BBL

KT Harrell(Basic Fit Brussels) I Never Compare Myself To Someone Else Because I´m On A Different Path To Better Myself

KT Harrell is a 25 year old 193cm point guard that was born in Wiesbaden, Germany and lived some years there before moving to Montgomery, Alabama. He is playing his third professional season and first with Basic-Fit Brussels (Belgium-Euromillions League). He started his basketball career at  Virginia (NCAA) in 2010 where he played two seasons playing 42 NCAA games before moving to Auburn in 2013 where he played two season playing 65 games and as a senior played 35 games averaging18.5ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 81.4%. In the summer of 2015 he played NBA Pro Summer League in Las Vegas (Philadelphia 76ers) playing 4 games averaging 5.3ppg, 1.3rpg. He then started his professional basketball career with Akhisar Belediye (Turkey-TBL) playing 32 games averaging 16.6ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 78.6%. In the summer of 2016 he played NBA Pro Summer League in Las Vegas (New Orleans Pelicans) playing 5 games averaging 1.2ppg, 1.4rpg. Last season he played with Mens Sana 1871 Siena (Italy-Serie A2) playing  30 games averaging 19.3ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.6apg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 83.9%. He spoke to German Hoops before the Champions League qualifying game in Ludwigsburg

 

 

 

Thanks KT for talking to German Hoops. Welcome to Germany. You were born in Wiesbaden, Germany, but grew up in the states. With what kind of feelings do you have concerning Germany where you were born?

 

 

I have very good feelings about Germany. I was born on the airbase in Wiesbaden as my parents were in the military. I spent six years living in Germany before going back to the States and living in Alabama. It would be cool to go back to Wiesbaden one day.

 

 

 

What do you know about basketball in Germany? Do you have any friends balling in Germany?

 

 

I don´t have any close friends playing in Germany, but I do know that they have a very good league and one of the best in Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your preparing for a Champions League qualifying game in Germany against the  MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg who are a very talented team with many strong American players. What kind of game can we await and what will be key to winning the game?

 

 

We have been working very hard preparing for them and their press. We have been working on different defensive schemes so we will be prepared for them. I am really looking forward to this game as we are ready.

 

 

Your playing your first season with  Basic-Fit Brussels (Belgium-Euromillions League). You have been a flat out scorer since your junior season at Auburn. What is your role this season as your playing with two other talented Americans and some other imports?

 

 

I don´t only want to be seen as a scorer, but also as a good defender, being able to create for my teammates and be a complete player. My goal this season is to become a complete player and that is what coach is expecting me to do.

 

 

You are an explosive scorer that put up points at ease. To what NBA player would you describe your game and what other strengths do you possess that show you aren´t a one dimensional player?

 

 

I really like the game of CJ Mccollum. I would compare myself to him, but more so in terms of our body type and that we are the same height. He is a player that can attack, shoot off the dribble and also create for others which is how I like to describe my game.

 

 

 

You’re a guy that can fill up the stat sheet, but what is a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t get noticed right away on the court?

 

 

My defense doesn´t get noticed. Coach was shocked how I play defense. He knew I could score, but wasn´t awaiting the kind of defense I play. I really have worked on my quickness and I want to show that I can be a two way player.

 

 

 

Last season you played with Mens Sana 1871 Siena (Italy-Serie A2) playing 30 games averaging 19.3ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.6apg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 83.9%. You scored in double figures in 27 of 30 games and scored 20 points or more 15 times. How do you feel did your game grow in your second professional season?

 

I really learned a lot last year. The coach had a lot to do with my progression in that he helped me elevate my game on offense and defense. I knew that I had to get better on defense and he really challenged me. Key was that he helped me become a more attentive and focused player on defense something I am carrying into this season.

 

 

 

Last season you netted 36 points against Latina Basket, but also 33 points in an exciting 106-103 win against Virtus Roma. Which game was most memorable to you?

 

 

I think the last game against Roma was the most memorable. We had been a team expected to make the playoffs, but didn´t that season. We had lost many games at the end, but came back and beat a very good team at the end in front of our home court fans which was very special for me and something that I will always remember.

 

As a rookie you played for Akhisar Belediye (Turkey-TBL) playing 32 games averaging 16.6ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 78.6%. You stated one of your wake up calls as a rookie was being the only black man there and everyone staring at you. What other major adjustments did you have as a rookie?

 

 

The biggest one was that people there weren´t used to seeing a black man. The people saw me and figured I was an athlete because I was so much taller than everyone else. The culture was a lot different and it wasn´t as Americanized. My rookie season in Turkey was a great and humbling experience. I didn´t take this experience for granted, but appreciate the opportunity I got. I realized that I had to work hard to get to where I wanted to get to in my career.

 

 

What kind of experience was it for you having DJ Newbill as a teammate the last few months after he had suffered growing pains with his first professional team Asvel. How did you benefit from his presence and he from yours?

 

Having each other around was good for the both of us. He came from the France Pro A and brought a different level of play to our team which helped us. We were both guards and we meshed together very well. It was never “I am the guard here”, but we really understood each other well and hung around together in our free time.

 

 

 

After Auburn you played 2015 NBA Summer League with the Philadelphia 76ers. What kind of experience was that first Summer League? Did you get any advice from the organization about how to continue to further your game best?

 

 

It was a great experience playing NBA Summer League. I played with many talented players that were already on the 76ers roster as well as against very talent players from other teams. The best advice I got was just to keep working hard. In the NBA there are enough good scorers, so you really have to work on other parts of your game to be able to add another dimension to your game in order to become a two way player.

 

 

 

In the summer of 2016 you played NBA Summer League with the New Orleans Pelicans. What kind of experience was it being teammates with Buddy Hield? When you see his game and where he is now, just how much difference is there in skill level between a guy like him and you?

 

 

With all due respect to Buddy Hield, he can really play. He struggled a bit in the first few games, but then found his rhythm. He was taking most of the shots and that is what everyone expected. You can´t compare two players that are on different paths. The NBA is a business and reaching it has to do with knowing the right people and being connected. It is hard to compare two players that are on different paths. I never compare myself to someone else. I am on a different path to better myself.

 

 

What did you learn about how the NBA works in your two summers of NBA Summer League play? Is reaching the NBA not always about being the best skilled player, but really having the right connections?

 

I think that it is a little of both. You obviously have to know the right people and be connected, but also have skill and have some natural gift from God. Guys in the NBA are there for a reason. It is the same with guys unsigned overseas. There are many great players unsigned wanting to paly somewhere here, but just aren´t connected.

 

You played at Auburn for head coach Bruce Pearl. How did he groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

 

I was lucky to play for three good coaches with coach Bennett at Virginia and coach Barbee and Pearl at Auburn. Pearl was a great coach with a great mind and was one of the best coaches that I ever played for. He taught me to always play with passion. There are always some nights where you don´t want to play, but he taught always play with passion. To this day I always play with 110 % effort.

 

 

 

You beat LSU scoring 29 points to reach the in the SEC semi-finals. Was this one of your most unforgettable NCAA games?

 

 

That was one of my most memorable games. I hit a three to get to OT and then we won. That was the first time that Auburn ever won three games in a SEC tournament. This was a big moment for Auburn and something that I will always take with me and remember.

 

What stories do you remember hearing about Quantez Robertson who played at Auburn from 2005-2009 and is playing his 9th professional season in Germany with the Fraport Skyliners?

 

 

I did remember hearing stories about Quantez Robertson from my ex teammate at Auburn Franke Sullivan. I never saw him play, but heard that he could really play.

 

You played your junior season at Auburn with then senior Chris Denson. Were you surprised that he was out of professional basketball after his rookie season in Holland?

 

 

Yes a little bit. He is doing good now and happy with life. He was always a guy that knew what he wanted to do. He was a very talented player that was very gifted. He wanted to do something else in life. He will be fine.

 

 

Who won a one on one in practice you or Chris Denson?

 

Oh I won the one on one games. I never crushed him, but we had some battles.

 

 

 

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the NCAA that is in the NBA now?

 

 

The toughest player I battled in the NCAA was Iman Shumpert of Georgia Tech. I played against him as a freshman. He was very athletic, physical and quick. I wasn´t that strong or mobile yet. He was an all-around player.

 

 

 

If you had to construct your own NBA Rushmore which 4 heads would you chose?

 

 

Kobe, Iverson, Jordan, Shaq

 

 

 

Lebron James failed to win his fourth NBA title and is still three away from Michael Jordan. Where does Lebron stand right now in your opinion in the never ending debate of who is the best of all-time?

 

 

I´m biased. I´m a huge Jordan fan. My dad had Jordan tapes and I watched them as a kid. Later I fell in love with Kobe´s game, because he copied Jordan´s game. Lebron is a great player, but is behind Jordan.

 

 

 

There has been criticism of Russell Westbrook to be focusing more on rebounding to help inflate his stats and possibilities of getting triple doubles instead of focusing on his defensive assignments. Do you feel that this is a fair assessment to the player Russell Westbrook?

 

No, I don´t think so. He was an MVP for a reason. The intensity that he gives in every game is unmatched. Nobody can match it. He gives 110% each game and plays hard each possession and takes no play off.

 

How do you summarize the 2017 NBA Draft. What sleepers do you see playing a role in the NBA?

 

Dennis Smith Jr isn´t a sleeper but a guy who I think will win rookie of the year. He will be a main threat on the Dallas Mavericks.

 

Where will the journey of the Houston Rockets go this season with Chris Paul and James Harden in the back court. Do they have enough to make a serious run at the title or is something missing?

 

 

I think that the Rockets will be good, but with the west being so stacked a 3rd or 4th place finish.

 

 

 

How do you rate the Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas trade? Who got the better deal and which team will profit better in the long run?

 

I think that the trade was good for both sides. I would take Kyrie over Thomas, but in the long run the Cavs got  a lot better considering who they already had, got through free agency and the players from the Celtics. They have enough depth now to be a threat to the Warriors.

 

 

 

Where will the journey of the Oklahoma Thunder end this season with Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony?

 

 

The Thunder have a chance, but the Warriors still have more depth and just shoot the ball too good.

 

 

 

 

What was the last movie that you saw?

 

Shooter TV series.

 

Thanks KT for the chat.

 

 

 

 

 

The Fraport Skyliners Won´t Be Playing Name That Tune But Continue To Name That Next Voigtmann Or Barthel This Season

The first TV game show might have originated in the UK in 1936, but over the years the most memorable shows have come from the United States like Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune or the Hollywood Squares just to name a few, but another well known show was Name That Tune. This show that ran over a time span of three decades and most successful time was between 1974-1981 had a very straight forward format of putting two contestants against each other to test their knowledge of songs. It would be interesting to see how well an Isaac Bonga or Richard Freudenberg would fair against each other if head coach Gordon Herbert took a break from the pick and role defense and running their newest offensive plays to get Mr Canada Philip Scrubb that open trey every time by picking their brains with memorable 2017 songs like Shape of You from Ed Sheeran, Despacito from Luis Fonsi or Passionfruit from Nelly. When everything works perfectly, the Fraport Skyliners could make the playoffs again after taking a leave of absence last season, but moreover this season will be a time where the Fraport Skyliners won´t be playing name that tune, but playing name that next Voigtman or Barthel. For years the 2016 Fiba Europe Cup winner have been the poster child of grooming and developing young German players as the past has shown as they made the twin towers Johannes Voigtman a Euroleague player, Danilo Barthel a German national player as well as Konstantin Klein. In the last few years they have continued to develop the next wave of young German bucks like Niklas Kiel and Isaac Bonga and with Richard Freudenberg on board this season all are looking to make another jump again this season up the basketball ladder. Just being able to watch this maturation will be a huge treat for fans as seeing just how far a player can go makes that possible non-playoff appearance a little easier to digest. Gordon Herbert could put a starting five of Isaac Bonga, Garai Zeeb, Konstantin Schubert, Richard Freudenberg and Niklas Kiel on the floor having an average of 19 years and might get destroyed by the Bayern Munich starting five, but then again could hold their own against a Giessen, Tuebingen or Gotha starting five. It wasn´t any different for guys like Voigtmann and Barthel in 2014 the way it is for a Bonga and Kiel in 2017, but in 2016 they had both won an international title and move on to Euroleague land and FC Bayern Munich. Just how well this seasons young Germans continue to develop depends on their work ethic, minutes, staying clear of injuries and what is on the menu of the basketball God. One thing is for sure, it will be another exciting season with the Fraport Skyliners as playoffs or not as the current wave of talent will go their way with Niklas Kiel scheduled next in line to make the next pivotal step while many are predicting and hoping that an Isaac Bonga will despite turning 18 in November make another huge step. The next wave of Voigtmann´s and Barthel´s are already waiting in the wings with the likes of Maximilan Begue, Len Schoormann and Calvin Schaum, so with so much talent being bred in Frankfurt the way a Real Madrid has been practicing for years, losing massive talent Jim Gietz in 2016 who belonged to the Jermario Davidson posse in 2011 disappeared to Arizona last year and now secretly has surfaced with FC Bayern Munich hasn´t even been a side note yet, but become totally obsolete in Frankfurt basketball minds with so much talent always coming up.

After reaching the EasyCredit BBL playoffs two straight seasons, the Fraport Skyliners missed them last season finishing in 10th place despite having had the opportunity to have made the promised land for a third time.

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Byron Sanford (BBC Coburg) A Guy May Be A Little Bigger Than Me But My Will To Want The Ball Is Greater

Byron Sanford is a 183cm guard from Louisville, Kentucky that is playing his professional season in Germany with BBC Coburg. He played at Trevecca Naz. (NCAA2) and really excelled in his last two seasons as a junior he played 17 games averaging17.2ppg, 6.5rpg, 4.2apg, Steals-3(2.9spg), FGP: 55.5%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 72.0%. In his senior year at Trevecca Naz. (NCAA2) he played 32 games averaging 18.4ppg, 7.6rpg, 4.2apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 49.4%, 3PT: 39.1%, FT: 69.5%. He was the G-MAC Player of the Year in 2016. He spoke to German Hoops earlier in the summer about basketball.

Byron thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

I just got to Coburg Germany and getting adjusted now. My summer was great!!! Long and hard but it will pay off. I was ery competitive working and playing with all the pros from Louisville (Kentucky)

Congrats on signing with German Pro B team BBC Coburg. How thrilled are you about being able to call yourself a professional basketball player?

Thank you I appreciate it. It’s a major blessing to be a professional athlete and part of the BBC Coburg organization. I dream I have prayed and worked for is now reality so it’s a great feeling. I am happy but nowhere near satisfied.

You will be taking your talents to BBC Coburg. What do you know in general about the country Germany and it´s basketball?

I know basketball in Germany is a growing sport year by year. I am glad to be a part of the growing process of basketball in Germany. Also I think Germany will be a great country to adjust in since it has some similarities to the States. I have had friends play in Germany and most have all had great experiences.

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Justin Alston Brings Way More Than Just Refreshing Basketball Skills To Trier But A Very Keen Mind

Sometimes the beauty of where a basketball player is able to call his athletic and intellectual home for four years doesn´t change even when he moves on to the professional level. Not all players have that luxury of being able to go from class to class, from meal to meal and from practice to practice and have that combination of that urban feeling combined with that touch of nature that is lurking whenever one wants to forget about all the studying and exam stress coupled with the aches and pains of practice and just be able to get immersed with the bit of green that is present in Boston. Players that had to endure a 4 year stay at places like in the Bronx, New York where one can´t exactly feel comfortable with the nonending smell of filth or in other big cities like in Los Angeles with USC or Philadelphia with Temple didn´t have the grandeur of a Justin Alston who not only was able to taste the combination of city and nature for an extra year in that he had a university education for five years, but the beauty of his surroundings will continue as he embarks on his professional journey in Germany tonight. Alston played 5 years at Boston University from 2012-2017 and could be driving down Commonwealth avenue and witness the bustling student life on both sides of the street while always getting closer to the Prudential building which hovered on the horizon, but at the same time be a few minutes away from the pretty Charles river off Storrow Drive which is like a snake that weaves itself around the Boston area. Along the Charles river, the American could find a comfy spot and open a book while having a picturesque view of the Boston skyline while getting that last studying in for that next exam or just get lost for a few minutes with the next opponent Lehigh and try to figure out a way how to contain a Tim Kempton Jr well again. One could say his beauty of nature that he had in Boston will continue in his rookie season when he will be playing for the Romerstrom Gladiators in Trier.  Alston will call a city home that like Boston is enriched with unending traditional history and is even older than Boston as it was founded by the Celts in the last 4th century BC and belongs to the oldest cities in Germany. It doesn´t match the population of Boston as only 104,000 people reside there, but the beauty of the Mosel river on which the small city lies on will bring back memories of the Charles river. When driving down Paulin street for the first time and passes the historic and breathtaking Porta Negra, he will remember some of the old landmarks in Boston and feel right at home.

Alston is a 23 year old 203cm forward that hails from Washington DC and just finished his basketball career at Boston University. He will play his rookie season in the German Pro A which is the second division, but a very respected and growing league that has produced some very good talent over the years and helped guys make the next step.

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Dennis Clifford (Alba Berlin) Pat Heckmann Would Always Talk Trash Germany VS America

Dennis Clifford is a 25 year old 216cm center from Boston that is going into his second professional season and first in Germany with Alba Berlin. Last season as a rookie he played with the  Santa Cruz Warriors (D-League) playing 38 games averaging 11.9ppg, 8.1rpg, 2.0apg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 59.2%, FT: 64.5%. He played at Boston College(NCAA) from 2011-2016 playing a total of 124 games and as a senior played  31 games averaging 9.9ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.3apg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 9.1%, FT: 61.6%. He spoke to German Hoops earlier in the summer about Basketball.

Dennis thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

At the moment I am in Boston. my summer has been great! I like being in Boston because that is where I workout and I also get to see my friends on the weekends.

Congrats on signing with top German team Alba Berlin. After a season in the D-League are you ready for a career in Europe or is the route back to the States and NBA still high on your list?

My dream ever since I picked up a basketball has always been to play in the NBA but having said that if the NBA doesn´t work out I would love to have a long and prosperous career in Germany.

You have signed with Germany´s second most winningest team Alba Berlin. What do you know about Germany and it´s basketball? Do you remember BC teammate Patrick Heckmann telling you about his homeland? 

I have heard that the German BBL is one of the best leagues in the world so I am very excited to be a part of it! Pat Heckmann was my roommate in college so we would always talk trash about Germany vs America. haha but on a serious note he has told me a lot about Germany- how the people are very kind and they love their basketball! He also said the BBL is a very competitive league and has a lot of great players

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Reggie Upshaw (Walter Tigers Tuebingen) I Can Be An Impact Player In The BBL With My Open Mind To Work Hard Each day

Reggie Upshaw is a 22 year old 203cm forward from  Chattanooga, Tennessee that is starting his professional basketball career in Germany with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen. He played at  Middle Tenn.St. (NCAA) from 2013-2017 playing a total of 139 games. As a senior at  Middle Tenn.St. (NCAA) he played 36 games averaging 14.5ppg, 6.8rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 60.4%, 3PT: 31.7%, FT: 72.4%. Before turning professional he played at the well known Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft) playing 3 games averaging 14.3ppg, 8.3rpg. He spoke to German Hoops earlier in the summer about Basketball.

Congrats Reggie on signing with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen in Germany. As a competitor who played a great  Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft): 3 games: 14.3ppg, 8.3rpg as well as playing NBA Summer League with the Milwaukee Bucks are you a bit disappointed that the NBA dream didn´t continue on after Las Vegas?

No I’m not disappointed with how summer league went this past summer I felt like I learned a lot from the Bucks organization about what it takes to be a pro.

Now you will concentrate on your professional career. You have signed with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen. How did you experience your first summer transfer period delving into the professional sector? What made the German offer the most interesting for you?

This summer going into my first year pro I’ve just tried to expand my game. Work as hard as I could on my game overall as far as shooting and ball handling. The deal in Germany was the most interesting because it’s in such a respected league where I could really see myself coming in and making an impact as soon as I got there.

You come over as a guy with a very good character. Just a week before you were battling NBA players every day and then you state how much it´s a dream of yours to play in Germany and for Tuebingen. How much of your good character has been rubbed off from your dad Reggie Sr?

He’s a big part of who I am today if it wasn’t for him I don’t think my character would be like it is now.

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Abdul Gaddy´s Precision And Instincts Secures Wurzburg 2017 Gezeiten Cup Over The Telekom Baskets Bonn 71-67

There were many interesting stories in and around the 2017 Gezeiten Cup as the weekend tournament brought together EasyCredit BBL teams Telekom Baskets Bonn and the s.Oliver Wurzburg as well as Pro A team RheinStars Cologne and home team Dragons Rhondorf. Wurzburg head coach Dirk Bauerman finally made it to the Gezeitencup as a year ago, the s.Oliver Baskets weren´t in his plans yet as he was the head coach of the Iranian national team, but shortly before the start of the cup dropped out. Another big story was the DiLeo brothers in the house with Bonn guard TJ and RheinStars Cologne guard Max, but they never found their way to the court for a confrontation as Wurzburg defeated his Cologne team missing the final while TJ reached the final with Bonn ousting the Dragons Rhondorf. The only conversation they might have had was who would visit whom first in their respective cities or where their favorite spots to hang out are along the beautiful Rhein river. However the most endearing story was that of Andrej Mangold who a few months ago wasn´t sure where his basketball future would be heading after sustaining a nasty ACL in his left knee at the start of the 2016-2017 season with BG Goettingen. He needed all last season to rehabilitate it and this past summer was signed by the s.Oliver Wurzburg as Dirk Bauermann took a chance on him. Mangold had to pay his dues as he toiled around in the Regionaliga, Pro B and Pro A with teams like Oldenburg, Munich and Hannover and didn´t reach the BBL until 2010 with the Artland Dragons. However his most prosperous time in the BBL came with the Telekom Baskets Bonn where he played 5 seasons playing 172 BBL games, 20 Eurocup games and 26 Eurochallenge games. His last game in a Bonn uniform came on May 1st in a season ending 95-93 loss against Braunschweig where he steered 4 points. After a little more than 16 months later he met his former team again with no former teammates left on the team and even if he was opponents had a fond memory of his times in Bonn playing with guys then like Jared Jordan and Tony Gaffney and helping serve up those tasty alley-oops to the American Gaffney who had that special distinction of being on the Celtics and Lakers rosters, but never having played an NBA game. In the final of the 2017 Gezeiten Cup the Telekom Baskets Bonn clashed against the s.Oliver Wurzburg and it wasn´t Mangold who was the story who scored two points in 8,28 minutes, but his teammate Abdul Gaddy who took control on two plays using precision and instincts sealing the win for the Bavarian team 71-67. “Coach Bauermann told us before the game that it would be a dog fight. We knew that Bonn would be aggressive and we wanted to be the aggressor. We did a good job staying composed when they turned up the heat. Gaddy kept us ahead in the down stretch with big plays”, stressed ex Illinois(NCAA) player DJ Richardson. After the win a tame TJ DiLeo was doing his post-game stretching and had had a special weekend seeing his brother again even if the basketball god didn´t see fit that both play each other in the final. The ex Temple(NCAA) guard was positive with the result even if his team did suffer the loss. “This was a hard-fought final with two good teams. Both teams scouted each other well and it was a shame it got a bit choppy at the end. I am happy the way we looked despite missing some plyers. We need to be more disciplined rebounding even when we were without Julian Gamble. Every player position 1-5 needs to rebound”, stated TJ DiLeo.

picture perfect 1766

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing s.Oliver Wurzburg guard Abdul Gaddy after he steered home 17 points in helping secure 2017 Gezeiten Cup over the Telekom Baskets Bonn

s.Oliver Wurzburg found their rhythm first getting out quickly on a 9-4 lead as they got some timely and hot shooting off the bat from Gaddy and sniper Maurice Stuckey while also getting a lay in from Lithuanian Osvaldas Olisevicius who played with all the Lithuanian national youth teams.

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TJ DiLeo (Telekom Baskets Bonn) Seeing Improvement In The Second Half Of Last Season Gave Me Confidence Coming Into This Season

TJ DiLeo is a 27 year old 190cm guard playing his fifth professional season and second with the Telekom Baskets Bonn (Germany-BBL).Last season with the Telekom Baskets Bonn he played 36 BBL games averaging 4.2ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.4apg; He also played 16 FIBA Europe Cup games averaging 5.1ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 70.0% He played the first three professional seasons with the Giessen 46ers playing 76 Pro A games from 2013-2015 and helping the team move to the BBL in 2015. Last season for GHiessen he played 19 games averaging 5.7ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 38.7%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 73.3%. He played at Temple from 2008-2013 playing a total of 126 NCAA games. In 2010, he played for the German U20 National Team in 2010 and played for the European Championships U20 in Croatia  playing 9 games: 10.7ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP. He spoke to German Hoops about Basketball.

TJ welcome back to Germany. You are playing your fifth season in Germany and second with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. Even though you and your brother are true Americans you also have the German citizenship. Which of you guys has more of a connection to Germany? Is it you simply because you have been here 2 years longer?

Yea, I would say I have more of a connection because I have been here a few years longer, and also because I was born here.

You and your brother will be like neighbors now that he is playing in Cologne. If you had to make a prediction as to who will visit whom most in their city would you take yourself just like you would in a one on one game?

I think I will visit him more, but hopefully our schedules line up so we can see a lot of each other’s games.

How was your summer. Did the summer fly by quickly? What was your most memorable thing that you did in the summer?

Summer was great, but as always, it went by fast. I spent it at home in the states. My most memorable moment was being best man at my friend’s wedding, and getting to roast him during the speech.

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Julian Gamble (Telekom Baskets Bonn) My Goal This Year Is To Lead The League In Blocks And Cause Problems On The Defensive End For Every Team

Julian Gamble is a 27 year old 207cm power forward/center from Durham, North Carolina that will be starting his fifth professional season and second in Germany with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. He started his basketball career at Miami(NCAA) in 2008 and played there until 2013 playing a total of 127 games. In 2013 he started his professional career with Saint Vallier Basket Drome (France-ProB): 44 games: 16.3ppg, Reb-3(9.0rpg), 1.1apg, 1.2spg, Blocks-1(1.5bpg), FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 10.0%, FT: 62.9%. In 2014 he moved to the Basic-Fit Brussels (Belgium-Scooore League) playing 25 games: 17.0ppg, Reb-3(7.6rpg), 1.4apg, 1.1spg, Blocks-1(1.6bpg), FGP: 57.0%, FT: 69.2%. Two seasons ago, he remained with the Basic-Fit Brussels (Belgium-Scooore League) playing 36 games: Score-5(16.6ppg), Reb-2(8.3rpg), 1.3apg, 1.5spg, Blocks-1(1.9bpg), FGP: 60.8%, FT: 68.1%. Last season with the Telekom Baskets Bonn he played 37 games averaging 13.2ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.7apg, Blocks-3(1.2bpg), FGP: 61.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.0%; He also played 16 FIBA Europe Cup  games averaging 12.8ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 61.8%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.2%. He spoke to German Hoops after the club returned from a training camp in Slovenia.

Julian welcome back to Germany. You are playing your second season with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. Did the summer fly by quickly? What was your most memorable thing that you did in the summer?

Thank you, I am very happy to be back. Yes, the summer flew by like it always does after a long season but it was amazing. The most memorable thing was traveling to Cancun, Mexico with my family for the wedding of a very close family friend.

Before we start about this upcoming season, I have to ask you about last season. You were a main figure in Bonn reaching the BBL playoffs as well as helping the team into the Fiba Cup semi finals. You played  37 games averaging 13.2ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.7apg, Blocks-3(1.2bpg), FGP: 61.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.0%; In the FIBA Europe Cup you played 16 games averaging12.8ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 61.8%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 58.2%. Was this tops your best season as a professional weighing in the team success and your play?

Yes I believe this was my best season. We accomplished many great things as a team that we can be proud of and somewhat restored the tradition of Bonn in the playoffs. We accomplished some things on the European stage which was good as well. For me individually, I was able to overcome a lot of adversity in my play and become a big factor in helping my team to important victories and big games. So I am looking to build on that this season.

I saw the loss to Nanteere live and was shocked that the Telekom Baskets Bonn let it slip away. Did that fourth quarter come up here and there in your thoughts over the summer and what did the team learn from this loss that will help them be stronger in those kind of situations this season?

No, it didn’t. My goal is to be better in every way this season and help lead this entire new group of guys to where we ultimately want to be. All due respect to Nanteere but that happened because of us and not them. We will be stronger in any situation like that moving forward, that is for sure.

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Kayel Locke Powers The Giessen 46ers in Crunch Time Past the Fraport Skyliners 102-90

It may only be preseason, but the majority of the EasyCredit BBL teams not only have the core of their roster battling in preseason games in order to get tuned up for the upcoming season, but also five to seven import players on the stat sheet to help get their chemistry rolling except for the Fraport Skyliners who like every August/September in the last years have had to scramble through the preseason with their few import players that had stayed on board and the rest of their young kids rounded out by some of their farm team players from the Pro B. It wouldn´t have been half as bad had their three veterans Quantez Robertson, Mike Morrison and Jonas Botterman-Wolfarth been present, but they were missing in action and one suddenly had to rely on the future with kids Isaac Bonga and Richard Freudenberg. The good news was that Mr Canada Philip Scrubb was back after missing last season on account of injury and had personal expectations as high as Mount Logan and was as hungry as a famished tourist in Ottawa getting ready to chow down at the trendy eatery Fauna and his stellar play showed. The trio of Scrubb, Bonga and Freudenberg may not have the experience of a Mayo, Gamble or Klein of the Telekom Baskets Bonn, but they are like a fountain of youth as the other three teams at the Giessen weekend tournament of Bonn, BG Goettingen and the 46ers could only dream of having young talent like that on their roster. The Fraport Skyliners weren´t rewarded for their furious comeback against the Telekom Baskets Bonn losing 82-76 a day earlier as 17year old German wunderkind Isaac Bonga made his first real serious breakthrough in a BBL setting as he filled up the stat sheet like a Lebron scoring 16 points, hauling down 10 boards and dishing out five assists. On Sunday the Fraport Skyliners were playing for pride in the game for third place facing home team Giessen 46ers who stunk up the building a day earlier losing by almost 40 points to BG Goettingen, but on this day the troops of head coach Ingo Fryer not only came to play, but played a well rounded  consistent game that Frankfurt couldn´t combat despite their second half comeback losing 102-90. After the game ex NC-Greensboro (NCAA) forward Kayel Locke was relaxed doing his postgame stretching and even though he didn´t lead his team in scoring, his overall energy level at both ends of the court infected his team to totally rebound form their embarrassing performance the day before. “We were too sluggish against BG Goettingen and against Frankfurt we came out with more energy especially on the defensive end where one could see each man was trusting each other to help each other. We didn´t get good shots against BG Goettingen, but better one´s against Frankfurt and made them”, stressed  KB Bashkimi Prizren (Kosovo-SuperLeague) forward Kayel Locke. The Fraport Skyliners lost their second game in a row of the Preseason and at times there wasn´t a player over 20 years of age on the court and second year man Canadian national player Philip Scrubb transformed into the leader with so many veterans absent and played his heart out especially in the second half leading his team back into the game, but the club just was unable to step up together as a team when it needed it most in crucial moments of the game. “This was our second game in a row where we didn´t start out well and weren´t focused on defense with no communication. In the second half, we communicated better on defense, got defensive stops which led to easy buckets on transition. We showed a good sign in the second half, but we need to bring it for 40 minutes”, warned Philip Scrubb.

The Giessen 46ers jumped all over the Fraport Skyliners right off the bat gaining the 7-2 lead as their two main offensive threats Kayel Locke and Austin Hollins scored and new American and ex E.Carolina (NCAA) forward Jamar Abrams showed his shooting expertise nailing a pull up jumper.

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