Xavier Munford (193-G-1992, college: URI) is a 30 year old 193cm guard from Newark, New Jersey playing his 9th professional season and first with Hapoel SP Tel-Aviv (Israel-Winner League). He began his basketball career at St Benedict’s Preparatory school and then played at Iowa Western Community College (JUCO): He then played 2 seasons and 61 NCAA games for the University of Rhode Island. He turned professional in 2015 and spent parts of 6 seasons in the G-League and NBA. He played a total of 24 NBA games for Memphis and Milwaukee. He also played in Turkey, Spain with FC Barcelona and in Australia. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

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

Thanks for having me. I am currently in Tel Aviv, Israel playing with Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Israeli league and Eurocup. Basketball life is treating me well right now. I am healthy, we have a good group and I love playing in front of the fans and the crowd we have here.

Your playing your first season with Hapoel SP Tel-Aviv (Israel-Winner League) which is your 5th team overseas. What kind of an experience has it been playing for this organization?

It’s been a great experience playing here so far. This is my first time playing in Israel in my career. The organization has been very welcoming since day 1 from the front office, to the coaching staff, to the amazing fans. This has made my transition here very easy. The coaching staff believes in me, which gives me the confidence to go out there and play my game.

Your still seeking your first pro title. Is the hunger to win that first chip as big as the chip on your shoulder something you must have had since playing JUCO back in the day?

I would definitely say the hunger is there to win my first title. It’s a huge goal of mine. Even throughout the summer I was speaking with my agent and one of our main focuses was to get somewhere wherel I have a real chance of winning a title. I believe that we can do that here.

Last season you played with South East Melbourne Phoenix (Australia-NBL) averaging 16.6ppg, 4.1rpg, 4.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 49.8%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 81.1%. What kind of an experience was it playing and living in Australia? The NBL is a league on the rise isn’t it?

Australia was a great experience. I’ve always heard about Australia and how for many people it’s a dream destination of theirs. It was an amazing quality to living. The weather, food, and people were amazing. As far as basketball and the NBL, it is very much still on the rise. It’s a face pace league and you have to come there ready to play every night. It’s a short season and only a few teams make the playoffs making every game very competitive.

2 years ago you played with Frutti Extra Bursaspor (Turkey-BSL) averaging 13.4ppg, 2.6rpg, 3.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 85.9%; and in the Eurocup averaged 13.4ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 34.1%, FT: 90.0%. That was your first full season in Europe after a short stint with FC Barcelona. What do you remember having been your wake up call then to being a professional in Turkey?

Although I had played in Barcelona, playing in Turkey was my first true experience playing overseas. I got to Barcelona in the middle of the season and didn’t play much minutes then that next season I signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. So playing in Turkey I really had to still learn and understand the overseas style of play and what’s expected from a coaching standpoint. We struggled that season, but I gained a lot of experience, really worked on my game, and adapted to the style of play.

I can imagine one of your memorable wins that season was near the end against Fenerbahce and current top guard Lorenzo brown where you scored 16 points. Is that a game that you have fond memories of?

Yes this was a great game for our group. We were really starting to gel as a team but unfortunately it was toward the end of the season. But it’s always good to go out there and get a win against that caliber of an opponent.

In 2016-2017 you had a short stay with top team FC Barcelona in the second half of the season. You had seen a lot in the NBA but coming to one of the world’s greatest organizations must have been an amazing experience. What did you cherish most from that experience?

Barcelona was great. Being that it was my first overseas stint, I didn’t know what to expect. The city was amazing. One of my favorites. But on the court I had a lot to learn about the game. I hadn’t watched many Euroleague games at the time and it was a big transition for me coming from the NBA. What I cherished during that time was the learning and understanding of a different culture, expanding my basketball game competing against up in coming stars such as Luka Doncic, and soaking up the basketball knowledge of my teammates.

Did you feel that incredible vibe that Juan Carlos-Navarro had within the FC Barcelona organization. He was a living legend that had played in the NBA. How was that whole experience with him?

Juan Carlos is truly a legend and you can feel it with his presence and just being around him. Extremely skilled and confident player. He really understands the game. Amazing player and amazing person. I am grateful to having the chance to play on the team with him.

You played your rookie season with the Bakersfield Jam (D-League) averaging 11.5ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.8apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 32.1%, FT: 77.9%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie in the D-League?

So my in my first season in Bakersfield I started the season very well. I think I may of had two really strong games. Coming into the next game the Phoenix Suns had sent down some players on Assignment and I may of played 2 minutes total. And this really had me frustrated but my teammate at the time who had been around for a while just told me to control what I can control. I feel like that was my wake up call to being a pro. It stuck with me ever since.

In your second season with Bakersfield you averaged 11 minutes more and obviously your stats rose. You reached the NBA in March. How do you remember getting the news?

At the time of my call up I was taking a nap because I had a game later that night in the g league. I woke up to some missed calls and text messages. Called my agent back and he tells me that I’m heading to Memphis and how fast could I get to the airport. I didn’t have time to pack much things or say bye to me team. I was on the next flight.

You scored 2 points in your debut against the Milwaukee Bucks. What memories do you have when you checked in? Was Giannis on the court?

I hadn’t spent much time with team so at the time I didn’t really know any plays or the system, but the coach threw me right in the fire. I believe Giannis was on the court but when I checked in I had the assignment of guarding Kris Middleton. I was a little nervous when I got in. Once I ran up and down a couple of times and felt the ball, the nerves calmed down. But it was a surreal moment that I will never forget.

Not many guys who played only 24 NBA games can say they played 6 times against the big 3 of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobolli and Tony Parker. Is there a vivid memory that you will always have playing against these legends?

I am grateful to being able to say I was able to do that. They were like a well oiled machine working together, like they have been playing with each other forever. These are guys that I used to watch as kid. Just an amazing experience to play in a playoff series against them.

In your third professional season you played with the Greensboro Swarm (D-League) averaging 18/4/5 stats. Did you ever feel like you were close to a NBA call up?

During the time in Greensboro I was close to a call up. There were a couple of teams that were showing strong interest or it was between me and another guy. But there was some hood traction. At the time I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to go to Barcelona because it was a guaranteed deal.

In your fourth professional season you played mostly with the Wisconsin Herd (NBA G League) averaging 24.4ppg, 5.0rpg, 5.2apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 74.7% and also played 6 NBA games with Milwaukee. How did you experience your second NBA gig. You were up and down in a span of a few months. What stood out during these games?

At this time I was still trying to break through. Playing with Milwaukee was tough at the time. Like you said I was up and down. There was also a coaching change. But any chance that I got I wanted to make the most out of the opportunity. But what stood out most was my teammates, especially Giannis. Being around him and seeing his work ethic was amazing. He really works hard. Any time I came in the gym no matter the time or day he was in there working on something. It was very motivating for me.

You were teammates with Jason Terry. It seems like those old vets are dying out in the NBA because the league is always getting younger. Did a guy like that take time for the younger guys and guys like you that were up and down between leagues?

JT was great and was a big staple in the locker room for the Bucks. But yes unfortunately that does happen. Especially going through a coaching change. For example the coach may just have more confidence in him because he’s been around and he understands the game. It’s tough sometimes to carve out minutes.

You played from 2017-2019 for the Wisconsin Herd (NBA G League) averaging 17.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 5.2apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 78.0% and for the Delaware Blue Coats (NBA G League) averaging 17.9ppg, 5.3rpg, 5.6apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 78.6%. You put up consistent stats for future call ups, but nothing came. Did you lose faith in the NBA process?

Not that I lost faith, but I just felt it was time to move on. I wanted to make a name for myself in Europe and other overseas leagues. I’m glad I was able to make my dream come true and experience the NBA.

What was the best example that you saw in 6 years in the NBA/G-League where you saw that the NBA will always be a business first before anything else?

Well in the G league I realized first that it’s a business when a player is sent down from the NBA that they will play over the G league guy no matter what because of the contract. And in the NBA I realized it was a business with the coaching changes. When I was in Memphis the coach left and took another job and when I was in Milwuakee there was another coaching change. So this really showed me the business aspect of the NBA.

You played JUCO for Iowa Western Community College (JUCO). Every American that I have spoken to has said that JUCO was very tough but an experience they would never have traded in for anything. How was it for you?

It was definitely tough. But like you said I wouldn’t trade it. It’s part of my story and it made me more hungry in achieving my goals. I embraced my JUCO journey for sure.

You then played at the University of Rhode Island (NCAA) from 2012-2014 averaging 17.4ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.9apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.9%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 71.4% and 16.9ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 32.6%, FT: 70.7%. You had many great games, but was the exciting 71-69 over George Mason (NCAA) where you had 28 points one of your most fondest games in the NCAA?

That was a good game. But my biggest memory of a game at URI was a home game against Dayton, which was a big rival of ours at the time because we always had close games against them. But I hit a game winning three and my teammates rushed the floor. The shot made SportCenter Top 10. It was an amazing feeling.

How did head coach Dan Hurley groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

I think coach Hurley prepared me best mostly with off the court stuff. That the type of person you are matters most. Being a high character guy. But on the court, he prepared me with the intensity of the work, letting me be creative offensively, and understanding that I have to be already ready when stepping into that professional atmosphere.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or EC Matthews

We would go to the gym late night and play one on one, he won sometimes, but majority of the time I was winning.

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

I would say Aaron Gordon, he was a tough cover for us at the time.

Who are the 5 best teammates of all-time for you?

In no order: Vince Carter, Zach Randolph, Tyrese Rice, Giannis Antetokounmpo Mike Conley

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Shaq

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Jordan or Lebron?

We just need to accept eras of greatness rather than debating who is better. It was different times. The game is always evolving.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?

Hahaha I have to agree

Thanks Xavier for the chat.

Tags : XAVIER MUNFORD, HAPOEL SP TEL-AVIV, GERMAN BASKETBALL

It’s hard to believe how time flies as it seems like Covid occurred yesterday, but in reality it’s been almost 3 years while remembering the world wide craze of Linsanity is already more than 10 years ago. Who can forget a 191 cm Taiwanese-American come on the scene in 2012 with the New York Knicks and turn a struggling team into a winning team as he led them instantly on a 7 game winning streak and into the playoffs. That incredible run led to the covers of Sports Illustrated and Time and one can say the rest is history. After being doubted in high school, he went from Harvard to being an NBA champion in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors and along the way always put up consistent stats in the NBA. In the last years he has made a few more big bucks in China for his retirement life. Imagine what it is like for a guy who played in the NCAA 2 to come into the G-League and have a guy like Jeremy Linn as a teammate. 10 years ago one saw many more older guys in the G-League, but in 2022, the NBA has gotten so young and older guys are dying out. In his rookie season American Selom Mawugbe (208-C-1998, college: Azusa Pacific) had the privilege to play 11 G-League games with the first Asian American to ever win a NBA championship Jeremy Lin. It is only logical that Jeremy Lin was number #1 on his list of most influential guys he played with in the G-League. ‘Santa Cruz is a great organization along with Golden state also so I was able to make quite a few meaningful relationships while there. While in the bubble Jeremy Lin really helped me understand how to be a better pro with how to approach different things and forms of adversity. Shared a couple dinners and got to chop it up quite a bit so very grateful for that. Also Jordan Bell my second season. We played the same position and yet he still was always very encouraging and helpful in terms of advice and pointers. I wish we got to share the court more in Santa Cruz. We played in the Drew league together last season and very few teams could hang with us’, remembered Selom Mawugbe.

Selom Mawugbe who lists Montrezl Harrell as the toughest player that he has ever faced was born on July 20, 1998 in Lancaster, California. His parents are from Ghana and moved to Santa Clarita, California when he was 8 years old. He grew up playing soccer and first began to play basketball at age 14 at Canyon high school. He attended Azusa Pacific University (NCAA2) and studied biochemistry. He wasn’t much of an offensive player in his first two NCAA 2 seasons as he averaged 1.5ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.5bpg as a freshman and 6.0ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.8bpg, FGP: 62.6%, FT: 63.3% as a sophomore, but he quickly made a name for himself displaying his defensive abilities. He already swiped away 40 shots as a freshman and set a school block average in his second season blocking almost 3 balls per contest. That season he finished 5th in blocks in the nation with 89. Here and there he showed signs of breaking through with his offense as he hit Fresno Pacific with 15 points while staying true to his defensive colors blocking 4 shots and getting 3 steals. That season he had a wild triple double of 10 points, 13 boards and 11 blocks in a tough loss to Chaminade? ‘I truly forgot about that stat line but, I’ll always remember the losing aspect. While definitely something cool to achieve, I play to win’, stated Selom Mawugbe. He continued to grow as a defender as in his junior year he made another step leading the Pac West again in blocks with 107 and finished second in the nation with 3,45 per game. He was named Pac West defender of the year and also made another step in his offensive game averaging 11.8ppg, 8.0rpg, 1.0spg, 3.5bpg, FGP: 63.1%, FT: 66.1%.He hit the Academy of Art for 25 points and Hawaii-Hilo for 21 points. Everything came together on the court his senior year as he exploded as a player averaging 16.9ppg, 10.4rpg, 2.0apg, 1.1spg, 3.1bpg, FGP: 71.8%, FT: 69.8%. He led the nation in shooting percentage and was second in blocks with 3,1 per game. As a result of his excellent performance, he was named Pac West player of the year. ‘I think my game grew very well there. It’s a testament to work ethic and coaches who enjoy helping to aid players in what they need to be successful and improve. I couldn’t have done it on my own. Lots of individual film sessions and court work’, remembered Selom Mawugbe. He scored in double figures of 28 of 29 games and registered 16 double doubles. He had monster games against Dominican with 22 points and 18 boards and hit Biola with 20 points and 19 boards. He could never have achieved his success in the NCAA 2 without the guidance of 2 special men. ‘Coaches Peter Bond and Justin Leslie helped me improve being able to contest and change shots without fouling as well as my overall offensive acumen. Like I said before lots of extra reps, film and honest communication between us helped me get there. I think they still might say I passed too much when I got it in the post’, remembered Selom Mawugbe who will never forget one of his best friends teammate Gerrit Beetsra who he beat at 1-1 games but will always remember him as a phenomenal shooter and a great person also.

The California native who has Kobe, MJ, Shaq, and Lebron on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore began his professional basketball career in 2020 with the Santa Cruz Warriors (NBA G League) playing 13 games and averaging 5.1ppg, 4.3rpg, Blocks-3 (2.5bpg), FGP-1 (83.3%), FT: 50.0%. Usually guys will have a wake up call when they go from school to the G-League, but he had already experienced so much in his young career that he could deal with anything that was thrown his way. ‘I have had the benefit of getting to play against NBA players and NBA talent since I was in college both through the Drew league but also open runs. While admittedly those arenas are different than the more organized and tactic basketball in the association and even overseas it allowed me to have those experiences of ooo and awe early so by the time I was in the G it was regular. I knew I could hang with these guys and help my team win so it was just about being ready for my opportunity and making the most of the time I got’, commented Selom Mawugbe. He scored 12 points against Erie and 10 points against Austin. In his second season in the G-League with Santa Cruz, he averaged 6.8ppg, 7.9rpg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 65.4%, FT: 60.9%. Despite coming onto the scene, he was able to adjust well to the Covid drama and was simply well prepared having seen it already prior to being a professional. ‘I’ll say total of 3 seasons because my senior year in college was stopped short due to covid. Before stoppage my college team was ranked 6th in the nation and preparing to start playoff tournament play. My first two pro seasons were a unique experience but I was mostly just grateful to be able to play in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. Swab tests and quarantine are two things I’ll never forget that will always connect me to covid. The swab tests that go 6 inches into your nose never got easier and the quarantine was challenging mentally’, expressed Selom Mawugbe. In this time, he also played NBA Summer League with the Golden State Warriors in 2021 and 2022 and hardly played a role, but in 2021 was the second best shot blocker. Sometimes special players get a NBA shot just being able to do one thing really well. He knows what is missing for him to get a shot one day. ‘I think in the past it was simply a matter of timing and health. I was injured our second to last game in the G league bubble and then I was injured again in the middle of the season my second year in the G. The best ability is availability. Consistent rebounding, defending without fouling and better overall shooting ability are things I think will get me there’, warned Selom Mawugbe. In his second G-League season he had some fine games against South Bay having 19 points, 17 points against Birmingham and hit Salt Lake City and Agua Caliente with 14 points a piece. He also remembered what was the best example for him why the NBA will always be a business first before anything else. ‘The player addition and waiving process was the best example of that. When the team isn’t doing what we need to in terms of wins then something usually changes and that’s the nature of the business’, added Selom Mawugbe.

The Shot block monster who likes the J’s as first names in his top 5 favorite teammates of all-time with Jeremy Lin, Jordan Poole, Jordan Bell, Jerome Robinson, and Jeff Dowtin made the trek overseas this season and is playing with new easyCredit BBL team Rostock SeaWolves and embracing the new experience. A very important aspect for being a professional player for him is also taking full advantage to the off court life. ‘It’s been a fun experience and also challenging. Every season has its share of ups and downs and so my constant challenge to myself is to learn from them and improve. I have cherished most getting to form new relationships with my teammates and getting to know them more on a personal level.’ Said Selom Mawugbe. He also has seen firsthand what kind of an incredible atmosphere there is the Stadthalle. There is a reason why their fans belong to the most passionate in the league. ‘The passion and excitement from the fans is definitely something that I appreciate and makes the experience that much more fun. I’ve played in big arenas and packed out stadiums before but the amazing thing is in Germany the gym could be half filled and you wouldn’t be able to audibly tell a difference between sold out because they are so loud and engaged’, stressed Selom Mawugbe. There was instant excitement in the season as the team surprised everyone with a lightening 4 -0 start, but then lost 5 games in a row and came back down to earth. They finally halted the losing streak with a massive win against Eurocup team Hamburg and win in Crailsheim. It would be unfair to say that their winning streak was a fluke. ‘The team and I really don’t pay attention to what people say about us or what their opinion is because it typically serves as a distraction. We know the level of effort, competitiveness and preparation we bring to every practice and game. We know the players we have and what we are capable of. Our goal is to perform that capability and be consistent in how we approach the game while striving to be better every day. When we do that, we’ll look back and be happy with the results of our season looking back’, warned Selom Mawugbe. He has high level American teammates on the squad like Tyler Nelson who hit the shot of the century last season helping the team move up to the BBL, or other talented guards like Jordan Roland and Jequan Lewis or forward Nijal Pearson, but one guy who he has a very special relationship with is inspiring NBA player want to be Derrick Alston who he played against in the G-League and was teammates with in the NBA Summer League. ‘It’s always great to play with high level players and DA is undoubtedly one of them. We have quite a few on our team I must say. I think the biggest thing about DA and I is we both understand the G league struggle in a sense, sometimes having to fight for reps and looks on the court and just other aspects that can make it difficult. Similarly we both made the choice to head overseas not giving up on NBA hoop aspirations but simply a different approach to progress in our game’s and career. He’s a player who shoot’s extremely well while also having the ability to create his own shot and get to the rack or get great looks in the midrange’, said Selom Mawugbe. Not to forget the ultimate teammate Chris Carter who recently acquired the German citizenship and is one of the few guys in Germany that has the distinction of having help lead 3 different organizations from the Pro A to easyCredit BBL. He was huge in helping him adjust to overseas ball. ‘It’s something that truly is invaluable and makes players like that extremely important for the success and cohesiveness of the team. He’s a genuine and stand up guy who always offers help and has your back. He’s been a pro in Germany for many years and has a lot of experience he’s willing to share. I as well as the other guys are very grateful to have him here’, added Selom Mawugbe.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Selom Mawugbe in Frankfurt, Germany on December 26th, 2022

The ex NCAA 2 player who doesn’t take sides in the famous who’s the goat between Jordan and Lebron compares his game to NBA player Clint Capela. Shot blocking is obviously a massive strength, but he has other facets to his game. ‘I think my work ethic is my biggest strength, and something I try my best to model after Kobe. Every time I step on the court I compete and play hard. It may not always show on the stats but the film doesn’t lie. I also think I’m a great teammate and I strive to be a better one everyday’, stressed Selom Mawugbe. Currently he is averaging 8,8ppg and 6,5rpg while shooting a potent 74% from the field and is leading the league in blocks with 1,9. The question now is what does he still need to do to become a top notch defender overseas in higher leagues? ‘I need to be able to decrease my fouling. It sometimes limits my aggressiveness and also defensive strategies but I think that is the main thing I can improve on’, stated Selom Mawugbe. But he is also working on other area’s of his game to become even more versatile. ‘Shooting is something I’m always working on. This year I haven’t been shooting well at the free throw line so that’s my immediate priority. But being able to stretch the floor and keep defenders honest is something that will always be incredibly valuable as well as being able to handle the rock in driving situations whether for my own buckets or to force a rotation and get someone open’, warned Selom Mawugbe. His senior year is always on his mind because he put up huge stats of 16/10. He hasn’t reached that plateau since playing at Azusa. The question now is who will give him that chance to be that ultimate work horse? ‘I’m very confident I can produce stats similar in a high league as a professional. It’s largely a matter of continuing to work on and improve my game while also being in the right situation. A coach that trusts you and places and emphasis on what you being to the table and the need to use that’, stressed Selom Mawugbe. It will be interesting to see where his game will take him in the next years as well as that of Derrick Alston. Both guys are great players and have immaculate characters. Who knows maybe one will see them back in the States one day, but not in the G-League, but a step above. One thing is for sure, if that ever happens, there will be no one more proud of him then his number one J on his all-time favorite teammates of all-time list with Jeremy Lin.

Tags : SELOM MAWUGBE, ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES, GERMAN BASKETBALL

It’s not always easy being a professional basketball player as most people were still digesting their Christmas pig out session, some easyCredit BBL teams had to get back to work a day after the present day. The Fraport Skyliners had been struggling all season long, but the knot had to burst sooner or later and did against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg a week ago where sniper Marcus Lewis exploded for 26 points on 10/11 shooting. While the Rostock Seawolves were everybodies darlings in the first weeks as they surprised everyone going 4-0, but then slipped and got squashed having a 5 game losing streak until last weekend, they finally got back on the win streak with a satisfying 82-76 win over Hamburg and then a win in Crailsheim. Both teams had winning streaks, but one team would have to start a new one next week. On an untypical warm Monday night, the Fraport Skyliners played their first ever game against Rostock and continue to show that they can score points as a potent 59 point second half tore apart the guests 101-83. The Fraport Skyliners won their third game of the season and continue to slowly claw themselves up the standings now at position 15. After the second win in a row, German national player Joshua Obiesie was more than content about the play of the team. ‘We really needed this win. Great to get another win after Ludwigsburg. We must be doing something right. We played consistent for 40 minutes and found a rhythm. We work hard every day and we just gave all tonight’, stated Joshua Obiesie. It was a tough loss for Rostock who did an excellent job scooping down 20 offensive rebounds, but one noticed that the organization in the offense was missing as top point guard Jequan Lewis was out. ‘We had a lot of good looks, but overall gave up way too many points. But credit to them. They had a really good shooting day. Our offensive rebounds didn’t translate to baskets. They made us pay and exposed us well on offense’, explained Rostock SeaWolves guard Chris Carter.

Selom Mawugbe at the FT line

The first quarter was a back and forth battle as no team could shed the other as there were 3 lead changes and no team led by more than 6 points. In the first minutes, it was the Selom Mawugbe vs Marcus Lewis show as ex Azusa (NCAA2) big man Mawugbe was aggressive and scored easy baskets in the paint area with 6 points while ex Eastern Kentucky (NCAA) guard Marcus Lewis steered home 7 points as the Fraport Skyliners led 10-9. But Rostock then found some daylight going on a 7-2 run to lead 16-12 as ex Texas State forward Nijal Pearson contributed 7 points and ex Fairfield (NCAA) guard Tyler Nelson made a steal and coast to coast lay in. Frankfurt made silly turnovers which led to extra Rostock possessions while BBL top scorer Derrick Alston Jr played no factor. But on this night, the offense of the Fraport Skyliners wouldn’t be in a rut long. Frankfurt found ways to score and got key buckets from Lewis, two by Obiesie on transition and a trey from Lithuanian guard Laurynas Beliauskas (193-SG-1997) to tie the game at 21-21. Both teams continued to score at ease as Obieise scored again on transition and Nelson made another lay in on the penetration as he punished Frankfurt over and over with his speed. After 10 minutes the score was deadlocked at 25-25. ‘No team played defense and both teams made a lot of shots’, stated Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson.

Lukas Wank from outside

The second quarter was a very very tight affair as no team could get away from the other. The Rostock SeaWolves kept the lead, but Frankfurt was always close and even had the brief lead in the last minutes. Rostock did a good job getting 5 stops to begin, but couldn’t really profit from it except getting a Tyler Nelson three pointer to lead 28-25. The Fraport Skyliners finally got on the board at the 6,50 minute mark as Beliauskas made a step back jumper to trail Rostock 28-27. Alston then made his first field goal of the contest at the 5,54 minute mark with a trey as Rostock led 31-27. Frankfurt got baskets from Beliauskas on transition and a 20 footer by American J J Frazier, but the SeaWolves kept the lead getting a lay in by ex ACB player Elias Valtonen and a dunk by Mawugbe. Rostock could of led by 10 points, but Mawugbe had extreme difficulty at the free throw line as after 40 minutes his stat line read 3/12, but Rostock still led 36-31. But Frankfurt kept pouring on the pressure and fighting and struck back with a 8-2 run to retake the lead 39-38. Frankfurt did a great job in the run playing their fast game getting transition buckets from Robertson, Obiesie and Beliauskas. Nelson got Rostock the lead back with a basket, but at half-time, the game was tied at 42-42. The Rostock SeaWolves were unable to take advantage of their height as Frankfurt was playing with only 1 real center Matt Haarms who wasn’t at 100% and when Tez Robertson played center, they could take advantage of the mismatches. ‘We did a good job getting out on transition and pushing the ball quickly after getting rebounds. Everybody was running from position 1-5’, stated Quantez Robertson.

Tyler Nelson from the parking lot

In the third quarter, the Fraport Skyliners played great offensive basketball scoring 29 points, but couldn’t distance themselves much, because the Rostock SeaWolves stayed on their door step scoring 23 points. Frazier began the offensive onslaught with 5 quick points while Mawugbe scored 4 points as Frankfurt led 47-44. Then came the big moment for German national player Lukas Wank who hit three three pointers in a row, but Frankfurt only led 58-53 as Rostock also got production from Alston and Valtonen. The guests then showed that basketball will always be a game of runs as they escaped out on a 7-2 run to tie the game at 60-60. Pearson scored a lay up and ex Northeastern (NCAA) guard Jordan Roland chipped in with 5 points. Frankfurt got a basket from Beliauskas making an off balance shot. Frankfurt did a better job finding a balance between when to shoot from outside and when to attack the paint area. The Fraport Skyliners closed out the third quarter in style going on a 11-5 run to lead 71-65 after 30 minutes. Frankfurt got vital production from Wank who hit his fourth three pointer of the quarter as well as free throws from him and Beliauskas and 3 points from Marcus Lewis. The Frankfurt advantage could have been bigger, but a dumb foul on Nelson gave him 3 free throws that he connected on. ‘We got open looks and found Wank. We also did a good job playing off each other and making the right plays’, stressed Quantez Robertson. ‘Frankfurt executed really well and once you see the ball go in, it makes it a lot easier. Their self-confidence also grew with the points they put up’, said Chris Carter.

JJ Frazier at the FT line

The fluid offense of the Fraport Skyliners and good execution rate continued in the fourth quarter as they slammed the lid shut on the SeaWolves pouring in 30 points to secure the win. The Fraport Skyliners didn’t waste anytime hurrying out on a 11-2 run to extend their lead to 82-67. In the run Frankfurt received two three’s from Beliauskas and one from Obiesie while Frazier made an off balance shot. Everything was going in for Frankfurt and it was obvious that they weren’t going to give the game out of their hands. The Rostock SeaWolves often went for 1-1 play as their usual fine team play was nonexistent. Rostock didn’t give up and kept executing getting 2 three’s from Nelson and one from Pearson, but they couldn’t get defensive stops. Frankfurt got a trey from Lewis and a lay in by Wank to still lead 87-77. Frankfurt then decided the game with three more three’s with 2 from Obiesie and one from Beliauskas to lead very comfortably 96-79. Alston who had a slow start scored 4 more points to up his points total to 15 while Frankfurt got Beliauskas free throws and Obiesie made a last three pointer to eclipse the 100 points. ‘I think I have to serve up donuts for everyone’, smiled Joshua Obiesie. ‘We work very hard every day. We lost 3 close games because we didn’t play consistent. Now we are starting to be more consistent. We are getting to know each other better. We know now that Lewis and 1 can get in the paint and we can find our shooters better. We have a better balance now. At the start we were shooting only three’s and now were attacking more’, warned Joshua Obiesie. ‘We couldn’t get over the hump. Frankfurt was able to make deciding points when it mattered most. We got away form our team play. We also had fatigue’, stated Chris Carter. The Fraport Skyliners had 5 guys in double figures and 3 with 20 or more points. Laurynas Beliauskas had 26 points and 11 rebounds. Joshua Obiesie added 23 points and Lukas wank 20 points while the Rostock SeaWolves were led by Tyler Nelson with 21 points and Selom Mawugbe added 178 points and Derrick Alston Jr 15 points. The Fraport Skyiners shot 53% from the field and 50% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 19 turnovers while the Rostock SeaWolves shot 38% from the field and 26% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 14 turnovers.

Tags : LAURYNAS BELIAUSKAS, FRAPORT SKYLINERS FRANKFURT, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Chris Carter (190-SG-1992, college: Florida Tech) is a 30 year old 195cm guard that was born in Brooklyn, New York and is from Port St. Lucie, Florida that is playing his 8th professional season and third with the Rostock SeaWolves. He recently was granted the German citizenship.Last season he averaged 8.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 5.2apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 54.3%, 3PT: 32.8%, FT: 65.9%. In 2019-2020 he played with the Niners Chemnitz averaging 9.6ppg, 2.0rpg, 5.1apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 39.4%, FT: 66.7%. He also played two seasons with Rasta Vechta. In 2018-2019in the BBL he averaged 4.0ppg, 1.1rpg, 1.4apg. In his first season with Rasta Vechta he helped the club move from the Pro A to the easyCredit BBL winning the Pro A title averaging 11,0ppg,3,4rpg and 5,3apg and shot 40% from outside. In 2016-2017 he played for BV Chemnitz 99 (Germany-ProA) playing 40 games averaging 12.4ppg, 4.2rpg, Assists-4 (5.7apg), Steals-4 (2.1spg), FGP: 53.0%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 73.4%. As a rookie he played for Bipa Basket Odessa (Ukraine-SL Favorit Sport) playing 32 games averaging 14.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.0apg, Steals-1 (2.2spg), FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 27.4%, FT: 77.3%. He started his basketball career at Air Force (NCAA) and then played the last three years of school at Florida Tech (NCAA2) and as a senior played 21 games averaging 14.0ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.8apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 38.4%, FT: 75.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a easyCredit BBL game against the Fraport Skyliners.

Thanks Chris for talking to germanhoops.com. You have now spent your 7th Christmas in Germany. Does the whole German X-mas feeling and culture feel different now that you have the German Citizenship?

No,not much has changed for me but I try to enjoy the holidays as much as I can.

What have you enjoyed the most in general about the German Christmas culture since you arrived in 2016 and what do you miss the most about the traditional American Christmas?

The Christmas markets are really cool out here and I guess I miss the food.

Your playing your third season with the Rostock SeaWolves. Does your love for the SeaWolves grow with every new season? How special is this organization?

I helped make history here so it’s special for sure.

How cool is it in general making the easyCredit BBL tour from city to city. 10 years ago the team was a Regionalliga team and now it plays against FC Bayern Munich?

It is pretty cool how far the organization has came.

The Rostock SeaWolves began with a blast winning it’s first 4 games. Did that start surprise you a bit? Was it more teams underestimating you or you as a team playing brilliant?

I think we have a good team with really good talents who believe they are just as good as the next team. I was happy with the team but not surprised.

Was the quick start of 4-0 more a positive thing then maybe starting slower? How important was the 5 game losing streak?

Basketball has ups and downs and teams go through injuries and adversity along the way. It was a learning curve we had to go through because there were a few games that could have went either way.

In the 4 game winning streak you were wining shoot outs and not defending great. In the 5 game losing streak still giving up many points but not scoring as much resulting in loses. Why hasn’t the team found a defensive identity yet and what does it need to do better to start giving up less points?

We are a fast pace team so of course we will give up points. But I think we play good defense as a collective and still getting better day by day.

Soon you will play FC Bayern Munich at home. I can imagine that will be the greatest highlight in the history of the club after Tyler Nelson’s buzzer beater? Do you imagine the Wolves den being the loudest ever?

I’m sure it will be a good atmosphere in the arena.

You will be playing your second time in Frankfurt in the easyCredit BBL. It could be the last season against Quantez Robertson. When all is said and done, shouldn’t he get a mural or a plaque in Frankfurt the same way Rickey Paulding did in Oldenburg?

Yeah he has done a lot for the program and it would be well deserved.

You have many special teammates. What has it been like playing with Derrick Alston. Did you think in training camp that he could be leading the BBL in scoring right away?

He is a standout player that gives a lot of problems in his position. I knew he would be one of the top scorers because I see it every day. He works hard too.

He has big aspirations for the NBA. Do you see chances that he can make that step in the future via Europe?

For sure.

How vital has Selom Mawugbe been for the stability under the basket? With Nijal Pearson, Rostock has very important guys.

Selom and Nijal give us a strong defensive presence and are asked to do a lot for the team every night.

How vital has Jequan Lewis been for the success. Could he become one of the premier point guards in the BBL with more experience in the league?

He is premier point guard in this league no doubt about it. He proves it every day.

How key was the pick up of experienced Elias Valtonen? Could he become a sort of vital energizer?

Yes he is a very high IQ player with good size that gives us good stability.

Your 30 years old now and turning 31 in May. How do you feel as your in your 30’s. Could you imagine still playing at Quantez Robertson’s age who recently turned 38?

I feel really good. I still have a lot of good years in the tank. I hope my body can last that long but that is special.

Your averaging 14 minutes In the BBL and 3 minutes more in Vechta. The situation wasn’t great in Vechta for you, but how is it in Rostock? I guess you can’t complain that much because the Rostock guard rotation is very strong?

I’m working hard every day. It’s a new role and I am just trying to embrace it and stay ready whenever my name is called and produce.

Is your role as a point guard a little different than usual because your playing less minutes than in the Pro A with Rostock? Are you focusing on other things then last season on the court? Is being effective even more important than usual?

Yes I mean the higher up in leagues you go chances are you won’t always be the best player at your position. But yes with less minutes than in Pro A I have to be aggressive but also make the right reads and play solid defense.

How big is your experience this season in the easyCredit BBL. The team has younger Germans. How specifically do you help less experienced guys on the court? Are there any things that you focus most on that helps players?


Just trying to bring a winning mentality to the team and always being a leader and putting in the extra work that is required. Hopefully it rubs off.

Did you make any new Years resolutions for 2023?

Just to be the best player and person I can be.

Who won a 1-1 last season in practice you or Jordan Roland?


We never played.

Where do you rank Steph Curry now with the best point guards of all-time?

Top 5.

Thanks Chris for the chat.

Tags : CHRIS CARTER, ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Nijal Pearson (196-SF-1997, college: Texas St.) is a 24 year old 196cm forward from Beaumont, Texas playing his third professional season and second with the Rostock Seawolves currently averaging 12,3ppg, 7,0rpg, 2,6apg and 1,6spg. Last season with Rostock he averaged 14.1ppg, 5.6rpg, 3.2apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 79.3%. He played his rookie season with Chorale de Roanne Basket (France-Jeep ELITE ProA) averaging 6.3ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 20.7%, FT: 66.7%, in Jan.’21 signed at Lahti Basketball (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 22.1ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 81.3%. He began his basketball career at Beaumont Central High School
and then played at Texas State University at San Marcos (NCAA) from 2016-2020 playing a total of 131 NCAA games. He improved his scoring average each season and as a senior averaged 19.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 77.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Nijal for talking to germanhoops.com.You resigned with Rostock. How big of a motivation was being able to play in a top 5 league in Europe with the easyCredit BBL?

It is a big motivation to play in the BBL. I feel like I’m a high level player and can play at that level. I want to prove that I’m better then those high level players in the BBL. I love to play on a big stage.

I’m sure also that the fans played a huge role in you wanting to come back. Have you ever seen so passionate fans like the SeaWolves in your life?

I have only been overseas a short time, but so far I haven’t seen as passionate fans as ours. Our fans were really important in our success. I think that our fans will only get bigger now that we are in the BBL. We and our fans didn’t go to the BBL just to be here, but we will compete.

Congrats on winning the Pro A title over the Tigers Tuebingen last season. They were the number one team in the Pro A in the standings. The games were tight. How much of a role did your team experience play?

Even if we had a losing streak near the end of the regular season, we always felt that we were the best team in the Pro A. Experience played a huge role and only grew during the season. I learned a lot from our veterans. Our main scorers were new to this stage, but I felt like our guys all felt talented enough to play at a high level.

The team had a losing streak going into the playoffs but then had a 8-1 record to finish the season. What was key after the loss to PS Karlsruhe for the turnaround? Was there a team meeting or something? What happened then that allowed the team to sparkle the rest of the way?

We made some small tweaks and had just had Covid before the playoffs began. We were so motivated to finally play in the playoffs that we lost some games. But as soon as the playoffs began all we needed was one win and then it went from there.

What was the biggest strength of the team? Was it a combination of all knowing their roles and having that touch of unselfishness?

I think our biggest strength was our trust in each other. I think that every guy on the team could have done more. We could have had 4 different guys lead the team in scoring. It was all about opportunity and what the team needed in certain situations. Each guy did what was best for the team and help us win the title. Guys put their ego’s to the side.

How much of a pleasure was it being teammates with guards Chris Carter, Jordan Roland and Brad Loesing. What did each guy give the team best for the success?

They were all great teammates. It was a big differnce to what I had been accustomed to to having 2 veteran point guards. They were great leaders while Roland is a great scorer. All were hard workers and very attentive. They also are very professional and were always locked in.

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 196cm swing man. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

I would compare my game to a Marcus Smart or Jimmy Butler. I feel like I’m a player that can impact the game on and off the stat sheet.

You’re a guy that has proved in school and in the pro’s that you can score and also fill the stat sheet. What other strengths does your game incorporate?

Everything. There isn’t anything that I can’t do. I’m a well rounded player.

Is your three ball still a work in progress? Do you feel like you can grow into a 40% shooter? How much of self-confidence plays a roll in your shooting?

I want to get to the 44%-45% mark. I never stop working on my shot. My shot isn’t a strength but it isn’t a weakness either. I feel like that if I can continue to improve my shot that it then could have a big impact on my career.

You continue to be a very ambitious defender. Where do you see yourself as a defender now and where do you still want to get to?

We were the best defensive team in the Pro A. I led my team in steals and blocks. I feel like I was the best defender in pro A last season. I like to anchor the defense from the wing and fly on defense and make plays all over the court. I want to be the best defender in the BBL. I trust my feet and the angles on the court. I know that there are many great players in the BBL, but it is all about making it tough for guys and making an impact.

On what area’s of your game are you working on most so you can continue to grow as a player?

I’m working on everything. I’m a work horse and love to work in the lab. I love to improve and learn new things. Even if I were to make the NBA and win some rings, I wouldn’t be satisfied. I would still be in the lab each day and want to get better. There guys out there that aren’t honest with themselves and can’t self reflect on what they need to work on.

In your rookie season you split time with Chorale de Roanne Basket (France-Jeep ELITE ProA) averaging 6.3ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 20.7%, FT: 66.7%, in Jan.’21 signed at Lahti Basketball (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 22.1ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 81.3%. How tough was Covid for you and how much of a factor was it for you leaving France to go to Finland?

My rookie season was difficult. It was difficult coming overseas and having to start my professional career with Covid. I had to fight against lock downs, rules and overseas life. I felt a lot of pressure and couldn’t be in a smooth environment because of Covid. I felt like I was playing in a bowl. I left a lock down in the states to arrive to one in France. I knew that times were tough, but it was either about figuring it out or being left behind. I figured it out. I’m glad that I went through it. It was a very important experience for me.

What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie in France where you knew that you were very far away from home?

I don’t know. I had no crazy life changing experiences. Everything was so Covid. Rostock felt like my rookie season.

You then finished the season very strong in Finland. You needed no adjustment period there. Do you feel like your game was suited better for the Korisliga?

Obviously the Korisliga was a lesser league than France Pro A. My situation in France wasn’t easy. At that time with Covid, I was just too young to understand how to succeed at that level. In Finland I understood that I had to show that I belonged. I led the league in scoring as a rookie. That wasn’t easy to do. There are some very good players in that league. Finland was a lot about having confidence and refinding my love for the game.

You had a great playoff series against Vilpas averaging 22/5/2 stats and lost a tough series including the last 3 games combined only by 10 points. What will you always remember from this series?

I learned that winning a playoff series isn’t about only 1 guy. I felt that I f I could score 25-30 points we would win. But I learned that if you don’t get your teammates involved you don’t win. I learned it isn’t only about always scoring but making the right play at the right situation.

You played at Texas State University San Marcos from 2016-2020 playing a total of 131 games and improved your scoring average each season. How do you remember growing as a player there?

I was focused and attentive and always had that will to get better. I wanted to get better each day. Each day was a grind to get better. I would complete a task and then I was on to completing the next task. I never relaxed. My ambition to grow was very big.

You lost 2 Sun Belt finals. Which one was the toughest?

The first one was tougher. I was sure that I would be back multiple times. I took the first one for granted. They were both good experiences and got me prepared for my Rostock season. I feel like we could of won my senior year but Covid stopped that.

You had so many personal memorable games against schools like Arkansas State, Portland, Coastal and Bethany just to name a few. Which was your most memorable?

I don’t know. I can give you so many memories of so many games. I can still describe so many different situations of different games

How did Danny Kaspar groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

He made sure that we came to work each day. He played many mental games and made sure that we were mentally tough. If it was playing overseas or having a 9-5 job, he made sure that we were prepared for life. He would have mental road blocks and it wasn’t always easy, but I’m glad that he did that.

Who won a 1-1 back in the day you or Kavin Gilder-Tilbury who played 3 years in German

He can’t beat me. He is a very smart player and would make you pay when you turned your head. But he definitely was a great player.

Who was the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that would go to the NBA?

Kevin Hervy was a big time player as was Rashawn Thomas.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Jarrett Allen, Kavin Gilder-Tilbury, Ronald March, Tre Larenz-Nottinghill, Jaylen Shead

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

Steph Curry, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Jordan or Lebron?

Jordan. Jordan’s basketball ability and fluidity was unmatched. Lebron is the best athlete with a brain. Kobe reached a level in 2008-2009 that no player ever reached. But if Steph wins 2 more titles, then he is the greatest of all-time for me.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone?

I saw it. They shouldn’t have left it alone. It was cool but not as good as the first.

Thanks Nijal for the chat.

Tags : NIJAL PEARSON, ROSTOCK SEAWOLVES, GERMAN BASKETBALL

24 hours before Christmas Eve, the Dragons Rhondorf wanted to reach Christmas with a giant smile, but they had to get past the RheinStars Cologne. The match up of Rhondorf-Cologne is always a great match up as there have been some great games over the last years. The Dragons Rhondorf have been playing very spirited ball as of late and came into the RheinStars clash with a 2 game winning streak getting lots of support from their veterans like Florian Koch and Paul Albrecht. The RheinStars Cologne came into the game sporting a 6-5 record. The club led by head coach Stephan Baeck began the season up and down losing 4 of it’s first 7 games, but as of late were playing better ball having won 3 of it’s last 4 games. Both teams entered the court on a very untypical warm December night as the weather had shifted dramatically in the last week as before a cold front had been present. But The Dragons Rhondorf began the game on the wrong foot and never recovered as the RheinStars ruined their Christmas with a crushing 83-59 victory. Their 3 recipe to victory was low turnovers, domination of the boards and getting easy points in the paint. After the win Canadian Ali Sow (185-PG-1998, college: Laurier) who is an early MVP candidate for the Pro B was all smiles as team was first on this night. ‘We started on defense and we all played as a team. Everyone was aggressive and a threat all night long. We did a good job as a team staying composed when they went on runs. We had tried to play more as a team the last weeks and it worked tonight’, stressed Ali Sow. The 40 minute performance by the Dragons Rhondorf was one of the worst of the season if not the worst and there was really nothing to be positive about. ‘One can always make excuses, but I won’t do that. They are a very good team and had good energy the whole night. I remember losing by 30 in the pre season against Hanau. That is how it felt like tonight. I can’t remember scoring so little on offense. Nothing worked for us on offense or defense’, stated Dragons Rhondorf captain Paul Albrecht. It was just another day at the office for Ali Sow after the first quarter as his scoring really took off starting in the second quarter. He finished the game with 29 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals and showed again why he is the massive MVP candidate. ‘I wanted to get a good feeling in the first quarter and get my guys more involved. I know I can be aggressive whenever I want and score’, warned ex Laurier guard Ali Sow.

Anthony Bauer at the FT line

The Dragons Rhondorf knew that it could be a long night as the RheinStars Cologne raced out to a rapid 10-2 lead. The guests did good scouting as they knew one of the Dragons Rhondorf weaknesses is their 1-1 defense. Elijah Schmidt who only averaged 4,0ppg last season with Cologne scored 3 baskets in the paint while aggressive guard Ruppert Hennen who played 140 pro A games for Trier scored twice. The guests attacked the paint and the tame Rhondorf defense was punished quickly. The RheinStars didn’t need the scoring from Sow as Hennen took over that role in the first quarter. Sow concentrated on his playmaking and ran the offense like a floor general. The Dragons Rhondorf had problems settling into a good offensive rhythm as the RheinStars played the shooters tight and didn’t allow much room in the paint. The RheinStars also did a good job slowing down top scorer Devon Goodman who seemed to get more and more frustrated with each miss. ‘We did a good job keeping him out of the middle and limiting his opportunities’, stressed Ali Sow. The RheinStars continued to move the ball well and just attack the paint and get easy basket after easy basket as ex Seattle (NCAA) big man Shore Adenekin scored twice and Antonio Pilipovic scored. Sow also got into the scoring action better as he squirmed his way through the zone and used that lightening speed that totally dismantled Rhondorf as he scored twice. It also helped that the 2 Rhondorf snipers Nicolas Buchholtz and Florian Koch couldn’t catch fire on offense. After one quarter the Rheinstars led 26-14. ‘We let them bully us all night long. At the end of the game it was 50-14 points in the paint for them. You can’t win like that. I have never seen something like that before’, stressed Paul Albrecht. The two key stats after 10 minutes was the 55% to 27% edge shooting from the field for the RheinStars as well as their 14-8 rebound advantage.

Zaba Bangala with the drive

The RheinStars continued their points in the paint dominance in the second quarter and led by 14 minutes at the break. The Dragons Rhondorf had their best span of the game going on a 11-4 run to begin the second quarter and trailing only 30-25. The Dragons finally let it rain three’s as Florian Koch connected twice and Jonas Falkenstein also scored. The RheinStars played more hectic and made erratic mistakes like missing 2 dunks and also overthrowing a touch down pass on transition. These mistakes allowed Rhondorf to come back, but they couldn’t hold it. Koch hit another three pointer, but the RheinStars got good support again from Schmidt inside as he scored twice and Sow scored on a coast to coast sprint that couldn’t have been more than 3 seconds as his speed definitely reminded one of Vincent 2-2 Golson who tore up the Pro B the last 3 years with the RheinStars as they led 38-28. The guests played with more energy at both ends of the court and deserved to have the lead. Down the stretch, the Dragons Rhondorf once again had lulls on offense and got only 2 baskets from Albrecht with an old school hook shot and a Koch lay in. While Cologne had so many weapons got a trey from Pilipovic and 5 points from Ali Sow who really could do what he wanted to on offense as the Dragons had no way to stop him. The RheinStars led 49-35 at half-time. Even if the Dragons Rhondorf had begin to shoot better and reached the 40% plateau and 39% from outside, they continued to be mauled on the boards tralling 26-17 and the guests only had 2 turnovers. ‘Sow reminded me a lot of Vincent Golson. But with Ruppert Hennen they have 2 very strong and dangerous guards. We couldn’t get a handle on either of them. It didn’t help when we let Schmidt get going either’, stated Paul Albrecht.

Ali Sow with the lay in

In the third quarter, the Dragons Rhondorf played their best defense allowing only 6 points through 9 minutes and 12 in all, but their offense totally let them down as they could compensate offensively from their stops. The Dragons burst out on a 6-2 run to cut the Rheinstars lead down to 51-41. On offense the Dragons got a key Goodman bucket and Albrecht trey while on defense had stepped up their intensity greatly. But the Dragons just couldn’t establish a fine line on defense as they became lax again in certain phases on 1-1 defense as Sow connected on a floater and young German Jannis Von Seckendorff rammed home a dunk for the 55-41 advantage. Then came a quick onslaught by Devon Goodman with 4 points to cut the guests lead down to 55-45. Then came that 3 minute phase where both teams went back and forth, but couldn’t execute. This was a golden opportunity for Rhondorf to make a run, but they couldn’t. In the last few minutes, it was Ali Sow again who showed why he dominates the Pro B scoring 6 points while Buchholz made a trey, but after 30 minutes the Dragons Rhondorf still trailed 61-50. ‘We had a little lull on offense having less energy and not getting the right shots. But we still did a good job staying composed and holding the lead’, stated Ali Sow. ‘We had a chance to come back, but we took forced shots and just couldn’t find good ones’, said Paul Albrecht.

Devon Goodman at the FT line

In the fourth quarter, the Dragons Rhondorf lost energy and opted for more 1-1 play and less team basketball as the 22-9 quarter by the RheinStars showed that they just weren’t a match for the RheinStars on this evening. The guests got quick baskets from Von Seckendorff and Sow while the Dragons Rhondorf received a three pointer by Buchholz who had a tough shooting night from outside at 3/11 trailed 68-54. The Dragons Rhondorf had one more burst of energy as Zaba Bangala scored 4 unanswered points to cut the Cologne lead down to 68-58, but that was as close as they would get. The RheinStars Cologne then closed out the game in style and slammed the door shut tight going on a 15-1 run to win. Von Seckendorff scored twice, Ali Sow nailed a trey and even 15 year old German Davi Remagen connected on a trey as did Pilipovic. ‘We did a great job locking up on defense and continued to work hard to get good shots’, warned Ali Sow. ‘The result at the end looks a lot worse than how we played. Even Remangen hit a three at the end. When you start hitting shots and feel good, then the rim starts to look a lot bigger. Then everything goes in’, stressed Paul Albrecht. The RheinStars Cologne were led by Ali Sow with 29 points. Elijah Schmidt added 19 points and 1^3 boards while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Florian Koch with 13 points while Devon Goodman added 11 points and Paul Albrecht 10 points. The RheinStars Cologne shot 40% form the field and 26% from outside and had 53 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 33% from the field and 32% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Tags : ALI SOW, RHEINSTARS KOELN, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Christopher Miller (192-G-1993, college: Salem) is a 29 year old 193cm guard from Brooklyn, New York who is playing his eighth professional season and first with GoldCoast Wallabies NLB (2nd League). He played 3 seasons with the Giessen Pointers (Germany-RegionalligaThis season for Bensheim he averaged 19,5ppg, 3,8rpg, 2,0apg and 1,5spg. He has had experience in countries like El Salvador and Bosnia. He recently played for the South Shore Monarchs (TBL) playing 8 games averaging 22.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 4.3apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 50.8%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 83.3%. He began his basketball career at Clinton Community College and also played two years at Salem University (NCAA2). This season he teams up with Miles Schmidt-Scheuber with weekly chats about his basketball season.

You suffered a tough 83-68 loss to Winterthur to go into the short Xmas break. Will this be a loss that you will remember over the break?

It was a tough loss but I think we need to focus on what positives we had during the first half of the season and see how we can continue those things.

How hard will it always be in general to win when you shoot 1/22 from outside?

It was a very tough day for us from 3. We usually make a lot more but it just wasn’t falling.

Talk a little about the 40 minutes. Were there some good phases where the team had a better chance of winning the game?

We started the game off well then we got in foul trouble and once the momentum shifted they ran away with it and basically controlled the rest of the game. Credit to them to sticking to their game plan.

Wallabies won the rebound battle and had 16 offensive rebounds. Was that the best stat of the game for you?

We can take this as a positive. We have lost a lot of other rebound battles but small wins like rebounds will help us in the future.

What was it like battling Francis Torreborre? He was a monster filling the stat sheet and had 29 points. Did you have him as an assignment?

Francis is a tough player he really fills up that stat sheet. He is a guy that will get his points no matter who defends. I admire what he is doing this season for his team.

You had a solid game of 21/7/6/4/4 stats. How did you rate your game?

What I did was not enough to help us win so I am not satisfied with this performance. I know it is not all controlled by me but I can change some things that maybe could put us in a better position to get the win.

Your shooting was solid but not great. Do you have a new years resolution for your shooting?

I think this time off is key to refocus and recover. I put in time in the gym so I’m sure it will show in the long run.

Do you go home for X-mas or stay in Europe?

Christmas will be spent it in Zurich. I want to experience Christmas in Switzerland this year.

What was your favorite X-mas activity as a kid besides opening presents?

On Christmas after all the gifts were opened. We would all play football in the street. When it was a Snow day (White Christmas ) it was even better because we would bundle up and play tackle football it was some of the best times.

Thanks Chris for the chat.

Tags : CHRISTOPHER MILLER, GOLDCOAST WALLABIES, GERMAN BASKETBALL

I have never kept count how often I have received emails in the last 20 years from players wanting to know if I know of any teams looking for the services of a player. It has to be thousands. There were times where hearing this phrase was as prevalent for me as the daily hate Luka Doncic must have been getting in his first years in the NBA in terms of all those experts believing his play was a fluke. Well it wasn’t a fluke. Luka is the real deal. Anyway there are so many gifted players in the world and still too many to fill up all roster spots including in remote places like Albania, Haiti, Moldovia or Chad. There are leagues in every country, but still I’m getting emails from guys who are jobless. I try to help, but often these guys are legends in their own mind and more rec players than professional players. But often guys asking for help are more than credible. Sometimes I even get emails from friends or lady friends. Recently I got an email from a lady who was very polite and asked me if I could help her friend Ramon. I checked his bio and when I saw where he played in school, I was flashed. This dude had played at one of the most famous basketball institutions in America. In his senior year he was teammates with Darnell Dodson, Perry Stevenson, Jon Hood and Mark Krebs and surely they don’t ring a bell for anyone, but what about these studs and future legends. Josh Harrellson, DeAndre Liggins, Daniel Orton, Darius Miller, Patrick Patterson, Eric Bledsoe, DeMarkus Cousins and John Wall. My first reaction was Jesus Christ, what a team. For many it is still a riddle why this collection of players only reached the NCAA Elite 8 in 2010. The player who was able to call himself teammates with these incredible players was Ramon Harris (201-F-1988, college: Kentucky). He may never have reached the NBA, but still has carved out a fine professional career. He was even off my radar. I have covered thousands of players in 20 years, but I didn’t even remember that he had played a season in Germany a decade ago with BG Goetingen in the Pro A. Presently he is looking for a team. So why not give him a Christmas present with an interview to get his name out there? It is really true that I’m a player’s best friend. Ramon Harris will never forget the 2010 Kentucky Elite 8 Run like being a movie and battling John Wall on a daily basis.

Ramon Harris with John Wall and Eric Bledsoe

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and ex Kentucky(NCAA) player Darius Miller in Frankfurt, Germany in 2015

Ramon Harris who remembers Darius Miller being his brother and is diplomatic that both won their share of 1-1 battles at Kentucky was born on May 26th, 1988 Anchorage, Alaska and living in Tampa, Florida now. He got his first taste of basketball at West High school in Anchorage. He then went from Anchorage to Lexington to play at the University of Kentucky. I’m not going to do the research, but I can’t imagine there have been many to go from Alaska to play at the University of Kentucky. He played at the famous basketball school form 2006-2010 playing a total of 106 NCAA games. In his 4 seasons there, he never averaged more than 5,5ppg and 3,8rpg and came off the bench. It is only normal that he will have memories at Kentucky that will last a lifetime. ‘Playing at Kentucky was a dream come true. Growing up in Alaska it wasn’t normal for people to go to big D1 colleges. So for me to go to Kentucky was bigger than me. That run to the elite 8 in 2010 felt like I was in a movie. We were playing all the best teams in some of the most historic gyms like Madison Square Garden in New York City. My time in Kentucky was truly a blessing’, stated Ramon Harris. In his senior year, the NCAA run by Kentucky began like a lightening flash as they blew away East Tennessee, Wake Forest and Cornell by a combined score of 252-176, but then came West Virgina who was a hurdle that was too big to master. ‘That 2010 team had been argued as one of the best college teams ever. I’m thankful to be a part of that team and part of Kentucky history. I believe that we had more than enough talent to win the final 4 that year. We just fell short’, stressed Ramon Harris. Hie biggest achievements was wining the SEC tournament in 2010 and reaching the NCAA Elite 8 and NIT Elite 8. There were 2 seasons where he averaged 22 minutes per contest. He scored in double figures in 7 games. Even if he lost 77-58 to the big mighty North Carolina, he was able to hold his own contributing 15 points and can tell his grandchildren that he was in the trenches with guys like Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, Ed Davis and Danny Green. He also played for legendary coach John Calipari and saw first hand how great he treated his players. ‘My time with coach Calipari was great and short at the same time. I only had a chance to play for him 1 season. In that time he really handled practice, games and travel like we were a NBA team. He really had us compete at a high level in practice so that when the games came we were prepared’, remembered Ramon Harris. Many people are still waiting for John Wall to make the next step in his career and win that first NBA chip just like his ex teammate Harris. ‘John Wall is and was a big time talent. I think he is the missing peace that the Clippers need to win a NBA championship’, warned Ramon Harris.

The forward who lists ex teammate John Wall as his most difficult foe on the court turned professional in 2010, but didn’t play right away. He landed in the D-League with Rio Grande in pre season, but wasn’t signed and then was with Trotamundos de Carabobo (Venezuela-LPB), but also didn’t survive the pre season. Even if he would go on to play many years in the D-League, he did have growing pains his rookie season. One would have thought, it would be tough for him coming from Kentucky (NCAA) and having to get cut. ‘It wasn’t tough for my ego leaving Kentucky and getting cut. That summer in 2010 I had the opportunity to workout with the Houston Rockets after going undrafted. Me playing at a high level in Houston allowed me to get a camp invite for the Rio Grand Valley Vipers. I remember working out with Yao Ming, Aaron Brooks, and all their draft pics. I will always be thankful to the Houston Rockets for allowing me to be a part of their organization in the summer of 2010 and 2012’, stated Ramon Harris. He then finally got his first professional job in the summer of 2011 with Ningxia Hanas (China-NBL) averaging 17.0ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.9apg, Steals-5 (2.2spg), FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 31.7%, FT: 65.7%. He had some huge games including against Heilongjiang where he almost broke 50 points. ‘When I went and played in China I feel like I showed that I can play. The biggest adjustment was leaving the culture and the time difference from back home. I enjoyed my time in China and the support I received. I scored my career high 48 points while I was there’, added Ramon Harris. The 48 point explosion was a vital experience in his career. ‘I just remember in pregame warmups that I couldn’t miss and I just felt good. Once the game started I felt like I couldn’t miss. The basket looked higher than it ever has. After that game felt like I established myself and my professional career’, commented Ramon Harris. After not making it the D-League as a rookie, he then finally got his chance in his second pro season playing with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (D-League) averaging 5.4ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.2spg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 31.2%, FT: 60.9%. ‘My first season in the G-league was a learning experience for me. I didn’t play a lot and the guy that was starting in my position was a G-league all star. So I got a chance to leave and grow that season’, commented Ramon Harris. That season he scored in double figures in 8 games including 20 points against Santa Cruz. After a season in the D-League, he made his first attempt of breaking in overseas and did playing with 2010 Eurochallenge winner BG Goettingen (Germany-ProA) averaging 11.3ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 36.2%, FT: 63.0%. There were so many times in his professional career that he couldn’t display his scoring, but in Germany he did. ‘I really enjoyed my time in Germany. I felt like when I played in Germany I showed Europe that I was a scoring talent. I felt like I’m my time in in Germany I showed that I was one of the best scoring talents in that league. I was disappointed that my scoring opportunities were not the same as they were playing for BG Goettingen. Just like my time in Cyprus I feel like I showed that I can score the ball’, remembered Ramon Harris. He also found out that if you can play for Johan Roijakkers, then you can play for anyone. ‘Coach Johan Roijakkers was a very intense coach. As you can see I played at a high level with him as my coach. There are moments where he challenges you but I feel like I thrived under that pressure’, stressed Ramon Harris.

The Alaska native who lists DeMarcus Cousins, Jodie Meeks, Chris Porter, Marvin Jones, and Malcom Griffin as his best teammates of all-time then returned back home and despite a short stay in Mexico, would play 4 seasons in the D-League for teams Ft Wayne, Iowa and Grand Rapids. He would go on to play 197 games in that span for those 3 clubs. His best season would be with the Iowa Energy where he averaged 11.8ppg, 8.4rpg, 2.2apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 37.8%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 67.6%. He was very consistent that season and was close to reaching the NBA. ‘My time in Iowa and in Grand Rapids we’re great for me and my career. There were a few times that I was on the verge of getting a NBA call up. By the stats you can see that I was playing some of my best basketball during that time’, remembered Rmon Haris. He scored in double figures in 66 games. His highest scoring game was 30 points. ‘That game against Santa Cruz will be on that I will talk about when I get old. It was game 1 of the G-league finals. I just remember the energy was crazy in Fort Wayne. Once I made that first 3 I felt like I just couldn’t miss. I ended up setting a record going 8-12 from 3 and finished with 30 points’, remembered Ramon Harris. He played most of his time with Fort Wayne and it is only obvious that he formed special relationships there. He had some incredible teammates like Jordan Crawford and could learn from Duke legend Christain Laetner and well know coach Steve Gansey. FT Wayne will always have a special place in his heart. ‘When I was in Ft Wayne I had an opportunity to win a G- league championship and set a G- league finals record going 8-12 from 3. I had the opportunity to play with a lot of NBA guys like Jordan Crawford, John Jenkins, Russ smith and etc. My time in Fort Wayne was life changing and Fort Wayne will always be a special place in my heart. Coach Steven Gansey and I had a real close relationship. He was there and supported me when I first got to Fort Wayne. When Christian Laettner became a part of the organization we developed a friendship even though he did go to Duke. They both played a major part in my professional career and I am thankful’, stressed Ramon Harris. What many don’t realize is that he played a lot longer in the D-League than most overseas. Usually guys will play in the G-League 2-3 years and then realize that their train to the NBA has taken off without them. He didn’t regret any choices he made ‘I understand that most guys only play in the G-league 2-3 years but for me I stayed that long because I felt that was the best option I had at that time. In my stint In the G-league I was on the verge of 2 call ups. So that motivated me to try and show that I was a NBA talent. I was blessed to play for some great organizations in my time in the G-league so my life style was good. It’s a lot of work to stay in the G-league and I just tried to prove my worth every night. My G-league career was long compared to other people’s time. I was blessed to play professional basketball and that is what I wanted ever since I was a little boy. Everyone has different paths so I definitely believe that the G-League was worth my time’, expressed Ramon Harris.

The 201cm forward who lists Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Tracy McGrady on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore than returned overseas for the 2017-2018 season. He then played 3 seasons in Greece’s first division for 3 teams. His first destination was Kolossos H Hotels Rodou (Greece-A1) averaging 9.1ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.9apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 42.0%. There are some places that you can call paradise in Europe and living on the island of Rodou is probably as close as you can get to paradise, but his year there also had other high points. ‘My time in Rodos was one that I will never forget. I developed some great relationships while I was there. The island showed me so much love. I built relationships and brotherhood that will last forever. Kolossos allowed me to show my talents and skills and display my game at a high international level. Playing with my teammates like Keith Wright, Marvin Jones, Malcom Griffin was a time that I got a chance to go to compete at a high level’, said Ramon Harris. That season he played 28 games and scored in double figures in 15 games. There he got his first real taste overseas what it is like to battle one of the top Euroleague teams Panathinaikos at that time. He played them 4 times and lost each battle, but held his own scoring in double figures 3 times and scored 17 points once. He played against established foes like Marcus Denmon, James Gist, Chris Singleton and Nick Calathes and proved he belonged. ‘I still have the highlights of my best games in Europe. Specifically the games against Panathinaikos because I really wanted to play for them. I had some close games against them and almost beat them twice in my time in Greece. I will always remember that I helped my own against high level talent because I always seen myself as a high level talent. If you watch those games you will see that as well’, added Ramon Harris. In 2018-2019 he balled for well known Greek team Aris Thessaloniki (Greece-A1) averaging 6.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.0apg, Steals-4 (1.4spg), FGP: 44.7%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 45.8%; and in the FIBA Europe Cup averaged 5.3ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 33.3%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 25.0%. ‘Playing for Aris was amazing! I really enjoyed my time there. I loved the fans and how they supported us. They season didn’t go how we all wanted it to go. Ended up losing out of champions league and finally Europe cup. I will always appreciate the opportunity that I had to compete against some high level talent like and teams’, stated Ramon Harris. That season he scored in double figures in 7 games and scored 11 points against Panathinaikos. In his last season in Greece he played with Rethymno Cretan Kings (Greece-A1) averaging 5.1ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 27.9%, FT: 0.0%. It was another season where he wasn’t trusted enough to be more of a scoring option. ‘I was disappointed with my play for sure. I know that I could have played better than I did in my 3rd season with Rhythemo. I was disappointed that in my time in Greece that I wasn’t more of a scoring option. If you see in my career when I’m more of an option offensively I can score the ball’, warned Ramon Harris. He scored 14 points against Panionios and 11 points against Iraklis. There he was teammates with a great player Josh Carter that recently retired after a stellar career and a guy I have on my lengthy interview list that I interviewed in his rookie season in Germany with the EWE Baskets Oldenburg. ‘Josh Carter was a super cool teammate. I’m just mad that I didn’t get a chance to play a full season with him. That year when we were on the same team Covid canceled our season early. Josh and I are still in contact checking on each other and supporting one another’, commented Ramon Harris.

The 34 year old player who believes that Jordan is the GOAT, but Lebron is very close and basketball isn’t the same without Kobe then got his next job in 2021 with El Million Yireh (Dominican Republic-TBS) averaging 12.0ppg, 8.0rpg, 2.5apg, 1.0bpg and last season played with AEL Limassol (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) averaging 13.0ppg, 8.5rpg, 2.0apg, 3.5spg, 1.0bpg. He didn’t play many games as Covid affected everybody in some way. ‘The 2 games that I played in the Dominican Republic were great for me because it was over a year before I played before that. I had good games averaging 14 and 7. In Cyprus I actually played more than two games. I played in the cup games for AEL, which we made it to the cup games championship. My first game with AEL I had 27 and 13 making 7 threes in that game. Covid played a part in me playing in late 2020-2021 season’, remembered Ramon Harris. He has played 373 professional games and is sure that his basketball journey will continue again soon. ‘Even though I played 6 games for AEL I feel like I showed that I have a lot of basketball left and that I can play at a high level and help a team win. Outside of basketball the country of Cyprus was amazing and the organization treated me with much love and respect’, said Ramon Harris. One thing is for sure, when Ramon Harris‘s playing days come to an end, he can do 2 things that will always bring a smile. He could release a personal diary in book form about his experiences at Kentucky and his professional career and he will always be a popular guy at family reunions and Thanksgiving family meetings because he will always be the best story teller. But for now, he isn’t thinking about being the main attraction on the couch at family gatherings, but moreover focused on landing that next job.

.

Tags : RAMON HARRIS, AEL LIMASSOL, GERMAN BASKETBALL

photo credit Hakro Merlins Crailsheim

Last season, I watched a bunch of Hakro Merlins Crailsheim Fiba Europe Cup games and always had fun seeing what the diminutive flashy guard TJ Shorts would do next. Who knows how far the club would of come had he not been injured in Leiden which ended his season. This season the Merlins Crailsheim have reached the next round of the Fiba Europe Cup and last week, I tuned into the game a bit late, because I hadn’t had the early 6.30 start on my radar. I had been busy that week having interviewed 3 Den Bosch players with Chris-Ebou Ndow, Austin Price and Kobe Webster and I was curious to see how they would do against the German team. The Dutch team seemed to have the game wrapped up after taking command in the third quarter with a 26 point explosion, but then the seemingly unexpected happened. Den Bosch did a good job maintaining the lead, up by as much as 11 points, but the Merlins somehow still had some gas left and kept chipping away at the Dutch sides lead, but still trailed by 6 points with 3,15 to play and kept the tight lead going into crunch-time. Den Bosch led 84-81 with 1,51 to play and it seemed like they had the better nerves in enemy ground and would somehow pull out the win. The Merlins somehow closed out the game with a 8-3 run to totally turn the tide as the game’s top scorer Edon Maxhuni made a big shot and free throws and Myles Stephens supplied the thunderous dunk to steal the win. After That I said wow, good job Merlins club and head coach Sebastian Gleim (agency: BeoBasket ). I had covered Gleim for 2 years in Frankfurt and before when he was coaching the NBBL Frankfurt team and always knew that he was a talented coach. Last season he stepped up in Crailsheim and didn’t have any easy job having to come in for the successful coach Tuomas Iisalo, but he did an incredible job reaching the Fiba Europe Cup Quarterfinals and just missed the playoffs at position 9. His biggest coup was landing TJ Shorts who was the big reason why the club was so successful. Who knows what the fate would have been of the team had Shorts not gone down with an injury in the second half of the season. It was a great win for the Merlins Crailsheim and I figured the headlines the next day all over in Crailsheim would be incredible. The most important head line the next day of the Merlins Crailsheim was spectacular, but not in a positive way. Basketball Germany was informed that Sebastian Gleim (agency: BeoBasket ) was let go. My first reaction was WTF? How could that happen? Didn’t he have any credit for all he did for the success of the organization? I guess not. ‘I was shocked. I would never have thought that could have happened’, stressed ex Gleim player Quantez Robertson. His ex Player Rasheed Moore who is balling in Romania this season couldn’t believe it either. ‘I was definitely surprised to see that they let him go especially because they were having success with him as the coach, but I don’t know what was going on behind the scenes. Only the team would know if there was too much tension in the locker room’, stressed Rasheed Moore.

photo credit Hakro Merlins Crailsheim

One has to really wonder what happened in Crailsheim. The team wasn’t doing well in the easyCredit BBL, but still had reached the next round of the Fiba Europe Cup. Usually when a coach gets served his walking papers, something real bad must have gone down. ‘I don’t know what happened. Everybody saw that he did a good job with the team’, stated Quantez Robertson. Where does one draw the line? If there is difficulty between the coach and player, who has to go? In the NBA it is usually the coach. The money factor is astronomical and one saw what happened in Brooklyn. A certain NBA superstar wanted Steve Nash out and that is exactly what happened. Sometimes though the error by the player is so big that he has to go, but other times the player is simply to valuable to make the scape goat. In Crailsheim the scape goat was Sebastian Gleim (agency: BeoBasket ). ‘It’s always a tough decision for a GM to make during the season. The fans pay to see the players, so it’s always a lot easier to get rid of the coach. Fans want to see the players on the court’, warned Quantez Robertson. There obviously had to have been some tension with Gleim and his players. Quantez Robertson never had any problems with any of his coaches in Frankfurt. ‘I always got a long with everyone. They trusted me always and for me to be professional and get the job done. Sometimes it takes time to get used to the new coach and culture during a coaching change like we had last season. But sometimes when the new coach has the same kind of philosophy, it is easier to adjust’, added Quantez Robertson. When Gleim took over for Gordon Herbert, there was some time to adjust, but that is only normal. ‘The start of the season was kind of rough, but that can be expected. He wanted to bring out the best in us. He can be fiery at times. But that was just his way of bringing fire to the team and helping us on the court’, remembered Quantez Robertson.

photo credit Fraport Skyliners

Not all players are easy to work with and there are Diva’s. Seeing Diva’s is very common in the NBA, but you see them also overseas. That top Euroleague player Mike James is a diva isn’t difficult to see and there are also others. That Matt Mobley was a diva was an understatement. That the powerful scorer had talent was easy to see and he was a big reason why the team remained in the easyCredit BBL in 2021. He is paid to score baskets and everything else is very unimportant. Having a special character is Ok and as long as it doesn’t interfere with the success of the team or chemistry, one can tolerate it. If Gleim could get along with Matt Mobley then he could realistically get along with anyone. ‘Matt was one of his guys. Matt can score at many levels and coach looked to him to do much of the work. Sometimes coach put up with Matt’s character and sometimes he didn’t. In the end it all worked out well’, warned Quantez Robertson. In that last phrase of Robertson is where it could have gone to the next level in Crailsheim. Maybe not taking some players drama escalated the whole situation. It is a done deal in Crailsheim. Maybe there was a real bad happening that warranted the organization to make this touch decision. The press release on Gleim’s departure could have been given in a more professional way though. Gleim kept up the successful basketball tradition after Iisalo left for Bonn. I have no worries that Gleim will land a job soon and Tez has no worries either. ‘I wish him nothing but the best in his career. I’m sure that he will find a new job and continue to do his best and bring out the best in his players’, warned Quantez Robertson. Gleim helped so many players develop and grow in Frankfurt and Rasheed Moore was one of them. ‘ He helped my game in many ways and I will always be thankful for him, because he was the coach that gave me the chance to play at the highest level in Germany. He always had confidence in me to be on the floor and help our team get as many wins as possible. I will always wish nothing but the best for him going forward and hope he gets another opportunity very soon’, stressed Rasheed Moore. The motto in Frankfurt is Big Love and it’s nice to see that Moore and Tez shares that same feeling.

Photo credit: Fraport Skyliners

Very rarely do players come into a new situation, team and league and blast off right in their first game. It happens, but not often. No one will ever be Wilt Chamberlain as his NBA statline after his debut against the New York Knicks was 43/28. And no that isn’t a NFL score. The Fraport Skyliners who are having a season to forget recently got scoring support with Marcus Lewis (196-G-1992, college: EKU), but after 2 games, he already had so called fan critics writing him off and bashing the Skyliners management for a lack of knowledge. Every so often a team gets a very special player that has that gift of being able to adjust right away. 8 years ago, the Fraport Skyliners reeled in Justin Cobbs as the team was struggling and right from the get go, he produced leading the team from the near bottom and to the playoffs and Eurochallenge Final 4. Lewis who showed consistent play in Canada in their top league surely wasn’t the team savior, but definitely a player who could produce and lead by example. He was solid in his first game against ratiopharm Ulm supplying 8 points, but in the second game in Wurzburg wasn’t aggressive and as tame as a kitten scoring 3 points in 15 minutes on 1/5 shooting. ‘Marcus was too timid in the first 2 games. He didn’t want to mess up’, remembered Fraport Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson. In his third game, the Fraport Skyliners met the MHP Riesen and people weren’t expecting much. But then came the unexpectable as the Fraport Skyliners showed their best effort of the season with a 7 man rotation and Marcus Lewis exploded with 26 points on an incredible exhibit of shooting of 10/11. I guess all those haters who thought Lewis was as far from having a performance like that as a Kemba Walker finding back to his prime now were buttoned up. ‘Those so called experts don’t know anything. It takes time for anyone to score as much as Marcus did. It takes time for anyone to get used to a new environment and learn new plays’, warned Quantez Robertson. For Lewis, he let’s his game do the talking and refrains from discussing his play with those so called experts. ‘I don’t listen to what people think outside the team. It has no effect on me or how good of a player I am. I do what I feel is going to win us games’, warned Marcus Lewis. The critics obviously didn’t heed the warning of ex teammate Wayne Mccullough who predicted Lewis would need a few games before showing his true colors. ‘As soon as I saw the score I texted him. I knew he would have a break out game and it was against a really good team. I’m super happy for him and it’s only the beginning. I hope that game can give him some momentum going into the rest of the season. As a player you hear all sorts of noise from fans and media. You never listen to it and just stick to your routine. You just have to focus on yourself and that is what he did. Now it’s all about being consistent and getting wins’, warned Darussafaka Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) shooting guard Wayne McCullough.

The Fraport Skyliners met the 7-2 MHP Riesen as both team’s seasons were going in opposite directions. There were few people that entered the Fraport arena believing that Frankfurt had any kind of chance of winning. But after 40 minutes the scoreboard didn’t lie as the Fraport Skyliners had won 92-80. Lewis was almost flawless scoring 26 points on 10/11 shooting getting 5 rebounds, dishing out 3 dimes, and getting 2 steals. The only sour taste he had to an otherwise strong game were his 4 turnovers. His new teammate Quantez Robertson definitely saw a different mindset from him going into his third game. ‘He was more aggressive on offense and was making better plays than in the first 2 games’, noticed Quantez Robertson. For Lewis, it was the same approach he has for any game. ‘I had no idea I would have a game like this going in. I just take games a play at a time and just try to have some kind of impact on the game as a whole however I can. My being aggressive is dictated by what the team needs that night. If I need to be aggressive I will be. But if I need to be passive I can also do that. There isn’t one way to beat each team and I pride myself on being able to adjust to whatever style of play gets the desired result’, warned Marcus Lewis. But it wasn’t only his scoring that sparkled, but he really filled the stat sheet and proved he can also help the team in many ways. ‘I really liked how confident he was. He also defended well. His man did score on him sometimes, but overal he did the best he could with his assignment’, added Quantez Robertson.

After 10 minutes, one wouldn’t have thought that Marcus Lewis would have an incredible night as he missed his first shot and scored only one bucket as the Fraport Skyliners trailed 24-20. But the Fraport Skyliners really came to life in the second and third quarter deciding the game outscoring the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg 55-34 and Lewis’s calling finally came. Lewis really went to work going on a scoring spree scoring 12 points in the second quarter and adding 12 in the third quarter doing most of his damage in this time. The game was decided after 30 minutes as the Fraport Skyliners had the overwhelming 75-51 advantage. The steam was a little out as the guests won the fourth quarter 23-17. But it really helps when you have 4 other players in double figures which helped take the load of his shoulders in the fourth quarter. The American who played at Eastern Kentucky University and especially had explosive games in Finland where he scored 30 points or more 8 times in one season including 41 points against Ura basket isn’t sure he has ever had a unique game as this where the hole was as big as the ocean. ‘I have had good shooting nights throughout my career, but I’m not sure I have had a game as efficient as this one’, stated Marcus Lewis. So what was his secret to being in the right places at the right times? Was it picking his spots best and reading and taking what the defense gave him? ‘I never go into a game looking to do too much offensively. I just try to find small advantages. The other team chose to switch and put slower guys on me at times and it allowed me to get to the rim to either pass or finish myself’, commented Marcus Lewis. ‘I remember him having some big games in Finland. I don’t know if any were as efficient as this, but when you got it going, you got it going’, smiled Wayne McCollugh. After closer research, it can be said that Marcus Lewis didn’t have as an efficient game in Finland like his 26 point game with the Fraport Skyliners.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tez doing play by play at the 2010 BBL allstar game in Bonn, Germany

No article about the Fraport Skyliners is perfect without the expertise from Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson. I reach him on a cold Sunday night minutes after Argentina won their third World Cup and Lionel Messi became immortal in his homeland and finally passed Diego Maradona as the GOAT there and probably the GOAT in world football. I put Tez as everyone from Frankfurt to Auburn Alabama call him on the spot with the question. Was the Lewis scoring clinic Matt Mobley like? Tez took a few seconds to think about it but then uttered. ‘Nah. They have different styles of play. But Marcus made some big shots and made the best of every scoring opportunity’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Tez has had great teammates over the years and witnessed some great scoring games from guys like Andrew Rautins, Matt Mobley and Jordan Theodore. How did Lewis’s feat compare with those Skyliner legends? ‘I honestly don’t think that those 3 players ever only missed 1 shot in a game the way Marcus did with taking so many shots. Marcus made some great moves and took great shots’, warned Quantez Robertson. The question is now, can Marcus Lewis keep up the consistency or did he overachieve? ‘Marcus didn’t overachieve. We hadn’t seen so much of his game yet. It was only his third game. He still had to get accumulated to the offense. But he really showed what he is capable of doing when he has had some time with the team. I think he can be consistent. I don’t know if he can score 20 plus points every game, but I believe that it is possible to be a scorer in double figures’, warned Quantez Robertson. Lewis’s good friend Wayne McCollough is sure that the Fraport Skyliner organization will continue to see good things from him. ‘This game was a huge confidence booster for him. It will help him roll into some more big games. But expecting him to score over 20 points is a big ask. Be he will play at a high level and help lead his team to more wins’, warned Wayne McCullough. Lewis now has some time to focus on his next opponent the early season surprise Rostock Seawolves over the Christmas days and be ready to go out firing on December 26th. I just hope he takes the same advice I gave Tez about not eating too much over Christmas. ‘Don’t worry I won’t. I will be ready for Rostock’, warned Quantez Robertson.

Tags : MARCUS LEWIS, FRAPORT SKYLINERS FRANKFURT, GERMAN BASKETBALL