The Beko BBL playoffs are still five weeks away and in that time the jockeying for playoff places can be as wild and unpredictable as the Atlanta Hawks season has been finishing first in the Atlantic East, but if you’re a Ludwigsburg supporter one can always dream what may happen. Last season 2010 Eurochallenge winner John Patrick had the reigns for a whole season after coming in as a fireman in January 2013 and led the team to the playoffs taking a game from FC Bayern Munich. This season Patrick has great chances to reach the playoffs again and with another very strong roster with that NBA flair as present as always with guys like Jon Brockman and Michael Stockton will be very focused to this time kick out on of the big three in the Beko BBL. The club could very well battle the Fraport Skyliners for that eighth spot if it comes to push and shove in the last two weeks. Both teams have a similarity in that both brought in players that in a way have turned around their season. In Frankfurt, rookie Justin Cobbs was brought in and with his stellar play the club would not be in the Eurochallenge Final 4 with his perfect 10-0 record or fighting for the playoffs. In Ludwigsburg, the club brought in ex NBA player DJ Kennedy who played 2 NBA games with the Cleveland Cavaliers and was close to making the Grizzlies and Mavericks rosters in December. The wins didn´t come as rapidly as in Frankfurt with Cobbs as he lost his first four games, but since then the team is 10-4 and had massive wins against Alba Berlin, Bamberg and Oldenburg and the Pittsburgh Native who played 129 NCAA games for ST John´s has been a central figure in this second half success. The American started the season with Krasny Oktyabr Volgograd (Russia-VTB) VTB United League: 4 games: 19.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 3.3apg; Eurocup: 3 games: 16.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.7apg, 1.7spg, but despite good stats left only two months in and not because of the bitter cold. “The weather wasn’t a factor for me I’m from Pittsburgh so that wasn’t a big deal for me. I just think with the hiring of a new coach and the president wanting to go in another direction.  So it was best that we came two a mutual agreement for both sides to move on”, stressed Kennedy. He hit the German basketball scene like lightening and has scored 20 points or more 10 times including a 31 point outburst against Tuebingen, 29 points against MBC and hurt Oldenburg with two 26 point efforts. After the 0-4 start, Kennedy credits his teammates, getting a feel for each other and coach Patrick as why the team has had success. “I really feel our success lately has been because we have a better feel for one another now and we all are on the same page as a collective group and it shows. This is a Great group of guys very competitive, humble, unselfish and works hard every day. We are all learning from each other and it’s great to be a part of this group. Coach Patrick has been great for me, lot of my success so far has a lot to do with him. We have a great connection. He is very hands on as far as fundamentals and defense and stresses the little things that makes a big difference. I have a lot of respect for him”, stressed DJ Kennedy. In the first meeting in Ludwigsburg, Cobbs won the point battle against Kennedy 27-24, but the ex NBA player left the floor as the winner 88-75. On Easter Monday the ex NBA player Kennedy and possibly future NBA player Cobbs will duel again as a win for either team will bring them a step closer to the BBL playoffs. Kennedy as Cobbs will be instrumental for their teams in their quest to kick out a big three in the first round of the playoffs.

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