Aamondae Coleman (200-F/C-1998, college: Fresno Pacific, agency: Bell Basketball) is a 200cm forward from Las Vegas, Nevada playing his third professional season and first in Germany with Regionalliga team BG Dorsten. Last season he played with Akranes IA (Iceland-Division I) averaging 22.8pp), 9.0rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 65.5%, 3PT: 41.2%, FT: 63.1%. He split his rookie season with APOP Paphou (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) averaging 15.0ppg, 7.9rpg, 1.4apg, 2FGP: 57.9%, 3FGP: 15.8%, FT: 59.0%, in Dec.’22 moved to Kutaisi 2010 (Georgia-Superleague) averaging 10.3ppg, 5.6rpg, FGP: 61.0%, FT: 41.7%. He began his basketball career with Desert Oasis high school and then played at Fresno Pacific University (NCAA2) from 2017-2021 playing a total of 97 games and in his senior year averaged 20.4ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 58.0%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 69.2%. He spoke to germanhoops after scoring 42 points against Herford.
Thanks Aamondae for talking to germanhoops.com. You scored 42 points last weekend, but lost the game to Herford. How tough was this? Could you at anyway enjoy your personal achievement? Thank you sir for having me! I truly appreciate it! And honestly I couldn’t really enjoy it too much in the moment because we didn’t pull out the win, but I definitely enjoyed it a little more once I got home and talked to family/friends! I have a such a great support system and I honestly just thank God for them!
You did all you could with 42 points but lost 116-106. Does a result like that give you that feeling inside that you could have done more?
Honestly, yes I felt like I could have. I always feel that I can always be better and try to avoid complacency, especially if we come out on the losing end. I had a few TOs that I wish I could have had back too.
Despite the loss will there be any kind of 42 points celebration? I mean the team giving you a dinner or you giving them a dinner. Lol maybe, I’ll have to wait and see. Just wish we could have secured the win, but we’ll learn from it and bounce back and be better!
Talk a little about the game. The team had some solid defensive games, but 116 was the most points it has given up. What were the main problems with the defense against Herford? They’re a great offensive team, have to give them credit. But on our end I think we just had too many turnovers (myself included) which led to easy transition points. Also, we over helped off of shooters a little too often, the 3s they hit really killed us unfortunately.
How rapidly did you know going in that you would have a great game?
I’d say after my first couple of shots; ironically I missed my first shot/layup of the game but I locked in after that thankfully. I also had a subpar game in our previous game, so I honestly was looking forward to having a good bounce back game.
Did you have a special breakfast or pre game dinner? What do you feel was different than in any other game in your career? I won’t say anything special just chicken and eggs, but I ate a little more servings than usual so maybe that was the key lol
You once scored 37 points in Iceland and 40 points in the NCAA 2 against the Academy of Art. Was this the most points in your career?
Yes sir, this was my career high! Truly a blessing, God is so good. (I also think I had a 39 point game last year in Iceland too, but I might be wrong.)
This was the headline on eurobasket.com Aamondae Coleman was the second top scorer in the whole world yesterday having an unbelievable 42 points in his last game in Dorsten. How does that title make you feel?
It honestly made me feel blessed and honored. To see your hard work pay off and get the recognition, truly a blessing! It also made me feel even more motivated to work even harder and try to reach another level!
You shot 16/21. How would describe your shooting day? You only took 1 three pointer.
My shot felt good honestly! I went 9/10 at the line and hit a middy too. I wish I could have got some more 3s up but I know they will come, just have to stay ready!
What was your favorite play or bucket in your 42 points? I’d say either one of my And1’s in the 1st half or one of the 2 charges I took. I honestly love taking charges; it´s a turnover for the other team, opposing player gets a foul, and it’s such a great momentum play for our team whenever I take one!
Paul Lunguana had another great game with 28 points. He had 29 in another game. Was his great game a bit in the shadow of your game?
Not at all, Paul is such a great ball player and he had a great game of his own! We’ve only known each other for a couple of months but our relationship/friendship is strong and we’re so close already, he truly is my brother! We’re always in the gym working and just trying to improve our game. Iron sharpens iron!
After scoring 42 points, do you feel like 50 points is reachable in the Regionalliga?
Ahhh possibly but 50 is tough, but I mean who knows though? I try not to think about scoring and just read the defense/take what the defense gives me. Some nights it’s scoring, other nights it’s distributing if the defense is overly-focused on me. But anything is possible with God, so if I get hot again they’re might be a chance!
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Anthony Watkins in Frankfurt 2024
Anthony Watkins (194-PG-2000) is a 23 year old 194cm guard playing his second season with the Artland Dragons (Pro A). Last season with the Dragons he averaged 6.2ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 58.6%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 58.3%; In 2022-2023 he took a step back from the Pro A and played with BG Hagen (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 21.6ppg, 6.0rpg, 4.0apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 26.4%, FT: 65.1%. In the 2021-2022 season he played 14 games with the MLP Academics Heidelberg in the BBL. In 20-21 he played with the Basketball Loewen Braunschweig (Germany-BBL) playing 13 games. He scored 6 points in 11 minutes in a loss against Ludwigsburg. He has the German/American citizenship and lived in Chattanooga and attended McCallie High School before coming to Germany in 2019. In 2019-2020 he split time with the Basketball Loewen Erfurt (ProB) playing10 games averaging 3.6ppg. He also played with the OeTTINGER Rockets Gotha 2nd team (Germany-2.Regionalliga) and in in Jan.’20 moved to VfB 1900 Giessen Pointers (Regionalliga) playing 8 games averaging 10.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 66.7%, FT: 58.8%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big road win in Dresden.
Congrats on the huge 109-96 win against Dresden. Artland is 3-0. How good does it feel starting this well after last season?
I appreciate it! Starting like this is a great energy boost that we’ll be able to take with us deeper into the season. Last year showed how valuable every win is in a league like the Pro A, so we’re taking every W and valuing it at this point, while working towards getting the next one.
How big is this win? You won against a playoff type team like Dresden that is very disciplined.
Dresden is always a team that maximizes the talent they have on their roster. All of those guys are skilled and know what they need to bring to the table to put the team in the best position possible to win. Being able to pull out a win against them on the road gives me confidence that we can execute at a high level down the road.
It was the second shoot out win in a row. I´m sure coach and everyone knows relying on shootouts isn´t the best thing or could Artland be that kind of a team this season? A shootout is great if you end up on the right side of it, but our aim is to be just as feared of a defensive team as offensive. We’ll get there.
The Artland Dragons led 60-56 at the break. Was this one of those games where defense just wasn´t on the menu? I think our roster takes pride on the defensive end. Early in the season though, sometimes that pride and urge to get a stop can lead to the unit giving up easier looks than we’d like, but I see us gelling more day by day on that end of the floor.
The Artland Dragons led 84-74 after 3 quarters, but it could have been more. What was key for the big run and having better control of the game after 3 quarters?
I think it was a focus thing. As you said earlier, it was a shootout, so it’s easy to get caught up in the barrage of offense and forget that the key to the game is getting consecutive stops. We were able to come together as a unit with the help of Coach to buckle down and swing the game fully in our favor. It worked well for us this game, but in the future, our goal will be to hold that focus for 40 minutes. That’s what will be required of us when we need to win big games on the road down the line. The other teams are going to be getting sharper and more disciplined as the season progresses; we’ll have to follow suit.
How key were the many free throws by Buzz Anthony and points by Yasin Kolo before crunch-time? That seemed to give the Dragons a bit more breathing room?
Offensively I think we played to our advantage and put a lot of pressure on them by attack the paint with our athleticism from the outside and in transition. Yasin had to carry the mantle as our enforcer with Rob out that night and did his thing by being a force down low. The great thing about our team is that we have the depth and versatility to adjust our game according to our opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. I think that stretch in the game displayed that beautifully
How tough is it playing a team like Dresden that really lives with the small ball. What do you feel was key for 40 minutes for the win?
I think our team matches up well with it. Depending on the line up we could exploit mismatches inside as well as match their tempo and chase their shooters. Having that kind of variability on the roster definitely helps when you face a team like Dresden that likes to play smaller.
Obviously defensively there is a lot that the Dragons have to tweak. What is the biggest area?
Coach Vince’s philosophy is new to many of us. The majority of our team has been playing at a high level for a long time, so we’re still working on tweaking our habits and understanding how we each fit into his defensive scheme. The energy and effort is there, I believe we just need to continue practicing and getting comfortable with his philosophy. We’ve seen it work very well for us for stretches, so now we’re looking to build on that and become more consistent.
How enjoyable is this season compared to last season? It must seem like day and night?
Nobody likes to lose, especially not me, but I don’t want to take away from the odds we were able to overcome last season. It took heart, discipline, and focus to dig ourselves out of that hole and I’m proud of everyone who was a part of that. I’m most happy for the city that we were able to take the lessons from last year and get off to a much better start this year. They stood behind us through thick and thin, so to able to share the early success with them feels great. With all that being said, though, the season is young, and any response other than putting our foot on the gas more is the wrong one I think.
What has been the secret of the early success? Some guys went and there seemed a bit of turmoil weeks ago. But now it seems like all are on one page?
There was a lot of turn over here in the organization, so I think we all had to work through that and adjust to it along with the usual challenge of getting to know new teammates, coaches, plays, principles, etc. We have guys who are students of the game and willing to put in the extra time and work to make our team great, so I knew that it would pan out eventually the way we hoped. Our main focus now has to be understanding that the level of dedication it took to get to this point is going to be the same one required to stay there and travel beyond it. With the experience on our roster, I believe that is what we will give day in and day out.
How dangerous is it not to get too euphoric with the start? Is head coach Vincent Macaulay keeping all down on earth?
Our focus has been on the process since day one. There is no way for us to be where we want to be at this point in time. Of course, the wins feel good and have given us a boost to start the year, but we’re locked in on taking the daily steps necessary to be the best team we can possibly be by the time the final buzzer sounds for us this season. These are just a few of the concepts Vince has instilled in our group every day.
What has been the biggest strength so far to get through adversity early and begin 3-0?
The willingness to adjust. All of us have made adjustments to make this work and we will continue to do so. No one here is married to a brand of basketball outside of the one we’re building as a unit this year. I think that’s why every week has been a step forward. We also sought out some high-level competition in the preseason to expose just what needed to be adjusted, which I believe helped us make changes and grow early.
Brandon Thomas told me last week that he believes Buzz Anthony can be the best point guard in the Pro A. How valuable is Thomas? He is definitely one of the best if not the best 30 + players in the Pro A.
Buzz does a great job. He’s a warrior and a competitor. You love being on the court with guys who want to win and are willing to do the little things needed to do so. I’m not into comparisons, but I will say I’m glad to have him with us and to go to battle with him night in and night out. As for Brandon, I think what he did last season for us and how he’s started this year for us is just a testament to his willingness to hone in on the details of the craft. He does the little things some players with a resume like his might have the right to skip out on. His willingness to keep his skills sharp with extra work and take care of his body and mind make what he’s doing at this stage of his career possible. I think those unseen hours make both Brandon and Buzz great.
Is the word beast correct for Tajh Green. When you see his game what NBA player comes to mind?
I think that could describe him pretty well. For me, he’s lightning in a bottle and fits our scheme perfectly. We’ve been able to connect on a couple of electric plays so far this season and preseason and I’m positive there are more to come. He’s from Georgia like I am, so I’m not surprised to see him representing Peach State hoopers well out there. I see a lot of Pascal Siakam in his game. He has a lot of skill, but doesn’t let that carry him alone. He doesn’t turn his motor off for anyone, and I think that is separating him right now.
How valuable is it having another physical big man coming from the bench with Robert Ohle? He just seems to keep chugging along year by year? It’s a huge luxury. Rob is an enforcer feared throughout the league. His ability to get extra possessions and wear opposing bigs down over the course of a game while being efficient will be valuable for us. We saw it last year when he had a monster double double against us when we played Bremerhaven on the road, and we see it daily in practice. His activity and experience will be instrumental to our team’s success this year.
Just how much of a true leader is Yasin Kolo. I think this may have been the team´s best pick up this season?
Yasin leads on a very personal level. He’s built a unique relationship with everyone on our team and it shows. He’s great at recognizing the strengths of others and tries to help them maximize those. I know we’ve had several conversations about how we can help one another be more effective on the floor and I think those talks are apparent when we step out there together.
Taylor Johnson was a late addition. He had a super game against Dresden. What has been your impression of him thus far?
Taylor is relentless and fearless. His willingness to attack and try to make something happen is what has gotten him to this point in his career. The energy he brings to the court and the support he gives me during timeouts or from the side when I’m on the court have helped me personally as well. His numbers against Dresden were great, especially the fouls he drew to get to the free throw line and force their coach to use more of his bench.
You’re playing your second season with the Artland Dragons. So far after 3 games you’re averaging 3 less minutes than last season. Is your role different from last season?
I don’t think it’s a fair comparison. We have over thirty games left on the schedule and are working to have the right to play even more after that. My focus is on nothing other than being prepared to do what is necessary for us to win when I’m on the floor, and off it for that matter. If that means playing over thirty minutes and scoring 15 plus, I’m prepared to do that and have proven myself capable of doing that at this level. If it’s going out and guarding the best player on the other team until I physically can’t anymore, then I’m prepared to do that. My focus is on winning. Last year put in me in a variety of situations just the same. I think anyone who watched the first five games of the season last year and watched the last five can attest to that fact. We’re winning, we’re working, we’re growing, and I know I’m impacting those wins just like everyone else. Thinking about anything other than taking steps forward every day I feel is a distraction at this point.
Your minutes have risen game by game. What kind of a relationship do you have with Vincent Macaulay? What kind of advice does he give you for helping your game?
Vince is a players’ coach. I think our relationship is growing by the day as well as his faith in and understanding of what I bring to the table for this team. I think his commitment to building those relationships on and off the court are the biggest benefit he brings not only to me, but to the entire organization as a whole.
How difficult is it coming off the bench and getting shots when the team is filled with so much offensive fire power?
I’m a natural scorer, so, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t seeking out opportunities to score within the offense when I’m on the floor, but I wouldn’t say there’s a lack of opportunity for me to do so. The beauty of our team is the fact the we have a lot of weapons, and I know that I’m one of them. I’m finding more opportunities to have an impact daily, and am going to be ready every time my number gets called.
What is your biggest goal this season for your game? What goals do you have in terms of your further basketball development?
Being me out there and enjoying it. This game is my outlet, my sanctuary. It’s a place where I can turn pain and other negative emotions into a joy I don’t quite get with anything else. My goal is to take in every rush I can and experience it fully. That sanctuary isn’t holy though if you don’t spend the time daily to care for it, so I’m staying dedicated to that process of becoming more efficient with my movements, more precise with my decisions, and balancing that rush with a sense of calm focus. Something I like to tell myself if that balance is ever of is “Fire in the eyes, Ice in the veins”.
You next play 0-3 Vechta. This is another game you should win, but obviously don´t want to underestimate them. How confident are you that the Dragons will win and give up less than 90 points?
It’s a young team looking for a win and a derby. We’ll need everyone focused and ready to play 40 minutes of Dragons basketball from the jump. I think if we can get off to the start we need to, especially on the defensive end with a hit first mentality, we’ll end up with another result we can be proud of. That all starts in practice though and it’s a process that is already in motion here in Quakenbrück.
