a healthy offensive rhythm and that spark in the ball movement was simply missing. “You have to give our guards credit. They are dogs. They are like pit bulls. I don´t want to take them off their leashes. They were huge in crunch-time”, smiled Nathan Scott. “You can´t give Marvin Heckel the blame. Yes he made a bad pass, but we lost as a team. A few more rebounds and better defense was needed today”, stressed Pat Elzie. The Uni Baskets Munster were led by Adam Touray with 22 points while Nathan Scott chipped in with 13 points and Jonas Weitzel had 10 points while the EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Moses Poelking with 13 points while Gabriel De Olveira and Marvin Heckel chipped in with 12 points a piece. The Uni Baskets Munster shot 44% from the field and 35% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 43% from the field and 27% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 16 turnovers.

If you fancy observing great point guards in the easyCredit BBL, then you have good cards that you will see many of them. Talented guards in general are as abundant in Europe in the various leagues as a good Horaffe is in Crailsheim which is their famous pastry. But not only the Horaffe has been a trademark in the small southern city, but also their point guards in the last 4 seasons. Every season the club has had the luck and correct choice in bringing in American point guards that made a massive impact for their team. It all began in 2019-2020 when star coach Tumas Iisalo reeled in Dewayne Russell who used that season as a break out one. The next 2 incredible guards Trae Bell Haynes and TJ Shorts tore up the easyCredit BBL like no other and last season the club were enriched with Otis Livingston and James Batemon who showed their unique class. The club had found a new point guard for the 2023-204 season with Marques Townes and were hoping to keep the incredible point guard history in Crailsheim going with continued success. He is in his fifth season and was hungry to continue to show the basketball world that he can play like an impact player when he is playing his natural position. With the help of the Hakro Merlins, the coaching staff and teammates, this season could have been a huge stepping stone in his career granted if he delivered. “That’s something I also had an important conversation with Coach Nikola about. He believes he can help and guide me to take a massive step in my career. What I think separates me is that I am a tall PG who is very strong, fast and physical, also who is a 2-way defender. Every where I go I led the team in steals. I have an excellent mid range game and can also step outside the arc and hit 3s”, warned Marques Townes. Unfortunately it didn´t work out for him in Crailsheim as he was released after 3 games. The team reeled in a new player with experienced French guard Leo Westerman, but wins haven´t come with him either as the team has gone 1-6 since Towens departure. This season the rich tradition of great point guard season´s has suffered. It will be interesting to see how their season continues with new fireman coach Jussi Laakso.

Marques Townes (193-G-1995, college: Loyola, IL) who remembers Caleb Martin being the toughest player that he ever faced in the NCAA was born on September 3, 1995 in Edison, New Jersey and moved to South Amboy when he was 5 years old. He began his basketball career at Cardinal McCarrick high school where he played under head coach Joe Lewis. He spent 2 years there leading the school to a 22-7 record in his sophomore year averaging19,2ppg and 7,5rpg. At that time he was being recruited by several school´s including Virginia. He played his last 2 seasons at St Joseph high school where he formed a dominant trio together with future NBA players Karl-Anthony Towns and Wade Baldwin helping lead the school to a 30-2 record while averaging 17/5/3/2 stats. He helped win the states Tournament of Champions title and finished with 1,863 points the second most in school history. There was no doubt in his mind where Karl-Anthony Towns would land. “We all knew he would be in the NBA and it was only a matter of time. During our era in High school there was nobody like him. He could shoot, and dominate the paint anytime he wanted too. It was too easy for him”, remembered Marques Townes. He also showed his talent on the football field playing outside linebacker and garnering interest from Penn State. He was a HS All-Middlesex County First Team selection from 2011-2014 on the basketball court. He began his NCAA career at Fairleigh Dickinson University where he played 56 NCAA games averaging 9.1ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.3apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 60.3%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 56.4% and in his second season averaged 11.3ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.7apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 33.7%, FT: 67.5%. He helped lead the school to a NEC title in 2016 and a NCAA tournament appearance where they lost to Florida Gulf Coast in the first round 96-65 where he scored 13 points. “Winning the NEC title was very special, not a lot of people don’t know I got hurt my freshman year and I just played enough games where I couldn’t get my year back, so coming back the 2nd year was amazing for me. We pretty much had everyone back and we got along very well with each other! I still talk to all those guys till this day”, said Marques Townes. He scored in double figures in 26 games including 26 points in a 87-72 loss against Mount St Mary´s.

The explosive guard who remembers drawing with teammate Clayton Custer in 1-1 battles, but actually playing against coach Drew Valentine more then played his last 2 NCAA seasons at Loyola University of Chicago playing a total of 70 NCAA games. In his junior season there he averaged 11.0ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 38.0%, FT: 75.6% Right in his first season he helped the school to possibly one of the greatest March Madness runs ever leading the school to the Final 4. They strung out an unforgettable and seemingly impossible run by defeating Miami 64-62, Tennessee 63-62 and Nevada 69-68 before losing to Michigan. He still remembers which of these 3 massive wins was the craziest. “Sometimes I still sit here till this day and say to myself “man we actually did that”. That year, we changed Loyola University Chicago forever. I truly think that was one of the greatest runs ever in March Madness history. I actually just rewatched our game vs Miami not to long ago with some family I haven’t seen a whole. I think that was the craziest game because nobody had us winning besides ourselves. And to top it off, my boy Donte Ingram hit that shot to start this crazy run, and without winning that game none of that would of happened so I definitely think that one is # 1 for sure”, stated Marques Townes. He had many breathtaking games, but really had Drake´s number combining for 60 points in a 2 game span. “I don’t know what it was about playing Drake, but I always had my best games against them. Definitely those were some games to remember probably some of top games in college for sure”, added Marques Townes. In his senior year he was able to make another step averaging 15.3ppg, 5.0rpg, 3.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 76.2%. The school reached March Madness again, but this time there would be no renewed Cinderella story as they lost in the first round to Creighton. In his 2 year career there he scored in double figures in 49 games including his masterful 32 point and 28 point explosions in wins against Drake and 26 points in a win over Bradley. He wouldn´t have developed into the player he is today without getting that last push from head coach Porter Moser. “I always say, and will continue to say, Coach Moser is the best coach I have ever had in all my basketball career till this day. He knows exactly how to lead a team, how to get you to play together, to focus on the details, and to create a culture. He has definitely groomed me as a player. I miss him a lot, I wish he can coach in Europe he would be great”, stressed Marques Townes.

Before starting his professional career overseas, the New Jersey native who lists. Wade Baldwin, Karl-AnthonyTowns, Breein Tyree, Cameron Krutwig, and Clayton Custer as his 5 best teammates of all-time got experience playing one NBA Summer league game for the Chicago Bulls against the New Orleans Pelicans. “The coaching staff just told me to stay ready, you never know when your number will be called. So, I had to just keep supporting the team and if my number was called to play as hard as I can”, said Marques Townes. Most guys never make the ACB in Spain which belongs to the top 2 leagues overseas with the Euroleague, but he signed with Universidad Catolica de Murcia CB as a rookie averaging 6.1ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 91.7%. Most Americans coming overseas for the first time experience that wake up call to being far away from home, but he didn´t really have that as he fell in love right away with his surroundings. It also shows now as he has been permanently been living in Europe currently in Cyprus. He played only 14 ACB games as a rookie, but was pretty effective in the games he played averaging 6.1ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 91.7%. Maybe coming to the ACB as a rookie was a step to early for his development. “I absolutely still feel like I belong and can play at the highest league in Europe, but to unfortunate and uncontrollable circumstances, I wasn’t put in a good situation from the start of my career. I should have played in a league like Germany, France, Belgium, or Lithuania to start my career so I can actually play like I do now. I didn’t have the opportunity in Spain being so young and playing with loads of talent and veterans”, expressed Marques Townes. He scored in double figures 3 times including 12 points against Baskonia. He returned back to Murcia in his second pro season, but that stay was short as he averaged only 9 minutes per game averaging 1,8ppg. The whole experience was very disappointing as it seemed like he was lost in the shuffle of numerous Americans. “It was very tough for me mentally. I still don’t understand why I didn’t play because they extended my contract and brought me for the 20-21 season. I even had good conversations with the coaching staff and general management on how excited they were to bring me back. But I found out in the end that the head coach (even though he’s a good guy), didn’t like my playing style at all, so my agent told me it’s best to leave so they do not ruin my career. We also had 13 players and 6 Americans so each game someone had to be left off the roster”, commented Marques Townes. He attempted to save his season by signing with top Estonian team BC Kalev/Cramo Tallinn. He played in 3 competitions and despite not playing a central role, he did win his first pro chip. “It was very late at the end of March I joined. I couldn’t really fit in properly because it was so late in the season. So, I was only there for 1 1/2 months because it ended beginning of May. To be honest it was a good way to go out, but I didn’t really feel like I earned that because I came so late in the season. But, I’m happy that I can have that on my resumé”, said Marques Townes. He scored 16 points against VTB League team Enisey and 16 points against Tarvas.

The ex teammate of NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns who lists Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and SHAQ on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore split his third professional season in countries Lithuania and France. He played with Pieno Zvaigzdes Pasvalys (Lithuania-LKL) averaging 11.4ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.0apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 46.8%, 3FGP: 28.0%, FT: 75.0%, and with Union Tours Metropole Basket (France-ProB) averaging 11.7ppg, 2.9rpg, 3.4apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 56.8%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 81.1%. “I went through a very rough patch that year dealing with family issues that led me to leave Lithuania. Lithuania does have passionate fans from what I remember, but playing in France I think they have the best 2nd beat crowds I have played in right behind Spain”, remembered Marques Townes. He scored 21 points against Jonava. He ended that season with a bang in France as in his last game pulled off 25 points in an exciting 87-86 win over Nantes. “That will be a game I will remember forever, because during the 3rd quarter of that game I broke my hand. I felt it snap, but I wanted to continue because I was playing well. I finished the game and we won. Unfortunately my season ended there and had to get surgery”, added Marques Townes. He had another super game against St-Chamond in a losing cause with 22 points. Last season he played with Duna Aszfalt-DTKH Kecskemet (Hungary-A Division) averaging 16.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 5.0apg, Steals-5 (1.8spg), FGP: 56.2%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 70.2%. It was his best season as a professional and definitely one that was vital for his self-confidence coming to the easyCredit BBL. “The League is actually more competitive than I expected. I enjoyed the competitive aspect of the league. And also, fans of Hungarian basketball go crazy for their teams and it was really cool to see and play”, stressed Marques Towns. He was teammates with Slovenian legend Jaka Klobucar and was like a sponge during the season. “He is still a solid player, he taught me things that I should improve and work on if I want to get to the next level”, said Marques Townes. He scored in double figures in 30 games and scored 20 points or more 11 times including 29 points a piece against Kormend and the OSE Lions and 28 points against Arconic-Alba.

The ex MVC player of the year who lists Lebron James as his GOAT and never saw the sequel to the classic Coming to America as classics should be left alone came to the Hakro Crailsheim Merlins last summer. It became a a new country to his resume, but he has no problem being that basketball globetrotter. “The thing I enjoy most is I get to travel the world with my wife, and also experience different cultures. I also get to know many people through Orthodoxy, I have made great relationships with many priests”, said Marques Townes. He didn´t need to do any homework about Germany mainly because there have been so many guys he knows that have balled there. “ I know that in Germany it is very strong in basketball. I think it’s definitely one of the top European basketball leagues in Europe. My friend Aher Ugak is there currently who I played with at Loyola, my friend Tai Odiase, Amir Bell (High school Rival), Justin Robinson, Otis Livingston, James Batemon, Jonah Radebaugh, Barry Brown, Justin Simon, Jehyve Floyd, to be honest there’s so many others I just can´t think of right now, but those are some who come off the top of my head”, added Marques Townes. Even if he got some feedback from ex Merlins guard James Batemon about Germany and the Hakro Merlins, coming to the easyCredit BBL was a no brainer as he now has the great opportunity to make his real breakthrough in a top league. “The most important decision was the opportunity. My first 2 years in Europe I was not playing my role (playing the 2 sometimes even 3 position in Spain, Estonia, Lithuania, France). It was a bit frustrating because in college I was PG my senior year when I won (POY). I am very thankful for the Coach in Hungary last year, because I made a great season in Hungary last year playing the PG role. Ingo and Coach Nikola seen my ability and we had great conversations, and they now brought me in to be the teams PG. So to be able to be the PG and leader of this team and competing in the BBL, I could never pass up this opportunity. And also, from what I seen already, I know we will be a very competitive team this year in BBL”, warned Marques Townes. His point guard predecessors in Crailsheim all could score the ball, but also knew when to dish. But Marques Townes doesn´t only have scoring to dazzle the fans with. “I am a scoring guard, but naturally I am pass first guard. Not a lot of people know this. My passing ability is one of my strong suits, so I can´t wait to see what I can do out there this year with such a strong team surrounding me. My confidence it’s at high altitude right now, I’m very excited to get started”, warned Marques Townes. His easyCredit BBL time was short, but the ambitious baller probably will have a new club soon and have success elsewhere. If you don´t succeed at first then try try again. Who knows maybe he will land elsewhere in Germany. Then perhaps he will be able to show the Hakro Merlins Crailsheim that they shouldn´t have given up on him so rapidly.

Willie Cauley-Stein (213-C-1993, college: Kentucky) is a 30 year old 213cm center from Kansas that is playing his first season overseas with Openjobmetis Varese (Italy-Serie A). He played in the NBA for 8 seasons totaling 428 games for teams like Sacramento Kings (4 years), Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets. He also played in the G-League last season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers averaging 7.2ppg, 6.1rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, 1.0bpg, FGP-2 (70.1%), 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 51.4% he began his basketball career at Northwest high school and then played at Kentucky (NCAA) from 2012-2015 and was drafted at #6 in the 2015 NBA draft. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Fiba Europe Cup game against BG Goettingen.

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

I was about to retire from hoops and the opportunity popped up and my family and I decided that It could be a fun journey, I had never been to Europe before and always planned on going sometime to travel and see a different part of the world and experience a different culture. So I said what the hell might as well go play one season and see if its something I can see myself doing for multiple years and getting to kill 2 birds with one stone by getting paid to travel Europe and play basketball seemed like a no brainer

After 8 seasons in the NBA, you have decided to come overseas and play with Openjobmetis Varese (Italy-Serie A). Why did you decide to come overseas? Did you lose faith in the NBA process? I can imagine the drive to win some titles also must of driven you?

I think winning a title is a bi product of choosing to experiment with the Euro market.

A lot of guys come overseas after starting in the NBA and do get back with PJ Tucker as the best example? How present is the NBA still in your mind now?

I’m just playing and trying to live in this current space in time. If opportunity presents itself and the money makes sense I would give it more thought. But for right now I can only be where I’m at now and so it makes no sense to think about the possibility of something that’s not reality

What kind of an experience has it been playing in Italy? The Serie A is one of the best leagues and Joe Bryant the dad of Kobe also played in Italy in the late 80´s.

My experience has been very welcoming, the fans eat, sleep, and breath this sport so it makes playing in these games incredibly fun and easy to want to play well and try to give them a win.

What have you learned to appreciate most about the Italian culture? Do you sense like you get extra service mainly because you played so long in the NBA?

I think just the amount of passion the people have. And there is defiantly a little extra something because of the success of my journey so far

The club has started slowly in the Serie A. Looking at the roster, it seems like depth is missing on the import positions. Has that been a reason for the slow start?

I think its just a whole new team and only 1-2 guys played real impactful minutes last year so with that and having a new head coach and new front office, the team has just been trying to figure it all out and going through some growing pains.

What has it been like being teammates with fellow ex NBA player Sean McDermott? Both of you are overseas for the first time. What have you appreciated most about his game?

It’s been a treat getting to work along side a guy like Sean. His work ethic pushes me to match his level and has made me a better player in itself. And feeding off his faith in God is very impactful for me as well. Both of us come from similar back grounds and having similar off the court interests help keep us grounded by being so far from home. And we are both girl dads and are very new to being fathers so we get to share parenting stories and theory’s on bus rides we sit next to each other, so there are lots of opportunities to just talk about real life things.

You have needed no adjustment time getting used to the game overseas. Your putting up good stats in the Serie A and Fiba Europe Cup. What has been your secret to being able to adjust so well?

I’ve been playing high level basketball for probably 15 years, so that’s half my life I have been crafting at this game, and having the trust from my coaches and front office and teammates has been the biggest factor for me. They allow me to be Willie Trill and not a version of who think I should be. I think the European game really caters to the way I was taught to play the game, I never was a really big 1 on 1 guy, and I enjoy the ball movement and how everyone is involved on the offensive side. It is a true breath of fresh air.

You’re a player that can score and rebound, but also block shots. How big of a challenge is it becoming a defensive stopper overseas for you?

I´m not really looking or trying to be a defensive stopper. Im a firm believer in just being present, and playing hard and letting the game take shape on how it was written. I just study the scouting report and learn tendencies of players and try to just make the game harder for the offense. It’s very naive to think you’re just going to stop someone from scoring every time so by not putting that added pressure on myself is the key in my mind.

You played at Kentucky (NCAA) from 2012-2015. What memories do you have of sharing the court with fellow freshman Nerlens Noel? Did the fact that you were his back up already teach you gto rind harder as a freshman?

Well funny thing is I was actually playing along side of him at the 4 in the beginning I was coming off the bench as Kyle Wiltjer’s back up. I didn’t have to start playing out of my position at the 5 until Nerlens tour his ACL, and then I had to start at the 5 for the remainder of the year. And I was a 4 star kid coming into college with a bunch of 5 stars and 1 and 2 ranking guys in the class, so I was already discouraged because my skill level wasn’t at the same level as the rest of them. I just made it a thing for myself that I was going to come in and outwork them. And use the abilities that you can’t teach to be able to compete.

It is difficult to think how the 2014-2015 team couldn´t win the NCAA title. You had 9 future NBA players and Devin Booker coming form the bench? Was that the greatest Kentucky team on paper?

And nahhh it’s not difficult to think that. You can’t win them all. There’s no doubt in my mind if the tournament dynamic was more than just lose or go home. We would win 9-10 games and they just happened to beat us on the first 1. I think it was one of the greatest teams in NCAA history with how we played a platoon system. No player got to play more than 20 minutes, nobody got to average big numbers, the load of the game was truly spread out through 10 guys. Even though we didn’t win a title going to the final 4 2 years in a row and actually making it to the finals the year before and then making it while being undefeated is probably only going to happen once every couple of decades.

Was the 71-64 loss to Wisconsin in the NCAA Final 4 your toughest loss as a player? What memories do you have of that?

I personally think the loss to Robert Morris my freshman year in the NIT was the toughest loss of my college career, also watching the final 4 my sophomore year due to a broken ankle was tough. We had made such an amazing run from being as an 8 seed to making it all the way to the final was an amazing experience and coming up short was pretty heart wrenching. I thought that if I hadn’t been hurt we matched up with UConn really well with my ability to switch out on guards and take away the switch advantage that Shabazz and Ryan created with me off the court and really took advantage of that.

How good was the bond then. Do you guys still keep in touch?

We was a very tight nit group which was why we had so much fun and success that year.

How did head coach John Calipari groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

The way he runs the program is pretty much mirrored from the NBA, so guys that go through Kentucky are already ready for what the NBA is going to be like. From workouts, to terminology, and defensive schemes are already being taught.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Karl Anthony-Towns?

Haha man I actually never played 1-1 against him, we always played on the same team in practice

What memories do you have of the 2015 NBA Draft night? It must have been like a class trip with 6 Wild Cats being drafted?

Just having all my friends and family there. Some of my family were there first time even in New York so just seeing them experience that was bigger than me being drafted.

You played your first 4 years with the Sacramento Kings. What do you remember being your wake up call to the NBA?

I think just the amount of games we play and how much you don’t actually get to practice. There is a lot of free time to try and navigate through as well.

You had some real NBA vets on the team with Caron Butler and Rudy Gay. Do you have a meaningful story with them?

Man I had so many great vets over the years. Spent a lot of time talking with Matt Barnes, Zbo, Vince Carter, Garret Temple, George Hill. All of these guys were high character guys and had very successful careers and gave a lot of gems to us young guys.

What was it like battling big man DeMarkus Cousins. Were you able to get some tips from him for your bag?

Hardest guy I’ve ever had to guard was Boogie. Learned a lot about footwork and how to use your body from him

In your third season you were able to call yourself teammates with Mr dunk Vince Carter. How did you experience him at that stage of his career?

He was damn near a player coach for us that year, learned a ton by just watching his routines

In your rookie season you beat the Lakers 3 times and in 2 games Kobe Bryant played. In only your second NBA game you played against him scoring 17 points while he had 13 points. What kind of a moment was that for you? Did you ever attempt small talk?

Dang hearing the stats like this makes me think about it a lot differently now. I regrettably never was one to fan boy over Kobe at the time. But due to his passing I wish I would’ve got a picture or autograph from him just to have in the memorabilia room at the home front.

In your fifth season you split time with Golden State and Dallas. What kind of an experience was it being teammates with Steph Curry. Many people have him on their NBA Mount Rushmore whereas in 2015 it wasn´t the case?

It was great to learn how to craft your game and how to carry yourself as a player and father. Just a super class act human.

You played parts of 3 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. You witnessed Luka Magic close hand. What is the most amazing thing that you ever saw him do that TV camera´s didn´t capture?

I don’t know off the top of my head, I never really gave too much attention to what he was doing

In your last season in Dallas you finished with the 76ers. How tough was that last season as you didn´t get much minutes. How tough can that be mentally for a player?

I was going through a lot of off the court stuff with one of my best friends getting murdered right after I signed with G state, so navigating that grief, then being traded and not getting to play real minutes any more it was like having to start all over getting the trust from a new coaching staff and new teammates. And not even a month after being traded to Dallas my little brother passed away. And then going into the covid era I had my first kid and we found out my grandmother who raised me and my older brother had got diagnosed with cancer and we actually lost her that December which was around the same time I got released from Dallas. So given how life was moving for me basketball in those couple years wasn’t an escape anymore, with not getting to play and trying to navigate life without key members of my circle it was extremely difficult. I was just trying to keep my head above water at that point.

You played your 8th professional season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (NBA G League) averaging 7.2ppg, 6.1rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, 1.0bpg, FGP-2 (70.1%), 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 51.4%. How tough was this season after 7 seasons in the NBA? What did you learn about the business?

I learned that the business be lying, and that to take advantage of every opportunity no matter what it looks like

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

I don’t even know off the top of my head haha most of the guys where on my team

Who were your 3 toughest players in the NBA that you faced?

everyone is such an amazing talent I can’t just choose 3

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Another tough question. I’ve had tons of great teammates, it would be impossible to choose 5

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, LeBron, Kobe, KD, Steph

Who is your GOAT and why?

My goat is Tim Duncan because the way he approached the game and just went to work, didn’t talk much, wasn’t a “raw” “raw” type of player which I find the similarity in myself with that. He just showed up, showed out and got the job done. Won 5 rings averaged a double double and he was the guy when I was a kid playing in my backyard that I was pretending to play against when dreaming about playing in the NBA.

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

I never watched it. Shoot to be honest I don’t think I have ever even sat down and watched the OG movie as an adult yet.

Thanks Willie for the chat.

Shawn Scott (185-G-1996, college: SW Christian) is a 27 year old 185cm guard playing his third professional season and first with BG Hagen. Last season he split time with TVO Biggesee / TV Jahn Lindhorst (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 31.2ppg, 10.4rpg, 6.1apg, 3.6spg, 2FGP: 56.2%, 3FGP: 30.4%, FT: 77.6%, in Jan.’23 moved to BG 2000 Berlin (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 14.2ppg, 8.1rpg, 4.6apg, 2.4spg, FGP: 53.5%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 64.4%. he began his career at Jenks High School and then played 3 seasons at Southwestern Christian University. He teams up with germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.

BG Hagen suffered a tough 105-90 loss to Salzkotten. How frustrating was this loss coming off a big win?

Very frustrating. We are having a big problem with being ready to go at the start of the game.

Talk about the 40 minutes. Was there a time where you could have won the game?

Yes for sure. We were down the whole game and eventually got it within 6 towards the end of the game but many unforced errors didn’t allow us to make a run.

Is it fair to say this game was lost on the 3 point line?

You could say that, but I think it was lost off of effort and defense. We are not mentally prepared to play.

You won shoot outs in the 6 game winning streak, but are teams figuring you guys out better now as the season continues to progress?

Yes, teams are starting to figure out our weakness and it’s been the same in the last 4 games but we continue to change how we counter and we are still trying to put it together. Thankfully it’s still early in the season.

Three players from the starting 5 combined for 65 points led by American Keith Hayes with 24 points. Did his offense overshadow his defense? He supplied 5 steals.

He was comfortable the whole game and I tried to tell everyone that we need to make him uncomfortable but again this goes with being disciplined and paying attention to scouting. Most of the time we just passed the ball right to him honestly, but respect to him he did everything necessary to win the game.

You had a huge game scoring 41 points. Can a guy who scores that much even take blame for a loss? You left it on the floor?

The way I am personally, scoring that much really means nothing to me if we don’t win. The win is more important to me because then you put the scoring along with a deserving win. So I’m not satisfied one bit. As the leader of the team, I have to set the example on offense and defense and I feel I did the best I could but I did make many mistakes as well so we go back to the drawing board and figure out how we can improve.

Shooting wise it was pretty solid. You took 25 shots and the rest of the team 27 points. Do you feel like you could have been more aggressive?

I think this game was one of my very aggressive games so far this season. Many times I found myself going coast to coast trying to score. When we aren’t making shots from outside, they can count on me to get the ball in the paint and make a play. I still tried to get my team involved of course but it just wasn’t our day.

Next week #1 Essen at 8-2 battle BG Hagen who are 7-3. How excited are you and what will be key to getting the win?

I can’t wait for this game really. No matter about last game, I’m still very motivated and ready to get a win. The key for us is simply to be disciplined, locked in, and have energy at the very start of the game. There’s no complex answer to this, we just need to give more effort on the defensive side and have confidence on offense that’s it. I will for sure be hyped for this game so hopefully my guys will feed off of it.

Thanks Shawn for the chat.

Pic credit Joe Murphy(Memphis Grizzlies)

Sean McDermott (198-F-1996, college: Butler, agency: Octagon Europe) is a 27 year 198cm forward from Pendleton, Indiana playing his fourth professional season and first overseas with Openjobmetis Varese (Italy-Serie A). He palyed his first 3 professional seasons with G-League team Memphis Hustle and also played 18 games for NBA team Memphis Grizzlies in his rookie season. He began his basketball career with Pendleton Heights High school. He then played at Butler (NCAA) from 2016-2020 playing a total of 122 games. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Fiba Europe Cup game against BG Goettingen.

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

Thank you for having me. I am currently in Varese, Italy and basketball is going well!

It has been about 10 years since you had a Staph infection. That was a very difficult time. Is this experience something you still think about daily and what was your biggest drive then besides just living?

The STAPH infection was definitely a difficult time in my life, but I don’t think about it too much anymore. When I think back on that time I am just grateful that we found an answer and that I am able to be here today, playing a game I love, living a blessed life with the people that I love.

I think my biggest drive immediately after getting an answer to what I was facing was just to get back onto the basketball court and get back to the player that I felt I had worked to become. But as more time passed the STAPH infection helped to bring up more important issues that I needed to face in my life like what I truly believed in and what I felt my purpose on this earth was. That was a journey that took years to find an answer to, but it has been the most rewarding journey of my life. Now I know that my purpose is far more than being a good basketball player, but living a life that points to Jesus Christ daily because he has saved from who I once was and made me new. Yes, I am alive physically following the STAPH infection, but so much more importantly I am alive spiritually!

After playing your first 3 pro seasons in the NBA and G-League, you’re now playing your 4th pro season and first overseas with Openjobmetis Varese (Italy-Serie A). Did you lose a little faith in the NBA process and decide to see what it looks like in Europe?

After spending one year in the NBA, followed by nearly an entire season missed because of a knee surgery, and then a full season in the G-league last year I just felt like I had given what I could to try to get back to the ultimate goal which is to be an NBA player. I don’t want to say I lost faith in the NBA process because we have seen guys get to the NBA yearly from overseas, but I did feel like it was time for me to make the move to European basketball. I have been following the different European leagues for a couple of years now and was excited by the opportunity to come be a part of really high level basketball with really high level and committed fans.

What kind of an experience has it been for you playing for Openjobmetis Varese (Italy-Serie A). The club moved up to Serie A again in 2019 and last won a Serie A title in 1999. How have you experienced the basketball culture there?

Playing in Varese has been such a cool experience for me so far. The fans here are unbelievable. I felt welcomed by them from the time that I signed and have felt the love from them since that day. Varese loves basketball and they have so much pride in their club. We, as players want to represent ourselves well, but we also want to give everything we have for these fans because they deserve to have a group of guys that fights for their community every single night.

What have you learned to appreciate most about the culture in Italy. Players usually mention the pasta first, but what else have you learned to appreciate quickly?

I think the biggest thing that has stood out to me about the culture in Italy is the slow paced life. In America I am so used to being on the go non-stop, feeling like I always have to be doing something. It is admirable to me that the Italian culture values time with family around the dinner table, or at a restaurant, even at a team meal. Italians clearly value time with loved ones and friends and I think that is something that Americans can learn from and apply to our lives.

You had 2 exceptional games in the Basketball Champions League and haven´t really needed to make any big adjustment period, but coming from the G-League, what part of the Euro game has been the biggest challenge to get used to?

I think the biggest adjustment to European basketball has been the physicality and lack of space. There is no defensive 3 seconds here, so getting in the paint can be very challenging at times. On top of that, you add the physicality of the game here and it can make it hard to score if your offense isn’t flowing and in a good rhythm. I also think teams here really value having skilled big men on the block that they run their offense through. The American game is more pick and roll dominant. Of course pick and roll is prevalent here as well, but you also see the ball thrown into the post quite a bit more here.

You’re a versatile player that can score the ball. What are your personal goals with your game in your first season overseas? Do you see yourself being an impact player right away?

The biggest goal is to win. I’m a firm believer that winning takes care of everything. More personal goals would be to show that I can really shoot the ball at a high level from 3 in a variety of different ways. I also want to show that I am more athletic than I think I am given credit for, and I believe I can do that by defending and rebounding at a high level. I believe that I can be an impact player for this team, but I also believe that all of our guys are impact players. We have to be solid throughout our roster because we play very good competition here. We don’t just want to compete, we want to win. Every guy has to impact winning in his own way.

Would you share a smile if you began to hear “Little Dunham” chants from Varese fans after hitting shots? Was Kellen Dunham a role model when you were at Pendleton?

I would be thrilled to hear chants about Kellen! I didn’t have the chance to play with Kellen at Pendleton because I transferred in my sophomore year, but I did have to the opportunity to be his teammate for one season at Butler. As good of a basketball player as Kellen is, he is an even better man. As much of an honor as it is to be compared to him as a basketball player, I hope people speak as highly of me as a person as they do of him. He is the best.

The Serie A is lucky to have received a player like Willie Cauley-Stein who played 8 seasons in the NBA. What have you learned to appreciate the most about his game?

I love how selfless Willie is. He could have come in here with his resume and been selfish, but he has been the exact opposite. He is a great teammate and a skilled player. He makes the game easier for the rest of us.

You played 18 NBA games as a rookie for the Memphis Grizzlies and also played for the Memphis Hustle (NBA G League) averaging 17.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 87.5%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being in the NBA?

There were many different situations that were wake up calls for me in the NBA. In the first preseason game of the year I took a charge on Anthony Edwards that felt like getting hit by a middle linebacker. My first official NBA points were in the Boston Garden. But I think maybe the coolest moment for me as a shooter was getting the opportunity to guard and be guarded by JJ Redick. I’m positive he had no idea who I was, but for me that was somebody who’s game I had watched for years, and to get to go head to head with him was very cool for me.

You gave your NBA debut in a loss to the Boston Celtics where you put up 4/3/2 stats in 21 minutes. What are your memories of when you checked into the game?

I remember the nerves that came with stepping on the NBA court for my first regular season game. This was a goal that I had been working towards my entire life, and the moment was finally here. But you quickly snap out of it as soon as play begins because there is a job to do.

How do you remember Ja Morant? He was already good then, but in the last years has continued to develop into a NBA superstar? What wow moment do you remember having?

I remember Ja as an incredible player and unbelievable athlete, but what I remember more is the way he welcomed all of us rookies on draft night through social media and then in person when we landed in Memphis. He didn’t act like he was one of the faces of the league and I was just some unknown rookie, but instead made me feel like a teammate of his that he wanted to help however he could.

You had a very strong 2021 NBA Summer League, but didn´t remain in the NBA but played a season with the Memphis Hustle (NBA G League) averaging 8.4ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 59.3%, 3PT: 43.6%, FT: 71.4%. How tough was this season playing only 11 games and then being in the middle of Covid?

That was a tough season for me because it was actually the season I had my knee surgery and had to miss nearly the entire year. I got hurt in our second to last summer league game and had to have surgery after that. The recovery was difficult as it kept me from being on the court, but that was the year my daughter was born which kept me busy and kept me from dwelling on missing the game I love.

You remained with the Memphis Hustle (NBA G League) in your third pro season averaging 9.8ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 56.1%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 78.8%. You had great games and then games where your minutes were down. In a league where most are playing for their stats, how do you feel did your game profit in your third pro season?

Although I didn’t put up giant numbers last season, I felt like I always tried to play my role and that was something I was proud of. I felt like I took a big leap last year defensively as an on ball defender and that’s something I want to carry over to this season. The G-league can be challenging because of the NBA guys coming up and down and having minutes fluctuate regularly so I felt like I had to take a step with my mental toughness last year as well. I had to learn to focus on controlling what I can control and that will continue to be a focus of mine for the rest of my career.

Was your 23 points against Stockton in the 110-109 win one of your fondest moments in the G-League?

I felt like that was a good game for me. I didn’t shoot it great from 3, but felt like I impacted the game in a lot of other ways. That was a big step that I took, was figuring out ways to impact winning if my shot wasn’t falling. I have many fond moments and memories from the G-league and my time in Memphis.

You played at Butler (NCAA) from 2016-2020 and was able to improve your scoring average each season. What kind of a player were you when you arrived and what kind when you departed?

When I arrived at Butler I was still trying to recover from my STAPH infection from a couple years prior. I still didn’t feel 100% and felt like I was coming in way behind where I need to be. I was very skinny and quite frankly felt like I didn’t belong my first season. But I continued to work on my game daily, multiple times a day, for the 5 years that I was at Butler and felt like I grew as a player every year. I came in as a shooter, but felt like I left as a much more well rounded all around player. My shot will always be my strong point, but I want to be more than just a shooter and I felt like I have grown in that aspect every season since I got to Butler.

You reached 2 NCAA tournaments losing to North Carolina and Purdue. What memories do you have? You only played a minute against North Carolina but scored a basket as a freshman.

I remember the North Carolina game fondly. I wasn’t playing many minutes for us by tournament time, but we were a very good team. It was a sweet sixteen game that we actually played in Memphis at the Grizzlies arena. North Carolina was very good that year and went on to win the national championship, but being in the sweet sixteen is something I will remember for the rest of my life. The Purdue game is a difficult one to relive. I felt like there were a couple plays in that game that we would love to have back because we were right there. We had a chance to win the game but Dakota Mathias (who I am good friends with now and played with last year in Memphis) hit a dagger late in the clock to go up 4 on us in the final seconds. It was a very good game and really cool to play another in state team in the NCAA tournament. I wish the outcome would have been different, but life goes on.

You played 4 seasons with Kamar Baldwin. After a great season in Germany, he played in the G-League and is now back overseas in Italy. Did you guys develop a special friendship over the years?

Yes, Kamar is a special talent on the basketball court and a special human being. I may be biased, but I believe Butler basketball has some really awesome people who have been a part of it. Kamar will be like a brother to me forever. He is a Butler legend and will go down as one of the all time greats.

How did head coach LaVall Jordan groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

I think Val was really gifted when it came to skill development, but even more so he helped to create leaders and men. I think when it came to our time with Val, everybody knew what their role was and what was expected of them every single day that they walked onto the court and that is something I have carried over to my professional career. I’m not trying to be somebody I’m not. I just want to be the best Sean McDermott that I can be for my team every single day.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jordan Tucker?

I only remember one 1on1 game between Jordan and I in our practice gym in a side basket. I took the victory in that one, but I’m sure if he beat me at another time I just tried to block that out from my memory. I’m not a very good loser and Jordan is a really good player so I’m sure he got me at some point.

Who is the best player that you faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

I think Jalen Brunson was the best college player I played. He won national player of the year, so it’s hard to pick against him. He has made a pretty good career for himself in the NBA as well.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

It’s so hard to pick a 5 best because I’ve had so many incredible teammates. To avoid leaving anybody off the list I’m going have to give an I don’t know to this question.

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

I can only speak of players that I have personally watched throughout my life. For me, it is MJ, Kobe, LeBron, and Steph Curry. You can tell that I’m clearly biased towards guards as well. Tim Duncan and Shaq are up there in my generation as well. Clearly I’m leaving off some of the legends of the game, but I was not able to watch them like I’ve been able to watch some of the others that I listed.

Who is your GOAT and why?

My GOAT is MJ. I think his mindset and love for the game made him the most dominant player of all time. Hard to argue with rings and MVP’s. I have a fascination with MJ’s determination to be the best and his willingness to put the work in to earn that title. For the same reasons, I think Kobe is right behind MJ.

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

I am a little embarrassed to say this, but I have actually never seen Coming to America.

Thanks Sean for the chat.

After the Fraport Skyliners had won their fourth game in a row against Kirchheim, some pessimists crept out of their holes and proclaimed that now the team will have to show their true colors on the road. Well after 3 weeks away from home, the Fraport Skyliners continue to roll and had a 7-0 record after massive wins in Giessen, Karlsruhe and Dresden. The staple of the Fraport Skyliners is their defense as they allow only 65 points per game while their offensive game isn´t too shabby either as they can produce a different top scorer on any night. Can any team stop the Fraport Skyliners? Well second year pro A team Art Giants Duesseldorf were up next for Frankfurt, but they were sporting a poor 2-5 record and a chaotic defense. Alex Richardson who has played 3 seasons in Frankfurt returned back to his living room while Booker Coplin (191-G-1997, college: Augsburg, agency: BIG) met his ex team after having played with them for his first 2 professional seasons. The Fraport Skyliners arrived in the game with incredible self-confidence, but after a few minutes their over motivated play quickly put them in a hole which they couldn´t escape from until the fourth quarter where they produced an incredible come back pulling out the 71-65 victory over the Art Giants Duesseldorf to move to 8-0. “We had a poor start where we couldn´t buy a shot. But we did a good job staying with it mentally and finally flipping the switch away from our frustration. Basketball is a game of runs and it is about making the best out of your own run. Our energy on defense helped us at the end. We kept chipping away at their lead with big plays and consecutive rebounds kept us pumped which kept us in reach. We knew that we had a chance to win if we could control our effort”, warned Fraport Skyliner David Muentkat. The ART Giants Duesseldorf played a potent game for 30 minutes, but lost control in the fourth quarter as too much 1-1 play and unnecessary turnovers gave Frankfurt extra shots in their comeback attempt. “We were aggressive for 30 minutes and played with a purpose. It was our best start of the whole season. But in the fourth quarter, we began to play on our heels. I thought we defended well today. Guys are starting to buy into their roles individually and as a team”, stressed ART Giants Duesseldorf guard CJ Anderson.

Lorenz Brenneke at the FT line

The ART Giants Duesseldorf began to execute right off the bat while the Fraport Skyliners couldn´t hit the ocean. Before Frankfurt had even known what had hit them, the guests led 8-0. Swedish big man Craig Lecesne hit 2 rapid three´s and made a runner. Duesseldorf was playing with a high intensity and high tempo that Frankfurt couldn´t match. Ex Alba Berlin forward Lorenz Brenneke got Frankfurt on the board with 2 free throws, but Duesseldorf´s offensive fury continued as they scored 13 further unanswered points as Frankfurt stared at a baffling 21-2 deficit. In the run, the guests just continued to play their enticing game as ex Schwenningen American Raiquan Clark led the charge with 7 points. It seemed everything he touched turned to gold. German role players Finn Fleute and Emil Marshall added three pointers as the hole for them must of looked as big as lake Eire. The guests continued to ride the momentum and gave a good mix of individual plays to well prepared shots through team play. After being stopped 17 times, the Fraport Skyliners finally got on the board at the 1,21 minute mark as ex Hanau guard Bruno Albrecht made a shot and then a trey to trail only 21-7. German Paul Giese added 2 jumpers and German Jakob Knauf a three pointer as Frankfurt trailed 25-10 after 10 minutes. “We have to do a better job of setting the tone instead of trying to match their intensity. We were lucky today getting back into the game. Great teams won´t let you do that”, warned David Muenkat. “Basketball is basketball. Sometimes you make shots and sometimes you don´t. We just happened to have a good start and they didn´t. They had good open looks, but their shots didn´t fall”, stressed CJ Anderson who played at UMass (NCAA). The ART Giants Duesseldorf shot 67% from the field and 80% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 16% from the field and 22% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Marquil Smith lay in

The Fraport Skyliners stepped up their defense in the second quarter, but offensively couldn´t find their groove yet which disallowed them to get over the hump and trailed still big at the break down by 14 points. Clark began the second quarter with a steal and lay in to give the guests the 27-10 advantage. But Frankfurt upped their defensive intensity which led to some steals and they also executed better on offense. After firing away too much with three´s, they tried to mix it up going inside and got an offensive rebound and put back by Brenneke and a trey by ex Charleton great Aiden Warnholtz cut Duesseldorf´s lead to 30-18. Frankfurt´s execution got better as Warnholtz made a floater and David Muenkat a lay in to trail 35-24. Besides stepping up their defensive aggressiveness, Frankfurt also did a better job getting to the free throw line as German Justin Onyejiaka demonstrated twice. But Frankfurt was unable to get over the hump as superb role player Finn Fleute drilled home a three pointer and ex Rhondorf center Alex Moeller made an easy lay up as Frankfurt´s 1-1 defense and communication was lacking to trail 40-24. “We were trying to settle down. We were playing with a lot of emotion, but just kept chipping away. We were trying to come back with chunks with the three pointer instead of going chip by chip”, stated David Muenkat. The shooting percentages of Duesseldorf had dipped, but were still solid at 48% from the field and 42% from the three point line while they grabbed 25 rebounds and had 11 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners still had terrible shooting percentages at18% from the field and 17% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Craig Lecesne at the FT line

The Fraport Skyliners continued to fight and cut the guests lead down to as much as 13 points, but could never get below 10 points as they still trailed big by 18 points after 30 minutes. After Alexander Richardson got an offensive rebound and made a put back, the Fraport Skyliners countered with a clutch three pointer by David Munekat to trail 43-27. After a Emil Marshall lay in, Frankfurt countered with a 5-0 run to trail only 45-32. After going 0/7 in the first half, Coplin came back in the third quarter and tried to shine through other things like his passing qualities with the perfect lob pass to Knauff for 2 points and then made a steal and dunk for the transition finish. Frankfurt´s intensity was good and they were making overall better decisions on offense and were less hectic like in the first half. But Frankfurt was unable to keep this momentum as Duesseldorf went on a 6-2 run to extend their lead to 51-34. In the run the guests received a Lecesne offensive rebound and put back and Giese free throw, but the biggest bucket of the run was a poster dunk by Raiquan Clark over Jacob Knauf. “That was a crazy dunk. I never saw him get up like that before. He is a tough player and a real go getter. He shows up for the big moments”, warned CJ Anderson. “Jacob did a good job contesting, but I gave up the penetration. He is an athletic player”, commented David Muenkat. Justin Onyejiaka nailed a trey and Finn Fleute made a tip in as the ART Giants Duesseldorf led 55-37 after 3 quarters. “We stayed solid on defense. We tried to force them to shoot over us. We kept the intensity high and really wanted to win”, expressed CJ Anderson. “Our emotions were big. We weren´t as focused as we should have been. Our attention was more on the result than on in game. They also continued to hit shots to keep the big lead”, added David Muenkat. The Art Giants Duesseldorf shot 47% from the field and 33% from the parking lot and had 37 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 20% from the field and 17% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

David Muenkat lay in

In the fourth quarter the contest took a nose dive turn to the better for the Fraport Skyliners as that first quarter was reversed in favor for Frankfurt as they gained the lead and pulled out the win. The Fraport Skyliners began on a lethal 8-0 run to cut Duesseldorf´s lead to 55-45. In the run, Booker Coplin was rejuvenated adding 6 points while David Muenkat stole him the show with a brutal alley-oop dunk as the Minnesota native who played the last 2 years in Duesseldorf made the accurate lob pass. “That was a nice dunk, but not even in my top 10. I have a good resume on dunks”, smiled David Muenkat. Duesseldorf then got their first field goal of the last quarter as Anderson made a lay in and free throw somewhat easing the momentum that Frankfurt had created. But the Fraport Skyliners just kept pushing and shots continued to fall as they cruised on a 14-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 59-58. “They missed a lot of easy lay ups and we stuck with it. The momentum shifted and the fans were huge. They carried us”, stated David Muenkat. “We lost focus. We are a young team. We relied too much on 1-1 play”, stated CJ Anderson. In the run, Frankfurt got a key three by pro B play er Trevian Bell who can play 5 games for the team and a runner by Jordan Samare. Coplin topped off the run with back to back three´s. After being totally hyperactive in the first half, he calmed down in the second half and executed. “We were all struggling on offense. We all stuck with it. Booker was ready when we needed him most. We kept encouraging him and we count on him to deliver”, stated David Muenkat. Frankfurt were the better team on the boards led by the stability of David Muenkat and Duesseldorf got away from their team game and struck out with their 1-1 play. Anderson and Richardson free throws game Duesseldorf the lead back at 60-59, but only briefly. Muenkat stole Coplin´s earlier three pointer show by making consecutive lay in´s and a free throw for the 64-60 advantage. Ben Shungu who had been quiet with scoring then nailed a massive trey to trail only 64-63. After Frankfurt was stopped, Richardson made a free throw to tie the game at 64-64. Warnholtz who had been quiet shooting them made the clutch dime to 34 year old Marco Voeller for the lay in and 66-64 advantage with 32 seconds to play. Justin Onyejiaka then dropped one free throw to lead 68-65 with 17 seconds to play. Duesseldorf could have tied with a three pointer, but coughed up the ball. Bell added 3 free throws to seal the win. “We really wanted the win at the end and let the fans have something to cheer about. We really appreciate the fans. We finished strong and left it all on the floor”, stressed David Muenkat. “We drew up that play for our big and then to get an open three pointer. We got a bad bounce. It can happen”, stated CJ Anderson. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Booker Coplin with 14 points. David Muenkat added 11 points and 13 boards and Justin Onyejiaka 10 points while the ART Giants Duesseldorf were led by Craig Lecesne with 15 points while Raiquan Clark had 12 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 29% from the field and 22% from outside and had 46 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the ART Giants Duesseldorf shot 38% from the field and 25% from outside and had 46 rebounds and 17 turnovers.