Stanley Whittaker (183-G-1994, college: Keiser) is a 27 year old 183cm point guard from Philadelphia playing his third professional season and first in Germany with PS Karlsruhe. He played his rookie season in Lithuania and last season had his break through with UBSC Raiffeisen Graz (Austria-BSL) playing 24 games: Score-2 (21.5ppg), 6.3rpg, Assists-2 (8.0apg), Steals-1 (2.6spg), FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 78.4%. He played his college ball at Frank Phillips (JUCO) and Keiser (NAIA). He teams up every week with Miles Schmidt-Scheuber to talk basketball.

Congrats on the big 85-81 victory over Paderborn. The team did a good job controlling the game for almost 30 minutes. How unneccessary was allowing them back into the game shortly before the horn in the third quarter? –

We turned the ball over which led to some easy baskets for them. We also got pretty stagnant offensively, which led to them getting out in transition much more. I felt we were solid if we just continue to build better habits and stay consistent for an entire 40 minutes.

How proud are you still of Moe Pluskota, who made free throws and then a big block with 44 seconds to help set up your free throws. Is it fair to say that he won you guys the game at the end?

That’s what we expect from Moe, I’m glad he made that block, I told him that was huge for us. I let him know he won us that game.

Is it a bit worrisome knowing that game could of got away, because you couldn’t control Barnes, Flanigan and Trapp?

They’re good players, they were down with nothing to lose so they fought back, I give them credit. Our group, we just have to be consistent for the entire 40 minutes.

The team only hit 2 three pointers. How often will one win a game when one can’t hit the ocean from outside?

Our defense in the first half gave us some separation, we were able to turn them over and get transition baskets. We didn’t shoot the ball well from the three but we dug deep and found a way to win without it.

You had another solid game with 27/4/5/4 stats. What satisfaction did your game give you the most on this night?


Not really any satisfaction honestly, just glad we got the win on the road.

48 hours later you lost to Vechta 98-88. How tough is this loss knowing if the team had taken better care of the ball pretty would of won.

Yeah that’s the most frustrating part of this loss. We won’t stand a chance against any team turning the ball over the way we did, and it started with me, I take ownership of that, I have to take care of the ball better.

PS Karlsruhe allowed 37 points after 10 minutes. Was this the worst quarter of the season and why did the defense fall apart?

It was a tough first quarter, Vechta came out more aggressive, more assertive. I had 3 turnovers in the first quarter and they were not missing so we put ourselves in a hole early on which gave them a lot of confidence and momentum.

The game was up and down for PS Karlsruhe. After a strong second quarter allowing only 14 points, you then allowed 27 points in the third quarter. Is their concern about the team playing like this so late in season?

Just being consistent on the defensive side of the ball, we weren’t consistent last night and Vechta isn’t just some bad team, they got really good experienced players. As a whole, we just have to be better.

PS Karlsruhe cut it down to 6 points with 1,20 to go, but couldn’t get over the hump. Did the team run out of gas at the end?

I think we had some left still but we just didn’t get the timely stops that we needed. If I’m not mistaken 92/88 we were attacking but turned the ball over and they came down and scored, those plays tend to suck the air out of players especially when you know the pressure of a stop and score is very needed at this point in the game.

You had another strong game with 30 points and 10 assists, but you and Zylka combined for 13 turnovers. Was it more mental mistakes or Vechta?

Us turning the ball over that much is unacceptable, we have to do a better job of taking care of the ball. I know I had a few unforced turnovers which is really bad. It was more so on us.

You next battle the wiha Panthers who you easily disposed of 82-68. They are in a slump at the moment. What will be key to sweeping the season series?

Our preparation, we have to prepare well, focus on the things we can control and give our best effort come game time.

Thanks Stanley for the chat.

John Murry (192-G-1995, college: Austin Peay) is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Indianapolis, Indiana that is playing his third professional season in Germany with BSG Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga). 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 and Miles Schmidt-Scheuber talk weekly about basketball.

Congrats on the huge 104-91 win over The ETB Miners. How good did it feel snapping the four game losing streak?

It felt great snapping the streak. Guys really came to play, I’m glad we were able to squeeze out the win.

Another shoot out game. What was different in this game that you hadn’t been able to do in previous games?

The difference was we made shots and we took care of the ball, that’s what got us in the win column.

Talk a little about the 40 minutes. What were the best phases of the game and what was key in crunch-time for the win?

The best phases were us playing together and making shots down the stretch, when we are NOT turning the ball over consistently, we are a tough team to beat.

How vital were the 7 extra possessions that you had to get the win?

It was beautiful, seeing guys put forth effort to box out and play defense for the entire shot clock was the key component and not allowing second chance points, that enabled us to capitalize on our possessions.

Did you see any change in how the team defended? What steps did you see on the defensive end?

Yes we put forth the extra effort route so we could be successful in the end.
Boxing out and playing the entire shot clock is what helped us.

You had another normal day at the office with 29/4/7/3 stats. What is your summary of your performance?

I was actually happy with this one because we got the win and guys were making shots on the offensive end.

You next play Deuzter who you beat 79-70 in the first game. What memories do you have of that game?

I know I was able to get my guys going hitting shots that night and we need to box out even more and be disciplined for the whole shot clock, with that I see us in a very high win percentage for that game.

You beat them despite turning the ball over 20 times. What else will be key for securing the win?

Thanks John for the chat.

With COVID still as alive as always, it has been one of those seasons that the uncertainty of playing games is about as difficult to estimate as is where rising German Isaiah Hartenstein could play next season, but for the Fraport Skyliners, the last two months, it has been like they were a bear in hibernation. In the last two months, they have only played 6 games and have shown a dismal 1-5 record. Now they have little time to recuperate as the games now come bang bang bang as they play 4 in the next 11 days starting with 2010 Eurochallenge winner BG Goettingen. BG Goettingen have had a very strong season and if the playoffs began tomorrow would be in the mix with the top 8 clubs. They have played 8 games in the last two months and have struggled a bit sporting a 3-5 record. It was a must win for the Fraport Skyliners as they wanted to show that their training camp in Mallorca had helped them be ready for the weeks of truth as they battle to stay in the BBL:. But this season the Fraport Skyliners continue not to know how to play consistently for 40 minutes and despite playing a strong first half, fell apart in the fourth quarter losing 73-65 to BG Goettingen. ‘We played well for 35 minutes, but in the last five minutes, we were exhausted and had no legs. Suddenly we lost Will Cherry and everything was a lot more difficult for us. We refused too many open shots. We just can’t do that. We fought very hard, but didn’t play brave enough’, stressed Fraport Skyliners head coach Diego Ocampo. BG Goettingen has been a surprise team this season and showed their comeback skills upping their defense in the second half and getting a huge push by new player Harald Frey. ‘This was a very intense game. The first quarter was very tough for us. We had no real offensive rhythm for a long time. But in the second half our character and defense held them to 25 points. That was the reason for the win. We made very good decisions at the end’, stated BG Goetingen head coach Roel Moors.

The first quarter was a tight affair, but after 10 minutes, the Fraport Skyliners had the slim 18-14 advantage. The Fraport Skyliners didn’t waste anytime executing on their first possession as they were aggressive and Quantez Robertson dropped a trey. BG Goettingen reacted well as the BBL’s second top scorer Kamar Baldwin (185-G-1997, college: Butler) scored 5 unanswered points to give the guests the lead. Frankfurt had the lead back very quickly at 7-5 as ex NBA player Will Cherry scored in the paint and ex Alba Berlin center Jamel Mclean connected on free throws. Frankfurt demonstrated early on that banging the ball inside would be on the menu and would keep it consistent until the end as Lukas Wank scored for the 10-7 lead. Frankfurt had their early woes with offensive rebounds as they allowed 4 in the first quarter which gave the guests extra chances. A Jeff Roberson lay in who played at Vanderbilt (NCAA) and three by sniper Jake Toolson who played at BYU gave BG Goettingen the lead back again at 12-10. But the Fraport Skyliners didn’t let the back and forth tug of war get at them as they closed out the first quarter with a timely 8-2 run to secure the 18-14 lead. Frankfurt continued to get their bigs involved. In the run, they got baskets from rookie Matt Haarms, ex Alba Berlin forward Lorenz Brenneke and Mclean. ‘We didn’t box out well which resulted in them getting those offensive rebounds. We have to do a better job chasing down rebounds’, said ex Auburn (NCAA) guard Quantez Robertson. ‘We did a good job fighting for the rebounds and getting extra possessions. . my teammates also did a good job finding me and I knocked down shots’, stressed BG Goettingen guard Kamar Baldwin BG Goettingen was shooting under 40% while Frankfurt was at 71% from the two point range. Both teams were even on the boards and turnovers.

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners executed even better on offense and was able to lead in double digits for some time and led 40-31 at the break. In the first few minutes BG Goettingen was able to stay with Frankfurt as their offense was too one dimensional as time after time Jamel Mclean would get the ball in the post. BG Goettingen struck with a Harald Frey three pointer who played at Montana State (NCAA) and pretty floater by ex Giessen guard Stephen Brown to cut Frankfurt’s lead down to 20-19. Rasheed Moore then nailed a trey giving Frankfurt the 23-19 advantage. It had been Moore’s first shot after almost 14 minutes of play. Why Moore doesn’t get more love on offense is a riddle. Frankfurt was up and down, but still had the 25-21 lead despite coughing up the ball too much. With the game pretty even, one may have thought that the game changing event would happen as Will Cherry was kicked out of the game after getting a technical foul. He had already been hit with a flagrant foul. Instead of caving in, this annoying turn of event seemed to spark the Fraport Skyliners. They continued to force the ball inside and got valuable minutes from their two young bigs Haarms and Brenneke as they combined for 9 of the last 15 points of the quarter. They also got 4 points from Len Schoorman on free throws and a transition basket form Moore who reeled in the touch down heave from Quantez Robertson. BG Goettingen mustered little inside and got heavy production from Jake Toolson who scored 8 points in the last five minutes including two three pointers. ‘We executed better and got to the free throw line. We had open looks and our bigs did what they could. They did a good job passing and attacking the rim’, stated Quantez Robertson. ‘Frankfurt did a good job coming together and playing to their strength inside. They beat us inside a lot’, added Kamar Baldwin. BG Goettingen continued to shoot poorly under 40% while Frankfurt shot 48% from the field and 30% from outside. BG Goettingen had the slight 19-17 rebound edge.

The Fraport Skyliners continued to control the game in the third quarter leading 56-51, but a Frey outburst near the end shifted the momentum which totally turned in favor for BG Goettingen in the fourth quarter. The Fraport Skyliners began strong going on a 6-2 run as they continued to attack inside. Haarms made free throws, Mclean tapped in a Tez miss and Moore got the second touch down pass of the evening from Robertson for the comfortable 46-33 lead. Frankfurt heightened their defense and were doing a great job protecting the rim. Frankfurt continued to hold the double digit lead as Brenneke continued to be aggressive and scored 5 points in the paint and Mclean hit a runner for the 53-41 lead. But Frankfurt just couldn’t hold the consistency in the last minutes as it was Harald Frey’s time to step up as he scored 10 unanswered points in a row to bring BG Goettingen back to 56-51. Frey who hails from Norway and got professional experience in Spain hit two three’s and made a pretty lay in at the buzzer. Len Schoormann connected on a trey to keep the guests at bay. ‘It is only normal that a team of their calibur come back. When we don’t play defense, they make easy baskets’, stressed Diego Ocampo. ‘Harald Frey carried us and Akeem Vargas did a good job changing our defensive tempo. That allowed us to find our rhythm more and allowed us to run’, said Kamar Baldwin. BG Goettingen continued to shoot poorly under 40% while Frankfurt was potent in the two point range at 56%. Frankfurt had grabbed back the rebound edge 29-25.

In the fourth quarter the Fraport Skyliners fell apart as they lost their lead and could only muster a poor 9 points. BG Goettingen stepped up their defense stopping Frankfurt on it’s first 5 possessions and grabbed back the lead with Nate Grimes free throws and a Jeff Roberson dunk to give the guests the 58-56 lead back. Mclean tied the game at 58-58 with free throws. But BG Goetingen then slammed the door shut on Frankfurt with a bitter 11-3 run to lead 69-61. BG Goettingen played smart and just did what good teams do which is executing their offense and getting stops. They got some key baskets inside from Toolson and Roberson and Baldwin hit a pretty step back jumper. Frankfurt looked helpless at times and had lost moral. They put up too many shots just for the sake of putting them up. Quantez Robertson was angry as one could see it in his eyes as he scored twice. But a last deep three by Baldwin who had that fancy step back iced the win for the 2010 Eurochallenge winner. ‘Coach changed up the game plan in the second half. We switched the cross screens into the post running the shooters off the three point line’, stated Kamar Baldwin. ‘We had a virus in the third quarter and it got worse in the fourth quarter. We didn’t shoot enough when we were open. We didn’t make good decisions or play brave’, stressed Diego Ocampo. BG Goettingen were led by Kamar Baldwin and Harald Frey who added 18 points a piece while Jake Toolson added 16 points. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Jamel Mclean with 14 points and Harald Frey added 12 points. BG Goettingen shot 34% from the field and 38% form outside and had 37 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 37% form the field and 19% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

It seems like every morning when you wake up and watch the top 10 NBA plays from the last night, you will see crazy unhuman dunks that show an athleticism that you saw here and there in the 80’s by fine specimen’s like a Dominigue Wilkins, Michael Jordan or Julius Irving. It just seems like the NBA Showtime that was created in the 80’s has gone to a new level. Now you see incredible dunks from so many different guys, the super stars. The up and coming players and even guys who play sparse minutes. The NBA lives from it’s athleticism and sometimes one has to wonder why the NBA legends of back in the day can’t accept the further development of the NBA. A guy like ex Chicago Bull Charkes Oakley recently spoke his mind and proclaimed that current NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo would only come from the bench back in the day. The freak Greek has dominated the NBA for years and has a special versatility that many would love to have and of course it would be interesting to see how he would have gone against a guy like Oakley in his prime. Fraport Skyliner lifer Quantez Robertson (188-G-1984, college: Auburn, agency: Interperformances) who has many more issues to worry about like recently having become a father for the third time and saving his team from leaving the easyCredit BBL had his two cents on the issue about the comments. NBA legend Charles Barkley who hasn’t had a positive history with Oakley defended the Greek Freak It is also interesting to note that Charles Barkley is an alumnist from Auburn (NCAA) where Robertson also went to. Quantez Robertson always has a lightening response on the floor especially on the defensive end, but took a few seconds to react to Oakley’s comment about Giannis. ‘When Giannis was younger, he probably would have come from the bench, but later with his physicality he would have been a starter. I think back in his day there were a select few who were as athletic as guys today’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Sometimes you wonder how guys back in the day would fair today. It is obvious that Tez is loyal to the ex Auburn (NCAA) great Barkley. ‘He would probably be better today. They don’t allow hand checks as much. He is a physical guy that can play on the perimeter and score in multiple way like Draymond Green. But Barkley is a better shooter than him’, expressed Quantez Robertson

I reach Quantez Robertson on a Monday night and in the back round as usual I hear the noisy commotion as it expected when you have kids. With the arrival of his third child recently, it has gotten even louder, but it’s all good for Tez. He is all business on the court and the same as a dad at home. ‘It was any different now then with my first two kids. I had little sleep the first few weeks. I’m used to the crying, dirty diapers and doing bottles. I’m getting back into rhythm. It’s still fun’, smiled Quantez Robertson. He also has to stick together with his only son as currently the men in the Robertson household are behind 3-2 to the women. ‘He knows that and that is why he tries to spend as much time as possible with me’, laughed Quantez Robertson. I actually wanted to talk to him on the weekend, but he courteously declined as he wanted to spend more time with his family as he had been away for a week in Spain in a special training camp with the Fraport Skyliners in Mallorca. Mallorca has been a place that the Skyliners have visited often since Robertson joined the club in 2009. ‘Mallorca is a nice place. It is a good place to go to to just get away and focus on team and basketball and get back in the flow and get to know the guys better’, said Quantez Robertson. There were distinct goals that the club wanted to accomplish on and off the court. ‘We just wanted to come together and have more bonding and get on the same page and learn the player’s strong points. Team building off the court was also very important. One night we were all together listening to music, watching a movie together and playing cards. We also took a trip on the island and jumped into cold water’, remembered Quantez Robertson. The Fraport Skyliners also wanted to get their game in shape at both ends for the coming weeks of truth. They score the least amount of points in the BBL and are the 10th best defensive team. They had a lot of work to cover. ‘Key on offense was working on taking care of the ball better. We turnover the ball too much. Vital is ball control and we worked on that. We also worked a lot on running our offense and executing better. On defense we worked on communication and our physicality. We want to be physical, but not overly physical so we pick up cheap fouls. We also worked on our help defense’, commented Quantez Robertson.

Basketball is a team sport, but still for the Fraport Skyliners to be successful, they will need extra help from certain guys on the team and one of those is American Rasheed Moore. Last season he had a very strong first BBL season after taking three years to come form the Regionalliga averaging 11.2ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 37.6%, FT: 79.7%. But this season the forward hasn’t had as much luck currently averaging 8.5ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 69.0%. The consistency that he had last season just isn’t there, but then again it seems like he hasn’t been that offensive option that he was last season. ‘He has been kind of hesitant of taking his normal shots. I feel that he has worked hard on taking those kind of shots again in practice the last weeks. We really need him and he knows that’, warned Quantez Robertson. The ex wiha Panthers definitely doesn’t lack effort and the will to get better. The night before the team left for Mallorca, he was as usual taking in a Pro B game of the Skyliners farm team Juniors and after the game at 9:30 took in an extra work out putting up shots. ‘His motivation is there. He did the same last season. He was always in the gym on off days or after a practice to get up shots. That helped him find his rhythm’, stated Quantez Robertson. Another player that they will really need to step up besides the veterans Cherry and Mclean is youngster Brancou Badio who came to Frankfurt and needed no extra adjustment time as he is currently averaging 12.4ppg, 2.4rpg, 3.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 41.1%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 86.1%. ‘We have been doing different things to help him get better shots and to put him in better position to make plays. He also is doing better on defense. He is making more pressure and talking a little more’, said Quantez Robertson. Quantez Robertson always has an eye on everything and one player where he has seen progress is young German 18 year old Alexander Richardson. He may not get many minutes in the BBL, but in the Pro B is a key player and had some tough games recently. He came back and had a strong game against Orange Academy last weekend. ‘He has been doing good going up against Jamel, Matt and Brooks. He takes it as a challenge daily to go up against them and is learning. He has been practicing well and picking their brains and finding a way to play his game’, stated Quantez Robertson.

Another player the Fraport Skyliners will dearly need to produce better than in recent times is Quantez Robertson and he knows that. In his first nine BBL games, he scored in double figures in eight games, but since then only once in six games. ‘I have to get back to where I was offensively earlier in the season. It will come. I have to know between taking good and bad shots. I need to be patient and pick my spots. I think if I can get fast break buckets and get to the free throw line, it will be good. When you see the ball go in more like that, it becomes easier’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Tez always stresses that he has to be more aggressive and being aggressive is something he will continue to be, but he just has to execute better. ‘It’s tough when things don’t go right and then you stretch the issue and make bad decisions. I have been doing that. I got out of whack moving too fast. I need to slow down and take what the defense gives me’, warned Quantez Robertson. The three point ball is one that also has stifled Tez recently as in the last three games, it fell only once in 12 attempts. He knows what needs to be done to get back on track. ‘I took extra shots in Mallorca. I worked more on my mechanics as well. I just have to find a rhythm and get back to when I was shooting the ball better’, warned Quantez Robertson. The weeks of truth start today as the Fraport Skyliners have 4 games in 11 days and have to find a way to beat 2010 Eurochallenge winner BG Goettingen who have been a big surprise this season and if the playoffs began tomorrow would be in it. ‘Goettingen’s success hasn’t surprised me. The team is full of unknown players. Nobody knows much about them until you play them. You just don’t know what to expect. They have come together very well and shoot the ball very well’, expressed Quantez Robertson. The standings are very tight now at the bottom and it will be a real dogfight between Frankfurt, Wurzburg and Giessen. The Fraport Skyliners have to start winning now. It is high noon and there can’t be any excuses. ‘We need a winning streak, but will take it game by game. We have to play as hard as we can and just execute the game plan. The young guys know how crucial and critical the next games are. We will come out and fight’, warned Quantez Robertson. Perhaps Quantez Robertson should try to check his connections at Auburn and see if a Charles Barkley would be available for a pep talk. If so, Tez would know exactly what Chuck would say. ‘The first thing that he would say would be to go out and hit some damn bodies. He would continue and tell us veterans to pick it up at both ends of the court and lead the team. He would also tell us that we veterans have to make the tough shots and plays’, warned Quantez Robertson.

Ta

Kamar Baldwin (185-G-1997, college: Butler) is a 24 year old 185 cm guard from Winder, Georgia playing his second professional season and first with BG Goetingen. Last season he played his rookie campaign with Turk Telekom Ankara (Turkey-BSL) playing 17 games averaging 6.4ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 27.6%, FT-2 (94.7%); and played 8 BCL games averaging 6.1ppg, 2.6rpg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 60.0%: He began his basketball career with Apalachee High School. He then played at Butler University (NCAA) from 2016-2020 reaching the NCAA Sweet 16. In his last three seasons he averaged 16,0ppg, 4,0rpg and 3,0apg. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a game against the Fraport Skyliners

Kamar thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Before we talk about basketball, I have to ask you about how you have experienced the whole Ukraine crisis in Germany. Have you been glued to CNN?

I have not followed it so much. But when I found out my former Butler (NCAA) teammate Avery Woodson played in the Ukraine, it caught my attention. I have ben keeping an eye on it now. I wish all the best for the Ukrainians. I hope Russia go back to Russia.

As an American where there isn’t war in the country, but where solders have always fought in other countries, how has it been for you being near to war in Europe? Do you feel safe in Germany?

I feel safe in Germany for the most part. It is different living in a country that is closer to a place that is at war. In Gottingen they had a bomb from World war 2 go up that was buried in the ground. That was scary.

Your playing your second professional season and first in Germany with BG Goettingen. After a so so rookie season you are the second best scorer in the easyCredit BBL. Does the BBL fit your game?

I feel that the BBL does fit my style. Coach Moers has a lot of confidence in my game and gives me a lot of responsibility. In my rookie season in Turkey, I had a lot of guys ahead of me. I was more of a defensive option. With Goettingen I play defense and am that offensive weapon.

If the playoffs began tomorrow BG Goettingen would be in the playoffs. The team is the best three point shooting team in the league. The club has more guys that can create and the team is allowing 10 points less than last year. What besides better organization has been key for the team defending better?

I think that paying attention to the scouting report and our opponents strengths has been key. I think that we are well connected as a team. And really important is that we always have really good practices leading up to games and that has translated well over to the games.

How important has veteran Akeem Vargas been for the team defense? How vital are his leadership qualities as well?

Akem has been great. He is our captain and has been around for a while and played for Alba Berlin. He knows all the players and has done a great job helping us navigate which helps us play better. He is an amazing leader that brings us all on the same page. In pre season he had everyone at his house. There was a lot of bonding. I think that has played a big part as to why we have been so successful.

The club recently signed Harald Frey. What kind of different dimension does he give the team now?

Harald has been great. He has the ability to create for others and himself. He is another weapon and takes a lot of pressure off the rest of the guys. His presence was felt right when he came. He had a great game against Ulm. He has been a great addition.

You’re a 185cm guard that has the complete package. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the bill?

I haven’t heard any current NBA guys comparisons. My game is really centered around the mid range game so I have always modeled my game around Michael Jordan.

Your scoring skills really stand out, but what other strengths does your game have?

I’m a good defender and can rebound pretty well for my size. I also think that my passing is underrated.

You are an ambitious defender. What kind of defender are you now and what kind do you want to become?

I feel like I’m a decent defender now. Now I give up too many straight drives on the close out. I need to be able to put more pressure on the ball. I definitely want to become that lock down defender that can guard the other team’s best player while still being that scorer. I want to be able to play both sides and do at a more efficient rate.

On what area’s of your game are you working on most now so that you will continue to climb the basketball ladder?

I want to continue to work more on my three pointer and become more consistent. I worked very hard on my shot last summer. I also want to be more efficient on the offensive end. All in all work on all parts of my game.

Last season you played with Turk Telekom. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

I remember when I flew from Atlanta to Istanbul, I had to find my next terminal. I knew they spoke English there, but not like at home. I had to figure out myself how to get to the terminal. That was my wake up call to being in a foreign country for the first time.

You had solid stats, but surely would have liked to have more of a role. Was it hard getting by the veteran guards Nick Johnson and Marcus Foster?

Yes it was. I felt like I competed in the practice at the same level as those guys. They were more experienced at that level. It was hard mentally not playing for some weeks at a time. I took the practice days as my game days to get better. This really helped me for this season and showed me not to take playing time for granted. Playing for Goettingen has been such a blessing. I’m trying to take the most of this opportunity.

You played at Butler from 2016-2020. You reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2018. What memories do you have of the 90-82 loss to North Carolina?

They won the NCAA title. I remember them being like a track team. They really knew how to push the ball well. They had some very good players with Justin Jackson, Joel Berry and Theo Pinson. They shot the ball very well. We had a very good year that season.

So many teams that you faced in the NCAA had guards that went to the NBA. In the NC game a guy like Theo Pinson went to the NBA. But you and Avery Woodson haven’t. Aren’t there just too many great guards on earth and too little NBA spots?

Yes you could say that. There is a lot of politics involved. Covid happened when I came out. It was frustrating. I didn’t know what would happen. But that’s life. I will continue to do the most of my chance in Goettingen. Maybe I will get a chance in the NBA one day.

You put up very consistent stats all four years. How do you feel did your game develop at Butler?

I became more of a complete player. I was able to read the defense better and played better with pace. I also feel like I was able to feel the rhythm of the game better and my IQ grew.

You had so many incredible games at Butler like the as a freshman scoring 30 + points against Georgetown and Seton Hall or your game winner over Xavier as a senior? But where does your game winner over Northwestern in only your second game at Butler rank?

I put the Northwestern game winner at number two and my number one is the Xavier game winner. I take Xavier because it was last game as a senior and plus they were our biggest rival.

How did head coach Lavall Jordan groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

He helped me grow my IQ adding pace and more fundamentals. He also helped me with my passing and reading the defense. Coach basically helped me see the bigger picture.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Aaron Thompson?

We were pretty even. He is a very good defender. He is one of the top defenders in the nation now.

Who was the toughest guard that you faced in the NCAA that went to the NBA?

I would say Jalen Brunson. He had incredible pace and knew how to get to his spots. He was always under control and got what he wanted. I really respect his game. You always had to be ready when you played him,.

Please name your five best teammates of all-time?

Henry Baddley, Rickey Wonzon, Stephen Brown, Jeff Roberson, Kelan Martin and Shawn Mcdermott

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Jordan, Kobe, Lebron, Kareem, Magic

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Jordan or Lebron and why isn’t Kobe mentioned more?

Jordan is the GOAT. I think Kobe isn’t mentioned more because he came right after Jordan. Kobe just doesn’t get respect.

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

I didn’t see the sequel, but I heard it was bad. They should of left it alone.

Thanks Kamar for the chat.

Skyler Bowlin (190-G-1989, college: MSSU) is a 32 year old 190cm guard that is playing his 11th season as a professional and his sixth in Germany and first with the Telekom Baskets Bonn currently averaging 11,7ppg, 2,0rpg and 3,9apg while shooting 43% from downtown. Last season 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 spoke to germanhoops.com before the game against FC Bayern Munich

Thanks Skyler for talking to germanhoops.com. Before we talk about basketball, I have to ask about what your feeling about the conflict in the Ukraine. How have you taken in all the drama in the last almost two weeks?

The situation in Ukraine is very unfortunate. I try to keep up with things that happen each day and just hope that it ends as soon as possible. No one deserves what is happening right now in that country.

Do you feel safe in Germany and have you ever wondered if a third world war could break out?

I feel very safe here in Germany. It’s scary to think maybe another big war could happen, but these days you should never say never.

Congrats on the massive 101-96 shoot out win against the Hakro Merlins Crailsheim. How good did it feel getting revenge from the first loss?

The win against them was huge. The standings are so close that every single win is important.

There was little that separated both clubs in the first 30 minutes. Did it feel like May and being like a high spirited playoff match?

There was definitely a high energy in the game. I feel like a lot of these games the last month or 2twowill feel like that.

The fourth quarter was really exciting. Bonn got away a bit before crunch-time, but Crailsheim never gave up and cut down to three points with 48 seconds remaining. What was key in crunch-time for getting the win?

We did a lot better job on Shorts in the second half. He’s a very good player and we limited him as much as we could which is why I believe we got the win.

TJ Shorts had another great game with 29 points. Does one get the sense that his motivation has risen since playing in the Cup Final 4?

I think he’s always in attack mode. I doubt he’s a guy that needs any extra motivation.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright had a solid game with 13/5/7 stats in the win. Is it fair to say that he didn’t have to do as much in the scoring department because of Javontae Hawkins big game?

You could say that. We have different guys who can step up each night when needed. Parker does so much for us so we have to help him out however we can.

What type of dimension does Javontae Hawkins give the team and what has really stuck out in his game since he got more minutes?

Hawk does a bit of everything on the court. He’s athletic, can shoot, defend. He’s a guy that just gives you so much so it’s nice that he’s back healthy and on our side.

Jackson-Cartwright continues to have very solid games. Do you feel like teams are even more aware of him since his 40 point explosion over Bamberg?

I think teams noticed how good Parker was very early on. The 40 point game was amazing, but teams already focused on him a lot before that.

Many of the pundits as well as basketball magazine BIG have TJ Shorts currently as the MVP. Is that hard to comprehend for you seeing where Bonn and Crailsheim are in the standings.

Everyone has their own opinion so I can’t really say much to that. He’s a great player along with a lot of other guys in the league who are in that conversation.

His stats are almost identical only that Shorts scores 2 points more while playing 2 minutes more. Does he have to do more for his team to be successful than Parker does?

Crailsheim also has other guys who can do things but of course the offense is focused around Shorts. He makes everyone better.

The regular season is winding down and now teams have more games and less time to recuperate. Obviously the Fiba window gave teams time to rest, but how good is the team fitness level currently?

I think we are feeling good. Everyone has bumps and bruises at this point but we have to push.

What kind of an experience has it been playing for the Telekom Baskets Bonn? Does the atmosphere and culture there tell you that this will have a special season ending?

We have some great fans. I hope by the end of the year we can get back to full capacity. They help us every game and really give us the extra edge in our games.

Your having another very solid BBL season. Since years you have been a very solid BBL player after paying dues in lower leagues. Do you ever wonder how your career may have gone had you never set foot in Germany?

I always wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t been given an opportunity to play in the BBL. I’m very grateful for the experience and just want to continue to get better and win games. Germany has been so good to me and my family.

What is it like playing for Tuomas Iisalo? What is his biggest asset that has made him be able to make Crailsheim and Bonn so competitive?

Tuomas is a great coach. I tell everyone that asks, the reason he has so much success with his teams is that he demands success. He pushes you mentally and physically so much that you have no choice but to get better.

What is your impression of the Crailsheim Merlins? Do they have the ability to win the Fiba Europe Cup?

Crailsheim is a very good team. I think they definitely have a chance.

What has it been like playing together with Parker Jackson-Cartwright? I’m sure he is your BBL MVP: What does he give the team that you feel maybe isn’t seen in comparison to what Shorts gives Crailsheim?

Parker is first of all great person. Regardless of the on court stuff, he treats people the right way all the time and always brings a good attitude and mindset. On the court he does so much for us on both ends. He’s so fast and creates a lot of problems on both sides of the ball.

You don’t have much time to relax as 72 hours after the Crailsheim win, you battle top team FC Bayern Munich. You lost the first game 100-81. How confident are you that they won’t hit 19 three’s again?

It never gets easier in the BBL. We have to regroup and get ready to compete as hard as we can.

FC Bayern Munich has Paul Zipser back who played a few years with the Chicago Bulls. What kind of a dimension does he give the team?

It’s good to see Paul back on the court. He’s very skilled and a big body so he can cause a lot of problems.

What is your opinion of Charles Barkley’s assessment that Giannis would only come from the bench back in the day?

Ah man I think the older guys just like to talk on TV for stories. No chance they actually believe the stuff they say all the time

Thanks Skyler for the chat.

Tags : SKYLER BOWLIN, TELEKOM BASKETS BONN, GERMAN BASKETBALL

Some weeks ago, some very bold people including myself were talking about the playoffs for the Dragons Rhondorf, but with the season winding down, the playdowns seem to be the more logical choice. In mid January, the playoffs seemed the goal after having a three game winning streak, but since the club has rode a four game losing streak and were two wins shy of the playoffs with four games remaining. The goal for the Dragons Rhondorf was to get as many wins as possible so that when the playdowns begin, they will be in good position not having to worry about moving back to the Regionalliga. Rhondorf met the ambitious team RheinStars who had had a very disappointing season and recently had let go of head coach Simon Cote and named German basketball legend and Rheinstars maker Stephan Baeck as head coach. A Cologne team that was filled with unending talent have simply underachieved and had lost three of the last four games, but came to Rhondorf with self-confidence having destroyed hapless Hamburg. The RheinStars came to the Dragon Dome with seemly half of their roster filled with ex Dragons as names like Wendeler and Michel were still very well remembered. The Dragons Rhondorf entered the contest with a must win situation and knew that the RheinStars actually had to win more, but after almost letting the game slip away in the fourth quarter fought back by the hot shooting of German Nicolas Buchholtz and took control in overtime and never looked back securing the huge 97-90 victory over the RheinStars Cologne. ‘Our will and energy got us the win. We also got a lot of support from our faithful fans. We really needed this win badly and wanted it more than they did at the end’, stressed ex Rostock Seawolf Nicolas Buchholz. The RheinStars Cologne gave a massive fight, but just didn’t have the needed energy in overtime to get the win. ‘We lost it in the first half with 14 turnovers. Our defensive principles weren’t there. We know our offense will come when our defensive principles are there. We ran our sets better in the second half and stuck to our defensive principles. They weren’t perfect, but we figured them out’, stated RheinStars guard Vincent Golson.

The first quarter saw a fast start by the Dragons Rhondorf only to see the RheinStars fight back and trail only 18-15 after one quarter. The Dragons Rhondorf didn’t waist any time from the get go taking a quick 14-4 lead. Buchholz got his game going quickly hitting two three’s while Senegal sensation Ousmane Ndiaje also netted one from the parking lot. Rhondorf also got buckets from identity figure Viktor Frankl -Maus and Brazilian center Marcelo Ruedinger. Rhondorf did a super job containing Golson and Mvouika well while getting their rhythm on offense right away. On defense, they played with a high intensity not allowing Cologne to get into their sets well. But the guests finally found a rhythm on offense getting their ball movement going and getting young German Ay-keen Richardson more involved, a guy Rhondorf might not have had on their scouting report. In the run, Richardson contributed 8 points as his game intelligence and aggressiveness was very refreshing. Cologne stepped up their defense and ex German batchelor Andrej Mangold brought the needed energy and precise playmaking skills that brought the guests back into the contest. ‘We went off the offensive pedal and Oshane Drews getting into quick foul trouble hurt us’, stressed Nicolas Buchholz (200-PG-2001).

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf got their game going again, took a good lead and kept it being led by the scoring abilities of Nicolas Buchholz while the RheinStars coughed up the ball too much and had problems finding an offensive flow. Both teams got their offensive rhythm quickly as Richardson kept up his offensive fury with a trey only to have Frankl-Maus also score from outside as Rhondorf led 22-18. Cologne stayed on Rhondorf’s door step getting a rare basket from Golson who had difficulty with the aggressive man defensive and ex Dragons Florian Wendeler also scored as Rhondorf only led 24-22. But the Dragons Rhondorf then took charge being led by Buchholz who showed his total versatile game proving he is more than just a three point threat scoring inside twice and swiping an offensive rebound for the 31-22 advantage. But Rhondorf allowed Cologne to hang around as American rookie Elijah Schmidt who averaged only 3,0ppg coming into the game scored in the paint and Mangold hit a trey to cut Rhondorf’s lead down to 31-28. But the Dragons Rhondorf always had an answer when Cologne made comebacks and closed out the second quarter with a 15-6 run to lead comfortably 46-34 after 20 minutes. In the run, it was Buchholz again who remained aggressive hitting a trey and made a thunderous dunk. Rhondorf also got a massive dunk from Ralph Hounnou who saw the highway from the wing and also got valuable support from young German Samuel Nellessen who scored four points. Ndiaje also added a 20 footer. Cologne had some inconsistent phases on offense and continued to suffer too many turnovers and on defense had breakdowns which led to easy baskets by Rhondorf. ‘We did a good job building a lead and keeping it. Sam Nellessen also played great. He had a very good week of practice and deserved the minutes’, stated Nicolas Buchholz.

The Dragons Rhondorf held the lead in the third quarter, but could never fully shake the RheinStars who continued to fight and be in striking range. The RheinStars came out of halftime refocused and rapidly stopped the Dragons first four possessions and scored 5 points getting a lay in from German Florian Von Seckendorff and a three by Golson who was still finding his groove as Rhondorf led only 46-39. Their run would continue as they went on a 7-3 run to trail the Dragons only 49-46. Cologne got some clutch buckets from ex Dragon Thomas Michel who played three BBL games with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. Michel who always plays with high energy nailed a trey and scored a lay in after Wendeler secured an offensive rebound. Wendeler also scored in the paint as three Dragons turnovers in a row helped the guests make the big comeback. Cologne’s offense showed successful pick and roll and team basketball while Rhondorf was forced more to one on one plays which they couldn’t execute. Rhondorf also got some key baskets from ex Paderborn forward Paul Albrecht and Ruediger, but a Golson three pointer kept Cologne in striking range as they were only down 55-51. Rhondorf got some key baskets in the last two minutes as German Ralph Hounnou scored in the paint and Oshane Drews made an incredible off balance shot at the buzzer for the 61-53 advantage after 30 minutes. ‘We knew being down by 12 wasn’t much. We got better into the game and kept the ball on one side and played more aggressive at both ends’, stated Vincent Golson. The RheinStars remained to shoot under 40% from the field and outside while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 43% from the field and 30% from outside. Cologne had the 31-30 rebound edge while the Dragons had the 11-10 offensive rebound edge, while Cologne had 21 turnovers and Rhondorf 16.

In the fourth quarter the Dragons Rhondorf kept the lead and seemed like they would keep it, but they allowed it to shrink and they lost the lead in crunch-time. Rhondorf had a good start with a 8-4 run to lead 69-57 as whenever Cologne struck, Rhondorf had a counter punch. The Dragons received vital three’s from Buchholtz and Frankl-Maus. But the lead would not be a safe thing in the last 10 minutes as the RheinStars kept chipping away. Golson heightened his game from quarter to quarter and there was also Rom Mvouika who had had 0 points after 30 minutes, but would add 6 key ones in crunch-time. But Rhondorf still kept the comfortable lead momentarily as Ralph Hounnou scored back to back buckets as Rhondorf led 72-62. But then came the RheinStars as they made one last push overwhelming the Dragons Rhondorf going on a 14-3 run to take the 78-75 lead. Golson and Mvouika added four points a piece, but it was also the young German Richardson who continued to want the ball and executed scoring 5 points. ‘Our young buck Ay-Keen Richardson made big shots. We played with confidence, but not out of our element. We ran our sets better and didn’t let them push us out of the zone’, commented Vincent Golson. But Rhondorf wasn’t done yet. They came up big on the defensive end as Hounnou made a huge block on Richardson which led to Frankl-Maus free throws as Cologne led only 78-77. Golson added two free throws for the 80-77 advantage. But the Dragons Rhondorf had 14 seconds left and saved their best for last moving the ball great and letting their shilled passer Paul Albrecht to find a wide open Buchholz who had had the hot hand all night long and didn’t disappoint nailing the buzzer beater and sending the game into overtime. ‘They played zone in the run and we had no energy. On my shot, I had a good feeling that it would go in’, stated Nicolas Buchholz. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 41% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 40 rebounds and 21 turnovers while the RheinStars shot 44% from the field and 43% from the three point line and had 40 rebounds and 23 turnovers.

In the overtime period the Dragons Rhondorf came out with a high intensity and just wanted it more than the guests. Ron Mvouika gave Cologne the 83-81 advantage, but Frankl-Maus came back with a trey to give Rhondorf the 84-83 lead and they would never trail again. After a stop, Rhondorf got a big basket from Paul Albrecht for the 86-83 lead. Rhondorf then found the needed energy on defense to get stops and got free throws from Drews and Buchholtz for the commanding 91-85 lead. After Golson free throws, Buchholtz put a nail on the coffin with a clutch three giving Rhondorf the 94-88 advantage. Rhondorf got two more stops which led to Albrecht and Drews free throws securing the victory. ‘We had more will and energy in overtime. Our condition also was better than them’, stressed Nicolas Buchholz. ‘We fell apart in overtime. We couldn’t get stops. We were a bit tired and just gave up’, stated Vincent Golson. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Nicolas Buchholz with 31 points. Viktor Frankl-Maus added 17 points and Paul Albrecht 12 points while the RheinStars Cologne were led by Vincent Golson with 30 points and Ay-Keen Richardson added 20 points. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 42% from the field and 32% from outside and had 48 rebounds and 23 turnovers while the RheinStars Cologne shot 42% from the field and 36% from outside and had 43 rebounds and 25 turnovers.

John Murry (192-G-1995, college: Austin Peay) is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Indianapolis, Indiana that is playing his third professional season in Germany with BSG Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga). 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 and Miles Schmidt-Scheuber talk weekly about basketball.

Another tough loss this time to Dorsten. It was another shoot out game. How much does this loss hurt at this stage of the season?

We can just keep fighting, it’s all about will and effort at this stage in the year.

What was key in crunch-time that Dorsten could slip away with the win?

Not coming up with loose balls, boxing out, and closing out to shooters is what got us down the stretch, we just need to be more focused defensively for 40 minutes.

Grevenbroich didn’t play bad, but Dorsten shot even better from outside and rebounded better. Is that a good summary for reasons why you couldn’t pull out a win for 40 minutes?

Just lack of discipline and inner will power to get stops and convert them on the other end.

The starting 5 of Dorsten scored 99 of the 114 points. Isn’t that just logical that one has to understand to give 100% on every possession on the defensive end?

Yes that’s all it is for us in this point of the season it boils down to energy and effort.

Please evaluate the performance of German Tim Elkenhans. What has stood out in his game most?

Tim brings tremendous energy on the defensive end, with him being out because of injury his stamina didn’t allow him to give it all for 40 minutes but in his time played, he really gave us great energy off the bench.

You had another huge game with 36 points. Recently you scored 40 points. How difficult is it mentally to top scoring games like that?

As the old saying goes, ‘peddle to the medal’ and wanting to be better within myself, I hold myself to a high standard and make sure I’m better then yesterday, every single day.

The next game is against Leverkusen 2. You are three wins away from the last team. Does Grevenbroich mathematically still have a chance not to land in last place?

Nothing is over until the last bell rings and I have hope in guys as well as push them in practice to be prepared for games.

Thanks John for the chat.

It was mid November 2021 when I entered the Portland Exposition building on a very very mild day with the temperatures around 60 degrees. It had had been almost 9 years since I had last visited a G-League game in Portland. The last time I had ben a guest of the then Maine Red Claws head coach Mike Taylor who I had gotten to know when he had been coach in Germany with ratiopharm Ulm. On this day, I was excited to watch many ex NBA players play like Greg Monroe, Chris Clemons, Luke Kornet or Ryan Arcidiacono to just name a few. But I also was excited to see my ex classmate from Avon Old Farms Peter Duggan who works in the organization and ex NBA player and assistant coach Awvee Storey who I had covered in Germany in 2007 where he was in between having been in the NBA and going back. I had a good seat 3 rows behind the Maine bench and as expected I was entertained with a high scoring G-League game. I had a good view of the bench and was able to observe the timeouts very well. I saw so many ex NBA players, it was hard to believe that so many could be ensembled in one place, but there were also other guys who hadn’t been in the NBA and most likely won’t get there. There was one guy that caught my attention. He didn’t look like a player, but more like a water boy or team trainer. His name is Eric Demers (185-G-1997, college: Gordon). He kept looking up to his wife and baby and friends who were watching him and giving that warm smile. When you come from Massachusetts, which is just around the corner, then it’s obvious that you will have people there cheering you on. Only there was one problem. He didn’t play on this night. In the back to back games against Capital City, he would see action the next night, but only log 4 minutes. But I actually knew who he was. I did my research on him when I was in Germany before coming to the States on a short vacation to visit my family and was fascinated that he was a NCAA 3 player. It isn’t rare to see loads of NCAA players balling in the G-League seeking that one in a million opportunity to play in the NBA, but a NCAA 3 player? I don’t think that there have been many NCAA 3 players get that golden chance to play in the G-League, but Eric Demers has received that chance. He probably won’t get an NBA call, but I see him making an impact elsewhere. Going overseas and having a great career is the most logical thing happening soon. ” He’s a guy that fits well on any team because he’s a competitor and always puts the team first. Plus every team needs a shooter! I’m proud of E because I watched him since he was in middle school. I watched the grind and I respect him as a player but more importantly a person. He’s a great person inside and out’, replied ex Umass-Dartmouth (NCAA3) standout Jordan Rezendes. I bet that he will be overseas in the next two years and possibly in Germany. ‘I guess we will have to see if your bet is correct or not. All I know is I want to play for a team with opportunity for growth in my career and somewhere safe for my wife and son to live with me as we pursue this dream together. It’s hard to say where I would be if the pandemic did not hit. I am enjoying my time with the Celtics but I definitely see myself playing in Europe at some point in my playing career’, stressed Eric Demers.It is only a matter of time before Eric Demers becomes a household name in Europe, but for now he is living the dream with the Maine Celtics.

Eric Demers who doesn’t remember losing many one on one games to ex Gordon teammate Terry Aljernod or others was born on March 12, 1997 in West Wareham, Massachusetts. It didn’t take him long to have that first experience with a ball as with 6 months he made his first basket with a plastic ball. He grew up not far from Cape Cod in Acushnet, Mass and balled at Falmouth high school. He then played at division 3 school Gordon in Wenham, Mass only 10 minutes away from beautiful Gloucester. He had a solid freshman season averaging 12.4ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 40.3%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 61.4%. He was having another solid season as a sophomore averaging 14.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 39.5%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 83.3%, but after 7 games his season ended with a tough bone injury in his right shooting hand. He came back the next day and pulled a Larry Bird shooting only with his left hand. He missed the rest of the season and concentrated on getting healthy again. In this time, he met a very important individual named Matt Chewning who ran a small ministry in the area. He and his wife who have 4 small kids of their own took him in as a temporary house guest. This was a vital time of finding himself. He came back to school in 2017 and would really heighten his game in the last two years and made a giant leap as a senior. In his sophomore and junior years he averaged 23.4ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.6apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 42.0%, FT: 84.3% and 23.4ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.9apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 39.4%, FT: 85.3%. He made a massive jimp as a senior averaging a ridiculous 32.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.8apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 88.5%. He was so close to belonging to a select group of only 6 guys that averaged 33,0ppg in a season this century. Even if he made a big jump as a senior in his game, it didn’t surprise him. ‘I think I had a very steady progression in college and continued to get better every year. In my senior year I was just provided with more opportunity and responsibility and I was able to take advantage of it’, stressed Eric Demers. He had many incredible games like pounding Nichols College for 49 points and had an amazing stretch where he scored 30 points or more in 15 minutes in a row. He even proved that he could lite it up against a NCAA team when he poured in 42 points in an exhibition game against Hartford when he was double and tripled teamed at times. A big contributor to him becoming the player that he is today was head coach Tod Murphy who always had the key ready to open the gym doors late at night so he could shoot shoot shoot. ‘Coach Murphy just instilled a lot of confidence in me. He believed in my dream and held me accountable on a daily basis to continue to get better’, stated Eric Demers. Jordan Rezendes never played against him in the NCAA 3, but grew up in the same area and played at the same gym. He remembers what was key for him being able to have gone the path he is going now. ‘He was always a hard worker and a student of the game. He trusted and believed in himself. He is a great shooter that plays with confidence. He still can’t guard me but that’s little bro’, joked Jordan Rezendes.

The Mass native who lists Garrison Duvivier, Jaren Yang, Sam Hauser, Ryan Arcidiacono, and Theo Pinson as his five best teammates of all-time had to wait a year until he began his rookie season. COVID hit in 2020 which disallowed him to begin his career as the many shut downs made it very challenging. ‘I used the year to network and work on my game as I prepared to take advantage of my opportunity when it came’, said Eric Demers. COVID had a big strain on him overcoming not being able to start his rookie season sooner, but he stuck it out. ‘It was challenging to stay focused on my own goals while some of my peers were still able to play professionally last year. I had to grow in my patience and persistency and continue to work on my game as I waited for my professional opportunity’, commented Eric Demers. He then got a great opportunity to take part at the TBT which was founded in 2014 and is a single elimination process with the winner getting 1 million dollars. Over the years the TBT has showcased some of the best like Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Kristaps Porzingis just to name a few. Not only was this a perfect opportunity to show his skills on the floor, but also to network off it. ‘The Basketball Tournament really helped my jump start my career in a lot of ways. Being able to play well there was great exposure that soon landed me in NBA summer league with the San Antonio Spurs and now with the Celtics’, remembered Eric Demers. But it wasn’t only high profile guys that he was able to duel against, but also witnessed other talented guys that didn’t play division one basketball and he had one highlight. ‘For me it was hanging out with D’vontay Friga. He is a fellow D3 basketball player who has created a career for himself using basketball in a different way. It is always cool to hang out with some high level guys’, added Eric Demers.

The ex Gordon (NCAA3) stand out who lists Jaylen Brown and Brandon Ingram as his toughest opponents in his career continued to go step by step in his young basketball career as the TBT allowed him to take part at the 2021 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He suited up for the San Antonio Spurs and played two games. In the first game he saw 2 minutes against Utah, but in the second game logged 19 minutes against the Oklahoma Thunder scoring 12 points and grabbed 3 rebounds. ‘For me it was all about taking advantage of my opportunity. I wanted to be able to prove myself in that game so I would be able to open doors to future opportunities’, commented Eric Demers. It didn’t matter where he looked in Las Vegas, he was always around noteworthy people so he tried to soak up as much valuable information as possible especially from the Spurs coaching staff. ‘I was reminded to take advantage of windows of opportunity whether they be small or large’, expressed Eric Demers. He had other highlights that summer including working with highly skilled point guard Shabazz Napier who won the 2014 NCAA title with UConn and had a respectable NBA career and now is overseas for the first time playing for Russian Euroleague team Zenit St Petersburg. ‘It was great getting to know and working with Shabazz. We are both local guys to Boston so it just made sense for a couple of pros to help make each other better. I look forward to future summers training with him’, said Eric Demers. He also had the grand opportunity to train with the Boston Celtics two best players Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He didn’t see that being like a kid being in a candy story, but just a day to day encounter. ‘I don’t think it’s overwhelming at all. If anything it just builds confidence in myself that I can play on the same court as those guys’, stated Eric Demers.

The guard who has Jordan, Bird, Wilt, and Curry on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore then had a dream come true signing with the Boston Celtics farm team Maine Celtics. ‘Being a part of the Celtics organization has definitely been a childhood dream come true. Growing up watching and rooting for the Celtics it was always a dream to play for them as a kid. I know I am fortunate to live out a childhood dream playing for your hometown team and I do not take that lightly’, stressed Eric Demers. He joined a team that had so many guys with NBA experience like Ryan Arcidiacono, Chris Clemons, Luke Kornet, Bruno Fernando, Broderic Thomas or Theo Pinson that he could really get lost in the shuffle, but with time he has made strides especially in the minutes department. ‘We have a unique roster for the G-League. More than half our roster has played in the NBA. It is a tough team to be on as a rookie as far as playing time. I have worked my way into the rotation but I do know I am going to gain a lot of value from this experience with all this NBA experience. Even if it doesn’t fully show this season I know it is going to be very beneficial going forward as a professional basketball player’, warned Eric Demers. He also has had no worries about not being respected. You might think as soon as guys hear division 3 that you won’t be taken seriously, but that hasn’t been the case. ‘I think the way I play the game guys learn to respect my game pretty quickly. I am very proud to represent NCAA 3 but at the same time I want to be known for more than just ‘the D3 guy’. I want to prove myself to be a very good professional basketball player’, stated Eric Demers. He could put on a blind fold and chose a player to be his mentor and he wouldn’t go wrong with the vast collection of experienced talent Maine has, but instead he has picked Ryan Arcidiacono who won a NCAA title with Villanova and played some years with the Chicago Bulls. ‘Ryan Arcidiacono has become a very good friend of mine. It has been great to see how someone like him with his NBA experience carries himself on a daily basis. I have learned a ton from Ryan’, expressed Eric Demers.

The sniper who thinks Michael Jordan is the GOAT has a game that has been compared to NBA players like Patty Mills, Seth Curry, Joe Harris and Duncan Robinson. Obviously his shooting has always stood out, but he is in no way one dimensional. ‘I think I have a complete game. I am able to pass and rebound well at my size. I am a team player and play well within different team systems. I am the type of player that can fit in pretty easy with anyone or any team’, said Eric Demers. In his first 4 G-League games he played only 21 minutes combined, but in his next two games played combined 36 minutes. His minutes continued to rise in December and January as he played 39 minutes in two games. ‘I think early on in the G-League my shooting ability will be my niche. I do hope to prove that I am a complete player at the professional level this year in the G-League’, expressed Eric Demers. His minutes have really risen in the last 7 games as he has averaged 35 minutes per game. His best games were against Windy City netting 17 and 15 points and 15 points against the Raptors. His three pointer continues to be a big focus in his game. Peter McLelland once said that he doesn’t have a range, but wherever he gets the ball that’s it. ‘I definitely like that statement. I feel confident shooting the ball anywhere on the court’, warned Eric Demers. As he continues to work on gaining experience in the G-League and growing towards becoming a complete player, he knows exactly on what area’s of his game need to be tweaked the most. ‘For me it is just continuing to grow in my efficiency. I want to be able to shoot the ball at a high rate while making plays for my teammates without turning the ball over’, said Eric Demers. It will be interesting to see how he closes out the G-League season and how much his game can progress. The guy definitely has talent, but just needs to get good minutes to gain experience so he can be prepared for that next step and opportunity. So where will it be next season? United States or Europe? ‘My goal playing for the Maine Celtics is just to improve overall as a basketball player. It is to learn as much as I can so I can carry things over to my next team. I am not sure what next year holds and where I will play whether it be in the United States or in Europe but I do know my experience with the Celtics will help me next year’, stressed Eric Demers. I still am betting with overseas. His game can translate anywhere. It would be nice to be able to say next year that I saw Eric Demers Live in the United States and in Germany.

Nikita Khartchenkov (201-SF-1987) is a 35 year old 201cm forward that has been been playing professionally for almost two decades and played more than 500 games. Currently he is playing for his 14th professional team and third year with the EN Baskets Schwelm. He played for clubs like TV Langen, Khimki Moscow, Braunschweig, Chemnitz, MBC, Duesseldorf, Freiburg, Sibu (Romania), Essen, Leipzig, Hagen, Schalke and Iserlohn. He played 114 easyCredit BBL games and 72 pro A games and shot 40% or better from outside in 6 seasons. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

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

Hi Miles, it is always a pleasure! I’m living in Essen and playing for Schwelm. Basketball life is going well. After a bad season start we found together as a team and we perform way better now.

Before we get to basketball, please explain how you have experienced COVID in the last 2 years? What were the biggest challenges for you as a player?

It’s crazy to realize that it is already the third year affected by COVID! For us players it is strange to play with less fans or even without any crowd at all. It’s an individual think to treat this situation. I felt, that we had a team that was able to find the motivation in each other faces. Of course it was not the same like playing at home and hear the crowd or playing away and make the opponents crowd silent. But to be honest, we have to be thankful that we were still allowed to do our favorite think- to play the game! On the other hand it was a very hard situation especially for children and seniors. I only can imagine how hard it was for them! I hope that the situation will get better!

With everything that you have experienced off the court with COVID, how do you feel did you grow as a person and get stronger as a man?

I think basketball is a good preparation for any situation in life. I could adapt to the situation and kept my focus on the things I do. The good thing is that I saw my kids more often while I was working from home and they had homeschooling!

Your playing your 19th professional season and have played for 14 organizations. What have you enjoyed most about the basketball globetrotter life?

There are a lot of things! Basketball specifically it is the process to grow together as a team and become a unit during the season. On the other Hand it is a huge life experience by getting to know the teammates from different countries, different mentalities and backgrounds and to find with everyone ‘the same language’. That gain is not written in any contract but makes you develop as a person and human being!

How do you feel physically? What have been the biggest challenges body wise to keep being able to play professional basketball?

I feel good so far! I was blessed not to have bigger injuries during my career. I have the advantage towards most players that I’m playing usually between 2 three point arcs, so I don’t run that much. Biggest challenge right now is the time management. Unfortunately I don’t have much time to visit the weight room. But a short time for core exercises is very helpful for myself.

You never played for one pro team for more than 3 seasons. You are playing your third season with the EN Baskets Schwelm. Can you imagine ending your career with them one day?

At the moment I’m not thinking about the retirement: I love the game, I have no physical issues, the opponents are still putting ink on the scouting report when they are preparing for Schwelm. I like the situation in Schwelm. It’s an organization with ambitions, lovely crowd a great gym. A lot of volunteers, which are helping in every possible situation. I can imagine to retire here, but don’t ask me how old I will be.

You played parts of 6 years in the easyCredit BBL and played 2 seasons in the Pro A. The rest in the Pro B and Regionalliga. How much of a challenge was it always having a job during the pro B/Regionalliga years and juggling basketball? What kind of jobs did you have?

The biggest challenge is the 24 hours shot clock. I have to separate the focus between Basketball, Job and family. To coordinate everything in the balanced way- this is the biggest challenge! But once you get used to a certain rhythm-you can manage it! My first job was in a Tax and Audit company named KPMG. Starting from this year I changed the employer and start to work in the public sector also as a financial and tax specialist.

You come from a basketball family. Your father was a well known Russian player and coach. How vital has he been for your early basketball development. Did he help develop your shot?

All I know as a Basketball player- I learned from him! The conversations during lunch or after his team had a game…Basketball was present everywhere. He also developed my shot and he is the only person, who sees why I missed a certain shot and knows how to correct it.

You signed with the Opel Skyliners when you were 15 years old, but never played a game. Talk a little about what happened with the Skyliners and why the match wasn’t made in heaven?

After staying one season in Freiburg where my father was coaching the second Bundesliga team, I had two offers to stay in Germany with Rhondorf or Frankfurt Skyliners. At that time I was also a prospect for the U-16 team, but didn’t have a citizenship yet. When I was 15 years old, the decision was made to sign a 9 year contract with Frankfurt . I think also because of the fact, I got German citizenship then. In public interest is what the official document said, so at that time that is how I had both citizenships. The first two years I played for TV Langen in the youth sector, Regio and second Bundesliga. When I was 17, my father took the project Khimki 2. At that time I knew that would be the best situation development wise. I talked with Frankfurt if I could play for Khimki and it was no problem for them. After the second year with Khmiki, I played for the German U-20 team where Emir Mutapcic was the coach. He was also coach with Braunschweig and he invited me to go to Braunschweig. Again Frankfurt had no interest to invite me for a try out. I think the Frankfurt coach didn’t even know I was under contract with Frankfurt. After two seasons in Braunschweig, I was about to resign there, when Frankfurt management wanted to make use of their rights. Again there was no talk for a try out. But there were talks what kind of buyout Braunschweig had to pay Frankfurt to get my rights. At the end of the day, Braunschweig wasn’t ready to pay the buy out. After that experience, I wasn’t ready to play for Frankfurt. Frankfurt offered me to play for Kronberg (Reg 1) if I want to stay under contract. Of course that was no option for me. I then started a process with my lawyer to get out of the contract with Frankfurt which I had signed at age 15. Surprisingly I lost the process and had to pay a pretty sum for the free agent status. Because that I wasn’t a local player in Russia anymore because of the non Illegality to play for the Russian national team, it was almost impossible to get a job in the Russian Superliga A while the imports were always top international or ex NBA players. Was the decision wrong to sign with Frankfurt at age 15? I don’t know. Nobody knows how my career would have worked out had I stayed in Russia. The intention was positive for sure.

You were 16 years old when you were with TV Langen in 2003-2004. What memories do you have from that time? How big was your ambition to be a professional player?

I remember my guest family, the Kuehl’s. They were treating me very well and helped me a lot in this situation. Even If I knew the language and mentality, subconsciously it was still a tough situation. As an individual coach I had an old friend from my father, who worked individually with me, Jo Herber, Robin Benzing, Malik Badiane. From the team perspective I had all options to develop the game: U18 team, Regionalliga and that time 2. Bundesliga Nord.

What memories do you have from the Albert Schweitzer tournament in 2003? What talented guys do you remember playing against there?

It was a great tournament! We had a team which was underestimated from a lot of experts. Still we finished on the 7th place an performed really good. I remember the game against the US where we lost very close at the end. Before that I had a small injury, but I couldn’t miss this one. At the end I scored 32 Points, but it was not enough against Kyle Lowry and co, Sergio Rodriguez and Ersan Ilyasova were also guys to mention! I like both players a lot!

You then were two years with Khimki 2 from 2004-2006. What memories do you have of the basketball there? How was the youth development there in comparison to in Germany? Things have obviously changed now as Germany made big strides in youth development in the last decade.

At Khimki I played for the team coached by my father. Don’t even think it was easy because of that! He expected a lot from me as a player! That time I played with Khimki-2, the team was a mix from experienced guys and young and talented players. We had a good chemistry and learned a lot from each other. During the regular season we had 60 games which was a lot for that time. Also the Superliga B was allocated through whole Russia. I just remember the game against Vladivostok: 9 hours flight. On the other hand I played with the Khimki youth team, which had 5 guys from my hometown Saint-Petersburg. We were always fighting for the gold medal against CSKA. Remembering it with a smile!

When you were Khimki you were two years younger than Vitaly Fridzon who is still playing today with Zenit in the Euroleague. What memories do you have of him and did you think then a guy like that could have such a long and decorated career?

In my second year with Khimki 2 Vitaly was playing almost the whole year with us. Then for the playoffs the first team had some injury problems and they took him to the roster, where he became a good roleplayer pretty fast. He is a very good example, that there are many options to play the game. some players are athletic, others a smart and some are just working the hell out out of their selves. Vitaly never had a special talent in Basketball skill, but with hard work and staying after every practice at the gym, he could compensate a lot and had (and still have) an incredible carrier!

You then played two seasons with Braunschweig playing mainly for the farm team, but got a chance and played 32 BBL games. What memories do you have from this time? You came to Braunschweig having played a super U-20 EM in Turkey. When you look back do you feel like you were personally able to take all you could from the situation?

When I signed with Braunschweig I was very sure that I will have my role around 15 minutes in the first season in BBL. Coach Mutapcic had other ideas and I was the perspective guy in his eyes. When coaches feel unsecure on their position they don’t want to ‘risk’ and let young guys play a lot. Still I had the 2. Bundesliga team where I could show my ability to play. Thanks also to Liviu Calin during that time. He been a hard but always a fair coach and person! I always tell the younger guys: Do whatever you can what is in your responsibility and range. There always be some underwater stones which you will not see, but be honest to yourself and try your best!

How do you remember Emir Mutaptic as a head coach? How do you remember him helping you with your game in that time?

Muki knows the game very good! Back in the days he was also a good player. I think his priority in Braunschweig was to make his own name as a Headcoach and not thinking about development of young players. So basically he had no impact on my development.

In 2008-2009 you took a step back to play Pro A and had a great season with BV Chemnitz 99 averaging Score-5 (18.3ppg), 2.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 81.1%. How thankful are you for head coach Torsten Loibl for giving you a great opportunity to get minutes and play your game?

I like to remember the Chemnitz times! Thorsten helped me a lot especially in the situation where I had to pay my buy out for the Opel Skyliners. Also I learned from him the ‘japanese’ mentality: Always stay positive! He was leaving it even in stressful situations during the games!

In the 2009-2010 season you returned to the BBL with the Mitteldeutscher BC Weissenfels (Germany-1.Bundesliga) averaging 6.8ppg, 1.1rpg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 41.0%, FT: 75.5%. How do you remember your game growing? How were you a better player then then in Braunschweig?

Coming to MBC I collected already a lot of experience in Pro A and was ready for the next step. The preseason and the first half of the season were very good for me individually and for us as a team! Then Bjoern Harmsen made some changes by cutting playing time from three players including myself. At that moment I was too motivated to understand those changes. During the whole season we played good team Basketball and finished with a 18-16 record.

What memories do you have of Bjoern Harmsen. He is a coach that has been lauded time in and time out for his basketball knowledge. Do you remember having a special 1-1 moment with him that you will never forget?

That time his scouting was on the next level! We knew every play and breath from the opponent! And we where preparing very disciplined and professional for the games!
1-1 moment: sure. But this moment will stay 1-1!

In 2010-2011 you split time with the Duesseldorf Giants (Germany-1.Bundesliga) averaging 4.1ppg, 1.2rpg; and in Feb.’11 moved to USC Freiburg (Germany-ProA) averaging 13.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.7apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 34.9%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 82.0%. In Duesseldorf you played for Murat Didin. He isn’t always the easiest guy to play for. Were you able to come to terms with his eccentric character?

I think whoever played for Murat remembers him as ‘Baba’ and the craziest coach ever! I make it short: we had 9 players which we changed before the season started! Under this circumstances it would be unrealistic to expect a good season. My turn to go came in January and I was not discussing much about it.On the other hand, he was playing the game as a coach, not working it. He tried to read situations, maybe even provoke opponents! Very eccentric as you already mentioned.

In 2011-2012 you went to play for CSU Atlassib Sibiu (Romania-Division A) averaging 17.1ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.2apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 83.1%. You had a great season scoring 40 and 38 points in games but returned back to Germany. You would never play out of Germany again. Did you get home sick?

Sibiu was a great experience for me! We had 9 Imports including myself. The arenas in Romania were great and the fan culture also. After the first season I had a chance to sign with another Eurochallenge team from Romania, but they kept their American at the end. The GM from Sibiu heard about the request from my agent, so he was not happy with this situation and didn’t offer me to stay for the second season. Home sick? No!

In 2012-2013 you split time with Uni-Riesen Leipzig (Germany-ProA) averaging 15.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.8apg, 2FGP: 42.3%, 3FGP: 36.6%, FT: 78.9%, and in Jan.’13 moved to the Nuernberger Basketball Club (Germany-ProA) averaging 14.6ppg, 2.3rpg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 41.0%, FT: 83.6%. You had great stats for two different teams in one season. What has been your secret to always being consistent whereever you have played?

I’m wondering, where you finding all this stats! I try to adapt my game to the team which I’m playing for. In case Leipzig and Nuernberg there were actually different styles of playing Basketball, but what didn’t change, was the height of the Basket.

From 2013-2015 you played parts of two more seasons in the BBL with Phoenix Hagen which were your last. Why do you think that you didn’t have a longer BBL career?

In my second year in Hagen, the coach was not really interested to let me play or even practice. It was a pretty hard situation to accept, but the Teams also didn’t see me playing for a while. The fact that a player needs game minutes is still very important. After realising the situation I was thinking to play Basketball semiprofessional and invest more time for the education regarding the Job in future. Also I couldn’t move around forever with my family.
The time as a professional Player was great, but there was a lot more in life.

People will always remember you as having a deadly three pointer. Do you feel people saw you too much as one dimensional?

Back in the days young players where watching MJ and Kobe driving to the Basket, finishing crazy dunks and fade away jumpers. Since Curry came to the game and changed it in the NBA but also for the young players, who start to work more and more on their shots. Now a days don’t matter where you come from, the new generation is a shooting generation! Back in the days specially in the BBL you couldn’t see that many shooters, because the most imports were coming from the states where the focus still was on athleticism and fast game instead of shooting the ball well. A deadly three pointer is not the worst thing in my opinion. Off course, the distance shot is my strength, but there are also other options when my shot is guarded well. I think people see the most used part of my game and this is the distance shot.

I always thought that your offensive game should have been used more in Hagen under Ingo Freyer. Did that club simply have all the offense they needed with their Americans Bell, Dorris, Gordon and Dugat?

Playing in Hagen was a Basketball cultural shock even for me. The game plan was being aggressive, attack don’t matter what and what the score or shot clock says! The guards you mentioned where very good individuals! I remember once after 10-12 games played in the season Ole Wendt came to me and said: look we both are leading in the BBL plus-minus stats! What I want to say is that the mix is important: you can run and gun a lot, but there are also periods where you need to slow the pace down and play smart Basketball. That time was also a pleasure for me to play with Bernd Krull! Ingo has his own vision of Basketball. He was thinking about what he could do with Hagen resources to compete in the BBL. So he made his own idea to play run and gun Basketball. People who understands the game might not like it, but it worked. I think it is important to have an own signature as a coach.

You must have a special David Bell story. I can imagine you guys had some shooting battles in practice?

Dave was a great shooter with a very quick release! I remember him making arounds90+ out of 100 attempts, and this day by day! Because of his quick trigger and a very flat flying curve I didn’t have much options to win shooting competitions, but as long it came down to 5-5 in practice we had great moments against each other!

How tough was the 2014-2015 season. After you left Hagen, you were briefly with Essen in the Pro A and ended in the Regionalliga with Schalke. Was that your basketball low point going from the BBL to the Regionalliga in one season?

Leaving Hagen was the right decision! I wanted to leave after the first season, but I didn’t have similar options. During the second season I was not even allowed to practice from the coaching staff. All that and the fact, that I rarely had playing time destroyed my rhythm a lot! When I agreed to play for Essen it was fix, that I will do it just for three games. For the rest of the season I decided to start an education to prepare the situation for the time after the active carrier. For that reason Schalke was the right situation, because I couldn’t practice twice a day anymore. Off course it was a huge drop level wise, but I think in this situation it was the right decision.

In Schalke you were teammates with Lithuanian sniper Andrius Mikutis. What was it like being teammates with such a great shooter? You met him again this season in the Pro B.

He is not only a great shooter, he is also a great teammate and professional! His shot is very dynamic and high percentage. This season we changed home wins with each other while both games had been very close. At least we could secure the point difference. If we meet in the playoffs it’s going be a really good competition again!

You played two seasons in Iserlohn. How was it for once not being the oldest player as Jozo Brkic was older. Did you become a mentor for younger players as you got older?

Jozo is older then me, but he stood young. At the end it’s not about the numbers in the passport. I am always open and helping guys to improve their game and also mentality. There are players who listen and change things, but sometimes players are thinking they already knowing everything. My favorite part is still when I can show it in my own person on the court! This are the moments when I feel the respect from my teammates. It’s not about the age or what you did in the past- it’s always about now!

How have you seen the further development of younerman Daniel Mayr who had so much misfortune in his life with brutal injuries. One has to wonder where he would be today had he been able to play with the Fraport Skyliners in 2016 and not been out of action for 3 years.

He is a very tall player with a soft touch! But there are things in life you can’t control. It’s a very bad luck to be injured that long at this age! But Basketball is not only a game, it’s a life lesson! Whatever you do, what is in your responsibility- you have to do it at your maximum level. This works out on the Basketball court and is the right attitude for the ‘regular’ life. Now his focus has to be not on: ‘Where I could play, if everything would be going well’, but ‘I’m in this situation right now. I will do my best to play my highest level possible!’

How disappointed are you that you can’t play against highly talented 15 year old half brother Ivan Khartchenkov in the Pro B who is with FC Bayern Munich 2? How far will his path go and do you mentor him?

It is disappointing that we will not play against each other this season! But who knows, maybe the time will come next year! I believe that if he will keep working hard on his game and improve it step by step, and the fortune will be on his side, he will make it to the highest level! We do talk before and after the games, sometimes I can watch them.
He understands and make clear analysis of his strengths and also weaknesses. In fact he has the game in his blood!

You had many memorable BBL games. Which was your most memorable game? Possibly your 19 points in the Hagen win over Oldenburg where you had more points then Americans Rickey Paulding and Julius Jenkins?

This could be one of the most memorable one. Before this game I was playing maybe 5 minutes a game for a while. For some reason Ingo Freyer thought: ‘Why not let Nikita start and run the whole offense over him against Nemanja Alexandrov.’ It worked out very well and we kicked Oldenburg out of our gym that night. Another memorable game was MBC vs Bamberg in Weienfels. My match up was Casey Jacobsen, one of the greatest shooters in BBL history and I was his match up to. Funny fact was that both teams where running turnouts the whole time while the shooters where on the court! This game was exhausting for both of us! At the end we won in a close game. I had solid 12 points, I think Casey had 14. That was a good memory!

Please name your toughest players to play against in the BBL, Pro A and Pro B.

Rickey Paulding, Casey Jacobsen, Julius Jenkins, Kyle Hines, Jason Edwin.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time.

Zack Wright, Vitaly Fridzon, Anton Ponkrashov, Ahmad Smith, Donte Nicholas.

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

Thats a very tough one as long I have only 4 calls. I will stay in present days: Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Luka Doncic and I even take today Ja Morant.

Will a Luka Doncic be in the same class of a Lebron James, Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan in 15-20 years?

Legends you are mentioning already have some titles in their portfolio. Luka is not there yet. His individual game is from another world. He controls his action and the defender very well. Two pieces have to be done in my opinion to join him the mentioned Superstars: A team around him which is capable to win titles and that himself will always enjoy the game and have fun! Now you see him smiling, making jokes and still being focused during games.
I think he will be right there!

What was the last movie that you saw?

House of Gucci. But it wasn’t worth to watch it. One more word to you, Miles: Thanks a lot for being a part of German Basketball for that long period! Keep loving and following the game! My best wishes to you in everything you do!

Thanks Nikita for the chat.