Some things in life are not extraordinary really, but just standard like if Glamour girl Paris Hilton were to visit Jack Nicholson in the Staple 
center and ask for his sunglasses, if New England Patriot Tom Brady wins another showdown against Peyton Manning as he did recently upping his record to 8-4 against the 49 touchdowns in a season quarterback or loved actor Wesley Snips having to go to jail because of forgetting to pay taxes, but one matter that is anything but common, but very special will be the reunion between popular Derrick Allen and his ex team The Deutsche Bank Skyliners who will meet head to head for the first time this Sunday since the Alabama native left for the German capital last summer. Allen played three years in the German bank capital and quickly became loved by the fans like a good old American hotdog is an American Baseball stadium in the States, similar to how Mr incredible Jeff Gibbs was cherished in Ulm and how German Formula one driver Sebastian Vettel is increasing his status in Germany every day more since winning the Formula One championship recently. This game will be a hard fought game, but at the same time should be a lot of fun for the man everyone calls D.A. “It has to be a great feeling to play against your old team. You want to prove that you belonged or you made the right choice to leave.
It is always hard to play against that old team, because it is still in your heart. It is like fighting your brother. You don´t want to, but have to”, stressed Phoenix Hagen guard Mark Dorris. The game against Frankfurt might not be a final game, but will be of big importance either way for Allen. “I am sure that D.A wants to go out and have a big game against Frankfurt, but at the same time when the ball goes up, it will be just like a normal game for him and he will play as hard as any other game”, stressed TBB Trier guard John Bynum. Allen might also have the standings on his mind not only his Frankfurt memories. “It will be a big game with second place on the line. I am sure that Allen will want to beat Frankfurt”, stressed Phoenix Hagen forward Quentin Pryor.
Alba Berlin
Gruebler talks: Check out the Euroleague Adventures Podcast!
As I mentioned in the about section a must-read for all basketball fans in germany is the blog gruebelei.de. Unfortunatly the texts are written in german. So
if you cannot read any german or your not totally comfortable with the translators you can find on the internet you will not get too much out of it.
But if you’re sick and tired of reading anyway (whatever language it is) there is a nice way to hear a real expert talk about the german basketball scene. Henner Schlaefke aka Gruebler joined forces with Euroleague Advantures and talks for more than half an hour about german basketball in english!
Gruebler mainly talks about the early Beko BBL season. He calls Bamberg ‘the team to beat this season’ and especially reflects on Alba Berlin’s chances. Later he talks about Bayern Munich’s huge basketball project and what Germany’s league must do to elevate to the status of elite.
Will Derrick Allen(Alba Berlin) Be Able To Ballerina To The Barking Of Coach Luka Pavicevic?
Over time the world has witnessed the grace and beauty of world class ballerinas like Mikhail Baryshnikov, Frederick Ashton or Erik Bruhn and Frankfurt basketball fans have had their very own hoops ballerina with Derrick Allen the last three years who made the zone his own pretty dancing area as he glided, cat stepped and side stepped around opponents with ease often letting his man look more like a lost puppy weeping for its mother than an aggressive defender trying to shut him down. As training camp has started in Frankfurt, the BCM facility is missing a touch of gracefulness in the zone as Derrick Allen is no longer around as he signed a contract with 8 time BEKO BBL champion Alba Berlin earlier this summer. This will be Allen´s 7th season in Germany and now has reached the big time going to a Euroleague calibur team. Allen played in Frankfurt for three years reaching the playoffs each season, but was unable to win a title as he lost a heartbreaker in game 5 of the 2010 finals to the Brose Baskets Bamberg. “. Losing game 5 was very tough, because we were so close and let it slip away at the end. It was a great playoff run that we had, and when you play a game 5 like that you dont want no team too loose, but we did, and congrats too Bamberg, but it has motivated me for this season”, warned Derrick Allen.
In his three years for the Deutsche Bank Skyliners, Allen played 128 BEKO BBL games averaging 15,1ppg, 5,9rpg and 1,6apg and shot 52,3% from the field. In the 2007-2008 season, he was the second top scorer in the league averaging 18,1ppg. He also played 20 international games. Many were hoping that D.A which everyone calls him except for ex coach Murat Didin who calls everyone Babba might return for a fourth season, but the Gadsen Alabama native decided to make the next step. “Leaving Frankfurt was tough, because of the great years I had with all of those guys. It was a place that was truly like home and a great family atmosphere. I will miss everything, from my apartment in Sachsenhausen too my teammates, organization and the fans just Everybody. But leaving Frankurt to go too Alba Berlin was the right move too make at the right time”, stressed Allen. After some strong scoring seasons early in his career in Karlsruhe and Leverkusen(2007 BEKO BBL scoring champion), it wasn´t until he came to Frankfurt that he was more recognized for his ability on the court from Eurobasket as he was Eurobasket.com All-German Bundesliga Forward of the Year in 2008, Eurobasket.com All-German Bundesliga 1st Team 2008 and 2010 and Eurobasket.com German Bundesliga All-Imports Team 2008 and 2010.
Champion vs. Cup Winner and The 8 Free Throws Story
When the reigning champion meets the reigning cup winner it is always a special game.
Last week EWE Baskets Oldenburg were facing Alba Berlin in a game that many experts expect to be a possible finals constellation in June.
While Oldenburg could only win one game in this year’s Euroleague competition Alba Berlin is doing a great job in the EuroCup. Luka Pavicevic’s team had to play in Le Mans during the week, but that did not prevent Berlin from a very good start into the game. After just six minutes in the first quarter Alba Berlin managed to establish an impressive 2:16 lead. This was a result of Alba playing their typical
pick and roll offense combined with some tough defense. At this early stage of the game Oldenburg looked pretty helpless on offense. It really is a pleasure to see a team like Alba Berlin move the ball fluently on offense. They have got mobile big man on offense with a very good feeling about how to set a block and then move away from the defender. Usually Adam Chubb is probably their best tool for this kind of offense. But the 28-year old American, who received a contract extension, is out for several weeks. Blagota Sekulic and Jurica Golemac, who was signed as a replacement for disappointing Kenan Bajramovic, know how to play their part as well. Both are very active and very good passers.
Teamcheck: Alba Berlin
[written by Gruebler, who runs the great german blog Gruebelei.de]
If you listen to Euroleague officials and many European coaches, one thing you can frequently hear is that ALBA Berlin is one of the best basketball organizations on the continent. Of course, financially ALBA is just a medium sized club. A club budget just above 7 million euro, player salaries amounting to something around 2.5 million euro net. That’s a huge step away from the European powerhouses and contenders for Euroleague participation. Last season ALBA made it to the Euroleague Top 16. It was a really big success for this ambitious club. But when the playoffs in the German league came, ALBA struggled mightily against Paderborn, who just made it to the playoffs. And in the semis Eurocup participant Telekom Baskets Bonn eliminated ALBA. Not being in the finals, not reaching out for the Championship, that was a huge blow for ALBA Berlin. They are the only German team who openly state that they just have one goal, the highest one: A season without winning the Championship is a lost season.
A Basketball Moment From Los Angeles With Ex Skyliner Travon Bryant
Travon Bryant (206-F-83, agency: Octagon, college: Missouri) is a 26 year old 206 cm forward that is a skilled combination lefty forward 
that has a nice shooting touch from 10-15 feet, and is strong enough to maneuver in the paint in traffic and with his back to the basket. He comes from Long Beach, California and played at The Univeristy of Missouri from 2000-2004 with skilled players like Linas Kleiza, Rickey Paulding, Jason Conley and Jimmy McKinney.
In his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 10.6ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.7apg. In his five year career, he has taken a liking to the warm climate of Greece playing there for four years. In 2004-2005, he played for Iraklis Thessaloniki playing FIBA Europe League averaging 11.6ppg, 7.7rpg, 1.0apg, 0.9spg, FGP: 52.7%, 3Pts: 25%; and playing 26 games in the Greek league averaging 10.2ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.0apg, 2FGP: 48.0%, 3FGP: 31.0%.
In 2005-2006, he played for AO Kolossos Rodo playing 24 games and averaging 14.5ppg, 7.4rpg, 1.3apg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 41.0%, FT: 66.0%. After the season ended in Greece, he hopped over to Italy and helped Benetton Treviso win the Italian league title averaging 16 games: 4.6ppg, 2.6rpg.
In 2006-2007, he played in the BBL for the Deutsche Bank Skyliners playing 28 games and averaging 14.7ppg, Reb-5 (7.8rpg), 1.8apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 54.7%, 3FGP: 28.6%, FT: 61.7%. In 2007-2008, he jumped back to Greece and played for Costa Cafe Marousi playing FIBA EuroCup averaging 15.0ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.0apg, 1.5spg, 1.0bpg, 2FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 53.8%; and playing 22 games in the Greek league averaging 10.3ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.0apg, 2FGP: 62.0%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 52.0%. He also reached the Greek final in the playoffs playing 13 games and averaging 7.2ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.2apg, 2FGP: 60.0%, 3PT: 62.0%, FT: 62.0%. Last season, he played for AEK Athens playing 24 games and averaging 11.9ppg, Reb-5 (7.1rpg), 1.1apg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 19.0%, FT: 75.4%.
German Hoops caught up with Travon Bryant (206-F-83, agency: Octagon, college: Missouri) who is currently working out in Los Angeles and still looking for a team for the upcoming season.
German Hoops 