ProB

Adrien Coleman (Giants Nordlingen) I Can Take A Beating And Make Sure My Teammates Get The Easy Shots

Adrien Coleman is a 25 year old 198cm forward from Stone Mountain, Georgia playing his third professional season and first with the Giants TSV 1861 Noerdlingen (Germany-ProB). He started his basketball career in 2009 with Nebraska (NCAA) playing only six NCAA games. He then played at  Beth.-Cookman (NCAA) and as a senior played 34 games averaging 17.8ppg, 7.4rpg, 2.9apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 56.7%, 3PT: 22.9%, FT: 50.4%. He started his professional career in 2014 with UU-Korihait Uusikaupunki (Finland-1st Division) playing 37 games averaging 15.3ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.7apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 58.8%, 3PT: 17.4%, FT: 47.3%. Last season he played with Bolmar La Paz (Bolivia-Libobasquet) and South Adelaide Panthers (Australia-Premier League) playing 15 games averaging 21.9ppg, 9.4rpg, 4.5apg, 2.2spg, FGP: 47.7%, 3PT: 16.3%, FT 54%. He spoke to German Hoops about his basketball career.

Adrien thanks for talking to German Hoops! You’re playing your first season in Germany. You joined Nordlingen and have been a spark plug. Were you abit surprised how late you signed considering you had had good seasons in Finland and Australia?

It was surprising I was home for a bit after Australia and boom right back into another season and playing well over the world I feel like I’ve been prepared for this and my parents helped me always to stay focused.

Your playing an excellent season, but the Giants Nordlingen have struggled all season long. How much of a factor was the players coming and going and injuries not letting the team chemistry develop?

Thank You! I’m so blessed Well we had a lot of ups and downs and coach has brought us through a lot and helping keeping us focused. Chemistry was tough at first but we are coming along together because we all want to win.

The Giants Nordlingen are playing the playdowns in hopes of staying in the league. The club has ended the season playing their best basketball. How confident are you that you will stay in the league?

I feel that we will keep the team in the league. We are coming together and we are just healing and coming together in the season playing for each other the keys to staying in the league is staying with each other and believing in each other and knowing each other strengths in what we can do.

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Timajh Parker Rivera (Lok Bernau) I Don’t Think We’ve Peaked But We Will See That In The Playoffs

Timajh Parker Rivera is a 23 year old 203cm forward from Milford, Conneticut playing his professional basketball career with SSV Lok Bernau. He played four years at Towson(NCAA) playing a total of 128 NCAA games and as a senior played 33 games averaging 6.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.2apg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 58.1%, FT: 50.4%. He spoke to German Hoops before game one of the playoffs against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors.

Timajh congrats on the 94-77 win against Wolfenbuettel and finishing the regular season in first place in the Pro B north. You finished the season in style, but what did the team learn from last weeks close 85-83 win against low ranked team Stahnsdorf?

Thank you! Basically we learned that we can never take our foot off the pedal every night each team we play is capable to hand us a loss. Nearing the playoffs we have to play every game as if it were our last.

Lok Bernau had it´s best scoring quarter in the third. What adjustments did you make to be able to push up a notch in the third quarter? How key were you two beast mode dunks at the start of the fourth quarter? Did this fuel the team to close out the game in fine fashion?

I don’t think we made to many adjustments. We buckled down on defense and that lead to more shots which started to drop in the third.

How key were you two beast mode dunks at the start of the fourth quarter? Did this fuel the team to close out the game in fine fashion?

They definitely gave the team and fans some energy. My teammates found me in great positions and made it easy for me.

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Terence Smith (Giants Nordlingen) My Defense Doesn´t Get The Attention It Should

Terence Smith is a 25 year old 191cm guard from Russellville, Alabama playing his rookie season in Germany with the Giants Nordlingen. He started his basketball career with Tenn-Martin (NCAA) in 2010 playing 84 NCAA games in three seasons averaging double figures in scoring each season with his junior year being his most productive where he averaged 14.8ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 42.4%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 82.1%. He played his last year of school with Mississippi (NCAA) playing 33 games averaging 4.0ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.7apg. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Terence thanks for talking to German Hoops You’re playing your rookie season in Germany. Your from Alabama and playing in a small town Nordlingen for the Giants. What was your wake up call as a rookie in Germany where you knew that you were far away from home?

I knew I was far away from home when I was waking up and my family and friends back home was getting ready to go to sleep.

You are playing an excellent season, but the Giants Nordlingen have struggled all season long. How much of a factor was the players coming and going and injuries not letting the team chemistry develop?

This team has faced a lot of adversity throughout the season with injuries and players coming and going.  That made it difficult with the development of our team chemistry, but it’s part of basketball and we have no control over those things.  I like the energy and effort my teammates constantly bring each and every game despite all that we have gone through.

The Giants Nordlingen are playing the playdowns in hopes of staying in the league. The club has ended the season playing their best basketball. How confident are you that you will stay in the league?

We will leave it all on the court and try our best to end the season on a good note.

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Isaac Bonga Unleashes First Professional Triple Double Leading The Fraport Skyliners Juniors Into The Pro B Playoffs Past Nordlingen 83-59

It was shortly before High Noon in the German Pro B league as the top 8 teams in the two brackets south and north were looking forward to battle it out in the Playoffs and wanted to end the regular season in fine fashion while the bottom four teams in both brackets were looking to glide into the playdowns with some force hoping for their poor season showing to be rewarded with better play in the very important last weekends of the season determining who would stay in the Pro B or who would step down into the fourth league the regionaliga. The Giants Nordlingen came to Frankfurt with a lot less pressure as they knew their fate of having to play in the Playdowns while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors not only had a do or die game, but also had to hope for some help from team BG Karlsruhe who were playing against TG Wurzburg and or Weissenhorn who were battling the Dragons in Rhondorf. The only goal that the Frapoort Skyliners Juniors was to win and reach the playoffs would be a reality if at least one team Weissenhorn or Rhondorf lost. In the first meeting in Nordlingen, Frankfurt gutted out a nerve wracking 64-63 victory where German youngster Cosmo Gurehn once again showed his big man passing qualities finding other German Stefan Ilzhoefer for the winning bucket in the last minute. Back then, Frankfurt hadn´t hadn´t had their complete roster and hadn´t returned Alaska native Travis Thompson either, but still won. Thompson returned in December and has been anything short of brilliant, but his hot shooting has carried the team in his 13 games as he has scored in double figures in every game and had some huge games against the Dragons Rhondorf with 32 points on eight trey´s and scorched Leipzig last weekend for 33 points on almost perfect shooting going 8/9 from the parking lot. However the Giants Nordlingen had their own secret weapon in American rookie Terrence Smith who quietly is having a great season as well as he has scored in double figures in each game including explosions against Lich with 28 points and hit FC Bayern Munich for 24 points. In the first meeting against Frankfurt, the Russellville, Alabama native smith was close to a double double having had 16 points and nine assists in the bitter loss. Both Thompson and Smith were extra focused and motivated to carry their teams to victory, but Thompson had an off night as the stellar play and milestone belonged to Garai Zeeb who hit Nordlingen with 22 points while Isaac Bonga recorded his first triple double as a professional notching 10 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists leading the Fraport Skyliners Juniors to a massive 83-59 rout of the Giants Nordlingen securing a playoff meeting with top Pro B North team Lok Bernau while the 26 points of Terence Smith remained a side note.

After the win one of the first things Garai Zeeb does is go visit his family and friends in the stands and when he had gotten his last hug, had a big smile on his face about reaching his second playoff in a row with Frankfurt. “We came into the game knowing their strengthes and did a good job on one on one defense and when a man got beat our help was there. On offense we had too much running around in the first half, but had better structure in the second half and played calmer helping us get the win”, stressed ex Bremerhaven guard Garai Zeeb. The Giants Nordlingen wanted to get into the playdowns with some force and momentum, but couldn´t handle the unending offensive weapons of Frankfurt and just caved in in the second half. “Frankfurt made shots and spread it out on defense. We lacked communication and rotations were missing on defense. Frankfurt rebounded very well. When Frankfurt missed, they got the rebound”, stressed Alabama native Terence Smith.

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Qarraan Calhoun Is the Forgotten Basketball Soul Experiencing A Rebirth Back In Germany

When looking back at the current short 18 year history and success of the Frankfurt Skyliners, the first three things that come to mind, was their first title in their debut season 1999-2000 where head coach Stefan Koch led the team to the cup, the brilliant 2004 league title under current head coach Gordon Herbert where the Bermuda Triangle of Chris Williams, Tyrone Ellis and Pascal Roller led that team and were as feared on the court as first time sailors are of ever reaching Nassau and last seasons Fiba Europe Cup win where it was all about team that led to that title, but then again without Englewood New Jersey native Jordan Theodore, the team probably wouldn´t have won their third hardware. However that 2009-2010 title drive that ended in the final in a hard fought 5 game slug fest in Bamberg that will forever haunt Skyliner legend Pascal Roller for his missed free throw is a season that stays mostly forgotten and a side note even if it was a very exciting and successful season, but in the end all that counts are who wins that last game. Players like Aubrey Reese, Pascal Roller, Jimmy Mckinney and Seth Doliboa were players that were instrumental in that seasons success, but one guy that will forever remain a very tiny side note in Skyliner basketball folklore is Qarraan Calhoun. The last time, the New Jersey native exhibited a Skyliner jersey, Brose Bamberg still only had two BBL league titles, Dennis Schroeder was somewhere in no mans land between punk and greatness and Johannes Voigtmann was just at the start of his basketball career after discovering the traditional German sport Handball and moving to basketball heeding to the words of wisdom by his grandmother. Calhoun had only survived a little more than 5 months under the guidance of tough head coach Murat Didin before being waived.

Seven years later and after bouncing around from team to team, the American is 30 now and back in Germany very far away from the elite and toiling in the third league Pro B with the Itzehoe Eagles. Calhoun is the forgotten basketball soul experiencing a rebirth back into Europe. Before landing back in Germany on the path of basketball rebirth, the American got experience in the states going the college route and then heading to Europe.

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Kerry Carter (Bayer Giants Leverkusen) I’ve Connected With My Teammates In A Variety Of Ways And I’ve Learned Where Guys Prefer The Ball And When

Kerry Carter is a 26 year old 188cm guard from West Covina, California that is playing his second professional season and first with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen (Germany-ProB). Last season as a rookie he played for Iberostar Tenerife CB Canarias (Spain-Liga Endesa) playing 5 games: 3.2ppg. He started his basketball career with Citrus College and then moved to St.Mary’s, CA (NCAA) where he played 63 NCAA games and as senior played 31 games averaging 12.1ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5spg. He currently is tearing up the German Pro B league averaging 29,0ppg and spoke to German Hoops after the 95-79 win against the ScanPlus Baskets.

Kerry thanks for talking to German Hoops 2017 is here and already in full swing. Did you make any new years resolutions this year or are you more a guy that doesn´t get involved with that?

I didn’t make any resolutions but shortly before the new year I gave up meat & poultry and adopted a pescatarian diet. It’s took a lot of discipline not to cave in at first but I’ve gotten acquainted with it.

Congrats on the big 95-79 win against the Giants Nordlingen. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen were already down by 10 after one quarter, but stepped up the defense in the second quarter while scoring 28 points. What adjustments did the team make to get back into the game?

We made a few adjustments to our line up and defensive approach but mostly we just kept playing. It’s a 40 minute game, so down 10 early never gave us any doubt. We never thought we weren’t going to win.

The Bayer Giants Leverkusen did a good job averaging 27 points in the last three quarters and winning the game with their offensive arsenal. Was the consistent offense in the last three quarters key for the win?

Offense was key. We had more guys in double figures tonight than the average night. Anytime we score that way, with several guys contributing, we’re a tough team to beat.

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Terrell Harris (Iserlohn) Matthias Grothe Is A Warrior And I Am So Thankful To Have Him As Coach

Terrell Harris is a 23 year old 190cm guard from Indiantown,Florida that is playing his rookie season in Germany with the : Iserlohn Kangaroos (Germany-ProB). He started his basketball career at Mars Hill (NCAA2) in 2011 and then moved to Georgia College in 2012. As a senior he played 29 games averaging 24.6ppg, 6.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 59.1%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 76.8%. He concluded his college basketball career winning the All-PeachBelt Player of the Year 2016. Harris spoke to German Hoops after the 79-78 victory against Stahnsdorf.

Terrell thanks for talking to German Hoops! 2017 has come and did you make any new years resolutions or are you more the guy that doesn´t bother with that?

No I did not make any new year resolution. I have yearly goals to work on bettering myself on and off the basketball court. Just trying to be a better all around individual.

Congrats on the exciting 79-78 win against Itzehoe. Iserloh won the first game 85-65. Was the opponent a much improved team or was Iserlohn not as strong as in that first game?

The first time we played them, Itzehoe was bothered by our pressure and early trapping which caused a lot of early turnovers. We were able to get an early comfortable lead. The second game it was like the roles reversed. They started out strong making some tough shots and capitalized on our turnovers. Which gave them an early 17 point lead.

 

What did Iserlohn learn from their one point loss last weekend against Wolfenbuettel that it didn´t make against Itzehoe?

We learned that no lead is safe in this lead. You have to execute on both ends of the floor to win in this challenging league. You have to bring it every night and play. The moment you let up and give your opponent hope, anything can happen such as the last play in Wolfenbuettel.

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Travis Thompson Unravels The Acrobatic Lay In Leading The Fraport Skyliners Juniors Past BG Karlsruhe 66-63

It really doesn´t matter in what gym Ricky Easterling has played in Germany the last 11 years, you can be as sure as Donald Trump thinks he is always correct that the Baltimore native of BG Karlsruhe has lit it up no matter what circumstances there were. In his six seasons in the Regionalliga with Saarlouis, the American had Michael Jordan consistent season scoring averages including averaging 32,3ppg and 34,5ppg in two seasons and averaged 29,0ppg each season. He needed absolute no kind of transition period when he moved up to the Pro B in 2014 with Saarlouis as he prompt led the league in scoring two years in a row and had a spectacular streak of scoring in double figures in 55 of 56 games as he dominated the Pro B like he did in the Regionalliga. This season the guy who´s middle name could be Mr mid distance as he is as lethal from anywhere form the mid distance the way Anthony Davis is in the paint doesn´t roam around on offense as freely as his days with Saarlouis mainly because BG Karlsruhe have many more viable scoring options. Currently his Pro B scoring in double figures streak is 70 out of 74 times and not only was he and BG Karlsruhe coming off a huge win against city rival PS Karlsruhe, but the American was returning back to a special stomping ground as in the last two seasons he shot out the lights connecting for 36 and 31 points and also had a massive game years before in the Regionalliga against Eintracht Frankfurt. This time however the Fraport Skyliners Juniors not only had Easterling under control limiting him to a hard to believe 6 points, but were fortunate to come out alive with a grind out 66-63 victory.

After the game the usual soft voice of Easterling sounded more like that of an elderly gentleman as the Baltimore native seemed a bit broken and was trying to reflect on his return back to an old stomping ground. “Frankfurt really had me under control tonight. I give a lot of credit to them as they really knew how to come off the screen and roll and slow me down. I am now 1-2 in the Pro B in this gym. It is not as good as I would like, but I am just thankful to get that opportunity to play here again. Stats are fine and dandy, but I am just happy to be able to play and get a win here and there”, smiled ex Saarlouis guard Ricky Easterling.

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The Fraport Skyliners Junior´s EasyCredit BBL Presence Overpower The ScanPlus Baskets 82-71

It  seems like it was almost yesterday where a young German talent by the name of Filmore Beck was practicing in the BCM gym which is the practice gym od EasyCredit BBL team Fraport Sklyiners and the game gym of pro B team Fraport Skyliners Juniors, but his short stay in Frankfurt was from 2009-2011 where he was seen as a huge talent, but after a satisfying first season where he averaged 13.6ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 76.9 in the Pro B, he was unable to develop further as an injury cost him the second half of his second season and the next season which quietly ended his career there. In the last five seasons, he has had a solid but quiet Pro B career having played in Hanau and in Langen, but for TV Langen was fired in the 2014-2015 season after only eight games after he served up a nasty sucker punch to Australian Paul Brotherson that gave him unending headaches and hospital bills for a while. However the German was able to resurrect his basketball career last season with the  ScanPlus Baskets Elchingen (ProB) playing 23 games averaging 10.0ppg, 1.6rpg, 1.9apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 42.7%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 59.3%. This season he is holding his own in a team stocked with unending explosive offensive power and averaging 9,2ppg and serving as the ultimate role player. He came back to Frankfurt with gigantic ambition as last season, he lit up his ex team with 28 points, but walked off the court on the short end of a 91-80 loss. The German who can shoot out the lights on any night wanted revenge for the loss last season, but didn´t as he lost again 82-71 against his ex team despite scoring 13 points. After the loss, the German reflected on coming back and having to experience another loss. “It isn´t nice to come back here and lose again. I loved playing in Frankfurt the most. It gave me a lot of motivation to play against my old teammates Tim Oldenburg and Max Merz”, stressed ex TV Langen guard Filmore Beck. Oldenburg contemplated about  his ex teammate Flimore Beck and what he wished he had from him. “It is always nice playing against an old teammate. He is really the only good shooter on his team and when he gets hot, he can hit from all over the place. I wish that I had his shooting ability”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Junior Tim Oldenburg. With EasyCredit BBL team Fraport Skyliners off, the Pro B team almost had their complete roster except for Isaac Bonga who was in New Orleans at the NBA Allstar weekend taking part at the  Basketball Without Boards Global Camp and after a tight battle in the first half, the Home team ran away with the win in the second half. “We gave up too many offensive rebounds in the first half and only gave up three in the second half. It was a total team performance where everyone brought energy. Everyone plays for the team especially Travis Thompson which isn´t always typical for an American. On defense our game plan was to let them shoot and not let them get easy baskets inside and rebounds”, added Fraport Skyliners Junior Mahir Agva.

The ScanPlus Baskets came into the game overwhelmed by the deep Frankfurt roster with unending BBL license players and fell apart in the second half. “It was tough playing against this smart tough squad that had many BBL players we couldn´t scout. We had many ups and downs in the game and Frankfurt closed out the third quarter well which was the turning point of the game. They had the momentum and kept it up in the fourth quarter”, said St Louis, Missouri native Brandon Lockhart.

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Brandon Lockhart (ScanPlus Baskets) I Would Like To Be Playing Close To My Absolute Best When The Playoffs Arrive

Brandon Lockhart is a 26 year old 185cm guard from St Louis, Missouri that is playing his third professional season and first with German team ScanPlus Baskets Elchingen (Germany-ProB) 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%. Last season he played for the Giants TSV 1861 Noerdlingen (Germany-ProB) playing 29 game averaging  16.8ppg, 4.1rpg, 5.7apg, 2.5spg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 26.8%, FT: 81.1%. He spoke to German Hoops after the 87-81 win against his ex team.

Brandon thanks for talking to German Hoops. 2017 is here and we already have February. Are you a guy that likes to make new years resolutions or don´t you bother with it?

Hello Miles I make them but I like to make them with others so we can hold each other accountable. It really helps to stick with the resolution.

The ScanPlus Baskets had some ups and downs recently, but currently are riding a three game winning streak. Is the team playing the correct ScanPlus Baskets basketball at the moment?

 It’s nice to be on a winning streak currently but I believe there is still room for improvement. We just want to make sure we are playing our best basketball around this time as we head into playoffs next month.

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