Curtis Hollis a 21 year old 198cm forward from Arlington, Texas that played his first season overseas and first in Germany with the Dragons Rhondorf averaging 22,4ppg,8,2rpg,3,8apg and 3,1spg. He left the club to go back home on account of personal reasons. He began his career at Mansfield Summit High School. In 2017-2018 he played with Hutchinson CC (JUCO) playing 34 games averaging 6.9ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 66.3%. In 2018 he played in Lavar Ball’s new league with the Houston Ballers (JBL) playing 7 games: Score-5 (29.3ppg), 11.3rpg, 5.3apg, 2.6spg, FGP: 46.0%, 3PT: 21.2%, FT: 71.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his memories about Kobe Bryant.

Where were you and how did you find about the death of Kobe Bryant?

I was at my friends house I found out on Twitter like as soon as it happened. 

When I heard about it, I thought it was a hoax. What were your first thoughts when you heard about it?

I thought it was fake or wasn’t real.

How much of your day the day after did you take informing yourself about his death and watching videos?

I didn’t do too much I believed it I was still in shock. 

You were born in 1998. Can you remember about when you first knew about Kobe Bryant and what was your first impression of him as a kid?

Honestly I can’t I just remember him always being a great competitor and playing extremely hard. 

How did your love for Kobe Bryant develop over time as you got through childhood and high school? You were too young for his first wave of titles with Shaq around the millennium, but you must have witnessed the 2010 title against my Boston Celtics. 

Yes I did it was greatness!

Kobe Bryant was for so many the greatest ever. What did you appreciate most about his game? Was he a guy that you pretended to be on the playgrounds?

I just appreciated that he played hard, wanted to kill and give everybody buckets and just always working extremely hard.

Kobe Bryant had so many amazing games like his 81 points and countless other games where it was lights out as well as winning 5 titles. What is your fondest memory of him of what he did on the court?

Probably his last game when he went out like that. It was amazing to me!

The outpouring of sadness was incredible in the last 24 hours. Guys were crying and leaving heart felt messages on Social Media. How long do you think it will take until the basketball world comes to terms with this tragedy?

It will take a very very long time. Kobe was a special person on and off the court and had a huge impact. This ones gonna hurt for a while.

When you look back in 20 years on the career of Kobe Bryant how will you remember his legacy best?

Him being one of the greatest. One of the best scorers and competitors ever to play the game. A great guy off the floor as well.

One of my last questions in my standard interviews is what is your opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan or Lebron James. Often players remind me that I left out Kobe Bryant.I have been thinking about this a lot in the last. How worthy is a Kobe Bryant to be seen as the greatest of all-time?

He’s absolutely one of the best to play the game. My favorite ever is Micheal Jordan and Kobe was the closest to him we have ever seen. He will be greatly missed.

My last question isn’t what is the last movie you saw, but what video of Kobe Bryant will you take a look again when you have some time to look back at his great career?

Probably all of his highlights. I get the chills watching him play.

In the past years since the Fraport Skyliners Juniors have been playing in the Pro B there have been many interesting players that have played here like Johannes Voigtman, Danilo Barthel and Isaac Bonga that have progressed to the Euroleague and NBA, but also guys that have remained and due to certain circumstances come back. One of those is TSV Oberaching head coach Mario Matic who coached Nordlingen for some years in the Pro B and knows the BCM too well. But also some of the young bucks like Justin Headley and William Bessoir played NBBL in the last years. Matic and Headley were ready for action and had revenge on their minds after losing the first contest in their own living room 89-71. In that game the Fraport Skyliners lit it up form the parking lot dropping 12 three´s and easily won the rebound and bench battle. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors came into the game with a lot of self -confidence having won three games in a row and last weekend beat Baunach on the road thanks to 32 points and 10 three´s from American Nigel Pruitt while the TSV Oberaching Tropics entered the game having lost 7 of their last 9 games including a shoot out last weekend against Hanau 101-93. But on this mild Saturday evening which felt more like April than February, the Bavarian side came to play despite having severe injury woes and had control for most of the game and then when Frankfurt cut the contest  to 2 points in crunch-time, they instantly let it splash toppling Frankfurt 93-86. For the TSV Oberhaching Tropics, it was a huge win as they continue to battle to get into good position in the playdowns so they have some leverage in the 6 game competition for the last 4 teams wanting to return to the Pro B next season while 2 move back to the Regionalliga. After the victory American point guard John Boyer of TSV Oberaching Tropics who once had 13 steals in a Regionalliga game reflected on the 40 minute affair. “We have ben playing better the last games despite having injuries so we have been banking on our team chemistry. We stayed together and were always able to answer when they went on runs. We hit big shots at the end when we needed them, secured rebounds and hit our free throws”, stressed ex Buffalo(NCAA) guard John Boyer. It was a tough loss for the Fraport Skyliners Juniors as their 3 game winning streak was snapped. They had been playing better defense the last weeks, but on this night got back to bad old habits and couldn´t make key stops in crunch-time. “We gave up way too many points tonight. When you give up many points, it is hard to find a good rhythm on offense. The first and third quarters were good. We were able to defend better in the third quarter”, added Fraport Skyliner Junior forward Cosmo Gruehn.

The first quarter was a tight affair that saw both teams find their offensive rhythm quickly and there were 7 lead changes, but at the end of 10 minutes, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had the slim 23-20 advantage. Frankfurt was without Bruno Vrcic and Konstantin Schubert while the TSV Oberaching Tropics were without 6 players including their vital big man Moritz Wohlers who played in the BBL more than a decade ago with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. The Bavarian side got quick buckets from German Janosch Koegler and Serbian big man Miljan Grujic, but Frankfurt were on their toes as 17 year old 2019 Addias Next Generation Tournament player Len Schoormann found his range quickly scoring on a lay in and an and one plus a trey to give Frankfurt their first lead at 6-5. Both teams played at a very high tempo and now both teams would change leads the way Paris Hilton does her shoes. Grujic came up big again finishing the pick and roll nicely with John Boyer who made a fancy no look pass. His whole passing game reminded one a bit of the legendary Canadian point guard Steve Nash. “I have always like Nash´s style and how he made the game flashy. We both like to push the ball”, stressed John Boyer. After Bruno Peric free throws, it was Boyer who was aggressive whenever he had the ball scoring with a fast drive to the hole giving the Bavarian side the 11-8 advantage. Frankfurt grabbed the lead back with a mini 5-0 run as Peric scored on a lay in and Cosmo Gruehn dropped a lethal trey for the 13-11 lead. Both teams´s offenses were flowing as now the Tropics were led on a 5-0 run by Koegler who made a lay in and sunk a trey getting the nice kick out pass from Boyer for the 16-13 lead. The TSV Oberaching Tropics were doing a good job continuously attacking the rim while Frankfurt was spreading the ball around well. In the last few minutes the Fraport Skyliners Juniors were able to grab the lead back getting key free throws from ex Coburg center Noah Kamdem and Nigel Pruitt and a clutch trey from little used forward Leon Pullen who began his career with TV Langen. The Bavarian side got two key two point buckets and a block from American Omari “Fort” Knox  “I can´t remember ever having 2 blocks in a game. Most of the time for me defense are instincts. I just came off surgery and am not at 100% yet. I just go out and make the play”, warned Omari Knox. After one frame the Fraport Skyliners Juniors led 23-20. “Both teams were feeling each other out. We had heavy legs and had been on the bus since 11 am this morning. We played pretty good defense to get into offensive rhythm”, stressed john Boyer. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 40% from the field and 43% from outside and had 11 rebounds and 4 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 45% from the field and 13% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 0 turnovers.

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners Juniors let up on the defensive end and allowed the TSV Oberaching Tropics go on a run and control the game until half-time. But the Fraport Skyliners Juniors never lost track and battled and made a run at the end to trail only by 8 points at the break. The TSV Oberaching Tropics exploded in the first minutes racing out on a lethal 12-0 run to lead comfortably 32-23. In the run the guys from head coach Mario Matic got solid production from their import players John Boyer and Omari Knox. Knox contributed 5 points including a three pointer. Knox has been a deadly three point shooter his whole career once averaging 27 and 26 points per game for Dachau and has been lighting it up this season in the Pro B as well. Frankfurt was giving him too much room to operate and not covering him tight enough. Boyer also made a bucket while German shooter Peter Zeis who played 69 BBL games with medi Bayreuth made free throws and a trey to close out the run. Frankfurt was getting overwhelmed from the super Tropics execution and got careless on offense coughing up the ball too many times. The guests had a great offensive rhythm and their decision making was spot on. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors finally got on the board with their first points at the 6,19 minute mark as German Maxi Begue played to his strength nailing a mid distance shot cutting the Tropics lead to 32-25. The TSV Oberaching Tropics were getting good production from every player who played a slim 8 man rotation. German guard Chris Wuermseher who has 106 Regionalliga game on his resume  got aggressive scoring two baskets. On the last one caught Frankfurt napping on the inbounds pass as German Justin Hedley found him all alone underneath for the easy lay in as the guests led 36-25. After a disastrous beginning to the second quarter, Frankfurt finished the last minutes with some pride going on a vital 11-5 run to break the double digit lead of the Tropics and trail only 41-36 with a few seconds remaining. In the run, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors received some key buckets from Maxi Begue who continued to display his fine mid range game including a beautiful text book floater that Chris Paul couldn´t have executed better. Gruehn continued to be a huge offensive factor netting 5 points with a step back jumper and trey. With a few seconds to go, Frankfurt was leading 41-36, but they couldn´t withstand an exciting buzzer beater three from Peter Zeis as the guests led 44-36 at the break. “We did a good job reading their defense. They switched a lot on the pick and roll and we worked on that creating mismatches”, explained John Boyer. The TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 47% from the field and 28% from the three point line and had 17 boards and 4 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 41% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

In the third quarter the Fraport Skyliners Juniors went on a huge run to begin the quarter, but couldn´t get away from the TSV Oberaching Tropics as the game remained tight and the guests had the slim two point advantage after 30 minutes. Frankfurt erupted to begin the second half with a massive 13-2 run to capture back the lead 49-46. In the run the Fraport Skyliners Juniors got heavy three point production as Len Schoormann who came into the contest shooting 30% from the parking lot ripped home two three´s and Cosmo Gruehn also delivered again with a trey. Peric hit free throws and Knoxville Tennessee native Nigel Pruitt who was being contained very well at the three point line had some luck getting a loose ball down low and easily scoring. Grujic hit a old school hook shot for the lone Tropics score. But the TSV Oberaching Tropics continued to battle and didn´t allow Frankfurt to break way getting a basket from ex Hanau guard Justin Hedley and Koegler free throws to dead lock the game at 51-51. The TSV Oberaching Tropics were able to gain the lead again thanks to their valuable bench/role player Sebastian Rauch. Rauch played 8 years for Gotha and has been that Regionalliga/Pro B journey man for his whole career, but is one of those guys that every coach would love to have. He scored two big buckets creating mis matches and scoring out of the post for easy baskets. “He always does what we need. If coach wants him to do the dirty work, he does it. He loves doing the dirty work. He was a big reason why we beat Orange Academy recently. The way he played there is how he played today. He gives us very valuable experience”, stressed john Boyer. The Tropics had gone on a 6-0 run for the 57-51 lead, but Frankfurt had some energy in the last minutes closing out the third quarter on a 6-2 run to trail only 59-57 as Begue again scored from mid range and Pruitt finally got free dropping a trey. “We panicked a bit and got too comfortable. They felt it and took the momentum and went on a run”, expressed ex Bloomfield(NCAA2) guard Omari Knox. “We found a good rhythm and defended well in the run and were able to come back. When you get stops on defense, you automatically feel better on offense”, warned Cosmo Gruehn. TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 45% from the field and 24% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 47% from the field and 44% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

In the fourth quarter the Fraport Skyliners Juniors allowed the TSV Oberaching Tropics to break away again and to lead by as much as 10 points. Frankfurt came back to cut the deficit to 2 points, but then couldn´t get over the hump in crunch-time to win back the lead. The guests broke out on an annoying 12—4 run to extend their lead to 71-61 over Frankfurt and it seemed like they might coast home to victory. In the run the TSV Oberaching Tropics got valuable production inside as the Frankfurt 1-1 defense was beginning to get weak. The Tropics got easy baskets inside from Koegler, Headley and Rauch. They also got a valuable trey from Omari Knox who once hit Bad Aibling for 48 points in a Regionalliga game nailed a trey and Zeis made free throws. Frankfurt received a jumper from Begue and lay in from Peric. The Fraport Skyliners knew now was the time to act or go home disappointed and they did that starting to chip away at the Tropics lead and claw back. Frankfurt got a runner from Schoormann and then a lay in from Peric. On the lay in from Peric, it was a broken play where he was smart and didn´t let a Knox throw off his body go out of bounds and got the ball and scored to cut the Tropics lead to 73-66. But Frankfurt made basketball life very difficult for themselves not executing on defense. They were unable to defend better on man and suffered more easy baskets. After another clutch trey from Gruehn to cut the Tropics advantage to 75-69, Knox came back with a jumper and three pointer to extend the Tropics lead to 80-71. Frankfurt never was able to get a handle on the Brooklyn, New York native as he hit them hard all night long with his precision shooting. But the Fraport Skyliners Juniors then made their move breaking out on a 10-3 run to cut the Tropics lead to only 83-81 and stealing the momentum back with only 1,53 minutes to play. Cosmo Gruehn entered beast mode in the run scoring an incredible 8 points to show why he is such an important player for the team this season. “I have been able to take more responsibility in the last year. I feel comfortable taking responsibility”, warned Cosmo Gruehn. But then came the deciding moment of the game as the TSV Oberaching Tropics took control letting it splash back to back three´s from Omari Knox and Peter Zeis for the 89-81 lead with 53 seconds to play and would never look back. Frankfurt did get a bucket from Peric and trey from Pruitt in the last minute, but free throws from Knox and Rauch iced the cake for the guests for the win. “Those two three´s were huge. During that time the long bus ride was in my mind. I didn´t want to go home with a loss. We just kept making the right plays and were rewarded with the win”, stressed Omari Knox. “We let them play their game in the fourth quarter with that run and gun and couldn´t play our game and get a real rhythm. The two three´s hurt us which was the turning point of the game”, added Cosmo Gruehn. The TSV Oberaching Tropics were led by Omari Knox with 28 points. Janosch Koegler added 16 points and Peter Zeis contributed 15 points. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Cosmo Gruehn with 22 points. Len Schoormann added 19 points. Bruno Peric contributed 16 points and Maxi Begue 13 points. The TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 52% from the field and 36% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners Juniors shot 49% from the field and 40% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 19 turnovers.

Erik Scheive is a 208cm forward from Maryville, California playing his rookie season with Pro A team Team Ehingen currently averaging 12,9ppg, 4,7rpg and 1,2apg while shooting 36% from outside. He has been very consistent as a rookie scoring in double figures in 19 of 25 games including a 26 point game against the Bayer Giants Leverkusen and a 22 point game against Rostock. . He began his basketball career at Yuba CC (JUCO) where he played 29 games averaging13.2ppg, 8.6rpg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 60.9%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 75.3%. In 2017-2018 he moved to Chaminade (NCAA2) playing 28 games avergaing 13.0ppg, 5.3rpg, FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 42.5%, FT: 85.7%. In his senior year at Chaminade (NCAA2) he played 31 games: averaging 16.4ppg, 6.0rpg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 39.8%, FT: 83.5%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball last summer before arriving in Germany for his rookie season. 

Congrats on signing with Pro A team Team Ehingen. What do you know in general about the country Germany and it’s basketball?

Before coming to Germany I didn’t really know much about the country. This is my first time leaving the United States so it is definitely a new experience for me. I have been learning a lot of new things already in the short time I have been here.

How blessed are you to be able to start your professional career in Germany? You jump in for Luke Meyer who left.

Very blessed. Germany is a country that I have always wanted to visit so very excited to be here.

Four guys that attended Chaminade in Hawaii have played in Germany with German Frank Baum, Zach Whiting who reached the 2008 BBL semi-finals with Leverkusen, Steven Bennett who was teammates with NBA player Dennis Schroeder in 2012 and Rhondell Goodwin who played in Germany last season. Were you able to get some tips from one of these guys about German basketball and had you heard stories about them during your time in school?

I talked to Rhondell before I came out to Germany. He told me some things to help prepare me for life over here. Rhondell finished his last season at Chaminade right before I got there so we never were able to play together but I definitely heard stories about him.

Head coach Domenik Reiboth and management are very excited about being able to land you. You stated that You liked that the club stresses team work and enthusiasm. What other factors were vital for you deciding to start your professional career there?

I wanted to go somewhere that not only stressed winning but also stressed player development. For my first professional season I wanted to be able to develop my skills and get better as a player. 

Let’s talk about your game. You’re a 208cm forward/center that has a very complete and balanced game. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

If I had to compare my game to an NBA player, I would probably say it is similar to Ryan Anderson. I have some size but can also spread the floor.
You’re a agile big man that can score and pull down rebounds, but also can shoot the three which you demonstrated as a senior shooting 39%. Would it be correct to say that you are a modern day forward? Was this always like that or did you develop into one more in the last years?

I was always able to shoot the ball well. Growing up I would always get shots up at the park, my backyard, and the gym. So it is something I really have always been able to do but have also focused on improving every year to try and shoot at a higher percentage.

You shot over 40% at Yuba and at Chaminade from outside and nearly hit 40% last season as a senior. Getting up reps and shot selection will continue to be key, but is there anything besides self confidence that you can add on the mental side to help to bolster your outside shooting?

I think that reps is definitely key but besides that I think that just playing against other high level players will really help improve my shot as well. Every level adds a degree of difficulty to shots so getting experience at a higher level will help with that.

You have very good instin

cts on defense. How much pride do you take on defense and how do you feel has your play on the defensive end developed further at Chaminade?

I definitely take pride on the defensive end. I hate getting scored on so I try to bring that mentality with me. At Chaminade, I was fortunate enough to develop a lot on the defensive end. It was something that we put emphasis on. I really worked on playing hard physical defense while also staying out of foul trouble.

You’re a player that can do a lot on the floor at both ends of the court, but what do you feel is a hidden strength in your game that doesn’t get noticed right away on the court?

I think the offensive presence I have on the floor really changes the game. Even when I am not shooting, just sitting at the 3 point line will force teams to have to cover me or rotate on defense. It really strains the defense with pick and pops.

On what things did you work on in the summer so you would be best prepared for your rookie season?

I really put a emphasis this summer on my conditioning as well as my shooting. I wanted to make sure that I could compete at the highest level for extended periods of time. Shooting is something that is always a part of my workout plans for basketball so most of the time I am getting shots up.

You began your college career at Yuba CC (JUCO) putting up very strong stats in both years you attended there. What was the biggest challenge for you coming from Marysville high school winning the Golden Empire League Most Valuable Player and then having to start at junior college instead of at a higher level?

I think the biggest challenge was being able to humble myself. I really discovered that it doesn’t matter what level of basketball a person plays at. This exposed me to a lot of adversity and it really showed me the difference between a group of talented players and a team.

What do you feel was most key that your game got from your two years at Yuba that helped your progression continue to move very well at the NCAA 2 level?

I think playing at Yuba allowed me to grow and develop physically as well as mentally. I bulked up at Yuba and I think that it allowed me another chance to show my game after high school for universities to see.

You played at Chaminade from 2017-2019 and was a top Pac West Player. What were your fondest memories on and of the court there and did you become a beach rat or could you block out the amazing off the court temptations of Hawaii?

Hawaii was a great place to go to college but I am sure anyone could guess that. I made a lot of great memories there and want to go back and visit the islands again. On the court it was always fun. The way Bovaird coached and allowed us to play it made the game really fun. It felt like we were able to just play ball but at the same time we had the coaching to help guide us. Our away game at Azusa Pacific my senior year was a great one. My boy Grant Dressler went off and hit the game winner in a crazy comeback. I always found time to work on my game while out there but I also spent my fair share of time at the beach. an unforgettable experience.

You had many great games at Chaminade and also some very good games against schools like Fresno Pacific and Academy Of Art that resulted in tight losses, but was your 27/14 game in the 80-75 win against Dominican CA your best game in the NCAA2?

It might have been. I had a number of good games but that was definitely up there. 

How did head coach Eric Bovaird groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

Bovaird spent a lot of time with me working on my game and techniques that he picked up from his experience playing overseas. He offered a lot of advice and helped walk me through the entire process. He made sure to help me sign with an agency that would help me get to where I want to be.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Jack Hutchings?

Got a lot of love for Jake but I didn’t take many L’s at practice.

Who has been the toughest player that you battled in the NCAA that is in the NBA or in Europe?

I have faced a lot of good players, one that really sticks out is Farrell from Notre Dame. 

Please list your five best teammates of all-time?
This is a tough question, I have had a lot of great teammates throughout the years so I can’t really pick five. 

Please name your personal own NBA Rushmore. Which four heads would you pick past or present for your list?

The four NBA players that I would pick would have to be the most influential players, not necessarily the greatest of all time. Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Lebron James.

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

I think it is hard to determine who really is the greatest of all time because they were great at different things and have success in different ways throughout their careers. I think from a pure statistics viewpoint, Lebron has had more longevity and success from start to finish. If we are talking championships, Jordan all the way. He always found a way to win. 

What was the last movie that you saw?

The last movie I watched was Spiderman: Into the spider-verse. It was free on my flight to Germany and I hadn’t watched it yet. It was a good movie, I would recommend it.

Thanks Erik for the chat.

 Ricky Easterling is a 36 year old 189cm guard that is playing his 14th professional season and 12th with SG DJK Saarlouis-Roden/BBF Dillingen (Germany-Regionalliga) currently averaging 24,9ppg, 5,9rpg and 5,0apg. He is known as Mr Regionalliga as he has belonged to the top players in the Regionalliga for more than a decade. He has averaged more than 20 points each season and even exploded in 2011-2012 avergaing 34,0ppg and 32,0ppg in the 2009-2010 season. He also schowed that he could lead the Pro B in socring with SG DJK Saarlouis-Roden/BBF Dillingen (Germany-Regionalliga) as he did it twice in his career. He gave germanhoops.com an interview concerning his memories of Kobe Bryant. 

Where were you and how did you find about the death of Kobe Bryant? 


I woke up Monday morning at home in Saarlouis and saw a message in my teams whatsapp group. Checked it and saw the terrible news. 

When I heard about it, I thought it was a hoax. What were your first thoughts when you heard about it? 

Once I seen the message my first thought was also ‘this must be a hoax’. There is no way in the world Kobe is dead! After that I immediately opened up my social media outlets and the news was everywhere. Every post I saw was about Kobe andh is daughter.

How much of your day the day after did you take informing yourself about his death and watching videos? 

At first it was hard for me to watch the videos. It kind of hit me hard. I was shocked, sad, and in disbelief. I didn’t want to accept this to be true. So I tried to stay away from all the videos and articles. But like I said this news was everywhere and there was no hiding from it. It was literally everywhere I looked. So after a couple days of trying to stay away from it I finally gave in and went full out investigation mode and watched and read everything I came a cross regarding the situation. 

You were born in 1983. Can you remember about when you first knew about Kobe Bryant and what was your first impression of him as a kid?

I was born in 1983. So I am familiar with Kobe’s entire career. I even saw him play live a couple times growing up. I always was a Kobe fan. So I saw him get drafted. We both wear number 8 and I have been playing in Kobe shoes almost my entire career starting back In high school when he first signed a shoe deal with Adidas. I also remember his rookie season like it was yesterday. His rookie year I was fortunate to see him play against the Washington Wizards in DC. He didn’t play much in that game because it was his rookie year and he played behind some good players like Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. But he did play and when he did I was a very happy watching one of my favorite players live in action. 

How did your love for Kobe Bryant develop over time as you got through childhood and high school? 

I was a fan since day 1 so my love for Kobe didn’t need to develop haha! But I enjoyed watching him and seeing him evolve as a player throughout his career. I even stole his dribble pull up. (which he stole from MJ). These years with the Lakers and Celtics was a good time for the basketball world. Boston’s big 3 was a beast and the Lakers dynamic Duo was a pleasure to witness. Great generation of basketball! They got the Lakers the first time but I knew once the Lakers lost, Kobe and Shaq was going to redeem themselves the next season. And that is exactly what happened! 

Kobe Bryant was for so many the greatest ever. What did you appreciate most about his game? Was he a guy that you pretended to be on the playgrounds? 

I personally don’t think he is the greatest but he definitely is in the conversation. What I appreciated about Kobe was his work ethic and mamba mentality. These two things he is very well known for and I used him as an example for myself in the effort to become the best player I can be. Of course these attributes are the basis of being successful in sport but he was the perfect living example of this, and he influenced me to also approach the game and life in this way. 

Kobe Bryant had so many amazing games like his 81 points and countless other games where it was lights out as well as winning 5 titles. What is your fondest memory of him of what he did on the court? 

Yeah these moments that you mention where great moments in his career. But 1 play that I will never forget is in his rookie preseason I believe. It was one of those NBA international games where they played outside the USA. He had the ball at the top of the key. He was wearing his Kobe 1 Adidas shoes and he gave his defender a killer crossover and penetrated through the middle and dunked on the big man. I can’t remember who the victim was but it was nasty! And that was 1 of the first amazing plays I remember from Kobe’s career. 

The outpouring of sadness was incredible in the last 24 hours. Guys were crying and leaving heart felt messages on Social Media. How long do you think it will take until the basketball world comes to terms with this tragedy? 

I believe this tragedy will be talked about for a while! Can not really put a time on it. Something like this hits hard because of how influential he was to the game and to the fans! I wouldn’t be surprised if we still regularly mention him and this tragic moment for years to come.

When you look back in 20 years on the career of Kobe Bryant how will you remember his legacy best? 

I will remember him as one of the all time greats. The 2nd best shooting guard in NBA history behind Michael Jordan. And also the perfect example of what hard work is and how it pays off for someone who exercises this mindset. 

One of my last questions in my standard interviews is what is your opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan or Lebron James. Often players remind me that I left out Kobe Bryant.I have been thinking about this a lot in the last. How worthy is a Kobe Bryant to be seen as the greatest of all-time? 

I kind of mentioned this in one of the previous questions. But Jordan is my all time greatest player and after that I can start to mention Kobe. To be real Kobe modelled/ copied Jordan’s game to the max. Was basically the clone of MJ. So because of that simple fact, Jordan has that GOAT title locked down in my opinion 

My last question isn’t what is the last movie you saw, but what video of Kobe Bryant will you take a look again when you have some time to look back at his great career? 

Actually last Tuesday or Wednesday I believe. One of my best friends and me had a Remembering Kobe chill session and we watched the documentary from Spike Lee called ‘Kobe Doin Work’. Just listening to him talk about the game is amazing. He has such a high IQ that I find myself amazed as I watch it! I definitely take in everything he says and use it in my own life as a captain of my team here in Saarlouis.

Thanks Ricky for sharing your own personal memories of Kobe Bryant.

Jordan Spencer is a 25 year old 188cm point guard from London that is playing his second professional season. He began the season with FC Schalke 04 (Germany-ProA) playing 17 games averaging  6.4ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.7apg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 51.0%, 3FGP: 22.2%, FT: 67.7%. He scored in double figures in 6 games including 11 points against Heidelberg, Hagen, Jena and Kirchheim.  In January 2020 he joined Jelson

Homes DMU Leicester Riders (BBL). Last season as a rookie he played for the  London Lions (BBL) playing 30 games averaging 10.8ppg, 2.5rpg, Assists-5(6.3apg), 1.6spg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT-3(89.6%). He began his basketball career at the Shenley Brook End School and then played two seasons with the Marshall Milton Keynes Lions junior team. In 2012-2013 he played a season with the London Lions (BBL). He went to the States in 2014 to play with  Augustana, SD (NCAA2). He played 112 games and never averaged less than 6,4apg in a season. In his senior season he played  30 games averaging 15.5ppg, 2.9rpg, 7.7apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 83.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com during his time in Germany.

Hi Jordan thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. You began the season with Schalke 04. When you hear the name Schalke 04, I´m sure that football comes to mind before basketball. Are you a football fan and did you anything about the hardships FC Schalke football have had over the last 20 years?

I’m a bit football fan, I watch the premier league most weekends and really enjoy football all over Europe, so looking forward to getting to watch Schalke at some point in the season. I just know they’ve had very successful players at Schalke such as Julian Draxler and Kolasnic

You won many titles in your career in the NCAA 2 and in the UK. How vital is your leadership in general?

 I believe so. Wherever I’ve been, I’ve taken a winning mentality every place I go. I like our team and we’re hoping to win more games this season.

You played  half a season in Germany. When you came to Germany what do you know in general about the country Germany and it´s basketball? Over the years there have been a handful of Brits that have played here like Myles Hesson or Jordan Williams.

I know it is a very professional and respected league, with many respect organizations. A few brits have come, and I hope to be successful here and perform well.

Have you had any friends, ex teammates or opponents besides Andre Lockhart, Paul Guede or the Licoln Memorial teammates Luquon Choice and Dorian Pinson who you beat in the NCAA 2 final that have played in Germany that may have given you some info about the basketball culture?

I’ve had a couple of coaches give me advice on how to prepare for pre season and the style of play, I think my game can translate well over here. Guys that also played in lower leagues in Germany gave me advice about the culture.

Schalke management and head coach Raphael Wilder were extremely convinced about your abilities. What were the main reasons for picking Schalke 04?

The team has had great success in moving up in the leagues. I had great conversations on the phone with Coach Wilder and was attracted to his coaching style and knowing I will learn a lot under him this season.

 Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 188cm point guard that can score and get assists at ease. If you had to describe your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description best?

 I’d like to say someone like Milos Teodosic.

 You can score and dish out many assists, but what other strengths does your game incorporate that fans will experience in Germany in your second professional season?

I think I have a high IQ of the game which helps me.

On what areas of your game are you working on most this summer so you will be best prepared to make an impact in the German Pro A?

My defense and my mindset are things I’ve worked on this summer.

 What memories do you have Brit forward Orlan Jackman who played two seasons in Germany with Iserlohn and returned back to the UK and remained a top player. Was he a guy you looked up in your first tour of duty with the London Lions?

 I’ve always bumped into Orlan in the summers, through scrimmages and tournaments, he also gave me advice on Germany, he’s a good guy that I can go to.

You played at Augustana, SD(NCAA2) from 2004-2018 winning the NCAA 2 title and two NSIC titles. Were these four years the best basketball years of your life?

 So far, definitely! It was a great four years where I arrived at the school at a perfect time. I experienced it all at Augustana, the highs and the lows.

You once had 16 assists in a win over Mary. Do you feel like you could get more than 16 assists in a game at the professional level?

 I’m not sure, I had the ball in my hands a lot in school and Europe is a higher level, I’d like to get double digit assists.

 How did head coach Tom Billeter groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

 He taught discipline on and off the court which I appreciate, but being professional and coming to practice with a workman’s mentality, he’s an amazing coach that I was blessed to have. I can play under any coach with his philosophies.

Who won a one on one in practice you or Steven Schaefer?

Me, everytime.

Please list your five best teammates of all-time?

Blayne Freckleton Adam Beyer Ladarius Tabb Chris Taiwah Mike Busack

What is your personal own NBA Rushmore

Michael Jordan, Shaq, Magic Johnson, LeBron

What is your personal opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan or Lebron James?

Michael Jordan goat

What was the last movie that you saw?

Get out.

Thanks Jordan for the chat.

Junior Searcy is a 23 year old 193cm guard that was born in Ludwigsburg, Germany, but grew up in the States in Florida. He played his professional rookie season in Germany with the wiha Panthers averaging 3,5ppg and 1,0rpg in 10 games before suffering a season-ending injury. He played 6 NCAA games with N.Arizona (NCAA) and then played three seasons at Saint Leo (NCAA2) playing a total of 73 games. In his sophomore season he played 19 games averaging 7.6ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 25.8%, FT: 70.5%. In his junior season he played 30 games averaging 12.2ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 69.9%. In his senior year he played 24 games averaging 10.6ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 63.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his rookie season in Germany.

Junior thanks for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at a moment and did you come into 2020 well? 

Thanks for interviewing me again. It’s a pleasure and honor to be talking with you again. I am presently back home in Tampa, Florida recovering from knee surgery. 

You began your rookie career with the wiha Panthers Schwenningen and now you are back home in the States. Is it difficult being at home and not being able to finish your rookie season in Germany or was the break up the best thing for both sides? 

First, I want to say that the fans, my teammates and the community of Schwenningen were the best and treated me well and I am grateful for my time with them. It’s unfortunate that my injury caused my time to be shortend over there, but me having to come home was best for the organization by bringing in another player and for me to get back to resuming my career after surgery and recovery. 

Everybody makes mistakes and at times reacts without thinking. You sent a negative Tweet about the wiha Panthers Schwenningen. Soon after you deleted it and was able to end the chapter with the club on a positive note. How content are you that all went well in the end? 

Again, I enjoyed my time there and created many friends and great memories. My tweet was out of frustration and a ton of emotion. Things that were supposed to happen wasn’t happening and the communication became limited because of different factors. I love my experience and would love the opportunity to play and prove myself whether in Schwenningen or somewhere else in Europe. 

You didn’t win much at St leo and it wasn’t any different with the wiha Panthers. Were you feeling dejavu again? 

I wouldn’t say dejavu, because there are different factors involved. At the professional level there are transitions with new players and new systems that have to be learned. The organization just moved to Pro A, so there was an adjustment to that as well, The experience was great and the winning would have eventually came if we could have gotten into a flow. 

The transition from college to the pro ranks can be tough for some and easy for others. You averaged 28 minutes at St Leo (NCAA) and with the wiha Panthers only 9 minutes. How tough of an adjustment was it for you going from good minutes to less minutes?

It was really tough because I know I could contribute more to help the team be successful. However, I am a team player and want success for our team. If it meant me working hard in practice getting the guys who play ready or just cheering them on from the bench, that’s what I would do.

It started well for you with 25 minutes and 14 points against Kirchheim, but then your minutes went down rapidly. What do you feel was the cause for the sudden change in the minutes?

I don’t get into coach’s decisions, but I do know that my effort nor my attitude changed. I saw that I was able to play at this level so I worked harder. 

Do you feel like the change in minutes possibly also had an effect because the team wasn’t winning and wasn’t anything personal. I had a feeling that there was a numbers game with the many Americans that were on the team. 

I would not comment on that, because I was focused on being ready when called to play. I felt I could have helped in many different situations, but supported my teammates 100 percent.

You stated in our last interview that you pushed yourself at St Leo, because you weren’t winning. Did you push yourself more in practice in hopes of earning more playing time? 

My goal was to get better and help the team in any way possible. I felt that the opportunity to enjoy Germany was once in a lifetime while playing the game I love. I always worked hard in practice and wanted to push not only myself but my teammates. Winning and building good relationships were the ultimate goal. 

How do you feel did your game develop further as a rookie? Do you feel like your game made some kinds of steps? 

I watched the players and the speed of the game and learned how to slow the game down to where it was benefiting the ability that I have.

Let’s talk about your teammates. How vital was a guy like Rasheed Moore for your development of a rookie? Would it be fair to say that he is about as professional as you can find in a player and how did his game and work ethic influence your game? 

Learning from him was great. He really taught me a lot. He taught me that trusting the process would be beneficial if I would be patient. Him being there prior to Pro A to now showed me that you can be successful when you work hard. He was a great teammate

How was it battling a guy like Bill Borekambi. He is a walking bucket. Have you ever met a player that was near his skill set in being able to hit tough shots on a consistent rate? 

He was the most frustrating player to guard because of his moves and skills. He made me better, because he gave me so many different moves to guard. He took pride in his game, especially the turnaround jump shot.

You got injured at the end of November, but was still with the team in Germany when new point guard Drew Brandon arrived. How key has his arrival been for the current success of the team?

I never met him, but hopefully he will help the team achieve all the goals set. 

You were a guy that loved the fans and had a lot of respect for the organization. What farewell message would you like to give the fans?

The fans in Schwenningen are great. I am forever grateful for a wonderful experience. Through my ups and downs they were supportive and helped me through my process.

You lived in Germany for only a short time, but what did you learn to appreciate about the country Germany the most? 

I was born and raised in Germany and the things I loved most as a child was what I remembered most. I learned that my fellow countrymen love sports and appreciate their athletes. I am proud to be German and love my country. 

What is the next step for you? Are you in hoping to land with a team to end the season or will you sit out the rest of the season and look for a new club over the summer? 

My recovery time will take me through the summer. I am hoping to find a new team to help win games. I am open to play for any team that will want a determined player that wants to win and will be the ultimate team player.

Which two teams will reach the Super Bowl and who will take it? 

KC vs. Green Bay with KC winning 

What was the last movie that you saw?

Bad Boys For Life.

Thanks Junior for the chat.

Terrell Harris is a 26 year old 190cm guard from Indiantown,Florida that is playing his fourth professional season and first with the NINERS Chemnitz (Germany-ProA) averaging 14,4ppg, 2,7rpg and 4,8apg. Last season he played with the Rostock Seawolves (Germany-ProA) averaging 13.6ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 55.4%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 66.3%. Two seasons ago he played with the Svendborg Rabbits (Denmark-Ligaen) playing 24 games averaging 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.6apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 57.3%, 3PT: 42.6%, FT: 71.6%. In his rookie season he played with the Iserlohn Kangaroos (Germany-ProB) averaging 18,1ppg, 4,3rpg and 1,8apg. He started his basketball career at Mars Hill (NCAA2) in 2011 and then moved to Georgia College in 2012. As a senior he played 29 games averaging 24.6ppg, 6.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 59.1%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 76.8%. He concluded his college basketball career winning the All-PeachBelt Player of the Year 2016. Harris spoke to germanhoops.com about his memories of Kobe Bryant.

Where were you and how did you find about the death of Kobe Bryant? 

I was on the bus with my team coming back from Heidelberg when I found out Kobe and the 8 others had died in a helicopter crash. My teammate was checking his phone and saw it over the internet.

When I heard about it, I thought it was a hoax. What were your first thoughts when you heard about it? 

Yes same here I thought it was a hoax as well. Just didn’t seem real or sounded believable that Kobe died. Especially coming from TMZ because they report a lot fake news.

How much of your day the day after did you take informing yourself about his death and watching videos?

I was I’m disbelief so its natural you’re trying to find out more on what exactly happened. Just ironically I was watching his first 3 championships prior to the week. So I just finished game 4 of the second championship and reminiscing on the past.

You were born in 1993. Can you remember about when you first knew about Kobe Bryant and what was your first impression of him as a kid? 


My first memory about Kobe was when I was 7 years old and the finals was on. Of course Shaq dominated the pavers and won MVP but I was in awe with the guard with the afro, the next morning they had a pic in the newspaper of both and ever since he was my favorite player. I love his aura, swag, and flashy style of play. Being a kid ofcourse I didn’t know what I was actually watching.

How did your love for Kobe Bryant develop over time as you got through childhood and high school? You were very young for his first wave of titles with Shaq around the millennium, but you must have witnessed the 2010 title against my Boston Celtics.

Yes like I said being young and 8 you just wanted to see dunks and flashiness. He had it all especially 2003 I would say I paid attention to him for real as in keeping up with him on the internet and watching sports center. The championships came when I was in high school but I remember 81,and 62 in 3quaters, I also remember not being able to get through the Suns.

Kobe Bryant was for so many the greatest ever. What did you appreciate most about his game? Was he a guy that you pretended to be on the playgrounds?

I appreciated that he never ran. He went from winning 3 in a row to not being able to get out the first round, to winning back to back. He will always be immortal to me. Fade away you have to say Kobe.

Kobe Bryant had so many amazing games like his 81 points and countless other games where it was lights out as well as winning 5 titles. What is your fondest memory of him of what he did on the court? 

My greatest memory is probably game 5 in Orlando. He didn’t smile the entire series until it was 4 sec to go and he keeled down while Orlando was taking a free throw and smiled because he knew it was over. Took him 6 years to get back to the top and he did what people say he couldn’t. Win a chip without SHAQ. Also when he got revenge on the Celtics even though I wanted to swing on him game 7 because he was stinking up the court.

The outpouring of sadness was incredible in the last 24 hours. Guys were crying and leaving heart felt messages on Social Media. How long do you think it will take until the basketball world comes to terms with this tragedy? 

Everyone deals with things different but he was a lot of people idols. One of the best to do it. I think this one will sting for a while I know it will with me.

When you look back in 20 years on the career of Kobe Bryant how will you remember his legacy best? 

I will always remember the commitment, passion, and love for the game he had. The way he came in the league and what he accomplished is unreal. You dont get to have that type of career by luck or accident. He put the work in and it showed.

One of my last questions in my standard interviews is what is your opinion of the neverending debate of who is the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan or Lebron James. Often players remind me that I left out Kobe Bryant.I have been thinking about this a lot in the last. How worthy is a Kobe Bryant to be seen as the greatest of all-time? 

Those debates are for the birds. I am biased so I will always say KOBE BEAN BRYANT. But those guys are all special who know what would’ve happened if they played against each other in their primes. So they are all GOATS to me.

Thanks Terrell for sharing your own personal memories of Kobe Bryant.

It is only February and still a few months left in the regular season for the Fraport Skyliners, but there are most likely some fans who wished the season was already history now. It hasn´t been a disappointing season, but more than that, one to forget and hide in a drawer. Having to change point guards and the seemingly non ending injury woes has hurt the club day in and day out all season long. The biggest hurdle in the last weeks has been not having pure scorer Lamont Jones as well the reborn German Richard Freudenberg who finally has surfaced from his shell in his third season. In the last weeks, they definitely didn´t lack effort as they probably would have won in Vechta had they had had Jones and Freudenberg and in Bamberg had another horrible third quarter where they  suffered 5 treys that gave Bamberg the momentum and led them to coast to the win. After starting 2020 with a massive Hessen derby win against rival Giessen, they then suffered a 4 game losing streak and continue to slip in the standings so badly that they now have to look behind them and be careful that teams like Giessen and Hamburg don´t sneak up and pass them. They won the first contest against the big season surprise team Crailsheim 76-68  despite allowing the raining of 14 three´s. This time the Crailsheim Merlins met a hungry Frankfurt club who controlled the game for the most part, but couldn´t hold on to a 9 point lead halfway through the fourth quarter as they rallied and gutted out a non-pretty 83-81 win. After the win the Crailsheim Merlins celebrated as if they had just won a title and it remained relaxed as head coach Tuomas Ilsalo joked with American Jeremy Morgan telling him each player had got 500 Euro for the win, but since he was late coming from the court he had missed out on the hard cash. It was all in good fun as it is never an easy task winning in Frankfurt. The match winner was American Dewayne Russell who had had a weak first half, but picked up his game hitting a big shot to force OT and hit back to back shots in OT including the winner was all smiles after the victory. “We were without two important players, but we still stuck together for 40 minutes. We showed our toughness and did a good job securing offensive rebounds. Aaron Jones was a key factor today getting 9 offensive rebounds”, stressed ex Grand Canyon(NCAA) guard Dewayne Russell. For the Fraport Skyliners it was another sad ending to a game they should have won. It was especially tough for ex Braunschweig forward Shaquille Hines who had a career day netting 29 points, but couldn´t enjoy a win. “I felt that we played a good game. We fought hard and stuck to the game plan. We played against one of the top offenses in the league and played pretty good defense against them. We ran out of gas and in the end it came to them making shots and we didn´t”, warned Shaquille Hines.

Crailsheim was without top scorer Javontae Hawkins and ex Northeastern center Quincy Ford while Frankfurt was without German Richard Feudenberg. Both teams were feeling each other out in the first quarter as it went back and forth until the Fraport Skyliners could break free a bit and lead by 5 points after 10 minutes. Frankfurt got big man Leon Kratzer going early as he scored with a left and right handed hook shot. Crailsheim big man Aaron Jones had some problems matching the physicality of Kratzer. But he responded with a long three to give Crailsheim it´s second lead after Jeremy Morgan who played at Northern Iowa(NCAA) had drilled home a trey. Both teams traded some leads as Hines and Morgan scored. Russell had 3 early turnovers as he wasn´t an offensive factor yet. Morgan had the hot hand early and drilled home a catch and pop trey giving Crailsheim a 12-11 advantage. But the Fraport Skyliners found some daylight ending the first quarter with key 8-2 run to lead 19-13. In the run, the Fraport Skyliners got key production from Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson who dropped a trey and then made a steal as he was reading passing lanes easily and made a coast to coast sprint for the basket. Ex Michigan State guard Matt Mcquaid added to the scoring frenzy with a three pointer. “Robertson brought energy to the team. His steals helped get transition points. When they got stops, they got transition baskets. Frankfurt controlled the game and defended well allowing contested shots”, stressed Lich guard Jermale Jones. The Fraport Skyliners shot 44% from the two point range and 50% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Crailsheim Merlins shot 50% from the two point range and 25% form outside and had 12 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

In the second quarter the Fraport Skyliners picked up their game and were able to lead in double digits, but too many mental lapses allowed Crailsheim to get back into the game and trail Frankfurt only by 6 points at the break. The Fraport Skyliners got going right away going on a lethal 11-3 run to lead 30-16. Frankfurt did a good job finding their spots and scored in the paint three times as ex Ludwigsburg pure scorer Lamont Jones did it twice including finishing with a very acrobatic lay up while ex Braunschweig guard Joe Rahon also scored. Mcquaid nailed three free throws and Hines also made a lay in. Frankfurt played very good 1-1 on offense in this phase and on the defensive side had no breakdowns and forced the guests to contested shots. But basketball is a game of runs and now it was Crailsheim who got some offensive production going on a 14-5 run to trail only 35-30. Crailsheim was sharing the ball well as Morgan hit a trey and Russell finally got going netting two baskets. His quickness and agility left any defender in the dust as he scored on a lay up and then hit his bread and butter the pull up jumper. Aaron Jones also supplied input making a huge alley-oop dunk. Jones had a big game with 20 points, 11 boards, 2 steals and 2 blocks. His development in the last years has been good as he was a rookie in 2015-2016 in Germany with the Pro A team RheinStars and then had to pay his dues in Bulgaria and Finland, but all the hard work has paid off as he is a solid BBL big man “He does what the coach asks of him and plays his role. He rebounds well, gets loose balls and does the dirty work. He also showed that he plays above the rim with some huge dunks. He just makes good plays”, stressed Lich (Regionalliga 2) guard Jermale Jones. Frankfurt had more mental lapses and just hurried their offense and made dumb mistakes. Frankfurt then was able to get some much needed offensive production going on a 8-3 run to extend their lead to 43-33. In the run they got two massive three´s from Hines and a lay in from ex Berlin guard Akeem Vargas. But they couldn´t keep the momentum as the Crailsheim Merlins  closed out the second quarter with a timely 4-0 run as Aaron Jones finished off another huge alley-oop dunk where he showed beautiful hang time and Dewayne Russell made a pretty left handed lay in at the buzzer. “The Frankfurt defense broke down a few times with the Jones dunks. When Crailsheim started to move the ball better, they got more open shots and became more comfortable. When everyone is feeling it, you will feel more comfortable taking shots”, stressed Jermale Jones. The Fraport Skyliners shot 59% from the two point area and 55% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Crailsheim Merlins shot 67% from the two point area and 30% form the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

                The Fraport Skyliners continued to control the game in the third quarter and were able to lead by double digits, but also allowed Crailsheim on a few runs to get closer, but Frankfurt had a 9 point lead after 30 minutes. German Fabian Bleck started the third quarter with a lay in, but Frankfurt came back quickly letting it rain three´s going on a 9-2 run to extend their lead to 52-41. Hines continued his shooting onslaught with two three´s while ex Auburn(NCAA) standout Quantez Robertson also hit one. Hines finished with 29 points and couldn´t enjoy his career high scoring game. “I was feeling it early. Lately I have been very confident. I knew that I would play a lot today. I got a little tired at the end.  They made adjustments late not giving me good looks”, stressed Shaquille Hines. The only real Crailsheim bright spot in the Frankfurt run was Aaron Jones who was a beast on the glass making an offensive rebound and put back over three players. Frankfurt continued to stay active on offense and got buckets from Hines who hit another trey and a lay in from Kratzer extending Frankfurt´s lead to 59-45. But Frankfurt would continue to have defensive break downs and a lack of scoring allowing Crailsheim on a 8-0 run to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 59-53. The 7-0 run was German dominated as ex Trier guard Sebastian Herrera scored twice and ex Wurzburg big man Dejan Kovacevic hit a deep three pointer. Frankfurt was scolded for two turnovers in a row that led to instant Crailsheim baskets. The Crailsheim run didn´t derail Frankfurt´s precision outside shooting on this day as Rahon and Hines hit back to back three´s for the 65-54 lead. Frankfurt was unable to close out the third quarter well as another mistake led to an Aaron Jones steal and big two handed dunk as Crailsheim trailed 65-56. “Jones was impressive. Our game plan was not to give him looks, but all he did was live on the rim. His big dunks kept them in the game. A big problem this season has been us losing focus and energy in certain phases of the game. We need to be able to play great for 40 minutes. All it takes is for a team to play one quarter well which could allow them to win the game”, stressed Shaquille Hines. “We never gave up. Whenever Frankfurt went on a run, we came back. We have shown this season that we hold each other´s backs”, warned Dewayne Russell. The Fraport Skyliners shot 46% from the two point area and 63% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the Crailsheim Merlins shot 64% form the two point area and 25% from the parking lot and had 24 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

                In the fourth quarter the Fraport Skyliners controlled the game for the first five minutes keeping the Crailsheim Merlins at bay, but couldn´t finish the game allowing them to force OT. Russell began the last frame with a pull up jumper which was followed by Robertson and Bleck three pointers, but that was it as both team´s offenses were sputtering for a few minutes. Frankfurt then got a big hustle play from Marco Voeller making a tip in and got a two handed dunk from Hines for the 74-67 advantage. Crailsheim then got a huge 9-0 run to force OT as Jones made a runner and Russell made a very difficult finger tip role lay in to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 76-71. Frankfurt was defending well, but Crailsheim was making real tough shots. Aaron Jones then made a huge block on Quantez Robertson which led to a Sebastian Herrera three pointer to cut Frankfurt´s lead to 76-74. Robertson then missed a shot leading to Russell making another very difficult lay in to dead lock the contest at 76-76. “Coach has a lot of confidence in me and I believed that I could make that shot”, stressed Dewayne Russell.  With 12 seconds left, the Fraport Skyliners had the opportunity to seal the win, but Lamont Jones missed the shot. “We went on a scoring drought at the end. They never gave up and made hard shots to force OT”, stressed Shaquille Hines. “Our toughness was key and we didn´t give Hines any more good looks”, added Dewayne Russell. The first three minutes of OT was a brick party as no points were scored. Frankfurt had huge misfortune as Leon Kratzer and Lamont Jones missed shots that they would usually make. Crailsheim finally got on the board getting a Herrera free throw and another beast dunk from Aaron Jones who had secured another one of his 9 offensive rebounds for the 79-76 advantage. Frankfurt finally got a huge tip in from Quantez Robertson to cut the Crailsheim lead to 79-78. The game was winding down and it was Dewayne Russell that would become the hero. He was Mr clutch and showed that his 42 points in the NCAA against Louisville was no fluke as he came up big time. He burned Frankfurt with a jumper after penetrating a bit something the defense should have seen coming for the 81-78 lead with 48 seconds remaining. On the next possession it was Robertson who nailed a clutch three tying the game at 81-81 with 29 seconds to go. Crailsheim went to Russell again and he did the exact same thing making a jumper after starting to penetrate for the 83-81 win. “My teammates gave me the confidence that I could make the shot and I took it”, added Dewayne Russell. “Russell is tough to stop. I played against him in college and he was the same way there. Rahon did a real good job on him, but he just made tough shots”, said Shaquille Hines. Frankfurt had another chance to win the game with 12 seconds, but Robertson forced an airball to end the game. “The last play was for Jones on the ball screen so he could decide to score or find open man. Robertson got a good look, but it didn´t want to fall. Jones and Kratzer usually make those shots in OT that they missed. They were just back from injury and they might have had some tired legs which effected those shots”, added Shaquille Hines. “We tried to stay as close to Robertson to make his shot as tough as possible. We were tough at the end and made the right plays”, explained Dewayne Russell. The Crailsheim Merlins were led by Dewayne Russell and Aaron Jones with 20 points a piece. Sebastian Herrera added 12 points and 11 boards and Jeremy Morgan added 12 points and 8 boards. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Shaquille Hines with 29 points. Quantez Robertson added 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 6 steals and Lamont jones added 15 points. The Crailsheim Merlins shot 66% form the two point area and 22% from outside and had 50 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 36% form the two point range and 56% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 13 turnovers.

It isn´t the dog days of summer yet where the humid air can cause sudden thunderstorms along the Rhein river, but in the last weeks, there has been massive turbulence in the Dragons Rhondorf basketball family as the only thing missing were dark ominous clouds hovering over the Dragon Dome. First star player and top team scorer and rebounderCurtis Hollis  returned back home to Texas sighting personal family reasons and soon after club CEO Alexander Dohms also left leaving the organization and leaving many unanswered questions brewing in the minds of many fans. Despite all the drama, the Dragons Rhondorf didn´t let any of that effect their play as they continued winning games over Hagen Haspe and Herten. It seems like the departure of Hollis hasn´t effected their game in any way as they continue to play as a team and it seems like the whole dismissal of the young American has been like a rebirth. The club showed against Hagen Haspe that they can play defense with passion allowing only 72 points while continuing to score out the lights on offense. They wanted to continue their smooth winning streak against Recklinghausen and sweep the season series after winning the first game on the road 104-80 and won again displaying explosive offensive firepower winning 112-93. The team was able to score consistently over 40 minutes and racked up 29 assists and 15 three pointers. The new American Diijon Allen-Jordan followed up his 19 point debut with 22 points in his home debut and has filled the vacancy of Curtis Hollis nicely as the team has a 3 game winning streak without Hollis. “We came into the game empathizing defense and rebounding. We did a good job with that tonight. We also didn´t let Myers get going. We want to win a title so we have to focus on decreasing the opponents offensive rebounds and getting stops”, stated new Dragons Rhondorf forward Diijon Allen-Jordan. Maryland native Antoine Myers was still shaking his head after the loss in having to accept how deep the Dragons Rhondorf were. “They hit shots well, but really picked it up in the second half. They did a pretty good job taking me out of the game. Our rotations were to slow and we couldn´t get the loose balls and offensive rebounds. They were simply the better team”, stated Citybasket Recklinghausen guard Antoine Myers.

The Dragons Rhondorf got the offensive spectacle going as fans would see 205 total points scored getting a one handed dunk form ex Iserlohn Center Gabriel De Olveira. But Citybasket Recklinghausen didn´t waste any time getting on the score board as they dashed out on a 5-0 run as Dutch forward Frederik Adriaans made a jumper and veteran Christoph Bruns who has 123 Pro B games on his resume nailed a trey for the 5-2 advantage. Both teams would trade the lead a few times, but then came the turning point of the game as the Dragons Rhondorf would supply some instant offense going on a 15-4 run to extend their lead to 22-12 and from that point would never trail again. In the run the Dragons Rhondorf let it rain three´s as new player Diijon Allen-Jordan hit two trey´s, ex FC Bayern Munich forward Killian Binapfl hit a three and scored back door while Slovenian forward Jure Besedic also dropped a trey. Allen-Jordan and BInapfl carried the team while the team displayed smooth ball movement. The good start by Allen-Jordan would carry throughout the game. “I try to bring defensive energy. My teamamtes did a good job finding me. I took the open shots and´made them”, explained Diijon Allen-Jordan. Citybasket Recklinghuasen were unable to execute consistently on offense and weren´t hitting free throws. The Dragons Rhondorf continued to execute well on offense getting buckets from De Olveira and Allen-Jordan to keep the 27-20 lead after one quarter. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 56% from the field and 50% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 7 turnovers while Citybasket Recklinghausen shot 52% form the field and 33% form outside and had 5 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

The Dragons Rhondorf did a good job holding the lead and led by as much as 17 points, but allowed a disappointing 11-2 run in the last minutes to lead only 50-42 at the break. Even if it had rained three´s in the first quarter, the Dragons Rhondorf attempted to play inside out basketball and got some good work from Allen-Jordan who made an offensive rebound and put back and De Olveira continued to take advantage of the guests having no real big man by scoring over the mismatches. Twice. The guests got a trey from Dutch man Adriaans to cut the Rhondorf lead to 36-27. The Dragons Rhondorf were moving the ball well, but here and there suffered small stupid mistakes which cost them not having a more comfortable lead. Allen-Jordan continued to be aggressive on the offensive end attacking the rim and scored 4 points. Ex Bochum guard Niklas Meesmannn dropped a trey cutting the Dragons lead to 41-30. It was the second possession in the second quarter where the Dragons Rhondorf had failed to secure a loose ball which led to two three´s from the guests. The Dragons Rhondorf had so many weapons on this night and everyone produced. Now it was Besedic scoring 5 points for the 48-31 lead. It looked like the Dragons Rhondorf would cruise into the break with a huge double digit lead, but Citybasket Recklinghausen had other ideas. The guests closed out the second with a 11-2 run to trail only 50-42. In the run the guests got a trey from Meesmann and lay in by Myers and got two baskets from 33 year old veteran Jan Letaileur who had done a great job crashing the boards and getting baskets. This was the game´s worst phase for the Dragons Rhondorf as they couldn´t execute the way they wanted to on both ends of the court. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 56% from the field and 50% from the three point line and had 23 rebounds and 11 turnovers while Citybasket Recklinghausen shot 43% form the field and 31% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf continued to have the lead and tame Citybasket Recklinghuasen. Citybasket Recklinghausen did a good job matching the intensity of the Dragons Rhondorf and didn´t allow them to run away with the game as they were always in striking distance. The problem for the guests was just the Dragons Rhondorf had no breakdowns on offense being consistent. The Draagons Rhondorf would close out the third quarter strong and the quarter belonged to Gabriel De Olveia. One player that was a real pest for Rhondorf was Jan Letailleur who scored at ease and in moments where the Dragons Rhondorf wanted to break away. The German veteran did with this three and aggressive work on the glass. Letailleur cut the Dragons Rhondorf lead to 56-51. Binapfl then had two great plays in a span of a few minutes. First he made an alley-oop tap in off a perfect pass from Allen-Jordan and then made a massive one handed dunk in the zone for the 62-54 advantage. “We didn´t practice the alley-oop. We both have high IQ´s and we just know what the other will do. I saw where he was and just threw up the ball and he finished”, stressed Diijon Allen-Jordan. Bruns then nailed a clutch three pointer to cut the Dragons Rhondorf lead to 62-57. But the third quarter belonged to De Olveira who would finish with 15 points in the quarter. He would score the next 5 points and four more a bit later. Rhondorf also inserted Pal Ghotra who has had injury woes all season long, but he looked very fit, anxious and focused as he nailed a trey . He saved his best for last dropping a buzzer beater trey. You knew right away that the basketball God was on Rhondorf´s side on this day as his trey was off the mark, but got a lucky bounce to fall in. The Dragons Rhondorf led comfortably 81-64 after 30 minutes. “We stuck to what was working and kept going inside. When a guy like Gabriel is dominating, then you want to continue to go inside”, stressed Diijon Allen-Jordan. “We prepared all week in trying to stop a 10-12 man roster, but it was tough. Usually you focus on trying to stop 4-5 players, but everyone was hitting three´s tonight. We tried to change the pick and roll, but they kept hitting three´s”, added Antoine Myers. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 63% form the field and 47% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 15 turnovers while Citybasket Recklinghausen shot 43% from the field and 35% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

The third quarter belonged to Gabriel de Olveira while the fourth quarter belonged to Simonas Lukosius who dropped 14 points including the 100 point mark which left him with the traditional duty of having to buy drinks for every player. The Dragons Rhondorf continued to score consistently, but also allowed the guests to score regularly. The Dragons Rhondorf began with a 11-5 run where Lukosius scored 8 points including two three´s while Anish Sharda also hit a trey. Sharda would hit another three pointer as did ex Giessen 46er Jeffrey Martin as the Dragons Rhondorf led 98-76. The Dragons Rhondorf continued to have good team play and show that unselfishness while the guests were playing too much 1-1, but surprisingly outscored Rhondorf 16-14 down the stretch. Lukosius´s third trey of the fourth quarter gave the Dragons 101 points. Myers continued to be aggressive and visit the free throw line a lot as he finished shooting 13/17 from the free throw line. Marek Kotineo came in and scored two buckets while the heart and soul of the team Lotola Otshumbe also scored for the 112-93 final score. The Dragons Rhondorf had 10 guys that were able to score. “I have been part of teams where there were short rotations. It is tough having so many guys play 35-40 minutes as it tears at your body. But here we have a 10-12 man rotation where each guy can play 4-5 minutes of good basketball. De Olveira´s strong third quarter gave us confidence as we did rapid fire in the fourth quarter hitting shots”, stated Diijon Allen-Jordan. “We had injured players playing today. We got a little tired at the end. I took matters into my own hands. I had to do a bit of everything. I was tired, but then again not tired”, stressed Antoine Myers. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Gabriel De Olveira with 24 points. Diijon Allen-Jordan produced 22 points while Killian Binapfl added 15 points and Simonas Lukosius had 14 points. Citybasket Recklinghuasen was led by Antoine Myers with 29 points. Jan Letailleur added 19 points while Niklas Meesmann had 13 points and Fredrik Adriaans had 10 points. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 66% from the field and 53% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 19 turnovers while Citybasket Recklinghausen shot 49% form the field and 46% from outside and had 27 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

When Dewayne Russell attempts to look back to last season where he played his first season with the Crailsheim Merlins, he remembers a lot of hardship as a result of many losses and long losing streaks of 9 in the first half of the season and 7 loses in a row near the end, but in the end the team was saved staying in the easyCredit BBl for another season. But all in all it was a tough season for him and the club despite him averaging 11.3ppg, 2.1rpg, 4.2apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 75.0%, very respectable stats for a BBL newcomer that arrived from Nancy in the France Pro B. The American who was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Peoria, Arizona returns back to Frankfurt today and will have a lot of confidence and only fond memories as he was a key contributor in the Crailsheim Merlins fancy 91-77 victory last season. It was a turning point in their season as they were 1-10 coming into the contest and then would win the next weekend against Braunschweig. In the win in Frankfurt, Russell steered home 22 points and was the match winner as he scored 10 points in a row in the third quarter breaking a 50-50 tie and the Merlins would never look back cruising to victory. There is another reason why Russell and Co will arrive in the game with self confidence despite losing their first meeting in Crailsheim this season 76-68 is their current record. It has been like day and night between last season and last season as currently Crailsheim is resting in sixth place and there is serious talk in the Merlins community of the playoffs becoming a reality. The Crailsheim Merlins have been the little darlings of the league surprising everyone with their ambitious and aggressive play which has led to a brutal offense wiping away opponents at times like a lethal tornado causing havoc on the Oklahoma prairie land. The Crailsheim Merlins come to Frankfurt seeking revenge, but will meet a more healthy team as some of the walking wounded of the Skyliners are expected to be back. That first loss really hurt badly, because Crailsheim drilled home 14 three´s, but in the end still had a long bus ride home having the loss in the back of their minds. The club knows exactly what they need to do not to get swept. “It’s just going to come down to the basics for us. We need to follow coaches game plan and play as hard as we can. All of us being the same page is key and staying disciplined to our principles”, warned Dewayne Russell. It will also be like going back to school for the American as he loves competing against the Skyliner legend Quantez Robertson. “He is a great defensive player. I always try to learn from good Vets that have played in the BBL for a long time”, stressed Dewayne Russell.

            Coming into the 2019-2020 season nobody expected much from the Crailsheim Merlins after their finish last season. Also in a way the club´s claim to fame continues to be their embarrassing bus ride in the snow to Giessen some years ago which they never reached. People will always remember seeing the photos of players posing for selfies on the German Autobahn on social media. But those days are long forgotten. This season´s club is for real. They quickly rattled off a five game winning streak to start the season. The quick start didn´t surprise him at all. “I saw the potential during preseason and we worked really hard during the off season. We still have a long way to go. I’m excited for the remainder of the season. It has been a very interesting season so far for the Crailsheim Merlins”, warned Dewayne Russell. They beat Giessen in the first game and then followed Bayreuth. The BBL slowly started to take notice after they dismantled the Telekom Baskets Bonn a team that has been in the cellar, but at the start of the season was a sure playoff team on paper. The team belongs to the top offensive teams in the BBL averaging 89 points, but haven´t put it together on the defensive end yet allowing 85 points per game. Russell sees the team success as being something that should always be there on a daily basis. “I don’t think there’s really a secret. Our team just works hard. We’re just trying to be at our best every day”, warned Dewayne Russell. Then the team struggled suffering five loses in six games. They played Oldenburg and Wurzburg tough, but had misfortune in crunch-time not getting the needed bounces, shots and stops. But since that losing streak, the team has been having good times again having won five of the last six games. They won two shoot outs against Braunschweig and Hamburg and then beat strong teams ratiopharm Ulm and Bamberg back to back. They held Bamberg to only 69 points as their defense seems to be making strides at the moment. “ We just want to take it one game at a time making sure we handle all of the little details. We are definitely getting better defensively. We know we can score with anyone in the league, it just comes down to us getting stops”, warned Dewayne Russell.

            What has been amazing with the success of the Crailsheim Merlins this season is how they have managed to be so successful. On paper, they surely aren´t a playoff team, but that didn´t bother any of the players as some have exceeded expectations something the club couldn´t do last season. From my view point, the team was more talented last season and had so much more experience with 6 players above the 30 year old mark. “This years team has a lot of talent. Last years team had more experience with the older guys but this years team is much younger and just as talented”, added Dewayne Russell. But last years team just wasn´t able to gel and play together and consistently, but this year´s team is totally different. They usually have a 9 man rotation, but six players average double figures and Jan Spahn is at 8,9ppg. That demonstrates a team that is unselfish and enjoys sharing the ball. The idea that the club needs to rely too much on the starting five to be consistent isn´t something that the club listens to or is afraid of. “We don’t look at it as a starting 5, we look at it as a collective whole. We all play together at some point during the game”, stated Dewayne Russell. Not to forget a lot of the players have no BBL experience and came from lower leagues, but that didn´t haunt head coach Tuomas Iisalo who took what he had on the court and quickly formed it into a winning culture. The coach is a candidate for coach of the year at the present moment. “He has been great for the entire club. He is more than just a good basketball coach, he is a great leader, mentor and developer”, stressed Dewayne Russell.

            The club´s leading scorer is ex Fordham(NCAA) stand out Javontae Hawkins who has been climbing the basketball ladder the last years as he had a solid rookie season with the Salon Vilpas Vikings (Finland-Korisliiga) and last season made the next step with Holargos B.C. (Greece-A1) averaging 11.7ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 77.5% and averaging double figures in scoring against Euroleague team Olympiacos for 13 and 15 points in losing causes. This season he has made another big step up the basketball ladder with Crailsheim averaging 16,4ppg, 4,5rpg and 1,4apg. He hit Bayreuth for 25 points, Braunschweig for 24 points and Ludwigsburg for 23 points. “Hawk is a really big piece to everything that we do. He is one of the best scorers in the BBL and does a great job defensively. Hawk’s going to continue to be good for us all year”, stressed Dewayne Russell. Another key player to the success has been Chilean-German guard Sebastian Herrera who continues to make huge strides despite being only 23 years old. He got his first few years of experience with Trier and is in his third season with Crailsheim. After having a very good Pro A season in 2017-2018 where he averaged  7.6ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.3apg at age 20, he had growing pains in his first BBL year averaging 4,5ppg, but this season has had his absolute breakthrough. He currently is averaging 13,1ppg, 2,7rpg and 2,7apg while shooting a refreshing 46% from the parking lot. “Seba has also been a great leader for us. He is the captain of our team and always makes sure the team is organized. That’s what I appreciate the most about him”, said Dewayne Russell. One guy who could make that final difference between playoffs and not is experienced German Maurice Stuckey who brought 284 BBL games experience to Crailsheim, but so far has only averaged 5,4ppg in 12 minutes per game. He is still looking to crack the offensive rotation” His on ball defense and 3 point shooting is going to help us in the long run. He is going to continue to play more and more as the year progresses., stressed Dewayne Russell. Russell has been sharing minutes at the point with experienced Slovenian Jan Spahn and combined give the club 10 assists per game. Russell and Spahn are a very underrated duo, but have been getting the job done consistently. Russell knows that there is always something you can learn from a teammate. “I love having Jan as a teammate. It has been good for me to pick his brain and learn from him. I’m working on learning his step back from him“, added Dewayne Russell.

            Last season, it seemed at times that Russell got lost in the team shuffle with so many guys and this season he has increased his minute from 21 to 26 and is almost averaging 6 assists per game. But looking at his own stats has never been a priority for him. “I’ve been happy so far because we have been winning. I haven’t really thought about individual stats, just trying to win each game”, warned Dewayne Russell. He started the season solid, but did have some tough games against MBC, Goettingen and FC Bayern Munich, but since December 27 has scored in double figures in 6 straight games. Currently he is averaging 12,5ppg, 2,9rpg and 5,9apg and has improved his shooting from 37% to 41% from outside. The American who averaged 21.2ppg, 3.8rpg, 5.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 40.2%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 75.8% as a senior at Grand Canyon(NCAA) explains his secret to further development and his improved three point shooting and stellar defense. “I’m just focusing on what I can do to help our team to win. Whatever coach needs me to do, I’ll do it. I focused on taking smarter shots this year. I still have more to improve on from behind the arc. I’m focusing on communicating more with my teammates on defense and giving maximum effort”, warned Dewayne Russell. When Russell walks on the floor in the Fraport arena on Sunday, it will be two weeks since the death of Kobe Bryant. He found out of his passing in Berlin and the news is still very difficult for him to take. “I was in the hotel room in Berlin getting ready to play Alba. He meant a lot to me because I consider him to be one of the greatest players ever. Growing up, he was one of the first players I watched that made me fall in love with the game”, warned Dewayne Russell. Russell surely has a deeper connection to Kobe Bryant now. You never forget when you fell in Love for the first time especially for a basketball player and the game.