Dusan Nikolic (191-PG-2005) is a 20 year old 190cm guard playing his fifth season with the Skyliners Organization. He played many years in the NBBL (U-19) team where he made big strides averaging 16.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 53.1%, 3PT: 23.8%, FT: 88.2% and PPG-5 (21.4), 5.0rpg, 3.0apg, 2.4spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 26.3%, FT: 76.5% in his last 2 seasons. Last season he played his first full season in the Pro B averaging 8.7ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.9%, 3PT: 21.4%, FT: 78.0%. He is also injured, but will return to action soon. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Dusan for talking to germanhoops.com. Your injured at the moment. How did it occur? I was very unfortunate getting injured during the first week of pre season. I suffered a foot injury.
What is your status and when will you be back in action? I´m in the process of making a full recovery. I hope to be in action in the next weeks.
How is the rehab going? What have you been doing?
My rehab has been going well. I have done a lot of foot exercises as well as well as calf exercises.
On what areas of your game did you work on last summer?
I mostly worked on my shooting and getting my body stronger and on my athleticism.
What are your personal expectations coming into the 2025-2026 season?
My expectations are to be a leader and take on even more responsibility than last season. As a team we want to play aggressive and quick. We want to win as many games as possible.
Last season you made a big jump in the Pro B averaging 8/3/1. How did your game grow? I got more experience and played with more confidence. I gained more responsibility with more minutes.
You became more of a leader. How did you see your development there? My leadership skills grew with time. A big help was Philip Hadenfeld. When he left for his semester break, I fell into the roll of being a leader. My communication got a lot better.
Your three pointer is still a work in progress. Last season in the Pro B you shot 21%. Will you shoot better this season? I hope so. New coach Markus Klusemann helped me a lot. We worked on my shot during the summer. He helped me with my mechanics first and then it was just reps, reps and reps. My shot feels good.
You had many big games last season like scoring 21 points against Coburg. What was your favorite game? My favorite game last season was the home game against Ulm. I did a bit of everything in that game.
What is your impression of the 2025-2026 Skyliners Juniors? This is a very interesting team. It is a lot younger than the last years. It will be exciting. We are young and wild.
The team is younger than ever. Will a lack of experience be a problem?
That is hard to say. I mean we are young, but enough guys who have played at the Pro B level. We won´t have the most experience in the league, but we will find ways to win.
What is your impression of massive 18 year old talent Lukas Smazak from the Czech Republic? Lukas is very intelligent and has a good game. He has a great passing game and his shooting is underrated.
If Jamie Edoka and Ivan Crnjac are out, will you be the go to guy? I don´t know. I hope so. My expectations for myself are that I would be.
What is your biggest wish this season as a player?
I just want to make another step in my game. I want to show and prove that I´m ready for the next step in a higher league. I want to be a leader and make a difference this season.
After a long summer, the Skyliners Juniors were back home again for the start of the 2025-206 Pro B season. They had begun the season on the road in Leitershofen and suffered a tough 90-79 loss. Frankfurt was battling sicknesses and injuries and had to play with a 7 man rotation. Their next opponent were the Fellbach Flashers who won the Pro B title in 2023 and have played 2 solid seasons in the Pro B. Fellbach may have been without ex easyCredit BBL slam dunk contest winner Brian Butler who doesn´t play all games, but were with Kris Borisov´s biggest catch of his coaching career with Joanic Gruettner who had just been reeled in. He played 5 seasons in the BBL with BG Goettingen, Bayreuth and Bamberg and was a major attraction for the Pro B. He did score 13 points, but the big attraction was rising Pro B player Nik Schlipf (196-G-2002, college: Alliance) who led the Flashers to the 84-83 win scoring 23 points. It wasn´t a beautiful game, but games like these can always occur at the start of a season. “It was an ugly win. The important thing was that we always stayed together when it mattered most. We kept encouraging each other through every slump in the game. We didn´t shoot well, but kept attacking the paint. We were aggressive minded the whole game and moved the ball well”, stressed Fellbach Flasher Tysem Lyles. The Skyliners Juniors had a lot deeper roster than in Leitershofen, but believed in a 9 man rotation despite being without youngsters Ivan Crnjac, Max Peters and Dusan Nikolic. The Skyliners Juniors fought until the end and had a lot of misfortune at the end, but they should have won the game in other areas. “We made a lot of mistakes and allowed too many fast break points in the first half. It wasn´t our best defensive game. We did a good job on the offensive glass. You don´t see that all the time”, stressed Skyliner Junior Marvin Esser.
Florian Dietrich at the FT line
The Fellbach Flashers got off to a rapid start to lead 8-2 as ex Alliance (NCAA2) forward Nik Schlipf got the hot hand early dropping 2 three pointers for the 8-2 advantage. Ex Nurnberg center Nelson Okafor also got going being aggressive inside getting a lay in and dunk. Alvin Oniya got hot early with a trey and heads up play sneaking in for an offensive rebound and put back as Frankfurt trailed 12-8. Fellbach continued to keep the lead as Schlifp continued to wreck havoc with a 20 footer and alley op pass for the Okafor dunk as Frankfurt trailed 16-10. The game was of a high tempo and many turnovers as both teams remained aggressive on the defensive end. Frankfurt had to play pick up basketball, but always had an answer as German Jamie Edoka hit a trey as Frankfurt trailed 18-16. Fellbach kept the lead as they continued to get easy buckets inside from crafty Gruettner and flashy diminutive guard Travis Davis for the 22-17 advantage. Frankfurt continued to have answers as they also liked to attack the paint as Oniya and German Julius Messer scored for the 23-22 lead and first Frankfurt lead. However it didn´t remain long as Griettner scored at the buzzer for the 24-23 Fellbach lead. “We had good mental concentration. We were never to high or too low. We began well. I was happy for Nik Schlipf who was coming out of a shooting slump. He will have his break through season”, stressed New York native Tyseem Lyles. The Fellbach Flashers shot 55% from the field and 29% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Skyliners Junioers shot 43% from the field and 50% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 6 turnovers.
Mateus Rodriguez from outside
The second quarter was the quarter of the runs that looked like this. 6-2 run for Fellbach, 7-0 Frankfurt run, 4-0 Fellbach run, 5-0 Frankfurt run and 8-0 Fellbach run. Both teams were up and down as day and night. Schlipf and Gruettner scored inside on the first run while Frankfurt countered with ex Kronberg big man Florian Dietrich and and a trey by Czech Republic guard Lukas Smazak to dead lock the game at 32-32. Frankfurt then had a lull again as Fellbach took advantage of it with a Mateus Rodriguez floater and Schlipf lay in for the 36-32 lead. Frankfurt struck back with a run as Leif Zentgraf made a trey as Smazak made a behind the back acrobatic pass and he then made a jumper as Frankfurt found themselves leading again 37-36. However Fellbach also always had an answer and struck back with a 8-0 run to lead 44-37 as Schlipf contributed 5 points and Rodriguez a three pointer. Frankfurt stopped the Flashers run with a Messer tip in to trail 44-39, but they were unable to get over the hump as Gruettner scored as did German Thomas Billinger. However Frankfurt got some key production from undersized German big man Marvin Esser who scored twice in the last minute as Frankfurt trailed 50-46 at the break. “That quarter was full of runs. We remained focused and together. Frankfurt responded always being able to find an answer and start a run. My shot wasn´t falling at all in the first half. I stayed part of the team and did other things to help the team”, stated Tysem Lyles. The Fellbach Flashers shot 56% from the field and 33% from the three point line and had 14 rebounds and 11 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniors shot 48% from the field and 43% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 14 turnovers.
Lukas Smazak jumper
In the third quarter the Skyliners Juniors continued to have bad phases, but never allowed the Fellbach Flashers to get away. Frankfurt continued to fight and stay with Fellbach trailing by 3 points after 30 minutes. The Skyliners Juniors got off to a slow start offensively getting stopped 6 times, but defended solidly allowing only 5 points as Lyles made free throws and Schlipf drilled home another trey for the 55-46 lead. The Flashers played high intensity defense getting blocks from Micky De Souza and Lyles. The Skyliners Juniors finally got on the board on their 7th possession as Dietrich had a clear route to the rim and made a thunderous left handed dunk to trail 55-48. Frankfurt went on a 8-2 run to trail 57-55 as Oniya made another big play making a tip in while Smazak hit a three pointer. But the Skyliners Juniors continued to have difficulty slowing down the drive as Mark Golder and Jonathan Gerlinger scored for the 63-57 advantage. The Skyliners Juniors kept fighting, but just couldn´t get over the hump. Leif Zentgraf made a lay in to trail 63-60, Messer a lay in to trail 65-62 and Esser and lay in on transition to trail 67-64. Fellbach continued to execute well offensively and led 69-66 after 3 quarters. “Frankfurt did a good job getting out on transition. We didn´t do a good job on transition defense. We allowed way too many offensive rebounds”, said Tysem Lyles. “We came out fighting and stayed close. We never gave up. We are young and hungry. Our offensive rebounds helped us stay in the game”, said Marvin Esser. The Fellbach Flashers shot 53% from the field and 28% from the parking lot and had 24 rebounds and 15 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniors shot 46% from the field and 33% from the parking lot and had 29 rebounds and 16 turnovers.
Tysem Lylles at the FT line
In the fourth quarter the game remained tight until the end as Fellbach always had the lead except for once early and the Skyliners Juniors had the opportunity to win it on the last possession. Gerlinger and Dietrich traded baskets in the first minute as Fellbach led 71-68. Fellbach remained aggressive as Swiss guard Rodriguez got to the free throw line twice and scored 4 points, but Frankfurt remained alert and let it rain three´s as Leif Zentgraf and Lukas Smazak hit three´s for the 75-74 Skyliners Juniors lead. However the Skyliners Juniors were never able to take that key run when they had the lead. Instead Fellbach fired with a 9-0 run to lead 83-75 as crunch time appeared. The Flashers were led by clutch Lyles and Schlipf three´s. It looked like this may have been the moment where the Skyliners Juniors would cave in for good, but they didn´t. Frankfurt buckled down on defense and got consecutive stops while Leif Zentgraf scored 5 points including a trey to trail Fellbach 83-80. Okafor then made 1 of 2 free throws for the 84-80 Flashers lead The Skyliners Juniors continued to get stops and 3 free throws by Messer to trail 84-83 with 50 seconds to play. “Frankfurt came back giving us different looks on defense. They got mulitiple defensive rotations which gave them open looks”, commented Tysem Lyles. The Juniors then stopped Schilpf and had the ball with 24 seconds to go. The Skyliners Juniors had fate in their own hands and didn´t get any support from the basketball God. Frankfurt got 3 offensive rebounds and Joscha Zentgraf got fouled with 3,2 seconds remaining. He had fate in his hands, but missed both free throws. He got the offensive rebound and then traveled. Gruettner did lose the ball to Dietrich at center court, but his last second shot only hit the back board ending the contest. “I was still calm when he missed first free throw. My heart sank when he missed the second and had the offensive rebound. But we grinded out the win and a win is a win”, stressed Tyseem Llyles. “We can´t be in a situation like we were at the end. We have to find a way to win the game earlier”, commented Marvin Esser. The Fellbach Flashers were led by Nik Schlipf with 23 points while Mateus Rodriguez added 19 points while the Skyliners Junioers were led by Leif Zengraf with 18 points while Lukas Smazak and Alvin Oniya added 14 points a piece. The Fellbach Flashers shot 49% from the field and 30% from outside and had 29 rebounds and 17 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniors shot 40% from the field and 30% from outside and had 48 rebounds and 23 turnovers.
A little more than 2 years ago German basketball fans in Germany witnessed an incredible JBBL (U-16) semi final between Alba Berlin and the RheinStars Cologne. It wasn´t Larry Bird vs Dominique Wilkins, but Matthieu Grujicic of Alba Berlin (35 points) and Davi Remagen of Cologne (41 points) that offered an incredible scoring battle that showed once again how much talent is in Germany. These two 16 youngsters played the game they love and showed absolute no fear playing as if they were all alone on a court. But there was one more player on the court who had just as much talent, but was a bit in the shadow with Kenan Reinhart (194-SG-2007) who supplied 16 points in the 84-79 loss to Alba Berlin. 2 years later both Grujicic and Remagen are playing in the NCAA and profiting from NIL while Reinhart is in Germany playing in the Pro B for the Dragons Rhondorf. All 3 guys have gone separate ways and are on a mission to continue to develop further. All 3 have some pressure, but for Kenan Reinhart it is a kind of pressure that he can live and deal with. Last season he averaged 3,0ppg in 10 minutes. I can imagine he will average 20 plus minutes this season and will have to step up as a teenager in the Pro B. “I make a lot of pressure for myself, because I have high expectations of myself. My season was unacceptable last season. I want to make the next step so I need to prove myself in the Pro B. I really like this pressure, because I need it to reach my full potential”, warned Kenan Reinhart.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Kenan Reinhart in the Dragon Dome 2025
Kenan Reinhart who is a mix of Andi Obst and Reed Shepherd on the court is very excited going into his second season with the Dragons Rhondorf. “I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I´m very excited and on the other hand very happy. I understand that I will have a bigger role while having a complete new team. We will see what the season brings us”, smiled Kenan Reinhart. One of the biggest changes was bringing in a head coach with Max Becker. At first glance he looks like a kid and could be Reinhart´s teammate, because he looks so young, but he is already 26 years old and had done a good job with the Telekom Baskets Bonn youth department. His smile is infectious, but can he ever get mad? “He may look like a kid, but he can get mad. Then he definitely doesn´t act like a kid. He is still young, but I´m confident that he will do a good job”, stressed Kenan Reinhart. Becker has already stressed early in pre season exactly what his basketball philosophy will be. “Max wants us to push the ball and play as fast as possible. If that doesn´t work, then we will do the set offense. We want to play good defense and function as a team”, stated Kenan Reinhart. The question will be can this team be successful with a new young coach and young team? Will there be enough consistent fire power besides from Jorge Mejias and Juhwan Harris Dyson? “This season we are playing in the North which is tougher than the south. I feel like the hunger was missing a bit last season. This season we have a good mix of old and young and have hunger. I think we have other possibilities to score with Daniel Mayr, Duje Dujmovic, Lagi Diallo and myself. Vuk Scepanovic can also hit the occasional three pointer. We will see from game to game which scorers will evolve”, warned Kenan Reinhart.”, warned Kenan Reinhart.
The ex RheinStars Cologne guard who beats Vuk Scepanovic everytime in a battle of 1-1 in practice has many new teammates this season. He has been joined by 2 young big men with Benjamin Sadikovic and Duje Dujmovic. Can they be stable scorers at the Pro B level? “I thought that Sadikovic was older when he signed. He is a stable center that is great on the pick and roll. I was teammates with Dujmovic once already in Cologne. He is also hungry and continues to develop nicely”, said Kenan Reinhart. One player that will produce not only in the scoring department, but fill the stat sheet like Kam Taylor and Curtis Hollis from back in the day will be Juhwan Harris Dyson. “I really adore his physicality. He is always playing hard. He gives his all in each movement. His effort is excellent. He is simply a high level player”, warned Kenan Reinhart. Another player that will be watched with enjoyment is young player Dusan Iiic who had a great youth career with BBA Hagen. Last season he averaged 20,0ppg and 10,0apg in the NBBL. It seems like despite his young age of 17 could also play an instrumental role. Could he have a break through season like Janne Muller 2 years ago? “I think he can. This will be his first Pro B season. It will be interesting to see how well he can produce. He will be a vital player that we will count on”, commented Kenan Reinhart. The leader of the team will be Spaniard Jorge Mejias who has a lot of experience like Daniel Mayr and was walking around the Real Madrid training facility 8 years ago and bumping into Luka Doncic. “I´m really happy to play with him and against him in practice every day. I´m working on my court vision and passing. There is nobody better than to learn those things from than him. I´m learning fast. He does it all”, warned Kenan Reinhart. The team has many talented young guys like Schmidt, Volkers, Scepanovic, Boning and Dobiecki. Is there a player form this bunch that could make the biggest splash in the Pro B this season? “I think that Carlo Schmid will be the guy. He has only played basketball for 2 years. He has a good body for basketball. I believe he can play well at the Pro B level”, added Kenan Reinhart.
The sniper who lists big man Andreas Seifert as the toughest player that he has ever faced on the court is more than eager to make the next step this season. His expectations and goals are high. “I want to help lead the team into the playoffs as a starter. I want to not only stand in the corner and shoot three´s, but be versatile. I want to be able to do it all and integrate, rebounding, passing, scoring and defense into my game”, said Kenan Reinhart. Last season he averaged 3,0ppg in 10 minutes of time. Can he average scoring in double figures this season? “I think I can. I won´t do it each game, but I feel like I will be consistent”, explained Kenan Reinhart. He only shot 23% from the parking lot in the pro B last season. It is only obvious that he wants to improve those percentages drastically. “My three pointer is one of my best qualities. I have high goals with my three pointer. My team is counting heavily on me. I have to have a good shooting season”, warned Kenan Reinahrt. But he doesn´t only want to make an impact on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end. His ex head coach 1993 Euro winner Stephan Baeck always told him that if he defends well than he will stay on the court. “I want to average at least 1 steal per game. My goal is not to let my guy score on me”, stressed Kenan Reinhart. He definately has the right mind set as he is getting up many shots every day and always trying to prefect his craft. “I think that if I add it all up, I get up about 300 shots on the machine and in total 500 shots a day. When I´m spot up shooting, I make around 80% with the first 100 shots, 70% with the second 100 shots and somewhere between 65%-70% with the last 100 shots”, added Kenan Reinhart. It will be interesting to see where the journey of the Dragons Rhondorf will go this season and how well Kenan Reinhart continues to develop. In the last few years, I was helping rebound for Janne Muller before games. I mostly heard only swish with his mid range shot. Maybe this season, I can rebound for Kenan Reinhart and then hear swish when he is firing away from down town before games.
There are hundreds and hundreds of American ballers in Europe playing in lower leagues living the dream. Guys that played in the NCAA 2, NAIA and even JUCO that had no real guarantee of ever making it overseas. All have sheer talent and here and there had some luck as well as they were aided by competent agents and maybe even had the prefect contact that helped along the well. These guys faced a lot of adversary in their careers often being doubted for whatever reason. A common one being the height. You simply don´t see many 173cm guards doing cross overs overseas. Thankfully for Toru Dean, he is a 183cm guard that has an acceptable guard height overseas, but then again not 190cm which would still make many things easier. Dean suffered some real adversary half way through his University career that not many have faced. Size and school league level are common reasons why skilled guys get overlooked, but in the case of him, it was a lot worse. Between his transfer from Barry (NCAA2) and Langston University (NCAA2), he was shot twice. First his right leg was hit and the second shot nailed his upper left leg. He thankfully got through rehab despite not knowing if he could ever play again, but thankfully he could and the rest is history. He is playing his rookie season in Germany and feels so blessed, but those hard times more than 3 years ago is still with him today. “Of course I had doubts about my basketball career but thank god for my family. I just had the perfect support system to build me up again”, remembered Toru Dean. Despite being shot twice Toru Dean overcame all odds and is showing his true point guard Skills with the TSV Bargteheide Bees.
The Miami native who lists Anthony Edwards and Scottie Barnes as his toughest players that he ever faced on a court began his basketball career at South Miami high school. He then played 3 years at Barry University (NCAA2) from 2019-2022 playing a total of 64 games. Unfortunately in his second season he only played 7 games because of Covid. “Being locked into those dorms drove the team a little crazy then no fans at the games made the season 10x harder. Also the COVID testing everyday to workout was very frustrating. Also I couldn’t see family members and friends and I really had to have my best mentally”, remembered Toru Dean. In his first season he averaged 8.8ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.3apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 65.1% and in his last season averaged 9.1ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.1apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 39.9%, 3PT: 31.7%, FT: 62.9%. He helped the team reach the SSC final in 2022 and was named to the all tournament team. He had many great games against Embry Riddle and also against Lynn. In the 87-84 victory over Embry Riddle, he had 19 points, 6 boards and 7 dimes. “That was one of my best games of my career being so young showed me I could actually play at a very high level”, stressed Toru Dean. He then transferred to Langston University (NAIA) averaging 10.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.5apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 81.0% and 9.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.1apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 69.4%. He won 2 SAC titles. Was one title sweeter than the other? “Both titles meant the same to me, because both of the teams played a huge role to where I am today. I appreciate and love each and every guy that I met at Langston because it was a true BROTHERHOOD”, remembered Toru Dean. He reached NAIA final in 2024. The team defended incredibly allowing only 50,0ppg up to the final. In the final they had to suffer a tough 71-67 loss to FHU. “Honestly that year really taught me how me to appreciate and respect the game”, said Toru Dean. In those 2 magical years at Langston, he played 64 games and scored in double figures 31 times including 26 points against TxWes and 21 points against USAO. He was more than fortunate playing for the right coach with Chris Wright. “He held me to the highest standards because I was the leader of the team. Which molded me as a Man. Things I learned from him I could use in the real world. One of his sayings is “How you do something is how you do everything “and the standards he held me too made me feel like I can overcome anything with the right mindset”, commented Toru Dean who remembered his 1-1 battles with teammate Gquavious Lennox being a tie. He made the SAC All-Tournament Team and NAIA All-America Third Team in 2024.
The guard who lists LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Shaq on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is playing his rookie season in Germany with the TSV Bargteheide BEES.The first real shock is the weather as it is already very cold in early autumn as opposed to the warmth of Florida. “I hate the cold weather but it’s definitely something I’ll have to get used to but I’m looking forward to it. Miami weather is always the best weather”, expressed Toru Dean. Just like in school, he has to continue to prove himself as he is playing in the fourth division called Regionalliga. The chip is still on his shoulder as height is always a question mark for others, but never for him. “Of course height has always been the problem until they faced me and wondered why I played at the high level and wondered why my team went so far. Because I was always underrated because of my height”, stated Toru Dean. Despite his height he has needed no adjustment period posting a double double in an early season game. “Honestly it’s very different from playing in the USA. The pre-season games really helped me get used to the physicality and after those 2 games I knew I could play and be able to produce on this level”, said Toru Dean. Not only does he feel very comfortable on the court, but also off the court. He is very fortunate to be teammates with ultra veteran Abdulai Abaker who knows the ropes of overseas ball. “ABU” he is an awesome human being nice guy. He made it easy for me to come to the team and fit in comfortably without guys turning their heads not knowing what to expect. He is a competitor and we make each other better every practice”, warned Toru Dean who lists Lebron James as his GOAT
The Florida native who lists Cortez “ ice Tez ” G Lennox Jake”J swish” Tylan Birts and Anthony Roy as his 5 best teammates of all-time is 183 cm guard who is a great mix of Chris Paul and Patrick Beverly and is a very feisty defender that knows how to run a team very well and make everyone him better. But what kind of a point guard is he? He is way more than just a pass first point guard. “I would label myself as a TRUE POINT GUARD. Someone that leads and makes his team better. Getting everyone involved and looking to make the right play”, warned Toru Dean. The question is how well will his playmaking translate to overseas ball? He never averaged more than 4,0apg in school. Could the Regionalliga be a league where he could average 6-8 assists. “Offensively I can average 6-8 assists just based off playing in the system not including fast break opportunities and steals leading to fast breaks opportunities”, stressed Toru Dean. He knows exactly what he wants to accomplish as a rookie with his shooting. “Shooting 40% from the three and 85 from the free throw line. And being more consistent I always have been an all around player so I never really focused on just shooting”, stressed Toru Dean. Not only will he shine on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end as being an impact player is the name of the game. “I’m just a hard-nosed defender. I can guard almost anyone between 5’10-6’5 on the perimeter. As long as it’s not in the post I’ll be okay. The defender I want to become is like a Patrick Beverley someone that just doesn’t stop and annoys other team with being a pest on ball defender”, warned Toru Dean. There are still many areas of his game to improve. “Just working on improving my game all around. But I really have been focusing on shooting more consistently off the dribble pulls and being to make open threes consistently”, warned Toru Dean. He has a lot of free time in the Regionalliga and knows exactly what areas he will be working on most in the lab. It will be interesting to see how his rookie season in Germany will go. He is definitely a player on a mission to continue to prove all doubters wrong.
Nate Watson (208-C-1998, college: Providence, agency: Octagon Europe) is a 26 year old 208cm center playing his fourth professional season and first with Panionios Athens (Greece-GBL). Last season he played with AS Karditsa Iaponiki (Greece-GBL) averaging 14.9ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.2bpg, 2FGP: 67.4%, FT: 47.7%, later signed with Casademont Zaragoza (Spain-Liga ACB) averaging 6.8ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 63.5%, 3PT-2 (50.0%), FT: 52.2%. In the 2023-2024 season he played with KK FMP SoccerBet Beograd (Serbia- Adriatic League averaging 7.1ppg, 3.0rpg, FGP: 63.6%, FT: 58.5%. He played his rookie season with ERA Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL) averaging 9.6ppg, 4.2rpg, FGP: 63.4%, FT: 63.9%. He began his basketball career at Bishop O´Connell High School and then played at Providence College (NCAA) from 2017-2022 playing a total of 154 games. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Eurocup game against easyCredit BBL team Niners Chemnitz.
Thanks Nate for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your fourth pro season and second in Greece and first with Panionios Athens. What kind of an experience has it been playing for this organization? The experience has been nice. I love Greece and I love being here. Playing for this organization is great. The coach is good and I love my teammates. The chemistry is great and we can still get better.
After 2 seasons in the Czech Republic and Serbia you had your break out season overseas last season playing well in Greece and reaching the ACB in Spain. Is your confidence because of that on an all-time high? I had my break out season last season and it definitely boosted my confidence, because the ACB is one of the best leagues in Europe if not the best. I played really well against Euroleague teams and it definitely gave me confidence. I hope one day to reach the highest level.
You averaged 14/7 in Greece last season. Do you feel like your game is specially well suited for the style in the GBL?
I think that my game is suited really well for Greece, but I feel like it also depends on the situation I´m in. Having chemistry with my teammates and coaches all matter. Fortunately I had so much chemistry last season. It was just me, but a whole collective effort that helped me be successful.
What is your biggest goal as a player this season besides winning games? Is becoming a well known big man in the GBL a goal?
My biggest goal is just to be the best that I can be. I want to win titles and just continue to grow as a player and become a better player every year.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 208cm center. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description? I don´t really compare my game to any NBA bigs, but just try to pick up skills from many different players. I used to always watch Al Jefferson who was a really good post player. Sometimes I like to try to steal his moves like his up and under or ball fakes or bully ball to the rim. I don´t believe that I´m a one way 5 player. I can do many things like play 1-1 in the post or catch alley oops.
You demonstrated in the NCAA and Czech Republic that you can be a valuable shot blocker. What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?
I want to become an elite defender and be able to guard all 5 positions. Sometimes late in the shot clock, you have to switch on the point guard and I want to be able to do that at an elite level. I showed that I could do that last year, but I want to be bale to do it consistently. I also want to become a better shot blocker. Not only blocking my man, but also other guys coming into the zone. I don´t want anyone to score on me or my team.
On what areas of your game are you working on most at the moment so you can continue to improve your game? I´m working most on areas outside the paint. I´m working on shooting jumpers and also playmaking.
Last season you split time with AS Karditsa Iaponiki (Greece-GBL) averaging 14.9ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.2bpg, 2FGP: 67.4%, FT: 47.7%, later signed with Casademont Zaragoza (Spain-Liga ACB) averaging 6.8ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 63.5%, 3PT-2 (50.0%), FT: 52.2%. You got a first tast of Greece and held your own against Euroleague team Panathinaikos and Olympiakos. Which player do you remember standing out most then from those 2 clubs? The 2 players that stood out the most were Alexsandar Vezenkov who is an amazing player. He can get so many points without dribbling. He rebounds really well. He really just does everything so well. I remember my adrenaline being so high against Panathinaikos, because I was so excited, I don´t really remember so much from that game. All I remember is Omer Yurtseven. I had already played against him with Providence when he was with Georgetown. He really stood out the most, because he has a big body and played really well against us.
You then finished in Spain and had good games against Euroleague teams FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Did games like these and in Greece give you confidence that you could be a Euroleague player one day? Playing well against Euroleague players definitely gives me confidence that I could be a Euroleague player one day. But I can´t be content with how I´m playing right now. I have to continue to keep working hard every day and get better
You played your second pro season with KK FMP SoccerBet Beograd (Serbia-KLS) averaging 3.5ppg, 1.8rpg; and in the Adriatic League averaged 7.1ppg, 3.0rpg, FGP: 63.6%, FT: 58.5%. What memories do you have of this season. You had some growing pains. Despite that what positives could you gain from the season? I definitely did have some growing pains in Serbia. I don´t know if the situation was bad or I was? I just didn´t work out. I went from having a bad season in Serbia to having a great season in Greece. It was a humbling season in Serbia. I wanted to get better so I got stronger and better in shape so I could be better. I took no days off. I was first in the gym and last to leave. I had a statement to make. I wanted to prove everyone wrong who had doubted me in Serbia. I think that I did that.
You played your rookie season with ERA Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL) averaging 9.6ppg, 4.2rpg, FGP: 63.4%, FT: 63.9%; and in the BCL averaged 8.5ppg, 5.5rpg, FGP: 56.4%, FT: 58.3%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home? I knew that I was far from home when I was at the grocery store and I was asking for Mayonnaise and nobody knew what I was talking about. Nobody really knew what I was talking about and the village I was living in was called Podebrady and it was very small.
What was it like being teammates with legend Petr Benda who has won an incredible 27 titles with Nymburk? Was he like a mentor for you? It was an amazing experience being his teammate as a rookie. He won so many titles for Nymburk and was also a big like me. He was always in my ear and how to become a better player. We always battled in practice. He was an old man, but very strong. It was definitely a good experience going against such an experienced player every day in practice.
You played at Providence College (NCAA) from 2017-2022 reaching 2 NCAA tournaments losing to Texas A& M and then losing to Kansas. What do you remember most from the second run at March madness?
In my second run at March Madness, it was a great time. It was a dream to get so far. It was really hard losing, because it was my last NCAA game. It really hurt to lose, but just a great experience to get that far. Even if we lost to the champions, it was cool being able to play against them.
You had 3 great games against Butler as a senior. Was one of these games your fondest moment in the NCAA?
My fondest moments from these games was just how hard everyone plays. For some players, it is their last game as a college player, so they give all that they got. There is a lot of emotion on the court and you have people crying after the game. Everyone is my locker room were shedding tears. We knew it was over. We knew that we would never play a college game again. It is a bitter sweet moment knowing you have things after college most likely being a professional athlete or make money in the real world. There is this uncertainty that you don´t really know what will happen. That is why there is so much emotion.
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?
The toughest player I faced was Markus Howard who went far in Europe. He scored 50 points against us. He was a great player.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? My teammates from Providence David Duke, Alpha Diallo, Aljami Durham, Noah Horchler, Jared Bynum
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, Lebron James and Nikola Jokic
Who is your GOAT? Lebron James
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I didn´t see it, but like always sequels are never as good as the first one. It probably makes sense to leave it alone.
Tyson Leitao (199-F-2002, college: Tampa) is a 22 year old 203cm forward playing his rookie season overseas with the Iserlohn Kangaroos (Germany-ProB). He began his basketball career at Magnet High School. He then played at the University of Tampa from 2021-2025 playing a total of 106 games. In his last 2 seasons he averaged 12.9ppg, 10.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 45.4%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 67.1% and 13.9ppg, 10.7rpg, 1.3apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 76.0%. he spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Tyson for talking to germanhoops.com. Not many guys form Tampa (NCAA2) have gone pro. How blessed do you feel living the dream in Germany?
Extremely blessed! Not many people know my story, but I was also a walk-on my first year at Tampa. I wasn’t highly recruited out of high school and got lucky enough to walk on. After starting every game that year I was able to earn a scholarship. Everything that happened there I had to work for and to be in this position to live out a dream like this is surreal.
Have you ever heard of Jeremy Black? He played at Tampa form 20024-2008 and had a great career in Germany?
I have not heard of him, but I’ll definitely do some research. There are a lot of Tampa greats that went on to have great careers overseas and I’m hoping to become one of them.
Your playing your rookie season with the Iserlohn Kangaroos (Germany-ProB). What kind of an experience has it been? What have you enjoyed most about the experience? It’s been a fun learning experience. Adjusting to European basketball isn’t easy but my teammates and coaches have been a great deal of help. I think the biggest adjustment for me is learning how to think about the game of basketball in a different setting and style. Something that I have enjoyed most is how much time I can spend focusing on basketball, like watching film, getting extra reps, or getting recovery.
What was your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?
It was definitely the time difference. I’m a sports guy so I watch a lot of sports and having to adjust to watching games at different or later times has been hard.
Iserlohn lost a tough 86-84 game to Rostock. You had a great first game of 20/10. You needed no adjustment period. How would you compare the pro B to the NCAA 2 in terms of competitive level?
I think the level of competition is pretty similar. It’s a little more physical and there are a lot of different schemes and adjustments in Pro B but the competition is right there.
You had a great career at Tampa Bay (NCAA2). What are your most important goals for your rookie season with your personal game?
Personally I want to bring as much intensity and energy as I can. Energy is transferable and if I can bring energy to help the team win I will do it to the best of my ability.
What has it been like playing for ex guard Toni Prostran? What have you enjoyed most about his basketball philosophy?
It’s been great Toni is a very likeable guy and when it comes to basketball you can tell he is very well versed in all aspects. He understands the player perspective because of his long career, but he knows what it takes to win. I have enjoyed his level of intensity he brings to every game, practice, or even film session.
What has it been like battling Malik Diagne on a daily basis? How do you guys compliment each other best? Malik is a great guy on and off the court. He always has great energy and helps the team in a lot of ways. I think the best way we compliment each other is just knowing the space on the floor, when to cut or when to stay spaced he’s a smart player so it always works.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 203cm center. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would make the best description?
A current NBA player I could compare to and one of my favorites to watch right now is Alperen Sengun. I watched a lot of the eurobaseket recently and he’s so talented from all aspects of the court. He can score around the rim, rebound at a high level, and even space the floor and shoot.
You’re a player that can score and rebound at ease. What other strengths does your game have? I think I can bring a lot of defensive intensity to the team.
You also take the three pointer and show that you’re a modern day big man. How would you describe the development of your three pointer in your rookie season?
I would say I work on it a good amount. In today’s basketball you can make a lot of money by just being able to space the floor and make open shots.
Talk about your defensive skills. What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become? Currently I think I can use my athleticism to my advantage on defense and communicate as much as possible. It’s always been a goal of mine to be the loudest on the court. I want to become a defender that can guard all positions no matter the size or skill.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?
Currently just working inside the paint and becoming as consistent as I can so I can go inside and out on the court.
How valuable has your dad Dave been for your basketball development? He coached many years at Depaul. How did he help you most with your development? My dad has been a huge part of my basketball development. For as long as I can remember I have been in a gym with my dad. We kind of have 2 relationships: him as a coach and him as a dad. He’s taught me everything I know and paved a way for me to be successful. He helped me understand a lot about the game of basketball and being able to be one of the smartest players on the court. He’s also a huge part in helping with the mental side of basketball and even tells me basketball is 50% skill and 50% mental.
You played at the University of Tampa (NCAA2) from 2021-2025 and made big jumps in your game in your last 3 years averaging 11.0ppg, 9.1rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 32.0%, FT: 64.6%, 12.9ppg, 10.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 45.4%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 67.1% and 13.9ppg, 10.7rpg, 1.3apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 76.0%. How did your game grow in those years? I think the most crucial way my game grew was consistency and being mentally more stable.
You had so many great games and usually in losing causes. What was your fondest moment on the court and Tampa? I think that I couldn’t choose just one moment. I would say anytime that I could share the court with my teammates was a fond moment.
How did head coach Linc Darner groom and prepare you best for a professional career? He was great and we played really fast paced so that was a great segway to how its been transitioning to my pro career.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Jaxon Toney? Definitely ME. Lol
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced on the court that reached the NBA? There’s been a few either Amen and Ausar Thompson or Anthony Edwards
Who are your 5 best teammates of all-time? No order: Dj Steward, Max Jones, Dalen Davis, Bryan Williams, and Kaden Froebe
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? Lebron James, MJ, Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry
Who is your GOAT? Lebron James
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming to America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I did not see it so I can’t comment.
Tyler Wahl (206-F-2001, college: Wisconsin) is a 24 year old 206cm forward playing his second pro season and first with Panionios Athens. He played his rookie season with KK Zadar (Croatia-Premijer Liga) averaging 10.9ppg, RPG-5 (6.9), 2.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 13.5%, FT: 59.9%; and in the Adriatic League averaging 10.4ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.9apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 58.5%, 3PT: 26.3%, FT: 60.7%. He began his basketball career with Lakeville North high school and then played at the University of Wisconsin (NCAA) 2019-2024 playing a total of 161 games. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Eurocup game against the Niners Chemnitz.
Thanks Tyler for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second pro season overseas and first with Panionios Athens (Greece-GBL). What kind of an experience has it been playing in Greece? It has been a great experience. We have a lot of great players and a great coach. I think that we can do a lot of great things with this team. I feel like we have great chemistry and will be able to win a lot of games if we can stick together and do what we have to do to win.
Hast it been like a culture shock for you coming from Zadar that had 70,000 people to Athens that has over 3,million inhabitants. Has it been a tough adjustment?
It´s not too big of an adjustment. Zadar was smaller, but I spent 5 years at Wisconsin which was smaller than Athens.
You had a solid rookie season in Croatia and now are playing in a higher league in Greece in the GBL. You will be facing some top Euroleague players. Do you feel confident that you can be an impact player in Greece? I do think that Zadar prepared me well for Greece. In the ABA, we played against some Euroleague teams and Eurocup teams. I was able to hold my own against top teams.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 206cm forward. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description? I wouldn´t necessarily compare my game to an NBA player. I´m able to do a bit of everything. If that means guarding the other teams best player or scoring or passing
At Wisconsin (NCAA) you were seen as a Swiss army knife and later as a glue guy. How would you describe yourself as a player right now. Are you a better version now of a Swiss army knife and glue guy? Those are 2 good labels for me. I just love to play. I will dive after loose balls if I have to. If I score 0 points, but am helping the team win in other ways then I´m just happy.
You never averaged more than 11,0ppg as a pro or in the NCAA: Do you feel capable of slipping into more of a scoring role down the road? I feel very confident in scoring the ball. I will just do whatever it takes to help the team win. But if my team needs me to score 20-25 points then I will do that also.
It´s fair to say that your three pointer is still a work in progress. What do you believe do you have to do better to become more of a stable three point shooter?
I have never been asked to be a 3 point shooter, but moreover to be a playmaker and get the ball on the floor and get my teammates involved. I feel like I´m getting better as a 3 point shooter. If I´m open then I´m confident to take the shot. I also can take in rhythm three´s. I´m not a player that will force shots.
On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game? I´m really working a lot on my 3 ball. I have put up a lot of shots in the off season. Now it is all about translating it into the game and stepping in with confidence and letting them fly.
You played your rookie season with KK Zadar (Croatia-Premijer Liga) averaging 10.9ppg, RPG-5 (6.9), 2.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 13.5%, FT: 59.9%; and in the Adriatic League) averaged 10.4ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.9apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 58.5%, 3PT: 26.3%, FT: 60.7%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie where you knew that you were far away from home? My wake up call was around the holiday time. My parents did come to visit me, but the holiday season is the time where you don´t really see family. That is tough for Americans for the first few years of their life.
You won the Croatian title beating split in 4 games. Games 3 and 4 were decided only by 3 points. What was so special about this team last season? That was really special. Zadar has won now 3 Premier titles in a row. Our expectations going into the season was to win the Premier league and do well in the ABA. We had an older team and veterans who had been part of winning teams. That is what made it special. Having guys that have been a part of special moments and winning a lot of games. It was more physical and we knew what to do in big moments.
You played at the University of Wisconsin (NCAA) from 2019-2024 reaching 3 NCAA tournaments and 1 NIT Final 4. Were these 5 years some of the best times of your life? It was definitely a great time in my life. Everyone always says that one should really soak in these 4-5 years of your life. I was told that it would fly by and it definitely did. It definitely was some of my greatest times of my life, but I hope that I have many more and better moments coming.
From your perspective which NCAA tournament appearance was your most fondest? You lost to Baylor, Iowa State and JMU.
I think my fondest was when we were in the bubble and lost to Baylor. Baylor was the best team that season and went on to win the NCAA title. We were in it the entire and gave them a good fight.
What memories will you always have from that NIT Final 4 run? You achieved really exciting wins over Liberty and Oregon, but lost to N Texas? The NIT was fun, because we were able to play post season basketball at our home arena. Usually when you are in March Madness, you play in other arenas and you don´t get that home court advantage even if our fans do travel to away games.
How did head coach Greg Gard groom and prepare you best for a professional career? I think that coach Gard and his staff do a great job preparing players to be good players. He really stresses the fundamentals everyday. I feel like that really helped me for my next step in my career. He also taught me how to be a pro. He taught me to do whatever it takes to help your team win.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Aleem Ford? I will give him his kudos and say he won. I was still a younger player still figuring it out.
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?
The toughest was Dwayne Washington from Ohio State. He weas a great player that let the game come to him. He could get his baskets when he wanted to.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Chucky Hepburn, Brad Davidson, Aleem Ford, Steven Croul, Carter Gilmore
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? Jordan, Lebron, Kobe, Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Who is your GOAT? Michael Jordan. He made it explode on the world wide stage. He got a lot of people invested in the sport
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I didn´t see the sequel. My thoughts are the original will always be better so I won´t watch the sequel.
There had been changes the last few seasons for the EPG Baskets as some players went and came as usual and even the name had been changed briefly to the Guardians and changed back to the Baskets, but the face lift that the club took this past summer was immense. An almost total house cleaning had been done. A whole new coaching staff had been hauled in from Rhondorf as Thomas Klein is hoping for some of that magic from the Dragons Pro B title in 2024 to rub off on the Koblenz team. The club had added a healthy mix of young and old and especially under the basket where better stacked than in previous seasons. However the EPG Baskets had no cake walk in their first game as they faced 2010 Eurochallenge winner and ex easyCrerdit BBL team BG Goettingen who had moved back down to the Pro A. On a cool Sunday afternoon in late September, the EPG Baskets Koblenz were able to stick with BG Goettingen for a quarter, but in the second quarter the ex BBL team took control of the game and never looked back winning 98-80. BG Goettingen showed severe consistency and got much help from their sturdy bench and controlled the boards. “We were consistent and played hard for 40 minutes. We were able to play our pace and played aggressive defense. We focused on sharing the ball well and communicating well on defense”, stressed ex University of Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA) guard Zach Jackson (198-G-1997, college: Omaha). The EPG Baskets Koblenz played a strong first quarter, but after that their intensity wanned at both ends while their 1-1 defense wasn´t existent. “They played with good speed and pace. We were always a step slower. That was a big difference. We were stagnant on offense. We helped them play better defense with our play. We did move the ball better in the second half. They were very experienced and always made us pay for our mistakes”, stressed EPG Baskets guard Garrett Hicks.
Aleksa Kovacevic at the FT line
BG Goettingen raced out on a rapid 4-0 lead as they attacked the rim getting lay in´s by ex Jena forward Robin Lodders and ex Alba Berlin forward Hendrik Drescher. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz struck back quick with a lay in by ex BBL player Aleksa Kovacevic and a runner by American Garrett Hicks to trail 6-4. Despite being a really good shooting team, BG Goettingen demonstrated early that they would be going inside a lot and would do it for 40 minutes. German Julius Bohmer heaved home a dunk and Swedish national player Adam Ramstedt made a lay in for the 13-9 advantage. Koblenz had early problems with their 1-1 defense and allowed easy baskets as the help defense was always a step to slow. BG Goettingen couldn´t get away as ex Wurzburg guard Calvin Wishart dropped consecutive three pointers and a free throw gave the EPG Baskets Koblenz their first lead of the contest 18-17. But BG Goettingen went to their bench and got instant support from American Kevin Buckingham who played at South Eastern Oklahoma State who drained back to back three´s for the 23-20 lead. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz offense was executing well as Kovacevic did a good job getting all involved. Wishart made free throws and ex Trier forward Jannis Sonnefeld made a runner as BG Goettingen had the slim 25-23 advantage after 10 minutes. The first quarter showed that there was no difference in play between the ex BBL team BG Goettingen and the EPG Baskets who almost moved down to the Pro B last season. “It was a dynamic and physical first quarter that lived form points and turnovers. Both teams hit three´s. We were at eye level with them”, stated EPG Baskets Koblenz sport director Thomas Klein.
Jordan Sears from downtown
However the game changed in the second quarter as the tide turned for BG Goettingen who continued to play their game while their aggressive play at both ends wore Koblenz down as they couldn´t match their intensity. Ex Leipzig forward Jonas NIedermanner began the second quarter with a key three to tie the game at 25-25, but then came the turning point of the contest as BG Goettingen showed no mercy going on a brutal 17-5 run to lead 42-30. In the run BG Goettingen were led by Zach Jackson with 7 points who scored at ease in the paint, on transition and in the set play. But overall, BG Goettingen still shared the ball nicely as ex Tuebingen guard Mathis Monnighoff made an off balance shot, ex Louisiana State University (NCAA) guard Jordan Sears made a reverse lay up and lay in. The paint dominated this phase as BG Goettingen just destroyed the EPG Baskets while on the defensive end denied the entry pass and disallowed them getting into the paint area on penetration. BG Goettingen continued to execute with force on offense and especially got great support form their bench as German Jannis Junemann was aggressive and swished home 6 free throws while Bohmer continued to be active scoring a basket. Here and there, the EPG Baskets Koblenz would find some rare daylight in the paint as Kovacevic scored and Wishart with his quick footing and moves scored with a runner at the buzzer, but BG Goettingen had the comfortable 52-37 advantage at half time. “Our 1-1 defense was horrible. We had too many turnovers and gave up too many easy baskets. Their bench also produced way to much”, added Thomas Klein. BG Goettingen shot 55% form the field and 25% from outside and had 19 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 435 from the field and 21% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 10 turnovers.
Jordan Sears at the FT line
In the third quarter the EPG Baskets began a bit reborn executing right away with a lethal 7-2 run to cut BG Goettingen´s lead down to 54-44, but that was as close as they would get in the game. In the run, the EPG Baskets Koblenz got 2 buckets from Kovacevic as his quickness helped him score while Sonnefeld also scored. However BG Goettingen then just rebounded the way a great team does by slapping their own run in the faces of Koblenz as they scored 18 points and the Baskets only 5 points. BG Goettingen did a super job sharing the ball around as usual in this game got great support from their bench. Ex Dresden guard Daniel Kirchner scored 5 points while Hendrik Drescher showed his solid inside out game scoring 4 points while Buckingham also added 4 points. Sears and Monninghoff also added free throws. BG Goettingen played pretty pick and roll and their high low game also worked well with their bigs. There was so little offensive input from Koblenz. NIedermanner added a trey late, but BG Goettingen closed out the third quarter with a 5-0 run as Bohmer made a lay in and Sears dropped a trey as BG Goettingen led 77-52 after 30 minutes. “We didn´t want to come out lackadaisical like we did against Bonn. We locked up and upped our intensity”, commented Zach Jackson. “We wanted to apply more pressure. We showed glimpses of good defense. We cut faster and the ball was moving better. We also were tighter on closeouts”, expressed Garret Hicks.
Jannis Sonnefeld with the lay in
In the fourth quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz had their best offensive quarter exploding for 28 points, but couldn´t do any damage as BG Goettingen scored 21 points. Once again like in the previous quarter, the EPG Baskets Koblenz had a hot start going on a 8-2 run to trail 79-60. Ex Dragons Rhondorf guard Badu Buck nailed a trey which was followed by a Hicks three pointer. The Baskets offense was flowing, but defensively there was no energy. Ex Oldenburg forward Hendrik Drescher was a thorn in the Baskets side as he dropped 2 three´s for the 85-64 lead. Drescher was for a few minutes a one man wrecking crew as he scored from where he wanted to including a lay in. The EPG Baskets also got some unexpected support from German big man Alex Moeller who is more known for setting picks and rebounding than scoring, but in a 3 minute phase was aggressive going to the hoop time after time and scored 9 points and would finish with 14 points, but BG Goettingen still led 91-75. The BG Goettingen win overshadowed a great play by Calvin Wishart. Wishart made a beautiful over the shoulder pass ala Larry Bird. That is something that fans can get used to this season from the versatile Wishart. BG Goettingen got a few more buckets in the last 2 minutes from Ramstedt and Kirchner while Jonas Niedermanner added 5 points at the end, but it was too little to late. “We had no let downs. I feel like we could of held them to less points. That is something that we need to work on”, stated Zach Jackson. “We played desperate basketball in the last quarter. We were trapping all over the court. We gave up too many easy baskets. We need better pressure and better rotations”, warned Garrett Hicks. “I think that guys weren´t scared, but overanxious. For many it was their first Pro A game. Even when we aren´t scoring, we want the guys to progress in other areas. We fought today and played tough. We have to learn and build”, warned KJ Sherrill. BG Goettingen had 5 players in double figures led by Hendrik Drescher with 15 points while Kevin Buckingham scored 13 points while the EPG Baskets were led by Calvin Wishart with 19 points while Alex Moeller had 14 points. BG Goettingen shot 55% from the field and 35% from the three point line and had 35 rebounds and 17 turnovers while the EPG Baskets shot 44% from the field and 31% from the three point line and had 28 rebounds and 17 turnovers.
After another long summer with no basketball in the Dragon Dome, it was finally time for the start of the 2025-2026 Pro B season for the Dragons Rhondorf. With a new head coach with Max Becker and relatively new team with only a few guys back from last season, the team wanted a good start into the new season under the watchful eyes of their diehard fans. There was also some joy about the possibility of ex Dragon Janne Muller appearing back in his old stomping ground. He had left the club to Hamburg and had a double license with BBL team Towers and Pro B team SC Rist Wedel. However Janne Muller was not fit and was only a minor side note as the story of the day was when the Dragons announced that team captain and veteran Daniel Mayr had suffered an Achilles rupture that would sideline him indefinitely. That was very tough to digest, but after 40 minutes, the Dragons Rhondorf had displayed an incredible team performance where 6 of the 11 players were teenagers. 17 and 16 year old kids Remi Voelkers and Dusan Ilic had combined for 20 points in the absence of Jorge Mejias who was with BBL team Bonn and helped lead the team to it´s first win of the season in the Dragon Dome 82-67. Plus Kenan Reinhart (194-SG-2007, agency: Octagon Europe) led them in scoring with 20 points and young German Benjamin Sadikovic was a rock at both ends with a 12/8 game and 3 blocks while veteran Juhwan Harris.Dyson added 13 points and 9 boards and 3 steals to round off a more than satisfying first team win. “We played 40 minutes with a lot of intensity and fight. We gave a full effort and played for Daniel Mayr. Plus the youth stepped up big, They give their all each day and it showed tonight”, smiled Juhwan Harris Dyson. SC Rist Wedel were without easyCredit BBL double license players Janne Muller and Jarrod Grey, but that was no excuse as they had to play pick up basketball all night long and couldn´t get over the hump after getting down in the first quarter. “You have to give a lot of respect to Rhondorf. They did a great job compensating the loses of Mayr and Mejias. They played with a lot of heart and we didn´t. We were unable to match their intensity all night long”, stated ex BBL player Linus Hoffmann.
Bejmamin Sadikovic with the dunk
Both teams found their offensive rhythm quickly as 16 year Dusan Ilic did a great job setting the tone and running the Dragons offense as he found and distributed dimes to Harris Dyson and Sadikovic for baskets but the guests stayed close and even got the lead and only lead of the evening as Canadian Lincoln Rosebush made a lay in and dunk for the 6-4 advantage. However the Dragons Rhondorf got the lead back and would never trail again as ex RheinStars guard Kenan Reinhart found his shooting touch early with 2 jumpers and ex University of California (NCAA) guard Harris Dyson scored twice and kept the 13-10 advantage. The Dragons had problems taking care of the ball, but showed high intensity on the glass getting 4 offensive rebounds that allowed them extra chances. However a big plus was simply how well their youth stepped up from the bench. 18 year old 195cm forward Fynn Dobiecki came up huge scoring 2 baskets while finding his spots well. Rosebush supplied another dunk, but the Dragons Rhondorf simply had more spunk and overall depth that allowed them to secure the 21-16 advantage after 10 minutes. “Dusan Ilic did a great job right away showing a lot of pace and getting us into our sets. He handled the ball really well and attacked the rim relentlessly. We also rebounded well. Everybody did their job crashing the boards. We wanted to play fast whenever we could”, stressed Juhwan Harris Dyson. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 56% from the field and 33% from outside and had 13 rebounds and 8 turnovers while SC Rist Wedel shot 33% from outside and 0% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 4 turnovers.
Alexander Postic at the FT line
The second quarter was a battle of little runs. One team would attack, but the other never laid down, but came back stopping the pressure and starting their own run. The Dragons Rhondorf began quickly adding high intensity at the defensive end that SC Rist Wedel couldn´t come to terms with. The Dragons made 5 stops with 2 steals by 17 year Remi Voelkers and on offense executed with a Harris Dyson dunk and Reinhart lay in. Reinhart had been known in his young basketball life as a 3 and D player, but this season he wants to be more versatile and showed it in the first game of the season as his attack game would sparkle. Rhondorf led 25-16, but Wedel finally got on the board at the 7,36 minute mark as ex Hanau guard Niklas Krause made a lay in. Now the guests would start a little run as they scored 6 unanswered points led by Krause again with a lay in and German Al_Fayed Alegbe also made a lay in as the Dragons only led 27-23. However the Dragons had an answer something that would continue until the end. They went on a 6-0 run to lead 33-23 as Reinhart led the charge again as he stayed away from the three point line making a runner and jumper and letting his mid range game take over. The Dragons bench continued to be big as 18 year old David Boning made a 10 footer. Both teams would trade buckets until the end as Krause scored again while Rosebush continued to be active on the glass with a tap in and put back as the guests had improved their rebounding in the quarter. Mamadou Diallo added a trey and Reinhart another lay in as the Dragons Rhondorf led 38-31 at halftime. “Basketball is a game of runs. They were able to get close, but we always had an answer and withstood it. We always got big baskets and never allowed them to get a big run”, added Juhwan Harris Dyson. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 53% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 13 turnovers while SC Rist Wedel shot 32% from the field and 0% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
Juhwan Harris Dyson at the FT line
In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf were able to lead by as much as 10 points, but allowed SC Rist Wedel to cut the lead down to 2 points only to see their lead grow to 9 points at the end of 30 minutes. Rosebush and Ilic traded baskets in the first minute, but the Dragons still led 40-33. Rhondorf continued to play with a lot of intensity and got great energy by Harris Dyson as he scored on a put back and on transition while Reinhart scored again on the penetration this time with his left hand to lead 46-36. However the Dragons Rhondorf continued to have high and lows as suddenly Niklas Krause scored 8 unanswered points that began with a technical against the Dragons bench. Krause scored a lay in and 6 free throws as Rhondorf only led 46-44. “Krause did a good job getting to the rim and foul line. We pressured him as best as we could”, said Harris Dyson. However the Dragons Rhondorf never had a serious lull as they closed out the third quarter well with a 11-4 run to lead 57-48 after 3 quarters. In the run, the Dragons Rhondorf continued to remain aggressive as Ilic scored 4 free throws while Diallo added another clutch three pointer and Harris Dyson a lay in. “We continued to be hungry and keep the lead. We really wanted to win and prove that we are a good team. Our defensive pressure was very good. They couldn´t hit three´s and we forced a lot of turnovers”, commented Juhwan Harris Dyson. “We had runs and then played our game, but then they did the same. We couldn´t find real consistency. They really hit a lot of tough shots and we didn´t have an answer”, commented Linus Hoffmann. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 48% from the field and 23% from the parking lot and 32 rebounds and 20 turnovers while SC Rist Wedel shot 32% from the field and 0% from the parking lot and had 19 turnovers.
Linus Hoffmann with the fade away jumper
In the fourth quarter SC Rist Wedel were able to cut the Dragons Rhondorf lead down to 6 points, but the home team slammed the door going on a massive run to decide the game. Krause began the last frame with a lay in, but the Dragons responded with a swift 5-0 run as Reinhart showed his sniper qualities again with a trey and Voelkers made an off balance shot for the 61-52 lead. Linus Hoffmann then finally connected on the team´s first three pointer of the game at the 7,11 mark to trail 61-55. However the Dragons Rhondorf then decided the game with a brutal 15-2 run to lead 76-57. The first 6 baskets was the Voelkers and Sadikovic show as Voelkers made 2 great lay in´s and a pull up jumper as his quickness allowed him to score while the big man was a beast with a lay in, dunk and free throws. “I was a bit nervous in the first half. I was out of rhythm. In the second half, I noticed I needed to attack more for myself than on the pick and roll. That opened the floor for others more”, stated Remi Voelkers. Reinhart continued to be consistent hitting another trey. “Kenan played great. He stepped up on defense pressuring the guards and hit big shots. He also attacked the rim great and was vocal”, added Juhwan Harris Dyson. The guests did close out the game with a 10-6 run with a trey by Nelson Martin, lay in by Rosebush and lay in by Theo Sigmund, but it was too little too late. “We rebounded great, got stops and executed on offense. Remi Voelkers stepped up huge for us. He does that each day in practice. We have a lot of confidence and trust in him”, said Juhwan Harris Dyson. “We gave up way too many easy baskets in the fourth quarter. We didn´t rebound well. We didn´t do the basics needed to win”, stressed Linus Hoffmann. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Kkenan Reinhart with 20 points. Juhwan Harris Dyson added 13 points and Dusan Ilic and Benjamin Sadikovic added 12 points a piece while SC Rist Wedel were led by Niklas Krause with 20 points and Lincoln Rosebush added 14 points and 15 boards. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 48% from the field and 21% from outside and had 45 rebounds and 21 turnovers while SC Rist Wedel shot 32% from the field and 9% from outside and had 48 rebounds and 23 turnovers.
Tomas Bjarkason (204-F-1999, college: Lewis, agency: BIG) is a 26 year old 204cm forward from Denmark playing his first season with SC Rist Wedel. He played the last 4 seasons with BK Amager (BasketLigaen) averaging 16.0ppg, RPG-3 (10.2), 4.6apg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 58.4%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 50.0%. He played a season with Lewis University (NCAA 2). He began his basketball career with the Svendborg Rabbits. He spoke to germanhoops.com before the season opener against the Dragons Rhondorf.
Thanks Tomas for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your first season out of Denmark in Europe with SC Rist Wedel. Why did you chose this organization? I had some good talks with Hamed about my fit with the team and their philosophy. During the talks I also had the opportunity to come to Hamburg and practices with Hamed and some of the players, after that I felt it was a good place to go.
What kind of an experience has Germany been and the Pro B league. How is the whole experience different to playing in Denmark the last years?
The physicality and the crowds. The refs allow more physical play here compared to Denmark and the crowds here is more engaged in the game, especially the yalla rister from wedel
How has the working relationship been with head coach Hamed Attarbashi? What have you appreciated most about his basketball philosophy? It’s been a good relationship. He’s intense and want a high energy team.
Your playing on a very young team where you’re the oldest. Do you see yourself being that leader? It’s not anything new for me, my last couple of years in Amager I have been the most experienced player and also had the role as one of the team leaders.
Your teammate Lincoln Rosebush said this about you. “I’ve never played with another passing big like Tomas, and it makes my life on the floor so much easier with how well he sees the floor. We’ve spent a lot of time together so far and I feel that theres a natural chemistry that will really show in Pro-B games. We both can create and play inside and out which makes us dangerous as a unit”. What do you appreciate most about his game? He’s a great shooter
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 204cm forward. If you had to compare your game to an NBA or Euroleague player who would make the best description? I have been compared to being the Danish Tornike shengelia.
You fill the stat sheet well. Are you also a Swiss Army knife like Lincoln Rosebush? Yes I would say so
You do so many things so well on the court. Is there anything that you feel is a bit off the radar? I don’t know, haven’t thought much about that and if it is other teams won’t scout it so that’s good.
You’re a really good defender. How would you classify yourself as a defender now and what kind of defender do you still want to become? A defender that doesn’t end up in foul trouble, so I can stay on the court
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can still improve your game? Just by looking at my percentage from last year it would be the 3 ball and free throws thats the part of my game I’m improving to round my game better
You played the last 5 years with BK Amager (BasketLigaen). What kind of an experience was that? You made big strides in your game in your last 3 years. How did your game grow there? You played for many different coaches. It was my childhood club, so nice to be back home. The first year I was out with a meniscus year and surgery and was back for the second year, after the second year I was one of the guys with most responsibilities on both offense and defense and my game just grew trough that
You had many great games with BK Amager being close to a triple double and once grabbing 24 rebounds in a game. What was your fondest moment there?
There are a lot, but I would say when we beat Svendborg in the season opener. Was a mix of being a great start and beating old teammates and club.
You played a season at Lewis University (NCAA2) playing only 5 games. Despite not playing much, what positives could you take from your year in USA? I was injured for most of the year, so it really helped me to understanding how important all the of the court you do for yourself is.
You began your basketball career with the Svendborg Rabbits. How valuable was this time for your early basketball development? Did you have a type of mentor there? The physical development and the basketball iq took huge strides while being there. I had different kinds of mentors, Axel Kárason who just was the best and toughest teammate that you could ever want. Nana and Antonio Porta mentored me in play and being a professional
How much of a role model was Terrell Harris? He played in low leagues, but then reached the BBL in Germany and Serie A Italy? He showed he can go from the bottom to top. Terrell was more a friend and a teammate than a mentor in that sense. While me and nana Harding played the same position he mentored me more
You were a junior national player for Denmark and a national team player. How is the current state of Danish basketball? Are there any talents coming in the next years? It’s good, a lot of young talents coming up both through the youth and also in college. The u18 team just won the European Championship B, so they had some talents and then the u16 team has some promising players.
Who was the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA? LaMelo Ball
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Pg: Antonio Porta
SG: Iffe Lundberg
SF: Darko jukic
PF: Nana Harding
C: Kevin Larsen
Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? MJ, lebron, Kareem and Bill Russell
Who is your GOAT? Lebron
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? Nope didn’t see it and didn’t know it had a sequel
German Hoops 