Jason Boone (s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg): Any Team With Robert Kulawick Is Extremely Dangerous

Jason Boone is a 26 year old 198cm power forward/center from Sugar Loaf, New York. He will be playing his first season with the s. Oliver Baskets Wurzburg and his fourth in the Beko BBL. He played three seasons for BG Goettingen. He played at New York University(NCAA 3) from 2003-2007. In his senior year, he played 28 games averaging 14.1ppg, 9.6rpg, 2.4bpg, 2.9apg, FG: 63.0%, FT: 64.3%. Three seasons ago, he played at Bernau(Regionalliga) before making the jump up three leagues to MEG Goettingen. In 2008-2009, he averaged 4.4ppg, 4.0rpg, FG: 53.7. In 2009-2010, he won the Eurochallenge playing EuroChallenge: 16 games: 10.7ppg, 6.8rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 59.6%, FT: 53.8%; German League: 35 games: 9.1ppg, 6.1rpg, FGP: 60.3%, FT: 55.9%. Last season with BG Goettingen he played 37 games: 8.5ppg, 5.9rpg, FGP: 59.8%, FT: 34.9%; EuroCup: 14 games: 9.1ppg, 6.2rpg, Blocks-4(1.1bpg), FGP: 59.8%, FT: 36.0%. Jason spoke to German Hoops before the game against The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig February 18^th.

A big 64-55 win in Bayreuth. It was another typical low scoring grind out win for the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg. What was key in the end for getting a big road win?

It was definitely a grind. The Bayreuth arena is one of the toughest places to play in the BBL. Fortunately we made the plays down the stretch to seal the victory.

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Will The Fraport Skyliners Have A Solution This Time Against Je Kel Foster And FC Bayern Munich In Crunch Time?

In the world FC Bayern Munich has a reputation and is a household name in Germany, the way Heinz Ketchup is in the United States, Iberia airlines is in Spain, Ferrari is in Italy or IKEA is in Sweden. However in Germany when uttering the word FC Bayern Munich, it is Soccer and one usually affiliates the 22 German meisterschaften, 15 cup wins, the world class players that have graced the red and white jersey like Franz Beckenbauer, Karl Heinz Rummenigge, Gerd Mueller, Oliver Kahn, Lothar Matthäus, the sometime minor scandals that has given the club FC Hollywood status or the famous Uli Hoeness Wutrede at the 2007-2008 stock holders meeting where his head was as red as a bolied lobster. FC Bayern Munich and basketball in the same breath in the past was about as distant as Heidi Klum and Seal are now. However since this season, Basketball is back in the first division since their last visit in 1986-1987 and with the expertise coaching from Dirk Bauermann and ultimate Bayern fan Uli Hoeness giving the needed financial support, the organization is looking to become an FC Barcelona in the Beko BBL sometime down the road. However the route in the direction of a FC Barcelona seems to have taken a severe wrong turn and landed in Sitges(Beach resort near Barcelona) and at the moment the basketball team led by ex German national head coach Dirk Bauermann is about as far away from FC Barcelona as British tennis ace Andy Murray is from winning a Grand Slam event. The FC Bayern Munich bosses never predicted a title in their first season, but were expecting to belong to the top teams and be a force in the Beko BBL playoffs. FC Bayern Munich has been up and down in the last months and if they keep it up, may get gobbled up by the competiton and be in the Munich beer gardens in May instead of the Beko BBL arenas. “One can´t say that FC Bayern Munich is only playing bad. They had good efforts against Oldenburg and BG Goettingen. A team like Munich just can´t become a title team from today to tomorrow. This takes a lot of development, something that Bamberg has behind them. I am sure that we will see a totally different team when the playoffs start. They just have to continue to find themselves something which has taken longer due to injuries. Every player has the ability to score 20 points or more. The team just can´t mislead themselves. I still see FC Bayern Munich as a serious title candidate”, stressed Walter Tiger Tuebingen forward Ruben Spoden.

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Jason Cain Muscle And Anthony Smith Precision Pace The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven Past The Fraport Skyliners 76-70

For Quantez Robertson coming to play in the northern most Beko BBL city of Bremerhaven to display his mind boggling athletic arsenal has been a joy since he arrived on the scene in Germany in 2009. In his first two encounters in the Eisbaeren cage, he suffered negative experiences losing a nail biter in the regular season 76-74 and game one 78-75 of the 2010 semi final playoff series. However since then the energetic flying Cincinnati kid had left the floor in Bremerhaven as a successful Eisbaeren hunter having won game three 79-53 and the exciting game five 56-52 in 2010 where you could of told a devoted eight year old Eisbaeren fan that Lebron James was outside the Stadthalle with Rihanna and the kid would probably still have followed the ending of the thriller playoff game. Super Tez Robertson also helped contribute to the win last season as Frankfurt rolled by Bremerhaven 71-56 with a typical Dashaun Wood Derrick Rose stat line of 25, 8 and 7. Robertson seldom smiles except for his energy outbursts as he was going for his fourth win in a row in Bremerhaven, but was denied as the Eisbaeren withstood a fourth quarter Skyliner comeback and closed out the game with a 7-0 run winning 76-70 giving Frankfurt sort of a taste of their own medicine as they had let Braunschweig come back last weekend, but saw them lose it in overtime through a clutch Jimmy Mckinney performance. Eisbaeren fan favorite American Torrell Martin is close to making his comeback, but sat out one last time and remembered the Robertson athletic flair two years ago. “I remember how dynamic Tez was in that playoff series two years ago. We both always had great battles. We were always both very aggressive and he elevated my game to new heights. Frankfurt made a comeback at the end tonight2, but we were able to pull it out”, stressed Torrell Martin.

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Can The Icy Weather Continue To Keep The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven Content At Home?

The last time the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven had a two game winning streak this season before their current two game wining streak against Braunschweig and Giessen, the St Louis Cardinals were just crowned MLB World Series champion, any kind of Kevin Durant rumor in Bayreuth would have been met with a startled look as they were still a month away and the New York Giants were a 6-2 team and still far away from being in the 2012 Superbowl. Since the big 86-83 win in Artland October 29^th, the Eisbaeren have been an up and down team at 7-7 spanning three months where they were unable to win two games in a row. Even if they continue to give up way too many points to the liking of ex Paderborn skipper Doug Spradley, the team seems to have used the huge 92-87 OT win at home against the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig as a spark plug where Philadelphia native Jason Cain made a jaw breaking buzzer beating three pointer to bring the game to extra minutes and then winning it in fine style in the extra time and the 102 point explosion in Giessen. It seems like the club is using the unbearable, nasty, Siberian ,freezing like temperatures to their liking as they are playing as focused as Madonna was in the Superbowl halftime show showing no signs of an old 53 year old woman with her moves, Kim Kardashian telling the world that she will never date another football player again and CEE LO throwing out his hard earned cash at a strip club at a pre super bowl party in Indianapolis recently. The Eisbaeren aren´t thawing out at the moment, but instead seeming to be using their natural habitat in the cold to their advantage. “It seems that Bremerhaven is getting more aggressive on the court while everyone else is hibernating. But if Bremerhaven would visit my team Wels in Austria, we would make sure to turn up the temperature in the gym, so they wouldn´t be able to play so well”, joked ex Phoenix Hagen American Quentin Pryor. “If the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven played us in the Paul Horn arena now during this cold weather, they would have the home court advantage, because it is so cold here, that we have to practice more with snow balls than with basketballs”, joked Walter Tiger Tuebingen forward Ruben Spoden. The good news for the Fraport Skyliners is that Bremerhaven has gotten back to plus Celsius temperatures which might just make the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven in the mood for a short 40 minute hibernation.

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Marcus Slaughter (Brose Baskets Bamberg): Tibor Pleiss Is Playing With A Lot Of Confidence

Marcus Slaughter is a 26 year old 203cm forward from Riverside California. He played at San Diego State from 2003-2006. In his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 16.5ppg, 11.0rpg, 1.9apg, 1.2spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 49%, FT: 76.2%. He started his professional basketball career in Turkey for Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir playing 29 games averaging 13.3ppg, Reb-3(10.2rpg), 1.3apg, 2.3spg, 2FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 67.2%. In 2007-2008, he was with the Miami Heat in preseason and then played in Israel and France for Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem, Israeli League: 8.0ppg, 6.4rpg, ULEB Cup: 5 games: 5.6ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.8apg, waived in Dec.’07, in Jan.’08 signed at BCM Gravelines Dunkerque Grand Littoral 15 games: 9.5ppg, 7.2rpg, 1.4apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP-3(63.2%), FT: 58.9%. in 2008-2009, he started with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven(8 games: 18.8ppg, 10.0rpg, 1.3apg, 2.6spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 60.0%) before moving to France to Le Havre playing 21 games: 16.0ppg, Reb-1(9.5rpg), 1.6apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 58.8%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 65.4%; Eurocup: 6 games: 12.2ppg, 8.7rpg, 1.0apg, 1.5spg, 1.8bpg. In 2009-2010, he played for Sluc Nancy Basket Pro (France-ProA): EuroCup: 6 games: 8.5ppg, 9.0rpg, 2.8spg, 2.0bpg, FGP: 50.0%, FT: 76.7%; French League: 29 games: 12.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.4apg, 1.5spg, Blocks-5(1.4bpg), FGP: 64.5%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 69.1%. Last season, he played for Blancos de Rueda Valladolid (Spain-ACB, starting five): 34 games: 9.9ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.4spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 65.0%, FT: 67.5%. He is back in the Beko BBL with the Brose Baskets Bamberg. He spoke to German Hoops after the win against ratiopharm Ulm.

Congrats on the 102-74 win in Ulm. This game had been talked about for weeks as being the big showdown, but Bamberg silenced all critics showing they are still the best team in Germany.

This was a big game. Ulm had not lost in their new arena and we wanted to stay in first place. There have been those doubters who didn´t think that Bamberg was as good as the last years. We wanted to make a statement and didn´t lay down and kept first place.

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Dennis Schroeder (New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig): My Dream Is To Play In The States Someday

Dennis Schroeder is an 18 year old 186cm guard that plays for the Spot Up Medien Baskets Braunschweig (ProB) and New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig (1.Bundesliga). Last season in the PRO B, he played 24 games: 8.5ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.2apg, FGP-2(68.7%), 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 80.4%. Last summer, he played at the European Championships U18 in Wroclaw (Poland) -11: 8 games: 13.5ppg, 3.0rpg, Assists-3(4.9apg), 2.0spg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 63.6%. German Hoops had a chat with him at the 2012 Beko BBL Allstar game.

This was your first time at the Beko BBL Allstar day. How did you like it?

I really have enjoyed the day a lot and it was a great experience.

You had six points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals in 25 minutes in the NBBL Allstar game. What grade would you give yourself?

I would give myself a German grade of 3.

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Jimmy Mckinney Uses His Mizzou Tiger Claws Tipping The Fraport Skyliners To Victory Over Braunschweig 81-80

Winning against the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig in the last decade has come as easy for the Frankfurt Skyliners as it is for Hollywood actor George Clooney to decline marriage proposals, Blake Griffin dunking over Kendrick Perkins of the Oklahoma Thunder or New England Patriot Tequan Underwood carving the team logo into his head for the Super Bowl as the last time Frankfurt lost to Braunschweig was 71 months ago and 13 wins ago. The last time, Frankfurt had to creep back into their locker room defeated in their own living room, their opponent was called TXU Braunschweig, Phantoms shooting star point guard Dennis Schroeder was nine years old, the German version of American idol was still a few months from going on air, Jan Lipke was on the Braunschweig roster at age 19, Immanuel Mcelroy was playing for the Grand Rapids Hoops and the Boston Red Sox were still living in the curse of the Bambino as Braunschweig won 80-62, 112 months ago. In that win, the point guard was a little known American named Demond Mallet who had 20 points and the Skyliners were led by Andy Kwiatkowsky with 16 points. Braunschweig will have to wait another season to get that most desired win as they lost again failing 81-80 in OT losing their second consecutive game in the extra time. “It was an ugly win, but a win is a win. The Skyliners have had their number in this series for a while. They came back, but we got the win and can knock on wood for keeping the long winning streak intact”, stated Skyliner forward Jacob Burtschi. Before the game, Phantom sport director Oliver Braun was very composed and seemed almost a bit too confident in the chances of his club. “A series always has to end sometime. I remember I was playing in Greece the last time they won”, stressed Oliver Braun. “I don´t think much about history and what once was. This was a good win, even though it almost back fired for us”, expressed Skyliner captain Marius Nolte.

The Fraport Skyliners entered the Fraport arena riding on a two game losing streak and were looking for their third win in their own stomping ground. The team that had averaged 63 points in the 11 games prior to the last two loses, had given up an average 80 points in the last loss. After three quarters, it looked like they would reach their solid defensive average before their two game losing streak, but gave up 31 points in the fourth quarter and almost lost the game in OT to young germna talent Dennis Schroeder.

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Can Dennis Schroeder Bring The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig To New Heights Against The Fraport Skyliners?

Injuries are always a sore spot for teams, but when they do erupt like an unwanted tattoo on your baby smooth butt, it gives other players the chance to step up and use their ability to showcase their talent. One of the best examples in sports history where an injury helped pave the road for a player to ultimate star status was in 2001 when drew Bledsoe of the New England Patriots went out with an injury and little known third string quarterback California native and Michigan(NCAA) standout Tom Brady took over the reigns in game two of the season and led the team to the Super Bowl with three more to follow and the rest is sweet history. With the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig, they have had injury woes in the last weeks and especially at the point guard position where starter Stephen Dennis is out with an injury and the team has had to shuffle a bit at the playmaking position. This will give the chance for young 18 year old German Dennis Schroeder to step up at the point guard position and increase his minutes even more to his already extra minutes that he has been getting this season. One may not be able to compare this situation as much to the Tom Brady arrival into the season 11 years ago, but despite his youth, Schroeder has a pretty focused head on his shoulders and knows exactly in what direction he is going this season. Schroeder has gotten a lot of help from Stephen Dennis this season and can develop his strength further which is the same as of Dennis. “Playing against him each day gives me a lot of valuable experience. I feel I have gotten better each day when we play against each other. My defense has gotten better playing with him each day. My biggest strength is my drive. I can shoot too, but I still need to work on that phase of my game”, stressed Dennis Schroeder. Even the Phantoms brought in guard insurance last week with 25 year old 193 guard Igor Milosevic(Greek/Serbian) who has played with top teams KK Crvena Zvezda Beograd, Olympiakos S.F.P. Pireus, and Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, the young German should not fret about getting less minutes with this new arrival as he had played 19 minutes against the Tigers, 15 minutes against Wurzburg and 10 and 12 minutes against Bamberg in this season. In last weekends OT loss in Bremerhaven, he scored 14 points. The pressure to perform is only going to heighten next season. “Yes I believe that next season the expectations will rise. I am working more on my defense this season than on my offense”, added Schroder. He knows also exactly where his journey on the basketball court wants to end. “I want to play in Europe next and then someday in the States”, warned Schroeder.

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Jacob Burtschi (Fraport Skyliners): My Teammates Have Confidence In My Shot, But I Need To Find That Confidence Again

Jacob Burtschi is a 27 year old 198cm forward from Chickasha, Oklahoma who is playing his first season with the Fraport Skyliners. He completed his rookie season for Phoenix Hagen averaging 14.2ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.5apg, Steals-3(1.5spg), FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 44.2%, FT: 82.2%. He played at the Air Force from 2003-2007. In his senior year, he played 35 games averaging 13.5ppg, 6.0rpg, 2.3apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 49.7%, 3Pts: 39.0%, FT: 77.3%. He had offers to play in the NBA, but served in the Air Force the last three years and could only play club ball. Some achievements that he got in the NCAA were All-MWC Honorable Mention -05, MWC Regular Season Runner-Up -06, All-MWC 2nd Team -06, 07, NABC All-NCAA District 13 2nd Team -07, and NIT Final Four -07. He spoke to German Hoops after the 81-57 loss in Ludwigsburg.

A tough 81-57 loss in Ludwigsburg. Why was this game so tough after a long break and good week of practice?

We watched video today and you could see that our defense wasn´t there. We had no effort or communication. They simply outplayed us.

Frankfurt has given up an average of 80 points in the last two games. Does one have to worry about the Frankfurt defense?

No I don´t think so. There will always be bad phases on defense and mental lapses. Important is that they get corrected and we improve.

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Ilian Evtimov (Pascal Roller Reminds Me Of The Character In The Movie Taken With A Bruce Wills Look)

Ilian Evtimov is a 28 year old 201 cm forward playing his second season in France for Chalon. He has the French-Bulgarian citzenships and played at North Carolina State from 2001-2006. In his senior year, he played 31 games averaging 10.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.5apg, 1.2spg, FG: 45.3%, 3PT: 40.8%, FT. After a short stint with Estudiantes Madrid in 2006, he played at VidiVici Bologna in the 2006-2007 season. He played FIBA EuroCup playing 15 games averaging 6.3ppg, 2.4rpg, 2FGP: 65.4%, 3FGP: 47.1%, FT: 72.2%; and playing15 games in the Italian league averaging 3.1ppg, 2.1rpg. In 2007-2008, he moved to The Deutsche Bank Skyliners playing 10 ULEB Cup games averaging 14.5ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 85%; and in the German League playing 44 games averaging 13.1ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 86.2%. In 2008-2009, he continued playing in Frankfurt playing 10 EuroChallenge: games averaging 8.3ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 70.0%; and in the German League playing 34 games averaging 8.5ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 43.6%, 3PT: 38.3%, FT: 74.6%. In 2009-2010, he played for BC Levski Sophia (Bulgaria-NBL): 1 game: 6pts, 5reb, 2ast, 3steals; Balkan League: 1 game: 3pts, 1reb, 1ast, 2steals; in Oct.’09 moved to Proteas EKA AEL Limassol (Cyprus-Division EuroChallenge: 13 games: 10.9ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 45.6%, FT: 83.3%: FT-2(90.9%). Last season, he played for Chalon playing 33 games: 11.6ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.9apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.5%, 3PT: 39.8%, FT: 84.2%. He spoke to German Hoops about his ex teammate Pascal Roller who recently had his farewell game and with whom he was teammates with from 2007-2009.

How much of a pleasure was it playing with Pascal and having him as teammate?

Pascal was a great leader in all aspects, on and off the court, he led by example. He is the wise man, never getting upset. Always being calm helped everyone around him be calm. It was a great pleasure to play with someone like him. I learned a lot.

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