There were times when Germany had the GOAT of German basketball Dirk Nowitzki doing his magic on the floor and on many occasions was able to decide games the way guys of his abilities should. He always had a nice supporting cast with solid German role players Like Pascal Roller, Demond Greene or Sven Schultze, but Germany didn’t have the luxury of other European nations of being able to display extra NBA talent the way countries like France or Balkan nation countries did. Despite not having the luxury, German did record a Bronze at the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis and an incredible Silver at the 2005 European championships having that one main star with Nowitzki. After that their success was slowed down mainly because the German wunderkind wasn’t always on board or just couldn’t always be the superman. In that time the German federation did all they could adding guys like Shawn Bradley, Chris Kaman, Julian Sensley Hurl Beechum and Makai Mason just to name a few. Some of these guys played for the German national team, so why not try to naturalize a player if there is a chance?

In the last 10 years there was massive progress done in the German youth development as the number of German NBA and Euroleague players playing right now is at an all-time high. The Fraport Skyliners were the first to make huge strides developing Johannes Voigtmann who had the opportunity to play for the Washington Wizards but chose CSKA Moscow and has been an Euroleague player since 2016 along with Danilo Barthel who also is a solidified Euroleague player in Turkey. At the moment Germany has also an all-time high number of NBA players with Dennis Schroeder, Daniel Theis, Maxi Kleber, Isaiah Hartenstein, Isaac Bonga, Moritz and Franz Wagner. Even if Germany was embarrassed at the 2019 World Championships having a slew of NBA talent there, you can never go wrong with suiting up with the best talent you have. Henrik Rodl couldn’t mesh the team together in 2019, but possibly Gordon Herbert could who has been head coach since 2021. He has even more NBA talent now with shooting star Franz Wagner of the Orlando Magic and possibly another NBA player with Austin Reeves?

Austin Reaves (6’5”-G-98, college: Oklahoma) is a 196cm shooting guard that was born on May 29th, 1998 in Newark, Arkansas. He comes from a family that has been connected to sports as both parents played collegiately at Arkansas State. His mother was an all-conference forward and averaged over 20 points per game in her final season while his father played point guard and was tied for third on ASU’s career assists chart (384). His brother, Spencer, played at Central Missouri (NCAA2) and is currently in his fourth professional season and first in Germany with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen while previously having played three years in Spain. Brother Austin began his basketball career at Cedar Ridge High School averaging 32.5ppg, 8.8rpg, 5.1apg as he held a 128-16 (.889) record over his four seasons. He then played two seasons at Wichita State University (NCAA) playing 65 NCAA games averaging 4.1ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.1apg as a freshman and 8.2ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 82.0% as a sophomore. He helped the team win the MVC title in 2017. He then transferred to The University of Oklahoma (NCAA) and played a total of 56 NCAA games and really heightened his game there. As a junior he averaged 14.7ppg, 5.3rpg, 3.0apg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 84.8%, and as a senior averaged 18.3ppg, 5.5rpg, 4.6apg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 86.5%. In his two years there he scored in double figures in 48 of 56 games and exploded for 41 points and 32 points against TCU. He wasn’t drafted, but was invited to the 2021 NBA Summer League playing for the Los Angeles Lakers averaging 6.5ppg, 4.3rpg, 2.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 29.2%, 3PT: 18.2%. He then went to training camp and made the team and is currently averaging 5,7ppg, 2,6rpg, 1,3apg in 21 minutes shooting 31% from outside. He has scored in double figures 6 times double including scoring19 points against Sacramento, 16 points against Charlotte and Memphis and 15 points against Dallas where he was 5/6 from the parking lot. He is one of those players that has reached the NBA with hard work and making the Lakers believe in his abilities. Credit to him for finding a place on a roster that seems to almost have more stars than Boston does squirrels on the Boston Common.

The rumor of Austin Reeves possibly playing for Germany was leaked on Friday morning by German basketball writer Lukas Feldhaus. When I heard the news, I had to rapidly get some facts and used my best reliable source on the matter. This person knew about the rumor, but wasn’t to well informed on the matter. My source told me ‘not true at this time’. Ok so I figured let some time pass and see if some other tweets follow up on the matter and they did. The brother of Austin, Spencer plays for German Pro A team Bayer Giants Leverkusen. The club tweeted to Spencer ‘Could you help with some information’. He answered with ‘Can’t confirm or deny’. Ok so that was a very neutral tweet, but definitely a step forward. I didn’t even try contacting somebody at the German basketball federation knowing I wouldn’t get very far and went right to the man who is at the center of the source Spencer Reaves. And low and behold, there is something brewing on the horizon with the possibility of his brother Austin playing with the German national team in the future. A big shout out to him for trusting me and giving me the news about the possible future of his brother in Germany. ‘Our grandma is German. That opens up the possibility of us having the citizenship. Most of the papers are submitted and now we will see. I have heard from sources we have a really good chance. He told me he would be interested in the future if things didn’t interfere with his career in the NBA’, warned Spencer Reaves.

Austin Reaves is a rookie in the NBA and still a bit unknown overseas. Of course the basketball junkie will know who he is, but one easyCredit BBL legend didn’t know who he was as I asked him about his thoughts of Reaves possibly playing for Germany. But there were enough other guys that could give their two cents about the matter. One of those guys was current Alba Berlin guard Jaleen Smith who dueled him last summer in the NBA Summer league. In that game Jalen Smith who held his own in the game and could have had chances of making the NBA opted for the Euroleague had a solid game scoring 13 points and dishing out 3 assists in a tough 73-72 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Reaves contributed 11 points in the win and left a lasting impression. ‘He is a really smart player that can shoot the ball really well’, remembered Jaleen Smith. The American who played his rookie season in Germany with the MLP Academics Heidelberg is also positive he would make an impact with the German national team. ‘He would come in and play hard. That is why he fits in so well with the Lakers’, stressed Jaleen Smith. Even if Reaves were to be able to suit up for Germany, the German basketball federation shouldn’t lose sight of the bigger picture, it’s own talents. ‘ I think he would help the team a lot short term. It is always good to get an NBA player. However I do feel that in the long term it is wiser if the German basketball Federation continues to focus on developing young German players’, stressed Risto Vasiljevic (Fraport Skyliners Juniors). Austin Reaves could be that high profile shooting guard that Germany never had. Ok so currently they do have Andi ‘I can shoot out the lights’ Obst and Maodo Lo who are very good players, but landing a Reaves would give the team a new dimension. But making the transition from the American game to the euro style isn’t always easy and something everyone needs to be aware of before making bold predictions about how quickly he could make an impact. ‘He has the potential to be the shooting guard that Germany never had before. He seems to be a humble and high character guy that puts wining first. But it also would depend how his playing style would translate to the European play style. There is definitely a learning curve between the American and European game’, warned MLP Academics Heidelberg guard Anthony Watkins. For a young player like Fraport Skyliner Len Schoormann, he is ready for the challenge in practice should he be teammates with the ex Wichita State guard. ‘I would be happy to be teammates with a player like that. I don’t know much about him. I always give 100% no matter who the player is’, warned Len Schoormann. But at the end of the day, it is his brother Spencer who can give the best scouting report. ‘ I think Austin’s biggest strength is his IQ and understanding of the game. He knows what his job is and what he must do for the team to have a chance to win. He can be a playmaker or just be a catch and shoot guy. Also plays really hard and defends at a high level. Whatever the team needs’, stressed Spencer Reaves. It will definitely be interesting to see how this development continues and how quickly everything can be finalized for him being able to play. With Reaves, Germany can be a medal contender with their NBA talent should they be on board. With more NBA talent on board, Germany head coach Gordon Herbert will have his hands full to mesh everything together and not witness another disaster like in 2019 at the World Championships.

It seemed like a basketball eternity since the last time the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were in their own living room. It had been exactly 47 days since their last game which in a way was happy and sad. It was glorious in that they won their last home game of 2021, but also sad that 8 year veteran Konstantin Schubert played his last home game as he had decided to finish his studies in Norway and interrupt his basketball career. In that time, Frankfurt have been up and down and living on the road and entered the game against BBC Coburg with a 7-7 record and in seventh place. Their opponent the Bavarian team had been playing some really amazing basketball having won four of their last five games and were riding a three game winning streak. The incredible thing about their winning streak was that they had won the three games by a combined total of five points and won three classic nail bitters against Orange Academy, Giessen and Hanau and the last two by only one point. The question was would they make it four close battles in a row or would the Fraport Skyliners Juniors put a dent in their winning streak? BBC Bayreuth didn’t have to make that exciting as their energy and intensity tore apart the Fraport Skyliners Juniors in the second half as they prevailed 96-85. The Bavarian club had massive performances from Princeton Onwas and Nicolas Wolf who combined for 48 points, but Spaniard Jose Carrasco (186-G-94) stole the show with 18 dimes, one assist prettier than the other. ‘We were lazy on defense in the first half, but in the second half we wanted it more as a team and played with a lot of energy. When we play with a lot of intensity then we are difficult to beat’, stressed BBC Bayreuth guard Jose Carrasco. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors had ups and downs in the game and just didn’t show up to defend. ‘We can’t give up 96 points. We gave up too much points at halftime and didn’t have enough intensity. We just were never able to find our rhythm on defense’, stated Fraport Skyliner Junior Bennt Schubert.

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were without Alexander Richardson and Calvin Schaum while BBC Coburg were without Chris Wolf. German 20 year old Jordan Samare who has played 6 easyCredit BBL games made his comeback after being out many months and needed no time to get back into the swing of things. He was aggressive, got touches and executed scoring Frankfurt’s first 9 points. BBC Coburg got American Princeton Onwas going as he would be a menace all night long as he scored twice. Young 19 year old German Jannis Sonnefeld was also productive with 5 points. With the contest dead locked at 11-11, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors found some daylight going on a 8-1 run to lead 19-12. 33 year old veteran Marco Voeller took advantage of 19 year old Sonnefeld and scored twice including a nice left handed hook shot and Schubert also remained aggressive and scored twice. But Frankfurt was unable to keep the momentum allowing the guests to counter and come back. Big man Leon Bulic who has the Croatian/Austrain citizenship scored twice in the paint to cut Frankfurt’s lead down to 23-20. Both teams continued to have their runs as Frankfurt closed out a fine offensive spectacle with a 7-2 run to lead 30-23. Voeller scored again, Philipp Hadenfeldt used his speed to sneak inside for two points and Jordan Samare iced a trey at the buzzer. ‘It actually wasn’t in our game plan to get Samare going. But it was great that he came back so strong. He did a good job taking advantage of the mismatches’, stated Bennet Schubert.

In the second quarter both teams continued to play good offensive basketball as defense continued to take a back seat. BBC Coburg came out on fire and cut into the Frankfurt advantage trailing 32-28 getting inspired play inside as Bulic and Onwas scored. 22 year old German Nicolas Wolf who is the younger brother of Injured Chris Wolf made a put back. Wolf’s game got stronger and stronger as the game went on. He had developed nicely in Baunach playing 41 Pro A games, but then injured himself badly. It took sometime to get back, but he looked like new again. Wolf continued to get the ball and allowed his mid range game to shine as he scored two more buckets cutting Frankfurt’s lead to 34-33. Despite Frankfurt getting key baskets from Voeller and Meredith, BBC Coburg stayed on their heels as Princeton Onwas scored three times tying the game at 39-39. This guy was almost unstoppable. He could create for himself, but he was most dangerous when he got the ball close to the basket. The deny defense on him was nonexistent. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were able to get away again momentarily as Hadenfeldt and Meredith nailed three’s for the 46-39 advantage, but continued to be lax on defense allowing easy baskets over and over. Tyrese Blount and Wolf scored big baskets only to be outdone from Marco Voeller who dropped a trey a few seconds before the break as Coburg trailed 50-47. ‘We were unable to close the door on them when we had the chance. We had big problems trying to stop Onwas. They scored too easily in the paint’, stated Bennet Schubert. ‘Both teams were shooting combined 6/18 from outside, but in the paint Frankfurt was at a crazy 85% and Coburg at 63%. Frankfurt had the slight 13-11 rebound edge but 9 turnovers while Coburg had 4 turnovers.

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors lost control of the game in the third quarter and BBC Coburg would never look back. Princeton Onwas continued his high percentage shooting scoring twice as he finished the game shooting 63% from the field. Carrasco made one of his prettiest passes of the night whipping a bullet pass over his shoulder. He finished with a double double 11 points and 18 dimes and 6 steals. ‘I have played for many teams in Spain and have learned a lot. I am most happy when I can pass the ball to everyone. I like that Magic Johnson saying that if a player scores, he is happy, but if a guy makes an assist then 2 are happy. But most important is that we got a road win’, stressed Jose Carrasco. Frankfurt kept the lead as Hadenfeldt hit a three and Schubert made a vital tip in, but they couldn’t control Onwas. He made two more lay in’s as he was a champion at picking his spots. BBC Coburg also got support from other players as Blount made a nice reverse lay up and Sonnefeld scored inside for the 59-58 Coburg advantage. Frankfurt would grab the lead back one last time as Schubert scored for the 60-59 advantage. BBC Coburg now took control. They had many different guys that stepped up. Wolf continued to do what he wanted as his mid distance game was on spot scoring twice and 2013 JBBL finalist Sven Lorber also scored a trey for the 70-62 lead. Frankfurt just didn’t have enough intensity on defense and couldn’t contain the Coburg bigs. Bulic scored again and made free throws and Carrasco finished the third quarter with a lay in and 75-67 visitiors lead. ‘We have played really well in the third quarter the last games and it really helped us. We were patient and did a good job finding the isolations’, stated Jose Carrasco. ‘They played with more energy. We didn’t have the energy we needed. If you don’t bring it for 40 minutes, then you have problems winning’, said Bennet Schubert. Both teams shot at a high percentage from the field at 60% while the three point shot was no factor. Frankfurt continued to have the 23-14 rebound edge, but coughed up the ball 16 times while BBC Coburg only had 4 turnovers.

The Fraport Skyliners began the fourth quarter with a bang erasing the guests 8 point lead with a 8-0 run to dead lock the game at 75-75. In the run, the Fraport Skyliners received massive support from Jordan Samare again with 5 points while Marco Voeller steered home 4 points as the big men did their jobs. But then came the turning point of the game as BBC Coburg exploded on a 13-0 run to lead 88-75. Their much enforced defense sparked their offense. BBC Coburg made 5 gigantic defensive plays with 2 blocks and 3 steals to help fuel the run. Carrasco led the defense with a block and two steals while Sonnefeld also made a block and Onwas a steal. Onwas also continued to provide his lethal offense scoring twice while they also got good support from Wolf, Lorber and Sonnefeld who also scored. BBC Coburg now held control of the game until the end. Meredith continued to carry Frankfurt as best as he could in the comeback with 8 points and two three’s, but the defense just couldn’t string along some stops. BBC Coburg continued to be in attack mode as Carrasco scored two more baskets as well as continuing to deliver incredible passes including one to Blount. But with time running out, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors saw themselves staring at a peak that was just to steep to climb. ‘We stepped up as a team and defended really well. We pressured really well and they felt uncomfortable with it. When we play good defense, it makes it easier for us to play transition’, stated Jose Carrasco. ‘We didn’t have the needed energy and self confidence to stop them. That run showed we weren’t there. We were in the game and had chances, but didn’t use’, them stressed Bennet Schubert. BBC Coburg was led by Princeton Onwas with 26 points. Nicolas Wolf added 22 points and Leon Bulic 15 points while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Jordan Samare with 25 points. Matthew Meredith added 18 points and Marco Voeller 17 points. BBC Coburg shot 58% from the field and 24% from outside and had 26 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 53% from the field and 36% from outside and had 32 rebounds and 20 turnovers.

Anthony Watkins (194-PG-00) is a 21 year old 194cm guard playing his first season with the MLP Academics Heidelberg. Last season he played with the Basketball Loewen Braunschweig (Germany-BBL) playing 13 games. He scored 6 points in 11 minutes in aloss against Ludwigsburg. He has the German/American citizenship and lived in Chattanooga and attended McCallie High School before coming to Germany in 2019. Last season he split time with the Basketball Loewen Erfurt (ProB) playing10 games avergaing 3.6ppg. He also played with the OeTTINGER Rockets Gotha 2nd team (Germany-2.Regionalliga) and in in Jan.’20 moved to VfB 1900 Giessen Pointers (Regionalliga) playing 8 games averaging 10.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 66.7%, FT: 58.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the tough 109-73 loss against the EWE Baskets Oldenburg.

The MLP Academics Heidelberg suffered a tough 109-73 Loss against the EWE Baskets Oldenburg. The bubble finally burst for them ending their 11 game losing streak. You know what a long losing streak feels like having lost 9 games this season. Has it been difficult to see this historic club losing so much?

It was confusing watching them lose so much. They are a historic and very well respected organization. Plus they invest so much money into high level players each season. I thought that they would be a much bigger factor in the season. But for whatever reasons they just didn’t click. It was just a matter of time before they would click. It was only unfortunate that it would be against us.

Did the MLP Academics give the EWE Baskets Oldenburg perhaps too much respect?

We knew that they were going to be hungry. It was a must win for them and was a big opportunity to make a statement. We feel like we can play against any team, but we need some things to go our way in order for us to beat top teams. We knew that it would be a tough game, but we had no fear or apprehension going in.

What was your personal feeling when you heard that Ingo Freyer had been named coach of the EWE Baskets Oldenburg. A guy known for the run and gun play.

The timing was funny. I had never played against Ingo Freyer, but had seen his practices when I was playing in Giessen. His style is that of a G-League team. Very high paced and that seven seconds or less system. He really has his teams get up and down the court. They have a very talented roster with guys like Heidegger and Michalak who can really score and have had crazy games this season. Getting Freyer was an interesting move, but when seeing the result of the game against us, it doesn’t surprise me that they put up 109 points.

The EWE Baskets Oldenburg began on fire scoring 27 points in the first quarter. That is the kind of team everybody knows Oldenburg should be. Did you sense a different mentality in their play because of having a new coach?

I wasn’t in the Oldenburg locker room, but I can only imagine what it was like. They had a must win situation. They were hyper focused, but that is human nature when there is a new boss. They wanted to prove themselves and show their best side. At the end of the day things clicked for them and not us. Both teams had the same mind set going in, but they executed better.

The EWE Baskets Oldenburg gave up only 33 points at the break. Ingo Freyer has never been known as a defensive specialist. I can remember players saying he never practiced defense in Hagen. What impulses did he give for this total change in playing defense?

They played super aggressive defense. Everybody got after it. It was as if someone had told them to light a fire. Ingo took timeouts for defense something you normally wouldn’t see happen. They overplayed us on defense and I haven’t seen that happen before. We weren’t able to get into our sets easily. They did a good job pressing full court and Brekkott Chapman had to bring the ball a lot. They took us out of our rhythm and we didn’t expect that type of pressure that they gave us.

The EWE Baskets Oldenburg won the second half 58-40 and played a very consistent game. What gave Heidelberg the biggest problems on the night?

We got destroyed on the boards. We got outrebounded by like 24. You can’t win games in the BBL when you rebound like we did. We are a bunch of dogs that hang our hats on defense. We have to find our way back to that. We are a group of dogs that are hungry and want to fight to stay in the BBL. They didn’t feel us, but we felt them. If we can play the brand of game that we are capable of playing then we will look a lot different.

A big strength in the game was the rebounding for Oldenburg. Is that a negative area in the team play? Are there just not enough Brekkot Chapman’s on the team?

We do play small ball and do take some stray offensive rebounds in stride. Our defense dictates our offense. For us it always starts on the defensive end. We want to get stops and get on transition. The way we rebounded in Oldenburg has nothing to do with our personnel on the team. We have shown enough this season that we can lock in on defense.

How do you see the long run of the EWE Baskets Oldenburg? This is a team that just has to stay in the BBL

This league is so competitive. That was a big win for them. It helped close the gap. It is hard to say at this point. This league is so strong that anyone can beat anyone. You can’t sleep on any night. There is a lot of parity in the league. But that win makes it look a lot more optimistic for them. They have to continue to hold their momentum. We are only worried about staying in the league.

Michalak and Heidegger combined for 41 points. These two guys are pure scorers. They seem rejuvenated under Ingo Fryer. Could you feel that in their mentality?

They played with a lot of freedom. When you give guys of that calibur that kind of freedom, then it can get very scary. You have to slow them down and break their rhythm. When guys like that find their rhythm early, then it gets difficult to stop them. When you give them easy looks and they score, then the basket looks a mile wide.

I guess it becomes hard to win when Geist and Ely combine for 5 points. Have teams realized a key to winning is keying in on them more?

At start of the season no opponent had a game plan for us. They found their spots. Now they are adjusting to the situation. The main thing now is that we find a way to play hard nosed defense again. We have to get stops again and get on transition. That will help us play good offense again.

You next play the Niners Chemnitz where you lost a tough crunch-time loss. What will be key for splitting season series?

We have to turn the page from Oldenburg. We can’t forget what happened, but also take the next step forward shutting teams down and making the game scrappy. We want teams to adjust to our style and not the other way around. We have to look at their personnel and see how our brand of basketball can limit what they do best. We will focus 80% on us and 20% on them.

You came to the MLP Academics Heidelberg with a focus. Were your expectations to high?

I don’t believe that my expectations were too high. My goal each season is to find a place where my game can continue to develop and where I can take the next step. Coming to Heidelberg was 100% the right choice. I have found great mentors in Kelvin Martin and Shy Ely who have taken me under their wings. For me this situation is a lesson of patience. I feel that I have the tools to help my team. If I didn’t feel it then I wouldn’t be here. But at the end of the day coach makes the decision who plays. He wants to win just as I do. My job is to help make the guys at my position better each day. I bring positive energy. My time will come. It’s not an easy situation, because I love the game so much. Some of my best memories in life have happened on the court. It is an incredible feeling to play at the highest level. I will just continue to make the best of my situation and try to help the team win.

You have played only 5 games. How disappointing has the season been for you? How have you held up on the mental side?

I just focus on what I can control. The situation has been made easier because I’m surrounded by guys that genuinely like each other and want to win. Even during the 9 game losing streak, everything could have become toxic, but everyone stayed positive. It’s been tough because I’m a competitor. I will continue to work hard and focus on the team first and do all I can to help us stay in the BBL.

Did coach Frenki tell you at the start of the season what expectations he had of you? What kind of relationship do you have with him?

I was told that I have an opportunity to prove myself day in and day out. I feel like my relationship with him has grown. Frenki is a very loyal person. You have to prove yourself character wise. We are both very introverted. I could have been more open from the start. He respects my work ethic and authenticity. I respect his passion for the game. He has given me many things to work on and try to reduce certain mistakes. It is his decision if I get a chance to play in a game. We have a solid and good relationship.

Despite not playing much minutes do you feel like your improving? Talk a little about how you feel your game has continued to develop?

I always want to become a better shooter. That is something that I’m always working on. You can always become a better shooter out of certain situations. I’m happy with how my shot is going and my pick and roll reads. I always try to think one step ahead. My comfort level on the court has risen tremendously. I always felt comfortable on the court and always think about the task at hand. Last season it felt more like a blur being on the court. But I think that comes back to making that transition form Regionalliga player to BBL player. Now I feel like I can be ready and create for myself and others rather then see situations happen and react and hope things go well.

How has Shy Ely helped you with your game? He is like a mentor for you?

Shy has been a mentor. I love his demeanour and being that silent assassin. I also love his dedication to the game at his age. He still takes shots from the gun after practice. He was one of the first guys I met last summer when I was training with the U-20 national team. I began to pick his brain then and still do now. He is just a great guy.

Even if the season has been tough, Rickey Paulding has continued to lead by example. In what part of the game has he impressed you most at age 39?

I hope to play against him in Heidelberg. When you think BBL in Germany, you think Rickey Paulding. He is the identity figure of the BBL. It is so surreal seeing the Paulding Burg in Oldenburg. He is the ultimate role model for young players. Every young player should aspire to be like him. I have never spoke with him personally, but have only heard good things about him. He is unique and admiral.

Where does Tom Brady rank with the greatest athletes of all-time?

It is hard not to put him first. He has accomplished so much. He kept up that code of excellence until the end at age 44. That is mindboggling. As a basketball guy, I have to give the nod to Michael Jordan. I say Jordan 1A and Tom Brady 1B

Super Bowl prediction Bengals-Rams?

It is hard to say. I want both to win. I like both quarterbacks. The Rams have a team I created on Madden. I think that game will be a tossup 50/50 because the Bengals have the momentum. But I will go with the Rams, but wouldn’t be surprised if the Bengals won.

Thanks Anthony for the chat.

Eric Kibi (198-F-90, college: ACU) is a 31 year old 198cm forward from Ontario, Canada that is playing his tenth professional season and first with CD Tinguiririca San Fernando (Chile-Liga Nacional) after starting the season with US Avignon/Pontet Basket (France-NM1). Last season he played with The Hague Royals (Holland-DBL) averaging 12.7ppg, Reb-1 (10.3rpg), 1.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 45.8%, 3PT: 15.2%, FT: 51.7%. In 2019-2020 he played with Libertad Sunchales (Argentina-La Liga, starting five): 8 games: 1.8ppg, 2.4rpg; Argentinian La Liga: 15 games: 14.5ppg, 10.1rpg, 2FGP: 47.8%, 3FGP: 36.4%, FT: 53.0%: Torneo Super 20: 9 games: 3.6ppg, 3.0rpg, released in Dec.’19, later that month moved to BHY Tiro Federal y Deportivo Morteros (Argentina-La Liga Argentina, starting five): 15 games: 14.5ppg, 10.1rpg, 2FGP: 47.8%, 3FGP: 36.4%, FT: 53.0%. In 2018-2019 he played with Golbey Epinal Thaon Vosges (France-NM1) where he played 5 games averaging 6.8ppg, 6.0rpg, 2.4apg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 29.2%, 3FGP: 27.3%, FT: 73.3%, in Dec.’18 moved to MBK Handlova (Slovakia-SBL) playing 3 games and then in January 2019 signed at Al Mina (Iraq-IBL) where he averaged 22,0ppg, 15rpg and 2,0apg. In 2017-2018 he played with C.B. Torrons Vicens L’Hospitalet (Spain-LEB Silver) where he played 33 games averaging 4.5ppg, 3.2rpg In 2016-2017 he played with Randers Cimbria Basketball (Denmark-Ligaen) playing 31 games averaging 10.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 70.2%. In 2015-2016 he played in Germany with the Hertener Loewen Basketball (Germany-ProB) playing 3 games averaging 4.7ppg, 8.0rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, left in Oct.’15, in Jan.’16 moved to KK Strsljen Gusinje (Montenegro-Erste Liga) playing 4 games averaging 3.8ppg, 5.5rpg, in Mar.’16 signed at London Lightning (Canada-NBL Canada) playing 23 games averaging 1.7ppg, 2.5rpg. He also played with Basketball Club Rendsburg (Germany-Regionalliga), Ottawa SkyHawks (NBLKibi Canada) and BG Halstenbek/Pinneberg (Germany-Regionalliga). He started his basketball career in 2008 with Jacksonville College (NJCAA) where he played until 2010. He then played a season with UALR (NCAA) playing 29 games: 4.4ppg, 4.2rpg. He finished his college career in 2012 with Abil.Christian (NCAA2) playing 20 games: 8.2ppg, 5.7rpg, FGP: 60.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com in 2022 giving his 13th interview.

Eric thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Your basketball journey keeps going. Since we last spoke you have played for 2 new clubs and in 2 more countries. Does the basketball globetrotter life never get old for you?

Hello Miles, yes that is correct, and not yet, I still love the game and enjoy getting better everyday.

You began the season with US Avignon/Pontet Basket (France-NM1). You had played in France before three seasons ago. How did you experience the whole COVID situation there. At the moment the Covid numbers are alarming in France.

When I was there actually it was not too bad it got really bad around December which was around the time I left.

You put up pretty good numbers in 7 games Averaging 10.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG on 58% FG shooting, in 27 minutes per Game. Why was your stay so short? Was it crowded with American Duane Morgan?

I was actually there on a 6 week medical contract replacing Duane while he was Injured.

You then moved to CD Tinguiririca San Fernando (Chile-Liga Nacional). How have you experienced COVID there? What has been the most challenging thing to cope with?

The Covid hasn’t been too bad here, we did have one game postponed but I’d say the most challenging was entering the country. Chile has some of the most strict restrictions in the world.

This was your second time in South America having played in Argentina in 2020. I believe in Argentina are higher profile players, but how would you describe the play and skill level in Chille compared to Argentina?

I would say it’s similar, the Argentinian players might be a bit better but the foreign players in Chile and Argentina are the same. I’d say they might be stronger in Chile because you can only have two compared to Argentina where you can have 4, so the foreigners have to be very strong and productive in Chile.

How is it in general being on a team with only Chileans? How have they taken you in and do they look up to you on account of your history overseas and experience with the national team?

It helps to have one other American-Chillean on the team, Julius Holt. He has helped me adapt a lot to this situation. As far as my experience, I think yes they look up to me because of everywhere I’ve played but this Is a veteran group and I’m also learning from them as well, a few guys have won championships in this league in the past.

You had monster rebound games in the last two swiping a total of 37. A 20 rebound and 17 rebound game. Is this a league that really benefits your game much?

I think everywhere I’ve gone I’ve always rebounded but yeah here since I get more minutes than usual there’s opportunities to get more than usual as well.

Your taking a fair amount of shots shooting 14/33 from the field in the last two games. Do you feel like your accuracy will come in time?

I’m not too worried about it, they are shots I’ve made throughout my career and that I work on everyday in the gym by myself so knowing I put the work in, eventually they will start to fall like they did Sunday night. It’s also about learning my spots with this team and fitting into a team that’s been together for two years.

Your 31 years old, leading the league in rebounds at 14 and minutes at 38 per game. Are you in your prime? How do manage those minutes ? What are you expecting most from your game?

To me a prime is when mentally and physically you hit that peak and meet right in the middle. Physically I been in my prime since I was about 24, 25..But mentally as far as IQ, mental preparation, watching film..I hit that that prime at about 29..and now at 31 with the way I take care of my body I feel like I’m right smack in the middle of my prime, which leads me to being able to handle 38 minutes a game. What that being said what I expect of my game is always bringing constant which is energy and rebounding and the rest takes care of itself.

Your living in a beautiful area called San Fernando 2 hours away from Santiago. How have you experienced life off the court?

Yes it’s been very nice, it’s very warm right now. I’ve had the opportunity to hit the beach a few times and enjoy the weather.

You last played in Germany in the 2015-2016 season with Herten. Would you like to play in Germany again before you hang it up? Why do you feel haven’t you returned since Herten? You must have had interest from teams

I have but the older you get it’s not always about prestige. Once I left France I had the opportunity to sign in Pro A Germany and Leb Gold Spain but things broke down last minute. So it always depends on the situation. The older you get you also start to understand your worth and where you will be most successful and you try to put yourself in those situations as much as possible to highlight your strengths so that your game can grow and right now I felt like South America was the best place for that.

Super Bowl predictions: Bengals-Rams

Honestly Bengals are a great story with how far they’ve come since winning 4 games two years ago. I also love the OBJ and Matthew Stafford perseverance stories. I don’t have a favorite really, I will just enjoy the game and may the best team win.

Supposedly Tom Brady retired. Will that stand or do you think he will return?

Well he just retired today haha, but I think that’ll be it for him, I think he’s given everything he could to the game.

Thanks Eric for the chat.

Sometimes things happen so quickly and a bit unexpectedly, but that is how it is in the basketball world. One day your far far away in Kazakhstan and as distant from the big show as some NBA commentators were recently from telling the German Wagner brothers apart. That is exactly how it was almost two years ago as BC Astana was battling Russian team Enisey in a Epic VTB game as there were two Hill’s on the court. The one was Malcolm Hill who had had a stellar career at Illinois (NCAA) and the other was Jeremiah Hill (188-G-95, college: Valdosta St.) who had had a stellar career at Valdosta State (NCAA2) and had had to pay his dues. The only difference was that in 2022, Malcolm Hill is living the Cinderella story in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls while Jeremiah Hill is playing great basketball in Russia and continuing to move up the basketball ladder. Two years ago, both Hills helped beat Enisey as Malcolm had 29 and 23 points and Jeremiah had 17 and 15 points. They both had an unforgettable season together which Jeremiah will never forget. ‘The best memory on the court was probably the game we played against Enisey, it wasn’t like a killer game from either of us but probably the game we were just having the most fun possible. Off the court could have been any of the bowling nights but probably one when his mom came to visit and we all went and ate and played’, remembered Jeremiah Hill. After his time with BC Astana, Malcolm Hill had a solid season with Hapoel Jerusalem and this season had the confidence and game to give the NBA a shot. He played NBA Summer League and began in the G-League with Birmingham where he totally left his A game on the floor earning his ticket to the NBA. Jeremiah is watching from a far and proud of for his ex teammate. ‘It’s awesome and I couldn’t be anymore happy for his success. He has always had the body and ability to play at that level and it was just a matter of time’, stressed Jeremiah Hill. Seeing a guy like Malcolm Hill do his thing and make his NBA dream come true helps him see what is possible. ‘Him making it just shows me more that it’s all about timing and just to make sure I’ll be ready if given the shot’, expressed Jeremiah Hill. He understands that there are millions of guards in the world trying to do the same thing so it’s about luck and timing to reach the NBA.

Jeremiah Hill who lists current Atlanta Hawk player Delon Wright as his toughest opponent in school was born on September 4, 1995 in Richmond Hill, Georgia. As a freshman he balled at Savannah State University playing 32 games averaging 6.4ppg, 1.5rpg, FGP: 37.5%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 77.1%. He was named to the MEAC all rookie team. Despite having a solid freshman year in the NCAA, he opted to take a step back and move to the NCAA 2. Even if there is a difference between the two leagues, you do find very skilled players in division 2. ‘The only difference between the levels is big men. That’s the biggest thing I got between playing the two levels. Obviously there are the elite guards at D2’, stated Jeremiah Hill. He scored in double figures in 12 games including hitting Md-E Shore for 17 points and scored 16 points against Coppin. He also produced 15 points against Hampton. He then played at Valdosta State (NCAA2) from 2014-2017 playing a total of 60 games. His game really took off as he was able to improve his scoring average each season. He was still finding his game in his first season averaging 7.1ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.4apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 41.5%, 3PT: 29.6%, FT: 77.3%. His game took a giant leap as a junior as he averaged 14.0ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.9apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 46.7%, FT: 80.0% and exploded as a senior averaging 20.2ppg, 5.5rpg, 4.4apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 77.3%. He was put in a super situation and was able to play his game and succeed. ‘Just the role I had and the pieces around me. My junior year could have been a really big year for us without injuries and me missing half the season’, stressed Jeremiah Hill. He demonstrated his consistency scoring in double figures in 42 of 60 games. He had some really explosive games, but a team highlight was his fondest moment there. ‘When we won the regular season my senior year. It just showed the work we done all year paid off but it’s been a while since college so the games start to get blurry’, commented Jeremiah Hill. He remembers teammate Blake Justice getting the best of him during 1-1 battles in practice and personally had some incredible games including netting 36 points and 33 points against Shorter, 35 and 33 points against Mississippi College and 33 points against W Alabama. He scored 20 points or more 16 times. He racked in achievements like All-GSC Player of the Year -2017, All-GSC 1st Team -2017, Reese’s NCAA D2 All-Star Game -2017, NABC NCAA D2 All-South District 2nd Team -2017, and NABC NCAA D2 All-America Team -2017.

The Georgia native who names Beau Justice, Josh Lemons, Askar Maydekin, Braian Angola and Mareks Meijers as his 5 best teammates of all-time turned professional in 2017, but didn’t make it overseas right away. Instead he had to pay his dues playing semi-pro ball with the Jacksonville Giants (ABA). The amount of division 2 players overseas is minimal, but usually guys that had MVP seasons will make it overseas sooner or later. Despite having to test the ABA waters, it was an experience that he won’t forget. ‘I won’t really get into much about my representation at the time but I had great friends in Jacksonville that really changed the way I played basketball so it was more beneficial than anyone probably could believe’, warned Jeremiah Hill. Instead of going overseas in 2018, he opted to stay at home and get further seasoning and grooming in the G-League with the Lakeland Magic. He was lucky to have come into a positive situation where there was obviously a lot of competitive spirit, but at the end of the day had teammates that cared for each other. ‘The experience was not like any other team I think in a long time. We had a group of guys who didn’t care about who was successful because that would make us all winners. It does have its difficulties but at the time I was just trying to advance my career forward. It did take a while to get the confidence to believe I could play with them but after that it’s just the same game I had always played’, remembered Jeremiah Hill. In 46 games he averaged 6.9ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 48.4%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 73.1%. His finest scoring performance was netting 30 points in a 130-101 win over Maine as he was the best man on the floor drilling home 8 three’s. ‘The best part of that game was how genuinely happy everyone was for me. If you watch the game back and look at the bench it showed what kind of team we really had. A lot of it had to do with my position coach breaking film down about shots I need to be taking and then coach allowing me to play’, stated Jeremiah Hill. Guards are as present in the basketball world as flies are on earth in steamy areas like Texas in summer. There are so many talented guys in Europe that could play in the NBA now, but don’t because of limited roster spots. But at the end of the day, the guards in Europe are getting by very well and understand that there is a lot of financial reward overseas. ‘I had a great time and would do it all over again if I had to choose. There are millions of guards in the world trying to do the same thing so it’s about luck and timing really of getting the chance. For a lot of guys it’s much better to be the main player making a lot of money in Europe rather than being a back up or sometimes even third string’, warned Jeremiah Hill.

The ex NCAA 2 player who has Jordan, Lebron, Kobe and Steph Curry on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore finally made the trek to Europe in 2019 joining BK Astana (Kazakhstan-National League) after playing NBA Summer League with the Orlando Magic averaging 8.0ppg, 3.0rpg, 5.0apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 34.8%, 3PT: 33.3% where he played two seasons .He didn’t need any adjustment time putting up magnificent stats in both competitions in his first overseas gig and in the VTB averaged 12.5ppg, 3.7rpg, Assists-3 (6.0apg), Steals-3 (1.4spg), FGP: 41.9%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 86.1% and in his second season VTB season averaged 15.7ppg, 3.7rpg, 5.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.1%, 3PT: 34.1%, FT: 78.8%. He helped the club win the cup in his first season and the league title in his second season. Especially the team in his first season was extra ordinary being able to overcome adversary at the start of Covid. ‘That team was special because of the bonds we built. Both me and Malcolm Hill took the time to get to understand the guys and ways to be able to push them to be better confidently. Then the addition of Thompson helped because he was almost the same mind as me and we were able to play well together’, expressed Jeremiah Hill. It was during these two years that he was confronted with Covid that effected the whole world. It wasn’t always easy, but he had to cope with it just like everyone else. ‘I was there as it really hit the sports world and initially we thought it was all going to pass or at least that it wouldn’t be a problem to play without fans. Honestly the worst part was realizing how serious it was and having to be all the way across the world without my family. The only thing we did was play video games and wait. Truthfully it has not really changed my perspective on much other than being grateful of the time you have with people you may not get to see again’, stressed Jeremaih Hill. He showed his true colors in the VTB league a top league in Europe scoring in double figures in 23 of 42 games. He had some real explosive games hitting Enea Zastal for 30 and 26 points, scored 26 points against N.Novgorod and produced 24 points against Khimky. In his first season he had solid games against Euroleague powerhouse team CSKA Moscow scoring 12p/6a and 14p/7a. In both games he battled against ex NBA and current top Euroleague player Mike James who combined for 50 points including 27 points in 19 minutes in the second game. ‘He is a warrior but it all comes back to his work ethic in the off season. He works out so hard to be able to do the things he does and it just shows undersized guards can still be very successful in the higher leagues of basketball. After he was not an opponent anymore then you have a different eye when watching him play but at the time I was just trying to figure out how to slow him down’, remembered Jeremiah Hill.

This season he is suiting up for Parma Basket Perm once again showing his class in the VTB. The club is holding their own in the very competitive VTB league fighting for a playoff spot and reached the next round of the Fiba Europe Cup. After proving he is a top point guard in the VTB, I would expected him to move up possibly finding a Eurocup team. ‘Yeah you could say that, I wouldn’t say at this point in my career it is as difficult to get jobs as making the right decisions to continue to push forward. It’s all a part of a plan so I won’t speculate what could have been or things like that’, stressed Jeremiah Hill. He is on a team that is comprised of six different nationalities and he is the only American on the team something that is rarely seen at the higher levels. He actually hasn’t profited with IQ, but in another area. ‘It’s not been an issue really only thing probably would just be fitting in the team that had so many guys returning. The part that is helping is that most of them are much older so they have little nuggets here and there. Experience is the biggest teacher so just playing more so I will be able to learn more each season’, stated Jeremiah Hill. His game has really profited from veteran guard Adas Juskevicius who is playing his 13th season at a high level and has witnessed Euroleague and Eurocup. ‘Adas is a great person and we get along great on and off the court but it helps to have someone off the ball capable of creating and having a different approach of attack’, said Jeremiah Hill. Most people compare his game to Steph Curry as he is having another solid season in the VTB scoring and dishing out assists while shooting above 40% from the parking lot. His IQ is his biggest strength which has allowed him to play with anyone, but he also knows he has to prove to others that he can compete at both ends of the court. ‘Defense has been the biggest focus of this year to try and show that I may not be the best defender but that I am a capable one’, warned Jeremiah Hill. His work ethic and heart is absolutely huge mainly because he never had it easy having to prove his worth before coming overseas. It is obvious that getting up the basketball ladder isn’t always a swift encounter, but he is getting more and more known each season. ‘I believe that people are noticing that I am more than capable of playing through all levels. The chip is not as much of a problem as it used to be because I’ve already proven myself so not many people look at it as a downfall anymore. It always will have changed my work ethic because of how hard the initial door was to break down’, warned Jeremiah Hill. If he will be another Hill to reach the NBA is unknown now, but Malcolm Hill is a great role model and example of what can happen if the work ethic is there, because he needed some grooming time before making his dream come true. Jeremiah Hill has the work ethic and heart and now just needs luck and timing to continue to reach his goals.

Stanley Whittaker (183-G-94, 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

PS Karlsruhe suffered another tough loss this time to Trier 104-82. It was the third loss in a row. You had had a four game losing streak in November and escaped then winning six in a row. Is there need to panic at the moment?

I wouldn’t say need to panic, because only more chaos can come from panicking. There’s not really much time to be fragile during moments like these. We have to respond better, each game proposes a different challenge and we must respond to these challenges and figure out ways to get wins against playoff teams! It doesn’t get any easier for our group so putting our hard hats on and buckling down.

Trier swept the season series wining both games easily. What makes it so difficult to play them?

Trier is a tough match for our group, they have size & very dominant bigs with guards and wings with experience that understand their roles and how they can affect the game for their team! Sending two guys at me throughout the entirety of the game to allow me not to get into a rhythm and getting the ball out of my hands. They had a good game plan yesterday and were the better team last night.

It was the second loss in a row where the team gave up 100 plus points. What did the team get away from in these last two games on the defensive end?

We just aren’t there from a defensive standpoint, no resistance, not disruptiveness. Things are relatively easy for teams of this caliber and they’ll take advantage each and every time.

Talk a little about the game. What were the highs and lows of the game and did you have any chances of winning the game?

I think we have up too many points on the first half which has been the case as of late for our group. There weren’t too many highs in the game, being down 4 at the end of the first quarter but from there Trier took off and we didn’t have an answer.

Trier shot the ball very well. What gave PS Karlsruhe the biggest problem on defense on the night that they just couldn’t correct?

Not being able to make things difficult for them, then second chance scoring. They had plenty of second chance scoring opportunities and they made us pay.

Both teams had a slim roster for the game. Did fatigue play a role on the boards or was it more effort?

More so just which team wanted it more and we wanted it of course it’s just Trier showed they wanted it more than us.

You never want to make excuses but how much of a different dimension was missing with the absence of Crews?

We knew Crews wasn’t going to be playing yesterday. We just had to have the next man up mentality and try to feel that void collectively.

Zeeb and Grof combined for 18 of the Trier team 30 assists. How tough was it keeping them in check?

Two experience guys that played really well yesterday and made plays for their team.

You had an OK game with 17/3/5, but your three hasn’t been falling in the last 4 games as your 3/12. How much has that hampered your game as of late?

I just have to stay the course and put the ball in the basket, nothing really to worry about.

The next game is against the Bayer Giants Leverkusen who crushed you 109-71 in the first game. Both teams are different now. The revenge factor must be big. What will be key to getting victory?

We just want to come out, play a good brand of basketball. Defend at the highest level, execute, play tough and play with a high level of energy. We play to win games so we have to find a way to get this one.

Every game is a must win. The standings around the playoffs is so tight. Does the team understand this?

We have a understanding of it.

Football predictions: Bengals-Chiefs and 49ers-Rams?

Bengals, & Rams

Supposedly Tom Brady retired. Will that stand or do you think he will return?

He hasn’t made the decision yet. So it’s still TBD.

Thanks Stanley for the chat.

With COVID continuing to play havoc, the Dragons Rhondorf had an unexpected free weekend as their game in Iserlohn was postponed. That way the club could have some extra time to rest as well as continue to get new guys Viktor Frankl-Maus and Marcelo Ruediger better integrated into the team. The 6-7 Dragons Rhondorf who continued to be perfect in 2022 with a 2-0 record and had a 3 game winning streak continued to battle for the playoffs and met other club Duesseldorf who are were a boarder-line playoff team came to Rhondorf sporting a 7-6 record. Duesseldorf continued to play good and inspired basketball having won five of their last six games and had won two extreme nail bitters against Cologne and Iserlohn wanted to keep their winning streak intact and did but it was hard work as they could never shake the pesky Dragons Rhondorf winning 83-73. After beings coreless in the first half, Lithuanian sharp shooter Andrius Mikutis (195-SG-88, college: John Brown, agency: Players Group) got on fire in the second half scoring 19 points on five three’s and sealing the win. ‘We didn’t get our rhythm on offense for a while. It was our defense that kept us in the game. We had problems containing Frankl-Maus and Hounnou. Our target was to stop their shooters. It was a team win’, stressed Andrius Mikutis. The Dragons Rhondorf were missing three key guards with Buchholz, Albert and Drews, but still gave a very spirited effort, but couldn’t play consistent defense. ‘It wasn’t our best game, but we could have won with this roster. We made way too many defensive mistakes. We allowed Mikutis and Englehardt to have way to many open looks and they punished us making them’, warned Paul Albrecht.

ART Giants Duesseldorf got off to a hot start taking a 9-3 lead. Ex NCAA 3 player of Augsburg Booker Coplin showed why he was averaging 19,0ppg this season hitting a quick three and making a two handed dunk. The gusts also got buckets inside from ex Presentation (NAIA) forward Quadre Lollis Jr and ex Duetzer center Lennart Bonner. The guests had great energy that Rhondorf couldn’t match in the early going while their 1-1 defense was weak. But the Dragons Rhondorf finally woke up and increased their intensity and got back into the game going on a 13-7 run to dead lock the game at 16-16. Ex Sandersdorf guard Ralph Hounnou added a real spark with 8 points nailing two threes and made a lay in. Viktor Frankl-Maus who was being defended aggressively dropped a trey as he had extra responsibility on his shoulders with three injured guards out. ART Giants Duesseldorf got baskets from ex Dragons Rhondorf guard Jacob Englehardt and Samuel Mpacko. ‘We had problems getting into the game. We finally got better into the game and slowed down Coplin after his quick start. They had a very deep team and always had fresh legs in the game’, stated Paul Albrecht. The Dragons Rhondorf shot very well with 50% from the field and 60% from outside while ART Giants Duesseldorf shot38% from the field and 40% from outside. Rhondorf had the 9-6 rebound edge but 5 turnovers while the guests had 3 turnovers.

The second quarter was tight and even if ART Giants Duesseldorf tried to get away were always caught by the Dragons Rhondorf who fought until the end. Frankl-Maus was guarded pretty well from outside, so he had to attack more in the paint and did and was able to have success on the evening. He scored the quarters first basket with a lay in and 18-16 Rhondorf advantage. But that start didn’t phase the guests as they jumped all over the Dragons with a 7-0 run and 23-18 lead. In the run, the Dragons lost a step as Mpacko gave his team a massive spark with a three pointer and lay in with his left hand. Ex Essen forward Mark Gebhardt who played 99 Pro A games made a tip in showing his aggressiveness on the offensive glass as Duesseldorf led 23-18. Little runs came and went as the Dragons also had one outscoring the guests 8-2 and swiping the lead back at 26-25. Paul Albrecht and Ralph Hounnou made easy baskets and little used German youngster Sam Nellessen hit a three pointer. But the Dragons Rhondorf couldn’t keep the lead as ART Giants Duesseldorf grabbed the lead back with a 11-6 run to lead 36-33 at half-time. In the run it was ex Dragons player Jacob Englehardt who nailed three three pointers as he came into the game shooting 30% from down town. Rhondorf got some key baskets from Nikola Petojevic, Frankl-Maus and Ousmane Ndiaye. ‘I wondered by Englehardt didn’t play as much in the second half. He was focused to play us again. We had been playing better defense the last games but got away from it tonight. We made way too many mistakes’, stated Paul Albrecht. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 46% from the field and 36% from the three point line while ART Giants Duesseldorf shot 39% form the field and 46% from the three point line. Rhondorf continued to control the boards 20-13 and offensive boards 7-2 and had 7 turnovers while the guests had 5 turnovers.

The third quarter was tight as there were 4 lead changes, but ART Giants Duesseldorf then broke away as Andrius Mikutis started to get hot. ART Giants Duesseldorf kept the slim lead getting key buckets from Mark Gebhardt and Jacon Engelhardt who also used his quickness to score easily inside. The Dragons Rhondorf countered with baskets from Frankl-Maus and Paul Albrecht and then got the momentum back on their side getting another three pointer from Frankl-Maus who gave the Dragons the 42-41 lead. Then the game went back and forth as there were three more lead changes as young German Franklyn Aunitz scored inside, Paul Albrecht hit a trey and ex Cornell (NCAA) forward Deon Giddens scored. But ART Giants Duesseldorf then went on a massive 12-3 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 57-47. Gebhardt and Aunutz began the run with a three pointer and three free throws and then it was time for Andrius Mikutis to defrost as he dropped back to back three pointers. The guests kept up the pressure and led and had the finest play of the evening as Sam Mpacko made a perfect no look lob pass that German Ben Uzoma dunked home for the 59-49 lead. ‘I only saw the catch and dunk and not the pass. It wasn’t surprising both have the game for a play like that’, expressed Andrius Mikutis. Right before the end of the third quarter, Mikutis scored another trey and Petojevic made a lay in at the buzzer, but ART Giants Duesseldorf still led 62-53. ‘We gave up too many points, but were lucky that we made so many shots. It felt more like a shoot out’, stressed Andrius Mikutis. ‘We slept as a team leaving Mikutis open too much. Their game plan was take away our three and let our guards score’, stated Paul Albrecht. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 51% from the field and 36% from the parking lot while ART Giants Duessledorf shot 50% from the field and 53% from the parking lot. The Dragons Rhondorf continued to lead the rebound battle 24-17 and offensive rebounds 9-2, but had 10 turnovers while the guests had 8 turnovers.

In the fourth quarter ART Giants Duessledorf continued to control the game and the Dragons Rhondorf couldn’t cut the lead down to less than 6 points. Mikutis continued to remain hot and stay consistent making another three pointer and also dropped a pretty floater for the 67-57 lead. The Dragons Rhondorf continued to execute on offense but couldn’t gain any ground as their defense just couldn’t produce stops. Frankl-Maus continued to be a force attacking the rim at every time possible and scored as did Hounnou who let his inside out game do the talking. Paul Albrecht made a nice turn around shot to cut the guests lead down to 73-66 and were in striking range. One guy that the Dragons didn’t have on their radar doing damage any more was Coplin who had been stopped since his lightening 5 points from the first few minutes of the first quarter, but he then made the second prettiest play of the game making a difficult submarine lay in and free throw for the 76-66 advantage. ‘We see him make plays like that almost every day. He is an unbelievable scorer and makes crazy shots like that all the time’, stressed Andrius Mikutis. After a Frankl-Maus three, it was Mikutis again who was left alone in the corner making his fifth three pointer of the game for the 79-69 lead. ‘I picked up two quick fouls and was out of rhythm. I struggled defensively and was beat a lot 1-1. So I had to do something and hit shots’, stressed Andrius Mikutis. Ndiaye then scored back to back buckets to cut the guests lead to 79-73, but that was as close as they would get as Mikutis and Coplin closed out the game with free throws and a lay up. ‘We stepped up our defense. It helped that Coplin came in with fresh legs. He made great plays and pushed us over the line’, commented Andrius Mikutis. ‘We weren’t really tired, but it was individual mistakes that hurt us. Mikutis hit some more shots. We were too unconcentrated on defense’, stressed Paul Albrecht. ART Giants Duesseldorf were led by Andrius Mikutis with 19 points. Jacob Englehardt add 16 points and mark Gebhardt 11 points while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Viktor Frankl-Maus with 21 points and 77 assists while Ralph Hounnou added 16 points. ART Giants Duesseldorf shot 49% from the field and 44% from outside and had 25 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 54% from the field and 37% from outside and had 29 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

Virgil Matthews (191-PG-83, college: Montana) a 38 year old ex professional player from Federal Way, Washington that is currently as an assistant coach with the Niners Chemnitz. As a player he played at Montana (NCAA) and turned professional in 2006 and played overseas in Germany for teams KICKZ Muenchen Basket (Germany-2.Bundesliga), Schwelm, Ehingen, Nurnberg and the Niners Chemnitz. He spoke to egermanhoops.com after the thrilling 87-86 OT win over the Fraport Skyliners.

Thanks Virgil for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on an amazing 87-86 OT win over the Fraport Skyliners. I guess you can call that a real hard fought win?

Yeh you can definitely say that. Both games went to OT. Frankfurt is a tough team.

Before we get to the game, what was it like seeing Will Cherry again? He told me you guys used to kick it up in Berlin years ago.

I was at Montana when they recruited him. I remember seeing him at a Leipzig game when he was playing with Alba Berlin. I visited him in Berlin. We got closer in that time. I saw him in Frankfurt when we played recently and last night we also spent some time together. It is always good to catch up.

The Fraport Skyliners got out to a swift 18-8 lead. Did the team underestimate them a bit since they last played a game on January 2nd and didn’t practice for 2 weeks?

No we didn’t underestimate them. They beat very good teams this season with Ulm and Crailsheim. They play tough.

You ended the first quarter with a 9-2 run, but began the second quarter allowing a 11-2 run. Was this game of runs a little surprising for a team like Chemnitz that is so disciplined?

No it didn’t really. We have had problems this season falling behind especially in the second quarter. We really need to address this problem. We don’t want this to happen. Fortunately we are able to climb out of it and finish strong.

What gave Chemnitz the biggest difficulty on the defensive end in the first half? Frankfurt seemed to play smooth inside out basketball.

Our biggest weakness is our offense. When we get turnovers or take bad shots, we allow teams to run and that is what Frankfurt did. When we didn’t score, that led to their good offense.

Fraport Skyliner identity figure Quantez Robertson had been 4/23 from outside in the last 6 games. Did you underestimate his shot a bit? He continued hitting shots in the third quarter as Frankfurt led 57-49 after 30 minutes?

We gave him open looks. Usually when he plays well they win. Coach Pastore really respects his game, his energy and knowledge of the game. Taking him as a non shooter changed our game plan. We had to adjust to the situation.

The fourth quarter was a close battle, but Frankfurt led with 8 points with 3,11 to play. The Niners Chemnitz made a massive comeback. Mindaugas Susinskas began the fourth quarter with back to back three’s and led the team into OT with a three. How much praise can you give this guy this season for his spirited play?

He has been great. He carried us in the Bamberg win. He had had a good game in Frankfurt. He had 0 points in the first half. I give a lot of credit to him for keeping a positive mind set. We kept him in game knowing that he could give us a positive mind set.

The overtime period was a back and forth duel with 7 lead changes. How much praise can you give Frankfurt for the way they were able to stay even with you in OT despite what they went through the last 3 weeks?

Frankfurt is a good team when they have a full roster. Their record doesn’t show it. No one should underestimate them. They are a good team and proved it against us.

Can one say that defense saved the day at the end or was Jamel Mclean the tragic hero?. Talk about that last possession?

Mclean had been hurting us in the low post all night. Darion Atkins fouling out was like a blessing in disguise. That made us put Jonas Richter in the game. He is a great defender. He plays good defense and it is tough for guys to get around him.

How vital has the acquisition of American Eric Washington been for the club? What have you appreciated most about his services?

He gives us a new element of speed that we didn’t have before. We think very highly of him. He has a lot to gain with us. He is eager to work hard and to get better. We want to help him play at a high level and see how far he can take it.

How massive was this victory for the team’s quest to make the playoffs?

Each win is important in this league. There are no easy wins in the BBL. We take each game seriously.

With Rickey Paulding and Per Gunther stepping down, the easyCredit BBL now has Quantez Robertson as the identity figure. Will his stock rise even more with the other two legends stepping down?

I have watched him my whole time in Germany. It is amazing that he is still playing. I’m really proud of him. I can’t imagine what he is going through to stay healthy. It is good for the Frankfurt organization and for the young players. He always plays the game the right way. That is important for an organization moving forward.

Your in your first season as an assistant coach with the Niners Chemnitz. What have you enjoyed most about the job?
I really enjoy being that guy that was the player and now is the coach. We have good chemistry and it is fun working with the guys. Watching them and seeing them respond to what I say keep me doing the job.

How have you seen your coaching skills grow in the last months under Rodrigo Pastore?

It has been good. He really allows me to respond. He listens to what I have to say during games. He also gives me the freedom to conduct sessions during practice. His best quality is that there isn’t the same voice but let’s us also give input.

Your buddy Will Cherry said Lebron James would score 80 points in the easyCredit BBL. How many do you think he would make?

In peak Lebron time yes, but now no. he would at least score 40 points. He would dominate game more than score. You would always need help and he would always be finding the cutters. He would dominate the ga me without having great stats.

What are your NFL playoff predictions Bengals-Chiefs and Rams-49ers?

Chiefs-Rams and Chiefs will win.

Will Tom Brady return or retire?

He will return.

Thanks Virgil for the chat.

The last weeks one couldn’t see the great game of ex NBA player and current Fraport Skyliner Will Cherry (185-PG-91, college: Montana), because the club has had Covid problems and haven’t played since January 2nd. In basketball terms an eternity. But other teams were playing and the fantastic once in a lifetime scoring explosion by Parker Jackson-Cartwright last weekend obviously didn’t sneak by the Oakland, California native. Jackson-Cartwright hit for 40 points against Brose Bamberg a feat that has only been accomplished twice in the last decade together with Franz Massenat who did it in 2019 with the EWE Baskets Oldenburg. ‘That performance surprised me a bit. 40 points is 40 points in any league. But these kind of games happen. He had a crazy night and anything is possible’, stressed Will Cherry. Jackson-Cartwright exploded for 19 points in the first quarter on 6 three pointers. Cherry has been a scoring guard his whole career and can’t remember doing that, but knows that he could. ‘I had 15 points against Heidelberg in the fourth quarter. I should of scored 19 points though. I missed 4 free throws’, remembered Will Cherry. Scoring 40 points in a competitive league like the easyCredit BBL is just difficult to do, but then again there are some very skilled guys that can really go off on any night. ‘You can go either way. The BBL has always been a tough league with the defense. But then again there are many talented players., You just have to give a lot of credit to the individual who can score 40 points in a game. 19 points in a quarter is unheard of’, stated Will Cherry. The former Alba Berlin player shouts out a big no way when I revel to him that the BBL scoring record is 65 points. That amazing achievement was done by Keith Gray in 1989. ’65 points is a lot in Europe. It always depends on what the coaches philosophy is. If a guy is scoring so much, you just have to start doubling more. But if there were 5 overtimes, then you could score 65 points’, said Will Cherry. Ok so there are millions of Lebron lovers on earth and probably double or triple as many haters, but it is obvious that Will Cherry is pro Lebron. And why not, Lebron passed him the ball for his first basket. He knows exactly how many points he could score in a BBL game. ‘Lebron would go for 80 points. There is nobody in the BBL that has his size and could stop him. The BBL today is a lot smaller and less athletic then when I played with Alba Berlin in 2015. The BBL has changed a lot and is less tougher. The trend now is the smaller guards. You don’t have the Jordan Taylors, Brad Wanamaker’s, Jerry Smith’s or Kyle Fogg’s anymore that were taller and stronger. Now it is like 4 guards and a big. That is just how the game has become in the BBL’, stressed Will Cherry.

I reach Will Cherry on a Tuesday night and he is in very good spirits. That is probably because he and the Fraport Skyliners will finally play a game again against the Niners Chemnitz on Friday. It has been a crazy time for basketball in the easyCredit BBL the last weeks, but it is going on in every league and just something you have to accept. ‘Europe just doesn’t have the resources that the NBA has with being able to ship in and out players with 10 day contracts. We all know what is as state. It is what it is’, commented Will Cherry. The last weeks have been very tough for the Fraport Skyliners as games were postponed and there was a lot of down time off the court. Guys have been practicing while others guys couldn’t. Not the best way to keep a team chemistry in takt, but it is something that is out of their control. The coaching staff has been doing the best job they can getting the team ready for that first game against Chemnitz after almost a month without a competitive game. ‘We will have our bumps and bruises. At the end of the day no one will feel sorry for us. We can’t make excuses. At the end of the day we are competitors and will do all we can in our power to win’, warned Will Cherry. Not playing basketball and dealing with all the drama off the court is something that isn’t easy and something that every player will deal with in their own way. Mentally the whole long layoff hasn’t had an effect on Cherry who has had no problem staying in the house and going for walks at night. For those guys that might have had problems with all the circumstances, there was Diego Ocampo who is so much more than just a basketball coach. ‘Coach is a better man than a coach. I mean he is a great coach, but even better man. I respect him so much. He was always checking on us to see that we were ok’, stated Will Cherry.

The guard who believes that the Los Angeles Rams will beat the San Francisco 49ers and reach the Superbowl is annoyed that this long Covid layoff occurred right when they had a two game winning streak having beat Heidelberg and Giessen. ‘That was out of our control. All we can do now is come back and control how hard we play and how competitive we are and keep the streak alive’, warned Will Cherry. The 2000 BBL cup winner Fraport Skyliners were playing exceptional ball during the little winning streak and there were distinctive reasons for it. ‘We shared the ball very well and were more locked in on defense. We cut down on the small mental mistakes that we had had against Chemnitz. Both wins were team efforts. We did a good job controlling the boards especially the offensive rebounds’, remembered Will Cherry. The team had been depleted with injuries and one could really notice the absence of young player Brancou Badio. ‘He gives us a lot of stability. Now we have a good two guard front. Now the opponent can’t key in on one player especially when we are both on the court. You have to pick your poison. We can both make plays and I don’t have to worry that I have to do everything’, stressed Will Cherry. Quantez Robertson raved about new addition Jamel Mclean and it isn’t any different with Cherry who actually takes the lauding to a bigger level. ‘Jamel has been a big help and it goes beyond basketball. He is an additional leader to me and Tez. We give the team even more experience. His leadership, IQ and personality standout. He is just beginning to get to 100% and getting better each day. I honestly think that if this team had been together since day one that we would be a top 5 seed now’, warned Will Cherry.

The ex University Of Montana8NCAA) guard who believes that the Kansas City Chiefs will strangle the Bengals to reach the Super Bowl really stepped up his scoring game in the winning streak averaging 23,0ppg, 6,0apg and 3,0spg and saw many factors for his stellar play. ‘I was more aggressive and efficient. The loss against Chemnitz really bothered me. I couldn’t sleep a few days after that. I took it personal. Their assistant coach Virgil Matthews is my guy. We both played at Montana. When I was with Alba Berlin, he always visited me coming from Chemnitz. In the winning streak I was more focused and shot more. I knew we had to win’, added Will Cherry. He obviously wants to keep up his stellar play going and hopes he can start well again and take his game to another level. ‘I just want to win. I want to put together a winning streak and have a chance for the playoffs. We are only 4 games back of eighth place. The losses to Bayreuth and Chemnitz really annoyed me. Those are games we should of won. These are often the kind of games that come back to bite you in the butt’, warned Will Cherry. He has always been an aggressive defender in his career and still an impact defender at the age of 30, but in the last two games stepped it up more. ‘I was more aggressive and anticipated well. I also have to give credit to the coaching staff who put me in good position to make the right plays. I got some steals against Giessen which got Badio going as well as our transition game. I thought Badio would go for 40 points’, laughed Will Cherry.

The ex Kyre Irving teammate who believes that Tom Brady won’t retire and return for a 23rd season is thrilled that the season will finally resume on Friday in Chemnitz. We had our first day in practice today. Tomorrow we will go 5-5. Our conditioning obviously isn’t as good as before the break, but it will come back’, stressed Will Cherry. The Chemnitz loss is one that still bugs him today and you can be sure that one will see an aggressive and dominant Will Cherry in Chemnitz. He is confident that the team will start off on the right foot in Chemnitz. ‘Key will be defense. They beat us on one play in Frankfurt. We have to find a way to stop it. They have some good shooters and we have to cut their water off. They play very well together. We didn’t make the necessary stops in Frankfurt and want to make them this time on the road’, expressed Will Cherry. So will we see the next 40 point game on Friday in Chemnitz? Well Franz Massenat will be on the floor and he once produced 40 points. ‘He is a key player in their offense. He won’t score 40 points. He didn’t shoot much in Frankfurt, but made all the right plays and passes. He is a key player and we have to limit them’, warned Will Cherry. It is great that the Fraport Skyliners are finally back on the court. It was a long long wait. Will the winning streak continue? A win against the always pesky Chem,nitz team could be a huge momentum factor for Frankfurt continuing their winning streak.

Stanley Whittaker (183-G-94, 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

PS Karlsruhe suffered a tough 106-94 loss to Science City Jena. How big was the focus and team mentality coming into the game after the tough 2 point loss to Kirchheim last weekend?

Our focus was to come out and try to protect our home floor and win the game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the win and dropped 2 straight. So now we go back to the drawing board and figure some things out.

It was the second shoot out loss to Jena this season. What makes it so difficult to not allow them to get an offensive rhythm?

I just didn’t think we were disruptive enough defensively. Things came easy to them the entire night and we didn’t resist until the game was pretty much out of each. We have to do a better job at trying to take teams out of there sets and play a more disruptive and physical brand of defense.

There really wasn’t much that separated both teams after the first loss, but Jena shot very well near the basket. This time they had a very thin rotation and won. How much does this loss hurt considering in the COVID times where every win seems to count so much more since you don’t know what could happen the next weekend?

It’s tough a loss, we understand what we’re up against with the entire Covid situation and things of such. We have to regroup, try our best to stay on the healthy side of things and go try to win ball games.

Talk a little about the 40 minutes and how the team arrived into crunch-time. What was key for Jena sweeping the season series?

Jena is a highly effective offensive team, they got decent players that all understand what they’re roles are and they produce. If you aren’t stopping them from scoring the game will more than likely be theirs to win. Our two games against them, we couldn’t stop them at the level we were supposed to and that was the reason we couldn’t get a win against Jena.

Once again not much separated both teams in the stats. But once again you couldn’t control the paint area and their scores there. Was Physicality and more will missing on the defensive end for PS Karlsruhe?

I wouldn’t say it was their physicality, just as far as brute force or anything of that matter. Jena is more of a skilled team, with guys that have a good IQ and very experienced. They are a good team, they don’t miss out on opportunities around the rim as a good team shouldn’t. But for us, our team, going forward we have to be much more tougher and disruptive defensively!

What kind of an experience was it playing against new player Davonte Lacey? He has much Pro A experience and a decorated Pro A player. What stuck out in his game?

What stuck out in his game is just he’s a professional. Not many minutes in the first half, but when his number was called on more in the 3rd quarter he nailed 3 triples. He got a decent feel for the game, another good experienced player.

Having a guy like Brandon Thomas is a real plus in the Pro A. He is an ex Eurocup player. Do you feel like you will still be playing with age 37?

I hope I will be.

Trevion Crews has been struggling a bit in the last three games scoring a total of only 14 points in 79 minutes. Have you been helping him get out of the funk with words?

I’m certain he’ll break out of this slump, I’ve been speaking with him, I believe he’ll be fine.

With the stretch run of the season coming, you have a 2 game losing streak. Is there cause to worry at this point. How vital is it to get consistent on defense now?

There’s a cause to worry just because if you aren’t worried than you’ll get smacked in the mouth again. But as long as we are worried about getting back to playing the brand of basketball we were playing during our winning streak, but it all starts on the defensive side of the ball.

The next game is against Ehingen who you beat 111-91. What will be key to sweep the season series? I can imagine you don’t want another shoot out game.

I believe our next game is against Trier. But the key to any game for our group is to defend!!

You had another solid game of 21/6/12. How much of a challenge is it for you to try to play even better each new weekend?


Each game I come out and be myself, I try to help contribute to the team, make plays for my teammates and try to put us in position to win games.

How are the NFL playoff games shaping up for you? Did the Packers 13-10 loss to the 49ers surprise you?


I wasn’t surprised at all, it’s the NFL and they’re playing at the highest level. Those teams in the playoffs are there for a reason, those games could to either way so it’s no surprises!

Thanks Stanley for the chat.