Chris Hortman is a 29 year old 190cm guard from Milwaukee, Wisconsin that is playing his second season in Germany and first with the EN Baskets Schwelm. Last season he played for the TVI Basketball SWAP Ballers Ibbenbueren (Germany-Regionalliga) playing  26 games: Score-1(25.0ppg), 9.7rpg, 5.1apg, 2.9spg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 76.9%. He got vast experience in the states before turning professional playing at various schools like  Milwaukee Area Tech JC (JUCO), Missouri Valley (NAIA),  Wisc.-Stout (NCAA3) where as a senior he played 27 games averaging 14.7ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 42.2%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 85.5%. He also played with the  Gold Coast Rollers (Australia-SBL) in 2014 averaging 28,6ppg. He spoke to German Hoops after the 76-63 win against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors in Frankfurt.

 

 

 

Chris thanks for talking to german hoops. The EN Baskets Schwelm are 3-0 at the moment. How good is basketball life for you presently?

 

 Life is good right now our team is winning and I’m playing descent. Excited for what is to come of this season.

 

Congrats on the 76-63 victory in Frankfurt against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors. It was a game where you were never really in danger of losing. In comparison to the first two games, where would you rate the teams third performance?

 

 I think this was a real character check game. Our opponent was a very young team, but also talented. We were able to jump out and be aggressive with them on both ends of the floor which resulted in an early lead. The game went on and they made their run. As a team, we never folded, we stuck together and the bench came in the game and made big plays. This game really shows who we are, a deep experienced group with talent in every position that can hurt you!

 

The EN Baskets Schwelm shot ok, but dominated the boards. What do you feel was key for getting the third win in a row in the Pro B?

 

 I believe there was two main factors first, our bigs. Sasa, Dario and Sebastian did an amazing job bodying up and boxing out and keeping them off the glass. And our teams defense. Really trusting each other and finishing out the defensive possessions with the rebounds.

 

Is there a secret to why the EN Baskets Schwelm have started off so well?

 

No secret. Just old fashion hard work and attention to detail

 

l How key is the team´s experience and early season chemistry gelling?

 

 It’s everything. We got tons of guys with experience and being able to put it all together has been the most important part of our season so far.

 

The EN Baskets Schwelm are averaging giving up only 66 points per game. The communication has been spot on. What do you feel can still be improved on the defensive end?

 

 Defensively we have been great but yeah I do think there is room for improvement. Just more communication to each other and more intensity on keeping your man under maximum pressure without fouling.

The club has so many experienced guys like Mikutis, Schroetter or Fiorentino as well as Cuic. If you had to have the annoying choice as to which guy has especially been most vital in your adjustment to the Pro B who would it be?

 

 Choosing would be tough they all play their roll, each one of them help me make the adjustment and they all give me little things that they think will help maximize my talents on and off the court.

 

Jean-Louis Marley was a one man wrecking crew in the paint hitting 5 tough buckets in traffic in the second half. The team has a special name for him and how important is it to have him on the court?

 

Yeah, Marly was amazing for us in the second half. We actually have a nick name for him and its Bully Bob. He is our toughness; he is our Ron Artest. He brings intensity every practice and games that foresee the rest of us to match his level.

 

How important do you feel are you for a guy like Matthias Perl? Granted he has BBL experience and has played at a high level, but it seems like he is especially motivated more with you on the court. Does his playmaking precision give you some freedom to not always have to create for others, but concentrate on scoring and other things which you excel at?

 

Yes, playing with him is great. He has an uncanny ability to get into the lane with ease sucking all the defense then having the ability to make the pass to the open man. Having him on the court defiantly relives me of the play making and just lets me relax and focus on putting the ball in the basket.

 

Your putting up great numbers through three games averaging 21,3ppg, 12,3rpg and 4,7 apg. How content have you been with how you have arrived in the Pro B?

 

Not too content. Don’t think I ever will, maybe when I have a game of 100% field goals and no turn overs then I’ll probably want more rebounds and assists, but I am very excited about what this year could be for me if things keep going at this pace and our club keeps winning games!

 

You told me after the game that a big difference to the Regionalliga is the speed. What other factors have been challenging for you making this new step?

 

 I’ve got used to the speed and now the main challenge is just learning and adjusting to my teammates. Making sure I can help put them in situations where they are successful as well.

What was really interesting to see in the Frankfurt game was that you didn´t need the ball right away and take the first shots and score many points, but allowed other guys to get involved first. Do you always take what the defense gives you or first look to get the team going before you start to get to work on scoring?

 

 Honestly its more about what the team needs. Other players were in rhythm, so it was more about me finding where else I could impact the game.

 

What will be key for you to keep consistency intact this season?

 

 Simple. Stay in the gym. Get up quality reps. Bring it every practice. Listen to the coach and things will go to plan!

 

How important will the mental side be for your development as a player continuing this season in the Pro B? What are you focusing most on in your defensive game so that you will continue to be a high impact defender in the Pro B?

 

I believe mentality is the most important when it comes to any form of completion. For me developing my mentality will come with dedication and continually pushing myself to get better and not accepting mediocre. Defensively I’m just focusing on the coach’s game plan on how we want to play defense and then just making it tough for my opponent.

 

In recent days the it wasn´t so much the talk about Lonzo Ball in La La land but Kyle Kuzmar. Is he the real deal? Can he become an impact player with Ball around?

 

 Yeah I think Kyle is going to be a baller and having ball around will only help him. It will be interesting about what type of season they can put together.

 

How do you summarize the Kyrie Irving/Isaiah Thomas trade? Which team got the better deal and will profit most from in the long run?

 

This trade was about one team getting rid of a guy who didn’t want to be there anymore and another team who needed a major piece to the team to beat Lebron. Who better than the guy who just left his team with high ambitions to be him. I think it’s a win in for both teams in the long run!

What do you see the Oklahoma Thunder doing this season with Westbrook, George and Anthony on board? Can they make a run in the west?

 

 I see them being another power house in the west. The MVP and 2 All Stars, they will make the playoffs just a matter of how bad do they really want to win after that.

 

What was the last movie that you saw?

 

 

Thanks Chris for the chat.

 

 

It isn´t always the most exciting time during the dog days of summer when the EasyCredit BBL is on hiatus and while teams are filling up their rosters at a gradual rate with some massive signings in Ulm like Luka Harangody or Toure Murray or the higher quality players that land in Bamberg or Alba Berlin most other teams land some interesting players here and there, but can´t really compete with these three teams in marque players. However one club that hasn´t belonged to the top 4 teams in the last years has been the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, but head coach John Patrick continues to make the summer exciting as he keeps staying faithful to bringing in American basketball troops to help bolster his roster. No Patrick doesn´t look to the Army bases for his future basketball talent as American troops are just a delicate figure of speech, but loves to experiment and haul in American players from the NCAA or NBA and D-league that gives him that unique challenge of having to mesh together talented American players that in most cases have never played in a European league and need to get adapted to the European style of play and get that we mentality strapped into his mind instead of that I thinking. Patrick has done a great job over the years spicing up the EasyCredit BBL with exceptional prospects. Since arriving in Ludwigsburg in 2013, he has a long list of players that he has signed like Coby Karl, Jon Brockman, Michael Stockton, DJ Kennedy, Jack Cooley, Tekele Cotton and Royce O´Neale who has made the jump to the NBA with the Utah Jazz. This season head coach John Patrick has fortified his roster with two European newbies with Thomas Walkup and Elgin Cook. Walkup was a three time Southland Conf. Tournament Winner with SF Austin and last season as a professional rookie was teammates with German national player Paul Zipser with the Windy City Bulls (D-League) playing 40 games averaging 7.6ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 28.2%, FT: 84.5%. He has the all-around game that loves to fill up the stat sheet and could be a smaller version of a Alex Ruoff. Elgin Cook like Walkup comes from the NCAA, had a rookie season in the D-League and played in the NBA Summer League, but has a famous father Alvin who was a 4 time NBA allstar. Cook is a 198cm forward that played at Oregon (NCAA) and as a senior played 38 games averaging 14.8ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 49.7%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 77.3%. Last season as a rookie he played with the Santa Cruz Warriors (D-League) playing 20 games averaging 16.2ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 59.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 77.8%. He is a very athletic player that will get many buckets in the paint, but not so dangerous from outside. Once again John Patrick has reeled in two very interesting and talented players and will be worth watching develop in their first season in Europe. One or more will probably be added throughout the season so seeing those new troops develop further with be a joy to watch how well John Patrick chooses new gems from overseas. Sometimes Americans falter in their first season abroad, but when looking at the Patrick track record if in Ludwigsburg or Goettingen where he hauled in guys like Jason Boone, Taylor Rochestie, John Little or Chris Oliver, all made the next step and have had long and fruitful careers in Europe. There were some other players that didn´t make the grade in Patricks system, but the majority have passed in flying colors which has made this coaching general proud of his American basketball troops.

Head coach John Patrick is in his fifth season with the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg and reaching the playoffs with this club with him is as self-evident each season as it is for for the San Antonio Spurs getting to the post season. Patrick´s playoff track overall is excellent as he got teams like Goettingen and Wurzburg there in the past and playoff record in Ludwigsburg is perfect as he has led his team there each season and was extremely close the last two seasons to pulling off the major upset and reaching the semi´s. In his first two seasons there, he played FC Bayern Munich tough losing in four games and then was swept by Brose Bamberg in his second season. In the 2015-2017 season, he took FC Bayern Munich to the wire losing in five and last season in the Schwaben series took last seasons surprise club ratiopharm Ulm also to the distant losing in a hard fought five game series. Last season they strung together two four game winning streaks and big wins in the regular season included a win against ratiopharm Ulm, but that was it in terms of beating the top teams. The question remains as always in the Patrick tenor when will the team make the next step and get through the quarterfinals? One can almost say just reaching the playoffs and losing right away has become boring. The organization and fans want more and could that step be this season?

Patrick always has a very talented roster and depth is always present, but he also always has to contend with an almost new roster as the fluctuation process of players coming and going is large. It is always more difficult to start over and be able to mesh together the many different playing styles and characters of players, but Patrick is a coach that has vast experience and has always been able to overcome adversity even during seasons when players came and went. His biggest losses were ex NBA players Jack Cooley and DJ Kennedy. Cooley who played with the Utah Jazz belonged to the most efficient players averaging 13,0ppg and 6,8rpg. DJ Kennedy came for the stretch run last season averaging1 2.1ppg, 6.2rpg, 4.1apg, As always his leadership was vital and not only his scoring was huge in two wins against ratiopharm Ulm, but his overall team play infected his teammates. The other big loss was Tekele Cotton who offered offensive stability averaging 9.1ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 31.6%, FT: 86.3% and will play for Enisey Krasnoyarsk (Russia-VTB) this season. The team also lost valuable experience with Cliff Hammonds and Rocky Trice. The club held on two Germans Johannes Thiemann and David Mccray. Thiemann who couldn´t develop further in Bamberg made his breakout last season averaging 8.3ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 51.4%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 71.2%; BCL: 20 games: 9.4ppg, 4.3rpg, FGP: 55.4%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 75.3%. His day to day battles with Cooley last season helped him mature into a real BBL player and he should make the next step this season if he continues to get ample minutes which won´t be easy as the club has so much depth. Mccray will be turning 32 this season and entering his 12^th full BBL season and eighth with Ludwigsburg. He won´t get you back to back 22 point games, but he is always good for a huge game. He is the ultimate team player that gives 110% on the floor on both ends of the court and with Adam Waleskowski has the most BBL experience on the squad. The team also held young German talent Mateo Seric is a 18 year old 205cm that didn´t start to play basketball until age 14 in 2013, but his development has been exceptional as he played his first BBL game last season against Alba Berlin at age 17. He played in three competitions last season playing six BBL games averaging 3.3ppg, 1.3rpg, played also at BSG Basket Ludwigsburg (Germany-2.Regionalliga) averaging 18.4ppg, played also at Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg U19 team (NBBL) playing 13 games averaging 18.5ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.4apg, 2.9spg, 2PT: 52.5%, 3PT: 23.5%, FT: 77.8%. In his second game last season against Alba Berlin, he scored 12 points in 18 minutes. His potential is unending as he can score inside and has developed a nice mid range shot.

This season John Patrick hauled in nine new players and besides the two American troops with Thomas Walkup, and Elgin Cook returned two players that had reached the playoffs with the club some years before with Adam Waleskowski and Kerron Johnson. Waleskowski is a 203cm center that will turn 35 in November and is one of those guys that just keeps chugging along and won´t hang up his sneakers. The ex Flordia State player is going into his 13^th professional season, eighth in Germany and fifth with Ludwigsburg. Patrick and the American/German already worked together in Goettingen in the 2010-2011 season. Last season he returned back to BG Goettingen averaging 9.2ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 23.4%, FT: 80.0%. He proved that he can still be a consistent and valuable player despite his age. His athleticism is still there and his work around the rim is immaculate and he always finds a way to sting the opponent with a big three. He will be one of many weapons from the bench. Kerron Johnson is a 26 year old 183cm point guard from Huntsville, Alabama that won two A-Sun Tournaments with Belmont(NCAA) and is going into his fifth professional season after stops in New Zealand, France and Poland. This will be his third tour of duty with Ludwigsburg as he played the entire 2014-2015 season with Ludwigsburg averaging 14.2ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 32.0%, FT: 79.2%. He came back in 2015-2016 averaging 10.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 4.9apg, FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 80.5%; In the Eurocup he played six  games averaging 8.3ppg, 1.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 77.8%. Last season he played with  MKS Dabrowa Gornicza (Poland-TBL) playing 34 games averaging 14.2ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.2apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 81.5%. After a big season in Poland, he will be another force in the BBL with his overall strong point guard skills and lead Ludwigsburg to success as he led the team twice to the promised land.

Patrick did a good job getting experienced BBL players with Dwayne Evans, Justin Sears, Niklas Geske and Florian Koch. Dwayne Evans is a 25 year old 201cm forward that continues to develop very well in Germany making the step from the Pro A with the Gladiators Trier (Germany-ProA) playing 36 games averaging 15.6ppg, 8.6rpg, 1.9apg, 1.4spg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 52.9%, 3FGP: 31.5%, FT: 68.8%, and last season moved to the Giessen 46ers (Germany-BBL) and proved he can be an impact player at the BBL level with the Giessen 46ers (Germany-BBL) playing 30 games averaging 11.8ppg, Reb-3(7.1rpg), 1.1apg, FGP: 52.7%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 80.3%. He will be a force on the boards with Patrick as well as bring excitement with his athleticism and be one of many good scoring options. His heart carries him to be that special player and Patricks best pick up from the BBL players. Justin Sears is a 23 year old 203cm forward that played tennis at age four before moving to basketball in the eighth grade and was the All-Ivy League Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016 with Yale. He came to Germany last season had had no problems making the jump from the NCAA to BBL with the Giessen 46ers (Germany-BBL) playing 31 games averaging 11.3ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 64.7%. He will be another very athletic inside player that will excite the crowd with spectacular finishes around the rim, but also make the mid distance shot. Niklas Geske is a 188cm point guard, but only 23 and like so many talented German players still searching for his breakthrough at the BBL level. He brings four seasons of BBL experience with three with Phoenix Hagen and one with Vechta and 116 games to Ludwigsburg. In the last three seasons he has averaged 15 minutes per game in the BBL, but is still searching for that chance of responsibility that can make him into a 20 plus minute BBL player. Last season with SC Rasta Vechta (BBL) he played 31 games averaging 4.2ppg, 1.3rpg, 3.6apg. He has all the good tools of a good point guard, but at times gets problems with more physical guards. All he needs is a chance, but that will also be difficult here with Patrick´s strong guard rotation. Florian Koch is a 197cm forward that played his whole career in the Telekom Baskets Bonn organization and in six seasons played 113 BBL games, but did become a more used player the last two seasons playing 68 BBL games. Last season he played 34 BBL games averaging 3.4ppg, 1.2rpg; In the FIBA Europe Cup he played 15 games averaging 5.0ppg, 2.8rpg. The German seemed to be getting more integrated into the Bonn system the last few years, but feels that he can make that next step in Ludwigsburg. He has a nice game and can shoot the three, but he wont increase his minutes in Ludwigsburg either with the stocked rotation. The last pick up of the season was 24 year old 190cm guard Adika Peter-Mcneilly from Canada who is a rookie out of Ryerson College (CIS) as he won a OUA title and was able to improve his scoring and rebounding each season and as a senior played 25 games averaging 18.6ppg, 7.2rpg, 3.5apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 85.0%. He is an all-rounder that can score at a high rate and his excellent rebounding skills stand out. On a team that is stacked with very much talent and as always strong Americans, this Canadian could be the big surprise of the season for Patrick if he can make the next step from the CIS to BBL.

So where the basketball journey of the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg end this season? Last season the club averaged 77 point per game while allowing 77 points. They were a solid rebounding team, but with the talent they had and duo of Cooley and Thiemann probably should have averaged more than 31 per game. This season the club is younger, but not less hungry as they have many BBL veterans on the team and with Thiemann and Mccray two guys burning for more than what the club reached last season. The club most likely will play a quicker form of basketball than what they practiced the season before, but nothing uncharacteristic to how Patrick has played the game the last 10 years starting in Goettingen to Ludwigsburg via Wurzburg. With the quickness and athleticism that the team has more of this season, the club should make a step on the defensive end and improve in that area. Since the club is smaller have more of a void on the boards, but with Evans/Sears should be able to make up with the losses to Cooley and Kennedy and with the adept rebounding of Mcneilly have another strong rebounding guard helping out. There are question marks as the club needs to build new chemistry and get the three American troops, Walkup, Cook and Johnson BBL ready, but there is a reason why John Patrick is one of the best coaches in the BBL and he will as usual have a playoff team come May 2018. If it is ready to make that next step and reach the semi finals will depend how well the three American troops play, if the club can defend better than last season and how well Patrick can mesh the talent and characters together to form a strong successful unit. The MHP Riesen will end up somewhere between 5^th and 10^th place in the regular season.

 

Adika Peter Mcneilly is a 24 year old 190cm guard that was born in Toronto, Ontario and grew up in Scarborough that is making his professional debut with the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. He played at : Ryerson College (CIS) from 2013-2017 playing a total of 93 games and as a senior played 25 games averaging 18.6ppg, 7.2rpg, 3.5apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 85.0%. His career highlights at Ryerson included winning the 2016 OUA championship and being a 2017 CIS finalist. He spoke to German Hoops earlier in the summer about basketball.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for talking to German Hoops Your full name is Adika Peter Mcneilly, but your new club MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg titled you as Peter Mcneilly. How do you like to be called best and does a nickname slip in at times?

 My first name is Adika and everyone calls me that. Don’t have a nickname

Before we get to basketball, I have to ask you about Family  Fued and Steve Harvey. You’re a huge fan. In every episode, it isn´t rare for Harvey to have hilarious lines. Out of all all the shows you have seen, which Harvey line has stuck with you most?

 There has been a lot of lines that Steve Harvey gets me laughing at. I think the funniest moments is when he doesn’t say anything and he has this blank expression on his face because of the wild answers he hears.

Congrats on signing with German EasyCredit BBL team MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. How was your summer following the transfer market. How did you experience your first contact with an agent and teams looking for your services. What kind of offers did you have?

This first summer transfer window has been an amazing opportunity, I am happy that MHP Riesen saw potential in me and I am excited to put on their jersey and play for the organization, the city, and the fans.

What do you know in general about the country Germany and it´s basketball? Some of your teammates from the Canadian national team like the Scrubb brothers have played in Germany. Did you ask them for any last minute advice or other friends like Jahmal Jones who played in the Czech republic or others who have had dealings with playing in Germany?

 It really helps having Jahmal Jones and Aaron Best as friends that goes beyond basketball and that I have kept in touch with after their time at Ryerson. They told me that playing professional basketball will be an experience and that I should go out and play as hard as I can.

 

You had a stellar career at Ryerson improving your points and rebounds each season and like Michael Frazier will be a rookie starting in one of the top leagues in Europe. Patrick has to have high expectations otherwise he would of signed more experienced players. Do you feel pressure coming in and living up to what you achieved on the court in the CIS to let it carry over into the professional ranks.

 I feel no pressure, I have played basketball a very long time and I am confident in my abilities. Nothing will be easy, as the league is very good but once again I am excited to go out on the hardwood and play.

We have loud guys on the team, like energy guys, but Adika is a different type of energy. He’s always there to help guys with anything they’re struggling with,” says your ex teammate Jean-Victor Mukama. Does this special energy trait that you have come from your big focus of family?

 Of course it does, my family instilled positive vibes throughout our household that helped each of us grow as individuals and I use those philosophies with basketball and everything I do in life.

You played four years in the Canadian college league CIS which continues to make strides and send more and more Canadians to the professional level. You probably have watched your share of NCAA games over the years, but with your experience in the CIS, how do you feel has this league grown over the years and is it still very far away from being as top level as the NCAA?

 The CIS has grown a lot, coming into the league several years ago to now I have seen the shift of players coming and out and playing oversees.

You played four years at Ryerson and to no surprise lost the CIS final to Carleton in 2017, the Golden State Warriors of the CIS. Do you feel like your development playing at a school like Ryerson was better in the long run than if you would have played at a Carleton where the top competition probably wouldn´t have hurt, but still would have been a different experience than having played at Ryerson?

 I enjoyed my time playing at Ryerson and I’ve learned a lot playing for coach Roy Rana. He has taught me the game to the best of my abilities and always believed in me. These last four years I’ve grown so much as a student and basketball player and there are countless people at Ryerson that helped me along the way.

You won the 2017 OUA title against top team Carleton 86-79 where your 29 points, 12 boards and four assists were significant in the win. What will you always remember most from this victory?

Our team perseverance during times of distress and how everyone in the locker room dealt with adversity.

Eight days later you lost the 2017 CIS final to Carleton 78-69? You gave your all with a 23 point game, but as a competitor I am sure even 40 points and the loss would of meant nothing to you. Did this put somewhat of a damper to the end of your CIS career?

 We played a hard game and gave it to Carleton as they won another Championship. One game would not define my CIS career, of course a national championship would be nice but I was more than happy with the way we played and how our season was played out.

You had many great games at Ryerson, but was your 36 point explosion/10/13 three´s), seven rebounds and six assists against Western your best game as a professional?

 It may have been and I have to thank my teammates and the coaching staff in putting confidence in me that game. Having a group of people wanting you to excel feels great.

How did head coach Roy Rana groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career at Ryerson?

 Coach Roy taught me how to work hard and be the best player I can possibly be every time I stepped out on the court, whether that was in practice or individual workouts.

How does your summer workout plan look like on and off the court in 2017?

 Every day I am in the gym training with some teammates at Ryerson or in the weight room getting stronger, other than that I was finishing up summer school in preparation to graduate.

If you had to construct your own NBA Rushmore which 4 heads would you chose?

 Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Lebron James failed to win his fourth NBA title and is still three away from Michael Jordan. Where does Lebron stand right now in your opinion in the never ending debate of who is the best of all-time?

 LeBron is will always be behind MJ.

There has been criticism of Russell Westbrook to be focusing more on rebounding to help inflate his stats and possibilities of getting triple doubles instead of focusing on his defensive assignments. Do you feel that this is a fair assessment to the player Russell Westbrook?

Russell Westbrook is an amazing player and I love to watch him play. The effort he gives and the will to win the game inspires me to be better whenever I play.

How do you summarize the 2017 NBA Draft. What sleepers do you see playing a role in the NBA?

 I think it is too early to know but I try and keep up with the season and let you know.

Where will the journey of the Houston Rockets go this season with Chris Paul and James Harden in the back court. Do they have enough to make a serious run at the title or is something missing?

 Both CP3 and Harden are phenomenal players with the very high IQ coming off the pick and roll. This season it is going to be amazing to watch them both work their craft to help the Rockets win basketball games.

What was the last movie that you saw?

 Shutter Island on Netflix

Thanks Adika for the chat.

 

 

 

 

One of the great thrills of any basketball season is the home opener and with the Fraport Skyliners it´s no different as fans had to wait a long five months after the last game of last season where Frankfurt closed out the season in flying colors beating 8 time BBL champion Alba Berlin 83-71 making missing the playoffs a little less annoying. The biggest change off the court was getting that much needed tip that there would be 450 less parking spaces on Hundsruck street as they were no longer available for patrons to use, so making your way to the arena an hour earlier was your best bet to not already having a bad mood before even having entered the arena. Once in the arena one was greeted by the arena employees with a warm hello, one saw many familiar faces from the last season as well as a few new ones and the smell of the usual German delectable foods like hot dogs, pretzels and donuts made the whole basketball experience come back to life that had been so dearly missed during the dogs days of summer. On the court a Voigtmann and Barthel were still very much missed, but then again other players from last season like a Vaughn or Starks not so much, but an AJ English on the other hand was missed. A Quantez Robertson was still around entering his ninth professional season and as ex Skyliner Justin Gray recently stated with a smile a real Skyliner lifer and for him to ever switch jerseys would be as untypical as a Ricky Paulding to ever move to another venue away from Oldenburg. A Mike Morrison was still present with his high energy play and crashing dunks always looming on the horizon as well as defensive specialist Shawn Huff who had a few stories to tell from his 2017 European championships run with Finland. The next young generation of name that next Voigtmann and Barthel candidates of Isaac Bonga who scorched Science City Jena with 10 points on Friday and new Skyliner Richard Freudenberg were ready to battle while four year man Niklas Kiel was missing with a concussion. New on the floor were new point guard Tai Webster who quickly let everyone forget Kwame Vaughn from last season´ as the ex Nebraska(NCAA) point guard who from a distance could pass for ex Skyliner Shavon Shields brother had a great professional debut in Jena with 15 points and seven assists and Jonas Wolfarth-Bottermann who has the most professional experience from any German this season on the club and will finally make his real BBL breakthrough. But the biggest jewel on the court was Canadian Philip Scrubb who won 7 titles with Carleton and for many has been seen as the greatest Canadian college player of all-time is also known as Mr Canada and this season could become Mr EasyCredit BBL as he is on the verge of having his break out season as a professional. 3.00 finally came around and the Fraport Skyliners were looking to continue their win streak after their solid 82-70 win in Jena while 2010 Eurochallenge winner BG Goettingen were looking to make amends from their 93-85 loss to the EWE Baskets Oldenburg, but couldn´t as even despite knocking down 14 three´s Frankfurt almost matched that, but just destroyed them inside and wore them down in the fourth quarter winning 88-80. After the victory, it seemed like Philip Scrubb was more pooped from all the single photo requests from fans, but also from the obligatory group photos of Skyliner corporate supporters than he was from his 33 minute 25 point effort, but when all calmed down, he was just thankful to be back home in the Fraport arena after missing a whole season due to injury. “I missed the atmosphere and the crowd the most. It had been a long time since I had played here. I remember the home games well here. It was great getting the energy from the fans and my teammates. I quickly felt comfortable hitting three´s again. As for our game, we gave them confidence hitting easy open shots in the first half. Once we played better defense, they hit tough shots keeping their confidence high. We did a good job battling back and played very good defense in the fourth quarter. We did a better job helping each other out and playing team defense and not leaving guys in one on one situations”, stressed Philip Scrubb.  BG Goettingen played a spirited game, but just were unable to find a way to limit Frankfurt´s buckets inside which really took a toll on their team. “Frankfurt wore us down. They played hard all game long and made the big plays down the stretch and we didn´t. We will have to deal with our inside game on the defensive end and find ways to get rebounds”, warned BG Goettingen Guard Michael Stockton.

With no Jordan Theodore on board since two seasons and Philip Scrubb back from a long injury, some people have speculated if the Canadian sensation not only will be able to replace the current Milan point guard who still has aspirations of making the NBA, but if he can also become a EasyCredit BBL superstar this season. After two games, the first signs are pointing in this direction as he is averaging 23,0ppg and his three pointer has been hotter than hot as in his first two games against Science City Jena and BG Goettingen he is shooting an overwhelming 10-16 and as ex Skyliner Jacob Burtschi would say “ hitting the ocean”. On a club that is lacking that sure-fire scorer as well as clutch time performer, Scrubb finds himself in a role that he once had at Carleton and something he exceled at in the CIS in Canada and now should be able to master in the EasyCredit BBL. Two seasons ago, he showed his scoring qualities, but also displayed a knack for amazing playmaking skills, but this season there is less scoring power and his making points on a regular basis is more than needed. After the contest his teammate Quantez Robertson who has had the limelight in Frankfurt for years now is more than comfortable to share it with him. “Phil has had two strong outings shooting the ball very well and making his free throws. He is pushing superstar status”, smiled ex Auburn guard Quantez Robertson. Even if his three pointer might stand out a lot more than two years ago, Mr Canada Scrubb still has the complete game and is capable of getting ample assists, rebounds and steals on any night. Mike Morrison may disagree about what was the play of the game as he has an ESPN moment every night with his thunderous dunks, but at the start of the fourth quarter, Scrubb made like Larry Bird making an amazing play. Scrubb already has that Bird like three pointer accuracy, but he also has those passing instincts. Early in the fourth quarter, a loose ball was heading out of bounds on the baseline in the Frankfurt end and he saved the ball throwing it over his head finding Finish national player Shawn Huff as if he had had eyes in the back of his head. Bird made passes like these on many occasions liking to find his big men Robert Parish or Keven Mchale in the 80´s. Scrubb was flattered by the Bird comparison and was just happy he found Huff somehow. “On that play I didn´t want to throw the ball toward the basket. I didn´t know who was there, but just threw it up and was lucky that Huff was there. These kind of passes aren´t my style. I rather like to keep it simple. You never know when you have to throw one of those passes, but who knows maybe you will see one or two of those again this season”, smiled Philip Scrubb. Shawn Huff smiled when asked about the Bird like pass from Scrubb. “Maybe that was like Bird, but we actually practice those kind of situations with a guy getting the ball and other guys running in that direction. You can never give up in that type of situation”, added Shawn Huff. Quantez Robertson added his humor and saw all Bird on that play. “It was a Birdesque pass. Maybe He heard Huff say something so he found him so easily. But he knows how to make those kind of passes and shows it in practices and games”, stressed Quantez Robertson.

at 0.13 seconds is the classic Larry Bird pass over the head. Philip Scrubb did the same kind of pass saving a pass out of bounds and finding Shawn Huff to start the fast break in the fourth quarter against BG Goettingen

 

BG Goettingen got on the board first as Frankfurt denied the pick and roll and Dominic Lockhart had the open 15 footer draining it. The Fraport Skyliners retaliated quickly and threw a nasty 6-0 run at their opponent to take the 6-2 lead. Three different Skyliners scored with Robertson, Wohlfart-Bottermann and Tai Webster as the club showed early that they would try to take advantage of the BG Goettingen inside woes. However that basketball is a game of runs is proved every new game as from Frankfurt´s short term momentum quickly fell and BG Goettingen cruised out on a 8-0 run to lead 10-6. In the run, the club got a three from ex Utah (NCAA) forward Jordan Loveridge, a lay in from Stockton and a trey from ex Michigan(NCAA) forward Evan Smotrycz. Frankfurt would gain the lead back on a Huff three as both teams displayed solid offense as their shots were popping. BG Goettingen retained the lead as their shots continued to fly as Smotrycz nailed another trey and Stockton again got inside and scored over Huff for the 15-11 advantage. Frankfurt was active on the glass in the closing minutes as Florida native Mike Morrison scored a tap in on an alley-op and made an offensive rebound and turn around shot, but Frankfurt was unable to gain any ground as BG Goettingen got vital bench support from ex Jena forward Stephen Haukohl who drained a trey and then scored inside as BG Goettingen had the slim 20-19 lead after one quarter. “Both teams got into an offensive rhythm quickly. Both teams didn´t defend bad, but their offenses were just better. It was fun watching Tai Webster. He is real solid. He doesn´t have the level of a Scrubb yet, but he will get there”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Junior Tobias Jahn. BG Goettingen was shooting 50% from the field and 44% from outside while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting 50% from the field and 33% from outside. Frankfurt had the overwhelming 11-4 rebound edge, but five turnovers while BG Goettingen had three turnovers.

 

The second quarter remained a real dog fight as no team could break away until the Fraport Skyliners gradually did in the last few minutes. BG Goettingen jumped all over Frankfurt quickly going on a 5-0 run as ex Nancy scorer Brion Rush scored on a lay in and Smotrycz hit his third trey of the game extending the BG Goettingen lead to 25-19. The Fraport Skyliners went on a 6-2 run benefited by the Mike Morrison four point play as he made one of two free throws got his rebound scored and then was rewarded another free throw which he dropped and Robertson scored on an easy lay up cutting the BG Goettingen lead to 27-25. Despite a clutch three from 22 year old German talent Joanic Gruttner, Frankfurt was in charge and threatening again as they strolled out on a 7-0 run to get back the lead at 32-30. In the run, Frankfurt was fortified by a Richard Freudenberg lay in, Scrubb three which only happened because Frankfurt got a loose ball and a hard dunk by Wohlfarth-Bottermann dunk from the wing after Robertson dished him the ball. Scrubb finally had made his first field goal and Frankfurt had dominated in the paint overpowering the smaller BG Goettingen team. Gruttner continued to have the range from outside connecting on one more trey giving BG Goettingen the 33-32 advantage, but after a Scrubb three pointer giving Frankfurt the 35-33 lead, they would never get the lead back again until briefly in the fourth quarter. Frankfurt couldn´t totally break away, because Rush was inserted again scoring eight points including back to back three´s as Frankfurt led only 46-43 as Frankfurt got big trey´s from Huff and German Garai Zeeb. In the last minute Morrison scored inside while Scrubb made a big steal and on Frankfurt´s last possession hit a step back buzzer beater giving Frankfurt the 52-45 lead at the break. “Frankfurt did a better job getting their bigs Morrison and Wohlfarth-Bottermann involved something they didn´t do as well in the first quarter. Scrubb was forcing a little too much in the first quarter and doing things he usually doesn´t do, but in the second quarter he stuck to what he does best and had success with his three pointer. Scrubb was Frankfurt´s x-factor”, stressed ex Ehingen center Tobias Jahn.The Fraport Skyliners were shooting an amazing 63% from the field and 60% from the three point line while BG Goettingen was shooting 52% from the field and 50% from the three point line. Frankfurt still dominated the boards 20-9, but had 10 turnovers while BG Goettingen had six turnovers.

The third quarter was a tale of two quarters as the first half belonged to the Fraport Skyliners and the second half belonged to BG Goettingen. BG Goettingen had the better start out of halftime going on a 6-2 run as they stuck to their biggest strength on that day shooting strolling home two three´s from Rush and ex BG Karlsruhe guard Stockton while Morrison made another easy lay up as BG Goettingen crept closer trailing only 54-51. However the Fraport Skyliners then made their move breaking out on a vicious 11-3 run to extend their lead to 62-54. The run was started by a Huff lay in as he clawed and huffed to the basket scoring in traffic and then Frankfurt drilled home three trey´s as Isaac Bonga connected twice showing that working on his shot has paid dividends as he is 4/5 from downtown in the first two games and was fed each time by Scrubb and the Canadian also nailed a trey. However BG Goettingen never let down, but figured that two can play that game going on their own 12-1 run to suddenly be right back in the game deadlocking the game at 66-66. They got huge trey´s from Loveridge and Dutch national player Leon Williams as well as another Stockton lay in as he finished with his left hand and free throws. Frankfurt held the slim 71-70 lead after 30 minutes thanks to a Wohlfarth-Bottermann lay in and free throws from Bonga and Robertson. “There were ups and downs. BG Goettingen is that type of team that doesn´t run many plays, but just take quick shots which raises their confidence. We let them get on too big runs”, stressed Philip Scrubb. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 58% from the field and 64% from the parking lot while BG Goettingen was shooting 52% from the field and 52% from the parking lot. Frankfurt still had the huge rebound advantage 17-15, but had 13 turnovers while BG Goettingen only mustered nine turnovers.

In the fourth quarter Fraport Skyliners head coach Gordon Herbert did something that he doesn´t do often and that is keeping work horse Quantez Robertson on the bench. Robertson is a guy who sometimes plays 40 minutes a game and usually is somewhere between 35-38 minutes per game, but he was missing in action in the first seven minutes as Frankfurt played small and three guards with Webster, Bonga and Scrubb and it worked as they went on a 10-0 run to lead 81-72 and would never look back. ”The guys were playing good, so coach didn´t feel a need to put me in and break up the chemistry. They were making easy baskets and playing good defense. It is usually when things get sloppy that coach puts me in to keep things under control”, smiled Quantez Robertson. BG Goettingen did get the first points on the board in the fourth quarter has Loveridge made a two hand dunk as Stockton fed him the perfect pass but their 72-71 lead was short lived as Frankfurt went to work unleashing 10 unanswered points. Scrubb dropped back to back three pointers and Bonga made a tap in and Huff a tap in dunk. On the defensive side Frankfurt forced BG Goettingen to only getting tough shots and not making them as they once did in the first half. BG Goettingen made one last comeback attempt going on a 6-0 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 81-78. In the BG Goettingen run it was the Loveridge show as he scored all six points with a lay in,free throw and a step back shot clock buzzer beater. However Frankfurt kept their composure closing out the game with a 7-2 run as Morrison put some sweet icing on the cake with a runner and a thunderous two handed dunk that one could of felt outside the Fraport arena. Scrubb hit three free throws for good measure as BG Goettingen was unable to stand the atmosphere and Frankfurt heat going to 0-2. “During that early stretch without Tez we had good guard versatility. We used many mismatches in the post and finished with confidence. We knew then that if we got the ball in the post that there would be a good chance that we would score”, added Philip Scrubb. “Frankfurt just executed very well and made the big plays while we didn´t”, added Michael Stockton. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Philip Scrubb with 25 points. Mike Morrison added 17 points and eight rebounds. Isaac Bonga and Shawn Huff supplied 10 points apiece. BG Goettingen was led by Jordan Loveridge with 16 points. Michael Stockton produced 15 points and eight rebounds. Brion Rush produced 13 points and Evan Smotrycz 12 points. The Fraport Skyliners shot 55% from the field and 61% from outside while BG Goettingen shot 46% from the field and 44% from outside. Frankfurt won the rebound duel 37-24, but had 16 turnovers while BG Goettingen coughed up the ball 13 times.

 

 

In the 90s the Chicago Bulls owned the NBA winning 6 NBA titles thanks to the stellar play of Michael Jordan and his side kick Scottie Pippen that carried the team and helped put Chicago back on to the NBA map. But there were also many other great teams and players that just didn´t have the fortune the Bulls had and one of those was the Utah Jazz with their special dynamic duo of Karl the mail man Malone and John Stockton. It would have been every kid´s childhood dream to be able to hang out with Malone and Michael Stockton not only had the luck to do that, but also to play pick up basketball with the NBA legend. Remembering Malone´s unending amazing plays on the court might be difficult to pick just one experience that was unforgettable, but Stockton always has that one childhood memory in his mind.  “I remember one time as me and friends were playing basketball outside, and he came over took the ball and dunked over 7 kids as some were hanging on to him”, said Michael Stockton. It was obvious that the kid Stockton would go the college and professional route like his father did, but even if his father played 19 seasons in the NBA, was a 10 time NBA allstar and is the all-time NBA leader in assists and steals, the name Stockton didn´t mean a free pass to the NCAA and NBA as nothing was given to him, but he had to fight his way to get to the top leagues in Europe. Michael Stockton never even reached the elite NCAA, but played four seasons in the fourth college division NAIA for Westminster and after three sub par season broke out somewhat as a senior averaging 18.2ppg, 4.0rpg, 4.2apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 54.4%, 3Pts: 36.4%, FT: 78.5%. Still having NBA Summer league gigs and that basketball name that has most people wondering at first if that is the son of the famous John Stockton, he once again couldn´t start at the top, but played his first two professional seasons in the German Pro A with BG Karlsruhe registering solid, but not overwhelming stats. However his game was good enough for BBL coach John Patrick and Ludwigsburg who snapped him up in 2013 and he played two very good seasons there reaching the playoffs twice and displaying good stats. In the 2015-2016 season he ventured home to the states and played with the Canton Charge (D-League) playing 53 games averaging 8.5ppg, 2.8rpg, 4.8apg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 84.3%. After getting that D-league experience, he came back to Europe looking to make another step, but instead had a season to forget last season as he split time with Avtodor Saratov (Russia-VTB) playing 13 games averaging 4.4ppg, 1.7rpg, 3.6apg; In the VTB United League he played 11 games averaging 6.6ppg, 1.5rpg, 3.7apg, 2FGP: 53.8%, 3FGP: 22.2%, FT: 79.2%;In Jan.’17 moved to AS Apollon Patras (Greece-A1) playing 11 games averaging 4.7ppg, 1.7rpg. Now the lefty who likes the kick out pass over the flashy pass and once described Charles Barkley as being his favorite non Utah Jazz as a player is back in Germany and is looking to rebound from his less than satisfactory season. Stockton is 28 now and in his best basketball age. He has joined a hungry BG Goettingen team and a team that isn´t as deep as his former Ludwigsburg teams, a place where the American could flourish. Stockton has the talent to become an elite BBL player as he is hungry, has the work ethic and game of a point guard that knows how to lead his team successfully. If he can find his touch from downtown something which has lacked in consistency throughout his career then he could become an elite guard in the league. Just being used to never having been given anything for free and having to work for everything everywhere will help him find back to his game that he possessed with Ludwigsburg. The most important thing that he learned from his dad was to never take anything for granted and that has helped him through his professional basketball career up until now. The whole positive attitude that the American has had over the last years continues to steer him in the right direction as despite losing the opener to the EWE Baskets Oldenburg, he poured in 20 points and dished out eight assists.

In the last few years coaches like Denis Wucherer and Johannes Roijakkers have done a superb job making the best out of their limited budgets and bringing the club as far as possible. Wucherer just missed the playoffs with Giessen and Roijakkers has scrathed the playoff surface twice in the last three years and one could say overachieved which didn´t bother anyone in basketball Goettingen. Last season the 2010 Eurochallenge winner finished in 11^th place and weren´t rewarded at the end with their spectacular finish winning five of their last six games and were brutally denied against Brose Bamberg 71-70. As is usually the case, the club was unable to keep a core of last season´s team as guys like Alex Ruoff, Scott Eatherton and Jessie Sanders found more lucrative spots for this season. However one can call keeping American Darius Carter a huge success since he was the club´s best defender and fascinated fans with his athletic play on the boards and played consistently on offense averaging 10.1ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 60.9%. The ex  Wichita St(NCAA) player  showed his fine offensive qualities netting 24 against Brose Bamberg and 18 points against Alba Berlin. With the departure of Eatherton, Carter should have an even bigger role than last season. The other important player kept was Dutch player Leon Williams who is a two time Dutch cup winner and national player played 30 games averaging 5.5ppg, 1.5rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 45.7%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 61.3%. On a team that has little of it´s core from last season, keeping him was very valuable as he will be back up to Stockton and supply the team with needed energy and needs to keep his fine touch from outside alive and heighten his scoring.

The club did another fine job picking up five solid Americans and five solid Germans that will construct the rest of the roster. In addition to Stockton, the club also picked up the most important signing with Brion Rush who is a 32 year old 191cm guard that played at Grambling St. (NCAA) and will have to serve as a consistent scorer. He brings valuable experience having played in countries like France, Russia and Spain. He won titles in Russia, Kazakhstan and Dubai. He is used to scoring and will need the ball to be effective, but he will get the ball enough and could be a guy that lands in the top 10 scoring in the BBL. Sometimes you need that mix between the experienced and the young and with Paul Watson, Roijakkers found a talented rookie out of Fresno St. (NCAA) who won the MWC title as a junior and as a senior played 32 games averaging 11.5ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 69.1%. He brings all the qualities to Goettingen that a swingman of 198cm needs to have to be successful. All he needs to do is be able to make the adjustment from the NCAA to the BBL and bring more stability from the free throw line. The club also reeled in 26 year old 201cm Evan Smotrycz who saw it all in the NCAA playing at Michigan with Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr and Maryland and after a tough senior year at Maryland where he averaged only 4.7ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.3apg, came back strong as a professional having a stellar rookie season in Cyprus and last season a solid second campaign with Bremerhaven, but injuries struck a chord in his season ending it in November. He was extremely efficient last season and has a nice inside/out game. He will be a huge spark in their offense.The club recently picked up Jordan Loveridge who is a 23 year old 198cm forward that played four strong seasons at Utah(NCAA) averaging in double figures each season in scoring reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2015. Last season as a rookie he split time with  Egis Kormend (Hungary-A Division) playing 17 games averaging 10.5ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 38.9%, 3FGP: 34.1%, FT: 71.4%; In the FIBA Europe Cup he played 13 games averaging 11.7ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.0apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 40.0%, 3FGP: 44.6%, FT: 63.0%, In Feb.’17 moved to BBC Lausanne (Switzerland-LNA) playing 10 games averaging 16.4ppg, 8.0rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 48.8%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 65.0. It will be interesting to see if the sniper can make the next step to a higher level. His three point accuracy will help BG Goettingen.

The club also signed six Germans with Nico Simon, Dennis Kramer, Dominic Lockhart, Stephen Haukohl, Lennart Larysz and Lennart Stechmanm. Nico Simon is the club´s most valuable German pick up as the 30 year old brings 267 BBL games experience and six international games with the German national team. He is entering his 11^th BBL season having played with Alba Berlin, Paderborn, Walter Tigers Tuebingen, medi Bayreuth and the last three years with Braunschweig. Last season he played 28 games averaging 2.5ppg, 1.4rpg and it was his worst statistical season since playing with Alba Berlin. He finished the last few months not being able to hit the ocean as he was under 20% from the field and outside. He will be one of the leaders on the team with Rush and Carter and will need to find back to his old self on the court. The club also reeled in two ex Oldenburg players with Lockhart and Kramer. Both especially Lockhart are striving to accomplish their breakthrough with BG Goettingen. Lockhart played 101 BBL games in four years with Oldenburg and never averaged more than 9,0 minutes per game. Last season he played 43 BBL games averaging 1,7ppg. He is a big guard at 198cm and that gives him important advantages over the smaller ones. His drive and defensive physicality are his strengths, but he can also shoot from outside. He should average more BBL minutes here, but will also need to heighten his game and make the next step. At age 23 he still isn´t done with his basketball development. Kramer is a 25 year old 204cm forward that grew up in Encinitas, California, but also has the German citizenship. He played four years at San Diego (NCAA) and had a strong senior season averaging 11.3ppg, 6.8rpg, FGP: 60.0%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 71.2%. After returning to play at Baunach, he played the last two seasons in Oldenburg amassing 73 BBL games and like Lockhart didn´t get ample minutes. In his two seasons he averaged 5,8 minutes per season and 2,7ppg. Like Lockhart he should average more minutes in Goettingen, but also need to make the next step as his inside out game will be refreshing to see. Haukohl is a 201cm forward and seems like he has been around for ages, but is only 24 years old. He is also one of those players that had to work extra hard to make it to the big show as he toiled in the Pro A for 4 years with Science City Jena, Ehingen and Nurnberg before making the jump to MBC in 2015. Last season he made another step with Science City Jena (BBL) playing 32 games averaging 5.7ppg, 2.9rpg, FGP: 59.7%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 79.4%. Roijakkers still remembers his 24 point outburst last season in the Jena 102-92 win against them and will hope that he can add a few more games like that this season off the bench. He is a good team player that will get the difficult rebounds and play hustle defense. With Lennart Larysz coming from Wurzburg playing in the Pro B averaging 4.8ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.0apg and Lennart Stechman coming from BG 74 Goettingen II (2.Regionalliga) where he averaged 19,3ppg and was third in the league,  Roijakkers has two hungry and talented Germans waiting in the wings for some minutes.

So where will the journey of BG Goettingen go this season? Without the spirited team basketball that BG Goettingen displayed last season the club would have suffered a different kind of fate. This season Roijakkers will rely on the same tactic of getting everyone involved on the offensive end and playing good team basketball. He must find a way to get that will and desire from his new players to build a new team chemistry that will be able to annoy teams on occasion. Last season the club averaged 77 points per game, but with prolific scorers like Ruoff, Eatherton and Veikalis departed, new guys will have to fill that void. In 15 of 17 games they allowed 80 plus points this showing that they weren´t able to find that needed consistency on the defensive end. They did a pretty good job rebounding last season averaging almost 32 per contest, but with the departure of Scott Eatherton don´t have that real rebounding presence inside and with Dennis Kramer have their tallest player at 204cm. They will need consistent production from Brion Rush and Michael Stockton has to find back to his old self for BG Goettingen not to get into problems in the lower half of the standings. Plus the club needs another reliable scorer like a Veikalis was last season and also at least one German to have a strong season. Roijakkers will give his best to build as competitive team as possible, but he just doesn´t have the depth and talent to be able to get to the playoffs. The club will finish somewhere between 12-16.

Donte Nicholas is a 30 year old 195cm forward from Washington Dc that is playing his first professional season in Germany with the Iserlohn Kangaroos (Germany-ProB). He has gained experience down under playing with the Albury Wodonga Bandits (Australia-SEABL) and with the Rockville Victors (APBL) as a rookie in the States. Last season he played with the Plymouth University Raiders (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 33 games averaging 15.3ppg, 6.7rpg, 3.4apg, Steals-5(2.1spg), FGP: 54.7%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 75.8%. He spoke to German Hoops earlier in the summer about basketball.

 

 

 

Donte thanks for talking to German Hoops. You are in Germany now, but how was your summer in general and what was the most memorable thing you?

No problem, thanks for talking to me. My summer was good overall. I got to play a lot of ball against high quality competition this summer and also got an opportunity to work on a few things in my game. Most importantly though, I got the chance to spend some quality time with my friends and family that I wasn’t able to the last couple years because I was playing.

You arrived in Germany with new teammate Julian Scott who has had experience in the German Pro B with Leipzig. What was your first impression of him and could the duo from Sacramento-Washington DC become a potent 1-2 scoring force in the Pro B?

My first impression of him from the time we talked is that he’s hungry to prove himself in this country. I think we share a similar goal which is to prove that we can compete at the highest level internationally. I think the most important thing for us is that we do what we can to make the entire team a potent force in Pro B. My mindset is to do what I can to make everyone else better and I think he’s willing to do the same.

You have been a professional for some years now and had a very strong season in England. I personally am a bit surprised you didn´t actually land in a higher league than the Pro B. Did you experience the job market at a more competitive level than in the past?

My focus from the beginning of my basketball career has always been make the best of the situation your in. I try to control what I can control, and let everything else fall in place. The current job market, as most people around the game knows, is tough. It´s way more players than jobs available, so when you feel you got a good opportunity that can benefit you. You take it.

Congrats on signing with the very ambitious Pro B team Iserlohn. The club is very high on your abilities and manager Michael Dahmen went as far as saying he believes you can be one of the top players in the league. What impressed you most about the organization that let you sign on the dotted line?

Thank you. I think the main thing was the vision that the club had in place for the season. Like you said, the club is very ambitious and willing to do what is necessary to be successful as it has been in the past and even beyond that. The club wants to prove it can compete at the higher levels and so do I.

What impressed me most about you in my first impression was your positive attitude. In the official team press release you spoke about team chemistry, playing with high intensity and hating to lose. Granted every player shares these views to one or another extent, but don´t always openly display them. Do you see yourself already being as the vocal leader of the team?

I think I tend to become the vocal leader on my teams because I’ve always been naturally vocal anyways. On and off the court.. I’ve always stressed the importance of communication because I believe it can help resolve a lot of issues and prevent them as well, on and off the court

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a very versatile player that can play near to every position and can take control. What other strengths do you have on the court besides these, intensity and shooting the ball?

 I would say if I had to, one of my biggest strengths on the court would be my IQ. A lot of my past coaches and teammates would always say I have a good feel for the game overall. I pride myself on always trying to make the right play whether it’s a drive and kick assist, or a boxout, or even the necessary defensive rotation. My intensity though, would be a close second. I’m a very competitive person and it shows a lot of time on the court sometimes uncontrollably. I play with a lot of emotion and passion, which can be a gift and a curse at times. Like I said before, I hate losing more than I like winning and it shows from time to time. Whether it’s on the court, video games, an argument.. anything.. I have to win!

You really can fill the stat sheet and demonstrate your versatility in all phases of the game. If you had to choose a NBA player that you could compare your game to who would you chose?

Honestly, guys I play with usually tell me I play like this guy or play like that guy. The ones I get a lot of are (on a much smaller scale but similar play style of course) is Lebron in the sense that he’s really good at a lot of things but not necessarily great at one thing. His best skill is making his teammates around him better and making the right play, offensively or defensively( as we saw in the playoffs 2 yrs ago). Also get Draymond Green, because his skill set is similar because he does it all. Whatever his team needs he gets it done:rebs, asts, stls, defend the best player, run the offense, etc. But the guy who I try to pattern my game after was Scottie Pippen. I admire how he took pride and locking people down and also dropping 20-25+ daily. He did a lot of things that didn’t make the stat sheet or highlights but was very important in those championship runs.

You never played in the NCAA, but in the Juco, NCAA2 and NAIA and as a professional some years in Australia and didn´t reach Europe until you were 29 years old. Do you still feel like you have to prove yourself even after your breakout season in England and does having that chip on your shoulder give you that extra to be able to perform better?

Honestly, I don’t like to consider it proving myself as much as I think it’s about putting people on notice. People who’ve I’ve played with know what I can do it’s just the people who haven’t played with me or seen me play don’t know yet. They may have heard but you don’t always believe what people tell you, that’s human nature. I take pride in the fact that once you see, you become a believer. Every level I played on, I feel as though I’m one of the best and it’s my job to go out there and show it so you think so too.

You’re a guy that can fill up the stat sheet at easy, but what is a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t get noticed right away? Could it be your defense that took a while to really get noticed?

I definitely think my defense is part of it. It’s harder to put numbers on things you do defensively. Besides maybe steals, which I’ve been in the top 5-10 consistently almost my whole career. Maybe even blocks, which I’m usually near the top team wise. Only other real way to notice is to see it in action, the eye test. I take it as a challenge to guard the opposing teams best player and see him finish the game taking double the amount of shots just to reach his average or even below. In the end, my teammates and coaches notice it though and that’s all I really need.

After a stellar career in the NCAA2 and NAIA leagues where other guys have made their way to Europe right away, you played in Australia for some years. Why did it take you 5 years to get to Europe?

To be honest with you, there’s going to be a book or made for TV movie about the path I took in my basketball career. Lol. I wish I had the answer to that, all I can say is what I’ve always believed it will happen when it’s supposed to happen. Just make sure your ready when it does. I’ve always wanted to play in Europe, I just had to wait for my opportunity.

How thankful are you to not only knowing ex teammate Cory Dixon, but having him as a friend and helping you get to Europe? I am sure you will travel to Belgium this season to see him play.

Very thankful, I met him at the airport on the way to Australia and we’ve been friends ever since. I definitely owe him for what’s he done. Through that, I’ve also learned a lot about this basketball world and sometimes it’s not really about what you can do but who you know. Yeah, we’ve been talking about a possible trip, we have to see how our schedules match up though.

How do you feel did you grow as a player last season with Plymouth? You played with three other talented Americans and was fourth best team scorer and the team chemistry and unselfishness seemed to be on so that all four players were content.

Last year was a unique year in my career. I feel like it was a test for me and an opportunity to learn and grow as a player. It taught me that no matter how much talent you have, there’s a lot of other stuff that has to be there for you to be successful. We had a lot of talent last season, had a lot of guys had great stats, player of the week, player of the month, etc. but we didn’t have other important things in the end and we suffered because of it.

You got your first professional experience in Australia. What was vital in your first seasons as a professional and what was your most memorable experience down under?

One of the most vital things for me was my focus. It’s easy to fall into distractions and to stray in those situations but keeping your focus on what you want to accomplish, which was for me getting to Europe, and not forgetting that was important. One of my most memorable experiences was all the success we had my first year in Albury. The swagger that team had that year was crazy, we walked into every game thinking we were going to win and win easily. It was a great feeling.

You played at three schools with Montgomery College-Rockville CC (JUCO), Metro St. (NCAA2) and Fresno Pacific (NAIA,) Do you feel having had experiences at three different schools helped shape your game better than if you had been only at one school?

I definitely believe so because looking back at it, it showed that at no matter what level of competition I’m at, I will be successful and competitive. You can go back and look at the numbers and the accolades and they will tell you the same thing.

After a season at Montgomery College-Rockville CC (JUCO), you made your breakout at Metro State(NCAA2).How tough was that first season in JUCO? Did you always know that you could play at a higher level?

Rockville was tough because prior to that I had never really taken basketball that serious before. It was just like a hobby but that was it. When I met the coaching staff at Rockville who at the time was Coach Hobson and Coach Blackman, I told them what my goal was and they said they could help me get there if I put the work in. The rest is history. I’ve always believed I can play at the highest level, and still do to this day. Like I said, every level I’ve had the chance to play at since JUCO I’ve produced, it comes down to opportunity and when I will get mine that’s it.

You won the RMAC Tournament in 2009 and 2010, which title was most sweetest?

2010 definitely, because it was right after we graduated like 6 seniors. The team brought in a bunch of new guys and underclassmen, I transitioned to one of the leaders of the team that year. It was much more difficult for us this year but we stepped up to the task and I personally had a pretty good run during that tournament so that was good too.

You moved one more time to Fresno Pacific (NAIA, starting five) averaging 19.7ppg, 7.1rpg, 3.8apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 32.6%, FT: 76.9%. What were the main reasons for leaving a program like Metro State after 2 title wins?

The main reason was the coaching staff changed that year and simply put the new coaches and I saw different visions for the team. I felt like I had a better opportunity at Fresno with coach Wright and his staff so that’s where I ended.

How did head coach Chris Wright give you that last added push at Fresno Pacific to help groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

Coach Wright was one of the best coaches I’ve had. He helped me a lot by putting me in a position that season which would help me prepare for the next level on the court. He had former players and pros come in from time to time to play with us and talk to us about what we should focus on if that’s the step we want to take. Coach Wright and also Coach Blackman from Rockville were very intricate parts into my transition in pro basketball

You never played together with Brandon Jefferson who has made a nice professional basketball career for himself in Europe, but you both won 2 GMAC titles at Metro State. He came the year after you left. Do you ever wonder what the team could of accomplished with you both on the court?

Metro has had a pretty consistent stream of talent over the last 20 years or so. They did pretty good before me, we did pretty good while I was there, and they’ve done pretty good after. Bj is a really good player but I think Metro would’ve been good regardless, would’ve been fun though I’m sure.

If you had to construct your own NBA Rushmore which 4 heads would you chose?

Easy Mj, Lebron, Shaq, Duncan

Lebron James failed to win his fourth NBA title and is still three away from Michael Jordan. Where does Lebron stand right now in your opinion in the never ending debate of who is the best of all-time?

I have this argument with my friends all the time and this is the response I give them every single time because it’s the easiest to rationalize. Mike is the standard of excellence in the basketball community can’t argue that, but who was the standard before that? Bird, Magic, Kareem, etc? It could be argued because it’s all up to opinion, but currently the standard is Lebron. Now the problem is people want to compare them but they are two completely different animals, apples and oranges. People get upset with Bron because he doesn’t do what Mike did but Mike can’t do a lot of what Bron does. Makes no sense to compare them through the same lense because it’s unfair to them both because most of the criteria used to compare them is biased towards Mike because he was here first. Thats my opinion and that’s the best I can do because I could go on for days.

There has been criticism of Russell Westbrook to be focusing more on rebounding to help inflate his stats and possibilities of getting triple doubles instead of focusing on his defensive assignments. Do you feel that this is a fair assessment to the player Russell Westbrook?

First off, I would like to state I’m an avid Russell Westbrook fan and support 97% of everything he does on the court. Now, to answer your question how does getting more rebounds hurt your team? Rebounds are an activity stat, your focusing on being more active for your team and your getting criticized for it? Harden scores 30 a night and couldn’t stop a runny nose but nobody cares. So no, I don’t think it’s fair.

How do you summarize the 2017 NBA Draft. What sleepers do you see playing a role in the NBA?

A lot of potential in the draft. I think instantly Ball and Tatum are going to shine. Sleepers I like Josh Jackson and Dennis Smith Jr. I think they all are in good situations where they can develop and flourish for their teams when called on.

Where will the journey of the Houston Rockets go this season with Chris Paul and James Harden in the back court. Do they have enough to make a serious run at the title or is something missing?

They don’t have enough because GSW still has everything plus more. But I would like to see them get my guy Melo down there and see what happens. Don’t know if it’s enough with him but it would interesting to watch.

What was the last movie that you saw?

Last movie I saw was Collateral Beauty with Will Smith. Saw it on the plane ride over, 7.8/10 definitely recommend it.

Thanks Donte for the chat.

 

If you’re a diehard Dragons Rhondorf basketball fan, then the positive 72-55 season opener win on the road in Wurzburg must have been as refreshing for all as it was seeing that Kameron Taylor will be the new Aaron Nelson version at the point guard position, but what really stood out was the amazing defensive performance giving hope that the club could be on a good way to having a stable defensive team that will show more consistency then up and downs through the course of the season. One had to go back almost four years to find the last game where the Dragons Rhondorf actually gave up less than 55 points then against Wurzburg last weekend. The exact date was November second 2013 when the Dragons Rhondorf silenced Speyer 68-51 as American Cory Remekun was near a triple double registering nine points, hauling down 11 boards and swatting away seven Speyer shots. There were actually three players on the floor on that date on a cold Autumn night with two players Viktor Frankl-Maus who contributed two points, and Tim Schonborn who registered six points and five rebounds for the Dragons Rhondorf and current Dragon Yannik Kneesch then was in uniform for Speyer playing a minute in the loss that were all on the floor again four years later. The Dragons Rhondorf entered their home opener coming off a big defensive win in Wurzburg and wanted to continue their good start with another successful experience while the Bayer Giants Leverkusen also wanted to carry over their season opening 77-69 win at home against KIT SC GEQUOS. Both teams stars with Kameron Taylor and Bruce Beckford were back again as the Rhondorf savior figure scored 24 points and was looking to match or better that while Beckford was coming off a horrible season opener game as he mustered only five points and four rebounds in 38 minutes while shooting only 2/13 from the field. The Dragon Dome was as loud as always as they had waited a little more than five months again for their usual Saturday night Pro B adventure and fans didn´t get disappointed as they witnessed a hard fought pretty even game in the first half, but in the second half saw the Dragons Rhondorf take control and stay unbeaten with their second win of the season 90-72. After the victory a reserved, but very happy Kameron Taylor described why the Dragons won again. “The key to beating Leverkusen was our high energy defense. We didn´t play hard in the first half. It was our first home game and we were a little jittery. We calmed down in the second half and brought high energy on both ends. We played good team basketball and put good pressure on the ball and got in passing lanes”, added ex Seton Hill guard Kameron Taylor. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen played a good first half, but lost intensity in the second half and just had no defensive answer for the high energy Rhondorf offense led by the unstoppable Kameron Taylor. “This game was a tale of two halves. Both teams played well in the first half as the game was equal. In the second half Rhondorf played more aggressive, faster and set the tempo and just took advantage of us”, stressed CJ Oldham.

After scoring 24 points in the victory in Wurzburg, ex Ehingen guard Kameron Taylor shifted up another gear and had another MVP type game stroking home 31 points, hauling down eight rebounds, dishing out six assists, getting three steals and getting a block against the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. Last season the Dragons Rhondorf had the American big dawg Aaron Nelson who averaged 23ppg and 12rpg and this season the club doesn´t need that Nelson as they have their Taylor. Taylor started the game slowly having a few jitter bugs, but let the game come to him and stopped forcing shots and took what the defense gave him. In the first victory in Wurzburg, the American who registered a triple double against Shippenburg in the NCAA 2 with Seton Hill took 17 shots and against Leverkusen it was 18 shots making 11 shooting 61% from the field. He did a good job finding his teammates when he had too and in an important phase in the second half was the defensive energizer as he led Rhondorf to three steals in a row in a 12-0 run that totally broke open the game and the team never looked back. Taylor who compares his game to a Russell Westbrook who knows how to fill up the stat sheet was flattered after hearing the Westbrook comparison again, but isn´t thinking of any triple doubles. “It is always nice to get a triple double, but most important is we get the win. It was a solid game, but I always feel like I can do better”, warned Kameron Taylor. Keeping Taylor in check in some way this season will be the goal of every Pro B team, but that will be better said than done as the early MVP candidate is almost unstoppable. “He is a really good player that can get to the hole and has a nice mid-range jumper. But his team also did a good job finding ways to get him the ball and find the mismatches so he could attack them”, stressed Bayer Giants Leverkusen forward CJ Oldham.

1,100 fans came to the home opener in the Dragon Dome, but witnessed the Dragons slip up early as the Bayer Giants Leverkusen broke out on a 4-0 lead as both new imports Bruce Beckford who played at North Carolina A&T hit a step back and ex Akron(NCAA) forward CJ Oldham also nailed a step back. However it didn´t take Rhondorf long to get out of their hibernation as they captured the lead back 5-4 on a Viktor Frankl-Maus trey and a Thomas MIchel lay in who played 3 BBL games with the Telekom Baskets Bonn. The lead would bounce back and forth in the next two minutes as ex Wurzburg guard Marvin Heckel and Frankl-Maus traded lay ins exploiting their quickness into easy baskets. EX Penn State American Donovan Jack snuck back door giving Leverkusen the 8-7 lead back. However Taylor then reacted with a lay in which infected his team to hold the lead as ex Speyer German Yannik Kneesch hit a floater for the 12-8 advantage. Alexander Blessig and Donovan Jack kept Leverkusen at bay, but they couldn´t get consistent stops as Rhondorf got two buckets from 19 year old German Alexander Moeller who also has had his first BBL experience with Bonn and Taylor nailed another pull up jumper for the 16-13 lead. Blessig who played at Rollins(NCAA) for three season remained active on offense hitting a floater and Beckford made free throws, but Rhondorf kept their nose ahead with a Valentin Blass lay in and Alexander Moeller lay in as the Dragons led 20-17 after 10 minutes. “We didn´t start as well as it was the first game and there was some nervousness present. We didn´t do a good job on the rebounds with boxing out, but fought back to get the lead”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf manager Alexander Dohms. The Dragons Rhondorf were shooting 53% from the field and 50% from outside while the Bayer Giants Leverkusen were shooting 37% from the field and 25% from outside. Leverkusen had the 12-9 rebound edge and each team had one turnover apiece.

The contest remained tight in the second quarter as the Bayer Giants Leverkusen stormed back and grabbed the lead back and led by as much as seven points, but a 12-3 Rhondorf run in the last minutes preserved them the lead again. Latvian 205cm forward Ronalds Elksnis who played at Clark(JUCO) started off the second quarter with a three pointer giving Rhondorf the 23-17 advantage. However the Bayer Giants Leverkusen then stepped it up a notch going on a 14-4 run to steal back the lead 31-27. In the run, it was American Donovan Jack who played as a rookie in Australia with Rockingham let his presence be felt as he scored seven points including two baskets in the paint and a trey. Michael Kuczmann also nailed from deep and ex Rhondorf forward Tim Schonborn scored with a lay in. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen did a good job catching Rhondorf napping scoring two transition baskets and got more aggressive on defense taking Rhondorf out of their sets. After a Taylor step back jumper to cut the Leverkusen lead to 31-30, the guests scored in bunches going on a 6-0 run as Jack made an easy lay up off the pick and role and Schonborn scored easily inside and hit free throws upping their lead to 37-30. However the Bayer Giants Leverksuen were unable to hold the momentum losing some concentration as Rhondorf went on a 12-3 run to get the lead back 42-40 at the break. Rhondorf got clutch three´s from Taylor and Frankl-Maus as well as buckets inside from Michel and Canadian Kevin Thomas. “Leverkusen did a good job with their transition game, but we came back with a 1-3-1 zone defense to get back into the game”, added Rhondorf Dragons manager Alex Dohms. The Dragons Rhondorf were shooting 52% from the field and 36% from the three point line. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen were shooting 44% from the field and 33% from the three point line. Leverkusen still had the 22-16 rebound edge, but had four turnovers while Rhondorf had only two turnovers.

http://sportdeutschland.tv/basketball/re-live-gezeiten-haus-cup-2017-spiel-platz-3-rheinstars

 

The turning point of the game happened in the third quarter as the Dragons Rhondorf rattled off 12 unanswered points and would never look back again. The game seemed like it would continue to be a very tight affair as Beckford scored two buckets to keep Leverkusen on Rhondorf´s door step trailing only 46-44. But then came the turning point of the game as the Dragons Rhondorf went on a 12-0 run to extend their lead to 58-44. In the run, Rhondorf played not only their best defense of the night, but were most aggressive as they threw a nasty press at Leverkusen that totally stumped them. Rhondorf got three steals in a row with two by Taylor and one by Frankl-Maus which resulted in easy baskets from Thomas and free throws from Kneesch and Michel. Two massive trey´s from Michel and Taylor added extra salt into the Leverkusen wound. However Leverkusen did a good job not to become totally paralyzed by this Rhondorf offensive explosion by going on a 6-0 run to cut the Rhondorf lead to 58-50. In the run, Leverkusen got four points from Kuczmann and a step back jumper from Jack. Down the stretch, Rhondorf continued to score consistently while Leverkusen did also, but couldn´t make any ground on the home team. Rhondorf got key baskets from Alexander Moeller who made an old school hook shot and offensive rebound and put back while Taylor continued to be his usual self dangerous making a mid-distance jumper and coast to coast run and lay in at the buzzer as the Dragons Rhondorf led 67-57. “We played their game slowing down the tempo and played their tempo. Once we noticed that. We realized that we had to play faster and speed up the game that led to our run”, added Kameron Taylor. “They did a good job switching up their defense going from full court press to a 1-3-1 zone defense which we couldn´t adjust to”, expressed CJ Oldham. The Dragons Rhondorf were shooting 54% from the field and 35% from the parking lot while the Bayer Giants Leverkusen were shooting 45% from the field and 33% from the parking lot. Leverkusen continued to lead the rebound battle 30-23, but had nine turnovers while Rhondorf had five turnovers.

The Dragons Rhondorf continued to play their game in the fourth quarter scoring with ease and giving up less than what they scored preserving the win. Taylor continued to be a one man wrecking crew scoring a step back jumper and making a thunderous two handed dunk after a coast to coast sprint as Rhondorf led 73-59. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen would make one more comeback attempt going on a 6-0 run to cut the Rhondorf lead to 75-65, but they just were unable to get over the hump and get under 10 points. In the desperation Leverkusen run, they got valuable production from German youngster Marvin Heckel who did some extra stat stacking for himself scoring on a steal from him and making an aggressive lay in with his left hand cutting the Rhondorf lead to75-65. Rhondorf may have had a Taylor who poured in 31 points, but also had other vital weapons that continued to produce as did Frankl-Maus again scoring with a lay in and then dropping a trey for the 81-68 advantage. With a few minutes to play, Taylor put an exclamation point on the game nailed a trey extending the Rhondorf lead to 84-69. Rhondorf closed out the game in style as Thomas made an offensive rebound and put back and Maus nailed a three pointer for the 90-72 victory. “Key in the fourth quarter was that we didn´t let up. We had our feet on their throats and didn´t let them back into the game. We did a good job continuing to push the pace and get easy baskets”, stressed Kameron Taylor. “We weren´t tired, but just let the game get away. When you try to play catch up in the fourth quarter on the road, the chances to win are small. We need to play hard for 40 minutes”, stated CJ Oldham. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Kameron Taylor with 31 points. Viktor Frankl-Maus scored 14 points while Alexander Moeller produced 12 points and Kevin Thomas and Thomas Michel added 10 points apiece. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen were led by Donovan Jack and Marvin Heckel with 14 points apiece while Tim Schonborn added 13 points. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 54% from the field and 43% from outside while the Bayer Giants Leverkusen shot 42% from the field and 32% from outside. Both teams grabbed 36 rebounds apiece. The Bayer Giants Leverkusen had 13 turnovers while Rhondorf had 11 turnovers.

 

 

 

 

Every summer when the dog days have arrived and EasyCredit BBL teams are wheeling and dealing and attempting to make their rosters to perfection the same way Tom Brady strives to be the best in the game he loves from the nutrition side to the x´s and o´s to the diehard preparation for every opponent or Derrick Allen who at 37 has the body of a 27 year old and never saw a gym that he despised, fans can start to wonder what will be the league allurement´s in the coming season from team to team. Going into the 2017-2018 season, you can check out the top teams and discover very endearing zests that will wet any one´s appetite concerning their season story. In Bamberg there was a major housecleaning seriously disrupting the team´s chemistry from last season and it will be interesting to see if head coach Andrea Trinchieri can build another winner grasping BBL hardware. In Berlin everybody is eyeing the new head coach Garcia Aito Reneses and if he can bring real success back to the traditional team as on paper, his roster looks like a winner already. In Munich the season hasn´t even started yet, but a guy like Marco Pesic must be as excited as ever as this season his mindset about winning the BBL title must be as great as ever as he has held a good chunk of it´s team chemistry of last season plus welcoming back three 2017 Serbian European finalists as the excitement is immense in the Bavarian capital for major success. And in Jena, fans are uttering simply one word. Thank You Basketball God for the three BBL legends. If they made an NBA Rushmore, most fans currently might choose Jordan, Lebron, Kobe and Magic while in Jena they would most definitely have Derrick Aleen, Immanuel Mcelroy and Julius Jenkins for their own BBL Rushmore. Not only in Jena are fans marveling about having these three players on board, but also fans all over Germany as well as the EasyCredit BBL offices in Cologne can be ecstatic about showcasing these three legends as it is just super for the league to not only have them still running up and down the floor, but all on one team. In the 108,000 populated city Jena, you have a beautiful landscape as the city lies in a pretty valley with it´s 160 meter Jentower standing out while local´s flock to watch their most known soccer team FC Carl Zeiss Jena and brag that once German national player Bernd Schneider hails from their town, but there is also basketball team Science City Jena that can boast their three BBL legends. When looking at the three Americans, you see unending experience and three role models combined share 110 years of age. The three players bring combined 43 professional seasons into this season including 38 seasons in Germany displaying their amazing dedication to playing in Germany. The three BBL legends also aren´t short on titles as combined they share 13 professional titles and they share 11 BBL allstar appearances. The three also share 1,163 BBL games, 268 international club games and 66 Euroleague games experience. You could almost call them brothers as all three have a dedication to the game and their body that has allowed them to play so long into their thirties, but all three have different games. Allen who will forever be remembered as Mr ballerina as his crazy tip toeing and head fakes in the paint made one Murat Didin dizzy on occasion more than once was a consistent scorer his whole career, but also crafted a nifty mid distance fade away jumper while Julius Jenkins was the BBL´s prolific scorer for a century and Immanuel Mcelroy the overall good player that could fill up the stat sheet like no other while being the best defender from the trio. Fans will be happy every time this trio visits their BBL arena and the only thing missing to help jazz up their season will be if the three started a friendly wager as to whom would play the longest. It wouldn´t be surprising if fans still said thank you basketball god for the three BBL legends in the BBL even when they are in their forties.

After being in the German Pro A for eight years, Science City Jena made it back to the EasyCredit BBL last year. It is ironic that it was then a 25 year old coaching kid Bjoern Harmsen that had his first experience in the BBL with Science City Jena in 2007-2008 getting axed in mid season and then would get a new chance with the club 6 years later after having gotten further experience in the BBL with MBC and Giessen. After paying new dues in the Pro A for three years he would lead the team back to the top division in Germany in 2016. One has to be honest with the combined 25ppg from the duo of Jenkins and Mcelroy and surprising breakthrough of American Marcos Knight who led the league in scoring last season and was toiling in the Pro B only a few years earlier in Baunach and watching Top club Bamberg on a regular basis and probably wondering what do those players have that I don´t, the club may have had problems staying in the BBL, but their 13^th division finish was a huge accomplishment which secured another season of BBL basketball in Jena as well as keeping Jenkins and Mcelroy on board and bringing in Derrick Allen. Their most unforgettable moment last season was their massive 74-73 win against Alba Berlin, but also sweeping ex Pro A opponent Vechta and Braunschweig belonged to their season highlights. One has to wonder if a playoff appearance would have been in their cards had they not finished the season so badly as they lost nine of their last ten games. Plus their nail bitter loses to the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven 83-82 as well as a three point loss to medi Bayreuth and 77-73 loss to Alba Berlin, one really has to wonder where they would really have ended up at the end of the season if they had caught a few more positive breaks.

The two most important players that they could keep on board were Julius Jenkins and Immanuel Mcelroy. Jenkins proved that he could still lite up the scoreboard as he played 26 games averaging 15.1ppg, 1.7rpg, 3.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 41.5%, FT: 68.7%. He still has the consistency even in his late thirties as he scored in double figures in 20 of 26 contests. He also showed his explosiveness on occasion scoring 20 points or more seven times including a 30 point effort against Bonn as well as 27 points against ratiopharm Ulm and 25 points against the Fraport Skyliners. He also nailed six three´s four times including in three games in a row and five trey´s twice. Jenkins turns 37 in February and his skills haven´t let up and he should still be good for double figure stats this season. Mcelroy will turn 38 in March and he also shows no signs of letting up with age. Last season he played 31 games averaging 10.7ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.0apg, FGP: 48.8%, 3PT: 44.3%, FT: 79.8%. He scored in double figures 18 times including a 22 point game against Wurzburg and 21 point effort against Giessen. His shooting seems to be getting better with age as in the last two seasons he shot a combined 44% from the parking lot something he had never done in his 11 BBL season prior shooting at least 40% from outside. Mcelroy may not be the most vocal, but keeps the club together with his all-around fine game as that does his talking. The team also was able to keep four Germans with Julius Wolf, Oliver Clay, Oliver Mackeldanz and other club legend Ermen Reyes-Napoles. Wolf may only be 24 years old, but the 201cm forward is going into his fifth season with Science City Jena after learning his basketball trade with top German basketball school Ehingen. The German has played 131 games with the club and last season made his BBL debut with Science City Jena playing 26 games averaging 5.2ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 62.5%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 83.3%. He proved that he could adjust to the BBL and was a consistent performer for Harmsen and hustled on every play like there was no tomorrow. His best games were against Vechta with 15 points and had 12 points games against Bamberg and Braunschweig. Clay is a 30 year old 207cm forward that has six seasons of BBL experience having played 163 games. In his first five BBL seasons he never averaged more than 11.8 minutes per game, but last season in his sixth BBL season averaged a valuable 13,8 minutes per game averaging 2,6ppg and 2,7rpg and had a 11 point game against Phoenix Hagen. He is a guy that is active on both ends of the court and is a presence in the paint on the defensive end. Science City Jena has the three American legends, but also German Jena legend Reyes-Napoles who has been with the organization since 2004. He was already on board in the first BBL season 2007-2008 playing 13 games. He is the ultimate role player that always gives 100% and bleeds 100% for his team. Last season he got into 32 games averaging 3,6ppg in 13,7 minutes per game. He gave a top 16 point performance in 21 minutes in a crushing loss to ratiopharm Ulm and produced 11 points against Giessen. Mackeldanz is a 27 year old 213cm center that is going into his third BBL season and has played 33 BBL games. He is one of those rare players that has jumped from the Regionalliga to the BBL via Pro B and Pro A. Last season the ex Vechta German played 27 games averaging 3,7ppg and 1,4rpg. He is one of those guys that can always get you instant production as he proved against top teams ratiopharm Ulm where he scored 14 points in 16 minutes and 13 points in 16 minutes against FC Bayern Munich.

The team brought in five new players with Derrick Allen, Skyler Bowlin, Radenko Pilcevic, Maximilian Ugrai and Brandon Spearman .Derrick Allen just keeps chugging along not showing age on the court as he recently turned 37 years old. His production has slipped a bit the last two seasons as he was under 10 points a game, but has averaged double figures in scoring in 9 BBL seasons. Last season with SC Rasta Vechta (Germany-BBL) he played 33 games averaging 8.2ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 51.0%, FT: 67.1%. Last season he scored in double figures in 12 games and demonstrated twice that he could totally go off on the opponent netting 25 points against the Walter Tigers Tuebingen and 22 points against the Telekom Baskets Bonn. He is still good for 8-14 points on a regular basis and will be valuable with his experience and work ethic for the young bucks. Bowler is a 28 year old 191cm guard that is a late bloomer. After being a rookie in 2011 with BG Topstar Leitershofen/Stadtbergen (Germany-ProA), it took him five seasons to reach the EasyCredit BBL via Australia, Austria, Denmark and Sweden. Back in the 2015-2016 season, his German basketball screen test was in Frankfurt in a Fiba Europe Cup game where he produced 18 points and five assists and displayed a knack for hitting deep three´s catching the eye of then Giessen head coach Denis Wucherer. Bowlin didn´t disappoint last season with Giessen playing 33 games averaging 8.8ppg, 2.0rpg, 4.0apg, 1.5spg, 2FGP: 40.7%, 3FGP: 36.3%, FT: 77.6%. His strength is his lethal shooting as he eclipsed the 40% mark in Denmark three times, but is also a solid playmaker, annoying defender and disciplined rebounder who will use his athleticism to abuse smaller guards. The club also brought back Radenko Pilcevic back to Germany who played in Germany early in his career from 2009-2012 with MBC and Giessen playing a total of 89 BBL games. He averaged 7,0ppg, 1,5rpg and 2,8apg in his three years in Germany. In the last five years the Serb played in Serbia, Lithuania, Romania Hungary and Slovakia. He racked up three titles starting with the 2014 Hungarian league title with Szolnoki Olajbanyasz, the 2015 Romanian cup with BC Timisoara and the 2017 Slovakian cup with KB Kosice. Last season he played 42 games with KB Kosice (Slovakia-SBL) averaging 13.0ppg, 3.5rpg, Assists-2(6.2apg), 1.5spg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 41.2%, FT: 84.7%. It was his best offensive season as a professional. The 188cm guard is a solid playmaker that knows how to run a team and prefers the pass first before finishing and will add that needed peskiness on the defensive end. Maxi Ugrai is a 22 year old 201cm forward that is seeking a new chance with Science City Jena after not achieving his break through with Wurzburg where he played 47 BBL games in parts of three seasons. Last season he split time with s.Oliver Wuerzburg (BBL) playing 13 games averaging 4.3ppg, 2.6rpg. He also played with TG s.Oliver Wuerzburg (ProB) playing 30 games averaging 15,8ppg,  5.8rpg, 1.9apg, 1.3spg, Blocks-1(1.7bpg), FGP: 61.1%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 74.0%. He is an all-rounder at his position that is burning for his BBL breakthrough this season. Brandon Spearman is another one of those special Cinderella stories where his talent didn´t get noticed in Germany right away as it took him three seasons via the Pro B and Pro A and a very long try-out phase to reach the EasyCredit BBL. Spearman is a 26 year old 191cm guard from Chicago that played NCAA ball in Dayton and Hawaii and played with SC Rist Wedel and with the Gladiators Trier the last two seasons. He was able to improve his scoring, rebounding, assists, field goal, three point and free throw shooting from his first season with Trier. Last season he played 34 games averaging 15.8ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 40.1%, FT: 76.6%. He showed his vast consistency in the last two seasons in the Pro A scoring in double figures in 57 of 71 Pro A games deserving a shot at the BBL. The American excels as a scorer and shooter, but is also a solid defender and will profit from Mcelroy´s presence and off the court the most.

So where will the journey of Science City Jena end in the 2017-2018 season? When looking at the stats from last season the club scored 75 points per game, but hauled down only 29 rebounds per game both stats that coach Harmsen would love to have improved. The club did lose some solid players in Wayne Bernard, Kenny Frease, Shaquille Goodwin and Stephan Haukohl, so it will be interesting to see how well the new players with Derrick Allen, Skyler Bowlin, Radenko Pilcevic and Brandon Spearman and Maxi Ugrai can replace them. When looking at who went and who came, the club may be a tad stronger than last season. A vital component for the success of Science city Jena this season will be the health of the three BBL legends and if they can stay consistent. A considerable drop in production from a Jenkins or Mcelroy would hurt very much. Second like with so many other teams that are playing somewhere in no mans land of the BBL, the club will need to get valuable production form their Germans. A guy like Stephan Haukol will be missed in this regard. It will be interesting to see if Ugrai can fill his void production wise. The last important factor will be how well the guard duo of Bowlin/Pilcevic do. The key player this season will be Bowlin. If he can step up his game from last season then this could be an interesting team that will annoy perhaps a few more teams than last season. If Spearman can make the jump from the Pro A to BBL with flying colors and can be a productive scorer more than only on occasion then this team will return back to the BBL next season. For Science City to make the playoffs then everything has to go right, but that will be very difficult. Science City Jena will finish somewhere in the region of 9-14.

KT Harrell is a 25 year old 193cm point guard that was born in Wiesbaden, Germany and lived some years there before moving to Montgomery, Alabama. He is playing his third professional season and first with Basic-Fit Brussels (Belgium-Euromillions League). He started his basketball career at  Virginia (NCAA) in 2010 where he played two seasons playing 42 NCAA games before moving to Auburn in 2013 where he played two season playing 65 games and as a senior played 35 games averaging18.5ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 81.4%. In the summer of 2015 he played NBA Pro Summer League in Las Vegas (Philadelphia 76ers) playing 4 games averaging 5.3ppg, 1.3rpg. He then started his professional basketball career with Akhisar Belediye (Turkey-TBL) playing 32 games averaging 16.6ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 78.6%. In the summer of 2016 he played NBA Pro Summer League in Las Vegas (New Orleans Pelicans) playing 5 games averaging 1.2ppg, 1.4rpg. Last season he played with Mens Sana 1871 Siena (Italy-Serie A2) playing  30 games averaging 19.3ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.6apg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 83.9%. He spoke to German Hoops before the Champions League qualifying game in Ludwigsburg

 

 

 

Thanks KT for talking to German Hoops. Welcome to Germany. You were born in Wiesbaden, Germany, but grew up in the states. With what kind of feelings do you have concerning Germany where you were born?

 

 

I have very good feelings about Germany. I was born on the airbase in Wiesbaden as my parents were in the military. I spent six years living in Germany before going back to the States and living in Alabama. It would be cool to go back to Wiesbaden one day.

 

 

 

What do you know about basketball in Germany? Do you have any friends balling in Germany?

 

 

I don´t have any close friends playing in Germany, but I do know that they have a very good league and one of the best in Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your preparing for a Champions League qualifying game in Germany against the  MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg who are a very talented team with many strong American players. What kind of game can we await and what will be key to winning the game?

 

 

We have been working very hard preparing for them and their press. We have been working on different defensive schemes so we will be prepared for them. I am really looking forward to this game as we are ready.

 

 

Your playing your first season with  Basic-Fit Brussels (Belgium-Euromillions League). You have been a flat out scorer since your junior season at Auburn. What is your role this season as your playing with two other talented Americans and some other imports?

 

 

I don´t only want to be seen as a scorer, but also as a good defender, being able to create for my teammates and be a complete player. My goal this season is to become a complete player and that is what coach is expecting me to do.

 

 

You are an explosive scorer that put up points at ease. To what NBA player would you describe your game and what other strengths do you possess that show you aren´t a one dimensional player?

 

 

I really like the game of CJ Mccollum. I would compare myself to him, but more so in terms of our body type and that we are the same height. He is a player that can attack, shoot off the dribble and also create for others which is how I like to describe my game.

 

 

 

You’re a guy that can fill up the stat sheet, but what is a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t get noticed right away on the court?

 

 

My defense doesn´t get noticed. Coach was shocked how I play defense. He knew I could score, but wasn´t awaiting the kind of defense I play. I really have worked on my quickness and I want to show that I can be a two way player.

 

 

 

Last season you played with Mens Sana 1871 Siena (Italy-Serie A2) playing 30 games averaging 19.3ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.6apg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 83.9%. You scored in double figures in 27 of 30 games and scored 20 points or more 15 times. How do you feel did your game grow in your second professional season?

 

I really learned a lot last year. The coach had a lot to do with my progression in that he helped me elevate my game on offense and defense. I knew that I had to get better on defense and he really challenged me. Key was that he helped me become a more attentive and focused player on defense something I am carrying into this season.

 

 

 

Last season you netted 36 points against Latina Basket, but also 33 points in an exciting 106-103 win against Virtus Roma. Which game was most memorable to you?

 

 

I think the last game against Roma was the most memorable. We had been a team expected to make the playoffs, but didn´t that season. We had lost many games at the end, but came back and beat a very good team at the end in front of our home court fans which was very special for me and something that I will always remember.

 

As a rookie you played for Akhisar Belediye (Turkey-TBL) playing 32 games averaging 16.6ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 78.6%. You stated one of your wake up calls as a rookie was being the only black man there and everyone staring at you. What other major adjustments did you have as a rookie?

 

 

The biggest one was that people there weren´t used to seeing a black man. The people saw me and figured I was an athlete because I was so much taller than everyone else. The culture was a lot different and it wasn´t as Americanized. My rookie season in Turkey was a great and humbling experience. I didn´t take this experience for granted, but appreciate the opportunity I got. I realized that I had to work hard to get to where I wanted to get to in my career.

 

 

What kind of experience was it for you having DJ Newbill as a teammate the last few months after he had suffered growing pains with his first professional team Asvel. How did you benefit from his presence and he from yours?

 

Having each other around was good for the both of us. He came from the France Pro A and brought a different level of play to our team which helped us. We were both guards and we meshed together very well. It was never “I am the guard here”, but we really understood each other well and hung around together in our free time.

 

 

 

After Auburn you played 2015 NBA Summer League with the Philadelphia 76ers. What kind of experience was that first Summer League? Did you get any advice from the organization about how to continue to further your game best?

 

 

It was a great experience playing NBA Summer League. I played with many talented players that were already on the 76ers roster as well as against very talent players from other teams. The best advice I got was just to keep working hard. In the NBA there are enough good scorers, so you really have to work on other parts of your game to be able to add another dimension to your game in order to become a two way player.

 

 

 

In the summer of 2016 you played NBA Summer League with the New Orleans Pelicans. What kind of experience was it being teammates with Buddy Hield? When you see his game and where he is now, just how much difference is there in skill level between a guy like him and you?

 

 

With all due respect to Buddy Hield, he can really play. He struggled a bit in the first few games, but then found his rhythm. He was taking most of the shots and that is what everyone expected. You can´t compare two players that are on different paths. The NBA is a business and reaching it has to do with knowing the right people and being connected. It is hard to compare two players that are on different paths. I never compare myself to someone else. I am on a different path to better myself.

 

 

What did you learn about how the NBA works in your two summers of NBA Summer League play? Is reaching the NBA not always about being the best skilled player, but really having the right connections?

 

I think that it is a little of both. You obviously have to know the right people and be connected, but also have skill and have some natural gift from God. Guys in the NBA are there for a reason. It is the same with guys unsigned overseas. There are many great players unsigned wanting to paly somewhere here, but just aren´t connected.

 

You played at Auburn for head coach Bruce Pearl. How did he groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

 

I was lucky to play for three good coaches with coach Bennett at Virginia and coach Barbee and Pearl at Auburn. Pearl was a great coach with a great mind and was one of the best coaches that I ever played for. He taught me to always play with passion. There are always some nights where you don´t want to play, but he taught always play with passion. To this day I always play with 110 % effort.

 

 

 

You beat LSU scoring 29 points to reach the in the SEC semi-finals. Was this one of your most unforgettable NCAA games?

 

 

That was one of my most memorable games. I hit a three to get to OT and then we won. That was the first time that Auburn ever won three games in a SEC tournament. This was a big moment for Auburn and something that I will always take with me and remember.

 

What stories do you remember hearing about Quantez Robertson who played at Auburn from 2005-2009 and is playing his 9^th professional season in Germany with the Fraport Skyliners?

 

 

I did remember hearing stories about Quantez Robertson from my ex teammate at Auburn Franke Sullivan. I never saw him play, but heard that he could really play.

 

You played your junior season at Auburn with then senior Chris Denson. Were you surprised that he was out of professional basketball after his rookie season in Holland?

 

 

Yes a little bit. He is doing good now and happy with life. He was always a guy that knew what he wanted to do. He was a very talented player that was very gifted. He wanted to do something else in life. He will be fine.

 

 

Who won a one on one in practice you or Chris Denson?

 

Oh I won the one on one games. I never crushed him, but we had some battles.

 

 

 

Who was the toughest player that you battled in the NCAA that is in the NBA now?

 

 

The toughest player I battled in the NCAA was Iman Shumpert of Georgia Tech. I played against him as a freshman. He was very athletic, physical and quick. I wasn´t that strong or mobile yet. He was an all-around player.

 

 

 

If you had to construct your own NBA Rushmore which 4 heads would you chose?

 

 

Kobe, Iverson, Jordan, Shaq

 

 

 

Lebron James failed to win his fourth NBA title and is still three away from Michael Jordan. Where does Lebron stand right now in your opinion in the never ending debate of who is the best of all-time?

 

 

I´m biased. I´m a huge Jordan fan. My dad had Jordan tapes and I watched them as a kid. Later I fell in love with Kobe´s game, because he copied Jordan´s game. Lebron is a great player, but is behind Jordan.

 

 

 

There has been criticism of Russell Westbrook to be focusing more on rebounding to help inflate his stats and possibilities of getting triple doubles instead of focusing on his defensive assignments. Do you feel that this is a fair assessment to the player Russell Westbrook?

 

No, I don´t think so. He was an MVP for a reason. The intensity that he gives in every game is unmatched. Nobody can match it. He gives 110% each game and plays hard each possession and takes no play off.

 

How do you summarize the 2017 NBA Draft. What sleepers do you see playing a role in the NBA?

 

Dennis Smith Jr isn´t a sleeper but a guy who I think will win rookie of the year. He will be a main threat on the Dallas Mavericks.

 

Where will the journey of the Houston Rockets go this season with Chris Paul and James Harden in the back court. Do they have enough to make a serious run at the title or is something missing?

 

 

I think that the Rockets will be good, but with the west being so stacked a 3^rd or 4^th place finish.

 

 

 

How do you rate the Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas trade? Who got the better deal and which team will profit better in the long run?

 

I think that the trade was good for both sides. I would take Kyrie over Thomas, but in the long run the Cavs got  a lot better considering who they already had, got through free agency and the players from the Celtics. They have enough depth now to be a threat to the Warriors.

 

 

 

Where will the journey of the Oklahoma Thunder end this season with Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony?

 

 

The Thunder have a chance, but the Warriors still have more depth and just shoot the ball too good.

 

 

 

 

What was the last movie that you saw?

 

Shooter TV series.

 

Thanks KT for the chat.