Denzel Johnson (Ibbenbueren) Having Front Row Seats To Watch My Uncle Gary Payton´s Career Was Enough To Make Me Want To Do Great Things

Denzel Johnson is a 190cm guard from Fresno, California playing his second professional season and first with TVI Basketball SWAP Ballers Ibbenbueren (Germany-Regionalliga). Last season as a rookie he played with Nature Nardo (Italy-Serie C Silver). He played at Santa Clara from 2011-2015 playing a total of 109 games and as a senior played 33 games averaging 8.6ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 40.3%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 74.5%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Denzel, thanks for talking to German Hoops. Welcome to Germany. How good is basketball life for you at the moment? When you came to the losing team Ibbenbueren, did you ever think that te club could have such a big turnaround?

First I want to thank Eurobasket for taking the time to speak with me. My time here in Germany has been nothing short of amazing! When I got here my team was struggling and was towards the bottom of the league. It was made very clear that they wanted to change that by signing me and that confidence they showed in me was everything I needed to come here and make a difference. I was not surprised at all by our success because I came ready to make an immediate difference.

One could say that you have been the difference going from 2-7 to 12-2. Does the club and fans feel like you have been the savior? I am quite sure you will say that it has been a team effort since you arrived.

My arrival has seemed to allow everyone on the team to elevate their game to another level. But yes the fans here have been very vocal about their infatuation with me. Also the other coaches in the league always seemed to express their recognition of the difference I have made here, which surprised me because that was usually after we just kicked their butts. (more…)

Braydon Hobbs Plays Game Changer Saving FC Bayern Munich From 18 Points Down Defeating The Fraport Skyliners 87-83

So often in the past years when the playoffs were drawing nearer, the Fraport Skyliners

Basketball BL / FRAPORT SKYLINERS - FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN BASKETBALL WEISSENFELS

BBL Topscorer Philip Scrubb made 5 of 8 three pointers and finished the game with 23 points

would go on a few days working vacation in order to do some last minute team building for the crunch-time period of the season. This season the 2016 Fiba Europe Cup winner went to the tourist infested Mallorca to digest their current two game losing streak that left them shaking their heads after the unexplainable and unacceptable loss to arch rival Giessen 46ers and their crunch-time fall out in Bayreuth. The Fraport Skyliners entered the top game of the season against FC Bayern Munich resting in seventh place and if the playoffs started tomorrow would have been in, but had teams like Bamberg, ratiopharm Ulm, Wurzburg and Giessen breathing heavily down their backs ready to attack as the club has a very difficult rest program. FC Bayern Munich didn´t enter the Fraport arena playing their best basketball either having won two of their last four games and playing a very suspect defense giving up 89 points on average in the last two wins. Their offense has been red hot as they scored 100 points or more in the last three games. FC Bayern Munich came to Frankfurt having a 12-5 overall record and positive 5-3 record in the Fraport arena. The Fraport Skyliners had had some very stellar performances against FC Bayern Munich in their living room in the past and were looking for their fourth win at home and another step toward a playoff spot, but instead saw an 18 point lead dwindle down in the fourth quarter as American guard Braydon Hobbs came from the bench and saved his team with the right kind of playmaking and just organizing the team the right way and had an incredible mix of big shots and handing out dimes leading FC Bayern Munich to an incredible 87-83 victory. For three quarters, it was the Fraport Skyliners playing energized basketball and shooting at a high rate, but were at their limit while FC Bayern Munich played uninspired and at times helpless as if it was a pre season game and were somewhere at 40% of their abilities. That all changed in the fourth quarter as the 2018 easyCredit BBL cup champion made a furious comeback to put another dagger in the playoff hopes of Frankfurt. After the victory, ex NBA player Jared Cunningham who has been playing up and down as of late and came into the game shooting 3/23 from the parking lot in his last nine games and finished with only 4 points was thankful the team could pull out the win. “Frankfurt came out very aggressive and we couldn´t get stops which resulted in them taking the lead. We came out harder in the second half started to make big shots and big plays which helped us get the win”, stressed FC Bayern Munich guard Jared Cunningham. Mr Canada Philip Scrubb had made not only huge shots all game long, but some amazing Steph Curry type shots from seemingly somewhere from the other side of Frankfurt, but when it counted most at the end, he was rejected by Reggie Redding ending the game. After the victory, Scrubb was as always prepared to digest another tough loss in his own living room. “We played well for 35 minutes. We were good for three quarters, but weren´t together in the fourth quarter and lost control. I know this was a tough game to lose, but this game showed that we can play with the best teams in the league. We will take some confidence from this game into the next one”, warned Philip Scrubb.

 

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Jordan Talbert (Rostock Seawolves) My Confidence Has Allowed Me To Shoot Myself Out Of Slumps

Jordan Talbert is a 26 year old 198cm forward from Little Rock, Arkansas that is playing his fourth professional season and first with the  Rostock Seawolves (Germany-ProB). Currently he is averaging 13,4ppg, 8,7rpg and 2,2apg. Last season he helped PS Karlsruhe Lions move up to the Pro A averaging 13,3ppg, 7,2rpg and 2,1apg helping lead the team to the Pro A. He came to Germany as a rookie in 2014 and played with the Giants TSV 1861 Noerdlingen (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 26 games averaging  21.6ppg, 9.6rpg, 3.2apg, 2.0spg, Blocks-4(1.5bpg), FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 28.9%, FT: 78.4%. He played his college career at Missouri SO(NCAA2) from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 31 games averaging 11.7ppg, 7.4rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1spg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 70.1%. Two seasons ago with Nordlingen he tore up the Pro B averaging 17.5ppg, Reb-1(11.0rpg), 2.4apg, 1.7spg, Blocks-5(1.5bpg), FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 73.4%. He spoke to German Hoops  before the start of the playoff series against Iserlohn.

Jordan thanks for talking to German Hoops. This is our 18th interview since you went to Nordlingen in 2015. How has time flown by since then?

Really it’s been that long?? Time has definitely flown by. I still remember very well my time in Nordlingen, seems like yesterday.

Congrats on getting by Giessen in the playoffs. What a wild series. First the game one win on the road, the shocking game 2 loss at home which Rostock could have won on the last play and then the thriller of a game three. How else could you summarize this series?

It’s the playoffs. Every moment and every play counts. Probably the most intense playoff series I’ve been a part of in my 3 seasons in the Pro B. I’m just glad we came out on top.

Congrats on the thrilling game three win in Giessen. I guess your friend Skyler Bowlin who made the trip from Jena was the team´s good luck charm? What did it mean for you to have him in Giessen?

Yeah, I wonder if Jena will let him come to the rest of our games in the playoffs. It meant a lot to have him there. Almost a decade of friendship so we’ve seen the growth in each other over the years. I was glad to be able to share that moment with him.

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Carlbe Ervin (BBG Herford) At Kansas State I Was The Defensive Stopper Off The Bench

Carlbe Ervin is a 23 year old 190cm guard from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma playing his rookie season in Germany with BBG Herford in the Regionaliga. He started his college career at Connors State College and in 2015 moved to Kansas St. (NCAA) playing 33 games averaging  3.1ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.5apg. In his senior year at Kansas St. (NCAA) he played 35 games averaging 2.7ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.4apg. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Carlbe, thanks for talking to German Hoops. You played at Junior college and then transferred to top Big 12 school Kansas State and now was a professional rookie with BBC Herford. Has your chip on your shoulder continued to grow this season?

I have felt that the chip on my shoulder has always been growing. Ever since JUCO I have had to depend on myself and overcome obstacles.

You didn´t have huge stats at Kansas State, but you’re a great example of guys with a lot of talent having to start at the bottom as a professional. How tough has your rookie season been mentally and your ego knowing you can play, but having a long road in front of you with your goal of continuing to climb the basketball ladder?

I think this was the perfect start for someone like me. I know I didn’t have the astonishing stats, but I knew I was good enough to play at another level. Playing away from the US has been tough. Not being able to really communicate with the surrounding community makes it hard to feel at home.

You are having a very strong rookie season with BBC Herford in the German Regionaliga. How tough was the adjustment coming from playing in front of 12,000 fans on a regular basis to 500-1000 in Germany. Having had that experience of being at the bottom before at Connors college help you make the adjustment easier?

Being at Connors was one of the biggest blessings of my life. The crowds were small, but I was able to refine my game and really learn how to take over.

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Can Ray McCallum (Unicaja Malaga) Make It Back To The NBA After A Season In Europe?

There are many great things to observe when entering the Brose arena in Freak city Bamberg like the overwhelming and amazing atmosphere that the fans give the players or seeing ex NBA player Dorrell Wright make that next amazing highlight reel memory or just sitting back and reminiscing about the good old days when Marcus Slaughter was finishing alley-op dunks with authority, ex NBA player Casey Jacobsen dropping clutch three´s from the corner or fans spelling Kyle Hines name wrong with Heinz. However at anytime in good times back then or in even bad times now as the Trinchieri era ended recently, fans are always served up a delectable menu with great players during the Euroleague season. Almost every opponent has at least one ex NBA player on board and many great European players. When the big name teams like Real Madrid and Panathinaikos enter the Brose arena you may get lost in the smorgasbord of fancy names or get wrapped up in a tasty German hog dog or pizza slice or even smuggled something in from the REWE supermarket under the arena, you may even mix up a name or two if your NBA knowhow isn´t that advanced the classic Lebron, Steph or Russ names. However sometimes that simple error can arise like recently when Spanish top team Unicaja Malaga played in Bamberg and one read the name Mccallum. For the NBA amateur´s one may have thought that CJ McCollum had taken a break from his scoring tantrum´s and taken a rest from the NBA and moonlighted to Europe, but at closer watch, it was the name Ray McCallum who also played in the NBA, but didn´t reach the notoriety of a CJ McCollum of the Portland Trailblaziers that easily belongs to the top 10 shooting guards in the NBA currently averaging 21,4ppg. Sometimes reading a name right and seeing that only an A and a O separate the names of two players is beneficial as the NBA worlds of CJ McCollum and Ray McCallum are currently about as far away as the Boston Celtics are from winning an NBA title this season with the absence of Kyrie Irving. Mccollum has helped lead the Portland Trailblazers to the third best record in the west behind Golden State and Houston at 49-33 while Ray Mccallum is playing in the best country league in Europe in Spain with Unicaja and trying to lead them to a ACB title. This season Bamberg swept Unicaja Malaga in the Euroleague and won in Bamberg 93-88 despite 13 points from Mccallum. The American remembered his first experience with German basketball 7 years ago. “I definitely remember playing in the World University games with Draymond Green and Darius Miller. I’m happy to see those guys are doing well and having a lot of success in the NBA. Germany along with the other teams in the tournament were challenging. That was my first experience with the physicality of European basketball”, stressed Ray Mccallum. After 4 professional seasons in the States and three in the NBA, Mccallum came overseas to try something new, but like any other player that has gone this path still has the NBA in his rearview mirror. “I feel I belong in the NBA and that’s where I want to be, but at this point in my career I knew that coming to Malaga was the best decision for my career”, stressed Ray McCallum. But before his European basketball vacation started, he first had to mature as a player in the NCAA and get valuable NBA experience that will help his game further in Europe.

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Robin Christen (Rasta Vechta) I Want To Develop Every Year To Hopefully One Day Show I Can Play In The BBL

Robin Christen is a 26 year old 203cm German forward currently playing with German2. Basketball Bundesliga, Hauptrunde, Hinrunde, 1. Spieltag, 22.09.2017, RASTA Vechta - Römerstrom Gladiators Trier, Saison 2017/18 Pro A team Vechta. He started his basketball career with BBLZ Mittelhessen and then played with Lich from 2008-2012 while also having a double license with BBL team Giessen where he played 17 games and played his first BBL game at age 18. Since 2012, the German has been playing in the Pro A and played three seasons with the RTB Wohnbau Baskets playing a total of 78 games. Two seasons ago he made his Pro A breakthrough with the Hebeisen White Wings Hanau (ProA) playing 29 games averaging  12.1ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 43.8%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 80.4%. Last season he played with the Rhein Stars Koeln (ProA) playing  33 games averaging 9.6ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 44.3%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 80.5%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Robin, thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on the big 104-76 win against Phoenix Hagen in game one of the playoffs. It was the third win of the season and the second blow out in a row. Is Vechta just so good or Phoenix Hagen so bad? How do you explain these amazing dominance in the last two games where you outscored them 208-141?

Hey Miles, thanks for the interview. I think we did a great job as a team in the last 2 games against Hagen. We played our high intensity defense and on the offense side we moved the ball very well and made our shots. But we know Hagen has a lot of firepower, so we have to be ready for every game.

This is the first time in your career you have played with a very good team. Last season you made the playoffs with the RheinStars, but Vechta is another step up for you in terms of winning. What have you learned about winning mentality this season that you never saw before in your career?

We have obviously a lot of talent in our team. But that doesn´t automatically win games. I think our will to play as a team on both sides on the floor is the key and we always believe that we will win at the end. Besides, it also helps that we have a really good chemistry in our team.

Vechta are with Crailsheim one of the favorites to win the Pro A and move back to the easyCredit BBL. Vechta has displayed little pressure and just played like a champion. On what things does the team need to focus on most on the court besides winning now in the playoffs?

Our key focus is to play great defense and then the offense will take care of itself.

Let´s talk a little about the team Vechta in this season. What have you appreciated most this season with the club? The team obviously has a lot of talent and depth, but how key has the chemistry been that played a big role early on?

I appreciated most this season that the support of our fans is phenomenal. This give us a real homecourt advantage and will also be important for every single game of the playoffs. Like I mentioned earlier our chemistry helped us from the start of our preseason to build a real team who love to play for each other.

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Brandon Lockhart Plays Double OT Hero Lifting The Rostock Seawolves Past Giessen To The Semi-Finals 93-89

With 45 seconds to play in game 2, Rostock Seawolves guard Brandon Lockhart made aBrandon_Lockhart_Artland_SylviaFunk lay in and were trailing 69-68. With the game winding down, Rostock enlarged the amazing atmosphere and noise level in the Stadthalle arena as they saved the best for last in terms of defensive presence not allowing their opponent Giessen from getting a shot off in the allowed 24 seconds setting up a possible heroic experience for Rostock on the last play that would have sent the home arena into an electric frenzy never seen before, but instead as the buzzer sounded, the Rostock Seawolves had to look forward to another 6 hours bus ride for a do or die game in Giessen. The last 18 seconds seemed like a basketball eternity as they had two golden chances through Jordan Talbert and Chris Frazier, but couldn´t get the ball to sink through the netting as the sold out arena and 3000 fan´s hearts sank and upset the Easter Sunday with unmemorable basketball thoughts as they were looking for Easter eggs. Instead of welcoming Iserlohn for a semi-final clash they had a do or die game in Giessen. The good news for Rostock was that they had won game one on the road and Rostock´s two top Americans Brandon Lockhart and Jordan Talbert have had good experiences in Pro B do or die battles combined having a 5-1 record with both winning against Oldenburg and Wurzburg as teammates with Nordlingen two seasons ago and last season Talbert defeating ex teammate and friend Lockhart with the ScanPlus Baskets. On an untypical very warm Sunday evening in early April the Rostock Seawolves returned to Giessen for a do or die duel and if fans thought that game 2 had been exciting, well game 3 topped that as both teams battled through two overtimes with the Rostock Seawolves coming out with the stronger nerves and a self confident Brandon Lockhart who nailed two big buckets to seal the well deserved 93-89 victory. “What a crazy game. You think you have the game won and a technical takes you into overtime. We knew that we had to win this game to be able to achieve our goals. We refocused after the technical and we continued to fight. We were down 10 points, but no one quit. Our fight was our most important strength tonight”, stressed ex Drury(NCAA2) guard Brandon Lockhart. Giessen gave all they had, but just couldn´t get the needed stops down the stretch and finished their season with low spirits, but will never forget that they gave Rostock all that they had. “Both teams competed very hard and I have to give credit to Rostock for the win. We had a good season, but came a little short at the end. A couple mistakes down the stretch cost us the game, but we played our hearts out”, stressed ex  FIU (NCAA) guard Dennis Mavin.

picture perfect 2106

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber inetrviewing Rostock Seawolf Brandon Lockhart after he led his team past Giessen 93-89 with 19 points

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Brandon Lockhart (Rostock Seawolves) This Year I’ve Been Better At Controlling The Game When Things Might Get Chaotic

Brandon Lockhart is a 27 year old 185cm guard from St Louis, Missouri that is playing his third season in Germany and first with the Rostock Seawolves currently averaging 14,6ppg, 4,2rpg, 4,8apg and 2,2spg while shooting 43% from outside. He completed his third professional season and first with German team ScanPlus Baskets Elchingen (Germany-ProB) averaging 12,0ppg, 3,8rpg and 6,2apg. As a rookie he played for BK Levicki Patrioti (Slovakia-Extraliga) playing 34 games: Score-5(16.7ppg), 3.8rpg, Assists-5(4.3apg), Steals-1(3.0spg), FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 28.5%, FT: 78.9%. He played at Drury (NCAA2) from 2009-2013 and as a senior played 35 games averaging 12.5ppg, 3.9rpg, 6.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 48.3%, FT: 77.1%. Two seasons ago he played for the Giants TSV 1861 Noerdlingen (Germany-ProB) playing 29 game averaging  16.8ppg, 4.1rpg, 5.7apg, 2.5spg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 26.8%, FT: 81.1%. He spoke to German Hoops before the playoff do or die game in Giessen.

Brandon, thanks for talking to German Hoops. You’re nearing the end of your third professional season in Germany and this is our 15th interview. Has time flown by for you in Germany in the last years?

Hey Miles, always a pleasure talking with you. My time in Germany definitely has flown by. I can remember arriving into Nördlingen like it happened yesterday.

Rostock finished in third place in the regular season. With the huge ambitions of the team did the club underperform a bit not finishing first?

The most important goal going into this season was to make the playoffs. We accomplished that. So I can’t say that we underperformed.

The team started off very slowly losing three of it´s first four games and then had a 6-6 record up until December 2017. The club didn´t play bad, but lost every game by 6 or less points. Why couldn´t the team learn to win those tight games?

It was early in the season and we were  still figuring each other out. When you bring in a complete new roster, you cannot expect everything to be perfect.

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Chase Adams (Hebeisen White Wings) My Leadership Badge Didn´t Get Removed In Hanau But I Kept It On

Chase Adams is a 29 year old 188cm point guard from Baltimore, Maryland that is playing his first season with the Hebeisen White Wings. He played twos easons with the Uni Baskets Paderborn and last year averaged 11,9ppg, 4,1rpg and 5,6apg. He started his basketball career at Centenary (NCAA) in 2006 where he played three seasons and a total of 89 NCAA games. As a senior he moved to Pittsburgh (NCAA). He turned professional in 2011 and played briefly in the ABA and in the UBL before making Germany his home as he played for teams like Dortmund, Bochum, and Science City Jena. He spoke to German Hoops before the start of the 2017-2018 Pro A playoffs.

Chase thanks for talking to German Hoops. This is now our seventh interview since our first in October 2015 where you were embarking on your first season in Paderborn. Now your trying to end your third season since our last interview in fine fashion. Has time flown by since that first interview.

 I would first like to thank Eurobasket.com for interviewing me once again, it’s always been a pleasure. Time is surely flying and I’m glad to be here still working toward big things.

Your playing your first season with the Hebeisen White Wings. Was it just the logical choice to make the move from Paderborn to Hanau despite the club not being a proven playoff team last summer?

Even though last season we beat Hanau twice, I felt that team had a lot of potential and was missing one key piece. I had thought about the possibility of playing alongside Til Jönke and when I found out the interest was mutual, I couldn’t pass the opportunity. As long as I’m not fearful of failure, I am willing to take a risk if I feel it’s best for me in the long run. I have a vision for myself and Hanau fit that perfectly.

Congrats on reaching the Pro A playoffs at position 7. How thrilled are you to have made the playoffs once again in your fourth attempt in the Pro A?

It’s a good feeling reaching your goals, especially when you buy in as players. This team is comprised with so many new players, our faith in one another is a true testament to our togetherness. I’m beyond ecstatic with our placement in the league.

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Assem Marei (medi Bayreuth) There Are A Couple Of Aspects Of My Game That I Need To Develop To Have A Legitimate NBA Chance

Assem Marei is a 25 year old 206cm forward from Cairo, Egypt playing his third professional season and second with medi Bayreuth. Currently he is averaging 12,6ppg, 6,7rpg and 1,5apg in the easyCredit BBL and 11,6ppg and 5,6rpg in the Basketball Champions League. Last season for medi Bayreuth he played 36 games averaging 11.9ppg, Reb-2(7.2rpg), 1.3apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.9%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 62.8%. In 2015-2016 he played his rookie season for BC Siauliai (Lithuania-LKL) playing 37 games averaging 12.1ppg, Reb-2(7.5rpg), 1.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.4%, FT: 53.6%; In the FIBA Europe Cup he played 6 games averaging 12.5ppg, 10.8rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 62.7%, FT: 64.7%; and in the Baltic League, he played 8 games averaging  12.3ppg, 7.6rpg, 1.0apg, 1.0spg, Blocks-5(1.1bpg), FGP: 58.3%, FT: 68.3%. He started his career with  Al Zamalek (Superleague) and then played at  Minn.St.-Mankato (NCAA2) from 2012-2015 olaying 85 games and as a senior played 20 games averaging 19.3ppg, 8.6rpg, 1.3apg, 1.8bpg, FGP: 62.6%, FT: 59.2%. He spoke to German Hoops after the Basketball Champions League loss to the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg and before the BBL clash against the Fraport Skyliners.

Assem, thanks for talking to German Hoops. medi Bayreuth were denied a trip to the Basketball Champions League Final 4. How tough was this loss? You started out well in the first quarter, but from the second quarter until the end, you had to play catch up basketball. What was key for Ludwigsburg getting to the Final 4?

Their physicality and their aggressiveness played a huge part in their win. They are a good team with a deep roster, and they were in the same position last year with a one point deficit. It was a really tough loss but we are very proud of what we have done this year in the champions league.

Despite this loss, do you feel like this will motivate the team not to sink their heads and finish the season strong?

Yes of course, we need to come out with energy and concentrate on BBL games.

How does it feel being the first Egyptian player in the EasyCredit BBL? What have been your best experiences in Germany having this unique title?

I don’t really thing about it that way, but I’m grateful for this experience and I hope it will open doors for other Egyptians and portray my country in a good way. It was nice to see how much support I actually did receive from the fans, some of them would also show up to our games with an Egyptian flag and that meant a lot.

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