Over the years the Fraport Skyliners who have won 3 titles in their 22 year history have had some very special point guards that could take over the game at any time in the last 11 seasons. If I were to make a top 3 in that time, it wouldn’t be difficult. The names that pop into my head come as quickly as being able to remember that magical 70 point explosion by Devin Booker in the NBA or recently the overwhelming offensive onslaught by Luka Doncic marking an Olympic record with 48 points. Obviously Dashaun Wood is #1. The ex Wright State (NCAA) standout was able to take over games like no other. Ex teammate Quantez Robertson could write a book about his teammate. In second place is clearly ex Seton Hall (NCAA) great Jordan Theodore who got Frankfurt out of countless jams in the easyCredit and helped lead the team to the 2016 Fiba Europe Cup. In third place is easily ex California (NCAA) great Justin Cobbs who was the general on the court and had a special calmness on the court seldom seen. He led the team into the playoffs after the club has started very poorly and led them into the 2015 Eurochallenge Final 4. Could a new point guard named Donald Donovan compete with these guys and try to challenge for entering the top 3 ranking? When the club had made it official that he was the new point guard, I have to admit that I had never heard of him, but the ex Tusculum (NCAA2) standout has put up incredible numbers in lower professional leagues in Europe. The big question is, can he make the next step in a top 5 league EasyCredit BBL? ‘I have 100% confidence that he can make the next step with Frankfurt. He is playing with a confidence level right now that most coaches dream of having on their roster. He’s going put in the work and he won’t get comfortable, it’s just not in his personality. I expect Don to make a name for himself in this league’, warned Tusculum (NCAA2) head coach JT Burton. Will Donovan also be able take over games the way Wood, Theodore and Cobbs did? Burton will never forget a game against Wingate where the American showed his unique abilities netting 32 points in an exciting 80-77 victory. ‘As a team we were on a winning streak, and when we went into that Wingate game, that was huge. It was on the road, and they were a team that in years past we had struggled against. He took that game over and was making one play after another. Whether it was scoring, assisting, or locking up one of their players, he did it all the game. He carried us to that victory and I felt that was the point in our season when he, along with our entire program knew what we were building here and that success was just around the corner’, stressed JT Burton.

Donovan Donaldson (185-G-96, college: Tusculum, agency: Mansfield and Associates) was born on October 1, 1996 in Nashville, Tennessee. He got early basketball experience at Hillsboro high school where he was coached by Rodney Theweatt and Jamie Graham. He averaged 14,5ppg, 5,6apg and 4,5rpg. He led the school to the district and region championships and was named to the All-Metro team and was District MVP. He then attended Trevecca Nazarene University from 2015-2017 playing a total of 53 games. In his freshman year he played 27 games averaging 6,7ppg. He made a big jump in his second season playing 26 games averaging 12.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 64.9%. He scored in double figures in 18 games including 26 points against Christian Brothers, 21 points against Auburn-Mongomery and 20 points a piece against KY Wesleyan and twice against Mckendree. After two years there, he decided to make a change and went to Tusculum. There he was able to develop further as a player playing a total of 55 NCAA 2 games and as a junior played 27 games averaging 14.1ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 36.2%, FT: 80.4%. He scored in double figures in 18 games including 26 points against Newberry and 24 points against Wingate. In his senior year, the school made a change as JT Burton came on board as head coach. He had made a big leap in his career having made a name for himself at St. Catharine College (NAIA) and Motlow State College (JUCO) registering a NAIA D1 Elite Eight appearance and NJCAA D1 Elite Eight appearance while also winning the TCCAA Tournament. He was instrumental in Donaldson continuing to develop. As a senior he played 28 games averaging 15.4ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 41.4%, FT: 69.9%. He scored in double figures in 19 games and had some explosive games netting 32 points a piece against Newberry and Wingate and also hit Lincoln Memorial for 27 points. J.T Burton remembers seeing Donovan Donaldson for the first time on the court in the first team practice in 2018. ‘I knew he had the talent to be something special. His speed and ability to shoot at a high level separated him from anyone on our team’, stated JT Burton. He scored 818 points in his NCAA 2 career and 212 career assists, 188 rebounds, 67 steals and 10 blocks.

The American turned professional in 2019 and played his first season overseas with KK Gostivar (North Macedonia-Prva Liga) playing 17 games averaging 16.9ppg, 5.9rpg, 4.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 58.9%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 69.9%. He scored in double figures in 13 games, His best scoring games included scorching Kumanovo for 28 points. He also had fantastic games against Kozuv with 31 points and produced 29 points against Euro Nickel. Last season he continued his offensive onslaught in Europe playing with two Hungarian teams JP-Auto Jaszbereny KSE (Hungary-A Division) averaging 21.2ppg, 3.7rpg, 4.4apg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 46.4%, 3FGP: 45.6%, FT: 81.4%, and with Zalakeramia ZTE KK (Hungary-A Division) averaging 13.5ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 36.2%, FT: 84.0%. He scored 32 points a piece against PVSK-Veolia and against JP-Auto JKSE. He also had a monster game against Kaposvari with 30 points. He had a chip early on in school and it must still be on his shoulder now as a professional as he continues to play very consistently at the pro ranks. ‘The chip on his shoulder was there when he put his focus on winning. He knows he can play with anybody, D2, D1, or even professionals. That chip on his shoulder became present when he saw the opportunity to win and make a name for not only himself, but his teammates as well’, said JT Burton.

Donaldson will begin his third professional season in Germany for the Fraport Skyliners in a top 5 league called the easyCredit BBL.So what type of player will German fans witness in the arena? If one observes his game one could compare his game to a Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers. A coach will always cringe badly and the way an old man will when his family tells him for the 100th time that it’s time to enter a nursing home when his player takes a bad shot. Donovan is one of those players that won’t always make the best shot selection, but there is a big difference to other players in the result of the shot. ‘He takes ‘bad’ shots, but he makes them at a consistent rate. He has the speed and vision to create any shot for himself, and his IQ makes everyone around him better. He has that type of mentality, he plays with so much confidence and has a swagger about him that is contagious’, warned JT Burton. It is obvious to see that a big strength in his game is his scoring, but he has an even greater quality if not the greatest quality of them all. ‘I’d go far enough to say that he is a winner. What he did for our program in his one season with us was incredible. His confidence is second to none and he just simply finds a way to win’, stressed JT Burton. He also has proved at many levels that he is a two way player. ‘He can defend. Here, he had to guard. For us and our culture, it’s not just about scoring. Don struggled a little bit with that at first, but over time he became one of our best on-ball defenders’, added JT Burton. His offensive game has overshadowed his spirted defensive game that took true form at Tusculum. ‘He has a lot of pride on defense now, that took some time to develop but once he saw how much he can impact the game on the defensive end, that’s when it clicked and he bettered himself in defending ball screenings, not getting backdoored, standing opponents up on drives, etc. He got better at all those little things defensively and before you knew it, he was one of our best on-ball defenders’, stated JT Burton. He had always been a solid three point shooter in school, but his percentage hit 40% for the first time his senior year as JT Burton was helping him develop it further and has continued to eclipse the 40% mark as a professional. ‘. I think he always knew he could shoot it and had that big play potential in him. He just wasn’t as consistent, and I think that related to confidence. Once he saw what we were trying to do here, he played with a confidence level that was unmatched’, remembered JT Burton.

Tusculum head coach JT Burton has continued to watch Donovan Donaldson progress as a player at the pro ranks. And now that he is playing in a top league with the Fraport Skyliners he will most likely keep an even closer eye on his game. ‘I’ve been fortunate to maintain a relationship with all of my players in my coaching career. I am proud of Don, I’ve watched him work himself into being a pro, and to maintain the consistency in his work ethic and drive to being better each and every day has been special to watch. Players like Don are the reason I’m proud to be a coach’, expressed JT Burton. The ex Tusculum guard is also one of those players that will be an important role model for the young Skyliners on and off the court. ‘ He’s a great guy off the court. He keeps his nose clean, he stays out of trouble and was always super respectful to others around him. He’s a quiet guy, but very polite and stays humble and hungry’, commented JT Burton. He is a player that will make mistakes, but a guy who won’t just brush them off and not reflect on them. He is a player that has a real heart and wants to do good on the court for his team and himself. Head coach JT Burton got a real close account of what kind of person Donovan Donaldson really is. ‘I’ll never forget the time he wasn’t going hard in practice. I remember bringing him in and telling him that he wasn’t traveling with us to Catawba because his effort wasn’t where it should be. We go to Catawba, lose a tough one, and that night when we got back from Salisbury, NC he was waiting outside my office. He begged me to let him back on the team, and I did. The rest is history, his effort and attitude took a complete turnaround for the best. I tell that story to our young guys within our program to remind them of the expectations we have set here’, warned JT Burton. Playing in the easyCredit BBL will be a challenge for Donovan Donaldson, but one he will be able to master. He may not necessarily leave a type of legacy that Wood, Theodore and Cobbs left right away, but he will leave an impression on everybody every day on and off the court.

Article written July 29th, 2021

Stanley Whittaker (183-G-94, college: Keiser)r is a 26 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 will team up every week with Miles Schmidt-Scheuber to talk basketball

Stan thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on a massive 97-70 win over the Kirchheim Knights. How good did it feel to win your first Pro A game in Germany?

Getting that first win always feels good. We came out protected our home court in front of our fans. We still have more work to do, but we take this first win and look to improve!

How did you enjoy the atmosphere in your arena? What touched you most about seeing the PS Karlsruhe fans in action?

I really didn’t have any expectations as far as the atmosphere, although I was curious to see how the arena would look on a game day set up and how many fans would show up. What touched me the most about seeing our fans were how live they were the entire game, from start to finish. We as players need that energy, we feed off the energy from the fans, and I’m just glad we were able provide a victory in return for them.

I was impressed how you guys came back from the ugly loss in Leverkusen. How proud are you of the guys coming back from adversary in the Leverkusen game and taking care of business at home?

That tough game in Leverkusen wasn’t our team at all, that loss doesn’t define our group. We understand that we wasn’t ourselves in that game. We put that game far behind us, and wanted to come out against Kirchheim to perform better at the level we know we can, and we were able to accomplish that!

The team actually had a slow start being down 25-16 after one quarter, but stepped it up exploding for 29 points in the second quarter. What adjustments did the team make on the defensive end?

We weren’t disruptive at all defensively early on. We understood we gave up too many points in the first quarter, so we rallied together, got on one accord defensively, which led to us putting together some solid stops and with that we were able to get out and run offensively.

In the second half PS Karlsruhe never let up scoring 52 points and finishing in style. How much fun was it playing offense and being the floor general in a game like this?

It was a good feeling just to see us put together a defensive second half the way we did. With momentum from the second quarter, us only allowing 16pts, we wanted to duplicate that or improve upon it in the second half. When we are playing good defense, and finishing possessions with rebounds, the offense will become better!

PS Karlsruhe wants to find an identity on defense. What steps did the team make on the defensive end against Kirchheim?

As I stated before, the defensive end that is where we want to hang our hats. We have to be on one accord at all times, communicate at a high level, understand our schemes and be able to execute. We had a solid week of practice of preparing for Kirchheim so we just had to stay focused and minimize our slippage.

Where will be PS Karlsruhe be as a team when the rebounding stands? I think the 14 Kirchheim offensive rebounds is one of the only area’s one can criticize from the game.

We have to be better at finishing possessions!! That is way too many second chances opportunities. As a team, we have to increase our level of focus, put a body on someone and secure the rebound!

You and Ferdinand Zylka combined for 45 points. How much fun is it playing with him and will you guys we the team’s definite 1-2 punch this season?

It’s fun playing with Ferdi, he’s a good guy, and a smart player.

PS Karlsruhe next battles Trier who are 2-0. What will be the main focus in practice this week?

We’ll start the beginning of the work we focused on Trier. Our staff will gather a game plan for us we have to execute the game plan that’s given and try to put ourselves in position to win!

You had another solid game and belonged to the best players on the court. You are adjusting very well to the Pro A. Did the three turnovers separate you from being totally happy?

I think I’m still adjusting, it’s only the 2nd match so I still have some figuring out to do. With 3 turnovers, I have to take better care of the ball, trying to put my teammates in position to be successful. 3 is too many.

You shot at a high clip. How happy were you with your shot selection? Is it harder finding your spots in the Pro A than in Austria?

My shot selection from our game against Kirchheim was solid, missed some looks I usually knock in but that’s part of it. I’ll be better. I don’t think it’s harder finding my spots in Pro A than in Austria. I know where my spots are on the floor and I’m comfortable getting to them.

How have you been following the whole Ben Simmons affair? Where will his fate end this season?

The Ben Simmons saga has been a mess, I know the city is ready for him to be traded, he isn’t communicating with anyone. I think it’s time to ship him off and move forward.

What was the last movie that you watched?

The last movie I watched was ‘My Struggle’ it’s a biopic film on American rapper ‘Boosie’

Thanks Stanley for the chat.

It was May 9th as I witnessed the last regular season game of the Fraport Skyliners against the Hamburg Towers. It had been another season to forget for the Skyliners as they had missed another playoffs. At least they had finished the season strong winning the last two games against Wurzburg and the surprising strong team Hamburg Towers who would go to the playoffs and give BBL powerhouse team Alba Berlin a good opening round series but get swept 3-0. For me watching the Hamburg game was a special one to see, because it gave me another opportunity to watch Bryce Taylor play. I had watched him since his arrival in Germany in 2009 and was always impressed with his game and his positive character. Over the years we had developed a nice professional relationship and I had interviewed him every so often after games or for my radio show back in 2010 when he was with Alba Berlin. As he was exiting the court after the loss, we said hi and I asked him if he could bring out TJ Shorts for me. After a shower, he had got Shorts for me to ask some post game questions and after I had finished that, it gave us some time to mingle something we did from time to time after games. The biggest topic was my cancer recovery which was in full swing and nearing it’s end. I had one more very tough Liver surgery a week later and was a bit nervous about it. He wished me all the best and then I had to ask him if he would continue playing next season. He didn’t give me a definite reply, but I had the feeling that he would return. Fast forward to September 26th, 2021 a day before his birthday and he wrote me a message telling me he was going to announce his retirement the next day on his birthday. My first reaction was there goes another one of the great BBL players of the last 15 years. Soon there won’t be anymore as many have retired as the league only has few dino’s remaining in the league with Rickey Paulding and Quantez Robertson. He had 4 offers to keep playing in Germany, but decided to turn them down. He was still in good physical shape and his basketball abilities hadn’t eroded seriously. I could have still seen him play for 2-3 more years. ‘ I wanted to walk away on my own terms, especially having dealt with so many injuries over the last 4 years. I’ll stay fit with my new job and will continue to look for competitive basketball situations in America such as the TBT and the BIG 3’, stated Bryce Taylor (195-SG-86, agency: BeoBasket) COVID put stress on the whole world and totally changed the basketball landscape. Having to deal with COVID also effected his decision to hang it up. ‘I think COVID put a huge stress on the entire world and also the German basketball market. Since the basketball business in Germany is heavily reliant on sponsorships and ticket sales, without those two revenue streams not at the same level, teams cut their budgets drastically. I do believe if I had better financial offers I would have considered continuing to play longer’, warned Bryce Taylor

Bryce Taylor was born on September 27th, 1986 in San Diego, California. His father is Brian Taylor who played in the NBA for 10 seasons. Bryce began his basketball career at Harvard-Westlake high school and then played at Oregon (NCAA) from 2004-2008 playing a total of 117 NCAA games. He remembers Brandon Roy who would go on to have a great NBA career as being his toughest opponent in the NCAA. He averaged double figures in scoring three seasons and his best season was his junior year where he averaged 14.1ppg, 4.6rpg, 1.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 51.7%, 3Pts: 42.2%, FT: 82.6%. That same season he helped his team win the PAC-10 tournament and make a long run at March Madness reaching the Elite 8. It was a great run and he still keeps in contact with his teammates from then today. He had been very fortunate to have had a very knowledgeable head coach in Ernie Kent who taught him valuable things so he could glide into his professional career well and then prosper. ‘Ernie Kent had us playing a style that was ahead of our time, pace and space 4 out 1 in, a lot of 3s. We did a lot of things that prepped me for becoming a pro, especially how he ran our practices and shoot arounds pre game. He really invested in our well being and development as people. He helped me a lot’, remembered Bryce Taylor He also remembers his duels with future NBA player Malik Hairston at Oregon. ‘First time we ever met, Malik challenged me to a 1v1 game and beat me. That was the only time we played. In general we challenged each other in practice and made each other better for 4 straight years. Malik was a great player’, commented Bryce Taylor

After having pre draft workouts with the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors (NBA) and playing NBA Summer League with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he decided to embark on a professional career overseas with Premiata Montegranaro (Italy-Serie A) He had a solid rookie season averaging 13.0ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.6spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT: 82.6%. He was fortunate to have high class teammates like Kimane Garris, Brandon Hunter and Ricky Minard. Despite being able to adjust well on the court, he did have growing pains and that wake up call coming overseas from California. ‘I remember feeling very homesick initially in Italy. The language barrier was difficult at times. I remember getting called for traveling a bunch of times in the preseason because I hadn’t adapted my footwork to the European rules. I knew I wasn’t at home anymore when I tried to learn how to drive manual and got stuck on the middle of the road in Montegranaro where a bunch of angry Italian drivers were cursing me as they drove around my stuck car’, remembered Bryce Taylor He then made the trek to Germany for his second professional season and played for the Telekom Baskets Bonn. Here he again showed his consistency averaging 12.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 81.4% in the BBL and had a potent Eurocup season averaging 18,0ppg. As a young buck, he was very lucky again to have supreme veterans on the team like Chris Ensminger who belonged to the best centers then at age 32. ‘Chris was great, all the guys you have mentioned basically helped shape my career and inspired me to stay in the BBL for a longer period of time. Chris was super tough, great rebounder, back to the back scorer and consistent mid range shooter. He also was a rim protector with how physical he played. I think he played another 5 years at a very high level due to his mindset and professionalism’, added Bryce Taylor Not only did he arrive in the German BBL in 2009, but so did current Fraport Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson. When he heard that Taylor had retired, it was only natural that he would give his 2 cents on his career. ‘We have been going at it for a long time just like with Rickey Paulding. The only good thing was that he wasn’t that much taller than me. We always got each other’s best effort on the court. I wish him nothing but the best in his next journey’, stressed Quantez Robertson. Taylor battled against Robertson each season and every possession with him on the court was a clash. ‘Tez is a great competitor and leader and Frankfurt is lucky to have had him for all those years. I’ll remember the playoff battles and his relentless attitude and fighting spirit. His speed with the ball, offensive rebounding, fearlessness and versatility are some of my favorite qualities of his as a player’, remembered Bryce Taylor

After his strong sophomore campaign with the Telekom Baskets Bonn, it was only fitting that he would make the next step moving to Alba Berlin from 2010-2012. With Alba Berlin he played 23 Eurocup games and 85 BBL games. His best season was his second as he averaged 11.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 53.5%, 3PT: 42.6%, FT: 82.4%. Even if he didn’t win a title with Alba Berlin, the whole experience was very enriching. ‘Alba was the premiere destination in Germany during this period, I was really excited to be there and it was a great fit for me. It was very important for me to prove that I could perform consistently at this high level and it was a very important stop along my journey’, said Bryce Taylor He was able to play with incredible players which helped him develop further in his game. The list reads like a who’s who of the best players in the BBL at that time. ‘Sven Schultze, Patrick Femmerling, Julius Jenkins, Immanuel McElroy, Derrick Allen and Yassin Idbihi. They were great vets for me who helped teach me how to be a pro. Dashaun Wood was a great player and a talent with whom I performed really well along side of’, expressed Bryce Taylor After two years with Alba Berlin, he moved to the Artland Dragons. He had another very good statistical season averaging 14.3ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 85.2% in the BBL and 10.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 91.3% in the Eurocup. I never understood why he seemingly took a step back from Alba Berlin, but this season turned out to be a very worthwhile season for him. ‘

QB was a perfect step after Berlin. I had a couple minor injuries there but I was able to focus and work on my game almost every day. I worked a lot with our staff, Stefan Koch, Martin Schiller and Ty McCoy helped me a lot that year, as well as Pedro Calles. That was a big developmental season for me. I enjoyed my time there’, stated Bryce Taylor No matter where he played, he must have felt like a little kid in a candy store, because he was always surrounded by amazing guard talent and with Demond Mallet, he couldn’t have been teammates with more of a winner. ‘D Mallet was special, he had a charisma and winning spirit that was unique. He also was very tough and just a flat out shot maker. In his prime I imagine he could have fit anywhere in Europe, as his resume shows’, warned Bryce Taylor

Then from 2013-2017, he had probably his most defining and enjoyable time being able to call himself a member of FC Bayern Munich, the most famous sport organization in Germany and a very famous brand in the world. He played his best basketball with them and was the best three point shooter in the BBL at that time shooting a crazy 48% twice and 51%. The club always has great rosters and talent, but it was surprising that in that time, the team was only able to win one title. That showed already back then how competitive the league was and that FC Bayern Munich didn’t have a monopoly on the league. ‘This says more about how good Bamberg was during their second 3 peat era. They had amazing teams and were very well coached. Without them we would have won 1-2 more’, warned Bryce Taylor In 2014 he won the BBL title and that roster was probably the strongest that they ever had. Everything just came together perfectly that season. ‘The 2013-2014 FCBB was one of the best teams during the last decade of the BBL, we had high level talent and great German players. We also had a hall of fame coach who drove us to greatness each and every day’, said Bryce Taylor Games and practices were never dull when you had German Heiko Schaffartzik with the ball in his hands as he was the master of the crazy shot from way outside. ‘Heiko was an amazing teammate and shot maker. He had crazy range and he was fearless in taking and making tough contested threes. I know he’s an actor now and I bet he’s going to be very successful in that world. He’s a brilliant guy with a one of a kind personality’, remembered Bryce Taylor He not only had a vital role on the floor with his game, but also as a veteran could help some of the younger guys. In his last year in Munich, he was able to witness Maxi Kleber and Paul Zipser make last developments in their game before they departed for the NBA. ‘I would always talk to both guys about their games and playing with joy and confidence. They would make NBA level plays every day in practice, so seeing how their careers have developed comes as no surprise to me’, expressed Bryce Taylor Not every player can say that they were able to play for legendary head coach Svetislav Pesic. Taylor did it for 3 seasons and will never forget it. ‘Svetislav Pesic changed my career and the way I looked at the game. He kept everything simple and held every player accountable to the team. I’ll never forget how much energy he had as an older coach, this man is an energizer and truly loves to coach and teach the game. I’m very grateful I got to play for him for 3 seasons. I have dozens of Pesic stories but I’ll have to share them another time. I love Coach Pesic’, stressed Bryce Taylor Playing for FC Bayern Munich gives the basketball players special privileges like being able to go to the football games. It was obvious that the American took total advantage of that. ‘I had a professional relationship with Uli Hoene, he is a great man and really supported our program. I went to several games each year and had a good relationship with Basti Schweinsteiger, Jerome Boateng and David Alaba. I’ll carry those memories with me forever’, commented Bryce Taylor

After his four year tenure in Munich, he next headed to Bamberg. Here the shooting guard who calls Reggie Redding Will Clyburn Brad Wanamaker Casey Jacobsen and Rickey Paulding as his toughest five opponents in the BBL would play three more seasons. He had injury woes there, but was still a feared sniper as he eclipsed the 40% mark from the parking lot in his first two seasons. He had a little misfortune in that when he came, the Andrea Trinchieri era was ending and the organization would rebuild, but he would win his second professional title with the cup in 2019. ‘Bamberg had great success the years before I arrived but unfortunately things kind of fell apart the year my group arrived. Once Daniele Baesi left for Bayern and Trinchieri got fired, things changed drastically. The talent of the teams before was undeniable, we are talking about 3 NBA players and 3 players going to Euroleague Final 4 teams in one offseason’, said Bryce Taylor Of course in Bamberg, he wasn’t short of having amazing teammates and one of those was Greek legend Nikolaos Zisis who came to Bamberg with many titles. ‘Nikos was the best leader I was ever around. He was the same person every day. His work ethic was unmatched and he treated everybody with respect. I watched him everyday and learned a lot about how to operate as a professional. He had a great feel for what the team needed and was always ready to step up in big games such as the Pokal Final in 2019. A true competitor’, stated Bryce Taylor

In his last season with Bamberg the world saw COVID change everything. Nothing was easy for anyone and it wasn’t any different with him who had numerous challenges that needed to be solved. ‘My family and myself actually had Covid recently and all became very symptomatic. This is a serious virus and we have to all remain vigilant in our behavior. The biggest challenge was not traveling to the USA for over two years and my family not being able to meet my daughter due to these circumstances. This definitely made me stronger and more resilient and brought us closer as a family’, added Bryce Taylor He may not have won a title in his last professional season with the Hamburg Towers, but helped them reach the playoffs. He loved the city and saw it as a unique and diverse city that provided beautiful nature, rivers, canals and parks. He even had my taste liking the beautiful Alster lake over the harbor. Being part of an ambitious young BBL project was very enriching for him. ‘This season was exactly what I hoped for when I signed there. Marvin Willoughby and Pedro Called are two of the best in the business at what they do and are great people. They allowed for me to play meaningful basketball while helping the organization take the next step in its growth. I wish them much success this season in the BBL and Eurocup’, said Bryce Taylor He played 12 seasons in Germany and had many many great teammates. To only shout out 5 would have been a major injustice. ‘ I’ll go with an honorable mention list: Malcolm Delaney, Tyrese Rice, Julius Jenkins, Dusko Savanovic, Immanuel McElroy, Derrick Allen, Chris Ensminger, Augustine Rubit, Deon Thompson, Chevy Troutman, Jared Jordan, Kiwane Garris, Taylor Rochestie, Nikos Zisis, Marquez Haynes, John Bryant, Ricky Hickman, Daniel Hackett, Dorrell Wright, Vladimir Lucic, Reggie Redding. I have to add my top German teammates such as Heiko Schaffartzik, Lucca Staiger, Paul Zipser, Robin Benzing, Maxi Kleber, Anton Gavel, JJ Strasser, Patrick Flomo, Sven Schultze, Yassin Idbihi, Patrick Femmerling, Steff Haman, Jan Jagla, Demond Greene, Sergio Kerusch, Nihad Djedovic, Danilo Barthel and many more great guys who I left off the list’, warned Bryce Taylor He retired having played 370 easyCredit BBL games and 45 Euroleague games.

So what is the next step for Bryce Taylor He is best prepared for the next stage in his life. ‘I am currently pursuing my Sports Business MBA for 2023 and started the program at the beginning of the month. This is a part time program. My main job will be working for the Indiana Pacers as a team assistant for their player development staff. This means helping out with individual workouts, practicing with the team and doing video assignments per request of the coaching staff’, commented Bryce Taylor I will always have fond moments of him on the court and if I ever want to relive them, then I will be able to find enough examples on You Tube. His jump shot was one of beauty that you seldom see. I will remember him as a team player that always played hard and wanted to win. One memory that I will always remember was when I saw him after a convincing 77-57 Munich win in Frankfurt in December 2016 where he had just dropped 22 points to lead all scorers. As he exited the locker room, he saw me and yelled Mr Euroleague legend. How I was I supposed to top that line? After covering him for 12 seasons in Germany he once more gave my ego a push with his words of how he would remember me. ‘You are a very important figure as you have a huge platform and bring more attention to our league. I love your detailed articles and how much you seem to enjoy what you are doing. Thank you for your coverage over the years Miles’, stressed Bryce Taylor He also hopes that the fans in Germany will remember him in a positive light. ‘Exactly as you said, a team player that competed to win games. Somebody who shared the ball, took good shots and competed on the defensive end. I love the game and I hope that shined through as well’, said Bryce Taylor Thanks Bryce for 12 years in Germany and sharing your special talent on the court and your unique character off the court. You will be missed my friend. All the best in the future for you.

Jaleen Smith (193-PG-94, college: UNH) is a 26 year old 193cm guard from Freeport, Texas that is playing his fifth professional season and first with Alba Berlin. He played the last two seasons with the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg averaging 15.2ppg, 5.0rpg, Assists-3 (5.3apg), Steals-2 (1.8spg), FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 87.5%; and 10.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.4apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 53.1%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 82,8% the season before. In 2018-2019 he played with the MLP Academics Heidelberg (Germany-ProA) averaging 12,7ppg, 3,9rpg and 2,7apg. In his rookie season with New Hampshire (NCAA) from 2013-2017 where he played a total of 120 NCAA games. He improved his scoring, rebounding and assists average each season and as a senior he played 32 games averaging 15.8ppg, 6.4rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 78.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the brutal 101-63 win against the Fraport Skyliners.

Jaleen congrats on the massive 101-63 victory over the Fraport Skyliners. Please describe playing your first game in the Mercedes Benz arena in Berlin as a Alba player?

The Alba fans are amazing and it was great to see them back in the arena. You could really feel that special atmosphere already with only 50% fans there. I can’t imagine the atmosphere when the whole place had been packed.

How was the week of practice of after the tough loss to the Telekom Baskets Bonn? How aware were the guys that you needed a win 100%?

We were locked in all week long. There was some stuff that we had to work on. Bonn got us defensively on some things. I felt like we prepared very well for Frankfurt and it worked.

Alba Berlin began hot and finished the game strong and consistent. How far was this game from a perfect game?

We had some issues in the fourth and some things we need to work on, but overall it was a good game for us. Coach Israel had stressed that he wanted us to play a complete game for 40 minutes. I feel that we did that.

How much better was Alba Berlin defensively against Frankfurt than they were against Bonn?

We got a lot of steals against Frankfurt. We pressured them well and made them rush too much. Our pick and roll defense was a lot better. Our main focus was to contain them 1-1, ball screens and pick up the full court.

I believe the only bad point were the 17 turnovers. You, Blatt and Lo combined for 9 turnovers. Is acceptable for you to say that your still learning the system?

Yes we are still learning the system. It’s still early. We have only been at it for a month now. The new guys are still learning the system on offense and defense. I feel that as the season goes on and the more games and practices we play, we will all be able to play with each other a lot better.

In how tough shape are the Fraport Skyliners. Are they as bad as the score showed?

Yes I think that they still need to pick up some more imports. It is still early though. Our main focus was on Tez. Donaldson needs to be more aggressive,

Do you feel for a legend like Quantez Robertson who plays out his heart every night and has to watch the horror show on the court?

Yes I do. He came out with so much energy. He plays so hard at age 36 against so many young guys. He is so dedicated having been with Frankfurt for such a long time. He is all blood, sweat and tears for his team. I have so much respect for him. He is like the Kobe of the BBL with his faithfulness to one team. It’s cool to see.

The team lost some key figures form last season with Giffey, Grander and Siva. People don’t have Alba Berlin as strong as last season. When the bigs are healthy again, I think you will see a totally different Alba Berlin that will be strong.

For sure we will be better. We got Ben Lammers back and I feel like we got so much better. Also when the other two bigs return, it will make us better. It can give Schneider and Thiemann the opportunity to move back to the four. It will be big having so many more bigs in the rotation. I thought last season that that team wasn’t as good as the 2019-2020 team, but then they won the title again. It is all a learning process. When are back, we will be really good.

What has been your impression of Yovel Zoosman. How vital of a role will this guy play this season

I feel that he will be like a Fontecchio for us. A guy that plays the 2/3 can shoot the ball well and finish strong. I feel he could be a type of leading scorer for us. I have heard really good things from people and he has shown here that he can play.

You didn’t have a good debut against the Telekom Baskets Bonn. Was the last week tough getting ready for a new opponent? It’s never easy to rebound after a slow start.

The mind set that I had was to come out with vengence. I knew that there were people thinking why is he on the team or why did he have 0 points? Key for me this game was being aggressive. I feel like this game helped a little find my identity. I have to continue to be hungry every night, because we are the target for everyone and I need to compete every night.

You got on fire in the second quarter and finished with 13 points. How happy were you with your second game despite the many turnovers?

I thought that I shot the ball really well. I think that I will get easier shots this season than any other time in my career. I think I won’t have to take as many shots off the dribble, but be more that spot up shooter. I think that fits my game most. I also see myself attacking the close outs more. I need to improve my defense. I didn’t play good defense against Frankfurt.

Alba Berlin has many good guards and are deep. You most likely won’t have the stats you had with Ludwigsburg. How big will efficiency play a role in your performance?

That will be big. I will have to be super efficient with the minutes I get. With Ludwigsburg, I played 35-38 minutes and could take plays off. That won’t happen here. Here there will always be guys as good or better and I will always have to go hard and produce as well as possible in the minutes I get.

How do you feel that you will overall profit this season not having that major type of responsibility that you had with Ludwigsburg?

Efficiency will be the biggest challenge for me. I don’t think that I was that efficient in Heidelberg and in Ludwigsburg my first year was ok. I had a set role, but wasn’t as efficient. I will have to pick my spots here as best I can and be efficient. My game will profit from playing less.

How excited are about the Euroleague? What are you looking forward to most when competing against the best in Europe?

I am excited to showcase what I and the team can do. A lot of people aren’t expecting much from us. That will give us extra motivation. I am super excited to play against FC Barcelona that is one of the favorites. We want to come out and make some noise and prove people wrong.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Squid Game.

Thanks Jaleen for the chat.

Sergej Rudovic (192-G-03) is a 18 year old 192cm guard from Sweden playing in Denmark for BC Amager. So far in his early career he has had found experience playing with teams Stevnsgade U16 team (Sweden), Talje Knights (Sweden-Basketettan) and Team FOG Naestved (Denmark-BasketLigaen). germanhoops.com sat down with the young guard to talk basketball.

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

Hi Miles, Big thanks for having me here, right now I am in Copenhagen Denmark, and basketball life has not treating me the best the past 6 months. I had a stressful summer with not knowing where I would end up playing. Despite that I am not giving up on my dreams and when I put myself into something I put myself 100% into it.

Last season you played for Team FOG Naestved (Denmark-BasketLigaen) playing only 10 games. At the moment you are without a club. How difficult has it been finding a new team with COVID and not getting a real chance last season?

Last season for me as a teenage player was really tough since I think I deserved more than what I got .I recently got picked up by the Coach Almir Zeco from the club Bk Amager who also are part of basketligaen. I was careful with choosing a team this year since I didn’t want to end up in the same situation like last season, it wouldn’t be healthy for my career. I’m super thankful that Almir picked me up and most importantly believe in me, the rest is in my hands.

Do you feel like Team FOG Naestved (Denmark-BasketLigaen) gave up on you? Why do you feel didn’t you get a real chance there?

I don’t feel they recognize that they gave up on me, either do I. In young age of playing professional basketball there are always players who are paid a lot more than you, so no matter how good you do, they still have to play. It all starts when you are buying players in the beginning if you sign a young player who you want to develop into something, than you are not supposed to buy in 7 other players into the same position.

What kind of relationship did you have with head coach Arnel Dedic? How difficult is it having that player/coach relationship when you are hardly playing?

It’s a relation based on mutual respect and I will always respect him for introducing me to senior/profesional basketball. I was not really focused on the relationship, for me it was mostly that I still stay in love with basketball and keep developing by working out with my personal coaches

What was most challenging for you personally during COVID? Do you feel like mentally it had a toll on you as it did for so many other players around the globe?

It definitely had, I lost 2 seasons and now this last season as u19 I will not play. It’s hard since I still have some goals as a youth player that I wanted to attend to, as far as playing the ADNGT Tournament. Since that didn’t happen I hope to one day play the real Euroleague

Team FOG Naestved (Denmark-BasketLigaen) has been a solid club for years always making the playoffs. What do you feel was the biggest problem for you cracking the rotation? Was it being Swedish a problem for making a break through past the team’s young Danish players?

As I mentioned before. You can not bring a young player in and give him no space (stack the roster om my position) if I would have got 5+ minutes I definitely would have got into my momentum. No it had nothing to do with me being Swedish, the management loved me and I can’t hide the fact that they wanted me to stay. The problem is not having an overview of what you are buying into.

Despite playing only 10 games and averaging only 2,3 minutes per game, do you feel like this experience could give you some positives?

I definitely showed quality in some of those games. It’s hard to really do something positive in those minutes when the game almost is done. I have had some great assists during those minutes. Positives I got from it is that I BELONG.

Your from Sweden. How is the state of Swedish basketball. Why does a young player like you go to Denmark? Isn’t there better support for bringing up young Swedes at home?

In Sweden I have been under the radar for a while I grew up around in Europe, nobody really knows what I am capable of, and I haven’t really had my focus in the Swedish market this off season, since for me it was most important to go to a coach who will believe in me.

You played for the Serbian U-16 team in 2019. Talk a little about your connection to Serbia. Wouldn’t getting proper basketball training in Serbia be an option?

The National team was fun, really fun and was a nice experience with a great group of guys that I am really good friends with still to this day. Since that summer corona appeared and I have got under the radar in those years. I hope to be part of the U20 squad. I have wanted to play in Serbia back in 2019 where some coaches from good teams came and watched the practices, but I decided I wanted to go to Buducnost Vold u19 squad where Peter Mijovic was coaching. He was promoted to the men’s team and that opportunity was dropped.

Let’s talk a little about your game. You’re a 192cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player or player in Europe who would best fit the description?

I hope to grow more, since my grandad was 2,05 cm tall I don’t feel I had my summer where I grew 10cm. I follow a lot Stefan Peno from Alba Berlin and we are very similar with our playing. Calm smart shoot the shots that have to be taken and be a leader.

Talk a little about your strengths as a player. What kind of a player do you want to see yourself developing into?

With the energy I’m bringing on the court I am capable of getting the team into momentum. I want to see myself develop into a stabile Euroleague player, and I’m not hiding the fact that I have been a big fan of Alba where I have been on the radar as a youth.

What are the biggest area’s of improvement in your game where you are working the most time on to get better?

I work all around. During the off season I worked a lot on the way I’m dribbling the ball the right way as well soothing the ball with balance after movement, and get my body in a basketball shape with low body fat.

Please explain in a few sentences why you could help any team right now with your game?

The only thing I can control is playing defense and giving energy. With the team ball movement I am sure I would get to my shoots. I wouldn’t say I am an experienced player yet but I have seen how things work and how they should be.

Who is the toughest player that you have ever played against?

I have played against and with many players who now are in Euroleague or seen as top prospects for the NBA and one of the toughest I played against would definitely be my good friend Mihajlo Petrovic from Partizan. He is a really nice player

Where does Luka Doncic rank right now among the greatest players in world and where will he end up one day in the world’s greatest players?

I can’t say where he will end up being but I am a fan of his game and his smartness, he is never rushing it into some situations but he is controlling the game.

Thanks Sergej for the chat.

                The last time the Fraport Skyliners played a home game in the Fraport arena with fans was almost 19 months ago. Back then you had Skyliners running up and down the floor with Lamont Jones, Shaquille Hines and Daniel Schmidt while the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg still had a raw BBL player with Jaleen Smith who was continuing to grow as a player as well as potent players like Marcos Knight and Nick Weiler-Babb. Now at the start of two seasons later one thing never changes. Quantez Robertson is still here playing his 13^th season and not seeming to slow down. COVID changed everything in the world and not playing in front of fans was a difficult task for every one. Finally the loud atmosphere was back again everywhere This season´s roster is a very interesting one firstly with new Spanish head coach Diego Ocampo as well as many new players like Donovan Donaldson, Matt Haarms and Brooks DeBischop and many questions marks. As usual the club has suffered the injury bug. Good for them that they would meet the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig as they are one of the weaker teams this season. A victory off the bat was vital, because the club would meet some real tough teams in the next weeks and didn´t want to be in the hole right away. The Fraport Skyliners were in control in the first half even if they could never shake the guests, but in the second half the tide changed as Braunschweig stepped up their defensive intensity and found a way to execute better offensively winning 89-76 despite a great day from Quantez Robertson scoring a career high 29 points. “We had a lack of execution when we needed it most in the fourth quarter and we also gave up too many second chance points and turnovers which helped them get the win”, stressed ex Auburn(NCAA) guard Quantez Robertson.  The Basketball Lowen Braunschweig got a massive win on the road and most importantly give them a good chance to win the head to head points against Frankfurt for t5eh season winning by 13 points. “We started slow, because we were a bit nervous. It was the first BBL game for some guys. But in the second half we started to run and play better defense. We also hit timely shots and played more aggressive defense. The only problem we had was trying to stop Quantez Robertson”, stressed Czech Republic national player Ondrej Sehnal.

                The first quarter was a tight affair as no team could escape each other as the Fraport Skyliners led 21-20 after 10 minutes. Both teams found their offensive rhythm, but couldn´t find an identity on the defensive end. Frankfurt got some early energy from 221 cm Dutch giant rookie Matt Haarms who did a good job establishing position and then letting his arms and shot do the rest. Branschweig got massive early production from ex Georgia Southern University(NCAA) guard Tookie Brown who scored three buckets showing his classy mid range game and penetration. With the contest dead locked at 8-8, Frankfurt coach Diego Ocampo inserted ex wiha Panther Rasheed Moore who as usual gave the team instant support with a jumper and trey for the 13-10 advantage. Frankfurt would get the lead back just before the end of the first quarter. At the 3,27 minute mark, new Skyliner Senegal guard Brancou Badio who last played with FC Barcelona was inserted and saved his best for last as he made a crushing one handed dunk as he sprinted from center court and showed his brutal athleticism that almost knocked Quantez Robertson off his chair on the bench. “His dunk was a bit surprising, because I didn´t see it coming. He attacked the rim and I was sipping some water on the bench and almost choked after that dunk”, laughed Quantez Robertson. Both teams were shooting at a very high clip going into the second quarter.

                The second quarter didn´t begin as smoothly for both clubs as the first few minutes brought an ugly turnover party as both teams coughed it up at a high rate. It seemed like a sequel could be happening to the Pro B game of the night before between the Fraport Skyliners Juniors and TSV Oberaching Tropics where both teams produced an incredible 51 turnovers combined. The Fraport Skyliners recovered from the mishaps better as they snuck out on a 11-2 run to give themselves their biggest lead of the game at 32-22. In the run it was Badio who continued to shine. He made a lay in and his concentration and confidence made it look like he had been with Frankfurt for a longer time and not just three days. Frankfurt also got massive support from their leader and league identity figure Quantez Robertson who nailed two three´s and also contributed a steal and went coast to coast for the lay in. Frankfurt was flourishing on offense, but had serious lapses on defense allowing the guests to go on little spurts. Braunschweig got support from Sehnal, ex MBC center Benedikt Turudic and ex FC Bayern Munich German Robin Amaize to cut Frankfurt´s lead down to 33-30. Down the stretch Badio continued to be that reliable scorer that Frankfurt so desperately need making a floater and 20 footer. At the end of 40 minutes he had produced 14/4/4 stats and impressed his teammates like Quantez Robertson even if he did have 5 turnovers, his first game was refreshing. “He was very poised and was very aggressive. He shot the ball well and played good defense. He will be a very good addition for us”, stated Quantez Robertson. Despite leading 38-30, Frankfurt got careless at the end allowing a 5-0 Braunschweig run to lead only 38-35. “We executed better did a better job getting rebounds and getting out on the fast break”, said Quantez Robertson.

                In the third quarter the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig came out refocused and took control of the game, but still couldn´t shake the Fraport Skyliners allowing them to hang around and always be in striking range. Braunschweig got vital production from their guard duo of ex ratiopharm Ulm guard David Kramer and Sehnal as they made big baskets, but Frankfurt stayed on their door step getting key buckets from ex Alba Berlin big man Lorenz Brenneke, Robertson and Rasheed Moore to tie the game at 47-47. Braunschwieg executed better playing more team basketball and pressured the Frankfurt guards more efficiently. The gusts continued to keep the slim lead getting further important scores from Brown and Owen Klassen, but Frankfurt stayed with them cutting the lead to 52-51 as Quantez Robertson was alert getting out quickly on transition and beating the Braunschweig transition defense. Klassen got two more baskets, but Frankfurt always had an answeras  Donovan Donaldson scored a lay in and free throws to tie the game at 59-59. But the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig still had something up their sleeve as Robin Amaize made a catch and pop jumper as time expired in the third quarter giving Braunschweig the 61-59 advantage. Both teams shot over 50% from the field, but Frankfurt had the rebound edge 29-21, but had an unacceptable 16 turnovers. “Coach told us at half-time that we weren´t playing Braunschwieg basketball. We came out running more and played more aggressive defense. As we hit our shots more, the more confidence we got”, said Ondrej Sehnal.  “Braunschweig played more aggressive defense and executed better. They simply wanted it more than us. They pressured us well and we had bad turnovers”, expressed Quantez Robertson.

                In the fourth quarter the Basketball Lowen took total control and despite a furious offensive explosion by Quantez Roberson, the Fraport Skyliners couldn´t get over the hump. Braunschwieg didn´t waste anytime racing out on a 7-0 run to take their biggest lead of the game 68-59. In the run they got baskets from Peterka, Sehnal and Turudic. Braunschweig had incredible intensity while Frankfurt couldn´t muster anything in their set offense. The point guard play was below average and they had no real center input on this day which hampered their production. But sometimes things can move so rapidly when you fire away as Rasheed Moore and Quantez Robertson did guiding a lightening blitz form the parking lot and suddenly Frankfurt trailed only 68-65. But Braunschweig always had answers scoring twice quickly as Klassen and Amaize countered to give Braunschweig the 72-65 lead. But then came the big time of Quantez Robertson as he nailed three consecutive three´s, but Frankfurt still was unable to make ground still trailing 77-74. “I came out aggressive and just tried to help my team”, stated Quantez Robertson. It seemed like Frankfurt might have the momentum now, but they didn´t because they couldn´t get stops. After Klassen and Haarms traded baskets, it was Sehnal that put an early stamp on the game with a three giving the guests the 84-76 win. “I started sloppy, but came better into the game in the third quarter with my defense and then started hitting shots”, said Ondrej Sehnal. Braunschweig then put the nail on the coffin securing three offensive rebounds in two possessions while getting two stops. A Brown lay in and Peterka trey closed out the game. “We changed up our defense after the three Robertson three´s and that was key for the win”, expressed Ondrej Sehnal. “Second chance points hurt us in the pre season and did again today at the end. We also couldn´t get the defensive rebounds at the end”, expressed Quantez Robertson. The Basketball Lowen Braunschweig were led by Martin Peterka with 16 points. David Kraemer and Ondrej Sehnal added 14 points a piece and Owen Klassen, Tookie Brown and Robin Amaize had 13 points a piece while the Fraport Skyliners were led by Quantez Robertson with 29 points. Brancou Badio added 14 points and Rasheed Moore had 13 points. The Basketball Lowen Braunschweig shot 55% from the field and 50% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 15 turnovers Fraport Skyliners shot 49% from the field and 38% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 21 turnovers.

It doesn´t happen often in the German Pro B, but every so often it does when two teams meet within only a few days. Last season the schedule allowed the Fraport Skyliners Juniors to meet the TSV Oberaching Tropics  within 4 days where the two clubs split. In the meeting in Frankfurt the Bavarian team led by head coach Mario Matic who was a teammate of 2009 easyCredit BBL scoring champion Omari Westley with Nordlingen was spanked 99-76 as Len Schoorman and Noah Kamden combined for 41 points. This time around both players were absent and the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were reeling from a very tough blow out loss to Pro B favorite EPG Baskets Koblenz. On the other hand the TSV Tropics Oberaching came to Frankfurt with a massive 61-59 home win over Erfurt and had a lot of chemistry and self confidence coming to Frankfurt. The Bavarian guests who had to let go from rising German talent Benjamin Schroeder who decided to stick to youth team IBAM, but still had a very strong team led by captain Janosch Koegler and many experienced players that know how to play together. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors as always have a very deep young team that are always ready for a surprise and once again they came ready to play and spanked the TSV Oberaching Tropics again this time without Len Schoorman 93-59. It was a game that saw the Fraport Skyliners Juniors spray three´s from all over  in an ugly turnover slugfest that saw both team cough up the ball combined an incredible 51 times. Frankfurt came out and dominated from the start, but gave up way too many turnovers and against smarter and deeper teams could of seen a totally different game. After the first win of the season, center Marco Voeller displayed his feelings about the result. “For the most part it was a good game. We made way too many bad decisions. We gave up too many offensive rebounds. The ball movement was good, but then again we sometimes made too many passes. When a guy was open came an extra and an extra pass. I felt like we made good decisions out of the pick and roll”, stated ex BBL player Marco Voeller. The guests came out flat and could never find a consistent game rhythm. It was a game too forget and now they have three weeks to practice and get better until their next game. “They came out and put us on the spot right away. We tried to figure it out, but they always had an answer for us. We couldn´t figure it out on offense or defense. We gave our all, but weren´t ready mentally or physically. I´m still proud of the guys the way they stuck together”, stressed ex University Of Buffalo(NCAA) guard John Boyer.

                The TSV Oberaching Tropics having got trapped under the bed covers at the start and before they even knew what had struck them, they were staring at a 9-0 deficit. In the strong early run, Frankfurt got vital production from 18 year old young German buck Alexander Richardson who muscled home a lay in over three defenders and made a lay in while ex Hanau guard Felix Hecker dropped free throws and ex TG Hanau forward Calvin Schaum made a steal and went coast to coast for the bucket. Who knows where the guests would have ended up had they not had the early brutal production from 208cm big man Bernhard Benke who got the guests on the board for the first time at the 6,42 minute mark after the team had not scored on it´s first 6 possessions. Frankfurt had found their offensive rhythm early and continued to execute finding their range from outside as point guard Alvin Oniya nailed a trey as did Schaum for the 15-4 lead. Frankfurt had many helping hands including 8 year man Konstantin Schubert who hit a trey for the 18-11 advantage. Frankfurt had great ball movement, controlled the boards despite Benke doing his thing inside and pressured their guards well. The guests still hadn´t found a team rhythm, but rather it was Benke who scored 9 points in a row keeping his team in the game as nobody else was a factor. “I feel bad for Bernhard. His back must be hurting from carrying us so much. He played with so much passion and we didn´t support him. He is a stable force and he brings it each day”, stressed John Boyer. Oberaching had no outside shooting, but rather did damage inside as ex Wurzburg power forward Fynn Fischer who played 3 BBL games made two baskets at the end, but Frankfurt still had the commanding advantage 25-15. The game turned into a turnover fest as both teams had combined for 13 turnovers after one quarter. “Frankfurt got off to a hot start. They had good ball movement. Guys like Oniya, Richardson Hecker practice with us so it becomes contagious. They just couldn´t stop the kid Benke”, stated Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson.

                In the second quarter, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were able to extend their lead to 20 points, but the turnover slug fest continued as both teams coughed up the ball at a high rate as both had 26 at the break. The guests actually got on the board first as Fynn Fischer made an offensive rebound and put back, but Frankfurt struck back getting a Voeller lay in and Philipp Hadenfeld trey for the 30-17 lead. Then came the high point of the turnover slug fest as a few minutes transpired as no team scored, but the possessions changed rapidly with many turnovers. Oberaching had little offensive fire power as ex FC Bayern Munich 2 German Moritz Noeres made a floater, but Frankfurt always had an answer. Hadenfeld got hot scoring 8 points while Alvin Onyia nailed a three pointer for the 41-21 Frankfurt lead. Frankfurt continued to defend aggressively and with passion not allowing the guests to get off good shots while their pressure always got them into problems. Benke scored 4 points in the last minute, but Frankfurt continued to have the comfortable lead leading 45-25 at the break. Frankfurt continued to have the rebound lead 22-12 and both teams were dead locked at 13 apiece in the turnover column. “Their were so many turnovers. I think a big problem that Frankfurt had was that they tried to play too fast. Hadenfeld and Schubert hit big shots and carried the team”, said ex Auburn(NCAA) player Quantez Robertson.

                The Fraport Skyliners Juniors continued to do their thing in the third quarter and had absolutely no mercy for TSV Oberaching Tropics continuing to let it rain three´s and extended their lead to an incredible 34 points winning the quarter 27-13. . Diminutive guard Alvin Oniya did a sneaky act racing to catch an offensive rebound and put back to give Frankfurt the first points in the fourth quarter. Oberaching captain Janosch Koegler who dropped 32 points in Frankfurt last season in a losing effort couldn´t muster any offense in the first half, but finally executed better in the third quarter scoring 5 points early to cut the Frankfurt lead to 48-30. But that didn´t rattle Frankfurt as they continued to let big three´s fall from the sky as they went on a rapid 15-3 run as Hadenfeld nailed two three´s and Nils Leonhardt and ex Giessen guard Niklas Bilski also connected in the run. Then everyone seemed to get in on the three point action as forward Leon Pullen who is more known for his cutting and rebounding work dropped two trey´s in a row to give Frankfurt the overwhelming 71-35 advantage. Oberaching closed out the quarter with a 5-1 run to trail 71-40 as Benke made a lay in. Frankfurt´s shooting rose above 50% from the field and outside and they still had the rebound edge 31-21 and the combined turnovers had rose to 37 as Oberaching had 21 and Frankfurt 16. “We had the big lead, but we still continued to make too many turnovers. We can´t relax as other teams can come back and change the game. We have to learn to stay more clam”, stated Marco Voeller. “We tried different things on defense with pressure, doing press, zone and switching, but nothing worked. It just wasn´t our day”, warned John Boyer.

                TSV Oberaching Tropics had their best offensive output in the fourth quarter, but the Fraport Skyliners Juniors also continued to execute to keep the big lead. The turnovers continued to happen as 16 more were produced. Benke continued to execute scoring left and right while for Frankfurt, Philipp Hadenfeld wasn´t only scoring, but also helping on other fronts. After coughing up the ball, he made a big play stealing an inbounds pass and then throwing an outlet pass to Voeller for an easy transition bucket. Later he led the fast break and made a pretty behind the back pass to Hecker who found Schaum for the two handed stuff as Frankfurt led 78-44. “Philipp had a great game. He played with a lot of self-confidence”, stressed Marco Voeller. Konstantin Schubert had a second straight game after his long injury of scoring in double figures with 12 points. Even if the stat sheet registered only one block, he had two. “I have had two blocks before, but it was long ago. I have been here for a while. The first was coming over from the help side and the second was on Benke face up”, smiled Konstantin Schubert. Bilski hit a trey for the 81-46 lead. Oberaching got some offensive execution in garbage time as Philipp Bode who was hot on defense with 5 steals scored as did Noeres and Fischer. Frankfurt also got some baskets from Hadenfeld and Richardson. “We were a bit tired at the end. We let up, but we can´t allow that to be standard. It is always tough when you lead by so much to stay concentrated. That belongs to the game”, stated Konstantin Schubert. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Philipp Hadenfeld with 23 points. Alvin Onyia added 12 points while TSV Oberaching Tropics were led by Bernhard Benke with 23 points and Fynn Fischer assed 13 points. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 50% from the field and from outside and registered 41 rebounds and 26 turnovers while TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 38% from the field and 17% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 27 turnovers.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright (176-PG-95, college: Arizona) is a 26 year old 176cm point guard from Los Angeles, California playing his fourth professional season and first in Germany with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. He played at the University of Arizona (NCAA) from 2014-2018 reaching the NCAA Elite 8 and two NCAA Sweet 16’sand winning three Pac 12 tournaments. He played his rookie season for the G-League team Westchester Knicks and then came overseas playing for the Cheshire Phoenix (United Kingdom-BBL) and last season for the Saint-Quentin Basket-Ball (France-ProB) playing 33 games averaging 15.6ppg, 3.2rpg, Assists-1 (7.1apg), Steals-1 (2.4spg), FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 77.1%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after guiding the Telekom Baskets Bonn to a very impressive opening season 88-86 win over Alba Berlin

Congrats on a great 88-86 win over 2021 easyCredit BBL champion Alba Berlin. How did it feel for you personally winning your first game on the road against the defending champion?

We knew going in that it would be a difficult game. They have a lot of history. I think that we showed that we can surprise a lot of people. We never stopped fighting, withstood all their runs and showed a lot of character. You can imagine something like this happening but in a way it’s also surreal. It is incredible what kind of leaps and bounds we have taken from pre-season until now. We did make a lot of mistakes last night, but you can’t teach effort. Our preparation and will to win helped us get this big win. We never gave up and stayed together.

Alba Berlin began very well showcasing their offensive arsenal, but the Telekom Baskets Bonn found into the game better in the second quarter. What was key for being able to execute better?

Key for us was taking what they gave us. They are a team that is very traditional in how they make adjustments. They have a smart coach and players that will always switch things up. We were very poised in how we attacked them. At times we were out of control, but important was that we did make shots when we needed to. We locked down on defense and didn’t get away from what we do.

The fourth quarter was really tight and Bonn stepped up their defense. What adjustments did the team make being able to clamp down better on defense?

Key was attention to detail and just sticking to our principles. The way they played fit our mold and players. We locked down more on defense and just played a little harder. We have very versatile players and guys like Tyson Ward and Karsten Tadda made big plays. I got hands on balls as well. Big defensive plays turned our defense into a monster at the end. We picked the right time to do it. Now we have to do it for 40 minutes.
Bonn played their best defense in the last seconds forcing a turnover and then getting another stop. How big was the overall team spirit there to help you get that stop?

Yes our spirit was big. It is easy to panic on the road, but we never did. We were down by 8 points with something like 4 minutes to go and took a time out. Their lead could of easily ballooned to 20. We refocused and were able to stick to our principles. Coach had a lot of trust in us and we just played harder. Staying poised in that moment helped us a lot. We fought very hard and made a few more plays at the end to win.

You have made some massive free throws in your career. How big do you rank those against Alba Berlin?

They weren’t any bigger than others in my career. I think that I did a good job putting my team and myself into good position to win the game. I give a lot of credit to coach and my teammates for giving me trust with the ball. They had a lot of confidence in me. I wasn’t always perfect, but my intent was always good to make the right play.
Alba Berlin was missing three bigs. How much of an effect did that have on their game. Was their outside shooting more predictable and easier to defend?

I wouldn’t say that. They had some injuries and needed to adjust so they went smaller. At times they played four guys on the perimeter. There was so much space. I still think that it played into their favor. They still found ways to find the paint and get us in trouble. They were able to get the ball inside to Sikma and he found ways to spray the ball to shooters. They found a way to adjust without their bigs and did a good job. They were already dangerous like this and will be even more dangerous when the bigs return.

How proud are you of the Bonn guard rotation in general on their effort on containing Smith, Lo, Blatt and Mattissek? What was key for being able to slow these guys down?

The way we play defense, we are able to take them out of rhythm. We like to pressure guards full court and that isn’t easy to do for 40 minutes. A guy like Mo is uber fast. He changes the pace and can be by you in the blink of an eye. I felt we did a good job disrupting him. We weren’t always able to stop him, but we slowed him down well and not let him set up their offense.

What kind of an experience was it for you seeing and battling the great versatile Luke Sikma who filled the stat sheet. Is there anything this guy can’t do?

I knew what type of player he was. The whole league has a lot of respect for him. He is so smart and knows how to set up his team to be successful. He is so solid and you can’t rattle him, but just try to slow him down. There is a reason why he was MVP. You can’t ever fall asleep, because he always makes the right play.

What has been like being teammates with Skyler Bowlin? He is a big time veteran. Can a veteran like you still learn something from his game?

After only two months, I can say that he is already one of my favorite teammates of all-time. I totally mean it. He is really smart and has been around the game for so long. He knows what has to be done on and off the court. I have become a better professional in the first two months because of him. He always gives me guidance and never disappoints me. The whole team trusts him.

You had a very impressive debut having 25/5/6/6 stats. What words of encouragement did brother Miles give you this time?

He told me just to stay focused. I should never get to high or low, because it is a long season. Now teams expect me to play the way I did. Now it gets more challenging. I have to stay grounded and remain hungry. It is a long road. I have to keep working and stay confident. When you play with a chip on your shoulder, good things happen.

You have an amazing first step? Is their danger that teams have you off the radar, but will be able to key in on you better in the second half of the season?

I think this is the way in any other league. There are good coaches everywhere that scout and you play a team twice. That is just the way the game is. I’m not always perfect and need to always push myself to be better. I feel like the sky is the limit for me. I love the challenge. Everybody will push me and I will continue to watch film and see how I can get better. I feel like I could have been 10 to 20 times better against Alba Berlin.

What kind of self-confidence did you win seeing that you were the best player on the court and that a guy like high class player Jaleen Smith who had other Euroleague offers is still searching for his game?

Smith is a good player and will be an important piece for Alba Berlin. You could see glimpses of it last night. I’m battle tested and have been playing at high levels my whole life. This isn’t new for me. I thrive in these situations. I have been under the radar my whole life mainly because I’m small, but I was able to overcome it. I know that there are still people that don’t expect me to play like this and I love it. That is why I can play my best. I’m never surprised.

How big was this win for the self-confidence of the team? Is a win like this dangerous or has coach Iisalo been able to keep the team grounded?

The big question now is how will we move forward from this big win. Coach Iisalo shows up each day with a totally new mindset to attack the day and get better. This was a big win, but we need to look at the long term. We need to be locked in just as much against Ulm the way we against Alba Berlin.

The Telekom Baskets will have no time to rest form top competition as you next face ratiopharm Ulm and Alba Berlin again in a span of four days. Having these back to back challenges must be very exciting for you?

That is the way it is when you play at a high level. I think it isn’t any different if you play against Braunschweig and Ludwigsburg. It’s all the same. You can never relax and need to respect everyone. You have to always be prepared. The next games will be tough, but it will be more about how well we prepare. We will watch film and get better. At game time we will give our best and live with the result

What was the last movie that you saw?

Rush Hour.

Thanks Parker for the chat.

With two weeks to go before the start of the 2020-2021 easyCredit BBL, I wasn´t necessarily awaiting a 30 point scolding by the Fraport Skyliners over Pro A team PS Karlsruhe in a pre season contest, but at least having Frankfurt control the game. Instead the Fraport Skyliners didn´t get up off the wrong side of the bed, but moreover seemed to be in a nasty sleep walk getting down 11-0. Nothing worked at both ends of the court. On offense they couldn´t execute the easiest passes while on defense gave up easy baskets and had no communication. As usual it was Mr Cinderella Rasheed Moore who came off the bench and gave the 2004 BBL champion the needed energy to get going. The guy who is one of the few players ever in Germany to go from the Regionalliga to the BBL step by step in three years saved the club´s butt numerous times last season with his versatile play. It wasn´t a cake walk, but at the end Frankfurt did win, but it was simply ugly. If this is was a preview of how the 20-21 season could go, well then it will be a very long season. Of course the organization hopes it will reach the playoffs again after not having been there often in the last years, but this season could go either way. There are positives and negatives to the Fraport Skyliners team this season and it will be interesting where exactly the journey will go for them. The question is can the new Spanish presence head coach Diego Ocampo lead the Fraport Skyliners to success despite nagging injuries and unproven players?

The biggest positive and strength has to be the presence of head coach Diego Ocampo. . After Aito brought titles to Alba Berlin and Pedro Calles helped Vechta and Hamburg reach the playoffs, it was obvious that other clubs in the BBL might go this trend of bringing in Spanish blood. Frankfurt and Braunschweig followed. He is a guy who hasn´t had any big success as a head coach in terms of titles, but has two things going for him. He has learned from legends like Aito and Joan Plaza and is known for being able to shape and develop young players. He coached the Spanish U-16 and U-17 teams and won a Bronze medal at the U-16 European championships in Lithuania in 2011.  Everyone knows the reputation that the Fraport Skyliners have had in the last 10 years with their ambitious youth program. They have belonged to the top youth development addresses in Germany and have helped Johannes Voigtmann and Danilo Barthel reach the Euroleague and assist Isaac Bonga to making the NBA. Ocampo has worked with players like Leandro Bolmaro, Kristaps Porzingis, Marc Gasol and Tomas Satoransky helping them move ahead. He also coached FC Barcelona 2 for two years enriching their youth program. “Diego is amazing with young players. He has worked with a lot of young players in his career and I think that he is able to teach young players a lot. Teaching individual skills is one of his greatest strengths as a coach”, warned ex Ocampo player Scott Bamforth. Ocampo doesn´t only foster vital player/coach relationships on the court, but off the court is a genuine human being who won´t turn off his phone after practice, but also be there for the player. ““I really liked him as a person. He cares deeply about his players and family. We had some differences on the court. His solutions for every problem was work harder, work harder, work harder. Spend more hours practicing. My mindset is identify the problem and find the smartest solution. So we didn’t see eye to eye. Both of us cared so much about basketball & the team, but with different philosophies it was a conflict”, remembered Ocampo ex player Garrett Stutz. It will be interesting to see what Ocampo can produce out of the roster.

With a limited budget, it is always like playing the sweepstakes when it comes to reeling in the best possible players with the money you have. Frankfurt haven´t had the most talented import point guards the last two seasons, but this season hope that Donovan Donaldson can make a difference. He played in lower leagues in Europe, but has shown in pre season that he can push the ball and score in bunches, but can he be the reliable playmaker when his shot isn´t falling? The club also got two young bigs with Dutch 221cm giant Matt Haarms and American Brooks DeBisshop. Haarms is a rookie who last season played at Brigham Young. He has shown that he can dunk and make good passes out of the pick and role, but can he become a consistent scorer at the BBL level, while DeBishop has shown that toughness and does a lot of things that you don´t see on the stat sheet. Plus his self-confidence of wanting to be the best rebounder in the BBL is enriching. A steal could have been ex NBA player and G-league legend Reggie Hearn. This guy can really shoot the ball and is a prolific scorer. His character according to ex Skyliner legend Tyrone Ellis is incredible. But he is already departed again as he suffered a long term injury where the club couldn´t wait to heal. Instead they brought in Zaccheus Darko-Kelly who had been with the MHP Riesen in pre season to fill the void. German Lukas Wank was on the German national team 12 man roster at the 2021 Olympics and is a versatile player that can score and will have to play point guard this season. He will give the team another dimension on the defensive end being able to defend many positions with his aggressiveness and length.

The club kept two imports with Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson and Mr Cinderella Rasheed Moore. Robertson is playing his 13^th season with the Fraport Skyliners and is with Mr Oldenburg Ricky Paulding the identity figure of the easyCredit BBL. He isn´t as quick as 8 years ago, but still quick enough to belong to the top defenders every year. “I want to be more of an offensive threat this season and shoot better. ‘You will continue to see me attached to guy’s hips and read the offensive guys eyes on the weak side and continue to rack up steals”, warned Quantez Robertson. Last season Rasheed Moore was my unsung hero and belonged to the best players on the team together with Matt Mobley and Quantez Robertson. This season his role will be even more important. Of course his versatility, scoring and rebounding will have to be spot on like last season, but in addition he can be an added mentor type with Quantez Robertson helping the many inexperienced BBL players. With the injuries to Bruno Vrcic and Len Schoorman who were projected with vital roles this season, the team will have to rely on other German players to have to come in. Jordan Samare and Lorenz Brenneke could be these type of players. Both will get extended minutes in the Pro B with the Juniors, but especially Brenneke could emerge as a big winner in the BBL finally getting a real chance breaking into the Frankfurt rotation. He is an allrounder, but his biggest strength is that he is fearless. Samare can give the club stable shooting and rebounding and doesn´t miss much form the free throw line. Also 18 year old German Alexander Richardson who is mainly projected to make the next step in the Pro B could be the big surprise this season with his first BBL minutes. He has a big body that is still very raw, but has an incredible will to learn

            In the seasons where new German national coach Gordon Herbert was behind the bench, the Fraport Skyliners belonged to the best defensive teams in the BBL often allowing in the high 60´s in points per game. Last season the team allowed 82 points per game which was still eighth best in the league. In the pre-season the style of Frankfurt and defensive effort have shown that they want to defend with passion. They have kept the points down and their aggressiveness has led to an abundance of transition buckets. The team wants to play fast and get up a shot as quickly as possible in the first 8 seconds and when they can´t execute then go into the half court offense and work for a good shot. The two biggest questions marks is the walking wounded list which continues to be a massive thorn in the side of this organization. Germans Vrcic and Schoormann will be out for a while and that is just very bitter. The club has a void at the German position. Reggie Hearn was out right away and will need some time to get into rhythm not only with the club, but also with the flow of the BBL. The other void is can the imports Donaldson, Haarms and DeBisshop make a difference in the very strong easyCredit BBL. The club just doesn´t possess much BBL experience on the roster. That could be the difference from scrapping at the playoff places or landing in no man´s land at 13 or 14. Crucial could also be how they begin the season. They have to start well and get some wins off the bat. Getting wins over Braunschweig and Bonn have to be made while stealing a win against Hamburg would be golden while beating Alba Berlin isn´t realistic. After these four opponents come tough teams Munich, Ulm and Bamberg. It looks like this will be another season where the Fraport Skyliners won´t make the playoffs. I see them somewhere between 8-14, but more realistic is 10-17. The problem is that the easyCredit BBL is so extreme competitive anything can happen.  The most exciting thing to observe this season will be what kind of an impact Diego Ocampo will have on the success of the team. A close second will be how many words of Spanish Quantez Robertson can pick up from Diego Ocampo on long road trips?

In the last seasons finding the right nickname for Dragon Rhondorf import players Kameron Taylor and Curtis Hollis wasn´t always easy, but after some hard felt thought, I was able to come up with the appropriate one. For Kameron Taylor saying “It´s Seton Hill and Not Seton Hall was a funny one, because he had often had to tell people his school was Seton Hill and not the more known Seton Hall. For Dallas native Curtis Hollis, I actually didn´t have to do any thinking at all as he came up with the “Easy Work” nickname. I actually never asked him why he picked it, but when looking at his skilled game, often it looked so easy, the way he flew through the air letting his spectacular athleticism go to work. For new Dragons Rhondorf player, William Christmas finding a nickname is a lot easier, because when you have a last name like Christmas, the imagination can really go crazy. What really struck me right away were the phrases William “What do you want for” Christmas or William “What will you get me for” Christmas. Having to hear the non stop phrases about the holiday season referring his last name probably won´t be as much as in the States here in Germany, but overall the constant references to his special last name never bothered the laid back youngster. “I have literally heard every name concerning my last name. It´s a funny thing, but really it´s love that people are showing me. I think it´s cool and it has been something that I have rolled with an owned my whole life. Two things that really stand out are this one person said you should call your daughter Merry, then she would be Merry Christmas. Then there was this kid freshman year in high school who would call me a different holiday each day for a month”, laughed William Christmas. Wiliam Christmas is so much more than just having a famous last name, but a very versatile player that has a unique and special character.

                William Christmas who lists Washington State diminutive and shifty guard Tyrell Roberts and current ratiopharm Ulm guard Justin Simon as his toughest foes in the NCAA was born in Oceanside, California and began his basketball career at Oceanside high school.  In his senior year he was team MVP averaging 23,0ppg. He was a three time first team all leagues election and second team all county as a senior. He also won the Simon Scholar and Silver President award for excellence in English and math. He then attended  California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (NCAA2) from 2016-2020 playing a total of 106 games. One of the best known players to come out of Cal Poly was Larry Gordon who recently retired after a great 10 plus professional career where he spent six seasons in Germany. Everybody knew about Gordon´s legacy there and coach Kamansky didn´t mention his name too much. “Coach motivated us and pushed us to create our own legacy”, remembered William Christmas.  He was able to improve his scoring average each season and in his last three seasons put up 12/6, 15/6 and 16/7 stats. He scored in double figures in 68 games in his four year career. He nailed Chico State for 31 points in a win and 31 points against Cal State Bernadino in a tough 95-94 loss. It is often the bitter loses that players remember most. “I had some great games in big loses. I missed some potential game winning shots. My team relied on me a lot to take those tough shots. Unfortunately it wasn´t always the result we wanted”, remembered Will Christmas. But what was worse then losing those tough games was losing in the CCAA final three times in a row. Only the Buffalo Bills were worse losing in 4 Super Bowl finals. “The loses were heartbreaking. I felt somewhat proud getting to the final. It is tough to get to three finals, but even tougher to lose three in a row. I hope I can somewhat turn the streak around with the Dragons”, warned Will Christmas. The forward who would never have lost a one on one battle against teammate Tavian Henderson had a stellar career at Cal Poly winning CCAA freshman of the year award and was a three time tournament and first teams election. He understands that head coach Greg Kamansky had a lot to do with his development and becoming the player he did in his four years there. “The most important thing that coach helped me was getting me stronger and playing physical. The pro level is more physical and you have to be ready. He also helped me take good shots, take pride on defense and just do the little things”, stressed William Christmas.

            The California native who last saw the movie Seven was a Kinesiology major at Cal Poly and instead of turning professional in 2020, he opted to remain in school and get his degree. This is an act that one doesn´t see often today as guys are in a hurry to get money and help provide for their family. He took a different route and instead wanted to have that degree in the bag before the contract. Just doing this and declining to be a professional player at first shows just how much of a role model he is for young kids. “I feel very good that I did this. It is important that a player makes right decisions in life and know what happens after basketball. I´m very happy to have a degree. We all love the game, but we also need to have longer term views”, warned William Christmas. Even if physical therapy is his field of knowledge and he will have an advantage knowing how to take care of his body, he isn´t sure what he will do after basketball. “Right now it is still up in the air. Knowing about my body is a plus for sure. It is important to create good habits and use the knowledge that I have attained. I know more about the body then the average person. Maybe I will get into coaching one day”, expressed William Christmas. Having so much success on the floor at Cal Poly and being able to shine in the class room wasn´t hard enough, everything was really put to the test with COVID as it arrived in March 2020. He won´t forget all the challenges that he had to accept and master to achieve his goals in the last year and a half. The guy was so busy that one has to wonder how he found the time to get everything done. “The biggest challenge was taking so many classes online as well as always being ready to play. Plus being in the gym and having a job”, stated William Christmas. During the Pandemic, the ambitious guy didn´t have one job, but actually had three jobs. “I worked for Amazon in a warehouse, also did behavioral therapy and worked in a car park factory on the assembly line”, said William Christmas. People experienced so many new things during COVID that effected their lives, but also helped them get stronger as people and it wasn´t any different for the young man. “I was by myself a lot early during lock down. I had to develop a certain level of focus and make tough decisions. I learned how to work on things in certain situations not having my family around. This really helped me grow as a man”, commented William Christmas.

            Now the ex CCAA 2020 Regular season Co champion who lists Jordan Ogundiran, Jeremy Dennis, PJ Dozier, Phoenix Shackelford and Johnny Dee as his best teammates of all-time is playing his rookie professional season for German Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf. He obviously got some well needed advice from Larry Gordon, but also from ex German teammate at Cal Poly Finn Eckhardt. “I also talked to Jordan Faison who played in the Pro B. They all said good things about the country. They all said that playing in Germany is an easy transition and all know English. They also said the league is a good place to start as a rookie. I thought that playing with the Dragons was the best opportunity to maximize how much I will be able to improve my game my first year”, warned William Christmas. Also going into a new situation, it is always vital overseas that one has a good feeling about management and the coaching staff. He felt something special after having talks with CEO Yassin Idbihi. “He is a genuine good person. He works for all in the organization. I find it important that he has experience and did it all at a high level. He can show the way and it is great to have a guy that you can always call on when you need something”, stressed William Christmas. He will match up against very talented players in the Pro B and even will meet up with a player Vincent Golson who is playing his third professional season with the Rhein Stars Cologne that played in the CCAA conference with California State University Dominguez Hills(NCAA2). “It´s crazy but I actually saw his name on a stat sheet recently here. I remember everyone calling him two two. He was a very good player and shows how strong the conference was. That gives me a sense of pride of where I played”, added William Christmas.

            So what kind of player will German basketball fans see this season with William Christmas who lists his personal NBA Mount Rushmore with legends like Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant(his favorite player) and other Laker greats Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar? When asked who he would compare his game best to, there was  a long pause, but after a long thinking moment he came up with Oklahoma Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Christmas is a player that can do it all and guard the positions 1-4. He is crafty, long and like a slithery snake, but his biggest strength is his versatility something that ex Rhondorf guard Kameron Taylor possessed four years ago. “I´m a guy that can put it on the floor and make things happen at both ends of the court. I think having been a player that could always do what is needed kept me on the court”, warned William Christmas. His three pointer is still a work in progress, but nothing that he is worried about. “My mechanics are solid. For me it has been more a matter of getting up reps, being confident and shot selection. You make more shots if you take better shots. I am always ready game time”, stressed Wiliam Christmas. Even if he can fill up the stat sheet with ease and be that impact player on the offensive end, he will also make waves on the defensive end. It is here that he takes very much pride. Obviously his athleticism plays a big part for his success, but there is also something different that helps him excel. “Playing defense is one of the most important aspects for me. I want to shut down guys and make it very tough for them against me. My athleticism is vital, but so is my length and basketball IQ”, warned William Christmas. He is constantly working on his game to be the best player he can be. “Shooting is the number one thing I´m working on. Another thing is working on my decision making. Making smart decisions on the floor keeps you on the court”, stressed William Christmas. Even if the Rhondorf organization stresses youth development, the American will see many minutes this season and should also make the fans happy with his play. He also may here the one or another Christmas joke in English, but that is something that he has been used to his whole life. Basketball and Christmas go hand in hand for the amiable American who will enrich the Dragons organization with his versatility and character.