college-basketball

Winning The NCAA Title In 2023 Was So Special For Nahiem Alleyne(Skyliners) As He Had Had That On His Bucket List Since 8th Grade

For every American baller the dream is to play in the NBA and win the NBA title and probably the big goal before the NBA is winning the NCAA title at March Madness. Winning an NCAA title is rare and what is even rarer is experiencing guys having won that exceptional title play in the easyCredit BBL. There simply haven´t been many guys that have done it. There was even two German guys who won the NCAA title twice with Niels Giffey and Christian Ast. One had to wait 17 years after Henrik Rodl won with North Carolina in 1993 to see Giffey win it with Kemba Walker and UConn in 2011. He did it again in 2014 for a second time with Shabazz Napier. 2 other players that stand out that have won the NCAA title and played in Germany in the BBL were Darius Miller with Kentucky who won a BBL title with Bamberg and Napier who won a title with FC Bayern Munich. This season there is another baller balling in Germany with the Skyliners with Nahiem Alleyne (193-G-2001, college: St.John’s) who also won March Madness. He also did it with UConn in 2023. Somehow UConn has had that knack of sending guys to Germany. There was another player that also played in Germany with Senegal big man Souleymane Wane in Giessen who also won with UConn in 1999. For Nahiem Alleyne winning the NCAA title means so much. It was a goal that he had on his bucket list already in elementary school “I saw my goals come to life. I wrote a list of dreams in eighth grade and one of them was winning the NCAA title. It was a real wow moment. I have 2 distinct memories from the NCAA final. The first that I will never forget was running onto the court and seeing the fans in the football stadium. I was nervous. It felt like 1 million fans were there. It was a dope moment. The other was around the 2 minute mark where I knew that we were going to win it all”, stressed Skyliner guard Nahiem Alleyne.

Nahiem Alleyne who lists Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic as his toughest opponent in the NCAA was born on July 23, 2001 in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He attended South Gwinnett High School and also Mountain View High School. He was a HS three-star on 247 Sports and was ranked as the 21st-best player in the state of Georgia in 2019. He then attended Virginia Tech from 2019-2022 and played 90 NCAA games. He had consistent stats averaging 8.8ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 38.7%, 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 76.2%, : 11.1ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 37.5%, 3PT: 40.8%, FT: 80.7% and 9.6ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 38.8%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 85.2%. He reached 2 NCAA tournaments and in his last season won the ACC title. Not many players can say that they beat North Carolina and Duke back to back to win the ACC title. “That run was special. We were a 7th seed. I remember we had a meeting before the ACC tournament. We felt like we could win it all. We really got locked in. North Carolina was our kryptonite. We had so much energy against them and were hot the whole game. We knew that we could beat them. After that we knew we could win it all. We then beat Duke and coach K in his last season”, stressed Nahiem Alleyne. He had so many great games including hitting Florida for 28 points in a tough March madness loss and overall really grew as a player under head coach Mike Young. “Coach young really took me under his wing. I honestly didn´t think like I was good enough, but he always believed in me. He groomed me into the player that I am today”, remembered Nahiem Alleyne. He then added a year with the University of Connecticut (NCAA) averaging 5.2ppg, 1.2rpg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 87.1% and won the NCAA title. Was that the best basketball decision in his life? “I´m really grateful for getting the opportunity and playing for head coach Dan Hurley. But individual wise, it was my worst season in the NCAA. I had some mental issues”, said Nahiem Alleyne. But it was all worth it since, he helped UConn win it all. The team was on a mission that season and dominated at March madness. “If someone had told me in October 2022 that we would win it all, I would have believed it. We had so many pieces. I remember tweeting a pic of the 2011 winning team. I felt like we had something special. We knew going in that we could win it all, but that it would be tough. The first 2 games were tough. The first one against Iona was the toughest. The next one against St Marys and Logan Johnson was also tough. But when we beat Gonzaga bad, I knew that we would win it all”, warned Nahiem Alleyne. He then added one more season at St. John’s University (NCAA) averaging 6.5ppg, 1.6rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 89.5%. He played twice against UConn that season and lost. He was able to grow a bit more under coaching legend Rick Pitino. “That was a learning year for me. It was amazing to be able to play for him. I learned the mental aspects of the game. I was able to see things through his eyes and perspective. I then realized why he had been so successful. His attention to detail and scouting was amazing. We had a good group of guys, but just didn´t make March Madness”, remembered Nahiem Alleyne who never played 1-1 against ex teammate Daniss Jenkins, but remembers him being one of the quickest guards that he ever faced in his career.

The Georgia native who lists Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Hakeem Olajuwan and Magic Johnson on his personal NBA mount Rushmore began his professional career overseas with AEK Betsson Athens (Greece-GBL)playing 4 Basketball Champions League: games averaging 5.3ppg, and then in Nov.’24 moved to Trefl Sopot (Poland-OBL) averaging 6.1ppg, 2.2rpg, FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 85.0%, 2.6rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 40.0%, 3PT: 38.5% and averaged 7.2ppg in the Eurocup. Every American has a wake up call to being overseas for the first time and it wasn´t any different for him. “When I got on the plane, I realized that this was really happening and when I landed it all hit me. Everything was different. My parents were far away and there was a time difference. I was really in awe the first 2 weeks”, remembered Nahiem Alleyne. His stay in Greece was very short as they had too many imports and he was the odd man out as a rookie. He was told that he would of played more with less imports. However he didn´t allow this first experience to rattle him, but he stayed on his toes and sought a new challenge in Poland where he had a long playoff run and played Eurocup. He had a different kind of a role as he wasn´t much of a scorer. “My role there was a tough one. I was a 3 and D player, but it really didn´t feel like it. I gave all I had and made my whole stay something out of it. It was a blessing playing against great players in the Eurocup. That showed me where I was as a player. I knew the next summer that I had to work on a lot of my game”, said Nahiem Alleyne. He was fortunate to have had many great veterans on the squad like ex NBA and BBL player Nick Johnson who showed him the ropes. “Nick was always funny and had so much energy. He always kept it real with me”, added Nahiem Alleyne.

The Ex UConn guard who lists Adama Sanogo (UConn), Jordan Hawkins (UConn), Daniss Jenkins (ST Johns), Justyn Mutts (Virginia Tech) and Tyrece Radford (Virginia Tech) as his 5 best teammates of all-time is playing his second professional season with the Skyliners. It took him a little adjustment time with all, but overall has enjoyed the experience and is very appreciative to Klaus Perwas and the coaching staff for helping him get integrated. He trains in a state of the art training facility and lives in a mall next to the facility. He has everything he needs there. Does he ever get out of the mall to explore the German culture? “I do get out a little bit. But to be honest, I don´t go out much. I have hit some restaurants and checked out the art museums. I like to take walks and have seen the river Main downtown”, said Nahiem Alleyne. On the court, it has been a tough season as the team is somewhere in the middle not in danger of moving down, but also not near the playoff territory “We had a tough stretch of games. I´m confident though that we have the pieces to make a run. We have been up and down and won a few more games. We just keep going which gives us hope”, stated Nahiem Alleyne. A big problem has been being able to close out games. The Skyliners have lost 8 close games. Is that big go to guy missing? “We all ask ourselves why we have lost so many close games. We were in so many games. I think that a problem has been that we allow one mistake to multiple into 2-3 mistakes. We then crumble. I feel like we have a good balance of players. We are all dangerous in many ways and just as dangerous if we had that one main go to guy”, expressed Nahiem Alleyne. One guy who has been missed is Jaedon LeDee who is involved in a contract dispute. Alleyne beat LeDee in the 2023 NCAA title game. “At the start I poked fun at him, but overtime it got less. Jaedon is a really good guy”, said Nahiem Alleyne. He has gelled greatly in the back court with immensely talented rookie Isaiah Swope. “I love Isaiah. He has asked me many questions about my journey. He is a real workhorse. He values the game so much and always wants to get better. We have a close relationship and both are competitors on the court”, commented Nahiem Alleyne.

The 3 and D player who lists Kobe Bryant as his GOAT is a player that likes to take things from many players to help implement into his game. He enjoys the game of Malik Beasley and how he shoots the ball and defends and lists CJ McCollum as his favorite player and his favorite defender is Jrue Holiday. He is though more than just a 3 and D player. “I like to get to the mid range a lot and when the opponents defense gets me off the line, then I like to use the pull up jumper as well. I´m also focused on using the floater more”, added Nahiem Alleyne. He is known as being a three point specialist and wants to continue to flourish overseas as a shooter. “I just want to be consistent and be confident. That is the main thing. I just will keep working on my shot. Just knowing to shoot it when the defenders hand is down, take the pull up off the three point line and knowing a half contested shot is a good shot”, warned Nahiem Alleyne. He also is striving to be the best defender possible. “I want to play at the highest level. I know that my defense generates my offense. I watch a lot of Jrue Holiday and Thomas Walkup. I want to be able to guard the other teams best players”, warned Nahiem Alleyne. He continues to be in the lab to improve his game as best as possible. “I´m working on many things like my ball handling, pick and roll reads and playmaking. But what I´m working on most is playing freely”, stated Nahiem Alleyne. This season he is averaging 8,8ppg and 3,0rpg and shooting 35% from outside and has scored in double figures in 11 of 26 games. Is it a fair assessment that he has been up and down? “Yes I have been up and down. I´m better though than in my rookie season. I have to improve my consistency”, warned Nahiem Alleyne. It is now the stretch run of the season and his favorite win of the season was in Ulm. “There is a lot history with Ulm and I played against my ex teammate Chris Ledlum. The win was amazing, because we showed that we could play with anyone”, stressed Nahiem Alleyne. The Skyliners were unable to reach the playoffs, but for Nahiem Alleyne, it was a season where he gathered vital experience and will be ready for battle on the court in year 3 no matter where he lands.

The Universal Genius Ivan Crnjac Has Hot Hand Powering Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners Past Jena 68-64 To Reach NBBL Top 4 In Berlin

It was high noon in Basketball City Mainhatten as NBBL (U-19) team Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners were 1 win away from reaching the promised land of the NBBL top 4 in Berlin. Frankfurt had done a greta job sweeping IBAM an dnow had a very annoying and ambitious opponent with Jena. Eintracht Frankfurt buckled down on defense in the first game and controlled the boards winning 71-60. However in game 2, Jena had a do or die game in their living room an d fulfilled expectations winning 89-79 and this time did a lot better job controlling the boards and shot 40% from the parking lot. On a very mild May afternoon a packed BCM crowd were presented with a game that brought all fighting qualities of a do or die game where Frankfurt had to fight back all game long and finally got the lead back in the last minute to secure the victory and first visit back to the NBBL top 4 in 10 years. Ivan Crnjac (203-F-2007) and Lukas Smazak supplied key three´s in the second half while energizer Rephael Edward gave incredible support with 7 offensive rebounds that keyed the win. “We had a bad start. Jena did a good job closing us down and our three´s weren´t falling. Even after Biel made three three´s in a row, we kept a calm head. We defended a lot better in the second half to secure the win”, stressed Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners forward Ivan Crnjac. Science City Jena played their heart out for 40 minutes, but lost control in the last minutes where a few possessions cost them the win, but it was also a combination of other things. “We began in the B-League and didn´t expect too much after that however we still wanted to win this game 3 so badly. I think the pressure got to us a bit at the end. We didn´t make the right decisions and gave up easy baskets”, stressed Science City Jena forward Daniel Biel.

Karl Haring at the FT line

Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners were with out Julius Messer while Science City Jena were without Maxi Bader. Science City Jena didn´t let their mishap of forgetting their jersey´s get them out of concentration as the black Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners jerseys suited them well. Both teams understood the importance of the game and were a tad nervous as 9 possessions combined led to 0 points. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners then got potent support from Jamie Edoka who scored back to back baskets for the 4-0 advantage. “Jamie has really developed well this season. I think that he has improved from game to game and taken on more responsibility”, stated Skyliner Junior Marvin Esser. However Science City Jena then got going and punched back going on a lethal 12-0 run to lead 12-4. Science City Jena moved the ball great and just made incredible decisions creating good shots that led to excellent execution. Jena got key three´s from Leopold Schmidt and Karl Haring while athletic forward Daniel Biel made an off balance shot and Philipp Morgenstern also scored inside. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners were getting some good looks, but the basketball God just didn´t want the three to fall yet. The universal Genius Ivan Crnjac gave his team extra energy on 3 possessions making an old school hook shot in the manner of ex Skyliner Ilian Evtimov, made free throws and made a pretty back door pass to Edward to trail 12-9. In the last minute the guests got free throws from Biel and a jumper from Schmidt. “The three wasn´t falling for us. 2 more three´s and the game would have been tied. Jena took better shots and we had too much 1-1 play. We also couldn´t match their intensity”, stated Skyliner Garai Zeeb. Science City Jena shot 33% from the field and 25% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 5 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 24Y% from the field and 0% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

Jamie Edoka with the runner

In the second quarter Science City Jena continued to control the game and led by double digits 34-22 at half-time. Science City Jena kept their momentum from the first quarter and went on a 8-2 run to begin the second quarter and led 24-12. In the run, they got the good mid range game Karl Haring with a 10 and 15 footer as he knew exactly how to find his spots, while Schmidt also scored twice. Jena´s offense was calm and controlled as they were always looking for the right shot. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners continued having difficulty hitting the ocean as nothing feel. They did get to the free throw line getting points from Maxi Peters and Smazak, but still trailed 28-20. The bench was also of big value as Science City Jena had had the overwhelming 57-13 bench points advantage in the first 2 games and in game 3 continued to get great bench support as Lenny Junker made a trey and Lukas Cadordzic made a lay in on transition. Jena also had extra opportunities as they were controlling the offensive board. Jena´s aggressive defense also forced Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners to too many turnovers as all in all, they couldn´t find a healthy offensive rhythm. Even if Smazak was searching for his shot, he was playing great defense as his 3 steals helped Frankfurt get extra possession. “He is always giving great effort and full gas. He is a super player and a role model for the young kids”, added Marvin Esser. Undersized big man Johan Grau who never picked off a rebound he didn´t like showed his IQ finding Cadordzic with a back door pass for the 11 point lead at the break. “Jena was fighting a bit more than we were. If the game is running well then you work harder. If shots aren´t falling which was the case with Frankfurt, you loose intensity”, warned Garai Zeeb. Science City Jena shot 42% from the field and 27% from the three point line and had 25 rebounds and 10 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 24% from the field and 0% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Daniel Biel with the lay up attempt

In the third quarter Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners fought back and tied the game by the hot hand of Ivan Crnjac, but the hot hand of Daniel Biel gave Science City Jena the 53-46 advantage after 3 quarters. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners began well on the defensive end adding a lot more intensity getting steals from Smazak and Peters which led to Frankfurt´s first trey by Smazak on their 17th attempt to trail 34-26. However the guests didn´t get scared, but punched back with authority with back to back three´s by Johan Grau and Biel to up their lead back up again to 40-26. Frankfurt was making it more difficult for Jena to execute, but they still found ways to score as Morgenstern made an offensive rebound and put back and Grau made a jumper for the 44-31 advantage. Frankfurt still hadn´t found their groove from outside and the question was how much longer could their three point drought carry on? Things finally turned around for Frankfurt as they produced an annoying 13-0 run to dead lock the contest at 44-44. It was powered by 3 three´s by Ivan Crnjac. “Frankfurt finally hit three´s. Ivan took the chance and with every new made three, the rim looked bigger. He had more post ups the last games and not many three´s. It is great that he kept shooting three´s after he made them”, smiled brother Drago Crnjac. “After I made that first deep three, I knew the next ones would go in as well. I needed that break out and then my confidence rose”, smiled Ivan Crnjac. The momentum was in Frankfurt´s hands, but then came the brutal awakening of Daniel Biel. He had had a solid game, but now he upped his game a few extra levels and pulled a Crnjac with 3 clutch three´s in a row to up the Jena lead by 7 points after 30 minutes. “It was a do or die game. I had to answer after Ivan´s three´s. I love the challenge. I heard the fans a bit, but in that moment, it was just me and the rim”, said Daniel Biel. Science City Jena shot 43% from the field and 42% from the parking lot and had 36 rebounds and 14 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 30% from the field and 16% from the parking lot and had 29 rebounds and 8 turnovers. “We worked well with our hands, got more rebounds, were more physical and got many steals”, added Ivan Crnjac. “Frankfurt defended a lot better and just gave all. Ivan Crnjac started to hit three´s something he is always capable of doing”, commented Daniel Biel.

Maxi Peters at the FT line

In the fourth quarter Science City Jena continued to control the game, but couldn´t shake Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners as they continued to remain in striking distance. Cardordzic and Smazak traded three´s to begin the fourth quarter, but Frankfurt still trailed 56-49. Edoka and Biel then traded baskets, but Jena still led 60-52. Then came a phase where one got the idea that Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners weren´t ever going to go down with a fight as the ultimate hustler Rephael Edward picked up 3 offensive rebounds and Peters one offensive rebound, but it led to 0 points. Edward finished with 7 offensive rebounds. “We wanted to win so badly. I did all I could for my team giving 100%. I just do the dirty work”, smiled Rephael Edward. Frankfurt just kept plugging step by step as now their three didn´t let them down. Smazak hit a trey and Chris Widmer a jumper as suddenly Jena led only 62-59. Jena´s intensity wasn´t a strong as the first half and Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners were in the drivers seat now. They closed out the game in serious style going on a 9-2 run. Crnjac dropped a trey to tie the game and Smazak hit the next one for the 65-62 advántage. “Ivan´s shooting was so important today. I was just wow. We have so much trust in his shooting”, expressed Rephael Edward. A clutch steal by little used utility player Christoph Goerdes led to a Edoka bucket that sealed the win. “A few possessions made the difference. I think that overall we had the better individual class. We had too many weapons to decide the game”, explained Ivan Crnjac. “We gave up too many offensive rebounds, turnovers and open shots”, said Daniel Biel. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners was led by Ivan Crnjac with 19 points. Jamie Edoka added 17 points and Lukas Smazak 14 points while Science City Jena was led by Daniel Biel with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 31% from the field and 25% from outside and had 45 rebounds and 12 turnovers while Science City Jena shot 41% from the field and 38% from outside and had 42 rebounds and 19 turnovers.

Explosive Scorer Jonathan Klussmann(Paderborn) Can Also Create Very Well Simply Because Of His Dangerous Scoring Qualities

Jonathan Klussmann (190-G-2002) is a 23 year old 190cm guard from Denmark playing his second season in Germany and first with the Paderborn Baskets. Last season he played with SC RASTA Vechta 2nd team (Germany-ProA) averaging 15.9ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 51.4%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 84.0%. He began his pro career with BK Amager (BasketLigaen) averaging 17.3ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 45.4%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 84.1% and 17.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 39.8%, 3PT: 32.0%, FT: 77.0%. He then played 2 seasons with Randers Cimbria Basketball (BasketLigaen) averaging 15.4ppg, 3.3rpg, 3.8apg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 71.8% and 16.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.9apg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 72.6%. He then played in Spain with Fundacion Globalcaja La Roda (Spain-LEB Silver) averaging 13.1ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 39.8%, FT: 80.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Jonathan for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your first season for the Paderborn Baskets. What kind of an experience has it been for you? What have you enjoyed most about your time there?

It has been a really good experience. It´s been my first time playing for a Big Home crowd with a lot of loyal fans. I really appreciate Them and that experience.

Do you still have ties to Vechta. In Paderborn you aren´t far away from Vechta. Was the familiarity of the area important for you to go to Paderborn?

I liked my time in Vechta but I don’t Think the area did anything to my decision. I have enjoyed both cities being close to Denmark so my girlfriend and family can visit me.

It hasn´t been the best season for Paderborn. What have been the main reasons for the club not standing better in the standings? Was defense one of the major factors?

I think the season depends a lot on how we finish it. We still have the chance to make it a good season since all teams outside the playoffs are so close and one or two wins can change a lot

You have upped your scoring from last season. Is your role different from last season. Last season you were a leader among young German players. This season there are way more scoring options and that hasn´t allowed to let your scoring suffer. How do you explain that?

Of courseI have a bigger role this year, we might also be a little bit more competitive and that lets me be myself in some of the close games, like the one in Koblenz. I think it hasn’t stopped me because I had the skills to keep doing it on this level and got the chance from the club and coach to do it.

What has it been like being teammates with young German Karl Buhner? I call him Mr offensive rebound because he is such a great rebounder for his height. How have you seen his development into a pro player the last 2 seasons?

I love Karl. He is a great guy. Its really nice to see him have a breakout season compared to last year. I think he shows he can be a top level German in this league.

How valuable has a veteran like Grant Tecihmanm been for you? Is he in a way like a mentor for you?

Grant has been great for us. It has been nice to have someone with experience. I think he has helped me with his knowledge of German basketball since he has a lot of experience from this league

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 190cm guard. If You had to compare your game to a NBA or Euroleague player who would best fit the description

I don’t know if I really know someone to compare it to. But I like to watch and see how the unathletic Europeans play the game. So hopefully it can slow down for me in the future and I can be better. While still keeping some of my more American Inspired aggression and scoring.

You fill the stat sheet well and are a great scorer. What other strengths does your game incorporate best?

I think I can be great at creating for other players. Because I can always create an advantage through my scoring. And I also hope my teammates think I´m a player they can rely on in the closing minutes and important situations

You have always been a pretty solid outside shooter, but not reached 40% yet in a season. How big is your drive to reach that and what does your shot need to get even more stable?

My motivation for that is high. I think my role and shot selection right now makes it the hardest. So hopefully going to a higher level and maturing in the future will get me to that %

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

I think I am a strong and good on ball defense and can pressure the ball when my role sees it fit. I also draw a decent amount of charges. I want to be much smarter on defense especially off the ball since I am a small guy. And also just improve my ball screen and on ball defense.

On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue tom improve as a player?

I think my decision making. I often create good advantages so now my next step is to make the right read. And again on the defensive end

Last season you played your first season in Germany with SC RASTA Vechta 2nd team (Germany-ProA) averaging 15.9ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 51.4%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 84.0%. How tough was this season? The team finished in 18th place at 4-30. What did you learn about that season?

It was a really tough year but it taught me to keep going and made me more motivated to prove myself. It also gave me the chance to practice with the BBL squad for half the season, which was great for my motivation and to see that I can play on that level and hopefully get the chance in the future

What was it like being teammates with young German guards Kaya Bayram and Moritz Gruess? Did you have that type of mentor role for them?

It was fun. Most of the team was really young and it was a fun dynamic to experience. And of course I hope they liked me and maybe learned a thing from watching me.

You began your career with BK Amager (BasketLigaen) averaging 17.3ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 45.4%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 84.1% and 17.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 39.8%, 3PT: 32.0%, FT: 77.0%. Your were a teenager and played heavy minutes in the first Danish league. How vital was it being thrown into cold water right away? Did you become a man in terms of basketball?

I think that was great. I started playing men´s basketball at 15-16 so that was a part of growing up fast for me. Also for my Home town team, that was fun.

How thankful are you for head coach Almir Zeco who gave you that needed freedom? How did he help you most those 2 years in your basketball development?

I´m really thankful, he gave me a good chance and experience!

How vital was a player like American Robert Fields? Was he like a mentor for you? What could you soak up most from his game?

Rob is a great guy. He taught me some things on how to be professional that I could use moving on in my career.

That first season you had some really good games against top Danish team Bakken. What memories do you have of those games? You lost both, but scored 19 and 11 points.

For me it was just fun to play against some of the players and teams you grew up watching on TV. That was fun

You next made the jump to Randers Cimbria Basketball (BasketLigaen) averaging 15.4ppg, 3.3rpg, 3.8apg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 71.8% and 16.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.9apg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 72.6%. How valuable were these 2 years for your game? What steps did you make in your game under Peter Hoffman and Jimmy Moore?

Even though it was only two years it gave me a lot of different impressions which was good for when I wanted to leave Denmark. I learned how to be a full time pro. And gave me 2 pro years living with my girlfriend

You then left Denmark for the first time and played for Fundacion Globalcaja La Roda (Spain-LEB Silver) averaging 13.1ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 39.8%, FT: 80.0%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being in a new country where you knew that you were far away from home?

That was a hard year for me. No one really spoke english and the style of play was different. With almost no Americans. It was a year i´ll never forget but also a year I won´t miss. The city was bad and it made me more tough for sure.

You were top scorer at the 2018 U-16 Euro averaging PPG-1 (25.0), 7.8rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 56.6%, 3PT: 27.4%, FT: 69.2%. What memories do you have of that Euro? You dominated like crazy.

That was such a fun summer. Playing with all the guys from my age group and Denmark is such a small country that you know everyone and they are your friends. It was some fun games and we played against some top teams like Russia that went on to win the tournament.

You have become a Danish national player as well having played qualifying games. What is the state of Danish basketball? There is a good nucleus of players with Bakkary Dibba, Dane Erikstrup and yourself. What other players can we watch for in the future?

I think the state is really good. The last two eurobasket qualifiers we were one basket away from going, and I think we have a lot of talent coming up. Dibba is a great player and friend! Him and Dane have a great future in the national team, hopefully with me. Also Marcus Møller is the biggest prospect we have. He is the Danish Wemby.

What is your goal for the next years? Is the easyCredit BBL a league that you believe you could join soon?

I hope so. My goal is to prove myself and get better every season. I think I have a lot of things to improve and learn, so I think the nexT couple of years will be very exciting.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your life on the court who reached the NBA or Euroleague?

One of my first trips with the national team we played North Macedonia with TJ Shorts. I think I fouled him two times in 30 seconds and then I went to the bench again. He was very good.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I Think all the teammates I had as a kid. nAnd since I was a pro probably

Anton Hansen, Randers Cimbria Karl Buhner, Vechta/Paderborn

Bakary dibba, national team and angt

Luke House, Vechta Nathan Scott, Randers/Paderborn

Charles Knowles, La Roda Spain

Please name your NBA, Euroleague and Danish Mount Rushmore (4 best players)

Lebron, Jordan, Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose

MilosTeodosic, Sergio llull, Mike James, Alexey Shved

Chris Nielsen, Anton Hansen, Bakary Dibba and Linus Grøn

Who is your GOAT?

Lebron has to be. I grew up staying up at night to watch him play. My favorite player though was Dwight Howard

Thanks Jonathan for the chat.

2026 AST Champion Lucai Anderson´s Sniper Qualities Continue To Grow Not Through Quantity But Moreover Through Quality

Pic credit: Iamwosz

It was about 10 minutes after Germany had totally destroyed Bahrain in the opening contest at the 2026 Albert Schweitzer tournament. I wanted to interview Germany´s top scorer Lucai Anderson (190-G-2009). I stopped him and he said he would return back after coaches talk in the locker room. I waited and there were some kids shooting on one of the basket´s as well as also a young man that looked a bit familiar. I asked a young kid if that was Christian Anderson and he said yes. Anderson´s second season at Texas Tech had ended early and it was only logical that he would be in Germany on Easter supporting his younger brother at AST. Then after a few seconds, I recognized a man next to me and that happened to be the dad of Christian and Lucai. We rapped for a few minutes and it was nice knowing that he had read my work at Eurobasket for decades. That was very cool to hear from him. It was Easter in Germany and the Anderson men were all together. It just couldn´t be any other way. “It was pretty cool having both of them there watching me. We move together as a unit. We go everywhere together”, smiled Lucai Anderson. Brother Christian is 3 years older than Lucai and will be a projected 2026 first round pick in the NBA. Does Lucai feel any pressure having to follow in his brothers footsteps? “I don´t feel pressure. For me it is observing his path. I can see his mistakes and learn from them. I also get more opportunities watching his path. I´m always trying to learn from his game. I have learned how he plays on and off the ball”, stressed Lucai Anderson. Winning the AST title was a big title in his young career. “I had total joy and celebration when the buzzer sounded in the final. This was my first title with Germany and that was pretty special”, said Lucai Anderson.

The Anderson family with Miles Schmidt-Scheuber in Mannheim Germany at AST

Germany played Bahrain first at AST and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “It was a good thing that we had an easier opponent like Bahrain in the first game. That gave us the opportunity to find our faults and then be able to fix them so we would be ready for more difficult opponents”, stated Lucai Anderson. Jamie Edoka had a solid first game scoring 11 points and filled the stat sheet and was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the tournament. “Jamie is a very solid player. He always plays hard no matter what. He has the ability to impact the game the way he needs to”, warned Lucai Anderson. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We learned from that first Slovenia game to play more as a team. He also learned to move the ball better as well as playing better against ball pressure”, stated Lucai Anderson. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “I knew Jamie´s shot was going in. It was crazy how it was in and out and then fell in”, said Lucai Anderson. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “Caspar was really important for our success. He always brought a lot of energy. He always got us going with dunks”, remembered Lucai Anderson. Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “We struggled a bit against Turkey with rebounding. We got a little laid back and lost our principles. That was our wake up call and then we got going”, remembered Lucai Anderson. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 13 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “Fin was also a vital piece for our success. He always found a way to help us get rhythm on offense. He had the ability to score and rebound well”, remembered Lucai Anderson.

Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “We really dominated the boards at both ends. I think that the second chance points was a big reason why we won the game”, added Lucai Anderson. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Not only did Kiehlneker have a dominant double double, but so did Alba Berlin talent Anton Kemmer. “Felix is a great rebounder and lob threat. He helped us a lot with his rim protection, presence and being able to alter shots”, remembered Lucai Anderson. The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “They played fast like we did, but we had the size advantage. Mentally we were strong and didn´t take them for granted”, said Lucai Anderson. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds. Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “We had a good first half and then their defense put more focus on me. We didn´t let that hurt us. We got others involved and there was no stopping us”, added Lucai Anderson. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. Another key player for Germany at AST was Ludwigsburg guard Kenan Youdom who chipped in with 11 points vs Brazil, but was one of the team´s best defenders. “His defense always gave us energy and got us going. He always got all to play defense, but his offense was also vital”, stressed Lucai Anderson. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times.

The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “I think that Slovenia rushed to much at the end and couldn´t hit shots. We sped them up more than they wanted to. We also wanted it more than they did”, warned Lucai Anderson. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”I think our biggest strength during the AST was our ability to run transition. We wore out all the teams. Our depth also was really important in our success”, remembered Lucai Anderson. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states. The German who lists players Alessanco Vazquez Dos Santos of Brazil and Slovenian players Igor Stjepanovic and Lukas Bojovic as the playesr that impressed him most during the tournament had a solid tournament averaging 15/1/2 stats and shot 15/35 from outside. “It was a lot of fun playing against so many familiar faces that I had seen at the Next Gen tournament. I think that more team ball was played at AST, but the players were more talented at Next Gen. I think I played well, but could have been more consistent. I could of impacted the game more in 2-3 games. When shots aren´t falling then you try to do other things to help the team win. I´m just happy that we won”, expressed Lucai Anderson. He played against 6 different nations and against the best youth players on earth which helped his game make another step. “I struggled at the start with the ball pressure, but then it got better. I also learned to finish better against bigger bodies”, stated Lucai Anderson. All his teammates were impressed with his incredible shooting and it is something that helped carry Germany in so many times during AST. “My dad has taught me to shoot the ball a different way since I was 2 or 3. I think what separates me from other shooters is not focusing on quantity but quality. At the next level, shooters all have quantity, but it´s all about quality”, warned Lucai Anderson. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “Coach Alan gave me good tips like how to bring the ball up with less effort as well as challenging me on defense”, said Lucai Anderson. He had so many incredible moments on the court with his play, but what was his favorite? “I think my fondest moment was hitting the three´s against Slovenia after struggling at first”, remembered Lucai Anderson. It will be interesting to see where the career of Lucai Anderson continues to go in in the next years. One thing is for sure. The focus and hungriness to win the next Title with Germany will only continue to grow.

Scoring In Bunches Rascal Tehree Horn leads BBC Bayreuth To 89-75 Victory Over The EPG Baskets Koblenz

With the weather getting warmer and days onger, basketball fans in Koblenz had some other things to concentrate on besides their team, because with 2 game days remaining in the season, the club was no longer a playoff contender. The club had had their chances the last weeks, but with too much up and downs and slim loses to Paderborn and Tuebingen ruined any hopes of reaching the playoffs. The EPG baskets Koblenz had their last home game on the menu and faced 13-19 team BBC Bayreuth that shared the same record as them. They also had no chances or making the playoffs as their whole season had been an up and down affair as they could never go on a long winning streak and had 4 2 game winning streaks the whole season and were 5-5 in the last 10 games. It was an open game after three quarters, but a key 12-2 run in the fourth quarter by BBC Bayreuth sparked them to easy 89-75 win over the EPG Baskets Koblenz. “Key for the win was sticking together. We did a good job slowing down our turnovers and we had real good rim protection on the pick and roll. We had good play calling by coach and rebounding as well. All in all it was a good team effort”, stressed BBC Bayreuth guard Tehree Horn (193-G-2001, college: USC Aiken, agency: One Motive Sports). The EPG Baskets wanted to finish strong in their last home game, but not being able to finish strong hurt them once again in the loss to BBC Bayreuth. “They hit tough shots through out the game, We did a good job regrouping, but we just couldn´t put together a good effort for 40 minutes. We just showed it in spurts”, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz guard Julian Larry.

Kevaughn Allen with the lay in

The EPG Baskets were in the hole from the get go not having Calvin Wishart who was ill. He did sit on the bench to support his teammates. BBC Bayreuth had a quick start leading 9-2. The guests found an offensive rhythm and nailed 3 consecutive three´s from Mr 50/40/90 player Kevaughn Allen, American Cantia Rahming and ex Ulm forward Lenny Liedtke. ´Koblenz had little intensity and coughed up the ball early. They finally found to their game getting some easy baskets from American DJ Jeffries on a step back and a transition dunk from ex Phoenix Hagen guard Devonte McCall to trail 9-6. However BBC Bayreuth continued to execute well attacking the rim and getting easy lay up´s from Rahming, Horn, and Liedtke to lead 17-10. BBC Bayreuth was playing Koblenz´s game in that they were running and getting out on transition. Koblenz was playing catch up basketball, but didn´t lose total control, but remained in the game receiving a clutch trey from 2025 BBL cup champion Aleksa Kovacevic. BBC Bayreuth then were sparked by a mini 4-0 run as top Pro B player Jonathan Zeisberger made a lay in as did Liedtke for the 21-13 advantage. Koblenz closed out the first quarter with a little momentum with a 4-0 run by McCall who showed again how big of an impact player he can be. BBC Bayreuth led 21-17 after 10 minutes. “I felt like we had good mobility up front. Everybody was involved. But at the same time we had too many phases where we were unconcentrated and had too many unforced errors. We also had problems on the rebounds and missed easy lay up´s, Stated EPG Baskets Koblenz sport director Thomas Klein. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 42% form the 2 point area and 20% from outside and had 11 rebounds and 4 turnovers while BBC Bayreuth shot 67% from the 2 point area and 30% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Cantia Rahming at the FT line

The game of runs continued in the second half and BBC Bayreuth continued to manage the lead and led 38-32 after 20 minutes. The EPG Baskets Koblenz had a better start in the second quarter getting 4 consecutive stops, but couldn´t make significant ground only getting a dunk from DJ Jeffries on the perfect alley-op pass from Jannis Sonnefeld to trail 21-19. BBC Bayreuth caught Koblenz lacking concentration again for a few minutes and hit them with a brutal 9-0 run to extend their lead to 30-19. In the run, the guests were sparked by 4 different players as they shared the ball around. Liedtke dropped another trey while Horn made a step back and Allen a lay while Rahming a tip in. Rahming gave Koblenz fits all day long as he was a wrecking force in the zone as he finished with a 15/15 game. Kovacevic then found some instant energy adding 5 points as he made a left handed lay in and trey and suddenly the guests led only 30-25. Kovacevic also showed his Teodosic passing skills with a pretty over the shoulder pass to German Alex Moeller for 2 points. “Aleksa played very well today. That was definitely a great pass”, said Thomas Klein. Koblenz just couldn´t find any consistency inside as Rahming continued to do what he wanted with a put back and dunk to keep BBC Bayreuth ahead 34-29. Buck added a jumper, but BBC Bayreuth always had an answer as Horn closed out the first half with a lay in for the 6 point advantage. “We had too many ups and downs. We weren´t strong enough on the close outs and gave up too many offensive rebounds. We weren´t good on the box out. I do feel like the team still did a good job playing without Wishart”, explained Thomas Klein. BBC Bayreuth shot 52% from the 2 point area and 25% from the three point line and had 22 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 42% from the 2 point area and 30% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Alex Moeller with the lay in

In the third quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz had their first lead of the game, but couldn´t keep it as BBC Bayreuth fought back and stole the lead back and led 63-60 after 30 minutes. The EPG Baskets Koblenz came out refreshed going on a 8-0 run to lead 41-38. Badu Buck nailed a trey while Texas native Julian Larry hit a jumper and free throws and Jeffries made a free throw. Koblenz upped their intensity at both ends including being more of the hustling team and were a lot more aggressive attacking the hole. Koblenz kept the slim lead, but BBC Bayreuth also attacked the rim and got free throws from Liedtke and Rahming. But BBC Bayreuth also had an ace in their sleeve as Horn showed total responsibility scoring 4 buckets in the row to give his team the 53-51 advantage. “I like to score in bunches. I kept being open off screens and my teammates found me. I just took what the defense gave me. I also attacked on transition”, added Tehree Horn. Kovacevic gave Koblenz the lead back again at 54-53 with a floater, but BBC Bayreuth always had an answer. They got to the free throw line getting free throws from Rahming and German/American Leroy Ikejiaku and a pretty hook shot from Dutch forward Willem Brandwijk to lead 61-56. Larry made another lay in late and Sonnefeld free throws, but Koblenz just couldn´t get over the hump trailing by 3 points. “We got hot as a team and got open shots. That helped us get a better rhythm which we didn´t have in the first half”, commented Tehree Horn. “We didn´t hit shots despite getting open looks. Horn did a good job finding his spots and made shots”, said Julian Larry. BBC Bayreuth shot 52% from the 2 point area and 28% from the parking lot and had 29 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 46% from the 2 point area and 31% from the parking lot and had 27 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Alexsa Kovacevic at the FT line

In the fourth quarter BBC Bayreuth punched one last time for a big run and that was that as the EPG Baskets Koblenz were unable to get over the hump. BBC Bayreuth wasn´t fooling around as they surprised the EPG Baskets Koblenz with a lethal 12-2 run to lead 77-62 and would never look back again. Ohio native Tehree Horn was in attack mode again carrying the Bavarian team with 6 points while ex Sienna (NCAA) forward Brandwijk saved his best for the last quarter making 2 lay in´s and Liedtke also supplied a lay in. BBC Bayreuth just overpowered Koblenz by attacking the rim with severe force while Koblenz had continued difficulty with the close out and had mental lapses. Brandwijk still had a trick up his sleeve as he launched a nasty dunk for the 79-64 lead. “Willem shows those kind of dunks all the time in practice. He is a freak athlete. It is fun playing with him and watching him”, stated Tehree Horn. With 4 minutes to play, the EPG Baskets Koblenz were unable to make a comeback simply because they couldn´t string along extra stops. Larry did supply 5 points, but BBC Bayreuth always had an answer with an Allen lay in and free throws from Horn and Brandwijk to ice the win. “We did a good job in crunch-time taking advantage of the mis matches. We forced turnovers and our bigs did a good job protecting the rim”, stated Tehree Horn. “We didn´t have the needed execution or physicality. We had the same problem in Tuebingen last weekend. We have to do a better job executing and handling adversary”, warned Julian Larry. BBC Bayreuth was led by Tehree Horn with 23 points while Lenny Liedtke had 19 points and Cantia Rahming 15 points while the EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Julian Larry with 17 points and Devonte McCall had 15 points. BBC Bayreuth shot 48% from the field and 32% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 35% from the field and 27% from outside and had 32 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

2026 AST Champion Caspar Vossenberg Will Never Forget His Poster Dunk Against Japan

Pic credit: DBB

During Easter weekend 2026, the paths of Caspar Vossenberg (200-F-2009) and Ivan Kharchenkov couldn´t have been more different. Ivan Kharchenkov had been a easyCredit BBL player for years and even the youngest who ever played a game at age 16 and took the step this season to take advantage of the NIL and played with Arizona (NCAA). He had a great season and made it to the NCAA Final 4, but on that holy weekend, his season ended to the hands of Michigan. For Vossenberg on the other hand, the young German battled at the Albert Schweizer tournament for the second time in his career and played a massive role in Germany winning it´s third AST in the tournament´s 31 year existence. Despite a 3 year gap between both boys, both actually suited up last season to win the 2025 NBBL (U-19) title in Berlin. That was the memorable final where Kharchenkov took the train from Weissenfels to take a break from the BBL playoffs and play the final. Despite being concentrated for AST, was the young German able to follow Kharchenkov´s NCAA Final 4 weekend in Indianapolis? “Unfortunately I couldn´t follow it too much. It was really too bad that he didn´t win. However I feel like Ivan can still be really happy about his season. A big future is awaiting him”, warned Caspar Vossenberg. Did the 2 aggressive players that have an incredible drive have any kind of relationship last season? “We didn´t. He played most of the season with the Munich Euroleague team. Despite that he was still like a mentor for me though. One could see how good of a player he was. He is a really nice guy, hard worker and very humble”, remembered Caspar Vossenberg. “I can´t remember too much about Caspar since I only played one game with him, but he is a good guy”, said Ivan Kharchenkov.

Pic credit: DBB

Germany played Bahrain first at AST and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “To be honest I feel like at first it wasn´t our goal to win the AST. We saw the AST initially as a preparation for the World Cup this summer. But I think that we all realized in the semi-final that we could win it. We had taken our game to another level. It was key playing Bahrain first so everyone could get used to each other”, stressed Caspar Vossenberg. Jamie Edoka had a solid first game scoring 11 points and filled the stat sheet and was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the tournament. Could he be the next German after Isaac Bonga from the Skyliners to reach the NBA? “Jamie is a cool guy and we understand each other really well. It was extremely important to have him as our captain and have his leadership skills. He is one of the best players in his year. He definitely has NBA potential”, warned Caspar Vossenberg. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We were behind most of that game and even trailed by 15 points. We learned that game that if you fight, you can turn the game around. We brought that belief in our come back. I think that game was a learning lesson for our whole career”, warned Caspar Vossenberg. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “I passed Jamie the ball. The idea was for him to get the ball. He did his thing. His mid range game is very good. We all trust him to make that shot. At first my heart sank when it was on the rim and back board, but when it went in, I was very happy. Jamie is made for those kind of shots”, stated Caspar Vossenberg. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Big man Leonard Kroger stepped up big bring great energy with a superb 11/6/3 game. “Leonard is a real hustler in the zone. He is very dangerous in the zone, can block shots well and finish. He also has a really good shot for a big man”, added Caspar Vossenberg. Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “I didn´t play against Turkey. Turkey was a really good opponent. However we played strong and rebounded well. We really grew as a team in this game”, commented Caspar Vossenberg. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 13 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “Fin had a great impact on the team. He is a very versatile player and it was really fun to play with him”, remembered Caspar Vossenberg.

pic credit: Lukas Adler

Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “Sweden was another good opponent for us. Over time we also were able to get away from them and outrun them. We showed our domination over them”, expressed Caspar Vossenberg. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Not only did Kiehlneker have a dominant double double, but so did Alba Berlin talent Anton Kemmer. “I like how big and athletic Felix is. He is always a lob threat. He has a really good feel for the game and is another player that is fun to play with”, said Caspar Vossenberg. The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “Japan had a good pace and played very fast. Key was rebounding that helped us get the win. We out ran them”, stated Caspar Vossenberg. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds. Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “We had a slow start and they hit three´s well. I think that we defended better in the second half. They were physical and rebounded well, but we boxed out better in the second half and were able to match their physicality and just played our game”, remembered Caspar Vossenberg. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “Lucai is a very calm player and has a really good feel for the game. His shot is incredible and he can get hot at anytime”, warned Caspar Vossenberg. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times.

Pic credit: DBB

The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “When the buzzer sounded, it was an indescribable feeling. It was very emotional as it was only the third time Germany had won the AST. We were all overjoyed. We had beaten them once before and were unbeaten coming into the final. We also had great fan support. Our tank was empty in the last few minutes, but we pushed until the end. We simply wanted it more than they did”, stressed Caspar Vossenberg. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Our biggest strength during the tournament was that we found each other quickly. We had great individual quality, athleticism, depth and played well together”, added Caspar Vossenberg. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states. The German who lists player Alessanco Vazquez Dos Santos of Brazil as the player that impressed him most during the tournament had a solid tournament averaging 11/3/1per game “I was very content with how I played at AST. I rebounded well, but I still have a lot of room to improve”, warned Caspar Vossenberg. He played against 5 different nations and against the best youth players on earth which helped his game make another step. “My game grew during the week. It was great playing against some non European countries like Brazil and Japan. My IQ grew”, said Caspar Vossenberg. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “Alan is a really good coach and it was a lot of fun to play for him. He always stuck behind the team and gave everyone so much trust. He always wanted to play fast. I enjoyed that”, stated Caspar Vossenberg. Did he have a special personal moment on the court? “My favorite own play was my poster dunk against Japan and when the clock went tom 0 and we had won the title”, stressed Caspar Vossenberg, It will be interesting to see how Caspar Vossenberg´s career continues to go. At the moment he is concentrated on helping his NBBL team FC Bayern Basketball win a do or die game against Ulm.

Having Massive Family Turnouts At Every Game Was A Major Blessing For 2026 AST Winner Leonard Kroger

pic credit: photosbykellz

Last summer young German Leonard Kroger (205-C-2008) had his first experience playing for the German U-16 national team finishing in 7th place averaging 3/3. He saved his best for last hitting Turkey with a 12/7 game getting the 73-64 victory. He had to wait 9 months to get that next experience with a youth national team competing at the Albert Schweitzer tournament recently and winning the Gold medal. “The rosters at AST was a totally different one than at the Euro-18 last summer. I feel like we had a totally balanced roster at AST. Last summer we had a very good player with Mathieu Grujicic who was at a totally different level. There were also different coaching philosophies and we played a lot faster this time”, said Leonard Kroger. The young Paderborn center experienced a week that he will never forget where he helped Germany have an incredible 7-0 record to win Germany´s third title at AST. He was so fortunate to have a massive family gathering at every game. “I was so relived when the buzzer sounded in the final. Slovenia was a very tough team. I´m happy that we could pull it out despite them coming back. I was so happy that we won. We had a great team. It was such a great experience. It was even nicer to win in front of so much family. The brother of my father lives near Mannheim. I had cousins and uncles there. There were always 5-6 family members at every game. It was fun talking about the game and just seeing their support and them believing in me was special”, stressed Leonard Kroger.

pic credit: photosbykellz

Germany played Bahrain first at AST and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “Of course it was vital having an easier opponent in the first game. We had never played together as a team and only practiced a few times together. This game gave us the chance to make mistakes and get adjusted to each other better”, stressed Leonard Kroger. Jamie Edoka had a solid first game scoring 11 points and filled the stat sheet and was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the tournament. Could he be the next German after Isaac Bonga from the Skyliners to reach the NBA? “Jamie is a really good guy with a lot of potential. He is very athletic and is a super teammate. I really appreciate how he will accept criticism like when you tell him you were open and he didn´t pass the ball. He definitely has NBA potential”, stated Leonard Kroger. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We learned from that first Slovenia game that we had to play better defense. We also realized that we had to play even faster. We played to their tempo and simply had to play our game”, remembered Leonard Kroger. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “The shot also looked a bit long to me. I was right under the basket and saw everything. At first I thought that I had to jump in and try to make the basket, but luckily it fell in”, said Leonard Kroger. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “Caspar is a really good player and is a really good dribbler. He also pushed the ball well and attacked the rim well. He is an allrounder and we could always rely on him to do his job”, added Leonard Kroger. Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “Turkey was an annoying opponent. Even after that weak third quarter, we always stayed together. We played really well after that and we always got extra new energy from the bench that helped us get win”, expressed Leonard Kroger. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 13 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “Fin is a very athletic player. I had never seen him play before AST. I felt like he fit really well into our system. He is long, can shoot and finish. We definitely always had an advantage on transition with his game”, remembered Leonard Kroger.

pic credit: DBB

Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “I didn´t play so well this game. Felix and Anton had very good games. When we are able to win the win the rebound s and have more possessions, it makes it easier to win”, said Leonard Kroger. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Not only did Kiehlneker have a dominant double double, but so did Alba Berlin talent Anton Kemmer. “Felix is very athletic. His biggest strength is on the offensive rebound and likes getting the alley-ops”, commented Leonard Kroger. The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “Key in beating Japan was that we had a big advantage under the basket. We beat them easily on the rebound. Japan had a good answer against our fast game so we had to find another way to beat them and did so on the glass”, added Leonard Kroger. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds. Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “Key in beating Brazil was that they were too slow. In the second half, we picked up our offense to the next level. After making a few fast break baskets and a three pointer, our self-confidence rose. Plus we continued to get new energy from the bench which made it easier to play”, stressed Leonard Kroger. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “Lucai is really quick and a great shooter. He was a real game changer in the first game against Slovenia after making many three´s in a row. He put our game at another level”, explained Leonard Kroger. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times.

pic credit: DBB

The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “We never got scared or let up when they came back. We just played our game until the end getting rebounds and playing fast”, remembered Leonard Kroger. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Our biggest strength in the AST was that we were very athletic and all defended well. We also were consistent pushing the ball well. We were able to overrun all teams. Even when teams scored on us, we always had an answer being able tom push the ball”, warned Leonard Kroger. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states. The German who lists player Alessanco Vazquez Dos Santos of Brazil as the player that impressed him most during the tournament had a solid tournament averaging 8/9/1/1per game “I was very content with how I played at AST. I feel like I did my part to help the team be successful. I finished, rebounded and was a rim protector”, warned Leonard Kroger. He played against 6 different nations and against the best youth players on earth which helped his game make another step. “I think that I gained a lot of extra experience. It was great playing against non European countries like Brazil and Japan. It was also great being able to work with a different coaching staff and receive different view points”, added Leonard Kroger. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “He didn´t give me one special tip, but I was alert to be ready to take small things that he said. For example keeping the ball at my chin after a rebound so small guards can´t steal the ball. It was a lot of fun playing for Alan´s philosophy and playing fast”, said Leonard Kroger. Of course seeing his family after games was a huge highlight off the court, but he also had an on court favorite moment. “My favorite own play was my last dunk against Slövenia that helped put us in winning position”, said Leonard Kroger. It will be interesting to see where Leonard Kroger´s basketball journey will go in the future. At the moment, he is focused on winning a do or die NBBL playoff game at home against Alba Berlin and finishing the Pro A season strong with Paderborn.

2026 AST Winner Felix Kiehlneker Cultivates A Special Basketball Relationship With Florian Flabb And Is Very Thankful For His Support

Pic credit: photosbyKellz +Joshua Hoffmann

That successful German coach Florian Flabb is a basketball junkie is no secret. The guy just loves the game. On top of that he is also a nice guy who had a heart for my work last summer when he took time out of his long summer days supplying me with key quotes to single Germany games during the 2025 U-18 Euro championships. He led Ulm to the NBBL top 4 last season and this season led Pro B team Orange Academy with an average age of 18 to the best record in the league and now is battling to win the title. He also has an incredible knack of helping develop young talent and it is only logical that he supports his own players as best he can. It didn´t surprise me when I saw him at the Albert Schweizer tournament in Mannheim recently. His player Felix Kiehlneker (210-F-2008) was playing with Germany against Slovenia and he took time on his free Sunday to drive 200 + kilometers to help support him. “I knew that he would watch the Slovenia game, but I was very happy that he supported me like that. This is now my second season playing for Flo. I didn´t play so much last season because I was from the youngest year, but this season I began to play Pro B and he gives me a lot trust. I really appreciate his feedback after practices, games and timeouts. He told me at the start of the season to work on my physicality and energy and I have worked on it”, stressed Felix Kiehlneker.

Pic credit: photosbyKellz +Joshua Hoffmann

Germany played Bahrain first at AST and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “It was my personal goal to win the title, but I have to admit, I didn´t expect that we would win most games so easily. I think that we didn´t 100% need to start against a weaker opponent like Bahrain, but it was still good. We had never played together and only practiced 5 days before. All in all, it was good to begin against a team like Bahrian”, stressed Felix Kiehlneker. Jamie Edoka had a solid first game scoring 11 points and filled the stat sheet and was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the tournament. Could he be the next German after Isaac Bonga from the Skyliners to reach the NBA? “I have known Jamie since he is 14. He is a good friend, but also a great talent. With a lot of hard work, he could make the NBA”, warned Felix Kielneker. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We definitely learned a few things from that game that we then did better in the final against Slovenia. We played overall better team defense, rebounded better and defended the pick and roll better in the final”, remembered Felix Kiehlneker. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “The shot looked a bit far and we were a bit lucky that it went in, but in the end all that counts is that we won. We were so happy after that we all ran on the court”, said Felix Kiehlneker. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “Caspar´s energy was so important for us, but also his support for everyone. He was always happy for everyone else”, remembered Felix Kiehlneker. Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “We had problems in the third quarter. Edoka and I had gotten our fourth fouls. But we never broke down, but everyone fought back including everyone from our bench. We fought until the end”, warned Felix Kiehlneker. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 13 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “Fin also was so key for our success not only in this game, but in every game. I didn´t know him before AST and was a little surprised how good a player he was. A big factor that helped us was how good of a scorer he was”, added Felix Kiehlneker..

Pic credit: photosbyKellz +Joshua Hoffmann

Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “I remember that we played extremely hard against Sweden. I had one of my best games. We passed the ball really well and won the rebound battle which was our goal to do every game”, expressed felix Keihlneker. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Not only did Kiehlneker have a dominant double double, but so did Alba Berlin talent Anton Kemmer. “I love Anton´s energy. He is very communicative. He will be so happy for you when you make a big play like a dunk and will slap you. He is always talking”, said Felix Kiehlneker. The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “Japan was very quick and hard to control. They ran very well, but we still were too strong for them and outpowered them”, said Felix Kiehlneker. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds. Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “I think the game changer was in the third quarter where we were able to put our tempo at another level. We ran more something we didn´t do as well in the first half. I had a phase where I made 8 points in a row. Everyone contributed”, stated Felix Kiehlneker. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “I had never played with Lucai before, but what impressed me the most was his ability to shoot the ball so well. He shot over 40% from outside. His extreme confidence in shooting the ball was amazing considering he was a year younger than us”, remembered Felix Kiehlneker. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times.

Pic credit: photosbyKellz +Joshua Hoffmann

The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “I think that we wanted it more than they did. It was our mentality to fight until the end no matter if we were up by 50 points against Bahrian or 1 point against Slovenia. We always wanted to play with more energy than the opponent”, warned Felix Kiehlneker. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Our biggest strength at AST was our tempo. Nobody could stop us. We always pushed the ball so well and were a very strong offensive team that played very well together”, stated Felix Kiehlneker. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states. The German who lists player Alessanco Vazquez Dos Santos of Brazil and Turkish forward Darius Karatasu as the players that impressed him most during the tournament had a solid tournament averaging 6/7per game “It was an Ok tournament for me. My 1 point game took me down a bit. But I feel like averaging 6/7 was solid. I definitely have things that I can work on this summer”, said Felix Kiehlneker. He played against 5 different nations and against the best youth players on earth which helped his game make another step. “I think that I adjusted to play against the physicality and also was able to play with tempo and hold my own against the top quality of players”, added Felix Kiehlneker. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “Alan is a really good coach. He gave me total trust. He always gave positive feedback how I could improve my game. I remember in the game against Bahrain when I missed my first 2 shots, he told me to up my energy as it was down. Another valuable piece of advice that he gave me was not to dribble extra in the zone, but go up right away for the dunk”, remembered Felix Kiehlneker. It will be interesting to see where Felix Kiehlneker´s journey will go in the next few years. However for now he is totally focused on helping Orange Academy win the Pro B title and help Ulm reach the NBL Top 4 in Berlin.

Will Dopfer Felt Happiness Completion And Hunger After Helping Germany Win The 2026 Albert Schweitzer Tournament

pic credit: VGjosh

How cool must it be for a kid living in the States to come overseas and play internationally at the youth level? In Germany in the last years there have been guys who have had that opportunity like Sam Griesel who grew up in Nebraska, but has German roots won a Bronze at the 2020 U-20 European championships. But there have been other examples in the last years like the Anderson brothers with Christian and Lucai. Their dad Christian is German and played professionally for Bamberg and married an American woman. Christian has had an amazing track record for Germany since making his debut in 2022 at the U-16 Euro winning a Gold. He then won a Bronze at the U-18 Euro in 2023, then a Gold at the U-18 Euro in 2024 and a Bronze the same year at the Albert Schweitzer tournament and last year came up short losing to USA at the U-19 world Cup winning the silver. His younger brother Lucai helped Germany win the Gold at this years Albert Schweitzer tournament as did William Dopfer. Dopfer is a red head kid from Georgia who got to spend his Easter break in Germany and along the way pick up a Gold at AST and play against some of the worlds best U-18 junior players. But how exactly do his roots to Germany look like? “My whole family is from Germany including my parents. I have been in Germany a lot before. I was the first American born in my entire family including my ancestors. So when I was born, I was registered in Berlin and have dual citizenship. He must have had special stories to tell his classmates the week after? “Yes I did. It was great spending Easter in Germany. I didn´t go to church, but it was still awesome playing at AST. Playing against such elite competition and playing a very different style of basketball was very eye opening for me”, stressed Will Dopfer. It didn´t take him long to feel like home in Germany. “I liked how everyone spoke English. But actually how nice everyone was. Once I got to know everyone and started speaking to them, they opened up and were all really nice”, remembered Will Dopfer.

pic credit: I am Wosz

Germany played Bahrain first and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “It was key to have an easy win under our belt. It was our first game playing together, being able to knock the rust off and get a feel of each other in a game where we were the superior opponents was a confidence boost and also a learning period”, said Will Dopfer “Dusan Ilic had 12 points and gave great energy from the bench. Was his quickness or his motor most beneficial for the team? “Dusan was great. He played extremely hard, and that really helped us a ton. On the offensive end, being a point guard and able to play fast isn’t easy. He did a great job handling the ball and not turning the ball over while maintaining the speed and energy he plays with”, remembered Will Dopfer. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We learned this wasn’t going to be easy, winning this whole thing. We knew there was a chance we could play them again. But in that game, we all came together and played for each other, which propelled us to the win. And if we did that again, we can definitely win this thing”, remembered Will Dopfer. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “Jamie is a special player. He does a lot of things really well. He gets to his spot like no other. He plays with poise and confidence. He knows when he needs to take over, but also where the ball needs to be if someone is hot or there is a mismatch. His game winner was amazing, knowing we had come back from that deficit was a great feeling, and seeing that ball drop was the cherry on top. The nerves were there the whole 4th quarter, and as the ball went up, you could definitely feel the air get sucked out of the gym”, added Will Dopfer. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “Caspar is relentless; he plays super hard and physical, which not a lot of people do. His excelling at that was a key factor in our success”, commented Will Dopfer.

Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “I don´t remember but, we shot the ball really well. I think over 40% from 3 on quite a lot of attempts, which really helped us pull away”, said Will Dopfer. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 13 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “Fin was an X factor for us. When Fin played good the team thrived. We was crucial for us, hitting tough shots, playing hard, and guarding”, expressed Will Dopfer. Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “ I remember how dominant we were. I didn’t play in that game so I was able to watch and nitpick everything. After the game I came into the locker room and said that we looked like the better team for all 40 minutes. In every other game there were stretches were we looked worse but against Sweden it was dominance for 40 minutes”, stressed Will Dopfer. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Orange Academy big man Felix Kiehlneker had a great game of 12/13. “I remember how active Felix was for us. He is constantly working on both ends of the floor. He’s athletic, has great timing on shot blocking and crashes both sides of the glass”, commented Will Dopfer.The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “ his win was another confidence boost heading into bracket play”, said Will Dopfer. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds

pic credit: Iamwosz

Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “ We decided we needed to be more physical; we were getting out-rebounded and they just out physicaled us the whole first half. At the break, we knew if we played harder and tougher, we could win this”, warned Will Dopfer. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “Lucai is an effortless scorer and a brilliant shot maker. He scores like no other. He shoots the ball at a very high clip. Has a tight handle and is definitely a 3-level scorer”, warned Will Dopfer. Where would he rate Lucai´s play compared to his brother Christian´s play at that age? “I never watched Christian at Lucai’s age, but right now Lucai is bigger size-wise so that’s an advantage he has. But it will definitely be interesting to see how he pans out compared to Christian”, stressed Will Dopfer. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times. The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “We just stuck together, if we turned on each other and started playing for ourselves, it wouldn´t go well. We knew if we played selflessly, looked for the best shot on offense, and played team defense, we will win”, remembered Will Dopfer. Hearing the buzzer to win the AST was definitely a very special moment. “I felt a lot of different emotions, happiness, completion, and hunger. It was just so cool to play for my country, and it was such a blessing to play there. It felt like my hard work paid off”, stated Will Dopfer. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Obviously, winning the whole tournament was the goal going in. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but if we all bought in, we knew we were very capable of winning. Our pace was our biggest strength in the tournament. We averaged over 95 points. Playing fast, it allowed us to really put the beating on our opponents. But you can’t play fast if you don’t rebound and play defense, so those definitely were big contributors to our pace as well”, stressed Will Dopfer. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states.

The German who lists player Alessanco Vazquez dos Santos of Brazil, Darius Karatasu of Turkey Maks Ciperle of Slovenia, and Kenichiro Benedict Of Japan as his toughest opponents at AST had a solid tournament averaging 6/3/1/1. “I feel like I impacted where I could. I definitely could’ve scored the ball better but my role was to bring energy and be the glue guy and I think I did that very well”, stressed Will Dopfer. Was it a tough adjustment coming from US high school ball and playing euro ball? “It was definitely an adjustment. The rules obviously are different here in HS vs out there. The travel rule was big for me, and the 24-second shot clock was fun to get used to”, said Will Dopfer. He played against 5 different nations and against the best youth players on earth. He did at both ends of the court. “I wouldn’t say my game grew as much but my IQ definitely did. I learned lots from the coaches and understanding how they play here. I did a great job showcasing my two way ability. guarding multiple positions, blocking shots and then scoring in transition on the other end”, added Will Dopfer. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “European coaches are very team oriented. and where as Americans are team focused but also very player oriented and 1 on1 compared to getting everyone involved. It was fun playing for coach Ibrahimagic. I always enjoy learning from different coaches, seeing what each one emphasizes and how they teach. he definitely helped a lot with IQ, teaching pick and roll reads and defensive decision making”, remembered Will Dopfer. There were so many great highlights during AST for Germany, but what about his favorite own plays? “My favorite personal game highlights was put back dunk, and then my hammer in the championship game”, stressed Will Dopfer. Dopfer has committed to Longwood and it will be interesting how his game grows at the next level. It will also be interested to see if Will Dopfer plays for Germany again. I definitely would love to see him compete again for Germany and I´m sure the German coaching staff will as well in the future.

2026 AST Champion Anton Kemmer Cherished His Massive Dunk Flying Through The Zone Against Turkey

Pic credit: JHoffmann

For German Anton Kemmer (198-F-2008), coming in second place on the basketball court was like second nature to him the last years. He knew exactly how crappy that felt just like the Buffalo Bills did in the 90´s losing in 4 Super Bowls. He like teammate Fin Borczanowski had suffered some brutal loses in the last 2 years and it all didn´t happen in a tough atmosphere, but in their home town of Berlin at the JBBL and NBBL top 4 tournaments. Last season he lost in the semi finals to FC Bayern Munich 83-63, but severe heart break had already surfaced 2 years ago when he was in the JBBL (U-16) final against the EWE Baskets Juniors Oldenburg. It was the perfect David and Goliath scenairo where you had the overwhelming favorite with Alba Berlin against the massive underdog from Oldenburg. Oldenburg was the more energetic team that should of slammed the door shut in the second half, but allowed Alba Berlin to come back. Oldenburg led 74-72 and Alba Berlin had the last shot from Jona Drucke, but it fell short. “The final against Oldenburg was a very tough loss especially after we had made a major comeback in the semi-final. We were really motivated to win the AST title at home. That JBBL loss was one of my most bitter loses ever”, remembered Anton Kemmer. But his tough losing streak actually went further than just the last two seasons. “Fin and I talked about our loses the last years before the AST final. We actually once finished second at a tournament in Switzerland and also were second at the U-14 championship. It was simply awesome to win this title after all that we have gone through. It was my first gold medal. It was really nice winning it with great fans and such cool boys”, stressed Anton Kemmer. After so many tough loses together and finally a title, it is only logical that Borczanowski and Kemmer have a special relationship. “We have a really good connection. We are the Alba duo in the national team”, smiled Anton Kemmer.Pic credit

pic credit: JHoffmann

Germany played Bahrain first and used it as a warm up destroying the Asian team 116-59. Germany totally controlled the boards 55-31 and had 6 players score in double figures led by Lucai Anderson with 16 points. “Having a weaker opponent like Bahrain was good for our self-confidence. We were able to see how well we could play with each other. We were able to gain experience and play freely”, stated Anton Kemmer. Jamie Edoka had a solid first game scoring 11 points and filled the stat sheet and was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the tournament. “Jamie has this special power to the rim with his drive. He also has good shooting qualities. He has such good athleticism that teams couldn´t defend him”, remembered Anton Kemmer. Germany next faced Slovenia and had their toughest challenge of the tournament. Germany started slow and had to play catch up basketball for most of the game. Germany picked up the intensity in the fourth quarter at both ends and won it with the masterful game winner by Jamie Edoka. “We learned in that game was that we have to keep playing no matter the circumstances. We showed in that game that if we keep up the pace then they will get tired and miss shots.We1took the momentum then and turned the game around and always stuck together”, said Anton Kemmer. Edoka closed out the game with a pretty step back jumper on the baseline where the basketball God let it bounce around on rim and back board before finally rolling in. “We wanted someone to take the last shot closer to the rim. It felt like 5 seconds when the ball bounced around on the rim. It felt like 5 minutes before the ball went in. I was watching from the bench. When it went in we all went crazy”, stressed Anton Kemmer. Germany controlled the boards again 41-33 with 16 offensive rebounds and had 4 guys score in double figures. Lucai Anderson was top scorer with 16 points and nailed big three´s when Germany needed it in their come back. Caspar Vossenberg added 13 points and was one of those silent hero´s during the tournament stepping up in so many ways. “Caspar showed how good of a driver and scorer was and had great athleticism. His play always gave us energy and we relied on him producing”, stated Anton Kemmer. Germany next faced Turkey where many Turkish fans showed up adding to a beautiful atmosphere. Germany was in control in the first half, but had a horrible third quarter being outscored 24-4, but retreated in the fourth quarter demonstrating that they can flip the switch at any time exploding for 29 points and winning easily 95-80. “That was a really cool game. I had the most highlight in that game including some cool dunks with one flying through the zone. The game was similar to the first Slovenia game with the only difference that we made them tired a lot earlier”, said Anton Kemmer. Germany once again dominated the boards 44-26 and offensive rebounds 20-8 and shot a potent 46% from outside. Germany was led by Lucai Anderson with 26 points and had 4 players in double figures. Fin Borczwanoski had a solid game of 113 points, but was in the shadow of Lucai Anderson´s brilliant scoring game. “ Fin has a cool head. He had good drives and hit big shots. He was always aggressive and made big plays”, commented Anton Kemmer.

pic credit: JHoffmann

Germany then faced Sweden in the fourth game and won 91-56. After a tight first quarter, Germany then played consistent ball in the last 3 quarters averaging 22 points and allowing only 11 points on the way to a comfortable victory. Germany led by as much as 35 points and won the rebound duel 61-32. They also forced them to 6/37 shooting from outside. “We showed our dominance against Sweden. They had a high pace and shot the ball a lot. We never let up and just keep attacking and running. We never allowed them to get into the game”, added Anton Kemmer. Germany spread the love around with scoring once again totaling 5 players in double figures led by Edoka´s 15 points. Orange Academy big man Felix Kiehlneker had a great game of 12/13. “Felix brings a lot of energy and has a good touch around the basket. He is very athletic and gave us great support on the rebound”, remembered Anton Kemmer. The German domination continued against Japan winning 103-78. After a tight first quarter, Germany then exploded for 62 points in the second and third quarters paving the win. “Japan was small, but played very aggressive. They were a real mental monster. No matter how far behind they were in the game, they never stopped fighting. But our physicality, size advantage and overall skill set were better”, expressed Anton Kemmer. Germany was led by Caspar Vossenberg with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again easily 61-32 with 20 offensive rebounds. Germany was 5-0 and now met Brazil in the semi-finals. Was any one going to stop them? Germany witnessed a tight scoring first half leading 51-50, but stepped it up in the third quarter exploding for 31 points and took it up another notch in the last frame with 39 points winning 121-98 “That was a real shoot out. We had crazy shooing and possession percentages. We expressed so much self-confidence in that game. Even if they defended really well for 20 seconds, we still were able to hit 3 three´s in a row”, remembered Anton Kemmer. Anderson and Edoka combined for 47 points as Anderson led all scorers with 26 points. “He is a great shooter and just keeps firing away. He has really good ball handling off the dribble and always confident. He has the ability to hit high percentage shots”, said Anton Kemmer. Germany won the rebound battle again 40-24, shot 42% from outside and only coughed up the ball 9 times.

pic credit: JHoffmann

The final was a close battle against Slovenia. Germany led 46-38 at the break, but in the second half Slovenia led briefly until Germany got the lead back and never looked back despite winning the second half only 41-37. “We were so motivated to win. We wanted it more. We always got support from the bench and are energy on defense was so high. We left it all on the court. William Dopfer made a big rebound at the end. Every player did their part to 110%. It was a team win as always”, stressed Anton Kemmer. Germany was led by Edoka with 17 points and had 4 guys score in double figures and won the rebound battle again 49-36. ”Our biggest strength was having a deep bench and every player had the ability to score, but also play together. Other teams didn´t have our depth”, commented Anton Kemmer. After the win, coach Alan Ibrahimagic was greeted with a massive shower in the dressing room. There was a team dinner and then most guys were on their way home except for Anderson and Dopfer who left Sunday to travel back to the states. The German who lists player Alessanco Vazquez Dos Santos of Brazil as the player that impressed him most during the tournament and Anid Pasic of Slovenia as the most annoying who trash talked like a champion had a solid tournament averaging 6/4 in 14 minutes per game “It was an Ok tournament for me. Some games were better than others. It wasn´t always easy getting the ball as we were guard dominated. I did a good job bring energy. My play wasn´t great and not bad”, stressed Anton Kemmer. He played against 5 different nations and against the best youth players on earth which helped his game make another step. “I learned that I could play hard against guys in my age group and stick with guys with similar skill seta s mine”, expressed Anton Kemmer. It was the first time that he played for head coach Alan Ibrahimagic and was able to learn so much in such a short time. “He played a very modern basketball with running and attacking and kicking. We were able to finish the play quicker instead of letting the play continue. We simply had the freedom to play”, remembered Antom Kemmer. It will be interesting to see where Anton Kemmer´s journey will go in the next few years. However for now he is totally focused on helping Lok Bernau win the Pro B title and get Alba Berlin back to the NBBL Top 4 as well as fighting for easyCredit BBL minutes.

German Hoops

Covering Basketball In Germany!

college-basketball

Winning The NCAA Title In 2023 Was So Special For Nahiem Alleyne(Skyliners) As He Had Had That On His Bucket List Since 8th Grade

The Universal Genius Ivan Crnjac Has Hot Hand Powering Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners Past Jena 68-64 To Reach NBBL Top 4 In Berlin

Explosive Scorer Jonathan Klussmann(Paderborn) Can Also Create Very Well Simply Because Of His Dangerous Scoring Qualities

2026 AST Champion Lucai Anderson´s Sniper Qualities Continue To Grow Not Through Quantity But Moreover Through Quality

Scoring In Bunches Rascal Tehree Horn leads BBC Bayreuth To 89-75 Victory Over The EPG Baskets Koblenz

2026 AST Champion Caspar Vossenberg Will Never Forget His Poster Dunk Against Japan

Having Massive Family Turnouts At Every Game Was A Major Blessing For 2026 AST Winner Leonard Kroger

2026 AST Winner Felix Kiehlneker Cultivates A Special Basketball Relationship With Florian Flabb And Is Very Thankful For His Support

Will Dopfer Felt Happiness Completion And Hunger After Helping Germany Win The 2026 Albert Schweitzer Tournament

2026 AST Champion Anton Kemmer Cherished His Massive Dunk Flying Through The Zone Against Turkey