Jordan Shepherd (193-G-1997, college: California) is a 190cm guard from Ashville, North Carolina playing his second professional season and first with AEL Limassol (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) averaging 18,6ppg, 5,9rpg, 4,7apg and 1,4spg. Last season as a rookie he played with KFUM Uppsala (Sweden-Superettan) averaging 18.7ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.4apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 31.7%, FT: 86.1%. he began his basketball career at Hope Christian Academy. He began his NCAA career at the University of Oklahoma playing 2 seasons and 59 NCAA games. He then played 2 seasons at the The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (NCAA) averaging 14.0ppg, 3.2rpg, 4.1apg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 71.4% and in his second season averaged 11.9ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.9apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 74.1%. He closed out his NCAA career with the University of California (NCAA) averaging 15.0ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 42.4%, 3PT: 29.2%, FT: 79.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Jordan for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your first season for AEL Limassol (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League). What kind of experience has it been? What have you enjoyed most about the opportunity?

It’s been a great experience so far! I’ve enjoyed being here, living here, and playing basketball. I’ve enjoyed the basketball experience the most, just being able to be myself out on the floor and contribute to the team.

The club has won 25 titles but the last in 2009. How big do you feel is the desire to win again within the organization?

There is definitely a big desire and expectation to win within the organization. You feel it everyday when you come into practice and when we play in games. The fans are excited and they want wins just as bad as we do.

Last season as a rookie you were freezing in Sweden and this season in warm Cyprus. What do you like most about the culture?

I like how inclusive everyone here is. People are talkative and nice and go out their way to say hi. I love the food here as well.

You have upped your stats one more time from Sweden to Cyprus. How would you compare the leagues in style and ability? The first division Cyprus has been on the rise for years. Would you see it as a higher league than Sweden?

I would say the leagues style and ability are similar is some ways but different as well. In the SBL it seemed like teams wanted to play fast a lot of the time and it led to a lot of high scoring games. This league likes to slow down a little more and play with more physicality which forces everyone to have to execute game plans a little bit better. I’ve heard that this league is a higher level so I’ll just stick to what I’ve heard about it for now.

Cyprus is a league where many Americans have prospered and used as a stepping stone for higher leagues. How aware are you that this league could change your basketball life?

I am very aware of what this league can do for my career which is why I’m here but at the same time, I’ve just tried to focus on the present moment and just enjoy it and get better everyday.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 193cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

The NBA comparison that I have gotten the most in my life is CJ McCollum and Brandon Roy. I agree that we have similar games and I’ve watched and picked up so much from their games to add to mine. I’m humbled to have been compared to players of that caliber.

You can fill the stat sheet well. How big is versatility in your game?

I have always been a versatile player. I have had to play so many different roles in my basketball career that I have learned many different skills. What you see from me is usually the product of what the team needs me to be and what the coach has asked me to be.

Your three pointer continues to be a work in progress. What steps are you taking to become closer to a 40% shooter?

I am shooting 41% from 3 right now and I am looking to keep that up. For me it’s all about getting the proper amount of reps everyday and also taking the right type of 3’s during the game. In my past I have had to take some tough shots which resulted in a lower percentage but I have now refined my game a little bit so now I can take better shots from behind the arc

What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become?

I think I am a good defender but there is always room for improvement. My versatility, IQ, and athleticism helps me a lot on that side of the ball.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to climb the basketball ladder?

I’ve just been working on staying healthy and sharpening the tools that I already have. The best ability is availability so taking care of myself has been the biggest thing. I put in the work on my game so if I stay healthy, everything else will fall into place

You played your rookie season with KFUM Uppsala (Sweden-Superettan) averaging 18.7pp), 4.3rpg, 4.4apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.2%, 3PT: 31.7%, FT: 86.1%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

It hit me immediately honestly. As soon as I got off the plane everything looked different. I went to stay in a hotel for a little bit and even the format of the hotel was different so it was definitely a wake-up call then.

You began your NCAA career at Oklahoma and played 2 seasons there and averaging 4,3 and 2,3ppg. What positives could you get playing for Lon Kruger? Was it a tough situation with the minutes?

Lon Kruger is a hall of fame coach. He was an offensive master-mind and he was a great player as well. There was a lot to learn from him such as how stoic he was. He never really got out of character no matter what was happening, good or bad. My 2 years there were tough but I learned a lot from it.

In your second season you were teammates with a young Trae Young. What memories do you have of him and did you know he would become such a great NBA player?

A lot of the memories that I have with Trae are us being on the court together in the beginning and middle of the season. We were able to reach being #4 in the country together and we had some really big wins while closing games together on the floor. After a couple games, it was clear that he was an NBA level talent. As the season went on, his stock started to sky rocket and it was even more clear that he would be not only an NBA player but a really good one at that.

You didn´t have many games to shine but did scoring 18 points in a win over Memphis. What do you remember from that game and was that one of your fondest moments at Oklahoma?

That game was actually my first game starting. I remember being really nervous about it but once the game started, I remembered being very comfortable and feeling like I belonged in that role and space. It was definitely one of my fondest memories being at OU.

You then played 2 seasons at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (NCAA) averaging 14.0ppg, 3.2rpg, 4.1apg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 71.4% and 11.9ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.9apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 74.1%. How did your game grow in these 2 games and how did head coach Ron Sanchez help your game most?

Being at Charlotte helped me gain some confidence and be in a role where I could showcase my abilities a little more. The biggest thing that coach Sanchez helped in my game was my defense. I learned principles about defense that I still use to this day.

How tough were the 2 seasons due to Covid? You performed very well and had many great games like scoring 27 points against Valpo. What was your fondest memory there?

Covid messed up a lot, not only for me but for everyone in the world. I thought our first season together we had a good chance of making the NCAA tournament by winning our conference championship. To not be able to play in our tournament because of Covid wasn’t a great feeling. We lost a lot of our team for the upcoming year due to transfers and seniors graduating. The next year was even more difficult because the team was unfamiliar, games were always getting cancelled and we couldn’t have fans. My fondest memory of playing there was when we beat Wake Forest at home.

You played one more season at the University of California (NCAA) averaging 15.0ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 42.4%, 3PT: 29.2%, FT: 79.0%. You had many great games there and showed you could play in the PAC 12. You had 33 points against Orgenon and 28 points against Stanford allowing only 39 points. How crazy was that Stanford game?

The Stanford game was wild. It was senior night for us and Stanford is our rival. There was so many people at the game including my family, who came all the way from North Carolina to be there, Jason Kidd, Jerome Randall, and so many other notable people. It was an incredible and fun game to be a part of.

How did head coach Mark Fox give you the last push to groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

Coach Fox did so much for me. He coached me hard and really believed in me. He allowed me to be myself which was the first time I had experienced that in my college career. It changed the perspective of me as a player in the eyes of my peers and scouts. Coach Fox along with his staff helped me tremendously and I am forever grateful for them.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Joel Brown?

Me lol. JB is my brother and probably the best defender I have ever played with but 1 on 1 is my thing, it’s my type of game. I don’t really lose in that setting.

Who is the toughest player that you faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

Frank Mason. My freshman year, he was national player of the year in college.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Kameron Mcgusty, Cooper Robb, Regin Larson, Joel Brown, Jalen Celestine, Jared Hyder. (I know it’s 6 but I couldn’t leave any of these guys out)

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

MJ, Kobe, Bron, and Steph Curry

Who is your GOAT and why?

Kobe is my GOAT. I grew up the biggest Kobe fan there was. The way he played both sides of the ball and the things I got to witness him do in terms of scoring, it made him the goat in my eyes.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Should they have left it alone?

I did not see the sequel to Coming to America. I am not a fan of sequel especially for classics lol.

Thanks Jordan for the chat.

It´s that time of year again whe it´s lighter outside, warmer and nature is getting ready for spring. In April the German Regionalliga for the most part is history again and American players are already in attack mode for new contracts. It isn´t any different with Jeremy Ingram (183-G-1991, college: AAMU). The walking bucket who belongs to the top Regionalliga players in Germany for years just finished another season this time with SG Braunschweig and is on summer vacation. But he is different than most Americans in that he doesn´t hurray back to the crib, but actually likes to spent a good amount of time in Europe before heading back home for some fine home cooked food and time with the homies. However this time he will mix pleasure with work in that he wants to already secure a deal for next season and where he will play. “I will be traveling all over Germany this summer visiting family and friends and even visiting different teams to prepare for next season. I´m also thinking of playing a few streetball tournaments. But my main objective is to go visit my best friend in Atlanta who just recently opened up a new tattoo shop there called “Trill Studios”, stated Jeremy Ingram.

Jeremy Ingram who recognizes Quran Dublin from Bargteheide this past season as not only the toughest player he faced during the season, but in all his Regionalliga years and was born in 1991 and just finished his 8th professional season isn´t getting any younger is a player that has always logged major minutes in the Regionalliga. After a long season the body usually feels like it just survived a major physical battle, but this time around it wasn´t so bad. “I actually feel 100% healthy and actually feel like I could still play more games. I´m usually so tired after the season that I don’t want to play basketball for weeks. But this year is different, guess it´s because I didn’t play nearly as much as previous seasons”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. This past season with SG Braunschweig wasn´t a great one as the team finished 5-16 and one he isn´t proud of. It was difficult to win games when the defense allowed 90 points per game and offensively produced only 83 points. “This season was probably the worst season and definitely the worst record of not only my professional career but my basketball career. I think there was no real connection on defense where all guys are working together. Defense is all about talking, help-side, and 1 on 1 defense. It´s also about attitude and being willing to play defense and I just think there was none of this on the team”, expressed Jeremy Ingram. The club began with a 6 game losing streak and then caught themselves and won 3 in a row and 4 of 6 games. “When I arrived to the team on game 4 the losing streak was already started. Wouldn’t say that was the fate because we had so many opportunities to turn things around but just couldn’t quite do it for whatever reason. My personal opinion is with a young team when things are going good emotions are good so everything plays good, when things start to go bad, emotions, attitudes and body language are effected which starts to affect the whole team and it´s just hard to overcome that”, commented Jeremy Ingram. Despite the team losing it´s last 7 games, was there anything positive gained from the season. “I don’t think anyone gave up. I just think everyone kind of realized this season was just a total mess and it probably wasn’t going to change. And honestly it showed on the court every night. I think maybe it was a wakeup call season. If you want to be a good team and a good player you have to do a lot of things different starting with how you practice. Because all the bs that was going on in practice showed during the games. I also think players have to learn to accept roles and accept the fact that their role might be just getting rebounds not trying to score 15-20 points or maybe focus on getting 8 assists or defense”, added Jeremy Ingram.

Last season the American who can unleash the mid distance jumper at any place on the court played for the farm team of easyCredit BBL team Basketball Lowen Braunschweig. He was the oldest by a long margin and played with guys 10 years or more years younger than him. Two guys he had immense joy playing with were Gian Aydinoglu who won the NBBL title with Alba Berlin and Romario Holloway who once connected for 41 points in an NBBL game. “It took some adjusting playing with Gian as I assume it took a lot of adjustment for him playing with me also. I think he will be a pretty good player because everyone in this organization is pushing for him so he has all the support he needs to be good. I tell people all the time Romario was my favorite person to play with on the team. It´s always fun when a guard like me can play with a big man like him. Unfortunately injuries kept us from playing more together. He doesn’t complain about shots because he knows what type of scorer I am, he is always coming to set screens and roll to the basket and sometimes I hit him on the roll for an easy dunk or his screen is going to get me free for that midrange. I see him being an important player for a BBL team in a few years”, warned Jeremy Ingram. With Braunschweig he averaged 24/5/1/2 with his scoring being down from past seasons. The whole season was just a struggle for him. “Well from the beginning with the law suit with my 1st team that caused me to miss the first 2 months of the season and then coming to a new young team where I didn’t fit in at all. I say to do what I did in these conditions just shows how good of a player I am. I say that as Humble as possible. But I can honestly say I´m glad it´s over and I´m glad the Braunschweig organization gave me a home for the season, so I´m thankful for that”, stressed Jeremy Ingram. His minutes were 6 less than 2 seasons ago in Mannheim, but only 1 minute less than last season. “It was not my plan or my desires to play less minutes and I was very unhappy about playing significantly less minutes but at the end of the day coaches get to make the decisions so I had to live with those decisions no matter how unhappy I was. But a player like me should be playing 30-35 minutes every game in this league but I guess everyone didn’t see it the same way”, added Jeremy Ingram. A big highlight was that he shot his best from outside in the last 3 seasons at 38%. “More reps was a big part of it. The shooting machine and having access to a gym almost everyday to get up shots was also a big part. But I was more of a catch and shoot or whenever I get the ball type of player on this team. Where as on other teams I was also the playmaker and scorer, but here I had to just focus on shooting because that was pretty much my job”, stated Jeremy Ingram. His assists were down, but he continued to be a real pest on the defensive end. “My assists were down mainly because I was a spot up shooter on this team but also on my other teams I got a lot of assists from the team running the fast breaks with me and back door cuts when I attack the hoop. It was more/less a lot of standing around the 3 point line and pouting when I attacked this season instead of just cutting to the hoop. I think people overlook my defense this season because of how bad we played team defense. But again I´m top 3 in the league in steals again for like the 3rd, 4th straight season”, said Jeremy Ingram.

The off season will last a few months for him who listed Gian Aydinoglu as the team´s most improved player and it will be as usual very interesting where his journey will go. Will a Pro B team or Pro A club finally give him an opportunity? The season is only over since a few weeks, but as usual he is mega optimistic. “I have a few great options so far but again nothing is official until I sign on that dotted line but hopefully everything works out”, commented Jeremy Ingram. There is always the possibility for him to play outside Germany, but he has played his whole career in Germany and feels very comfortable here. “I play basketball in Germany but I´m always traveling outside the country. Besides playing basketball, traveling is another thing I love to do so I´m sure I will be all over this summer”, stated Jeremy Ingram. His age changes every year, but one thing for sure doesn´t change and that is the overwhelming weight of the chip on his shoulder. “The chip will always be there because no matter how many times I have a good season higher league coaches and Gm´s still feel like its ok to pass on a player like me so trust me I will keep my feet in their necks until I hang up my jersey”, warned Jeremy Ingram. The chip answer is no surprise as his motivation and drive to reach a higher level will never end. He will continue to grind and keep his feet on Gm´s necks, because he deserves to be in a higher league. He would take the Pro B by storm. Somebody finally give him a chance!

Shawn Scott (185-G-1996, college: SW Christian) is a 28 year old 185cm guard playing his third professional season and first with BG Hagen. Last season he split time with TVO Biggesee / TV Jahn Lindhorst (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 31.2ppg, 10.4rpg, 6.1apg, 3.6spg, 2FGP: 56.2%, 3FGP: 30.4%, FT: 77.6%, in Jan.’23 moved to BG 2000 Berlin (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 14.2ppg, 8.1rpg, 4.6apg, 2.4spg, FGP: 53.5%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 64.4%. He began his career at Jenks High School and then played 3 seasons at Southwestern Christian University. He teams up with germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.

Congrats Shawn on the game 1 win over Hamm 102-89. How good does it feel to have won your first playoff game this season?

Thank you. It feels great to have gotten that first playoff win this season out of the way but I went to the playoffs with the Berlin Braves last season and won it all there so I’m familiar with what it takes to win in this time of the season.

How tough was it coming back after 3 weeks off? How did you prepare physically for this game?

Really hard. Every day I was so anxious to play and couldn’t wait to get back on the court in my uniform. I stayed in the fitness gym like normal over the weeks but we also had a much needed break from practice that I think our bodies needed to be ready for the playoffs.

It was a real shoot out. Talk about the 40 minutes. What is your summary for 40 minutes how you played as a team?

In the first quarter I felt everything went our way offensively to hitting big three point shots to Jaro getting like 4 dunks in a row. But defensively I think we were not our best by far and Hamm was too comfortable the whole game. They scored way too many points for our liking in the first half and we picked it up and turned up our aggressive defense in the second half. All in all we stuck together and did everything we could to get the win and that’s how it’s going to be all playoffs.

Even if you allowed 89 points, how key was the defensive pressure and 17 Hamm turnovers for the overall success?

The most important. We knew it was all defense that was going to win this game and even though we started out not the best, we picked it up later and were able to make them uncomfortable.

BG Hagen had no answer for Gilbert Gyamfi who scored 41 points This guy seemed to have the 3 level scoring down. What made it most difficult to stop him?

It seemed like every shot he put up went in and this is just how it is when it comes playoff time. Guys like that step it up even more and it becomes harder to stop them. But we got stops when we needed to. Next game he can’t have a game like this and we have to be more disciplined when guarding him.

You had another solid game with 32 points. How revved up were you for this game?

I was super energetic the whole day waiting to play but it didn’t allow me to get much sleep. But I feel I didn’t play to the very best of my ability and I’m going to make sure I’m at that point next game to get the game two win.

What will be key for winning game 2 against Hamm? Will you expect another high scoring game?

I expect us to have a high scoring game but we cannot allow Hamm who scores 70 points a game on average to score 89 points against us again. The key is defense and will be the key for the next games to come.

Thanks Shawn for the chat.

Denzel Livingston (193-F/G-1993, college: UIW) is a 30 year old 193cm guard from Houston, Texas that played his 8th professional season and first in Germany with the Ademax Ballers Ibbenburen averaging 18,8ppg, 7,4rpg, 2,0apg and 3,4spg. He has sampled much experience overseas having played in countries like Israel, Georgia, Finland and Uruguay. He also had a stint in the G-League. He began his basketball career at Waltrip high school and then played at the University of Incarnate Word from 2011-2015. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Denzel for talking to germanhoops.com. It isn´t every day that a guy who was on an NBA roster joins a third division club. How did this incredible signing come about?

It was a late signing for me since I passed on earlier teams who wanted me to come play for them. I was recently inducted to the Hall of Fame at my college in September so I wasn’t going to miss that for anything. As far as me signing to Ibbenburen, the manager was very persuasive and it’s just a step for me to be in the Germany market. I’m sure it’ll be higher level teams that will want me soon so I’m not rushing. Just enjoying the moment.

What do you know in general about the country Germany and it´s basketball? Germany recently won the World Cup?

I don’t know too much about Germany except for Dirk Nowitzki and the German beer haha. I did watch the World Cup so I know you guys was very excited about that win.

Your a walking bucket. Do you feel like you need to score 30 points a night to finally help this ambitious club get wins again?

If I have to I will. I will first try to get my team involved first but if that’s not working, I will only see the rim

Germany is your 5th country overseas. What do you enjoy most about the globetrotter life?

I love it. Seeing different countries and their cultures is amazing. I always feel like I’m in a movie.

You recently played at Lagomar Canelones Montevideo (Uruguay-Metropolitan) averaging 17.0ppg, 6.4rpg, 2.4apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 30.6%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 80.6%. You had a short stay playing only 5 games. What memories could you take from this expereince? How did you expereince South American basketball?

For my first time in South America, it was a big difference from Europe play. They get away with a lot more physicality over there. I didn’t really get to explore much so I can’t really tell you how the sites were.

Last season you played with Lapuan Kobrat (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 15.1ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.3apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 81.2%. Finland is a popular country to play in for Americans. I would have thought after your season there, you could make the jump possibly to a second or first division team in Germany. Is your stock for some reason still off the radar in Europe?

I ask myself the same question and wonder the same thing every time. I really don’t know. My average are near the same every year and I know my potential is high level. Teams either think about signing me or they will give me an offer with low pay. I know my worth.

Last season you played with BC Cactus Tbilisi (Georgia-Superleague) averaging 17.8ppg, 8.5rpg, 2.9apg, 1.8spg, Blocks-5 (1.2bpg), FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 75.7%. What kind of an experience is having to learn those long Georgian names? Did you just think of nicknames for your teammates?

Georgia was a nice experience. Most of my teammates had the same name so it was pretty easy for me to remember

After coming off your first season in Georgia, you didn´t play in the 20-21 season. How much did Covid play a role in that? How tough was that season for you? How did you remain active basketball wise?

It gave me a reason to take a year off and spend more time with family and my daughter. It wasn’t tough at first but as the time went by, I knew that I wanted to get back to playing. I stayed active by playing in open gyms and doing my daily morning runs.

You played the 2019-2020 season with BC Rustavi 1991 (Georgia-Superleague) averaging 13.9ppg, 6.5rpg, 3.3apg, Steals-2 (2.6spg), FGP: 45.8%, 3PT: 31.5%, FT: 77.5%. You won your first chip with the cup. What memroies do you have of that truimph?

That season we was definitely going to make it to the championship or at least the final four. It just sucks that it ended because of Covid.

You played your second pro season with Elitzur Kiryat Ata (Israel-National League) averaging 14.4ppg, 6.2rpg, 2.7apg, Steals-5 (2.1spg), 1.0bpg, FGP: 41.5%, 3PT: 28.9%, FT: 81.8%. What did you learn about yourself as a player having a solid season here taking a step back after having a soso season in the first israel league the season before?

It was mentally tough for me because I knew I was supposed to be higher but I was still grateful to be playing in Israel.

You played your second pro season with Ironi Nahariya (Israel-Winner League) averaging 6.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 46.7%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 72.9%. You played 3 timers against top Euroleague team Maccabi Tel Aviv battling ex NBA champion and Lebron James teammate Norris Cole. What do you remember from these games?

Playing in Nahariya really opened my eyes. I started off the season great, averaging about 15ppg but everything changed when the coach started playing his older guys more than me. It was always fun playing Maccabi because of the fan base and the urge to try to beat them was exciting

You played your first season overseas with Hapoel Kfar Saba/Kohav Yair (Israel-National League) averaging 21.1ppg), Reb-5 (10.7rpg), 3.2apg, Steals-5 (2.0spg), Blocks-2 (2.1bpg), FGP: 49.1%, 3PT: 31.6%, FT: 80.6%. What do you remmeber being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew you were far away from home?

My mindset was to go overseas and get straight buckets. I did that and won MVP of the league that season. I made sure I stayed in contact with family back home so that made my first time overseas easy.

In your rookie season you played NBA Pro Summer League in Las Vegas (Houston Rockets) playing 3 games averaging 2.0ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.3apg. What memeories do you have of playing NBA Summer League? What people do you remember meeting in Vegas and seeing what NBA legends walking around?

For some reason the coach wasn’t letting me play because he already knew that I was going to play preseason and be sent to the D-league team. That’s why my time was limited. The person who stood out was Lebron James. I didn’t physically meet him face to face but I saw him on the sideline watching his team play

You were in training camp with the Houston Rockets in 2015. What kind of expereince was that sharing the floor with James Harden and Dwight Howard? Was it an awe effect at first?

James Harden and Dwight Howard were real cool. It was an awe effect when I saw James walking into the locker room. I couldn’t show it because I was his teammate at the time but it was real cool.

You played yourr ookie season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (D-League) averaging 9.6ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.5apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 81.3%. What do you remmeber being your best example in that season where you witnessed the NBA being a business first

 Yes it’s very political over there. That’s all I can say about that.

You got good minutes, but how tough is it in general for a guy to average 9 to 18 points. Do you feel like you could have landed a NBA call up with 10 minutes more?

At the time, the Rockets were very stacked with players and were championship contenders so that would’ve been hard. But if it was the Houston Rockets team from these past years, most definitely yes.

You played at The University of Incarnate Word (NCAA) from 2011-2015. Your game really took off in your last 2 years as you averaged 20,0ppg. How did your game grow in your last 2 seasons? 

My junior year, I knew I had to be the man because our main scorer had graduated. I put a lot of time in the gym and it turned out very well.

You had so many great games there but how tough was losing the 103-101 game to Northwestern State despite 37 points from you?

A game we were supposed to win. Still hurt til this day! A lot of questionable calls but I know Northwestern State players still remember my name.

How did head coach Ken Burmeister groom and prepare you best for a professional basketball career?

He allowed me to play my game. Besides basketball, He made sure I was gentlemen outside of the court and told me to make sure I take care of my responsibilities always.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Shawn Johnson?

Me of course but this is my guy.

Who was the toughest player you faced in the NCAA that reached the NBA?

I’ll probably say Thomas Walkup. He isn’t in the NBA but he’s in Euroleague. I still gave him 30pts though.

Please name your 5 berst teammates of all-time?

Kin Bolton Montrezl Harrel Jimmy Hall Cat Barber Pat Beverly.

y Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of past or present heads?

Shaq Michael Jordan Tracy McGrady Reggie Miller Lebron James

Who is your GOAT and why?

My goat is Reggie Miller. That’s my idol. He made me love the game of basketball. I grew up watching him

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming to America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

I thought it was ok. It was much needed after all them years of waiting.

Thanks Denzel fort he chat.

Matt Haarms (221-C-1997, college: BYU) is a 26 year old 221cm center from the Netherlands that is playing his third professional season and first with Zunder Palencia (Spain-Liga ACB). He played his first 2 pro seasons with the Fraport Skyliners averaging 7.4ppg, 4.5rpg, Blocks-2 (1.3bpg), FGP: 58.5%, FT: 69.4% and 7.8ppg, 4.3rpg, Blocks-3 (1.5bpg), FGP: 61.9%, FT: 77.2%. He began his basketball career wit the FIATC Joventut Badalona (Spain) U18 team and then played with Sunrise Christian Academy. He then played at Purdue from 2017-2020 playing a total of 102 games averaging 9.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.1apg, 2.1bpg, FGP: 67.9%, 3PT: 28.0%, FT: 69.5% and 8.6ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.0bpg, FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 63.4% in his last 2 seasons. He played an extra year at Brigham Young University (NCAA) averaging 11.3ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.1apg, 2.0bpg, FGP: 60.6%, 3PT: 19.4%, FT: 80.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his ex school Purdue and their 2024 run to the NCAA final

Thanks Matt for talking to germanhoops.com. Have you remained a fan of college basketball since turning pro or has it diminished?

I still like it. It is just difficult to watch it overseas with the time difference. I stick to checking the scores and seeing how my teams are doing.

You played 3 years at Purdue and last night they lost in the NCAA final to UConn. Were you able to watch the game live or on tape in the morning? I mean it had to be an incentive just to watch Zach Edey play?

I watched the game in the morning. I had to get up early anyway. Edey is an amazing player. He is really fun to watch. Nobody can stop him. I feel like he was the best college basketball player the last 2 years.

With what kind of a feeling did you go into the final playing against the defending champs?

I thought that we could beat UConn. They were both the best 2 teams in the tournament. It was like destiny that they met in the final.

Did you have any contact with former players leading up to the final?

No not really. I was just following the games. I think everyone was just in awe. It was the first time since 1980 that Purdue was in the final.

Purdue lost 75-60. It seemed like one of those games where UConn was just a little better from start to finish. How do you summarize the end result?

I agree with you. UConn had no big run in the game, but they had a good strategy. They had the lead and then just kept adding on throughout the game. Purdue played a good game, but UConn was just a little better.

Zach Edey was a 1 man wrecking crew with 37 points and 10 rebounds. He had a great game but how much were those extra scorers missing?

I think no matter how many defenders they threw at Edey, he would just do his thing. When Purdue plays really well, it is when they have a supporting cast. UConn did a good job focusing on limiting our shots from outside. UConn was just on another level.

Edey was a beast dominating every game at March madness and even had 40 points against Tennessee. Would Purdue have had any chance without him?

I think that Purdue would still be talented without him However without him, it would be a lot tougher. They a team forces you to play a certain way then it´s hard to break it.

How special is Zach Edey. How much stock did his game give him in the NBA Draft. How high could he go now?

It has already grown this season before the tournament. He is so good now and is at another level. I think he will find a spot in the NBA and fit in really well.

Have you ever met him or played against him during the summers? If so who won a 1-1?

I met him in 2020 shortly before Covid came when he came to Purdue on a visit. He was a good guy and humble. He wasn´t being recruited the way he should have been. He made a good impression on me. I hear only good things about him.

Despite the loss how proud are you of being an ex Boliermaker?

I really proud of this team. I´m really happy for the fans, because they deserved this. They are some of the best fans in the NCAA.

Head coach Matt Painter has been there since 2005. I can imagine he won´t hang it up until he gets that title?

I don´t know what he will do, but he has been so committed to the program since the start. You can´t imagine Purdue basketball without Matt Painter.

Matt Painter is such a special coach that has reached the NCAA tournament 15 times and won 5 conference champions. How special of a coach is he?

He does such a great job. He does a great job focusing on what players do best and play around that. He is never stuck on playing one way.

How special is a guy like Braden Smith? He has 2 more years to go.

He is a fantastic player. He is still so young, but already so good. He is a special competitor. He will be one of the leaders going into the new season.

Where will the journey of the Boilmakers go in the next years. They lose Edy, Jones and Gillis to graduation.

It will be a very different team. Matt Painter is a very creative coach and will find the right mix. It will depend on what talent he brings in. You never really know what will happen until the first game.

Thanks Matt for the chat.

Ludvig Hakanson is a 28 year old 189cm guard from Sweden playing his season with Universidad Catolica de Murcia CB (Spain-Liga). He has played a total of 9 years in Europe´s top league ACB with clubs like Surne Bilbao Basket, Moviestar Estudiantes Madrid, Montakit Funelabrada, Baloncesto Sevillia and FC Barcelona where he began his professional career. He also played for teams like VEF Riga(Latvia) and  Stelmet Enea BC Zielona Gora (Poland). He spoke to germanhoops.com before game 2 of the quarterfinals of the Basketball Champions League competition.

Thanks Ludvig for talking to germanhoops.com. Your 28 years old, from Sweden and played parts of 9 seasons in the ACB Europe´s best league. How crazy is that? On a list of the most famous Swedish players you are 4^th behind Jerebko, Taylor and Eriksson. None of them have played longer in the ACB than you. How does a humble Swedish man like you understand this?

I have never thought of that way. I came to Spain as a 15 year old with the goal to play in the ACB. Everything happened so fast for me. I had my first opportunity with FC Barcelona and then my next chance with Sevilla. I had up and down times and never went straight up, but the ACB is where I want to be.

Only Jerebko and Taylor reached the NBA. Was the NBA ever there for you to take? Or was a guy with your game not suited for the athletic game and less team play?

As a young guy you always dream of the NBA. I honestly never felt like the NBA was in reach for me. I don´t think like I was ever close to reaching the NBA. The Euroleague was always my goal and still is.

You have been out of Swedish basketball wise since 2010. How has the basketball game changed in Europe since then?

I feel like play is always getting faster and more three´s are being taken. The pace is always very fast. Many of the successful teams in the ACB play fast. It continues to be very tactical and team orientated now.

Your playing this season with  Universidad Catolica de Murcia CB. How enjoyable has the season been? They are one of the top teams in the ACB?

It has been a great season for us. The club did a good job bringing in guys that were hungry. We have guys that work hard everyday and just enjoy the moment. We are trying to get in best position for the playoffs and final 4 of the BCL.

What has been the secret to the success? Dustin Sleva told me that you have a special coach with Sito Alonso? How has he helped the team most in finding success?

I had known coach a little bit, but the success has surprised me a bit, but he has done a great job where all 13 players feel important. Every player can step up on any night. Every player feels very involved. He has given every player a lot of confidence.

Your on a good way to reaching the Basketball Champions League semi finals. You easily beat the MHP Riesen in game 1. Will you expect a different game in Ludwigsburg?

Even if we beat them easily in game one, they are an extremely good and physical team. They are a very dangerous team that play at a very high pace. Game 2 is like a final for us.

How valuable has been your consistency to have stayed so long in the ACB? Is that the biggest reason for your longevity?

I think so. I have always been consistent with my daily and summer work. I always have prepared myself to present the best version of myself. Even if I´m 28, I still feel relatively young. I think I still have room to develop and I hope I can stay in the ACB and continue to get better.

You were always a guy that had to compete against the best players each season on your team and always found your role. What was your secret to always finding that role and never getting lost in the shuffle?

I think that I found my strengths at early age and always used them as much as possible. You can´t do everything on the court, but I try to show my best skills each game. I think having that mentality has helped me through out my career and coaches have always seen me as being useful.

You played 3 years in Bilbao averaging 8.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 83.9%; 9.4ppg, 1.8rpg, 3.0apg, FGP: 52.6%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 85.9% and 12.1ppg, 2.3rpg, 4.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 90.8%;. You had so many teammates from other countries something very special that you see in the ACB. How would you rate your basketball IQ now in your career? Is it one of the better ones with Murcia?

Yes I think so. I think that overall with this team we have a lot of experience and guys that have high IQ´s. As the point guard I´m a close communicator with the coach on a daily basis. I see myself as always being the second hand of the coach on the court.

One could say this was your most productive time as a scorer. How did your game grow in Bilbao?

The Bilbao years were very important. My role grew each year in Bilbao. I began with a small role my first year. In my second year it was better and in my third year, I was a starter and had a big role. Scoring is my biggest strength, but as a point guard, I have to get trust from my teammates. I thank Bilbao for giving me this opportunity.

In between your ACB time you also spent a season with  Stelmet Enea BC Zielona Gora (Poland-EBA) averaging  11.1ppg, 2.2rpg, 5.6apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 60.9%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT-3(92.0%) and in the VTB United League averaging 11.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 5.2apg, FGP: 54.3%, 3PT: 35.9%, FT: 92.2%? You had fine teammates like Drew Gordon and George King and won the polish league title. What was special about this team?

We had great chemistry that season where every player wanted to prove something. We had a really good coach and it was really challenging to play in the VTB. The travel was crazy. I learned a lot from Drew Gordon especially how to play the pick and roll. It was a good opportunity to be important at that level.

You played 2 seasons with Movistar Estudiantes (Spain-Liga ACB) from 2017-2019 averaging 6.1ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT: 31.6%, FT: 78.0% and: 5.2ppg, 1.1rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 35.4%, FT: 76.1%. You played with so many incredible point guards but where does the great Omar Shariff-Cook rank?

He is top 3 in my career. He is one of the best players that I ever played with. We had different playing styles, but I learned so much from him. I learned to know your teammates and how to find your teammates better. He also taught me how you can get your teammates to like you. He had the best passing skills I ever saw.

You also played a season with  Montakit Fuenlabrada (Spain-Liga ACB) averaging  6.1ppg, 1.8rpg, 3.2apg, FGP: 40.2%, 3PT: 27.1%, FT: 92.0%; and in the Eurocup averaging 8.3ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 50.0%. How was that season for you?

It was up and down. I came in mid season and there had been a lot of high expectations. It was a tough season for me. I still got pretty good playing time and had great teammates.

You were 0-5 against Luka Doncic in the ACB. You scored 26 points in your first game against him. Was that one of your best games in the ACB?

I remember that game. It wasn´ my best game ever in the ACB, but my first big game in the ACB. My time in Sevilla was great. Being able to finish the season with a game like that gave me a lot of self-confidence.

What memories do you have of these games. If someone had told you Luka Doncic would dominate the NBA like he did would you have believed it?

It is hard to say but probably yes. I had never seen something like him. A player that was so young and so mature. If not him then who would have been the star in the NBA? Everybody felt that he was something special.

You were with FC Barcelona from 2011-2015 starting as a youth player. Do you remember your first day in Barcelona? Was it a culture shock?

Yes it was. I went to Barcelona 2 times before I actually began. The first time was for my try-out and the second time was after I signed just to see everything. Back in 2010, basketball wasn´t big in Sweden. I came to Barcelona and everything was different. The level of practices, living conditions and how professional everything was was something to get used to. It was a wow moment. I was a crazy basketball kid. I had practiced like a professional since age 8 and coming to FC Barcelona was like a dream.

Did it help that guys like Swedish players Eriksson and Spires were with you? Are those guys like brothers to you today?

Yes they are like brothers for me. It is never easy to move abroad, but having those 2 there made it all easier. We lived together and we tried to help each other. We are still very good friends today.

You saw so many incredible players there in your 4 years with Navarro, Jasikevicius, Mickeal, Huertas, Nachbar, Lampe or Tomic just to name a few. Which player there had the biggest impact on you as a young player?

Who had the biggest impact is tough as there were so many great guys that I had as teammates. I learned a lot from Satoransky and Huertas. We practiced each day together. I also tried to soak up as much as possible form Navarro especially how to take advantage out of every screen and how to make the right passes. Navarro drove me to and from practice every day. I also learned a lot from Nachbar, His work ethic was incredible. He taught me how to relax and focus on the right things.

In your last season you played 7 ACB games and 6 Euroleague games. How fierce do you remember the day to day battles with Tomas Satoransky?

It was super tough to play against him. He defends and reads the game really well. He is super professional and I tried to take things form his game. He is probably one of the hardest workers I have ever played with. His work ethic is impressive.

How difficult in general is to remain with a top team like FC Barcelona? What was missing in your early age that kept you from possibly remaining longer there and furthering your development?

I pretty much knew from the start that I would be working hard every practice just to get in for a few minutes per game. I knew in my last year that I would have to go after my fourth year and go somewhere where I could prove myself at the ACB. I went to Sevilla and then showed that I could play at that level. I could have returned a few years later, but I´m happy now that I went to teams where I could have bigger roles.

You played at the 2013 Euro as a 17 year old playing 5 games and averaging 4,0ppg. What memories do you have of that championship? That team had Jerebko and Taylor but couldn´t get far

I have great memories. I had just played at the U-18 Euro and then the senior team called me up. I passed cut after cut and then suddenly I was on the roster for the 2013 Euro in Slovenia. Being able to start in the third game was a huge moment for me. Being 17 and getting minutes helped me see how the game works at the senior level. It gave me a lot of confidence. Even if we won only one game, it will always be a great memory.

Who is the toughest player that you have faced in your career that was in the NBA?

The toughest player that I ever faced was Shane Larkin when he was with Baskonia. It was super hard to defend him. He could hit the pull up jumper from anywhere. He is the fastest guy that I ever defended.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Marcelo Huertas, Bostjan Nachbar, Simon Birgandar, Dario Brizuela and Howard Sant-Roos

Please name your Euro Mount Rushmore?

Luka Doncic, Juan Carlos Navarro, Giannis, Dirk Nowitzki, Nikola Jokic

Who is your goat?

Michael Jordan

Thanks Ludvig for the chat.

With the crunch-time of the Pro A regular season in full swing, the second place team Fraport Skyliners continue to grind away chasing top team Romerstrom Gladiators, but with the playoffs only around the corner, they want to secure second place and go into the post season fresh, motivated and prepared. They have been playing solid basketball as of late having won 5 of their last 6 games. Especially at home, they have been a rock having won 5 of their last 6 games as well. Their next opponent was no cake walk as they greeted medipolis Science City Jena who were resting in sixth place and in a battle with Hagen and Kirchheim for the fourth spot. They had been up and down recently having lost 2 of their 3 games including 2 bitter crunch-time games against Paderborn and Bremerhaven where they had lost by a combined score of only 7 points. They did win their last game against Nurnberg by 20 points and were extra motivated to keep their winning streak alive in Frankfurt. Jena had won the first contest in their living room by 11 points and ex Skyliner Rasheed Moore returned to Frankfurt where he had played 2 seasons. It was a game that brought that playoff feeling with low scoring and hard nosed defense and no team could truly get away from the other until overtime where Medipolis Jena displayed their ice cold 3 point attack that lifted them over the Fraport Skyliners 77-65. “This game had that playoff atmosphere. We knew going in that it would be a battle. Key for us was being able to stick together and fight for 45 minutes on the road”, stressed Mediplois Science City Jena forward Rasheed Moore. The Fraport Skyliners played solid defense for 40 minutes the way they know how, but offensively never found a real rhythm and it was simply one of those days where nothing fell. In overtime, their offense continued to sputter and their defensive pressure ran out of gas. “This was a playoff atmosphere and a real battle at both ends of the court. We played good defense for the most part, but offensively we struggled to finish on the rim and hit three pointers. They had a big front court which made it difficult for us”, stressed Fraport Skyliners forward Ife Ajayi.

Justin Onyejiaka at the FT line

On a rather mild early spring day only 2,750 fans found their way into the arena. Medipolis Science City Jena were without their freak of nature Amir Hinton and in the first minutes didn´t seem to have needed him as they rode out on a rapid 7-2 lead. The guests moved the ball well playing good inside out ball as Moore began with a left handed lay in which was followed by a beautiful spin and finger tip roll in by German Stephan Haukohl and ex G-League player Blake Francis (183-PG-1998, college: Richmond) nailed a trey. Frankfurt´s offense sputtered as they had problems moving the ball and getting efficient shots. Frankfurt kept chipping away and really had to work for their shots and then found some daylight tying the game at 8-8 with a turn around shot from ex Indiana State (NCAA) guard Cameron Henry and a lay in from ex Schwenningen forward Jacob Knauf. Frankfurt was able to battle back as they heightened their defensive intensity which reward them on offense. Knauf added another three pointer as Frankfurt rolled with a 7-0 run and 11-8 advantage. Both teams reached the free throw line and after 10 minutes the game was dead locked at 12-12. “It was a very low scoring game where both teams showed their good defensive play. The game was also more physical than usual”, stated Rasheed Moore. The Fraport Skyliners shot 36% from the field and 33% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 5 turnovers while Medipolis Science City Jena shot 25% from the field and 20% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Blake Francis with the step back shot

The second quarter continued to be a real old fashioned battle with 2 teams playing hard defense and not giving away any simple gifts. There would be 6 lead changes and at the break the game was dead locked at 30-30. The Fraport Skyliners had the better start going on a 12-4 run to start to lead 22-16. Frankfurt did a good job getting to the free throw line and got an offensive rebound an put back by Ife Ajayi and lay in by ex Carleton great Aiden Warnholtz. At the end of the run, fans saw another incredible David Muenkat highlight play as he threw down an alley op dunk getting the perfect feed from Aiden Warnholtz. “That was a nice dunk. It came off a loose ball and then within 5 seconds came the dunk. It was an exciting moment”, stressed Trevian Bell. That dunk helped Frankfurt have the momentum a little while longer as Florida native Kevin McClain made free throws and German Jordan Samare connected for a three pointer to lead 28-21 with a few minutes to play. However Frankfurt couldn´t keep the momentum as they allowed a 9-2 run for the 30-30 score after 20 minutes. Sometimes in basketball all you need is a big play to get a team back on track and that is exactly what ex Richmond (NCAA) guard Blake Francis did making a trey and concerting on the 4 point play. German big man Robin Lodders added a tip and lay in to complete the run. “Francis always has moments like that. He is a phenomenal scorer. For him all it takes is to see one go in and then 2 or 3 will follow”, added Rasheed Moore. The Fraport Skyliners shot 32% from the field and 20% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 7 turnovers while Medipolis Science City Jena shot 33% from the field and 20% from the three point line and had 16 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Jacob Knauf from outside

In the third quarter the game continued to be a real dog fight as there were 8 lead changes and Medipolis Science City Jena took control of the game late to have the 52-46 lead. Francis opened up the second half with a three pointer to give Jena the 33-30 lead. Once again Frankfurt was aided by 2 big defensive plays as Booker Coplin and David Muenkat served up blocks and they took the lead again with a Coplin three to lead 36-35. Jena went on a 5-0 run to lead 40-36 as Moore nailed free throws and Joshiko Saibou dropped a trey, but Frankfurt punched back with Cameron Henry free throws and the second sensational dunk of the game by David Munkat to dead lock the game 40-40. This time he went coast to coast and flew by his opponent Nils Schmitz to go for the 2 handed dunk. “I think that dunk was better than his first dunk. I think that having to go end to end is more difficult than doing an alley-oop dunk. I knew that as soon as he was by his man, it was over. That dunk didn´t surprise me, because he is so athletic”, explained Ife Ajayi. The ups and downs by Frankfurt continued as they were unable to profit further from the dunk as they gave up a 12-6 run to Jena to trail 52-46 after 30 minutes. In the run it was Blake Francis again who supplied the energy with 5 points while Robin Lodders also added 4 points. “It went back and forth. You kind of expected each team to have them. Key was not to allow the other team´s run to get to big. A big strength was packing the zone. We took the mis match opportunities and knew when to help and when not to”, commented Rasheed Moore. “The game continued to show 2 teams playing physical defense”, said Ife Ajayi. Medipolis Science City Jena shot 32% from the field and26% from the parking lot and had 28 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shit 33% from the field and 23% from the parking lot and had 31 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Alex Herrera at the FT line

In the fourth quarter it looked like Medipolis Science City Jena would take the win, but once again the Fraport Skyliners exhibited their come back skills in crunch-time at home forcing the game to overtime. Both teams had difficulty executing in the first minutes as Frankfurt got a Jordan Samare dunk on their fifth possession while Jena got a Moore tip in at the 6,32 minute mark to lead 54-48. Frankfurt´s offense wasn´t spot on as their ball movement was average at best and when they attacked, they literally couldn´t hit the ocean missing shots they usually made in their sleep. Cameron Henry then finally drilled home an open three pointer to trail 54-51. Frankfurt continued missing shot after shot and time was running out as Jena led 57-52. Somehow Frankfurt stuck together and Jacob Knauf hit a clutch three pointer to trail 57-55. Jena had a few bad minutes as they had turnovers allowing Frankfurt added opportunities. German Lorenz Brenneke added a lay in to tie the game at 57-57 with 1,39 to play. Saibou countered with a lay in with 1.30 only to see Aiden Warnholtz tie the game at 59-59. Coplin gave Frankfurt the 61-59 lead with under a minute to play only to see Blake Francis nail a clutch three for the 62-61 advantage. After a Henry turnover, the game seemed over, but Rasheed Moore missed a free throw and Jena led only 63-61. Jacob Knauf hit big free throws to send the game into overtime 63-63. “We put our foot down and got stops and made tough shots. The group that was in there gave us a good push and Cam Henry took over”, stated Ife Ajayi. “We expected them to make big shots. We stuck together and Francis made a big shot as well. We are a veteran team and stayed grounded. It was a team effort”, said Rasheed Moore. In the overtime period, it wasn´t that continued back and forth tug of war, but moreover just Medipolis Science City Jena that went to work and rolled over the Fraport Skyliners to take the 5,00 minute extra time 14-2 and win 77-65. It went bang, bang, bang on the first 3 Jena possessions as Moore began with a three pointer that was followed with back to back three´s by Saibou. Henry did stop the run with a big dunk, but most of the damage had been done. Saibou added another lay in and Moore free throws sealed the season sweep for Medipolis Science City Jena. “We hit 3 open three´s off good ball movement. You need to have the confidence to make those shots. I got us started and Saibou did the rest”, smiled Rasheed Moore. “Those 3 three´s were lethal blows to us. They were very poised and got us under screens and hit the shots. Kudos to them for staying focused and making tough shots”, stated Ife Ajayi. Medipolis Science City Jena was led by Blake Francis with 21 points while Joshiko Saibou added 20 points while the Fraport Skyliners were led by Cameron Henry with 15 points and Jacob Knauf had 10 points. Medipolis Science City Jena shot 33% from the field and 33% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Fraport Skyliners shot 31% from the field and 24% from outside and had 45 rebounds and 18 turnovers.

Some teams of the Pro B South and North were playing for all the marbles as there was a real fight for the position 4 and last home court spot in the playoffs as well as for the last playoff spot at position 8. However for the Dragons Rhondorf and Team Ehingen, the last game day was meaningless for them in the standings as Rhondorf had secured position 1 and Ehingen had been saved to stay in the league. Even with a loss and Schwenningen win, Ehingen would remain at postion 12 because they had swept the season series. However for the Dragons Rhondorf, this game did mean something as they have been banged up for weeks and had lost 3 of their last 4 games and wanted to go into the post season on a positive note with a win. Two weeks ago they had lost in Frankfurt on a bitter buzzer beater and last weekend had given an unacceptable performance in Speyer losing 95-76. However on the last game day, the Dragons Rhondorf gave an incredible offensive performance and shaped up their defense in the second half blowing out Team Ehingen 106-74. “We gave a good team effort. We did a good job sharing the ball and giving 37 assists. If we can keep doing that, it will be hard to beat us. It was fun out there”, warned Dragons Rhondorf guard Badu Buck (195-SG-1999). Team Ehingen were missing 3 starters and did all they could offensively, but defensively just weren´t on the same page and couldn´t slow down the Dragons consistently. “We had a lot of young guys get many minutes. They played hard. But Rhondorf just played smart and efficient and had more experience. But I feel like our young guys handled themselves well”, stressed Team Ehingen forward Adam Thoseby.

Daniel Zacek from outside

Team Ehingen were without 3 key players with Jorke Aav, Valteri Mervola and Jared Grey while the Dragons Rhondorf were without Janne Muller who had competed at the Albert Schweizer tournament and Leon Bulic. Team Ehingen jumped all over the Dragons Rhondorf first as they took a quick 10-4 advantage. Adam Thoseby found his offensive rhythm quickly scoring 5 points while ex Tuebingen guard Daniel Zacek added a trey and German big man Vincent Neugebauer made a lay in. Ehingen came into the game aggressive at both ends while Rhondorf seemed a bit shocked. However in basketball, the tide can change so rapidly and did for the Dragons Rhondorf as ex Paderborn guard Badu Buck ignited for 2 three´s to dead lock the game at 10-10. The game remained tight a little bit longer as Thoseby and Zacek scored again for the 15-14 Ehingen advantage. However the Dragons Rhondorf then displayed how lethal their offense can be scooting out on a 16-5 run to lead 28-20. In the run Rhondorf let it ran three´s from ex Bamberg guard Tyrese Blunt, Matej Silic and ex Orange Academy guard Marko Rosic. Thoseby continued to be aggressive and added 4 more points to keep Team Ehingen in range trailing 30-23. “We knew that Thoseby could play like that. We could of done a better job on him. He is a guy that needs the ball in his hands. We needed to have stopped him better as a team”, stressed Badu Buck. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 41% from the field and 33% from outside and had 13 rebounds and 0 turnovers while Team Ehingen shot 64% from the field and 67% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Antonio Pilipovic at the FT line

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf continued to execute their offense very well scoring 35 points and defensively still allowed too many points, but at the break they had a comfortable 19 point lead. Team Ehingen came out strong cutting the Dragons lead down to 35-32 getting 2 buckets from German Finn Doentgens where Rhondorf did a bad job denying and guarding the entry pass better and Thoseby dropped a trey and Zacek a runner. Rhondorf held on to the lead getting a Buck lay in, but Ehingen did a great job getting their bigs involved as Neugebauer scored twice as Rhondorf had the slim 37-36 advantage. However the Dragons Rhondorf then exploded again and went on a 19-5 run to now to really open up the game leading 56-41. In the run, it was superb role player Mamadou Diallo who added 11 points including a trey and 4 mid distance shots. Rhondorf showed their depth and ability to get everyone involved. Marko Rosic also added a three pointer, Antonio Pilipovic a finger tip lay in and Buck a turn around shot. Team Ehingen´s lack of experience showed on the defensive end as they couldn´t slow down the superb team play of the Dragons. Thoseby continued to be a walking bucket adding 2 scores as nobody could slow him down. “I was motivated to play. Rhondorf is the best team and I wanted to help my team get going. I picked my spots well. It helps when you hit your first shots. Then the hole looks big”, smiled Adam Thoseby. The Dragons continued to share the ball beautifully getting baskets from their bench as 2019 NBBL finalist Jekabs Beck scored and Matej Silic also scored as Rhondorf led 65-46 at the break. “Diallo was great. I like him and really value his game. He never has an excuse, but just comes to work and does his job. He is a good teammate and deserved the start tonight”, added Badu Buck. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 55% from the field and 40% from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 3 turnovers while Team Ehingen shot 54% from the field and 58% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Finn Doentgens at the FT line

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf polished up their defense and led by 30 points after 30 minutes. Thoseby got Team Ehingen on the board first with a trey to trail 65-48. Rhondorf then went on a 7-0 run sparked by three´s by Buck and Texas native Avery Sullivan to lead 72-48. After a 20 footer by Thoseby, Rhondorf went on another run of 7-0 to lead 79-52. In the run, it was the superb guard duo of Buck (5 points) and Blunt who carried the Dragons. Team Ehingen didn´t share the ball anymore and were just sloppy on offense coughing up the ball. Team Ehingen had no offensive rhythm and continued to allow runs of Rhondorf. After a Jeno Pildner lay in, the Dragons Rhondorf closed out the third quarter with a 8-2 run to lead 87-57 after 30 minutes. In the run the Dragons Rhondorf continued to get good looks from outside as Beck and Blunt scored. Ferenc Gille also added a lay in. “We defended the way we wanted to and helped us to continue our offense well. We were able to extend our lead”, stated Badu Buck. “They had a deeper rotation. They overran us and we ran out of gas. They had more gas”, stated Adam Thoseby. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 55% from the field and 50% from the parking lot and had 32 rebounds and 8 turnovers while Team Ehingen shot 45% from the field and 37% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

Avery Sullivan

The game was decided after 30 minutes and in the fourth quarter both teams took their feet off the gas pedal as there was less scoring. When you lead by so much, the concentration wanes a bit and the Dragons Rhondorf got their first field goal at the 7,23 minute mark as Silic scored and Rhondorf led 91-61. Team Ehingen answered with a mini 4-0 run as Neugebauer scored inside. The German big man did a consistent job finding his spots and using his body to his advantage shooting 45% from the field. Thoseby added a trey as the guests trailed 93-66. However the Dragons Rhondorf wanted to give their fans one last regular season offensive explosion going on a massive 13-0 run to extend their lead to 106-66. In the run, the Dragons Rhondorf let it fly again from the parking lot getting 3 three´s from Rosic, Pilipovic and Beck and young German Dyami Janeck scored his first Pro B points. Team Ehingen closed out the game strong with a 9-0 run as Jeno Pildner added 7 points and Leon Geissler a lay in. “Pildner did a good job. He was aggressive. This was the first time he got a good chunk of the minutes. He really showed what he could do”, commented Adam Thoseby. “When you lead by a lot, you lose some air. We may have gotten tired. But we still defended well as a team in the second half”, expressed Badu Buck. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Badu Buck with 21 points while Mamdou Diallo added 17 points and Marko Rosic had 15 points while Team Ehingen were led by Adam Thoseby with 32 points and Vincent Neugebauer had 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 51% from the field and 47% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 12 turnovers while Team Ehingen shot 43% from the field and 38% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 23 turnovers.

Thomas Laerke (194-G-1991) is a 33 year old 194cm guard from Denmark that played in Germany this season with the Telekom Baskets Bonn 2 (Regionalliga) team averaging 13,5ppg, 5,0rpg, 3,5apg and 1,3spg. He spent time in the United States as a teenager and played at Findlay Prep. He returned back to Europe and played his first 3 pro seasons in Spain. He then spent his most successful time with Danish top club Bakken Bears playing there 9 seasons and winning 9 titles. He also spent time in Finland and Portugal. He spoke to germanhoops.com during the season about basketball.

Thanks Thomas for talking to germanhoops.com The other day I was checking German Regionalliga box scores and I saw your name. I thought wait a minute, he is playing in Germany. I remember seeing you play a Eurochallenge game almost 10 years ago in Frankfurt with Bakken. Usually guys like to find a home later in their career like you did with Bakken but instead after 9 years at Bakken you go to Germany and Portugal last season and this season in Germany at age 32. I guess you want to experience new cultures after such a long time in Denmark?

Yeah well, you almost make it sound like 32 is old! I plan on playing until I´m 38-40 years old. No but seriously. I have been in Bakken for a long time and I think it´s important to keep evolving. Not only as basketball player but also as a person. If you stay at the same place for a long time there is a chance that you stop getting better in life. Also if I only have 6 more years left why not try as much as possible!

What kind of an experience has it been playing for Telekom Baskets Bonn 2? What is your role? The typical veteran guy that brings leadership?

I have been here for a week now. It is a top professionel club and i haven’t met anyone that haven’t been nice yet so I can’t complain! Again you mention i’m a veteran like I´m old, but I guess i am one of the older players. My job is to help. My job is to do you what i can do to help us win

In your first game 17 year old German Janne Muller exploded for 38 points. How good is this kid? He had a great way of finding solutions for hi sage. What have do you enjoy most about his game?

It was literally the first time I’ve seen Janne! 38 is a lot on any level so I’m just going keep passing him the ball

Last season you had a short stay in Germany with the Kirchheim Knights. What memories do you have of that and why was it so short?

Yeah Kirchheim was cool. Again good people all around. I guess Germans are just nice people huh? It was really only a one month contract since I was an injury replacement. But it was a good month! Thank you Kirchheim!

Last season was a real rollar coaster ride. After Germany you spent time with Esgueira/Aveiro/OLI (Portugal-Liga Betclic) averaging 7.4ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.3apg, 2FGP: 46.2%, 3FGP: 37.3%, FT: 30.0%, in Mar.’23 signed at Aceitunas Fragata Moron (Spain-LEB Silver). How was this time? I guess you couldn´t complain about the weather?

Yeah but back to my first answer. Let me try as much as possible. I really loved Portugal. I really think that Liga Betclic is a really underrated league. Very very competitive league so that was really fun to play there! And when you live basically on the beach and the whether is nice it´s hard to complain.

Your best times as a professional player came with the Bakken Bears winning a total of 9 titles with 6 league titles and 3 cup titles. Which league title was the sweetest for you?

The best title was the first no doubt. I’m going be very honest and just say that the more titles you win the less it means. I know its wrong to say but after 6 in row you are expected to win. Which means i´ts not impressive if you win, it´s just bad if your bad if you don’t win big enough

How thankful are you in general for having been able to play so long with the Bakken Bears? The organization has made big strides in the last years especially with well known players. What kind of a player did you become with them during all those years?

Aw playing in Bakken is the best. I miss Bakken sometimes. If any of you players are reading this and have a chance to go play there go. It´s a club who is always trying to get better and do better. There is a culture that was built by players before me. A culture that’s hard to explain. It helped me mature a lot when I needed it!!

When you play together with guys for long, bonds do arise. How was it with Nicolai Iversen who you played many years early in your time at Bakken? Are you guys like brothers?

Sometimes it’s almost like the players that you’ve gone through the most struggle with is the players you have the strongest bond with. Of course Iversen is one of my closest basketball friends. The longer we play the more players we meet and we can’t become best friends with all of them but I think we all have a few that really sticks.

Later you won many titles with Ryan Evans and Michel Diouf. What memories will you always have with them on and off the court?

I had great times with them! What a lot people don’t realize is that some players here in Europe could play on a much higher level, maybe even NBA. Ryan Evans is one those players. He can play anywhere. One of the toughest competitors I know. Michel is just different. Ask anyone who has played with Mich. They will tell you that he is the funniest player ever! Best locker room guy. You don’t always understand what he is saying but it sounds funny

You were teammates with Quentin Peterson. He has made huge strides. He played NBA Summer League last summer. What do you remember being a woow moment with him on the court?

Man every practice was a wow moment. Few players can score like him. A player when you contest his shot and hopes he misses. But again that´s the thing. There are so many players. So many good players. I can’t understate enough how much it is about situations in our profession. QJ can score with the very very best of them.

Please name your top 5 teammates at Bakken Bears?

Morten Sahlertz 2 Nicolai Iversen 3 Chris Christoffersen 4 Deshawn Stephens 5 Michel/Ryan/Tyler Ong

You played your first 3 seasons in Spain from 2010-2013. How important were these early years for your basketball development?

Honestly I was a little bit too young mentally to get the most out of the experience. I didn’t fully understand that it is more important to be a good guy and teammate and maybe less about stats. It was humbling. And of course Spain is always a good basketball country! We had a coach, Angel Navarro, who kept stressing that I should go out and have drinks and stuff with me teammates. I just wanted to practice and that was it. I later realized that a good mix of those two are the healthiest. Unless you are Kobe Bryant. But im not.

You played against a young Marcus Errickson when he was with FC Barcelona 2? What memories do you have playing against other young players that later would become well known players?

Yeah I remember that i didn’t think much of him back then. But man he is skilled. floaters, threes you name it. Respect

You played a season at the well known school Findlay prep and was teammates with Canadians and future NBA players Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson. What memories do you have of these guys. How did they treat you as a Danish kid on and off the court?

Of course they are great players. I would still say that i’ve played with and against better players but we know how it works with this job. Tristan understood the ways around professional basketball especially off the court at an early age. He understood the business side. He taught me about food. He taught me how to open a cup cake, put another cake and ice cream inside the cup cake and then put caramel on top. Great guy. Cory Joseph i just have one thing to say. He is a great, smart player but even a better person

Who was the toughest player that you ever faced that reached the NBA?

No doubt at all. Kyrie Irving for sure. We played him in high school. He knew how to dribble back then as well

Please name your 5 favorite European players of all-time?

That changes from day to day because I like players for a lot of different reasons.. But right now. 1 Gabriel Iffe 2 Nando De Colo 3 Juan Carlos Navarro 4 Jokic 5 Vasilije Micic

Who is your GOAT?

My goat right now is Jokic. Mostly because of his off season work.

Thanks Thomas for the chat.

It hasn´t been a glorious Albert Schweitzer tournament for the German U-17 squad coached by Dirk Bauerman as they went into the game against China with a 0-4 record. One can´t forget that Germany has a very young group of young men with little experience and had to cope with some real growing pains especially against Serbia where they mustered only 35 points, but as in all the other games gave it all they had, but just couldn´t compete with them in a way they would have liked for 40 minutes. Their next opponent was China who like them had not won yet and had been so close the day before losing a bitter 94-88 contest to Egypt in overtime. Germany had a night to rest and forget the Serbian game as quickly as possible as it had been a real learning experience and now were focused to finally get their first win against China. 24 hours after the tough loss to Serbia, Germany came out showing real heart and controlled the game against China until they gave China their first lead of the game at the 39,37 minute mark and they never looked back as Germany lost a difficult 63-62 game to China. “It was impressive how the boys came back after the loss to Serbia. It was a great performance at both ends of the court. The zone in the second half got to us. We didn´t have the needed experience and preparation to overcome that”, stressed Germany head coach Dirk Bauermann. China had a slow start, but step by step found to their game and never stopped fighting and in crunch-time had an ice cold Boyuan Zhang (203-F-2007) who was a walking bucket who scored 11 of the teams last 13 points to help them gain the last seconds win over Germany. “We had a slow start and nobody stepped up in the first half. In the second half we came back with real team spirit and improved our defense and played transition”, stressed Boyuan Zhang.

Xi Rui Feng at the FT line

In the first quarter it was all Germany as they left their Serbia blues behind them and just came together and played team basketball and had fun leading by 13 points after 10 minutes. Before anyone was really aware what happened in the gym, Germany was ahead 10-0. Germany found their offensive rhythm quickly finding their touch from outside as Vechta forward Marko Petric and Frankfurt´s Ivan Crnjac connected for three´s while uUm´s Jervis Scheffs connected for 4 points. Ivan Crnjac wasn´t only versatile on offense, but also was a menace on defense getting a big block. China finally got their first field goal at the 7,14 minute mark as Zhang drove to the rim for the bucket. Germany was playing with very high energy at both ends and continued to let it rain three´s as Colognes Kenan Reinhart and Ludwigsburg Julis Baumer let it fly for the comfortable 16-4 lead. China really couldn´t muster much offense. They had problems with Germany´s aggressive defense that did a great job on the quick and strong Chinese ball handlers and also were the better rebounding team. Zhang added another basket as his quick footing and rapid drive to the hoop gave Germany fits all day long. Petric closed out the first quarter with a lay in off the inbounds pass as Baumer found him in an instance as Germany led 18-5. “We started off giving the right signal. We showed that the loss to Serbia didn´t affect us”, said Dirk Bauermann.

Nevio Bennefeld with the finish

Germany continued to control the game well in the second quarter, but had a few down minutes at the end allowing China to creep closer trailing only by 7 points at half-time. Germany got the first baskets from Petric and a jumper from Alba Berlin big man Nevio Bennefeld. Germany did a good job closing the zone, but China got better into their game getting three´s from Jin Bo Fu and Zhang to trail 22-11. Germany stayed calm and executed their offense solidly as Scheffs showed his 1-1 qualities scoring on a spin move and Bennefeld remained aggressive making a 20 footer for the 26-15 advantage. Leverkusen big man Lukas Klein added a lay in on the pick and roll as Baumer found him and Germany led 29-15. At this point, it looked like Germany was on it´s way again to running away with the game, but China had other ideas. China closed out the second quarter strong with a 9-2 run to trail only 31-24 at the break. In the run China was fortified by getting to the free throw line. The damage could have been worse by China, but they missed 3 free throws. They also got big baskets from quick guard Fang Liu and walking bucket Boyuan Zhang. Germany had problems taking care of the ball as China´s aggressive on ball pressure annoyed their rhythm. Paderborn guard Tom Bruggerman closed out the second quarter with a lay in. Germany still had the lead, but China was threatening with their high tempo game.

Jin Bo Fu from outside

In the third quarter China continued to heighten their game and at one point trailed only by 3 points, but Germany made a valuable adjustment by totally getting big man Lukas Klein involved as he scored basket after basket and after 30 minutes Germany led 50-40. Germany was seeking that offensive flow from the first quarter, but just couldn´t find it as China just kept chipping back. China received free throws from big man Xi Rui Feng and another three pointer from Zhang to cut Germany´s lead down to 34-29. After Nevio Bennefeld scored on a pretty spin move, China reacted with a lay in from Li Lui off the no look pas from Yang Liu and free throws from Xi Rui Feng as Germany led only 36-33. Germany closed out the third quarter with a 13-7 run as Lukas Klein contributed 10 points as he was fed over and over in the paint area. Julis Baumer found him three times including once for a thunderous dunk. Germany did a fine job exploiting the big body of Klein and thus getting easy baskets. “China came back. They aren´t a bad team. There are always ups and down. That´s part of the game”, stated Dirk Bauermann. “We did a good job staying consistent and keeping the game close”, added Boyuan Zhang.

Lukas Klein at the FT line

In the fourth quarter China continued to fight and play their high energy style. They switched to zone and in crunch-time it was Boyuan Zhang who took matters into his own hands and just supplied a show for the audience. China got going quickly getting a lay in by Zhang and three pointer by Zheng Wang to trail Germany only 51-45. Jervis Scheffs then stepped up hitting back to back off balance shots showing that he can be that guy who can take over offensively when needed. “Jervis is a guy that can take over a game. He already showed that last season. He has nerves of steel”, commented Dirk Bauermann. Germany then got a transition bucket from Bennefeld to lead 57-48. Then it was time for the Boyuan Zhang show as he scored 11 unanswered points. Every play the ball went to him and nobody could stop him. He got to the free throw line netting 2 free throws while making a trey and 3 lay in´s to deadlock the contest at 59-59. “Coach adjusted our defense and we went to zone. They couldn´t score and we got transition baskets from our zone”, commented Boyuan Zhang. Scheffs then hit a massive three pointer with 1,17 to play to give Germany the 62-59 advantage. Wen Hao Fu then made a basket to trail Germany 62-61. After a Scheffs miss, Zhang made clutch free throws for the 63-62 lead with 23 seconds remaining. Germany had one last chance, but Scheffs jumper came up a little short. “I just knew that I needed to step up. I wanted to help my team. I enjoy taking the clutch shots”, smiled Boyuan Zhang. “We knew how dangerous Zhang was coming into the game. He hit big shots”, stressed Dirk Bauermann. China was led by Boyuan Zhang with 28 points and Xi Rui Feng added 10 points while Germany was led by Lukas Klein and Jervis Scheffs with 13 points a piece. China shot 35% from the field and 33% from outside and had 40 rebounds and 15 turnovers while Germany shot 35% from the field and 19% from outside and had 38 rebounds and 12 turnovers.