If one had been out on a rare Saturday night and not had the pleasure to watch a basketball game in some gym in Germany, but rather sat through the 151 minute Batman Vs Superman the Dawn Of Justice to see if the world will be back to normal with the help of the Ben Affleck character Batman bringing the Superman character Henry Cavill back down to earth and then come home to read the unbelievable 107-38 massacre of a score in Weissenhorn, it wouldn´t have been difficult to guess that the team on the losing side would have been the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. Of course some kind of flu could have broken out with both teams, but the chance that it was the Frankfurt team was simply greater, because the Beko BBL team had been together in London, England on a 4 day team building seminar where many of the double license players that also compete for the farm team were away seeing a new way of life in the Reykjavik on the Thames. On any night when the Fraport Skyliners Juniors have all or most of their double license players on board, they can beat anyone in the league. In game one, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were without the baby twin towers Johannes Richter and Niklas Kiel as well as Germans Tim Oldenburg, Stefan Ilzhoefer and Max Merz and Lithuanian Tomas Dimsa and together these fine six players average 76 points per game. It also didn´t help the Frankfurt cause in game one that second top scorer American Travis Thompson mustered only nine points and went one for nine from the parking lot. The Fraport Skyliners juniors now were faced with a do or die game at home and would need to win two games in a row to advance at home within 72 hours. Recently the Fraport Skyliners had a do or die game in the Fiba Europe Cup and got by Israeli team Maccabi Rishon and now their farm team wanted to follow the tradition in 2016 with continuing the positive trend and also pull a do or die win stunt and did coasting by the Weissebhorn Youngsters 77-64. The game meant a lot to Alaska native Travis Thompson who hadn´t had luck in school with these must win games and also was looking for some revenge on his terrible 1/9 shooting day in game one in Weissenhorn. “I had had my share of do or die games in college, but didn´t have too much luck in those type of games. I wasn´t ready to go home the 4,651 Miles to Alaska, but still wanted to stay here. I really like it here and my teammates”, smiled Fraport Skyliner Junior Travis Thompson. For California native Chris Anderson, he felt like Quantez Robertson as his legs got an extra workout as he logged 39.33 minutes which topped his 28 minutes from last week, but in game two with three key players missing, he was the mega work horse that really had the game in his hands at all times and did a good job in the first half keeping a depleted team close to Frankfurt. “I was definitely more tired today and I knew that I had to step up with guys missing. We battled the whole game and always had to fight back. Frankfurt has great ball movement and shot the ball very well. We played ok on defense and had our runs, but it came down to them shooting better and making the right plays to win”, added Ex university of San Diego guard Chris Anderson. Even if Fraport Skyliners Juniors head coach Eric Detlev had a smile on his face, he rather would have wanted his cute black Labrador to explain what was key to winning game two as he wasn´t pleased with the team play of Frankfurt. “It was important that we won this game so our season could continue. Weissenhorn had no pressure and it didn´t surprise me that they played with heart. We let them play with us. We will have to be a lot better in game three”, warned Eric Detlev.

In the  first quarter nobody would have thought that the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had a big advantage on paper as the Weissenhorn Beko BBL license players David Kramer and Joschka Ferner were missing playing against the Giessen 46ers and ex BBL veteran Nils Mittman was also out and after 10 minutes the score was deadlocked at 22-22. Weissenhorn took the quick 5-2 lead as athletic German Marvin Omuvwie scored on a lay in and ex Finke Baskets forward Till Pape buried a three pointer as he was fed nicely by Anderson who had made a pretty crossover in traffic and then kicked it out to the big man in the corner. However Frankfurt quickly found their rhythm going on a 7-0 run to retake the 9-5 lead as 2014 NBBL rookie of the year Niklas Kiel snuck inside for a lay in, Thompson found Tim Oldenburg for a lay in and Lithuanian Tomas Dimsa nailed a three pointer. Weissenhorn knew that they could decide the series on the road and were aggressive from the get go and stopped the Frankfurt run and then ignited their own 10-3 run to retake the lead at 15-12. Weissemhorn mixed it up getting great support from big man Pape with a trey, Bjoern Rohwer running the fast break like a guard and scoring, Omuvwie hitting a floater and Nicolas Moebus a three pointer. Both teams continued to execute well on offense as Frankfurt got three pointers from Ilzhoefer and Thompson and Weissenhorn from Omuvwie. Both teams then closed out the first quarter with 4-0 runs as Frankfurt led 22-18 with buckets from Kiel on the fast break and Johannes Richter free throws and Weissenhorn baskets from Rohwer with a hook shot and Anderson with an acrobatic lay in. “Weissenhorn showed early that they are a good team despite being shorthanded. They took advantage of pushing the ball when we missed shots. We were still finding our rhythm which came as the game went on”, stated Travis Thompson. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were shooting 47% from the field and 40% from outside while the Weissenhorn Youngsters were shooting 53% from the field and 67% from outside. The rebound battle was tied at 8-8 and both teams had three turnovers a piece.

The second quarter remained a fierce battle between both teams as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had a nasty opponent on their heels that they simply were unable to shoo away like a fly on a hot summer´s night. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors started off hungry in the second quarter going on a 5-0 run to extend their lead to 27-22. The run was started by a Tim Oldenburg lay in and free throw and two free throws from Paderborn native Marius Nolte. Frankfurt stepped up their defense in the opening minutes forcing Weissenhorn to three consecutive turnovers on their first three possessions. However Frankfurt had more difficulty executing on offense allowing Weissenhorn to get new opportunities and Chris Anderson used his biggest strength getting into the lane and scoring twice to cut the Frankfurt advantage to 29-28. Anderson was keeping Weissenhorn in the game with his aggressive offensive mind set while Frankfurt was uncharacteristically leaving open shots on the rim or short. However with a potent offensive team like the Fraport Skyliners Juniors, you will only have so many chances to capitalize on their misses as sooner or later they will start to hit shots in bunches. And that is exactly what they did exploding on a 11-3 run to take the 40-31 lead. In the run, they received a 20 footer jumper from Kiel, Stefan Ilzhoefer jumper and back to back three pointers by Thompson and Garai Zeeb. After a Moebus lay in, it was Thompson who nailed another trey as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors led 43-35 at the break. “It has been unfortunate that both teams were missing key players in the first two games. Both teams played very hard in the first half. I still thought that Frankfurt was moving the ball well and playing good defense. Anderson obviously had to do a lot tonight with scoring, passing and rebounding. He did a good job getting into the lane and finding his teammates and is tough to guard. At the end, he made a nice offensive rebound over our bigs off his own miss”, added Fraport Skyliners guard Jordan Theodore. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were shooting 41% from the field and 32% from the three point line while Weissenhorn was shooting 48% from the field and 63% from the three point line. Weissenhorn had the 20-16 rebound edge, but 12 turnovers while Frankfurt had five turnovers.

In the third quarter, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were able to open it up more as further turnovers and the Frankfurt versatile offensive arsenal was growing and growing as Weissenhorn was having more difficulty to cope with it. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors got on the board quickly with two Thompson three pointers to extend their lead to 49-37. However Weissenhorn never gave up and made big buckets in a phase where Frankfurt was lurking to really run away with the game. Weissenhorn went on a 5-0 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 49-42 as 19 year old Hungarian guard Marcell Pongo dropped a three pointer and Omuvwie scored inside. Frankfurt had success playing their inside out game and always had the option of getting the open three or banging the ball inside on occasion as Oldenburg scored twice and Johannes Richter powered home a two handed dunk as Frankfurt extended their lead to 57-45 and continued to keep Weissenhorn at bay as they couldn´t get stops on defense. After a Pape lay in, it was Richter who nailed a three pointer as Frankfurt led 60-47. Weissenhorn was unable to take the momentum into the third quarter despite free throws from German Lukas Rosenbohm and Chris Anderson as Weissenhorn cut the Frankfurt lead to 62-52. On the last play with 3,4 seconds to play, it was Max Merz that had the inbounds play and found a rapidly moving Tomas Dimsa escape to the other wing who was all open and taking the beautiful ball reversal pass from the German and unleashing a three pointer that splashed like there was tomorrow and Frankfurt led 65-52 after three quarters. “We stuck together and capitalized on defense. We did a good job shutting down Anderson better and making him have to make the difficult pass”, expressed Travis Thompson. “When we dig down on defense, we can get teams to become sloppy on offense. We want to make the game ugly. Our rotations were ok, but they still hit many three pointers”, stressed Chris Anderson. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were shooting 44% from the field and 36% from the parking lot while Weissenhorn was shooting 50% from the field and 60% from the parking lot. Weissenhorn had the 27-22 rebound edge, but 18 turnovers while Frankfurt had nine turnovers.

In the fourth quarter, fatigue and turnovers were present on both sides as well as less execution keeping the scoring down. Weissenhorn was able to cut the lead down to eight points with two minutes, but Frankfurt then pulled out the win with a 5-0 run to end the game. Weissenhorn had absolutely no clue how to keep Travis Thompson in check as he started the fourth quarter nailing his sixth three pointer of the contest. Weissenhorn was tiring and taking more difficult shots and some even fell like the fingertip roll lay in from ex TBB Trier guard Luca Breu to cut the Frankfurt lead to 68-54. Even when Frankfurt missed shots or turned the ball over, Weissenhorn would cough up the ball right away again as they couldn´t bring any calmness into their game. After a Kiel offensive rebound and put back, Weissenhorn mustered together another run as Anderson hit a three pointer and Pape a lay in as Anderson found him all alone down low cutting the Frankfurt lead to 70-59. Frankfurt then capitalized on an Omuvwie turnover as Dimsa got out ahead of the pack and scored the easy bucket on transition as Frankfurt led 72-59. Weissenhorn then used their absolute last speck of energy as ex Baskets Rendsburg center Bjoern Rohwer scored back to back baskets inside to cut the Frankfurt advantage to 72-64. However time was running out on Weissenhorn and the Fraport Skyliners Juniors slammed the door shut with a 5-0 run as Kiel hit a jumper and Thompson his seventh three of the evening. “Weissenhorn was tired at the end as they were missing key guys. Key in game three will be stopping their transition and rebounding”, stressed Travis Thompson. “We got tired at the end. Every new three pointer they hit made our energy go down a bit more. Their ball movement reminds me a lot of the San Antonio Spurs. Frankfurt is a very good team. Even when I thought that we rotated well, they still had a guy open”, stressed Chris Anderson. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Travis Thompson with 23 points. Stefan Ilzhoefer had 11 points and Niklas Kiel 10 points and eight rebounds. The Weissenhorn Youngsters were led by Chris Anderson with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Bjoern Rohwer and Marvin Omuvwie chipped in with 12 points a piece and Till Pape had 10 points. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 41% from the field and 35% from outside while Weissenhorn shot 47% from the field and 47% from outside. Weissenhorn won the rebounding duel 38-31, but had 25 turnovers while Frankfurt had 12 turnovers.

Andrew Jones is a 32 year old 191cm shooting guard that has been a professional basketball player since 2007 and has returned back to the Dresden Titans this season. He played at Miles(NCAA2) and has played in Germany for most of his professional career with four seasons with the Dresden Titans and three seasons with the BG Aschersleben Tigers (Germany-Regionalliga). He also gained experience playing with teams like Marietta Storm (SEBL), BC Celtics (SEBL), C.B. Aridane (Spain-EBA) and Universidad Tecnologica Equinoc. Quito (Ecuador-National League). Last season he played for BG Aschersleben Tigers (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 19,9ppg, 6,5rpg and 3,9apg. He spoke to German Hoops after the thrilling win against BG Karlsruhe in game one of the playoffs.

 

 

Congrats Andrew on the 92-87 win against top ranked team BG Karlsruhe. How deep was the feeling of belief before and during the game that the Dresden Titans could win this game on enemy territory?

Thanks Miles! I believe you have to step on the court with the thought of winning. If anyone thinks different they shouldn’t be playing.

How does it feel all of a sudden to be the little darlings of the league together with the Giants Nordlingen?

Never really had that feeling. Just always knew we had a strong team after our finish of the season.

Nordlingen does it with a very thin rotation and Dresden does it with a bigger rotation and team basketball. What do you think do these two teams share in approach to these type of games when your playing the top teams?

When the playoffs start, everyone is a top team. The playoffs is the start of a new season. So teams have to come out with a different mindset. I believe our teams understand how serious each game means

Dresden had a weak first quarter scoring 9 points and gave up 15 points. In the second quarter seemingly out of the blue, both teams scored 33 points. Did both teams defenses take a nap?

Maybe 1st quarter nervousness. Once both teams got there rhythms, everyone starts feeling good

After a tight fourth quarter where BG Karlsruhe had their nose slightly in front, it was guard Philipp Lieser that got Dresden the lead back at 73-71. How much volumes does the tip in from the German speak for the team just helping each other out at any time all over the court?

We have one of the strongest German cores in this league. It’s the reason we are in this position now

In the last few minutes, Dresden had the slight lead with big guard play with buckets from Lieser and Randall Holt. BG Karlsruhe never gave up tying the game on occasion, but won with four David Sturner free throws. What was key in the crunch time for ultimately getting this big win?

I think we were prepared well from the Rostock games in the first round. Each game was a fight. I believe it carried over to the Karlsruhe game

Dresden didn´t win the rebound duel against the talented BG Karlsruhe glass cleaning team, but still scrapped 53 rebounds and only had 7 turnovers. How important were these two facets of the stat sheet for the team success?

Going against Smallwood and Black is a tough job already on the boards. But we made sure we attacked the glass regardless. The 7 turnovers was key to having more opportunities to score.

How important was the 20 point 14 rebound effort from American David Sturner who didn´t back away from the Smallwoods and Black´s down low?

It was an exceptional game for David. He is very strong on the outside and inside. He is difficult to matchup with.

You also have found an offensive groove in the last games having 12 points. You picked your spots well in game one. Are you feeling more confident than usual currently with your offensive game?

I just make sure I put pressure on the opposite team by attacking them on offense and defense.

How does it feel not being the team under pressure in game two as it is a do or die game for BG Karlsruhe. How will the Dresden Titans approach going into game two?

We are going against a good team in Karlsruhe. So we are taking this game serious. If we can close this game out at home, it will be great for us.

What things will the Dresden Titans need to do better in game two? Can Dresden afford to be a bit more risky and key in more heavy on their key players just to wrap up the series now and not have to go back to Karlsruhe?

We have to play with the same principles we always had. Our depth is an important part to our success. So every player has to be ready to go hard this Sunday.

The Golden State Warriors won a tight game against the Grizzlies coming back from 10 to win. They need to win their last two games against the Spurs and Grizzlies to have the best NBA record of all time. Seriously will the Spurs let this happen?

Both teams are very good, so it’s hard to say. But I think the Spurs are not concerned about records. They just want the championships.

Where do you rank the exciting Villanova buzzer beater win in alltime NCAA final games?

The way both teams played to lead up to that shot is up there with the great NCAA games. Top 5 at least!

What was the last movie that you saw?

Iverson Documentary.

Thanks Andrew for the chat.

 

David Sturner is a 206cm power forward/center playing his first season in Germany for pro B team Dresden Titans and currently is averaging 11,4ppg and 6,4rpg. He started his basketball career with Orgeon State playing 13 NCAA games and then moved to S.Oregon (NAIA) and as a senior played  31 games: 14.6ppg, 9.2rpg, 1.2apg, 1.5bpg, FGP: 56.2%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 56.2%. He started his professional basketball career recently with the West Adelaide Bearcats (Australia-Central ABL) before coming to Germany. He spoke to German Hoops after the dramatic win in game one against BG Karlsruhe.

 

Congrats David on the 92-87 win against top ranked team BG Karlsruhe. How deep was the feeling of belief before and during the game that the Dresden Titans could win this game on enemy territory?

Thank you Miles. I think over the last few months we’ve had the mindset that no matter who we are facing on the court, we are going to win. We’ve gotten to the point where we play so well with each other that we are always capable of winning.

How does it feel all of a sudden to be the little darlings of the league together with the Giants Nordlingen?

I feel like the way we’ve played the second half of the season, that we are the team to beat. To be the darlings of the league is nice, but we would prefer to keep winning and be the champions.

Nordlingen does it with a very thin rotation and Dresden does it with a bigger rotation and team basketball. What do you think do these two teams share in approach to these type of games when your playing the top teams?

I’m not sure if we share anything in common with Nordlingen as far as approach goes. We like to push the ball and force our opponents into low percentage shots. They have a great team, but completely different style of play.

Dresden had a weak first quarter scoring 9 points and gave up 15 points. In the second quarter seemingly out of the blue, both teams scored 33 points. Did both teams defenses take a nap?

I’m pretty sure the score keeper took a nap there in the first half! I believe the correct score at the end of the 1st was 27-23, Karlsruhe. Both teams had a pretty solid start offensively.

After a tight fourth quarter where BG Karlsruhe had their nose slightly in front, it was guard Philipp Lieser that got Dresden the lead back at 73-71. How much volumes does the tip in from the German speak for the team just helping each other out at any time all over the court?

It says a lot about our team. That was a fast break play where we didn’t finish on a layup, but Phil was right there to rebound and put it back in. We play with so much energy and everybody is making an impact on the floor, whether it shows on the stat sheet or not. Lieser hustling to be there to finish the play was an example of our tenacity we had all night.

In the last few minutes, Dresden had the slight lead with big guard play with buckets from Lieser and Randall Holt. BG Karlsruhe never gave up tying the game on occasion, but won with four David Sturner free throws. What was key in the crunch time for ultimately getting this big win?

The key was being smart and staying aggressive. We had 3 games with Rostock that all came down to the end and we really struggled to finish those games out. I think they prepared us for this game, and coach had us working a lot on different end of the game situations all week. It obviously paid off and we were able to finish.

Dresden didn´t win the rebound duel against the talented BG Karlsruhe glass cleaning team, but still scrapped 53 rebounds and only had 7 turnovers. How important were these two facets of the stat sheet for the team success?

Rebounding was something we talked about all week and we knew they were going to be aggressive on the boards. They are a very strong and athletic team so we knew we had to force them to work hard on the glass. The turnovers helped balance out the offensive rebounds we gave up.

You had a monster game with 20 points and 14 rebounds. How key was having this big game now against the powerhouse BG Karlsruhe for heightening your self confidence and that of the team going into game two?

Thank you. I don’t think my game will effect anything going into game two. We always have confidence in each other and as our stats always show, anybody can have a big game, and we need everyone to contribute to help us win.

Your teammate Andrew Jones also has found a groove on offense in the last games. How important has it been for many guys stepping it up now even more in the post season?

Andrew’s been feeling himself again and showing that on the court. He’s been a huge spark coming off the bench. Like I said before, we need everyone to contribute. We have the deepest bench in the league and games like last night prove how important each and every player is.

How does it feel not being the team under pressure in game two as it is a do or die game for BG Karlsruhe. How will the Dresden Titans approach going into game two?

It’s a great feeling knowing we stole a game at their place and get to play in front of our home crowd to try and close out the series. We know that they will be bringing everything they have and we can’t ride the momentum. We have to get back to work this week and prepare like we do every game.

What things will the Dresden Titans need to do better in game two? Can Dresden afford to be abit more risky and key in more heavy on their key players just to wrap up the series now and not have to go back to Karlsruhe?

We need to box out and rebound better. That’s the bottom line. Karlsruhe is an excellent team, and they capitalize on our mistakes. We know we can score and force them to take tough shots, but if we give them too many opportunities, we will be in trouble.

The Golden State Warriors won a tight game against the Grizzlies coming back from 10 to win. They need to win their last two games against the Spurs and Grizzlies to have the best NBA record of all time. Seriously will the Spurs let this happen?

I think the Spurs will rest some of their starters since they have nothing riding in the game. I think the Grizzlies will be the team that Golden State may struggle with again. I predict they will get the record!

Where do you rank the exciting Villanova buzzer beater win in alltime NCAA final games?

For a championship game, that had to be the greatest finish in NCAA history. There are a few games in the tournament from years ago that I thought were just as good, but on that stage no game can compare.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Last night on the bus we watched an English movie dubbed in German. All I know was it had Samuel Jackson and was based in a prison. Maybe I’ll watch it in english next time.

 

Thanks David for the chat.

Jordan Talbert is a 25 year old 198cm forward from Little Rock, Arkansas that is playing his second professional season with the Giants Nordlingen. He came to Germany as a rookie last season and played with the Giants TSV 1861 Noerdlingen (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 26 games: 21.6ppg, 9.6rpg, 3.2apg, 2.0spg, Blocks-4(1.5bpg), FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 28.9%, FT: 78.4%. He played his college career at Missouri SO(NCAA2) from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 31 games averaging 11.7ppg, 7.4rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1spg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 70.1%. He spoke to German Hoops after the huge 79-77 victory against Iserlohn.

 

 

Congrats Jordan on the big 79-77 win against Iserlohn. How big was the feeling of belief before and during the game that the Giants Nordlingen could win this game?

We always believe we have a chance to win any game we play. We’re confident in our ability especially when we come out and play our game.

How did this win show basketball Germany that a thin rotation can beat a deep rotation?

We’re not big on making excuses. We played with a small rotation all season and we’ve been pretty successful. Each team can only play 5 players at once. As long as the 5 players on the court play as a single unit we can win the game.

The Giants Nordlingen and Dresden Titans are the little darlings of the German Pro B. Both teams beat the top teams in the first game showing their underdog strength. How do you feel does Nordlingen and Dresden share this special approach of going out and being able to beat the favorite?

 Being the underdog we have nothing to lose. We just focus on going out and doing what we do. We’re not focused on too much else besides our play each game.

The Giants Nordlingen had the slim 36-34 advantage at halftime. With what words of wisdom did head coach Mario Matic send the troops into battle in the second half?

 He just told us to continue to battle. We expected the game to come down to the final minutes. We’ve been in that situation enough times to know how to finish tough games.

With five minutes to go the Giants Nordlingen were behind 71-64 and then broke out on a 11-0 run to take the 75-71 lead. The club got instant offense from many guys. Was there any huddle or special words form someone on the court that helped get the team get on track in that phase?

No there weren’t any special words. That game was a game of runs and fortunately we had the last one. We made plays on both ends of the floor which was what we needed.

At the end it was free throws that sealed the win. Did you expect German Ruben Dahmen to miss his last two free throws that would have put the game into OT which kind of made it a very bitter loss for Iserlohn?

We were actually up 3 at the moment Dahmen shot his free throws. He made the first and we knew he would intentionally try to miss the second but he forgot you have to hit the rim in the process of missing. We got the ball back and finished the game.

During the 40 minute game Nordlingen played seven guys and Iserlohn only nine guys. Was this small difference noticeable on the floor for the 40 minutes in having to balance your energy?

 I’m not sure. Our small rotation is something we’ve done all season. I think we’ve become accustomed to it and recognize how to manage it at the point.

You played 37,58 minutes scoring 19 points and hauling down 12 boards. At this point of the season does playoff adrenaline erase fatigue in these type of games?

No you definitely feel the fatigue. At this point in the season everyone is tired and fighting injuries. The mental strength to push through it and the smarts to take care of the body throughout the week is the small difference that separates the ones who struggle with fatigue and the ones who don’t.

How efficient was German Kwame Duku with 10 points and seven rebounds with his play?

 The past 2 games his play has been huge for us. His effort on the court has really increased throughout the season which has helped us tremendously.

Did you feel like teammate Brandon Lockhart had a bigger sense of urgency to win this game? He really took up the slack in the paint getting his majority of baskets there?

Brandon is such a smart player. He recognized what they were doing on defense and made his adjustment at half time and then dominated the second half. A great performance from him.

The Giants Nordlingen can win the series at home against Iserlohn. With what kind of approach will the team go into the game?

We will go in with nothing special planned. We know it’s a huge game and our motivation is high.

Is taking care of the ball going to be one of the main priorities to clean up in game two as the club coughed up the ball 21 times in game one?

Yes our turnovers last game were what really got us in trouble. Iserlohn is a good team and good teams will always make you pay for your mistakes.

The Golden State Warriors won a tight game against the Grizzlies coming back from 10 to win. They need to win their last two games against the Spurs and Grizzlies to have the best NBA record of all time. Seriously will the Spurs let this happen?

I’m not sure. You never know with Popovich. I can see him resting his players for the playoffs and letting the Warriors tire themselves chasing the record.

Where do you rank the exciting Villanova buzzer beater win in alltime NCAA final games?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more exciting championship game. I believe that Butler vs. Duke game a few years back was great but this one was mind blowing.

What was the last movie that you saw?

 Fade To Black

Thanks Jordan for the chat.

 

Brandon Lockhart is a 25 year old 185cm guard from St Louis, Missouri that is playing hiss econd professional season and first with German team Giants Nordlingen. AS a rookie he played for BK Levicki Patrioti (Slovakia-Extraliga) playing 34 games: Score-5(16.7ppg), 3.8rpg, Assists-5(4.3apg), Steals-1(3.0spg), FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 28.5%, FT: 78.9%. He played at Drury (NCAA2) from 2009-2013 and as a senior played 35 games averaging 12.5ppg, 3.9rpg, 6.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 48.3%, FT: 77.1%. He spoke to German Hoops after the thrilling 79-77 win against Iserlohn

 

Congrats Brandon on the big 79-77 win against Iserlohn. How big was the feeling of belief before and during the game that the Giants Nordlingen could win this game?

Danke Miles! Iserlohn is a really good team. But we go into every game thinking that we have a chance to win if we play our game. We knew it would be tough and just wanted to keep it close because we knew the closer we kept it, the more the pressure builds on them.

How did this win show basketball Germany that a thin rotation can beat a deep rotation?

I think it just shows that it’s not a guarantee a team will always win because they have a deeper rotation.

The Giants Nordlingen and Dresden Titans are the little darlings of the German Pro B. Both teams beat the top teams in the first game showing their underdog strength. How do you feel does Nordlingen and Dresden share this special approach of going out and being able to beat the favorite?

It just shows that on any given day, anyone can be beaten. I cannot speak for Dresden, but I know we felt like most of the pressure to win this game was on them. So we just wanted to play freely and keep the pressure on them.

The Giants Nordlingen had the slim 36-34 advantage at halftime. With what words of wisdom did head coach Mario Matic send the troops into battle in the second half?

He just reminded us of the things we talked about before the game like taking care of the ball because that stops them from getting out in transition which is when they are really good. Continuing to rebound and not allowing them extra possessions or easy baskets.

With five minutes to go the Giants Nordlingen were behind 71-64 and then broke out on a 11-0 run to take the 75-71 lead. The club got instant offense from many guys. Was there any huddle or special words form someone on the court that helped get the team get on track in that phase?

We just kept telling each other to play to the end! We kept encouraging each other to stick with it. It had been a game of runs all night so we knew we would eventually have one of ours. I’m sure we didn’t think it would be 11-0 at that time but we were pleased by it.

At the end it was free throws that sealed the win. Did you expect German Ruben Dahmen to miss his last two free throws that would have put the game into OT which kind of made it a very bitter loss for Iserlohn?

I did not because he is a pretty good shooter. Luckily the ball bounces your way at the end of games and last night it happened to do that for us.

During the 40 minute game Nordlingen played seven guys and Iserlohn only nine guys. Was this small difference noticeable on the floor for the 40 minutes in having to balance your energy?

I would say yes because of all the scoring runs that happened during the game. Whenever we tried to catch our breath, they brought in players with fresh legs which made it a little more challenging for us on the defensive end.

You played 36 minutes scoring 25 points and hauling down 8 boards and dishing out six assists.  At this point of the season does playoff adrenaline erase fatigue in these type of games?

I don’t think it erases it but it definitely helps you to push through it. It’s the playoffs, so you can’t let fatigue be the reason you lose games. Just have to dig deep, push through it, and rest after the games.

You really took up the slack scoring 8 buckets in the paint in game one. Was it one of those games where you just concentrated more on what the defense gave you?

I try to do that every game. Last night the lane was open from time to time and I wanted to take advantage of that. Things change from game to game, especially in a series, so maybe next game I’ll have to score from different areas.

How efficient was German Kwame Duku with 10 points and seven rebounds with his play?

He had a really solid performance last night! Kwame knows his role and plays hard each game. If he continues to do this, it will only make us a better team.

The Giants Nordlingen can win the series at home against Iserlohn. With what kind of approach will the team go into the game?

The same one we had last game because now I think they have slightly more pressure on them because they know this is a do-or-die game for them. So we can really just go out and play our game. But I would be lying if I said we did not want to close out the series on our home court.

Is taking care of the ball going to be one of the main priorities to clean up in game two as the club coughed up the ball 21 times in game one?

Taking care of the ball is always a priority for us. We really struggled with that in the first half of last nights game. But it’s good that we had that many because it will give us something to focus on for this week of preparation.

The Golden State Warriors won a tight game against the Grizzlies coming back from 10 to win. They need to win their last two games against the Spurs and Grizzlies to have the best NBA record of all time. Seriously will the Spurs let this happen?

I hope the Spurs, or the Grizz beat them, because I am a 90s Bulls fan. So I do not want the Warriors to beat the record.

Where do you rank the exciting Villanova buzzer beater win in alltime NCAA final games?

For NCAA final games, that’s probably the best finish to a game that I have witnessed in my years watching the tourney.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Whiplash

Thanks Brandon for the chat.

 

Courtney Belger is a 26 year old 187cm guard from St Louis that just completed his first season with the Itzehoe Eagles (Germany-ProB). Last season he played his second professional season with TV Ibbenbuehren (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 21 games and averaging 23.7ppg, 7.5rpg, Assists-4(6.7apg), Steals-2(3.5spg), FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 75.2%. He started his basketball career at Quincy (NCAA2) in 2008 where he played until 2012 playing  a total of 113 NCAA 2 games. As a senior he played 27 games averaging  11.3ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.9apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 10.5%, FT: 72.0%. He improved his scoring and rebounding average each season. He just finished his third professional season in Germany with the Izehoe Eagles and now hopes to continue his rookie season in Australia. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

 

 

Courtney thanks for talking to German Hoops. You just got off the plane, but instead of setting foot on home soil in St Louis, you have touched down in Australia. Did you kiss the ground for making down under safely?

Haha no I did not but I definitely prayed and gave thanks. That was an extremely long flight.

What has been your first impression of the country Australia?

Australia is great. One of the nicest places I have seen for sure. Nice weather and the people are very friendly here.

After just completing your third season in Germany, you have decided against a month of fun and then back to the grind and getting ready for the new season, but decided to prolong the 2015-2016 season in Australia. Are you still not tired from the last season with Izehoe?

Well I did a decent job of balancing working out and resting since the season has been finished and I feel like the minor aches and pains are starting to leave my body. I actually came to Australia to visit my girlfriend and we are currently looking for me a team to play on. I have been close to signing already but the other player’s who’s spot I was going to take have received their visas at the last minute. I think I have a good chance at hopefully finding a team. It sounds like the coaches here like my highlights from last season. It just depends on who has a spot left. Last time I visited my girl in Germany and tried out, this worked out pretty good for us haha.

After reaching a higher level each season in Germany in the last two seasons, is your goal to reach a new higher level for next season?

I’m a very ambitious person and the game doesn’t change, only the people and the philosophies. Of course I would like to play higher and feel like I can play point guard no matter where it is. I am not ruling out coming back to the pro b though.

You finished the season very strong with the Izehoe Eagles. Are you confident you can take that momentum on to the court in Australia?

I pray that I can get a team here to showcase what I can do. I am healthy finally and really feel that I can benefit a team who is looking for one more import.

Let us talk a little about your last season with the Itzehoe Eagles (Germany-ProB). The club made the playoffs, but bowed out against Ehingen. What was missing in the playoff series to getting a better result as a team?

We weren’t together enough and mentally all the way there it seemed. Everyone got along great and liked each other but on the court we just didn’t work together for 40 minutes like a team that wanted to pull off an upset.

In game one American Devon Moore hurt the team badly. In game two, the club did a better job on him, but couldn´t contain Danny Berger who scorched you for 30 points. Did they just have too many weapons to contain?

In the second half of those games their stats slowed down but it was too late and we had already dug the hole. I don’t think they had too many weapons but I think they were a great team that was focused and ready from the beginning. In both games once we woke up we had some amazing 4th quarters but you have to be perfect at that point. Not just amazing. That’s a great team with good character though and I wish them the best of luck.

You played 24 games averaging 12,6ppg, 5,3rpg and 4,5apg. When you look back at your season and compare the Regionaliga, was your overall performance that what you would have hoped for coming into the Pro B and the skill level that awaited you?

For me it was an up and down season. It was good to see that I could compete in this league, but the numbers don’t tell the complete story. We tried to go with 4 Americans and overload the team but it didn’t work out all the way due to a couple injuries to our German players. I think I could do a lot more, but was only playing half the game. That wasn’t because of something that I was or wasn’t doing. I think people don’t know or see that when they look at the numbers. We had to play like that due to the roster we had. Coach brought in 4 guys and told us he wasn’t going to leave anybody out. I respect him for that. We knew that everyone would look good if we could get rolling and make a run, but it just didn’t work out. I’m a very humble guy, but honestly feel like I was one of the best guards in the league. The hard part was just trying to give us that push in a shorter amount of time on the court compared to the other imports amount of time on other teams.

In the Regionaliga you were the main scoring threat, but with Izehoe had very talented players around you like ex Beko BBL player Flavio Stueckemann and others where it would have been impossible to average 20 points a game. Did you feel like you were able to showcase your overall game as you were second in team rebounding and steals and first in assists?

We had a very talented team and I was able to learn a lot from our veterans. I’m a little disappointed in my own performance this season. I feel like I have a lot more to show than this season but I am grateful for what I was able to do. I think next season will be a lot different. Everyone thought I was an eagle player, but I showed that I could assist and run a team more this year. In the right situation, I think I can have that season that Pat and I both expected this year. I’m very happy about my play to an extent, just not satisfied.

The club had some very good defenders in Flavio Stuckemann and Adrian Breitlauch. Do you feel like your overall play on defense compensated from playing with these teammates?

I think we had very tough defenders and I definitely benefitted from playing with them. Our defense took a major loss when we lost Kosta who is very versatile and clever on the defensive end. Things could have definitely been scary for opposing teams because Kosta honestly can guard 1-4 and I can hold my own as well so with Flavio and Addi that is a very quick and tough line up.

Where do you feel like your game improved the most with the Izehoe Eagles?

I feel like I learned how to give more energy at all times and not just in spurts. I also feel like I learned how to find that balance I spoke about at the beginning of the year. The balance of getting others involved and putting pressure on the other team with my scoring.

Did head coach Patrick Elzie help you become a better player on the court or make you a better character?

Pat was on me tough and straight forward this year because he knew I could take it. I asked him to push me to help me develop. I think he definitely helped me to understand that the circumstances do not matter. You have to always do what you can with what you have. Off the court and on the court he tells me I’m very professional and that I’m a great character guy. I really respect Pat as a coach so that was refreshing to know that he thought of me that way.

What was your personal season highlight? Possibly beating top ranked team Iserlohn early in the season?

Beating an early Iserlohn team didn’t mean much to me. It was the beginning of the season. You don’t really have an identity yet at that point. My highlights were winning close games on the road. I love it. Nothing better. We won a couple tight ones at home, but it doesn’t compare. When your brothers come up to you and thank you for the heart and effort you showed after a win, it’s nothing like it on the road. Schwelm on the road early. They were a tough team early on. Wedel matched up well with us and we came back and won. Won a meaningful game in Stahnsdorf when people were doubting our abilities and Bochum on the road was great. Loved that win

What is the next step for Courtney Belger after Australia? Would you like to return to Germany or are you going to really explore the market this summer?

I am open to anything for next year. Going into my fourth year I just want a good situation where I can showcase what I can do and be able to have my lady live with me if she chooses to. I have to make sure I make the right decision and pray a good situation comes my way.

Where do you rank the Villanova buzzer beater NCAA tournament win in the all-time NCAA finals?

I’m not a person who remembers every NCAA final, but this past one definitely has to be around the top of the list. The back and forth effort and then for Nova to steal it like that made it a for sure classic.

With the Golden State Warriors set to clinch the best NBA regular season record ever against Memphis, how would this great team do against the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls if both played each other?

Chicago Bulls win. No questions asked. Mike is the goat. Love curry but Mike ends that conversation.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Hunger Games. Mockingjay part 2 on the way over here to Aussie.

Thanks Courtney for the chat.

 

 

Dwayne Evans is a 24 year old 198cm forward playing his rookie season with the Gladiators Trier currently averaging 13,8ppg,7,8rpg and 2,5apg in the German Pro A. He started his basketball career with Bolingbrook, IL / Neuqua Valley in 2007 and as a senior averaged  16.9ppg, 12rpg, 3.2apg; 26-3 record; set school’s career rebounding record with 737 and finished second all-time in scoring with 1,122 points. He then played with St.Louis (NCAA) from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 34 games averaging  14.0ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 49.4%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 74.9%. He spoke to German Hoops before game 3 against the Kirchheim Knights.

 

 

Dwayne thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on the 2-0 series lead against the Kirchheim Knights. The Gladiators Trier have won the last three games against Kirchheim. Could one say that you slowly have their number on the court?

I wouldn’t say we have their number until we are able to close out the series. We have been playing at a high level against them though and are looking to continue to do that

Does the Kirchheim and Hamburg 2-0 leads in the playoff series show just how competitive the German Pro A has been this season?

The Pro A has been a deep league all year with many “upsets” throughout the regular season so this is not surprising to those who play in the league

The Gladiators Trier won game one 82-75, but you made it exciting in the fourth quarter as you had a 17 point lead and Kirchheim went on a 15-6 run early to get back into the game. What was key for being able to get the win on the road?

We were able to execute down the stretch when we needed to and made free throws and were able to close it out

Would you agree that the Trier solid shooting over 50% from the field and outside was a big reason for getting the win since you lost the rebounding duel clearly and had 15 turnovers?

We do need to pick up on our rebounding and turnovers but we were able to get good looks at shots. But if we can combine all three that would be great

You have played against many very talented point guards this season, but was the 23 point, 15 assist effort by Richie Williams one of the best that you have seen this season?

Williams is a very talented player and we are trying to limit him as best we can, but he had a solid game but we came away with the win which is what matters.

How soothing is it having Simon Schmitz healthy again and contributing so well? He had 11 points in the game one and takes some of the pressure off you.

Simon has been huge for us since getting back healthy. He really organizes the game and is a lights out shooter from deep.

In game two, the Gladiators Trier won again 79-76. This was another exciting game that Trier was able to win at home in crunch time. What did the team learn from game one that they did better in game two?

We made some tactical changes on defense for game 2, but mostly we just fought with more heart and continued to be who we are as a team

There were numerous lead changes in crunch time. How proud were you off the effort of German Justin Raffington who made the big offensive rebound and put back to secure the win with 13 seconds to play as for once you didn´t have to make the big play?

Justin had a huge night for us and I couldn’t be happier because he deserves it. We had many guys who can step up and make plays and Justin came up big for us.

How motivated are you for game three not only getting the sweep, but getting more productive again scoring wise? You had 10 points in game two, but shot 1/7 from the field? Did you get away from parts of your game, but just shots not falling the way they should?

In game 2,  I still got all the shots I wanted, but  some just did not fall. I know I don’t have to score 20 every night for this team to be successful and I think that is evident from our record of 2-0 this series.

The Gladiators Trier can wrap the series in Kirchheim now. What will be most essential to doing and not forgetting on the court in game?

Limiting our turnovers and upping our rebounding will be essential to winning.

How key will it be having a better grip on top point guard Richie Williams in game three? In game two he was more than half below his points and rebound totals of game one?

Williams has been one of our major focuses since the series started and he will continue to be. We will do our best to corral him and make his shots as difficult as possible

The Golden State Warriors need two more wins against the Spurs and Grizzlies to have the most wins ever in a regular season. Will the Spurs let them get this record?

I don’t think the Spurs will have a choice, the warriors are on a mission this year.

Where do you rank the Villanova 2016 NCAA final in all-time best finals ever?

I think it has to be the best in my lifetime, only thing that would top if it is if SLU was in it.

What was the last movie that you saw?

The Revenant.

Thanks Dwayne for the chat.