Jeremy Ingram (183-G-1991, college: AAMU) is a 191 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 is playing for Regionalliga team Bargteheide. 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 will team up with Miles Schmidt-Scheuber on a weekly basis this season to talk basketball.

Congrats on the huge 85-74 win over Braunschweig. How good does it feel to get that first victory?

I’m very happy for my team and the whole organization. Maybe that 1st win will jumpstart us in the right direction.

What was it like for you having to watch again? How do you go through a 40 minute game on the sidelines?

I mean it’s tough watching my team go out there and compete and I can’t be out there with them fighting. All I can do is cheer for them and support them. Thats all they need from me at the moment.

Is it almost fair to say that your team didn’t need you on this night?


I wouldn’t say all that but what I will say is they did a great job without me and they handled their business!

Talk a little about the 40 minutes. What was key for getting the win in crunch-time?

Both teams battled and exchanged the lead a few times but the Bees stayed aggressive, and ultimately the 2nd half outplayed the other team when it mattered most.

What was the biggest strength in the game for Bargteheide? You forced Braunschweig to 24 turnovers. Were you content with the 40 minutes of how the team defended aggressively?

It was great team defense. We got the loose balls and also got fast break points from those turnovers we forced. We came up with big stops also, especially in the 2nd half when it mattered most.

How key was the pick up of veteran Abdulai Abaker? What impresses you most about his game? Possibly his defense?

I have only watched him this game but I’m happy to have another good ball handler and aggressive guard to play with. I’m sure we will create havoc together out there on the floor.

The team next faces ASC Goettingen. Coming off this big win what will be key to getting the win?

I think we should carry that momentum from the 1st win and come back with the same energy. Our team has enough weapons to beat any team in this league , we just have to play with that confidence and aggressiveness for all 40 minutes.

Thanks Jeremy for the chat.

Tags : JEREMY INGRAM, TSV BARGTEHEIDE, 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 VFL Bensheim. He played 3 seasons with the Giessen Pointers (Germany-Regionalliga) and last season averaged 17.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 3.2apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 50.5%, 3PT: 17.5%, FT: 78.6%. 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.

Congrats Chris on a huge 92-81 win over Kronberg. How did this win feel after the tough loss to Lich last weekend where you fouled out early on?

Thank you. It felt good being available for my team. Last week I felt like I let the guys down so I wanted to make it up with a win this week. I’m happy we were able to pull one off against a tough opponent.

Talk a little about the summary of the game. What was the deciding moment in crunch-time where Bensheim had the win wrapped up?

The game was back and forth the entire time. It was one of those games you love to be a part of. It was close up until the 4th Q. I think the turning point was our defense for sure we were able to get stops at key times and punish them with shooting when they decided to go to zone.

How much of a factor did the turnovers play? In that respect Bensheim had 5 more turnovers.

Anytime a team has turnovers you give the opponents more opportunities on offense. We were a bit hectic sometimes looking to squeeze in difficult passes which resulted in TO’s. They also did a great job at pressing and trapping us. They forced us to play uncomfortable most of the game and I think that resulted in a close game.

Bensheim had a bit of a shorter rotation than Kronberg. Did fatigue play a factor? How tough is it in general playing with a reduced roster?


This week was tough. A few of our guys were out due to being ill. The shortened roster caused rile changes for some of our guys. In some cases shorter rosters help because everyone is in a groove and a part of the game. Fatigue plays a small role but we should be in shape 4 games in the season. I’m happy with the way we responded to having some of our key guys missing.

What was your impression of Kronberg? They didn’t have a star but a well rounded team that spread out the scoring well?

Kronberg is a well coached team. They are disciplined and each guy knows his role and stays within their realm. They have a system that tries to find the weakness in your defense and capitalize off that. They are not a team to sleep on they have many guys who are capable of scoring big which can make them dangerous.

Bensheim got super support from Jan Tschakaloff. Talk a little how valuable he was in this game?

Jan is our X factor I believe he is an incredible shooter with range. When he gets hot it can be a great thing for us. He hit some big shots for us and played very well on defense. I see he is getting more comfortable with his role and starting to excel.

You rebounded well from the last game pouring in 27 points. How content were you with your game?

I’m never satisfied with my play honestly I see 27 and 8 I see the fact that I should have had 30 and 10. It’s a motivation to be almost perfect that keeps me from letting up and relaxing. Theres always room for improvement. On the other hand it was what was needed this week to win so I’ll take it.

You had 6 turnovers. How would you classify them? Sometimes turnovers aren’t what they seem in the way they are scouted. How was it from your perspective?

On paper it was bad but in real time I don’t think it was that horrible . A few calls from the refs that were questionable a couple miscommunications between our team inbounding. I am not happy with this number but I know it won’t happen too often. We are turning that corner in learning our tendencies so the miscommunications will decrease and so will the turnovers.

Bensheim next battle 0-4 Giessen. This is a huge game to keep ground in the standings. What will be key to getting the win?

The key to winning is respecting our opponent and coming in with the same intensity as any other game. This game is important for us because we need to start gathering some wins in a row and also get our first home win this season. We are very hungry for this win and will go into this game focused and determined to get it.

This isn’t the Giessen Pointers, but how will you feel playing against another Giessen team?

This is the exact team I helped coach last season. So for me it is a bit weird to play against some of the young guys I coached in NBBL and Oberliga. I am proud of them for taking another step in their careers but at the same time that means nothing in between the lines. Even if my grandmother was on that team I’m not taking it easy. I’m here to compete and I know they are too.

Thanks Chris for the chat.

Tags : CHRISTOPHER MILLER, VFL BENSHEIM, GERMAN BASKETBALL

The Telekom Baskets Bonn have began off very well into the easyCredit BBL season sporting a 2-0 record as the departure of top point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright hasn’t put a dent into the new team as other top point guard TJ Shorts (175-PG-1997, college: UC Davis) has taken over the way everybody had expected. But unlike last season where the Telekom Baskets Bonn played only once a week, this season they have extra duty also competing in the Basketball Champions League. They caped off the campaign losing a tough nail bitter to Italian team Reggio Emilia 88-84. They wanted to get on the winning road, but it didn’t get any easier as they faced off against current 2-0 Italian Serie A team Pinar Karsiyaka. This season the team has a smorgasbord of great players like ex NBA players Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Angel Delgado as well as CJ Mccullum brother Errick and other talented Americans like Jaylon Brown and Vitto Brown. Pinar Karsiyaka came to Germany wanting to keep their BCL record spotless, but got off on the wrong side of the bed and witnessed TJ Shorts score 7 unanswered points at the gte go and they never recovered as the Telekom Baskets Bonn played with high intensity for 40 minutes winning 83-71. ‘We gave a gutsy effort for 40 minutes against a very high level team. We got off to a nice start thanks to high defensive energy. We had good phases in the game and were able to go from the fifth to sixth gear thanks to our identity for keeping our high intensity for 40 minutes. We did a good job dictating the game something we didn’t do as well in the last BCL game’, stressed Telekom Baskets Bonn head coach Tuomas Iisalo. Pinar Karsiyaka fought, but couldn’t match the intensity of Bonn for 40 minutes and just had no answer for diminutive guard TJ Shorts who could do whatever he wanted. ‘We missed many shots. They worked very hard and we didn’t match it. We have a lot of talent, but need to be more like a team thanjust individuals’, stressed ex NBA player Mindaugas Kuzminskas.

3,310 spectators wanted to see the BCL clash and quickly witnessed the TJ Shorts show as scored 7 unanswered points for the 7-0 advantage. The Turkish side knew what to expect, but probably didn’t expect Shorts to be so quick and so annoying with his agile play. The problem for any defense is, that you can’t let Shorts any time or space, because he will display his excellent mid range game or sink the trey with authority which he did in the first few minutes. Even as Pinar switched to zone, it didn’t hamper Bonn’s play as ex University of Northern Iowa forward Jeremy Morgan sunk a runner and ex New Zealand Breaker Finn Delaney nailed a trey for the 12-4 Bonn lead. Bonn established a fine offensive rhythm quickly while the guests had to work hard for their shots and met a brutal physicality by Bonn that even a beast like Angel Delgado couldn’t come to terms with. After some misses ex NBA player Mindaugas Kuzminskas finally got going showing his vast versatility making a three and lay as Bonn still led 16-9. Bonn showed nice team play while the Turkish team couldn’t move the ball as well and opted for 1-1 play. Bonn also had more fortune getting the majority of the 50/50 balls. Shorts hit a three at the end of the first quarter having 10 points while the Telekom Baskets Bonn led comfortably 19-11. ‘We worked all week long to hit them first and that is what we did. We had more intensity and locked down on defense which carried us through the game’, stated TJ Shorts. The Telekom Baskets Bonn worked harder on the boards and were rewarded with the 15-8 rebound edge and shot 50% from outside. The Turkish sides best stat line were their 2 turnovers.

In the second quarter Pinar Karsiyaka came back into the game courtesy of scorer Errick Mccollum will always be seen for hiss coring abilities as his playmaking is overlooked added 9 points and 5 dimes. The guy who is the brother of NBA star CJ Mccollum is what you call a walking bucket who was a top player in the Euroleague with Efes and once led the Chinese league in scoring with 39,0ppg. He hit two off balance shots early as Bonn led only 21-19. Despite the Turkish team rallying, Bonn played good defense as they were very contested shots. But basketball is a game of runs and Bonn struck back going on a 8-2 run to lead 29-21 as ex Fraport Skyliner Leon Kratzer made a massive dunk, ex Wurzburg guard Tyson Ward made a left handed dunk and ex Trier guard Sebastian Herrera hit a trey. Pinar Karsiyaka continued to play zone and got frustrated on offense electing to keep doing 1-1 play. The Turkish side have incredible individual talent and that is what got them over the hump as they went on a 12-4 run to dead lock the game at 33-33. In the run the Turkish team was led by the Browns as Vitto scored twice and Jaylon once while Mccollum continued to have the reins on the offense. Pinar Karsiyaka were shooting 2/13from downtown, so they upped their aggressiveness and began to attack the rim with a passion and were rewarded. Bonn kept the slight lead as Jermy Morgan made a three and Shorts made an off balance shot for the 40-36 lead. Mccollum and Jaylon Brown scored the last Pinar baskets as the Telekom Baskets Bonn led only 42-40 at the break. ‘We came back but it wasn’t enough. Errick is an important player, but we have to share the ball more. We need more than one player’, warned Pinar Karsiyaka head coach Ufuk Sarica. ‘Errick is so talented. We knew that he would make tough shots. We knew that we had to make it as tough for him. We knew that we could turn the game around if we threw bodies at him’, expressed TJ Shorts. Pinar Karsiyaka improved their rebounding in the second quarter trailing only 18-17 and had only 3 turnovers while the Telekom Baskets Bonn were shooting better than their opponent.

In the third quarter The Telekom Baskets Bonn once again had a great start like when they began the game led by Delaney and Shorts who carried the team. The German side continued to keep up their fierce defensive intensity that Pinar Karsiyaka couldn’t come to terms with. Bonn gave up a quick basket, but then halted the Turkish team’s next 5 possessions and they didn’t get their second basket from ex NBA player Angel Delgado until the 4,56 minute mark of the quarter. Delgado was a beast, but Bonn did an incredible job not letting him do what he wanted holding him to only 7 points and 3 boards in 27 minutes. Ex Hamburg Tower Jaylon Brown did get the first score, but Bonn reacted going on a 11-0 run to lead 53-42. Delaney nailed 2 three’s while Shorts made a lay in and free throws and German national player Leon Kratzer made a tip in. The German giant who was lost a bit in the shadow of Shorts who had a great game, more than fulfilled expectations with a fine 15 point 6 rebound game. The Telekom Baskets Bonn continued to move the ball well, and kept the fine lead with added buckets from Shorts who executed the perfect give and go with Delaney and even Tyson Ward got into the action with an enormous alley-op dunk getting the perfect pass from Sebastian Herrera for the 57-44 lead. Pinar Karsiyaka continued not to play team basketball and elected for more individual plays which worked at times as Mccollum and American Vito Brown showed with baskets. With 7 seconds to play TJ Shorts once again showed why he belongs to the top players in the easyCredit BBL going coast to coast for the final lay in as the buzzer sounded giving Bonn the satisfying 62-51 advantage after 30 mites. ‘Finn Delaney is one of the best on the team at both ends of the court. He does the nitty gritty on defense, but he is also a great shooter. He has the most confidence when he is shooting. We rode with him as he gave us a huge boost and sparked our offensive flow’, added TJ Shorts. The Telekom Baskets Bonn continued to shoot better with more than 50% from the field and the 43% from outside totally outmatched the pathetic 13,3% shooting of Pinar Karsiyaka from outside.

The fourth quarter was just a matter of the Telekom Baskets Bonn not letting up and finishing the game strong and not losing their strong intensity. Bonn got quick points from Kratzer and a huge three pointer from Jeremy Morgan for the 67-53 advantage. It was evident to see that Bonn wanted it more than Pinar as they just continued to attack attack attack while the Turkish team was always a step behind and seemed lack luster. Pinar Karsiyaka did find some more energy for their second best few minutes of the game going on a 11-2 run to cut Bonn’s lead down to 72-64. The run was sparked by ex ACB player Jaylon Brown who showed that teammate Mccollum isn’t the only walking bucket making a steal and lay in and then a coast to coast run and basket. Kuzminskas always contributed scoring twice and exhibiting his fine moves inside and ability to use the angles well while ex Wisconsin (NCAA) great Vitto Brown made a three pointer. After Shorts free throws, Delaney and Mccollum traded three’s, but Pinar Karsiyaka couldn’t make any ground as Bonn led 77-67. But that was as far as the Turkish team would come as TJ Shorts had seen enough and slammed the BCL door shut scoring twice with a runner and off balance shot for the 81-67 lead. ‘It helps a lot when you have a player like TJ Shorts. It puts my mind at ease knowing he won’t turnover the ball in big situations. It is a great feeling to have that he can create a shot, but at the same time one has to understand that his teammates are constantly working hard to create space. We are not a one man team. I like our chemistry’, warned head coach Tuomas Iisalo. Kratzer made a massive dunk and Kuzminskas closed out the game sprinkling his stat line a bit with 4 points. ‘We had problems with the pick and roll defense and on the defensive rebound. They deserved to win’, stated Pinar Karsiyaka head coach Ufuk Sarica. ‘We know that we had ups and downs, but overal we try to limit our mistakes as much as possible. We had the same intensity throughout the game and played together as a unit on defense. The ball was popping late and there were many switches. I had it going, but credit my teammates for getting me the ball’, warned TJ Shorts. The Telekom Baskets Bonn were led by TJ Shorts with 28 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists while Leon Kratzer added 15 points and Jeremy Morgan had 13 points and Finn Delaney 12 points while Pinar Karsiyaka was led by Errick Mccollum with 18 points and 10 assists while Mindaugas Kuzminskas added 16 points and Vitto Brown contributed 12 points. The Telekom Baskets Bonn shot 50% form the field and 39% form outside and had 41 rebounds and 13 turnovers while Pinar Karsiyaka shot 42% from the field and 18% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Tags : TJ SHORTS, TELEKOM BASKETS BONN, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Ernie Duncan is a former University of Vermont guard. He was born in Los Angeles, California and began his basketball career at William Henry Harrison high school in Indiana.. He was a 4 time IBCA All-State and averaged 20/4/6 in his career and is the all-time leader in scoring passing ex NBA players Calbert Cheaney and Walter McCarty) and in assists and games played. At Vermont he had a stellar 4 year career averaging in double figures in scoring average in 3 of 4 years and won the AEC title twice. He played a season with new MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg guard Ben Shungu (188-PG-1997, college: Vermont). He spoke to germanhoops.com about his career and Ben Shungu. Please check out his website at http://www.ernieduncanhoops.com

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

I am currently living in Vermont. I’m a skills development coach and run my own business here in the Northeast. Basketball life is treating me very well as I get to work with athletes of all ages every day.

You played at the University of Vermont from 2015-2019. You had decent stats and could of played professionally. Was that an option for you then?

I had options to go overseas but didn’t heavily pursue it. I found a chance to start my own business that I would love right after my college career was done and felt that I couldn’t pass up that opportunity.

I read that in high school you passed former NBA players Calbert Cheaney and Walter Mccarty in scoring. Isn’t that pretty mind boggling. Does that sometimes make you wonder how you could of faired as a professional player?

I do sometimes wonder how I could have fared as a pro. I had a very successful career at Vermont and know that could have had a long career as a pro if I wanted it. I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish at UVM and felt that it was time to move onto a different chapter of my life.

How are you keeping busy today and is basketball still in your life?

Basketball is my full time job. As I mentioned I run Ernie Duncan Hoops in the Northeast and train kids of all ages. I’m very blessed to be able to have the job that I do as it feels that I don’t really work a day in my life. I train 2nd graders all the way up to pros. I’m actually training Trae Bell-Haynes all next week here in Vermont and have done some private work with Ben as well. So basketball fills up my daily schedule!

You won 2 AEC titles in 2017 and 2019. Which one was sweeter?

I would say the 2019 title was sweeter. I went through a lot of adversity heading into that season so the feelings of winning that 2019 championship were off the charts. I then had the chance to play with my two brothers at the NCAA Tournament stage which was something that felt like it was out of a movie. All in all, both titles were dream experiences!

You played 2 seasons with Ben Shungu. What memories do you have of him as a teammate? He played little minutes then and didn’t have a big role?

I actually spent three seasons with Ben. I didn’t play with him until my senior year. He was an incredibly hard worker the day he stepped on campus. Always had an underdog mentality that continues to drive his game. My senior year he stepped into a big role at the end of the season. He became our starting point guard and really set the tone for us on the defensive side of the ball and really orchestrated our offense at a high level. A great locker room guy that I enjoyed spending time with.

He kept developing and really broke out as a senior. How much credit does a guy like John Becker get for how he turned out as a player?

Coach Becker and the staff get a ton of credit. They are really good at developing players and getting the most out of them. The unseen hours that are spent in the offseason to help the athlete is where the growth is. During the season they do an excellent job of putting the player in the right spots to succeed. If you put the time in as a player, the coaches will put you in the right spots.

Talk a little about Ben’s strengths. What does he do best on the offensive end and defensive end?

Ben plays both sides of the ball really well. Offensively he has really grown as a shooter. When he came to UVM he really couldn’t shoot very well. He now is a respectable shooter and someone you have to be aware of. He is an elite driver and finisher at the rim. He’s very strong and uses that to his advantage to get by defenders and to hold them off at the rim. The best part of his game may be his defense. He again uses his strength very well on that side of the ball and causes a lot of disruption as an on ball defender. A very smart player on both sides of the ball.

Have you followed his career a bit since you left school? He will play in the same league that Trae Bell-Haynes did. Do you feel like he will be able to meet the challenge?

With still living in Vermont I have watched just about every one of Ben’s games since graduating. He will do very well in that league. He’s an all around player that is also a fantastic teammate. No doubt in my mind, he will thrive in that league and will have a long career as a professional.

You played together with Trae Bell-Haynes at his peak in the NCAA and Ben Shungu when he was still young. Compare them a bit. Bell-Haynes is so quick and Shungu has 12 kilo’s on him. Could Shungu be the next Bell-Haynes in terms of having mega success as a professional?

I think Ben has the potential to follow in Trae’s footsteps. Both are similar in so many ways so they are very hard to compare. Both are elite finishers at the rim, solid shooters, great teammates. I would say Ben doesn’t have Trae’s speed and agility but Ben has the strength and size advantage on Trae.

What is the fondest memory that you had with Ben Shungu? Maybe you have a story off the court that shows what kind of guy he was?

Ben is one of the nicest dudes around. If I ever needed help he would extend a hand. I would say the fondest memory is just the countless hours we have spent together off the court sharing laughs. We have some inside jokes that we always greet each other with every time we see one another and it’s always a fun time.

Thanks Ernie for the chat. For more information about Ernie please check out ernieduncanhoops.com

Tags : BEN SHUNGU, MHP RIESEN LUDWIGSBURG, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Choosing what to do on a night in Berlin and Speyer is like night and day as Quadre Lollis could easily report about after spending time with Alba Berlin in the 2005-2006 season. His son Quadre Jr who played at 2 JUCO schools and 1 NAIA school and is playing his fourth professional season is playing in Speyer this season and wouldn´t be lying that sometimes it is just better to stay inside with the minimal night life activities in the city that has 50,000 inhabitants. I mean you can only visit the cathedral so much. The only difference between 2006 and 2022 in terms of staying in and watching exciting things online, is that today you have Netflix and other things which one couldn´t see as well back in the day when papa Lollis was balling in Berlin. It was Saturday night and Quadre Lollis Jr was at home in Speyer in his apartment and decided to watch the new Redeem Team documentary about the 2008 team USA run at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. The documentary chronicles Team USA rebounding from their embarrassing showing at the 2004 Olympics where they lost to Argentina in the semi finals. It couldn´t get any worse, but they lost to Puerto Rico by 19 points to open the games ending their 24 game winning streak since 1992. If that wasn´t a bad omen then for Kobe, Lebron and co. “It was a great documentary. Kobe was talking about helping push his teammates and getting everyone involved, but when crunch time came, he would bring his A game”, stressed Quadre Lollis. Little did Lollis know, but 24 hours later, he would be reminded of the Redeem Team documentary as the buzzer sounded in Frankfurt.

It was a very mild evening in early October as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were set to battle the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer on a rare Sunday night game as both had began 0-1 and were reeling for their first win. Lollis knew coming to Frankfurt that this was a massive game for teammate DJ Woodmore. “DJ talked about him never having won in Frankfurt in 4 tries. It was a huge game for him. He kept telling us and putting it in our ears that he really wanted to get the win”, stated Quadre Lollis Jr. Speyer had come off a tough loss against the Basketball Lowen and had to be prepared against a tough Frankfurt team where you never know who will play on account of their deep roster. “We wanted to come out and play our game and have more energy than against Erfurt. We started solid against Erfurt, but then it went down hill because we didn´t keep our energy. We knew that if we could keep our energy in Frankfurt, then we would have a chance to win”, warned Quadre Lollis Jr. The Fraport Skyliners had the 42-36 lead at the break as they were totally dominating the boards as Lollis and co had difficulty matching Frankfurt´s intensity. “The Frankfurt bigs are very big. They are really tough to handle and got a lot of second chance points. They had a lot more offensive rebounds. We knew that we had to step up our physicality”, remembered Quadre Lollis Jr.

It was no secret that the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer had to make adjustments in the second half and they did going to a zone that perplexed the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. Speyer also stepped up their offense scoring 31 points as they finally got into rhythm. “I believe that Frankfurt wasn´t expecting a zone. They were surprised. We switched back to man every now and then which mixed them up. It helped us because it was easier to box out then if we were playing man”, expressed Quadre Lollis. A player that was huge for Lollis and Co was 20 year old ex ANGT player Dejan Bruce who developed well the last years in Ludwigsburg. He was a force on offense getting key buckets. “Dejan did very well. He was very efficient. He is a great player that showed his versatility. This game was a very good confidence booster for him after having a tough first game”, commented Quadre Lollis Jr. In the fourth quarter Speyer got valuable support from Germans David Aichele and Samuel Schally while DJ Woodmore also stepped up helping them keep the slim lead. But the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were never out of the game as they roared back trailing 80-73 getting 2 big buckets from 19 year old German center Alexander Richardson who has 9 easyCredit BBL games on his resume to trail only 80-77. “That kid is really big. I´m not lying about that. On the ride home DJ and I were talking about how many times we thought we had the rebound but he came out of nowhere to swipe it away. He is a physical presence that will be a big problem for teams”, warned Quadre Lollis. Crunch time had finally arrived and with a little less than a minute to play Speyer got a huge basket from 212cm center David Aichele displaying a perfect executed play by head coach Carl Mbassa who had just drawn it up in the time out. “That was an isolation play. We knew that once we got the ball in the post that they would double. So we drew up the 45 cut and had David come cutting in straight to the rim. It was a great pass form Hugo Cluysen”, remembered Quadre Lollis Jr.

There were 8 seconds left on the clock and the game tied at 86-86 and Frankfurt had possession. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had a routine play of throwing the ball in, but totally botched it as they couldn´t get the ball thrown in in the 5 seconds allowed. “We showed the will to get the turnover. We knew that we still had a chance to win. We just focused on getting the stop. We wanted to give our all and then worry about what happened next”, added Quadre Lollis. Speyer then called timeout and Cral Mbassa drew up the last play. There only could be 3 guys who would get the shot with Woodmore, Lollis or Cluysen. I personally was hoping for Woodmore to get it to win the game himself, but it was also realistic that Lollis would get the ball since he had been the team´s best scorer with 19 points up to that point. It also wasn´t surprising that Woodmore didn´t chose himself in the time out showing the kind of character he really has. “It didn´t surprise me that much that I was given the last shot. I also thought that DJ might get the last shot. But coach and DJ chose me. They wanted me to get ball off a screen and be a mismatch. It would either be me attacking or taking a jump shot”, said Quadre Lollis. Speyer had possession and didn´t waste anytime getting Lollis Jr the ball. “I was in a good spot to get the ball. I always feel comfortable with that step back mid range shot. I first thought about going to the hole, but I was cut off so I did the step back. I got my Mamba mentality going. I had watched the Redeem Team documentary the night before”, laughed Quadre Lollis Jr. With the mid range step back being a sort of bread and butter shot for him, it was no surprise that he knew that it was going in after he released I, because it felt very good. He has had 5 buzzer beaters in his young career and has a very special ranking for this one. “This was my first one in Germany and I rank it #1. This was the first time that I hit a jump shot as the others were me attacking the basket”, remembered Quadre Lollis Jr. It was a black weekend for the Fraport Skyliners organization as the easyCredit BBL team lost Saturday night on a buzzer beater by Eric Washington to the MLP Academics and on Sunday night the Juniors lost to Speyer. “I hadn´t known that. I found out after the game. That is really tough”, stated Quadre Lollis. Next the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer tackle a real tough opponent with top Pro B club EPG Koblenz who are 2-0 and one of the favorites to move up to the Pro A. Despite Koblenz being favorite, he is confident for a good result at home in his living room. “I think we can take the momentum of the Frankfurt game into the Koblenz game. This win will boost our whole team and we will have extra confidence”, added Quadre Lollis. Despite winning the game in spectacular fashion, he knew who the win was dedicated to. “This win was for DJ. I will never forget how happy he was in the locker-room. It felt great for him and me”, stressed Quadre Lollis. This game showed that the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer don´t only have 2 fantastic players with DJ Woodmore and Quadre Lollis, but also 2 high class individuals that definitely were brought up the right way at home showing true character. That will definitely make papa Lollis proud and smile.

What can be worse for a club when you have to battle one of the top teams in the Pro b and your also missing some key players because they are using their double license to help the easyCredit BBL team who were playing at the same time. That is exactly what happened to the Fraport Skyliners Juniors who put up a great fight against Koblenz but lost by 13 points. Now they were finally home in their own living room for their first home game of the season and had to battle the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer who were also reeling from a tough 21 point loss to the Basketball Lowen Erfurt. For Speyer guard DJ Woodmore it is always a special experience to play in Frankfurt as over the years, he has had massive games there, but had never won. He finally wanted that first win in his fifth try at Basketball City Mainhatten and after 40 minutes had the biggest smile of anyone in the BCM even larger than Mr buzzer beater Quadre Lollis Jr. (196-PF-1994, college: Presentation) who had supplied the heroic buzzer beater with the 88-86 victory over the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. The Virginia native didn’t have his best scoring game but made some big plays down the stretch when it counted most. ‘This was a big win. It is always hard to prepare, because you never know what to expect and what line up Frankfurt will have. It feels good to win. It has been a long time since starting in 2014 and making the drive here and always coming up short. But tonight I thought we played solid and made the plays when we needed them. They killed us on the offensive rebounds, but once we made adjustments and were able to limit them to one shot, we were finally able to play our game’, stressed Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer guard DJ Woodmore. It was a brutal weekend for the Fraport Skyliners organization as they lost on a buzzer beater in Heidelberg and again in Frankfurt. Both games were sprinkled with big time mistakes in the last seconds. ‘It was a rough game. I thought our offense was Ok. They brought us out of rhythm with their zone. We had some good moments on defense, but overal we didn’t play well. Winning so many statistical categories and not winning the game is unacceptable. Our 1-1 defense really hurt us. We need to have more pride on defense’, warned Fraport Skyliner Junior Marco Voeller.

The first quarter was a tight affair as there were 5 lead changes. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors didn’t waste anytime trying to get their inside game going as they gave young German Alexander Richardson many touches while Speyer quickly got guys like Quadre Lollis Jr. Jr and Hugo Cluysen involved. With Frankfurt down 6-5, they got a little push going on a 7-0 run as Richardson made a dunk, 2019 NBBL allstar Jordan Samare a three pointer and ex Lok Bernau guard Nolan Adenkunle made a lay in after getting served up the sweet dime from Richardson. Frankfurt was doing a good job being physical which Speyer couldn’t match. But basketball wouldn’t be basketball without runs as Speyer got going with a slick 10-0 run to grab the lead back at 16-13. French forward Hugo Cluysen took the load on his shoulders scoring 5 points while 212cm center David Aichele showed his soft touch from outside. ‘Hugo is very skilled and still young. He plays well in the low post, but also can expand the floor. He can be a real match up problem and loves his hook shot. He struggled in the first game, but really bounced back today’, stated DJ Woodmore. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors responded by breaking the Speyer run and went back to their game roots banging the ball inside and outmuscling their foe. German undersized big man Jordan Samare supplied 2 buckets in the paint while 18 year old German Justin Onyejiaka made a lay in and tip in dunk at the end for the 23-21 advantage. The ex JBBL MVP gave the team a lot of energy on the boards with his intensity. Both teams shot over 50% from the field and were pretty even on the boards.

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners Juniors took control of the game, but could never totally shake the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer not being able to lead by more than 9 points. Frankfurt’s offense found it’s rhythm again playing their smooth inside out game while also running whenever they could to display how transition works correctly. Onyejiaka began the second quarter with a dunk on transition, Philipp Hadenfeldt made a lay in while ex Ehingen forward Nils Leonhardt made a trey for the 31-25 Frankfurt lead. After young German Samuel Schally hit a trey, Frankfurt bounced back again going on a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 37-28. In the run, Frankfurt was in constant attack mode getting 2 lay ins from athletic forward Nils Leonhardt and a lay in from Richardson who got the perfect pass form Adenkunle. Speyer remained in striking distance and didn’t allow Frankfurt to get away as Woodmore who was having a quiet night made a lay in, Cluysen made a step back and Lollis completed a floater. But Frankfurt went into the break with the 42-36 lead as Samare scored 5 points down the stretch to keep Speyer at bay. ‘Frankfurt hit us hard with their physicality. But we made enough shots and plays to stay in the game’, warned DJ Woodmore. Both teams shot over 40% from the field, but were still looking for their rhythm from outside while Frankfurt dominated the boards having the 24-14 rebound edge and 9-1 offensive rebound edge. ‘Frankfurt had problems talking and helping and were just losing their men. Speyer made some tough shots over hands and just had guys that could create their own shots’, said Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson.

After mustering only 36 points in the first half, the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer exploded in the third quarter scoring 31 points, but couldn’t lead by more than 67-64 after 30 minutes. Frankfurt was able to keep pace with Speyer simply because they executed pretty well. Both teams also had a little phase of hitting three’s as 4 in a row came from Adekunle, Lollis, Samare and Woodmore, but Frankfurt still led 48-47. Frankfurt then went on a 4-0 run to lead 52-47 as Alvin Oniya made a floater and Leonhardt a tip in. But Speyer once again saw some daylight as they went on a 8-0 run to regain the lead 55-52. Lollis Jr continued to be a mismatch horror for Frankfurt as he scored and then came the big moment of 20 year German and ex Ludwigsburg forward Dejan Bruce who hit a trey and made a lay in. He finished with 14 points and 71% shooting and his athleticism definitely raised some eyebrows in the BCM. ‘He is another one of our skilled players. When he gets locked in, he will be a really good player. He needs to have that confidence to keep getting better’, warned DJ Woodmore. Speyer continued to keep the lead as Bruce got free throws and Lollis scored again for the 59-57 lead. But Frankfurt kept fighting and grabbed the lead back 60-59 getting a three pointer from Leonhardt. But Dejan Bruce wasn’t finished as he continued to be aggressive scoring in the paint and then made a crushing dunk. A Samare lay in and Richardson tap in kept Frankfurt close down by 3 after 3 quarters. ‘We finally began to hit shots and went to zone. Our zone limited their second chance points and started our offense. But Richardson still was a big force for them’, warned DJ Woodmore. The Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer lifted their shooting to above 50% from the field and 40% from outside while Frankfurt had the overwhelming 31-24 rebound edge and 15/4 offensive rebound advantage.

In the fourth quarter the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer kept the lead, but the Fraport Skyliners Juniors stayed on their heels. Justin Onyejiaka gave Frankfurt vital energy and production with a hard 2 handed dunk and reverse lay up to keep Frankfurt close down only 70-68. Speyer retaliated with a 5-0 run to lead 75-68 as Cluysen converted on a trey and Schally scored inside. But Frankfurt also responded with a 5-0 run to trail only 75-73 as Richardson made a left handed lay in over Aichele. The game became a game of small runs as Woodmore scored 3 points and Niclas Geier drove into the paint and scored for the 80-73 advantage. Frankfurt had too many turnovers, weren’t aggressive enough on 1-1 defense and didn’t have that classic inside game anymore. With crunch-time having arrived the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had to react and did with another run as Richardson continued to be a raw beast inside scoring twice while Adekunle made a floater as Frankfurt trailed only 80-79. ‘We played too timid and weren’t aggressive enough. We played not to lose instead of to win. Frankfurt hit tough shots’, expressed DJ Woodmore. Cluysen stopped the Frankfurt run with a pretty hooks shot, but Mr energizer Philipp Hadenfeldt who had been quiet scoring made a massive trey to give Frankfurt the 83-82 lead. Geier and Richardson then traded free throws, but Frankfurt still led 85-84. Frankfurt then played great defense packing the paint and stopping Aichele. After Samare made one of two free throws for the 86-84 lead, Aichele responded with a lay in as he cut into the paint. The Fraport Sklyiners Juniors had 8 seconds to play and possession of the ball, but coughed up the ball not being able to get into play within the 5 seconds. ‘We didn’t do much on that inbounds play. It was sheer will power. We just wanted the stop. We denied the ball and switched on the screen. That was a long 5 seconds’, smiled DJ Woodmore. The Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer then had the last play and executed as Quadre Lollis Jr. made the last shot with 2 seconds remaining. ‘In the huddle, coach and me decided for the ball to go to Lollis. We wanted him to use the mismatch and attack the big. We were willing to live with the result. We trusted him and he made the shot’, stated DJ Woodmore. ‘We should of fouled after the switch. We had the same problem as in Heidelberg. I thought we defended the last play well’, added Marco Voeller. The Ahorn camp BIS Baskets Speyer were led by Quadre Lollis Jr. Jr with 21 points. Hugo Cluysen added 16 points while Dejan Bruce added 14 points and Niclas Geier 11 points while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Jordan Samare with 19 points. Alexander Richardson, Nils Leonhardt and Nolan Adekunle added 14 points apiece. The Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer shot 56% from the field and 42%form outside and had 28 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 45% from the field and 32% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Tags : QUADRE LOLLIS JR., AHORN CAMP BIS BASKETS SPEYER, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Eric Washington (183-PG-1993, college: Miami, OH) is a 29 year old 182cm guard from Columbia, South Carolina playing his seventh professional season and second in Germany with the MLP Academics Heidelberg. Last season he played with the Niners Chemnitz averaging 7.8ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 21.7%, FT: 78.0%. He began his basketball career with W.J. Keenan High School. He then played in the NCAA playing 115 games for two schools with Presbyterian College (NCAA) and then finished at Miami University (NCAA). Before coming to Germany he played in countries like Cyprus and Bosnia and three seasons in Hungary. He spoke to germanhoops.com about the incredidle buzzer beater 93-90 win over the Fraport Skyliners

Thanks Eric for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the amazing 93-90 win over the Fraport Skyliners. Did you get a good dose of the Heidelberg night life after that?

Not really. I was tired. We only get 1 day to recover. I have to take advantage of recovery days. Tomorrow we get back to work and begin to prepare for the cup game against Braunschweig. I didn’t do too much last night. I just saw some teammates.

You have had some big wins in your career but where does this rank considering you hit 2 late three’s for the win?

I think this performance is top 5 in my career. I have had some great moments very similar to this.

The Fraport Skyliners were up 88-81 with 1,26 minutes to go. How confident were you there that the MLP Academics could pull out the win?

To be honest I wasn’t really aware of the score or time in the moment. I knew that we had to be in attack mode at all times to give ourselves a chance. I knew that any opening I got, I had to take because time was against us. Whenever we had that open look, we had to take it. I just thought that we had to keep doing that and make the game as long as possible.

Let’s go back to the start of the game. Frankfurt exploded for 33 points in the first quarter. Did Heidelberg miss something on the scouting report? Were you surprised about how Frankfurt came out?

We had to do a better job being aggressive. We weren’t being the aggressor. People weren’t filling us out. It started with me. I had to be at the top of the snake and I had to do a better job of setting the tone. We got in foul trouble and we became less aggressive. We have to learn to be aggressive and not get fouls. We also have to make it more uncomfortable for the opponent. We let Frankfurt be too comfortable.

You had a lot of difficulty controlling Martinas Geben. How difficult was it trying to make defensive adjustments on him?

He is really a load. He is a lot bigger than what you see on film. He was big, but he could move well. We knew he had a left shoulder, but he was also patient in the post. He reminds me a bit of Jokic in Denver as a guy who is poised, patient and has a soft touch. When good offensive players see the ball go in a lot then all hell breaks loose. He is a very good player.

The Fraport Skyliners kept the lead in the second quarter and led 54-43 at the break. Why was it so difficult for the MLP Academics to get over the hump?

Our defense was there, but we had problems getting consecutive stops. It is really back breaking when you give so much energy on a possession which then ends with a foul. That hurts you mentally. We didn’t get enough stops.

After a few minutes of the third quarter the game seemed over as Frankfurt went on a 10-2 run to lead by 20 points. But you never gave back. Talk a little about how fellow American Dejon Davis was in your shadow this game?

He carried us at the start. It really hurt when he got his last foul. He continues to make strides and looks really good. I always tell him to remain being aggressive. It is really exciting watching him grow. He is new in the BBL and still getting adjusted. But coache’s system is working for him. He gives us great minutes and production.

In the fourth quarter the MLP Academics never gave up and kept chipping away. What key words did coach Jonas Iisalo give the team leading up to crunch-time?

Coach gave us a lot of confidence and kept telling us to be aggressive. He didn’t really tell us anything too crazy except for staying aggressive. I took The Attack Attitude and ran with it

Crunch-time belonged to you. You scored 16 points in a row including 4 three’s in a row and the buzzer beater. That was a sheer masterpiece. Was that a once in a life time achievement?

I don’t know. I was just being aggressive. I wanted to give my team and myself a chance to win. I never stopped attacking and am excited that we won. That is why we put in the work so shots like that fall in and we can have moments like that.

Did you sense that your teammates not only had 100% confidence in you but wanted you to be the hero?

My teammates have given me the ultimate confidence since pre-season. There are times where I hesitate, but they just tell me to keep shooting. I have played for so long, but sometimes you just need to be reminded. I appreciate my teammates so much

Talk about your last 2 three’s to tie and win?

The tying one at 90 was an interesting one. I was driving right for most of the night. I felt like on that shot the big had an arms length on me. I knew that if I would drive, he would be on me. I felt like I could of driven, but then I did take the three because we needed it. I gave him right to left and had him leaning. I saw the rim and shot it. That is a shot I work on each day. I feel comfortable with it. On the game winner there were 3 seconds left and knew that I could get up court. I knew that I couldn’t take 3 dribbles and knew I could take 2 dribbles and reach half court. I threw it it out and ran after it. I saw the clock at 0,9 seconds and shot it. I saw the rim before the contest, but didn’t see the shot go in, but I heard the roar of the crowd.

You always had great stats in different countries until last season in Chemnitz. How happy are you that you are a major contributor with the MLP Academics?

It’s part of the game. I’m just really thankful to be able to play the game. If you come to Europe and are away from your family, at least you can play. I wanted to play for a club in Germany that believed in me. I’m so thankful that I can play for the MLP Academics. I want to help them be a better organization. I don’t take anything for granted and always leave it out on the court. Chemnitz had a certain role for me and that’s ok. I just feel like I can play for a club and help them role with having more of a role. The MLP Academics trust me and believe that I can be a leader. I give my heart to the game. It doesn’t matter if I play 10 or 30 minutes. I always play hard. My goal is for me to help Heidelberg have the kind of season In year 2 that Chemnitz had.

A game can change a whole season around. Do you feel like this incredible finish could spark the team on a major win streak?

We have to take it 1 game at a time. We can’t look to much ahead, but just stay in the moment. The next 8 games are very tough. Every away game in the BBL is tough. But the win against Frankfurt gave us confidence. I think that once we get our defense down, we will give teams trouble. If we get confident, we could make the playoffs. Once we get it, we will be scary.

What was your impression of the Fraport Skyliners? I don’t want to take anything away from your incredible performance, but did Frankfurt in a way give this one away? They lost 2 of 3 games this season on the last play. Will they rebound from this set back?

Yes I can understand that. They were up 20 points. You have to finish the team off, but it is tough playing a team that is always attacking. We never gave up. I don’t know if they can rebound. It will be interesting to see how the coach and players respond. Now you see how their character is. If you don’t have a good locker room and leader, it could all spiral down.

Did ex coach Rodrigo Pastore send you congrats?

No he hasn’t. He probably won’t. But then again, I don’t think that my coach in Hungary will either. We had a normal player/coach relationship. We are both competitors. If he does send congrats, I will say thank you.

Thanks Eric for the chat.

Tags : ERIC WASHINGTON, MLP ACADEMICS HEIDELBERG, GERMAN BASKETBALL

DJ Woodmore (190-SG-1992, college: VWU) is a 30 year old 190cm point guard that is playing his eight professional season and sixth with the Ahorn Basket Bis Baskets Speyer. Last season with Speyer he averaged 15.5ppg, 6.3rpg, 3.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 55.8%, 3PT: 43.3%, FT: 81.0%. In the 2020-2021 season with the EPG Baskets Koblenz he averaged 13,3ppg, 6,0rpg, 4,3apf and 1,3spg. In 2019-2020 with the Morgenstern BIS Basket Speyer (Germany-ProB) he played 21 games averaging 15.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT-2 (50.0%), FT: 87.3%. In 2018-2019 13.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 60.2%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 71.6%. In his first two seasons with Speyer he averaged 14.5ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 40.1%, FT: 72.1% and 17.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 76.4%. he played at Virginia Wesleyan College (NCAA3): from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 31 games averaging 20.1ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 50.3% (219/435), 3Pts: 46.0% (91/198), FT: 76.9% (93/121). He spoke to germanhoops.com before the Pro B game against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors.

Thanks DJ for talking to germanhoops.com. Welcome back to Speyer. How confident are you that you will end your career there?


I appreciate it!! Glad to be back. Haven’t really thought about the end of my career too much. I’m just going with the flow. But it’s obvious that I enjoy being here. Would be fitting to start and end my career with the same club.

This is your sixth season in Speyer. What do you appreciate most about the organization now and then when you landed there in 2014?


I’ve basically spent most of my adult life here in the city. I came here when I was 22 and it’s crazy to think that now I’m 30. I think I’ve grown, just as much as the club has grown. We’ve both learned from the ups and downs and ended up in a better position than 8 years ago.

Let’s talk a little about the team. The first thing that really stands out is that the club got very young. Do you feel like having less experience could have an effect of how well the team will perform?

Absolutely. This team is a lot different than last season. Going to take us a little more time to gel together compared to last year. But I think the talent is still there. Once we figure it out, I think we’ll be competing at a high level consistently.

The team had problems scoring against Erfurt and had problems keeping points off the score board. What kind of style can we await from the Ahorn Baskets this season?

We’ve already made some adjustments since the first game, offensively and defensively. I believe it’ll be a better showing on Sunday. Erfurt is a tough team. But they have a returning core that’s been together for multiple years. Definitely a tough opponent when opening the season. We’ll be fine though.

I was a little surprised to see a young guy like Valentin Rappold go to Regionalliga team TV Langen. How much will the team miss his defensive qualities?

Yes that was a surprising off-season move. We’ll definitely miss his energy he brings on defense and ability to get people shots. But I think we have some young guys ready to step into that role. Nick is playing with a lot of confidence right now, and I think he’s capable of being an impact player for us.

The team picked up Quadre Lollis JR. How valuable is he to the team and did you know his dad played for Alba Berlin before you were even in high school?

Yea, I had a lot of talks with Q even before he landed in Speyer. I know his dad is a legend around the basketball world here. But Q’s going to be huge for us this season. His ability to get to the basket and finish is one of the best in the league, easily. He puts so much pressure on the defense and is a match up nightmare for teams.

One player that is a big talent is Samauel Schally. How have you observed his early progression this season and what do you appreciate most about his game?

His confidence! From the first day of practice, he never questions his ability. He’s a shooter and he knows that. Even at his age he knows what he has to offer. I don’t worry about Sam. Look for him to have a few BIG games for us this year.

Your turning 31 in January 2022. You have been consistent your whole career. What has been your secret to being able to achieve that?

Just being available. I think I’ve been lucky enough to not have to deal with any major injuries. Just putting the work in during the off-season. Getting a little bit better each summer. And playing with confidence every night.

The team seems not to have as many scoring options like last season and have lost scoring machine Darrian Cardenas. Could this be the season where you could have your best scoring season?

If that’s what the team needs me to do. If it calls for me to be more aggressive, I don’t have a Problem with that. And same if I need to get more players more shots. Whatever translates to getting back to the playoffs.

What are your biggest personal goals as a player besides winning? Is there anything about your game that you want to showcase more this season?

I honestly don’t have one. As cliche as it sounds. I just want to make a deep playoff run. I’ve already scored a lot of points, grabbed a lot of rebounds, Shot crazy percentages. But honestly I just want to compete for championships. Not just play to save the league.

You have mostly had good games in Frankfurt. But I can imagine the 2 games last season are ones you won’t forget. In one you were very close to a triple double?

Yea I think we lost both of those games though!! I think overtime in one of them. I always enjoy playing in Frankfurt. But I’ve actually never won game in the Frankfurt gym. Don’t know why that is, but I’m 0-4 in that gym. Hoping to change that this year.

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors are very young this season. What kind of game can we await? IT looks like Speyer will be the favorite?

This it will be a really fast pace game. We know they’ll run each chance they get and we’ll have to be good in translation on defense. But we’re young too, so I can imagine it will be a tough outing.

Quantez Robertson is turning 38 in December and this might be his last year. Your turning 31. How much longer do you feel will you still play? Are you the type of guy that won’t stop until your motor totally turns off?

I think so. I don’t have an age when I want to stop playing. I’m still enjoying it and just as (if not more) passionate about putting the time and energy in each week as I was when I started in 2014. The game has taken me around the world and back, and I’ll keep riding until the wheels fall off !

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


I Think he’s got to be up there as 1 or 1b. You can argue Magic Johnson but Steph has completely changed the game.

Thanks DJ for the chat.

Tags : DJ WOODMORE, AHORN CAMP BIS BASKETS SPEYER, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Sometimes it’s like a little kid being in a candy store and not knowing if that piece of candy your eying is all that just because you can’t identify it or have heard of it. I felt like this last year after a G-League game. It was a very warm mid November day as I exited a G-League game in Portland Maine between the Maine Celtics and Capital City Go Gos. After having watched a high scoring fest with little defense, my basketball evening wasn’t finished yet. Meeting guys and getting selfies is always on the agenda, but when you have been around the game for 2 decades and seemingly interviewed almost everyone, there always seems to be a guy or two I have had dealings with. It wasn’t any different in Maine. On this night there were quite a few people I wanted to say hello to. It began with catching up with ex NBA player and Maine assistant coach Awvee Storey who I had met back in 2007 in Germany, meeting a few guys from capital City who I had interviewed the season before in Germany and saying high to Eric Demers and reminding him if he could please complete my Interview that I had sent to him. In between, I had to keep an eye on all the massive talent that was coming out the arena door like Greg Monroe or guys like Chris Clemons, Luke Kornet or Ryan Arcidiacono who I all got selfies with, but I couldn’t get everyone. It was really hectic with so many guys coming out as well as having to deal with a annoying security man that I missed getting a selfie with a tall looking guy that had an unforgettable wide smile. I remember asking someone who that was and was told that is Deng Adel (201-F-1997, college: Louisville, agency: Verus Management). With all the NBA talent on the floor, his 10 points in 14 minutes remained off my radar that night. I honestly had never heard of him and just let him slip away. When I got home and did research, I found out that he had indeed played 18 NBA games for the Cleveland Cavs. I figured I would never see him again, but if a guy decides to come overseas, there is always a chance I might interview him. Fast forward 10 months later to October 3 on the national reunification day of Germany, I had a 10am telephone conference call with him. Sometimes the basketball world can be so small. I may not have seen him through the phone, but his warm personality felt like we were really face to face. He has seen a lot in the NBA and now is ready to take charge overseas, but the NBA is still on his mind in the future.

Deng Adel who lists current Boston Celtics Malcolm Brogdon and Jayson Tatum as his toughest opponents in the NCAA was born on February 7th, 1998 in Juba in Sudan, Africa. He and his family escaped Sudan and fled to Uganda and at the age of 8 and moved to Australia settling in Melbourne. He grew up playing soccer and track and wasn’t introduced to basketball until he was 14 and the Sunshine Longhorns was the first team he ever played for. He then played high school basketball for the Waverly Falcons and in his last year averaged 26.2ppg, 9.6rpg, 3.7apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 35.5%, FT: 75.4%. Not everyone is so lucky, but in 2013, he landed a rare scholarship and played basketball at Victory Rock in Bradenton, Florida. In his 2 years there he averaged 22/8 and 19/8 and earned all-state. He had NCAA offers from schools like Florida, Virginia Tech and UConn, but ultimately chose to attend Louisville and play for coaching legend Rick Pitino. He played at Louisville from 2015-2018 playing a total of 89 games. He had some misfortune getting injured in his freshman year after becoming a starter and came back 5 weeks later. He scored in double figures in 4 games averaging 4,0ppg and 2,1rpg and his biggest highlight in his freshman year was helping defeat powerhouse Duke 71-64 contributing 12 points and dueling against many future NBA players like Jayson Tatum and Brandon Ingram. ‘I remember that game being at home. I was hurt half the season and I began to play toward the end of the season. That game was a serious confidence booster for me. It showed me that I belonged. Grayson Allen later was a top NBA draft pick. I kept working on my game’, stressed Deng Adel. In his junior year he made a massive jump in his game playing 33 games averaging 12.1ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 77.1%. He scored in double figures in 22 games. Not many guys can say they beat Duke twice in a career, but he did it again 81-77 steering 22 points and belonged to the best on the court that day with Tatum and Luke Kennard and left teammate Donovan Mitchell in the shadow who only produced 8 points. Rick Pitino played a huge role for him being able to develop so rapidly in his first 2 years. ‘I appreciated his work ethic the most. I also enjoyed seeing him every day in his office and him always working out. He was a very intense coach. I believe that it helped me that I had had an intense high school coach. That prepared me to play for Pitino. It wasn’t always easy for guys to adjust to his style, because he was always yelling so much. I think I was able to. Some guys shut off and couldn’t focus because of his yelling. He is a defensive coach and you always had to be locked in’, remembered Deng Adel. He made another big jump in his last season leading the team in scoring averaging 14.9ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 78.6%. He had to end his NCAA career in the NIT against Mississippi State and won’t forget it. ‘That was a tough loss especially because it was my last game. We had a special group of guys that were close. Losing like that wasn’t easy, but there was a lot going on that season’, said Deng Adel. He scored in double figures in 31 games including hitting Virginia Tech for 27 points, and 20 points a piece against North Carolina and North Carolina State. In his last season he learned from new head coach David Padgett who helped him raise his game once again. ‘Coach Padgett did a great job. He came in when coach Pitino left. He had been an assistant coach and this was his first head coaching job. We nominated him for head coach. He had a similar style to Pitino. He was very encouraging and kept the group close. It was a tough time because so much was going on off the court’, stated Deng Adel. He also will never forget the daily battles in practice with future NBA player Jordan Nwora. ‘I won the 1-1 battles then. I’m so happy for how his career has gone. I spoke to him only a week ago. He was very talented then and could score. He was young then and still trying to figure out his role. He should of left after his sophomore season, but respect to him for coming back and getting better. He is an NBA champion now’, stated Deng Adel.

The small forward who lists Donovan Mitchell, Raymond Spaulding, Chris Boucher, Quinton Synder, and Mangok, Mathiang as his 5 best teammates of all-time turned professional in 2018 and began to play NBA Summer League for the Houston Rockets averaging 8.3ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.9%. He then signed a training camp contract with the Toronto Raptors and then landed with the Raptors 905 (G League) and played 24 games averaging 12.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 76.9%. He had some super games in his first months in the G-League scoring 25 points against Texas and 22 points against Ft Wayne. On January 15th 2016 he signed a 2 way deal with the Cavs. He would play his first NBA game 4 days later against Denver scoring a three pointer and hauling down 2 rebounds. That season he didn’t have one wake up call to being in the NBA, but almost daily as he was always active off the court something you don’t see overseas. ‘I remember playing at the G League showcase in Las Vegas. It is a 2 game showcase with no fans, but only scouts and teams watching. I played very well in those 2 games averaging something like 25,0ppg. Coming in I had had no work out with the Cavs, but the next morning had breakfast with them after my first game performance. They wanted to get to know me. After me second game, the Mavericks, the Spurs and Clippers wanted to talk to me. Then I flew to Toronto and my agent told me to stay ready, because I had offers. I may have to pack and be gone. I was back at 5 Am in Toronto and the next day was on my way to Cleveland. Then I flew to Utah where my ex Louisville teammate Donovan Mitchell played and met up with my team the Cavs. I didn’t suit up that game, but I was in the NBA. Suddenly I was in a NBA locker room. It was crazy. I was a 2 way player and in the NBA. I was traveling so much and living out of a suitcase’, remembered Deng Adel. The Cavs team was very young in his time there and he did the best he could to get minutes. He was very fortunate to call ultimate NBA veteran Channing Frye a teammate and obviously tried to soak up as much as possible from him. ‘We had 100% meaningful conversations. Channing was one of the cooler teammates that I have been around. He loves gaming and has that childish personality. He was always positive and had been in the NBA for a while. I think that that was his last season. I could approach him about anything. Another guy that was important with the Cavs for me was fellow Australian Matt Dellavedova. I had known him a bit from home. He was also very cool and helped a lot off the court’, smiled Deng Adel. His minutes were up and down, but that is normal in the NBA. In his time there he only helped win 4 of 18 games, but there is one game he will remember. ‘I played sporadic minutes. It was difficult and hard to adjust to. I tried to find a flow. I think the funnest game for me in the NBA was playing against the Chicago Bulls. I got in around the 15 minute mark. We didn’t win much, but we won that game. I was happy that my family was at that game and were able to watch me play long minutes. I also remember how tough the travel was for my body. I remember playing a very physical 76ers team and then getting into Orlando at 3 am and having top play the next day. I really felt my body the next day. The travel was tough as you played every other day’, added Deng Adel. In his time with the Cavs he also played with the Canton Charge (NBA G League) averaging 12.1ppg, 6.1rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 77.8. He scored 22 points against Erie and 20 points against his ex team Raptors 905. In the summer of 2019 he played NBA Summer League again for the Houston Rockets averaging 8.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 50.0%, FT: 80.0%. In his second professional season he was cut by the Brooklyn Nets and played the season with their farm team Long Island Nets (NBA G League) playing 29 games averaging 11.1ppg, 4.3rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 78.7%. He had massive games against the Raptors 905 netting 29 points and hit College Park for 27 points. Getting a NBA call up is never easy especially when you aren’t scoring 30 points every night. ‘I think not having consistency played a part in me not getting a NBA call up. I feel like I had a different role than usual there. I had different type of shots in that offense. But I still think that I had a solid season’, expressed Deng Adel.

In the 2020-2021 season, the African forward that lists Kobe, Jordan, Durnat, Lebron, and Curry on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore decided to take a break from finding his NBA dream and returned home to Australia to suit up for the Illawarra Hawks (Australia-NBL) playing 23 games averaging 5.9ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 38.0%, 3PT: 20.3%, FT: 79.3%. He had some solid games against SE Melbourne scoring 17 points and netted 19 points against Adelaide, but overal this was a season to forget. ‘That was a difficult situation. I had a different role than usual and I also was going through some personal issues and wasn’t locked in the way I should have been. It was a very tough year for me mentally. I would love to play in Australia again. I haven’t been able to play in front of family and friends so often’, commented Deng Adel. After a year down under, he had the itch again to go back to the States and try his luck at the NBA and played with the Maine Celtics (G-League) averaging 6.6ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 63.5%, 3PT: 21.6%, FT: 80.0%. After a rough season down under, he didn’t fair that much better with Maine. He had his moment scoring in double figures in 9 games including 18 points and 13 rebounds against Canton and 17 points against Windy City. As usual not getting consistent minutes was the main problem. In a 4 game span in February he almost averaged 40 minutes per game while other times he hardly got minutes including 6 games where he had under 10 minutes. ‘It is definitely tough in the G-League with minutes. You have to find a way to stay engaged mentally. There is so much movement in the G-League. Teams have pressure to play the NBA guys. You may play 35 minutes one game and only 10 minutes the next. You have to find out your role quickly. Sometimes it just takes longer. You just have to continue to work, be positive and stay ready. It is the same in the NBA. You may not play 10 games and then start a game. You have to stay locked in mentally’, warned Deng Adel. Despite having ups and downs, he will always cherish special moments with teammates and assistant coach Awvee Storey. ‘He was awesome. He works very well as a primary with players on and off the court. I remember doing extra work with him and grabbing food afterwards’, said Deng Adel. After 3 years of being in the NBA business, he agrees with just about every other guy that played there that the NBA will always be a business first before anything else. ‘I think that the best example is simply all the movement that happens. My rookie season with Toronto, I played a lot in the G-League. I was a 2 way player. They always want to see the young guys and NBA guys that are sent down first. Every player goes through this’, commented Deng Adel. He finally had a positive experience after 2 tough seasons last summer playing in the up and coming CEBL league in Canada for the Ottawa Blackjacks. He totally exploded averaging 16.1ppg, 6.0rpg, 4.5apg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 81.6%. It was his best scoring season since high school in Australia. ‘Playing for Ottawa was very special. My season with Maine was up and down and I was also hurt. I felt last summer that it was most important for me to focus on game experience instead of just working out all summer. I watched a lot of film as well. Coming to play with Ottawa was one of my best decisions. They let me do my thing’, remembered Deng Adel. He wasted no time showing his worth exploding for 37 points and 7 three’s against Fraser Valley and his zeal to play was huge. ‘It was the first game and I was very excited to play. Sometimes excitement can go left or right. I came out excited and they were backing off me. I had worked on my shot a lot at that time and it was just a matter of confidence. Some guys see shots going in and then you get that feeling that you can’t miss’, stressed Deng Adel. He also scored 30 points against Edmonton and 27 points apiece against Niagara and Fraser Valley.

The talented player who believes Jordan is the Goat and thinks the sequel to the classic movie Coming to America should have been left alone has started a new basketball chapter in Denmark with top Danish team Bakken Bears that also duel in the Basketball Champions League. He got a rude welcome to Germany a few days ago losing 99-58 to the MHP Riesen in a Basketball Champions Leavue game where he scored 5 points in 14 minutes. ‘I have began to follow the BBL more. My friend Justin Simon played in Germany and told me that the league is amazing. He told me that a lot of guys from the G-League play there, and that my style fits it’, said Deng Adel. It surprised me that a player with his back-round landed in Denmark as I would expected the ACB or Italy, but he is pleased about his new team. ‘I think that coming to Bakken was the best situation for me. Being able to play for their coaches and the role I was getting fit my style. It is a smaller market but Bakken a lot of talented players. Denmark has been great. Something like 80% speak English. It has been easy to settle in and I’m able to focus well on my career’, stated Deng Adel. He is 100% confident that he will be able to play his game to the satisfaction of the coaching staff and himself. ‘We have experienced guys as well as younger guys who have energy and push the pace. My role will be being a primary initiator being able to show my scoring qualities, defense and getting out on transition. I think that my game will translate well. I have to make sure to make the right reads and finding my shots as well as making the right decisions and pushing the ball. I need to get used to the traveling call. We have a G League feel on the team. We play at a high pace and we are allowed to make decisions based on our skills’, expressed Deng Adel. The athletic high flyer who appreciates the strong leadership skills and easygoing manner of teammate Skyler Bowlin believes he can take some of that scoring power from Canada to Denmark and make an impact. ‘I definitely I feel like I can score at a high rate. It is still early and we have to get used to each other. We are still figuring things out on when to shoot and when to be aggressive. It will only be a matter of time before I get used to the style. Of course his main focus are the Bakken Bears but he would be lying if his NBA dream was over now. ‘My ultimate goal remains the NBA. I’m just taking a different route now. My focus is to continue to get better each year. I feel like I’m still young enough to get back. It always depends on the best situation. Each season is different. I have to take it a year at a time’, warned Deng Adel. One thing is for sure no matter wherever the place will be that I finally meet Deng Adel again, I will definitely not be a little kid in a candy store, but moreover like a veteran wine connoisseur and know exactly who he is.

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Tags : DENG ADEL, BAKKEN BEARS AARHUS, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Foto Credit: Fraport Skyliners

Even if the Fraport Skyliners lost a hard fought battle against the mighty FC Bayern Munich where they really gave the Euroleague team a scare in crunch time cutting their lead down to 77-72 with a few minutes to play, there were 2 plays that stood out from the 2000 BBL cup team. It doesn’t always have to be the spectacular dunks or passes that can really make fans get the electrifying goose bumps, but it can also be pinpoint shooting. If legend Chris Mullin could shoot 14/15 from the parking lot at the Sacramento Kings training camp when he was 50 years old, then a 37 year old Quantez Robertson can still make three’s as well. Ok so Tez may not have the same shooting qualities of a Mullin, but he has had his moments in his illustrious career from the parking lot. It is no secret that the Skyliner legend has had to take on a lesser role under new coach Dutch man Geert Hammink, but yesterday against FC Bayern Munich, he definitely rebounded from his poor showing in Bayreuth scoring 8 points, hauling down 5 boards and dishing out 3 dimes. Near the end of the first quarter, he hit a massive trey to give the Fraport Skyliners the 13-12 advantage and the living room of Tez was buzzing. The cheers were enormous as one could easily comprehend how much the fans still love him. The second play that was monumental was in crunch-time as young German Joshua Obiesie (198-PG-2000) dropped a deep three from near the Hoechst train station cutting the FC Munich lead down to 77-72. The cheers were loud, but it was apparent that it didn’t reach the heights of what the easyCredit BBL legend Tez got in the first quarter. ‘My cheers were probably a bit louder, but his cheers will get louder as time goes on. The fans expect a lot from him. I feel that Josh belongs up with the top young Germans for his age’, warned Quantez Robertson.

I reach the Cincinnati native Quantez Robertson on a late Tuesday afternoon as the balmy weather is shouting for playground as he is on his way out with his family for some relaxing dowqn time. It has almost been 24 hours since the tough loss to FC Bayern Munich, but basketball life goes on. The Fraport Skyliners have to get back to the drawing board and analyze what went wrong against FC Bayern Munich and get back on the court highly spirited and focused for the next games as they will tell where their journey will go this season. The next 4 games starting with the MLP Academics next weekend are all must wins. But for once the Fraport Skyliners as a team isn’t on the menu for Quantez Robertson, but only teammate Joshua Obiesie. The first thing that Tez thinks about when he hears the name Joshua Obieise is big combo guard saw a fine performance by the ex FC Bayern Munich guard. After a tough Skyliner debut in Bayreuth where he shot 1/7, but overall filled the stat sheet well, he wanted to show the home crowd in his first game in his new living room that he could make a difference against his ex team and did. It isn’t always just motivation that can bring a player to perform at a high level. ‘Of course Josh wanted to play well against his old team, but I think key for him was just being aggressive and just having fun. He really enjoys basketball’, stressed Quantez Robertson. The ex Wurzburg guard played 21 solid minutes ending up being the team’s top scorer with 15 points and also dished out 6 assists. He did a fine job taking responsibility and picking his spots well. ‘He has showed that all pre season long. He is always hungry and aggressive and took full advantage of his playing time’, stated Quantez Robertson.

He had a lot better shooting night at home then in Bayreuth shooting 5/8 (63%) and really mixed it up being able to use his quickness and athleticism to getting some easy lay ups, while also taking responsibility and having the courage to attempt tough outside shots that fell at a clip of 67%. ‘He took some easy shots and we expect him to make them and also took tough shots. He won’t always make them, but more will fall as the season goes on’, warned Quantez Robertson. It was no surprise that he was keen on being audacious and seeking to take on responsibility in crunch time as he nailed that ridiculous trey from way down town. It is still too early to know if he could become that primary go to guy in crunch-time like say a Matt Mobley a few years ago. ‘I don’t know if he can become that guy. He had the ball in his hands at the end and had to take the shot. He did a good job keeping poised and making it. Anytime he has the ball with a few seconds on the shot clock, we expect him to take it’, warned Quantez Robertson. Especially in crunch-time, FC Bayern Munich was playing aggressive defense, but he was able to find solutions and react well. ‘He was very aggressive on offense, but also did a good job on the defensive end’, added Quantez Robertson.

The 22 year old who played 1 NBA Summer League game in 2021 with the Sacramento Kings and had played 81 easyCredit BBL games prior before coming to the Fraport Skyliners also did a fine job as a facilitator with 6 assists. One can see that his decision making isn’t totally there yet, but that will also get better with experience and continuing to get to know his teammates tendencies and reading the game better. ‘I thought he did a pretty good job with taking his time and trying to make good decisions. He does tend to overthink at times, but that will also get better with experience’, warned Quantez Robertson. He coughed up the ball 3 times, but taking care of the ball is an area where Tez sees his teammate making strides in the next months. ‘Basketball is a game of mistakes. He will make mistakes here and there, but he has to remain aggressive when feeding the big men the ball inside. As soon as he gets more polished, he will cut down on mistakes when playmaking’, added Quantez Robertson. The Fraport Skyliners, Quantez Robertson and Joshua Obiesie next battle the MLP Academics Heidelberg on the road and desperately have to celebrate their first victory there. It will be interesting to see how Joshua Obiesie plays in the next challenging and so vital weeks where the Fraport Skyliners have to win as much as possible. It is always a joy to watch Quantez Robertson battle and everyone needs to be aware that it won’t be so many more games for him. But for Joshua Obiesie, he is just at the start of his career. He loves the game very much and the fans will feel that more and more as he performs well as the love and cheers will surely get louder with time just as his game continues to always get better.

Tags : JOSHUA OBIESIE, FRAPORT SKYLINERS FRANKFURT, GERMAN BASKETBALL