Jermel Kennedy  is a 24 year old 201cm forward from Toronto Canada that is playing his first season in the German Pro B with TV Langen. He started his basketball career in 2008 with  Iowa Central Community College (NJCAA) playing 26 games: 4.3ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP:47.3%, FT: 57.1%. In 2009-2010, he played for Volunteer State Community College (NJCAA) playing  27 games: 11.7ppg, 8.2rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 26.0%, FT: 83.0%. He finished his college basketball career at Lander in 2012 playing two seasons there and as a senior played  27 games: 11.0ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.2spg, FGP: 66.1%, FT: 70.5%. Last summer he was drafted by Moncton Miracles (NBL Canada,1rd(6)). He spoke to German Hoops after the 90-80 drubbing of Weissenhorn and reaching the playoffs.

 

Congrats on the 90-80 win in Weissenhorn. How good does it feel making the Pro B playoffs?

Thanks Miles it feels really good to have reached one of our goals we have made this season. As long as we’re not satisfied with this and continue to play well I’m sure the post season will be a special one

Weissenhorn has a very talented roster and would you agree are a lot better team than their record shows? Why do you think that they don´t have a better record?

I agree they have a talented team I just don’t think they play that well as a team and it hurts them

TV Langen had a strong first quarter scoring 27 points as Martins Woody got going, but Weissenhorn came back in the second quarter to trail only 45-40. What things were clicking in the first 20 minutes and what not?

We started the game executing our offense and getting everyone involved I think we might have went away from that a bit and I feel like fatigue played a role because of our limited rotation

 

The second half was very very tight, but TV Langen broke a way somewhat in the fourth quarter. How important were your two consecutive buckets for the 78-73 lead?

I believe they were important only at the moment since they were on a bit of run and that ended it for them

You and Martins Woody had your usual very solid games, but it seems like Filmore Beck can get lost in the shuffle with you two guys are  on, but how valuable was his play? Was he a type of unsung hero with his timely three pointers?

Filmore has been playing some great basketball these last couple of games if he can keep this up I honestly don’t believe anyone can play with us.

Would you agree the best team stat of the night were the 23 assists. You know the ball is being shared well when a Martins Woody leads the team with six assists?

Well Miles we’re first in the league with 17 assist a game so it’s not surprising at all to me neither is Woody’s distribution abilities he sees the floor well and our guards do a great job of cutting if your open you can best believe he’s going to get you the ball

What was your impression of big German talent Till Joscha Joenke? You have seen many players in your life, but is he possibly the best 189cm rebounder you have ever seen? His anticipation is very strong.

I thought he was pretty good he has a knack to where the ball is going to land and it goes unnoticed being a guard

How pleased were you with your game of 20 and 10, four assists, three steals and 69% shooting? You were the most efficient TV Langen player. Do you and Martins Woody have friendly competition to see who has the better game? Of course the team winning is most important, but healthy competition between teammates can never hurt.

I was happy with my performance I understood the importance of the game so I was really focused. Woody and I only make jokes on who will rebound better usually when he loses he plays harder the next game to beat me

The next game is against Hanau. What do you remember from the 66-61 loss and what will be key in going strong into the playoffs with a win?

That was earlier in the season we had some costly turnovers late in the game but I believe we found our team identity now so I expect a win come next week.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Pearl Harbor starring Ben Affleck.

Thanks Jermel for the chat.

 

In the last years, big Frankfurt basketball news stories on and off the court were things like what new rap video ex NBA player Jermario Davidson would upload next, predicting how many points Detroit native Dashaun Wood would be making in the next game, speculating how many times Danilo white men can jump Barthel might dunk in the next game or guess the roster for each new game as injuries for the Beko BBl team this season have been as common as the daily Justin Bieber escapades around the globe. However the biggest basketball news story in Frankfurt these days has nothing to do with the men of the Beko BBL team, but of the juniors of the Pro B team who were riding a seven game winning streak and will be in their second playoffs in a row. They ended 2013 ice cold with a five game losing streak and 4-9 record and now after seven victories stand at 11-9 and in fourth place. One of the amazing things about it is that they have become a real crunch time team despite not having their Beko BBL license players in the last three games. Frankfurt has won the last four games combined with not more than eight points. They played the last three games completely only with one import player Canadian Bryson Johnson and up and coming Pro B star Max Merz and a supporting cast of solid Pro B players Nikolai Vuckovic, Jan Novak, Johannes Richter and Tim Oldenberg. 19 year old 180cm Max Merz was the hero in the last two games winning the game with a last shot almost identically off the pick and role with an off balance shot. The Pro B team tried their luck again against last placed team BG Leitershofen and didn´t need another last second shot from Max Merz, but instead dismantled Leitershofen without any problems 83-61. Despite winning by 22 points, the score didn´t indicate the difficulty of bringing the win home. “Getting this win was a lot harder than what the score shows. Leitershoefen caught us sleeping in the first half on defense as they got some easy buckets inside. We stepped up our defense in the second half and hit more shots while they missed shots that they usually would of made”, stressed Fraport Skyliner Canadian Bryson Johnson.  After starting the season on a six game losing streak and then getting big wins against Dresden and Weissenhorn, the club has had massive difficulty getting wins as they lost their tenth game out of their last 12 games. After the loss Leitershoefen guard Brandon Provost had to struggle to find words for the loss. “I thought that we did a good job until halftime staying with them. However in the third quarter, they started connecting on more shots while we couldn´t hit easy shots. In the fourth quarter, we tried something different by going to zone which was a risk because they are a good shooting team, but we felt that it was the right choice at the moment, but we didn´t do a good job getting to their shooters”, stressed Texas native Brandon Provost.

On a rare weekend off for the Fraport Skyliners Beko BBL team, many players were in attendance watching their farm team play like Konstantin Klein, Danilo Barthel, Johannes Voigtmann, Jacob Burtschi, Jarred Dubois and Aziz Ndiaye. The first quarter was very tight as no team was able to pull away. Kevin Wysocki got Leitershoefen on the board first with a turn around shot, but the Fraport Skyliners Juniors went on a mini 4-0 run as Bryson Johnson scored as Max Merz. Nedim Hadzovic and Alex Bazzell scored on the fast break as Leitershoefen led 6-5. Frankfurt kept the pressure on and Johnson fed Johannes Richter a perfect lob pass for the easy bucket and Nikolaj Vuckovic dropped a three pointer as Frankfurt led 10-6. Leitershoefen went on a 9-2 run to take the 15-12 lead as Provost hit eight consecutive points including two three pointers.  Skyliner Tim Oldenburg hit his bread and butter mid distance jumper as Leitershoefen led 19-17 after one quarter. “Both teams were feeling each other out in the first quarter. I thought that Frankfurt didn´t have as much intensity. We had many open shots and often shot a bit too early”, commented Fraport Skyliner Konstantin Klein. BG Leitershoefen was shooting 47% from the field and 40% from outside while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting 47% from the field and 33% from outside. Frankfurt had the 10-8 rebound edge, but four turnovers while Leitershoefen had three turnovers.

The second quarter remained tight as both teams didn´t fancy giving any gifts to the other team until the last few minutes where the Fraport Skyliners Juniors broke away a bit. Frankfurt got heads up play from young German kids Jamin Knothe who was giving his best Jacob Burtschi impression of diving on the floor and making hustle plays and Mark Appiah racked in three offensive rebounds and made a big bucket at the end. However BG Leitershoefen got hot quick as 19 year old German Nicolas Breuer sunk a three pointer and Provost connected on two shots. Frankfurt got two three pointers from Vuckovic, but still trailed 27-24. However the Fraport Skyliners juniors closed out the second half of the second quarter with a spirited 14-2 run to go into the break with a satisfying 38-30 advantage. Tim Oldenburg hit back to back shots to knot the game at 29-29. Frankfurt kept up the offensive pressure being aggressive at every moment as Appiah made a massive two handed dunk after getting a Jacob Merz no look pass, Johnson showed his passing qualities setting up Jan Novak with a beautiful hard bounce pass for the easy bucket and the Canadian then knocked down a three pointer. Appiah scored again as Frankfurt led by eight points. “Frankfurt played with more intensity and Mark Appiah made big plays. The rebounding was very good and Vuckovic hit big shots”, added Konstantin Klein. “Appiah is a young kid, but he did a good job. He was a real presence”, warned Fraport Skyliners head coach Gordon Herbert.  The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 48% from the field and 42% from the three point line while BG Leitershoefen was shooting 41% from the field and 44% from the three point line. Frankfurt had the 21-13 rebound advantage and eight turnovers while BG Leitershoefen had seven turnovers.

In the third quarter, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors ran away with the game as they got their first lead over 10 points and never looked back. Frankfurt started on a 7-2 run to extend their lead to 45-32 as ex Bamberg center Johannes Richter was a one man wrecking crew as he connected on three consecutive buckets. “Frankfurt was moving the ball very well and taking advantage of the miss matches. On defense they didn´t allow Leitershoefen second chances”, said Oklahoma native Jacob Burtschi. Leitershoefen didn´t allow the Fraport Skyliners to totally run away with the game as they fought hard going on a 7-0 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 45-39. Provost hit a jumper and snuck inside as did Kevin Wysocki scoring with his left hand. Jan Novak then made a running hook shot and Tim Oldenburg scored twice as Frankfurt led 52-43. Frankfurt closed out the third quarter with a 8-3 run to lead 60-46 after 30 minutes. Appiah made a big on this run and made another dunk while Max Merz got too the free throw line twice. Nicolas Breuer ended the third quarter with an off balance turn around shot way behind the three point line which was possibly the biggest shot of the night for BG Leitershoefen. “Frankfurt was doing a better job moving the ball and limiting BG Leitershoefen to one shot. Max Merz did a good job getting to the free throw line”, expressed ex Phoenix Hagen forward Jacob Burtschi. “We had more intensity on defense. Appiah gave us  a big boost with rebounds and blocks. He gave us the energy which flowed into the team”, stated Bryson Johnson. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 49% from the field and 33% from the parking lot while BG Leitershoefen was shooting 40% from the field and 42% from the parking lot. Frankfurt had the overwhelming 33-17 rebound edge, but 11 turnovers while BG Leitershoefen had eight turnovers.

In the fourth quarter, the Fraport Skyliners Juniors kept their lead as BG Leitershoefen got a bit tired. Frankfurt started off the quarter with a 5-0 run to lead 65-46 as Johnson nailed a three pointer and Appiah got the no look pass from Jacob Merz who made another hard dunk. Frankfurt hurt the Leitershoefen zone with good ball movement and steady shooting. Even a mini 4-0 run by BG Leitershoefen couldn´t intimidate Frankfurt. Provost and Wysocki got clear inside for easy hoops, but Frankfurt continued to get consistency on the offensive end. It is never easy to stay fully focused when a team is leading so comfortably, but Frankfurt did a pretty good job even if it seemed like they were playing not to lose more than wanting to win. After Wysocki and Richter traded baskets, it was Wysocki and Vuckovic that swapped three pointers, but nothing changed with the lead as Frankfurt still had the 75-55 advantage. The Fraport Skyliners closed out the game with a 4-0 run as Johnson scored on a jumper and Appiah finished the scoring with an ally-op dunk getting the perfect feed from Oldenburg. “Frankfurt played a lot better in the second half doing the little things well. All in all it was a great team win”, added Jacob Burtschi. “They seemed  a bit tired, but also that technical foul frustrated them. We did a good job controlling what we could with our game and not worrying about their game. We did a good job controlling their role players, while controlling a Provost or Wysocki will never be easy”, said Nova Scotia native Bryson Johnson.  “Rebounding was an issue tonight and most of season. Noting against Hadzovic and Wysocki who always do a good job, but the guards don´t help out enough. We gave them too many second chances. Often when a team is struggling the team tends to separate. We can´t do that. We have to stick together”, stressed Brandon Provost.

The Fraport Skyliners Juniors were led by Tim Oldenburg with 18 points and seven rebounds. Johannes Richter and Nikolaji Vuckovic had 14 points a piece while Bryson Johnson had 13 points. BG Leitershoefen was led by Brandon Provost with 22 points while Kevin Wysocki had 13 points. Frankfurt shot 54% from the field and 37% from outside while BG Leitershoefen shot 38% from the field and 40% from outside. Frankfurt dominated the boards 45-22, but had 16 turnovers while BG Leitershoefen had 10 turnovers. The Fraport Skyliners Juniors continue to be the big basketball story in Frankfurt as they haven´t lost since December 21^st in Langen. The team continues to play very hard and their middle name is team basketball. Skyliners head coach Eric Detlef sees the secret to the success being three factors. “One it is luck. We have won many close games and teams haven´t played as well as the first half. Two we have been able to play with more intensity in the second half of the season and three the team has simply improved. Having Johnson and Richter have made us more deeper. Vuckovic has been our most improved player”, stated Eric Detlef. Canadian Bryson Johnson agrees with the head coach and adds”, Coach has given us the needed self confidence. Getting wins at the end has become more easy since we have done it before. Everybody is getting more comfortable with each other and the communication is better”, stressed Bryson Johnson.

Brandon Provost is a 23 year old 190cm guard form Houston, Texas that is a rookie in the German Pro a for BG Leitershoefen. He started his basketball career in 2008 for Air Force and then transferred to UTPA and as a senior played 30 games: 14.9ppg, 4.3rpg, 2.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 44.2%, 3PT: 43.6%, FT: 79.7%. He was able to improve his scoring, rebounding  and assists in each of his last three years. The American spoke to German Hoops after the tough 83-61 loss against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors.

It has been a very tough season for BG Leitershoefen. What have been the main reasons for being  a last placed team?

We have been hit very hard by injuries. We lost seven players from the official roster. We are also a very young team. They are doing the best job possible to help us out and doing a good job.

You are having a solid season in the Pro B averaging 17,5ppg, 3,8rpg and 1,9apg. How happy have you been with your game? Coach said the only thing missing is your killer instinct.

I feel that my game has been decent. I don´t mind the pressure, but I am not used to having to have to score. I hear about my  Killer Instinct each day. Coach tells me to score and there are many situations where I need to be more aggressive. I am a pass first player and I never have had to take 16-17 shots like here. In my senior year at college I was averaging nine shots per game. I am here to get 22-25 points a game. I just have been missing that killer instinct this season. I never had it.

What do you need to improve in your game?

My killer instinct and mental things in my game.

How much fun is it playing in the backcourt with fellow rookie American Alex Bazzell?

 

It is a lot of fun. He was out for half of the season so it has been tough finding that chemistry. We had that chemistry at the start, but its been tough finding it now. By nature he is a pass first guard like me and is always finding his teammates.

 

What young German player on your team has impressed you most with his development?

I really like the game of Nicolas Breuer. He is a very good shooter and so fast. He has so much heart and he never gives up.

What is a hidden strength in your game that doesn´t get noticed right away?

Passing. I play so much off the ball that I simply don´t get the chance to pass that more. I shoot  a lot more than I would like and am not able to pass the way I want to.

How did you get the nickname BP3?

Chris Paul was always my favorite player. Teammates in high school gave me the name.

You played your freshman year at the Air Force, but left after a year to attend UTPA. Why did you make that decision?

I basically had a difference of opinion with head coach Jeff Reynolds. He wanted me to be  atype of defensive player which is ok, but I wanted to get into a better situation. I made some mistakes and felt is was better for a change.

Jacob Burtschi played at the Air Force from 2003-2007. Did you know about him as you came to the Air Force?

He was a legend there. I heard so many good things about him, but never saw him play. He was a member of many great teams that were ranked in the top 25 in the country. He was on his way out as I was coming in.

Who was the best player that you played against in the NCAA that is in the NBA now?

I played against Klay Thompson. He only had eight points, but beat us by 30 points. I don´t think he brought his best in that game.

Who wins a one on one you or Alex Bazzell?

We never have played, but of course I would take myself.

You are a big Houston Rockets fan. Where will their journey end this season?

They will be very good in the future. I think that they just need to find that specila chemistry. They have many great players. It took some time until the Miam Heat found their chemistry an dnow they have two NBA titles. Rumor is that Kevin Durant might come aboard.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Warrior.

Thanks Brandon for the chat.

Jeremy Black is a 27 year old 203cm forrwad from Tampa, Florida that is playing for BG Karlsruhe. He played at  Tampa (NCAA2) from 2004-2008 and in his senior year played  30 games: 18.7ppg, 11.0rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1bpg, 1.5spg, FG: 49.3%, 3Pts: 30.8%, FT: 72.1%. He turned professional in 2008 and since then has always played in Germany. He has only played for two teams with Science City Jena and is now playing his fourth season with BG Karlsruhe.Last season for BG Karlsruhe he played 39 games: 12.3ppg, Reb-3(8.8rpg), 1.5apg, FGP: 49.6%, FT: 66.8% He spoke to German Hoops before the game against Crailsheim.

 

BG Karlsruhe suffered a tough 86-77 loss last weekend to Kirchheim. Kirchheim broke away in the second half to win the game. What was the main difference in the second half for getting another loss?

I think we lost a lot of tough ones over the last 10 games played, Kirchheim was no different. We gave up 47 points in the second half. Our lack of defense consistency and too many errors I think hurt us the most.

Had BG Karlsruhe shot better from the free throw line the way Crailsheim did, then you probably would have won the game. How agitating is that and will free throws be on the agenda this week?

Free throws are always critical I think in any game, however I wouldn’t say that lost us the game! I personally feel like we lost the game on the defensive end of the floor! When we cant score points you have to counter that by not letting your opponent score either.

After a nice playoff run last season, the hopes were very high this season, but it has been a season to forget. How frustrating has it been? Do you have any reasons why the club is at the bottom despite having a pretty nice roster?

I think everyone around the league wants to know the answer to this question. This year has been a complete opposite mirror image of last year. I’ve never been on a team with so many injuries. Every week its been someone different since pretty much preseason. Its frustrating but its life and you can’t pick and choose your battles. You just have to keep fighting.

Have you ever had a stretch in your career like this season where you have lost so many close games? BG Karlsruhe have lost seven tight games by less than five points. There was even a stretch where the club lost three games in a row by not more than 5 points combined. Is it more a mental problem or is the team not a crunchtime club this season?

I haven’t had a season like this ever in my career! I would say its bad luck I guess. I remember last season we won the last three of a five game winning streak by a margin of five points as well.

How badly does BG Karlsruhe miss Michael Stockton and are you surprised that he has fit in very nicely at the Beko BBL level?

I’m not surprised at all that Mike is playing well in the BBL. His game speaks for itself. He’s a fan favorite and an energetic leader, I don’t know what organization wouldn’t miss a player like him.

You are averaging 11,3ppg and 8,22rpg this season. How happy have you been with your season and what can still be improved most in your game?

To me I will always feel like I can improve in certain areas of my game; but the most important stat to me that needs to be improved for this season is more W’s less L’s

The next game is against Crailsheim. What do you remember from the 83-70 loss? Carlos Medlock hit you with 23 points.

I don’t remember much about the game but I do know Crailsheim is sitting second on the table and just had their 11 game winning streak snapped.

BG Karlsruhe plays for pride now. What kind of game can we expect and what will be key in getting the win?

I think we will go out compete just like every game! We don’t expect any team to have a pity party for us! We just have be consistent on both ends of the floor.

Lamar Odom is back and now in Europe for a Spanish team. Do you see him playing a role in Europe and can he get used to the style here?

I think Lamar is looking for the reset button on his career. I think europe is him starting over. He can adjust if he WANTS to be there.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

I haven’t watched a DVD in a minute but I just finished the TV show, Breaking Bad!

 

Thanks Jeremy for the chat.

 

Jermale Jones is a 27 year old 186cm guard from Birmingham, Alabama that is playing his second season for German pro B club TV Lich. He started his basketball career in 2005 for  Lawson State CC (JUCO) where he played until 2007. H ethen played two more years at Tuskegee (NCAA2). In 2011-2012 he came to Germany and played for SSV Lokomotive Bernau (Germany-ProB) playing 18 games: 17.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.7apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 79.2%. Last season he played for the  Licher Basket Baeren (Germany-ProB) playing  25 games: 14.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.8apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 77.3%. He spoke to German Hoops before the game against Baunach.

 

Thanks Jermale for talking to eurobasket.com again. In the tough 84-77 loss in Langen, you played only 20 minutes and had to leave on account of injury. What is your status and will you play on Saturday against Baunach?

My current status as of now is to take it day by day. Right now I don’t know if I will play but it will be a game day decision

The  Licher Basket Baeren had their winning streak snapped in Langen and made a run in the fourth quarter, but couldn´t pull out a road win. What were the main reasons for not getting the win?

Looking back at the start of the game.We dug ourselves a hole early. We were doing other things instead of sticking to the gameplan. In the 4th quarter we made a run but we didn’t get many defensive stops when we needed them down the stretch.

Your teammate Bill Borekambi had another solid game with 16 points. Overall he is one of the elite players on the team averaging 18,9ppg and 9,0rpg. He already has Beko BBL experience. Do you see him returning back to the top German league?

Yes I can see Bill being back in the BBL very soon.  When he joined our team only thing I could say was he was the missing piece to our team. It was amazing how we had got a player like Bill on our team. To me he is one of the best young German guys that’s playing in the league. Which ever BBL team gives him the opportunity he’s going to make a major impact to their team!!!

You are playing your second season with The  Licher Basket Baeren and have improved in scoring and rebounds. How happy have you been with your season and what part of your game do you need to work most on?

At the beginning of the season I was feeling very excited about our season because we won our 1st game and after that the next 4 games were tough losses and I was very unhappy about how our season was looking so far. As of now I feel better about our season because we started 1-4 and we have put in so much work to change our season around to where we are now. Every part of my game needs to be worked on because there is always space for improvement.

In your scouting report, you are seen as a good passer. Is getting your assists average up also something that you take pride in?

I think it’s important for me not only to be a scorer but also to share the ball with my teammates. That’s what’s making us successful.

At the moment the  Licher Basket Baeren are in seventh place with a record of 10-10. How confident are you that the team will be playing post season?

I’m very confident about playing in the post season. We just have to take care of business.

You beat Baunach 82-71 at the start of the season at home. What memories do you have of that game? Antonio Stabler was pretty consistent in the paint?

I remember them being a very young team and very aggressive. Antonio Stabler was a very solid player against us in the paint.

TV Lich wants the playoffs. What kind of game can we await and what will be key in getting the win?

We are expecting a very tough game. The key to this game is to keep them off the boards.. They are a very strong rebounding team. And if we go out and play the way we know we can and stick to our game plan we will win this game but it won’t be easy.

Lamar Odom has signed with a Spanish team. Do you seem him getting his basketball career restarted in Europe and will he be able to play team basketball?

I think it’s a nice move for Lamar Odom. To me I think he’s trying to prove a point by showing that he still loves the game and wants to play the game because NBA teams wouldn’t give him another chance. He’s trying to get back in the NBA.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

 

The Wolf of Wall Street.

 

Thanks for the chat Jermale.

 

 

Jermel Kennedy  is a 24 year old 201cm forward from Toronto Canada that is playing his first season in the German Pro B with TV Langen. He started his basketball career in 2008 with  Iowa Central Community College (NJCAA) playing 26 games: 4.3ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP:47.3%, FT: 57.1%. In 2009-2010, he played for Volunteer State Community College (NJCAA) playing  27 games: 11.7ppg, 8.2rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 26.0%, FT: 83.0%. He finished his college basketball career at Lander in 2012 playing two seasons there and as a senior played  27 games: 11.0ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.2spg, FGP: 66.1%, FT: 70.5%. Last summer he was drafted by Moncton Miracles (NBL Canada,1rd(6). He spoke to German Hoops after the big 84-77 home win against TV Lich

 

Congrats on the 84-77 home win against TV Lich. It was the fourth win in the last five games for TV Langen. Now the club is back in the playoff hunt. Is playoffs on your minds?

 

Thank you Miles. Playoffs have always been on our minds if we can keep up this consistent team play I’m sure we can make some real noise in the playoffs

TV Langen dominated the first quarter making 28 points. The club established early a healthy way of sharing the ball. How important is this concept of sharing the ball despite having two natural scorers like Martins Woody and yourself?

The concept of sharing the ball is much easier to understand when you trust your teammates and when woody and I lead by example by distributing the ball in the right spots for the right guys.

TV Langen had the comfortable 48-33 lead at halftime. Only you scored once in the second quarter and the rest of the points were made by the vast supporting cast of TV Langen players. One guy I haven´t dwelled on is German Cedric Quarshie. How important is having a guy like him who doesn´t get many minutes, but is just as important as the other guy on the team?

Well we value Cedric very much he’s extremely versatile and we can count on him to do anything that ensures our victory.

TV Langen was up by 16 points after three quarters, but TV Lich made a run in the fourth quarter and cut it down to as little as six points. Were you surprised that they made this run and did you guys run a little out of gas?

Well basketball is a game of runs we figured they were going to make a run eventually the question was how were we going to respond. We maintained the lead to the end and that’s all coach Thomas cared about.

Is finishing the game the only real negative point to the game? Is this something that the club will be focusing on on improving in the last games?

I don’t think our finish is negative at all we will take it as a positive on something that we never had an issue with before and build on from there

Giving up 77 points in a Pro B game is solid. TV Langen held TV Lich zu 25% from down town and easily won the rebounding duel. What other defensive factors were you pleased about in the victory?

I believe our help and recover rotations were a little better this game and we did a much better job of knowing when to help and when not to.

German Bill Borekambi had a very solid game with 16 points and eight rebounds. He has had Beko BBL experience. What was your impression of him and can do you see him banging with players in higher levels?

Borekambi was pretty good he knows where to attack the rim and he has good instinct to where the ball will land off a rebound. I can see him playing well against some BBL competition as well.

You finished with 16 points and eight rebounds on 7/16 shooting. Was this just a another normal day at the office. Tonight when your going to sleep, will you have some of those nine missed shots in your mind on how you could of made them or made better shooting decisions?

It most definitely wasn’t my best game and yes I always have those miss shots or bad possessions on my mind so I can remember what I won’t do or what I need to work on for the week.

The Pro B team of the hour are the Fraport Skyliners juniors. They have won seven games in a row and now seem to be alock for the playoffs. The last time you saw them play was a big rout at home winning 93-69. In that game high talented BBL players like Danilo Barthel, Johannes Voigtmann and Kevin Bright played. The club has been winning games without them and mostly German players. How surprised are you off this development?

I’m not surprised at all actually most of their young group of guys are talented I’m sure there getting the minutes and time they deserve and there taking advantage of it in a positive and winning matter.

Is this a good example that sometimes a team can be successful with very young players and a little less talent, but much heart and fighting spirit? They have won the last four games combined by not more than 8 points all being close wins.

I wouldn’t take away talent from them. They have all the attributes to being a well rounded team and if you have that you can beat anybody.

Lamar Odom has signed with a Spanish club. Do you think that he will be able to find a role and play basketball the way he knows to? The last year has been shear turmoil for him an dthis move seems like a way to restart his basketball career.

Hopefully Lamar is doing great and I’m sure he will play his game the best way he knows how to.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Jon Gotti.

Thanks Jermel for the chat.

 

Max Weber is a 28 year old 201cm forward playing for SC Rasta Vechta. He started his basketball career with SG Roterburg Cadet Team in 1999. In 2003, he moved to BBC Bayreuth. In 2004, he played for GHP Bamberg until 2006 having a license to play for TSV Troester Breitenguessbach. He was only able to play 6 games for Dirk Bauermann, but he won the 2005 BBL title. He played for The Deutsche Bank Skyliners from 2006-2009 and also had a license to play for TV Langen from 2006-2008. He played 19 games in the BBL for Frankfurt in his three years and seven Eurochallenge games. In 2009-2010, he played for Giessen playing  28 games: 2.6ppg, 1.4rpg. In 2010-2011, he played for the Saar-Pfalz Braves (ProA, starting five): 27 games: 11.5ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 46.6%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 60.0%. In 2011-2012 he played for  BG Goettingen (1.Bundesliga, starting five): EuroChallenge: 6 games: 4.5ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.2apg; German League: 33 games: 6.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 48.4%, 3PT: 27.1%, FT: 59.6%. Last season he played for the Neckar RIESEN Ludwigsburg (BBL): 32 games: 3.4ppg, 1.9rpg. He spoke to German Hoops after the 82-80 loss against the Telekom Baskets Bonn.

A tough 82-80 loss at home to the Telekom Baskets Bonn. Are these close game losses slowly becoming a nightmare for SC Rasta Vechta? It was the fifth loss of the season with three or less points?

We controlled the game for 37 minutes tonight and at the end we were missing that little luck to get the win. We fought until the end, but Bonn hit the big shots despite a good defense by us. I can only congratulate them. Of course it is once again very bitter to lose a game like this again, but we can´t stick our heads in the sand, but need to build on our performance.

Sc Rasta Vechta had the comfortable 28-17 lead after one quarter and led 42-35 at halftime. Was head coach Pat Elzie happy with the play after 20 minutes and had the game plan been followed to his liking?

I felt that we played a very good first half. We did exactly what we wanted to do on the defensive side. I think that we were more concentrated than in the other games.

Bonn made their run in the fourth quarter. Tony Gaffney and Benas Veikalas connected for the last two buckets securing the win for Bonn. Now looking back at the last plays, what could SC Rasta Vechta have done differently defensively to have won the game?

Despite Benas Veikalas making the last two shots in the game, the real game deciding moment was the steal of Jared Jordan six seconds before the end of the game.

SC Rasta Vechta have had guys come and go, but how valuable is American William Conroy and what is your impression of him? The guard duo of Richie Williams and William Conroy seem to be harmonizing nicely.

Will Conroy is a real leader and takes some of the stress from his shoulders. I feel that with these two guys, we have a very good back court that can compete with any other back court in the Beko BBL.

Wurzburg won again and now has two wins more than SC Rasta Vechta while medi bayreuth keeps losing. It seems like it will be between Tuebingen, Bayreuth and Vechta for the last remaining ticket for the Beko BBL. How confident are you that SC Rasta Vechta will stay in the league and what is the most important area that clubs needs to improve?

We are playing this weekend in Bayreuth which is a game that is very important for both teams. This will be a game with a lot of intensity. It is important for us that we keep the intensity up for 40 minutes. I think that if we can do that, that we will have good chances in Bayreuth. We continue to have small mistakes that we need to turn off. We continue to work very hard in practice and I am very optimistic for the game in Bayreuth.

This was supposedly the farewell game to Jared Jordan as rumor has it he will sign with Bamberg. Are you surprised that Bonn is making this move so late in season? Replacing Jordan is no easy task?

Jared Jordan surely isn´t replaceable. Therefore I am not sure if it was a good move by Bonn. But at the end, it always has to do with money in professional basketball. I think it is a shame for the Bonn fans and team.  

Bamberg isn´t the invincible team that it once was and they haven´t had so much luck with point guards last season and this season. How much more dangerous are they with Jordan and is Bamberg back on the same level as FC Bayern Munich now in the title hunt?

Bamberg is still the team to beat if you want to be the Beko BBL champion. They were champion four years in a row and are still champion. I think that the concern is home made. They weren´t as successful on the international level, but can still win all German titles. Now they have an elite point guard that will be very good for their game.

The Beko BBL will miss the Jared Jordan to Tony Gaffney ally-opps, but maybe now he will team up with Ellias Harris or Rakim Sanders. Do you think that Jordan will have even higher assist rate with Bamberg?

It is hard to say what the assist rate of Jordan will be with Bamberg. Jordan won´t have to carry as much weight with Bamberg as he did with Bonn. Bamberg plays team orientated basketball. With Bonn, Jordan had the ball in his hands most of the time, but that probably won´t be the case anymore in Bamberg. But I think he could have even have better options on offense that he can use. Jared Jordan is an exceptionally gifted point guard that will come to terms with the Chris Fleming system quickly.

Do or die this weekend against Bayreuth. SC Rasta Vechta beat Bayreuth earlier this season 85-80. What do you remember from the win and what will be key to getting the win?

I remember the first game against Bayreuth as being a hard fought game. I think that this game this weekend will be the same. For us it will be important to control the key Bayreuth players. We have to be concentrated and focused for 40 minutes. We are the better team and need to step up with that self confidence.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

My last DVD was “This is the end” with Seth Rogan, James Franco and Jonah Hill. It was a very funny comedy where one can really relax to.

Thanks Max for the chat.

Will Barnes is a 25 year old 185cm point guard from Tuscaloosa, Alabama that is playing his rookie season in Germany for Pro A team Finke Baskets. He started his basketball career in 2006 for Tennessee Tech (NCAA) where he played a total of 98 NCAA games. Last season he played at  Lee (NAIA) playing 34 games: 20.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 41.0%, FT: 77.7%. He is having a very strong rookie season for Paderborn and spoke to German Hoops after the 107-96 loss to Cuxhaven where he had a career high 43 points.

Will, a tough 107-96 loss to Cuxhaven. How quickly do you forget an amazing individual performance like your 43 points and nine assists when you lose the game?

I immediately get over the individual performance and focus on the next game. What I take with me is the confidence. Knowing that in certain situations I can step up individually and make plays. I don’t celebrate personally if we don’t win.

Can it get any worse than starting down 19-0. Do you remember ever a game in college where you had your backs to the wall so early? What were the main reasons for the poor team start?

No, our start was horrific. As a team we didn’t play any defense in the first quarter. We just have to focus on starting the game strong more than ever before. We’ve had bad starts the last 3 games.

Paderborn got back into the game and was down by only six points in the second quarter, but was trailing 50-40 at halftime. What adjustments did the team have to make it get back into the game?

Changing to zone sparked our run to cut into the lead. We made the switch then immediately went on a run to cut into the lead.

You only had 10 points at halftime. How were you feeling? Now looking back, did you think that you could heat up the way you did as you stepped on the floor in the third quarter?

I felt the need to step up at halftime because we were down 10. I knew if we wanted to win the game, I had to step up. I didn’t expect to get as hot but it proved very beneficial as we cut into the lead.

You scored 24 points in the fourth quarter rally a point total that some players never achieve ever in a single game. Was that the best quarter of shooting you ever had or did you have some games like that at Lee(NAIA) last season?

The 24 point 4th quarter is definitely the most I’ve ever had. I remember getting hot in a few games last year but not like last night! I was in the zone and hungry for a win.

You were the go to guy, but despite 43 points also made nine assists. That was like a Monta Ellis type stat game. That was the most assists that you got this season. Is it a big adjustment when you are in the zone, but then still have the ability to make those quick smart decisions for finding the better positioned player for the basket?

Not so much because I am naturally a point guard. Our style of play and roster has me playing mostly the 2 position. I am good at making those decisions while also being aggressive.

Did you notice that young German Maximilian Kuhle had his best game of the season steering 34 points? What was your impression of his game. Paderborn shot very well, but allowed 107 points. The club has allowed an average of 95 points in the last four games. Has the club lost some of their defensive principles? What things does the team need to improve to let up fewer points in the future?

 

No, I did not realize he had such a good game. He’s a good player & Cuxhaven has a tough team. Great athletes. Our defensive principles are always the main focus. As a team we just have to step up and get the stops and finish with a rebound!

The Pro A season is almost over and your having a very good rookie year. You already found that scoring touch early in the season and held it until now. How happy have you been with your season and is there anything that you would like to have done better?

My rookie season has been a learning process on the fly. I had to learn how to adjust to the European game, style of play, and officiating as we went along. It definitely has helped me individually. I wish it led to more wins for our team this year though. We’ve got a lot of tight games that were decided by a small margin. I felt like I should’ve played more of a leadership role but it was difficult with me coming in as a rookie and learning.

You played together with guard Anthony Fischer and forward Kevin Murphy. What were you able to learn from Fischer on the court and what amazing play do you remember Murphy doing in a game at Tennessee Tech?

Yes! Playing with Anthony Fisher helped me tremendously. He showed me how to play point guard at a high level. Showed me that hard work was the only way to succeed. I learned a lot from him in my first 2 years at Tech. Murphy was great as well. He was a freshman when I played with him and I noticed his talent early on. The work ethic and commitment is what set him apart.

Did you watch the winter Olympics at Sochi? What was your Olympic highlight?

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to keep up with the winter games!

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The last DVD I watched was “The Boondocks” seasons 1-3! It’s a hilarious show!

Thanks Will for the chat.