Not being able to celebrate a basketball title in three years may not be a tragedy for teams like the Lti Giessen 46ers, Philadelphia 76ers or New York Knicks who have been treading through a desert thirsty for that title, but haven´t had the needed fortune of finding a camel or water hole as they haven´t really been expected to win anything recently. However but when you are a team like Alba Berlin that is the FC Bayern soccer version of German basketball not winning for so long is like the equivalent of Glen Close, Steve Buschemi, or Tom Cruise never winning an Oscar, Paris Hilton getting her bank account blocked from papa or champagne pipeline going dry or Blake Griffin being scolded by coach Vinny Del Negro never to be allowed to dunk again thus ruining the entertainment for millions of fans from seeing his dunks at you tube. Alba Berlin last won a title in 2009 winning the cup in Hamburg and in the last three years have not reached the cup TOP 4 and only one Beko BBL final. “In order to win a title, a team doesn´t only need strong players, but a functioning team. The best example is Bmaberg. They continue to try to keep their players together and that has paid off successfully in the long run. I don´t think the problem in Berlin was a lack of good players or coaching, but more having a team playing together. I can´t really say or know what Alba Berlin should do to, because if I did , I am sure they would pay me a lot of money, but I know that they have to win games to get that next title”, warned Stefan Schmidt. The pressure to win keeps sky rocketing, but CEO Marco Baldi is keeping a calm head and hasn´t taken after colleague from FC Bayren Munich Uli Hoennes who can get redder when he is mad than a Maine lobster after it has been cooked. “The pressure rises from season to season and I am sure anyone can imagine how much money is spent there each season for players to win titles. I am sure Marco Baldi has become red before, but I am not sure if that will really help their situation”, stressed BBC Bayreuth center Stefan Schmidt. After not reaching the 2012 cup TOP 4 in Bonn after a bitter OT loss at home against the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig ex Skyliner musketeers Gordon Herbert, Derrick Mr ballerina Allen and Dashaun Mr road runner Wood have one more chance to win a title in June and continue to prepare and go for that quest by trying to get a win against their ex team Fraport Skyliners March 10^th. “I think that Mckinney and Tez want to beat Berlin more, ebcause they want to show them that it was a mistake by leaving Frankfurt since Alba Belrin is favorite. But I hope that Mckinney won´t leave his hot shooting in Bayreuth”, joked Stefan Schmidt.

 

There was a time between 1996-2003 that the basketball world of Alba Berlin seemed as perfect as the Michael Jordan run with the Chicago Bulls, the seemingly always flawless face of Cindy Crawford even in her rise in age or the breathless scenery of the lake Geneva. In these 7 years Alba Berlin was able to win 10 German basketball titles, including 7 league titles in a row and three cup wins. Alba Berlin ruled the German basketball world and was on top of the world like Dirk Nowitzki currently is after winning his first NBA title, or 19 year old Borrusia Dortmund German Mario Gotze currently is by invitation of the media. However since 2003, the team that plays in the posh O-2 World arena has seemed to lost that magic touch as they have only been able to win 3 titles in the last seven years with the league title in 2008 and two cup wins 2006 and 2009. What have been the main problems? Did the team loose their hunger in 2003 which somehow has been transferred over to the next teams? The Beko BBL has become more competitive and athletic in the last 5 years, coaches have come and gone, and the player transfers have not always seemed to have fit and team chemistry was lacking as well. Despite being only a game away last season from winning their 9^th title, Alba Berlin knows that in order not to get passed this season by a Bamberg and Munich, the club had to react and could have heightened their title chances in 2012 with the arrival of mastermind coach Gordon Herbert.

Last season, Alba Berlin rebounded well after not knowing how the coaching change from Luka Pavicevic to Muli Katzurin would end, but the club lost on the road to the always very strong Brose Baskets Bamberg in 5 games in the Beko BBL final. Alba Berlin had chances to win game 5, but some small mistakes and missed shots coupled with some big John Goldsberry three pointers washed out their hopes of bringing the championship back to the Spree. Muli Katzurin did a wonderful job taking over a squad in mid season changing the Pavicevic style and making the Albatros game more fast and mixing up the defensive sets. He led the team from a come from behind series win against the EWE Baskets Oldenburg and a very satisfying win over the Deutsche Bank Skyliners winning 3 games on the foreign floor of the Ballsporthalle. Katzurin brought new life to guys like Bryce Taylor and Heiko Schaffartzik, but somehow despite him saving the season from a possible nightmare had he not stepped up to the helm in January, Alba Berlin was looking in a new direction with Gordon Herbert.

Alba Berlin had had success with Americans Julius Jenkins and Immanuel Mcelroy, but there is always a time for a change, just like when you give your apartment a new new look changing the colours of the living room walls. Alba Berlin did a gradual face lift bidding farewell to ex Beko BBL MVP Julius Jenkins, the best defensive player in the league Immanuel Mcelroy who had won a combined 5 titles in Berlin, 2010 Eurochallenge winner Taylor Rochestie, Serbs Tadijia Dragcevic, Miroslav Raduljica and Germanys leading title holder Patrick Femmerling. Alba Berlin kept a solid core of players with ballerina dancer Derrick Allen, Bryce Taylor whos dunk over Predrag Suput will remain in the heads of many from last seasons final series against Bamberg and a core of Germans including three point sharp shooter Heiko, Mr”when you need a crazy three point bomb give me the ball please” Schaffartzik, Sven Schultze, Yassin Idbihi, and Lucca Staiger.

Alba Berlin didn´t waste anytime getting their most important order of business squared away as they hired Gordon Herbert very early this summer. Alba Berlin see Herbert as being the man to get Alba Berlin back on the title road and not getting run over by teams like Bamberg and Munich. This will be Herberts 5^th season in the Beko BBL. He led Frankfurt to their first league title in 2004 and reached the cup final that year. In 2010, he was two points away to getting Frankfurt that 2^nd league title as the Skyliners lost a bitter game 5 final in Bamberg. Last season, Frankfurt lost in 5 games to Alba Berlin. Herbert is known as getting the best out of his players, but also known in being able to build a strong and successful team even if talent and deepness is lacking. Now Herbert will have a type of new challenge as the talent will be about as abundant this season for the Canadian as there is with top Israel team Macabbi Tel Aviv. Now all eyes will be focused on Herbert to see how he will make an already very talented club even better.

Even after Alba Berlin had kicked out the Deutsche Bank Skyliners from the playoffs in their own living room, they still had no mercy as they stole Mr road runner Dashaun Wood from the heart of the fans. Despite that Wood had signed a contract to stay with Frankfurt, he did put some clauses in so that he could leave the club. One of those clauses was that he would go where Gordon Herbert would go. A heart of a player can be as big as Mount Everest for a team, but about as often as the sun shines in the Costa De Sol in south Spain, the green numbered paper that rules the world mostly keeps the heart of a player more green than red. Wood who was the leagues MVP in 2011 playing 42 games: Score-1(19.0ppg), 4.6rpg, Assists-2(5.9apg), 1.2spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 33.2%, FT: 80.3%, will more than likely not be able to post stats like that again with alba Berlin. He will have a different role in Berlin as he will be surrounded by many scorers and not have the burden on his shoulders having to score as he often did in Frankfurt. The question will be how well can his ego get used to his new role, but he has stated that winning is his biggest priority and not scoring 20 points a game. The team brought in European experience with American Torin Francis, athletic ex NBA player Kyle Weaver and a touch of Serbian fire with Marko Simonovic. The team kept a lot of last years success intact with Mr ballerina Derrick Allen, Mr everything on the court and more Bryce Taylor, Heiko “I can hit even from the Berlin TV tower Schaffartzik, inside monster Yassin Idbihi, sharpshooter Lucca Staiger and the glue that holds the team together German national player Sven Scultze.

However despite all this unending talent on board, Alba Berlin GOT out of the wrong side of the bed this season as they started with a less than satisfactory 2-2 record. They weren´t given a good role of the dice either getting their first three games on the road. They started with a heartbreaking 71-69 loss in Bremerhaven that probably had Herbert and Wood in long discussions after analyzing ways they could of won the game. Alba Berlin then creamed potential playoff team New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig 87-68, only to go to Phoenix Hagen the next week and get their second loss in a row there. Last season 37 points by Derrick Allen couldn´t get a win and this season it was Marc Carter that shot out the lights as Alba Berlin lost again 98-91. They returned to the O-2 World arena for their first home game and got a pesky fight from the Walter Tigers Tuebingen as they stayed close, but the eight time Beko BBL champion closed out the game in style with a 20-5 run to win 76-56. Except for the high scoring game in Hagen, they have defended well in the other three games letting up an average of only 71 points per game. With a new coach, players and system, Alba Berlin is just figuring each other out in the early going not too mention the building pressure to win each season. “Yea it is pressure winning wherever you are at at any level and yea they have more pressure cause the standard is higher in Berlin because of the tradition, but I think all of their players can handle it or else they wouldn’t be there”, stressed TBB Trier guard John Bynum. They then won nine games in a row including an easy 83-57 win in Frankfurt shot only 26% from the parking lot and were forced to 18 turnovers. In this big winning streak, they beat Oldenburg, Bamberg and Ulm at home and won in Munich. They then had their only weakness of the season going on a three game losing streak losing to Artland, Bonn and Wurzburg. The three game losing streak also took a toll on 2011 Beko BBL MVP Dashaun Wood. “I have never experienced anything like that before, but one has to remember just how much I have played recently. We had games on the 18^th, 20^th, 23^rd, 27^th and 30^th of December and the second, fifth and eighth of January. At the end of that game streak, it just showed that I was tired”, expressed Dashaun Wood. Since the three game losing streak, they have a 8-1 record losing in Bayreuth, a game they let slip away. “I think they will get stronger as the season goes along and will be a force in the playoffs”, warned John Bynum.

Since the climatic semi final win over Alba Berlin in 2005, where guys like Chris Williams and Tyrone Ellis led the then Opel Skyliners into the BBL final, Frankfurt has only a 9-15record against the Albatros, but have built installed a special albatross cage in the Ballsporthalle which has rewarded them with a 5-3 record. One of the biggest and most emotional wins in the last years was the 81-67 trouncing in January 2006 as it was the debut of ex Skyliner coach Charles Barton. It was only a shame that the team was unable to take this big win and grow off it as they won little more that season and had to win on the last day at home against The EWE Baskets Oldenburg to stay in the BBL. Some nice wins in the last years was the 74-58 win in 2008 as American Derrick Allen added 19 points and six rebounds and in 2009, they won 73-66 as ex Skyliner Lorenzo Gordon chipped in with 15 points and six rebounds. Last season, the two teams split the season series 1-1 as Alba Berlin held Frankfurt to 53 points in the Ballsporthalle and winning. Frankfurt returned to Berlin to win 76-70 as Derrick Allen led the team with 18 points. Frankfurt then surprisingly kicked out Alba Berlin in the playoffs 3-1 winning game four at home 69-58 as Derrick Allen had 26 points. In the first meeting last season, Alba Berlin escaped the O-2 World arena with a 81-77 win. Frankfurt led for 36 minutes before Alba Berlin put on the turbo and went on a 8-2 run which sparked the win. Dashaun Wood led all players with 32 points and Derrick Allen chipped in with 17 points for Alba Berlin. Alba Berlin shot 57% from the field and 44% from the parking lot, but Frankfurt had control of the boards 31-21. In the second meeting last season, Alba Berlin prevailed 79-70 as Dashaun Wood led Frankfurt with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and ex Skyliner Derrick Allen had 18 points. Frankfurt lost in the 2011 Beko BBL semi finals 3-2 .

The Fraport Skyliners will be looking for revenge from their blow out loss at the start of the season and will be looking to snap their two game losing streak to the 8 time Beko BBL champion after losing game five in the semi finals last season 87-68 and their blow out loss at the start of the season 83-57 as Dashaun Wood came back to haunt his ex team getting 21 points and German national player Heiko Schaffartzik poured in 18 points. Michael Thompson added 14 points, but Frankfurt had a poor 18 turnovers while Alba Berlin had only seven turnovers. Alba Berlin is coming off an exciting 83-82 win at home against the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven where they closed out the game with an 11-2 run and crazy Schaffartzik three point bombs. The Fraport Skyliners are coming off their biggest win of the season snapping their four game losing streak to Bamberg 75-68. Frankfurt knows what will be vital in winning on the road. “We have to play good defense and rebound well. Wood is a great player that makes big plays. We will have to contain him as a team”, stressed Quantez Robertson. German national player Tim Ohlbrecht had stressed after the Bamberg win that Frankfurt had only played well for 38 minutes. The extra two minutes will be important in Berlin. “We have phases where we play as if we were were in a lull. We can´t afford that, but need to keep energy for the whole game”, warned Skyliner guard Devin Gibson. After the big win against Bamberg, Alba Berlin should be warned about the current spirited play by Frankfurt. “We are coming together as a team. I don´t want to sound cocky, but I feel that we have a chance to win where ever we play. If we can play like we did against Bamberg in Berlin, then we have good chances to win”, warned Jacob Burtschi.

Alba Berlin is led by Kyle Weaver who is a 25 year old 198cm guard/forward from Beloit, Wisconsin. Since graduating from Washington St. (NCAA) in 2008, he has breathed NBA air most of the time except for some short D-league stays and ending last season with TEC Spirou Charleroi (Belgium). In his senior year at Washington State, he played 35 games: 12.2ppg, 5.3rpg, AssistsConf-4(4.3apg), StealsConf-4(1.7spg), FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 73.3%: Is the first player in Pac-10 history to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists, 175 steals and 75 blocked shots in a career. Finished collegiate career ranked second in assists in Washington State history with 465, third in steals with 188, seventh in blocked shots with 93 and 17th in scoring with 1,162 points. In his first three seasons as a professional basketball player he has played a total of 73 NBA games for The Oklahoma Thunder and Utah Jazz. Weaver shins with his great defensive play and anticipation skills and is a guy that does many things well including passing and displaying ferocity of attacking the boards. His perimeter shooting has improved since turning pro. Weaver could be one of the new stars of the Beko BBL this season. Last season, he played for Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA), only pre-season, then moved to Iowa Energy (D-League): 21 games: 16.6ppg, 5.9rpg, 3.5apg, 1.3spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 41.6%, FT: 83.5%, injured in Jan.’11, in Mar.’11 signed at Austin Toros (D-League, starting five): 9 games: 13.2ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.9apg, 1.0spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 38.9%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 78.0%; in Apr.’11 signed a 10-Day contract with Utah Jazz (NBA): 5 games: 5.6ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 33.3%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 87.5%; later that month agreed terms with TEC Spirou Charleroi (Belgium-D1, starting five): 11 games: 7.5ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 32.1%, FT: 64.7%

Dashaun Wood is a 26 year old 185cm point guard from Detroit, Michigan. He has natural leadership abilities, who directs teammates on the floor and takes the ball in clutch moments. Loves to go inside to score, challenging the big guys, but has also shooting range from behind the 3pts arch. Despite lack of size, he can be effective even at the defensive side. He played at Wright State from 2003-2007. He then had a superb rookie season for Tisettanta Cantu (Italy-SerieA, starting five): 38 games: Score-5(16.9ppg), 3.0rpg, Assists-4(3.3apg), 2.7spg, 2FGP:52.1%, 3PT-2(42.8%), FT:77.4%. In his second season he played for : Benetton Treviso (Italy-SerieA), injured in Oct.’08 and was off for 2 months: Eurocup: 12 games: 5.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 87.5%; Italian League: 17 games: 7.2ppg, 2.9rpg, 3.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 43.1%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 70.4%. He sat out the next season due to injuries and The Deutsche Bank Skyliners took a gamble signing him in 2010, but it paid off. Wood who was the leagues MVP in 2011 playing 42 games: Score-1(19.0ppg), 4.6rpg, Assists-2(5.9apg), 1.2spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 33.2%, FT: 80.3%, will more than likely not be able to post stats like that again with alba Berlin. He will have a different role in Berlin as he will be surrounded by many scorers and not have the burden on his shoulders having to score as he often did in Frankfurt. The question will be how well can his ego get used to his new role, but he has stated that winning is his biggest priority and not scoring 20 points a game. Alba Berlin then got a versatile 4/5 man with Boston native Torin Francis who should be a solid complementary player to Yassin Idbihi at the center position. Francis is a 29 year old 210cm American from Boston. He is a a highly-skilled and gifted athlete with game-breaking ability, versatile all-around frontcourt player who plays both ends of the floor extremely well, has a physical offensive and defensive presence on the court and runs the floor extremely well for a player his size. He is explosive in the post, smart decision maker with the ball and an unselfish player who knows how to distribute the ball. This will be his 6^th professional season as the Notre Dame alumnist has played in countries like Italy, Israel, Turkey and Greece. Last season, he played for Bornova Bld (Turkey-TBL, starting five): 13 games: 10.2ppg, 7.2rpg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 48.2%, FT: 61.1%; and in January 11 moved to Panellinios Athens (Greece-A1, starting five): Greek League: 16 games: 12.6ppg, 6.1rpg, FGP: 52.7%, FT: 68.8%; EuroCup: 6 games: 15.7ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.2bpg, FGP: 65.0%, FT: 72.7%. His only rap may be that he has never won a title at the professional ranks.

Derrick Allen is a 31 year 203cm power forward from Gadsen, Alabama that is playing his second season in Berlin. He is a rugged inside player who attacks the glass, will provide help on the boards, is a solid defender in the post, a competitor and hard worker, can score facing the basket and has shooting range to the foul line. He is playing his seventh season in Germany after playing two years in Karlsruhe, one season in Leverkusen and three years in Frankfurt. With the Deutsche Bank Skyliners, Allen reached the playoffs each season and lost a heart breaker fifth game in the 2010 BEKO BBL finals by two points. He played 148 games in his three years and never played a game where he dogged a play. Allen is searching for his first BEKO BBL title in Berlin. As 1/3 of Baldi´s angels, Derrick Allen will have the most zeal to win that title and do what it takes to get that hardware. Last season he played EuroCup: 11 games: 13.0ppg, 3.5rpg, FGP: 57.6%, FT: 80.6%; Euroleague Qualifying Round: 5 games: 15.0ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP: 64.7%, FT: 56.3%; German Bundesliga: 49 games: 13.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.1apg, FGP-3(61.0%), FT: 78.7%. For the departure of Serb Tadijia Dragcevic, the team hauled in another talented Serb with Marko Simonovic who seem to be around on the basketball block as much as the buses on Madison avenue in New York city. Simonovic is a 24 year old 202cm forward that is a great athlete with enormous jumping ability and an attractive player with great three point shoot. He played for BC Buducnost Podgorica (Montenegro) the last three years and last season played Adriatic League: 27 games: 13.8ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.3apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 69.2%; Euroleague Qualifying Round: 2 games: 8.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.0apg, 2.0spg. He may only be 24, but has vast experience for a player of his age having played for teams like Telindus BC Oostende (Belgium)and KK Hemofarm Vrsac. The Serbs in general for European basketball teams seem to be as exchangeable as the women on the side of George Clooney and with Simonovic it won´t be any different as he will help Alba Berlin with his inside out game.

The team brought back Heiko Schaffartzik who is a 27 year old 182cm point guard who is a German National player who has been a BBL traveler who has played for many different BEKO BBL teams like Giessen, Oldenburg, Nurnberg, EnBW Ludwigsburg and Braunschweig. He had his big international breakthrough at the Euro Championships in 2009 averaging 12,7ppg, 2,0rpg, 3,8apg and shot 54% from the three point line. He shoots first and penetrates second. He is a great one on one player. His biggest weapon is his shooting as he loves the catch and pop and off the dribble shooting. He started the season with Turk telekom in Turkey, but never found his rhythm as he played 10 games averaging 3,8ppg, 1,6rpg and 2,3apg in 15 minutes per game. He had a strong playoff series against Frankfurt and last season played German League: 32 games: 4.1ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.8apg; EuroCup: 5 games: 6.2ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 66.7%. The team also got some insurance by bringing in 25 year old 196cm shooting guard Bryce Taylor last season who hails from San Diego, California. He is the son of former NBA player Brian Taylor. He is a great sharpshooter with an aggressive dribble drive and has a keen understanding of the game. He played at Oregon from 2004-2008. In his senior year at Oregon, he averaged 12.8ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 46.1%, 3Pts: 38.2%, FT: 82.3% in 30 games. Three seasons ago, he turned professional and played in Italy for Premiata Montegranaro playing 30 games: and averaging 13.0ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.6spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 36.9%, FT: 82.6%. In 2009-2010 in Bonn, he played 6 Eurocup games: 18.5ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.0apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 36.4%; German League: 34 games: 12.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 81.4%. In 2010, he played NBA Summer league for the Indiana Pacers. Last season for Alba Berlin Taylor played EuroCup: 11 games: 7.3ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 83.9%; Euroleague Qualifying Round: 5 games: 0.8ppg; German League: 49 games: 7.8ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 44.9%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 76.0%.

The team brings back 28 year old 208cm forward/center Yassin Idbihi from Cologne is playing his second season in Berlin. He can score, but is not so fast, but has potent moves. He played at The University of Buffalo from 2003-2007 and finished as the school´s fourth all time leading scorer with 1,514 points and the third all time leading rebounder with 844. He became the first player in school history to score 1,500 points and 800 rebounds. He played with the Cologne 99ers and had some experience playing in France for Limoges. In 2009-2010, he helped lead The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig into the BEKO BBL semi finals losing against The Brose Baskets Bamberg where he played games 39 games averaging 10.7ppg, 5.2rpg, FGP: 56.2%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 80.0%. Last season, he got better in the second half of the season playing German League: 43 games: 7.4ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP: 58.3%, FT: 73.4%; Euroleague Qualifying Round: 4 games: 3.3ppg, 3.3rpg; EuroCup: 11 games: 7.0ppg, 3.2rpg, FGP-1(71.4%), FT: 73.9%. Luka Staiger who is a 23 year old 196 cm shooting guard returns back for a third season after coming late in the season last year coming from the NCAA from Iowa. He started his basketball career for TSG Ehingen and played there from 2003-2007. He then departed over the big pond to the NCAA to Iowa where he played until 2010. He played 49 NCAA games for Iowa, but was unhappy about how he was being used on the court and decided to return to Germany. In 2009-2010, he played 7 BEKO BBL games averaging 3,3ppg. He got his start in the German national team in 2009 in Poland at the European championships and got more of a role this past summer at the World Championships in Turkey -10: 4 games: 7.3ppg, 1.0rpg, FGP: 66.7%, 3PT: 37.5%. He once scored 106 points as a 16 year old. Last season for Alba Berlin he played German League: 41 games: 3.7ppg, 1.1rpg; Euroleague Qualifying Round: 5 games: 2.4ppg; EuroCup: 11 games: 3.8ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.2apg, also a license to play for ALBA Berlin II (ProB): 2 games: 18.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 4.5apg, 1.0spg. The team also brought back a familiar face with very experienced Sven Schultze who played many years for The German national team. He is a 33 year old 206cm power forward that was born in Bamberg. He is a very strong player with a deadly shot. With his size, he will post up the opponents small forwards and outrun the opponents power forwards. He is able to defend bigger players, but also agile enough to defend smaller ones. He can drop the three pointer in a variety of ways which gave Luka Pavicevic so many more ways of using him. He also is very dangerous on the fast break as he can with the speed of a point guard and then dunk. He started his career with Bamberg and then played for Alba Berlin from 1998-2002 winning four BEKO BBL titles. He then played for the Bayer Giants Leverkusen until 2005 before going south to Play in Italy in Milian, Udine and Biella. he also played shortly in Greece for Larissa. He finished the 2009-2010 season playing for Ferrara (Italy-SerieA): 13 games: 8.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.2spg, FGP: 60.6%, 3PT: 41.5%, FT: 75.0%. He won a silver in Belgrad in 2005 at the European Championships and played at the Olympic games 2008 in Bejing. Last season for Alba Berlin he played EuroCup: 12 games: 4.7ppg, 2.3rpg; Euroleague Qualifying Round: 2 games: 3.5ppg, 1.5rpg; German League: 43 games: 3.1ppg, 1.3rpg.

Jared Newson is a 27 year old 195cm shooting guard/small forward from St Louis, Missouri. He played at Tennessee-Martin (NCAA) from 2003-2006. In his senior year, he played 28 games: 18.8ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.4apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 40.4%, FT: 70.9%: Finished three-year career at UT-Martin ranked third all-time in scoring (1,347 points) and fifth all-time in rebounding (535). In 2006-2007, he played for the Bayer Giants Leverkusen (Germany-1.Bundesliga): 37 games: 13.3ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.2apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 46.6%, 3FGP: 33.9%, FT: 65.4%. In 2007-2008, he played for the Dallas Mavericks (NBA), only pre-season, then moved to Cairns Taipans (Australia-NBL, starting five): 13 games: 13.4ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.9apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 15.0%, FT: 63.4%, also played for Polpak Swiecie (Poland-DBE): 2 games: 0pts, 2.5rpg, 1.5apg. In 2008-2009, he played for the Brose Baskets Bamberg (Germany-1.Bundesliga): Eurocup: 5 games: 7.4ppg, 4.2rpg; German League: 28 games: 6.7ppg, 2.9rpg, FGP: 56.2%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 72.3%. In 2009-2010, he played for : Bakersfield Jam (D-League): 20 games: 10.6ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 67.2%; in Jan.’10 traded to Sioux Falls Skyforce (D-League, starting five): 27 games: 8.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 21.7%, FT: 60.5%. Last season, he played for Joensuun Kataja (Finland-Korisliiga, starting five): 55 games: 17.6ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.6spg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 69.5%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

What do you like most about Christmas in Germany?

I like the Christmas markets and how festive everything is around that time of year.

What was your fondest childhood memory as a kid?

Opening presents and having the whole family around.

You are playing your second season in Finland. Has Finland become like a second home to you?

No it hasn´t. Germany remains still my second home, because I still have many friends there and I always return to visit. Finland is just a destination where basketball has taken me.

Your team Joensuun Kataja is he top team in the league. What makes the team so strong?

Me and the Finish guys are playing our second season together and the new Americans B J Walker and Jeremy Price have helped. The chemistry is there.

What is your role in the team besides scoring?

My role is to do everything. I lead the team in scoring, rebounds and steals. I do what it takes to win. I play the most minutes in the league and I also help out on defense.

Does the team have what it takes to win the league title?

Yes we can. Last season, we lost in game five in the finals, but we have a stronger team this year.

If you win the title this season, wouldn´t it be logical to stay and build a type of dynasty there?

Yes that does sound logical, but I still want to be on the European market and maybe play some Eurocup or Eurochallenge in the future. I respect my coach and team a lot, because he gave me a chance to help build the team and bring in Americans.

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

My shooting is. I spend a lot of time working on my shooting. My shooting percentages have risen this year. Everyone knows I can dunk, but I can shoot also.

How many dunks do you do after practice?

I don’t practice dunks. They just come naturally during games. I played the post in high school and I was taught never to do lay ups, but just dunk when I can.

What is the most incredible thing that you have seen BJ Walker do in a game?

I saw Walker dunk over a 6,8 man. Walker is 6,1 so I was shocked to see that he could get up like that and dunk like that.

What was your childhood like?

I had a nice childhood, but we moved around a lot so I always had to find new friends. I came from a single house hold and was a single child so I had to figure out adult things early.

Who were your NBA idols as a kid?

Michale Jordan and Larry Hughes, because he came from the same area and I played the same position.

You played at Tennessee Martin. Who was your most difficult opponent in the NCAA?

Taquan Dean who played at Louisville and Daniel Ewing who played at Duke.

You played your rookie season for the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. What is your fondest memory from then?

Just meeting good people and keeping friendships until today. It was a great experience playing there. It is too bad that the team doesn´t play in the Beko BBL anymore.

Where would you rank your 2007 Beko BBL Allstar slam dunk win?

It is at the top. I had so much support during the competition. I gave the award to the club in a way to say thanks

You were the last cut of the Dallas Mavericks in 2007. What kind of conversations did you have with 2011 NBA champion Dirk Nowitzki?

I was talking German with him say how are you and good morning and he seemed to get a kick out of it. We did have conversations in English too. I really like his work ethic. Seeing guys like Nowitzki and Jason terry work has inspired me to work harder too.

You played in Australia with Nathan Jawai. What is still missing from him that will get him to the NBA?

I also played with him in the D-league. Jawai is an incredible talent. He just needs to get more hungry and want it more. He knows he can be a dominating force, If he wants to, he could be one of the best at his position.

You played for Chris Fleming with Bamberg in his first season as coach. Did you ever think that he could win so many titles so quickly?

Not really. His philosophy and how he handles his team compared to other coaches is different, but effective. He challenges his players in different ways. He gets his players to buy into his system and that is why he has been successful.

You played with Beckham Wyrick at Bamberg. Is there a more ultimate team player than him?

There is no better role player than him. He is a blue collar player that gets the job done. He is always taking advantage of each situation on the court.

You played in the D-league and now in Europe. Is it more comfortable playing in Europe?

In the D-league every game is important. Guys are playing to get to the NBA. There is competition and politics involved. Playing in the D-league can be good or bad. Sometimes a team may have very talented guys that need to play more, so you may get pushed down. In general playing in Europe is more comfortable.

What were the most free throws that you made in a row in practice?

40.

What was your most crazy shot that you ever made?

A shot behind my head from the free throw line.

How will the Dallas Mavericks do with Vince Carter and Lamar Odom?

They will be competitive, but wont win it all. They lost too many players and losing Tyson chandler hurt them on defense.

Is Tim Tebow god?

No he isn´t god. He seems blessed and wins at each situation. Since college, everyone has said that he isn´t good enough, but he proved everyone wrong.

Your favorite quote is If there is no struggle, no progress. What is your struggle?

My struggle is myself. I am my worst enemy. I have that quote as a tattoo. Some things in life are tough and you learn a lesson from it to get stronger.

Why do you like in Living Color so much?

That is classic comedy and where it all started. I also like the show Martin very much.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Laught at my pain with Kevin Hart.

Thanks Jared for the chat.

Zach Kuba is currently the assistant video coordinator for UCLA basketball. He is originally from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and has coaching experience at Shady Side academy and IMG Basketball academy in Bradenton, Florida. He is only 24 years old, friends with s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg center Jason Boone and has big aspirations to coach.. German Hoops had a chat with the American about the NCAA and his dreams.

This is your first season at UCLA as assistant video coordinator. How exciting is it having a daily relationship with the UCLA team?

It is extremely exciting and I am grateful to Coach Howland for giving me the opportunity. Working for such a storied program with a tradition of excellence is inspiring. UCLA sets the bar high and that is a motivating force for me each day as I do everything within my power to help prepare our team the opponents that I scout and on a personal level as I aspire to become a skilled coach myself.

UCLA is only 7-6 this season. What have been the main problems with the club this season?

We are currently 11-7 in the PAC 12 and 18-13 overall heading into the final game of the season, Saturday vs Washington. It has been a challenging year; 5 games into our season we were forced to remove our leading scorer and rebounder from last season, Reeves Nelson. Since then we have become a more cohesive unit, but have let a lot of close games slip away. In my opinion we lack a true leader; a guy on the team who demands the most out of his teammates each and every day at practice, and/ or one who thrives in big game situations. It is difficult to win close games without guys like this. We have had guys try to fill this role at times, but a leader to me is someone who leads in everything they do on and off the court. We lack this right now and I believe our record is a reflection of that.

How much more challenging is your job with the current record of the team? Is your job different than if the team was having success and was 12-1?

It is challenging, but I also think it could be easy to rest on a successful record. Personally, I am very hungry to win and tend to lose sleep over losses. This motivates me, but it is also frustrating when the hours we as a staff put in do not translate to wins on game day. For me, early in my coaching journey, I am just embracing the opportunity to prepare for the next opponent and see myself using this season as a learning tool as I move forward.

Twins Travis and David Wear are in their second season and averaging double figures. How much potential do they have and what do you like most about their game.

The sky is the limit for these two, but they have a ways to go to get there. I love that they are 6’10” and can go outside and shoot the ball. They have obviously been trained well as young kids, which is evident in their ball skills. Their versatility makes them difficult match ups for any team. With more physicality (and about 20 lbs of muscle each) added to their games, I see no reason why they cant be all-league and All-American caliber players.

Lazeric Jones is leading the team in scoring in his second season. How much did he profit from having Derrick Rose as a teammate in high school?

Zeke only played with D Rose for one year I believe, but I’m sure he benefitted greatly from that year. Playing against one of the greatest players in the world can only make you better. Zeke, being from Chicago, has that “Me against the world attitude.” But it’s this same attitude that makes him likeable in my opinion. He is a player with great explosion, strength and athleticism who is hard to guard. A team would be lucky to sign Lazeric Jones, whether in the NBA or overseas.

Your first love is coaching. You coached at Shady Side academy and IMG academy. What kind of experiences did you have there?

My only love is coaching. There is nothing better than getting in the gym with a guy and making that guy better. Coaching at Shady Side was great; it was my former high school where I am 2^nd on the all time scoring list. We had a successful season, winning the section and losing in the 2^nd round of the playoffs. Coach Terrence Parham is a great head coach to work with. He gave me a lot of freedom to explore my persona as a coach and would often let me run a practice or a film session, knowing that I could communicate well with our guys. I miss working with Coach T. Perhaps even more beneficial to me was the post season where a few guys hung around the gym looking for me to help them get better. We have a freshman at Kenyon College, Cooper Handelsman, getting good minutes right now due to his hard work in the offseason. Shady Side recently lost in the quarterfinals of their playoffs this season, but may have qualified for States.

IMG Basketball Academy was an incredible addition to my basketball education. I spent a good amount of time working with Dan Barto, who does a remarkable job training collegiate and professional talent. Coach Barto (as he hates to be called) allowed me to be a part of all workouts, whether to just rebound, contribute or provide feedback. At times, He allowed me to orchestrate my own workouts for guys like Iman Shumpert of the New York Knicks. It was a great experience being with these guys and seeing how they work to get better. These professional players operate at a different level. The game is fun to them, but when they get in that gym and it’s time to put in work, it’s all business. IMG is really a great training facility for both professional and collegiate athletes looking to take their game to the next level. The Strength and Performance Institute at IMG is like nothing I have ever seen; it is unique in its training of an athlete’s body towards a specific sport. Performance coach, Steffen Visk, does an incredible job transforming basketball bodies and getting them fine-tuned for the upcoming season. He would be a great addition to any collegiate or professional strength staff and IMG is lucky to have him.

Both places were great and provided me with different experiences that diversified my resume.

As a 24 year old guy, you are very young as a coach. What are your strengths as a coach?

One of my strengths is the vast number of basketball experiences I have already had. I’ve been involved in the game since a very young age and as a result have encountered a significant number of “basketball personalities.” I attended Drill4Skill camps run by the father of University of Arizona coach, Sean Miller; spent 7 summers at 5-Star Basketball Camp with “Garf” (Howard Garfinkel) and Will Klein; I was even fortunate enough to meet and spend time with John Wooden. In addition, I played AAU Basketball with and against a number of great players and got to be a part of that whole Basketball world. I went on to play Division 3 Basketball in New York and since graduating I’ve coached high school, worked at a Juvenile Detention Center, trained Professionals players (NBA and abroad), college guys , and elite level high school guys. Now I work with the most legendary college program in NCAA Basketball History. My experience is well-rounded and people at all levels like and respect me because of my work ethic. So to make a long answer short, I feel that my strengths lie in my willingness to work hard and the passion I bring to the game and my players. Coaching to me is more than X’s and O’s ; it’s about relationships. A coach needs to have a positive impact on his players and maximize their potential. I will continue to learn more as my journey continues, but right now my desire is to get on the floor and work with guys on a daily basis; preseason, postseason, and throughout the season- all are equally as important. My greatest strength is my desire to make myself and the people around me better. One of Coach John Wooden’s many great quotes states:

“Listen if you want to be heard” ―John Wooden

This is one of my mantras and I believe it adds to my strength as a coach. I listen to my players, listen to other coaches, and listen to anyone who takes time to speak with me. As a coach you aren’t above anyone on your staff or the team itself, you are simply an extension of these guys, and so listening to these men is important when it comes time to command the respect of the group. Another one I really like from Coach Wooden:

“Never try to be better than someone else. Learn from others, and try to be the best you can be. Success is the by-product of that preparation.” ―John Wooden

What tips have you picked up from Ben Howland at UCLA?

Coach Howland is one of the best Coaches in the entire country. Working for him has been great. His ambition to prepare and get ready for the next opponent is what I take from him most. We must know our next opponent inside and out before we even think about mentioning something to Coach Howland.

You can only play for Coach Howland if you are true competitor and take pride on the defensive end. That’s what we will see UCLA Basketball get back to as Coach Howland continues his tenure here.

If you could coach one player who would you like to coach?

Wow. That’s such a tough question. So many guys would be fun to coach. At the end of the day you want a guy with an incredible work ethic who inspires his teammates to be better and who allows himself to be coached. I would love to coach a guy like Kevin Durant because of his incredible skill-set and his will to win.

You are friends with s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg Jason Boone. I presume you met at New York university where you went. What kind of basketball bond do you guys have?

Jason is one of the main reasons I decided to go NYU. I spent my recruiting trip as a senior in High School with J and I feel like we automatically became friends after that. On the court, half of my threes made as a freshman were because J was doubled in the post and kicked it out to me for an open look. He is a great teammate and a great guy. Since our playing days together we have kept in touch working Columbia basketball camps in the summer and over Facebook. Apparently he lived in my apartment one summer too, but that’s another story. Haha. Jason is definitely one of my favorite people whom I have met through the game of basketball.

You have big aspirations to coach in Germany. If you could describe your coaching style to interested teams, how would you?

Ich bin eine Person mit viel Energie und Leidenschaft. Ich würde ein Coach mit diese Qualitäten auch. Ich werde langer und schwerer als anderen Coachen (Coaches) arbeiten. Ich werde erfolgreich sein.

I’m a guy who entering the coaching world will do whatever is asked of him. I know that in order to become a successful Head Coach you must pay your due diligence. My personality makes me someone who likes to get in the mix and work directly with guys, breaking a sweat myself. However, I also have great experience from a preparation standpoint and can be very helpful as far as video and scouting report work. My niche as a coach will continue to develop, but right now I would sell myself as a guy who is hungry to do what it takes to help his team win and make his head coach happy.

What do you know about German basketball besides Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Boone?

To be honest when answering that question, I do not know a great deal. I know the Bundesliga because I followed that a little in high school while I was taking German. I know some guys who I have seen or played with over the years play over there, but right now my main focus is on making a career out of the game for myself. I would love to be thrown into the mix in Deutschland and learn. I would pick things up real fast! Those guys over there care about the game as much as I do. That’s what I know about the German league and the players in it. I would love the chance to experience the country and still use the game of basketball as my means of life.

What is a hidden strength in your coaching ability that isn´t noticed right away?

You can’t tell how much I care/ how passionate I am. It is hard to read that in a person on first impression. I think because I care about guys and want what’s best for them allows me to communicate and use everything I’ve gained over the years. I am very loyal and trustworthy which I feel are important attributes as a Coach and are personality traits that can easily be overlooked. Also, I can still play a little bit. Since having back surgery 2 years ago, I am a new man and feel very comfortable showing guys a drill or demonstrating what I want from them and then jumping into the drill if need be to heighten the competition level.

If you ever had Jason Boone on your team and he had a bad game, would you be able to bench him?lol

Haha. I can’t really remember J having a horrible game. Even when J has a bad game, he still does enough for you out there where you can’t take him out. He’s always rebounding, making the right pass/ play, and altering shots on defense, and those are a lot of constants even if the jump hook is falling on a particular night. Not to mention his effort.

I could easily have answered Jason Boone on that earlier question about who I’d like to coach, but then I thought about who would win the one-on-one game between J Boone and Kevin Durant. Have to go with KD on that one. Sorry J.

Who are your early March Madness Final 4 picks?

It’s so wide open it really is hard to predict. Kentucky and Syracuse seem pretty tough to beat. UNC is always right there. Those 3 and then I wouldn’t be surprised to see a sleeper team like a Wichita State or San Diego St somehow sneak in there. It really all depends on the bracket,. Each round and match-up is different.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

I can’t even tell you. I keep up with Jersey Shore on TV right now. Haha. Yes, I watch J-Shore and love it. I went to see Denzel’s new movie Safe House the other day and it was pretty good. But, other than that my time revolves around watching game film. It’s the life I chose, though. lol

Thanks Zach for the chat.

Augie Johnston is a 25 year old 185cm guard from Atascadero, Calfornia. He played at Cal.St.-Monterey (NCAA2) and his infinite range has proven he was one of the best shooters in the country. Although he is a prolific shooter, it is his overall ability to score the basketball and defend the opponent’s best player that is so impressive. He is one of the most professional and hard working players. As a captain at Cal State Monterey Bay he has shown to have all the leadership qualities you would want in a point guard or shooting guard. He started his professional basketball career in 2009-2010 for Velbert Baskets (Germany-2.Regionalliga), playing 9 games: 28.4ppg. Last season, he played for SpVgg Rattelsdorf Independents (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 25 games: 29.8ppg . This season, he is playing for SC Rist Wedel and helped bring the team into the playoffs against Nordlingen.This season in the PRO B he is averaging 16,3ppg, 4,2rpg and 4,0apg in 24 games. He spoke to German Hoops after the exciting 85-83 win against the Nordlingen Giants.

Congrats on the 85-83 game one win in Nordlingen. This team played in the Beko BBL three years ago. How did you like the atmosphere in their gym in crunch time?

Wow, that was one of the loudest gyms I have ever played in. The fans wanted their team to win and they had a lot of drums and horns. In the U.S. it is not allowed to use artificial noise makers, such as horns and drums during games and those can really distract you when shooting a free throw in crunch time.

SC Wedel had a 31 point explosion in the second quarter to have the 49-40 lead at halftime. What adjustments did the team make?

Well, they were switching back and forth between a 3-2 trapping zone and man man defense in the first half. I got hot for a few minutes in that second quarter and they went into a box and 1 defense on me. This kind of defense is good for stopping one player but it makes it much easier for the rest of the offensive players to find holes in the defense and make plays and thats what my teamates did. So we made a nice run against that defense and then they got out of it and went back to man to man for the rest of the game.

In the last interview, I asked you about Ismet Akpinar. He hit a big three pointer with 1.22 to play and won the game at the end. Please describe the winning shot and how it happened?

It was sort of a broken play and Ismet caught the ball on the wing and just penetrated baseline. The best way I can describe the shot is to have you think of a Kobe Bryant two dribble pull up fade away. It was a very difficult shot, but one that Ismet makes all the time in practice. A lot of credit needs to go to Fabian Boeke too. He was working really hard in the post when Ismet caught the ball and did a good job sealing off his man so he couldn’t help. You can watch the video of the last shot of Youtube.

Who does Akpinar remind you most of when you see him on the court?

To be honest, he reminds me a lot of Jeremy Lin how he plays. He can shoot very well, has the same shooting form of Lin and can penetrate to the basket and finish with floaters. Also, his shake and bake game is very similar.

SC Wedel can wrap up the series at home. What is going to be key in winning the game at home and not falling into uneeded bad habits?

The key for us will be teamwork and getting the ball inside. If we play inside out we are dangerous because we have a lot of great shooters and big men that need to be doubled.

Jason Jamerson connected for 27 points. What will SC Rist have to do better in game 2 against him?

Keep him off the foul line. We actually did pretty good on him considering the caliber player he is, but he scored 11 points shooting free throws and a lot of them were in the 4th quarter. We play very tough defense in Wedel and we just need to be smarter against him.

Fabian Boke had a strong game with 20 points. What do you like most about his game?

Well besides his 7 foot wing span, it’s got to be his shot. This guy is 6’10” and is a pure shooter. Teams don’t guard him that way though because he is 6’10”, but he is deadly.

You had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes. How happy were you with your own performance and how critical can you get about your play?

I am very happy with my performance since we won. If we would of lost I would not of been satisfied with those numbers at all though. I think our team is best when I am making plays for others. I had a very good first half in scoring and a good second half in assists and I don’t really care what my stats are, but more of how I got them and I got all of those points taking good shots, and all of my assists were for easy lay ups or wide open jump shots. Against a good team like Nordlingen we need a complete team effort to beat them.

What is your take on the Rajon Rondo trade talks? Why would the Boston Celtics want to trade him?

That is insane. I guess they think they can get a Derrick Rose type player otherwise they would be crazy to take any one else. I hope they keep him and clean house with everyone else.

How soon will we see another point guard other than Deron Williams score 50 + points?

Could be this weekend. Ismet has his confidence up now and will probably get some more minutes, haha. But really, I think Russell Westbrook has a chance of scoring 50 if Durant misses a game or two.

Thanks Augie for the chat.

Not only has it been difficult winning in their own living room this season for the Fraport Skyliners, but winning at home against the four time Beko BBL champion Bamberg has been a struggle. Since their 2005 game five loss in Bamberg, Frankfurt has only a 2-6 record at home and has had as much difficulty finding consistency against the Bavarian team as a camera guy recently had mixing up NFL superstar Calvin Megatron Johnson with running back Eddie George, singer Elton John not getting very sick recently of food poisoning on tour or super model Giselle Bunndchen admitting that husband Tom Brady wasn´t god in the Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants. However sometimes in professional sports changing a name can do wonders. Even though the Brose Baskets Bamberg kept winning after changing their arena name from Jako to Stechert, one could only hope that the Fraport Skyliners wouldn´t keep losing after the arena name change from Ballsporthalle to Fraport arena and the 2004 Beko BBL champion didn´t disappoint the faithful fans as they continued their hot play after the wins against Munich and Bayreuth by stifling Bamberg 76-68. Brose Baskets Bamberg manager Wolfgang Heyder loves his club as much as Uli Hoeness does FC Bayern Munich, but was very neutral about the name change and chances of Frankfurt before the game. “Winning a game or not has nothing to do with the arena name. In the end it is always decided on the court. We have won and lost here. Anything is possible in this league and Frankfurt can always win here”, stressed Wolfgang Heyder, After the win, a very sweaty but ecstatic Jacob Burtschi hoped that the new arena name and hot play of Frankfurt would continue. “I hope that with this win, we will have the start of a new long run. I wouldn´t mind meeting Bamberg here again in the future after this win in the Fraport arena”, smiled ex Phoenix Hagen forward Jacob Burtschi.

The Fraport Skyliners gave another great team effort, but what really stood out most in this game was the strong forceful Edward Scissorhands forcing numerous losse balls which resulted into steals and fast break points. Quite often the Fraport Skyliners had consecutive defensive stops with their annoying Edward Scissorshands that were simply to quick and active for Bamberg. “We were very active on defense and we noticed that they weren´t always taking care of the ball which gave us the chance to swipe balls away”, added Jacob Burtschi. The team has played super defense the last months and it seems like their quick hands are really coming into the spotlight now. “Coach has been talking about pressure defense the whole week. It really carried over into the game tonight. The secret to our quick hands is anticipation”, smiled Texas native Devin Gibson. Jimmy Mckinney had a smile on his face as big as ex teammate Titus Ivory after the game and was as quick as lightening commenting who has the quickest hands on the team. “Tez has the quickest hands. He is Mr everything, but Devin Gibson also is quick. We had our hands on balls more than usual, expressed St Louis native Jimmy Mckinney.

The Fraport Skyliners entered the game looking for their third win after giving up an average of 53 points per game against FC Bayern Munich and BBC Bayreuth. Three months ago, if one had even attempted the courage of saying that they could enter the playoffs, one would of laughed in your face or said you were crazy. However with less than two months to go in the regular season, the team is on a smooth and positive direction of post season play with another great team effort. “We gave a great effort today for 38 minutes. We showed that we can beat anyone in this league. Even if it took a long time, we have found ourselves as a team now. After a bad start winning games at home, we finally are winning here and we are on a good way to the playoffs which is our goal”, stressed German national player Tim Ohlbrecht. The Brose Baskets Bamberg were looking for their 16^th win in a row after destroying TBB Trier 78-36 72 hours earlier, but could never get on track in the Fraport arena as Frankfurt jumped on their backs and controlled the game. “We didn´t go into the game that we should of. We did a pretty good job picking up our defense after the first quarter, but we never found our rhythm on offense and if you turn over the ball 22 times, it will be very hard to win. Frankfurt didn´t really do any thing special on defense. They did a good job being aggressive in the passing lanes, but we didn´t take care of the ball which was the main thing”, stressed Ohio native Brian Roberts.

The Fraport Skyliners went into the game without starting point guard Michael Thompson was ill, Justin Gray and Falko Theilig and 4,880 patrons that wanted to see a basketball battle. The Brose Baskets Bamberg dressed Julius Jenkins, but didn´t play and seemed not 100% yet after his injury. The Fraport Skyliners took their rapid start from the BBC Bayreuth game into the Bamberg game jumping on them going out on a 10-2 start. How often have the Skyliners got off to bad starts in the last years and paid by exerting too much energy in the come back and losing. Frankfurt quickly showed their aggressiveness on the offense boards as German national player Tim Ohlbrecht dunked home a Mckinney miss, Jacob Burtschi nailed a three pointer, Quantez Robertson finished off a fast break with a lay in, and Ohlbrecht dunked again after getting a sweet swing in pass from Burtschi. Bamberg seemed like they were going for a Sunday stroll in the Bavarian countryside lacking intensity on defense. Bamberg finally got a big three point fast ball bomb from Anton Gavel who shoots as if there is a contest how quickly he can get the ball into the hole. However that shot was quickly silenced by consecutive Mckinney three pointers as Frankfurt led 16-7. Frankfurt kept being a force on the offensive boards getting second chance points from Burtschi and Gibson as Bamberg trailed 20-9. Gibson kept up his potent offensive play scooting into the zone and then finding the space for a mid distance jumper which couldn´t have been any better by NBA superstar Chris Paul. Mckinney kept up his hot shooting with a jumper from the right wing and then from the left wing. “Frankfurt got off to a good start playing aggressive defense which led too many points. Mckinney hit many shots and Bamberg seemed surprsied by the Frankfurt start and weren´t aggressive on defense”, stressed Frankfurt Skyliner PRO B player Jan Novak. “Right before the game started, we heard how Bamberg didn´t give us any respect saying that we weren´t at their level. This really motivated us in the first quarter”, said Jacob Burtschi. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 55% form the field and 75% from outside while the Brose Baskets Bamberg were shooting 56% from the field and 50% from outside. Frankfurt had the huge 8-3 rebound edge and only three turnovers while Bamberg had eight turnovers.

It is really only a matter of time until Euroleague team Bamberg fight out of their funk and start producing which they did at the start of the second quarter going on a 7-0 run to trail only 26-22. The Brose Baskets Bamberg played some appetizing inside out basketball as slam dunk specialist Marcus Slaughter scored with a fade away jumper and lay in after a nice pick and roll with Roberts and Gavel nailed a line drive three pointer. Frankfurt lost a bit of concentration on defense, but ex NBA player Jermareo Davidson picked up the slack hitting an off balance shot and pull up jumper over Slaughter while Slaughter also scored again getting a bullet pass from Gavel, but Frankfurt still led 30-24. However the Brose Baskets Bamberg were getting stronger and kept the pressure on on offense escaping on a 8-2 run to knot the game at 32-32 and making the Fraport arena from a loud bedlam atmosphere to a more tranquil church like atmosphere. The Brose Baskets Bamberg kept attacking Frankfurt inside as Roberts scored over Davidson and Slaughter scored twice with a dunk as Marius Nolte wasn´t on him and a lay in after getting a perfect lob pass from ex NBA player PJ Tucker. However the Fraport Skyliners kept the lead with a huge Johannes Herber three pointer to lead 36-33. However Bamberg neded the second quarter with a big Brian Roberts three pointer as Bamberg crept into the locker room with their first lead of the game 37-36. “Bamberg went on their run in the second quarter. Bamberg is a team that is always able to do that”, commented Jacob Burtschi. “Frankfurt had no real point guard on the floor when Gibson was on the bench with three fouls. Frankfurt let up a bit on defense. Bamberg was doing a better job attacking inside with slaughter and Tucker”, stressed Jan Novak. The Brose Baskets Bamberg were shooting 62% from the field and 43% from the three point line while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting 47% from the field and 50% from the three point line. Bambegr rebounded better in the second quarter leading the rebound battle 15-12. Bamberg had 10 turnovers while Frankfurt only had six turnovers.

In the third quarter, The Fraport Skyliners were able to get the lead back and find back to their strong play of the first quarter especially picking up the defensive intensity again holding the Brose Baskets Bamberg too only seven points. After Robertson made two free throws to give the Fraport Skyliners the lead back to 38-37, he made the play of the game intercepting a pass in front of the Skyliner bench falling out of bounds, but spinning in the air saving the ball and passing the ball to Gibson who went on the fast break slowing down the tempo a bit until Super Tez was back finding him in the corner and he riffled a pass to Ohlbrecht who was streaking into the lane for the mammoth dunk as Frankfurt led 40-37. “Tez continues to show why he is so important for the team doing things that don´t appear in the stat sheet. That steal from Tez was amazing”, stressed Jimmy Mckinney. “I thought about spinning right when I was in the air. I pride my defense after Dwayne Wade, because we are both athletic getting in the passing lanes and getting our teams extra possessions”, added Quantez Robertson. Michael Thompson who sat out the game due to illness found the play by Tez amazing as well. “Tez is always in the passing lane. He is so energetic like the Duracell bunny”, joked Michael Thompson. Bamberg hung around for a few more minutes and didn´t let the big Tez play take the momentum away as German Kartsen Tadda showed his quickness getting to the hole and scoring as Frankfurt led only 42-40. However Frankfurt found their stride in the last minutes going on a 10-4 run to lead 52-44 after three quarters. Frankfurt got to the free throw line and after Davidson made a runner from the wing, benefited on a Philipp Nuemann unsportsmanlike foul and were rewarded with another Burtschi Three pointer. Bamberg closed out the third quarter with a mini 4-0 run as Slaughter scored on an ally-op as ex NBA player Casey Jacobsen made the pass and Tadda hit a jumper. “Coach Katzurin told us at halftime to play the third quarter as if it were the first quarter and we did with getting loose balls, rebounding and playing good defense”, added Jacob Burtschi. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 38% from the field and 44% from the parking lot while the Brose Baskets Bamberg were shooting 53% from the field and 30% from the parking lot. Bamberg had the 25-20 rebound edge, but 19 turnovers while Frankfurt only had nine turnovers.

The Fraport Skyliners were in control of the game, but you can never be totally sure when you are playing a team like the Brose Baskets Bamberg, but despite the four time champion staying on the heels of the Fraport Skyliners, Frankfurt stayed strong never letting the opponent get closer than five points. The Brose Baskets Bamberg got on the right track to begin of the fourth quarter going on a 5-2 run to trail only 54-49. Predrag Suput started the run with lay in high off the glass, Gibosn hit a pull up jumper and Jacobsen hit a timely three pointer. The Fraport Skyliners got some big three pointer from Johannes Herber and Jimmy Mckinney to keep the lead comfortable at 62-52. Despite a deep bench and the team using much energy, Bamberg didn´t want to totally go away. Bamberg skipper showed his confidence for young Germans Phillip Neumann and Daniel Schmidt giving them minutes in a come back instead of garbage minutes. Slaughter and Robertson then traded baskets, but Frankfurt still led 64-54. Bamberg had one last grasp of air going on a 5-0 Supur run to cut the lead to 64-59. Suput hit a turn around shot and then scored over Davidson. However Frankfurt got the momentum back hitting Bamberg right back going on a 5-0 run to put the lead to 69-59. It was Herber hitting his second big bucket of the game and Tez scored on a fast break with a thunderous dunk. “The three pointer by Herber broke the back of Bamberg”, said Jimmy Mckinney. Bamberg kept the pressure on with a mini 4-0 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 69-63, with Suput and Roberts buckets, but the clock was running down. Bamberg then was too concerned about what was happening around the in bounds pass that they didn´t keep an eye on an open Burtschi under the hoop who got the ball and the lay in. Mckinney and Herber made free throws in the last minute to seal the win for Frankfurt who had lost the last four games to Bamberg. “We have to invest enough eneryg into each game, but we didn´t do this tonight, but Frankfurt did. It is difficult to win when you have 22 turnovers”, added Chris Fleming. “The key today was getting the free throws, getting key rebounds and some tip outs to keep the play alive as well as the Herber three pointer”, added Devin Gibson.

The Fraport Skyliners were led by Jimmy Mckinney with 19 points. Quantez Robertson added 12 points. Johannes Herber contributed 11 points and Jacob Burtschi 10 points and eight rebounds. The Brose Baskets Bamberg were led by Marcus Slaughter with 15 points. Brian Roberts added 13 points and five rebounds. Casey Jacobsen produced 11 points and Anton Gavel 10 points and six assists. The Fraport Skyliners shot 42% from the field and 50% from outside while the Brose Baskets Bamberg shot 54% from the field and 36% from outside. Bambegr won the rebound duel 31-28, but key were the 22 turnovers by Bamberg while Frankfurt only had 13 turnovers. Frankfurt also did a superb job getting 12 second chance points which helped in the first half eight fast break points. Three months ago, the Fraport Skyliners were as far away from the Beko BBL playoffs as it would be to see Jeremy Lin suit up in a Phoenix Hagen jersey, but now the Fraport Skyliners have a legitimate chance of making the playoffs if they keep up their strong play. Thw in against Bamberg will heighten their self confidence even more which they will need in the next tough games against Alba Berlin and the Artland Dragons. Mckinney knows what is most important for the Fraport Skyliners now. “This was a huge win, but really it was just a win.We can´t get too excited about it. We can´t get too high or low at this stage of the season, but stay in the middle”, warned Jimmy Mckinney.

Augie Johnston is a 25 year old 185cm guard from Atascadero, Calfornia. He played at Cal.St.-Monterey (NCAA2) and his infinite range has proven he was one of the best shooters in the country. Although he is a prolific shooter, it is his overall ability to score the basketball and defend the opponent’s best player that is so impressive. He is one of the most professional and hard working players. As a captain at Cal State Monterey Bay he has shown to have all the leadership qualities you would want in a point guard or shooting guard. He started his professional basketball career in 2009-2010 for Velbert Baskets (Germany-2.Regionalliga), playing 9 games: 28.4ppg. Last season, he played for SpVgg Rattelsdorf Independents (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 25 games: 29.8ppg . This season, he is playing for SC Rist Wedel and helped bring the team into the playoffs against Nordlingen.This season in the PRO B he is averaging 16,3ppg, 4,2rpg and 4,0apg in 24 games. He spoke to German Hoops about the current season.

SC Rist Wedel is meeting the Nordlingen Giants in the playoffs. How excited are you about this challenge?

I’m very excited because I feel we have a team good enough to beat anyone in the ProB and this will be a good test for us to see if we can put all the hard work together and get a couple wins and move to the second round.

SC Rist Wedel closed out the season with a 3 game winning streak. How ready is the team for the playoffs?

We are more ready than ever before. Everyone is healthy on the team right now and we have added Patrick Wischnewski a little more than half way through the season to the roster and he has really helped us and now our chemistry with him on the floor is clicking very well.

SC Rist Wedel go in as the underdog. Is this a position the team feels comfortable with having nothing to lose? What will be key in winning this series?

We always have something to lose because we want to win of course, but I’m sure the pressure is much greater for Nordlingen. I think the key for us to winning the game is to limit the role players production on their team. They have two very good Americans and we can’t expect to completely shut them down, but if we can keep them under their season averages and then limit the rest of the players on their team we will have a good chance to win. On the offensive end we need to get out and run and look for our inside players in the half court.

How excited are you about playing against one of the top players in the league Jason Jamerson?

I always look forward to a challenge and if we can take away his 3 point shooting that will be huge for us since most players have difficulty finishing inside against us due to our size, but anytime you play against a player like Jason it pumps you up to another level.

SC Rist Wedel have some guys that can really put up points on the board. Which player will be key on defense in getting the club started?

Yeah we have many different weapons on offense and defense. We have two players that really stand out on the defensive end. One is a young “up and comer” in Kay Gausa and the other is a seasoned vet in Mac Davis. Practice is always a battle for me going against these two and I have alot of confidence in their defense against any player in this league.

You played in the Regionaliga the last two seasons averaging nearly 30ppg last season for SpVgg Rattelsdorf Independents. The move to the PRO B hasn´t effected your play. Is the next step the PRO A?

I would be honored to play in the ProA next season, and that is the next goal for my career, but as long as I am playing basketball I will be happy and no matter where I end up next season I hope to win as many games as possible and help in any way I can.

Ismet Akpinar belongs to the biggest German basketball talents from the year 1995. How have you helped his game best?

What have I helped him with? Or what has he helped me with, haha? Really though Ismet is like no other player I have ever seen before at his age. He is very self critical and so I always try to remind him that he is still young and will make mistakes but to keep playing aggressive. Most players his age and with his talent level are not easy to coach because they think they know it all, but Ismet is the total opposite. He is always looking for ways to improve and never talks back to our coach or other players, and this alone is going to take him far.

Who was the best player that you played against in the NCAA2 that might be in the NBA or in Europe now?

Someone that comes to mind that many Germans might know is Kevin Johnson who played for LTi Giessen 46ers two years ago and averaged 9 and 7 for them.

What are your early 2012 March Madness Final 4 picks?
Kentucky, Duke, Marquette, and Michigan St.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

I actually just watched American Gangster. I’m a huge Denzel Washington fan.

Thanks Augie for the chat.

Brad Buckman is a 28year old 203cm power forward from Austin, Texas playing in Turkey currently for Tofas Bursa. He played at Texas (NCAA) from 2002-2006 with current NBA player TJ Ford and ex NBA player PJ Tucker. In his senior year, he played 33 games: 9.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.4apg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 76.6%. In 2006, he was drafted by the Drafted by Albany Patroons (CBA,1rd(9). In 2006-2007, he played for the Austin Toros (D-League): 42 games: 6.6ppg, 4.3rpg, FGP: 38%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 71.2%. In 2007-2008, he played for Univ Mobitelco Cluj Napoca (Romania-Div.A, starting five): 5 games: 16.0ppg, 7.4rpg, 1.4apg, Blocks-1(2.6bpg). In 2008-2009, he played for Keravnos Strovolou (Cyprus-Division A): EuroChallenge: 4 games: 4.8ppg, 3.8rpg; Cypriot League: 9.2ppg, 4.5rpg, left team in Dec.’08, in Jan.’09 moved to Altshuler Saham Galil Gilboa (Israel-Premier League): 16 games: 7.3ppg, 4.6rpg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 51.9%. In 2009-2010, he played for Kepez Bld Antalya (Turkey-TBL, starting five): 25 games: 10.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 68.8%. Last season he played for Deutsche Bank Skyliners Frankfurt German League: 6 games: 8.3ppg, 5.3rpg, FGP: 57.1%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 56.0%; parted ways in Oct.’10, in Jan.’11 moved to Antalya Buyuksehir Belediye (Turkey-TBL): 13 games: 19.6ppg, 9.0rpg, FGP: 56.8%, 3PT: 45.2%, FT: 78.7% Some achievements in his basketball career have been, NCAA Final Four -03, Big 12 Conf. All-Freshman Team -03, Big 12 Regular Season Finalist -03, 04, Big 12 Tournament Finalist -04, 06, NCAA Sweet 16 -04, NABC All-NCAA District 9 2nd Team -05, All-Big 12 2nd Team -05, Big 12 Regular Season Champion -06, All-Big 12 3rd Team -06, NCAA Sweet 8 -06, Eurobasket.com All-Romanian League 2nd Team -08, Romanian League Finalist -08, and Israeli Premier League Semifinals -09. He spoke to German Hopps about basket in Germany.

You are playing your third season in Turkey and first for Tofas Bursa. The team is fighting for the playoffs, but has been struggling of late. What has been the main problems for the team?

We had lost four games in a row before the last win against Olin Erdirne. We have had injuries and we brought in a new point guard and we are trying to figure each other out.

What does the team have to do better in order to reach the playoffs?

We have to play together more.

The team brought in Taurean Green recently. How does he make the team better?

He is a great player that can shoot well despite being a pass first guard. He expands the offense and has done a great job so far. I think that he will be a big help.

You are currently leading the team in scoring. Is this a task that you got at the start of the season or something that came during the season?

I was top scorer last season for Antalya averaging 20ppg. I really figured myself out last season and came into this season with that mentality of being able to score with my inside/out game. My coach really has let me play my game and my teammates have been super as well.

You played for Antalya the last two seasons and now your in Bursa. How are the places different?

Antalya was on the beach and the weather was great. The climate is totally different in Bursa. It is more snowy here and a famous mountain. Russians like to come here to ski. I like Bursa and the fans are great.

Could one almost say that Turkey is your second home? Could you play here for many more years?

Who knows. Turkey has been great for me and the people treat very well here. The people are big fans of sport in general and the league has improved each season that I have been here. I will have to see what my best option is this summer.

Tofas Bursa has four Americans, two Croatians and the rest are Turks. Which non American has impressed you the most this season?

Every player has done a great job this season. There seems to always be another guy stepping up in each game. We just have great chemistry. The two Croatians are real nice guys.

The most exciting of the season was the 97-96 win against Efes Pilsen where you played against NBA players Sasha Vujacic and Ersan Illyasova. What memories do you have from that game?

You always get up against atop team. We had been down coming into the game losing some unnecessary games but we came to play. It was a battle form start to end and the fans were so excited at the end.

Did you play more against Estaban Batista or Illyasova?

I played against both on the pick and roll and there was a lot of switching going on.

How tough was it playing against Illyasova? You held your own with 23 points and nine rebounds while he had 19 points and 10 rebounds.

He is very tough, because he is so talented. He plays great inside and out and there is a reason why he is in the NBA. I enjoyed playing against him.

Who was the toughest player that you played against in Turkey this season?

There have been many tough players. Each team has a few tough guys. Vujacic was tough.

What was your fondest memory playing for the Deutsche Bank Skyliners?

Just being able to play for that organization was great. We all got along well. It was a great experience and the fans were great.

How tough was it accepting the decision that the team picked Joe Dabbert over you?

It was tough. I really wanted to stay. I liked my teammates and the coach. I felt like I had a good game to stay, but I have no hard feelings. They had to do what they had to do. In the end all turned out well as I went to Antalya and reached the playoffs as did they.

Who was the toughest opponent that you played against in Germany.

Bamberg. It I cool that my buddy PJ Tucker plays there now.

Did you feel a lot of pressure having to perform for Antalya after coming form Frankfurt last season?

A fire was lit inside me after Frankfurt let me go. When you loose a job, you wonder if you will get another. I went to Antalya thinking it could be my last job. I really wanted to prove myself and it all worked out as I played well and we reached the playoffs.

You played at Texas(NCAA) form 2002-2006 and left before Kevin Durant came. Will he be the bets player on the planet in three years?

He is an amazing player. He is so talented who knows how good he can really get. He will be remembered for ages.

You played together with TJ Ford at Texas. Did you know that he would become such a good NBA player when you played with him in the NCAA?

I knew he would be good. He was the best point guard that I ever played together with. You cant believe how fats he is until you see him. He is smart and can find the open man so well. H eled Texas to the Final 4. He made a world of a difference my first year.

He isn´t playing so much with the Spurs, but making 8,5 million a year. Is he worth that?

He is worth every penny. It is rare to find a guy as quick and as smart as him.

What is your fondest memory with ex NBA player PJ Tucker at Texas(NCAA)

We are really good friends. We always hung out together. I still talk to him today. Just the time with him are my fondest memories.

Who are your early 2012 NCAA Final 4 picks?

Duke, Michigan State, Syracuse and I have to go with my school Texas even if I don´t know if they will make the tournament.

Have you jumped on the Linsanity train?

It is hard keeping track not being able to see the games, but it is amazing how far he is come after being off the radar for his whole career and then showing the world what he can do. He has given the best example of not giving up and what can happen.

What is your favorite Turkish dish?

It is a special dish in Bursa called Iskender which is beef on bread with yogurt and tomato sauce.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Star Trek.

Thanks Brad for the chat.

Chris Oliver is a 26 year old 198cm forward that is playing his first season with SIG Strassburg. He is a athletic forward that has great hands, the versatility to play inside and outside, with three-point range on his jump shot, and has tremendous poise and maturity. He played at Radford from 2003-2007 and in his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 18.8ppg, 8.3rpg, 2.1apg, 1.9spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 48.7%, 3Pts: 25.8%, FT: 74.8%. He came to Germany in 2007-2008 and played for the Kaiserslautern Braves of the PRO A playing 30 games: Score-2(20.5ppg), Reb-5(9.0rpg), 1.2apg, 1.3spg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 56%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 79.6%.In 2008-2009 in Goettingen, he averaged 10.6ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.4spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 75.5% in 34 games. In 2009-2010, he won the Eurochallenge and played ): EuroChallenge: 13 games: 11.5ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 41.7%, 3PT: 37.9%, FT: 77.1%; German League: 35 games: 14.1ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 80.9%. Last season, he played for The Walter Tigers Tuebingen playing 34 games: 13.5ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.3apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 21.9%, FT: 78.9%. He spoke to German Hoops about life in France.

You are playing your first season in France with SIG Strassburg after having played four seasons in Germany. How are you getting used to the French league?

The French league is more athletic and fast paced and have more possessions. It is not as physical. I like the league.

Does the France PRO A suit your game more?

Yes I think it does. All on the floor are more athletic and you see that with the some NBA players and guys from the French national team in the league.

What is your role in the team of SIG Strassburg?

My role has changed since Justin Harper and Lavoy Allen who got drafted by the NBA left the team to join the NBA. Before I played more the two/three position, but now I play more the three position. I have to do more now with scoring, rebounding and defending.

How happy are you with your play so far in the France PRO A?

It has been ok. I am not playing as much minutes as I have been used to in Germany. I still think that I can pick up my game on offense and defense and I have to rebound much more now.

You have the France national coach as coach at SIG Strassburg. What was is the most important thing that you have learned from him?

Coach has helped me on defense especially on down screens. I have played more the two early in the season so he helped me a lot on how to defend guys coming off a screen. He also has helped me a lot on my jump shot.

You played against NBA superstar Tony Parker and Asvell losing 80-74. Parker had 23 points, eight assists and five rebounds. What kind of an experience was that for you?

What more can I say about Tony Parker except that he is a great player. He really can play the game. If you double team him, he still finds the open man and on one on one situations he is hard to defend. He is one of the best players that I have played against.

Did you speak to him before or after the game?

I spoke to him a little after the game. He is very down to earth.

What is a strength in the game of SIG Strassburg?

We play team basketball. Coach doesn´t like one on one play. He likes to have the whole team involved always. It has been different to what I have been used to, but its effective. I have had no problem adjusting my game to his style.

How have you experienced the development of 2011 NBA draft picks Justin Harper and Lavoy Allen?

Both guys are very skillful. I think that both could have nice careers in the NBA. Harper can shoot out the lights. He has developed very well becoming more of a physical defender and it has been a big change from the first day. Allen can defend, shoot and is one of the best rebounders that I have ever played against.

Is Kevin Anderson really 1.82cm? How is he different from point guards like Bana Ratkovica and Kyle Bailey?

Anderson is probably 2 inches shorter. He is similar to Bailey in that he is a scoring point guard. Ratkovica was bigger and was more of a passing point guard.

Who is the best opponent that you have played against and the best at your position?

The best player was Tony Parker. At my position the toughest guys I had to play against were John Holland from Roanne and John Cox from Le Havre.

What do you miss from Germany?

I miss playing in the Beko BBL. I miss the people and how easy it was to communicate since most knew English. I also miss the food. Germany really spoiled me.

Strassburg is on the German boarder. You can visit Germany often.

Yes I have been to Germany a few times. I was at the US army base in Heidelberg recently.

Have you been following your ex team Walter Tigers Tuebingen? They are a young team and are slowly finding their rhythm.

I am happy to see that they have picked up their game. I am happy for the team and coach Igor Perovic. I hope that they continue to improve and gain experience.

Your ex team BG Goettingen is struggling. Have you spoken to Kyle Bailey about their misfortune?

I haven´t had much chance to talk to him. I spoke to Louis Dale before the season started. They are dealing with a lot right now. I wish the organization and coach Michael Meeks the best.

Who wins a one on one, you or Ricardo Greer?

He is a bit shorter than me. We don´t really get a chance to play one on one. He is more of a physical banger and I like to go by people. I think we even it out.

Have you spoken to ex teammate Kenny Wiliams?

No I haven´t talked to him since last summer.

What did you miss the most from the NBA during the lockout?

I just missed watching the games. It always gave me something to do.

What was the last DVD movie that you watched?

The Smurfs and Our idiot brother a comedy. It was pretty good.

Thanks Chris for the chat.