Jerome’s diary entry #12: Rough on the road!

We had another shootaround on Saturday before the game. I did not feel too good. My Jumper is just horrible at the moment. Mike took Jerome Bridgewaterme to his side after practice and gave me some new Coaching points I have to work on. I think my Jumpshot looks ugly as hell. It is just how it is with Leftys. We had a big gap in between the game started at 7pm. So we had like 6 hours to rest.
I started a small warmup with Coleman one hour before the game. He is a good role model, too. We were playing a little bit one-on-one. He helped me with what i could do better in offense and defense.
Wels was playing strong and aggressive this time. they started of very well.

Rocky had a strong game. He was leeading us in every category. Unfortunately, Lee landed on Conleys foot after a deep three in the 2nd quarter and twisted his ankle badly. He was really laying on the floor with pain for a long while and would not return. Mike got a little bit furious with the refs. In this case, the ref does also have to protect the players sometimes. We did really get hacked by the welser squad. But that was why we were here for. Compete on the road against unfair circumstances. They called almost everything on us. Kevin and Basti fouled out in regulation.

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Jerome’s diary entry # 11: Basti the Bavarian

Meeting point 10am at Ulm. Austria we are coming. The road trip to Austria should compare us for the away games of the upcoming Jerome Bridgewaterseason. We would face Wels and Gmunden again.
The travelling was very nice. We were using two small buses. We got there (Wels) within 5 hours.

Our hotel was very nice. To be honest it was the best hotel I have had every been. Our room was so big. And we really had everything. LCD-TV Screen, Internet, nice bathroom, toilet etc. This is life.

I was sharing my room with Darko.It was really fun with him. We do really get along. We had a light practice at 8pm. We had a shootaround and were running through some offensive plays.

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Eric Osmundson Might Take On The Waves One Day, But Now Looks For A New Team

Eric Osmundson is a 26 year old 196cm combo guard that can also play the small forward position. He grew up in Carlsbad, California and BBLpresently resides in San Diego. He played his freshman year at Utah, and then transferring to Pennsylvania and playing there from 2003-2006. In his senior year, he played 29 games averaging 9.9ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.5apg, FG: 37.5%, 3PT: 34.1%, FT: 60.7%. He was Ivy League champion in 2005 and 2006. In 2006, he was drafted by the Colorodo 14ers of the D-League. In 2007-2008, he played 50 games for Colorodo averaging 8.7ppg, 1.9rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 43.1%, 3PT: 37%, FT: 70.5%.

Last season, he came to Germany in February to play for the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven averaging 5.5ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 34.9%, 3PT: 24.4%, FT: 76.4%. Eric is currently looking for a team. For interest please contact him at eric.n.osmundson@gmail.com.

Eric thanks for talking to German Hoops. Its been a tough summer for many players on the transfer market. Did you expect that it would be so difficult for you in finding a club?

I knew it would be a little difficult given our result from last year in Bremerhaven but I am staying positive and working on my game in hopes of signing with a club sometime soon. It is a very tough market and there are a lot of really solid players with good experience still in my position looking to find a club.

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Teamcheck: Mitteldeutscher BC

For even the most dedicated Mitteldeutscher BC (MBC) fans five years of inactivity from the highest German Basketball league may have felt like five years MBCwithout your favourite beer, or for a child being able to go into a candy store, but not grab for their favourite candy. How tough must it have been for the organization and fans in 2004 to win the prestigious Fiba Europe Cup against JDA Dijon 84-68 not losing a single game in international play and a short time later have to learn that they would have to stop their successful run in the BBL due to bankruptcy. This was a huge blow to the region and may only have been topped if a severe unusual drought had whipped away the two natural springs, the Leisslinger mineral water and Saskia Quelle where mineral water is bottled in the region.

However the organization never gave up, took up playing in the Regionaliga and eventually moving up to the Second Bundesliga/PRO A and continuing to build up the team financially and through success on the court. Coach Ari Tammivaara was sort of the early architect managing a record of 72-20 until 2007. In 2007-2008 under the watchful eye of ex BG Karlsruhe coach Uwe Sauer, the team reached position five with a 20-10 record and everyone that followed the PRO A last season knows with what kind of a fury the club raced through the season totally dominating the league. The long and laborious five years are finally over as MBC is back at the big show in the BBL.
In the 2008-2009 PRO A season, MBC plowed through the league with a 26-4 record with the same easy as a bull dozer had to get through the sloppy and treacherous roads and drive ways during the New England blizzard of 1978. Even though the team was so commanding at home with a 14-1 record, it simply couldn´t get by Bayreuth that won the season series. The team had better luck against Phoenix Hagen sweeping the season series who they will meet again with changed rosters in the BBL. The team scored 90 points or more nine times and 100 points or more twice. There strongest phase was in the middle of the season going on an 14 game winning streak.

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Brandon Brooks looking To Lead The Point Guard Duties In Bremerhaven

Brandon Brooks is a 22 year old 188 cm guard that is about to start his first season in the BBL with The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. He is freshBBL from the NCAA having played at Alabama State. In his senior year, he played 32 games averaging 13.7ppg, 4.2rpg, 6.6apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 50.2%, 3Pts: 36.9%, FT: 77.1%.

It will be interesting to see how the young American fits into the deep Bremerhaven roster and how he does at the point guard position. He has developed nicely in pre season camp and even won a game with a last second shot.

Brandon spoke to German Hoops early in pre season camp.

You are a BBL rookie. How do you feel coming to Germany?

I feel great and thankful for the chance to play here. Playing with vets all summer in atlanta helped out a ton so I’m coming in with confidence.

How was the plane ride? Were you able to gell really well with a particular player in those first hours together?

That was the longest that I had to sit still ever in life lol. I got used to an elderly lady besides me and I didn’t sit next to any teammates, because I needed leg room, watched about four movies though.

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Jerome’s diary entry #10: You play like you practice

We had a nice day off on Monday. The Americans could relax. I had to head back to school. It was alright though. My school seems very Jerome Bridgewaternice. I got lunch with my teachers. I did not introduce myself as a ratiopharm Ulm player. I don`t know. I got some strange looks though. Seemed like some kids did recognize me or know that I am playing basketball for Ulm.

I had a horrible practice week. I don`t know what is going on. I am getting killed at the defensive end at the moment. Not talking about getting crossed or something. That never happened. But defensive Rebounding against Rocky Trice. It is hard. It is probably harder to box him out then Robert Maras for example or Aleksandar Nadjfeji. He is so quick and fast. And it is hard to put your body on him, because he is so small. He will outjump you all the time. You got to put your body on him.

We were having another pre season game against BG Leitershofen, a 1.Regionalliga team. I do not really want to talk about this game. They have not lost a pre seaosn game yet and were ready to play. The first quarter was an up and down. But they couldn`t keep up with us for the whole game. They were hustling though. We were heading with an 20-point lead to the locker rooms.

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Jerome Bridgewater Diary #9: 3 Games In 3 Days

Three games, three days. I figured out that this costs a lot of energy. My body and legs were all sore. Well, I wasn`t the only one. The rest Bridgewaterof my team felt the same way. Today we were facing an All-Star team. A selection of some ball players, which have not sigend with any team yet and are still trying to sign something. If we would win this game, we would win the tournament, because Tübingen just got toasted by Wels with 20.
Darko Jukic, who is usually playing on our team, was playing for the All-Stars for the weekend. He had a few words to us about what he is going to do. Dunking on somebody and so on. We started off well, but the game seemed kind of slow, no intensity. The All-Stars were not playing with any intensity. We didn`t take care of the ball at all and had like 6 turnovers or more in the first quarter. Both team looked rusty out there.

I was already playing in the first quarter. We were down by 7. We had the last possession of the quarter. Lee was penetrating and did hit me on a cut I pumped faked it. My man left both feet from the ground. I leaned a little bit into and got the shot off before the buzzer. I made it. It felt great. I got some high fives from Lee and Mike. That shot did cut the lead to 5.

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Teamcheck: Deutsche Bank Skyliners

Frankfurt’s basketball project has got all it takes to be successful: a nice training ground called BCM (Basketball City Mainhatten), very big Skylinersnames as major sponsors (first Opel then Deutsche Bank) and regular appearances in european competitions.

The first era with Opel had been quite successful as the club won the national championship in 2004 and established itself as one of the big names in german basketball. Canadian coach Gordon Herbert had formed a nice team back then and even when keyplayers like Mario Kasun and Robert Garrett had left the team Murat Didin got the best out of the fundament of the championship team and young talents and led the team to another BBL finals appearance.

But the summer of 2005 had been a turning point in the club’s successful history. Deutsche Bank took over as main sponsor and was giving the club even more money to spend, but false decisions in recruiting players and coaches made Frankfurt’s basketball project lose two years. With the return of Murat Didin Frankfurt success came back to the Skyliners. In 2007 they surpringly made it to the semi-finals and were only two points shy of another finals appearance. While the club was overachieving two years ago, last season was a bit of a disappointment. The club made it to the post season, but was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Oldenburg.

It has been a difficult summer for Frankfurt’s management. Maybe like no other team Frankfurt’s basketball project relies mainly on main sponsor Deutsche Bank. The 5-year contract with Germany’s biggest bank company expires in 2010 and with no guarantee about an extension or an alternative the team was forced to act very careful on the market for most of the summer.

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Markus Hallgrimson Is A German Playing The Game He Loves In Morocco, Africa

Markus Hallgrimson (video) is a 34 year old 190 cm German-American guard that has a shocking resemblance to American actor Kirk BBLCameron that became famous for the hit TV show Growing Pains. Since starting his basketball career in 1995, he has been somewhat of a nomad having found 13 different teams in this time. He went to the States in 1995 to have the total high school experience playing for Mercer Island. In 1996, he returned back to Germany playing for USC Heidelberg. He then decided to return back to the States and play NCAA2 ball for Montana State-Billings from 1997-2000.

He led the NCAA in 1999-2000 with an all-time NCAA record 6.2 three pointers per game. He also set a new NCAA record with 16 three pointers in one game. He scored 51, 50 and 45 points and averaged 24 points per game, 4th best in the US for Div. II. He was voted to the 1st team NCAA Div. II All-American team. Hallgrimson then returned to Germany and from 2000-2004, he played for Avitos Giessen, BCJ Hamburg NVV Monchengladbach, TSK Wurzburg and BG Chemnitz. In 2004-2005, he left Germany and headed Spain for a short stay playing for Los Barrios Cadix (Spain-LEB1) but was released in October playing 4 games and averaging 3.7ppg 0.2apg. In April 2005, he signed at Geneve Devils (Switzerland-LNA) playing 13 games and averaging 12.0ppg, 1.2rpg, 2.2apg, 2FGP: 60.0%, 3FGP: 35.7%; In the playoffs, he played 12 games averaging 9.0ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.6apg, 2FGP: 83.3%, 3FGP: 35.7%. In 2005, he played briefly at TV Langen, before returning back to the Geneve Devils (Switzerland-LNA) playing 15 games and averaging 10.3ppg, 1.3rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 34.4%, 3PT: 41.1%, FT: 93.8%.

In 2006-2007, he left the Geneve Devils and then went back to Germany to play for ASC Theresianum Mainz and for the Mitteldeutscher BC playing 21 games and averaging 11.4ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 54.3%, 3FGP: 40.9%, FT: 63.6%. In 2007-2008, he went to England to play for the Worcester Wolves (United Kingdom-BBL) playing 6 games averaging 7.5ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 25.0%, 3PT: 19.7%, and in Nov.’07 moved to SCH Wuerzburg Baskets (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 20 games and averaging 17.5ppg. In 2008-2009, he continued with SCH Wuerzburg Baskets (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 24 games and averaging 11.1ppg.

This season, he is playing in Africa in Morocco for the Ithri Nador Baskets. He had a talk with German Hoops about all kinds of topics.

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Teamcheck: Telekom Baskets Bonn

Bonn supporters had been enjoying a lot of sweet victories over the years. And they had, as a four times German vice-champion, bonnwitnessed bitter losses. Still, when the last remaining seconds on the clock ticked away in BBL Finals Game 5 on 25th of July and EWE Arena erupted in joy after a furious Oldenburg comeback, back from three down and Bonn playmaker EJ Rowland at the free throw line with 23 seconds to go, it was harder than ever for Bonn fans to swallow (video Game 5). After all, it was the first time they had actually believed that the championship could be theirs.

Under the guidance of Croatian Bruno Soce and Bosnian Predrag Krunic – the one that led Oldenburg to their first championship, quite ironically – as Soce’s successor, Bonn had been playing entertaining, high-level basketball for several years, however, their rosters were mentally fragile at times and never seemed to make a serious push towards a league championship. The big crash came in 2004/2005, when an extremely talented but unbalanced roster missed the playoffs for the first [and so far last] time in club history. Krunic was fired, yet Bonn decided to continue their philosophy and engaged Danijel Jusup, a Croat who had been coaching almost exclusively in his home country. Jusup put together a questionable roster, and it is safe to say that his way of handling players – a young rookie coming right of college, Jason Conley, in particular – did not make him a lot of friends. Things were heading into the wrong direction, and Bonn corrected their offseason mistake by releasing Jusup and trusting his assistant, Michael Koch, one of the most successful German basketball players of all times, with the headcoach duties. Koch, a rookie head coach, quickly installed a winning mentality. Moving Michael Meeks proved as crucial as the acquisition of Terry Black, who added some much needed athleticism to the roster. Koch managed to reach the playoffs with a roster he would never have had put together himself and his team put up a huge fight – literally – in the postseason versus champions Bamberg.

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