Artland Dragons

The Artland Dragons Have The Talent But Will They Find The Right Page Together To Reach The Playoffs?

Sometimes basking in the glory of victory is something that should be cherished and done without a pause especially when some teams haven´t sipped champagne again for a long time like the Portland Trailblazers last winning the NBA title in 1977 with hulk Bill Walton, North Carolina State last raising the NCAA trophy in 1983 with Jim Valvano at the helm, but no organization has suffered as badly as The Chicago Cubs who last won the World Series before World War 1 in 1908, but The Artland Dragons might not have enjoyed the 2008 BEKO BBL Cup win long enough, because since then the team has had little to cheer about.

The Artland Dragons are still seeking their first BEKO BBL Championship, but were able to win the BEKO BBL cup in 2008 against EnBW Ludwigsburg. Who could forget the tear jerking moment of the heart and soul of the Dragons Darius Hall taking the BBL Cup to the fans and going wild as if he had just recently been introduced to partying at the Playboy mansion on a trip back to the States.

But since that joyous moment in May 2008, The Artland Dragons have not been making steady and consistent progress in the last 22 months, but the club seems to have gone backwards not reaching the playoffs last season and this season going a similar course as the club is currently in ninth place. It seems like the only positive thing remaining from the Cup win is the smile and humour of Darius Hall and the less positive things are the more and more disillusioned fans that have grown about as much as the frog population in Quakenbrück, a perplexed manager Marko Beens, and possibly mascot Toby the dragon losing his fire in his mouth.

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Achmadschah Zazai Runs Runs Runs And Runs In An Unforgettable 163-44 Loss

Achmadschah Zazai is a 22 year old German/Afghani 177 cm guard that started his basketball career for TUS Lichterfelde Berlin (2.Bundesliga) in 2003 and played there until 2005. In the 2005-2006 season, he played for SG FT/MTV Braunschweig (2.Bundesliga) playing 28 games and averaging 6.3ppg, 1.3rpg, 2.2apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 48.3%, 3FGP: 26.9%, FT: 75.0%. In 2006-2007, he played for BSG Ludwigsburg (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 15 games averaging 19.3ppg, and also had a license for EnBW Ludwigsburg (1. Bundesliga) playing 12 games and averaging 1.1ppg. In 2007-2008, he played for the Bremen Roosters (Germany-ProA) playing 14 games averaging 3.4ppg, 1.1apg, and then went to Denmark to play for Horsens IC playing 8 games and averaging 9.8ppg, 3.0rpg, Assists-3(4.5apg), 2.4spg, 2FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 29.0%, FT: 92.0%. Last season, he played for Telemotive Muenchen (Germany-ProB) playing 25 games averaging 13.6ppg, 2.4rpg, Assists-4(5.5apg), Steals-5(2.2spg), FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 82.4%. This season, he signed a three month contract with the Artland Dragons to help fill the void for injured Flavio Stückemann. He only played sparingly for The Artland Dragons. Then he played shortly with TV Langen and now plays for USC Freiburg. He spoke to German Hoops following the crazy 163-44 game against BG Karlsruhe.

As I saw the 163 – 44 result between BG Karlsruhe and USC Freiburg, I thought I was dreaming but it was reality, as USC Freiburg played with 3 players for 38 minutes. How could a game like this be played?

We had 10 players who were sick last week and we wanted to move the game to another day but Karlsruhe needed to play the game because of financial reasons. We started with 5 players, 2 were sick and could not play after 1:30 minutes and we ended the game with me and 2 junior players.

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Achmadschah Zazai Wants To Set His Speedy Gonzalez Abilities Loose On The Basketball Court Again

Achmadschah Zazai is a 22 year old German/Afghani 177 cm guard that is currently looking for a team. He started his basketball career for TUS Lichterfelde Berlin (2.Bundesliga) in 2003 and played there until 2005. In the 2005-2006 season, he played for SG FT/MTV Braunschweig (2.Bundesliga) playing 28 games and averaging 6.3ppg, 1.3rpg, 2.2apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 48.3%, 3FGP: 26.9%, FT: 75.0%. In 2006-2007, he played for BSG Ludwigsburg (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 15 games averaging 19.3ppg, and also had a license for EnBW Ludwigsburg (1. Bundesliga) playing 12 games and averaging 1.1ppg. In 2007-2008, he played for the Bremen Roosters (Germany-ProA) playing 14 games averaging 3.4ppg, 1.1apg, and then went to Denmark to play for Horsens IC playing 8 games and averaging 9.8ppg, 3.0rpg, Assists-3(4.5apg), 2.4spg, 2FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 29.0%, FT: 92.0%. Last season, he played for Telemotive Muenchen (Germany-ProB) playing 25 games averaging 13.6ppg, 2.4rpg, Assists-4(5.5apg), Steals-5(2.2spg), FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 37.7%, FT: 82.4%. This season, he signed a three month contract with the Artland Dragons to help fill the void for injured Flavio Stuckemann. He only played sparingly for The Artland Dragons. At the moment, he is looking for a team and interested teams can contact him at achmadschah2@yahoo.de

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Is This The Season Where The Artland Dragons Win Their First BBL Title?

Sometimes, you can go miles in the calm Artland country enjoying the scenic and tranquil surroundings without seeing a single person, but one place that is always loud and rather hostle for opponents is the Artland arena, the home of The Artland Dragons. The area is beautiful and there is surely a lot that people can do in the region with field trips and visiting historic sights, but when its game time for the Artland Dragons, the small pretty town of Quackenbruck that only has a population of 12,000 people comes to life as if Mike Tyson was boxing a heavy weight championship bout against Evander Holyfield.

Ever since The Artland Dragons entered the BBL in 2003, the town that is also known as frog town has become basketball crazy. The town is so small that you can walk from one end to the other in about five minutes and even catch a frog if you are bored and have adventure on your mind. In what other BEKO BBL city is everything so close that players can get to work so comfortably without having to sit in traffic and go 45 minutes to practice in Berlin. In the past, you could witness ex Dragons Adam Chubb or Lamont Mcintosh coming to the arena on bikes.

“The players all live on the main street in Quackenbruck in apartment buildings. I walk to work and it takes about five minutes”, joked Texas tech alumnist Ronald Ross.

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A Dialogue With Ronald Ross(Artland Dragons)

Ronald Ross is a 26 year old 188 cm point guard from North Hobbs, New Mexico. He played at Texas Tech from 2001-2005 under BBLLogo legendary coach Bobby Knight.

In 2004-2005 in his senior year, he played 33 games and exploding averaging 17.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 3.0apg, 2.6spg, FGP: 51.9%, 3Pts: 43%. He reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2005.

He then turned professional and played in 2005-2006 in Italy in the Lega 2 for Univer Castelletto Ticino playing 12 games and averaging 9.3ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.6apg, 2.2spg, 2FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 24.0%, FT: 76.5%.

In 2006-2007, he played in the CBA for the Butte Daredevils playing 48 games and averaging 15.2ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.8apg, Steals-2(2.4spg), FGP: 49%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 74.2%.

In 2007-2008, he came to Germany to play for ENBW Ludwigsburg playing 34 games and averaging 14.4ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.3apg, Steals-2(1.7spg), 2FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 77.9%. He also played 10 ULEB Cup games averaging 11.7ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.9apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 50%, 3PT: 44%, FT: 66.7%. He reached the 2008 BBL cup final losing to the Artland Dragons.

In 2008-2009, he started in Isarel for Maccabi Givat Shmuel playing 8 games and averaging 14.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 11.8%, FT: 66.7% before moving to Maccabi Haifa Heat playing 6 games and averaging 7.2ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.7apg, 2.0spg.

That was a short stay as he then continued back to Germany to play for the Artland Dragons playing 12 games and becoming a central figure in their offense averaging 15.8ppg, 3.3rpg, 4.0apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 59.0%, 3PT: 57.1%, FT: 70.0%.

Ronald spoke to German Hoops some weeks ago before heading to Germany.

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Teamcheck: Artland Dragons

At the end of july some BBL clubs have finished their work for this off-season. Artland-Dragons

With the Artland Dragons, Giants Duesseldorf, ratiopharm Ulm, TBB Trier and newcomers Phoenix Hagen five teams already look completed.

Time to have a closer look at the teams, this time the Artland Dragons Quakenbrueck.

After failing to make it to the play-offs last season, Thorsten Leibenath and manager Marko Beens did not hesitate to build a new roster full of familiar faces. (more…)