Andrew Jones (191-SG-1983, college: Miles) is a 40 year old 191cm guard from Georgia that recently completed his second season with WSG Koenigs Wusterhausen (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 18,8ppg, 6,8rpg, 4,0apg and 2,8spg. He began his basketball career at East Paulding high school and then played at Miles College (NCAA2). He began his professional career in 2006 and came overseas in 2008 and with the exception of playing one season in Spain, he played most of his career in Germany for teams Dresden, Aschersleben and Chemnitz. He gave his thoughts about Lebron James breaking the NBA all-time scoring record from Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Lebron James has beaten Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s NBA all-time scoring record. Did you stay up to watch history?
I stop staying up for sports in the states after watching Atlanta Falcons vs Patriots in the Superbowl lol. So I wait to see everything once I get up in the morning.
How does one put this record into perspective best? It stood almost 40 years?
For this record to be broken, you must have health and longevity. Lebron has been looking the same since day one. The average NBA career is around 4.5 to 6 years. Lebron has given us 20 years thus far.
He scored 38 points in 26 minutes. Was it another normal day at the office?
Definitely! Lebron James looks like he can do this for another 5 years. I think it adds extra motivation when you know your close to breaking all time scoring record
How much is that ball going to be worth?
Priceless! Lebron is already a Billionaire. That ball will be somewhere next to all of his trophies.
Russell Westbrook made the pass. Do you think that in 20 years the pass could be remembered more than his triple doubles?
Not at all. Russell Westbrook has the most seasons with triple doubles. Thats a record that will be hard to break. So a pass for that scoring title won’t overshadow that.
His record breaking basket was a step back over Kenrich Williams. Is that the kind of shot you expected knowing the kind of player he is? Or would you have expected a dunk for the spectacular finish?
I think at the moment you take what the defense gives you. No matter how the ball went into the basket, the goal was achieved. Also, Lebron’s game has evolved as he ages. So I wasn’t surprised to see him score in that fashion.
There obviously is a lot of respect for Kareem, by the basketball world, but what would have happened on social media if Lebron had gotten the record with a sky hook shot?
The internet trolls would have a field day on the internet lol. Would definitely look like Lebron was taking a shot at Kareem Abdul Jabbar. But I am glad he finished the way he did.
Kareem is such a gentleman. You didn’t grow up with him, but what does his legacy mean to younger guys? Can they even understand what that guy did?
You know, I tried to throw the over the head hook shot like Kareem did. I could never understand how he was so accurate with it. I guess his height had something to do with it. He is one of the greatest players to ever played the game. I think he doesn’t get the full respect he deserves.
Lebron will have more than 40,000 points when it’s all over. Back in 1984 people said it would never be broken? Will this record be broken?
For it to be broken: 1).Play 20 years 2).Play at a high level for 20 years 3).No major injuries in 20 years
If Luka Doncic continues to play to 40 stays fit and becomes a physical specimen like Lebron, could he dethrone him?
If he follows all mentioned above, he is definitely a guy who can do it. Lebron already made the comparison between the two. He believes Luka and him share many similarities on the court.
Does this record finally give Lebron the GOAT status over Michael Jordan?
I don’t have those debates because I believe both players are great. But I will say Lebron has been statistically magnificent throughout his career. To be on track to score 40,000 points and have 10,000 in rebounds and assists show how complete Lebron is as a player. A do it all player is always great to have on any team.
What is your favorite Lebron moment that you witnessed live or on TV?
It’s been so many. But when Lebron dunked on KG when he was with the Cavs, I jumped out my seat lol.
That the NBA is the dream of almost every young basketball player and is something that can’t be denied. Of course some guys are realistic enough to comprehend that the NBA is as much of a reach as it would be for anyone honestly believing that Luka Doncic would go scoreless in a NBA game if he played 30 plus minutes. There is nothing wrong of having that NBA dream. One guy that shares that is David Fuchs (203-PF-2003). If it ever happens is the question, but for now he is still young and played for top organization ratiopharm Ulm that has heightened their youth development in the last years. The Austria native is a guy that has been around NBA talent the last years in Ulm. It began 2 years ago when he was teammates with future NBA player Jeremy Sochain. Last season he saw guys like Jaron Blossomgame and Sindarius Thronwell produce their magic on the court and this season can call guys like Brandon Paul and Bruno Caboclo teammates. It is only obvious that being around guys like this has helped his game in ways that many other guys can only dream of. ‘Jeremy definitely was a special guy on and off the court and I knew if he would keep working hard there was no doubt that he will make it to the NBA. I’ve had a lot of good moments with Jeremy, but my best one probably was finishing third place with our team at the ANGT tournament in Valencia. I am really fortunate to have players like Brandon and Bruno on my team. Their knowledge really helps me to improve and see qualities how to lead a team. Especially in the aspects of professionalism’, warned David Fuchs. David Fuchs wouldn’t mind following in the footsteps of ex teammate Jeremy Sochan to the NBA.
David Fuchs who has Jeremy Sochan as the toughest player he ever faced that reached the NBA was born in Austria on November 21, 2003.He began his basketball career in Vienna for the Basket Flames. He decided to make the trek to Germany in 2018 to Ulm and develop his game with Orange Academy. He was recruited at an international basketball tournament in Vienna and quickly convinced that Ulm was the right place for him. His first season in Ulm wasn’t easy. He had growing pains, but remembers one guy as being super instrumental in not totally losing his footing in a new environment. ‘I really struggled adapting to playing basketball on a higher level. Most of my teammates were more skilled and more conditioned than me so I knew I had to work really hard to catch up on them. What helped me to succeed during the time the most was my competitiveness and my coach at the time Igor Perovic’, remembered David Fuchs. You have to wonder where his development as a player would of carried him during the 19-21 seasons had Covid not come. It affected everyone, but especially young players who weren’t able to compete in games. There was nothing more too do but grind in the gym. ‘In my first NBBL season we lost in the first round of the playoffs so our season wasn’t cut short by Covid. In my second NBBL season we only had a few summer league games at the end of the year and the ANGT tournament in Valencia, which we finished in 3 place. The Covid years where a tough time period but it didn’t make me stop me from working hard’, stressed David Fuchs.
The athletic guard who mentions Thomas Klepeiz, Antonio Dorn, Tobias Jensen, Brandon Paul, and Michael Rataj as his best teammates of all-time really made a big jump last season. He had extra extra duty playing in 3 competitions with Pro B, Regionalliga and NBLL and played a total of 60 games. ‘I made a big step skill wise, but not only that. My understanding of basketball has become much greater, especially during this season playing with and against pros’, said David Fuchs. Last season he split time with BBU 01 Ulm (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 15 games averaging 12.7ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 55.7%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 73.8%, played also with Orange Academy Ulm (Germany-ProB) playing 29 games averaging 10.1ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 61.5%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 63.7%, and with ratiopharm Ulm U19 team (Germany-NBBL) playing 16 games averaging 14.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 54.6%, 3PT: 47.1%, FT: 67.4%. Some of his best games in the Pro B occurred against Munster with 22 points and he netted 21 points against Hanau. In the Regionalliga, his top scoring game was 19 points against Limburg and had 23 points against Crailsheim in the NBBL. This season he is playing in 3 competitions again with the easyCredit BBL, Pro B and Eurocup and is on track to eclipse 60 games from last season. ‘It has been quite the challenge with this many games especially this year. I have up to three games a week with two with the first team and one with our farm team. But our athletic staff still takes good care of us so we can perform at our highest level’, added David Fuchs.
Time really has flown for the forward who has Jordan, Lebron, Kobe and Steph Curry on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore as he is already in his 5th season in Ulm. ‘My experience in Ulm has been amazing so far. Of course it was hard at the beginning trying to fit in the new team and adapting to my new home but it really helped me to develop as a player and as a person. Playing for such a big European club makes me feel proud. The campus has been very beneficial for my overall development as a basketball player and it definitely motivates me to work on my game even more’, stated David Fuchs. This season he played 15 Eurocup games averaging 2,4ppg and 1,3rpg and really has enjoyed seeing Europe and playing against high level teams. He had some massive games against Lietkabelis scoring 10 points and hauling down 5 boards and 9 points a piece against Cedevita and Bursaspor. Three guys who have really inspired him have been coaches Chris Ensminger and Anton Gavel and talented German player Karim Jallow. ‘The coaches just continue to put me in situations where I can thrive and improve like in the past years. Karim’s motor and his drive to never give up, has really inspired me and helped me to become a better player’, expressed David Fuchs. He had a great season in the Pro B averaging 16,6ppg,8,0rpg, 2,0apg and 1,0spg. He scored in double figures in 18 of 19 games including 25 points against Coburg, 24 points against Oberaching and 23 points against Koblenz and hauled down 17 rebounds against the Wizards. He also had strong games in the easyCredit BBL against Frankfurt and Weissenfels with 8 points apiece. He played 25 BBL games averaging 2,8ppg and 1,9rpg. ‘My fondest moment has probably been my late substitution against Heidelberg at home where I had a big part of the turnaround of the game in our favor in a time span of 6 minutes by rebounding and scoring the ball’, expressed David Fuchs. He also has played with the Austrian youth national teams over the years and played at theEuropean Championships (FIBA EuroBasket) U16 Division B in Podgorica (Montenegro) in 2019 playing 8 games averaging 14.6ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.6spg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 61.3%. In November 2022 he played two qualifying games against Croatia and Switzerland. He is excited about the future of the national team and his role. ‘Austrian basketball has been really improving over the last few years. We are not where we want to be yet, but we’re moving in the right direction. I without a doubt think I can be a very impactful player in the Austrian national team. Our goal is to qualify for the European championships for sure’, warned David Fuchs.
The ex easyCredit BBL player who lists Lebron James as his GOAT is a 204cm forward that compares his games to a Scottie Barnes and Matthias Lessort. He is a very versatile player that can shoot, get rebounds and defend. His rebounding really stands out as his athleticism is something that allows him to fly in and grab rebounds over other players. He likes to pass the ball and is a bit off the radar with his passing abilities. His shooting from the parking lot continues to be inconsistent as last season he shot 47% in the Pro B and this season was at 31% and only at 25% in the easyCredit BBL.’ I’ve always had great confidence in my shot. Of course I got to still work on it because it’s not where I want it yet’, said David Fuchs. It will be interesting where he will be as a defender down the road as he gains more experience. ‘I think my defense definitely got better over this season, but there is still room to improve. I can guard 1 to 5 which comes in very handy in the Pro B’, commented David Fuchs. He also knows on what area’s he has to improve on so he can continue to move up the basketball ladder. ‘I am mostly working on my understanding of the game. But skill wise, my emphasis is on ball handling and shooting’, stressed David Fuchs. It will be interesting to see where his basketball journey will go in the next few years. It isn’t a surprise what his answer to the basketball dream is. ‘I want to be an NBA player’, warned David Fuchs. He definitely was in great hands in the ratiopharm Ulm organization as he was often around NBA talent and guys that have played there as Thomas Stoll likes hauling them in. Now he will take on a new challenge going to the States to play for Rhode Island (NCAA)and head coach Archie Miller. So in a way he is following in Jeremy Sochan’s footsteps going to the NCAA just like he did going to Baylor. The question will be can he take the same step after the NCAA that Jeremy Sochan did?
Javon Bess (198-PF-1996, college: St.Louis) is a 27 year old 198cm forward from Gahanna Ohio that just completed his third professional season with BG Goetingen averaging 9,3 ppg, 3,6rpg and 1,6apg. In 2021-2022 he played for U.M.F. Tindastoll Sauoarkrokur (Iceland-Subway League) averaging 19.7ppg) 6.0rpg, 2.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 80.3%. In his rookie season he played for Erie BayHawks (NBA G League, starting five): 35 games: 6.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 70.6%. He began his basketball career at Lincoln High School and then played 2 seasons at Michigan State averaging 2,7ppg and 3,0ppg. He finished his NCAA career at St Louis University averaging 13.5ppg, 7.4rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3spg and 15.3ppg, 6.8rpg, 1.8apg, 1.4spg. He will continue to remain in Germany next season and play for s.Oliver Wurzburg. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his career.
Thanks Javon for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you? I am currently back home in Columbus, OH. Basketball life is treating me good, I’m blessed that I am able to see the world and see new things because of basketball.
You played your third professional season for BG Goettingen. What kind of an experience was it for you? What did you enjoy most about the experience?
This year was a great experience for me. The biggest thing I enjoyed was being underdogs and exceeding all expectations that everybody had for us. We were projected 14 or 15 I think. We ended up finishing 6th and half a game out of 5th.
You lost a tough series to FC Bayern Munich. What do you believe was key for you not getting over the hump in the series?
We have to give them credit. They were a good team. I think game 2 hurt us a lot mentally. We felt we played good enough to win, and the game came down to the last couple seconds. If we win that game we go back home 1-1 instead of 0-2 and it’s a different series.
How was seeing your ex teammate Zylan Cheatham again? Did you have any special kind of bond to him as a rookie? What memories did you have of him?
It was great. I always like to see former teammates and where this basketball takes everybody. Yes, me and Z were close we have a lot of memories in the G league it was both our rookie seasons. Biggest memory when he jumped over a guy from the Atlanta team and caught an alley oop.
You had a solid BBL season averaging 9/3/1 and shot 37% from outside. How content were you with your season? You played very good minutes, but also the team had many scoring options. It was solid. Kind of up and down, had really good games and have some games where I didn’t play good. I don’t really care too much about numbers honestly. My thing is always being on the floor to help my team win no matter what.
You played very well considering coming from Iceland.. How key was head coach Roel Moers for helping you get adjusted well and guiding you in becoming a good BBL player?
He was great. Coach Roel is definitely one of the best coaches I’ve played for. His whole thing is about winning and I think that’s why he trusted me to be on the floor so much because he knew my only goal of every game was to win no matter how we had to do it.
One of your best games was scoring 24 points in a tough shoot out loss to ratiopharm Ulm where you were the best on the court with ex NBA guys Brandon Paul and Bruno Caboclo. Even though you battled ex NBA guys in the G-League did this game show you belonged in a top league in Germany?
I think that game was good for me individually but we lost, so I didn’t really feel good after that game or think about that. I felt like I belonged in the league a lot earlier in the season and I think coach did a good job of giving confidence.
Would you consider continuing to play in Germany or would a another top league in another country be on your menu?
It just depends, that’s something me and my agent would have to talk about and figure out.
Last season you balled for U.M.F. Tindastoll Sauoarkrokur (Iceland-Subway League, starting five): 35 games: Score-5 (19.7ppg), 6.0rpg, 2.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 80.3%. What do you remember being your wake up call to be overseas for the first time where you knew that you were far away from home?
My wake up call was actually missing a whole season. My rookie season got ended due to Covid. The next season I did not play at all. I was still training and working out but I wasn’t able to play. So I took the first opportunity the following year. I’m forever grateful for my time in Iceland, met some good people and loved the town I was in.
You played in 3 playoff series losing the last to Valur. How important was this experience in general for your game?
It was huge. As I stated before my whole goal with playing basketball is to Win. I’m super competitive and want to win every game I play. We ended up coming up short but it just showed me that there is some good players in the Iceland league.
Not everyone can boast they have visited Iceland. What will you remember most from off the court? Did any of their landscape fascinate you?
The weather is the first thing that comes to mind. Also, the darkness in the winter months and the daylight in the other months. I lived in northern Iceland so the landscape was beautiful every time I walked outside. I also visited the blue lagoon.
You played your rookie season with the Erie BayHawks (NBA G League) averaging 6.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 70.6%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie in the G-League?
Always be a professional, things sometime don’t go your way but you can’t me mad and pout. You always have to be a professional and always have to be ready whenever your time is called.
You had connections to guys there like Aubrey Dawkins who had played with BG Goettingen and Germany with coach Ryan Pannone. Did any of these guys help you with making the decision to go to Goettingen easier?
Yea I talked to Aubrey before I signed, he told me about his experience there and how much he liked it.
How tough was the G-League grind? You had great games but overall didn’t score as much as you probably should have in the minutes you got for a NBA call up. How tough is seeing other guys be able to score more simply because that is what the coaching staff and NBA team want from them while other guys like yourself have to accept the role job?
I never worry too much about scoring to be honest. What ever my role is for the team I’m on at the time is what I will do. My role was more of a 3 and D guy in the G league, so I tried to focus on that as much as possible. Other seasons my role was to score and I was able to do that. I feel I’m a player I can play anywhere and have a role.
You played NBA Summer League with the New Orleans Pelicans. What kind of an experience was it being teammates with fellow rookie Zion Williamson. What wow moment did you have with him on the court? It was fun. Seeing the amount of fans and people waiting at the hotel or waiting by the bus after games was crazy. He was a superstar before he even played an NBA game.
You began your career at Michigan State (NCAA) playing there from 2014-2016 averaging 2,7ppg and 3,0ppg. You reached the 2015 NCAA final 4, but had a shortend season because of injury. How tough was this first season mentally?
It was very tough. Probably one of my toughest seasons because I was starting as a freshman and then broke my foot. I tried to rush back and wasn’t listening to my body and ended up breaking my foot again the same season. I wanted to play so bad I wasn’t being honest with myself and taking the time to recover that I actually needed.
You were teammates with Denzel Valentine. What memories do you have of him and has he just missed getting the right opportunity in the NBA as he has bounced around the league the last years? Denzel was great. That’s like my brother. He taught me a lot and showed me a lot. I think he will get another opportunity and he will take advantage of it when it comes.
Tom Izzo has to be considered to being one of the top 5 best coaches in the last decade. How much of a challenge was it lacing up your sneakers for him?
It was great. Me and Izzo still have a great relationship till this day. He is a coach that holds his players accountable and pushes you to be great. As a competitor that’s all you want in a coach.
You finished at St Louis (NCAA). Did you ever hear of ST Louis legend Maurice Jeffers. He played some years in Germany. Did you ever meet him? I’ve heard of him but I never got to meet him or anything.
What memories do you have senior year of the NCAA run and losing to Virginia Tech?
Our conference tournament was the biggest memory. In order to make the NCAA tournament we had to win 4 games in 4 days. The crazy part about it was every team we played had beat us in the regular season. But we came together as a team and beat them all and won our conference tournament.
How did head coach Travis Ford groom and prepare you best for a professional career? Coach Ford was great. A true players coach. Wants the best for you and pushes you to be the best that you can. He helped me because he showed me things in my game that I didn’t know I had and helped me put them on display.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jordan Goodwin?
Always me. Haha
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?
Toughest player was probably Ja Morant.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Jordan Goodwin Caris Levert Denzel valentine Jaesean Tate Travis Trice
Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?
Kevin Durant Lebron James Steph Curry Kobe Bryant.
Who is your GOAT?
Kevin Durant
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn’t they have left it alone? Yeah I saw it. I think it was a good movie honestly. I don’t think it was better than the first one, but I do think it was a good movie.
Jeremy Ingram (183-G-1991, college: AAMU) is a191 cm guard that was born in Alabama and has played his entire professional career in Germany for teams like Speyer, Idstein, Bensheim and recently SG Mannheim. This season he played for Regionalliga team Bargteheide picking up Regionalliga player of the year averaging 25/5/2/3 stats. Last season with SG Mannheim he picked up South West Regionalliga player of the year while averaging (32.1ppg), 5.7rpg, 4.2apg, Steals-4 (2.6spg), FGP: 55.4%, 3PT: 35.4%, 9%. He began his career with Enterprise State Community College (JUCO) and then finished with Alabama A&M University (NCAA). He spoke to germanhoops.com about Lebron James becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Lebron James has beaten Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s NBA all-time scoring record. Did you stay up to watch history?
Nah I went to sleep because I actually didn’t think he would do it that game but never Count out Lebron, he’s definitely special.
How does one put this record into perspective best? It stood almost 40 years?
I still wouldn’t say best Scorer. He is the Scoring Leader and no one will probably ever catch his final number But best scorer goes to Jordan, Kobe , and some people might even say Kareem.
How do you feel about the record being that you’re a Kobe fan?
I feel like Lebron is the best all-around basketball player that ever walked earth. But I don’t think he has earned the title ‘Best Scorer’. Definitely top 3 basketball player ever in my eyes though.
He scored 36 points in 26 minutes. Was it another normal day at the office?
Lebron is great and the fact he can still score like this at his age is amazing. He deserves his flowers. How much is that ball going to be worth? Probably more than my car and my house put together.
Russell Westbrook made the pass. Do you think that in 20 years the pass could be remembered more than his triple doubles? No I don’t think so. Triple doubles will always be the highlight of his career because other than that, he hasn’t done much since.
His record breaking basket was a step back over Kenrich Williams. Is that the kind of shot you expected knowing the kind of player he is? Or would you have expected a dunk for the spectacular finish?
I expected a midrange shot because as he has gotten older he has really developed a consistent mid range which he didn’t really have early in his career. Great players always improve their game.
There obviously is a lot of respect for Kareem, by the basketball world, but what would have happened on social media if Lebron had gotten the record with a sky hook shot?
He would have definitely broke the internet. I think he did right by doing his own thing and not taking someone else’s identity. Be yourself.
Kareem is such a gentleman. You didn’t grow up with him, but what does his legacy mean to younger guys? Can they even understand what that guy did? I honestly don’t think my generation knows how much Kareem means to the game of basketball. I think that’s more of the generation before me definitely.
Lebron will have more than 40,000 points when it’s all over. Back in 1984 people said it would never be broken? Will this record be broken? I honestly don’t see no one playing as long as Lebron so I don’t think anyone will come close to his final points total.
If Luka Doncic continues to play to 40 stays fit and becomes a physical specimen like Lebron, could he dethrone him? I think Luka will make it to the top 20 but he already has a lot of miles on his body . To play long enough to pass Lebron I just can’t imagine that’s possible for him.
Does this record finally give Lebron the GOAT status over Michael Jordan? Never. Like I said Lebron is top 3 but it’s just certain qualifications and characteristics you have to portray to be considered the GOAT.
What is your favorite Lebron moment that you witnessed live or on TV? I actually watched Lebron vs. Kobe live when I went to a Miami Heat vs. Laker game back in like 2013/2014 . Kobe was there but did not play because he was injured at the time.
In what better situation could a Pro B finalist be in then what the EPG Baskets Koblenz found themselves on June third? They had won the first game in Vechta by 20 points and now were at home for the final game? Vechta would have to win by at least 21 points and they were in the packed CGM arena in Koblenz that was full with dream Green fans. Unfortunate for Vechta was that in the absolute most vital game of the season, they were a pooped club who simply had had too many guys playing NBBL and Pro A during the season. It was a mild Saturday night in Koblenz were the troops of head coach Pat Elzie were ready to conquer the Pro B title. They had worked very hard for 9 months and now finally the moment was there where they could celebrate it with their own die-hard fans. Vechta came in with pressure having to perform while the EPG Baskets Koblenz could do a lot except panic and instead played the basketball everyone expected of them dominating from the get go and winning in usual EPG Baskets fashion with 81-60. Once again the EPG Baskets Koblenz had some down phases during the game, but overall defended with passion and aggressively never allowing their opponent to get a groove. It would also be Brian Butler (196-PF-1991)’s last game as he will be playing elsewhere next year. It was a great farewell with the Pro B title. ‘This wasn’t a cake walk, but a lot of hard work tonight. We showed why we should be the champion with how we played. I’m very proud of my team and we showed this season how far we can go with hard work’, warned ex easyCredit BBL allstar dunk champion Brian Butler. For Rasta Vechta 2, it was a game where they came in as the major underdog, but they gave all they had. ‘I have to give credit to Koblenz. They are a very good team. But we also fought hard. There was a big difference with the physicality and we had problems matching it. The biggest difference today was the energy level’, stressed Rasta Vechta 2 guard JJ Culver.
Niclas Sperber for 3
The EPG Baskets Koblenz jumped all over Rasta Vechta 2 taking the 8-0 lead as ex BBL player Dominque Johnson drilled home 2 three’s and captain Marvin Heckel made a lay in. The guests finally got on the board with baskets from Germans and ex Cologne guard Leon Okpara and top German prospect Johan Gruenloh with a tip in dunk. But the EPG Baskets Koblenz just kept putting on pressure at both ends and extended their lead to 20-6 going on a 12-2 run. In the run top Pro B center Moses Poelking took advantage of his physicality and just dominated the zone with 3 baskets and overall the team was sharing the ball around nicely as ex Temple (NCAA) guard Alani Moore hit a jumper after breaking an ankle, Heckel made a runner and Johnson a lay in. ‘It was a super start by us. We were very focused. We played the way we should and like we were a league higher’, said EPG Baskets Koblenz CEO Thomas Klein. After back to back buckets by Roman Bedime and Okpara, Koblenz closed out the first quarter with a 5-0 run to lead 25-11 after 10 minutes. Alani Moore made free throws and ex Bremerhaven forward Niclas Sperber nailed a three pointer. ‘With the exception of two minutes, it was a good quarter. We were brutally focused and very efficient. You could see that there was an unbelievable difference in physicality in our favor’, commented Thomas Klein.
Johan Grunloh at the FT line
The EPG Baskets Koblenz had a few ups and downs in the second quarter, but overall were in good control of the game and led comfortably at half-time 40-28. Rasta Vechta 2 began the second quarter strong with a 6-2 run as they received back to back three’s From Okpara and ex easyCredit BBL player Kevin Smit. Koblenz had little flow as their ball movement stalled. The guests had little scoring options at that time and had to rely a lot on Kevin Smit who carried his team as best he could as he hit two three’s, but they couldn’t make any ground. The EPG Baskets Koblenz had good offensive execution as their combination of good team basketball and individual class was simply too much for the young Vechta team. Three’s by Heckel and Moore and a dunk on transition by Brian Butler kept Koblenz ahead 37-23. Koblenz upped their physicality again and allowed little entries in the paint. Plus the overall experience was also a factor as the roster of Vechta was half filled with NBBL (U-19) players and at times looked totally mismatched in the skills department. Koblenz fell asleep at the end allowing two easy Bedime baskets as the 1-1 defense was beat without much resistance. ‘We had a lot of ups and downs. We were too unconcentrated. Vechta did a good job upping their defensive intensity and physicality giving problems’, expressed Thomas Klein.
JJ Culver from outside
In the third quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to keep up the pressure at both ends and led by as much as 20 points and 58-44 after 30 minutes. The EPG Baskets Koblenz came out of the locker room pumped and raced out on a 10-2 run to extend their lead to 50-30. In the run, Koblenz got easy baskets in the zone as Poelking scored twice and Johnson threw down a hard dunk. Alani Moore always showing total calmness hit a trey and also made a pretty touch ball off a loose ball ala Larry Bird that found Poelking for the easy basket. ‘Alani Moore is my MVP of the Pro B. He does it all. He is such a good player’, raved Thomas Klein. The guests then found some energy going on a 8-1 run to trail only 51-38. In the run the gang of head coach Hendrik Gruhn got 2 three’s from 2022 NBBL champion Kaya Byram and Okpara and a hard one handed dunk by Johan Grunloh on transition. Poelking and 2023 NBBL finalist Noah Jannen traded buckets as Koblenz still led 55-41. The guests got a few more extra chances as the EPG Baskets Koblenz had problems on the defensive rebound. Rasta Vechta lost a bit of energy as fatigue was setting in disallowing them to get over the hump and get the score under double figures. 100 point man JJ Culver and ex Breitengussbach center Leo Saffer traded baskets to close out the third quarter. ‘We played strong defense. We knew they were young and had to be physical. We gave them no chance inside as we didn’t want anybody to get hot so we relied on contested three’s’, stated Brian Butler. ‘We tried comeback, but were getting tired. They are really talented and it was hard to stop them 1-1. We tried different things on defense, but couldn’t stop them’, said JJ Culver.
Marvin Heckel from the corner
The EPG Baskets Koblenz had no more serious let downs winning the fourth quarter easily and coasting to the Pro B title. The EPG Baskets Koblenz began well getting baskets from German Moritz Huebner and another trey by Alani Moore for the 63-45 advantage. After an offensive rebound and put back, it was Brian Butler who made a turn around shot and brutal throw down dunk for the 67-47 lead. ‘That dunk is near the top in my career. That was a nice was way to close out my time with Koblenz. I will be back, but now it’s time for more focus on my family’, added Brian Butler.
Brian Butler and Niclas Sperber hug after Butler leaves the court after his last game for the EPG Baskets Koblenz
Grunloh then added a tip in dunk that looked so easy. ‘This kid has incredible athleticism. He is so versatile and flexible something very rare for his age. He is so aggressive at both ends of the court. He is a great player. I love to watch him’, stated Thomas Klein. Grunloh finished with 9/7 stats and is appreciated by all. ‘He is an amazing player. He is a great shot blocker. He will make up for your mistake with his defense and presence in the zone. It was a pleasure playing with him’, said JJ Culver. With a few minutes left, it was apparent that Rasta Vechta wouldn’t get over the hump on this night. It was time to get some special love for his team by the creator. ‘My biggest joy this season was how the team always stuck together no matter what especially through the immense pressure. I also liked how the top players accepted their roles and it was all about team and not self’, warned Thomas Klein. Down the stretch the guests got baskets from Jannen and German Killian Brockhoff while the Pro B champion closed out the win with a transition three pointer by Yasin Turan and lay in by Leo Saffer. ‘We shut the door on them well. We enjoyed the atmosphere. It was the first title for many guys’, stressed Brian Butler. ‘We gave our best until the end. They stayed mentally strong and always applied pressure on us. They were prepared very well and always had an answer’, stressed JJ Culver. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Alani Moore with 20 points. Moses Poelking added 16 points and Dominque Johnson 13 points while Rasta Vechta 2 were led by Leon Okpara with 15 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 53% from the field and 42% form outside and had 38 rebounds and 13 turnovers while Rasta Vechta 2 shot 36% from the field and 28% form outside and had 30 rebounds and 13 turnovers.
Quincy Diggs (198-F-1990, college: Akron, agency: Mansfield and Associates) is a 33 year old 198cm forward that is a professional player since 2015. He has played in countries like Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, and Switzerland. He began his basketball career at Plano high school and then played at the University of New Orleans and Akron amassing a total of 129 games. He recently took part at the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven 20 year anniversary game and gave germanhoops.com an interview.
Thanks Quincy for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?
At the moment I’m preparing for the next season of 3×3 in Serbia and basketball been treating me ok and want to accomplish more.
You last played in Switzerland and Hungary last season but currently have no team. Is your career on hold?
My career is waiting for an opportunity to play at a high level league and doing 3×3 in the summer.
Last season seemed to be a tough one for you. How has the market been this season compared to the 2 years during Covid?
For me it’s been about winning I’ve been able to prove that I can’t compete at a high level against euroleague, euro cup, and bcl etc etc but for me I haven’t been on winning teams or making it to playoffs so it’s hard to build your stock and show your worth. My individual qualities can compete against anybody but if your not winning during the season it doesn’t matter in Europe period.
You recently returned back to Bremerhaven to play in the 20 year anniversary game. With what kind of feelings did you return back to Bremerhaven?
Feelings came back for sure and felt good to back in the arena and to be appreciated by the fans. Won some tough games in that arena and I fought each and every time I was on that court.
What was it like seeing all these guys back? There were some guys you had never seen before while other guys you knew?
For me I’ve always been able to play with anybody due to my personality. I’m not a selfish guy on the court or off the court so I wasn’t worried about who I was playing with or didn’t know because it was an fun event and some competing
Talk a little about the game. How was the game for you? You must have been one of the better guys in shape?
Yea I’ve been working out preparing for the upcoming season so I felt good out there of course and the game was very competitive and mostly fun for me I didn’t like that we lost but I had to remember it was for fun.
Torrell Martin had an incredible game with 33 points despite being retired since 2015. Did it seem like he could still have been playing?
That guy is full of Energy and I can see why the fans loved him he showed so much enthusiasm during the game and also off the court that it is truly amazing.
He stays very much in shape and is going towards 40. Does a guy like that motivate you to continue to stay fit and live healthy?
For me I want to play basketball until my legs don’t work anymore and to see that he’s almost 40 and doing that just makes me smile and makes me think I can do the same as well.
How was the bonding with players and ex teammates. Was there a player that you really enjoyed talking to most?
I enjoyed them all I only knew Terrell and some of the others but the other guys that I didn’t know was nothing but respect for them.
Was there a special play that you will remember most from the game?
I remember catching an alley op but instead of dunking it I did a layup back in my young days I would’ve dunk it lol
You played 1 season with the Eisbaeren as the team finished in 12th place. How do you remember that season?
The season for me was a learning season and a season where I got to compete against two euro leagues teams and it felt good to be playing in the BBL and showing my skills but unfortunately we didn’t win enough games to make it to the playoffs. But I learned a lot from Sebastian and the assistant coach and it was a good learning experience for me playing in a high league
You had some veterans like Harper Kamp and Ivan Elliot. How instrumental were they for you as you were just in your second season?
Harper was a good leader me and him had a couple head butts during the season but at the end of the day I learned a lot from his leadership and Ivan was a great teammate on the court and off the court and it felt good learning from those guys and having them telling me that I’m a big part of this team.
You had many great games that season against Frankfurt and Oldenburg and helped beat Alba Berlin. What was your fondest memory on the court in a Eisbaeren jersey?
For me it was going against Bamberg who was Euroleague at the time and I was very motivated those games to prove that I can play at an even higher level but unfortunately both games were neck and neck and lost both.
Do you still follow your ex team? How tough is it to see them toil in the second league?
I follow mostly all my teammates because off the court it was good chemistry and to see them and second league it’s very unfortunate but hopefully they can work their way back up
Now that Lebron James became the NBA all-time leading scorer, is he now the real goat?
MJ THE REAL GOAT 6 rings two 3peats and he took a break from the NBA and still dominated. LeBron will be the goat in my book if he has six rings with all the other stuff he accomplished. LeBron is a goat but the real goat is MJ.
Serbian Vladimir Bogojevic is an ex player that won 5 titles in Germany for teams Alba Berlin and Rhein-Energie Cologne. He also was a two time BBL allstar and played for the German national team at the 1997 and 1999 European Championships. Currently he is coach of the Alba Berlin U-19 youth team. He won 2 NBBL and 2 JBBL titles for Alba Berlin. He spoke to germanhoops.com after winning the 2023 NBBL title in Frankfurt.
Thanks Vladi for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on winning the 2023 NBBL title. What drive home was more strenuous last year or this year?
This time it was more difficult. The train was full. I couldn’t save myself in the restaurant. I sat the whole time with the boys. They couldn’t go as crazy because I was there. But it was nice traveling with the JBBL guys as well. We had a have good connection to the JBBL guys. It was nice to see them together. Everything was nice except for the music. I didn’t need it.
You reached the final by beating FC Bayern Munich. FC Bayern Munich had a very tough shooting day. How much of their woes on this day had to do with the Alba Berlin defense? They hit well in the first quarter. We had watched Munich during the season but the roster they had in final was one we had never seen before. I think our length and athleticism effected their shooting. When we found our rhythm on offense, we began pressuring the ball better. They still had good entries in first quarter, but after they were higher and farther away which effected their pick and pop.
The final against the Young Rasta Dragons was a lot different final then last season. How vital were the pick ups of Kaya Bayram and Sydnee Biljisma for the team?
You have to ask Hendrik. I spoke briefly with him and told him how proud I was of him. Kaya was an important part of our team last season. I think that he wanted a different role in Vechta. But I think that he found a good landing spot there. He didn’t get the key to the car, but he was allowed to steer it. He was an important pick up. Sydnee gave physicality and gave them a different dimension. The whole success in all competitions helped them get better and reach their goals.
The game was tight until the end. Every now and then Alba Berlin tried to get away but the Young Rasta Dragons always had an answer. How tough was it personally for you coaching the guys in this final that wasn’t the easy cake walk like last season?
There were 1-2 phases where I thought we would get away. For example with 4 minutes to go in the fourth and we were up by 8 points. Respect to Vechta for coming back. They prepared the whole season for this final. Their moto this season was to win one more. It wasn’t tough really coaching. I just hope they can execute as well as what we practiced all season. I hope they are aggressive and attack. You just have to trust the guys.
There were a few phases in the fourth quarter where I believed Alba Berlin had the game wrapped up but then let the Young Rasta Dragons come back. How vital was the mental toughness in crunch time?
How do you train mental toughness? I have no idea. You either have it or you train it with repetition. I have trust in guys that they will make the right decisions. Vechta hit a three to it at 75-75. That was a miscommunication. That can’t happen. But we showed the mental toughness at the end to win.
The game was tied 75-75 with less than 20 seconds to go, what was going through your mind. Nils Machowski said he looked at you but you didn’t look back? Was that the secret signal for him to take the last shot? No It wasn’t. To be honest I trust every one of my 5 guys to take that shot. The guys know each other so well, I trust them all. There was a hand off and Nils got the ball back. At that moment, I knew that he would make last shot. I asked Nils after why he passed the ball once and he laughed, ‘I wanted to call a play. That told me that he had all under control. Everything was correct.
When you saw the shot go up from Nils Machowski, did you feel it looked good?
I didn’t know it would go in. I was first happy for the guys. I know that he practices that shot. I often see the guys taking shots after practice. I tell them to be focused and behave and not treat it like at a circus. Then I’m sitting in my coaches office and I hear them say 3,2,1 and Mike James for the win. It is a great feeling knowing he practiced the shot a lot and then have him win the game like that.
How much more basketball adult did Nils Machwoski become after making that shot? Is that one of those moments that can change a young talented player’s career? With or without the shot, he will find his way. If you remember, he had the game against Munich under control. Of course a big shot like that will give him lots of self confidence. He has unbelievable leadership qualities. The way he prepared the three for Schulte a play before was incredible. That shot will always be a great memory, but he already had incredible qualities before that shot.
What words do you have for Hendrik Gruhn? He is Germany’s biggest coaching talent. Could he ever top what he did this season?
He can top his season by beating Koblenz. Then to start to prepare for next season. I hope he can coach them next season in the Pro A. I told him that it was a tough loss, but lots of respect for your coaching. Emotions really played a big part at the end. The shot either goes in or not. You can’t do more as a coach.
Talk a little about the development of Elias Rapieque. What kind of a player was he a year ago and what kind of player is he now? Not only Elias has developed further, but everyone else. I remember when Rikus Schulte came and we checked his notes then, we were so wrong with our predictions when we saw how far he came. Ellias has been here 10 or 11 years. Evans played here and his family was always involved. He always had leadership qualities. It has a lot to do with his personality. My feeling is that you can’t teach leadership. He is more mature now. He is calm in his head and uses a certain logic. He plays at his own pace. Even if he coasts, he can still be effective.
Two very talented athletic players I love to watch are Jack Kayil and Jamal Entezami. How did you see their development and what steps do you hope them doing next season?
I have seen Jamel develop his shot. He worked hard on his shot and has become a solid shooter. I think he has a future in basketball. I don’t know if he will stay with us. He could play Pro B. He has scholarships from colleges. Maybe a Pro A team will pick him up. He has many open doors. Jack got more mature and used his minutes well. He did a good job adjusting from JBBL to NBBL. He really showed how talented he is on offense. He did a good job when Nils played for Bernau and took responsibility. I see big potential for him at the guard position.
How important was the 2023 NBBL/JBBL finals for German basketball? These 2 finals can very well have been the best ever. Did the sport win new fans with these great finals?
I hope so. The youth sport peaks in May. Having the coaching clinic was important as well. I think it can go a step further. There were 8 teams at the top 4, but there are almost 90 teams in the leagues. But where were they. There need to be more teams supporting the event. I don’t think I saw more than 10 coaches in Frankfurt. The question has to be how can we reach more people in youth basketball?
You saw a lot of great basketball on the weekend. Obviously your favorite play was the Nils Machowski buzzer beater, but what was your second? I enjoyed the Jamal Entezami slam dunk.
I really enjoyed when Rikus Schulte brought his teammates to him when he got his MVP award. That showed that all are happy for each other. Each day there are 5 guys who don’t play games. It is the hardest thing as a coach to tell them they aren’t playing. Seeing this was more worthwhile to me than some play.
How will you spend the summer basketball wise? What are your goals for the future? We will come together this week and start to practice. We will plan where we see players going in the next season and then start to make them better.
Who will win the 2023 NBA final. Miami Heat or Denver? I will root for Denver.
Will anyone stop the Telekom Baskets Bonn in the playoffs?
Let them play. I’m not really sure. Under normal circumstances I would say yes, but all it takes is for 1 or 2 guys to get injured then it looks a lot different. All the other 3 teams are very focused. Make the best team win.
Josef Dulibic is head coach of Alba Berlin’s JBBL (U-16) team. He was 13 years active in the organization as coach with Croatian top team Cibona Zagreb. He came to Alba Berlin first as NBBL coach wining the 2018 NBBL title and won the JBBL title in 2023. He spoke to germanhoops.com about the title weekend in Frankfurt.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Josef Dulibic in Frankfurt at the 2023 NBBL/JBBL Top 4
Congrats Josef on winning the 2023 JBBL title. It was 5 years since the organization last won a JBBL title. The last time Alba won was in 2018 winning the double. How good did the win feel for you personally?
I’m really proud of the guys. We had a goal 2 years ago to reach the top 4 and to win it. It is always nice to reach your goal. It is even nicer winning against a good team like Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Sklyiners
You led the Alba Berlin NBBL squad to the 2018 NBBL title. What is the biggest difference to coaching U-16 kids then U-19 kinds? U-19 guys are a lot further in their development of the tactics of the game. Some of the U-19 guys train with pro’s and are more developed while a lot can still happen with guys coming from the JBBL to the NBBL level. Some of our U-19 guys trained with Aito. It is easier for an NBBL players to train with pro’s then JBBL guys with NBBL guys.
Coming into the game Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners were the massive underdog for me. You told me before the game something I will never forget. In the end there isn’t a difference between the Alba and Frankfurt players. At the end it took you 2 Ot’s to win?
We were undefeated and the expectations going to Frankfurt were huge. The NBBL team had the best players in Germany and then top recruits with Rikus Schulte and Linus Ruff. The JBBL players are all from Berlin. Even if many feel because we were undefeated we are a dominant team, we aren’t? We never played against Frankfurt or Cologne during the regular season. Both those teams had 5 national players combined. One third of the national team is from those two teams. We only had Mattieu Grujicic.
Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners gave Alba Berlin all they had. How much respect do you have for Olaf Kanngiesser for leading his players to making it such a tough final for you? He did a super job. Frankfurt has shown in the past that it has 2 faces. Sometimes they play great while other times don’t seem as motivated. This year they were one year more experienced. He did a great job with the guys and took us to the limit. We didn’t have much more to give in the final.
In the second OT Alba Berlin finally took control. Would you still have won without Matthieu Grujicic?
That is like saying would the Chicago Bulls have won the triple without Michael Jordan? Mattieu is the best player in Germany. We have all solid players, but more role players. It would have been difficult to win without him. You could also ask would Frankfurt have been in the final without Crnjac and Messer or Cologne without Remagen?
I was amazed by Mathieu Grujicic (193-G-2007). The more he scored the more excited I got. When he was at 50 the next Doncic slipped out of my mouth. How talented is this kid?
He is very talented. To become a great player, you need the body and character. He works very hard in the gym especially on his shot. How far one can get too relies on a lot of factors. Dirk Bauermann said it best. ‘You need to become the best version of yourself’. He is on a goodway.
How did you see Mathieu Grujicic‘s development in the JBBL? What is always key in the JBBL happening to a player in their development before reaching the NBBL level? He needs to think what do I need to do best to become a pro. A player that wants to become a pro needs a good skill set. It’s not about how many lay ups you can make. Two years ago he had no shot. He had good ball handling and only made lay ups in the U-14. This season he became a real good shooter. I thought Roy Krupnikas was a really good shooter last season but Mattieu is a step further. I remember someone saying that it seemed like someone had given Mattieu an Andi Obst jersey for the final.
What is your summary of the Alba Berlin JBBL season? What kind of team was it in September and what kind of team did it become in May 2023? It was a process of 2 years. We became a team with a high IQ and understood when to dribble and when to pass. They were great guys that liked to practice together. They liked to listen and at the end played good JBBL basketball.
The unsung hero for me in the final game was Yari Monninkhoff. He may have scored 15 points, but he did so many other positive things. How did you see his development this season?
It wasn’t just him in the final that stepped up, but we had so many other guys that could do it at any time. Mattieu is our Jimmy Butler, but the rest can play. A guy can always jump in and help. We get the maximum out of everyone. When we see one guys having a good game, then we tend to give them more focus.
How did you see the development of Matheo Hermann? Is he on the way of being a type of Entezami or Kayil in the future?
Both can jump, but have different bodies. Matheo is lighter but also explosive. He reminds me of Jordan Poole. He has to improve shot and ball handling. When he sees a Jordan Poole play is always helpful to improving when he sees someone like that doing it well.
The 2023 NBBL/JBBL finals may have been the best in the history of the competition: How important were these 2 games and did the sport win some new fans?
The question is how many not basketball fans saw the games on the weekend? Was it just basketball lovers? I think the weekend was great to see good teams and players. Maybe steal a few things from others and build it into your own philosophy and get new ideas. In the end you want the sport to become as best as it can.
What was your favorite moment at the 2023 JBBL competition besides winning the title?
Just seeing the emotions of the guys. Seeing them in each timeout and in the locker room and looking in their faces and seeing that joy and belief that they could win the title. I saw this special togetherness fighting to achieve the goal of winning
What is your summer plan? What are your goals for the summer? Do you have nay new talents in your mind?
We will start to plan for the next season.
Who will win the 2023 NBA title. Miami or Denver?
I have become a Miami fan. I always told the guys we want to be like Miami and get the maximum out of each player. It is incredible how they have 4 undrafted guys and can still play at a top level. It is also fun to watch Denver. My heart is with Miami, but I fear that they are the underdog.
Is there any team that will be bale to stop the Telekom Baskets Bonn?
It looks like maybe Ulm will challenge them. They got extra confidence beating Alba Berlin and now already won game one against FC Bayern Munich. Bonn has had a great season, but I think it will be tight.
Paul Albrecht (208-PF-1993) is a 30 year old 208 cm forward that just completed his third season with the Dragons Rhondorf. He began his basketball career with the Oldenburger TB team and then played parts of 7 seasons in the Pro a amassing 162 games for teams like Jena, Paderborn, Essen, Hanau and Artland. He spoke to germanhoops about the 2022-2023 Dragons season that ended with the playoff defeat to the Basketball Lowen Erfurt.
Congrats on a solid Dragons Rhondorf season that ended in a sweep against the Basketball Lowen. How tough was losing this series and having Devon Goodman not lay game 2? Of course it was really tough not to have Devon for the most important game of the season. But within one day we made some good adjustments and put up a great fight.
The Dragons Rhondorf gave all they had in game 2. Did fatigue play a role at the end? We had to deal with fatigue all season Long. It never was and never will be an excuse for us.
From the stats how much did the offensive rebounds of Erfurt and your 7 more turnovers play a role in losing the game? Its always hard to win a Ggme where you have less possessions than your opponent, so it did play a big role.
It was a tough season for the Dragons Rhondorf. The untimely and tragic death of Mubarak Salami affected all. How proud are you of how the whole organization stuck together after his death? I’m Beyond proud of everybody who is involved in the Dragons Rhoendorf Organization. The way everybody stood together was just incredible
With all that happened this season, how do you summarize the season of the Dragons Rhondorf? It was their first playoffs in 5 years. I think we had a good season with lots of ups and downs, but to finish fourth is more than decent.
It was a joy to watch the offense of the Dragons Rhondorf, but the inconsistent 1-1 defense plagued the club all season long. Why do you feel could the team never develop a true defensive identity? I wouldn’t say that we did not have a defensive identity, but we were really struggling with stopping opponents one on one.
The club had many big wins like over the Sixers and sweeping Schwelm. What was your personal team highlight of the season? The win against the Sixers was absolute crazy and definitely a season highlight. There Are many moments that come to My mind though.
You played your third season in Rhondorf. Has it become like a second home to you? Rhoendorf absolutely is like a second Home to us. Me and my family are totally happy here.
You averaged 10,9ppg, 6,8rpg and 2,3apg. How content were you with your game this season? It really is not about my numbers within this team, but more about to get everybody on one page and hold everybody accountable
Your points and rebounds were down a bit, but that was expected with more veterans. How did it feel not being the only older guy on the team?
It was great having a good mixture of different aged Ppayers. It made everything much easier for each and everybody
You had many great games like against Herford and Vechta 2. What was your personal favorite game concerning how you played?
I can’t remember what was my favorite personal Game was.
What is the next step for you? Will you remain with the Dragons Rhondorf? We would like to stay Part of the Dragons, but so far there is nothing written in stone.
What was your coolest experience in Germany in Rhondorf off the court? The Nature around Bad Honnef is unique. We enjoy the Environment a lot.
Who will reach the Pro B finals and win it all? Bernau and Koblenz will meet in the Finals and Bernau will take the crown
Who will reach the NBA finals and who will win it all? It would be so great to See Lebron get his fifth Ring. But I think Boston is a really strong contender.
It was Sunday morning in Frankfurt and the Alba Berlin NBBL and JBBL teams were getting ready to embark on playing the 2023 youth finals and it was the calm before the storm. It was a beautiful sunny morning and who would of thought that hours later they would have won the double, but nobody could have predicted that these 2 games would probably go down in German youth history as the 2 greatest finals back to back ever on the same day. The Alba Berlin JBBL (U-16) began with a thrilling win over the underdog Eintracht Frankfurt-Fraport Skyliners that took them to double OT as 2 standout Germans Matthieu Grujicic and Ivan Crnjac combined for an incredible 93 points as Gruijcic scored a mindboggling 52 points and had some carefully thinking the next Doncic. But the Alba Berlin NBBL team took it to another level having a fierce battle against the Young Rasta Dragons who were looking for revenge after losing last years final to them. Last year the Vechta squad was pooped and lost badly after upsetting FC Bayren Munich, but this time took the mighty Berlin team to the wire and lost on a heart breaking buzzer beater with an in your face buzzer beater by Nils Machowski (191-PG-2004) 78-75. How much pain can a club take 2 years in a row? Last season Kaya Bayram celebrated the Alba Berlin win with his team and this season played against his ex team with Vechta and had his hand in Machowski’s face and had to endure his friend making the game winning shot. ‘We had a great season. We wanted to top the Vechta season with a win after the other teams had reached the Pro A and Pro B final. You can lose a game, but losing like this on a buzzer beater is so tough. I know Nils since he is 9 years old. What does he do, he hits the game winner in my face. I’m so proud of my team. The team took me in and gave me trust. It is like a family here. This loss hurts so much’, stressed Kaya Bayram. After getting a shower at the post game interview for sporttotal.tv, the hero Machowski was able to reflect about the historic final. ‘This whole game was back and forth. No team could break free. I though after Rikus Schulte hit the three in the fourth quarter, the game was decided, but no. They always fought back. It was finally a nice final’, smiled Alba Berlin guard Nils Machowski. ‘This was the best final ever. It was such a tight game and a real fight until the end’, added Alba Berlin forward Ellias Rapieque.
Jamal Entezami at the FT line
Both teams began the first quarter finding a smooth offensive rhythm as defense took a back seat. Young Rasta Dragon Killian Brockhof got on fire rapidly getting 7 points showing his inside-out abilities with a turn-around shot, lay in and trey while Alba Berlin got potent support from NBBL MVP Rikus Schulte with 5 points. Alba Berlin had no problems challenging the bigs Grunloh and Brockhof as 2022 NBBL champ Linus Ruff dominated in the paint scoring 3 baskets. But the reigning champion couldn’t get away as the Young Rasta Dragons heart and soul and captain Noah Jannen took over scoring 8 vital points including 2 three’s to give the Young Rasta Dragons the 19-18 advantage. The Young Rasta Dragons had problems takin g care of the ball, but Alba Berlin couldn’t take advantage of it in the scoring department. German Paul Bahn and Brockhof traded baskets and after 10 minutes Alba Berlin had the slim 22-21 advantage. ‘Both teams came out scoring well. No team was able to show their defensive qualities. It took some time for both teams to get rid of their rust’, stated Elias Rapieque. Alba Berlin shot 47% from the field and 40% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 5 turnovers while the Young Rasta Dragons shot 50% from the field and 38% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 8 turnovers.
Jeygor Cymbal at the FT line
In the second quarter, both teams had runs, but at the break Alba Berlin led only by 1 point. Noah Jannen continued to be an offensive menace hitting a three pointer for the 24-22. Jannen had suffered a tough final loss last year and was more than focused this season and understood he had to take on more responsibility as Johan Grunloh was being kept in check by the Alba Berlin big men. But Alba Berlin stayed with their opponent getting an off balance shot by NBBL rookie of the year Jack Kayil and a three by Machowski for the Alba Berlin 28-27 advantage. The Machowski trey sparked Alba Berlin to score 7 more unanswered points and extend their lead to 35-27. In the run Alba Berlin received vital support from Ruff with a lay in while Rikus Schulte continued to score at ease making a tip in and three pointer. The Young Rasta Dragons lost some intensity on defense and on offense rushed their shots too much losing their offensive rhythm. Grunloh was off in that time and had little support inside as Alba Berlin got easier looks. But the Young Rasta Dragons came out of a time out refreshed and hit Alba Berlin with a 5-0 run as Dutch guard Sydnee Bjlisma connected on a trey and role player Emilijus Peleda scored on the back door as Grunloh supplied the dime as Alba Berlin led only 35-32. The Young Rasta Dragons upped their intensity, were calmer on offense and made better decisions while their bench players made big plays. After Bayram and Peleda supplied scoring punch from the free throw line, Amon Doerries took Alba Berlin into half time with a runner and 37-36 advantage. ‘I thought we would get away after that first run, but Vechta showed heart coming back. There were good phases by both teams, but no team could get away. Each team always had an answer’, stated Ellias Rapieque. Alba Berlin shot 40% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the Young Rasta Dragons shot 39% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 13 turnovers.
Rikus Schulte to the hole
In the third quarter Alba Berlin broke away getting their highest lead of the game of 10 points, but after 3 quarters were starring at only a 2 point lead. Linus Ruff continued to wreck havoc in the paint making an offensive rebound and putback for the 39-36 lead, but the Young Rasta Dragons always had an answer and needed big time support from their role players and got it by Jegor Cymbal who scored 19 points in the 2022 NBBL final against Alba Berlin making an offensive rebound and put back and three pointer to dead lock the contest at 42-42 after Machowski had dropped a trey. In the NBBL semi-final the day before Alba Berlin guard Jamal Entezami had made the dunk of the weekend flying through the zone, but Noah Jannen gave him a good run for the money with a crushing one handed dunk over Schulte for the 44-42 lead. The game seemed to be an even affair, but Alba Berlin then took control running out on a lethal 14-2 run to lead 56- 64. In the run Alba Berlin showed how dangerous their offense can be getting 2 three’s by Schulte and Kayil while Machowski and Jannis Berger made lay in’s. Anytime you lose a little intensity and concentration, Alba Berlin makes you pay as the Young Rasta Dragons witnessed how quickly a close game can get into the opponent leading by double digits. But as usual the Young Rasta Dragons retaliated and showed immense heart slapping a 10-2 run in the face of Alba Berlin and trailing only 58-56 after 30 minutes. In the run the Young Rasta Dragons let it rain three’s as Noah Jannen took control once again hitting 2 three’s while Mr X-factor Karl Buhner nailed a trey. ‘Noah is so important for us. I can’t imagine how much this loss hurts for him. We all fought, but Noah as captain showed real heart. He has been here so long. He lives for this team. He is such a good leader and person’, commented Kaya Bayram. ‘We have a real good connection to Vechta. We have been a match up for the longest time. I know all the kids from the birth year 2004. Noah played a great game’, expressed Elias Rapieque. Alba Berlin shot 39% from the field and 35% from the parking lot and had 25 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Young Rasta Dragons shot 40% from the field and 41% from the parking lot and had 35 rebounds and 21 turnovers.
Sydnee Bijlisma with the floater
The first 5 minutes of the fourth quarter must of felt like a nightmare for Young Rasta Dragons head coach Hendrik Gruhn as his teams couldn’t score, but did it feel worse for Alba Berlin head coach Vladimir Bogojevic as his team could only muster 6 points and not more and decide the final earlier? Alba Berlin made 10 consecutive stops, but only got free throws form Entezami and Machowski while Rapieque made a lay in for the 64-56 advantage. The Young Rasta Dragons finally got on the score board at the 5,09 minute mark as Killian Brockhoff made a trey to cut Alba Berlin’s lead to 64-61. Ruff and Grunloh then traded dunks and Schulte made an old school running hook shot as Alba Berlin still led 68-63. Rapieque then stole the ball from Jannen and made a hard 2 handed dunk as Alba Berlin led 70-63 and were threatening to decide the game at the 3,53 minute mark. But as usual the Young Rasta Dragons had an answer and their heart and soul Noah Jannen came through again with a clutch three pointer and three three pointers and suddenly Alba Berlin led only 70-69. With no one noticing the Young Rasta Dragons had escaped on a 9-0 run as Brockhoff added a trey and Alba Berlin trailed 72-70 with 1,29 minutes to play. But Alba Berlin was still wide awake on defense as Rapieque made a key steal and dunk to tie the game 72-72 with 1,01 to play. Alba Berlin made the next punch as Schulte dropped a trey for the 75-72 lead with 23 seconds to play. The Young Rasta Dragons surprised some instead of going for the quick two getting another clutch three by Jannen to dead lock the contest at 75-75 with 17 seconds to play. ‘I always thought we could get away but they always had an answer. But Vechta never gave up. We had to play more physical. They were really giving us problems’, said Ellias Rapieque. ‘We came back played zone and gave them problems. Alba Lives from their energy and we just continued to fight until the end’, said Kaya Bayram. Alba Berlin had the last possession and Nils Machowski became the hero making a breathtaking off balance shot game winner for the title. ‘I looked over at coach, but he didn’t even look at me. I didn’t want to dribble much. I practice that shot a lot and like taking it’, smiled Nils Machowski. ‘It was a tough shot, but I had a good feeling it would go in’, stated Rikus Schulte. ‘I have to be honest at first look, I didn’t think it would go in. But he can make those shots. He practices them all the time’, smiled Ellias Rapieque. Alba Berlin was led by Rikus Schulte with 20 points. Nils Machowski added 17 points and Linus Ruff had 12 points while the Young Rasta Dragons were led by Noah Jannen with 25 points while Killian Brockhoff added 19 points. Alba Berlin shot 39% from the field and 33% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 19 turnovers while the Young Rasta Dragons shot 39% form the field and 38% from outside and had 45 rebounds and 27 turnovers.
