Orlando Parker (PS Karlsruhe) I Still Consider Myself The Underdog In Every Team I Play For

Orlando Parker is a 25 year old 203cm forward from Orlando, Florida playing his third professional season and second in Germany and first with PS Karlsruhe. He started his basketball career with Wagner (NCAA) in 2010 playing a total of 118 NCAA games. As a senior he played 26 games averaging 6.7ppg, 6.7rpg, FGP: 44.7%, FT: 62.0%. In 2014 he turned professional with UL Eagles Limerick (Ireland-Premier League) playing 17 games averaging 19.9ppg, 8.6rpg, 1.1spg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 78.5%. Last season he played with Baskets Vilsbiburg (Germany-Regionalliga) playing  26 games: 22.6ppg, 9.4rpg, 1.5apg, 1.3spg, 1.4bpg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 79.3%. He spoke to German Hoops after the 74-66 victory against Weisenhorn.

 

 

 

Orlando congrats on the 74-66 victory against Weissenhorn. How good is basketball life at the moment for you? The team has a three game winning streak and you are playing good basketball as well?

Basketball life is going very well at the moment, our team practices very hard and we put in a lot of work every day to become a better team and individuals. And that hard word is paying off now.

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Diante Watkins (Nurnberg Falcons BC) I Feel I’m Better And I Still Have A Lot Of Improving To Do And I’m Learning As I Go

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 89-74 loss against Weissenfels.

Diante thanks for talking to eurobasket.com. A tough 89-74 loss in Weissenfels against 2004 Fiba Europe Cup winner Mitteldeutscher BC. You have played in many gyms in Germany in the last years, but where did the breathtaking atmosphere of the MBC wolf den rank with all the other places you have played at?

It’s was one of the best gyms I played in. The atmosphere was great I really enjoyed playing there!

MBC had the 41-35 lead at the break. MBC has a very potent offensive team and at the break were on par of equaling their game point average of 83 points. What was most difficult to slow up the MBC offense?

They are really good at getting fast break points off of your mistakes!

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Kerry Carter (Bayer Giants Leverkusen) Everyone In The League Knows I Can Score But I Need To Be As Efficient As Possible

Kerry Carter is a 25 year old 188cm guard from West Covina, California that is playing his second professional season and first with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen (Germany-ProB). Last season as a rookie he played for Iberostar Tenerife CB Canarias (Spain-Liga Endesa) playing 5 games: 3.2ppg. He started his basketball career with Citrus College and then moved to St.Mary’s, CA (NCAA) where he played 63 NCAA games and as senior played 31 games averaging 12.1ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5spg. He currently is tearing up the German Pro B league averaging 29,0ppg and spoke to German Hoops after the 100-88 OT win against the ScanPlus Baskets.

 

 

 

Kerry congrats on the 100-89 OT win against the ScanPlus Baskets. How good was it getting your first professional win at home?

It’s been an adjustment coming from such a winning program in college but I’ve given the game everything and prepared well so I’m expecting more to come.

The Bayer Giants Leverkusen came out roaring scoring 25 points, but then were halted to 10 points in the second quarter. Was it special adjustments that the opponents made or was it just a lack of proper execution on the part of Leverkusen?

I think we didn’t score well as a team in the 2nd quarter because we turned the ball over too much. I take the credit for that. As the point guard I should have done a better job getting our guys going and finding them shots within the offense.

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Marcus Smallwood (Your Individual Skills Will Always Be There But It’s Being Able To Infect Your Teammates With That Positive Energy Of How You Play)

Marcus Smallwood is a 34 year old 198cm forward that has played 10 professional seasons and last season with BG Karlsruhe where he played 24 games averaging 12.7ppg, Reb-5(9.6rpg), 1.0apg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 61.7%. He is from Elgin, Illinois and played at Northern Illinois from 2000-2004. He came to Europe for his rookie season and played for Ostromecko Astoria Bydgoszcz (Poland-EBL): 4 games: 9.5ppg, 9.0rpg: was released in and later that month signed at Pyrbasket Tampere (Finland-Sparliiga): 6 games: 13.5ppg, 10.8rpg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 59%, and also played shortly at Solna Vikings (Sweden-Basketligan): 3 games: 8.3ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.0bpg. The next season, he played in Finland for Forssan Koripojat (Finland-1st Division, starting five): 26 games: 19.7ppg, Reb-2(11.1rpg), 1.3apg, 1.0spg, Blocks-1(1.4bpg), 2FGP-3(64.1%), 3PT: 31.6%, FT: 56.2%. 2006: Elgin Racers (IBL). He had a very strong season in Finland, but surprisingly in the next few years played only briefly in the IBL for the Elgin Racers. He came back to Europe in 2008 and then played mostly in Germany for teams like Kaiserslautern, Cuxhaven, Kirchheim, Vechta, MBC and Speyer. He also played briefly in Kosovo and the Czech Republic. He spoke to German Hoops about his basketball future.

 

Marcus thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how was your summer?

Currently I’m in Germany and my summer was pretty enjoyable as I was able to go home to the states for a little over a month and visit family and friends.

You are currently unsigned and 34 years old. What kind of an off season transfer market did you experience?

I just took an approach to see what might be available that could be a good fit. So I guess my experience was typical of anyone that was seeking a team for this season.

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The Fraport Skyliners Come Up Short As ratiopharm Ulm Grind Out 79-73 Victory

With a long summer with no BBL basketball upon us where some days seemed longer and duller than a half hour doctor´s appointment, the last meeting between ratiopharm ulm and the Fraport Skyliners seemingly is like an eternity for some. However the game four loss in Ulm was only a little more than four months ago while the last win for Frankfurt against ratiopharm Ulm in game one at home was almost five months ago. For some peculiar reasons, the Fraport Skyliners enter their first meeting in the Fraport arena in the 2016-2017 season with a unique parallel with their game one meeting with ratiopharm Ulm in last seasons playoffs. In the 2015-2016 playoffs, the Fraport Skyliners entered the semi-finals of the playoffs against ratiopharm Ulm with unending confidence as they rudely kicked out 8 time BBL champion Alba Berlin with the good old broom sweeping them leaving Serbian basketball legend and three time European champion Sasa Obradovic with a sour taste and paving the way for the end of his coaching reign in Berlin. However against ratiopharm Ulm, the Fraport Skyliners were also rudely awaited by their opponent as they didn´t expect the hard edge competition that German national player Per Guenther and co gave them. Many say that had Frankfurt won game one, they might have reached the final, but instead they were outplayed in overtime and Per Guenther scorched them with two three pointers paving the road to the final. Today the Fraport Skyliners welcomed ratiopharm Ulm on a high with immense self-confidence as after a lack luster 0-2 start finally found a bit too their game building a three game winning streak disposing of Bremerhaven, Alba Berlin again and the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg 48 hours ago. Ratiopharm Ulm also arrived in the living room of the Fraport Skyliners with a 4-0 season start, but remembered a disappointing 95-58 loss in Valencia in their first Eurocup game this week, but then again had a Per Guenther who also remembered the damage he did in the playoffs last season. The Fraport Skyliners didn´t celebrate a happy end in their own living room this time as they lost for the fourth time in the last five games against ratiophram Ulm and had their chances, but overall were unable to execute properly down the stretch and had their problems on the boards. After the loss a dejected Quantez Robertson had little revenge thoughts on his mind and couldn´t even sneak a smile about the possibility of visiting the famous Monte Carlo Casino in the next days before their Champions League game against Monaco. “I had last seasons playoff loss to Ulm pretty much out of my mind. It´s a new season with a new group of guys. I may have had more thoughts about that playoff loss had we had the same guys from last season back again this season. I know the outcome would definitely been different. I won´t see a casino. I will get rest so we will be ready to execute our game plan against Monaco”, stressed Fraport Skyliner guard Quantez Robertson. It wasn´t the best offensive game of ratiopharm Ulm as Frankfurt kept them to 19 points under their season average, but defensively they made steps as they kept Frankfurt well under their season average of 89 points. “This was a grind out game. We didn´t really execute the way we wanted to on offense and defense and how we did in the first four games. I feel we rebounded well, but had too many turnovers. I felt that we did a good job fighting and sticking together through tough phases”, stressed ratiopharm Ulm guard Braydon Hobbs. “We didn´t communicate well on defense and didn´t rebound the ball well either. I thought that Mahir Agva was a big spark off the bench. He played an all around good game”, added ex Auburn(NCAA) guard Quantez Robertson.

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The BBL Letters And ratiopharm Ulm Are Tightly Bounded In Chris Babb´s Mind Vault, But The NBA Might Sneak Back in

In his first two professional season´s Chris Babb could pf probably mapped out the best fast food stops on the two hour drive from Portland to Boston via Waltham, the training facility of the Boston Celtics as he was a consistent member of D-league team the Maine Red Claws, but also had his stints with the NBA club as he played a total of 14 games for the Boston Celtics and 80 games for Maine. Despite getting his experience in the big show, learning as a rookie from ex ratiopharm Ulm coach Mike Taylor as well as getting important pointers last season from Brad Stevens about always being ready and being that perfect practice player as well as getting those insightful pieces of information from Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo, his NBA dream was put on hold as he came to Europe to demonstrate his game in Germany for ratiopharm Ulm. He did remember how vital these two NBA players were for his early development phase as a player. “I had a great experience with both guys. In my first NBA minutes, Rondo made sure to run the first plays for me so I could get up some shots and get confidence. Green took me under his wing from the start. We played the same position and I could always go to him for advice. It was important for me to be able to watch him play and pick up the little things. It was just a huge experience for me to be able to watch him play”, stressed Chris Babb. Sometimes guys that come from the NBA to Europe stay forever here and never return or there are those like a PJ Tucker in the past that return. If one would have to give a prediction about the future of Chris Babb, one could just say somewhere in between. Babb came over in November 2014 and since then has showed why he played in the NBA and why there is no reason why he can´t return. Last season ratiopharm Ulm was stinking up BBL arena´s in the first weeks as they were giving underachieving a totally new name, but then came the arrival of Chris Babb who turned that whole season around as the team reacted and won 13 of the next 14 games and continued to impress all season rolling into the playoffs and upsetting Oldenburg and Frankfurt to reaching the final where they were swept by the Brose Baskets Bamberg. Even having played in the NBA, there were no signs of ego form his side, but moreover respect and manners how to handle himself concerning the success of Ulm. “I think that after we won our first few games, it was an overall confidence thing that helped the team in the winning streak. Guys started to fall into their roles and we learned what it took to win games”, warned Chris Babb. Last season he played 32 games averaging 10.3ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.2apg, FGP: 41.1%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT: 82.7%,Babb didn´t get cocky and fall in to that mindscape that I was the reason why we won, and resigned with the team to take his game and ratiopharm Ulm to possibly the next step this season. Even if ratiopharm Ulm haven´t found their defensive principles yet as they have allowed an average of 89 points in the first three games, they are still 4-0 and have given Phoenix Hagen some competition in regards to being able to win shoot outs on a regular basis as their 99 points per game has proven that. Babb has been superb, up to now as he is averaging 19,8ppg, 5,3rpg, 2,5apg and 1,0spg while shooting a spectacular 56,0% from outside. Babb seems to be on a mission this season and will try to go a step further from last season and help bring a title to Ulm. At the moment his mind is in Ulm, but there is most likely something else in his heart. “I think that there is a possibility to go back and try the NBA route. My goal is obviously always to try to get back to the NBA, but I won´t force it. If the opportunity presents itself, I will definitely consider it. I could see myself making a career in Europe, but I am not counting out the NBA yet”, warned Chris Babb. Even if he remains cool about the NBA, one is sure that he has the NBA letters somewhere next to BBL and ratiopharm Ulm in his mind vault.

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Prince Obasi (I Know My Game Is Perfect For Europe)

Prince Obasi is a 25 year old 193cm point guard from Reseda, California that has been a professional basketball player since 205. He started his basketball career with Saddleback CC (JUCO). Then he moved to Seattle (NCAA) and as a senior played 29 games averaging  8.2ppg, 4.6rpg, 4.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 27.4%, FT: 55.3%. He started his professional career in 2015 with Patriotas de Tunja (Colombia-Liga DirecTV) playing 24 games averaging 11.7ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.0apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 38.6%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 70.4%; Liga Americas: 3 games: 10.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 23.5%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 50.0%. He also played with Bucaros de Bucaramanga (Colombia-Liga DirecTV) Liga DirecTV-1) playing 35 games averaging 9.3ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 51.4%, 3PT: 28.7%, FT: 67.2%. He started this season with a try-out with German pro A team Kirchheim Knights, but left. He spoke to German Hoops about his basketball career.

 

 

Prince thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how have you been keeping busy since your Kirchheim experience?

 

I am in Irvine, California and I have been trying to contact different teams in order to get signed again. Even tried out for Ludwigsburg 2nd team but they didn’t sign me.

 

How tough was accepting the fact that the Kirchheim Knights and Prince Obasi had to go separate ways?

It was very tough because I know how good I am and believed I could do great in the league plus help the team receive the playoffs once again.

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Antonio Graves Has Ice In His Veins Powering The Fraport Skyliners Past The MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg With Buzzer Beater 65-63

It seems like it was yesterday, but the last time that MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg head coach John Patrick departed the Fraport arena with a victory was almost three years ago as the last two times, he had to witness a 13 point creaming and last season a tough four point loss. But going back to that 90-78 win almost three years ago, it seemed like that game was going to be one that would forever be remembered as a new star  being born on to the BBL stage with Kevin Bright. Despite the Frankfurt loss, he dropped 23 points netting six three pointers which in a way was overshadowed by the Keaton Grant and CJ Harris sniper attack combining for 48 points. Despite having a brilliant game, the German who had just returned back to Germany after having completed only his freshman year at Vanderbilt(NCAA) where he still led the team in rebounding, the Bright Ludwigsburg masterpiece would remain one of two as the other occurred at the end of the season as he dropped 23 points and seven trey´s in a road win at Vechta where he won the game with a buzzer beater as Kevin the light is Bright. Bright would play for Frankfurt for two seasons before moving on to Nurnberg where he played in the Pro A last season. Three years later only two players remained on the Frankfurt roster from that game with Quantez Robertson and Max Merz. Merz is one of the rare Frankfurt German role players that has carved his special own kind of niche with the 2016 Fiba Europe Cup winner as he  currently has the greatest longevity on the team as he has been with the team since 2011 and has outlived many of the other German players who have come and gone. After the game, both Max Merz and John Patrick were asked about that Kevin Bright performance almost three years ago. Patrick made it more than clear after the Antonio Graves 65-63 buzzer beating win, that since Gordon Herbert has been on board as coach, he has always had very tight affairs against the Fraport Skyliners. “There was a buzzer beater in Wurzburg by Frankfurt and three years ago the buzzer beater by CJ Harris to send the game here into OT. I have had most games in Frankfurt that have been decided in the last 30 seconds”, stated John Patrick. After the victory, Max Merz was stretching and was between captain Quantez Robertson and game top scorer Shavon Shields and was just thankful for getting another opportunity to start, but also reflected on some old time history against Ludwigsburg. “I don´t remember that game against Ludwigsburg that much from three years ago, but remember more that Kevin Bright was shooting out the lights. I remember more the game four years ago when we were battling Ludwigsburg on the last game day to remain in the league. I had the advantage today  that we had some injuries, but I always try to give the team energy every minute I play”, stressed Max Merz. After the big win, game hero Antonio Graves was surrounded by the Frankfurt press and was just thankful that the team was able to rebound after their lousy first quarter. “I have to give the team credit that we stuck together. We should have been down 30 at halftime, but we had this confidence to come back. Shavon Shields carried us in many moments and I am grateful that it came down to that last shot where it meant either the win or OT”, warned ex Artland Dragon Antonio Graves. After the heartbreaking loss Ludwigsburg head coach John Patrick stayed diplomatic as best he could. “You can look at this loss in two ways. We could of done things differently after the big lead running or plays differently and playing team basketball or you can say that Frankfurt deserved to win. Frankfurt played very well scratching and clawing their way back and never giving up”, stated John Patrick.

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Torey Thomas (AEK Larnaca) You Can Win A Title One Week And The Next Week Can Be Searching For A New Job

Torey Thomas is a 31 year old 178cm point guard from White Plains, New York that is playing his 10th professional season and first AEK in Cyprus after starting the season with KK MZT Skopje Aerodrom (FYR Macedonia-Prva Liga). He started his basketball career at Holy Cross (NCAA) in 2003 where he played until 2007 playing a total of 125 NCAA games. As a senior he played 34 games averaging 13.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 4.7apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 37.5%, 3Pts: 40.3%, FT: 77.1%. Last season he played for Aris Thessaloniki (Greece-A1) playing 31 games averaging 10.2ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.4apg, Steals-1(1.8spg), FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 34.5%, FT: 75.4%,He is a basketball globetrotter as he has played in 13 countries since turning professional in 2007 and AEK is his 19th professional team that he has laced up his sneakers for. He is still looking for his first professional title, but has demonstrated his basketball craft on both sides of the court as he was top assist man in Holland, scorer in Sweden and steals in Sweden, Holland, Russia, and Greece. He is a a true °pass-first” point guard, but that can lead a game in scoring on any night. Unselfish player. Makes everyone else better and on the defensive side an absolute lockdown defender that is a great on the ball defender. Like Quantez Robertson can fill up the stats sheet. Last season he helped Rosa Radom (Poland-TBL) win the Polish cup playing  43 games averaging  12.0ppg, 5.3rpg, Assists-5(4.5apg), Steals-4(2.1spg), FGP: 40.6%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 80.8%; FIBA Europe Cup: 12 games: 11.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 4.3apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 36.2%, FT: 78.9%. He spoke to German Hoops after his release from KK MZT Skopje and got an interview that was to help him search for a new team, but half way through the interview he was signed by AEK. The Interview was done in accordance to the questions he was presented with. There was speculation that the Fraport Skyliners might be looking for a new point guard so some questions were dealing with the German team´s situation.

 

Torey thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how have you digested the release at KK MZT Skopje Aerodrom (FYR Macedonia-Prva Liga)?

Thanks for having me Miles. I am in Dubai at the moment enjoying a few days to myself.

You played three games this season with KK MZT Skopje Aerodrom (FYR Macedonia-Prva Liga) averaging 3,3ppg, 4,3rpg and 4,0apg in 22 minutes. You stated it was a mutual agreement. Why from your point view was your stay so short?

It was mutual there was pressure from the beginning on the coach and we didn’t make the results the first three games so they needed to make a change. I am happy I won a Supercup with them.

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Alex Ruoff Is Leading The Charge With The MHP Riesen As A Top 5 BBL Player That Nobody Is Really Aware Of

When you see Alex Ruoff shuffling to the bus after a BBL game one might not think right away that he is a top professional basketball player, but moreover the Spring Hill, Florida 198cm point forward seems like a normal twenty something guy that would spend his free time rooting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Lightening after a hard working day rather than having to explain to out of town friends where exactly  Weeki Wachee Springs is and if he could actually get some back stage passes to meet the mermaid which is home to the famous live mermaid show there. However he is actually a professional basketball player playing his third season in Germany and first with the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg and possibly a top 5 BBL player this season that no one is really aware of. The Lebron fan who lists Russell Westbrook as the toughest guy that he battled in the NCAA actually has something in common with ex Alba Berlin player and German national player Johannes Herber and NBA legend Jerry West. Ruoff and Herber played one season together at West Virginia(NCAA) and the American left the school as the all-time leader in most three pointers made despite having had such prominence like Jerry West attend West Virginia, but then again West scored his points there before the invention of the parking lot on the basketball court. Ruoff is playing his eighth professional season having played three in Belgium, got his D-league dose with the Canton Charge and Iowa Energy and last season made the jump to the best league in Europe in Spain playing with Dominion Bilbao Basket. He was a solid player in his first four seasons in Belgium and in the D-league, but didn´t really break out until his first season with BG Goettingen in 2013 where he and fellow American Harper Kamp helped the team get back to the BBL winning the Pro A title. It wouldn´t be wrong to say that both guys benefited from each other and helped each other make their coming out as professionals. “Harper Kamp is such a dominating player and has a high basketball IQ. He plays at the skill level of a guard at the forward position”, stressed Alex Ruoff. In his second season with BG Goettingen and first in the BBL, he quickly displayed that he could play at a higher level finishing fifth in scoring averaging  14.8pp, 4.1rpg, 5.1apg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 36.8%, FT: 83.0%. Last season he was rewarded and moved to Dominion Bilbao Basket (Spain-Liga Endesa) 32 games: 6.3ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 48.2%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 90.5%; Eurocup: 16 games: 9.6ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 43.3%, FT: 76.0%. Ruoff is a player that has the complete package and is a fighter on the court that has a great shot, is an underrated passer and has a high basketball IQ. “I have the ball in my hands so often that I think that my passing gets overlooked. I passed more in college and now am playing more the position two. I loved watching Steve Nash. He was so good passing on the pick and roll”, stressed Alex Ruoff. Due to his overall great versatile game, he also has a very good shot selection which has shown in the early going this season. In John Patrick´s system where there are many scoring options, it isn´t always easy to sparkle in the scoring department, but that isn´t his role, but moreover to be a leader and do many things well on the court. He has found hid Eurocup shooting touch from last season and this should be the season where the “nobody is really aware of” phrase becomes a “Alex Rouff belongs to the top 5 best players in the BBL that everyone is aware of. At least now we know where Ruoff got some of his basketball IQ from. “The intelligence of Joe Herber brought his game to another level. He was one of the smartest players that I ever played with”, warned Alex Ruoff.At least now Johannes Herber knows that he did his good deed as a senior at West Virginia(NCAA).

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