On the court Chris Ensminger won just about every battle in the paint as there was a reason why he was the BBL´s best rebounder for five consecutive years as his knack of always having the right position as the ball was released and correct instinct to where the ball would fall off the rim seemed to be as easy for him to successfully achieve as it was for once the best control pitcher in the majors Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees to seemingly get the ball where he wanted to to get through the full count to his team´s benefit. However one thing that Ensminger couldn´t control after life on the basketball court was keeping his now coaching foe Denis Wucherer of the Giessen 46ers in check while they were battling on the sidelines during their rookie coaching season in 2013-2014 and second season. Both guys are basketball legends in Germany as Ensminger not only made a name as one of the BBL´s finest centers for years, but also belonged to numerous Bamberg championship teams while Wucherer won two BBL titles with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen for Dirk Bauermann and won the silver at the 2005 European championships in Belgrade under Dirk Bauermann once again and alongside NBA legend in the making Dirk Nowitzki. Both Ensminger and Wucherer were head coaching rookies in the 2013-2014 season and in four games Wucherer led the head to head battle confrontation´s 3-1. Three of the four games were decided by 6 points and both games in the 2014-2015 season were intense nail bitters with 61-59 and 67-65 in favor of the Giessen 46ers and Wucherer. In that same season, Wucherer got the last laugh once again as he led his team into the BBL and almost made the playoffs last season. Ensminger is still trying to bring the BBL to Gotha and the only time, these two charachters can meet now on the sidelines is in the preseason. “Gotha is a team that should reach the BBL in the future. They have a good infrastructure now, new arena and Wolfgang Heyder on board. One sees that the club is getting more and more professional. They are very ambitious to get to the BBL and have a good coaching staff with Ensminger and Esterkamp. Ensminger´s team now plays the way he played as a player. He played hard and so does his team. He should have a good season”, stressed Giessen 46ers head coach Denis Wucherer. After the 86-70 loss, Ensminger was very calm on the bench replaying the lost game in his mind one more time as his players were stretching and he had time to reflect on this coaching duel with Wucherer. “Wucherer has a good background and played for Dirk Bauermann. He played tough and so do his teams. I enjoy coaching against him. We always had good games against Giessen and one season lost two games by two points. I respect him and like how he helps players develop further as he got my ex player Marco Voeller”, stressed Chris Ensminger.
Adama Darfoe(Danish National Team) I Believe In This Team And That We Can Take Us To The Euro In 2017
Adama Darboe is a 30 year old 190cm guard that is a Danish national player and will play for the Bakken Bears (Ligaen) this season. He is a versatile guard with strong build, can play some time at the small forward too, and is a good rebounder for his size. He started his basketball career for Horsholm Basket (Basketliga) in 2002 and played there until 2006. He then played for U.M.F. Grindavik (Iceland-Express League) from 2006-2008. He then played for Huelva Baloncesto (Spain-LEB Bronze) in the 2008-2009 season. He then returned to Horsholm 79ers (Basketligaen) for a season before playing three seasons for Svendborg Rabbits (Ligaen). He then played for KFUM Jamtland Basket (Sweden-Basketligan) and the last two seasons with Boras Basket (Sweden-Basketligan) and last season played FIBA Europe Cup: 12 games: 10.6ppg, 4.6rpg, 3.7apg, FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 41.8%, FT: 90.0%; Swedish Basketligan: 36 games: 11.5ppg, 4.7rpg, 4.1apg, FGP: 56.8%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT-2(89.0%). He spoke to German Hoops before the Euro qualifying game against Germany in Kiel.
Adama thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?
Right now, I am with the national team preparing for the upcoming games in a little city called Vejen. We got great facilities here, so things are going in the right direction.
You just completed two successful seasons with Boras Basket in Sweden, but unfortunately the club couldn´t get over the hump losing in both semi-finals to Uppsala and Sodertalje. I would imagine the two point loss to Sodertalje hurt more than the 97-72 loss the season in game 5?
Yes it was very tough for the club and for me personally, not making the finals. I really thought that we had great teams both years, but it was tough, and both teams that we lost to in the semis, deserved their spot in the finals.
The Hebeisen White Wings With Mr Sulliiiiiiiiiiiii Spank Luxemburg National Team 109-66 In Basketball Aid Charity Game
Even if the opening game of the 2016 Basketball Aid international tour is 72 hours old, memories of that game for players and fans will be on their mind radar for a while as fans will relive the alley-oop put backs by Mike Morrison and amazing unending talent of 16 year old Isaac Bonga where not the sky, but space seems to be the limit and especially for Americans Mike Morrison and Quantez Robertson being on American solid and trying to find their home state flags of Florida and Ohio in the beautiful cozy state of the art Clay Kaserne gym for everyone to swoon at. However even if the tour has moved on rapidly in the last days having gone to Luxemburg where their national team battled German Pro A team Dresden Titans and on Sunday still with the Luxemburg national team on board moved to German city Hanau which is 25 kilometers east of Frankfurt, the term that still had a tiny effect was the Frankfurt Skyliners. If Luxemburg national team head coach Ken Diederich who as a player was a nine time Luxemburg all-star and four time league champion with AB Contern, had done his homework the last days, he would have found out that both head coaches that he faced with Steven Clauss of Dresden and Simon Cote of Hanau had been coaches with the Fraport Skyliners within the last 10 years. However on Sunday in game three of the 2016 Basketball Aid international tour, the name Frankfurt Skyliners wasn´t on the menu, but instead good European basketball with an always international flair and not too forgot the Basketball Aid cause always as the main focus as that was what the players were really playing for. As always Basketball Aid international tour chairman Hans Beth who was head coach of the Hanau organization four years ago was present and running around shaking hands and making sure that everything was running along smoothly and as always was pleased with another well-made production that benefited the basketball aid charity as well as bringing fans the best possible preseason basketball action as high scoring was on the menu as the Hebeisen White Wings delighted their fans with a nasty 109-66 spanking of the Luxemburg national team. “I am very happy how everything went in Hanau. It was well organized and the fans saw a good game. Hanau had a very good shooting game. For Luxemburg it was a good test for their upcoming Euro qualifying games. They played against a very physical team with Hanau and that will help them for their upcoming Euro qualifying schedule”. explained 2016 Basketball Aid international tour chairman Hans Beth.
Jordan Talbert (PS Karlsruhe) I´m A Motivated And Driven Player
Jordan Talbert is a 25 year old 198cm forward from Little Rock, Arkansas that will be playing his third professional season and first with the PS Karlsruhe Lions. He came to Germany as a rookie in 2014 and played with the Giants TSV 1861 Noerdlingen (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 26 games: 21.6ppg, 9.6rpg, 3.2apg, 2.0spg, Blocks-4(1.5bpg), FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 28.9%, FT: 78.4%. He played his college career at Missouri SO(NCAA2) from 2010-2014 and as a senior played 31 games averaging 11.7ppg, 7.4rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1spg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 70.1%. Last season with Nordlingen he tore up the Pro B averaging 17.5ppg, Reb-1(11.0rpg), 2.4apg, 1.7spg, Blocks-5(1.5bpg), FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 73.4%. He spoke to German Hoops about his new adventure with PS Karlsruhe.
Jordan thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?
No problem, my summer was great and fulfilling. I really enjoyed my time back in the states with family and friends. At the moment I’m in Karlsruhe preparing for the upcoming season.
Congrats on signing with PS Karlsruhe. How was the summer transfer period for you? You signed rather late. Did you have a good share of offers that made your decision making tougher?
No the decision was fairly easy for me. And to my knowledge I didn’t have many offers to choose from but I’m happy that PS Karlsruhe had enough interest in me to bring me in.
The Fraport Skyliners Glide By The RheinStars 77-59 In Basketball Aid Charity Game In Wiesbaden
Around this time of year most BBL coaches are in their offices already scoping together new plays and contemplating which roles each player will perform except for Fraport Skyliners head coach Gordon Herbert who is still looking for a few players to complete the new roster. Even tougher this season is that the Canadian isn´t even at the practices as he has taken a leave of absence recovering from back surgery and given the coaching reigns to assistant coach Klaus Perwass. In the last years the Fraport Skyliners haven´t been complete as their preseason schedule has started and it was no different this season as like last season the club faced German pro A team RheinStars Cologne in a neutral area Koblenz and this season in another unusual spot in Wiesbaden, Germany. Eight year BBL veteran and identity figure of the Fraport Skyliners Quantez Robertson has had his share of photo shoots and checking out runways with a basketball at Frankfurt international airport, but for a change he would also be stepping foot on another airbase in Wiesbaden only 26 kilometers away from Frankfurt international airport as the Fraport Skyliners met the RheinStars in an out of the ordinary place. As part of the Basketball Aid international tour, both teams were taking part in a very good cause to help kids stricken with the horrible disease cancer as all proceeds were going to this charity. The Basketball Aid international Tour had received a blow recently as previously invited touring team Northeastern(NCAA) cancelled their 10 day trip on account of the terrorism in Germany, but Basketball Aid organizer Hans Beth and his crew had done a fine job in a very short period of time finding replacement teams for the Huskies from Boston. It is typical that in the past American players tend to visit American airbases to get that extra special US feeling as well as cleaning out the food markets where they can buy and munch on Pop tarts, Oreo´s or Twizzlers candy and much more, things they would never get in a normal German supermarket. In the past ex Skyliners and two thirds of the then Bermuda triangle Tyrone Ellis and Chris Williams minus Pascal Roller would venture out to Wiesbaden to take in the flair of American culture or a Jimmy Mckinney would make the trip to Heidelberg to visit the army heliport. On a very hot day that had temperatures in the 90´s everyone was relieved to be in the gym at Clay Kaserne as it was air conditioned nicely and after 40 minutes of hard fought pre season basketball, it was no surprise that BBL club Fraport Skyliners had been victorious gliding by the Pro A RheinStars Cologne 77-59. Basketball Aid international tour chairman Hans Beth was pleased with how the first event of the tour went. “It was a good atmosphere and a good game. It was a good start for the tour. The fans saw many young players competing and both general managers of the teams were present. It was obvious that the fans enjoyed the game. I hope to see them at Fraport Skyliner games”, stressed Hans Beth.
Karl Moore (Crailsheim Merlins) Hard Work Beats Talent When Talent Doesn’t Work Hard
Karl Moore is a 203cm forward born in 1987 and is playing his third professional season with the Crailsheim Merlins 2 team. Last season he played for Telstar Hesperange (Luxembourg-N2). As a rookie, he played for TV 1872 Saarlouis (Germany-ProB) where he played 28 games averaging 16.3ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 60.7%, FT: 73.5%. He scored in double figures in 25 of 28 games including three double doubles. He scored 20 points or more eight times. His best scoring games was 28 points against Hanau and 27 points against BG Karlsruhe. He played college ball at Schoolcraft Community College (JUCO), Rio Grande(NAIA), and Culver Stockton (NAIA). He spoke to German Hoops about basketball and his next experience with the Crailsheim Merlins.
Karl thanks for talking to German Hoops. Welcome back to Germany. You have been only a short time in Crailsheim, but what has been the biggest difference there to when you were a rookie in Saarlouis?
Hello Miles! Thanks for the opportunity. The biggest difference are the times that we practice. While in Saarlouis, I practiced once a day with the Pro B team during the night. Here In Crailsheim, I practice three times a day. Twice with the Pro A team and once with the Regionaliga team. Physically it is tough but mentally I cant say that it’s something that I can’t survive, because right now there is a person in Africa growing up in conditions that I can’t survive.
Alex Foster (RheinStars) Playing Against The Fraport Skyliners At The Wiesbaden Airbase And Supporting Basketball Aid Will Be A Special Game For Me
Alex Foster is a 23 year old 203cm forward that grew up in Portland, Oregon and also has the German citizenship and will be playing his second professional season with the RheinStars(Germany-ProA). Last season as a rookie with the RheinStars he played 29 games averaging 9.6ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 41.3%, 3PT: 33.5%, FT: 78.4%He played at Emory (NCAA3) from 2011-2015 playing a total of 108 NCAA3 games and as a senior played 20.1ppg, 7.9rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 39.9%, FT: 79.8%. He was able to improve his scoring and rebounding average each season. He spoke to German Hoops before the exhibition game on August 25th against the Fraport Skyliners at Wiesbaden Airbase with all proceeds goingto the Basketball Aid foundation.
Alex thanks for talking to German Hoops. You are playing your second season now with the RheinStars. When you look back at your rookie season and progression of your German, what was your most used German sentence?
I always say “eben so,” after someone wishes me “ein schönen Tag” at the grocery or bakery. A lot of my German teammates tease me for using that phrase, because I guess it’s more formal than what they’re used to. Or maybe it’s because it’s a Southern-German thing. My mom’s family is Schwäbisch.
Lamar Mallory (Licher Basket Baeren) I Don´t Look At The Expectations As Pressure Because That Was Just Me Playing Basketball And Enjoying The Game
Lamar Mallory is a 198cm forward from Dayton, Ohio that will play his second season in Germany with the Licher Basket Baeren (Germany-ProB). Before coming to Germany, he started his professional career with the Albury Wodonga Bandits (Australia-SEABL) playing 5 games: 17.8ppg, 10.2rpg, 1.2apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 56.5%, FT: 57.9%. He played at Glenville St. (NCAA2) and as a senior played 25 games: 18.6ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: NCAA2-2(68.1%). Last season with the Licher Basket Baeren (Germany-ProB) he played 21 games averaging 17.9ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.7spg, FGP: 60.1%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 67.5%. He scored in double figures in 19 of 21 games and had monster games against Speyer with 29 and 28 points and had a 28 point explosion against Wurzburg. He spoke to German Hoops before the start of the 2016-2017 season.
Lamar thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?
No problem guys, I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. I am in Germany, I stayed here over the summer. My summer has been great, a lot of off season workouts, individually and with groups. Its good.
DJ Bennett (Mitteldeutscher BC) I Have To Take My Game To The Next Level And I Love That Challenge
DJ Bennett is a 203cm forward from Chicago, Illinois that will be playing his second professional season and first with the Mitteldeutscher BC. As a rookie he played with the BSW Sixers Sandersdorf (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 18 games averaging 15.3ppg, 8.7ppg, 2.3bpg, FGP: 66.9%, FT: 67.9%. He started his basketball career with Indian Hills CC (JUCO) and moved to Oklahoma (NCAA) in 2013 where he stayed two years playing a total of 61 NCAA games and reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2015. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.
DJ thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?
My summer has been very productive, I went to China for almost 2 months on a basketball tour representing America playing a lot of Chinese teams and now I’m currently in Thailand finishing off the second half of the season with a team here. So I’ve been just trying to keep my self going and in shape until an opportunity like this presented itself.
Mateusz Ponitka (Polish National Team) You Can Know How To Score 30 Points But It´s Not The Same If You Don´t Know How To Win The Game
Mateusz Ponitka is a 22 year old 196cm guard that is currently with the Polish national team and playing at the Super Cup in Ulm against teams like Germany, Russia and Finnland. He will play for Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir (Turkey-BSL) this season. He started his basketball career in 2008 with Kasprowiczanka Ostrow Wlk. He then played three seasons with Tempcold AZS Politechnika Warszawa (1Liga). In the 2012-2013 season he made the jump to Asseco Prokom Gdynia (PLK): 34 games: 8.7ppg, 4.2rpg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 27.2%, FT: 70.7%; Euroleague: 10 games: 8.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 61.0%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 38.1%. He then played two seasons with Telenet BC Oostende (Belgium-Scooore League). Last season he played for Stelmet Zielona Gora (TBL): 41 games: 10.5ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 61.8%, 3PT: 38.3%, FT: 76.1%; Euroleague: 10 games: 12.0ppg, Reb-3(7.9rpg), 2.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 67.6%; Eurocup: 10 games: 13.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 2.1apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 58.8%, 3PT: 47.6%, FT: 69.4%. Recently he took part at the NBA Pro Summer League in Las Vegas (Denver Nuggets): 4 games: 2.5ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.3spg. He spoke to German Hoops during the Super Cup weekend in Ulm.
Mateusz thanks for talking to eurobasket.com. Welcome back to Germany. You are currently in Ulm preparing for the games in the Super Cup with team Poland. You were in Germany last at the start of 2016 in Ludwigsburg playing Eurocup with Stelmet. You led your team to the win scoring 14 points. What other memories do you have of this game?
That was very tough game for us. I remember the whole game was like one big war. In the end of the day we found a way to win and that was really important one for us. To be honest that was even funny because in Eurocup we were wining everything on the road and losing everything at home. And all this streak started in Ludwigsburg. I think there is very good atmosphere at the games in Germany. I like coming here.
