Shaun Willett (193-G/F-1996, college: Queens, NC) is a 25 193cm forward from Palm Bay, Florida that is playing his fourth professional season and first with Club Ourense Baloncesto (Spain-LEB Gold). Last season he split time with U.D. Oliveirense (Portugal-LPB) averaging 17.2ppg), Reb-1 (9.7rpg), 2.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 48.2%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 65.8% and then played with Taranaki Airs (New Zealand-NBL) averaging 17.3ppg, 8.6rpg, 4.0apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 69.6%. In 20-21 he began with the wiha Panthers Schwenningen (Germany-Pro A) averaging 17.6ppg, 9.3rpg, 2.7apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 62.7%, 3FGP: 42.9%, FT: 83.7%, and finished with the MLP Academics Heidelberg (Germany-ProA) averaging 9.8ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.6%, 3PT: 21.2%, FT: 76.1%. In his rookie he played with BBC Arantia Larochette (Luxembourg-Total League) playing 12 games: Score-1 (29.8ppg), Reb-4 (13.6rpg), 2.6apg, 1.8spg, FGP-3 (62.8%), 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 71.1%. He began his basketball career with Heritage High School and then played with Indian River State College (JUCO) playing 25 games averaging 13.5ppg, 6.2rpg, 3.0apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 65.1%. In 2017-2018 he moved to Queens University (NCAA2) playing 36 games averaging 9.3ppg, 4.9rpg, FGP: 59.3%, 3PT: 43.8%, FT: 63.0%. In his senior year at Queens University (NCAA2) he played 36 games averaging 19.9ppg, 11.6rpg, 2.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 52.6%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 71.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

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


Haha no problem! I love speaking with germanhoops whenever I can. I am currently in Spain Leb Oro but I was just recently in Portugal 1st division and in the summer, I was in New Zealand.

We last spoke when you were balling in Germany. Since you have played in Portugal and New Zealand. Has time flown since your days in Germany?

Yes time stops for nobody! So it has definitely been quite a while since my Germany days.

Is Germany a destination you might return to one day?

Uhh well, I don’t think Germany is a place I would be going back at this moment. I love the league and style of play, but I just don’t think we have the same understandings in what I want and need as a player to play there as of this moment.

You keep putting up excellent stats. Do you feel like your ready soon for the easyCredit BBL in Germany?

Oh absolutely! I feel that I can play in any league and be a great player and teammate at this point in my career for sure. The BBL is a tough league, but I believe I could play and excel in it.

Your ex team MLP Academics are in the easyCredit BBL. Is this a team you would like to go back to?

I would love to play with MLP Academics again. It was a great organization with great staff members, a great GM, great coach, with amazing players. Not to mention the amazing city of Heidelberg. It would be a place I would love to return to if having the chance.

Last season you put up fantastic stats in Portugal with U.D. Oliveirense (Portugal-LPB) averaging 17.2ppg), Reb-1 (9.7rpg), 2.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 48.2%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 65.8%. What did you appreciate most about the league?

I would say I appreciated the competition of the league. I know that In this day of age that Portugal is become more recognized as a better league with each year in the making, there were some players and teams there that really pushed me to work harder over the summer!

How would you compare the Portugal LPB in comparison to the German Pro A in style and competitiveness?

I would say Portugal is more competitive in my opinion because it was a 1st division. Pro A was a great league, but with Portugal’s budget and with teams like Benfica, Sporting, and Porto, I believe Portugal for sure has the edge over Pro A Germany no question.

You were really consistent in the LPB league. How do you feel did your game progress further there?

I think my game really got to evolve more in the LPB. I was in a tougher league, and got the opportunity to be one of the main players on my team. It gave me room to fail and there’s always growth in failure when you don’t give up and keep working!

You continue to be a fierce and potent rebounder for your height. Where do you want to take your rebounding game now at this stage of your career?

Well as I stated before in other interviews, rebounding isn’t just something that’s always come natural to me. It’s just effort and of course it helps with good timing and jumping abilities haha, but it really is just something you can’t practice. It’s more of a want and I believe I will have that mentality in any league I play in.

You were swept by Benfica in the playoffs. What will you always remember form these series and why couldn’t you get over the hump?

Losing to Benfica was tough. I think what most I got from that series was that I just have to work more and more to become better and better and give myself the best chance to compete. They had a little more depth then us with the budget of their team being bigger and them also being in Champions league now, that just showed they’re a great team, and the difference in levels.

How much easier did Derrick Colter make your game with his fine playmaking? Is he a guy that you would always wish to have in your team?

Derrick was a great teammate. He was a guy that came to work everyday and had heart over height. He made my job much easier with taking the pressure of me handling the ball so much and making plays for not just me but for everyone. I think any team would always be lucky to have him.

There are some very good players playing in Portugal as well as ex NBA guys. Who was your toughest opponent that season on the floor?

Ouu, this is a tough one. There were many great guys as you stated before but the one that stood out most to me was Travante Williams. He was a guy that you knew when he was on the court with his energy and presence. A tough match up for anyone!

Recently you played for Taranaki Airs (New Zealand-NBL). I guess you can’t get enough of basketball. Do you feel the extra competition is better now for your career then just grinding in the gym at home?

Going to the Airs was a decision I felt was best for me because it was a chance to see what the competition was like on the other side of the world besides Europe. It was a chance to work on my game, but also get real game experiences at the same time. I was still grinding in the gym of course as well. That doesn’t change if I’m playing or not!

What kind of an experience has it been playing in New Zealand? The NBL is an up and coming league with very good players. What has been your impression of the league and how strong is it in comparison of other leagues that you have played in?

The NBL was a tough league! I didn’t know what to expect. The tempo and style of play was similar to that of the NBA, not the level wise of course, but with how freely they play and the spacing of the court. It was for sure an experience I was grateful for. It’s up there with a league like Pro A Germany I would say.

You continue to dominate in your play. What is your secret to being able to adapt anywhere that you have played?

I think it’s just mentality and work ethic honestly. I’ve always been told that ‘I can’t do this in this league’ and ‘I can’t do that in another league’ and that drives me to show that I can be me and succeed in any league I play in!

What has it been like playing with veteran Anthony Hilliard? He has really been around for more than a decade. Can a guy like you still learn something from him?

Oh of course! I can always learn no matter what age I am! But playing with Ant? whew! That was nothing more than amazing honestly! A guy that can really go! 3 level scorer and unselfish to the last drop. It was one of my best experiences getting to learn from him and Javonte Douglas, another guy that can go! They were like my two older brothers, I got to learn so much from them in such a short time. I loved every minute of it honestly.

How did you explore New Zealand? How exotic was it?

New Zealand was a cool place to be and see. The mountains and the way the land structure was. It was surreal. I don’t think I took more pictures than in any other countries I have been in. Just ask my teammates!

You have signed with Club Ourense Baloncesto (Leb Gold Spain). What kind of an experience has it been in the early going playing in Spain? How does the style and level compare and adjust to your game?

Spain as people have mentioned before is a tough league. It is by far the most tactical league I have played in so far in my career. I think however this style will be in my favor. It will allow me to slow my game down more and learn how to be more dominant in ball screen pick n rolls and also in playing off the ball. I feel that my quickness and athleticism will thrive here and it will give me an edge on players as well.

What kind of a role do you have? Will you be that scorer and rebound monster that you have always been?

Well my role coming here is to defend, and score, and rebounds just come with it regardless. I think I will play a big part on this team and I’m ready for the challenge. I always look to come into a team and be a monster on both defense and offense and do whatever it takes to win with my team. As stated before, some speculators think I can’t consistently be the player I was in the league prior and I LOVE to prove them wrong!

There are quite a lot of different nationalities on the team. How vital will the various player types be for the success of your game?

Well for a team to be successful, it needs different players to do different things. As long as we all are on the same mindset to win at whatever cost, and to play the role we are given to a T, I believe that every player on the team is vital in their own way. They just have to know how to execute it and give the most of what the team needs from them.

You averaged 4 assists in New Zealand. How proud are you of showing this part of your game and do you feel like you could be that facilitator for your new team?

That was biggest personal achievement in my eyes there in the NBL. Not being known as a guy who gets assists, it felt good to show that part of my game. I’ve always had it, but I couldn’t show it with the position that I normally played. Getting to go there and playing the Point Guard, got to give me the chance I need to show that I can not only score and rebound, but I can also get guys involved and really be a facilitator and playmaker when needed. It just got to show how diverse I really am in my opinion. As far as in Spain? I guess you’ll just have to wait and see!

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

I think as far as just point guards, Steph is number 1 honestly. I don’t think I can think of one that’s better than him in every aspect and as far as what he bring to a team and how he effects the whole organization, he is for-sure number 1 in this day and age.

When you return home what is always the first restaurant you check out?

Haha if you know me, you know Chick-fil-A is definitely the place I will be eating at no questions about it! It’s my favorite fast food change ever.

Thanks Shaun for the chat.

Tags : SHAUN WILLETT, CLUB OURENSE BALONCESTO, 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.

Bensheim suffered a tough 101-95 loss to Lich. What was it like playing a team that you have battled so much over the last years in a Giessen uniform and now playing against them with Bensheim?

I honestly feel like every other day I wake up I play against Lich. We have had so many battles over the years . I always look forward to compete against that club.

Talk a little about the 40 minutes. Was this a game that quickly crystallized into a shoot out?

This game was very fast paced with a lot of 3s resulting in a high score. We enjoy pushing the tempo and Lich seemed to like to do the same.

Were there any moments in crunch-time where you could have won the game? What was key in crunch-time for not getting over the hump?

I think for us anytime when making a major comeback it’s the little things that you need to get over that hump. For us it was a few miscommunications on defense that resulted in a open shot or a missed rebound here or there. I think the team showed toughness being short handed and still competing and almost pulled off a major comeback.

Could one go as far as that the game was lost at the free throw line? They made an incredible 23/24 shots while Bensheim missed 10 free throws.

I think this could be a part of the loss of course. We have to do a better job at free throws. They are free points we are leaving on the floor. When you look at the fact we only lost by 6 it makes those free-throw misses hurt more.

What was it like playing against ex German national player Johanes Lischka? He had his typical strong game showing his inside out skills, but also sparkled as a facilitator with 6 dimes.

Lischka had a strong game he played a big role for his team. Scoring inside and out and when we doubled him he made the correct plays. It was fun competing against him and looking forward to the next match.

You played only 16 minutes. Did early foul trouble hamper your minutes?

I fouled out of the game in the second quarter unfortunately due to technical fouls. It was embarrassing on my part . I feel as if I let my team down this game and that won’t happen again. They played a great game and showed character and I applaud then for that.

You only scored 8 points. Was it difficult finding a groove?

I had 8 points in 1 and a half quarters before fouling out. I was getting into a groove and got too over excited and made some mistakes. Credit to lich for the defense they played. I feel they got the best of me and I am looking forward to hearing the next match up .

Felix Becker really picked up the slack scoring 29 points. What has it been like playing with him who showed last season that he can be a valuable scorer?

I have always been a fan of Felix. I believe he is a valuable piece of this team. He is a gifted scorer and I always knew he could perform like this. I hope this sparks a flame in him to continue to be aggressive in our future games. With him doing this I think we will be hard to beat.

You next battle Kronberg who are 0-3. This is a must win. What will be key for getting the win?

The key is us. We feel like all 3 games we played were winnable games. However we made mistakes causing us to lose. We have yet to put a full game together. I believe the keys to our success is a bit more focus on the little things while decreasing our unforced errors.

What kind of a role do you see Dennis Schroeder having with the Lakers this time around?

I think Dennis will have the same role he has had in past years. I would like for him to be aggressive and show why he is a top player in the league. If he does that he has 6th man of the year potential for sure.

Thanks Chris for the chat.

Tags : CHRISTOPHER MILLER, VFL BENSHEIM, GERMAN BASKETBALL

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.

Thanks Jeremy for talking to eurobasket.com. You are rehabbing your injury. How tough was the last week seeing your teammates prepare for Neustadt and not be able to join them?

Well its been tough every game that ive had to watch from the sidelines. I know my team needs me and I can’t get out there right now and help them bothers me the most. But playing against the #1 team in our league would have been very fun for me.

How did the last week go with the begin of your rehabbing? Talk a little about how a day looks like?

My days now are super boring because when you can’t really walk you can’t really do anything. So I’ve been home watching a lot of movies and enjoying the time with my family for the few weeks away from basketball.

Since you can’t be on the court grinding, do you tend to watch more video and try to make further strides learning even more about the game?

Yes I’m always watching all our game film, even though I’m not playing but I still like to see all areas we could get better at as a team so when I’m back I won’t have too much adjusting to do.

Bargteheide suffered a tough 97-66 loss to Neustadt to fall to 0-3. The first thing that I noticed were an unbelievable 33 turnovers. That shows that your scoring wasn’t only missed but your taking care of the ball. How do you react mentally knowing your team relies so much on your services?

I know my team needs me back and they know how much I want to be back. And it’s no problem because whatever it is my team needs me to do I’m capable of getting the job done so when I’m back I will handle the ball most of the time and that’s perfectly fine and I will just help and give the guys that are handling the ball right now my point of view And advice.

How tough was it watching this game? Could you evolve into an assistant coach in the time your out to try to help your teammates?

Yes I will offer as much advice as I can to my teammates but I’m not perfect neither so we will all learn and grow together. Win or lose we learn from our mistakes. I will leave the coaching up to the coach though, respectfully.

Bargteheide won the rebounding duel and had 14 offensive rebounds on the night. Was that the best part of the Bargteheide game on this night?

The best part of the game was nobody got hurt and everyone remained healthy. But, rebounding is an important part of our team because we have some big guys who give it their all every play and are very active on the glass.

How does Marcel Hoppe’s role change with you being out. Does this prolific scorer have even more weight on his shoulders?

I mean of course his scoring role increases when I’m not there but I believe players will start to step up and become more confident so Marcel won’t need to feel like he has to score every play.

Is taking care of the ball the main focus in practice this week?

Well i mean that’s the coach’s decision but I’m sure turnovers will be a big part of the planning.

Bargteheide next play Braunschweig. What will be key in getting the win?

Playing hard and playing confident. And of course cutting back on turnovers.

What kind of a role do you see Dennis Schroeder having with the Lakers this time around?

I think he will actually help them out a lot and I feel like his confidence is very high from these Euro games so maybe he will have a big year for the Lakers.

Thanks Jeremy for the chat.

Tags : JEREMY INGRAM, TSV BARGTEHEIDE, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Florian Wedell is a German basketball coach working for Danish Basketball Champions League team Bakken Bears as an assistant coach. He coached the last 10 seasons in the FC Bayern Munich organization. He helped build up the youth system and last season was an assistant coach for the easyCredit BBL team. He also recently was head coach of the German U-20 team. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Basketball champions League game in Ludwigsburg.

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

Hey Miles. Thanks for having me. I am in Aarhus, Denmark – my new home in the north. Things are going great, very happy to be here. We just came back from a successful BCL qualification tournament in Belgrade and are now preparing for the upcoming tasks in the Danish Basketligaen and our first BCL game in Ludwigsburg next week.

After 10 years in the FC Bayern Munich organization, you moved to well known Danish team Bakken Bears last summer. How difficult is it to leave a famous organization like FC Bayern Munich? You get into a comfort zone after a while and get used to doing your duties.

I would say no matter the standing of the organization you are leaving, after 10 years in one organization it’s definitely not easy to leave. For me personally, I had a wonderful and intense time in Bayern and I am keeping tons of great memories that will surely last forever. I don’t think comfort zone is necessarily the right term because Bayern has given me so many opportunities to learn and grow over the last years. They allowed me to evolve and get better and constantly gave me new challenges, starting out as under-12 coach in my first year and finishing my last season as an assistant to the first team. For me it was more about wanting to take the next step in professional basketball and to take on a role with more responsibility.

There are so many great organizations in Europe. Why did you chose Bakken? You had spent summers in Denmark. So I guess you already had a connection to the country, but not necessarily the club Bakken Bears?

I’m originally from Hannover. As a family we used to spend most of our summers in Denmark when I was a kid – mostly sailing. In that sense I did have a connection to the country a very positive feeling about the Danish culture. I had never been to Aarhus though. The Bakken Bears are already a powerhouse in Scandinavian Basketball with a lot of good seasons in European FIBA competitions over the last years. Talking to their Headcoach Anders Sommer, I could sense that despite their success in what they have been doing well already, the Bears are a very modern and hungry organization that constantly want to evolve. Right now, the next goal is to establish ourselves as a regular participant in the FIBA Champions League and we just made a big step in that direction with the successful qualification. I can totally identify myself with the Bears mentality and am looking forward to playing my part in their development.

One could say that the Bakken Bears are the FC Bayern Munich of Danish basketball. They have won 29 titles. How big is the challenge for you coming to a club that is used to winning? Do you see similarities to FC Bayern Munich?

There are similarities. In both places, everyday you go to work, and you see people that want to take their club to the next level. I love this kind of ambition and dedication in both organizations. I don’t think people in either club feel like they are used to it though – for me that would mean that you are kind of fed up with winning, which is definitely not the case. I think no matter the number of titles that you’ve won, you always have to strive for more – that’s one of the most beautiful things about working in competitive sports in my opinion.

You don’t see many young German coaches going outside Germany to coach and it is a unique thing that you are doing. Has there been any adjustment you have had to make coming from Germany and working with Danish coaches? I guess coaching is always a universal language?

Yes, its universal – I think no matter where you go there are always new people or things to adjust to. It has been challenging because of the increase in responsibility, working with the team but that was exactly the kind of challenge I was looking for. On a personal level I have to admit there are days where I realize how much Munich has become home to me during those 10 years – not easy for sure but would have been the same no matter where you go, I believe. And the next challenge coming up: Maria (my fiancee) and I just started Danish lessons.

Your strengths is developing young players the last years and with the Munich BBL team did scouting and player work outs. What exactly are your duties with the Bakken Bears?

I am the lead assistant coach to the team. Main duties are: scouting & gameplan for BCL opponents, video sessions with the team, individual workouts and helping our younger players to make the next step.

Having experience with players is nothing new for you as with FC Bayern Munich you worked with veterans and with the Bears have 5 guys 30 or older. How can it still be a challenge working with many experienced players?

I think it’s great, especially when you have such unselfish guys like we do that want nothing more than to see our organization succeed. For a young and rather unexperienced coach like me it’s a great opportunity to learn from them as well.

You have a couple experienced 19 year old kids with Gustav Knudsen and Noah Sorenson. Especially Sorenson seems to be a guy who will get his minutes in the Danish league. Can you talk a little about them as players and your relationships with them and their development?

Still getting to know each other of course but I believe that both have a bright future ahead if they keep working hard. They both are good kids that want to develop and make a career in this game. I think the best thing I can do is just to be there for them both on and off the court. Bakken has a good setup for guys like them: individual workouts, physical programs, competitive practices and games in two competitions. Looking forward to watching them grow.

What is your biggest goal that you want to accomplish in your development this season with the Bakken Bears?

Mainly I would love for us to reach our goal as an organization to establish ourselves in the BCL for the years to come. I want to be able to say that I did everything in my power to help reach that goal. Along the way, there will be tons of experiences for me to make and things to learn – and that is why I came here.

Welcome back to Germany. How excited are you be coaching against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in the Basketball Champions League. How much more difficult is it to prepare for this game with a new coach Josh King and players then it would have been had John Patrick still been there?

Very excited! Some friends and family will be there to watch the game and I have a very good relationship to many people working for Ludwigsburg. It’ll be great to see them and compete against each other on that level. In Basti Hartmann, one of the kids that I coached for many years at Bayern just signed his first pro contract with them – a very special thing for me to see him again under these circumstances. I believe Ludwigsburg has formed a DNA as a club that will last at least in some aspects of the game even with John not being there anymore – they will still be a hardworking and physical team like we are used to seeing in Ludwigsburg. I am very excited though to see Coach King bringing some new influences to the club.

Let’s talk a little about your time with FC Bayern Munich. You were there 10 years. What did you cherish the most about being part of this organization?

On a personal level: the good friends that I made over these years. On a professional: the sheer endless learning opportunities and the ambitions that the club helped me to develop.

Last season you worked together with Andrea Trinchieri. That he isn’t always an easy coach to work for is no secret. What was it like working with him on a daily basis and what do you feel did you get most out of the experience?

Being around him and the staff was like a clinic – everyday there was something new to learn, some small detail to pick up for me. Working with them was very challenging – in a good way. He creates an environment in which every member of the staff gives everything he has – every single day.

It is no secret that young German players have difficulty getting minutes and often move on. Trying to answer this question is easier said than done. Why don’t players get more of a chance with FC Bayern Munich? Even a guy like Sasha Grant had to be loaned out. I always saw him as being possibly that player that could make it

And he still might some day. Lets see what the future holds for Sasha. I think it has something to do with the high ambitions that this organization has. For a young player it’s difficult to make the step from NBBL, Pro B or even Pro A to a team that wants to win the BBL and reach the Euroleague playoffs every year. You can see similar situations in many other European top clubs though of course it would be nice to see some more talented, young players making that step.

Jason George is a guy that seems to be the first player in a long time that made the jump? What is so special about him and why has he been able to make the jump and so many others not?

His work ethic. Last year I was assigned to help him, so he could work extra on his Jump shot. We built a good relationship and he always reached out, whenever he wanted to get some extra work done. The first couple months of the season, he did not take one day off. Whenever the team had an off day, he called me and asked if we could spend some time to work on his shot.

Is Joshua Obiesie ready for his real break through season in the easyCredit BBL with the Fraport Skyliners? He seems to have already taken responsibility in the pre season.

I believe he can and I am really looking forward to watching him develop. He definitely has what it takes to make the next step and establish himself as a good player in this league.

What was your biggest project with FC Bayern Munich over the years and what player did you enjoy working together with the most?

Hard to choose one person or one particular project after such a long time there. But I would say that the most rewarding things where, to see how some of the kids I’ve worked with over the years reach their goals or take the next step. All the guys that played for the youth national teams, Luis Wulff and Ivan Kharchenkov signing with the first team at Bayern, Basti Hartmann in Ludwigsburg, Mike Rataj and Benjamin Schroeder going to college now. And those won’t be the last ones as there are still some very talented kids in the organization that I believe can make the next step soon.

How did you follow the whole magical run of the German 2022 EM run? How do you see the state of German basketball in the youth sector? As U-20 coach how do you see the future?

I watched all the games of course and was lucky enough to have an off day on semi-finals day so I could see the game vs. Spain live in the gym. It was a lot of fun to watch the guys play – you could sense how much they enjoyed playing together and how desperately they wanted to succeed – together. I think that a lot of people could sense this positive energy. Would be great if we could carry this into the next tournaments and keep showing people what a wonderful sport this is.
In general I can see very positive things happening in German youth development. A lot of clubs have built very professional setups for players to develop over the last years, the number of full-time coaches seems to increase constantly and both DBB and BBL are investing lots of time, money and energy in coaches development. Many interesting, talented kids have already grown in these structures over the last years and I can only see things getting even better the next years. Will be exciting to follow for sure.

You saw so many famous sports figures in Munich over the years. What was your coolest experience that you had with sports figures that you won’t forget?

Tough to choose one in particular. Probably to have seen the development of some European top talents. Like Juan Nunez who I saw as an 11-year old in a Spanish youth tournament that our u-12 participated in back then. Saw him in multiple European youth championships and now he just played his first BBL game for Ulm vs Bayern. Exciting to witness that kind of development over the years.

Thanks Florian for the chat.

Skyler Bowlin (190-G-1989, college: MSSU) is a 33 year old 190cm guard that is playing his 12th season as a professional season and first with the Bakken Bears. Last season he played with the Telekom Baskets Bonn averaging 9.2ppg, 1.9rpg, 3.5apg, FGP: 36.2%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 76.3%. In 2020-2021 he split time with GS Iraklis Thessaloniki (Greece-A1) averaging 8.0ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.4apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 47.1%, 3FGP: 30.8%, FT: 70.6% and also played with Enea Zastal BC Zielona Gora (Poland-EBl) averaging 9.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 36.8%, FT: 78.3%. In the 2019-2020 season he played with s.Oliver Wurzburg averaging 11.2ppg, 2.1rpg, 3.8apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 44.8%, FT: 87.2%. and the season before averaged 9.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 4.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 38.3%, FT: 70.7% in the BBL and in the Fiba Europe Cup averaged 8.4ppg, 1.9rpg, 5.6apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 72.2%. The ex Missouri So (NCAA2) began his professional basketball career with BG Topstar Leitershofen/Stadtbergen (Germany-ProA) and then played three seasons in Denmark with Horsens IC and a year in Sweden with the Sodertalje Kings (Sweden-Basketligan). He played two seasons in Germany with the Giessen 46ers and with Science City Jena (Germany-BBL) playing 32 games averaging 11.7ppg, 2.9rpg, 5.1apg, Steals-5 (1.6spg), FGP: 38.1%, 3PT: 40.9%, FT: 80.9%. He has returned back to Germany to play a Basketball Champions League game against the MHP Riesen.

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

Life is good! I’m in Aarhus, denmark at the moment living with my family.

You played the majority of your career in Germany which has totaled 6 years, but also have spent time in Denmark and are playing your ‘fourth season there and first with top team Bakken Bears. How special is it to play there? You won your first two pro titles there.

It’s really special to be able to come back to Denmark and play. My wife is from here and we have family so it’s really nice to be able to have them around.

The Bakken Bears have won 29 titles in their career and are always a good bet to win hardware as they won the double the last 2 seasons. What does it mean for you to play for this very traditional and historic Danish team?

Bakken is a very ambitious club so it’s a great opportunity to be able to come here and compete at a high level.

After winning the double the last 2 years, the goal can only be repeat. How excited are you to add to the hardware?

Nothing is ever guaranteed. We have to work hard if we want to win a championship.

You join a team where you aren’t the most experienced. There are 4 other players aged 32 or older. How do you feel will this experience help you perform on a daily basis where you know that you have so much veteran support around you?

It’s nice having a good mix of young guys and older guys here. Experience is great to have, but it’s also nice to have young fellas that mix things up.

Talk a little about what veterans Ryan Evans and Michel Diouf mean to the club? Combined they are in their 13th season with the organization and have won combined have won 14 titles for the Bakken Bears. How have you gotten to appreciate them most?

Mich and Ryan are competitors. We have all gotten close since I’ve been here and it’s great to be able to share the court with them.

What kind of an experience has it been playing together with ex NBA Daft pick Tony Carr? How do feel do you guys compliment each other best?

Tony is so talented. It’s been great getting to watch him and be in the backcourt together. He’s more of a downhill, get in the paint guy to where my style is more slow it down and shoot. We compliment each other well.

You have put up consistent stats each season. What kind of role do you have this season on such an experienced team?

My role will be similar as every year. I just need to be solid and lead as well as I can.

On a team that has so much experience and fire power, do you feel like you could be an even more of a playmaker than in previous seasons?

We have so many guys that can score the ball so my role will be more of a game manager. Of course when I need to score I have to get the job done, but we have a lot of weapons

Congrats on qualifying for the Basketball Champions League. What was your first reaction when you learned that you would play against easyCredit BBL team MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg?

It’s exciting to be able to already get back and play in Germany. It’ll be a great test for us.

If you had to guess what your career record against Ludwigsburg is what do you think it is?

It’s exciting to be able to already get back and play in Germany. It’ll be a great test for us.

It is actually 3-5. I can imagine the last encounter is still present in your mind as you scored 13 points with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. One season you swept them with Wurzburg. Is there a particular game that will always be in your memory?

Man, I can’t actually remember a specific game against them. They are always tough to go against though.

The Bakken Bears have lucked out a bit in which they have caught the MHP Riesen in a massive rebuilding phase as legend John Patrick is gone and so are many players that gave the team the success the last years. How big of an advantage will this be for the Bears?

I know that Josh King will have them ready. I’m sure they will play a similar style and be ready to play hard.

What kind of game can we await in Ludwigsburg in the first BCL game? The Bears will already have played 2 BCL games and 2 Danish league games while Ludwigsburg only 2 BBL games.

I’m sure it’ll be fast paced and physical.

Giannis recently said that Steph Curry is the best player in the world? As a guard do you share that opinion?

I don’t really like to argue who the best in the world is. There are a lot of great players

Germany got a big Bronze Medal at the 2022 European Championships. You played against so many of those guys when you were in Germany. Is there a player from the German squad that you remember having a special memory competing against?

Man, it was incredible to watch the German team. I felt a big connection since I know a lot of them. My best memory would be with Andi Obst since we played together in Giessen my first year in Germany. One game Andi was 0-7 from three but at the end he hit a game winning three at the buzzer for us. He’s a sharpshooter!

What is your opinion of the current Boston Celtics drama and 1 year suspension of head coach Ime Udoka? Do you feel like this could affect how the team plays?

Man, that’s a weird situation they are in. Hopefully the Celtics can move past it and focus on the things on the court.

Thanks Skyler for the chat.

Tags : SKYLER BOWLIN, BAKKEN BEARS AARHUS, GERMAN BASKETBALL

The Fraport Skyliners organization have stood for excellence for more than 20 years, but in the last few years, the club have taken a tough hit with less success as they have missed the playoffs. After the consistent success of Gordon Herbert, the club changed coaches a bit more regularly with guys like Sebastian Gleim and Diego Ocampo and hope that this season three will be a charm with Dutch giant Geert Hammink. Last season the club was bombarded right off the bat with a string of tough games against top teams, but this season, they play against teams up their ally and will need to win games in the next weeks. In their first try on the road against medi Bayreuth, they had a lot of misfortune as in OT on the last play a slip up by American JJ Frazier cost them the game. They hoped the floor would be drier in the Fraport arena, but they had to take a break with the easier opponents as they had a real barrel of problems with the mighty FC Bayern Munich. The Fraport Skyliners were hoping for some success and possibly some underestimation by the Euroleague team. FC Munich began their season with a high scoring win over always tough ratiopharm Ulm and entered the Skyliners living room wanting to go 2-0 and did needing to halt a late Frankfurt run to win 83-74. FC Bayern Munich played a solid game, but nothing great considering they were only up by 5 points with a few minutes to play, but in the end their skill was enough to get the win against a very pesky Frankfurt club. ‘We played well for 35 minutes. We had a few slip ups, but we got the needed defensive stops at the end, made the important hustle plays and had the good spirit’, stressed German national player Nick Weiler-Babb. The Fraport Skyliners played a solid game and really gave FC Bayern Munich a run for the money in the fourth quarter not lying down and displayed real fighter qualities, but a few plays and shots were missing from getting over the hump. ‘I thought that we played a solid game. We played a lot better defense in the second half. We were aggressive at both ends of the court and wanted to give a good outing for the fans. I felt we fought well and to the end’, stressed Quantez Robertson.

The first quarter was a tight affair as no club was able to get away form the other. Both teams had difficulty finding a rhythm as FC Bayern Munich relied on outside shooting as ex NBA player Paul Zipser connected as did German national player Andreas Obst. FC Bayern Munich was really shaky and Frankfurt was unable to take advantage of it. A big goal of the Fraport Skyliners this season is trying to play as fast as possible and trying to execute before 8 seconds, but Frankfurt was unable to do that against Munich’s aggressive defense that forced 5 turnovers. One player everyone is rooting for is Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson who could be playing his last season and definitely is playing the least in his career. He entered the season with a trendy short haircut, but still very motivated and really got his living room cooking when he fired away nailing a trey for the 13-12 Frankfurt advantage. ‘Hitting that shot felt good. The shot clock was down, but Josh made a great play. But honestly making that shot felt like any other shot’, stated Quantez Robertson. Even if Tez is turning 38 a day before Christmas, you can’t say he is over the hill as so many still believe in his abilities. ‘Tez is still the best 1-1 defender for the Skyliners’, stressed Igor Starcevic. Frankfurt was unable to keep the lead down the stretch as FC Bayern Munich got a massive trey from Serbian national player and 2017 NBA Draft Pick of the New York Knicks Ognjen Jaramaz and a lay in from ex Bamberg forward Augustine Rubit. ‘I thought Frankfurt played pretty well and had energy, but it was against Munich’s second 5 who started the game’, commented Igor Starcevic.

In the second quarter FC Bayern Munich was able to get away from the Fraport Skyliners and began with a lethal 20-4 run to extend their lead to 37-19. In the run, FC Bayern Munich got first class guard support as ex NBA player Cassius Winston (185-PG-1997, college: Michigan St.) steered 8 points with 2 three’s and a breathtaking floater, ex Eastern Kentucky University guard Corey Walden dropped a trey and Jaramaz contributed 4 points. Frankfurt got an easy bucket from young German Joshua Obiesie who was fed by a bullet pass from Tez. One could almost say that his biggest strength besides his defense now is his passing game. ‘I love to pass the ball. I played the point for 4 years before Frankfurt. I’m happy that I can still find open guys’, said Quantez Robertson. In this phase the Fraport Skyliners couldn’t hit the ocean as their three point shooting landed at 3/14 at the break. The Fraport Skyliners misery on the court was on account of countless missed shots and 5 turnovers. Munich also switched a lot which hampered Frankfurt’s offense. The only positive thing was that they showed will to get 5 offensive rebounds, but couldn’t take advantage of it. Frankfurt didn’t totally stink up the second quarter as they closed out the second quarter with a nifty 6-0 run to trail only 37-26 and get the Fraport arena alive again. In the run they got a 25 footer from ex Bamberg big Martinas Geben who has to be kept until the end of the season, a trey by Lithuanian sniper Laurynas Beliauskas and an off balance shot by American JJ Frazier. ‘We were careless with the ball and couldn’t make open shots. Trying to execute in the 8 seconds is always tough. Munich was pressuring us very well on defense’, expressed Quantez Robertson.

FC Bayern Munich really took control of the game in the third quarter as they were able to lead by as much as 25 points and let it rain three’s nailing 6. FC Bayern Munich came out on fire going on a 18-7 run to extend their lead to 55-35. Frankfurt really had no clue how to control the guard play of Winston and Walden as they did an excellent job of picking their spots. In the run, FC Bayern Munich spread the ball around nicely getting two parking lot shots from Walden, and also three’s from Rubit, young German Jason George and sharp shooter Andreas Obst. Frankfurt’s 1-1 defense was unsatisfactory as they were making it a lot too simple for the guests. The Fraport Skyliners continued to fight and as a reward got their offense better into rhythm. They worked harder for good shots and got some added three’s from German Lukas Wank who executed twice as well as Geben and Obiesie to trail 66-49. There was an interesting scene near the end of the third quarter as the ever so eccentric Andrea Trinchieri chewed out Casius Winston after not covering Geben who hit a trey. Once the Italian coach gets going, it can take a while for him to calm down. Winston took it in stride and on the next offensive play hit a three making amends for his defensive lapse. He then made free throws as FC Bayern Munich still had the comfortable lead 68-51. ‘We lost our assignments, didn’t get over screens and weren’t aggressive enough on the pick and roll’, warned Quantez Robertson.

The Fraport Skyliners made one last push in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get totally over the hump after Rubit began giving FC Bayern Munich the 70-51 advantage, the Fraport Skyliners really stepped up their game powering a 15-2 run to trail only 72-66. In the run Frankfurt began to move the ball very well and had good looks and nailed three’s. They received 3 three’s in total as Beliauskas connected twice and Robertson also hit. Frankfurt also got in the paint as Tez’s confidence grew with his three’s in that he scored posting up and using the mismatch to his advantage and Obiesie also scored inside. Frankfurt really fought hard and didn’t shy away from FC Bayern Munich, but really wanted the win at the end. But mediocre 1-1 defense and bad shot selection cost them the game. Whenever FC Bayern Munich needed a bucket, they gave the ball to Cassius Winston who supplied support. Despite Frankfurt getting a key three from Lithuanian Einaras Tubutis, it was Winston that scored inside and made a step back keeping Frankfurt at bay trailing 79-69. ‘He is really crafty with the ball. He made really good decisions. He saw the ball go in a lot and when you see that happen a lot, it makes everything a lot easier’, warned Quantez Robertson. Obiesie who played all of crunch-time as head coach Geert Hammink rewarded good play keeping Frazier on the bench hit a deep three and made free throws to cut Munich’s lead only to 79-74, but that was as close as Frankfurt would get. ‘We played more aggressive defense and talked more, but when we were down by 5, I made 2 bad fouls. We fought hard, but it just wasn’t enough’, added Quantez Robertson. Winston and Jaramaz closed out the game with free throws. ‘We rebounded well at the end and made the needed stops’, stated Nick Weiler-Babb. FC Bayern Munich was led by Cassius Winston with 23 points. Corey Walden added 17 points and Ognjen Jaramaz contributed 12 points while the Fraport Skyliners were led by Joshua Obiesie with 15 points. Lauryas Beliauskas had 13 points and Martinas Geben 11 points. FC Bayern Munich shot 40% form the field and 41% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 44% from the field and 42% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Tags : CASSIUS WINSTON, FC BAYERN MUENCHEN, GERMAN BASKETBALL

John Murry (192-G-1995, college: Austin Peay) is a 27 year old 193cm guard from Indianapolis, Indiana that is playing his fourth professional season in Germany and first with TuS 59 Hamm Stars. He began the season with new Pro A team Art Duesseldorf. After playing only 3 games in his first 2 seasons with BSG Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga) because of injury and Covid, he was able to play 25 games in 2021-2022 averaging 28.2ppg, 5.2rpg, 4.6apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 38.4%, FT: 82.2%. Before that he had experience with the Kitchener-Waterloo Titans. He played two years at Owens Community College playing 63 games and two years at Austin Peay State University (NCAA) playing 56 NCAA games and as a senior averaged 16.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 81.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping Hamm with 30 points beat Leverkusen with a buzzer beater

Congrats John on the big 83-81 win against Leverkusen 2. The team is 2-0. I can imagine the record is more important then your pretty buzzer beater?

Yes, most definitely, the win was the most important objective of the evening and getting that made the night that much better. Big shoutout to my teammates for fighting from beginning to end.

Before we get to the buzzer beater, let’s talk a bit about the game. Was it a back and forth tight rope battle from the start as the score suggests?

It was a battle but nothing we didn’t prepare for, we knew coming into this game it was going to be a dog fight and fighting til the end is what got us the win in the end by fighting until the horn sounds.

It was a real battle on the boards, but Hamm shot very poorly from outside. Do you feel like Hamm could have had an easier time had you shot better as a team form outside?

We put emphasis on boxing out and grabbing the boards before the game and it’s a working process, with that I believe we will definitely be better with correcting our poor efforts in the next weeks to come.

What was it like playing against top point guard Viktor Frankel-Maus who had 22 points. He was a top Pro B player for years and played in the Pro A. Were you extra motivated to play against a guy like that?

I definitely have to take my hat off to Viktor, he hit some big shots down the stretch with a few hands in his face, especially in the closing minutes but as the saying goes
Iron sharpens iron and I definitely enjoyed the battle between the two of us during the entire 40 minutes.

Sometimes you play against sons of legends as you battled young Justin Gnad. Did you know his dad Hansi is the coach of Leverkusen (Pro A) was drafted by the 76ers in 1987 and helped Germany win the 1993 Euro over Russia in Munich?

I did not know this information but I definitely had a form of respect as we shook hands before and after the game. He has some good words for me afterwards and I have nothing but respect for him and his career throughout the years.

Let’s talk about the crunch-time minutes. Did you think 2-3 minutes before the end that the game could come down to a last second shot?

I was honestly prepared for the worst and expecting the best outcome. However, I wasn’t happy with our defense in the closing minutes so that’s something we will definitely go over in practice throughout the week.

On the last play you had the ball. I guess everyone knew that you would make the last shot. I mean there was nobody coming out to set a pick. Were you 100% sure on the inbounds that you would take the last shot?

Respectfully, I work hard at my craft and the shot is nothing I haven’t worked on 1000 times. Just believing in myself and skill in the end is what got me to true point, the only think left was to make the shot.I thrive in moments like that and love them more then anything in the game.

What was going through your mind a few seconds before the floater. How comfortable are you in general with using your floater?

Something I worked hard at all summer getting to my spots, making sure I get the right lift and muscle memory on the shot, like I said I love moments like that and look forward to many more in my career.

How much percent were you confident when you released the ball that it was going in?

Respectfully, when it left my hands I knew it was good, I’ve spent more then 10,000 hours working on my game, coach Ivan did a great job in believing in me to make the right play and the positive confidence boost from your head coach goes along way especially in the closing seconds of the game.

How many buzzer beaters have you had in your career and where does this one rate?

I’ve hit quite a few game winners in my career but this one has to be the sweetest, considering we needed this win to get off to a 2-0 start for the season.

Now looking back, how much satisfaction does that shot give you when you think back at your Duesseldorf days? Even though you had nothing but good words for Art Duesseldorf, I know that you as a competitor was pure joy when it went in?

It felt great, the last week of September was a rough time for me mentally considering the move from Duesseldorf to Hamm, so this was definitely a booster heading into the month of October and moving forward.

How huge were your teammates Mateo Zvoko and Marcel Kirsch who combined for 32 points? You didn’t always have that support with Grevenbroich last season?

They were huge in yesterday’s game, Mateo made some tough shots down the stretch that we really needed at the time and Marcel did a great job finishing under the rim off penetration drop offs. I couldn’t have been more proud of my guys last night for their efforts and fighting to win the game for us.

Hamm now face BG Hagen. Hamm is 2-0 and strutting with a lot of self-confidence. What will be the key to getting the win?

Mainly just staying discipline, we know they are not a team to just lay down so we must come with the same intensity and fight that we had against leverkusen.

What is your general opinion of the Udoka scandal in Boston. Will the Celtics rebound without him?

Prayers go out to him and his family on what’s up next in there life. I just know it will not be an easy task for him moving forward but wishing all good to him and his career in whatever decision is made upon his behalf.

Tags : JOHN MURRY, ART GIANTS DUESSELDORF, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Devon Goodman (184-PG-1997, college: Pennsylvania) is a 25 year old 184cm point guard from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania playing his second professional season and first in Germany with the Dragons Rhondorf. Last season he played he was a rookie with S.C. Lusitania EXPERT (Portugal-Liga Betclic) averaging 14.6ppg, 3.7rpg, Assists-4 (5.2apg), 1.9spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 47.3%. he began his basketball career at Germantown academy and then played at the University of Pennsylvania (NCAA) from 2016-2020 playing a total of 114 nCAA games and in his last 2 seasons averaged 13.9ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.3apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 68.7% and 13.8ppg, 3.3rpg, 3.0apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 58.2%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 58.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after helping lead Rhondorf to a 103-82 win on the road in herford with 28 points and 7 assists.

Thanks Devon for talking to germanhoops.com. What a huge win for the Dragons in Herford 103-82. How tough has this pre season been not being able to practice on your home court?

It’s been a strange unconventional preseason not being able to practice or play on our home court. And will be even more strange when we have our first home game there which will probably feel more like an away game for us too.

How has the team mentality been in general not knowing when you will play your first home game? Do you feel there is an even bigger urgency to win on the road?

Not having a home court and having all of our preseason games on the road I believe has been somewhat of a positive. Winning on the road is always a challenge, so the preseason definitely prepared us for our first win vs Hereford and when we finally are able to play on our home floor I think the guys will be even more amped up.

How happy were in general about the first season win of 103-82. What is your summary of how the club played for 40 minutes

I am very happy with how we played. I think we competed well on both ends of the floor, especially defensively in the second and third quarter. There are still things we need to work on but opening the season with a Win is always a great thing!

The first quarter was wild and high scoring. Rhondorf scored 28 points but Herford 27 points. Rhondorf had extreme difficulty controlling Lavon Hightower. What made it most difficult to stop him on this day?

Hightower is a super athletic, scoring wing who always looks to attack the rim. In the first quarter we didn’t do a good job of keeping him out of the paint and/or showing any resistance.

The Dragons calmed down in the next two quarters outscoring Herford 55-33. What adjustments did the team make in general to take control of the game?

We did the complete opposite of what we did the first quarter. Defensively, we did a better job of keeping guys out the paint and forcing them to take tough shots which led to early offense and easy looks on the other end

What do you feel was the biggest strength after 40 minutes. The team found a good groove nailing 15 three’s and defended better after that wild first quarter

We did a good job of finding the matchups we wanted to take advantage of on the floor. And made smart decisions on both ends that led to a lot of open threes that we were able to knock down

Last season the team was very young and this season so much more experienced. Last season only Paul Albrecht had real experience. How important is it having so many older guys like Flo Koch, and Flo Wendeler?

Those guys are so crucial because they know what it takes to win. They have done a great job of helping to lead the team and also showing the younger guys on the team how we need to play in order to have an successful season

One guy who should make big noise is Zaba Bangala. Paul Albrecht calls him baby Zion. But can a Zion match Zaba’s versatility?

That’s a great question! Zaba is one of the young guys on the team, but has so much potential, the sky’s the limit! He’s a very versatile big who can play both inside and out and honestly is a matchup problem for anyone in this league.

Last season a guy Like Nicolas Buchholz was so important and the team relied on his scoring. This season there is so much scoring present. Do you think that could be an advantage to his play because he won’t have as much pressure.

Having other scorers around Nico is a big advantage to his play. He is one of the best 3pt shooters I have played with and isn’t afraid to let it fly. It’s a pick your poison type of deal; either you guard the guy with ball or you give Nico an open 3pt shot.

You had a fine German pro B debut with 28 points and 7 dimes. How did you feel on the court and how content were you with your play?

It felt great to be back on the court and I was pretty content with how I played my first game. I feel I will continue to get better and better as the season goes on and as my teammates and I get more comfortable with each other on the floor

Last season you played in the first Portugal division averaging 14.6ppg, 3.7rpg, Assists-4 (5.2apg), 1.9spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 47.3%. Do you feel pressure having to put up real good stats and lead your team to success in a lower league in Germany?

There is no pressure, but my goal is to be aggressive every game. I know the talent I have and how hard I’ve worked, so as long as I continue to be both aggressive and a leader, the team’s success and stats will come.

I predict that you could evolve to be one of the top guards in the Pro B this season. You shot an incredible 11/16 from the field. Do you feel like with time finding your spots will be easier or could opponents scouting get more active to try to control you better?

In general, I am getting more comfortable with the concepts of our offense and with time feel finding my spots will be easier. Opponents scouting could get more active, but when that time comes I think we as a team will be able to make the necessary adjustments.

You combined scoring, playmaking and good defense in your first Pro B game. How confident are you that you will be a stat filler in all categories this season?

For me the most important objective is to have a successful season, so whatever I have to do in order for that to happen, I’m going to do it, and with confidence.

Now the team has a 2 week break before the next away game in Schwelm. What will be the focus in training the next weeks after the big Herford game?

The main focus for us is to work on the things we did poorly against Herford and just to continue to grow, so that we are an even better team vs. Schwelm.

Have you seen or trained with BBL team Telekom Baskets Bonn. Will you try to visit as many games as possible especially BCL games during the week to soak up as much as possible?

I am a double licensed guy with Telekom Bonn so I have been training and competing with those guys the past couple weeks. I will definitely be soaking in as much as I can from being with them

With that being said, on what areas of your game are you working on most so you can be the absolute best version of yourself on the court in the Pro B?

Personally, I am working on continuing to make the right decisions on the court as a point guard and to be an outstanding leader for these guys this season.

Thanks Devon for the chat.

Tags : DEVON GOODMAN, DRAGONS RHOENDORF, GERMAN BASKETBALL

It wasn’t even October yet and the Bona Baskets Limburg had found themselves at the cellar bottom with a record of 0-2 going into their third regular season game. They lost the first game by 20 points to new team TSG Soeflingen who came up from Regionalliga 2 and last weekend were slapped silly by Mannheim by 34 points. Even if their defense was inconsistent last season, at least they could still score, but this season, the offense has been less potent. In the last few years the club had had a very slim rotation and it wasn’t any different this season, but when you have to exclude work horse KJ Sherril who averaged 19/11 stats last season, you suddenly have a major dilemma. They returned home to meet MTV Stuttgart who had a 1-1 record and held with them well for a half, but a game has 40 minutes and got worn down in the second half losing 85-67 to fall to 0-3. After the win American Christopher Hall didn’t look all too content with the win, but still had a smile knowing they were above 500. ‘We could pf played better. They are a small team and we should have dominated better under the basket. They didn’t play the best zone, but a win is a win. We have to continue to be focused each week and get better’, warned MTV Stuttgart forward Christopher Hall. The Bona Baskets Limburg didn’t lack effort, but simply length and physicality under the basket as they were literally centerless. ‘They adjusted well to us being so small. It took them a while letting us stay with them in the first half. In the second half, we got more tired and had problems rebounding. We hustled and gave everything. I feel this was our best game this season, but we still make too many mistakes’, stressed Bona Baskets Limburg captain Justin Stallbohm.

Fans saw a different Justin Stallbohm as he was wearing a mask. He had broken his nose 4 days earlier, but was still able to play. He will be operated in Wiesbaden on Tuesday and probably miss a few weeks. MTV Stuttgart got off to a quick start taking the rapid 14-4 lead. American Edward Hall who works on an American airbase as an IT specialist had fond memories from last season where he poured in 30 points with 8 three’s against Limburg and in the opening minutes was on a scoring romp again netting 9 points as he was being a menace on the offensive board. But at the same time the guests also got valuable support from other players like athletic German Jannis Holzwarth and ex ANGT player Fekremariam Abraha (186-PG-1999). MTV Stuttgart came out dictating the pace with superb ball movement that had Limburg always reeling to get into good defensive position. At the same time, they were controlling the boards and having an aggressive defense that was forcing Limburg to too many early turnovers and hampering their set play. Not having top player and work horse KJ Sherril who is more than mentally prepared to lace them up against Lich soon was difficult to compensate as a huge hole in the scoring department was there. Croatian point guard Matej Kljaic tried his best to carry the team and did. Limburg went on a 9-3 run and suddenly were only trailing 16-13. His quickness as always led to an easy lay in and a difficult step back trey was also in his arsenal. Limburg captain Justin Stallbohm made some key steals to help break Stuttgart’s rhythm. But Limburg wasn’t able to hold that brief moment of control allowing the guests to close out the first quarter with a 7-0 run to lead 23-13 as Greek guard Vassilis Lampropoulos hit a trey and 39 year old veteran Christian Grundlach who is in his 14th season with Stuttgart made a lay in. Combined these two equal 70 years of ag. ‘We always try to come out strong and focused and build off that. I felt that we did a good job doing that’, stated Edward Hall.

The Bona Baskets Limburg played their finest basketball in the second quarter as they countered back and then held their own making it an even contest. The Bona Baskets Limburg caught MTV Stuttgart on the wrong foot escaping out on a quick 10-0 run to deadlock the game at 23-23. This brush of explosiveness helped their self-confidence seeing they could play with this team that clearly had the advantages under the basket. In the run, the troops of head coach Danny Stallbohm were led by Kljaic who as usual used his swiftness to his advantage scoring twice on the drive, Swede Hugo Florestedt also scored in the paint and bench guard Berkant Campinar hit a clutch trey. MTV Stuttgart wasn’t able to match Limburg’s intensity as they lost concentration and their rhythm. Limburg got stops which led to easy transition buckets. The game then would be a tight affair as there would be 5 lead changes up to half-time. Florestedt continued to give good support scoring 5 points while the guests got stable support from their thin bench from guys like Hugo Mournier and Abrahar. Justin Stallbohm had a tough night going 1/6 from downtown, but nailed his custom line drive trey to tie the game at 31-31. German Antun Matijevic who is the classic 3 and D player hit a three pointer to cut the Stuttgart lead down to 35-34. Limburg then had some tough luck as Justin Stallbohm was hit with a technical foul after Hall scored in the paint. Lampropoulos made a free throw and Hall a free throw to give the guests the 39-34 advantage. But the Bona Baskets Limburg struck back getting some massive help from Kljaic who came up with a steal and forced a turnover which led to 2 fast scores on transition by him as Limburg trailed only 39-38 after 20 minutes. ‘We took our feet off the gas. We had mis communication and didn’t get back on defense. We made careless passes which led to easy baskets by them’, stated Edward Hall. ‘Last season we had good quality, but didn’t always show effort. This season we don’t have the quality as last season, but always give our all. We showed true character and came back’, added Justin Stallbohm.

MTV Stuttgart kept the lead in the third quarter, but could never completely shake the Bona Baskets Limburg as they were only down by 4 points late, but an annoying run by the guests had them back at 61-52 after 30 minutes. The Bona Baskets Limburg didn’t return back with as much energy in the third quarter and suffered a painful 9-2 run to trail 48-40. MTV Stuttgart were sparked by the Greek duo of Lampropoulos and Alexander Komitakis who combined have an age of 66 years. They used their on court cleverness and experience to get easy baskets. The latter scored twice in the paint and Hall also added 2 free throws of 3 attempts after being fouled behind the three point line. This run really hurt Limburg as their constant struggle to contain the guests inside was hurting them mentally as they knew they had to do it for another half with their strength declining. Stuttgart despite also having a thin bench kept up the pressure at both ends and their permanent muscling down low also began to take a toll as 3 consecutive offensive rebounds didn’t actually stimulate Limburg’s self confidence. Hall continued to be able to hit from anywhere making an off balance shot for the 52-41 Stuttgart lead. Then came a very good phase by Limburg, but it would be to be their last push in the contest as they mustered up a 9-2 run to suddenly trail only 54-50. In the run, Limburg displayed super team play spreading the ball around and getting buckets from Matijevic, ex Dortmund guard Jari Beckmann and Huge Florestedt. Once again Limburg had stepped up their defensive pressure which foiled the usual disciplined Stuttgart offense that coughed up some balls for extra Limburg possessions. Here and there their zone also fooled the guests. But Limburg was unable to hold up the high energy allowing a 7-2 run to end the third quarter and trail by 9 points. In the Stuttgart run, the guests received superb support from Hugo Mournier with 2 baskes and also a trey from Abraha. ‘We did a good job attack the zone and get the ball down and then working from there to get good opportunities’, stated Edward Hall. ‘We began to get tired. Especially the mental part took a toll. Once you get down 10 points, you suddenly think more and know it’s going to be tough to come back’, added Justin Stallbohm.

MTV Stuttgart continued to wear down the Bona Baskets Limburg in the fourth quarter taking their 9 point lead and being able to extend their lead to as much as 19 points late that Limburg could never recuperate from. MTV Stuttgart didn’t waste anytime storming out on a 11-3 run to extend their lead to 72-55 which at that point had Stallbohm and co looking up a steep mountain to try to reach the Zugspitze mountain peak. In the run the guests continued to get good support from everyone continuing to display super team play. Holzwarth nailed a three against the zone, Abraha who never averaged more than 4,0ppg in the Regionalliga suddenly was a potent scorer hit a trey and Grundlach made a lay in. Stuttgart controlled the game and they weren’t about to give up this lead as Limburg’s strength was going down as they couldn’t match Stuttgart’s physicality down low. MTV Stuttgart got further support from their bench as Quentin Kunst scored and defensive specialist Abraha showed his fine athleticism once again scoring on a drive and Lampropoulos free throws ultimately closed the door shut on Limburg as they led 80-61 with a few minutes to play. Limburg head coach Danny Stallbohm did a good deed playing everyone including guys that usually wouldn’t even be playing allowing Tamas Bator from the second team, youth player Noah Ludwig and Jannis Wolfram combine for 21 minutes. Ludwig made a beautiful reverse lay up that undoubtedly got the biggest cheer from the crowd who were firing on the young German kid. Fellow young German Alois Mournier closed out the scoring for MTV Stuttgart with a lay in. ‘We were missing a few starters, but our bench really stepped it up for us today. We are deep and can trust everyone’, said Edward Hall. ‘We rotated a lot and played everyone. We gave our all. We hope to have KJ Sherril back soon’, stressed Justin Stallbohm. MTV Stuttgart were led by Edward Hall with 22 points. Vassilis Lampropoulos added 19 points and Fekremariam Abraha added 17 points while the Bona Baskets Limburg were led by Matej Kljaic with 22 points while Hugo Florestedt had 15 points.MTV Stuttgart shot 60% from the two point area and 28% from outside and had 24 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Bona Baskets Limburg shot 66% form the two point area and 17% from outside while grabbing 22 rebounds and having 16 turnovers.

Tags : FEKREMARIAM ABRAHA, MTV STUTTGART, GERMAN BASKETBALL

It seemed at times like an eternity to when the Pro B regular season would finally begin for ambitious team EPG Baskets Koblenz. Since the announcement of Pat Elzie being the new head coach some months ago, the excitement of the new season was massive. The club did a super job holding key players like Dominique Johnson, Marvin Heckel and Brian Air Butler and added new pieces with the most interesting being diminutive point guard Alani Moore who is destined to turn many heads this season with his game. Their first opponent were the Fraport Skyliners Juniors who had the huge misfortune of playing on the same night as BBL team Fraport Skyliners and didn’t have some BBL double license players at their expense. The Fraport Skyliners have been known for a decade of being on of the leading organizations in youth work and it is always interesting to see which new young players are on the rise. On this cool late September night, the EPG Baskets Koblenz were the high favorite and nobody would have disagreed if people had predicted a 30 point slap in the face win for the home team. In the first few minutes it sure looked like the EPG Baskets Koblenz would run away with the game and win by an astronomic score, but up and down phases through out the game and a potent Frankfurt zone in the second half ruined their chances of winning by a massive margin as in the end, they won only by a score of 73-60. After the contest one could rapidly notice that Koblenz head coach Pat Elzie wasn’t overly content with the 40 minutes, but in the end a win is a win. ‘Frankfurt is a good young team that never gave up. We had a good first half, but then we made too many unforced errors. We were too hectic in the second half wanting to play too fast. We weren’t thinking enough. I’m just happy we won our first game’, stressed Pat Elzie. On paper coming into the game, Frankfurt was the heavy underdog with very many young unexperienced players and a few absent because they played a BBL game in Bayreuth. Frankfurt had some good spurts, but just couldn’t keep up with the physicality of Koblenz. ‘The Koblenz start hurt us. The 24 turnovers that we had was the dIfference. We did a good job with the zone confusing them, but they had the physicality edge that hurt us and kept us out of rhythm’, stated Nils Leonhardt.

The game had a prominent guest as ex German national player Robin Benzing who is the all-time leader in caps with 165 took in the game. The EPG Baskets Koblenz began with a major blitzkrieg putting up 13 straight points totally overwhelming the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. From the quality it looked like men vs boys, but also from the physicality and the difference in bodies was like night and day. Koblenz moved the ball well and let it fly from deep as ex Bremerhaven guard Marvin Heckel connected twice as did ex Iserlohn German forward Moritz Huebner who did the same twice. Frankfurt had extreme difficulty coming to terms with the Koblenz physicality and aggressiveness which led to many turnovers quickly. But that totally domination was rapidly halted as Frankfurt struck back and went on a 8-0 run to cut the Koblenz lead to 13-8. It was no secret that Frankfurt would need a lot of support from sniper Felix Hecker and got it as he scored 5 points and young German Dusan Nikolic scored on transition getting the quick pass from Hecker who seemed to be all over the court. Frankfurt upped their energy and Koblenz simply lost their intensity. Koblenz’s offense was still moving the ball, but shots weren’t falling against the zone which they had inserted after being down 13-0. Down the stretch of the first quarter, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors continued to be carried by Hecker who would score in traffic and then nail an open three. Koblenz got 2 valuable buckets inside form Germans Niclas Sperber and Moses Poelking (206-C-1997). After one quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz led 21-13, but their fire of the first 4 minutes had been abruptly extinguished. ‘We lost rhythm against their zone which led to easy baskets. Our defense was ok. We forced them to tough defense and our 1-1 defense was good’, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz manager Thomas Klein.

In the second quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to control the game, but had a few down phases that allowed Frankfurt to hang around. Koblenz’s offense was clicking early as they were able to lead in double figures again as Huebner hit a trey, Poelking made a lay in after getting a nice pass from Huebner and then ex BBL player Dominique Johnson hit his bread and butter with a fade away mid distance shot for the 28-17 advantage. Frankfurt then had a positive phase as they went on a 6-0 run to cut Koblenz’s lead down to 28-23. Frankfurt got vital support from young German Hector Izquierdo who was playing his first Pro B game after being a stalwart in their NBBL team the last years. He scored on a back door cut getting the fine pass form big man Alexander Richardson and then hit free throws. He would finish with 6 points in 16 minutes of play. ‘Hector is a guy I could see getting into the rotation this season. He got in because we have had injuries. He did get into early foul trouble, but showed responsibility and deserved his playing time’, stressed head coach Sepher Tarrah. In this Frankfurt run, Koblenz’s offense had become static and they lost physicality and couldn’t run the way they wanted to. But the EPG Baskets Koblenz did find back to their game closing out the second quarter with a 18-5 run to lead comfortably 46-28 at the break. In this phase ex Temple (NCAA) guard Alani Moore stepped up nailing three three’s. It was a phase where he had to display his scoring qualities. ‘Alani does a great job dictating the tempo. He always does what the team needs. In this phase his team needed scoring and that is what he did’, stated Thomas Klein. In this phase Koblenz also sparkled on defense as Moore got in passing lanes which led to 8 steals on the night for him and Poelking came up with key blocks. ‘Moses is very physical. I think the most physical in the league. He will surprise many this season with his offense’, warned Thomas Klein. Poelking finished with 18 points and showed that he can be that big man impact player in the Pro B not only on offense. ‘My defense didn’t surprise me. I ‘m just happy I could help my team. I want to be the best defensive player in the league’, warned Moses Poelking. Koblenz clearly showed when their offense is moving the ball well, Frankfurt was absolutely no match for them getting hit hard against the mismatches while on offense forced to many turnovers. Dominque Johnson dropped a trey in the last seconds for good measure. ‘Moore brought us speed and rhythm back into the game. We had ups and downs, but defensively we were physically strong and were rebounding well’, expressed Thomas Klein.

The second half was one that EPG Baskets Koblenz head coach Pat Elzie had on his mind after the siren sounded and possibly even when he laid down to sleep later in the night. For a top team like the EPG Baskets Koblenz too lose the second half 30-29 was unacceptable. The Frankfurt zone was solid in the first half, but even better in the second half that gave Koblenz massive problems. ‘We have only practiced the zone a little in pre-season. We were unable to play well against their zone. We began to shoot too much and couldn’t fill the holes’, said Pat Elzie. Koblenz couldn’t find any rhythm early as Frankfurt stopped 5 possessions, but couldn’t compensate it on offense getting only 1 field goal from Izquierdo. Koblenz got free throws from Johnson and Brian Butler leading 50-34. Butler then finally got Koblenz’s first field goal with a transition bucket. But Frankfurt never gave up and just continued to chip away. Hecker was left open again at the top of the key and had little difficulty nailing a trey while point guard Alvin Onyia made a runner and Nikolic hit a tough three from the corner as they remained in striking distance trailing only 55-42. The EPG Baskets Koblenz couldn’t muster much against the Frankfurt zone, but did get another Butler basket and Heckel did reach the free throw line twice. Frankfurt German Alexander hit a three pointer to close out the third quarter as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors trailed 61-45. ‘We had no rhythm and didn’t play good 1-1 defense. When that happens, you can easily only win the quarter by 2 points’, expressed Thomas Klein. ‘We did a good job staying in the game. We couldn’t get even get closer, because turnovers hurt us. We did a good job getting open shots. We fought well and understood that we could compete against a top team’, stated Nils Leonhardt.

The EPG Baskets Koblenz continued to struggle in the fourth quarter mustering only 12 points, but kept their defense steady and withstood a last Frankfurt scare as Moses Poelking slammed the door shut at the end with big plays. Just like in the third quarter, the EPG Baskets Koblenz couldn’t get their offense going as the Fraport Skyliner Juniors zone continued to confuse and overwhelm Koblenz as it stopped their first 8 possessions. Frankfurt was able to only execute twice in this phase on offense getting 2 buckets from Felix Hecker to still lead 61-49. Marvin Heckel finally stopped the misery at the 5,57 second mark making a pull up jumper. He is so dangerous in the mid range area that once he has a little room, it’s good night. He didn’t waste anytime making a follow up runner for the 65-49 advantage. Poelking added a massive dunk after getting a beautiful lob pass from ex Coburg diminutive guard Yassin Turan. Koblenz seemed in cruise control after this 6-0 run, but the game wasn’t over yet as Frankfurt countered. Frankfurt had been fighting the whole game and raised their game not one step but two steps going on a furious 11-2 run to cut the Koblenz lead to 67-60 with 2 minutes to play. The CGM arena was getting very quiet as the shock of the fans was easily recognizable. As usual Frankfurt’s only real scoring option Felix Hecker came up with big answers as he scored 8 points including 2 three pointers. Richardson also added a basket on transition. Despite Frankfurt having momentum in crunch-time, they were unable to make the incredible come back reality as Moses Poelking stopped it with back to back lay ins. On the second, a Moore steal of an inbounds pass under the Frankfurt basket totally broke Frankfurt’s momentum. Turan added free throws in the last seconds. ‘Hecker did a great job getting us back, but Poelking made the difference and supplied the knock out punch’, added Nils Leonhardt. ‘Moses cam up big at the end. You can’t really ask for more than that’, stressed Pat Elzie. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Moses Poelking with 18 points while Marvin Heckel added 14 points. Moritz Huebner contributed 10 points while Alani Moore added 10 points and 8 steals. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors only had one player in double figures with Felix Hecker with 27 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 44% from the field and 32% from outside and had 29 rebounds and 17 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 44% from outside and 38% from the three point line and had 30 rebounds and 24 turnovers.

Tags : MOSES POELKING, EPG BASKETS KOBLENZ, GERMAN BASKETBALL