Jerome’s Diary Entry #16: Content Going Into 2010, But Still Work To Be Done For Ulm

It is Christmas time. The first three months of the season are over now. It`s been an up and down season for us so far. We had a lot of great moments and also bad moments. Some unneccessary losses and some great victories. The biggest upset for me was the unnecessary loss against Ludwigsburg. It was good for me to be back in my hometown and walk into the new gym. Seeing old faces. Classmates, teachers, teammates, friends and my family. It was one of the greatest feelings of my life and the game was even on National TV. The loss did really hurt. We were dominating them the whole game, but did fall apart at the end.
We only experienced one nice road victory at Bremerhaven. We weren`t able to play strong on the road so far and had plenty of hurtful losses.

One of the greatest memories so far was the game when I saw my first BBL minutes this year.

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Centers Come And Go In Giessen, But Jannik Freese Remains On The Court

Jannik Freese is a 23 year old 211cm center that is playing his second season with The Giessen 46ers. He spent a year in the States and went to Northwestern high school in Washington D.C. He came back to Germany and played for Oldenburger TB before going to SG FT/MTV Braunschweig where he played from 2005-2007. In 2007-2008, he played for Spot Up Medien Baskets Braunschweig (ProB) playing 26 games avergaing 11.5ppg, 7.6rpg, 1.1spg, FGP: 48.8%, 3PT: 50.0%, FT: 63.9%, and played also at New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig (1.Bundesliga): 6 games: 0.5ppg. Last season, he played 15 games for The Giessen 46ers averaging 2.4ppg, 2.3rpg; and also played at LTi Lich (ProA) playing 15 games and averaging 17.1ppg, 8.5rpg, FGP: 49.4%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 67.4%.

German Hoops spoke to the German about the current Giessen season.

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The Paderborn Baskets Have An Uphill Struggle To Stay In The BEKO BBL

It is never easy to start from scratch after a successful era has ended. Likeable point guard Tim Black had left in 2008 going to Belgium breaking free from the three musketeers leaving only Steve Esterkamp and Marius Nolte. In the summer of 2009, the three remaining parts coach Doug Spradley, Steve Esterkamp and Marius Nolte that had built the club Paderborn into a second league powerhouse, reaching the BBL and crowning their stay with the teams first ever playoff appearance taking Alba Berlin to five games in the Quarterfinal playoffs left. The commander from the sidelines coach Doug Spradley went to Bremerhaven taking Steve Esterkamp with him and Marius Nolte went to The Deutsche Bank Skyliners. Even though so many positive parts to their past have left doesn´t necessarily mean the end of the world.

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Brandon Woudstra talks about his retirement

Three time BBL All-Star Brandon Woudstra retired quietly this summer. I had the opportunity to do an interview with Brandon a couple of weeks ago that was published on Eurobasket. Since Eurobasket only publishes the latest 20 news and posts this interview was about to disappear. Due to the request of some readers I decided to publish the full interview on German Hoops as well.

So this is a compementary post and information to the “Brandon Woudstra retires quietly” report. Most of Brandon’s answers can be found in the report, but those who already know about it will find some additional questions and answers here.

Usually players don’t retire at the age of 29 unless severe injuries force them to. What were the main reasons for you to stop playing basketball?

The main reason was my family. We were expecting our second child and we wanted to be in a place we felt comfortable for the birth and it got to be a lot more work and stress taking a family back and forth. The summer went on and the opportunities I had to play somewhere were not where we thought was best for us at the time, so we decided to stay home for the time being.
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Will Chavis Wins ProB Player Of The Month And Is Content In Nürnberg

Will Chavis is a 28 year old 181 cm guard who comes from Philidelphia and started his basketball learning at New Hampshire in 1998-1999 averaging 9.6ppg, 2.9rpg, 3.9apg before going to Texas to play at Panola Junior College averaging 25 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals per game . This gained the interest of legendary coach Bobby Knight at Texas Tech. Knight had only the best to say about the guy he coached two years at Texas Tech.

‘Will takes pride in taking good shots, and is a great shooter. He also takes very good care of the ball. He is aggressive and quick on defense, and can anticipate or put under pressure the opposite point guard’, stressed Bobby Knight.

At Texas Tech, Chavis played together with Artland Dragon Ronald Ross and in his senior year, played 33 games averaging 7.9ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.2apg. He started his professional basketball career in 2003 going to Iceland to play for UMFN Njardvikur playing 6 games and averaging 18.3ppg; 3.1rpg; 7.8apg ( 41 assists to 11 turnovers); 2.0spg; 3pts 45.6%; FT 85.6%. The next season, he was tested by Olimpia GE Larisa (Greece-A1), but was not signed and finished the season practicing with Climamio Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-SerieA).

In 2005-2006, he started to make a name playing for Mlekarna Kunin Novi Jicin (Czech Republic-NBL, starting five) playing 5 EuroCup Challenge games averaging 15.2ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.4apg, 2FGP: 50%, 3FGP: 50% and playing 44 games in the Czech Rep. League averaging 14.6ppg, 3.4rpg, Assists-4 (5.2apg), 2FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 40.9%, FT: 85.0%.

The next season, he went to top Dutch team Demon Astronauts Amsterdam continuing to show who well he could perform in FIBA EuroCup playing 6 games and avergaing 11.3ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 55.2%, 3FGP: 15%, FT: 78.3% and playing 39 games in the Dutch League and averaging 14.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.5apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 40.3%, FT: 87.8%, 3Pts: 40.9%.

In 2007-2008, he split time with Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus, but left after 7 games, where he averaged 10.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 36.6%, 3FGP: 27.8%, FT: 87.5%, and then moved to MBC in Jan 2008 playing 12 games and averaging 13.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.9apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 39.3%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT-1 ( 91.7%).

Last season, he led MBC into the BBL averaging 10.9ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 37.0%, 3PT: 43.8%, FT: 86.5% in 29 games.

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MEG Goettingen Still Plays Guard Terror But Are Versatile In Other Areas Too

This season, the BEKO BBL has so many strong teams, but not every club has a deep roster. The three clubs with the deepest rosters have to be Alba Berlin, Artland Dragons and The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. MEG Goettingen reached the playoffs last season, but lost top players Kyle Bailey, Rocky Trice and Charles Lee. This season, the team is not as strong as last season on paper and have no superstar presently, but have one in the making with American Chris Oliver. The team has many young players, but the club has found the right page early in the season winning games in the BEKO BBL and their first two games in the Eurochallenge. Many teams have had bad experiences with MEG Goettingen this season especially The Paderborn Baskets who got routed 97-70.

“It is so hard to prepare against MEG Goettingen who pressure you non stop for 40 minutes. I didn´t think it would be like them when we played them, but it felt like we were playing 8-5, because they were everywhere on the court. A team should prepare by playing 7 or 8 on 5 in practice or just have patience and break their press. Once you beat their pressure then you will be ok and then you have to try to execute the offense”, warned American DeAndre Haynes of The Paderborn Baskets.

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Kevin Hamilton And Heiko Schaffartzik: Possibly The Most Underrated Point Guard Duo In The BBL

Kevin Hamilton is a 25 year old 193cm guard from Queens Village, New York. This season, he is playing for The New York Phantoms Braunschweig. He played at Holy Cross from 2002-2006 and played together with ex Skyliner Keith Simmons. In his senior year, he played 31 games averaging 17.6ppg, 6.3rpg, 3.5apg, 3.3spg, FG: 38.1%, 3PT: 33.2%, FT: 77.7%. In his rookie season 2006-2007, he came to Europe and played in Poland for Polpak Swiecie playing 19 games and averaging 13.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.8apg, Steals-2(2.3spg), 2FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 64.2%. In 2007-2008, he played in France for Besancon Basket Comte Doubs (France-ProB) playing 2 games and averaging 6.0ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.5apg. He also had a short tenure in Mexico with Pioneros de Quintana Roo-Cancun.

In 2008-2009, he returned back to Poland to play for SKK Kotwica Kolobrzeg playing 32 games averaging 11.0ppg, 5.1rpg, Assists-1(6.4apg), Steals-1(2.8spg), FGP: 43.6%, 3PT: 32.6%, FT: 66.5%. He was not lazy in the last three summers staying in game shape and playing in Puerto Rico playing 90 games. This past summer, he played for Indios de Mayaguez playing 35 games and averaging 10.5ppg, 4.7rpg, Assists-3(6.3apg), Steals-2(1.7spg), FGP: 45.4%, 3PT: 28.1%, FT: 70.6%. His father was a draft pick of The Boston Celtics in 1980.

Kevin took some time to talk to German Hoops.

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Can The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven Get On The Same Page To Be Consistently Successful?

The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven have had some luck this season in games, but nothing equals the luck that they had last summer as they were about as good as with both feet in the PRO A after a disastrous season in 2008-2009, but then as if they had found a box with four leaf clovers on their door step, the team was saved and was able to stay in the BEKO BBL, because The Cologne 99ers had declined the last Wild Card paving the way for Bremerhaven to stay in the league. After a road win to start the season in Braunschweig last season, the tide turned for the worst as if the club has been hit by a huge wave crippling them for months as they suffered a 16 game losing streak and didn´t win again until January 25^th 2009. Sarunas Sakalauskas was fired and after the big losing streak, the team finished the season with a 6-11 record. The team was very talented, but the two biggest problems were not being able to escape the cellar after the miserable start and that the team was unable to come together and create a team chemistry despite so many scoring options.

“Last season, I think that they had great players, great coaches and great management, but the pieces just didn´t fit together”, stressed ex Ulm American Jeff Gibbs.

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Brandon Woudstra retires quietly

With so many great players having difficulties to find new teams this summer it was not easy to retain an overview. E.g. the BBL assist leader of the last season (6.2 per game) Michael Hakim Jordan is still available. A remarkable player who still is without a new team, but not available any longer is three-time BBL All star Brandon Woudstra. The 29-year old american was in the prime of his career but surprisingly to many decided to retire from professional basketball.

Retiring at 29 is something players usually only do when severe injuries force them to. Woudstra’s retirement was not entirely planed, but something that just became reasonable for the family man:

“The main reason was my family,” stated Woudstra. “We were expecting our second child and we wanted to be in a place we felt comfortable for the birth and it got to be a lot more work and stress taking a family back and forth. The summer went on and the opportunities I had to play somewhere were not where we thought was best for us at the time, so we decided to stay home for the time being.”

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Drew Williamson Getting Used To A New Role With BBC Bayreuth

Drew Williamson is a 25 year old 183cm guard from Burlington, North Carolina. He played at ODU from 2003-2007. In his senior year, he played 33 games averaging 11.0ppg, 3.6rpg, 4.3apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 41.8%, 3Pts: 35.0%, FT: 72.6%. He was the CAA Regular Season Champion in 2005 and reached the NIT Final Four in 2006. In 2007-2008, he came to Germany as a rookie and played for Mitteldeutscher BC playing 9 games: 13.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 3.6apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 72.2%. Last season, he played for Science City Jena playing 30 games averaging 12.2ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.3apg, Steals-4(2.2spg), FGP: 49.7%, 3PT: 35.5%, FT: 83.3%. Drew took some time to speak to German Hoops.

Drew, how tough was it sitting at home in North Carolina and not finding a team until late into the new season?

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