It was early fall in 2020 when I remember walking into the Dragon Dome in Rhondorf. The whole world was in disarray with Covid and the Dragons Rhondorf were in their second season in the Regionalliga after having been in the Pro A only 5 years earlier. It was tough times for the organization and before anyone could get used to the solid 3-1 start into the season, the German Regionalliga would be cancelled due to Covid. I was happy that I could witness a few games of the Dragons before the season ended. I remember standing behind the Dragons basket and watching warm ups about an hour before tip off. Yassin Idbihi who at that time was working for the Dragons in management and had witnessed a super career as a player came over to me and said look at that kid. I looked over at a young and scrawny kid and at first was baffled. I asked him if he mixed up that kid with young prospect Ousmane Ndiaye a guy who made his debut with 15 years in Rhondorf and since has landed in the Spanish ACB with Palencia and is on NBA mock draft boards. He just smiled and said no no, I mean Esli. I said who? Eslie Edigin. The name sounded familiar and soon it made click that he was the little brother of Eddy Edigin a rare player that made the jump from the Regionalliga to the easyCredit BBL. This 15 year old kid had bounce and was super athletic. He would find his way into the Dragons Rotation in the next season and now is playing his second season with Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg, the farm team of BBL team MHP Riesen. Edigin is 18 years old and continues to develop in a fine fashion forward. He will never forget his days with the Dragons Rhondorf and Yassin Idbihi. ‘Yassin was very important for me. He was like a mentor for me in that time. He always gave me feedback and was always there for me when I had problems. He always listened to me’, remembered Esli Edigin (194-SG-2005)

Eslie Edigin who lists current Hamburg Tower William Christmas as the toughest player that he has ever faced on the court was born on April 11th, 2005 in Regensburg. He began playing soccer at a young age and then realized at age 12 that there was basketball. The main reason for that was because of his brother Eddy who was had just began to play with the FC Bayern Munich NBBL (U-19) team. Eddy is one of those rare players that went from the Regionalliga to the easyCredit BBL and is playing also in Ludwigsburg, but with the BBL team. Esli began playing basketball for the U-14 team of the Regensburg Baskets. In his first year he made big strides. He went from averaging 4-6 points a game to being the leading scorer of the team. Soon after he was sighted at a basketball tournament in Berlin by Bamberg and he then played JBBL (U-16) for them while being reunited with his brother Eddy who was also in their organization. He then moved to BG Bonn-Meckenheimer TuS (Oberliga) and then played with the Dragons Rhondorf club in 2021 playing 23 pro B games averaging 4.9ppg, 1.3rpg, and also played with Team Bonn/Rhoendorf U19 team (NBBL) playing 6 games averaging 10.3ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 66.7%, 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 25.0%. His first pro B season was a big stepping stone as he averaged 16 minutes per game and right away got the full trust from head coach Julius Thomas. He scored in double figures in 6 games including in his first 3 games of the season and hit Hamburg for 18 points. He will be back in the Dragon Dome this weekend for the first time since his stay there. ‘I’m really looking forward to coming back and seeing familiar faces again. I’m really thankful how the club pushed me when I was there. I got minutes right away and got experience’, remembered Esli Edigin In Rhondorf he was teammates with other talented young German Oshane Drews who also has climbed the basketball ladder and has played 5 BBL games already with Rostock this season. Even if Drews is 4 years older than him, does he regret maybe not having gone to a smaller BBL team and playing BBL right away? ‘Oshane was a very good teammate. We played a lot of 1-1. At the start he beat me at 1-1, but at the end of the season the battles were more even. I never think about what could have been. I think that if I had gone to a smaller team, I would have had to change my game. In Ludwigsburg, I have time to develop. I’m happy with my choice’, warned Esli Edigin

In the summer of 2022 the guard who lists Lebron, James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Anthony Edwards on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore made the jump to Ludwigsburg. He was pleased with the Bonn/Rhondorf situation, but personally felt that the Ludwigsburg experience would be more meaningful. Plus there were some uncertainties with Bonn/Rhondorf that also made him decide to leave. Last season he and the young tLudwigsburg eam had to pay their dues. The club struggled and he had to find himself and needed adjustment time. He averaged 8.2ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.0apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 61.8%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 70.0% in the Pro B and in the NBBL averaged 11.2ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.8%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 64.1%;In the pro B he scored in double figures 8 times including scoring 21 points against Hanau and 19 points against Koblenz. In the NBBL he scored in double figures 6 times including netting 23 points against Jena and 22 points against Urspring. He suffered a tough 3 game playoff series lost to Urspring in the NBBL that halted their way to the Top 4 in Frankfurt. ‘The loss to Urspring was bitter. I still think about that loss today. I feel that we had to win the series. Urspring having had home court was vital. I’ll never forget the atmosphere there and this loud siren’, said Esli Edigin The ex Rhondorf guard who lists Lebron James as his GOAT is playing his second season with Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg and the club has had a great start currently at 5-1. The key to the success is simple. The team is young, but has experience, has guys that have played together for years and have a very ambitious and talented young coach with Khee Rhee. The leaders on the team are German Aeneas Jung and Nico Mojica and with young guard Luca Stuebel who could be the next type of Jacob Patrick player coming up. ‘I like the kind of energy that Aeneas brings to practice and games. I like his leadership. He forces us to be focused and will have 1-1 talks with us. Mojica is also a very good player and very emotional. He always wants the best from us. Luca is very talented. He didn’t play as much last season as he didn’t get the trust. But this season he has shown that he can play. He very well could be the next Patrick type of player here’, stressed Esli Edigin Currently he is averaging 11,0ppg, 3,5rpg, 1,0apg and 1,2spg and is shooting 45% from outside. Khee Rhee already showed last season that he had trust in him and that continues to be present this season. ‘He was straight up with me from the start telling me what he thinks of me and what my role would be. He gave me trust and confidence. I have improved a lot under him. We watch a lot of video and he has helped me read the game better’, warned Esli Edigin who feels national team teammate Ivan Kharchenkov has NBA potential.

Brothers Eddy and Esli in Bonn

Last summer he also had further incredible experience winning a Bronze at the U-18 Eurochampionships and played Addidas Next generation tournament where he scored 8 points and dueled Real Madrid and current UCLA player Jan Vide who scored 19 points. ‘Some were skeptical of how we would do, but I always knew that we had a good team, but didn’t know how we would perform. Even if we had a bitter loss to Serbia, It was a positive experience. There was a lot of intensity in the game against Real Madrid. They took charge early and we fought back, but it wasn’t enough. Vide was a scorer and I just remember him being so effortless with everything. It was also a great experience playing against high level guys’, remembered Esli Edigin Even if people have compared his game to Donovan Mitchell, he personally likes to observe Paul George and Anthony Edwards. He tries to model his game after Edwards. One might think that just through stats, he is a three and d player, but that isn’t true. He can do a lot on the offensive end and continues to get better on the defensive end. ‘I feel like I’m a two way player. At the moment I’m more of a half court defender. I want to be able to defend full court in the future and 8 seconds which will help me get more steals’, stated Esli Edigin He also has stabilized his outside shot in Ludwigsburg and has become a 40% shooter. ‘In Rhondorf my technique was always changed. I was always tweaking my shot and that was why my percentages were down. I did take a lot of reps in Rhondorf, but it just didn’t show in the stats. I want to be consistent and in Ludwigsburg, I’m keeping the same technique on my shooting stroke which has helped me’; warned Esli Edigin He knows that at the moment he has to focus most on his shooting and ball handling. It will be interesting to see where his journey will continue to go. The kid is only 18 and the sky is the limit. If he continues to have that consistent three pointer and sharpen his defense which fits the BBL’s Ludwigsburg team philosophy, then who knows he may see BBL minutes a lot quicker than anyone ever expected. It would also give the easyCredit BBL another brother duo on the same team.

One of my standard questions that I ask all players in interviews is who won a 1-1 in practice. Since 98% off all my interviews are with Americans, I like to go back to their college days and ask them this question. I will study the college/university roster and see what player could have been that player that might have battled after practice in a friendly game of 1-1. Usually I take the guy that is about same in height which would seem logical as that 1-1 partner. It is hard to say what the percentages are of guys having dueled that guy and not, but I would say it´s about 60 to 40 for having made the right match. If a guy never played that guy in a 1-1 match, then usually the player will say, I would have won. It is always interesting to hear the comments. If you’re a player, it is about 99% normal that they will take themselves, but every now and then I will get an honest player who will actually give credit to the other guys as winning. Some guys are very neutral and say the games went 50/50. Usually I will get 2-3 sentences from the player describing the 1-1game, but very seldom a long paragraph which I got from D.J. Fenner (198-G-1993, college: Nevada). He is a player that has been grinding overseas now in his seventh season and in his eighth country in Holland. I got the full hot order from him in terms of how he matched up against his ex Nevada (NCAA) teammate Jordan Caroline a versatile player that played for the Lakers NBA Summer League team, ACB in Spain and currently is in Asia with the Nishinomiya Storks (Japan-B2 League). I don´t always pick the right 1-1 partners, but with Jordan Caroline, I was spot on. “Funny story about how Jordan and I became really good friends: He had just got to campus the summer going into my senior year, and we were playing 2v2, which seemed to quickly turn into a 1v1 between him and I. He beat me, but not only did he beat me, he was talking so much trash while doing it, so much so, that afterward, I sat under the basket in the empty gym with tears in my eyes and vowed to myself that I will never leave the gym before he leaves. In other words, I vowed to work on my game more than him! Then, the next open gym, my team was playing against his team, and he was guarding me, and I was busting his a** and talking so much junk that he got so mad he picked me up and slammed me to the ground giving me a huge knot on my head. We finished the game and I hit the game winner, and he wanted to fight, but he’s not anybody you really want to fight. Long story short, we became really good friends after that, and by the end of the season, we were sharing tears in the locker room after our final game together. I love Jordan and to answer your question, he pretty much won 1v1, but if we played today, I don´t know, it might be a different story”, smiled D.J. Fenner.

Derrick D.J. Fenner Jr who lists childhood friend Zach Lavine of the Chicago Bulls as his toughest foe in the NCAA was born on December 7, 1993 in Seattle, Washington. He got his first basketball experience at Seattle Prep where he averaged 17,0ppg and 18,0ppg in his first 2 seasons and then exploded as a senior averaging 27,0ppg. In between he was in Washington DC at Gonzaga College high school. He then had a stellar career at the University of Nevada (NCAA) from 2013-2017 playing a total of 133 games. He began his freshman season in typical fashion averaging only 14 minutes and averaging 2,5ppg and 1,8rpg, but that rapidly changed in his sophomore year as his minutes fluctuated to 24 as did his stats to 8,9ppg, 2,6rpg and 1,0apg. He won´t forget dueling Zach Lavine and UCLA in his freshman year losing 105-84 as his friend scored 21 points and he finished with 4/2/1 stats. “Later that night, if you turned on ESPN sports center, he was on there doing a windmill on a fast break and staring into the camera as a he landed. It’s amazing he is a 10-year NBA vet now, but he’s easily the best player I’ve ever played against”, said D.J. Fenner. His game really took off in his last 2 seasons as he averaged 13.6ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 40.8%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 85.5%n and as a senior 13.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 43.5%, FT: 83.3%. Every school has a rivalry and the Nevada-UNLV rivalry is as intense as they get in the NCAA. “Playing in a college rivalry like Nevada vs UNLV was honestly a dream come true. UNLV usually had the upper-hand on us before I arrived to Nevada, but throughout my 4 years there, we dominated that battle. After erupting for 37 against them, I realized that all of my hard work truly was paying off. I also remember thinking that I was only 3 points short of having 40”, remembered D.J. Fenner. He topped off his senior year helping win the MWC title scoring 12 points and getting back to the big Dance where Nevada hadn´t been to since 2012. “That was probably my sweetest moment, yes! It felt like everything had come full circle. I stuck it out at Nevada through all of my 4 years of eligibility, and I wanted nothing more than to be a part of the group that sent Nevada back to the NCAA tournament. I was the only player/coach/team trainer that was there from my freshman year, so I felt like a “lone-wolf” to a certain extent, but I felt so proud that I did not transfer, stuck it out, and became part of that championship team. To this day, it is probably one, if not THE best moment of my basketball career”, remembered D.J. Fenner. In his last 2 seasons he played 72 games and scored in double figures in 48 games. He had other fine games like scoring 30 points against Air Force, 26 points against Morehead State and 24 points a piece against Fresno State, Colorado State, Oregon State and Montana. He was fortunate to get the exceptional coaching skills from David Carter and Eric Musselmann and help guide him to a professional career. “Coach Carter helped me realize the game was definitely more cut-throat at the college level, and that you have to spend a lot of time in the gym (we used to have 4 hour practices). Musselman was definitely one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. Not the nicest guy in the world, but nice doesn’t matter that much when it’s all about winning especially at the professional level, because players get fined or fired for not winning or producing. I definitely had a love-hate relationship with Muss, but I loved him because he turned our program around and helped make me a champion, something that I’ll love him for way more than anything I could dislike him for”, stated D.J. Fenner.

The Washington Native who lists Jordan Caroline, Cam Oliver, Marcus Lovett Jr., Zach Lavine and Trey Wade as his 5 best teammates of all-time embarked on a professional career in the late summer of 2017 to Europe. His start overseas wasn´t all roses and glory as he had to suffer growing pains right away. He began with top Hungarian team Alba Fehervar, but only stayed to the mid point of the season averaging 4,8ppg, 5,0rpg and 1,5apg in the Fiba Europe Cup and 5/4 in the Hungarian league, but at least found a job quickly after in the Greek first division averaging 5,2ppg and 2,2rpg. There at least he could see where he stood against top players like Bobby Brown, Brian Roberts and Serbian legend Vassilis Spanoulis. “I had quite a few wake up calls that year! One of my biggest was being cut from the team in Hungary and learning about it on Instagram, and another was not getting paid the money I had worked for in Greece. I quickly realized that not only is this a business, but if you don’t have the right support, you can find yourself in a very difficult situation. I remember being extremely proud of myself, however, once the season ended and I spent an extra few days in Athens, Greece, touring the city. I told myself, “I did it! I completed my first season as a professional athlete. I definitely remember playing against those guys, especially Brown and Spanoulis. I remember watching Brown in warm-ups from the other side of the court, and watching him pretty much make every shot. I remember thinking to myself how poised and patient they were. They did not play rushed or outside of themselves, and they made every possession count”, expressed D.J. Fenner. In his second pro season he split time with Salon Vilpas Vikings (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 11.3ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 43.9%, 3FGP: 30.0%, FT: 92.6%, and in Apr.’19 moved to HKK Siroki Primorka (Bosnia-Division I) averaging 9.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 29.5%, FT: 81.8%. His stats improved and so did his whole European experience. ”The main positives I could take from that time in Finland was I remember working on my game every day before and after practice. I made sure to take advantage of my time there to build better basketball habits which mainly included creating pre/post-practice routines”, said D.J. Fenner. In Bosnia, he won his first chip something many guys can say they didn´t in a 10 + career as he did it in Bosnia with HKK Siroki Primorka. The team was down 2-1 to Spars Sarajevo and then still won 3-2. He came up big averaging 13,0ppg and 4,0rpg in the 5 game series. “Leading up to that playoff series, I was not playing well at all. I was struggling with my shot and I believe I was a difficult player to play with because I hadn’t quite grasped the European play-style. The last two games of the playoffs, however, it felt like something “clicked” and I ended up playing my best basketball since I had arrived in Bosnia & Herzegovina. My best memories was the celebration after we won. It was something I will never ever forget”, stressed D.J. Fenner. In the 2019-202 season he signed late with KK Tamis Pancevo (Serbia-KLS). He suffered his first real off season hardship as a professional player as his career was really in jeopardy. “ Before going to Serbia, I was in the states, without an agent, working at a consignment shop to make ends-meet. When I got an opportunity to go back overseas, I took full advantage. It was difficult because I was playing for little money, and my wife was back in the States pregnant with our first child, but I made the best of the situation because it was my way back in the European market, and I knew it would be a good opportunity to rebrand my game and start making progress again in my professional playing career”, remembered D.J. Fenner. His season was cut short on account of Covid, but he made the best out of the situation playing 9 games averaging 16.2ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 36.2%, FT: 88.1%. He scored 28 points against Metalac and 26 points against Dynamic VP.

The ex Nevada (NCAA) player who lists Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, Michael Jordan, and Lebron James on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore had his first tour of duty in Portugal in the Covid 20-21 season playing for Imortal Luzigas Albufeira (Portugal-LPB). It was at that point in his career his best season as he was third in the league in scoring averaging 19.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 82.5%. He really landed in Portugal that season scoring in double figures in 30 of 32 games and had 20 points or more 17 times. His best game was against top team Benfica Lisabon scorching them for 33 points in a 93-86 win. There he was reunited again with ex UCLA player Bryce Alford who had beat him with Zach Lavine and later almost reached the NBA. This time Fenner was the best man on the court and out dueled ex NBA player Quincy Miller-Scott along the way. “That was definitely one of my fondest moments in my basketball career so far. I knew I could play at a high level and I knew I could compete against those caliber of players, and after that game I felt like I sort of proved to myself that I could do that. The best part about that game, however, was seeing the joy and excitement on my coaches’ and teammates faces”, smiled D.J. Fenner. In his fifth professional season he took the trek to Poland and played with MKS Dabrowa Gornicza (Poland-EBL) averaging 14.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 77.4%. It looked from a stats perspective as another successful season, but don´t let the stats fool you. “This was one of my more difficult seasons because we started off strong as a team, and then I tore my meniscus causing me to miss most of the season, and our team ended up falling out of the playoff race. I did, however, enjoy coming back from injury and finishing off the season very strong”, commented D.J. Fenner. He still had some huge games against King scoring 29 points and hit Legia for 22 points. Last season he found his way back to Portugal where he played for Sporting Clube de Portugal Lisboa (Portugal-Liga Betclic averaging 15.5ppg, 4.6rpg, 1.6apg, 1.5spg, 2FGP: 46.9%, 3FGP: 44.4%, FT: 90.2%, and in Dec.’22 moved to Arka Gdynia (Poland-EBL) averaging 13.6ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.6apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.5%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 78.3%. In Portugal he was back to his dominating form especially in the FIBA Europe Cup where he averaged 17,0ppg and scored 24 points against Antwerpen, 23 points against Anwil and 21 points against Kormend.He really had Anwil´s number also scoring 25 and 23 points against them in the Polish league. In Poland he continued to deliver fine stats and dueled against ex NBA players like Toney Douglas and as usual examined closely how he operated. “The biggest thing I noticed about playing against Toney Douglas was his constant communication on the court both on defense and offense. I noticed he was always communicating during the game, in huddles, and timeouts. Furthermore, he always played through his mistakes. No matter the mistake, he had such a short-term memory regarding the mistake that it was like he completely forgot about the mistake since he was already focused on the next play. I think the main difference between NBA guys and non NBA guys is the confidence and ability to make a play regardless of how the game has been going for them”, remembered D.J. Fenner who never watched the sequel to the classic Coming to America because he listened to the rumors about it being terrible and didn´t want the sequel to ruin the original for him.

. This season D.J. Fenner who lists Kobe Bean Bryant as his GOAT has taken on a new challenge with successful Dutch team Hero´s Den Bosch which is his 10th professional organization he has played for in 7 seasons and in 8 countries. One can say he is a genuine basketball globetrotter. “I really enjoy experiencing the different cultures and meeting good people. I love trying new foods, learning new languages, and submerging myself into the overall experience. Most of all, however, I enjoy being on the basketball court and competing in different leagues, gyms, and countries”, said D.J. Fenner. The season is only a month old and he has already noticed that this is a special club he is playing for. “This year’s team is definitely unique compared to the other teams I’ve been a part of. Besides having a lot of talent at each position, this team has a lot of chemistry off the court, which is beginning to translate to having a lot of chemistry on the court. The personalities on the team seem to mesh very well, and we are constantly building our relationships with each other. We are still growing as a basketball program, but I believe that we are close to reaching a breakthrough point where we sprout into a really really good basketball team”, warned D.J. Fenner. He is playing solidly in the new established BNXT league averaging 13,3ppg, 4,8rpg and 2,3apg that has been around a few years that combines the first league teams from Belgium and Holland. He has seen so many leagues in his career and wouldn´t necessarily rate it at the top at what he has seen on the court as a player. “Greece and Poland are definitely higher level leagues, but I don’t believe I have enough experience in the DBL/BNXT league to rank it amongst the others. It does, however, remind me of the Portuguese league because there are a few very high level teams, and then somewhat of a drop off with the lower level teams in the league”, stressed D.J. Fenner. He also has started off hot in the Fiba Europe Cup competition averaging 20,0ppg and 4,5rpg. His secret to having been able to adjust to any league and produce well is very simple. “Although I rely a lot on my ability to score, I believe it’s my overall work ethic that allows me to translate my game into the different leagues. Each league is unique in its own way, and some leagues are easier to score in than others, but it’s my work ethic on and off the court that gives me an edge to be able to translate my abilities throughout the different leagues I’ve been a part of”, added D.J. Fenner. He faces off against German team Niners Chemnitz on Wednesday in Fiba Europe Cupup action and will be pumped for another great performance by his team and himself. It will be interesting to see in how many more countries he will land in. Maybe I should construct a new special interview for him and ask him his top 10 favorite 1-1 duels with teammates and opponents. I´m sure he will be able to come up with some new funny stories about his experiences with guys on the court.

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

Ibbenburen suffered a tough 79-60 loss to the Berlin Braves. How tough was losing the game to new Pro B team? How was the atmosphere in the game?

It was very tough because we really wanted to get back into the win column. The atmosphere was great but in my opinion it is way more electric in our home gym on game days.

The game was deadlocked 32-32 at the break. What adjustments did Ibbenburen make on the defensive end in the second quarter to allow only 9 points?

We executed our defensive principles to our full potential.

The game was close until mid way to the fourth quarter, but a 9-0 run by Berlin got them going. Did Ibbenburen run a little out of gas?

They hit some tough shots and got multiple key stops on defense.

How tough was it controlling Mampuya and Jean Louis who combined for 28 points. How tough was it containing these ex pro A players that are flat out scorers?

For me, not tough at all. But as a team we struggled to contain them. I didn’t see any pro a potential out of them I just saw great team play and good coaching adjustments from the Braves coaching staff. No disrespect to them, they are good solid players but I have seen a fair share of flat out scorers in my career and I wouldn’t put them in that category.

What hurt Ibbenburen more the Braves work on the boards or their three point shooting?

Their execution in the 4th quarter defensively and offensively is what hurt us the most.

You had a surprising quiet day with 10/3/3 stats and took 11 shots. Did they scout you well?

I didn’t see anything different of how they guarded me than the rest of the teams we played have done. Everyone’s been guarding me physically and denying me the ball. I tried getting my team involved more this game and I wasn’t as aggressive as I should’ve been.

What did you learn from the game and what will you correct in the lab this week?

I learned we have to do better at finishing games. We have to fight harder and figure out ways to get the most out of what we have as a unit. As for my corrections in the lab this week, I’ll continue my same routine as I always do.

You next play against top team Leverkusen. This is another must win. This would be great timing for an upset. What will be key for the win?

Miles last game, will actually be my last game as a Baller. I’ve had personal problems going on at home that are serious and need to be intended to. I’ve been here for months battling these issues and I have tried to stick it out to the end. But mentally and emotionally it’s been hard for me to focus on basketball in my career right now with everything that has been going on. My general manager and teammates have done the most to make me feel like home but it still hasn’t changed my circumstances back at home. It was a difficult decision for me to make as a basketball player but as a man it was an easy, must do decision. I’ll take my time away from basketball to regroup and I’ll still be in the gym staying in shape for the next opportunity. Although, I only played a few games and have yet to even play my full potential that I know I’m capable of, I believe I made a statement that I’m a high caliber player in this league so I’ll leave with no regrets. I want to thank you personally for these opportunities to speak my truth on a weekly basis and hope that we can continue to stay in touch in the future wherever the basketball takes me. It’s been a honor.

What was your favorite Halloween childhood memory?

I visited this house with my grandma when I was around 8 years old and as I was approaching to ring the doorbell, a man came running from behind the house with a chainsaw. It frightened me and that moment has stuck with me ever since then and I am reminded about that particular moment every time Halloween rolls around.

Thanks Ricardo for the chat.

Christopher Hortman (190-G-1988, college: UW-Stout) is a professional basketball player from Wisconsin that played at Milwaukee Area Technical College (JUCO), Missouri Valley (NAIA) and University of Wisconsin at Stout (NCAA3) before coming overseas in 2016. He played his first 2 seasons in Germany with Ibbenburen and the EN Baskets Schwelm and then found experience in Croatia, Kosovo and Noth Macedonia. He has found a new home in Croatia. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his new challenge in Croatia.

Thanks Chris for talking to germanhoops.com. The last time we spoke was almost 3 years ago. A lot has happened in your life. Has time flown by?

Hey miles it has been sometime since we talked last, and yes it went by incredibly fast, seems like last week when we first met In Frankfurt many years ago.

You finished the 20-21 season in Croatia. Now it seems to have become a second home to you. What is so special about Croatia?

I definitely have fallen in love with Croatia but the main reason that it’s so special to me is my wife, my son and new daughter. With me meeting my wife while playing here, it was a simple choice when deciding where to live with my family’. So now Pula, Croatia is my hometown.

Last season you were back in the states and coached basketball. Were you in retirement mode then?

Yes, a local team here in Pula promised if I played and won them up leagues they would make me coach for the next season in a higher league. Of course I did my part of the deal on the court and we won the championship, And just as expected they lied and did not uphold their end of the deal. So I decided this would be the last straw of disrespect that I would take from any European team. I chose to take my family to America, where I would start a kids basketball academy, and landed a job as an assistant coach for Accelerated Prep. A national level high school program. I don’t think I’ll ever go into retirement mode, life just had different plans for me at that time

What do you personally enjoy most about coaching? It seems like it will be part of your future.

To me Coaching is the only way regardless of the talent on the floor there must be a strategy, some form of unity and in my opinion it’s the coaches job to bring all this together. I enjoy this process and seeing the moment it clicks. Regardless of what life brings me I will make time to coach at minimal. Especially for my son and daughter.

You have come back to Europe to Croatia to start an academy with K.K Istra. Talk a little about how that came apart?

This came about a long time ago, the moment I decided I wanted to play basketball actually. I just wanted hoop, and ignorantly drove into the basketball world, doing what I was told to grind and sacrifice. I did this cycle to the point where I had given up everything in life as I knew it and only spent my time grinding in the gym or sleeping. I blindly shut out everything to hoop. Regardless of how valiant my efforts were I always ran into an opposing political force that would try and stop the shine of the obvious skill that I had developed over time. Each time this happened to me in life I always reverted back to the grind more and sacrifice more theme. I would eventually play though college and playing pro was the only thing on my mind. I knew I was one of the best and could play anywhere. I just needed an opportunity. Finding this opportunity would eventually cost me thousands of dollars and crucial years of my youth. Most of these opportunities that I attended where in actuality were scam camps, just taking money and not getting anyone signed to a professional contract. Eventually I would find a camp in Germany where I received multiple offers to play professional. I would go on to play in 4 different countries for 9 different teams. On this journey I met you many years ago. It was simple. I came here and the teams were able to see me live and at this point my talent and skills were undeniable. They cared nothing about my resume, nothing about my age, they only cared that I could hoop and help them win games My Quest I had since I started playing pro was to find a pro team who would use this concept to pick Their American players. No matter how hard I tried to tell them my story and show the numbers of Americans who can actually play, but don’t have the resume or game film like other players. I was always me with a shut up and just play NO After years of searching for this team to partner with, I never could find one who would break from the norm of getting players from agents. Each year after seeing me fail with convincing a team to agree my wife simply said if I owned a team I would easily partner with you. And she did exactly that started a club kk Istra AND PARTNERED WITH MY COMPANY EXCUSELESS ACADEMY.

What will be your main goals with the academy? Are you starting from scratch?

My MAIN GOAL is to firstly provide education for aspiring American players. The European brand of basketball is completely different from ours in the USA. It took me years to properly learn their style of ball and even more time to learn how to mix my style with theirs. After education we want to provide aspiring american players the platform to showcase their skills in front of gms and coaches though local tryout like I did myself in Germany. Next we would like to offer up an experience. Playing pro overseas isn’t for everyone. Our academy will duplicate the pro experience and give guys the opportunity to feel what it’s like and the requirements. Lastly we want to provide resume help for aspiring american players as well. This is where our partnering club kk Istra will be in use. Giving bi weekly scrimmage games against the Americans to add recent game film to their resume.

What are you looking forward most to with the academy? Just working with kids?

I’m mostly looking forward to the opening of the academy in January. This has been a 10 year journey since I left college to pursue a professional career. I have had many ups and downs but was able to live out my dreams. With this academy I would love to provide opportunity to those like myself who truly deserve a chance, without all the hardship I had to experience to get here

What will be your duties exactly? More on the coaching side or also the business side?

I am the owner of the academy so my duties will be managing everything. Coaching the players and the business, and using the connections I’ve built over the years of playing to get the guys quality looks for possibilities of signing pro.

You also will be playing for K.K Istra. How are your skills now at age 35? Will you have a major role or a lesser one?

Yes when my wife asked me to sign to her club there really wasn’t a choice. Happy wife, happy life. My role on this team will be the same as it has been on every club I ever played for and that’s to lead through my actions. Only difference this time around is that the president of the club is my wife. We still have a coach Luka Božic who has an amazing strategy on the court and has assemble a cohesive roster for the 23/24 season

What will you focus most on concerning your own game? What can your body still do at age 35?

For me just being ready for what the team needs from you. I’ve produced stats in multiple countries from low level to top league. This is just another opportunity for me to continue the journey I started many steps ago.

You played some of your career in Germany. What do you miss from the country?

I truly miss the fans of TVI Ibbenburen my first year in Germany, they showed my so much love and matched my on the court energy off the court creating one of the most amazing environments I ever played for.

If someone had told you in August that Germany would win the World Cup, would you have believed it?

No there’s no way anyone non German could have seen that coming.

Thanks Chris for the chat.

Tom Arkan led Hanau to win with 28 points

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

Marvin Esser at FT line

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

Jeremie Okitasumbu at the Ft line

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

Tom Arkan with the lay in

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

Namori Omog with the jumper

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I can easily be a double double monster here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Jordan, Kobe, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Love

Who is your GOAT and why?

Jordan

Thanks Feliciano for the chat.

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

Moses Poelking at the FT line

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

Vincent Friederici at the FT line

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

Marvin Heckel jumper

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

Niklas Geske with the drive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks Jaivon for the chat.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks Ricardo for the chat.

Thanks Ricardo for the chat.