Alex Herrera (Phoenix Hagen) Perfection Has Always Stuck With Me To Never Be Satisfied

Alex Herrera is a 24 year old 206cm forward from Ignacio, Colorado going into his third professional season. He started his basketball career with Fort Lewis (NCAA2) in 2010 and as a senior in 2014-2015 played 18 games averaging 23.2ppg, Reb-5(11.4rpg), 1.7apg, Blocks-4(3.2bpg), FGP: 58.2%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 66.3%. He started his professional basketball career with South West Metro Pirates (Australia-QBL) playing 16 games averaging 21.8ppg, Reb-5(13.7rpg), 2.1bpg, FGP: 58.4%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 73.7%. In the 2015-2016 season he played with KTP Basket Kotka (Finland-Korisliiga) playing 28 games averaging 10.1ppg, Reb-3(8.9rpg), Blocks-3(1.5bpg), FGP: 52.6%, FT: 68.1%; FIBA Europe Cup: 6 games: 8.7ppg, 6.7rpg, FGP: 50.0%, FT: 76.9%. Last season he played with Tau Castello (Spain-LEB Gold) playing 34 games: averaging 6.1ppg, 3.9rpg, FGP: 47.6%, FT: 58.8%. He spoke to German Hoops earlier in the summer about Basketball.

Alex thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been going?

I am currently in Ignacio Colorado, and my summer has been going great so far be able to spend some quality time with the family.

You come from Ignacio, Colorado which is a Spanish name, have a Spanish like name with Herrera and are known as chief. How much Spanish is in you or do you even have some native American in you?

Ignacio, is a Spanish name but the town it’s self is in a Native American reservation, which is how I got the nickname chief, however I am half Hispanic but not Native American.

Congrats on signing with German Pro A team Phoenix Hagen. How excited are you to be playing your third professional season in Germany? What do you know in general about the country Germany and it´s basketball? Your ex teammate Deandre Lansdowne from FT Lewis is playing in Germany.

I’m extremely excited to be playing in Germany for Phoenix Hagen. I have heard nothing but good things about the basketball in Germany, from people like Deandre who played Pro A last year, and also from Brandon Jefferson who played in Hagen a couple years ago has told me that Hagen has great fans. So I can’t wait to get started!

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Keith Ramsey (RheinStars) Going To Sweden After My Rookie Season In Spain Changed My Life

Keith Ramsey is a 29 year old 207cm power forward that hails from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and is entering his eighth professional season and third in Germany and first with the Rhein Stars Koeln (Germany-ProA). He didn´t play last season as he was recovering from an injury and last played for Cytavision Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus-Division A) in 2015-2016 and played 28 games averaging 9.5ppg, Reb-5(7.8rpg), 2.4apg, 1.7spg, FGP-3(58.4%), 3PT: 8.3%, FT: 57.6%. He started his basketball career with Missouri (NCAA) and as a senior palyed 34 games averaging 6.4ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.4apg, 1.6spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 57.2%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 64.5%. He started his professional basketball career in 2010-201 with CB Promobys Hoteles Tijola (Spain-LEB Silver) playin 10 games averaging 10.0ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.0apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 59.2%, FT: 69.6%. In the 2011-201 season he joined LF Basket (Sweden-Basketligan) playing 44 games averaging 13.5ppg, Reb-5(9.2rpg), 1.8apg, 1.9spg, Blocks-3(1.5bpg), FGP-3(63.0%), 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 74.4%. In the 2012-2013 season he moved to Ironi Kfar Hamaccabia Ramat Gan (Israel-National League) playing 31 games averaging 12.7ppg, Reb-4(10.6rpg), 2.0apg, Steals-5(2.5spg), 1.3bpg, FGP-1(66.4%), 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 57.1%. In 2013-2014 he joined Phoenix Hagen (Germany-BBL) playing 33 games averaging 7.0ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.0apg, 1.6spg, Blocks-5(1.3bpg), FGP: 61.4%, 3PT: 15.8%, FT: 40.5%. In the 2014-2015 season he remained with Phoenix Hagen (Germany-BBL) playing 32 games averaging 10.6ppg, 6.2rpg, 2.2apg, 1.3spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 67.5%, 3PT: 22.6%, FT: 48.5%. He spoke to German Hoops earlier in the summer about Basketball.

Keith thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been going?

Summer is good. Been in my hometown in Tennessee.

Your not even 30 years old yet, but have gotten around having played in countries like Cyprus, Spain, Sweden, Israel and Germany. Do you sometimes feel like a basketball globetrotter and what is most appealing about experiencing new cultures so often?

It’s been cool to play in all those countries. Cultures and myself learning about different things about life other than the life I grow up in is the best for me.

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The Bohannon Heidelberg Connection Sparks The Iowa Hawkeyes Past The Basketball Aid Allstars 99-65

One doesn´t always have to be in caught up in the playoffs of the NBA, Euroleague, or Endessa where one can witness great basketball in places like the Oracle arena in Oakland or the Wizink arena in Madrid or other leagues in Europe to be in the basketball zone in mind and be more than ecstatic about getting the full hot order on basketball, but one can also be trapped by desire in smaller venues in the dog days of summer in August like the OSP-Rhein-Necker gym in Heidelberg that seats 2000 people. On one side of the less modern arena where the benches are is a wall and seats no people. Any basketball spectator that has been used to the huge state of the art arena´s and were brought into the OSP Rhein-Necker gym blindfolded and turned towards the wall could of suffered a minor heart attack not knowing in what basketball calamity they had stumbled into. On August 8^th, the OSP-Rhein-Necker arena in Heidelberg was the focus of a very special basketball evening that showcased great basketball talent all for a good cause as the well known University of Iowa that was an NCAA finalist in 1956 and NIT finalist 2013 were at the start of a European tour that would also take them to Italy and Switzerland and were playing against a put together basketball team for one night called the Basketball Aid Allstars. The game was for a good cause as once again Basketball Aid which had organized a successful tour last summer had put together this special event with all procedes going to help the fight for children stricken with cancer.

Iowa has a young team and some big talent with guys like Tyler Cook, Isaiah Moss, Jordan Bohannon and Nicholas Baer not too mention senior Dominique Uhi who was making his homecoming as he hails from Frankfurt only 98 kilometers from the trendy tourist attraction city Heidelberg where he was in the Fraport Skyliners organization for a few years before making the jump to the States in 2012. The Basketball Aid Allstars were led by coach German basketball legend Pascal Roller and had some very talented young players like Fraport Skyliners Richard Freudenberg and Garai Zeeb or Lukas Wank from Wurzburg, but also the very experienced Alexsandar Nadjfeji who at age 40 still plays like he is 30 and won titles in Germany with Cologne and Berlin.

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Dominique Uhl (Iowa NCAA) Returns Home To Germany To Play against The Basketball Aid Allstars

Dominique Uhl is a 22 year old 206cm forward from Frankfurt, Germany that will be going into his senior year at the University of Iowa this fall. He started his basketball career with Eintracht Frankfurt and also played two seasons with the Fraport Skyliners Juniors from 2011-2012 playing 4 pro B games. He then decided to go to the states in 2012 and played two years at Point Pleasant Beach High School (New Jersey). He moved to the University of iowa in 2014 an din his three seasons there has played a total of 96 games. In his freshman year he played 32 games averaging 2.1ppg, 1.9rp. In his second year at Iowa (NCAA) he played 32 games averaging 5.9ppg, 3.5rpg, FGP: 39.8%, 3PT: 43.9%, FT: 59.3%. In his junior year at Iowa (NCAA), he played 32 games averaging 3.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.2apg. He currently is on a European tour with Iowa playing in Germany, Switzerland and Italy. He spoke to German Hoops before a special exhibition game in Germany in support of Basketball Aid.

Dominique thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been going along?

No problem, anytime. I’m at school right now and my summer has been good so far, I’ve been working on my game a lot as well as my body. I’m just focusing on getting back to the basics and strengthening my my fundamentals.

Recently your ex teammate Tim Oldenburg retired so he could focus on his police job. You practiced with him many years ago when you were in the Frankfurt organization and played one Pro B game against Giessen. Did you notice already then that he could become the back bone and leader for so many years for the Fraport Skyliners.

Tim has always been a great guy. Even back then it was noticeable that he had the skills that are necessary to be a leader, so I am not surprised at all. I’m sure he will be able to thrive in his new career and I wish him all the best.

You have been in the States now for five years and will be playing your final year at Iowa in 2017-2018. How Americanized have you become in these 5 years and what good German quality do you still hope to possess?

I have become very Americanized by now, on and of the court. People even forget that I am from Germany sometimes. However, I think I still have some german qualities in me such as being well organized and disciplined.

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After 40 Minutes There Will Only Be Winners As Iowa(NCAA) And The Basketball Aid Allstars Play For Cancer Stricken Kids

It isn´t like Jordan Bohannon isn´t engulfed by special basketball vibes each weekend when he enters into huge basketball buildings in the States when he is on NCAA duty battling the likes of Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State or Seton Hall, but even during the dog days of summer and approximately 4,532 miles away from Iowa, the American will be presented with some NBA and brotherly vibes even if he doesn´t know it. When the American who hails from Marion, Iowa and could have called the University of Wisconsin a second home when he was younger sets foot in the tiny size OSP Rhein-Necker arena in Heidelberg, Germany that seats 2,000 on Tuesday it may seem like just any other ordinary gym with one side showcasing stands and the other side where the team´s benches are only a wall behind it, but in reality it will be more than that. The 20 year old 183cm point guard will be at the first stop of a summer basketball tour that will also take him and the Iowa Hawkeyes to the mountains and chocolate of Switzerland and to the pasta and wine of Italy. The first stop in Germany is a very special one as Iowa is taking part in a special event for the Basketball Aid organization that has been fighting against cancer that effects children since 2007 by giving awareness and having events where the proceeds go to cancer aid. As Bohannon and his teammates clash against a special put together Basketball Aid roster of mostly German professional players, the sophomore will have that special brotherly vibe following him all around the court as his brother Jason played for the then USC Heidelberg second division team that played in the OSC gym. He also will taste that NBA flair that is in the arena as current Chicago Bull Paul Zipser learned his basketball trade in this gym when he was a youth and actually was teammates with his brother Jason in the 2010-2011 season and played two games together at the end of the season where the German played two minutes scoring two points and the American tallied a total of 14 points in the two games. Another NBA aspect to this arena is that German basketball legend Pascal Roller will be coaching the Basketball Aid team. He had a stellar career winning 2 titles in Germany with the Frankfurt Skyliners and like Zipser started his career in this gym, but even better was a long time teammate of Dirk Nowitzki in the German national team that fed the Dallas Maverick in the post more times than Tyler Cook will ever dunk at Iowa. Now more than 6 years later Zipser is in the NBA, Jason Bohannon has retired from professional basketball and Jordan Bohannon is on the verge of continuing a very solid NCAA career. Basketball Aid international tour chairman Hans Beth was able to get a Maik Zirbes German national team jersey that was autographed by every member of the team and will be auctioned off at halftime.

On Tuesday August 8^th, the University of Iowa will meet the Basketball Aid allstars and the American team led by head coach Fran Mccaffery at Iowa since 2010 are coming off a season ending loss in the NIT Sweet 16 to TCU 94-92 and embarking on the 2017-2018 season with many returning players, some interesting new freshmen and needing to compensate the loss of top scorer Peter Jok.

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Tyson Hinz Is Like A Montreal Canadian Minus Skates But Just A Tad Better

There was a time in the 70´s where the Montreal Canadians owned the hockey world establishing a special dynasty similar to what the Chicago Bulls mastered in the 90´s winning six NBA championships, but outlasting the Jordan´s and Pippen´s with their brilliance of hockey talent and sheer eloquence on the ice with the names of Lafleur, Gainey, Robinson and Dryden producing 8 titles and made these Gentlemen household names in Canada. Even if Ice Hockey isn´t the most played sport in Canada, it just seems like the countries most popular sport with the success of teams like the Montreal Canadians having a total of 24 Stanley Cups and the success rate of the Canadian national team that has won 26 Gold medals at World Championships and their biggest win of 47-0 against Denmark would be like the Cavs and Lebron James pouring in 350 points against the hapless Brooklyn Nets. Even if basketball has made strides in the last 7-8 years in Canada as it has sent more and more guys to the NBA with Andrew Wiggins, Tristan Thompson, Tyler Ennis, Andrew Nicholson or Jamaal Murray just to name a few, it is out of fashion for the country to develop rare talent like a Rick Fox or a Steve Nash back in the day as nowadays it seems like a few new players reach the NBA each year. Currently it fields 354,000 kids playing the sport in the 3-17 age group, Ice Hockey is still king in comparison to basketball as 543,390 people lace up the skates which is 1,64% of the Canadian population. Canadian national basketball player Tyson Hinz could easily stroll down Rideau street in downtown Ottawa undetected where he hails from while Ottawa Senator Daniel Alfredsson might have a hard time dodging some autograph collectors and gawkers in cafés and even a more older Guy Lafleur would be recognized more than a HInz, but the basketball player is like a Montreal Canadian without skates, but just a tad better. Whereas the Montreal Caandians won 8 Stanley Cup titles in the 70´s, Hinz has accomplished his on impressive feat at only the age of 25 as he has also won 8 titles at Carleton(CIS), plus a Silver medal at the World University Games in Shenzhen (China) in 2011 in only 8 years and with his special lady luck and knack pf knowing how to mesh well with new teammates and teams and win titles, there will surely be new hardware added to his collection soon. He would have had even more had he been able to win in his first two professional seasons in Holland where he reached the semi´s and final, but he finally won his first professional title recently winning the German Pro A with 2004 Fiba Europe Cup winner Mitteldeutscher BC.

Hinz is a 201cm forward that learned his basketball trade at the well known Carleton University in Ottawa and in a span of five years won 7 titles including four CIS titles which is the equivalent of the NCAA title in Canada and three OUA championships.

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Manu Lecomte (Belgium National Team) I Want To Be Great So I Am Going To Have To Take My Game To Another Level

Manu Lecomte is a 22 year old 180cm point guard from Grimbergen Belgium that is heading into his senior year at Baylor(NCAA) and currently is playing with the Belgium national team preparing for the 2017 Eurobasket tournament. He started his basketball career in Belgium with BBC Kangoeroes-Boom (D2) and then played with Belfius Mons-Hainaut (Ethias League). In 2013 he moved to the States and played with Miami(NCAA) for two seasons playing 71 games. He then transferred to Baylor and made his break through last season leading the team to the NCAA Sweet 16 playing 33 games averaging 12.2ppg, 1.8rpg, 3.8apg, FGP: 45.0%, 3PT: 40.8%, FT: 83.0%. He spoke to German Hoops before an exhibition game against Germany in Erfurt.

Manu thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

I am currently in Germany for the preparation with the National team. Its been a pretty good summer so far as I was first preparing the season already with my team at Baylor and now I am in Belgium trying to make the team.

As I was preparing this interview I was shocked to read that Belgium lost two exhibition games to Iceland back to back. No offense towards Iceland, but apparently they have made strides in their basketball program in the last years. How did you experience them twice and could they advance in their group where they will most likely battle Poland and Slovenia for the last spot?

We went to Iceland last week with a very young group of age. Before that we hadn’t practiced one time with each other and the vets weren’t with us. The main goal for us was really just trying to get better. The coach knew we were going to struggle since we didn’t really know each other and Iceland is also a pretty good team with a lot of very good shooters. I feel like at this point it´s not only the team with the best players that is going to win but the team that is going to play the best that day so yes I feel like they have a chance to battle with those other countries

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James Milliken (Lok Bernau) I Always Had A Chip On My Shoulder Playing against Kris Dunn

James Milliken is a 24 year old 188cm guard from Siler, North Carolina that will be playing his rookie season in Germany with Lok Bernau. He started his basketball career with Cowley County CC (JUCO). He then made the jump to the NCAA to Creighton and played 65 games from 2014-2016. In his junior year he played 30 games averaging 9.3ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 42.6%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 77.6%. In his senior year he played 35 game averaging 9.7ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 48.4%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 70.6%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball earlier this summer.

James thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

I am in Raleigh North Carolina at the moment and it’s been going pretty good!

Congrats on signing with SSV Lok Bernau. How relived are you finally be a professional basketball player. Were the last 16 months from your last NCAA game against BYU were you scored 10 points an eternity?

Yes it felt like the longest I’ve been away from basketball in my life so I was definitely relieved.

How difficult were the last 16 months? Last summer you were let down by an agent and had to sit out the season. Were there ever moments were you wanted to quit? What kept you positive?

No I never thought about quitting I knew it was going be a process to go out finding agents on my own so it was a learning experience and I think that having that year off it made me better and more aggressive.

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CJ Oldham (Bayer Giants Leverkusen) My Aim Is To Be An Extension Of The Coach

CJ Oldham is a 26 year old 203cm forward that was born in Berlin, but grew up in the States and also in Germany. He started his basketball career at Akron in 2010, but played only 17 NCAA games in two seasons. He then transferred to Gannon(NCAA) in 2012 playing a total of 57 games and as a senior played 30 games averaging 5.9ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 52.1%, FT: 73.2%. He started his professional basketball career in 2015 with BSG Bremerhaven (2.Regionalliga) playing 7 games averaging 14.6ppg. Lasts eason he played for the Kongsberg Miners (Norway-BLNO) playing 31 games averaging 9.9ppg, 9.5rpg, 2.3apg, 1.6spg, Blocks-5(1.0bpg), FGP: 57.5%, FT: 75.6%. He spoke to German Hoops about Basketball.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing CJ Oldham dad Calvin before a Alba Berlin game against the Fraport Skyliners in the old Max Schmeiling arena in Berlin in 2007

CJ thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how is your summer coming along?

I appreciate the opportunity to get a chance to talk with you. At the moment I am in Erie, Pa where I finished my college career. Summer has been great so far. I got a chance to spend time with my girlfriend, family, and friends after being away during my season.

Congrats on signing with the German pro B team Bayer Giants Leverkusen. You are coming from the first division in Norway from Konigsberg. After being a rookie with BSG Bremerhaven, how important was it for you to come back to Germany and play for a team?

Germany has always been like a second home to me. It’s a place where I grew up and learned a lot. To have the opportunity to come back to Germany to play is really exciting, especially Leverkusen where I spent many years.

Your dad Calvin has been affiliated with many teams in Germany like Bayreuth, Ulm, Alba Berlin or Bremerhaven. After being in the Bremerhaven organization you now are with Leverkusen where your dad once coached as well. What was the deciding factor that made you sign with this traditional team?

Leverkusen is a great club to play for and having a previous relationship with both the head and assistant coach made it an even better choice. I have known Achim Kuczmann and Hansi Gnad since I was young and I know having them as my coaches will help me improve as a basketball player.

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Ricky Hickman (Brose Bamberg) I Feel Like I Still Have A Lot To Prove

Ricky Hickman is a 31 year old 190 cm guard from Kernersville North Carolina that is going into his 11^th professional season and second in Germany and first with Brose Bamberg. He played his college basketball career at North Carolina-Greensboro from 2003-2007. In his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 14.3ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.4apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 36.5%, 3Pts: 27.8%, FT: 70.9%. In 2007-2008, he played in Romania for CS Otopeni Bucuresti playing 11 games and averaging 19.0ppg, 4.2rpg, 4.3apg, 1.8spg, 2FGP: 60.4%, 3PT: 29.8%, FT: 70.8%. In 2008-2009, he played in Germany for LTi Giessen 46ers playing 24 games and averaging 6.9ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 65.7%. In the 2009-2010 season he played for Namika Lahti (Finland-Korisliiga) playing 38 games leading the league in scoring at 23.7ppg), 5.4rpg, Assists-2(3.8apg), Steals-3(2.4spg), FGP-3(62.8%), 3PT: 39.9%, FT: 73.2. In the 2010-2011 season he moved to Fastweb Junior Casale Monferrato (Italy-Lega2) playing 41 games averaging 17.5ppg, 2.8rpg, Assists-4(4.0apg), 2.0spg, FGP: 55.5%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 84.3%. In the 2011-2012 season he moved another step up joining Scavolini Siviglia Pesaro (Italy-SerieA) playing 41 games averaging 16.0ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.9apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 58.4%, 3PT: 38.4%, FT: 81.1%. He then played at Maccabi Electra Tel-Aviv (Israel-Premier League) from 2013-3024 winning the Euroleague in his second season where he played 38 games averaging 10.7ppg, 2.8rpg, 3.0apg, FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 40.4%, FT: 82.7%; He also played 38 Euroleague games averaging 12.2ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 75.2%. He then played two seasons at Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul (Turkey-TBL) and in his second season played 10 games averaging 5.1ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 45.8%, 3PT: 21.4%, FT: 74.1%;He also played 20 Euroleague games averaging 4.6ppg, 1.3rpg, 1.3apg. Last season he played for EA7 Emporio Armani Milano (Italy-Serie A) playing 34 games averaging 10.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 40.6%, FT: 71.4%. He also played 20 Euroleague games averaging 10.1ppg, 2.6rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 41.9%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 80.2%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Thanks Ricky for talking to German Hoops and welcome back to Germany. So many great players and character guys come from North Carolina like you, Chris Oliver and Kyle Hines just to name a few. Is there really something special in the North Carolina air that has given the basketball world so many great players and basketball people?

North Carolina is just a basketball state and so many guys just eat, sleep, and play basketball all day. I believe that guys in North Carolina just have such a strong love for the game and I believe it shows if you watch them play

I remember when you played with Giessen. You played 24 games averaging 6.9ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 65.7%. You lost twice to your future team Bamberg losing by an average 19 points and you scored a total of 3 points in 32 minutes. When you look back at the last nine years, were you just a slow starter as a professional and needed more time to mature and develop as a player

When I was in Giessen I was coming into a situation with a new team in the middle of the year and I was still young trying to find myself and I definitely remember playing against Bamberg and just thinking after we got smacked that it was another level I had to get to if i wanted to be at that level. So I worked and here I am.

The next season you went to Finland to play for Namika Lahti (Finland-Korisliiga) playing 38 games: Score-1(23.7ppg), 5.4rpg, Assists-2(3.8apg), Steals-3(2.4spg), FGP-3(62.8%), 3PT: 39.9%, FT: 73.2%. This was the turning point of your career as after this you got signed by Italian teams but even there in your first season had to play in the second division and after that became a Euroleague player. What was it in your season in Finland that really shaped your game and did the mental part of the game also play a role?

In Finland it was the first time at the pro level were a coach told me play your game don’t look at me on the sidelines and I trust you! This feeling was unbelievable and I took full advantage of the trust and the freedom. Maybe too much but I loved just playing like that and it showed throughout the season

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