Martell Collins (Basketball Club Rendsburg) I Learn A Lot From My German Teammates and There´s A Good Respect Level On Both Sides

Martell Collins is a 196cm swing man from Milwaukee playing his rookie season in Germany with Basketball Club Rendsburg (Germany-Regionalliga). He started his basketball career with  Highland CC (KS) (JUCO) in 2012 where he played two seasons. He then moved to SW Oklahoma St. (NCAA2) playing 17 games averaging 15.6ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 41.6%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 73.3%. As a senior with SW Oklahoma St. (NCAA2) he played 27 games: 18.5ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 39.8%, 3PT: 32.7%, FT: 70.1%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Martell thanks for talking to German Hoops Welcome to Germany. Milwaukee is huge and Rendsburg is small, but does the fact that your new new German home has some water remind you a bit of home?

My pleasure thanks for the interview is a nice place it reminds me a little bit of Weatherford Oklahoma where I just finished college.

You could of landed in a lot of more ordinary small places in Germany than Rendsburg, but you are living in a beautiful place. What have you learned to appreciate most about your new home?

I’ve always been one who appreciate everything & the little things day to day are what I value the most like trying new foods , meeting, new people I’m thankful everyday for this opportunity.

(more…)

Eugene Harris (Hebeisen White Wings) We Need To Learn How To Take Care Of Business Regardless The Circumstances

Eugene Harris is a 29 year old 193cm point guard from Pittsburgh and is playing his sixth professional season and first in Germany with the Hebeisen White Wings Hanau. Last season he played for Siarka Tarnobrzeg (Poland-TBL): 13 games: 6.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.2apg, 2FGP: 32.6%, 3FGP: 25.4%, left in Jan.’16, later that month moved to KTE-Duna Aszfalt (Hungary-A Division): 11 games: 6.4ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 28.3%, FT: 75.0%. He started his basketball career in 2006 with  High Point (NCAA) where he played until 2010 playing a total of 121 NCAA games. As a senior he played 30 games averaging 14.0ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 38.7%, 3PT: 34.1%, FT: 87.5%.In his first five professional seasons, he has gained vast experience having played in countries like Lithuania, Georgia, Cyprus, Macedonia, and Ukraine. He spoke to German Hoops after the big 68-63 victory against the Kirchheim Knights.

 

 

Eugene thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on the huge 68-63 win against top Pro A team Kirchheim Knights. What makes a grind out win like this more difficult to accomplish than a shoot out win?

Thank you miles I appreciate you, it’s always a great feeling to win no matter the circumstances but this game was definitely more defensive oriented where it was tough to get an offensive flow on both sides

The fourth quarter started with a huge run by the Hebeisen White Wings Hanau as Kruize Pinkins scored in bunches, but Kirchheim fought back. The game was technically over at the two minute mark as German Josef Eichler hit a three and there was no more scoring after that. How strange of a fourth quarter ending was this for you?

It was one of those grind out games coach kept stressing to continue to put pressure on them defensively and it will open up in the 4th in which it did.

(more…)

AJ English Lets His Presence Be Felt Helping The Fraport Skyliners Overcome The Heilios Suns 72-62 In Champions League Play

It was once again time for a new basketball Champions League encounter between the Fraport Skyliners and Slovenian club Helios Domzale as in the first game the German squad escaped a tough Slovenian side sneaking back to Germany with a 61-56 grind out victory as American point guard Kwame Vaughn led the charge with 27 points and came up big in crunch-time. In the return game, it pitted a Frankfurt team that has been more than disappointing in the BBL and clinging for their lives in the international competition while Helios Domzale need a miracle to advance in this competition and need to go on a big winning streak now. The game was the tale of two guards as it had two guys coming into the contest with something prove with two Americans AJ English and Brandyn Curry. English is a 24 year old 192 cm shooting guard that is a rookie and started the season with  Enel Basket Brindisi (Italy-Serie A) playing 8 games and averaging  7.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 38.7%, 3FGP: 25.0%, FT: 75.0%. His first station in Europe didn´t work out the way he planned and he hopes to bring his killer scoring instinct and scoring in bunches ways to his new home with Frankfurt which he displayed in college at Iona in New York and played two seasons with ex Skyliner Sean Armand. Armand had the better three point accuracy than English, but the new Skyliner scored more than Armand did. If one once called Sean “you want buckets here you go Armand then you could name English AJ “you want more buckets here you go” English. The other guard that wanted to finally get that annoying Skyliner monkey off his back was Brandyn Curry who had an 0-5 record against the Fraport Skyliners with two loses with Dutch club Den Bosch, two loses with German club Eisbaeren Bremerhaven and one with Helios Domzale. He was 0-2 in the Fraport arena and still has uneasy memories of the loss in Frankfurt nearly two years ago in an Eurochallenge game where he stroked home 27 points on seven three´s, but had a long bus ride home to Den Bosch chewing on a loss. Both guys entered the game with chips on their shoulders and after 40 minutes, ex Iona standout AJ English came out as the winner as he helped the Fraport Skyliners to a 72-62 victory producing 12 points while Brandyn Curry hit some big shots in the fourth, but once again left the building as the loser for the third time and is 0-6 in his career against the Fraport Skyliners.

“This arena isn´t a good place for me. I still haven´t figured out how to win here. However It is always great to play here and I hope that I can get a dub the next time. We lost the game in the third quarter. Frankfurt got going and we didn´t. Usually it´s the fourth quarter that does us in, but tonight it was the third quarter. We need to learn to play a complete game”, warned ex Harvard(NCAA) guard Brandyn Curry. After the game, AJ English had a hard task of reaching out to every journalist, but he took it in stride and is excited about playing in Frankfurt. “I didn´t feel pressure tonight. Italy was a good opportunity, but Frankfurt is a better one. I just try to play good defense and knock down shots and be ready every night. Sean Armand told me to be myself and let the game come to me. It is a long season and there are always ups and downs. That´s the beauty of basketball”, warned Fraport Skyliner guard AJ English. With the win, the Fraport Skyliners climbed into fifth place and have a playoff place for now, but with 4 games remaining, nothing is secure yet. “This was a much needed win. We controlled our own destiny. We missed easy shots in the first half. We came out strong in the third, but lost a little intensity in the fourth quarter, but our defense kept us in the game and gained intensity and got us the win”, added Fraport Skyliner point guard Kwame Vaughn.

(more…)

Brandyn Curry (Helios Suns Domzale) I Was Really Disappointed In Myself In The Frankfurt Loss And Will Look To Bounce Back

Brandyn Curry is a 25 year old 187cm point guard from Huntersville, North Carolina that is playing his third professional season and first with Helios Suns Domzale (Slovenia-Liga NovaKBM). Last season he played with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (Germany-BBL): 27 games: 3.9ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.0apg. As a rookie he  played for the SPM Shoeters Den Bosch (Holland-Eredivisie). He played 33 games averaging 14.9ppg, 4.1rpg, Assists-2(5.0apg), 2.0spg, FGP: 58.9%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 83.7%; EuroChallenge: 12 games: 16.2ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.9apg, Steals-5(1.8spg), FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 40.6%, FT: 72.7% He played four years at Harvard(NCAA) playing a total of 113 NCAA games and as a senior played 23 games averaging 9.3ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.8apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 58.5%. He spoke to German Hoops before the Champions League game against the Fraport Skyliners.

Thanks Brandyn for talking to German Hoops. It Christmas time and how is the holiday season different in Slovenia than the way it was in Germany and Holland the last two years?

Not a problem always enjoy it. Well this will be the first year that I’m not going to be going home for Christmas or new years so that is about the only difference.

Helios Suns Domzale recently lost in Greece to Aris. Their arena is supposed to be one of the toughest to play in. What kind of experience was it playing there and how difficult was it to hear your teammates on the court?

Well unfortunately I didnt get to play in that game due to an injury but just being in that atmosphere was a great experience.

(more…)

Cory Remekun (Helios Suns Domzale) Quantez Robertson Is Usually Always In The Right Spot Defensively

Cory Remekun is a 25 year old 203cm forward from Mesquite, Texas playing his fourth professional season and first with Helios Suns Domzale (Slovenia-Liga NovaKBM). Last season he played with  Rogaska Crystal (Slovenia-Telemach League, starting five): 26 games: 11.6ppg, Reb-5(7.8rpg), Blocks-1(1.3bpg), FGP: 65.0%, FT: 64.6%. He started his basketball career in 2009 with St.Louis (NCAA) playing  a total of 133 NCAA games and as a senior played  33 games averaging 4.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.1bpg. He started his professional basketball career in 2013 with the Dragons Rhoendorf (Germany-ProB) playing 25 games averaging 13.4ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.4apg, 1.0spg, Blocks-1(2.6bpg), FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 74.2%. In the 2014-2015 season he played for AE Nea Kifisia Dimoulas Athens (Greece-A1): 10 games: 2.0ppg, 1.3rpg: 9 games: 2.2ppg, 1.4rpg, in Feb.’15 agreed terms with HKK Siroki Primorka (Bosnia-Division I): 21 games: 7.5ppg, Reb-1(8.2rpg), 1.0apg, Blocks-1(2.0bpg), FGP: 56.6%, FT: 49.2%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Thanks Cory for talking to German Hoops. It Christmas time and how is the holiday season different in Slovenia the last two years in comparison to the way it was in Germany, Greece and Bosnia where you played many years ago.

No problem, it’s real nice in the capital around this time of the year. I like the atmosphere, it’s pretty similar to some of the cities in Germany during Christmas time.

Welcome back to Germany. As a rookie you played for the Dragons Rhoendorf (Germany-ProB) playing 25 games averaging 13.4ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.4apg, 1.0spg, Blocks-1(2.6bpg), FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 74.2%. When you think of that experience, what is the first thing comes to mind when hearing the phrase Dragons Rhondorf?

Great organization and fans. They really look after you there. I really appreciated my teammates and coaches helping me adjust to Europe.

(more…)

Aaron Nelson Gets Revenge Powering The Dragons Rhondorf Past FC Bayern Munich II 87-63

That Aaron Nelson of the Dragons Rhondorf is the Big Dawg of the German Pro B and can clean up on the boards the way a Russell Westbrook has been hauling down rebounds and collecting dimes this season as if he wanted to give Lebron James a good run for the best in the NBA is no secret, but the Illinois native Nelson isn´t double double perfect this season, a part of his game that belongs to his bread and butter. In the last years not just registering double double´s in games has been a constant, but also averaging that stat for a whole season has been a regular occurrence as he demonstrated at South Indiana(NCAA2) and as a rookie in Chile and so far this season he is averaging 23 points a game and 13 boards. He has said in the past that he is only content with a team win and double double, so when he is stopped from getting that double double, he surely does notice as much as a hawk does his next prey. This season, he has been denied a double double only three times and what is even harder to believe is that the second worst rebounding team in the league FC Bayern Munich held him to only 5 rebounds earlier this season in a 77-66 victory as the Dragons Rhondorf were outrebounded 37 to 26 and hauled down 10 offensive rebounds. Just how long Aaron Nelson had to digest this loss and disappointing team showing on the boards is unknown, but one thing is for sure Nelson didn´t forget that game and wanted to have revenge on the first loss to FC Bayern Munich and finally stop this annoying 5 game losing streak and finally win at home again as the team´s three game home losing streak was getting on every one´s nerves in Dragons country. The 12th of the Pro B south Dragons Rhondorf who were sporting a poor 4-8 record met the sixth of the standings FC Bayern Munich who had a 7-5 record and fans saw a tight hard fought affair with both teams at even eye level, but in the second half, the Dragons Rhondorf had a monstrous 31-11 run that FC Bayern Munich 2 couldn´t rebound from as the Bayern team got hammered 87-63 getting a rude Christmas present. After the huge victory, a very ecstatic Aaron Nelson had witnessed another normal day at the office and made amends for the first loss in Munich. “I remember every game and didn´t forget our loss in Munich. That was a tough loss and we had been without Viktor Frankl-Maus. I went into this game like every other game wanting to leave everything on the court, play good defense and attack them on offense and even wipe the floor if needed. I knew it would be  a tough game at the start as my three wasn´t falling, but I knew it would be ok after my inside game was working and my teammates always found me”, stressed Illinois native Aaron Nelson. After the game, one may have thought that a torn and tattered FC Bayern Munich team that has an average age of 18,5 years fled quickly to their bus and get away as fast as possible, but instead were slowly slouching out of the dressing room one by one with their heads down and hidden under their hoodies as they must have received the most penetrating and hard post-game speech of their lives from head coach Oliver Kostic. 19 year big German talent Karim Jallow wasn´t in great spirits, but tried to explain the downfall of his team as best as possible. “I thought we defended well and played with a lot of energy in the first half. But in the second half, we let them get some quick easy baskets and couldn´t get anymore stops. We only had 10 players and got into foul trouble. We didn´t play as aggressively on defense anymore and our offense was too wild”, added FC Bayern Munich forward Karim Jallow.

(more…)

Vincent Sanford (TG s.Oliver Wurzburg) Georgetown Taught Me To Be Patient With The Process And Appreciate The Learning Experience

The Christmas holiday season is one where families strive to be together, but that isn´t always the case around the world as probably hit the hardest are the many American soldiers who are stationed around the world serving and protecting their country and trying to be soothed somehow by a Sykpe session even if it isn´t the same thing as seeing that bright smile of their small child wo isn´t only asking mommy where Santa is, but where is daddy? Having that Skype experience is still better than being totally shut out from having any contact with the family. However it isn´t just the military that have to suffer during the holiday season, but also many other different cultures around the globe where jobs interfere with any kind of family bonding and one of those is being that professional basketball player who is making a living somewhere around the globe. At least the NBA heavy weights like a Lebron James or Steph Curry can have their families around them on Christmas day even if they are playing that famous Christmas day game while many others who are playing in lower leagues in Europe opt to remain there and cope as best they can with the holiday time without their loved ones. Vincent Sanford is one of those players who currently is in Germany playing for third division team TG s.Oliver Wuerzburg (Germany-ProB) and is seeing the Christmas time from a different perspective in Germany. The Lexington native who might have a better chance seeing legendary head coach Rick Pitino in his home town around Christmas than Wurzburg native Dirk Nowitzki who has been in Dallas or another city in the States since arriving in the NBA in 1998 has learned to forget some of that pre-Christmas time from home like seeing the charm of the Lexington parade or watching the little one´s eyes light up when they can witness the horses of light race by checking out what Wurzburg has to offer before Christmas. Just checking out Germany´s famous Christmas market which is present in just about every big city is a must for any American and Sanford´s mood has been on a good level as Christmas time in Germany is a totally new, but enjoyable experience for him. “Wurzburg is a great city with nice people. But just seeing the Christmas ornaments down in the city the lights and all makes me realize how close it is”, added Vincent Sanford. But one thing is for sure, the American will never forget where he came from and even now as a grown up at the tender age of 26 remembers the tradition of Christmas when he was still a kid wondering what Santa had left him in his stocking. “Every year opening the gifts and then watching the movie A Christmas Story, is something that became annual in my household”, said Vincent Sanford.

(more…)

Diante Watkins (Nurnberg Falcons BC) I Really Like The Assist And Was making The Right Plays

Diante Watkins is a 26 year old 174cm point guard that is playing his fourth professional season and first with the Nurnberg Falcons BC. Last season an injury in pre season derailed his path playing for the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. He started his basketball career in 2009 with Daley CC (JUCO): 28 games: 26.5ppg, 5.8apg, 2.7rpg, 2.0spg, FGP: 44%, 3Pts: 38%, FT: 86%. He then played two seasons with Robert Morris (NAIA) and as a senior played 27 games: 24.4ppg, 7.4apg, 3.0rpg, 2.1spg, FGP: 47.0%, 3Pts: 38.9%, FT: 82.7%. In 2013-2014 he started his professional basketball career with SC Rist Wedel where he played 30 games averaging  16.2ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 86.9%. He improved his play in 2014-2015 with SC Rist Wedel playing 32 games: Score-2(21.3ppg), 3.8rpg, Assists-1(6.8apg), Steals-2(3.2spg), FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 87.4%. He cleaned up the Eurobasket awards winning Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Honorable Mention -14, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Player of the Year -15, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Guard of the Year -15, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B Import Player of the Year -15, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro B 1st Team -15, and Eurobasket.com German 2.Bundesliga Pro B All-Imports Team -15. He currently is tearing up the Pro A averaging 21,0ppg, 2,3rpg and 5,8apg and spoke to German Hoops after the huge 90-83 win against Ehingen.

 

 

Diante thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on the big 90-83 win in Ehingen. How soothing was finally putting points on the board again after averaging only 50 points the last two games?

 

It was great for us, our confidence was down as a team on the offensive end.

(more…)

Dan Oppland(Nurnberg Falcons BC) We Need To Build Off The Momentum From Ehingen With The Right Attitude And Focus

Dan Oppland is a 32 year old 203cm forward that is playing his third season in Nurnberg and first with the Nuernberg Falcons BC (Germany-ProA. He started his basketball career for  Valparaiso (NCAA) in 2002 where he played until 2006. He started his professional basketball career in 2006 for  Hanzevast Capitals Groningen (Holland). He then played in countries like Poland and Sweden before coming to Bayreuth in 2008. He then played for seasons four Allianz Swans Gmunden (Austria-A Bundesliga) where he won three titles. Two seasons ago, he played for  Namika Lahti (Finland-Korisliiga) 47 games: 15.7ppg, 7.9rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 72.0%. Last season for Rent4Office he played 32 games averaging 9.8ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 56.5%, 3PT: 23.1%, FT: 72.6%. He spoke to German Hoops after the big 90-83 win against Ehingen.

 

 

 

Dan thanks for talking to German Hoops. Congrats on the big 90-83 win in Ehingen. How soothing was finally putting points on the board again after averaging only 50 points the last two games?

 

It was definitely a great feeling to get that win against Ehingen, especially after the way we played the last two games, and in the first half against Ehingen. Hopefully we can build on this game.

(more…)

Kris Douse(Westfalen Mustangs) Our Goal Is Not To Lose Any Games And Ride The Wave As Long As Possible

Kris Douse is a 30 year old 198cm forward from Toronto, Canada that is playing for for the Westfalen Mustangs (Germany-2.Regionalliga) this season. He played at Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute while Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson also played at Laurinburg (N.C.) prep. He started his college career at  Nebraska (NCAA) and then played two seasons at Delaware State. As a senior he played at Point Park (NAIA) playing  27 games: 20.1ppg, 12.6rpg. In 2011-2012 he started his professional basketball career at Liverpool Mersey Tigers (United Kingdom-BBL, starting five): 18 games: 15.9ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 13.6%, FT: 54.6%; then agreed terms with Keflavik (Iceland-Express League): 6 games: 9.5ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 44.7%, FT: 69%.In the 2012-2013 season he played for Turi Svitavy (Czech Republic-NBL): 2 games: 0pts, left in Oct.’12, in Nov.’12 moved to BG Aschersleben Tigers (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 17 games: 14.1ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 50.6%, 3Pts: 10.0%, FT: 50.4%. In the 2013-2014 seaosn he played for EVL-Baskets Limburg (Germany-Regionalliga) playing  25 games: 26.2ppg, 11.6rpg, 2.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 58.4%, 3Pts: 32.1%, FT: 59.1%. In the 2014-2015 season he played for the Plymouth University Raiders (United Kingdom-BBL): 3 games: 5.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.0apg, 1.3bpg, in Nov.’15 moved to Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus-Division A): 6 games: 1.5ppg, 1.7rpg, in Jan.’15 signed at SG ErftBaskets Euskirchen (Germany-Regionalliga): 9 games: 21.8ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.7apg, 1.7spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 62.9%. Last season he played for  Rot-Weiss Cuxhaven (Germany-Regionalliga). He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Kris thanks for talking to German Hoops again. Where are you at the moment and how have you been enjoying your fifth season in Germany as a professional?

Hello Miles I am currently playing for Westfalen Mustangs which is located in Wiedenbruck. So far it has been a great start to the season being undefeated and excited to build on the franchise winning streak of 112 straight wins.

(more…)