Troy Simons is a 190cm guard that was born in Pittsburgh and is playing his professional rookie season with the Tigers Tuebingen (Germany-ProA) after having begun with PGE Spojnia Stargard (Poland-EBL). Currently with the Tigers he is averaging 11,7ppg, 2,0rpg, 1,3apg and 1,3spg. He began his basketball career with Renaissance Academy and then played at Polk State College (JUCO) from 2015-2017 averaging 17.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.6apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 40.4%, FT: 79.1% and in his second season averaged 26.3ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.4apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 40.9%, FT: 76.1%. In 20017-2018 he played with the University of New Mexico (NCAA) averaging 9.2ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.4apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 43.0%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 81.8%. He made one more change of scenery playing with Kent State University (NCAA) as a senior playing 31 games averaging 13.1ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 39.5%, FT: 82.6%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

Troy thanks for taking some time to talk to germanhoops.com. How did you experience the last 6 months and COVID-19. What was the biggest challenge that you had to take on?

The biggest challenge I had to take on was being on lockdown in my state. We weren’t allowed to do anything we couldn’t even go get food, couldn’t get in any facilities to workout.

You played your last NCAA game on March 9th against EMU. How tough was it ending your NCAA career so abruptly and what do you miss not having been able to do?

It was real tough because me and my teammates at Kent State had big plans. In our mind nobody could beat us and we were going to win the conference tournament so we could get a bid in the NCAA tournament. I miss not being able to compete with my team one last time.

How challenging was it finding a gym to stay in shape and being able to work on your basketball skills? Did you find some unique ways to work out and do certain exercises?

It was real tough because every gym in Pittsburgh was closed and they even took the outside hoops off the backboard so all any of us could do was work on our ball handling.

How do you feel did COVID-19 make you stronger as a man?

Yeah I believe it made me even more independent.

Congrats on signing with the Tigers Tuebingen of the German Pro A. You first signed in Poland but your passport wasn’t ready. Do you feel blessed now playing in Germany?

Yes I do. I believe everything happens for a reason. I didn’t have my passport in time for Poland because God had other plans for me here in Germany.

What do you know in general about the country Germany and it’s basketball? Have you had friends or ex opponents play in Germany in the past?

All I know about was that Germany manufactured a lot of cars lol but on the basketball side I didn’t really know a lot only that it was a great place to start at as a rookie.

The Tigers Tuebingen are really high on your abilities. What convinced you that this club would be the right one for your rookie season?

Coach Danny had called me and talked to me for a while and told me what he was trying to do here to get back to the top league and I believed I could help him and the club do that.

What kind of an impression did you get during your first talks with head coach Danny Jansson? Does the fact that he is known for developing young players excite you?

My first talk with coach I could tell that he was about his business but also had a sense of humor. Yes it did excite me. I had a coach at Kent state named Randal Holt my redshirt season that actually played for coach Danny and he told me that coach would develop me into a better player than I ever thought.

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 191cm shooting guard and your favorite player is Derrick Rose. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would it be?

I would say like Klay Thompson/ Daniel House.

Your 2 biggest strength is your shooting and defense, What other qualities do you have that help make you standout on the court?

I would say my passion and emotions while I’m on the court.

You shot 39% from outside in your senior year at Kent State. How confident are you that you can become a 40% plus shooter at the pro level?

I’m real confident. The way I know I can shoot the ball and the way I shot in the past proves it.

What do you feel is a hidden strength in your game that doesn’t always get noticed right away?

Me being able to attack of the dribble because every team I played for needed me for 3s and defense.

Was ball handling a big aspect of your game that you worked on this summer to be best prepared for the German Pro A?

Yes, you can never go wrong getting your ball handling skills better.

You played 2 years at Polk State College (JUCO). How challenging was it playing in this league? Guys often say that playing JUCO is tough, but it helped them a lot in their development. How was it for you?

It wasn’t really tough but it was definitely a lot more physical then what I had played before that. It definitely helped me become more physical for when I got to D1. It prepared my body for now.

In your second season at Polk State College you averaged a crazy 26.3ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.4apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 40.9%, FT: 76.1%. You led the league in scoring despite playing 4 less minutes than the season before and averaged 9 points more. Talk about how this season made you more mature as a player

My sophomore year turned me into a leader first. My first time really having to lead and put the team on my back because of how young we was as a team. I had to lead by example.

You then transferred to the University of New Mexico (NCAA) averaging 9.9ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.4apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 43.0%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 81.8%. What was your wake up call to being in the NCAA where the JUCO was far away?

It was maybe a little bit faster than Juco and had to play more in a system there.

How crazy was it starting your NCAA career winning by a ridiculous margin of 71 points over Northern NM where there were 8 guys that scored in double figures? Is that a game that you will always remember?


Beating a team by that was a surprise to me lol and yeah I will always remember my first NCAA game.

You stayed only 1 season in New Mexico. Despite the short stay what positives did you get out of it?

The friendships that I made on that team. They were my boys even though we went through ups and downs that year we always stuck together as 1.

You then finished at Kent State University (NCAA) playing 31 games and averaging 13.1ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 39.5%, FT: 82.6%. Your consistency as a scorer was spot on there. How do you feel did you grow as a player in your senior year?


Yeah I believe I did. When your percentage go up from the year before I believed you automatically grew as a player.

You had many exciting games at Kent State, but where does the exciting 72-71 win over Wright State rank where you had 16 points and 11 rebounds?

Yeah that game was wild, we were projected to lose that game against them but it’s definitely in my top 10 games I have played in.

How did head coach Rob Senderhoff groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

I’m going to say the way he coached and his individual workouts with you 1on1 was very intense.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Anthony Roberts?

I’m going to say we are even in wins because we played 1on1 a lot in practice.

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the NCAA or anywhere that went to the NBA?

DJ Kennedy or Dre Kane!

Please list your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Antino Jackson (UNM), Booman Williams (KSU), Dj Porter (Polk State), Delvon Randall (AAU), Sam Longwood (UNM). It’s not in order

Please construct your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present players?

D-Rose, A.I., Kobe, Lebron, Shaq.

What is your personal opinion between the never ending debate between Michael Jordan and Lebron James concerning who is the greatest of all-time?

I believe if we were able to switch them too I think Lebron would have more championships than Jordan by far but Jordan was a great player but Bron is the goat in my eyes.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Teenage mutant ninja turtle.

Thanks Troy for the chat.

One thing that Jason Burnell can´t complain about is not having been near water in his life. Some people like the mountains, other people the big city life or even being in the middle of nowhere in Iowa. The American is a native of Florida and grew up in beautiful Jacksonville and went to school there as well as in St Petersburg. Ás a rookie overseas, he played in in the small city of Cantu, which was 2 and a half hours from the Mediterranean sea, but at least he could visit the historical Milan any day as he was only a half hour drive away. But he is never really far away from water as in his second professional season, he stayed loyal to Italy and signed with Banco di Sardegna Sassari. You can´t miss playing in Italy with all the beautiful cities and he found another great place to play at as he is living on the pretty island of Sardinia which is known for it´s sea, beaches, Folklore and Donkeys. He isn´t directly on the water, but about 10 minutes away from paradise something he can witness every day between practices. He definitely has enjoyed and cherished being able to experience the beauty of the island. “The nicest thing about living in Sardinia is the peace it brings. Being a Florida boy I’ve always found peace being close to water and Sardinia brings me that same peace“, stressed Jason Burnell. But not only water is big in his life, but also basketball the game that he loves. He like hundreds of so many other guys that are grinding overseas, and he has had a steep journey getting to where he is today. One could call it like a Cinderella story as he defied all odds going from JUCO and being told that he can´t play division one to the Serie A in Italy.

            Jason Burnell was born on August 15^th, 1997 in Deland, Florida. He grew up in Deland and went to Deland high school. As a junior he averaged 22ppg and 10rpg and was named player of the year. He finished his senior year at Providence School. He then decided to attend Georgia Southern University (NCAA), but got little playing time playing 23 games averaging 2.9ppg, 1.7rpg. He started off his NCAA career with a bang hitting Auburn for 19 points, but after that he never scored in double figures again and averaged only 8 minutes per contest. “I knew it was tough at Georgia Southern when I got there in the summer time. I was 17 years old my body was still maturing and it was tough. I had a lot to learn being a freshman and all but by the time the season came around I had gotten stronger and gained weight and I was becoming comfortable although my coach at Georgia Southern didn’t think I was very good. First game of the year I had 19 and I had a lot of confidence but I was also young and mentally very immature. After that game we started playing tougher competition and I definitely didn’t understand at that time how serious people took scouting reports. I didn’t know how to play against my own scouting report. That’s what separates the good from the great”, stressed Jason Burnell.  His freshman season was very difficult and at first glance from his stats and one to forget, but in the long run having this tough season helped him get to the point where he is today. “At the time it wasn’t much positive taken from that season. My coach didn’t think I was very good and it showed. I busted my ass every day in practice and it was like no matter what I did I couldn’t get on the court. Definitely was a low point in my life but the one positive I could take from it was my father. He was there for me. He told me I was a great player and told me that all the time and he believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Coach Byington looked me in my eyes and told me “You can’t play at this level” so I turned that into motivation and now look I’m still playing at a high level. I wish I could tell him thank you for saying that because it’s helped mold me into the player I am today and made me tougher mentally”, stressed Jason Burnell.

            The American who lists current Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant as his toughest foe in the NCAA decided to take a few steps back and played JUCO which is the fifth college division. He stayed close to home and played at St. Petersburg College (JUCO). The competition wasn´t as tough as in the NCAA and his good stats of: 20.1ppg, 10.9rpg, 1.1apg, 1.6spg, 1.4bpg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 20.7%, FT: 77.1% helped lift his self-confidence. Taking a few steps back seemed hard at first, but in the long run, it was an experience that helped him get back on track. “At first I was skeptical about going JUCO. I didn’t have no confidence in my ability as a player. My dad and godfather were the ones that helped me into making that decision. They told me to go JUCO and I trusted in them. They said I need to go to JUCO and “reinvent” myself. It was the best decision I could have made and I ended up building that confidence back up and I learned a lot from Coach Crumbley not just about basketball but life. I am grateful for him because he gave me a second chance without hesitation. He helped save my career because I was close to giving in and quitting. I didn’t think I was good at all but my dad, my godfather, and coach Crumbley thought the complete opposite. Thank God for them and what they did for me during that time”, remembered Jason Burnell. He picked up numerous awards and achievements in JUCO like Suncoast Conference Regular Season Co-Champion -17, FCSAA/NJCAA Region VIII All-Tournament Most Valuable Player -17, FCSAA/NJCAA Region VIII All-State Team -17, FCSAA Player of the Year -17, All-Suncoast Conference 1st Team -17, All-Suncoast Conference Player of the Year -17, NJCAA D1 District VIII Champion -17 and NJCAA D1 Sweet 16 -17.

            He finished his last two years in the NCAA with Jacksonville State University (NCAA) playing a total of 66 NCAA games. In his junior year he played 35 games averaging 11.2ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.8apg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 78.8% and as a senior played 31 games averaging 17.0ppg, 9.6rpg, 3.0apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 79.9%. He made a massive step in his senior year and was blessed that a few people really cared that he become the best player possible. “The difference in my overall play from my junior year to my senior year were because of two people. Coach Scho the strength coach really helped me transform my body. I went from 225 pounds to 242 pounds. 17 pounds of muscle I gained in that offseason and it really helped me. When I go home during the summer I still go back to JSU to go workout with him. Another reason was Coach Harper. We had a long talk and he basically said he was expecting a lot from me for my senior year and he needed me to be more of a leader. I had to become more even keeled not get too high or too down and become mentally tougher and that’s what I did. I had an unbelievable senior year broke the single season scoring record and the single season rebounding record. My team also won the most games in JSU history in a single year. What I did in two years some couldn’t do in four. I left a legacy that will be hard to forget and those two played a huge role in that”, stressed Jason Burnell. In his two seasons at Jacksonville State, he scored in double figures in 50 games and had some monster games scoring 30 points against Belmont, Tennessee State and SIU Edwardsville. He had many great games in the NCAA, but there is one game that he will never forget. “I had so many nice memories on the court at JSU that it’s hard to pick one. I’ll never forget when we played Belmont the first game of conference play and I had a sprained Mcl. I could barely walk in the morning let alone run. I ended up playing and I almost had a triple double 19 pts 12 rebounds and 8 assists. I proved to my coaches that night my leadership and how tough I really am. My dad was watching the game on tv and anytime he gets to see one of my games and I know I make him proud it is the greatest feeling in the world! If I had to pick one moment that will probably be my most memorable”, said Jason Burnell. The American also knows his game wouldn´t be where it is now without having gotten the guidance and support from Ray Harper. “Coach Harper is a basketball genius. He taught me that it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference. My senior year at JSU I became obsessed with watching film and just watching the smallest details about my opponent and myself. He taught me not to just lead by action but to use my voice. The team relied on me a lot to make plays night in and night out and he showed that he trusted me by constantly putting the ball in my hands. Although Coach Harper and I bumped heads a few times our intentions were pure and I love him to death. Byington said I couldn’t play at the Division 1 level and coach Harper gave me the chance to do so. He saw something in me in JUCO that I honestly didn’t see in myself and he took a chance on me just like coach Crumbley did. All I needed was the opportunity and they both gave me that”, expressed Jason Burnell. His awards and achievements continued at Jacksonville State with OVC Tournament Semifinals -18, 19, OVC All-Newcomer Team -18, NJCAA D1 All-American 1st Team -18, CBI Championship Semifinals -18, All-OVC 1st Team -19, OVC All-Tournament Team -19, and NABC NCAA D1 All-District 19 1st Team.

            He remembers getting the best of Jacksonville State teammate Christian Cunningham in one on one duels began his professional basketball career in 2019-2020 with Acqua S.Bernardo Cantu (Italy-Serie A) playing 20 games averaging 11.7ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 61.8%, 3PT: 34.1%, FT: 72.4%. Coming overseas, a player always has to deal with adjustments concerning how the game is played and it wasn´t any different with him as physicality and foot work were two things that he had to get used to. But he was very fortunate that he played for an organization that had many Americans intact with veterans like Corban Collins and Joe Ragland who were always in his ear giving him the useful tips so his rookie year could be the absolute best experience. “My rookie year in Cantù was an unbelievable experience I enjoyed every second of it. For the longest it didn’t hit me that I was halfway across the world. My teammate and I (Kevarrius Hayes) used to joke around saying it felt like we were in Kansas not in Italy. For some reason it just didn’t feel that I was halfway across the world living and playing basketball in another country. It didn’t hit me until around October. I was having some personal inner circle issues going on and I had to deal with that all alone and that’s when it hit me that I’m not home. It definitely made me stronger mentally and emotionally and I’m thankful for that because God got me through it and I came out better on the other side. I also learned how to get through things and deal with issues without being home”, stressed Jason Burnell. He scored in double figures in 11 games and he had some unforgettable games against Trento scoring 24 points, hit Pesaro for 21 points, but a game he will never forget was exploding for 29 points against Fortitudo BO. “What I remember most about the game against Fortitudo Bolonga is me giving up the baseline drive at the end that cost us the game. I played unbelievable that game and didn’t miss a three and had my career high and still is my career high in scoring. Giving up that drive at the end was definitely heartbreaking. Having a game like that and not being able to come out with a win always hurt. I gave it all I had but I learned from it and it help me grow as a player”, said Jason Burnell.

            So let´s fast forward to the 2020-2021 season as the American who lists Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaq on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is playing for Banco di Sardegna Sassari (Italy-Serie A). Just like every other player, he also had to deal with COVID-19, but he has been able to cope and come out more potent as a man. “The pandemic has not been easy at all. Not being able to finish my rookie year was very frustrating and saddening. God makes no mistakes though. He has a reason and purpose for everything. I learned a lot in the process. You can’t take the simple things for granted such as going out to eat, going out with friends, playing in front of fans etc. I definitely came out much stronger mentally and I definitely try to live life to the fullest and play every game like it is my last because you just never know what can happen”, warned Jason Burnell. The club has performed very well in the Italian Serie A and reached the next round in the Basketball Champions League, but at a moment have an uphill climb. “The reason we have had success as a team so far this season is because we play very well together and off the court we are close. Poz gives us so much confidence and is an unbelievable coach. We trust one another and we all care about winning and we play for each other. We don’t have anybody that is selfish or puts their self before the team we are truly a team and we play as one. We are 0-2 in BCL right now but we have 4 games left and I like our chances. Zaragoza, Bamberg, and Nymburk all are great teams. Zaragoza played an unbelievable game and beat us at home. Nymburk hit a shot with a second left and beat us on the road but we have a lot of basketball left to play. We just have to prepare for the next one and learn from the losses and we will be fine”, warned Jason Burnell. The club suffered misfortune losing highly skilled American Justin Tillmann, but have picked up another American with Ethan Happ for the stretch run. “Losing Justin wasn’t easy and I hate that he had to leave but he had to do what is best for him and I have nothing but respect for that and him. Ethan has been instrumental to our team. Being able to get a player of his caliber this late in the year is rare. Ethan has fit right in and I’m excited for how good we will be when everybody is healthy”, stated Jason Burnell.

            The American who names Kevarrius Hayes (Cantù) Wyatt Walker (Providence) Joe Ragland (Cantù) Deion Johnson (Providence) and Corbin Collins (Cantù) as his best five teammates of all-time is in Germany for the first time as he is playing a Basketball Champions League game against Brose Bamberg. His ex teammate Corban Collins began his basketball career in Germany and Will Cummings who played for the same high school coach as Burnell had a massive season in Germany with the EWE Baskets in 2018-2019 as he led the easyCredit BBL in scoring. “This is my first time in Germany and I know very little about Germany. I took German language classes when I was in high school so I know a little German but It has been a while since I learned. From the basketball side, Dirk Nowitzki and Dennis Schroder both are from Germany. I know the BBL is a very competitive league like Serie A”, added Jason Burnell. The American is a player that liked watching NBA players Paul Milsap, Boris Diaw, Antonine Jamison when he was younger, because they weren´t the greatest scorers but got the job done. In his second professional season he is putting up very solid stats as in the Serie A he is averaging 13,0ppg, 6,6rpg, 3,7apg and 1,2spg while shooting 33% from outside and in the Basketball Champions League he is averaging 11,4ppg, 6,5rpg, 4,3apg, and 1,0spg. One part of his game has really taken off this season as his playmaking is more in the foreground. “The biggest difference in this year for me is I’m able to show my best skill which is passing. Scoring has never been something I focused on it just comes and rebounding is about effort and toughness and that’s what I am. My role on this team is just to play hard on both sides and bring energy. I just try my hardest to stay positive and Bring energy to the team. Poz’s system is PERFECT for me and he gives me so much confidence. I have great scorers inside and great shooters so I just try my hardest to get them the ball in their spots and put them in positions to score”, stressed Jason Burnell. He doesn´t only sparkle on the offensive end, but also is establishing himself as a type of lock down defender. “I take a lot of pride in defense. Defense isn’t anything but effort and toughness. My JUCO coach, Earnest Crumbley, taught me that. Ever since then I’ve became a better defender. Defense is something I take very seriously and personal. I’m a tough physical defender. I will never allow you to get anything easy and I always try to be in a position to help my teammates and sometimes that can be a weakness because I may help a little too much but I will get better and continue to grow and learn on the defensive end”, expressed Jason Burnell. He is on a very good route in continuing to climb the basketball ladder, but he also knows that he can´t take a day off and has that Black Mamba approach knowing that the grind to get better never ends. Just seeing guys like Kobe Bryant and Julius Randle grind every day has been an inspiration for him.  I’m always working. God gave me a talent and it would be put to waste if I didn’t work relentlessly at perfecting my craft. When I went home for the FIBA break I worked everyday and didn’t take one day off. If you want to be good at something you have to work at it and guys like Julius Randle have that mentality to constantly work to get better and elevate their game. Two things I’m working on most are being a more consistent efficient threat from the three and becoming more comfortable playing the ball screen. With the covid pandemic I wasn’t able to get in the gym as much this past summer as I wanted. So I wasn’t able to get as many shots up or work on ball screen situations but I’ve still been effective this year. I feel like once I become a better 3 point threat and become more comfortable using ball screens the sky is the limit. And I’m certain from now to the end of this upcoming offseason I’ll have those things down pact and become a much better player than I am now”, warned Jason Burnell. The American has defied all odds coming from the JUCO and being told he can´t play division one to being a force in the Italian Serie A, but his journey is far from over as this guy will continue to get better and climb the ladder. When he isn´t taking the extra time to work in the lab on his craft, he enjoys watching movie´s. His favorite flick of all-time is the Godfather a movie that he watches once a week. It would be the perfect setting if he played for Orlandina Basket, because they play on the beautiful island of Sicily where the Mafia was born. But instead he plays and lives on the pretty island of Sardinia that is a peaceful place. But all in all, one thing that both islands have an abundance of is water. He loves the tranquility of the water and feels like at home in Florida. He really has everything he needs to be comfortable and be able to perform his craft to the best of his ability and continue to develop further.

DJ Woodmore is a 29 year old 190cm point guard that is playing his first season with the EPG Baskets Koblenz. Last season with Morgenstern BIS Basket Speyer (Germany-ProB) he played 21 games averaging 15.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT-2 (50.0%), FT: 87.3%. In 2018-2019 13.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 60.2%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 71.6% in the Regionalliga. In his first two seasons with Speyer he averaged 14.5ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 40.1%, FT: 72.1% and 17.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 76.4%. he played at Virginia Wesleyan College (NCAA3): from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 31 games averaging 20.1ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 50.3% (219/435), 3Pts: 46.0% (91/198), FT: 76.9% (93/121). Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and DJ Woodmore team together each week to talk basketball.

Congrats DJ on the massive 109-107 OT win over Giessen. If someone had told you before the game that the EPG Baskets Koblenz would win a NBA type score OT game what would you have said?

Thank you!! I would have said it’s completely possible. Our offense has always had the potential to have a big game like this. I’m just glad we finally found a way to win a close game.

The EPG Baskets Koblenz had the sound 33-22 lead after 10 minutes. How good was it having the offensive working so well and what did the club focus on most in practice the last week on offense?

Honestly we spent the last week focused on our defense. We knew that was going to be key to stopping their Big 3. But we shot the ball well from the start and had massive energy from some key players.

But Giessen showed that they can also score with ease netting 30 points in the second quarter. Despite the up and downs do you feel like the club is making strides in showing more consistent defense?

Yes I think we’re turning the page defensively. We’re showing that when we play with energy and intensity, we can be dominant defensively. And vice versa.

Giessen controlled the fourth quarter but Koblenz never gave up. Other teams may have let up in a meaningless last regular season game, but Koblenz buckled down to force OT. What strides did the team show in staying together and finishing the game?

We’re getting back to that winning mentality. That ‘Find A Way’ mindset we had at the beginning of the season. I think we got away from that in the last month or so. But the last two games proved that it’s still there.

The EPG Baskets Koblenz won the game with a 5-0 run with baskets from Thompson and Butler. What was key in the last minute for getting the victory?

They just made big play after big play. Zaire made huge shots the entire second half. And Brian was a force all game so we wanted to make sure the ball was in their hands.

Giessen big man Tim Uhlemann had 27 points. How much potential does he have and can he become a good BBL player?

He has a really legit chance to be a good first league player. His size and shooting ability makes him so difficult to defense. I’m actually surprised he isn’t already at that level.

Brian Butler had a monster game with 30 points and 14 rebounds. Do you see him taking another step with his game in the post season?

I hope so, I think teams will definitely key in on him in the playoffs and make it tough. But he’s too talented to be stopped. And now he’s playing with a high level of confidence as well. He’s going to a problem for every team in our group.

You had a solid game with 18 points. Has your role changed anything with the arrival of Anthony Canty?

Yes fo rsure. It allows me to play more off the ball than before. Which I’m comfortable with, but it’s taking some adjusting. Trying to find another good balance scoring the ball and making plays for everyone else. But I’ll be ready for the post season.

How ready are the EPG Baskets Koblenz for the post season. What things does the team still have to tweak to be ready?

I don’t know if there’s much to tweak at this point. We’re still finding rotations and combinations of players that work best. Besides that the free weekend will definitely help some guys recover their bodies so we’re playing at 100% again. That’ll be important for us with all the injuries we’ve had this year.

Have you challenged Anthony Canty to a one on one game yet? Who would win this battle? Haha no not yet.

Maybe after the season, but I’m definitely betting on myself in that game. But he’s tough to guard when he gets hot.

Thanks DJ for the chat

 Lazeric Jones is a 30 year old 182cm point guard from Chicago, Illinois that is playing his ninth professional season and first with medi Bayreuth (BBL). Last season he played with Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) playing 7 Eurocup games avergaing 7.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 4.0apg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 61.5%; and played 5 Turkish BSL games averaging 6.4ppg, 1.8rpg, 4.2apg, FGP: 31.6%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 71.4%. In the 2018-2019 season he played with AS Monaco Basket (France-ProA) playing 35 games averaging 8.7ppg, 1.8rpg, 3.8apg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 82.9%; and played 13 Eurocup games averaging 7.7ppg, 1.3rpg, 3.9apg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 31.4%, FT: 88.2%. He has played in various countries in Europe like Israel, Greece, Hungary and Turkey. He has won three professional titles with two in Hungary and one in Turkey. He started his basketball career at Simeon Career Academy where he helped the school win the state title in 2007 while playing with Derrick Rose. He then played two years at John A. Logan College before finishing at UCLA. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big 90-75 win in Wurzburg.

Thanks Lazeric for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the big 90-75 win in Wurzburg. What did it feel like playing on the court where Dirk Nowitzki played as a youth?

Yeh it was cool. I didn’t find out that he had played here until shortly before the game started. Some teammates had told me. Knowing that Dirk had played here made me look at the gym in a different way. I just love traveling the world and seeing new places like Wurzburg.

The first half was a tight affair and the game was deadlocked at the break 40-40. Why couldn’t any team break away from the other?

We made a few little mistakes in the first half. It isn’t always easy playing a first half as you try to see what the opponent is doing and you try to react well. I felt that we reacted better to their game plan in the second half.

Medi Bayreuth had picked up their offense in the second quarter and continued to execute well on offense, but you also picked up the defense allowing only 12 points. What adjustments did the team make on the defensive end?

I think that we are overall a good defensive team. I thought we came with better energy in the second half. We forced them to take tougher shots and did a better job limiting them to only one shot.

You gave the team a big spark in the third quarter showing your ability to score in bunches. How vital was your overall strong performance for your self-confidence?

I feel like my self-confidence has been rising the last month which has helped me to get going. Coach continues to tell me to be aggressive and attack. It is never easy to come back from an injury. I’m feeling a lot better now and it is showing in my game.

In the fourth quarter medi Bayreuth did a good job supplying counter punches whenever Wurzburg scored. What else was key for medi Bayreuth getting the win?

I felt like we continued to move the ball well. They did a lot of switching and tried to slow us down. We didn’t focus on the mismatches but just kept running our offense well. We did a good job with pressuring them and our stops fueled our offense. The ball continued to flow and we got more open shots which helped our self-confidence.

Osvaldas Olisevicius was top scorer with 19 points. Did you sense like he was extra motivated to play against his former team?

He is just a pure scorer. He always knows when we need him to step up. And he has shown it almost every game. He is a sniper and just scores the ball well. He is always ready to go and needs no extra motivation.

You have played against so many NBA players in your career, but what was it like seeing Perry Jones? Are you surprised that he hasn’t had a bigger impact yet for them?

Perry is so talented. I know him well. We played together in the G-League. He just got to Wurzburg and it’s never easy to get going when you get to a new team. He is still trying to find his role. It is all about learning your role and feeling comfortable. I think that in the next few games that he will find his stride.

How big is Derrick Pardon for the success of medi Bayreuth? He made some big buckets at the end to seal the victory

Derrick is always big for us. He is our defense captain. He protects our basket so well and hedges out on screens. He really does so much for us. His energy is always high and he makes big plays for us.

How happy were you in general with how medi Bayreuth followed the game plan? You won the boards, had 10 turnovers and slowed down Cameron Hunt.

I am really proud of my teammates and how we came out and won on the road. It is all about consistency. We have been going hard in practices and that has translated into the games. We talk a lot about game plans in practices and also during games. We need to hold our home court now and I feel like we can accomplish big things.

Medi Bayreuth is riding a three game winning streak. Would it be fair to say that your playing your best basketball of the season?

It is hard to say, but I think so. We have played very well in the last month. There have been games where we couldn’t get over the hump and we have had problems rebounding and keeping our turnovers down. I feel like we have to focus on our rebounding and keeping our turnovers down. I think that if we can focus on those two things then we will be ok.

The next game is against Chemnitz who you whipped 83-61 in the first meeting nailing 15 three’s and forcing them to 24 turnovers. What can we await from the return game and what will be key for the win?

Defense will be key in our game against Chemnitz. I think that when we play hard and can fly down the court then that will help carry our offense. That will give us energy to share the ball well. If we can do that and continue to play hard then we will be ok. Our team is healthy now. Chemnitz will be a tough game, but if we all come out and play together then we can come out with a win.

Have you seen Coming To America 2? The responses have been mixed. Shouldn’t they just have left with the classic and not made a sequel?

I like good comedy and Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall. It was a cool movie. It wasn’t a great movie, but I liked it. The first was a classic. It is hard to beat a classic.

Thanks Lazeric for the chat.

The Fraport Skyliners winning ways continue as they are playing very inspired basketball as they had won their last two games over Rasta Vechta and 2010 Eurochallenge winner BG Goettingen. The last victory over BG Goettingen took a lot of extra effort coming back from plus 10 points down only to be rescued by the clutch play by American Matt Mobley. These were all games that the 2016 Fiba Europe Cup winner had to win as they were teams below them in the standings. The Fraport Skyliners welcomed another team into their living room with the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers a team they also had to beat as they had an ugly 4-18 record coming in. The Hessen rival stepped on the Fraport arena floor having lost four of their last five games including a bitter 92-75 loss at home against the Telekom Baskets Bonn a game they let slip away in the second half. It was a pity for fans that they still weren´t allowed into the arena as two easyCredit BBL oldies Brandon Bowman and Brandon Thomas were in action as you never know when it will be their last time as they have a combined age of 72 years. It was a game of highs and lows for both teams and the only difference in the game were the last few minutes where the Fraport Skyliners made the big plays, executed properly on offense and got the stops. “We are happy that we got the derby win. Our start wasn´t good. We were too passive on offense and didn´t have intensity on defense. We were able to come back with intensity and game quickness. We had some strong mental phases through Len Schoormann, Michael Kessens and Quantez Robertson that helped us get back into the game and with a few more possessions could win the game. We developed some winning mentality in the last games that helped us be calm at the end. John Bryant had his best game of the season.  But we were able to make adjustments and bring the points to Frankfurt”, stressed Fraport Skyliners head coach Sebastian Gleim. Every game for the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers now is like a game 7 of the playoffs as they continue to have difficulty closing out games. The club gave another spirited effort, but just couldn´t buckle down on defense in crunch time. “It was one of those games where both teams battled back and forth. It was a game of runs. I felt that we did a good job of getting John Bryant rolling and getting touches in the paint. We did good things on offense, but overall we had too many turnovers. We played hard and shared the ball well”, stressed ex NBA player Diante Garrett.

                The Jobstairs Giessen 46ers showed no relapses from last weekends weak second half against the Telekom Baskets Bonn in their offense as they came out red hot as their offense looked like a well oiled machine that was going through the motions in a practice instead of in a game. They began with a lethal 11-3 run as John Bryant was on fire getting 7 points as Giessen hit their first 5 shots in a row. The self confidence of Giessen rose and rose with every made shot while Frankfurt was lethargic on offense and Giessen did a good job not allowing sniper Matt Mobley to get the ball much. Giessen continued pouring on the pressure continuing to execute beautifully going on a 9-3 run to extend their lead to 20-6. Bryant continued getting the ball and scoring as he nailed another trey and also scored in the paint. Bryant finished with 31 points as Frankfurt had no way to slow him down. He hit four three´s and was wide open every time. “We knew that it would be tough to move him. He is just very tough to handle inside and out. We didn´t communicate well on the pick and roll and that is how he got wide open shots. But we did a good job on the others”, smiled Quantez Robertson. Frankfurt was able to slow down Giessen in the last minutes as they closed out the quarter with a 6-0 run to trail 20-12. In the run, Frankfurt got vital support from ex Braunschweig guard Joe Rahon who gets criticized a lot for a lack of offensive punch, but in this run, he took scoring responsibility making two buckets in the lane. “We weren´t aggressive enough on defense and didn´t execute on offense”, stated Quantez Robertson.

                The game remained a tight affair in the second quarter as the Fraport Skyliners fought back and gained the lead for the first time, but couldn´t hold the lead as the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers led at the break 35-32. The Fraport Skyliners recovered from their poor first quarter and took off on a 12-2 run to take their first lead of the game 24-22. In the run the Fraport Skyliners got a trey from Matt Mobley, a lay in from ex Schwenningen forward Rasheed Moore and massive 5 points from Len Schoormann. He came in and gave the team instant energy. “Len came in and played aggressive and took full advantage with the minutes he got. He took open shots and pressured the opponents point guard well”, stated Quantez Robertson. Giessen struggled on offense when John Bryant was on the bench. The club had no offensive rhythm and coughed up too many balls. But the game remained a game of runs as Giessen struck back with a 11-3 run to steal the lead back at 33-27. The run was strengthed by ex NBA player Diante Garrett who came out of nowhere and drilled home consecutive three pointers. Giessen also got added help from ex Bradley(NCAA) forward Scottie James who made a forceful one handed dunk and ex Braunschweig guard Brandon Thomas hit a three pointer. Frankfurt rallied at the end getting some quick production from ex Davidson(NCAA) guard Jon Axel Gundmundsson with a three and lay in in traffic to cut the Giessen lead down to 33-32. Giessen closed out the first half with a thunderous one handed dunk by Scottie James who hauled down the offensive rebound and put the exclamation point down for the Giessen 35-32 advantage at the break. “We started off well, but then let up and they took the lead again. Bryant made a lot of shots and allowed other guys to get good looks”, added Quantez Robertson.

                The contest continued to be a back and forth tug of war as the Fraport Skyliners buckled down to grab the lead back only to see Giessen control the lead again after 30 minutes. Matt Mobley had only 3 points in the first half and it was obvious that it was only a matter of time before he would start scoring. Ex Murray State(NCAA) guard Jonathan Stark had been held quiet in the first half and helped carry Giessen in the first minutes with a trey and lay in and Scottie James continued to control the paint area making his third dunk of the contest. The Fraport Skyliners got German Michael Kessens more involved as he scored three times in the paint. Matt Mobley also finally started to get going as he found more daylight on offense hitting two three´s as his second allowed Frankfurt to get the lead back at 45-42. The second trey by Mobley was a four point play and Kessens scored his fourth bucket of the quarter as Frankfurt led 48-42. Frankfurt had upped their defense forcing Giessen too bad shots and on offense were led by a two man team of Mobley and Kessens. Giessen never hung their heads as they kept the game a tug of war coming back with a 11-3 run to catch the lead back at 53-51. In the run, Giessen was led by John Bryant who scored 7 points and did good use of the mismatches in the paint allowing him to get easy baskets and on defense he made a block. Giessen also got vital support from their bench as Alen Pjanic scored four points. After Quantez Robertson tied the game at 53-53 with a lay in, it was John Bryant again hanging out at the three point line all alone and dropping a trey. Mobley tied the contest at 58-58 with a trey from the corner, but Pjanic had the last laugh hitting a three for the 61-58 Giessen lead after three quarters. “We didn´t execute enough to keep the lead. We had lost our aggressiveness that we had had to start the third quarter”, expressed Quantez Robertson. “Good teams stay together. After their run, we came back and were able to get the lead back”, said Diante Garrett.

                Jobstairs Giessen 46ers manager and German basketball legend Mike Koch wondering where the journey of his team will end

In the fourth quarter the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers did a good job holding the slim lead, but halfway through the quarter, the Fraport Skyliners were able to heighten their offense take the lead and never look back. In the first few minutes both teams watched as John Bryant and Matt Mobley traded baskets as Bryant had five points and Mobley four points, but Giessen still led 66-63. Both clubs continued to execute well as Garrett and Robertson traded baskets as Giessen still led 69-66. Ex Bonn forward Brandon Bowman made a lay in as Giessen kept up the offensive pressure leading 71-66. The Fraport Skyliners then began a 8-0 run to take over the lead again 74-71. In the run they received another clutch basket from Joe Rahon a trey from Mobley and a floater from Gudmundsson. But Giessen didn´t wilt like a flower, but struck back right away as Diante Garrett hit a trey to  deadlock the game at 74-74. In a moment like this it would seem that Matt Mobley would be taking every shot, but Quantez Robertson has upped his offensive game in the last weeks and hit a three for the 77-74 lead. He finished with 16 points shooting 43% from the field and tied Skyliner legend Pascal Roller for most games in the organization. “I have been getting up extra shots in practice. I also have been more aggressive attacking the rim. I feel like when I do that it opens it up for me to take jump shots. Tying Pascal means a lot for me. I have been here for a while. I have played many hard fought games and it has been a great ride”, added Quantez Robertson. Garrett then made a huge steal and scored on transition and made a free throw to tie the game at 77-77. But Frankfurt then took total control of the game as Mobley made another incredible difficult three for the 80-77 lead. Bryant would cut the Frankfurt lead down to 80-79 with 46 seconds, but Kessens then slammed the door shut on Giessen with a lay in and 82-79 win. “Our intensity helped us at the end. We strapped down on defense and rebounded well. We boxed out well at the end getting rebounds and stops. I also had a big steal”, stated Quantez Robertson. “We wanted to take the three at the end. I wanted to create something with my moves, but they double teamed me. They made the right play. Bjarne didn´t make the shot, but my teammates and I had the fullest confidence in him making it”, said Diante Garrett. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Matt Mobley with 21 points. Quantez Robertson added 16 points and Michael Kessens had 14 points while the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers were led by John Bryant with 31 points and 9 boards and Diante Garrett added 17 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 46% from the field and 45% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 15 turnovers while the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers shot 54% from the field and 37% from outside and had 25 rebounds and 18 turnovers.

For the hardcore Jobstairs Giessen 46er fans that were already making annoying noise in the Ost Halle in 2008, they will surely remember a 10 year old kid hanging around the stands watching his dad Florian play. 12 years later Isaiah Hartenstein is a solid NBA role player and gives the Giessen organization some of that NBA flair that they never had before. This season there is some new NBA flair in the Ost Halle with Isaac Hamilton. It isn´t a common thing to have brothers playing in the NBA, but there have been good examples in the last 30-40 years. Some nice current examples are the Spanish Gasol brothers Pau and Marc who gave the NBA a vital European charm that it didn´t really have before and  the Curry´s Steph and Seth who combined are playing their 21ist NBA season. There also have been other fine examples like from the 80´s with the King brothers Bernard who was one of the most lethal scorers and Albert who averaged 12,1ppg in the NBA. There also have been four brothers to play with the Jones brothers Caldwell, Charles, Major and Will or who could forget the sons of the NBA free throw champion Rick Barry who gave the NBA Brent, Jon and Drew. One last current example are the Holiday brothers Jrue, Justin and Aaron so where does Isaac Hamilton fit in? Well he has a set of brothers Jordan and Daniel who have played in the NBA, but now are playing in Europe. Jordan who had a stellar career at Texas played parts of 6 seasons in the NBA playing 151 games and currently is playing for Hapoel Jerusalem while younger brother Daniel had a nice career at UConn and played parts of 2 seasons in the NBA and currently is in Turkey. Isaac played at the well known institution UCLA, but despite playing for a major program, having tons of future NBA players as teammates and putting up good stats never made the NBA, but instead played in the G-League, Cyprus and now is Giessen and is about as far away from the NBA as Isaiah Hartenstein is to ever signing with Giessen. But one doesn´t really get the impression that Hamilton is overly affected by not being able to have had 3 Hamilton brothers in the NBA. He is very proud of his brothers and one feels that there is no jealousy in any way  “They have been inspiring and seeing their paths up close was super dope. Both of those guys are very close to me and we have different relationships. We’re all very close and on basketball wise knowing we all played high level we sharpen each other, which at times leads to some disagreements but it’s for the greater good”, stressed Isaac Hamilton. He brings that special NBA flair to Giessen via his brothers and wants to make his own special legacy as a professional basketball player.

                Isaac Hamilton was born on May 14^th, 1994 in Los Angeles, California. He began his basketball career at Crenshaw High in South Los Angeles. His brother Daniel and he helped lead the team to the Coliseum league title averaging 19,5ppg. The brothers then transferred to St. John Bosco High School. He had two great last seasons of high school averaging 24,0ppg and 22,0ppg helping his team capture the CIF Southern Section Class 3A title. He was named to the first team all state and became a Mcdonalds All-American. He was supposed to play for UTEP, but then went on to UCLA even though UTEP didn´t grant his release. On account of this, he lost a year of eligibility and couldn´t play games, but could take part in practices. He finally played his first season in 2014-2015 playing 36 games averaging  10.6ppg, 3.4rpg, 3.2apg, FGP: 42.6%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 68.8%. He right away was put into cold water despite not having played for 18 months. A number of guys had graduated and gone to the NBA so the club was dependent on guards Norman Powell, Bryce Alford and him. Despite being a shooting guard, he also took on point guard duties which he wasn´t used to. He scored in double figures in 22 games. He had a monster explosion in a 96-70 win against USC. That game against USC will always have a special meaning to him, because his grand mother had died 4 days earlier. The 36 points at that time had been the most scored in a decade for the Bruins. “That game was very memorable due to  my grandmothers passing and the fact that that’s why I came back to LA after committing to Utep coming out of High School. I found out she was sick and wanted to stay closer to home for my freshmen year of college “, remembered Isaac Hamilton. In his second season he made a big step as a scorer playing 32 games averaging 16.8ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 52.7%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 80.5%. That season he racked up some interesting and rare feats having 5 consecutive games of posting 8 or more field goals which had ben the schools longest streak since Tracy Murray did it in 1991 and he also showed his immense consistency being the first Bruin since Kevin Love in 2008 to post more than 20 games in a row of scoring in double figures. That season he scored in double figures in 29 of 32 games and his best scoring games included 27 points against Washington State and 26 points against Arizona State. He finished his NCAA career at UCLA staying consistent playing 34 games averaging 14.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 83.3%. It is amazing that he could put up solid stats like this considering future NBA player Aaron Holiday was in the mix as well as freshmen Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf. He showed his humbleness and took a step back and accepted their huge talent and just was content letting everyone share the ball which was key in the school being successful. “ What was crazy was that Aaron Holiday had to kind of wait it out after starting the year before. By doing that he came off the bench and played really really well, but that whole team was great. We had 7 players average double digits in scoring and Zo found everyone. If you were open you got the ball”, remembered Isaac Hamilton. In his senior year he scored in double figures in 26 of 34 games. He had some huge games like his 27 points in the win over Cal-Riverside or his 22 points in the win over CS-Northridge or his 22 points in the nail bitter 76-74 win over arch rival USC. But no game was bigger than his massive 33 points in the 102-80 drubbing of Arizona State where he dropped 9 three´s tying the record of ex NBA player Jason Kapono. Even now when his shot aren´t falling, he will look back to this game and seek motivation. Of course being able to have been around so much future NBA talent was gigantic for the American, but he also acknowledges that a lot of his success and growth as a player has to be credited to his ex UCLA coach Steve Alford. “Coach Alford was great. He taught me a great deal of tricks on how to get open and he really emphasized playing the game. A lot of times we’ll run actions and not necessarily plays, which allowed myself and other to be creative as a player”, stressed Isaac Hamilton. . He will always look back fondly on his UCLA days and also might wonder today if he will ever get a chance to play one on one against Lonzo Ball in the future somewhere in a L.A gym or outside court. “The relationships you build with guys and have a chance to follow each other’s careers is something that will always be memorable. Zo and I never played one on one. I never got that chance to beat him”, smiled Isaac Hamilton.  

            The American who lists his 5 best teammates of all-time as Thomas Welsh, Sir’Domonic Pointer, Daniel Hamilton, Tony Parker, and Prince Ali began his professional career in 2017-2018 playing at the NBA Summer League in Orlando with the Indiana Pacers playing 3 games averaging  5.3ppg, 1.0rpg, FGP: 37.5%. He then was with the  Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) and then was sent to the  Canton Charge (NBA G-League) where he remained his rookie season playing 42 games averaging  7.4ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 47.9%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 83.3%. He experienced some growing pains his rookie season coming from having been a major contributor at UCLA to being just one of many in the G-League with the Canton Charge. Despite all adversary, he always tries to take something positive. “It was very tough realizing I’ve come from a prestigious University, rich in basketball history and doing fairly well as a player and then coming to the G League not playing as much, but through it all I never complained and continued to work, it helped me mentally and physically. I was able to find a sense of peace to when giving an opportunity I can still be me and not play distraught”, expressed Isaac Hamilton. He scored in double figures in 12 games. He averaged 17,2 minutes per game as a rookie, but he closed out the season very strong averaging 34 minutes in his last 4 games including 23 points in a win over FT Wayne and 14 and 18 points in victories over the Milwaukee Bucks farm team Wisconsin.  In his second professional, he remained with the Canton Charge and his minutes dipped to only 10 as he played  31 games averaging 2,4ppg, 1,6rpg and 1,2apg. Even if he had to endure some more growing pains as a professional, he took positives out of his 2 years and stayed mentally tough which is never easy to do. “What I took was to never to give up, always stay locked in and not allowing your emotions to outweigh your decisions. Which I never let happen”, stated Isaac Hamilton. A very important thing for any professional is the kind of relationships and contacts you build. In the G-League and he was teammates and played against young guys that either have been in the NBA or are borderline, but every once in a while a player has the luck to have an older veteran around. For Hamilton having the opportunity to pick the brain of former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins was priceless. “Big Perk was great, I learned a lot from him being there. Without him speaking to me directly he would say things and I’ll take mental notes. He knew the game of basketball  and he explained it very well. Overall he was funny with a heavy Texas accent which made things even funnier”, said Isaac Hamilton.

                After two years in the G-League, he decided to come overseas. He joined Petrolina AEK Larnaca (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) playing 20 games averaging  12.7ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 37.9%, FT-8(89.3%). It was a successful first season overseas as he helped the team reach the Supercup final and was elected to the Cyprus allstar team. He had that warm weather ín Cyprus something he was used to back at home in Los Angeles, but still not everything was easy to get adjusted to off the court. “ I think I speak for most Americans when saying that the food options is one of the most frightening things was a wake up call,  but once something as simple as that is met, to me it makes the transition much better”, expressed Isaac Hamilton. That season he scored in double figures in 15 games including 20 points four times in wins over Etha, Omonia, Apollon and Keravnos. He was teammates with ex Texas Tech(NCAA) guard Devon Thomas who was instrumental in thee x UCLA player being able to feel comfortable as a rookie in Europe. “Devon was great, he was a little scrappy player who was hungry, along with being a hard worker and great on ball defender. I would guard him because of his speed in practice and he’ll guard me, pushing me outside of my comfort zone. So it was great to have a guy like that on my team”, added Isaac Hamilton.

                So let´s fast forward to 2021. Isaac Hamilton who last watched the original Jungle Book is playing his fourth professional season in Germany for the Jobstairs Giessen 46ers. For a guy that hails from sunny California and played his rookie season in warm and beautiful Cyprus, one could imagine that coming to frigid temperatures and the small town atmosphere of Giessen would have been difficult for the American and on top of that with all the losing, but he has accepted it and once again always sees the positive in everything. “Cyprus was fun, enjoyed my first year. Learned a bit of what European basketball is like, but coming to Germany has been great thus far. Obviously we haven’t started the season off on a good note but I do believe we have the players and coaching/management to turn things around”, stressed Isaac Hamilton at the start of 2021. The club lost it´s first 8 games, but have began to play better wining against medi Bayreuth and the Fraport Skyliners. The shoot out philosophy something Ingo Freyer had practiced for years with some success in Hagen didn´t work in Giessen. Once you have an off day on offense and continue to allow 80-90 points a game, the wins won´t be automatic. “To tidy up on the defensive end requires a bit more effort, that’s all. Which the guys understand, so now it’s just about applying it. We’re more than capable of it. Losing is never fun, but I believe we can make some strides and we have. One thing for sure is to demand a bit more out of ourselves and collectively we can make a run”, warned Isaac Hamilton. It is always a delight when young players can have real real experienced veterans as teammates and on the Giessen squad, there are two Americans Brandon Bowman and Brandon Thomas who combine have 29 seasons of professional experience and for a guy like Hamilton having them on board has been a blessing. “Both Brandon Thomas and Bowman are great vets. We talk a lot about how to get better and seeing them work as hard as they do, at the age that they are, teaches me a great deal on professionalism”, warned Isaac Hamilton.

                Hamilton who´s personal NBA Mount Rushmore consists of Kobe, LeBron, Jordan, Kareem, and Wilt is a special player that displays a distinctive type game every night he is on the floor. He has difficulty trying to mention guys that he would compare his game to, but does like to study Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks who is a well rounded player. But he credits a lot of how his game has developed over the years to his very early years when he was having those vital early childhood experiences with his brothers. “I have a very unique game, I define myself as a basketball player and all the entails is knowing where to be offensively and defensively majority of the time, trying to make the right reads. I accredit that style of play to growing up playing in our backyard where we’d play for hours through out the day. It helped me to really understand basketball”, stressed Isaac Hamilton. At UCLA he had his moments where he showcased his ability to be that offensive impact player, but when your on a team that has so much scoring ability, you quickly learn how you can be effective in helping your team in many other ways. That is something that he continues to prove at the professional level. “I think cutting is a big threat to my game, and playing with guys older than me growing up, I’ve learned that I wasn’t going to be the one dribbling all of the time, so I had to find ways to score and in addition to me shooting the ball it makes you a threat, always creeping behind the defense finding openings which are the most vulnerable areas when attacking a defense”, said Isaac Hamilton. He also understands that in order to keep moving up the basketball ladder and making new steps in his career, there are two areas that he will have to improve. “To reach 40% or above I believe comes with my hip alignment. I have a tendency to twist a little, but once I get to the point to where I don’t have to think about that, I believe a lot more shots would go in.  I can do a lot better pressuring and really studying guys tendency. That’ll help not only our team but me individually”, warned Isaac Hamilton. Even if he hasn´t played in the NBA yet, he will always enrich organizations with his unique game where ever he plays and have enough NBA stories about his brothers and ample UCLA stories about his NBA teammates to never have a dull moment anywhere.

A little more than a year ago basketball life for Chaed Wellian was normal as he was balling for the Itzehoe Eagles for ambitious and well known head coach Patrick Elze helping the team win the Pro B title together with top American Chris Hooper. Then in March COVID-19 rocked the world like a nasty and always present Tsunami that suddenly ended many basketball leagues world wide. Luckily for Wellian and the Itzehoe Eagles, they were able to win the title with no playoffs. More than a year later, COVID-19 is still stuck on us like Walter Tavares is on every player he has to defend in the paint in the Euroleague. Wellian didn´t remain in Itzehoe, but sought a new challenge with the ambitious EPG Baskets Koblenz. He helped lead the club into the playoffs, but it hasn´t been an easy season for him with COVID-19 being a daily occurrence. COVID-19 has affected people in so many different ways. For so many, loved ones were lost and for others that were more fortunate, they didn´t necessarily lose loved ones, but had to deal with Corona in other ways that affected them mentally. Wellian who hails from Holland was one of the more fortunate people that didn´t lose any loved ones, but he had to deal with COVID-19 in other ways. “To be honest nothing significant has really happened around me due to COVID-19 that had an impact on me. I can’t even imagine how for some individuals it has been a very painful year with losing loved ones to this virus. The only thing I can say is that this virus can take a toll on your mental health. It’s already hard for an athlete to play in a different country away from home and family but now during this pandemic and lockdown staying mentally healthy is so important. There are no outlets, you start to get into a mode where you just go to practice and then straight home. Doing that day in day out can be a little depressing. I feel like we all are social beings to a certain degree and being a professional athlete you have to limit being in contact with other people because of all the testing we go through to be able to play the games on the weekend. Sometimes it can feel like your a prisoner in your own home and I think that that’s what it is for me that has affected me the most”, stressed Chaed Wellian. After a year, COVID-.19 has become a daily thing for everyone and probably the most common question for everybody is when will it finally end and when will life get back to normal? The Dutch forward is more than ready for life to get back to normal as he has missed the normal interactions with people and having fans at games, because the dynamic without them is just totally different.

                The EPG Baskets Koblenz are in sixth place with a record of 11-10. They began the season in 2020 so well having a 8-2 record, but in 2021, the club was unable to keep their winning ways as they are 3-8 at the moment with one game remaining. It has been an up and down season that can always have a toll on the players. “ Mentally it has been not too bad. Losing is a part of the game, everyone wants to win every game or have a significant amount of wins. The adversity we had to face with injuries and new players coming in had a lot to with that in my opinion. It was where we had to find our own DNA as a team and build on from there. We have so much experience on this team that we know what we are capable of. Everyone is back healthy now so we knew that during our slump that there was no need for panic and that we can climb ourselves out of any hole. So mentally it was a little challenging but we never held our heads low”, stated Chaed Wellian. Two of the biggest problems of the club has been their inconsistency on the defensive end and just suffering too many mental lapses during the game. “It has to do with our chemistry, when Edin, C.J. And D.J. got injured we lost on average 30 minutes per game from them. So it was a little back to square one and finding the right solutions on defense and what works best for our defensive schemes with guys that had to step up. Granted the fact that our offense mostly makes up for our defense it is still something that can affect defensive rotations because we have to get used to defensive tendencies of our teammates. But now that everyone is back healthy I feel like it has only made us stronger and made us trust each other more on defense. There are 2 more weeks before the playoffs start and it’s starting to click more and more and I can’t wait to show the work we have put in and what we are capable of”, warned Chaed Wellian. The club made no secret about the fact that their main goal this season was to move up to the Pro A. This could have had an effect on the players mentally without them even knowing it. “I think for some players it can be difficult, maybe the younger guys on our team. But like everyone knows we have so much experience on this team and we know how to handle the pressure of a team wanting to move up. The club recruited their players with the intent of knowing that we as players know what is at stake and we as seasoned players implement that onto the younger guys, who respond greatly to that”, said Chaed Wellian.

                The EPG Baskets Koblenz have one regular season game left and will finish on their home court against Giessen. Koblenz won a real exciting nail bitter on the road 82-80 and never forgot the amazing game by German Johannes Lischka who poured in 35 points. “He’s a very good player and you can tell he has the national tram experience. His physicality is something to be matched! But I think we are up for the challenge, he is the engine for that team and it shows. I honestly couldn’t tell how that would translate maybe it would give him a little more quickness and finesse but then again it might go at the cost of his physicality. Either way it goes I think he would still be a great player”, stated Chaed Wellian. Last weekend the EPG Baskets Koblenz lost a brutal game in Dresden 81-79, but the fact that they can end the regular season playing the top two teams of the Pro B will give them an extra special edge over other playoff teams. “It absolutely is. Because it gives us an indication where we stand against the teams in the top tier. Playing Dresden we got the indication that we can beat them and with them being number 1 in the south we know that we have work to do but we are getting to the point where we have it figured out. I think we are a team that plays at its best with our backs against the wall. Giessen will be another good test for us as we might see them in the first of the playoffs. It gives us a chance to prepare for them as the last game we will have against them will be fresh on our mind. At this point there’s no room for mistakes so it’s our last chance to get it together before the playoffs”, stressed Chaed Wellian.

                The EPG Baskets Koblenz went into the 20-21 season with a very deep roster, but when the loses continued to pile up in 2021, the club had to react and hauled in new blood with talented and experienced players Bill Borekambi, Anthony Canty and Philipp Liesser. All guys are very special players and bring their own unique qualities to the table. “Like the team did with when I arrived in Koblenz, the new guys were welcomed with open arms and were ready to work from day one. We missed Philipp for a couple games but we are all together now and putting in the work to get playoff ready. Anthony brings a lot of leadership to the table and experience same for Phil. Bill brings us another inside presence which creates for other guys. So we are getting to the point where we want to be as a team”, expressed Chaed Wellian. One guy that is always a delight to watch on the court is versatile offensive force Bill Borekambi who is a genuine walking bucket and has made all kinds of shots on the court and just knows how to score in difficult situations and against good defenders. Being able to share the court with teammate Brian Butler makes the double B´s so much more dangerous for their opponents. The double B´s could make the difference in the playoffs between achieving a title and not. “Bill is super creative when it comes to the paint and midrange area. On top of that he has some serious skills to match with it. Just watching him work is something you can learn from. I think they can become our motor in the playoffs as their inside presence will create so much opportunity for the other guys. It opens up the outside shots for our guards. And when we need a bucket we can count on them to go to work”, warned Chaed Wellian. But not only is Borekambi a massive reinforcement for the club, but also guards Anthony Canty and Philipp Liesser. Wellian knows exactly what he cherishes the most from their games. “ The perspective of the game. Anthony is a high intelligent guard who knows what he wants from his teammates and makes sure that you share the same perspective of the court with him. I think it’s very important that you are on the same page as your point guard. Phil is a little different he just knows how to get in the lane to either create or get to the basket. They both make the game a lot easier for us as a team since they been here”, stressed Chaed Wellian. With a roster that is so deep, minutes are hard to come by at times and not only Chaed Wellian is aware of that, but also young talented German guard Lucas Mayer who is doing his very best to be as efficient as possible in the minutes that he gets. “Lucas is one of those guys who always steps on the court and feels like he has something to prove. He has a great work ethic and always brings it. He’s young talented and motivated, bright future ahead of him”, added Chaed Wellian.

                One thing that Chaed Wellian has done very whttps://youtu.be/a26MuwJNawYell as a professional is being able to adapt to different countries, leagues, coaches and teammates. He has proved this being able to put up solid and consistent stats where ever he has played and that hasn´t been little. He is currently playing his seventh season and one can almost say he has seen it all having played in 8 countries for 14 organizations. Why don´t you try walking in his shoes as he has that very special basketball equation of 14/8. What is very interesting to observe this season is that despite playing for a very talented and deep roster, he is averaging the most minutes per game since he played for German Regionalliga team Saarlouis in the 2016-2017 season. He has had bigger roles on other teams, but played less minutes. Playing so many minutes this season has surprised him a bit. “I guess I haven’t really paid any attention to that but I feel like I’m physically in the best shape I have been in a while. I’m just happy the team puts their trust in me to be an impact in the game. On top of that I’m very competitive and my mindset going into practice and games is that I expect to be on the court every minute possible”, commented Chaed Wellian. Every game is a gigantic challenge for him, because he never knows exactly how many minutes he will play.  For instance out of the 16 games he has played, he has logged 20 minutes or more 12 times and even played 34,33 and 30 minutes, but then again also logged only 5, 10,11 and 16 minutes. “It is definitely a challenge knowing from previous teams like Itzehoe where I had a specific and important role on the team to kind of the same role here but having such a deep roster making it difficult to know which rotation will work best in the game. I know that I’m capable of scoring 15+ per game but so does my next teammate. It’s all about finding the right balance with our team at the cost of winning. As a professional you have to live with the decisions your coach makes even if you disagree with them when it comes to playing time. If he thinks that benefits the team then I can’t argue with that”, stated Chaed Wellian. He is a player that is super critical about his play and it is only obvious that he isn´t content with his 7,9ppg and 4,0rpg. “It can be pretty tough especially since I’m an import we get looked upon different because first thing teams look at is your stats as a player so in that aspect I’m not really satisfied of my numbers but I feel like it doesn’t reflect to what I bring to the table, like I said before we have so many other guys that bring a lot to the table where some games you just take the background for the sake of the team. I would like to play a little more of my natural position so I can show that I’m not just a shooter and have all around offensive game. But as long as we win I’m fine with doing what’s needed of me”, warned Chaed Wellian. But his game continues to develop at age 28 as he changed some things up and has seen his basketball IQ get better and helped get his passing qualities on the radar, but feels he still hasn´t reached his peak yet. “I don’t think I’m there yet I feel like it’s just the start of getting there. I approach the game smarter and work harder than I have before in my previous years. I can just feel I have so much left in my tank or actually I feel like my tank has gotten bigger! I think with every game you play your basketball IQ gets a little higher I can’t say that I’ve noticed a significant difference I think I can reflect better on that after the season but I have no doubt that it’s developing! When I’m playing on the wing I think my passing is showcased a lot more because I’m more aggressive playing the 3 and creating more opportunities for dump offs to Brian or kick outs for the 3. I like to practice creative passes. My old coaches in Itzehoe are very familiar with that Timo The assistant coach used to hate when I did all these fancy passes and I kind of did it on purpose just to get a reaction out of him. But that was more the competitiveness coming out of me trying to show him that I can do it. That’s why I was happy playing for Patrick Elzie and he knew that I could do that and he let me be myself but made sure I didn’t get carried away”, remembered Chaed Wellian.

                With the post season just around the corner, all that counts now is winning games. The EPG Baskets Koblenz can make a positive first step towards the title by ending the regular season with a huge victory at home against Giessen. The club also knows that in order to be successful in the playoffs, they will have to bring a strong effort on the defensive end something that has plagued them all season long. You can bet that Chaed Wellian will bring that extra effort on defense as winning is the most important  goal for him. “Winning at any cost is the ultimate goal. Especially since we won last year without going into the playoffs I strive for that feeling of winning it in the playoffs it just gives you an extra feeling of satisfaction. Defensively I think we all have to get to the point of willing to make sacrifices for the sake of the team not just me. We can’t rely on one guy to do that, if we all on one page then it will be pretty hard to stop us. But any opportunity there is for me to help the team defensively that I have to go out my way for will be done of course”, expressed Chaed Wellian. The club has experienced so many highs and lows that they finally want to seek some consistency in the past season. The question is will the team be reborn and make a run in the playoffs in their quest to win the pro B title? “I’m super confident we are healthy and you can tell that everyone is ready to give their all. We didn’t end at the top tier of the table as we expected and you can tell that we have a chip on our shoulder. I feel like we made it through our adversity and are ready to translate that into the playoffs. Anything can happen in the playoffs and every team is beatable at this point.”, warned Chaed Wellian. Obviously wining the pro B title is his biggest goal, but at times, he finds a little moment to get away from basketball and just relax. Being on the couch and watching a good flick is a normal basketball player ritual besides playing play station. It was only obvious that he would watch the new Coming To America movie with Eddie Murohy and Arsenio Hall. The classic movie got mixed reviews from fellow players for part 2, but Wellian actually enjoyed it and gave a proper review that would even have gotten a wink from Siskel And Ebert from the heavens. Siskel And Ebert were a very well known American movie review duo who gave their two cents about movies every week. “I actually watched it the first day it became available for streaming and the first movie is a classic for me and one of my favorite movies to go back and watch. It’s just classic Eddie Murphy can’t go wrong with that. But I don’t think it was a bad movie it felt more like it was a reunion it’s pretty hard to make a follow up movie after 30+ years. I like that they kept the nostalgia alive in the movie and didn’t try to add too many new elements. Just alone for the reason of having almost the entire original cast in the movie after so long is making me give the movie a C rating minimum already. The criteria for movies nowadays to be considered great is already high so I don’t think it was the intent to make a Oscar nominating movie but just to entertain and in my opinion I think they did so I would give it a B”, stressed Chaed Wellian. Even if Chaed Wellian felt like being a prisoner during COVID-19 at times, at least for two hours during Coming To America he could drift into a different world with Eddie Murphy. Even if he wins the Pro B title, he surely won´t have a problem being a prisoner again as COVID-19 will still be reality when the Pro B title is won. All that matters for Chaed Wellian is winning and he definitely won´t be a prisoner on the court as the EPG Baskets Koblenz will do everything they can to achieve their lofty season goals.

Tucker Haymond has been in Europe two and a half years and has rapidly developed into a real basketball globetrotter having played in Cyprus and Germany for five teams and recently added a sixth team and new country to his ever growing basketball resume with SLUNETA Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic. He reached his low point in November 2019 as he left AEL Limassol (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) after only a brief stay playing three games, because he wasn´t getting paid. He went back to Cologne, Germany to wait for the next opportunity. To save money, he and his wife objected to staying in a hotel, but rather opted to stay at a friends house, but had to sleep on the floor for weeks. He finally finished the season with German Pro A team Schalke and then found a new challenge for the 2020-2021 season with Pro B team SC Rist Wedel, while also getting the luxury of being able to play easyCredit games for the Hamburg Towers who have a cooperation with SC Rist Wedel. All in all it was a very good opportunity for him as he had skyrocketing stats in the Pro B and even made his debut in the easyCredit BBL. But then in February his Hamburg gig came to a surprising halt as he decided to attempt a new challenge joining SLUNETA Usti nad Labem. After playing his first two professional seasons for one team, he followed his third professional season and made a second move in the season. The Washington native has experienced a lot in the last year and a half not to forget COVID-19 that unwelcomely interrupted everyone´s life. The guy is so hungry to keep moving up the basketball ladder that even now having found new opportunities in the last 12 months, he is more than content of doing almost anything to get up to the next level and just keep growing as a player even if it means sleeping on the floor again. “I have really been to a lot of places in the last little bit. But it’s been such a fun experience. I think at this point I really don’t have too many expectations, if that was only thing available I’d make the sacrifice to keep taking my career further in the right direction”, warned Tucker Haymond. The ex Western Michigan(NCAA) guard is always so positive and a smile on his face, that you would never have thought that he has been through so much basketball drama in the last year and a half. It seems like he is totally destined for the basketball nomadic life. “I think what I have learned to enjoy most is being able to experience new places, things, and new people. I’ve been able to have some great teammates in such a short time and made some new memories with the places I’ve seen. I know that eventually this will all come to an end, and I’ll be able to have great memories and have lived in some places that a lot of people take vacations to”, smiled Tucker Haymond.

                The ex  Austin Spurs (NBA G-League) guard began the season in the Pro B with SC Rist Wedel and soon after was promoted to be able to play additionally for the Hamburg Towers. He didn´t have the most luck wining games with Wedel as the team was 3-8 with him on board, but there is always something to gain with every experience you have. “I gained a lot of patience and understanding from a young team, we had a lot of injuries so I knew going in it was going to be a challenge. But I really enjoyed teaching and helping some of the young players. They really have bright futures and I look forward to seeing the careers shape of a lot of the youngsters from Hamburg”, stressed Tucker Haymond. The American first turned basketball heads in his first season with the RheinStars where he averaged 22.5ppg, 6.0rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 80.7% in 31 minutes of time per game. With SC Rist Wedel he was able to up his scoring to 24,9ppg, 6,3rpg, 2,8apg and 1,5spg. Plus he shot at 40% from downtown while playing 2 minutes less than in Cologne. “To be honest I felt I grew a lot because I was able to play my game within the system. My goal was to try and win games, be efficient, and play the game the right way on both ends of the floor”, stated Tucker Haymond. 

                With his stellar lightening play in the Pro B with SC Rist Wedel, he was then promoted to be able not only to train with the easyCredit BBL team Hamburg Towers, but also get inserted into games. He made his easyCredit BBL debut on December 13th, 2020 witnessing a tough 73-69 loss to ratiopharm Ulm playing 4 minutes. That first experience in the easyCredit BBL is something that he will never forget and took it all in stride in that he wasn´t able to play more games with them. “I wasn’t disappointed at all, I was just thankful for the opportunity. It showed me a high level of play and preparation that now is my goal to get back to. I knew going into it I was owed nothing and promised nothing. Sure, COVID-19 made things harder, but it also made me have to work harder for everything. I’m thankful for all the opportunities and my time in Hamburg. It’s sparked a flame in me to get back to the BBL full time”, warned Tucker Haymond. He was very fortunate to have one of the top coaches in Germany as a teacher with Pedro Calles and it was obvious that he would soak up as much as possible from him in his time there. “The most important thing I learned from him was the attention to detail. If something isn’t done right, the drill is done over and over again. Sure, maybe as a player it’s not fun. But at the end of the day, when you continue to build habits of doing things the right way, you get better. And I definitely got better in my time there”, stated Tucker Haymond.  He also had great teammates in Hamburg like BBL veteran Bryce Taylor, but he also had other guys that he will never forget. “TJ Shorts let me live with him for a about a week when my wife came to town and she had to quarantine. It was nice to get to know him and we also have a friend in common, his college teammate, my friend I grew up with”added Tucker Haymond.

                The American who last saw the movie El Camino Breaking Bad has began a new challenge in the Czech Republic with professional club SLUNETA Usti nad Labem that play in the NBL league. They arrived in the NBL league in 2012 and had their best season last season finishing in 4th place in the standings. They have had talented Americans in the past including 2020 Basketball Champions League winner Thad McFadden who played with them early in his career and has developed into a top guard in Europe. Some may have wondered why Haymond  would leave a golden situation with the Hamburg Towers and move to a lower league, but for him it´s all about continuing to grow as a player while seeing a new style of play. “There was no specific reasons other than trying to further my career. I really enjoyed my time with Wedel and the Towers and learned a bunch ! I had some great times with both teams, players and coaches. Although with talking to my agent we thought that this opportunity to take on a big role in a first division team would be a great move for my career. I was thankful that my GM and coach with Wedel were supportive in this opportunity given the cancellation of play downs. They really wanted what was best for me and I’m thankful for that”, said Tucker Haymond. The Washington native has seen so much in his short time in Europe and really has only one goal with his new club. “I have no expectations, I just have goals of trying to help the team make the playoffs. We are 1 game out of a playoff seed and I really want to play in a European post season. I haven’t played in the playoffs since my time with the Spurs”, expressed Tucker Haymond. He is most known for being an explosive and lethal offensive player, but he wants to show another side of his game in the Czech Republic. “I hope I can bring my defensive mentality that the Wedel and Towers teams instilled in me. My role will be to just do whatever the team needs me to do to win. Like I said, I want to make the playoffs”, warned Tucker Haymond.

                The American has been blessed to have seen so much beauty in his brief careerso far  in Europe. In Cologne he could run or bike along the famous Rheine river for miles and miles or just look up at the famous breathtaking cathedral. In Cyprus he was able to enjoy the warm weather and ocean and see a new type of culture while in Schalke, he saw the slow demise of the well known football club Schalke. He was in for a real treat in Wedel in that he lived along the beautiful Elbe river and in Hamburg he could witness history and water with the pretty Alster lake and famous harbor. Hamburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany, but unfortunately COVID-19 detoured his ability to really experience the beauty of Hamburg. “Everything was closed so the only place to kind of go or chill was home”, said Tucker Haymond. Now he calls Usti nad Labem his home. It has 93,000 people living there which is a lot bigger than Wedel, but tiny in comparison to Hamburg which has 1,8 million people. But like in Hamburg, he hasn´t been able to explore yet, because COVID-19 has hit the Czech Republic hard which has kept him away from getting to know his new home better. “My impression is it’s a nice small city, to be honest I haven’t seen much because I’ve been pretty busy getting settled in, but it’s nice that I live right next to the gym, so I can walk there any time to use the facility”, added Tucker Haymond. His first order of business is to help his new team reach the playoffs. What happens next season is still as far away as it is for the Boston Celtics to get out of their momentary rut. But one thing is for sure, if one were to read Tucker Haymond´s mind, one could surely pick up some thoughts about Germany. He has played for 6 organizations in Europe and four have been German teams. It is no secret that he has a lot of space for Germany in his heart. “I think I’ll be back to Germany one day. I love Germany, it’s almost become my second home. I’d love to return and play for a team that wants me. My wife and I really enjoyed our years there”, stressed Tucker Haymond. Even if it means sleeping on the floor again, he wouldn´t hesitate to do it, because he will do anything to get that new job. But he has built up such a good network of friends in Germany in the last two years that now he will find at least someone that has a guest room and bed. I´m sure that Stephan Baeck and Marvin Willoughby would always have a guest bed for him.

30 minutes had been played in Goettingen and the Fraport Skyliners were once again demonstrating their lack of consistency which has plagued them so much this season and is as annoying as it must have been for Euroleague team Khimki to witness the 10 lethal three pointer by Swede Marcus Erikisson. Frankfurt was down 76-62 after 30 minutes and even two crucial and clutch three pointers by young German Len Schoormann didn´t silence the many Skyliner haters who seem to have extreme difficulty to find anything positive about a club that is trying to reach the playoffs in a very tight and competitive BBL season. 10 minutes later, instead of escaping the Sparkassen arena unnoticed the Fraport Skyliners actually exited with their heads held high as they made an incredible fourth quarter come back exploding for 30 points and upending the 2010 Eurochallenge winner BG Goettingen 93-89. Often after a huge victory like this, one hears about the wildest parties on the bus ride home, but with the Fraport Skyliners they didn´t need any craziness happening in the bus, but rather showed class and remained quiet. “We had no real celebration on the bus ride home. We pretty much relaxed. It felt very good winning that game. The win felt really good after being down so bad. We definitely knew what we had accomplished. We haven´t done something like that this season”, stated ex Auburn guard Quantez Robertson. The Fraport Skyliners have had some fine come from behind wins in their history and it didn´t take Quantez Robertson long to name one of his biggest if not biggest. “This win against Goettingen is in my top 3 best come back wins with the Skyliners. I remember when we played Eurochallenge against Russian team Enisey. We were down by 19 points at half-time and came back and won”, remembered Quantez Robertson.

                The Fraport Skyliners did a good job on the offensive end in the first quarter netting 21 points, but couldn´t muster consistent stops on defense allowing 26 points. BG Goettingen kept control of the game in the second quarter as they did what they wanted in the paint and established their mid range game as Nelson Weidemann and Rhards Lomazs did a lot of damage against Frankfurt. BG Goettingen led at the break 49-43. “They played small ball. We got away from our game plan which allowed them to keep the lead. Their second group did a good job being aggressive at both ends of the court. We had our problems and couldn´t slow them down”, said Quantez Robertson. BG Goettingen continued their offensive onslaught in the third quarter scoring 27 points and kept Frankfurt to 19 points. BG Goettingen continued to show their fine mid range game as Luke Nelson and Deishaun Booker executed well, but also hit more three pointers to spread out their offense. It also didn´t help Frankfurt´s cause that they missed some free throws. Frankfurt was in a real rut and despite Schoorman´s two massive three´s at the end of the third quarter, there didn´t seem to be much hope for Frankfurt as head coach Sebastian Gleim was livid on the sidelines, but he still had hope in his players making a turn around. “Coach yelled at us about our defense. He told us to stay together and just play harder and too execute”, stated Quantez Robertson.

                In the fourth quarter came the big comeback for the Fraport Skyliners. Sometimes things happen so rapidly that if someone had briefly exited for the bath room or gotten another cold one, could have missed the Frankfurt brutal 12-0 run which cut the BG Goettingen lead to 78-74 and took only 3,01 minutes. Suddenly there was light at the end of the tunnel again for the Fraport Skyliners. In the run Matt Mobley sparked Frankfurt with five points and Len Schoormann continued to execute on offense getting five points. Despite Frankfurt being close, BG Goettingen didn´t relinquish the lead down the stretch, but Frankfurt was on their heels.  Booker gave BG Goettingen the 80-74 lead with free throws. Frankfurt kept chipping away at the Goettingen lead with a trey from Mobley and a basket from Joe Rahon to be down only 81-79. BG Goettingen held the lead, but Frankfurt got more easy baskets inside from Quantez Robertson and Jon Axel Gudmunsson to cut the BG Goettingen lead to 87-85. Then came the turning point of the game as Matt Mobley made a massive 4 point play to give Frankfurt the crucial 90-89 lead. Frankfurt then buckled down on defense and played the way they should always being aggressive and making big plays. Frankfurt had supplied the blow and sealed the win with Mobley and Robertson free throws. “This was by far our best quarter of offense this season. We put our heads down on offense and defense. We have been working on ball movement in practice. Coach told us that the extra pass would be there, but that the extra extra pass would be better”, warned Quantez Robertson.

                After some Ok games from Matt Mobley in the last weeks, but definitely not his best, he returned in Goettingen with vengeance and his killer scorer instinct exploding for 29 points. He also filled up the stat sheet well with five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Mobley once again was worth every penny in Goettingen. “Matt made some big shots and also created open looks for us. His playmaking continues to be good. He couldn´t show it last season, because he played only one game with us. We couldn´t see last season how good of a passer he is, but this season we know he can pass the ball very well”, warned Quantez Robertson. Often the offense of Matt Mobley puts his defensive qualities off the radar. “He shows at times that he can be a very good defender. He has a lot of responsibility to score the ball for us. Him having to score against the double team takes a lot out of him. He continues to show glimpses of good defense”, added Quantez Robertson. Len Schoormann had his break out game in a Skyliner uniform netting 14 points in 13 points while picking his spots well and was efficient in 13 minutes. “Len just went out and played basketball. He didn´t worry or think too much about what he did. His continued extra shooting has shown that it has helped with his good games in the Pro B and now BBL”, expressed Quantez Robertson. Robertson scored in double figures for the second straight game as he continues to give his best at being a viable offensive option. Even if Mobley is that pure scorer, Robertson doesn´t need any of his aggressiveness to rub off on him. “I have always been aggressive, but I just haven´t been picking my spots as well. That has led me to taking bad shots and not doing so good playmaking”, stressed Quantez Robertson.

                The Fraport Skyliners continue to grind and chip away at the easyCredit BBL playoffs as they are currently in ninth place with a record of 9-13. They next meet their rival Giessen who are trying to escape the cellar area and have a 4-18 record. Getting up the standings wasn´t help last weekend as Giessen collapsed in the second half at home against the Telekom Baskets Bonn 92-75. In the first meeting, the Fraport Skyliners lost a bitter 75-74 game on the road and was a game they let slip away at the end. The Fraport Skyliners will seek revenge as they need a win as they are currently playing teams that they have to beat if they want to have any chance of making the playoffs. “We have to be consistent on defense like we have been in the last games and just follow the game plan”, warned Quantez Robertson. When Quantez Robertson isn´t on the floor in practice or in team meetings concerning scouting, he has a lot of times to roam Netflix. One new movie that has ben released is the long awaited Coming To America 2 movie. The original was released in 1988 staring Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall. The original will always be a classic. For many basketball players the original remains the best while the new one has gotten mixed reviews. Roberton´s ex teammates 2011 BBL MVP Dashaun Wood and Mike Morrison have seen the new Coming To America and so will Tez soon. “I´m definitely going to watch Coming to America 2. I pretty much remember the whole movie Coming To America”, chuckled Quantez Robertson. Knowing Quantez Robertson, he probably also remembers exactly what happened in the embarrassing loss in Giessen. That can only be a good omen for how focused Quantez Robertson will be in the return game this weekend in Frankfurt.

Predrag Lukic is a German/Serbian head coach who currently is coaching the Thang Long Warriors (Vietnam-VBA). He also has had experience coaching Chongson KungFu (China-ASEAN League) and BC Rise Sport Foshan (China, Guangdong province) in the far east. He got his coaching start in Germany and coached many teams there including Baskets Luedenscheid (Germany-2. Regionalliga), BG Hagen (Germany-Regionalliga), GiroLive-Ballers Osnabrueck (ProA), TSV Quakenbrueck Dragons (Germany-2.Bundesliga) women team, ChemCats Chemnitz (Germany-DBBL) women team, evo New Basket Oberhausen (Germany-DBBL) women team, MTV Wolfenbuettel von 2012 Herzoege (Germany-ProB), and Buergerfelder TB. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his coaching career.

Predrag thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment, and how is basketball life for you at the moment? Tell us also more about you?

Thanks for this interview and opportunity to talk with one of the most respected basketball news. Well, I was born in 1986, grew up in Germany with Serbian roots. Since 2010 I completed my degree as basketball coach at DBB and have now also the FIBA License. I started young as a Basketball coach (21) and coached teams in the DBBL as well as Pro A, Pro B in Germany. Like you know, 2015 I made the step to Asia, first China where I ”started” with youth development work and proved myself to become again in pro coaching, like with Chongson KungFu BC in one of the top leagues (ASEAN League). In 2018 my work brought me to the beautiful country of Vietnam, where I am now in my fourth season as Head Coach, actually for Thang Long Warriors by AUDI. In the years here, honored as ”Coach of the Year 2019” and twice my team (s) was runners-up of the season and was most recently a finalist in past season 2020. The 2021 season is now being meticulously in preparation.

In the past we talked about your China experience, how about coaching in Vietnam now?

Vietnam is a beautiful country, my family and I enjoy it here. Basketball is coming more and more popular and the league (VBA) Vietnam Basketball Association is every year winning on quality. The organization and people behind as also the Team Owners are doing big investment, great work to develop basketball in Vietnam. Like for example my Owners who built in next years a like ”NBA”-basketball gym with such of Hotel, restaurants, practice court etc. This shows the potential and future here of basketball. I am glad that I am part of growing together here.

What is the biggest different between Vietnam/Asia and Europe Basketball?

At the moment there is a big difference between these two, not at least the way of teaching in youth sector and kind of maybe lack of basketball education and little too much following NBA for it, (To avoid misunderstanding, NBA is the best league in the world), but if you want to develop especially youth and get good skilled ballers, in my opinion you should follow more European/FIBA basketball training methods here as for example nobody (Europe either) is NBA or can offer this kind of huge”Athletes” etc. So it’s a different way. But ok, it’s just my opinion and view on it. On the other side Vietnam have a lot of players with potential, and I am sure Basketball will have a big future.

How do you see Thang Long Warriors by Audi doing next season? How much potential does the club have?

-TLW is one of the more successful teams and have the best Fan’s in the VBA. It owns a championship in the still young league that has existed for 5 years and TLW for four years now have reached the finals twice and never missed the playoffs yet. I can proudly say that I’ve been a coach for the longest time now here in the club and get the opportunity to continue and build the successful history of the Warriors. Hopefully the 2021 season we get something more and bigger done again.

I can see you are having good input as the Head coach there, and what is your biggest goal in your coaching?

I am glad to be the coach of this team and club. I will share my experience and help where ever it needs to become more and more successful.

You have been some years now in Asia (China & Vietnam). Do you ever see yourself returning to Germany/Europe, or could you see yourself staying for an extended time in Vietnam/Asia?

At the moment, like I said already my family and I are very happy in Vietnam (Asia). But of course, when the right time comes and or also good offers, will return to Germany/Europe surely, ”home sweet home”. But no rush at all.

What you have missed most from German/Europe basketball side and the culture?

For sure you always miss your family, friends, etc. most, and as I always say, ”Basketball is Basketball” all around the world.

One more question about the global COVID-19 pandemic, how is it in Vietnam and is the sport currently being influenced as it is in most of the world?

Fortunately, everything in Vietnam has been brought under control by the government as well as possible from the beginning of COVID-19. They do an amazing job, and we can feel very safe, probably one of the safest countries worldwide at the moment. So we can also keep enjoying the work as professionals in sport and play in front of visitors! I hope the whole world comes back to it soon.

Thanks coach for the nice interview and good luck for the new season.

Thanks to you, for the opportunity to talk about my experience and stories as well. Cheers!