BG Goettingen

Dominik Spohr (BG Goettingen) I Would Fight Every Single Second On The Court To Help My Team To Stay And Get Established In The BBL

Dominik Spohr is a 25 year old 198cm forward that is playing his first season with BG Goettingen. He started his basketball career in 2004 for BBV Hagen (Regionalliga). He then helped Phoenix Hagen move up to the Beko BBL in 2009 playing  24 games: 2.0ppg. In three years in Hagen he played 64 Beko BBL games. Last season he played for the Giessen 46ers playing 29 games: 5.6ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 75.6%. He spoke to German Hoops after helping BG Goettingen win the German Pro A title.

Dominik congrats on winning the 2014 Pro A title with BG Goettingen. After a big title in the States, the famous players say afterwards “Im going To Disneyland. Where would you want to go after this big title win against Crailsheim?

We had 1 or 2 little partys to go to and celebrate the chip.

BG Goettingen had the slim 35-33 lead at halftime. In the second half, BG Goettingen was able to pull away and get the win. What was key for getting the win at home in Goettingen?

The key was our defense and our unselfish style on offense.

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Dominik Spohr (BG Goettingen) This Might Be The Biggest Game In My Career So Far And I Think The Chance To Remain Unbeaten At Home Is Pretty Much Unique

Dominik Spohr is a 25 year old 198cm forward that is playing his first season with BG Goettingen. He started his basketball career in 2004 for BBV Hagen (Regionalliga). He then helped Phoenix Hagen move up to the Beko BBL in 2009 playing  24 games: 2.0ppg. In three years in Hagen he played 64 Beko BBL games. Last season he played for te Giessen 46ers playing 29 games: 5.6ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 75.6%. He spoke to German Hoops before the final game in Goettingen for the Pro A title.

Dominik thanks for talking to German Hoops. Recently you helped BG Goettingen move up to the Beko BBL. How was this time different than with Phoenix Hagen in 2009. Was one more sweeter than the other?

It was equally sweet but my role this year was different. Back in 2009 I was a lot younger and not that experienced. I think I helped my team much more this year than I had been able to do in Hagen.

How do you like the German Pro A policy of the soccer like rules of two final games that are decided on the point total difference in both games?

I don’t like it at all. It should be either another series like in the BBL or a real final. One game one winner!

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Alex Ruoff (BG Goettingen) This Is Playoff Basketball Where Each Team Elevates Their Game

Alex Ruoff is a 27 year old 198cm guard from Spring Hill, Florida that is playing his fifth professional season and first with BG Goettingen. He played at West Virgina from 2005-2009 and as freshman was a roommate of ex German national player Johannes Herber. Ruoff started his professional career in 2009 with  Belgacom Liege Basket (Belgium-D1): EuroChallenge: 12 games: 10.2ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.1apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 41.5%, FT: 75.0%; Belgian League: 37 games: 6.6ppg, 1.6rpg, 1.6apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 78.4%. He then played the next two seasons with  Generali Okapi Aalstar (Belgium-D1). Last season he played for Canton Charge (D-League): 24 games: 7.3ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 84.0%, in Mar.’13 signed at Iowa Energy (D-League): 11 games: 11.1ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.5apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 67.6%, 3PT: 42.0%, FT: 72.2%, in Apr.’13 moved to Generali Okapi Aalstar (Belgium-Ethias League, starting five): 10 games: 9.1ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 52.6%, 3PT: 30.2%, FT: 85.7%. He spoke to eurobasket after the 74-65 game two win in Giessen.

Alex congrats on the game two win in Giessen. It didn´t seem as easy for BG Goettingen despite Giessen not having the services of Myles Hesson.

It was not an easy win. You have to give credit to Giessen as they hard and with heart. It was not a pretty win.

What was key for the big 14-1 start by BG Goettingen in game two? 

We had a slow start in game two in Essen and ever since that game, we have keyed on trying to have fast starts like tonight in our games.

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BG Goettingen Grind Out A 74-65 Victory Over Giessen To Take 2-0 Series Lead

As Myles Hesson went down with a toe injury in game one of the semifinals series in Goettingen one may not have seen it on the faces of his teammates, but they surely were feeling a sense of despair and some helplessness as their best player from England was being brought to a hospital for examination. How important had he been in game one and three  against Science City Jena sealing crucial free throws and hitting for 29 and 31 points in game three and game four? Without the help of the important Hesson play, teammates like Steven Bennett may already have been home going to a Los Angeles Clippers game or Rob Chubb visiting his cousin Adam Chubb and new born baby in Oldenburg. Hesson was missing for game two and at times, one doesn´t know if his focused and stern expression is of happiness or sadness as his unchanging demeanor resembles that of ex Giessen fan favorite Florian Hartenstein. With Hesson on the sidelines and only real strength as a cheerleader and added assistant coach, Denis Wucherer could of really used the sudden arrivals of ex Giessen scorers David Teague or Chuck Eidson as they had been the type of players that had come up big in their time in Giessen, but instead the ex German national player was without his best player and had to make massive adjustments. After the game one wouldn´t have known if Giessen had won or lost with the expression of Hesson or how both clubs were celebrating their fans, but the absence of the Englishman really was felt as BG Goettingen grinded out a big 74-65 win. Hesson missed game two because of  a toe injury and reflected on being on the sidelines. “I wish that I could of helped more on offense and defense and my points were missing. If I would have been healthy, I could of helped, but I can´t get upset about my situation, because it is something I can´t control”, stressed ex ratiopharm Ulm forward Myles Hesson. Teammate Steven Bennett was missing his partner in basketball crime and could of used the Englishman for support under the boards. “It was really tough without Myles Hesson. BG Goettingen is so physical and we were so small. There were quite a few times where we could of used him on rebounds and finishes”, warned Steven Bennett.  BG Goettingen had a tremendous start and never looked back as Giessen were trailing the whole game. BG Goettingen played solid team basketball on both ends of the court. “Giessen fought so hard and really made us work for 40 minutes. They made runs and never went away. We played hard as well and just stuck together to get this win”, added ex California(NCAA) forward Harper Kamp. The Giessen 46ers continued to get wrapped up in old habits as they started off slow which has been a dilemma in the playoffs, fought the whole game, but just couldn´t get over the hump in crunch time as BG Goettingen outmuscled them for the win. “It was the first five minutes that hurt us. They had a big lead and it is tough coming back against a team like BG Goettingen. They had great ball movement and execution and did a good job crashing the boards and getting second chance points. We have to play for 40 minutes and limit their runs, but we didn´t”, stressed ex Temple(NCAA) guard TJ DiLeo.

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Chris Oliver (medi bayreuth Must Have Felt That Kyle Weems Would be A Better Fit Than Me)

Chris Oliver is a 28 year old 198cm forward that completed his second season in France and first with Nanterre helping them win the France Pro A title. Last season with Nanterre he played 31 games: 10.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 85.2%, He is a athletic forward that has great hands, the versatility to play inside and outside, with three-point range on his jump shot, and has tremendous poise and maturity. He played at Radford from 2003-2007 and in his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 18.8ppg, 8.3rpg, 2.1apg, 1.9spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 48.7%, 3Pts: 25.8%, FT: 74.8%. He came to Germany in 2007-2008 and played for the Kaiserslautern Braves of the PRO A playing 30 games: Score-2(20.5ppg), Reb-5(9.0rpg), 1.2apg, 1.3spg, 1.7bpg, FGP: 56%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 79.6%.In 2008-2009 in Goettingen, he averaged 10.6ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.4spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 75.5% in 34 games. In 2009-2010, he won the Eurochallenge with BG Goettingen and played EuroChallenge: 13 games: 11.5ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 41.7%, 3PT: 37.9%, FT: 77.1%; German League: 35 games: 14.1ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 80.9%. In 2010-2011 he played with the The Walter Tigers Tuebingen, and he averaged 13,5ppg and 6,4rpg. In 2011-2012 he played with Strassburg and played  30 games: 11.4ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 84.7%. He now has moved to Hungary and is playing for  Szolnoki Olajbanyasz. The American reflects about why he didn´t return back to Germany and his new life in Hungray.

Thanks again for talking to German Hoops. A week ago it seemed like you may be back to Germany to Medi Bayreuth, but instead they chose Kyle Weems. Were you a bit sad that it didn´t work out?

 No I wasnt sad it didn’t work out. God just had a different team He wanted me to go to. So I knew the right situation would present itself when the time was right.

Kyle Weems had a big season in the Beko BBL and was eurobasket.com newcomer of the year. Do you think that was one of the main reasons they chose him? ON the other hand you had helped Naterre win the French title.

 I dont know what was the reason in their choice but they probably felt he was a better fit for the team than I was.

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Darrell Tucker (BG Goettingen Have The Greatest Fans In Germany)

Darrell Tucker is a 32 year old 204cm power forward from Oakland, California that recently played in the Beko BBL for BG Goettingen. He played at USF from 1999-2003. He was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2000. The American started his basketball career in 2003 and in this span has played in 10 countries. Some of the teams that he played for were Stade Clermontois Basket Auvergne (France-ProA), Energa Czarni Slupsk (Poland-DBL), Eiffel Towers Den Bosch (Holland-Eredivisie), Hyeres-Toulon Var Basket (France-ProA), or Maccabi Rishon Le-Zion (Israel-Premier League). He won the Dutch cup in 2008. He took some time to talk about basketball with German Hoops.

You have played all over the world in various leagues with The top German League being your most recent stop and what do you have to say about the top League in Germany?

The BBL is a well organized league and is extremely competitive. Every night in the BBL you must bring your ‘A’ game. From top to bottom this league is good.

How would you compare the Beko BBL with other leagues and Europe and how would you rate it against the others?

The Beko BBL is easily in my top 10 leagues regarding Europe. If I had to place it I would say the BBL is 6th on my list. From top to bottom this league is very competitive with good players. The BBL is a scouting league and each game feels like an intense Chess Match. Many games are won based on how well a team execute their offense and defense in the BBL. Compared to a French team/league where many games could be won on pure athleticism.

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Jerel Allen (BG Goettingen) Basketball Is My Love And Goal In Life

Jerel Allen is a 26 year old 193cm shooting guard/small forward from Detroit, Michigan that is playing for BG Goettingen. He played at Florida State form 2005-2007 with NBA Players Tony Douglas and Al Thornton. In the 2007-2008 season, he played for Neptunas Klaipeda (Lithuania-LKL, starting five): Baltic League: 12 games: 8.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.0apg, 0.9spg, 2FGP: 32.4%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 61.5%; Lithuanian League: 17 games: 11.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 51.4%, FT: 83.8%, 3PT: 30.2%. In 2008-2009, he played for : SK Dnipro Azot Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine-UBL, starting five): 38 games: 15.6ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 40.8%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 45.7%. In 2009-2010, he played for Kryvbasbasket-Lux Kryvyi Rih (Ukraine-Superleague), released in May.’10 : 23 games: 8.8ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.4%, 3PT: 31.9%, FT: 73.3%. Last season, he played for the Rockingham Flames (Australia) playing 21games: 21.7ppg, 6.5rpg, 3.1apg, FG: 41.7%. He spoke to German Hoops about his season in Germany.

What was the first thing that you said to Isiah Swann when you saw him on the court in Germany?

I told him that we are going to get this game. I really felt like we could have beat ratiopharm Ulm at home.

How has Isiah Swann developed as a player since Florida State?

He has always been a good shooter. His team likes to play off him. He loves the game so much and he has played exactly how I expected he would in Germany. He is always growing as a player.

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Matt Bauscher Slips But Recovers Bausching Home A Buzzer Beater As BG Goettingen Shock The Fraport Skyliners 62-61

Saying goodbye to the sympathetic purple colors of BG Goettingen after this season will be as difficult for New England Patriots fans when Tom Brady is no longer barking signals for them, when Ray Bourque left the Boston Bruins after 21 seasons with no Stanley Cup win to go play for the Colorado Avalance in 2001 to finally win that cup or former Boston Celtic great Robert Parish leaving after a stellar 14 season career and three NBA titles to end his career with Charlotte and Chicago. BG Goettingen will return back to the PRO A after five successful seasons where they reached the playoffs three times. The two teams have had some very memorable wins in the last five years like the 64-61 win in 2008, where half the Skyliner team was sick and Maksym Shtein exploded like a mini Dwight Howard scoring 24 points leading the team to victory or last season where Frankfurt won 88-82 as Dashaun Wood countered with 25 points and 12 assists. In their last meeting, BG Goettingen was able to win in exciting spectacular style as Matt Bauscher hit a buzzer beater giving BG Goettingen their third win this season 62-61. After playing in Holland the last three years, Bauscher was humble and lauding the BG Goettingen organization despite their hard times this season. “It has been great playing for this organization. They have die hard fans. The fans have showed a lot more heart than what we could ever ask for. It has been a pleasure playing here”, stressed 2009 Dutch scoring champ Matt Bauscher. “I remember winning games against them, but I will never forget their press defense”, stated Skyliner American Quantez Robertson. It isn´t always the best thing to do after a bitter buzzer beater loss to have a player reflect on what had happened in the past against BG Goettingen after a game like that. Skyliner guard Jimmy Mckinney couldn´´t reflect on his memories about BG Goettingen, but probably more on the last play in which Bauscher was able to retain himself after slipping and making the shot. “It doesn´t mean nothing to me what happened in the past”, expressed Jimmy Mckinney. Burtschi played four times against BG Goettingen in his career and only had praise for the 2010 Eurochallenge winner. “You have to give them a lot of credit for the success that they have had despite a small budget. They have a great fan base there. I am sure that they will find the right pieces next season and be back soon in the Beko BBL”, added ex Phoenix Hagen forward Jacob Burtschi.

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A Basketball God Hasn´t Been Present In Goettingen This Season

BG Goettingen was living a basketball fantasy from 2007-2011 with their rapid rise to the Beko BBL, 3 playoff appearances in four years and the highlight winning the 2010 Eurochallenge being only the third German team to win a international title with Alba Berlin 1995(Korac cup) and MBC 2004(FIBA cup). However since the teams 0-3 playoff loss to the Deutsche bank Skyliners last May, the team has slipped from near top to bottom in only a matter of 10 months. The bad luck and teams inability to win more than two games, losing Louis Dale for the season and recently Raymond Sykes to injury almost seems like a side note when you add the sad car accident tradegy that took the life of Marco Grimaldis girlfriend and younger sister. The basketball god seems to have neglected to watch over Goettingen and perhaps rather guarding over the Rembrant collection in nearby Kassel in the Wilhelmshöhe Castle Museum this season as the team has had about as much misfortune as Tom Brady losing two Super Bowls on the last drive or Michael hakim Jordan landing on lower ranked teams the last years in the beko BBL. With less than two months to go, BG Goettingen has already made public that early preparations have already started for the upcoming PRO A season. For 5 years, BG Goettingen had accomplished feats that other Beko BBL teams haven´t been able to do in 30 years. Things that will be kept in memory most will be the fast paced 40 minutes of hell that was incorporated by coach John Patrick, the mysterious Lok Halle, the development of no name players Dwayne Anderson, Taylor Rochestie, Chris Oliver or Jason Boone and the unbelievable 2010 Eurochallenge win. “It was clear before the season that they would have the lowest budget and that it would be a difficult season. The injury to Raymond Sykes didn´t help their situation and then the tragic accident at the start of the season really made it a difficult situation for the team. Their most positive result was the win of the Eurochallenge 2010, but what I will remember most will be their playing style which was unique and some may have said that that has nothing to do with basketball anymore, but their success proved the critics wrong. It was tough for guards to play against BG Goettingen, because they felt pressure for 40 minutes, but players like Taylor Rochestie and Dwayne Anderson profited from this playing style, because it fit to them . Anderson always played efficiently an done could compare him now to PJ Tucker today only at a slightly lower level. Chris Mcnaughton also became a better player”, stressed BBC Bayreuth center Stefan Schmidt.

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The Fraport Skyliners Play Point Guard By Committee Perplexing BG Goettingen 78-65

For some teams performing well and wining in the past in the Lok Halle was equal to basketball cruelty as for some it was as difficult to be to deny that actress Lindsay Lohan doesn´t have the arsenal  to be called a Playboy success as it is for basketball superstar Kobe Bryant to deny his women exploits to the basketball wives of America, or Tim Tebow supporters recovering after Tom Brady and the New England Patriots brought him the Denver broncos back to reality after the crushing 41-23 loss last weekend. For the Skyliners in the past, winning in the Lok Halle wasn´t always tough as they finished there with a 2-2 record the last four years. Who could forget the 74-67 victory in 2008, where half the team was sick and Maksym Shtein was the hero for 24 hours mowing down the opposition in Ukrainian train style with 24 points or last season their 70-58 win as Dashaun Wood and Roger Powell took control with 18 points a piece. The Lokhalle era came to an end last season as this season, the team moved into the Sparkassen arena and The Fraport Skyliners wanted to send a positive new trend as they left the new home of BG Goettingen with a big 78-65 win. For injured BG Goettingen guard Louis Dale leaving the Lok halle wasn´t easy, but the Sparkassen halle is already stirring up a lot of noise. “We have many new players, so there really wasn´t any adjustment for them as they never played in the Lok Halle. This arena is brighter, but the atmosphere is still good. When the game is on the line, it can get very loud in here”, stressed BG Goettingen American Louis Dale. After the big win, new Skyliner Jacob Burtschi was all smiles and didn´t boast about his hot three point shooting, but was drilled about the new arena. “This is a good arena and can get loud. This arena can be very intimidating, because the ceiling is low and you seem to be packed in. It is more intimidating playing in a smaller packed arena than in Berlin where it is more of an open arena”, warned ex Phoenix Hagen forward Jacob Burtschi.

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