Qarraan Calhoun Is Not Your Typical BBL Rookie

The BBL season started a few weeks ago, and new Skyliner Qarraan Calhoun or simply refered to as Q by his teammates after playing 12 test games and suffering an injury in the last pre season game is still slowly finding his rhythm after showing a ot of ability in the preseason. At times, the 203cm forward looks totally kittenish and in experienced like a eight year boy all excited about getting his first hot fudge Sunday as was the case in a test game against Galatasaray Istanbul, but then again at other times like at the Phoenix Cup looked like a seasoned veteran on the court doing a little bit of everything like hitting an open three pointer similar to how Luther Head was dropping them at 49% in his second season in the NBA, making raw behind the back passes like a Larry Bird in the day or leaping out of nowhere like an agile Alan Anderson or making a spectacular block like Dennis Rodman in his best days as a Detroit Piston.

“I think he can be a very good shot blocker on the European level, he just got too stay focused with defensive things and he will be fine”, warned teammate Derrick Allen. But playing like the wurm, who won three NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls is not on the mind of the 22 year old. “Coach tells me to be wild on the court. I don’t want to play like Dennis Rodmann, but play my own game”, warned Qarraan Calhoun. “Coach means by being wild, that Q has too be more active on the court, because we know Q can do so much for us on the basketball court”, stressed Derrick Allen

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Jeff Gibbs Set To Lead Bremerhaven Into The Playoffs

Jeff Gibbs is a 29 year old 188cm forward/center from Columbus, Ohio. He played at Otterbein(NCAA3) from 1998 to 2002. He was NCAA3 champion and Final Four MVP in 2002. He holds the record for rebounds in a game (25) at NCAA3 Final Four, record for rebounds (40) in a NCAA3 Final Four and holds Otterbein’s record for career rebounds. He went to Germany in 2003 to start his professional basketball career to play for TSG Ehingen. In 2004-2005, he tore up the second bundesliga playing 22 games and averaging 21.5ppg, Reb-1(12.8rpg), 1.8apg, 2.3spg, 1.2bpg, 2FGP: 62.6%, 3FGP: 31.6%, FT: 70.7%. In 2005, he went to Ratiopharm Ulm where he would play for until 2009. In 2005-2006, the team won the second BUndesliga south and came to the BBL. He was the BBL top rebounder for three straight years (2007,2008,2009). This season, he is playing his first season for the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven and spoke to German Hoops.

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Gießen, we have a problem

The Gießen 46ers started the new season with great ambition and confidence. After being granted a wild card by the BBL, Gießen vowed to not make the same mistakes they did in the past and wanted to come out running early. Now, six games into the new season, Gießen finds itself yet again in last place in the BBL. Technically, they are still 15th in the league (thanks to the strange new FIBA rule that gives teams a point for just showing up), but the 46ers remain the only one of the 18 teams in the BBL that is still winless. Sure, the 46ers caught a bad break with injuries to starters Lorenzo Williams and Johannes Lischka, both of whom will be out for the next four to six games. And yes, Gießen played a strong game against ALBA, giving the odds-on-favorite all it could handle in an overtime loss. ALBA’s recent loss in Tübingen, however, helps put this game in perspective, as Berlin’s slow start to the BBL season (due to their Euroleague qualification games) has led to ALBA not being as consistent now as they undoubtedly will be later on during the season.

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Strange Ranking and Early Hot-Shots

Trouble with the rankings bekobbl

It had been a press release no one really cared about during the off-season. On the 7^th of June the DBB (German Basketball Federation) announced that for the 2009/2010 campaign all german leagues will have to follow the FIBA scoring system. Just like before a winning team is now rewarded with 2 points. But with the new system also the losing team earns 1 point for attending the game. Last season and all those years before the loser got no point, but had to deal with 0:2 points.

If you follow the BBL you might remember the odd story about Gießen not making it to the game in Ludwigsburg. The 46ers’ teambus was stuck in traffic and the team could not make it in time. Ludwigsburg got the win and Gießen was punished by the league with the loss of all direct comparisons. If a situation like this would come up now, the team not attending the game would have to deal with 0 points.

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Japhet McNeil Looking To Go In A D-League Direction

Japhet McNeil is a 24 year old 183 cm guard from Brooklyn, New York. He played at east Carolina from 2003 -2006. He then transferred die_junge_Liga to Bridgeport(NCAA2) for his senior year in 2006-2007. At Bridgeport, he played 31 games averaging 16.6ppg, 4.0rpg, 4.9apg, 4.0spg, FT: 67.3%, FGP: 38.3%, 3PT: 34.6%. Last season, he played his rookie season in Germany in the Pro A for USC Heidelberg (highlight video)playing 30 games and averaging 14.8ppg, 3.1rpg, Assists-1(7.9apg), Steals-1(3.5spg), FGP: 45.4%, 3PT: 24.1%, FT: 63.3%.

He spoke to German Hoops about Basketball and life.

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John Bowler Will Pay Any Price To Win With Telekom Baskets Bonn

John Bowler is a 25 year old 206cm center from Chicago playing his fourth season in Germany with The Telekom Baskets Bonn. He played at eastern Michigan from 2002-2006. His best season was his senior year where he played 28 games averaging 20.1ppg, 10.8rpg, 2.5apg, FG: 54.9%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 72.3%. He came to The Telekom Baskets Bonn in 2006. His best season was 2007-2008 where he played 39 games averaging 12.1ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 70.5%. he has reached two BBL finals and one BBL Cup final. John spoke to German Hoops about basketball and life.

You are playing your fourth season in Bonn with a lot of success. Are you a guy that by nature likes to stay in one place?

Yes I am. I really enjoy it in Bonn. Coach Koch makes it very comfortable to play for him. It is hard to replace wining the way we have in the last years. I like to be happy and have found happiness and want to continue to win.

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Qarraan Calhoun Playing Basketball For A Special Someone

Qarraan Calhoun is a 23 year old 203 cm forward that is playing his first season in Germany with The Deutsche Bank Skyliners. He is from Long Branch, New Jersey and played at Bridgton Academy in Maine averaging 19.0ppg, 4.0bpg, 3.0apg. He visited three schools in three years, before turning professional. In his freshman year, he played at St Johns playing 31 games and averaging 5.9ppg, 4.0rpg, FGP: 41.4%, 3Pts: 30.6%, FT: 63.1%. In his second year, he played at Barton County CC (JUCO) playing 31 games and averaging 16.8ppg, 7.3rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 62.8%. Last season, he played at Houston (further informations, video) playing 33 games and averaging 10.2ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.1apg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 46.6%, 3Pts: 35.0%, FT: 59.0%.

German Hoops had a chat with the young American about basketball and life.

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Jeromes Diary Entry #15 Preseason Blues

Losing to Bamberg by a lot, didn´t really help us to see where we are at and where we have to get better. We would not sit on this test forever. We were facing Ludwigsburg on Tuesday. Against my and also Colemans former team. It was good to see some old and common faces again. Talking about David McCray, Philip Heyden and Ziyed Chennoufi. I met Tim Koch at the parking lot. I used to hang around with Tim a lot. I mean he was my class mate, teammate and also my study hall mate. I didn`t get the chance to talk to my roommate last year David Michalczyk.
It was an unoffical game. But my family was there to watch. It was also good to see we were playing in the Rundsporthalle and not in Ludwigsburg new gym. I have never been in there, but I heard that the new gym is amazing. Ludwigsburg does really have a great team this year. Just by its names. Kyle Bailey, Quadre Lollis, Domonic Jones, Richard Chaney and Kyle Visser. I think they can really be on top of the league this year. Our formation was very shorthanded. We were just nine guys. Lee, Chris and Per were still missing. We were starting with Kevin, Basti, Rocky, Robin and Coleman.

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John Allen And His Key For Success Is Playing On Instinct

John Allen is a 26 year old 196 cm shooting guard/small forward, who is playing for The New York Phantoms Braunschweig this season. He is a a swingman who can be a huge problem for lots of defenses; can deliver some driving dunks and also display a deft shooting touch from the perimeter; and this double dimension make him a very tough player to guard. He comes from Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Allen went to Seton Hall from 2001-2005 and was a very important player in his time there. He never averaged less than 11,4ppg in his four years. His most productive season was the 2002-2003 season where he played 30 games averaging 14.0ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.7apg.

He took no time resting a few months after graduation and in May signed with the New Jersey Flyers of the USBL playing 21 games and averaging 21.7ppg, 7.2rpg, 3.0apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 47.7%, 3FGP: 39.0%, FT: 73.8%. He then went to Finland for the 2005-2006 season playing for Kouvolan Kouvot playing 44 games and averaging 19.8ppg, 7.7rpg, 2.6apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 55.3%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 81.9%. In 2006-2007, he went to Israel to play for Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan playing 27 games and averaging 15.3ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.8apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 46.3%, FT: 81.5%. In 2007-2008, he had his first tenure with The New York Phantoms Braunschweig playing 34 games and averaging 13.2ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.7apg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 47.4%, 3PT: 28.3%, FT: 75.4%. Lasts eason, he played in France for Strassburg playing 31 games and averaging 8.5ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.6apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 30.6%, FT: 84.7%.

John spoke to German Hoops over the phone during training camp a day before he got injured and will miss two months.

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Teamcheck: New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig

For sure Braunschweig’s basketball project has seen better times. During the 2002/2003 campaign the team made it to the semi-finals and was close to beat reigning champion Alba Berlin. With a huge lead in game 4 Braunschweig’s public announcer mentioned that tickets for the finals could be bought after the game. But Berlin fought back, managed to win game 4 and sealed the deal in game five to advance to the finals.

Ever since 2003 Braunschweig could not make it to the play-offs. Just three years later in 2006 the team finished the season at the bottom of the table and almost had to face relegation. Only the extension of the league to 18 teams and the provision of a wildcard helped Braunschweig to stay in the league.

Names like Demond Mallet, Pete Lisicky, Joakim Blom, Szymon Szewczyk or Gordan Firic are still vivid in the minds of supporters. There had been some promising teams in the last couple of years. Head coach Emir Mutapcic mainly relied on Americans in his rotation while talented germans like Flavio Stückemann or Jannik Freese had to sit on the bench.

In 2008 the Phantoms got really close to a play-off spot and finished the season on 9^th position. Expectations were high for the 2008/2009 season and with the re-signing of Andrew Drevo and Kyle Visser and the addition of point guard Will Franklin and wingman Dustin Salisbery the foundation of Mutapcic’s team looked pretty good. But an eight game losing streak at the end of the season ended all post season dreams. After 34 games Braunschweig found itself on the 12^th spot. The team had earned a reputation for losing close games and certainly an era had come to an end.

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