Shawn Scott (185-G-1996, college: SW Christian) is a 27 year old 185cm guard playing his third professional season and first with BG Hagen. Last season he split time with TVO Biggesee / TV Jahn Lindhorst (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 31.2ppg, 10.4rpg, 6.1apg, 3.6spg, 2FGP: 56.2%, 3FGP: 30.4%, FT: 77.6%, in Jan.’23 moved to BG 2000 Berlin (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 14.2ppg, 8.1rpg, 4.6apg, 2.4spg, FGP: 53.5%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 64.4%. he began his career at Jenks High School and then played 3 seasons at Southwestern Christian University. He teams up with germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.
BG Hagen suffered a tough 77-67 loss to the Lowen. It was the team´s second loss in a row. How tough was it digesting this loss?
It was really tough for me because I absolutely hate losing no matter what the situation is. Both games, no matter who we’re missing or how bad we play, I believe we should still be able to win the game.
It wasn´t a high scoring game like in many previous games. Talk a little about the 40 minutes. Did BG Hagen have a chance to win this game? Well, we on average score 95 points a game and Herten did a great job scouting us and they played 2-3 zone for 40 minutes because they know we struggle with it and on top of playing bad defense we were not able to get our offense flowing and the game was too hard for us the whole 40 minutes. But again, I believe we still had a chance to win if we were able to play defense and get stops.
Where was the game lost? The Lowen did shoot the ball very well from the 2 point range?
I think the game was strictly lost off of effort. We did not take pride in defense and were not able to guard anybody. We will not win any more games if we continue to play defense like this.
BG Hagen scored it´s fewest points this season. What was wrong with the offense against the Lowen?
Like I said, they played 23 zone the whole game and we were not able to capitalize on our transition offense, which makes us super strong. when we don’t have transition we don’t score the maximum points that we can and we were not able to rebound the ball and play fast like we want to.
The Lowen got 16 points from bench player Adam Raczkiewicz. Did you have him on the scouting report?
We definitely did and we knew that he could shoot the three and when he came in the game he hit five threes in a row. We were not mentally ready to play in this game, and we did not pay attention to scouting because we knew exactly who to watch out for.
What positives could BG Hagen take out of the game?
The rebounding continues to be ok. I think in the second half towards the end of the game, we finally saw that if we played hard and played good defense that we could’ve had a chance to win. It all continues to be about effort.
You had another good scoring game with 11 rebounds and 6 assists, but 6 turnovers. That turnover stat has to really worm you? That’s 11 in the last 2 games and you average 4 per game. How can you correct it`?
I have to be more aware of when I should speed up the game and when I should slow down because I think that’s when I start to have many turnovers. I think it’s an easy fix for me. I just have to focus and control the ball more. We play such fast basketball that the coaches understand and say that it’s OK and it will happen that we have many turnovers but still, I don’t need to have many alone.
You next play 1-6 Bonn 2 a must win. How confident are you with a win and less turnovers by you?
I’m very confident that I will have less turnovers than before, and I believe that it is a must win for us. We really need to get back on track and go back to playing the basketball that we know makes us hard to beat. But we will never underestimate our opponent because we know that anyone can beat anyone in our league.
Morris Udeze (203-F-1999, college: N.Mexico) is a 24 year old 203cm forward from Richmond, Texas playing his rookie season with King Szczecin (Poland-OBL). He began his basketball career at Montverde Academy in Florida. He then played at Wichita State (NCAA) from 2018-2022 averaging 10.3ppg, 4.7rpg, FGP: 61.1%, FT: 68.0% and 10.2ppg, 6.1rpg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 72.6% in his last 2 seasons. He then played one more season at University of New Mexico (NCAA) averaging 16.2ppg, 9.7rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 60.4%, FT: 62.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Basketball Champions League game against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.
Thanks Morris for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you? I´m in Germany preparing for a BCL game.
Your playing your rookie season overseas with King Szczecin. What kind of an experience has it been for you? What have you learned to appreciate the most about the country Poland?
The reception has been good in my rookie season. It has been a great experience so far. Everything is cheap especially the food. The food is good. I also have gotten to know a great bunch of guys on the team.
You already won your first chip with the Super Cup? Is there already something special about this team?
Winning the Super Cup was a good boost for our self-esteem. I think like we will have a good season. We have to take it one game at a time.
The club has some fine guard play with Dunn and Woodson and nice complimentary parts. What is exactly your role on the team? They are good scoring guards. My role is just to play as hard as I can. I have to bring energy and do whatever it takes to help the team win.
What has it been like battling veteran Tony Meier on a daily basis. How has he helped you with vital tricks about the Euro game? Tony is a good person. He plays hard and hits the 3 ball well. He is a good person to be around.
How vital has other veteran Zac Cuthbertson been? Has he been like a mentor for you in the early going?
He is a cool person. Yes he has been like a mentor for me like you said. He has helped me on the court and take me around the city. He has taken me under his wing.
You have needed no adjustment time tearing up the Polish first division. What do you feel has been your secret to being able to adapt so quickly? I play hard and with energy. With energy I find the ball. I take that energy and just keep playing hard.
Let´s talk a bit about your game. You’re a 203cm forward that has been described as unorthodox. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description? I don´t compare my game to anyone. I just have my own style.
You’re a strong scorer and rebounder, but what other assets does your game incorporate? I rebound the ball well and talk on defense.
What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become? I can guard positions 1-3. I want to become more vocal on defense.
You have never really developed a three pointer. Is that a goal of yours overseas? I was just talking about that today. I want to develop that trey ball. I think having that in my bag would make me so much more dangerous.
You played at Wichita State University (NCAA) from 2018-2022. You reached the NIT Final 4 in 2019 as a freshman and NCAA tournament in 2021. Was that 53-52 loss to Drake the worst in your career? I´m not going to lie. I would say so. We were pretty down after in the locker room. We had such a great group that year. That loss was tough.
How do you feel did you develop best under Wichita State University (NCAA) coach Gregg Marshall and Isaac Brown. What did each guy give you that helped your game most in your 4 years there? They just taught me to never let your highs be too high and your lows to low. They taught me to always play hard and to always leave it on the floor. I also learned that it is important to accept criticism. Not all criticism is bad.
You opted for a 5th season at the University of New Mexico (NCAA) and broke free averaging 16.2ppg, 9.7rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 60.4%, FT: 62.0%. How did your game grow under Richard Pitino the son of Rick? Coach Pitino was my guy. I always listened to him and played hard. He told me everything that was going to happen and it did. I have a lot of respect for him.
You had explosive games against N Colorado and SJSU, but what was your all-time favorite game there? The San Jose game was good and I remember the crowd at UNLV as being huge. Even though we lost in the NIT, that was my favorite game. It was my last game. It was bitter sweet. I just enjoyed playing with those guys.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Josiah Allick? I used to cook him everyday.
Who was the toughest player that you battled in the NCAA that reached the NBA? Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? I can´t name 5. I played with too many great players.
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore Kobe, Lebron, Jordan, Hakeem, Tim Duncan and Dirk
Who is your GOAT and why? Lebron James. He paved the way for the young guys.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? The original was great. I don´t think I have it in me to watch the sequel.
Jeremy Ingram (183-G-1991, college: AAMU) may still be many years away from being in the company of Regionalliga legend Ricky Easterling, but there is no doubt that this walking bucket has been one of the best players in that league in the last 3 years as his explosive scoring showed in Idstein, Mannheim and Bargteheide. That the guy hasn´t landed in the Pro A or Pro B is already a scandal, but that’s how the basketball wheel spins in Germany. One thing he hasn´t lost is his love for the game and if no teams in higher leagues sign him, well then he will continue to do his magic in the Regionalliga and terrorize teams. This season he was set to take on a new challenge with Wusterhausen and he was as excited as a little kid on Halloween about this new experience. But instead of already having played 3 games, he actually didn´t play any games in the last month, because he had been released by his team without explanation. “To be honest I still don’t know the exact reason why they tried to terminate my contract but 1 of my sources said it was due to a sponsor dropping out so they wouldn’t be able to pay me. Instead of management talking to me and trying to figure something out they pretty much called me and said “You can’t play here no more”. No explanation, no anything. Just pretty much told me I can´t play or practice with the team no more. There are clauses that protect players which is why I sued the club and took them to court”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. To be idle and see everyone playing was very difficult for him to witness. “It was super tough simply because out of all my years here in Germany teams have showed me nothing but love and respect so this whole situation caught me off guard. Some of my friends say I was spoiled since I have been here so maybe I needed something like this to happen to see that everything won’t always be peaches and creme. But emotionally it was tough”, said Jeremy Ingram.
I reach Jeremy Ingram who knew before the start of the World Cup that team USA wouldn´t win it all in Braunschweig who just moved into his new apartment and is feeling upbeat again after his horrible calamity that he experienced in Wusterhausen. It was obvious that in his down time in the last month that he checked the Regionalliga box scores every Monday. It was also no surprise that he noticed the explosive play of BG Hagen American Shawn Scott. “I checked around the different leagues to see what´s going on. I don´t really know Shawn like that but I do see he has been having a great season so far. Another guy that is proving he deserves to play in a higher league so kudos to him. Hopefully he gets the opportunity sooner or later”, stated Jeremy Ingram. He is super thrilled that he gets a new chance in Braunschweig, but also super disappointed how the whole situation began and ended in Wusterhausen. The way the organization treated him was just unacceptable and not how any human being should be treated in any job. “They treated me very bad and inhumane. It was already too late to find another team and they didn’t pay me, and they told the coaches and team they weren´t allowed to talk to me or they could possibly lose their job. All of this after they pretty much begged me for months to come play there. I turned down at least 3 other teams to go there which is why I was disappointed the most. I moved all my stuff to Berlin and pretty much was there prepared for the whole season and they kicked me off the team and treated me like a random person on the streets. Most unprofessional and disrespectful organization I have ever been a part of”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. One would think that there are clauses in players contracts to protect them, but apparently he was at a dead end “They never gave me any options to stay, I guess it was we can’t pay you so you will not play here. Thats the only option they gave me. They just told me it wasn’t my fault at all but they have to terminate my contract and that was the start of the madness”, commented Jeremy Ingram. On top of not being able to suit up for the team, he had difficulty in his free time to work on his craft as he had to find places to get up shots on his own. “The team wouldn’t let me use any of the facilities so I had to pretty much get shots up on outside courts. I was in the weightroom and was very heavy during that period of time because I wasn´t able to play basketball for like 3-4 weeks”, expressed Jeremy Ingram.
The Alabama native who thinks the NBA will see a Golden State-Bucks final this season now has landed with Regionalliga team Braunschweig. He is super excited that he will be playing for the farm team of easyCredit BBL team Braunschweig that is run by NBA player Dennis Schroeder of the Toronto Raptors. “When all this happened with Konigs Wusterhausen I reached out to a few teams I played against before and I started talking with the coach, who is a great guy by the way, I really appreciate him because he let me come and workout with the team and here we are today. Yea Dennis is pretty much the president here in this town and apparently I just missed him when I got here. I met his brother and talked with him so hopefully I’ll meet Dennis when he is back here”, added Jeremy Ingram. Ingram is a guy that doesn´t shy away from giving his 2 cents about NBA players, but surprisingly the 10 year vet Dennis Schroeder hadn´t been on his radar for that long. “I actually just started to like Dennis the past 2 years. At first I thought he was overrated but he is developing and maturing a lot and I have nothing but respect for him because he is becoming a very good basketball player”, warned Jeremy Ingram. The team is very young as nobody is older than 22 years of age except Ingram who is 32. “I´m excited to play with the young guys. They are very energetic and athletic and they have those young fresh legs so hopefully we can get out and run the fast breaks and have many highlight plays”, stated Jeremy Ingram.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Jeremy Ingram in Limburg, Germany 2022
The explosive guard who believes Shai or Steph could win the NBA MVP award, but thinks that the Greek Freak will probably give Europe the 6 MVP title in a row is a guy that has been used to scoring in the Regionalliga. One would think that he might score more with a weak young team, but he doesn´t see it that way. There is definitely scoring talent on the club. “I have now been back on the court like 2 weeks now and I am feeling excited and blessed to be back. But I am definitely ready to start terrorizing people again. I will take on more of a leadership/veteran role here I assume. The young guys already admire how I play so I will try to do what I can to be a good vet teammate to not only win games but to help them develop more also. But it doesn’t matter what team I play for, I will always be myself and I´m sure teams already know this. These guys are young but they can score and they play not only Regionalliga but they also play with the BBL team. So they are young but they can play basketball so I´m not really looking to put up career numbers just put up enough numbers to help my team win games because that´s all that ever matters to me”, warned Jeremy Ingram. Not every player overseas is going to have a flawless career. So often players get screwed by teams and some guys react well while others don´t. For Jeremy Ingram, it was definitely a vital learning experience. “A few of my friends said I needed this experience because since I’ve been in Germany all my teams have showed me so much love and kindness that I was completely blind to the other side of overseas basketball. And things like this happen but I let my guard down because I have been so blessed in my 6 year career. This situation has definitely made me be more alert now”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. He will suit up for his first game this Sunday against ASC Goettingen. As soon as the jump ball has happened, Jeremy Ingram will be focused 100% on basketball. The Wusterhausen experience will be long behind him. All he cares about is playing the game he loves. Braunschwieg has shown him real love. That is all he ever asked for.
When was the last time, you had 2 undefeated teams battling against each other in the Suwag Energie arena? It for sure didn´t happen the last 2 seasons as Frankfurt was losing on a regular basis. But after a few weeks in the Pro A, the Fraport Skyliners continue to excite their fans as they raced out to a 3-0 record. But they didn´t have some amateur team as foe, but the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim hadn´t been too shabby either as they came to Frankfurt with an identical 3-0 record. Kirchheim had pulverized teams with their explosive offense while the Fraport Skyliners had found an early identity on the defensive end as they had only allowed only 62 points per game. It wasn´t only the duel of the 2 clubs, but also the 2 coaches Denis Wucherer and Igor Perovic who shared a very rare incredible trait in that they had both produced triple doubles as players in the BBL. On a cool Sunday afternoon, 2 undefeated clubs met and no fan was disappointed as after 40 minutes they witnessed a very exciting game that went down to the wire as the Fraport Skyliners stayed undefeated beating the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim79-72. It was a game where Frankfurt was challenged for 40 minutes, but when it came down to making the big plays and shots, they were the team that made them at the end. “We played hard and matched their competitiveness. They were one of the best teams that we have faced this season. We did a good job keeping up our energy and stayed positive which helped us not getting down in difficult phases”, stressed Fraport Skyliner guard Cameron Henry (198-G-1999, college: Indiana St.). For Kirchheim, it was one of those results you hate, because they could and should of won this game. They had the last play but couldn´t get the job done. “We had a rocky second quarter. We didn´t play our best basketball, but we turned it around in the second half. We found our rhythm. After our bigs Muszynski and Dorn carried us in the first half, our guards Miller and Flowers carried us in the second half. We just came up a bit short at the end”, stressed Kirchheim guard Demetrius Ward.
David Muenkat at the FT line
Both teams found their rhythm well in the first minutes. The Fraport Skyliners did a fine job getting 2018 NBBL champion Lorenz Brenneke into good position to score twice while Kirchheim received a deep three pointer from the Main river from Michael Flowers and ex Orange Academy center Antonio Dorn was banging on the boards getting offensive rebounds. Especially Dorn´s presence and intensity carried Kirchheim on the boards as Kirchheim would grab 7 offensive rebounds. After trailing early, Frankfurt got the lead back with a trey from rookie Aiden Warnholtz to lead 11-10 who would finish with a dismal 3 points after getting in early foul trouble and never finding his rhythm. Frankfurt would keep the lead simply because they executed well and were spreading the ball around well. A Jordan Samare lay in and Cameron Henry three pointer gave Frankfurt the 15-11 advantage. Ex Belmont center Nick Muszynski made 2 late baskets with his beautiful old school play while Kayne Henry made a massive dunk, but a David Muenkat three secured the tight 20-18 lead for the Fraport Skyliners after 10 minutes. “We had problems slowing down the offense. Muszynski was really good. He kept them in the game. Once we eliminated their second chance points and contained Flowers better, we were able to control game better”, stated ex Indiana State guard Cameron Henry. The Fraport Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 29% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim shot 37% from the field and 20% from outside and had 13 13 rebounds and 3 turnovers.
Michael Flowers from down town
In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners were able to make some adjustment slowing down Michael Flowers, rebounding better and whipping the ball inside and challenging their big men and winning many duels and getting easy baskets leading 43-34 at the break. Kirchheim actually had the better start as they went on a 5-2 run getting a pretty old school hook shot from Muszynski and a trey from Demetrius Ward to recapture the lead 23-22. But Frankfurt possibly then played their best 3-4 minutes of the game shocking Kirchheim with a 12-0 run to gain the lead back at 34-23. In the run, Frankfurt totally mutilated Kirchheim with their inside play scoring 5 lay in´s in a row. Brenneke began the run with consecutive lay in´s which was followed by a David Muenkat lay in and veteran Marco Voeller followed with a second left on the shot clock and Minnesota native Booker Coplin followed with a acrobatic shovel lay in. Frankfurt did a great job taking advantage of the mismatches and just exerting their physicality that Kirchheim was unable to match. Kirchheim lost their offensive rhythm and got away from their team basketball and relied a bit too much on the hero ball. The guests took a time out and came back refreshed and were able to match Frankfurt´s intensity and physicality as Antonio Dorn looked like a seasoned easyCredit BBl player as he scored 3 buckets. But Frankfurt also got special production especially from 34 year old Marco Voeller who made an incredible basket playing like a 25 year old guard making the lay up. “Marco is one of a kind. You wouldn´t believe his age if you didn´t know it. He has great speed and toughness. We are a young team, but he is one of us. He has that nice pump fake and then he explodes. He has done that against me before in practice. We need him so much on the team. He is like a big brother for us”, warned Cameron Henry. 19 year old German sensation Justin Onyejiaka added a three pointer as Frankfurt led by 11 points at half-time. “We slowed the game down and made better choices. We also played better as a team. Often when a key player is out like Aiden Warnholtz was because of foul problems, teams struggle, but we all came together and got the job done as a collective”, expressed Cameron Henry. The Fraport Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 27% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim shot 45% from the field and 22% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 10 turnovers.
Cameron Henry with the step back
The Fraport Skyliners held the lead in the third quarter, but could never really shake KIrchheim as they hung around even tying the game but after 30 minutes trailed by 4 points. Kirchheim definitely listened to head coach Igor Perovic´s half-time words and stormed out in the third quarter with a lethal 10-2 run and suddenly washed out the double figure Frankfurt lead and trailed only 45-44. In the run, Kirchheim continued to get consistent support from Nick Muszynski who won a OVC title at Belmont as he scored twice. Kirchheim also tried to get the guard play cooking as Michael Miller made a pull up jumper and Flowers connected on 2 of 3 free throws. Frankfurt seemed a bit nervous and just lost their smooth flow form the second quarter while Kirchheim found back to their team play. But basketball is known as a game of runs and Frankfurt fired back with a 9-1 run to extend their lead to 54-45. In the run, Frankfurt went back to their dominant inside paly as Muenkat and Brennecke scored while Marco Voeller continued to play his game being aggressive and showing his nice inside out game as he made a left handed lay in and made an open three pointer. But once again Frankfurt couldn´t keep the lead as defensive lapses continued to surface as the next run was produced by Kirchheim as they came back with a 11-2 run to dead lock the game at 56-56. Michael Flowers who had been fairly quiet mainly because of Cameron Henry´s spot on defense, but in this phase dropped 2 three´s including making a 4 point play while Miller made a fade away jumper and Dorn a lay in. “Flowers was definitely hard to guard. He is a 3 level scorer. I tried to use my length and make everything difficult for him. When he makes that first easy one then come the next 3 or 4 shots. I just tried containing him as best I could”, said Cameron Henry. But Frankfurt reacted well stopping the run and closing out the third quarter with a 5-0 run as Jordan Samare nailed a trey and German Jacob Knauff a tip in for the 61-57 advantage. “Kirchheim came back with their guard play. The third quarter was a game of runs. But we did a good job weathering the storm when they got on fire”, added Cameron Henry. “We came back because of our defense. We were able to get running. We got some easy baskets which gave us self-confidence to keep going”, stated Demetrius Ward. The Fraport Skyliners shot 47% from the field and 29% from the parking lot and had 22 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim shot 47% from the field and 25% form the parking lot and had 20 rebounds and 13 turnovers.
Michael Flowers at the FT line
The fourth quarter promised to be a dog fight as the game would go down to the wire. Kirchheim came out storming getting continued superb play from Antonio Dorn with an offensive rebound and put back while Ward hit another three pointer as Frankfurt led only 63-62. Frankfurt remained calm and struck back with back to back three´s from Muenkat and Coplin to lead 69-62. But Kirchheim just kept chipping away and getting good looks. Miller made a lay in and 2 stops led to 2 more lay in´s from Flowers and Muszynski and suddenly Frankfurt had their lead shaved down to 73-70. A turnover by Coplin led to 2 free throws by Miller as Kirchheim trailed only 73-72. Cameron Henry made a pull up jumper, but Aitor Pickett made a clutch lay in to tie the game 75-75. Frankfurt them made a bad decision giving Voeller the ball in the corner as he stepped out of bounds. Miller added free throws for the 77-75 lead with 39 seconds to play. ”They began to play more together. We weren´t disciplined on defense”, stated Cameron Henry. “We were more physical and rebounded better. We got some easy baskets and got to the free throw line”, added Demetrius Ward. Brenneke then made a clutch shot to tie the game at 77-77. Frankfurt then produced a massive stop and Cameron Henry who had made clutch plays at both ends all day long made a huge shot with 5,8 seconds to go to lead 79-77. “We had 2 or 3 options. I told Book to get me the ball at 8 or 9 seconds, I came off a back screen for the big and Book had just told me to be aggressive and take what they gave me”, stressed Cameron Henry. “He made a tough finish and we just have to live with it”, commented Demetrius Ward. Kirchheim had one more attempt with 5,8 seconds, but couldn´t get a shot off. “We played good defense. He thought we would switch, but they tried to hit the big on the roll. I just tried to make it as difficult for him”, expressed Cameron Henry. “They hedged hard and we made a bad pass, But I think we still played a good game”, said Demetrius Ward. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Lorenz Brenneke with 16 points while David Muenkat added 13 points and Booker Coplin 11 points. The Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim were led by Michael Flowers and Antonio Dorn with 15 points a piece. Nick Muszynski added 14 points and Michael Miller added 13 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 45% from the field and 27% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 15 turnovers while the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim shot 45% from the field and 25% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 15 turnovers.
Three weeks ago, the season began so hopeful for the Fraport Skyliners Juniors as they began the season off well at home against TSV Troester Breitengussbach with a victory, but a few weekends later, the team was staring at a ugly 1-3 record as the 2-2 team Fellbach entered the BCM. In the previous 3 games, Frankfurt had stunk up the house in Leitershofen mustering only 50 points, played a hard fought game in Rhondorf, but ran out of energy in double OT and last weekend could never get over the hump playing catch up basketball and losing to FC Bayern Munich. It didn´t get any easier against new team Fellbach who had moved up from the Regionalliga. Despite having a 2-2 record, the Bavarian team is always focused and wanting to prove something. They had been up and down beating Speyer and Breitengussbach, but had lost to Oberaching and Leitershofen. It was a must win for the Fraport Skyliners Juniors as they didn´t want to move farther down in the standings. The Fellbach Flashers came out strong and controlled the game for the most part, but in the fourth quarter weren´t able to close out the game as Frankfurt fought back and relied on their weapons and team play to grind out an ugly 87-82 win. “It was another one of those games where we showed resilience something we hadn´t shown in the last games. We showed more energy and fighting spirit. We did a good job putting all our weapons into use and played good defense”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Junior Trevian Bell (201-G/F, college: Lewis). The SC Fellbach Flashers played a well rounded game, but just couldn´t slam the door on Frankfurt. “This was a tough loss. We had control of the game and felt we steered it well, but lost control at the end. We definitely played better than the last games, but we should of won this game”, stressed SC Fellbach Flasher Zaire Thompson.
Justin Onyejiaka jumper
The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had Justin Onyejiaka back who had been missing the first few games because of injury. Frankfurt got their offense rolling right away as ex Wurzburg Forward Nils Leonhardt and Illinois native Trevian Bell connected for three´s. The Bavarian team also got their offense going getting a quick lay in by ex Koblenz center Brian Butler and a trey from sniper Lars Berger. Frankfurt continued to execute well getting back to back buckets from Onyejiaka and Bell for the 10-5 lead. Fellbach struck back with a lay in from Pro A veteran Andreas Kronhardt who has 244 games on his account and a trey from 20 year old German/Bulgarian Nikola Jekov to trail 12-10. It was a pretty even game as both teams executed well, but it felt like Frankfurt was a bit stronger. Frankfurt continued to execute very well finding Bell who scored twice and Jordan Samare made a massive throw down getting the perfect pass from Albert Schweitzer winner Philipp Hadenfeldt for the 20-13 lead. Frankfurt´s offense was just flowing better as their inside out game was giving Fellbach problems and their work on the boards was better. German Nik Schlipf who played at 2 NCAA 2 schools connected on a trey late in the first quarter as Fellbach trailed 20-16 after 10 minutes. “Our starts this season have been a problem. We always have to fight back. We had problems controlling Bell and Samare. Samare can do everything and is so athletic”, stated ex Fordham (NCAA) guard Zaire Thompson. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 47% from the field and 25% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the SC Fellbach Flashers shot 44% from the field and 33% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 4 turnovers.
Andreas Kronhardt at the FT line
In the second quarter the SC Fellbach Flashers made their move coming back and leading by 10 points at the break. Andreas Kronhardt began the second quarter with a turn around shot while Dusan Nikolic used his quickness and made a pretty finger tip roll as Frankfurt led 22-18. Frankfurt kept up the offensive pressure with a Hadenfeldt three pointer and beautiful Samare dunk on transition getting the perfect dime from Hadenfeldt, but they couldn´t get stops. Fellbach got big support from the bench from Schlipf who drained another trey as did Zaire Thompson from outside. After a Butler turn around shot, Fellbach suddenly led 28-27. Fellbach upped their intensity at both ends and played smarter and made wiser decisions on offense. Fellbach took advantage of their bench with key baskets and Frankfurt played lax 1-1 defense. Justin Onyejiaka would give Frankfurt the lead back one more time 30-28 with a three pointer. Fellbach then closed out the second quarter in very fine fashion with a 15-5 run to lead 43-33 at the break. The Bavarian team got 3 clutch three´s from Kronhardt, Schlipf and Berger, but also got lay in´s from Thompson and American Andre Gillette who played at Fairleigh-Dickinson (NCAA). “We upped our intensity at both ends and played better team basketball. We have no super stars on the team so playing team ball is important. We have to keep working on that”, added Zaire Thompson. The SV Fellbach Flashers shot 53% from the field and 54% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 37% from the field and 22% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 4 turnovers.
Nils Leonhardt at the FT line
In the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners Juniors fought hard and got close but just couldn´t get over the hump and trailed by 5 points after 30 minutes. Frankfurt got 2 easy lay in´s from Jordan Samare, but couldn´t make any ground as Kronhardt was a beast with a put back and Lars Berger snuck inside with a lay in and 49-40 Fellbach advantage. Frankfurt just couldn´t make any ground as both teams were executing as Leonhardt and Kronhardt scored, but Fellbach still led comfortably 51-42. But sometimes things can turn around so quickly as bang Frankfurt received back to back three´s from Samare and Hadenfeldt and suddenly Fellbach led only 51-48. Frankfurt just couldn´t get over the hump as they executed well, but Fellbach got a great game from Zaire Thompson who was an offensive force hitting shot after shot keeping Fellbach ahead 58-53. Bell made a huge pull up jumper for Frankfurt to trail 58-55, but the guests always had an answer as Berger nailed a deep three. Frankfurt wasn´t guarding the three point line well enough. Felix Hecker who is still looking for his three point consistency drilled home a trey, but Kronhardt had an answer again with a trey as Fellbach led 64-59 after 3 quarters. “We continued to play good team basketball and found good options. But we need to be able to get an even higher lead to be able to win games on the road”, commented Zaire Thompson. “We couldn´t get stops. They did a good job exploiting mismatches. We need to make right adjustments and play team defense and not 1-1 defense”, commented Trevian Bell. The SV Fellbach Flashers shot 52% from the field and 45% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 43% from the field and 30% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 7 turnovers.
Lars Berger from outside
The fourth quarter was a dog fight as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors began with a bang with a trey from Philipp Hadenfeldt to trail 64-62, but as always the beast Andreas Kronhardt made an easy lay in as he once again got a perfect pass this time from Greek player Charalampos Sikalidis. A guy like Kronhardt should give every player a free meal at the end of the season, because of how well his teammates feed him for easy buckets. “Andreas is one of our best players. We need him badly. His scoring helps us. He is very versatile and when he scores our offense works”, stressed Zaire Thompson. Ex Kronberg center Florian Dietrich made a tap in and free throw to cut Fellbach´s lead to 67-65, but once again it was Thompson who made a lay in to keep Frankfurt from getting over the hump. It seemed like Frankfurt may never get over the hump again after a Gillette basket as Frankfurt trailed 71-65. But Frankfurt continued to fight getting a big three from Hadenfeldt and lay in by Trevian Bell as the game was dead locked 71-71. Fellbach continued to battle and gained the lead back again with consecutive buckets from Brian Butler to lead 77-73. But If Butler can do it so can Jordan Samare as he scored back to back baskets to tie the game again 77-77. Frankfurt then took the lead and would never give it up again. Onyejiaka and Hadenfeldt dropped free throws for the 81-77 advantage. Berger made a lay in with 49 seconds as Frankfurt led 81-79. Bell then made a huge jumper from the left wing to lead 83-79. “I have a lot of experience. I never let lesser touches or less shots taken in some minutes affect me. I got a good pass from Hadenfeldt and the shot felt good from the mid range”, added Trevian Bell. Thompson made another giant clutch three from the top of the key to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 83-82 with 15 seconds to play. “I have a bigger role on the team. I worked a lot on my game last summer and improved my shot. I have more confidence taking big shots”, stated Zaire Thompson. But Trevian Bell closed out the game with 4 free throws. “This was our best quarter of the game. We are learning more and more how to use our weapons best and how to coexist. We rebound and defended well. We are starting to learn how to balance our offense and defense”, warned Trevian Bell. “Our transition defense and their three´s hurt us at the end. Also their easy lay up´s and offense rebounds hurt us”, stated Zaire Thompson. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Justin Onyejiaka and Jordan samara with 17 points a piece while Trevian Bell and Philipp Hadenfeldt chipped in with 15 points a piece. The SV Fellbach Flashers were led by Andreas Kronhardt with 20 points while Zaire Thompson had 19 points and lars Berger 15 points. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 46% from the field and 32% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the SV Fellbach Flashers shot 53% from the field and 42% from outside and 30 rebound and 13 turnovers.
Nick Muszynski (211-C-1998, college: Belmont) is a 24 year old 211cm center from Ohio playing his second professional season and second with the Bozic Estriche Knights Kircheim. Last season he split time with Enea Astoria Bydgoszcz (Poland-EBL) averaging 7.2ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.9apg, 1.0bpg, 2FGP: 43.9%, 3FGP: 66.7%, FT: 76.7 and 7.6ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 52.7%, FT: 85.2% with Kirchheim. He began his basketball career with Saint Charles high school and then played 4 years at Belmont (NCAA) playing a total of 124 games and averaging 15/5 in his 4 seasons. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a game against the Fraport Skyliners.
Thanks Nick for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment?
I am doing well. I am currently in Kirchheim on our off day, and my basketball life is treating me great. We have a strong young team that is very cohesive and off to a strong start.
Your playing your second season with the Kirchheim Knights. Has it became like a new second home after Belmont? It is certainly becoming that way, although this season is very different from last. Since I came over mid season last year, I never felt as though I was fully acclimated without having a preseason or preparation period. This season I am much more ‘at home’, and having the second half of last season to build on only makes it more comfortable for me on and off the court.
You are living in a very beautiful area in my opinion especially in summer. What have you appreciated most about the area and the organization as a whole?
I love a lot about the area we are in. It is a great blend of city and nature, with great weather and lots of sunshine. Kirchheim is a very tightly knit community, while I am also very close to lots of places to get some fresh air and enjoy the outdoors, and a quick drive from Stuttgart to go to one of Germany’s biggest cities.
After coming in mid season last year, your ready for the next step. I’m sure you have huge goals, but is becoming a dominant big man in the Pro A to much to ask for?
I think that is a very fair thing to ask for. Last year was a major adjustment period both on and off the floor, and having a full offseason to prepare for this year has been very beneficial for me. I think we have a very strong squad this season, and being the best version of myself will help us reach all of the lofty goals we have as a team.
The team has talented guards and bigs, so how far can this team go this season? What is most special about the club? We have very high expectations for our team this season. We feel as though we can be a strong playoff team with the understanding that once you make it to the top 8, anything can happen. The most special part about this club this year is our continuity from last season. 7 out of our 10 rational players are returners from last season, and the 3 new guys have filled in perfectly. We also have the same coaching staff. That continuity gives us a strong level of understating and trust in one another, which is key for any successful team to have.
What has it been like being teammates with German big man Jonas Niedermanner? He is the definition of a modern big man. What do you enjoy most about his game?
Jonas is a players dream kind of teammate. He is a great athlete with size, and can guard 1 through 5. We start him at the 3 most nights, but he can slide to both 2 and 4 offensively if necessary. He is unselfish and very experienced, and what I enjoy most about his game is his versatility on both ends of the floor. He allows our team to attack opponents in a wide variety of ways.
Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 211cm center. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?
As a more skilled big man, my play style is becoming less and less comparable in the NBA compared to how it was in the past. I would say any big that plays with the ball in their hands and looks to make plays for others fits that mold. I’d say being left handed and playing both in the low post and as a middle of the floor facilitator, one player I try to take a lot of things from is Sabonis.
You’re a versatile big man. What do you believe is your biggest strength right now?
I’d say my offensive IQ and feel for playing team offense. Coming over from the states, it has taken a bit of an adjustment learning the different schemes and flow to the FIBA game. But in year two, I feel as though I am learning and processing the game at a much higher level as a passer and facilitator for both myself and my teammates.
Is a goal of yours to keep developing a three pointer? Where do you see your three now in the development phase? Yes, 100%. I shot the ball well from distance early in my college career, but between an ankle surgery and the COVID shutdown I placed my jump shot on the lower end of importance to more focus on being the dominate low post presence my team needed me to be to help us win games. However I have a lot of confidence in my jump shot and put a lot of work into it now, and Coach Igor has really empowered me to let it fly when I am open for them within our offense.
You were an active and strong shot blocker in the NCAA. Where are you now as a defender and where do you still want to go with your defensive game down the road?
I think a lot of my defensive game will grow with repletion and experience. I want to be able to be a vocal and physical leader on the defensive end of the floor, and I defiantly have a lot of work to do to get there. We watch a lot of video as a team and I also watch a lot on my own, and one of my primary focuses is being a quicker and more active help defender. With my length I feel as though by improving there I can help make any defense I am apart of more disruptive and more protective of the paint.
On what areas of your game are you working on most at the moment? As a post player that doesn’t necessarily qualify as an ‘elite athlete’, one thing I am constantly focusing on is my conditioning. Every off season that is my number one priority, as it is something that doesn’t come to be naturally but rather I must work harder at than others to reach where I want to be. In terms of basketball, I would say my jump shot. Whether that be from 3, from the mid range off a short roll, or from the post on a turnaround, it is something I am always trying to fine tune and something that you can’t get too many reps of!
Last season you began at Enea Astoria Bydgoszcz (Poland-EBL) averaging 7.2ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.9apg, 1.0bpg, 2FGP: 43.9%, 3FGP: 66.7%, FT: 76.7%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were very far away from home?
I would say my first time was on my very first day when I went to the grocery store and had 20 or so items on my list and was able to find about 4 of them. I felt very isolated and out of place, and wasn’t really able to ask for help. It was a very humbling experience and something I am very grateful for now as it taught me lots of critical thinking skills and how to persevere when you are frustrated and uncomfortable.
You played at Belmont (NCAA) from 2017-2022 and reached the NCAA tournament as a freshman. You were consistent and averaged 15/5 all 4 years. How did your game grow in this time?
I would say my role changed within the team each year (especially the first 4 years) and I had to learn how to be productive in every season. Whether it was being a positive practice player my redshirt year, to being a key contributor on a team that had 2 1,000 point scorers in their senior season my freshman year, becoming a key of the other team’s scouting report my sophomore season, or really growing into more of a leadership role my junior and senior season, I was constantly having to adjust how much was being asked of me and my role at any given season during my time at Belmont.
You lost 79-77 to Maryland in the NCAA tournament scoring 9 points. What will you always remember from that game?
How special the environment and that event is. Every kid in the states who grows up playing basketball dreams of playing in the NCAA Tournament, and getting to play in that event, win a game in the First Four, and then play a thriller vs Maryland in the round of 64 will always be an experience I cherish (even if it still stings we didn’t win that game!!).
You had so many great games at Belmont and scored over 30 points in wins over Drake and Tennessee State. What was your fondest game there?
The 2019-2020 Ohio Valley Conference championship game vs Murray State my sophomore year. We won on a last second layup by Tyler Scanlon to punch our ticket to the NCAA Tournament that would later get canceled by COVID-19 the following week. That team was incredibly close and probably my favorite team I was a part of during my time at Belmont.
What memories will you always have of Dylan Windler with whom you played 2 seasons with? Did you know then he would reach the NBA? Dylan was an incredible talent and a great leader for our program. We always knew he was a hidden gem, and saw the talent and work ethic everyday in our facility. I was very fortunate to play with two first round picks during my time at Belmont, and the best part about it was how great human beings they were both on and off the floor.
How did head coaches Rick Byrd and Casey Alexander groom and prepare you best for a professional career? They taught be how to play the game the right way, as a member of a team through an unselfish and high IQ play style. They also taught me the importance of being a well rounded person, and how all the talent in the world won’t get you anywhere if you don’t have a good work ethic and strong character.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Seth Adelsperger?
Me and Seth both won our fair share of battles. He and I complimented each other very well on the floor, especially during that 2019-2020 championship run. He was a great veteran that I looked up to and learned a lot from.
Who was the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?
Ja Morant.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
I don’t know about best because I have had a countless amount both at the college and professional level, so I’ll just shout out my 5 classmates at Belmont considering we have a bond that will last us a lifetime – Grayson Murphy, Caleb Hollander, Luke Smith, Tate Pierson, and Michael Mayernick.
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? MJ, LeBron, Kareem, Bill Russell.
Who is your GOAT and why? Michael Jordan. He’s the most dominant competitor the game has ever seen.
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America movie? Shouldn’t they have left it alone? I never saw the sequel, so I can’t comment on it!
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Igor Perovic in 2008 in Frankfurt
Igor Perovic (194-G-1974) is a former player that currently is in his fourth season as coach of German Pro A team Bozic Estriche Kirchheim Knights. He has previous coaching experience with the Tigers Tuebingen where he coached from 2009-2015. As a player he played in countries like Serbia, Montenegro, Israel and Germany where he played 5 seasons with Tuebingen and Wurzburg. He spoke to germanhoops.com before the Pro A game against the Fraport Skyliners.
Thanks Igor for talking to germanhoops.com. You are now in your fourth season as head coach with the Kirchheim Knights. Has Kirchheim become like a second home for you? I enjoy my time in Kirchheim and like to work here. We have a good group of people in the club. Everything is very familiar here
The club reached the playoffs once a few years ago and is always close to the playoffs. What are your expectations this season?
We have high expectations always. We try to build the best possible team every year and I think that we are competitive every year. This year we have very good and hungry players and we can be a problem for many teams.
The club has 2 explosive guards with Flowers and Miller and the team have shown in the past that with strong guard play they can be successful like under Richie Williams. Does the team have enough depth to be a playoff team?
I think we have good depth. We have players with big rolls and some younger players with smaller rolls but all of them are super important and will get their chance to show their potential. Flowers and Miller are key players but they deserved to have that roll in our team. I wanted to have guards that can do lot of things on the court and they are definitely that type of players.
I have followed young Germans Jonas Niedermanner and Antonio Dorn for years. It seems like in comparison to other Pro A teams, the German rotation is slim?
I don’t think that our German rotation is not big enough. We have very good and smart German players. They are physically very good. Some of them have lot of experience, some of them are very young but that`s what I want and like.
You got your first coaching experience with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen. How thankful will you forever be to Robert Wintermantel who was your ex teammate that then got you that job? Yes i will always be thankful to Robert and Tübingen for the chance they gave me. It was the best thing that could happen to me. I was part of Tübingen basketball for 10 and a half years. 7 and a half as a coach. We beat teams like Alba, Bayern, Oldenburg, Ludwigsburg and literally we beat every team in those years. Of course we lost lot of games too but we never was a big budget team that was supposed to make a big results.
How do you feel did you grow as a coach in those 7 years where you saw a lot of highs and lows?
It was great but not an easy time. We never had a lot of coaches on the bench that could help me. My first 4 years I worked together with Radio Zdravkovic who was a big help for me and became my friend life. I had lot of ups and downs in those years but that is part of every coach job. I have learned a lot.
How have you been following the Tigers Tuebingen in the last few years? Was Danny Jansson absolutely the best thing that happened to that organization? I follow them of course. We played them the last 3 years. Danny is doing great job and he is the most important person in their organization in the last 3 years. They deserved to be part of BBL again and I wish them to stay there forever and to win every game.
How excited are you to be coaching for the first time in the Pro A against Frankfurt? You played against them and coached against them in the easyCredit BBL? Its a pity that the club like Frankfurt moved down. They are one of the favorites to be in BBL next year.
What do you remember being your fondest moment against Frankfurt? I believe you lost more games than you won?
I played against them a lot in 10 years. I don’t know exactly how many wins and losses but definitely it was many great games. I played many games against them when Gordon Herbert was their coach. He is one of the best coaches I ever played against. I am happy that he put his name in the history books now. It is 100% deserved.
How have you personally followed Denis Wucherer´s coaching career starting in Munich and going to Giessen and Wurzburg? What kind of a coach is he in your eyes? Denis is great coach. He was smart as a player and he can not be different now. Will be difficult to beat him this year. He had lot of success in Giessen and Würzburg. I think he is motivated to bring Frankfurt where they belong.
Did you know that you and Denis Wucherer having something very special, unique and rare in common? Yes I know that we have one great thing in common. I had one triple double but I believe that he had more than one.
Will you remind him on Sunday? Now when you remind me we will talk about that when we see each other probably.
In that triple double Tuebingen beat the EWE Baskets Oldenburg and the top 3 players for Tuebingen in that game were Rasko Katic 31/15, AJ Moye 23/7/6, you 22/10/10 combined in 117 minutes. What memories do you have of that game? I will never forget that Rasko Katic played that game with only 1 practice before that game because his son was in hospital and he was with him for 24/7. He is one of the toughest people I ever met. He was 31 and 15 in that game. AJ and me had a great game too.
Was that your best game in the easyCredit BBL? Yes that was my best game in the BBL It was hard to beat that game
I have another triva question for you? With what ex Skyliner were you teammates in Tuebingen from 2006-2008? Do you have any idea? Of course that was AJ Moye
What memories do you have of AJ Moye. The guy was so talented and had to retire early because of a stroke with the Fraport Skyliners. Shouldn´t he have been picked up by a Eurocup team earlier? Was he just badly represented in Tuebingen? AJ was hard working player. He was mentally and physically strong. He wasn’t the biggest talent but fighter and competitor yes. That is very difficult to find. I see that now when I am searching for that type of players every year.
I remember AJ Moye as being a positive and funny guy. What is your fondest moment with him?
I remember him as a player who gives 100% on every practice. It wasn’t any fun or jokes during the practice. I never went out in my time in Tübingen because I had a small kids so I don’t know how AJ was of the court. But if he had a similar energy of the court like he had on the court I guess it was lot of fun around him.
If someone had told you before the 2023 World Cup that Germany would win what would you have thought?
I was one of the guys that said that Germany has a team to win the medal. I saw them live in super cup in Hamburg against Canada and China and I was impressed. First of all Germany has a great coach. German players are in the physical pick and in best age. Germany is extremely tall, strong and athletic team. They have great defenders and Gordon knows how to make strong team defense from the players that like to play defense and have great length and speed. Franz Wagner is one of the best combo guards in the world. I never saw the player who is 208cm that can play both guard positions offensively and defensively. I was impressed with them but my expectation on them was high already before WM
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.
Congrats Ricardo on the huge 89-63 win over Lok Bernau. How good did it feel helping the organization win it´s first ever Pro B game?
It felt good to give this city what they deserve. The energy from the fans are always great and motivational. I’m just glad I was able to contribute and become a part of history for this organization.
Ibbenburen had the commanding 49-34 lead at the break. What was key for being able to have the big lead at the break? Defense was big. Staying together and the game plan were also key to our first half success.
How key was the Ibbenburen 10-0 run in the third quarter which gave you the 22 point lead? That pretty much decided the game early.
It was important but we knew it would take more than that run to seal the game. We gave up leads previously in the first 3 games so we knew we couldn’t celebrate and we had to continue to do our best to leave with a win.
You were up by 25 points after 3 quarters. How tough is it in general to get everyone on the same page and not let up? The team closed out the game strong. We been up in all three of our first games and ended up on the losing side of the table. This team was eager for the win so even if we were up by 30 we would’ve continued to battle hard like we were down 30.
German Kai Hanig had a monster 21/13 game. How valuable was he and what do you appreciate most about his game? Kai is an important piece for us on and off the court. He’s the only one with previous Pro B experience also if I’m not mistaken. The more comfortable we can get him the more pressure it takes off of me and the rest of our players on the court to make plays.
What was your impression of German big man Linus Ruff who finished with 22 points. He could have had more points had he hit his free throws better? He’s really good, very young and his potential is through the roof. Great solid young player.
I believe you had your best game in the Pro B so far with a 21/14/6 stat line. Is it fair to say that your getting used to the Pro B?
Honestly Miles, I been used to Pro B. I´m a Pro A, BBL player and I still truly believe that. I had great stats playing Pro B teams in preseason when I was a part of SV Haspe 70 last year in R1. We played great Pro B teams like the Kangaroos and Rheinstars. I’m just getting comfortable with the plays and how to be the best me in this new system and organization. Thanks to the coaching staff and players for being patient with me and helping me by putting me in situations to make the best play possible for the team rather than for myself.
You only took 1 three pointer. Were you happy with your shot selection? Yes sir, I just play and let the defender control what shot he wants me to take. I´m a 3 level scorer. I have seen a lot of open lanes for drives and I took advantage of the switches when the smaller defenders were on me by posting up. I really just take what they give me and although they had length at nearly every position, I was able to be aggressive and attack the basket.
After a monster game like that, what do you personally work on in the lab? I will continue to work on everything I’ve been working on. Nothing will change. I’m not satisfied and I know I have even higher levels I can reach to help us be successful.
You next battle Iserlohn who has an identical record with Ibbenburen. How big will this game be and what will be key for keeping the winning streak alive?
We have a lot of pressure lifted off of us after our first win but I’m expecting us to go in the game like we still have yet to win a game. I’ll make sure my team knows the importance of every game and I’m sure our coaching staff will do the same. Also, I know the fans are ready for another great showing. They deserve it and we’ll try our best to make it happen.
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 lost their first game of the season to Hamm 92-84. How tough is losing that first game after starting the season undefeated?
Of course we wanted to keep the winning streak going so we’re definitely disappointed about the loss but it’s just one game and we keep moving and focus on the next one.
Talk a little about the 40 minutes. Was the game as tight as the end result showed? The game was for sure tight to the end and we were able to force overtime for the third time this season.
BG Hagen did a good job taking care of the ball but was the game lost on the boards?
Most definitely. We are a fast paced team and when we couldn’t control the boards, we weren’t able to get out in transition and get easy buckets.
What positives could BG Hagen take out of the game? On what areas of the game does the team have to work on?
That we don’t give up. We were able to bring the game to overtime after most would say that the game was over before then but there’s no quit in us. We 100% have to improve on our defense. It was an embarrassing showcase and we will continue to struggle if we don’t fix it.
Hamm guard Gilbert Gyamfi scored 25 points. What was toughest in trying to slow him down?
He hit some tough shots at the end of the game but I think it was a little difficult when he posted up on the block and we had to double him and he was making the right reads.
Quincy Tjon Affo gave good support with 24 points. Is he a player that can give this kind of production on a regular basis? For sure. He has very good touch on the ball and is athletic so we definitely make sure he gets his touches every game.
You had another sold game with 25 points and 19 rebounds. How much do the 5 missed free throws bug you, or was it more the 5 turnovers?
The 5 missed free throws bugged me the most because they were all at the end of the game to either win or tie it so I’m definitely disappointed in myself for that and will make sure it doesn’t happen again.
BG Hagen next battle the Lowen who are at 2-4. What will be key to starting a new winning streak? Just putting this game behind us and moving forward and focus this week on how to beat them. We will be more harder on each other about defense because if we don’t fix it now then it will continue as far as playoffs. No more talking about it, it’s time to take action.
Every once in a while I get an email or whatsApp message from a player where I can exsert a smile and feel really good for a moment. You know that getting that feeling of thankfulness. I interview guys almost on a daily basis since 20 years and for me it has really become as automatic as Steph Curry draining a three pointer, Lionel Messi scoring another goal or Eddie Murphy telling a joke. I know in a way that most guy´s appreciate the opportunity to get an interview from me and then they can go wild and tell me their basketball life story. No story is the same. That is what really fascinates me most about being able to have this special relationship with ballers overseas. Ok so every once in a while I interview a current NBA player like I did recently with Haywood Highsmith who reached the NBA final with the Miami Heat, but mostly I stick to the guys overseas if it´s that Euroleague player or that guy grinding in the Regionalliga in some small town somewhere in the woods 100 kilometers from the next big city. Most guys say thank you, but every once in a while, I get a little bit more than just thank you. That happened last week, when I decided to interview a player who like so many others in Europe are trying to continue to climb the basketball ladder to higher leagues and more dough. The player that I´m talking about is Jay Jay Chandler III (193-G-1998, college: USA) a guy who has to wake up now every morning in Kosovo while his boyhood friend De´Aaron Fox is earning millions in the NBA. He is a player that actually didn´t start in JUCO, but began and finished in the NCAA with Texas A&M and then strung on an extra season at the University of South Alabama. It is often the guys that played in JUCO that are most thankful, but every now and then you get that player who actually played at a higher level appreciates being noticed. The guard played a strong rookie season in the rich and beautiful country Switzerland and this season is seeing another part of Europe in Kosvo which is a lot different than the seemingly care free life in and around the Swiss Alpes. He made my day the other day with basically one sentence which often can leave that long impression which is something not everyone is able to do in life. “I wanted to say thank you for taking the time to interview me and being able to recognize myself and my basketball ability. Hope we are able to do more of these”, stated Jay Jay Chandler III. The words made me so happy that I wrote him back with these words. Thanks for your effort and your kind words. Believe me I have interviewed more than 1800 players in my career and seldom do I get that kind of thankfulness that you wrote me. I´m very pleased that you enjoyed doing it”. I can say now that it would be a massive pleasure to talk basketball with him again.
Jay Jay Chandler III who lists Jayson Tatum and his AAU teammates Carsen Edwards and De´Aaron Fox as being his toughest opponents so far in his career is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Katy, Texas a city that brought the world country singer Clint Black, actress Renee Zellweger and basketball players DeÁaron Fox and Josh Nebo who was a NCAA teammate with Chandler. Even if Katy only has a population of 24,000, everybody knows everybody at least in basketball circles. “Growing up we didn´t live too far away from each other and despite them being at a different high school than I, we still spent a lot of time in the gym over the summers and high school days. Once Nebo and I got to college, our friendship continued until today and we still talk. I have been playing with De´Aaron Fox since our early AAU days and once we got to the EYBL level we were on the Houston Hoops team along with Robert Williams, Jarred Vanderbilt and Carson Edwards. They are still my boys today and we still chop it up throughout the course of our seasons now”, stressed Jay Jay Chandler III. But the three did attend different high schools as Fox and Nebo went to Cypress Lakes high school and Chandler went to Cinco high school. He then attended Texas A&M from 2017-2021 amassing a total of 110 NCAA games. He only averaged 3,6ppg, but got the thrill of his life reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 as a freshman. The school began beating Providence and lost to Michigan, but in between upset North Carolina 86-65 playing 15 minutes and registering 3/3/2 stats. It is a moment he will never forget. “Playing in the Staples center and seeing all the celebrities courtside and being able to play on the court with a lot of really good players. But one thing that I’ll always remember was looking up and seeing Kobe’s retired jersey hanging in the rafters along with all the other great Laker players. That just made me take the game even more seriously”, remembered Jay Jay Chandler III. In his freshman season he also had the opportunity to meet a young man by the name of Robert Williams who has given so much joy to the Boston Celtics and despite being diagnosed with PAES has had a great pro career. “Rob and I played AAU together in the EYBL with the Houston Hoops where we were able to build a bond and it just continued whenever I got to Texas A&M. Rob’s my guy, like a big brother to me. Playing with him is something every guard dreams off. Having someone at the rim that’s going to block anything that comes his way on the defensive end and on the offensive end you could throw a lob to the sky and somehow Rob was coming down with a dunk”, smiled Jay Jay Chandler III who will never forget his 1-1 battles in practice with Quenton Jackson.
Jay Jay Chandler and DeÁaron Fox in AAU
The talented guard who names Savion Flagg, De’Aaron Fox, Robert Williams, Admon Gilder, Josh Nebo, Dj Hogg, Charles Manning, Tj Starks, and Wendell Mitchell as his best teammates of all-time averaged 8,0ppg twice in his sophomore and senior seasons and scored 18 points in his second season against power house Kentucky in a loss but held his own against many future NBA players like Tyler Herro, Immanuel Quickly and PJ Washington. A game like that still keeps his NBA dream alive today. “Just from the simple fact I have been playing against or with many guys that are in the NBA. It’s my dream to play with the best of the best”, warned Jay Chandler. A game of a player can develop nicely under one head coach, but sometimes a player has the luxury of having more than one like he did learning from Bill Kennedy and Buzz Williams. “They both have 2 different coaching styles but both good coaches. BK helped me to keep my confidence up and helped me get the understanding of the game at the college level while also helping me to understand my strong points. Buzz helped me to understand that if I want to be great, I’m going to have to work harder for it everyday and to never take the easy road but to look the challenge in the eye and attack it before it attacks you”, commented Jay Jay Chandler III. He had other great games there against Washington and LSU netting 21 points a piece. He added a 5th season in the NCAA with the University of South Alabama (NCAA) averaging 15.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 49.8%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 77.1%. He averaged 29 minutes per game, 6 more than the most he got at Alabama and all in all, the development continued well under Richie Riley. “Coach Riley helped me develop by helping me understand when to get to my spots on the court that I flourish best at and just giving me the ability to showcase my talent for those that might have had doubt about my skill level. So my last year at South Alabama I was on a mission to prove myself and the coaching staff stayed on me and helped me do that”, expressed Jay Jay Chandler III. He scored in double figures in 25 of 29 games. He scored 20 points or more 9 times and his highest was 26 points against Georgia State and Troy. It was no surprise which of these 2 games was most memorable. “Troy was South Alabama’s rival so the atmosphere in the gym was crazy. You could feel the tension from both teams and the fans, days before the game, so I had to show up for them”, added Jay Jay Chandler III.
The Texas native who lists Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Houston James Harden, himself, and Allen Iverson on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore played his rookie season with BBC Monthey (Switzerland-SBL) averaging 16.9ppg, 5.7rpg, 3.2apg, Steals-5 (1.7spg), FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 25.8%, FT: 76.5%. There aren´t many guys from Katy, Texas that can say they lived in the breathtaking country of Switzerland, so it was only logical that he wasn´t just around the corner when he saw the scenery. “I knew I was a long way from home when I landed in Geneva and saw those mountains. I’m from Houston Texas and have never seen mountains like that, to be honest. So just coming to the realization that this is a grind and that I have to stay focused to reach my goals and stay on myself to get better everyday while I was out there”, remembered Jay Jay Chandler III. He also got his first taste of the post season overseas and had to swallow a bitter pill getting swept by Fribourg despite averaging 15/5/3 in the 3 game series. “Fribourg was a good team. They had many players that have been in that position before, in their career. And playing them multiple times throughout the season helped them get the feel with my team’s strong and weak points”, said Jay Jay Chandler III. He scored in double figures in 27 of 33 games and scored 20 points or more 12 times including exploding for 32 points against Geneva. Long time overseas veteran Kevin Langford was his teammate and the perfect guy to show him the ropes. “I talked to Kev quite a bit especially with us both being from Texas, it helped us connect. He also would help me on how to play this type defense and using him to get each other to our comfortable spots on the floor”, added Jay Jay Chandler III.
Jay Jay Chandler and Jarred Vanderbilt
The 193cm guard who lists his pops as his GOAT is playing his second pro season in Kosovo with KB Peja in the Kosovo-Superliga). Despite Kosovo not being a rich country like Switzerland, his experience hasn´t been a culture shock, but the league is different to what he saw as a rookie in the mountains. ”It is definitely different than Switzerland. Peja has been treating me well. The community and fans are really engaged with the basketball scene and they show crazy love. The main difference I’ve learned from both leagues is the physical level. Here in Kosovo the refs allow you to be a little more physical, in a way. So just playing stronger and more physically is something I’ve been working on more since arriving. I’m still working on every other skill to help maximize my game and ability to increase overall”, stated Jay Jay Chandler III. He is on a team that has many Americans and even a veteran with Malcolm Armstead, it must still feel like college again? “We all came from different types of backgrounds on the college level so connecting with them on and off the court has allowed us to build a bond and to stay on each other everyday, in practice, to make each other better. I probably have bonded with Malcolm the most. Just learning from him and him helping me with how to view some aspects of the game has been helping me the most. His experience and leadership role he has on this team and me especially, has helped me a lot. He’s always talking to me on how to improve my play and staying on me to stay focused to reach my dreams in this game, we both love”, stressed Jay Jay Chandler III. The club has many offensive weapons but also wants to focus on defense and have a high energy level from every player. The American currently is averaging 25,7ppg, 3,7rpg and 2,7apg while shooting out the lights at 54%. Last weekend he had his break out game exploding for 39 points in a win against Trepca. Despite his potent play so far, he is keeping an eye on a certain aspect. “Important for me is working on my pace and knowing when to attack and distribute to keep the defense on their toes. Also not taking plays off offensively and defensively. This is something that I’ve been working on with my coaches”, commented Jay Jay Chandler III.
The explosive scorer who didn´t see the sequel to the Classic movie Coming To America because of dismal reviews will play his first pro game in Germany this week in Chemnitz to tip off the Fiba Europe Cup season. Despite playing in Switzerland last season, he never made to Germany, but had been there before. “I know basketball in Germany is really competitive and a lot of great players have come through Germany and reached high levels in this profession. I wasn’t able to visit Germany my rookie year but I was able to play my first college game in Germany and was able to see the area”, remembers Jay Jay Chandler III. So what kind of player will fans see in Chemnitz this week. He is a guy that tries to take bits and pieces from many players and has heard comparisons to guys like De’Aaron Fox, Ja Morant, Manu Ginobili and James Harden. Even if he has released his scoring animal in Kosovo, he is a guy that could be called a versatile player who was close to a triple double against the Starwings in Switzerland last season. “I like to go out each game and play a complete game to help do whatever my team needs to get the win. From scoring to grabbing rebounds and facilitating to my teammate for open shots, I’m going to do it. And on the defensive side guarding the other teams best players to make the game tougher for them, is something I always look forward to”, commented Jay Jay Chandler III. He is also very focused on becoming a better three point shooter and being feared as a defender. “I need to be selective on which 3s to take and continuing to have confidence in the work I put in working on them in practice and translating it to the games. I can still get better on the defensive side of course. But continuing on being a pest for my opponent and not letting them get anything easy and just keeping them uncomfortable”, stressed Jay Jay Chandler III. After being teammates and playing with elite guys like De`Aaron Fox or Carson Edwards, it is only logical that he wants to become the best version of himself so he can continue to climb the basketball ladder overseas. “I want to also improve my IQ. I feel I have all the attributes to be a great basketball player. I will just continue to get better in everything from taking care of my body to my skill level on the court and continuing being a student of the game”, warned Jay Jay Chandler III. It will be interesting to see where his journey goes in the next years. If he has a great season in Kosovo and the Fiba Europe Cup, then I could see him making the jump to the easyCredt BBL in Germany next season. Often in the last seasons, one has seen guys who especially played well against German BBL teams in the Fiba Europe Cup competition land in Germany the next season. No matter where he goes, I can imagine doing a second interview with him. Who knows, if he has an explosive game in his Fiba Europe Cup debut in Chemnitz, that second interview may come sooner than later.
German Hoops 