Sebastian Brach (190-PG-2002) is a 22 year old 190cm point guard that is playing his second season with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. He began his career in the Giessen 46ers organization playing NBBL and Pro B. He had bis break out year in the pro B with the Ebbecke White Wings Hanau averaging 11.4ppg, 5.7rpg, 4.6apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 50.6%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 79.6%. He spoke to germanhoops.com during the playoff series against the Dragons Rhondorf.
Thanks Sebastian for taking some time to talk to germanhoops.com Congrats on the great Leverkusen season. Will anything but a Pro B title be a disappointment? I think saying that seems difficult, but with how our season has gone, I believe we would be disappointed if we don´t capture the title.
How big is the hunger to win the title after the tough playoff loss to BG Berlin last season? It is extremely big for the team and especially for me. I was hurt and never played against Berlin. I have never experienced a playoffs before. I believe we will have the right mindset.
If some one had told you before the first game of the season that Leverkusen would only lost 1 game what would you have thought? I would of believed it right away if someone had said that.
The roster is a great one, but I wouldn´t have thought the team would have such a good record with the players that you have? Have you surprised some of how the season went? I think so, but nevertheless, we have a good structure and have a very good mix of players. I think that we had some degree of luck this season, but the experience of Donte Nicholas and Dennis Heinzmann have put us over the top.
The team already defended well last season allowing 72 points per game, but are even better this season allowing 66 points? How is the defense better this season?
I don´t think that we have done anything different on the defensive end in comparison to last season. Key has been having Heinzmann who has that big body in the paint and helping on pick and roll. His long arms really help. I think that also adding Ziring and Kahl have added a new dimension as they are very aggressive defenders.
What will be key to getting title? Worrying more about your own game than what the opponent is doing and just playing your game? We just have to play our game and make adaptations here and there with our defense. I think that if we can be consistent and play well, then it will be difficult to beat us. We have shown that even when shots don´t fall, we can win with our defense.
Last season the team had 1 star with Trey Mcbride. This season it has more guys scoring in double figures, but no real star?
I think that is right. We have many very talented guys and players with Pro A experience. Every player is capable of stepping up and helping the team.
What has it been like playing for 2 legends like Mike Koch and Hansi Gnad? What does each guy give to the players that helps them perform at the highest level? They are both so experienced and that really shows in individual training. You notice quickly that they have seen a lot in their careers. We don´t see them as legends, but just as normal guys and coaches. They are always giving us tips and give key advice in certain situations.
How vital is Donte Nicholas. How many games do you estimate have you won just through his versatility? That is hard to say, but he has shown in so many games. How calm he remains and how he keeps us together and leads the team. We didn´t have him last season and it shows this season that we were missing him last season. He helped us win games many times.
Where would the defense be without the staples Dennis Heinzman and CJ Oldham? CJ hasn´t done so much on the offensive end, but on the defensive end, he is on every ball, getting his hands everywhere or making key fouls. He just does so many things that helps us be effective as a team on defense. Dennis is a dominant offensive player and on defense makes it very hard for the opponent´s guard to get to the rim.
What have you appreciated most about Viktor Ziring on the court?
I love his will to win. He always gives 110%. He can do it all on defense and has proven that he is a stable shooter. If we are having a down phase, he comes in and gives the team instant energy.
How valuable has the experience of Luca Kahl been and what do you appreciate most about his game? Luca is a leader. He is very experienced and you can see in his eyes that he always has the right mindset. He is a great defender that always defends the other team´s best guard.
Maxwell Dongmo (196-PF-2003) is a 21 year old 196cm guard played his second season with TSV Oberhaching Tropics Deisenhofen (ProB) averaging 11,6ppg, 6.9rpg, 1,1apg, and 1,3bpg. Last season with TSV Oberhaching Tropics Deisenhofen (ProB), he averaged 10.9ppg, 7.6rpg, 1.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 52.6%. He began his basketball career with FC Bayern Munich where he played for their youth teams and farm team FC Bayern Munich 2 (Pro B). He spoke to germanhoops.com in Feb 2025 about basketball.
Thanks Maxwell for talking to germanhoops.com. A new adventure in Asia is approaching. What will you do there and will you be able to play basketball? I could practice with a few teams, but to play games will be tough with getting a license in the short time of 4 months when I will be there. My first priority is my studies computer science. I will be in Peking. I might join the university team.
Your now in your second season with the TSV Oberhaching Tropics Deisenhofen (ProB). What have you enjoyed most about the experience?
The main reason I came to the Tropics was that I was able to combine my studies and play basketball. That was a big benefit especially since I can play at a high level still.
Your only 21, but played with the FC Bayern Munich youth. Are the Tropics just a stopover to get to higher leagues?
That is a good question. I think about that a lot. On one hand I can see myself giving gas for the pro career, but on the other hand I can see myself concentrating on my masters and focusing on my job career. At the moment I´m leaning towards concentrating on computer science.
The team have a very special team chemistry. How quickly did you notice upon arriving in 2023 that this is a very special team?
It is all so family like which I like. There is a big difference between the young and older guys. You learn a lot form the older guys. They are all so cool and have so much experience. They are very open and fun to be around off the court.
The last weeks haven´t been easy as there were many sicknesses, but still the team stayed together and won games. What is this team´s biggest strength?
I think that the biggest thing is the experience. We have learned to win tough games despite having adversary. Guys like Know, Koegler and Zeis have a lot of experience. We know how to be successful with short rotations, because we are used to it. We always prepare like that. We are never surprised if we may get down fast, but just stay competitive the whole time. We always believe that we will have a chance even with a 6-7 man rotation.
It is a tight fight for the playoffs as from 5-11, only one win is the difference. The goal is the playoffs, but does this team have title mentality?
We want to win each game. Even when teams underestimate us, we show that we can stick with anyone. We know that winning the title will be difficult, but even with a title moving up will be hard because of all the red tape. We want to reach the playoffs and then get as far as possible.
Let´s talk a little about your teammates. How special is Omari Knox? Is he like a mentor for you? He is 38 and still playing at a high level. Yes he is, but moreover is an inspiration for me. The great thing about Omari is despite playing at a high level, he does it at both ends. He is a great offensive player, but will still play good defense and keep his guy in front of him. Age has nothing to do with how good he still is.
He has said for years each season is his last. Do you think he will retire after this season? I´m not sure. Everybody already thought last season that he would retire. I would never say no.
What is it like playing with Janosch Kogler? Is he the ultimate teammate?
Whenever there are tough times on the court, he always brings us up. He is the first guy to motivate you. He always fights to the end. He is a great offensive player. He also has a knack of being able to get points in tough situations.
Fynn Fischer is a player that played in the BBL and Pro B, but has accepted having a Pro B career now. How special is he as a teammate for you?
It is so easy to play with him. Last season, he was at times our best shooter. He spreads the floor so well, but can also be a presence inside. It is a real pleasure to paly with him.
Another real experienced player is Peter Zeis. He is a school teacher. What has he taught you about life? He taught me that you need to enjoy life and not always take everything so serious.
How important has head coach Mario Matic been for your career in Oberaching. How has your game grown since leaving Munich? Mario helped me gain a lot of self-confidence when I arrived. I didn´t have that before. He let me play my game and believed in my game.
Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 196cm player. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would bets fit the description? Charles Barkley who was an undersized big man.
You’re a great defensive player but have showed your offensive game with the Tropics. What is your biggest strength on the court? My aggressiveness on offense and defense. I´m a good offensive rebounder and a defensive presence.
Your three pointer is still a work in progress. Talk a little about how you go about most to reaching the next level as a shooter?
I think that the more repetitions that you take the more self confidence that you get. I also think that you always have to put up shots at a consistent basis and never hesitate but just shoot.
I have heard the compliment that you’re the best defender in the Pro B. What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become? I feel that at the moment I have let up a bit. I have to find my old shape and athleticism again. I want my fitness again.
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to climb the basketball ladder? I want to become a better on ball defender and be more active.
You began your career with FC Bayern Munich. What kind of an experience was it? How challenging was it?
I arrived when I was 14. I had only played 1-2 years. I was nowhere near the level of the other kids. It was a big challenge competing with talented kids and reaching their level.
The youth teams always has the best young players. How difficult was it to work hard and develop as a player while fighting for the most minutes possible? I just gave my all in practice. The coaches helped me a lot. I always had the opportunity to practice and took the chance to work a lot on my game. I was able to develop and improve and earn minutes.
Andreas Wagner, Moris Hadzija uad Paolo Prestes were massive in your development. Talk a little how each guy helped you most?
Andreas was the reason that I played Pro B. I wasn´t supposed to play Pro B, but then I got the word that I could. I also was lucky that Mo Silah got injured which helped me increase my minutes. I showed that I could play at that level. Andreas gave me a lot of self-confidence that I could play at that level. Moris always told me to stay hungry, win each game, give 100% and never give up. Paulo is responsible for me being the offensive player that I am today. He helped me gain certain moves.
Corona halted the development of young players everywhere. But you had an advantage playing Pro B. That opportunity was huge, but despite not playing as much NBBL as possible, could you have become a different player today? That is a good question. I had more offensive responsibility in the NBBL. Playing Pro B helped my game a lot. I think that if I had also been able to play NBBL during Corona then my game may be at a higher level today.
You reached the 2022 NBBL top 4. How tough was the loss to Vechta? Did that take long to digest?
That was my last NBBL year. It was my last chance to win. I really felt like we had the team to win it all that year. Not reaching the final was very frustrating.
Would Munich have won with a healthy Ivan Kharchenkov?
That is hard to say. We had to have won the title with the roster that we had. Vechta simply played better than we did. They won fair and square.
What was the coolest moment you had off the court? Did you meat any famous basketball or soccer players over the years?
I remember seeing Miro Klose a lot. He would be at the training facility. I also had car pools with the youth soccer players. It was cool to hear about their experiences. I really enjoyed my time with the JBBL team. We won the title. I will always remember the great times with my teammates and going on trips to tournaments in Barcelona and Prague. We would all chill in 1 hotel room- It was great times. We all understood each other so well.
What dreams do you still have with basketball?
My dream is to be a pro player. However I have the dilemma of how far can I go and will it be worth it? Your pro career ends sometime and the question then is what do I do next?
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your career that reached the NBA? Vladimir Lucic when I practiced with the BBL team. Just when you thought you defended well, he still was able to score. That was frustrating.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Michael Rataj, Tristan Da Silva, Omari Knox, Erol Ersek, Matej Rudan
Please name your NBA, Euro and German Mount Rushmore?
Jordan, Lebron, Kobe, Russell Westbrook
Jokic, Doncic, Wemby, Tony Parker
Dirk Nowitzki, Detlef Schrempf, Dennis Schroeder, Franz Wagner
Ty Cockfield Jr. (183-PG-1996, college: Arkansas St., agency: BIG) is a 183cm point guard that is playing his 4th professional season and first in Germany with Pro A team EPG Guardians Koblenz. Last season he played with Proton Cable Prizreni (Kosovo-Superliga) averaging 18,2ppg, 4,5rpg, 4,8apg and 1,1spg. In 2021-2022 he played with KB Trepca Mitrovice (Kosovo-Superliga) averaging 15.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 3.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 25.5%, FT: 81.7%. He played his rookie season with at BSC Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers (Austria-2.Bundesliga) averaging 22.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 5.6apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 23.3%, FT: 87.0%. He began his basketball career at Johnson high school and then played at Stetson University (NCAA) averaging 7.1ppg, 1.9rpg, FGP: 45.0%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 83.3%. He then played at Georgia Highlands College (JUCO) averaging 16.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.2apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 49.4%, 3PT: 42.3%, FT: 78.1%. He then finished at Arkansas State University (NCAA) averaging 15.1ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 78.2% and in his senior year averaged 22.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 3.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 82.0%. He spoke togermanhoops.com after the massive 102-85 road win in Bochum.
Congrats Ty on the huge 102-85 win in Bochum. Was this the biggest win of the season?
Yes it was especially due to the circumstances and us fighting to stay in the league. We want to end the season with a positive feeling and want to show everyone that we got better.
How tough were the last months? The team was 1-15 in 2025. Did you ever feel like the team lost faith in being able to win again this season? At some point yes, we also had spurts where we believed we could win games. We have been fighting to win and we knew that we would eventually win again.
The only bad news is that Artland also won. Is that win maybe a blessing in disguise to keep the Guardians on their toes going into the last game? The Artland win makes this game very important for us again instead of it just being another game. We have that win or go home mentality.
With what kind of a mind set did you to Bochum after the tough lost at home against Trier. Was it more than just that we have nothing to lose mentality? We had more than just nothing to lose mentality. We had everything to lose. We wanted to prove to the city of Koblenz and the league that we can win. We showed tonight that if we put the pieces together, we can compete with anyone.
How pumped were the Guardians going in wanting revenge for the loss against Bochum in the first game?
We were very pumped for this game. Guys were talking about how badly we needed to win before the game. We were so fired up and everybody had so much energy. We felt like we were going to win on the way to Bochum. It was a beautiful day where all the pieces came together in Bochum
Did you have any feeling that William Lee would have a big game after he scored his first bucket?
Yes I knew it right away. I thought that he would run off 20 straight shots. I told him at half time to keep going. Bochum was giving our guards so much attention so that he could take over.
He began well against Vechta and then had some bad games and now this. How do you explain his up and down play? I think that with William it is more about who is on the floor with him and who he can feed off. I think in his down games, he was trying to figure out his place in the lineup. We had so many different lineups and that is hard on anybody. We had a great lineup and that put him in great positions for his game. That was the real William tonight. That is what he gets paid for.
How much did the 2 three´s late by Matt Strange hurt? But defensively you couldn´t stop the drive so well?
That hurt us. We tried to take away his three pointer. It is tough guarding him. Sometimes he doesn´t even look at the rim when he shoots the ball. He kept them in the game.
The Guardians had the solid 51-45 lead at the break as you and Lee carried the team. But Bochum´s Tamenang Choh was a menace. What was so difficult in stopping him? I think that he did a good job getting to his spots. He found out how to play against our defense and got to his spots. He was able to utilize his game off our defense. He has a great IQ as well. He took what the defense gave him.
How key was the early 11-2 run in the third quarter with 2 three´s by Lee. Was that the starting stepping stone of getting the comfortable lead?
That run changed the game. I was already celebrating before he took the shots. We know that once he makes shots like that, the game is history.
The Guardians had the comfortable 78-61 advantage after 3 quarters. Alexandre Bouzidi added 5 points. How huge was the overall contribution from so many guys on offense? That was huge. It is so much having many contribute than having all eyes only on one. It was great having 5-6 guys be able to control the pace. Michael Bradley set a career high in assists. Everything came together tonight
How proud are you of the team that you finished strong? So often in this season, the Guardians have let up in the second half to lose? I´m so proud how well we played for 40 minutes. We had so many problems this season being able to put 2 halves together. The way we played in Bochum tonight is how we should of played all season long. But you can´t control the ups and downs during a season.
Leon Friderici scored the 100th points. Is he getting donuts? Leon needs those donuts. He hit a lot of big shots. He showed up big in the first half.
What was the biggest strength of the team? Perhaps keeping Bochum to only 33% from outside as a team? It was our defense. We were flying around all night long and switching up our defense on almost every play. We had a jump defense.
You have a do or die game against Ps Karlsruhe and Artland plays against the door mat Vechta. What will be key to beating PS Karlsruhe?
We just have to be ourselves just like against Bochum. We as players and our coach can´t panic. We just have together as a unit and paly ball.
You had 27 points against Trier and 24 against Bochum. Are you saving your absolute best for PS Karlsruhe? Oh yes. I´m all locked in for the final game. It will be my best.
What is your favorite childhood easter memory and how will you celebrate on Sunday in Germany? My favorite Easter memory was searching for Easter eggs at church with all the children. They were golden eggs with 5$ bills. As a kid, we felt rich when we found them. I think tomorrow I will get together with some of the guys and get food. I might also go to church with Adi Eri.
Who will reach the NBA final and who will win it? I have Boston-Golden State and Golden State winning.
Chrysostom Chukwuma (190-G-1996, agency: Bell Basketball) is a 28 year old 190cm guard playing his first season in Germany with the Skyliners Juniors (Pro B) after starting the season with the Helsinki Seagulls. He began his basketball career with Vantaan Pussihukat. He then played 5 seasons with Jyvaskyla Basketball Academy. He then played 2 seasons with Lapuan Kobrat (Korisliiga) and a season with Pyrinto Tampere (Korisliiga).He spoke to germanhoops about basketball.
Chuku for talking to germanhoops. Before we talk basketball, I have to ask you about your name Chrysostom. That doesn´t seem like a common Finish name. How did you get that name? It is a Greek name that my dad gave me.
Most people call you Chuko, but does anyone call you by your name Chrysostom? A couple of people with my mom and dad.
You came in mid season from the Helsinki Seagulls to Frankfurt. Why did you make that move?
I already wanted to go out of Finland last summer, but had no offers. I didn´t want to go to the fourth divisions in Italy or Spain. Helsinki gave me an option during the season to go any time which I really appreciate. I´m so happy to be with the Skyliners. This is a great place to get better.
The Skyliners are a very young team. What is your role besides being a leader and mentor? Being the guy that handles the offense and makes sure the plays are run right.
Is it fair to say that you’re a scoring point guard even though you can pass the ball very well?
Yes it is.
You are also an allrounder. How big is versatility in your game? I think that my versatility is really big in my game. I can be a 3 and D player, guard the other teams best player, rebound, drive and shoot. The next part of my game that I´m working on is being able to bring the ball. I can do everything, but my role now is as point guard.
With Bruno Albrecht and Felix Hecker are 2 lethal scoring guards. Does that give you more of a chance to be a playmaker? Yes of course. I love those guys. They have so much confidence shooting the ball. Especially Bruno Albrecht is always trigger happy.
How is your relationship with Jamie Edoka? How talented is he? Is he taking on tips from you?
It hasn´t been so much so far, but we have one connection in that we are both half Nigerian. He is a good guy. He is so talented. If he needs advice from me, I will always give it to him. He made some tough three´s against the Tropics. If he can get his jump shot right, then he can be a great player.
Are you able to practice with the easyCredit BBL team? When you see young guys like Trey Calvin and Malik Parsons, do you feel like you can stand your ground against them?
I do practice with the BBL team. It isn´t like I get run over by them. I can compete with them.
You were teammates with Curtis Hollis. He played in Germany in 2019-2020 and then 4 years away from Europe. Shouldn´t a guy like him be playing at even higher levels?
Curtis is super talented. I knew that he had played in Canada. I have no idea why he wasn´t overseas longer. He gives good energy and is a locker room guy. He still keeps in touch with me.
You played 4 seasons in the Korisliiga, the highest league in Finland. Is that league your goal in the future or would you like to explore higher leagues in Europe? I want to go to higher leagues in Europe. I got a little bored in Finland. I want to spread my wings and see the world.
When you played at Lapuan Kobrat (Finland-Korisliiga) you were teammates with Denzel Livingston who was with the Houston Rockets. What memories do you have of him? Denzel was our veteran. He always made sure I got my extra work in. We pushed each other each day in practice.I loved to play with him.
You played 5 seasons with Jyvaskyla Basketball Academy). How vital was Mikko Tupamaki for your early basketball development?
When I was young I couldn´t handle mistakes. I would get down so fast when I missed a shot. He helped me grow mentally. I will always appreciate him for that.
You began your basketball career with Vantaan Pussihukat Juniorit. What memories do you have of these days. How did your game develop there? I had the green light there and could do what I wanted to. I had my own team. Coach always told me that we can go as far as we want with me. It is always good for a very young player to have that opportunity to be able to carry a team.
How respected is Gordon Herbert in Finland? Have you ever met him? I never met him. He is very respected in Finland.
Your 28 years old. What dreams do you still have as a player? I want to reach the highest level and use my full potential. This year with Frankfurt is very important for me to be able to make the next step.
The toughest player that you faced that reached the Euroleague was Petti Koponen. What do you remember from that battle? He was already older and had problems with his hip. He couldn´t do much anymore. He is the most known player that I have played against.
Please list your 5 best teammates of all-time? Rene Rousseau, Christian Lutete, KJ Jackson, Andre Wesson, PJ Raymond
What is your NBA, Euro and Finish Mount Rushmores? Jordan, Lebron, Kobe, Derrick Rose
Nowitzki, Jokic, Giannis, Tony Parker
Lauri Markkanen, Petteri Koponen, Shawn Huff, Hanno Mottola
Oshane Drews (198-SG-2001) is a 24 year old 198cm shooting guard playing his second professional season with the Rostock SeaWolves. He began his basketball career at RSV Stahnsdorf and then played 2 years with the Junior Loewen Braunschweig (NBBL) and SG Braunschweig (2.Regionalliga). He then played 2 seasosn with the Dragons Rhondorf and then made the next step to the Uni Baskets Paderborn (PRO A). He came to the Rostock Seawolves in 2023. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a game against the Frankfurt Skyliners.
Congrats on the big 84-68 win in Vechta. Is every game now like a do or die game?
We want to win every game. Every game counts now. We don´t go easy into games. We still see ourselves as the underdog. That is the reason why we have come so far this season.
Rostock had the slim 18-15 lead after one quarter. In the second quarter, Rostock exploded for 31 points. What was the focus going into the second quarter? We changed our defensive sets a lot. It took us a while to get it going in the first quarter. We defended better in the second quarter and they didn´t adjust well.
Everything was clicking with many guys getting involved. Was that one of the best offensive quarters this season? I think it was one of the best this season. We are a defensive orientated team, but I feel like we have have improved a lot on offense.
Malik Osborne and Pedro Bradshaw were huge. How vital have they been for the success? It is never easy for a player to come in the middle of the season. You have to understand your role quickly. With Bradshaw we got a player who is great off ball and Osborne is a very strong offensive player that has helped us a lot on offense now.
Rostock managed the lead well in the second half. Did the defensive intensity lose some steam in the second half with such a comfortable lead? We lost a little concentration with our different defensive sets and switches. They also adjusted well.
Johan Grunloh had a strong game with 14/10. Will he go to the NBA or possibly go to the NCAA? I think college is out. He will get drafted and then play in the NBA
Frankfurt has a 2 game winning streak. Rostock easily won in Rostock 83-66. What will be key to getting the win on the road? Both have new teams and both have had runs. We can´t underestimate them only because they are lower in the standings. We will come in motivated. We need the win. The team that wants it more will win.
Your playing your second season for the Rostock Seawolves. Has Rostock become like a second home?
What I really like about Rostock is that is near to my home Berlin. If we hadn´t come back so late from Vechta and I hadn´t slept so late, I would have returned home on my off day.
How exciting is the easyCredit BBL this season? Between position 3 and 14 is only a 2 win difference. Will Rostock make the playoffs this season? Our goal are the playoffs. I feel like that if we keep playing the way we are now, we will reach it.
The team began 4-8 and then after Christmas won 6 of 7 games. What were the reasons for the team picking up their game? We had a crisis meeting after the bad start. We changed the team a bit as well as our tactics. We understood what we needed to do to execute the game plan the right way and be successful. The new players and underdog mentality has been key in our success.
How vital has head coach Przemyslaw Frasunkiewicz been for the success of the team? What have you enjoyed most about his teaching philosophy?
We had many injuries and our game plan changed a lot. Coach knew how to make the right adjustments and kept the offense and defense flexible.
What has it been like being teammates with American Bryce Hamilton? How valuable has he been to the success? Bryce is a great player and our offensive leader. You can give him the ball and he will do his thing.
Is Robin Amaize like a role model for you? What is the most important thing that you have soaked up from his game? He is also a super player. He plays different than Americans do. What I try to do is take things I like from players and try to incorporate it into my game. I like his mentality and IQ. I try to soak that up from his game.
Your averaging 5 minutes per game, 1 minute more than last season. How tough is it in general finding minutes with this stocked BBL roster?
It is difficult to get minutes. I wasn´t even planned to be on the team. But I stayed and have gotten my chances. I just will keep working hard and earn minutes.
How tough is it being as efficient as possible? Do you sometimes let your defense make noise letting it spark your offense? Yes I do. I always want to get into the game with my defense. It is tough to do something on offense with little touches. I think that I could do more on offense. The problem is when I come in, I try not to make mistakes. That mentality leads me too think twice during decision time. The BBL is so quick that you need to decide quicker. That second thought often leads to my option being gone.
Clay Wilson (191-G-1992, college: Princeton) is a former professional player that is an assistant under legend Dave Smart at the University of the Pacific. He began his coaching career at Green Country Defenders in Oklahoma. He then was an assistant at Cornell as well as at North Texas and also was director of player development at Texas Tech. He also was the co-founder, co-owner, and trainer for Elev8hoops in Oklahoma. He helped create one of the largest skill development programs in the region with more than 600 clients. He also co-founded the Clay Wilson and David Mason Skill Academy. As a player, he began his basketball career at Lincoln Christian high school and then played at Princeton (NCAA) from 2011-2015. He had a brief pro career playing 2 seasons in Germany with the VfL AstroStars Bochum and also played in Latvia and New Zealand. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Clay for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?
Miles! Thank you so much for reaching out. I am a huge fan of yours and have followed you and your stories for many years. You do a phenomenal job, and I still log into Eurobasket daily to keep track of recruits, friends, former teammates and coaches. I currently live in California and just finished up our season with the University of the Pacific in the West Coast Conference. The WCC is a tremendous league with many international players.
You retired in 2019 as a player and now are coaching. Has time flown by since your last season in Latvia?
Time has definitely flown by. As a player, there is a lot of down time during the season and time to rest and train, but as a coach, there is so much to do that you stay busy and the seasons fly by.
You began your career at Lincoln Christian High School where you were named the Oklahoma Class 3A player of the year after averaging 27.8 points, six assists and six rebounds per game as a senior. You finished your career as one of the top 100 scorers in the history of Oklahoma high school basketball. What does that mean to you being one of the top 100 best scorers in the state? A lot of great players have come from Oklahoma.
It’s very humbling. I never take my high school experience for granted. Lincoln Christian School is an unbelievable place filled with unbelievable people, and I loved every minute. I was blessed to have some great coaches and play with great teammates over my four years there. Individual accolades are great, but I wouldn’t have achieved anything without my team. To have my name mentioned in the same conversation as some of the greatest players in the state’s history is really a blessing.
You played at Princeton University (NCAA) from 2011-2015 being a Ivy league runner up in 2013. What do you remember from these early years in your basketball life?
My college experience took me through the full spectrum of emotions and helped me become the man I am today. From the first day of practice, where I separated my AC joint diving on a loose ball, my college experience was riddled with injuries. The list of injuries is pretty extensive, so honestly, for me, college basketball taught me more about being a great teammate, persevering, and leading than how to be a great player. I remember the frustration from not playing and the joy from playing well, I remember the sadness in defeat and the triumph in wins. I remember learning how to persevere through tough times, and how to love on my teammates. I played every role for my team during my college career, and I think my college experience truly set me up to be a great coach. Some coaches were the star player in their playing days, and I think they are good at teaching other star players. Some coaches were role players and I think they are good at teaching role players. When I look back at my college experience, I am grateful for the way things turned out. Although I didn’t meet my own expectations as a player, I learned valuable lessons along the way that I use as a coach to this day. During my four years at Princeton I experienced the full spectrum of being a collegiate athlete: I was an overlooked recruit. I became a highly touted recruit. I was the young player far away from home. I was the senior captain. I was the worst player on our team. I was the best player on our team. I was the sixth man. I was a rotational player. I was frustrated. I was hurt. I was healthy. I was fulfilled. I think going through this range of roles over my time in college has given me deep insight in how to relate to my players now as a coach. I have been in their shoes and I believe everything happens for a reason.
You played 3 seasons with TJ Bray. What memories will you always have of him? It´s a shame his playing career was so short.
TJ Bray is one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever had. I tell my current players stories about TJ and how good of a leader he was. I remember we had a freshman late for the team bus and TJ, as a sophomore captain, told our team nobody was allowed to get on the bus until everyone was there. He risked himself getting in trouble to save our freshman getting in trouble. That’s the type of person TJ is. He cares about the team more than anything and that’s how he played. He was an incredible passer and was extremely selfless. I think TJ could have played in the NBA if he kept playing. He played at his own pace and breathed life into our team. Our team was confident because TJ had the ball.
How did Mitch Henderson groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
Coach Henderson was all about precision. We used to do 5 on 0 offense for hours and hours. If one dribble or pass was off by even a few inches, we started over. For me, this level of detail and precision was exactly what I needed to make it to the next level. Other players were bigger and more naturally athletic than I was, so accuracy and exactness was key in me being able to succeed overseas. Another thing Coach Henderson did to prepare me for life was to allow me to see the fight it takes to be good. We are both super competitive people and I am grateful for the opportunity he gave me to fight for everything. I am very grateful for Coach Henderson and love to see Princeton continuing to succeed.
Did you already have a feeling during your Princeton days that you might go into coaching one day or did that come later? Definitely. I actually chose to go to Princeton because at the time, Princeton had the largest coaching tree in Division 1 basketball. I have known since I was 3 years old that God has called me to coach. I thank God everyday for allowing Sydney Johnson, Mitch Henderson, and Brian Earl to recruit me to Princeton.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or TJ Bray? Haha TJ is a far better player than I am. I will say I am a better shooter though.
You played your rookie season in Germany with the VfL AstroStars Bochum (Germany-ProB) averaging 13.2ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 78.9%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home? I think my first wakeup call was actually getting my car from the AstroStars and realizing it was manual. I didn’t know how to drive stick at the time and learning how to drive stick shift, while reading street signs in a different language while on the Autobahn isn’t the best idea.
What memories will you always have of Ryon Howard? Was he like a mentor for you as a rookie? Ryon Howard is a consummate professional. He never missed a day, played hard every practice, and always did what was best for the team. I feel very fortunate to have played with him. He’s a winner through and through. I learned so much from him over the years.
You had many great games in Germany like scoring 30 points against Recklingshausen. What was your fondest moment on the court in Germany?
I think my fondest memory on the court in Germany was when we were down by more than 20 points at halftime to the #1 team (Iserlohn) and came back in the second half to win on the road. That was incredible and our GM and our President were so proud. Jerry Brown was on the team for Iserlohn. He now coaches in the WCC with me and we talked about this game recently.
You also played a season with 2 Cheap Cars Super City Rangers (New Zealand-NBL) averaging 19.9ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 43.8%, FT: 80.0%. Being able to live in New Zealand is everyone´s dream. What was your coolest experience there?
I love New Zealand and I try to go back as often as I can. The coolest experience by far was meeting Tania, Joe, and Bailey Sampson. These three people have become extended family. They were the first people I met when I got off the plane and they are some of the best people I know. They traveled to Cornell, Texas Tech, and recently just traveled to California to watch me coach. We went on several road trips together and I really immersed myself into New Zealand Culture. I am a big ‘Lord of the Rings’ fan as well so going to Hobbiton was an unreal experience.
I´m sure you will never forget your 48 points explosion and 11 three´s against Manawatu J. Unfortunately you lost the game. What memories do you have of that experience? I actually was coming off ankle surgery, so my contract stated that the team had the option to keep me or waive me after that game. I was essentially playing for my contract and everything went in. That was one of the best shooting performances I have ever had and it’s fun to go back and watch some of the crazy shots that went in.
You played your last pro season at BC Valga-Valka/Maks&Moorits (Latvia-LatEstBL) averaging 9.0ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 43.2%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 66.7%. What memories do you have of Latvia? My time in Latvia was interesting. My shoulder was so messed up that I needed surgery and I never really could get comfortable. I came to the country after the start of the season, played for two different coaches, had some contract issues and realized that God was calling me back to America to coach. I sometimes wish that the Latvian chapter in my story could be deleted, but I do believe it happened for a reason, and without it, I might still be playing and not coaching like I was called to do.
You retired at age 27. Did you realize that you had other opportunities like coaching? Why did you retire so young? I loved playing basketball, and I always said I wanted to play for as long as I could. I think my body ended up giving out on me. I put it through the wringer and I worked so hard to try and make it, that I think I put too many miles on my body too early. I definitely knew from a young age that I wanted to play professionally and then coach so I am thankful to be living my dream.
How would you like fans to remember Clay Wilson as the player? Hard working, tough, tenacious, grateful and a phenomenal teammate.
You are the co-founder, co-owner, and trainer for Elev8hoops in Oklahoma with more than 600 clients. You also co-founded the Clay Wilson and David Mason Skill Academy, instructing more than 400 campers. What was the biggest challenge of being able to have success?
The hardest part for me was the energy and the hours. I am passionate about helping others and sometimes I give so much that I forget I need to be replenished. I love seeing others succeed and grow. I wish there were more hours in the day and that I had unlimited energy to be able to help out each athlete.
You have trained many guys that went on to become pro´s. Is there a player that was really close to your heart that you helped train and become a pro? I loved working with Tylor Perry. He currently plays for the 905 Raptors, but he was super consistent. Always counted out because of his height, but his heart and his belief makes him great. We worked on his game for hundreds and hundreds of hours and he has put in the work to be great. We still talk frequently.
You were an assistant coach at Cornell from 2018-2021. What was your fondest moment in those 3 years? I was fortunate to work with some great people and coach some great players. Brian Earl gave me my start in coaching and I am forever grateful for him. He is a great coach and a great person. I think my fondest memories are just seeing people grow. I loved recruiting Chris Manon and Nazir Williams who have both gone on to become ‘All Ivy’ players. Neither one of them had many offers out of high school and were both underrecruited. Believing in people, stirring up that same belief in others and watching them succeed will never get old.
You helped develop Jim Boeheim who is a professional player in Germany. What memories do you have of your coaching relationship to him and how did you help him grow? Jim is the best! Great person, high character, hard worker, super talented, and extremely respectful. I loved working with him. He actually taught me a lot and I am proud to call him a friend. I remember working with him every single day on his shot. Out of conference he shot a poor percentage, and we just put the time in and he trusted it. His numbers in conference were way better. I would send him texts just encouraging him, but we all just need someone to encourage us every now and again. Shooting well is all about hard work and trusting that hard work. Jimmy will have a long career and make a lot of money playing basketball before he retires.
You were a coach for 2 years at North Texas and helped develop guys like Tylor Perry, Thomas Bell, Rubin Jones, Aaron Scott, and JJ Murray. What steps do you feel did you make as a coach in these 2 years? Grant McCasland helped me in so many ways during my time at North Texas & Texas Tech. He helped me see what it was like to Win at an elite level. The way he holds people accountable and teaches is second to none. I honestly believe he will win a national championship very soon. Under Coach McCasland and current North Texas Head Coach, Ross Hodge, I feel like I learned how to truly win. I have always been super competitive, but they both made me realize that achieving the ultimate goal takes everyone and it takes zooming out and looking at the big picture while keeping the small details in focus. North Texas was vital to my growth as a coach. They are two of the best coaches on this planet and I will keep learning from them for the rest of my career.
You were Director of Player Development in 2023-24 at Texas Tech and now are an assistant at Pacific under Canadian legend Dave Smart. What have you learned from him? He is one of those guys where I´m sure you able to soak something up every day? Coach Dave Smart is a legend. I like to call him a ‘mad scientist’ because he knows the game at such an elite level and has made a major impact on the game of basketball. He is relentless in his work ethic and his pursuit of greatness. He’s the first to the office and the last to leave even after all he has accomplished. I have tried to soak up as much as I could from him these past two years. He has seen every style of basketball and has worked with so many players and coaches over the years. I am extremely fortunate to know him, work with him these past two years, and to call him a friend. Dave will be someone I try to learn from the rest of my life.
What goals do you still have as a coach? Could you ever imagine coming overseas to work?
My ultimate goal is to impact people, help them grow, and to love people well. I believe that winning on the court translates to winning in life. I believe that I am impacting athletes positively in my role as an assistant coach, but I aspire, one day, to become a head coach. I LOVED living overseas and I could definitely picture myself going back overseas to coach. There are so many great coaches all over the world. I love learning different aspects of the game and different styles of coaching.
Who is the best player that you ever battled on the court that reached the NBA? I played against Bradley Beal several times in the EYBL. He is a great player.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Ian hummer – Overseas pro TJ Bray – Overseas Pro Josh Richardson – NBA Dillon Boucher – New Zealand Olympian Lindsay Tait – New Zealand Olympian
Please name your NBA Mount Rushmore? MJ, Lebron, Kobe, Steph
Who is your GOAT?
MJ is the goat, but my personal two favorite players ever are 1.) Pistol Pete Maravich and 2.) Steve Nash
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I haven’t seen it, but I’ll check it out.
Marcus Graves (185-G-1996, college: Sacramento St.) is a 28 year old 185cm point guard that was born in San Diego that is playing his 6th professional season and second overseas with the VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier (Germany-ProA). He began his basketball career with Independence High School and also played at Westview High School. He then played 3 seasons with Sacramento State University and as a senior averaged 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.4apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 79.2%. He played his first 4 pro seasons in the G-League with the Stockton Kings, Salt Lakke City Stars, Wisconsin Herd and G-League Ignite. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Marcus for talking to germanhoops.com. Let´s talk about your game. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description? I would call it a mix of a lot of people. Growing up I loved watching guys like Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Russell Westbrook.
You averaged 5apg in the NCAA and once 7,0apg in the G-League. Are you a pass first point guard? 100%, I just try and play basketball the right way, make the right play every single time.
You’re a player that can fill the stat sheet very well. What other strengths does your game incorporate? Getting other guys involved and managing the game, that’s been something I’ve tried to focus a lot on.
You have always been kind of a streaky three point shooter. What do you have to do to reach the magical 40% plateau? Just keep being confident and keep putting in the work.
How have you seen the development of your defense in the last years? What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become? I’ve been trying to improve every day, it’s all just a mentality. I have the defensive tools and it’s been something I’ve been trying to focus on.
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game? Being a more consistent shooter, I think that will open up a whole new world for me.
You played 4 years in the G-League for 4 teams. What positives did you get from these years? What was the biggest challenge?
Just learning how to be a professional and stay true to myself. The G is very up and down and as an individual you have to hold yourself accountable.
You had a really good stint with Wisconsin. Do you feel like you could have had a NBA call up with more time? Potentially, I only played half a season there and felt like it was a really great spot for me.
You played your rookie season with the Stockton Kings (NBA G League) averaging 7.0ppg, 2.3rpg, 4.2apg, FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 71.7%. What do you remember being your wake upcall to being a pro player?
Just adjusting to a role. Most guys come from college and were the best player on their team so adjusting to fitting into a role was challenging for me at first.
How big of a role model was a guy like Gabe Vincent. He began in the G-League and had to pay his dues and later reached the NBA in your rookie season and never left? Gabe and I have a great relationship, we share the same mentor/trainer and agent so we usually are together all summer. The bond and brotherhood we’ve created runs deeper than basketball. Seeing where he is today is no surprise because I’ve seen the work he’s put in.
In your second season you played with the Salt Lake City Stars (NBA G League) averaging 8.9ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.8apg, FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 75.0%. What memories do you have of head coach Nathan Peavy and assistant Bryan Bailey? Both played in Germany in the BBL. Will one get a NBA head coaching job one day? Both were great guys, it was a short season because it was the bubble but I had a great experience with both of them.
In the 2020-2021 season you split time with the Stockton Kings (NBA G League) averaging 8.9ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 73.0%, in Feb.’22 signed at Wisconsin Herd (NBA G League) averaging 11.8ppg, 4.4rpg, 7.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 34.4%. What was it like splitting the season with 2 teams. How difficult is it in the G-League to find a groove when you have to move around? You showed you could with the Herd?
It was tough getting traded mid season but for me when I switched teams I just went in with the mindset to be myself, and Wisconsin was a great fit for me.
What was it like playing with Frank Mason? Was it a challenge battling him in practices?
Frank was a good dude, great player. Obviously has had great accomplishments in his career and playing against him and learning things from him is something i don’t forget for sure.
You Played your last season in the G-League with the G League Ignite (NBA G League) averaging 6.3ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.2apg, FGP: 39.5%, 3PT: 26.9%, FT: 73.5%. Did you lose faith in the NBA process?
I didn’t lose faith, Ignite came to me and I thought it would be a unique experience in my basketball life. I loved that year, on and off the court it’s something i wouldn’t trade for anything.
What was it like being teammates with ultra veteran Pooh Jeter? What could you soak up most from his game? Pooh is definitely one of my top teammates ever. Great basketball career and player but the thing I learned most from Pooh was just being present, his energy and love for basketball and life every day is something you don’t see a lot.
You played 3 years at Sacramento State University (NCAA) and made a big jump as a senior averaging 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.4apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 79.2%. How did your game grow in your senior year?
I had back surgery the year before so sitting out a whole year I had a lot of time to develop my game and my body and the work all showed my senior year.
You were teammates with Nick Hornsby and was reunited last season playing against him in the Pro A. Is he one the most versatile players that you ever played with? Nick is like a baby Draymond Green, he just plays basketball the right way and does a little bit of everything.
You had many huge games in the NCAA. What was your biggest personal game in the NCAA? Probably having the first triple double in Sacramento State history
How did head coach Brian Katz groom and prepare you best for a professional career? Creating a routine and embracing the underdog role. Understanding I’ll never be given anything has always stuck with me
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Cody Demps? We are probably even
Who was the greatest player that you ever faced on the court? Victor Wembanyama
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
That’s tough, so many great ones to just narrow down to 5, definitely a lot on this Trier team now.
Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? LeBron, Kobe, MJ and Steph Curry
Marcus Graves (185-G-1996, college: Sacramento St.) is a 28 year old 185cm point guard that was born in San Diego that is playing his 6th professional season and second overseas with the VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier (Germany-ProA). He began his basketball career with Independence High School and also played at Westview High School. He then played 3 seasons with Sacramento State University and as a senior averaged 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.4apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 79.2%. He played his first 4 pro seasons in the G-League with the Stockton Kings, Salt Lakke City Stars, Wisconsin Herd and G-League Ignite. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks marcus for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment? I’m currently playing in Trier, Germany and hoop life is great, just enjoying the vibes.
Your playing your sixth professional season and second overseas with the VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier (Germany-ProA). Could one say that Trier has become your second home? Trier has been great to me and my family and we have enjoyed our 2 years here
What have you enjoyed most about the city Trier and the Gladiators organization?
It’s a beautiful city and just seeing my daughter grow up every day and enjoy life has been most enjoyable for me.
How big is the desire to move back to the BBL after so many years in the Pro A? That’s the goal, been our goal since last June and that’s all we have been focused on
How tough was losing that series to Frankfurt last season? Trier had that series in their own hands. Could one say that the team choked? It was tough for sure especially me not being able to play at all in the playoffs because I was hurt. I wouldn’t say we choked I think you just got to give credit to Frankfurt. They were the better team for five games. But we definitely haven’t forgot that feeling.
The team was packed last season with talent as well as this season. Is this years version stronger than last season´s?
I think we are a lot deeper of a team this year. We have a lot of the same guys and adding the guys we did is only going to benefit us in the playoffs.
A big strength is the offensive power that the team has. How big of a goal is it to improve as a team every day on the defensive end? That is really our main focus. We know we are going to score points. We have so many threats on that end and we understand that to get what we want out of this season that defense has to be the focus.
Your now playing your second season with Behnam Yakhchali. Is he the most versatile shooting guard in the Pro A? B is unbelievable, the work ethic, the mindset, he is probably one of the best players and people I’ve been around.
How enjoyable has it been playing with Jordan Roland? How do you guys compliment each other best? Jordan has been great, super genuine guy. When he came to our team we were kind of in a weird spot with losses, injuries and stuff and he kind of brought a spark to our team that’s rejuvenated us. We play really well off each other.
What has it been like being teammates with beast Maik Zirbes? Is he the ultimate leader on the club? I love playing with guys who have so much experience like Maik, it’s just a great opportunity to hear their journeys and learn and get better in so many ways. He’s been a great leader for us.
How tough was it losing JJ Mann. Is he the difference between first and second place this season? It was super tough losing JJ, not only as a basketball player but just his personality and competitiveness daily. It’s tough to say what could’ve been but this is our journey and I think it’s been a successful season so far.
Everybody gives 180% on the team, but which player is the unsung hero this season?
I think of guys like Nolan Adekunle, Marco Hollersbacher and Evans Rapieque. Guys who have just given their all to the role they are in and and been so selfless to our team.
Your playing 1 less minute than last season and your scoring and assists are down a bit. Has your role changed or just too much guard power? Like I said i think we are just a deeper team and have so many guys that can score and make things happen. One thing that makes our team so difficult to guard is that you can’t really take away 1 or 2 players because we have 8-9 more guys waiting for their opportunity.
You had a bit of a lull in 4 games in March. How confident are you that your total A game will come before and in the playoffs?
I’m always confident in myself. Stats may call it a lull but also sometimes on our team it’s just not your night and you have to do other things that don’t always show up on the stat sheet.
Who wins a 1-1 in practice, you or Jordan Roland? Great great great question. You will have to ask Jordan that!
On the last regular season game day in the Pro B, there were very exciting duels in both the north and south concerning the last playoff places, but in Frankfurt there was a game that had absolute no meaning for one team the Frankfurt team. On account of a disgusting 7 game losing streak in the crunch-time of the season, they weren´t going to be in the playoffs this season. It could have been exciting for Frankfurt on this last game had they not lost 2 of the last 3 games by only 2 point margins which was extremely bitter. For Fellbach, it had no real meaning either as they had secured home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Fellbach hadn´t been playing great basketball as of late as they had lost 3 of their last 5 games, but wanted to end the regular season on a positive note with a win and have some momentum in the playoffs while Frankfurt wanted to end the season on a positive note as well. On a very warm early Spring evening, the favorite SV Fellbach Flashers found to their game midway through the first quarter and never looked back leading by as much as 27 points as their experience totally overwhelmed the Skyliners youth as they played catch up basketball all night long as Fellbach won 82-68 securing third place in the Pro B south. “Our goal coming in was to get the win and keep building into the playoffs. We noticed that they didn´t hit the 3 well the last games so we played zone. We wanted to play it safe and trust our game plan. Our offense was good, but became a little stagnant in the second half when they switched more. I feel that we can still reach the next level on offense”, warned SV Fellbach Flasher Malik Whittaker. The Skyliners Juniors came in as the underdog lacking experience and a big man that could challenge Mayr as Malik Kordell was injured and just couldn´t get a groove on the defensive end. “Fellbach was a tough opponent. We wanted to enjoy the last game. We fought until the end and learned from our mistakes in the last games where we lost some tough games. We found a solution for the zone in the fourth quarter by making quicker passes and not being selfish and taking good shots”, stressed Skyliner Junior Namori Omog.
Jamie Edoka from outside
The Skyliners Juniors were without Bruno Albrecht, Malik Kordell and Chuku Chukwuma and held strong for the first 5 minutes as they got 2 great individual efforts by 17 year old German Jamie Edoka with runners in traffic while Felix Hecker dropped a trey and 20 year old German Leo Cosic made a lay in. Fellbach countered with super execution spreading the love around playing inside out ball as Whittaker added 5 points with a lay in and trey while ex Fordham (NCAA) guard Zaire Thompson made a step back jumper and Mayr free throws as the game was deadlocked at 9-9. But The Skyliners Juniors couldn´t keep up as Fellbach cruised out on a 11-2 run to lead 20-11. In the run they got super production from Mayr with 4 points and a massive 2 handed dunk, a dunk from Bulgarian forward Jeremy Kolev and a lay in from Whittaker. Fellbach did a good job getting the ball inside and attacking the constant mismatches with Daniel Mayr (218-C-1995). Fellbach defended with a high intensity and forced the Skyliners Juniors to many turnovers. German Julius Messer then hit a trey, but Fellbach continued to apply pressure ending the first quarter with a 5-0 run as Thompson dropped a trey and ex Reutlingen forward David Grubic made a lay in as the Fellbach Flasher led comfortably 25-14. “Fellbach had a lot of experience and played a tough zone. It was tough going against the much taller Mayr. Frankfurt made small mistakes like not seeing a player, making a bad pass or just over dribbling”, stressed Skyliner Junior Florian Dietrich. The SC Fellbach Flashers shot 53% from the field and 40% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniors shot 46% from the field and 29% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 8 turnovers.
Daniel Mayr at the FT line
In the second quarter the SV Fellbach Flashers could build their lead a bit more in which they allowed the Skyliners Juniors to only 8 points and led 42-22 at the break. After ex Idstein guard Mickey De Sousa and glue guy Marvin Esser traded baskets, it was the SV Fellbach Flashers that found their way on another run of 8-0 to extend their lead to 35-17. In the run, they were able to get 2 baskets inside from Whittaker and Mayr as the American dominated with his 1-1 strength and Mayr used the mismatch while the other 2 buckets were on transition as Whittaker scored again as did ex Tuebingen NBBL player Nik Schlif. Fellbach defended well, but Frankfurt was also sloppy on offense, but their inexperience and youth also played a role. Frankfurt defended well down the stretch allowing only 7 points, but on offense just couldn´t execute well against their zone as they would get stifled time in and time out again and Fellbach got big blocks from Mayr and Brian Butler. Mayr scored 4 points and Thompson dropped another trey while the Skyliners Juniors got a lay in from Joschua Zentgraf who played a career high 31 minutes and had 9 points and 9 rebounds including 6 offensive rebounds. German Maximillian Peters also added a three pointer from the corner. “We were sloppy on offense which led to easy baskets by them. We tried to play fast against their zone, but without success. We were lacking experience which led to turnovers”, stated Florian Dietrich.
Dusan Nikolic with the runner
In the third quarter the Skyliners Juniors were able to execute better, but couldn´t get any ground on Fellbach losing the quarter 22-17 and trailed 64-39. The Skyliners came out roaring and had a great start going on a 8-2 run to trail only 44-30 as suddenly there was some hope again for the young team. In the run, the Skyliners Juniors got 3 points from the universal genius Ivan Crnjac who stayed very cold on this night going 1/6 from the field, a trey from Edoka and another lay in from Cosic. However the Skyliners Juniors couldn´t take that momentum and build on it as Fellbach punched back with a 11-0 run to lead 55-30. Whittaker was a scoring machine with 7 points while Mayr added 4 points. Fellbach continued to attack the paint area and Whittaker´s athleticsm and quickness helped him carry to easy buckets. Frankfurt wasn´t lively enough at both ends allowing Fellbach to have easy execution. After another Edoka trey, Fellbach went on another run of 7-2 to lead 62-35. Mayr kept getting the ball inside and punishing the Skyliners Juniors with 5 points. Butler also added a turn around shot as 2 points was all he had on this night, but he dished out 4 assists, one prettier than the other. On this night Mayr really looked like a man among boys. “It wasn´t just easy today for Daniel, but in general the game comes easy to him. He is a very skilled big man that does a great job finding the weak side shooter, getting to the ft line and making shots”, warned Malik Whittaker. The Skyliners Juniors closed out the third quarter strong with a 4-2 run as Dusan Nikolic made a lay in and Omog a 15 footer at the buzzer. “We wanted to come out into the third with a good quarter. In the past, we haven´t had good starts. We put our foot on the gas”, commented Malik Whittaker. “Mayr dominated in the third quarter. It was difficult against him as he was 2 heads bigger than us. It was even more difficult when Butler was on the court at the same time. Both are so strong and smart and know how to find the open man”, explained Namori Omog. The SV Fellbach Flasher shot 66% from the field and 38% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniors shot 42% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
Malik Whittaker with the runner
The Skyliners Juniors didn´t give up in the fourth quarter, but closed out their season with a explosive 29 points while keeping Fellbach to 18 points. Felix Hecker began strong scoring 5 points and Nikolic added a trey and Peters a lay in as Fellbach suddenly only led 69-47. Mayr continued to be active scoring 4 points, but Frankfurt stepped up their defensive intensity knowing as it would be 5.5 months before the start to the new season. Hecker continued to be motivated and found his rhythm dropping 2 more three´s as his high rainbow shot is always beautiful to observe as Fellbach led 76-57. Nikolic also added 5 points as the Skyliners Juniors had strung along a lethal 14-4 run to trail only 78-63. In the last minutes Moritz Schneider and Grubic made lay in´s while the Skyliners Juniors got a floater from Edoka and 3 points from Zentgraf to end the game. The Skyliners Juniors may have lost the game, but they conquered Fellbach´s zone in the last quarter and most Skyliners had smiles after the game. “We weren´t focused to finish the game. We have to work on that. We will face teams in the playoffs that will hurt us if we aren´t focused”, warned Malik Whittaker. “We never gave up. We wanted to end the season well and not go disappointed into the break. We put more pressure at both ends of the court and weren´t selfish”, warned Namori Omog. The SV Fellbach Flashers were led by Daniel Mayr with 27 points and Malik Whittaker added 22 points while the Skyliners Juniors were led by Felix Hecker with 14 points while Jamie Edoka added 12 points. The SV Fellbach Flashers shot 62% from the field and 36% from outside and had 25 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniros shot 47% from the field and 37% from outside and had 26 rebounds and 14 turnovers.
There was no live stats in second quarter, so stats in article from 3 quarters,
There was a time in Boston in the 80´s when the Celtics played, you were either at the game or watching it on TV with Celtics legend Bob Cousy doing the color commentary or listening on radio to the one and only Johnny Most with the raspy voice. They were winning titles with great players led by the big 3 with Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. The so called BIG 3 are not to be compared, but this past season in Frankfurt there were 3 guys that had the most touches on the court. They have been one of the big reasons for the NBBL U-19 team being successful again. However, the big 3 of the Celtics back in the 80´s wouldn´t have been successful without key players like Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson or Bill Walton. It was the same with the Frankfurt team as there were 2 very vital players, with Maximillian Peters and Julius Messer (200-SF-2007) who played in a specialist role. These 2 don´t carry the big load like the portrait big 3, but give key energy, scoring production and defensive intensity in every game. Messer is a very talented player that already has had some special moments on the court with the German youth national teams., “I have been lucky to have played 15 international cups. I have been with the U-15, U-16 and U-17 national teams. Unfortunately, I haven´t played any European or World cup games but played some memorable national team games. I remember playing against Turkey in Istanbul which was an intense and fast game. Another fond moment was playing against France. It is amazing to see how athletic these players already are for their ages. It was a new challenge to step up to, that I enjoyed”, stressed Julius Messer.
Julius Messer who lists French youth national player Nathan Holiman as his toughest opponent was born on April 8th, 2007 and grew up in Frankfurt Riedberg. Like many kids in Germany, he didn´t begin with basketball, but with soccer at the age of 3. But with time, he grew more and was too tall and his soccer coaches didn´t like that. “I wasn´t having fun with soccer so I tried basketball and liked it right away”, remembered Julius Messer. He began to play basketball at age 7 at Frankfurt Riedberg and had a tryout with the Skyliners at age 9. He then began to play with the Skyliners U-10 team. He was scoring 40-50 points a game by the time he played with the Skyliners U-12 team. In those days he was facing his current teammate Ivan Crnjac who back then played for Eintracht Frankfurt. He did have to fight with injuries and then Corona came. In this time, he was also visiting easyCredit BBL games of the Skyliners and already had basketball role models. “The first player that I was a fan of was Lebron James. I remember buying his #6 Miami Heat jersey. A few years later I began to enjoy watching players like Kevin Durant and Jaylen Brown. Going to games in Frankfurt, I really became a fan of Mike Morrison of the Skyliners, because he dunked the ball with authority and brought a lot of energy to the game”, Julius said with a smile in his face.
The athletic wing names Ivan Crnjac, Namori Omog, Chris Widmer, Noah Koch and Maximillian Peters as his closest teammates. Besides reaching the Top Four the year prior, the season2022-2023 with the Frankufrt Skyliners JBBL U-16 team was their biggest success so far. The team had a Cinderella season. The German sharp shooter remembers having a great semi-final game, but something then happened in the hotel that effected his game in the final. “The top 4 was tough for me. I remember hurting my finger in our last practice before the game. It was a very painful experience I had my hand taped and the pain severely effected my shooting. I had a good semi-final game by scoring 27 points. Back in the hotel Alba Berlin player Matthieu Gurijcic saw that my left hand was bruised and when the final game took place the next day, he was smart enough to not allow me to go right. “The atmosphere was amazing in the arena. The vibe was great. We had grown together so well during the season. It was too bad we couldn´t win the final. All in all it was a great experience”, remembered Julius Messer. A lot of those guys from the final from 2 years ago like Crnjac, Omog and Peters were still his teammates with the NBBL U-19 team. “We are like brothers. We also see each other at the national team meetings. We have grown close. A guy like Noah Koch who is in Vechta now has become a life long friend”, stated Julius Messer. Last season he got extra vital experience spending a year in the United States in North Carolina at Greensboro Day school which produced ex NBA and Real Madrid player Wayne Robinson. He was in the starting 5 of the team, that thought him to be a specialist in his role. To play for such a school brought a lot more pressure to perform at a high level. “I played for Coach Freddy Johnson who is the the 5th most winningest coach in the United States. It was brutal how disciplined you had to be to compete every day. I learned that you are judged by results. If you made one mistake, you would be subbed out right away. If the pass wasn´t perfect, you were out. Your self confidence was gone right away. I always thought that they didn´t play defense in USA, but they do and it´s very important”, stated Julius Messer. In this season 24/25 Ace Flagg, the brother of Cooper Flagg is on the team
This past season the young German who has Lebron, Jordan, Durant and Shaq on his NBA Mount Rushmore and Doncic, Giannis, Tony Parker and Jokic on his Euro Mount Rushmore was out for a long time not with an injury, but had a sickness called Mononucleosis. He couldn´t practice sports as it would be bad for his heart. He missed a month of school as he had no strength. He finally returned back in December and had some very strong games in the NBBL and Pro B. “I came back strong after my sickness. I worked very hard so I could fit in well with the team chemistry. I accepted not being in a key role right away”, said Julius Messer. In the NBBL, he averaged 9/4and in the Pro B 3/1. “My role this past season in the NBBL season was to attack closeouts, play defense and catch and shoot while in the Pro B to play good defense and take shots whenever I´m open”, stated Julius Messer. He was very fortunate to have 2 good coaches with Thore Bethke in the NBBL and Sepher Tarrah in the Pro B. “I have known Thore a long time since the U-14. I did a lot of individual training with him working on my shot. He has also helped me with attacking closeouts and decision making. Sepher has a lot of trust in me. I’ve to continue working hard to start gaining more minutes in the Pro B”, stressed Julius Messer. The NBBL recently lost to ratiopharm Ulm ending their season. “We played as a team. We worked hard in every practice and played hard in the games”, added Julius Messer.
The 2023 JBBL finalist who lists Dirk Nowitzki, Dennis Schroeder, Franz Wagner and Isaac Bonga on his personal Germany Mount Rushmore is a 200cm forward that wasn´t able to give me a comparison to another NBA or Euro player concerning his playing style. His teammates Ivan Crnjac and Namori Omog also couldn´t help me. I guess the best thing is just to watch him play and come up with your own comparison. “I´m a player that is athletic, can shoot and play defense”, said Julius Messer. Even if his shooting is his biggest strength, he does have other attributes. “I love to go coast to coast, am quick and love the drive”, stressed Julius Messer. It’s no surprise that he can rise way above the rim to dunk. He showed it last season at Greensboro and in game 1 against ratiopharm Ulm, he went coast to coast with the massive 2 hand jam. But he isn´t only a strong offensive player but also takes a lot of pride on the defensive end. “I´m an aggressive defender and even when I get beat, I never give up. I always keep fighting”, warned Julius Messer. Like his teammates Ivan Crnjac and Maximillian Peters, he also has the goal of becoming a pro player but knows what he needs to work on to make the next step. “I need to be more consistent with my shot and defense. I feel like sometimes I play too hard. I need to play smarter and at times I could go harder for the rebound”, warned Julius Messer. It will be interesting to see where his basketball journey will go in the next few years.
German Hoops 