BBL

Swiss Army Knife Tyler Wahl(Panionios Athens) Can Score 0 Points But Still Be Happy When He Is Helping His Team Win In Other Ways

pic credit: Intime.gr

Tyler Wahl (206-F-2001, college: Wisconsin) is a 24 year old 206cm forward playing his second pro season and first with Panionios Athens. He played his rookie season with KK Zadar (Croatia-Premijer Liga) averaging 10.9ppg, RPG-5 (6.9), 2.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 13.5%, FT: 59.9%; and in the Adriatic League averaging 10.4ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.9apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 58.5%, 3PT: 26.3%, FT: 60.7%. He began his basketball career with Lakeville North high school and then played at the University of Wisconsin (NCAA) 2019-2024 playing a total of 161 games. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Eurocup game against the Niners Chemnitz.

Thanks Tyler for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second pro season overseas and first with Panionios Athens (Greece-GBL). What kind of an experience has it been playing in Greece?

It has been a great experience. We have a lot of great players and a great coach. I think that we can do a lot of great things with this team. I feel like we have great chemistry and will be able to win a lot of games if we can stick together and do what we have to do to win.

Hast it been like a culture shock for you coming from Zadar that had 70,000 people to Athens that has over 3,million inhabitants. Has it been a tough adjustment?

It´s not too big of an adjustment. Zadar was smaller, but I spent 5 years at Wisconsin which was smaller than Athens.

You had a solid rookie season in Croatia and now are playing in a higher league in Greece in the GBL. You will be facing some top Euroleague players. Do you feel confident that you can be an impact player in Greece?

I do think that Zadar prepared me well for Greece. In the ABA, we played against some Euroleague teams and Eurocup teams. I was able to hold my own against top teams.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 206cm forward. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

I wouldn´t necessarily compare my game to an NBA player. I´m able to do a bit of everything. If that means guarding the other teams best player or scoring or passing

At Wisconsin (NCAA) you were seen as a Swiss army knife and later as a glue guy. How would you describe yourself as a player right now. Are you a better version now of a Swiss army knife and glue guy?

Those are 2 good labels for me. I just love to play. I will dive after loose balls if I have to. If I score 0 points, but am helping the team win in other ways then I´m just happy.

You never averaged more than 11,0ppg as a pro or in the NCAA: Do you feel capable of slipping into more of a scoring role down the road?

I feel very confident in scoring the ball. I will just do whatever it takes to help the team win. But if my team needs me to score 20-25 points then I will do that also.

It´s fair to say that your three pointer is still a work in progress. What do you believe do you have to do better to become more of a stable three point shooter?

I have never been asked to be a 3 point shooter, but moreover to be a playmaker and get the ball on the floor and get my teammates involved. I feel like I´m getting better as a 3 point shooter. If I´m open then I´m confident to take the shot. I also can take in rhythm three´s. I´m not a player that will force shots.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?

I´m really working a lot on my 3 ball. I have put up a lot of shots in the off season. Now it is all about translating it into the game and stepping in with confidence and letting them fly.

You played your rookie season with KK Zadar (Croatia-Premijer Liga) averaging 10.9ppg, RPG-5 (6.9), 2.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 13.5%, FT: 59.9%; and in the Adriatic League) averaged 10.4ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.9apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 58.5%, 3PT: 26.3%, FT: 60.7%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie where you knew that you were far away from home?

My wake up call was around the holiday time. My parents did come to visit me, but the holiday season is the time where you don´t really see family. That is tough for Americans for the first few years of their life.

You won the Croatian title beating split in 4 games. Games 3 and 4 were decided only by 3 points. What was so special about this team last season?

That was really special. Zadar has won now 3 Premier titles in a row. Our expectations going into the season was to win the Premier league and do well in the ABA. We had an older team and veterans who had been part of winning teams. That is what made it special. Having guys that have been a part of special moments and winning a lot of games. It was more physical and we knew what to do in big moments.

You played at the University of Wisconsin (NCAA) from 2019-2024 reaching 3 NCAA tournaments and 1 NIT Final 4. Were these 5 years some of the best times of your life?

It was definitely a great time in my life. Everyone always says that one should really soak in these 4-5 years of your life. I was told that it would fly by and it definitely did. It definitely was some of my greatest times of my life, but I hope that I have many more and better moments coming.

From your perspective which NCAA tournament appearance was your most fondest? You lost to Baylor, Iowa State and JMU.

I think my fondest was when we were in the bubble and lost to Baylor. Baylor was the best team that season and went on to win the NCAA title. We were in it the entire and gave them a good fight.

What memories will you always have from that NIT Final 4 run? You achieved really exciting wins over Liberty and Oregon, but lost to N Texas?

The NIT was fun, because we were able to play post season basketball at our home arena. Usually when you are in March Madness, you play in other arenas and you don´t get that home court advantage even if our fans do travel to away games.

How did head coach Greg Gard groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

I think that coach Gard and his staff do a great job preparing players to be good players. He really stresses the fundamentals everyday. I feel like that really helped me for my next step in my career. He also taught me how to be a pro. He taught me to do whatever it takes to help your team win.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Aleem Ford?

I will give him his kudos and say he won. I was still a younger player still figuring it out.

Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

The toughest was Dwayne Washington from Ohio State. He weas a great player that let the game come to him. He could get his baskets when he wanted to.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Chucky Hepburn, Brad Davidson, Aleem Ford, Steven Croul, Carter Gilmore

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Jordan, Lebron, Kobe, Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Who is your GOAT?

Michael Jordan. He made it explode on the world wide stage. He got a lot of people invested in the sport

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

I didn´t see the sequel. My thoughts are the original will always be better so I won´t watch the sequel.

Thanks Tyler for the chat.

BG Goettingen Play Like An Aspiring EasyCredit BBL team Crushing The EPG Baskets Koblenz 98-80

There had been changes the last few seasons for the EPG Baskets as some players went and came as usual and even the name had been changed briefly to the Guardians and changed back to the Baskets, but the face lift that the club took this past summer was immense. An almost total house cleaning had been done. A whole new coaching staff had been hauled in from Rhondorf as Thomas Klein is hoping for some of that magic from the Dragons Pro B title in 2024 to rub off on the Koblenz team. The club had added a healthy mix of young and old and especially under the basket where better stacked than in previous seasons. However the EPG Baskets had no cake walk in their first game as they faced 2010 Eurochallenge winner and ex easyCrerdit BBL team BG Goettingen who had moved back down to the Pro A. On a cool Sunday afternoon in late September, the EPG Baskets Koblenz were able to stick with BG Goettingen for a quarter, but in the second quarter the ex BBL team took control of the game and never looked back winning 98-80. BG Goettingen showed severe consistency and got much help from their sturdy bench and controlled the boards. “We were consistent and played hard for 40 minutes. We were able to play our pace and played aggressive defense. We focused on sharing the ball well and communicating well on defense”, stressed ex University of Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA) guard Zach Jackson (198-G-1997, college: Omaha). The EPG Baskets Koblenz played a strong first quarter, but after that their intensity wanned at both ends while their 1-1 defense wasn´t existent. “They played with good speed and pace. We were always a step slower. That was a big difference. We were stagnant on offense. We helped them play better defense with our play. We did move the ball better in the second half. They were very experienced and always made us pay for our mistakes”, stressed EPG Baskets guard Garrett Hicks.

Aleksa Kovacevic at the FT line

BG Goettingen raced out on a rapid 4-0 lead as they attacked the rim getting lay in´s by ex Jena forward Robin Lodders and ex Alba Berlin forward Hendrik Drescher. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz struck back quick with a lay in by ex BBL player Aleksa Kovacevic and a runner by American Garrett Hicks to trail 6-4. Despite being a really good shooting team, BG Goettingen demonstrated early that they would be going inside a lot and would do it for 40 minutes. German Julius Bohmer heaved home a dunk and Swedish national player Adam Ramstedt made a lay in for the 13-9 advantage. Koblenz had early problems with their 1-1 defense and allowed easy baskets as the help defense was always a step to slow. BG Goettingen couldn´t get away as ex Wurzburg guard Calvin Wishart dropped consecutive three pointers and a free throw gave the EPG Baskets Koblenz their first lead of the contest 18-17. But BG Goettingen went to their bench and got instant support from American Kevin Buckingham who played at South Eastern Oklahoma State who drained back to back three´s for the 23-20 lead. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz offense was executing well as Kovacevic did a good job getting all involved. Wishart made free throws and ex Trier forward Jannis Sonnefeld made a runner as BG Goettingen had the slim 25-23 advantage after 10 minutes. The first quarter showed that there was no difference in play between the ex BBL team BG Goettingen and the EPG Baskets who almost moved down to the Pro B last season. “It was a dynamic and physical first quarter that lived form points and turnovers. Both teams hit three´s. We were at eye level with them”, stated EPG Baskets Koblenz sport director Thomas Klein.

Jordan Sears from downtown

However the game changed in the second quarter as the tide turned for BG Goettingen who continued to play their game while their aggressive play at both ends wore Koblenz down as they couldn´t match their intensity. Ex Leipzig forward Jonas NIedermanner began the second quarter with a key three to tie the game at 25-25, but then came the turning point of the contest as BG Goettingen showed no mercy going on a brutal 17-5 run to lead 42-30. In the run BG Goettingen were led by Zach Jackson with 7 points who scored at ease in the paint, on transition and in the set play. But overall, BG Goettingen still shared the ball nicely as ex Tuebingen guard Mathis Monnighoff made an off balance shot, ex Louisiana State University (NCAA) guard Jordan Sears made a reverse lay up and lay in. The paint dominated this phase as BG Goettingen just destroyed the EPG Baskets while on the defensive end denied the entry pass and disallowed them getting into the paint area on penetration. BG Goettingen continued to execute with force on offense and especially got great support form their bench as German Jannis Junemann was aggressive and swished home 6 free throws while Bohmer continued to be active scoring a basket. Here and there, the EPG Baskets Koblenz would find some rare daylight in the paint as Kovacevic scored and Wishart with his quick footing and moves scored with a runner at the buzzer, but BG Goettingen had the comfortable 52-37 advantage at half time. “Our 1-1 defense was horrible. We had too many turnovers and gave up too many easy baskets. Their bench also produced way to much”, added Thomas Klein. BG Goettingen shot 55% form the field and 25% from outside and had 19 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 435 from the field and 21% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Jordan Sears at the FT line

In the third quarter the EPG Baskets began a bit reborn executing right away with a lethal 7-2 run to cut BG Goettingen´s lead down to 54-44, but that was as close as they would get in the game. In the run, the EPG Baskets Koblenz got 2 buckets from Kovacevic as his quickness helped him score while Sonnefeld also scored. However BG Goettingen then just rebounded the way a great team does by slapping their own run in the faces of Koblenz as they scored 18 points and the Baskets only 5 points. BG Goettingen did a super job sharing the ball around as usual in this game got great support from their bench. Ex Dresden guard Daniel Kirchner scored 5 points while Hendrik Drescher showed his solid inside out game scoring 4 points while Buckingham also added 4 points. Sears and Monninghoff also added free throws. BG Goettingen played pretty pick and roll and their high low game also worked well with their bigs. There was so little offensive input from Koblenz. NIedermanner added a trey late, but BG Goettingen closed out the third quarter with a 5-0 run as Bohmer made a lay in and Sears dropped a trey as BG Goettingen led 77-52 after 30 minutes. “We didn´t want to come out lackadaisical like we did against Bonn. We locked up and upped our intensity”, commented Zach Jackson. “We wanted to apply more pressure. We showed glimpses of good defense. We cut faster and the ball was moving better. We also were tighter on closeouts”, expressed Garret Hicks.

Jannis Sonnefeld with the lay in

In the fourth quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz had their best offensive quarter exploding for 28 points, but couldn´t do any damage as BG Goettingen scored 21 points. Once again like in the previous quarter, the EPG Baskets Koblenz had a hot start going on a 8-2 run to trail 79-60. Ex Dragons Rhondorf guard Badu Buck nailed a trey which was followed by a Hicks three pointer. The Baskets offense was flowing, but defensively there was no energy. Ex Oldenburg forward Hendrik Drescher was a thorn in the Baskets side as he dropped 2 three´s for the 85-64 lead. Drescher was for a few minutes a one man wrecking crew as he scored from where he wanted to including a lay in. The EPG Baskets also got some unexpected support from German big man Alex Moeller who is more known for setting picks and rebounding than scoring, but in a 3 minute phase was aggressive going to the hoop time after time and scored 9 points and would finish with 14 points, but BG Goettingen still led 91-75. The BG Goettingen win overshadowed a great play by Calvin Wishart. Wishart made a beautiful over the shoulder pass ala Larry Bird. That is something that fans can get used to this season from the versatile Wishart. BG Goettingen got a few more buckets in the last 2 minutes from Ramstedt and Kirchner while Jonas Niedermanner added 5 points at the end, but it was too little to late. “We had no let downs. I feel like we could of held them to less points. That is something that we need to work on”, stated Zach Jackson. “We played desperate basketball in the last quarter. We were trapping all over the court. We gave up too many easy baskets. We need better pressure and better rotations”, warned Garrett Hicks. “I think that guys weren´t scared, but overanxious. For many it was their first Pro A game. Even when we aren´t scoring, we want the guys to progress in other areas. We fought today and played tough. We have to learn and build”, warned KJ Sherrill. BG Goettingen had 5 players in double figures led by Hendrik Drescher with 15 points while Kevin Buckingham scored 13 points while the EPG Baskets were led by Calvin Wishart with 19 points while Alex Moeller had 14 points. BG Goettingen shot 55% from the field and 35% from the three point line and had 35 rebounds and 17 turnovers while the EPG Baskets shot 44% from the field and 31% from the three point line and had 28 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

 Kenan Reinhart Powers The Dragons Rhondorf Past SC Rist Wedel 82-67 As They Win For Daniel Mayr.

After another long summer with no basketball in the Dragon Dome, it was finally time for the start of the 2025-2026 Pro B season for the Dragons Rhondorf. With a new head coach with Max Becker and relatively new team with only a few guys back from last season, the team wanted a good start into the new season under the watchful eyes of their diehard fans. There was also some joy about the possibility of ex Dragon Janne Muller appearing back in his old stomping ground. He had left the club to Hamburg and had a double license with BBL team Towers and Pro B team SC Rist Wedel. However Janne Muller was not fit and was only a minor side note as the story of the day was when the Dragons announced that team captain and veteran Daniel Mayr had suffered an Achilles rupture that would sideline him indefinitely. That was very tough to digest, but after 40 minutes, the Dragons Rhondorf had displayed an incredible team performance where 6 of the 11 players were teenagers. 17 and 16 year old kids Remi Voelkers and Dusan Ilic had combined for 20 points in the absence of Jorge Mejias who was with BBL team Bonn and helped lead the team to it´s first win of the season in the Dragon Dome 82-67. Plus Kenan Reinhart (194-SG-2007, agency: Octagon Europe) led them in scoring with 20 points and young German Benjamin Sadikovic was a rock at both ends with a 12/8 game and 3 blocks while veteran Juhwan Harris.Dyson added 13 points and 9 boards and 3 steals to round off a more than satisfying first team win. “We played 40 minutes with a lot of intensity and fight. We gave a full effort and played for Daniel Mayr. Plus the youth stepped up big, They give their all each day and it showed tonight”, smiled Juhwan Harris Dyson. SC Rist Wedel were without easyCredit BBL double license players Janne Muller and Jarrod Grey, but that was no excuse as they had to play pick up basketball all night long and couldn´t get over the hump after getting down in the first quarter. “You have to give a lot of respect to Rhondorf. They did a great job compensating the loses of Mayr and Mejias. They played with a lot of heart and we didn´t. We were unable to match their intensity all night long”, stated ex BBL player Linus Hoffmann.

Bejmamin Sadikovic with the dunk

Both teams found their offensive rhythm quickly as 16 year Dusan Ilic did a great job setting the tone and running the Dragons offense as he found and distributed dimes to Harris Dyson and Sadikovic for baskets but the guests stayed close and even got the lead and only lead of the evening as Canadian Lincoln Rosebush made a lay in and dunk for the 6-4 advantage. However the Dragons Rhondorf got the lead back and would never trail again as ex RheinStars guard Kenan Reinhart found his shooting touch early with 2 jumpers and ex University of California (NCAA) guard Harris Dyson scored twice and kept the 13-10 advantage. The Dragons had problems taking care of the ball, but showed high intensity on the glass getting 4 offensive rebounds that allowed them extra chances. However a big plus was simply how well their youth stepped up from the bench. 18 year old 195cm forward Fynn Dobiecki came up huge scoring 2 baskets while finding his spots well. Rosebush supplied another dunk, but the Dragons Rhondorf simply had more spunk and overall depth that allowed them to secure the 21-16 advantage after 10 minutes. “Dusan Ilic did a great job right away showing a lot of pace and getting us into our sets. He handled the ball really well and attacked the rim relentlessly. We also rebounded well. Everybody did their job crashing the boards. We wanted to play fast whenever we could”, stressed Juhwan Harris Dyson. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 56% from the field and 33% from outside and had 13 rebounds and 8 turnovers while SC Rist Wedel shot 33% from outside and 0% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Alexander Postic at the FT line

The second quarter was a battle of little runs. One team would attack, but the other never laid down, but came back stopping the pressure and starting their own run. The Dragons Rhondorf began quickly adding high intensity at the defensive end that SC Rist Wedel couldn´t come to terms with. The Dragons made 5 stops with 2 steals by 17 year Remi Voelkers and on offense executed with a Harris Dyson dunk and Reinhart lay in. Reinhart had been known in his young basketball life as a 3 and D player, but this season he wants to be more versatile and showed it in the first game of the season as his attack game would sparkle. Rhondorf led 25-16, but Wedel finally got on the board at the 7,36 minute mark as ex Hanau guard Niklas Krause made a lay in. Now the guests would start a little run as they scored 6 unanswered points led by Krause again with a lay in and German Al_Fayed Alegbe also made a lay in as the Dragons only led 27-23. However the Dragons had an answer something that would continue until the end. They went on a 6-0 run to lead 33-23 as Reinhart led the charge again as he stayed away from the three point line making a runner and jumper and letting his mid range game take over. The Dragons bench continued to be big as 18 year old David Boning made a 10 footer. Both teams would trade buckets until the end as Krause scored again while Rosebush continued to be active on the glass with a tap in and put back as the guests had improved their rebounding in the quarter. Mamadou Diallo added a trey and Reinhart another lay in as the Dragons Rhondorf led 38-31 at halftime. “Basketball is a game of runs. They were able to get close, but we always had an answer and withstood it. We always got big baskets and never allowed them to get a big run”, added Juhwan Harris Dyson. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 53% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 13 turnovers while SC Rist Wedel shot 32% from the field and 0% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Juhwan Harris Dyson at the FT line

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf were able to lead by as much as 10 points, but allowed SC Rist Wedel to cut the lead down to 2 points only to see their lead grow to 9 points at the end of 30 minutes. Rosebush and Ilic traded baskets in the first minute, but the Dragons still led 40-33. Rhondorf continued to play with a lot of intensity and got great energy by Harris Dyson as he scored on a put back and on transition while Reinhart scored again on the penetration this time with his left hand to lead 46-36. However the Dragons Rhondorf continued to have high and lows as suddenly Niklas Krause scored 8 unanswered points that began with a technical against the Dragons bench. Krause scored a lay in and 6 free throws as Rhondorf only led 46-44. “Krause did a good job getting to the rim and foul line. We pressured him as best as we could”, said Harris Dyson. However the Dragons Rhondorf never had a serious lull as they closed out the third quarter well with a 11-4 run to lead 57-48 after 3 quarters. In the run, the Dragons Rhondorf continued to remain aggressive as Ilic scored 4 free throws while Diallo added another clutch three pointer and Harris Dyson a lay in. “We continued to be hungry and keep the lead. We really wanted to win and prove that we are a good team. Our defensive pressure was very good. They couldn´t hit three´s and we forced a lot of turnovers”, commented Juhwan Harris Dyson. “We had runs and then played our game, but then they did the same. We couldn´t find real consistency. They really hit a lot of tough shots and we didn´t have an answer”, commented Linus Hoffmann. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 48% from the field and 23% from the parking lot and 32 rebounds and 20 turnovers while SC Rist Wedel shot 32% from the field and 0% from the parking lot and had 19 turnovers.

Linus Hoffmann with the fade away jumper

In the fourth quarter SC Rist Wedel were able to cut the Dragons Rhondorf lead down to 6 points, but the home team slammed the door going on a massive run to decide the game. Krause began the last frame with a lay in, but the Dragons responded with a swift 5-0 run as Reinhart showed his sniper qualities again with a trey and Voelkers made an off balance shot for the 61-52 lead. Linus Hoffmann then finally connected on the team´s first three pointer of the game at the 7,11 mark to trail 61-55. However the Dragons Rhondorf then decided the game with a brutal 15-2 run to lead 76-57. The first 6 baskets was the Voelkers and Sadikovic show as Voelkers made 2 great lay in´s and a pull up jumper as his quickness allowed him to score while the big man was a beast with a lay in, dunk and free throws. “I was a bit nervous in the first half. I was out of rhythm. In the second half, I noticed I needed to attack more for myself than on the pick and roll. That opened the floor for others more”, stated Remi Voelkers. Reinhart continued to be consistent hitting another trey. “Kenan played great. He stepped up on defense pressuring the guards and hit big shots. He also attacked the rim great and was vocal”, added Juhwan Harris Dyson. The guests did close out the game with a 10-6 run with a trey by Nelson Martin, lay in by Rosebush and lay in by Theo Sigmund, but it was too little too late. “We rebounded great, got stops and executed on offense. Remi Voelkers stepped up huge for us. He does that each day in practice. We have a lot of confidence and trust in him”, said Juhwan Harris Dyson. “We gave up way too many easy baskets in the fourth quarter. We didn´t rebound well. We didn´t do the basics needed to win”, stressed Linus Hoffmann. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Kkenan Reinhart with 20 points. Juhwan Harris Dyson added 13 points and Dusan Ilic and Benjamin Sadikovic added 12 points a piece while SC Rist Wedel were led by Niklas Krause with 20 points and Lincoln Rosebush added 14 points and 15 boards. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 48% from the field and 21% from outside and had 45 rebounds and 21 turnovers while SC Rist Wedel shot 32% from the field and 9% from outside and had 48 rebounds and 23 turnovers.

Tomas Bjarkason Isn´t Only A Leader But Another Swiss Army Knife With SC Rist Wedel

Tomas Bjarkason (204-F-1999, college: Lewis, agency: BIG) is a 26 year old 204cm forward from Denmark playing his first season with SC Rist Wedel. He played the last 4 seasons with BK Amager (BasketLigaen) averaging 16.0ppg, RPG-3 (10.2), 4.6apg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 58.4%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 50.0%. He played a season with Lewis University (NCAA 2). He began his basketball career with the Svendborg Rabbits. He spoke to germanhoops.com before the season opener against the Dragons Rhondorf.

Thanks Tomas for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your first season out of Denmark in Europe with SC Rist Wedel. Why did you chose this organization?

I had some good talks with Hamed about my fit with the team and their philosophy. During the talks I also had the opportunity to come to Hamburg and practices with Hamed and some of the players, after that I felt it was a good place to go.

What kind of an experience has Germany been and the Pro B league. How is the whole experience different to playing in Denmark the last years?

The physicality and the crowds. The refs allow more physical play here compared to Denmark and the crowds here is more engaged in the game, especially the yalla rister from wedel

How has the working relationship been with head coach Hamed Attarbashi? What have you appreciated most about his basketball philosophy?

It’s been a good relationship. He’s intense and want a high energy team.

Your playing on a very young team where you’re the oldest. Do you see yourself being that leader?

It’s not anything new for me, my last couple of years in Amager I have been the most experienced player and also had the role as one of the team leaders.

Your teammate Lincoln Rosebush said this about you. “I’ve never played with another passing big like Tomas, and it makes my life on the floor so much easier with how well he sees the floor. We’ve spent a lot of time together so far and I feel that theres a natural chemistry that will really show in Pro-B games. We both can create and play inside and out which makes us dangerous as a unit”. What do you appreciate most about his game?

He’s a great shooter

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 204cm forward. If you had to compare your game to an NBA or Euroleague player who would make the best description?

I have been compared to being the Danish Tornike shengelia.

You fill the stat sheet well. Are you also a Swiss Army knife like Lincoln Rosebush?

Yes I would say so

You do so many things so well on the court. Is there anything that you feel is a bit off the radar?

I don’t know, haven’t thought much about that and if it is other teams won’t scout it so that’s good.

You’re a really good defender. How would you classify yourself as a defender now and what kind of defender do you still want to become?

A defender that doesn’t end up in foul trouble, so I can stay on the court

On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can still improve your game?

Just by looking at my percentage from last year it would be the 3 ball and free throws thats the part of my game I’m improving to round my game better

You played the last 5 years with BK Amager (BasketLigaen). What kind of an experience was that? You made big strides in your game in your last 3 years. How did your game grow there? You played for many different coaches.

It was my childhood club, so nice to be back home. The first year I was out with a meniscus year and surgery and was back for the second year, after the second year I was one of the guys with most responsibilities on both offense and defense and my game just grew trough that

You had many great games with BK Amager being close to a triple double and once grabbing 24 rebounds in a game. What was your fondest moment there?

There are a lot, but I would say when we beat Svendborg in the season opener. Was a mix of being a great start and beating old teammates and club.

You played a season at Lewis University (NCAA2) playing only 5 games. Despite not playing much, what positives could you take from your year in USA?

I was injured for most of the year, so it really helped me to understanding how important all the of the court you do for yourself is.

You began your basketball career with the Svendborg Rabbits. How valuable was this time for your early basketball development? Did you have a type of mentor there?

The physical development and the basketball iq took huge strides while being there.

I had different kinds of mentors, Axel Kárason who just was the best and toughest teammate that you could ever want. Nana and Antonio Porta mentored me in play and being a professional

How much of a role model was Terrell Harris? He played in low leagues, but then reached the BBL in Germany and Serie A Italy? He showed he can go from the bottom to top.

Terrell was more a friend and a teammate than a mentor in that sense. While me and nana Harding played the same position he mentored me more

You were a junior national player for Denmark and a national team player. How is the current state of Danish basketball? Are there any talents coming in the next years?

It’s good, a lot of young talents coming up both through the youth and also in college. The u18 team just won the European Championship B, so they had some talents and then the u16 team has some promising players.

Who was the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA?

LaMelo Ball

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Pg: Antonio Porta

SG: Iffe Lundberg

SF: Darko jukic

PF: Nana Harding

C: Kevin Larsen

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

MJ, lebron, Kareem and Bill Russell

Who is your GOAT?

Lebron

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

Nope didn’t see it and didn’t know it had a sequel

Thanks Tomas for the chat.

Lincoln Rosebush Is A Swiss Army Knife That Is Ready To Lead SC Rist Wedel To Success

Lincoln Rosebush (208-F-1999, agency: BIG) is a 25 year old 208 cm from Guelph, Ontario playing his second pro season overseas and first with SC Rist Wedel. Last season he played with Alianca Sangalhos (Portugal-Proliga) averaging 12.1ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT-2 (41.8%), FT: 73.8%. He got his first pro experience with Brampton Honey Badgers (CEBL) averaging 3.7ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.0apg. He began his basketball career with Lincoln Prep and then played 3 seasons with the University of British Columbia (U Sports). He then played 2 seasons with Toronto Metropolitan University (U Sports) averaging 9.4ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 68.4%and 9.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 4.6apg, 1.0spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 58.2%, 3PT: 37.9%, FT: 61.9%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a game against the Dragons Rhondorf.

Thanks Lincoln for talking to germanhoops.com. After playing pro in Canada and Portugal, now your in Germany with SC Rist Wedel. What do you know in general about the country Germany and it´s basketball?

Well, first of all, I know it’s developed into one of the best basketball countries in the world, winning the World Cup a few years ago and most recently EuroBasket. I know its a very multicultural place and generally very sports-oriented.

Have you ever had ex teammates or opponents play in Germany?

Quite a few. From the CEBL, Callum Baker played Pro-A last year following our summer on the Honey Badgers. I played AAU with Abu Kigab, who spent some time here recently. I spent a lot of time this past summer with Jahlin Smith, who just finished here. And the newest coach of the UBC Thunderbirds, Phil Jalalpoor, played in Germany for much of his pro career after his time at UBC.

Why did you choose this club for your second pro season overseas? What do you appreciate most about the organization?

Rist Wedel and the Towers provided the best opportunity to improve my game and also push my career forward. The coaches really understood my game from the first time they saw me and I felt like it was the best opportunity to be successful in both the short term and long term.

How has the working relationship been with head coach Hamed Attarbashi? What have you appreciated most about his basketball philosophy?

Coach Hamed has been very welcoming from the day I arrived. He is an excellent teacher and communicator, and gives me the chance to lead the young guys and find my voice as one of oldest guys on the team. His players play so hard for him and that establishes the standard.

Your playing on a very young team where you’re the oldest. Is that weird since your only in your second pro season? Do you see yourself being that leader?

I was in a similar situation in college, where I was one of the oldest players by far on a very young team. I feel as a leader it is important to meet each person where they are at and I’m lucky enough to have some experience in that realm. While it might be different because now I am a pro and before I wasn’t, having 6 years in school does have some advantages when it comes to leadership.

What has it been like playing with Tomas Bjarkason? How do you guys compliment each other best?

I’ve never played with another passing big like Tomas, and it makes my life on the floor so much easier with how well he sees the floor. We’ve spent a lot of time together so far and I feel that theres a natural chemistry that will really show in Pro-B games. We both can create and play inside and out which makes us dangerous as a unit.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 208cm forward/center. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would fit the description best?

I think I’m kind of in the Kelly Olynyk mold. I can shoot the ball well, pass, post up, and put the ball on the floor a bit.

You have been described as a Swiss Army knife. Did you always have these qualities or were they were more developed at Toronto Metropolitan University (U Sports)?

I think I’ve been developing them my whole life. At TMU we had a lot of really talented scorers, like Aaron Rhooms and David Walker, so we really needed someone to do the other stuff like rebounding, passing, and blocking shots. At TMU we would be best when I was focused on those things. Now as a pro it helps me a lot because I can adjust my game to what is needed to win.

You have shot the ball really well since going to Toronto Metropolitan University (U Sports). What steps do you want to make with your three pointer this season?

I want to stay as confident as I can in my shooting and hopefully attempt more 3s a game than I have before.

Do you still see yourself somewhat as raw as a defender? How would you classify your defensive game now in your third pro season?

I think I can always be better as a defender, but my goal is to be excellent positionally and on the glass.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now as you continue to improve your game?

I would say my biggest focus for this season is rebounding.

You played your rookie season overseas with Alianca Sangalhos (Portugal-Proliga) averaging 12.1ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT-2 (41.8%), FT: 73.8%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie where you knew that you were far away from home?

Probably Christmas, when I was all by myself in the house. But I really enjoyed being overseas as well, Portugal was a beautiful country to explore.

How valuable was it having fellow Canadian James Woods on the team in Portugal? You knew him from school. He was a rookie like you and knew what you were going through. Did you become like brothers?

Yeah, definitely. It was crazy how it worked out, the club didn’t know we knew each other and we just happened to get offered to the same team. We spent so much time together through the ups and the downs and he really helped me during the hard times. He’s a hell of a player as well and I’m excited to see what his career brings.

You had many great games in Portugal like scoring 23 points against Vasco de Gama. What was your fondest moment on the court?

Beating Vasco was huge, each time we played them it always came down to the wire and they ended up winning the league. My favourite moment would probably be beating Illiabum at home near the end of the season, because it was the club’s biggest rival and we ended their season.

You got your first experience with Brampton Honey Badgers (CEBL), averaging 3.7ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.0apg. What positives could you get from this experience?

That was my first experience with pro basketball. I saw how established pros worked, how the flow of the game was different, and also how cutthroat of a business it is. I also realized I had the potential to play at a high level and got some vision of how to get there.

After playing at Lincoln Prep, you played at the University of British Columbia (U Sports) for 4 years. You never averaged more than 5,2ppg. What positives could you get from these years with your basketball development?

I had to work so hard to even get on the floor at UBC. There was a lot of talent on our roster, with many guys that went on to play pro at various levels. Having to fight for every minute ended up being a blessing because I was forced to dramatically improve my game and it served me well after I had moved on from UBC.

You won the Canada West title in 2020 over Western. What memories do you have winning that title and then little time later Covid coming? – note we won the national bronze medal over Western, and the Canada West title over Calgary.

Well I remember Manroop Clair had 39 and an all-time interview after the game. We wanted to win the whole thing so we were still reeling from the loss the night before. And the next weekend COVID shut the world down and I flew back home to Ontario.

You had some good games against TWU, TRU and Victoria. What was your fondest moment at the University Of British Columbia?

The game against Victoria was probably my favourite, I played the entire second half and that was their only loss during the regular season, I had a big putback dunk and a few threes.

You then played at Toronto Metropolitan University (U Sports) averaging 9.4ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 68.4% and 9.2ppg, 6.8rpg, 4.6apg, 1.0spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 58.2%, 3PT: 37.9%, FT: 61.9%. Your minutes rose from 13 to 23. How did your game grow in those 2 years?

Well that was where all the work I put in for 4 years at UBC really helped me. I was given an opportunity and was lucky enough that what I did really helped the team on the floor. I was also willing to do whatever it took to get on the floor and win games, and Coach DeAveiro recognized my value.

You had many great games like against York and Toronto. What was your fondest moment on the court at Toronto Metropolitan University?

I had a triple double and 9 points in the last 2 minutes in a rivalry game against Toronto with my Grandparents in attendance – that was the first time they had ever seen me play, and my grandfather passed 9 months later. It was special as an athlete and as a grandson.

How did David DeAveiro groom and prepare you best for a pro career?

Coach DeAveiro never sugarcoated anything. He coaches players hard and tells them the truth. It gave me thick skin and resilience, and he also really opened my eyes to seeing the game differently in terms of Xs and Os.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Aiden Wilson?

Back then, I just had to throw a shot fake up there and he would jump to the moon. Maybe now he stays down though.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your life on the court that reached the NBA?

I played AAU with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s pretty good at basketball.

Chris Boucher also routinely makes my life tough for like 3 summers in a row now. His wingspan makes him so hard to guard.

Honourable mention to Isiaha Mike, formally Partizan now on Bayern. He’s also super tough. He just always does the right thing in each situation.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time

Give me James Woods, Aaron Rhooms, Zack Moore, Simon Chamberlain, and Jadon Cohee.

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

LeBron, Kobe, Dirk and Larry Bird are my favourites.

Who is your GOAT and why?

2018 LeBron was the best player to ever touch a basketball. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Game 1 of the Finals was probably the best basketball game I ever saw someone play.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

Didn’t see it. Probably not a good plan to wait 30 years.

Thanks Lincoln for the chat.

Could This Be The Best Pro A Season Ever For The EPG Baskets Koblenz? Why Not?

It is no secret that the last 2 seasons of the EPG Baskets Koblenz were nothing to brag about. In fact they were quite poor as both seasons ended with the club ending on the 16th position. Despite the non-success, the organization has always been ambitious. It is also no secret that the long term goal of the club is to play in the easyCredit BBL. Sport director Thomas Klein loves his team and will do anything to bring success. The last 2 seasons featured 2 coaches with Pat Elzie and Marco Van Den Berg that were able to bring in talented individual players, but that doesn´t guarantee winning. One hopes that one learns from it´s past mistakes. Thomas Klein´s first good mood was bringing in the success coaching duo from Rhondorf with Stephan Dohrn and KJ Sherril. My feeling that this season´s club could be a good one grew with every new signing that happened through out the summer. It seems like this time the club has learned from it´s past mistakes and have brought in the right mix from the guard position to the center position. My feeling that this could be a good season continues to be there as the team continues to grow in pre season. The team has individual talent, character and heart. “Almost every new player wants to prove themselves. They are all high character guys. They want prove themselves not with their ego´s, but as team players. They all want to play together”, warned EPG Baskets sport director Thomas Klein. This is thought was heightened simply by the type of players they have brought in. One can never be sure about the Americans, but with Calvin Wishart (188-G-1999, college: UCSB)t, Tim Smith Jr and Aleksa Kovacevic, the team has 3 winners. I will be bold and proclaim that this will be the best season ever for the EPG Baskets Koblenz. Ok one can only get better from landing on the 16th place the last 2 seasons, but still the Pro A is fiercely competitive where any team can beat any team on any night. The only place is up with this team and they will be better than 16th place. “I´m really looking forward to the season and have 100% a good feeling. I think the team is very homogeneous and we are stronger than the last 2 seasons. We are above average at the guard position. I think the team has shown that in pre season”, stressed Thomas Klein.

A big problem the last 2 seasons was the defense of the EPG Baskets Koblenz. At least last year they tried to focus and defend better and at times it worked, but as usual they never could truly establish a real defensive identity and 1-1 defense often hurt them most. In both seasons, they had the talent to score a lot, but still scored a lot less than what was expected. A big problem last season was the terrible three point shooting percentage. This season, the club wants to be able to combine offense and defense and be more consistent. If the formula worked once before in Rhondorf where Dohrn led the team to the Pro B title, why not do it again in Koblenz. “It’s pretty much the same concept here in Koblenz. With Stephan, he puts emphasis on defense. So we want that to be our identity, not just an offensive team. We know we can score, but we want to have consecutive defensive stops. That’s what wins games”, warned KJ Sherrill.. This season the club has really powerful guards with Wishart, Kovacevic, Hicks, and Buck, but also have very skilled big men who are very experienced. In the last years, the big men play wasn´t as focused on scoring. Will that change this season? “Our bigs maybe won’t be our outstanding scorers, but their presence under the basketball is what we need. Rebounding and being physical down low. Controlling the paint and setting good screens. With their experience, they are able to contribute to the game a whole lot and we are happy to have them with us”, stated KJ Sherrill. “We are very big especially at the positions 3-5, but even big at the position 2. We are very versatile and will play fast and be aggressive on defense”, warned Thomas Klein.

The clubs 2 best signings were most likely Calvin Wishartt and Aleksa Kovacevic. With Wishart, you have a motivated guard who showed last season that he was a top guard in the Pro B. He knows how to lead a team and is more than just a great offensive player, but gives all on defense. He could be a MVP candidate. Aleksa Kovacevic has BBL experience and is ready to have a great Pro A season so he can get back to the BBL. He played many years for Crailsheim and practiced on a daily basis with top BBL guards TJ Shorts, Trae Bell-Haynes and Dwayne Russell and learned from NBA coach Tuomas Iisalo. The Serbian is so hungry. He will rock the Pro A. Badu Buck has had his ups and downs as a pro, but had success with Dohrn in Rhondorf and will give important offensive qualities to the team, but most importantly leadership skills. Garrett Hicks comes to Koblenz after a strong rookie season in Georgia. Don´t let his Damian Lillard scoring fool you. He is more than that, but a guy who will do anything to help the team win. The team kept young guard Jacob Hanzalek from last season. He had trouble last season getting minutes and it won´t be easier this season, but he is a point guard that plays controlled that can hit the three pointer as well as make the big play on defense.

The team has a talented rotation at the forward position with 2 Germans and 2 Americans. Tim Smith Jr comes from the Dragons Rhondorf and has a great rookie season and wants to make the next step in the Pro A. He has shown in the pre-season that he can do that. He is a scorer and tenacious rebounder that is also an impact defender. He doesn´t talk much on the court, but leads by example. He most likely won´t have the Pro B stats, but will be consistent in the minutes he gets. He could be a glue guy type of player. DJ Jeffries came late to the team and is hungry for his pro break through. It is his first season overseas and he is more than motivated to have success after a very disappointing season in the G-League. His middle name could be Mr versatile as he fills the stat sheet with ease, but most importantly is a good defender that can guard many positions. He wants to be the next successful DJ in Koblenz. The team also brought in experienced Jonas Niedermanner. He like others on the team is very versatile and can shoot the three. The fan of Tadas Sedekerskis has 6 seasons of Pro A experience as well as BBL experience. Perhaps the most interesting signing was young 22 year old German Jannis Sonnefeld. After paying his dues in the Bamberg and Trier organizations, he had his Pro A break through in Paderborn last season averaging 9/7. He is also versatile and likes to shoot the three pointer. When describing the 2 centers Marko Bacak and Alex Moeller, all one can say is experienced. Bacak has 6 Pro A season experience and 4 BBL seasons with Oldenburg and was even teammates with BBL legend Rickey Paulding while Moeller proved in 5 Pro B seasons that he was a top center and during his 4 Pro A seasons was a solid role player. Bacak is another versatile big man that plays like Johannes Voigtmann while Moeller is the classic banger under the basket.

So what kind of a season will the EPG Baskets Koblenz have this season and where will they land? When looking at the schedule, one can´t say that they have an easy start. They have to face BG Goettingen and Crailsheim in the first 3 games. At least those games are at home. A good start would be ideal for the team. The club knows that you can´t look forward, but simply take it game by game in the Pro A. This should be a club that will average somewhere between 80-85 points. They also should be a strong rebounding team. They also should be a better three point shooting team after their horrible shooting season in 2024-2025. Scoring won´t be the problem, but can they be a well rounded defensive team? The club definitely have the versatility and good defensive players. It will be the job of the coaching staff to develop an identity quickly and then continue to develop it. “When you play fast and aggressive, you give the opponent more possessions. We will see more high scoring games than last season. Everybody thinks that coach Dohrn only concentrates on offense, but he is a very skilled defensive coach as well. I like how he really goes into detail”, warned Thomas Klein. I see this club having the potential of landing somewhere between 9-15. “I see us being somewhere between 10-12 this season”, added Thomas Klein. If they can develop through the season and refrain from getting injuries then they will have their best Pro A season ever.

Mario Matic Believes The Heightened Self Confidence Of Dennis Schroeder Puts Him Over The Top As He Can Miss 5 Shots In A Row And Then Hit The 6th To Decide The Game

pic credit: FIBA

Mario Matic is an ex professional player that played in the German BBL with Nordlingen and currently is in his 10th season as a head coach with TSV Oberhaching Tropics He began his coaching career with Nordlingen where he was for 6 years. As a player he played 11 years in Germany for teams like Karlsruhe, Crailsheim, Kaiserslautern, Bayreuth, Nordlingen and BG Leitershofe. He spoke to germanhoops.com about the success of German basketball.

Thanks Mario for talking to germanhoops.com Germany is Euro Champion 2025. What kind of a feeling does this give you involved with German basketball?

I was really happy for all the people who were involved. I was especially really happy for Alan Ibrahimagic who stayed grounded and worked so well in guiding the team. This title will give German basketball another boost. More kids will want to play.

Is it crazy to have predicted a Gold medal before the tournament started? If you had to guess how many German basketball fans out of 10 would have predicted the Gold before the tournament how many would it have been under your estimation?

I would say that 3 out of 10 German fans would have predicted a Gold medal. I feel like Serbia was the top favorite, but Germany was close behind with all the NBA and Euroleague players. Germany had a great roster.

It was the 2 best teams in the tournament with Germany and Turkey at 8-0. Was this the top final compared to the 1993 final vs Russia and 2023 final vs Serbia?

You can´t compare the 1993 win. That was a total surprise and a huge sensation. I was 13 and that title brought me to basketball. Germany wasn´t a favorite like Germany is now. Germany wasn´t known on the basketball map in 1993, but a respected and known basketball nation now.

How did you experience the final. The game was a real dog fight with Turkey leading by as much as 11 points and being very strong. What got Germany the Gold medal after 40 minutes.

It was a high level final with many shots made. I did have a feeling a few times when Turkey got their lead up to 5-6 points that if they had reached +10 that then the game could have had a different outcome. But Germany always had an answer and struck back. Turkey had a shorter rotation and the German role players were key always giving important impulses in key moments.

There was a time in the 80s and 90s where you said in German football and after 90 minutes Germany always wins. I feel like there is this mentality now in German basketball. I was never fearing a los in the fourth quarter even when Turkey was up by 6 points.

You do get that feeling now. You kind of figured that Schroeder would come up big in crunch time. His unbelievable self confidence is a huge factor for his success.

What was key down the stretch that Germany could win the game. How much of a factor was the deep bench of Germany?

Yes the bench was the difference. So many guys stepped up in key moments. Johannes Thiemann had big moments in the final

How valuable was Franz Wagner for this tournament. How is he a better player now than in 2023 despite 2 years of more experience?

I feel like he was already really good 2 years ago. He wasn´t that strong in the final, but overall, he had a strong tournament. If he can get a stable shot, then he won´t be stooped. He has more experience and got stronger. His drive is already unstoppable.

Isaac Bonga continues to grow as a player since coming back from the NBA? Shouldn´t a tournament like this and especially how his game has developed the last 3 years give him another NBA opportunity?

After the way he played, he should have NBA offers. He developed really well at Partizan last season. His shot has become so much better.

You either like or dislike Dennis Schroeder, but he came up big in the second half after being closed down well in the first half. How do explain his unbelievable ability to be able to turn around the lever and play like a winner when his team needs it most?

His biggest strength is his massive self-confidence. He can miss 5 shots, but then hit that 6th shot which can decide a game. He has that special touch and ability to take responsibility at the biggest moments of a game.

I have never understood that despite showing the last years what an incredible leader he is for Germany, he gets overlooked by NBA teams and has been a journeyman? Do NBA bosses have the wrong perception of him?

I honestly don´t follow the NBA so much. There is simply a lot of competition at the guard position in the NBA. You have more combo type guards and scoring guards which seem to be more desired. Schroeder is more the type of player that leads a team.

Dirk Nowitzki has been the GOAT of German basketball for more than 15 years. With the World and Euro won, Is Dennis Schroeder at Nowitzki´s level in terms of being in the same category as him?

With all due respect to Schroder, he isn´t at the same level as Dirk Nowitzki. Schroeder had great teammates while Nowitzki didn´t have the same type of support 20 years ago.

One of the big winners is your colleague Alan Ibrahimagic went from assistant coach to Euro head coach winner. How valuable was his input? What do you believe could he still give a team that already had all the pieces of being a winning team?

He gave freedom to the team, but also had clear instructions. He always found the right words. It wasn´t really complex what he said, but the team executed. He was really responsible for the good atmosphere and chemistry.

There were some nice plays in the final like Isaac Bonga´s dunk or Franz Wagner´s mega block. What was your favorite play of the final?

I think the three pointer by Daniel Theis was the most important shot. Without that shot, you don´t win.

Can one compare Germany´s success now with Spain from 2006-2011 where it won a World Cup and 2 Euro championships. Does Germany have a dynasty?

Yes you can and their time isn´t over yet. I see a very rosy future for German basketball.

This dynasty should go on. The future still looks good with a nucleus of the Wagner brothers, Tristan Da Silva, Andi Obst, Isaac Bonga and Isaiah Hartenstein plus the new wave of guys like Ivan Kharchenkov, Hannes Steinbach, Johan Grunloh, Christian Anderson and others. Does Germany have the mentality to keep it going with the new wave of players that you have seen the last years?

I think the success can keep going. But when some guys retire in next years, you will have to put the expectations down a bit. One has to remember where the state of German basketball was 10 years ago. It wasn´t good. I´m sure the young guys coming up will continue to develop and lead Germany to success. I see a very good future.

You coach young men and are right there seeing the work and effort. Often now adays the talk is young players aren´t as hungry as back in the day. In other words players today aren´t challenged enough with too many outside influences. What makes young German players different than young players from other countries in this generation?

I think that the work ethic with German players is good. The success has to do with the Infrastructure. It is very good. You can´t compare it to the time when I was a kid. The clubs all work so well in having their youth kids develop the right way. Players get double license and get minutes. I think that the success now shows that all the hard work the last years has been rewarded.

Thanks Mario for the chat.

Stefan Smith Displays 35 Points In Best Steph Manner Leading The MHP Riesen Past The Skyliners 101-96 In OT Cup Thriller

It was a long 4 months without basketball in Frankfurt, but finally the season commenced with a cup game against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. Both teams had produced a house cleaning and had new coaches. Well in Frankfurt Klaus Perwas was technically not new, but for the first time in his career was the head coach for good and from day 1 in a new season. Both teams wanted to get off to a good start as they would see each other in only a bit more than a week later for the first Frankfurt home game of the regular season. The cup season has few games and a title at the end. Ludwigsburg were still seeking their first cup title while Frankfurt last won in 2000 in their first season with head coach Stefan Koch. No fans could complain about the excitement after 45 minutes as Stefan Smith (187-G-1999, college: St.John’s, agency: Players Group) pulled out 17 points in overtime in best Steph Curry Manner nailing big shot after big shot leading the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg past the Skyliners 101-96 to move to the next round in cup action. After Stefan Smith posted 35 points in his easyCredit BBL debut, he wasn´t all smiles, but knew exactly where his team had to work on in the lab the next day. “I´m happy that we got the win, but we were inconsistent especially on defense. We have to do a better job on defense and not foul so much. We made steps today. If you can find a way to win when it´s ugly, then that’s a skill. We have to clean up our defense”, stressed ex University Of Vermont (NCAA) guard Stefan Smith. I don´t know if any of the players will have a sleepless night, but head coach Klaus Perwas couldn´t be pleased about the given up free throws and missed free throws. Frankfurt was in control of the game in the third quarter and should have won the game hadn´t they missed 15 free throws. “This was a very tough game. We had control in the third quarter, but they came back hitting open three´s. We have to do a better job on the defensive glass. Smith made tough shots in overtime. We will see them again next week and be ready”, stressed ex Artland Dragon William Christmas.

Jaedon LeDee at the FT line

Bad rain and a mid week date didn´t get many fans into the arena as those who did come saw a very nervous first few minutes of the first quarter as shots weren´t falling and turnovers was on the menu of both clubs. German Brandon Tischler and ex Princeton (NCAA) center Keeshawn Kellman got the guests on the board while ex Bonn center Til Pape and ex NCAA finalist Jaedon LeDee scored for Frankfurt as the game was dead locked 4-4. However the guests then stepped up their game going on a 9-2 run to lead 13-6. In the run, Ludwigsburg got 2 put backs from German Lenny Anigbata and ex Utah Jazz American Elijah Hughes while ex Emporia State (NCAA2) guard Trae Buchanon drilled home a trey. Ludwigsburg upped their intensity at both ends and worked harder on the boards. Frankfurt had some open looks, but the shots just didn´t want to fall. However basketball wouldn´t be basketball without runs and sometimes a game can change so quickly. Frankfurt clawed their way back going on a brutal 13-4 run to dead lock the game at 17-17. BBL rookie Isaiah Swope who played at St Louis (NCAA) nailed home 2 three´s while ex St John´s guard Nahiem Alleyne also scored from outside. Swope showed instantly that he could be this season´s version of Malik Parsons. Frankfurt kept up the pressure and execution rate leading 21-19 after 10 minutes. “I feel like it took both teams some time to get comfortable. Both teams were nervous and had first game jitters. Both teams also had new guys and everyone needs to get comfortable with each other”, stated Stefan Smith. Ludwigsburg controlled the boards in the first quarter with 7 offensive rebounds.

Stefan Smith at the FT line

The second quarter was very tight and the MHP Riesen attempted to get away in the latter part and led by 5 points, but Frankfurt fought back leading 40-39 at the break. Both teams found their offensive rhythm rapidly and LeDee scored twice with a lay in and tap in. He showed in his first game how well he moves without the ball and seems to almost always get open for the mid distance shot, but at the same time is extremely active on the glass. While Ludwigsburg countered with a lay in by Buchanan, a runner by Babacar Sane from Senegal and young German Julis Baumer dropped a trey from the corner for the 26-25 guests lead. Baumer did his job coming from the bench and giving instant energy. Frankfurt stole the lead back with a clutch trey from German Radii Casin, but Ludwigsburg continued to be very aggressive in the paint getting 2 dunks from Kellman and Hughes to tie the game at 31-31. Smith who seemed to be all over the court made a pretty cross court bullet pass for the Hughes dunk. The guests high intensity helped them get a 8-3 run to lead 39-34. Smith continued to lead his team well finding ex Skyliner Jonas Wolfarth-Botterman for the lay in on the pick and roll and made free throws while Buchanan hit another three pointer. However Ludwigsburg couldn´t carry the momentum into the break as Frankfurt stayed as tough as nails going on a 7-0 run to lead by one point. Frankfurt attacked the rim fiercely getting free throws by ex Creighton (NCAA) big man Ryan Hawkins and ex G-League slam dunk champion Logan Johnson. Johnson then showed his speed scoring on transition to end the first half. “Both teams were figuring out how to find their flow on offense. I feel like the free throws limited both teams flow. That was why the game was so close”, added Stefan Smith. Ludwigsburg continued to control the glass 23-17 and had 9 offensive turnovers.

Isaiah Swope with the runner

In the third quarter the Skyliners missed a golden opportunity to really run away with the game as they led by as much as 9 points, but the MHP RIesen scrapped their way back to deadlock the contest at 59-59. Frankfurt got good support from German Till Pape who made a hook shot and dunk and Logan Johnson with points, but they couldn´t get away as Stef Smith made an off balance shot and free throws as the Skyliners led 46-45. Frankfurt then found some daylight going on a 11-4 run to lead 57-49. In the run, Frankfurt got back to back 20 footers from LeDee while Christmas made a lay in, Swope a pull up jumper and Pape free throws. The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg went by the motto if three´s aren´t falling keep shooting. However in their case three´s weren´t falling which allowed Frankfurt to attain their biggest lead of the game. However Frankfurt was unable to ride the momentum longer as they lost some focus allowing a 10-2 run by Ludwigsburg. Frankfurt coughed up the ball 3 times which led to three´s by Smith and Hughes. “We did a good job not to panic. We had some tough possessions which led to turnovers, but we kept being aggressive and got to the free throw line”, commented Stefan Smith. “That was a tough phase at the end where we let them come back. The refs were calling the game tight. We have to play better defense and keep our hands off them”, stated William Christmas.

Brandon Tischler from outside

The fourth quarter was supper tight until the end. Ludwigsburg even had an opportunity to win the game on the last shot, but missed. Frankfurt´s free throw misery continued in the first minute as Logan Johnson only made 2 of 4 shots and they couldn´t keep the slim lead as Wolfarth-Bottermann once again was set up nicely by Smith for an easy lay up and a Tischler trey tied the game at 64-64. Frankfurt then escaped out on a 5-0 run to lead 69-64 with a Lorenz Brenneke tip in and Swope three pointer, but the guests struck back with 5 unanswered points as Sane drilled home a trey and Hughes made a 20 footer for 69-69 game. After a Hawkins trey, Ludwigsburg got the lead back again 74-72 as Buchanan made a floater and Hughes a deep three. The ex NBA player made it look so effortlessly. However the Skyliners had many weapons on this night as now was the time of William Christmas who scored 6 points in a row for the 79-78 advantage in crunch-time. Christmas was also making big defensive plays to secure the slim lead. However now it was Ludwigsburg´s time again as 40 year old dino Yorman Polas made a step back and Buchanan a jumper for the 81-78 lead with 1,10 to play. However Frankfurt stayed calm as Logan Johnson made a quick pass to LeDee for the dunk as Frankfurt trailed 81-80. After a Ludwigsburg and LeDee turnovers, Buchanan struck with free throws for the 83-80 advantage with 16 seconds to go. LeDee then nailed a clutch three pointer to force overtime. “We had the game won. We missed free throws and they made free throws. Buchanan made big shots. You just have to live with them”. Commented Will Christmas. “It went back and forth in the fourth quarter. LeDee hit a big three. As did Buchanan. Traevon lives for those moments. We have a lot of confidence in him”, warned Stefan Smith.

Stefan Smith from downtwon

In the overtime period, it was literally the Stefan Smith show as he hit 17 of 18 points to help win the game. He scored the first 8 points of the extra time with free throws and 2 three´s for the 91-83 lead. Christmas then added 3 points, but Smith continued to be in execution mode making 4 points for the 96-86 advantage. Frankfurt was in a hole now and Stefan Smith had control of the game and wasn´t about to slow down now. After a Christmas trey, Smith made another lay in for the 98-89 lead. Frankfurt did close out the overtime period with a 7-3 run as Alleyne made a lay in and Christmas a three pointer, but it was too little too late. Smith´s 35 points weren´t a career high as he had scored 38 and 36 points in Serbia, but his 17 points had to have been a career high in a OT period. “It probably was. I did struggle shooting the ball in the game. But I have a lot of confidence in my game and my teammates and coaches the same in me. I just kept shooting and kept shooting as they kept going in. I have spent a lot of time in the gym my whole life. This performance weas a very exciting moment for me”, stressed Stefan Smith. “I wouldn´t call that a Curry performance, but give him credit for making big shots. We can´t let a player take over like that. We have to be able to take his strength away. We have to be able to make better adjustments on him”, warned William Christmas. The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg were led by Stefan Smith with 35 points. Traevon Buchanan added 15 points and Elijah Hughes added 13 points while the Skyliners were led by William Christmas with 22 points while Jaedon LeDee added 19 points. The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg shot 46% from the field and 33% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 19 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 48% from the field and 38% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 16 turnovers.

In Klaus Perwas We Trust As Could This Be The Season Where The Skyliners Finally Make The BBL Playoffs Again?

Foto: Dmitrij Zibart | ZIBART.DE

It feels like an eternity since the last time the Skyliners made the easyCredit BBL playoffs. The last time the 2000 BBL cup winner reached the promised land not including the Covid season, they were led by the historic Gordon Herbert. Even if a guy like Gunnar Wobke surely could of predicted some things in the future when regarding Herbert, I’m sure nobody would ever have thought that the Canadian would be very responsible for the German national team having so much success. When the Skyliners bowed out to FC Bayern Munich in the spring of 2018, Franz Wagner was still a NBBL player, Isaac Bonga wasn’t even drafted by the NBA yet and Luka Doncic was still with Real Madrid. The Skyliners in the last 7 years have been an organization that have really struggled. It was even that bad, that the club had to play a season in the Pro A. The 2023-2024 was successful in that they moved right back to the BBL as that is definitely a feat. Teams like Bremerhaven, Giessen and Trier have stayed in the Pro A for years showing you can build yourself a rut in the Pro A.. Having enough money in the budget has always been a problem for the Skyliners. Often one reels in young Americans with little experience and just hope for the best. The best news story going into the 2025-2026 season is that they finally have Klaus Perwas as head coach. Perwas had always been the faithful assistant coach and once in a while even was interim head coach, but having the main responsibility was never his cup of tea. Somehow Wobke was able to persuade him to do the head coach job. Perwas is a coach that had been responsible for helping developing so many young Germans over the years and if there is 1 player that knows if Perwas can handle the head coaching job then it Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson who played there form 2009-2023. ‘ He was always cool and focused as an assistant coach. Now as head coach, we can see how he does everything his way. His defensive principles were always the same as Gordie Herbert. Now we will see how his offense will work. He has always been known as a defensive coach, but now we will see how the Skyliners offense works’, warned Quantez Robertson. With Perwas as head coach and a face lift with the roster, could this finally be the season again where the Skyliners make the playoffs?

You never really know what to expect when a club produces a fine house cleaning as they reeled in 7 new players. From the new players, the club have added a healthy mix of young and experience. But they also kept a healthy core from last year. Important is having that solid duo at the big positions with Lorenz Brenneke and Jacob Knauf. Both have experienced highs and lows over the years. Brenneke will bang inside while Knauf likes to sparkle form outside while also helping inside. The team added 2 really talented bigs with BBL experienced versatile Till Pape who played the last 2 years in Bonn and newcomer Ryan Hawkins who played in France and Italy the last 2 seasons and also sparkled with his versatile game while he shot 45% from outside in his last 2 seasons in the NCAA 2. The team also reeled in Radii Caisin and Jaedon LeDee for the forward positions. Casin played parts of 4 seasons in the BBL with 3 teams and played 96 BBL games, but never averaged more than 3,3ppg in a season. After 2 successful seasons with BC Raiffeisen Flyers Wels (Austria-BSL) where he averaged 18.8ppg, 7.6rpg, 3.1apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 57.6%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 82.2% last season, he is hungry for his BBL break through this season. With LeDee, the Skyliners could have a guy that will be one of their consistent scorers in the season while also grabbing many rebounds. He played his rookie season in the G-League and reached the NCAA final in 2023 with San Diego State University.

The Skyliners are also very deep and talented at the guard position. Going into the season, they have 3 players with BBL experience with Garai Zeeb, Will Christmas and Marcus Domask. Zeeb is going into his 7th season with Frankfurt and has 147 BBL games under his belt. He is a great team player that will give effective minutes form the bench. Christmas is like a mini Cinderella story. He began in the Pro B and via Luxemburg reached the BBL and became a solid player player. He fills the stats sheet and is a consistent scorer while Domask already had a short tour of duty last season with Frankfurt. He is another versatile player that has G-League experience and showed last season that he needs no adjustment time to the BBL. The club also added 3 more guards with 2 with no experience overseas with Logan Johnson and Isaiah Swope and Nahiem Alleyne who has experience in Greece and Poland and played at 3 NCAA schools including UConn and Virginia Tech. Johnson is probably one of the more interesting signings as he is the point guard and will run the team. His dunking and athleticism may stand out, but he knows how to lead a team a she showed as a rookie with the Oklahoma City Blue averaging 10.7ppg, 3.4rpg, 4.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 25.6%, FT: 76.1%. Isaiah Swope is a rookie and showed at 3 schools in the NCAA that he could adapt to any coach averaging 16/3/3 in his last 3 years. He is quick and gets to the hoop well. This could be Malik Parsons’s 2,0. Alleyne is a great shooter that averaged 38% from down town in 3 years at Virginia Tech. But as a rookie overseas had growing pains. The gritty defender is hungry for his overseas break through in Frankfurt. The Skyliners also have 2 talented young Germans with Ivan Crnjak and Jamie Edoka who had solid Pro B seasons in 2024-2025 and are planned for the main BBL rotation. However this Skyliners roster is talented and deep. The question is will they anything besides garbage time minutes this season?

So what will be the fate of the Skyliners this season. The excitement is massive simply because Klaus Perwas is the head coach from day 1 of a season. He has been known for being a coach who prides his team to play defense. One saw that philosophy under Gordon Herbert and with Denis Wucherer in the Pro A. It will be interesting to see how he wheels and deals with the offense. The club definitely have offensive weapons and should score much on a consistent level and it will be interesting to see how well the players are able to identify and accept their roles. The team has valuable shooting players but a team also with big men who finish at the paint. One can only hope they become more than just a shooting team. With the athleticism, the team should play fast as well. The team should be an above average rebounding team and sky is the limit at the defensive end. The club has many hungry players that will want to produce and have to not only execute on the offensive end. The Skyliners aren’t the only club with many new players, but there are so many other teams with the same scenario with new players. The question is always how well can these new guys get integrated to the easyCredit BBL and how well can the coach develop that correct team chemistry. The Skyliners have many guys with LeDee, Swope and Johnson where the potential to be successful is great. That is one of the exciting aspects to every season. Can some of these BBL newcomers break out or will they be flops. The Skyliners schedule in the first month is difficult to evaluate as it is hard to rate how well an Oldenburg and Ludwigsburg will play as they have many new faces. However MBC and Braunschweig are teams that have had success recently and won’t be cake walks. A good start to a season is always beneficial. Predicting where the Skyliners will finish is never easy. However I will bold enough to say that they won’t be 17th or 16th in May 2026. I see this team being a club that could be one on of the surprise teams this season, if many things go right and they aren’t hit by the injury bug. I see them somewhere from 8-14. It is finally time again for the faithful Skyliners fans to have joy again. The suffering in the last years simply has been to long There is that famous phrase on the US 1 $. In God we trust. Skyliner fans should etch ‘In Klaus Perwas we trust’.

Head Coach Max Becker(Dragons Rhondorf) Wants To Help Bring Excitement Back To The Dragon Dome

pic credit: Martin Jung

Only a couple of seasons ago, the Dragons Rhondorf were about to commence on their breathtaking Pro B title season that presented so many happy faces in the Dragon Dome that season. Germany had just become World Champion and Harry Kane was in the starting gate of his scoring mission and winning ways with FC Bayern Munich. Who can forget the players that season that featured guys like Kelvin Omojola, Avery Sullivan, Tyrese Blunt and Badu Buck. Those are memories that will last a lifetime. Only 1 player remains from that season with Lagui Diallo and from last season add on Kenan Reinhart. A lot has changed in this time, but if a Dragon fan becomes really sad and wants to relive those memories in another place, who knows it might happen only a short 49 minute 41 kilometer ride down the Rhine river to Koblenz. There you will see coaches Dohrn, Sherril and Schallenberg as well as Badu Buck. But that is in the past and the Dragons Rhondorf want to make new history this season. They made a house cleaning and inserted a new coach with 26 year old Max Becker . At first glance, he looks like a kid, but he definitely coaches like a man. ““He may look like a kid, but he can get mad. Then he definitely doesn´t act like a kid. He is still young, but I´m confident that he will do a good job”, stressed Kenan Reinhart. Becker did a good job coaching the Bonn/Rhondorf NBBL team and knows his new team well as he has guys from last season´s team this season. “I´m not nervous, but have positive joy. I have full confidence of all involved. I´m really motivated for the season”, stated Max Becker . Does he feel pressure taking over the pro B team? “Not really. I feel relaxed. I have incredible people around me from Bonn/Rhondorf and their full trust. The work ethic and communication of all is very positive. I mean there is always pressure, but that is why we do the job”, expressed Max Becker . His personal goal is straight forward. “I want to bring that fan excitement back to the Dragon Dome. We have had our ups and downs the last season. I was born into this organization. I know what kind of excitement has been here before. I want to help bring that excitement back”, warned Max Becker.

The organization hauled in a core of 3 very experienced players that will be share the responsibility of leading the team. With giant Daniel Mayr, they have a player that has Euroleague experience with FC Bayern Munich and was the best shot blocker in the Pro B 3 times. With Juhwan Harris-Dyson, their new version of a Swiss army knife who by the way is a scoring bucket having showed it in Herford and Hagen and Jorge Mejias who played youth basketball at Real Madrid at the same time as Luka Doncic was there a few years before his departure to the NBA in 2018. Mejias is a solid scorer and great playmaker who averaged 6,0apg with Iserlohn last season. With Lagui Diallo the team has a great team player and energizer that can get hot at times from outside and shut down the other teams best player. Ex RheinStar Cologne guard Kenan Reinhart has high expectations this season and would like to average 10,0ppg in the Pro B. Will he make the next step? “Kenan is very ambitious. He knows what he gets from me and I from him. He has worked hard. I feel like he has already improved his game this summer. I see him taking on a bigger role”, warned Max Becker . The club also hauled in talented big men Duje Dujmovic and Benjamin Sadikovic. Dujmovic made the next step in Neustadt last season averaging 10/4 and Sadikovic averaged 5/4 in Oberaching last season. “They both have a lot of potential despite their age. Both are really focused and alert in the BBL Bonn practices”, stated Max Becker . Another interesting pick up was Dusan “Mr quick release” Ilic who averaged 20,0ppg and 10,oapg with BBA Hagen in the NBBL. He is only 16, but has the potential for the next step. The team also has many young guys with Carlo Schmid, Remi Voelkers, Vuk Scepanovic, David Boning, Leonard Franzen, Fynn Dobiecki, Malik Idbihi and Tom Viehofer prepared to get minutes. “We have 10 of the 16 man roster that are NBBL players. They all will have a chance to play, but need to earn it”, warned Max Becker .

So what kind of a play style will the Dragons Rhondorf showcase in games? “We will play at a high pace with quick decisions and play very aggressive defense. We want to take the advantages that are presented to us on the court with our height, shooting or on the pick and roll”, warned Max Becker . Two years ago, the Dragons Rhondorf had 3 very potent bigs with Avery Sullivan, Leon Bullic and Ferenc Gille, but despite that were more of a shooting team. Last season, they had even less of a big man presence with only center Danas Kazakevicious. This season there are 3 bigs. Will there be more focus on the bigs? “Yes definitely. We will focus on the pick and roll and have more opportunities as well to get our shooters involved. Our bigs will be very much involved”, commented Max Becker . Will the team have enough scoring power? Will there be more go to guys than only Mejias, Harris-Dyson or Mayr? “I feel like we have a very balanced team. It will always depend on the game, opportunity and situation. I have the highest confidence that everyone will have the confidence to take the big shot”, warned Max Becker . On defense the name of the game will be being aggressive. That is something that each player will have plastered in their mind. “We will be aggressive at all times in all defensive forms. We will always be active on defense and not be passive and react”, stated Max Becker . Becker is very confident in his time so early in the season and also has an ambitious season goal. “We want to get the best positive result in the standings and in the development of the players. We believe in ourselves and want to reach the playoffs”, warned Max Becker . It will be interesting to see where the journey of the Dragons Rhondorf will go. They will have to find a defensive identity quickly as the Pro B North is never a cake walk. We know what we will get from the experienced guys, but getting consistency from young players will be vital for the team having a shot at the playoffs. I see the team landing somewhere between 7-11 in the season