fantasy

Dogus Balbay`s Phrase You Don´t Have To Do 1000 Things Once But 1 Thing 1000 times Stuck With Jamie Edoka at Next Gen Euroleague

Pic credit. Next Gen Euroleague

The Skyliners biggest German prospect at the moment is Jamie Edoka (195-G-2008) who recently turned 18 years old. He made his easyCredit BBL debut last season and played 4 games and this season so far has played only 1 BBL game. At the same time he is one of the main players and leaders of the Pro B team Skyliners Juniors and NBBL (u-19) team. That is a heavy load, but recently his games plan was heightened as he was invited to play at the well known Next Gen Euroleague. It is a tournament played every year over the course of a weekend where the worlds best young prospects play against each other. This year´s tournament was held in Ulm at the Orange academy which is where the farm team of ratiopharm Ulm train and play their Pro B games. Edoka also trains at an incredible facility in Frankfurt, but seeing something new in Ulm was refreshing. “It is really a cool campus. They have very good training facilities. They have 3 courts and 1 main one. The locker rooms are also great. Everything was run very professionally. We stayed at a top hotel, good meals and getting around was top as well. Adidas did a really good job. The atmosphere was amazing as well. It was busiest at mid day for the games”, remembered Jamie Edoka.

The young guard who likes to observe Maodo Lo video´s came to Ulm with high expectations as any young prospect would. He was having a very potent season in the Pro B and NBBL and wanted to keep the groove going at Next Gen Euroleagiue. “My goal was simple. I wanted to be able to show my abilities on a big stage and show guys my age how good I am”, stressed Jamie Edoka. One of the things that players have to deal with when playing at Next gen Euroleague is getting shuffled together with many guys and having to find team chemistry rapidly. “It is tough coming together with new guys and trying to build chemistry in such a short time. We had a new coach and had to learn new plays. I feel like at times we were able to show chemistry. We did the best that we could”, said Jamie Edoka.

pic credit: Next Gen Euroleague

The first game for Jamie Edoka was against Ratiopharm Ulm where they lost in nail bitter fashion 75-73. It was a game where his team had to fight the whole game trying to get back over the hump. “We didn´t start well. We were always down 10 points, but never stopped fighting. We got close at the end, but lost. Despite the loss we won the last 3 quarters after losing the 1 quarter so something positive came out of it”, added Jamie Edoka. Despite the loss, he had a super game of 20/5/3/1. He also shot well from the parking lot at 2/5. “I found my flow in the second half. When I´m able to find my flow, there aren´t many guys that can stop me”, stressed Jamie Edoka. In the game, he battled other big Polish prospect Teo Milicic who had a great game as well with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks. “Teo is also a really good player. He has been a bit off the radar, but he has shown his abilities really well this season. He is also a really good friend of mine and I´m really happy for his success”, commented Jamie Edoka. This season the paths of Edoka and Millicic have gone different ways. Whereas Edoka hasn´t found into the Skyliners BBL rotation, Milicic has as he began extremely hot in the Pro B at Orange Academy and was promoted on November 1st and since has played 11 BBL games and 10 Eurocup games averaging 8 and 10 minutes in each competition. Does it bother him that Milicic has made the jump quicker to the BBL than he has? Are the Skyliners simply filled with too many guards? “Not at all. I´m really so happy for Teo that he has gotten this great chance to showcase his abilities and make the most of it. I just see it now as not having received my chance yet from the Skyliners. I don´t let that get me down. It actually motivates me more to keep working harder so I can get that BBL opportunity again. My main goal is to play at the highest level”, warned Jamie Edoka.

The fast guard with the lethal drive who lists ex NBA player Carson Edwards as his toughest cover so far in his career got his first win in the second game against Cedevita 74-72. “That was another close game. This was a really good team win. We played together very well as a team and played totally unselfish”, stated Jamie Edoka. He filled the stat sheet as usual with a 12/7/5 game, but wasn´t able to find his groove from downtown shooting 1/6. “I wasn´t so happy about my game. I didn´t hit well from outside. I needed to score more. But at the end of the day, I feel I helped the team in other ways”, expressed Jamie Edoka. His three point shooting percentages at the moment are worse in the Pro B and NBBL than last year, but he isn´t letting that misfortune affect him. “Of course it is annoying when you work hard on your shot, but don´t see the results in games. I´m shooting more three´s than last season. I just need to keep working hard and get in my reps. I won´t let my percentages get me down”, warned Jamie Edoka. Is it more mental or shot selection or his mechanics that has led to his current percentages? “I think that it is a mix of shot selection and my mechanics. I believe that I take good shots and I´m working on my mechanics with many coaches. I always believe that I can make shots”, warned Jamie Edoka.

Jamie Edoka with the montrous dunk against FC Bayern Basket

He only played 10 minutes in the third game against Milan which they lost 93-68. He had to leave the game hurt and also wasn´t able to suit up for the game for 7th place against Olympiakos which they were able to win 89-77 and end the tournament in 7th place. That game had a major challenge as it was played at 9:00Am. “It was really tough to play so early. We only played with 9 guys as 3 guys including myself were out. Despite the early start time, Everybody played hard and gave their best”, stated Jamie Edoka. With one close loss, the team could have gone farther in the tournament, but all in all it was a solid showing. “I think that we could have gone further. Had we beat Milan, we could have become first. You can never totally predict how far one can go, but it happened how it happened”, said Jamie Edoka. He had many great teammates and even one he knew well with Marko Petric of Wurzburg and a coach in ex Euroleague player Dogus Balbay from whom he could learn much from. “Marko and I roomed together at the Euro U-16. He is a big strong wing that can dribble well and is very versatile. His shot making ability is his biggest strength. Coach Balbay has a lot of experience. He told us a lot about his playing career. He really knows the game. The most important thing I took from him was this phrase. You don´t have to do 1000 things once, but 1 thing a 1000 times”, stressed Jamie Edoka. His stat line after 3 games at Next Gen Euroleague was 12,0ppg, 4,3rpg and 3,3apg while shooting 27% from outside. “I´m not completely happy with how I played. I only played 2,5 games. I definitely had some good phases, but I could have done more. I can´t change anything now”, added Jamie Edoka. Were there any players that stuck out to him? “There were some players that stuck out. Obviously Teo Milicic, but there were others as well like Leonard Kroger of Paderborn, Cameron Houindo of Cedevita, Vuk Danilovic of Mega Super and another German player Felix Kiehlneker of Orange Academy”, said Jamie Edoka. It will be interesting to see where the development of Edoka and Milicic continues to go this season How much does a player like Milicic motivate him every day? “I think that we motivate each other a lot. We have competed against each other for years and see each other often. To see how he has improved so much adds that extra motivation to continue to get better”, warned Jamie Edoka. The 2 good friends will meet again in Los Angeles this weekend at the NBA allstar game for the Basketball Without Boarders Camp. “I´m really glad and thankful for the invitation. I´m looking forward to competing against and with good players from around the world. I would like to meet Lebron James”, stressed Jamie Edoka. They will gather moments to serve a lifetime.

Drago Crnjac Will Never Forget Seeing Kevin Kollmar Fly By Him And Then Seeing His Shot Sail Through The Net For A Dramatic Buzzer Beater Win

pic credit: Matthias Raith

It was 1,23 Am on Sunday January 18 when I got a link from Chris Diaz Maceo (TV Langen broadcaster) telling me to watch the last 3 minutes of the TV Langen-Dresden Titans game. I did and saw an incredible ending that had 3 baskets within 4 seconds and gave TV Langen the last laugh as Drago Crnjac (196-SG-2002) sent all Langen fans home in ecstasy as his last second shot saw nothing but net and gave them the roller coaster 90-88 victory. I had to watch it over and over just to enjoy the moment. A little more than 16 hours later, there was also a game winner in Frankfurt as the Skyliners Juniors upset BBC Coburg 74-70. It wasn´t a buzzer beater and as dramatic as what had happened in Langen, but the game winner was achieved by another Crnjac, the younger brother of Drago Ivan. I had the joy of doing the play by play with Drago as he watched in joy as his brother was the hero after 40 minutes. Having 2 Crnjac´s be the hero on one weekend probably won´t happen again and the only thing missing was a second buzzer beater. “Unfortunately I feel like a buzzer beater like mine and a game winner by my brother most likely won´t happen again. A second buzzer beater was missing but his game winner was nice. It felt good seeing him play so well at the end. I liked how he did those things well that he could control. That really needs to be commended. He didn´t have his best shooting day, but he did so many others well”, stressed Drago Crnjac. A really enriching thing was feeling the total support from Drago for his brother. There is absolutely no jealousy, but is the competitiveness between both high? “It is 100% competitiveness between us. It doesn´t matter if it´s basketball, soccer, handball or darts, we always want to beat each other. Ivan just asked me the other day if we could play 1-1 in basketball again”, smiled Drago Crnjac.

Drago Crnjac doing play by play with Miles Schmidt-Scheuber in Frankfurt

TV Langen arrived in the Dresden game having won 5 of their last 7 games and wanted to continue that upward swing and had big revenge on their brutal 72-60 loss to Dresden earlier in the season. “Beating them felt good. I feel like our first loss in Dresden was our worst game of the season. It was very disappointing. We had a massive chip on our shoulder to win. It felt extra good to win after the game going back and forth so much in crunch-time”, said Drago Crnjac. Fabian Baumgarten began the game something not so typical. One could see with this that head coach Tobias Jahn has trust in all 12 players. “It was actually his second start this season. He is getting more minutes and has some of the most experience on our team. He simply knows what to do on the court. I like that he is playing more”, stated Drago Crnjac. Alex Lagerman got going rapidly scoring 3 baskets in the first minutes. Would one have predicted a 30 + game that early from him? “I was actually a little surprised that he had scored so much at the end when I saw the stat sheet. He is still one of the most talented scorers in the Pro B. There are few guys that get to the rim as easily as he does. He doesn´t look so strong, but he is so effective”, warned Drago Crnjac. Duje Putnik was a scoring machine in the first quarter. What made it so difficult to control him? “He is a very good player and second best scorer on their team after Scottie Stone. I don´t think it was so much 1-1 with him, but moreover Dresden showed great team basketball and always found him in the right spots”, added Drago Crnjac. The contest was tied 19-19 after 10 minutes and in the second quarter. Dresden had the slim 41-36 lead after 20 minutes. TV Langen stayed strong always fighting back, but just couldn´t get over the hump. “Rebounding helped Dresden have the lead as well as our turnovers. We had many really bad turnovers”, said Drago Crnjac. Dresden led 65-60 after 3 quarters. TV Langen doesn´t have a true center and pride their game on small ball. Playing without a big man isn´t easy, but they always find a way to compensate that in other areas. “I think that we have learned to come to terms with the fact that we are a small team. Despite that, I feel like we rebound well. I think that we tend to have problems when we play against classic post up players, but Dresden doesn´t have a classic post up player”, warned Drago Crnjac.

Pic credit: Matthias Raith

The last minute couldn´t have been more dramatic as the TV Langen come back continued to shrink the Dresden lead. It was almost at it´s climax as TV Langen led 87-85 with 4 seconds to go after a dramatic Alex Lagerman dunk. Then Scottie Stone nailed a trey for the 88-87 lead with 1 second to go. “When I saw Dresden´s play for the Stone three pointer, It reminded me that Frankfurt had had that play when I played there. When I saw Stone open, I was annoyed, because I knew he would make the shot. The buzzer went off, but I knew that there was at least 1 second to play”, said Drago Crnjac. TV Langen had one last possession. TV Langen didn´t need a three and could have opted for a 2 point play. Was Drago Crnjac the main last option and was he surprised how open he was? “The play was drawn up for Alex Lagerman. The refs were discussing something. I saw that Dresden was set for zone and that Leon Fertig was guarded on the in bound. I went over to Leon and told him that I would run my route a little different. I will be free since the zone won´t give us an alley-op. I thought Leon waited to long and the contest was there, but all in all Henk Droste set a really good screen”, added Drago Crnjac. He had a good look and let the ball fly. “I felt nothing after the release. I just shot it and then saw Kevin Kollmar come at me. I thought that he would foul me. Then he flew by me and then I saw the ball sail through the net”, expressed Drago Crnjac. His buzzer beater was perhaps a once in a lifetime shot as buzzer beaters are so rare. Was that his biggest moment of the game? “I think that the complete last few minutes was my highlight. The Lagerman dunk, Stone three and my buzzer beater was an experience that I will never forget”, stressed Drago Crnjac.

Pic credit: Matthias Raith

TV Langen face Orange Academy on the road and want to keep their winning streak alive and get revenge for the ugly 105-75 loss at home almost 3 months ago. “We will be really fired up for this game. The team is a lot different now. Some of their players moved to the BBL team Ulm like Teo Millic who scored 26 points against us then. It will be a very long trip, but we are comfortable that we can beat them. I know the area there from my Ehingen days so it should be a nice trip”, smiled Drago Crnjac. Last season he averaged 12.0ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 59.0%, 3PT: 31.6%, FT: 71.4% in the Regionalliga and this season is averaging 1 minute less while averaging 11,3ppg and 1,4apg. “I had start problems as we started poorly as a team. But I have been happy with my game in the last 10 games. I´m shooting over 50% from outside. Of course I would always like to play more”, said Drago Crnjac. He is averaging only 0,7rpg which is very uncommon, but 1,4apg. How vital is it for him to bring other facets of his game besides his shot? “I think that I have become a really solid passer. I´m not always getting the assist, but making the one more pass. But my rebounding is definitely something that I continue to work on”, commented Drago Crnjac. He is always working on becoming a better defender. He continues to gain new steps in his defensive game as he is playing in a system of Tobias Jahn that prides defense. “Coach Jahn really likes to play good defense. I have gained some weight this season and that has really helped me with the physicality and bumps. I feel more comfortable as a defender now”, stressed Drago Crnjac. 2026 has arrived. Did he set any special new years resolutions? “Outside of basketball my big focus is to finish my studies”, said Drago Crnjac. It will be interesting to see where the journey of TV Langen will go in the next months. The playoffs are a realistic goal. If Crnjac will hit another buzzer beater is unknown, but one thing is sure, he will continue to amaze Langen fans with his three pointer and other facets of his game that he will continue to display.

Marko Zarkovic Knows Sometimes You Win And Sometimes You Lose But If You Give Your Best You Can Go Home Happy

pic credit Martin Jung

Marko Zarkovic is a Serbian coach that was hired to coach the Dragons Rhondorf in mid season. He has had experience coaching is Estonia and Latvia. He was with the Telekom Baskets Bonn organization from 2020-2024 where he was headcoach of the youth teams U-16 and U-18 and also of the Telekom baskets Bonn 2 team in the Regionalliga. He spoke to germanhhoops.com about the game 2 loss against Leverkusen ending the season.

Thanks Marco for talking to germanhoops.com The Dragons Rhondorf suffered a tough 73-62 loss to Leverkusen to end the season. How tough was it for you to have the season end?

It was not easy but our players gave their best in the last game. I can’t expect more from them, so at least we can be happy with that.

You may not have known this. But the 2 coaches of Leverkusen Mike Koch and Hansi Gnad are German basketball legends that won the 1993 European championships. What did it mean coaching against them?

1993 Championship was the first competition I watched as a child so I know we played against big legends. For me it was a pleasure to coach against 2 great people and coaches.

The team was without Kelvin Omojola in the Leverkusen series. Do you feel like Kelvin Omojola could have been the difference especially in game 2 to tie series?

He is our captain and with him we would have had bigger chances, no doubt about that.

The second quarter was incredible. What was it like for you watching and coaching that? How much fun was it seeing that?

That was the best quarter of our season and it was amazing to watch the team. I felt very proud of our efforts. I think everyone in the gym was very happy with the team in that moment. It was the best defensive quarter of the season.

What was it defensively besides the flying around that helped the Dragons be successful?

It was the energy and team spirit, guys played for each other and helped each other without excuses.

It was more than flying around wasn´t it? Did every Dragon have their own space ship? That is what it felt like? It seemed like the Dragons knew exactly where the ball was going?

Hahaha, I was telling the players several times during the season that we are the Dragons and that we need to spread our wings and start flying. We were very focused and probably have surprised Leverkusen with a decision to guard their bigs with our wing players.

What did you tell the team at half-time to do for the second half?

I told them that we need keep the same energy and believe till the end.

In the third quarter came the dreaded 18-0 run. How tough was it to watch that? Why wasn´t the defense working on Dennis Heinzmann anymore? He scored 5 buckets in the third quarter?

He is an amazing player and with our size it is not easy to guard him. We haven’t been scoring on the other side and that affected our confidence.

Leverkusen didn´t really defend any better in the third quarter, except maybe being more aggressive. It was more on the Dragons? Why did it seem like the Dragons was a bit half hearted? Did the team lose faith in their abilities?

I agree it was more on us. We had open shots who didn’t go in, if we have scored some of temt open 3’s it would be a different game. We were not mentally strong to finish the game but that is something that was happening several times during the season.

The Dragons never gave up and trailed only by 3 points after 3 quarters. Did Leverkusen wear down the Dragons in the fourth quarter?

I think it was more that we had 3 players with foul problems and that we couldn’t rotate and keep some guys fresh.

Still the Dragons gave all they had in their last home game. How proud were you of the team and how they played?

I’m very proud, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose but if you give your best you can go home happy.

Thanks Marko for the chat.

It’s An Almost Normal Day At The Office For Calvin Wishart Leading The Wurzburg Baskets Akademie Past The Dragons Rhondorf 82-70

The Dragons Rhondorf may be in the playoffs with one foot, but the regular season still had 2 games left. After convincing wins against Frankfurt and Coburg, the Dragons traveled to Ludwigsburg and really stunk up the gym and showed again just how unpredictable they can be this season. The fight for the last playoff places was fierce as there were 3 teams with 11 wins and Frankfurt lurking behind with 10 wins. The Dragons Rhondorf needed a win at home against Wurzburg who came into the game with 13 wins and in fifth place. Wurzburg has been playing good basketball as of late having won 3 of their last 4 games despite not always having full rosters as Hannes Steinbach and Calvin Wishart (188-G-1999, college: UCSB) weren’t always available. On a mild spring evening in Bad Honnef, the Dragons Rhondorf wanted to get back on the winning track while Wurzburg was seeking revenge after suffering a brutal buzzer beater loss on account of Alex Lagerman’s last second shot earlier in the season. However a basketball game has 40 minutes and not 30 as the Dragons Rhondorf were at eye level going into the fourth quarter, but a disastrous start and massive Wurzburg run paved the way to the 82-70 victory. Wurzburg saved their best defense for the end and it paid off as they allowed only 9 points. ‘We stuck together on the road allowing only 70 points. We played tough and we had some guys step up with Sokolov and Narvilas. We switched really well which messed them up’, stressed Wurzburg American Calvin Wishart. The Dragons Rhondorf really needed this win, but saved the most unwanted time of the season to totally collapse in the fourth quarter and now have a do or die game in Cologne against top team Rheinstars next weekend. ‘Our first 2 quarters were Ok and our third quarter was good. We moved the ball well, but Wishart hit tough shots all game long. We couldn’t execute against their zone in the fourth quarter and they hit tough shots which was the difference’, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Kelvin Omojola.

Matas Narvilas at the FT line

Both teams played a high tempo game in the first quarter as it was back and forth at the start, but Wurzburg upped their energy a bit more and executed a bit better to have the 20-15 advantage after 10 minutes. The game went back and forth in the first minutes as there were 6 lead changes. Ohio native Tim Smith Jr scored 2 baskets while Wurzburg was aided by 2 three’s from Minnesota native Calvin Wishart and ex Ibam guard Jonas Maerz. The Dragons hat difficulty hitting the three, but scored inside leading 8-7. However the Bavarian squad coached by ex German national player Alex King then heightened their game and went on a stifling 13-4 run to lead 20-12. In the run, Wurzburg played super team ball sharing the love around as Calvin Wishart made an amazing acrobatic lay in, ex Speyer player David Pisic a lay in, Lukas Roth a trey and Matas Narvilas a lay in. The Dragons Rhondorf were sloppy with their 1-1 defense, but doing a great job on the boards despite trailing. Wurzburg defended aggressively and forced the Dragons to tough shots which allowed them to have the 8 point lead. Ex Orange Academy guard Marko Rosic made a smart play at the end reading the pick and roll well and nailing a trey as Wurzburg led only 20-15 at the end of the first quarter. ‘We knew it would be a long game, so we went in very focused. We went in poised and weren’t to hyped’, said Calvin Wishart. Wurzburg shot 31% from the 2 point area and 38% from outside and had 13 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 33% from the 2 point area and 20% from outside and had 15 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

Janne Muller from outside

In the second quarter the Wurzburg Baskets Akademie tried to break away, but the Dragons Rhondorf stayed with them and only trailed by 2 points at the break. Both clubs began with mini runs as ex Frankfurt player Alexander Lagerman scored back to back baskets with a lay in and then steal and coast to coast lay in spinning his way past an opponent as Wurzburg led 20-19, but the guests punched back with a 3 point play by Wishart and role player Eduard Ranz made a lay in as the Dragons trailed 25-19. But the Dragons didn’t let up, but struck back with a 5-0 run as they got a big trey by Mamadou Diallo and an offensive rebound and put back by ex BBL player Marco Rahn to trail 25-24. The Dragons got great support from their bench and worked extra hard on the offensive glass to preserve extra chances. But this time Wurzburg went on a big 10-2 run to lead 35-26 and didn’t allow the Dragons to punch back. In the run Wurzburg was led by their explosive walking bucket Calvin Wishart who supplied 8 points with 2 three’s while German David Gerhard also made a lay in. Wishart was the motor and his teammates followed his lead which increased the team energy while the Dragons Rhondorf got static in their offense and were missing that go to guy. But the Dragons woke up punching back with a 9-2 run to trail only 37-35. In the run, it was young Lithuanian Danas Kazakevicius who became that go to guy added 7 points as his energy and inside presence totally sparked his team as they defended more aggressively. In the last minutes, it was both teams bigs that dominated as Kazakevicius scored twice as did Clemons Sokolov including a pretty hook shot. 2024 U-18 Gold medalist Janne Muller ended the first half with a lay in as the Dragons Rhondorf trailed 43-41. ‘This was our worst quarter. We lost some energy. Coach was mad at us for making dumb mistakes’, stated Calvin Wishart. The Wurzburg Baskets Akademie shot 44% from the 2 point area and 36% from the three point line and had 22 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 41% from the 2 point area and 22% from the three point line and had 31 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

Clemens Sokolov with the lay in

In the third quarter there were 6 lead changes and the Dragons Rhondorf tried to get away as they led by 5 points, but Wurzburg remained tough and led 62-61 after 30 minutes. Wurzburg had the narrow lead after a few minutes. Smith Jr hit a 20 footer and Rahn a trey, but Wurzburg also executed getting a 20 footer from Narvilas and lay in and free throw by Wishart as the Dragons trailed 48-46. The Dragons Rhondorf then collected some momentum going on a 9-2 run led by Kelvin Omojola to lead 55-50. One of Omojola’s biggest strength besides his trey is his aggressiveness and he scored twice with pretty lay in’s as he found his spots and scored. Rahn continued to also be aggressive and display his inside out game as he made another trey and made another offensive rebound and put back. Wurzburg’s intensity dipped a bit while the Dragons intensity was sky high at both ends and they also worked collectively very well on the boards. But the Dragons couldn’t break away as Wurzburg found their offensive rhythm again thanks to Mr motor Calvin Wishart that punished Rhondorf twice inside as they couldn’t contain him for 2 lay in’s and later he connected on a trey as Wurzburg had grabbed the lead back. ‘It was a close game. We fought back after their run. We were getting stops, but just not stringing them together yet’, commented Calvin Wishart. ‘We played well on offense. Our ball movement was good as we were swinging the ball side by side and getting great looks. We were all clicking. On defense we forced tough shots and rebounded well’, expressed Kelvin Omojola. The Wurzburg Baskets Akademie shot 51% from the 2 point area and 27% from the parking lot an dhad 32 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 43% from the 2 point area and 31% from the parkin g lot and 42 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Alexander Lagerman at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the most important quarter of the season, the Dragons Rhondorf were unable to play their game as they allowed a 11-0 run and were stopped 12 times in a row which they couldn’t recover from and caused the loss. Both teams couldn’t execute well in the first few minutes as both teams were stopped 4 times, but then Wurzburg found out of their funk going on a 11-0 run to extend their lead 73-61 and putting them in great position to win. In the run, the guests were aided most by Matas Narvilas who added 7 points while Wishart made a lay in and Sokolov also scored in the paint. ‘Matas had been sick, but I’m glad he was back. I told him before the game that we really need him. We need his offense and he produced. I told him this is no warm up, but game time’, added Calvin Wishart. Wurzburg showed that they didn’t only need Wishart in the games biggest run. Wishart had a great game with 31 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 blocks from him, but it was an almost normal day at the office. ‘It was a normal day at the office except for the 2 blocks. I had a nice Lebron chase down block. I just try to do whatever the team needs to win’, said Calvin Wishart. The Dragons Rhondorf couldn’t produce against the Wurzburg zone. When they finally did break through, it was at 4,26 minute mark as Lagerman scored and it was a 10 point game. In crunch-time, Wurzburg managed the lead well and just hurt the Dragons inside as Clemens Sokolov scored 3 times totally hampering their come back attempt. They got free throws from Janne Muller and a lay in by Kazakevicius, but they just couldn’t get over the hump. Omojola and Narvilas traded baskets at the end as the game finished. ‘We found the mismatches. We really didn’t have many plays. I was just told, ‘Calvin go downhill and create an advantage. We also strung together stops. I told the guys going into the fourth quarter that this game was ours’, warned Calvin Wishart. ‘We weren’t prepared to execute against their zone. Wishart has the ultimate green light. He is always in attack mode. That makes it really difficult to defend’, stressed Kelvin Omojola. The Wurzburg Baskets Akademie were led by Calvin Wishart with 31 points while Clemens Sokolov added 19 points and Matas Narvilas had 18 points while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Danas Kazakevicius with 14 points while Alexander Lagewrman and Marco Rahn combined for 12 points a piece. The Wurzburg Baskets Akademie shot 43% from the field and 23% from outside and had 45 rebounds and 9 turnovers and the Dragons Rhondorf shot 36% from the field and 20% from outside and had 52 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Alexander Lagerman Knows That The Dragons Rhondorf Have To Keep Improving So They Are Their Best Version For The Playoffs

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Alex Lagerman in the Dragon Dome in 2025

Alexander Lagerman (202-SG-2004) is a 20 year old 202cm shooting guard playing his first season with Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf averaging 8,4ppg, 2,7rpg and 1,0apg. Last season he played with the wiha Panthers Schwenningen (ProB) playing16 games averaging 15.1ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 61.6%, 3PT: 27.1%, FT: 72.7%. He began his basketball career with the Fraport Skyliners in the JBBL (U-16) and also played 4 Pro B games and in 2022-2023 season in the NBBL averaged :21.2ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 78.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big 104-97 win over Coburg.

Congrats on the massive 104-97 win over Coburg. How good did it feel sweeping the season series against Coburg?

It feels great. I believe we are making steps and progressing as a team. It was a good collective performance.

After only allowing 72 points last week in Frankfurt, what was the goal defensively going into the game?

No specific goals besides our fundamental defensive principles. We executed our defensive structures well.

The first quarter was a scoring explosion with 58 points, but the Dragons had the 31-27 advantage. How vital is it for the Dragons to try to get away from these shoot out type of quarters?

Vital, it’s hard to gain control over shoot outs because you can’t factor luck in.

BBC Coburg had a rapid start, but how important was the alley-oop dunk from Danas Kazakevicius? Did that give the Dragons the needed energy at that time?

Yea plays such as that one, definitely spike the energy and can only benefit the team.

The Dragons then had a big run to lead 29-19, but BBC Coburg punched back with a 8-2 run to trail only 31-27. What was so difficult for the Dragons being able slow down BBC Coburg better?

Basketball is a momentum shifting game. I guess Coburg found their momentum in that specific sequence.

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf got a healthy lead and led by as much as 17 points and led 59-43 at the break. What adjustment did the Dragons make on the defensive end?

We controlled our matchups better in one on one.

In the third quarter BBC Coburg fought back scoring 26 points and trailed only 79-69. Down the stretch Tobias Rotegaard hit 2 three´s. What made it so difficult to contain him?

He was chucking up moving threes around screens which is always hard to contest. They were tough shots but you have to give him credit for making them.

BBC Coburg continued to fight in the fourth quarter and the Dragons couldn´t shake them. How vital was it for the Dragons showing that special offensive consistency early on to keep the comfortable lead?

Very important because we didn’t want to lose our momentum and give them the confidence that they can stop us defensively.

BBC Coburg kept fighting and got another three pointer down the stretch, but it wasn´t enough. What was key in crunch-time for getting the win?

Just staying solid, letting the clock run out and not making any mistakes that could give them the opportunity.

There were many great baskets in the game. What was your favorite basket of the game?

Hard one to pick. I liked Kelvin’s three, bcause he made it when they counted the most and that knocked them back.

The Dragons Rhondorf won the rebound duel, had better shooting percentages and had 29 assists. What was the team´s biggest strength on the night?

All of the above. Rebounding, shot making and also moving the ball well.

The Dragons Rhondorf have won 3 of their last 4 games. Is it slowly getting it´s playoff form?

That is definitely the goal. To keep improving, so that we have the best possible version of the team to show up for the playoffs

Next week a must win situation in Ludwigsburg. How big will be the revenge factor after the 91-86 loss at home?

It would be sweet to grab that win on the road, especially after losing to them in the first matchup. We shouldn’t underestimate them, they are talented but we carry the confidence and are the better team.

What will the Dragons Rhondorf will be working on most this week in practice concerning the defensive end?

That’s a question coach Marko can answer better than me, but my guess is sticking to our principles and analyzing how we can best defend the opposing team.

How great is it seeing the awakening of Tim Smith Jr? He is finding his form of the early season. Could he be the difference of making the playoffs or not?

For sure. Tim is our main guy. We need him to be in the best possible form because his versatility and shot making ability can make the difference.

You had a solid game of 10/3/1 in only 14 minutes. How content were you with your game?

For the amount of minutes I played I thought I did really well. Also defensively I felt like I did a solid job. I try to control what I can control, so I’m very content with how I played.

You averaged 26 minutes in the last 2 games before the Coburg game, but about 10 minutes less in the 10 previous games. And against Coburg it was only 14 minutes. How tough is these fluctuations in your minutes?

It isn’t easy. In order to perform consistently it obviously helps to get consistent playing time. But we have a deep squad and as long as we are performing well it doesn’t matter who is playing how much.

Do you have any explanations why there have been so many games 15/21 where you averaged less than 20 minutes?

That’s an interesting statistic I wasn’t aware of that. I’m not quite sure I have an exact explanation besides the fact that we have a deep rotation. But I feel like, considering the way I played last game, I could’ve definitely played more. I guess my main takeaway for this is that minutes should be directly connected to my in-game performance.

How thrilled were you last weekend winning against your ex team Frankfurt? What gave you the most satisfaction after the buzzer sounded?

It definitely felt great also playing in front of my family and friends is always a blessing. Just the taste of victory was enough in terms of satisfaction.

Antonio Pilipovic scored the 100th point. Does he have to get donuts?

Most certainly yes. He is known for enforcing the donut rule, so I’m pretty sure he’ll live by it as well lol.

Thanks Alex for the chat.

Tim Smith Jr(Dragons Rhonsorf) Is Getting Into Post Season Mode As He Leads By Example and Brings That Intensity Night In And Night Out

Tim Smith Jr. (201-F-2000, college: N.Alabama, agency: 011 Sports) is a 24 year old 201cm forward playing his first season overseas with the Dragons Rhondorf. He began his basketball career at Lakewood high school and then played at 3 Universities. He began at California University of Pennsylvania (NCAA2) averaging 8.9ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 88.9%. He then played 2 seasons at Walsh University (NCAA2) averaging 10.9ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 72.1% and 16.1ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 87.1%. He then finished at the University of North Alabama (NCAA) averaging 9.4ppg, 4.7rpg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 79.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big 104-97 win over BBC Coburg.

Congrats on the massive 104-97 win over Coburg. How good did it feel sweeping the season series against Coburg?

It felt amazing. Coburg is a tough team and they always come ready to compete, so to be able to sweep the season series against them is a big confidence boost for us. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but we stayed locked in and found a way to get it done again.

After only allowing 72 points last week in Frankfurt, what was the goal defensively going into the game?

Our main focus was to bring that same defensive intensity. We knew Coburg had weapons offensively, so the goal was to limit their rhythm, pressure the ball early, and force tough shots. We didn’t execute that perfectly the whole game, but in key moments we tightened up and made some important stops.

The first quarter was a scoring explosion with 58 points, but the Dragons had the 31-27 advantage. How vital is it for the Dragons to try to get away from these shoot out type of quarters?

Yeah, we definitely don’t want to make it a habit of getting into shootouts. While it’s nice to have offensive flow, our identity has to come from defense and controlling the tempo. So moving forward, we’ve got to set the tone earlier on the defensive end.

BBC Coburg had a rapid start, but how important was the alley-oop dunk from Danas Kazakevicius? Did that give the Dragons the needed energy at that time?

That was a big moment. Danas brought the energy with that dunk—it definitely fired us up and got the crowd going too. Plays like that shift momentum and set the tone physically, and from there we fed off that spark.

The Dragons then had a big run to lead 29-19, but BBC Coburg punched back with a 8-2 run to trail only 31-27. What was so difficult for the Dragons being able to slow down BBC Coburg better?

They’re a team that responds quickly. We’d get a lead, and they’d answer with tough shots or transition buckets. It was challenging to completely disrupt their rhythm. We had some lapses defensively—missed rotations, letting them get second chances—and they made us pay for it.

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf got a healthy lead and led by as much as 17 points and led 59-43 at the break. What adjustment did the Dragons make on the defensive end?

We tightened up on their ball movement and started switching smarter. We communicated better on screens, closed out with more urgency, and forced them into more isolation plays. That helped us get out in transition too, which really fueled our offense.

In the third quarter BBC Coburg fought back scoring 26 points and trailed only 79-69. Down the stretch Tobias Rotegaard hit 2 threes. What made it so difficult to contain him?

Tobias is a smart player. He moves well off the ball and has a quick release, so if you give him even a little space, he’ll knock it down. We lost track of him on a couple of off screens, and he made us pay. You’ve got to stay glued to him the whole time.

BBC Coburg continued to fight in the fourth quarter and the Dragons couldn´t shake them. How vital was it for the Dragons showing that special offensive consistency early on to keep the comfortable lead?

It was huge. Our early offensive rhythm gave us that cushion, and even when they started making a push late, we had something to fall back on. Being consistent early takes pressure off in the final minutes—it allowed us to stay composed and not panic when they closed the gap.

BBC Coburg kept fighting and got another three pointer down the stretch, but it wasn´t enough. What was key in crunch-time for getting the win?
Staying calm and making smart decisions. We hit some timely shots, got key rebounds, and made sure we didn’t rush offensively. Everyone stepped up in those last possessions—whether it was a deflection, a stop, or knocking down free throws. That poise in the final minutes sealed it for us.

There were many great baskets in the game. What was your favorite basket of the game?

Probably the dunk I had at the end of the game to kind of seal it, mainly because APs pass went between the defenders legs.

The Dragons Rhondorf won the rebound duel, had better shooting percentages and had 29 assists. What was the team’s biggest strength on the night?

Our biggest strength was definitely our unselfishness. The 29 assists really show how well we moved the ball and trusted each other. When everyone’s locked in, sharing the rock, and creating for one another, we’re a tough team to guard. On top of that, winning the rebounding battle gave us control of the tempo and limited their second chances.

The Dragons Rhondorf have won 3 of their last 4 games. Is it slowly getting its playoff form?

Yeah, we’re definitely starting to find our rhythm. We’ve been locking in more on both ends of the floor, and the chemistry is building at the right time. Every game from here on out is about sharpening up, so to be hitting our stride now is a good sign. We’re not there yet, but we’re trending in the right direction.

Next week a must-win situation in Ludwigsburg. How big will the revenge factor be after the 91-86 loss at home?

That loss definitely stuck with us. We felt like we let one slip away in front of our home crowd, so there’s definitely some extra motivation heading into this one. But beyond the revenge factor, it’s just a huge game for playoff positioning. We know what’s at stake, and we’re coming in with a chip on our shoulder.

What will the Dragons Rhondorf be working on most this week in practice concerning the defensive end?

We’ll be focusing a lot on communication and transition defense. We also need to clean up our rotations and be more active with our hands to force more turnovers.

Seven guys in double figures. Only Marco Rahn struggled. But he has had good games the last weeks. How vital will it be having a guy like him in top form for the playoffs?

Marco’s been huge for us all season. One off night doesn’t change that. His ability to stretch the floor, rebound, and make smart plays gives us a whole different dynamic. Having him in top form heading into the playoffs will be a major boost, not just statistically, but also with the energy and leadership he brings.

You had another really strong game with 24/6/2 and 1 block. Are you slowly coming into post-season mode?

Yeah, I feel like I’m starting to lock in. I’ve just been working hard, staying consistent with my routine, and trusting in my game. As the playoffs get closer, the focus naturally sharpens. Every possession matters more, and I’m doing my best to lead by example and bring that intensity night in and night out.

In the last 4 games you’re shooting 7/16 from outside. Before that, you were 2/17 in a 4-game span. Have you done anything differently concerning your outside shooting?

Honestly, I didn’t change much mechanically. I just stayed in the gym, stayed confident, and trusted the reps. Shooting slumps happen, but I never let it shake my belief. I kept working on my shot, staying ready, and now the results are starting to show. It’s all about rhythm and mindset.

You have 6 blocks in the last 3 games. Do you see yourself being able to heighten your defensive game down the stretch?

Definitely. That’s a part of my game I’ve been focusing on being more active, reading the plays quicker, and using my length to impact shots. As the games get tighter, defense becomes even more important, and I take pride in doing my part on that end. I know I can be a difference-maker defensively, especially down the stretch.

Thanks Tim for the chat.

Could Zac Owens(BC Vienna) Be The Next Explosive Guard Tearing Up Austria To Follow Zach Cooks To Germany?

So there I was checking Austria again on Eurobasket.com. I primarily cover German basketball, but I also do delve into other leagues and cover players, because every player has their own unique story and I will help cover it with their help. In the last years I discovered some interesting players in the Austrian first division like Stanley Whittaker and last season Zac Cooks. What I mean by discover was that I personally became aware of them. Both were guys that were tearing up the league, but weren´t household names, but talented guys that both had paid their dues in their careers. Whittaker actually having played at a NAIA school while Cooks had actually had a very respectable career in the NCAA, but for whatever reason had to perform 2 seasons of explosive basketball as he averaged 22/4/4 stats for UBSC Raiffeisen Graz until Germany finally came calling last summer. Both made the jump to higher leagues especially Whittaker who balled in first divisions in Germany and Italy. This time I found another player who by coincidence has the same first name as Cooks just spelled differently and is named Zac Owens (180-PG-1998, college: Bethel, IN). He also is tearing up the Austrian BSL and has paid his dues the last 3 years now already playing for his 5th team and 5th country. He like every other player doesn´t only have a great story, but a unique one. I mean I´m not a psychic, but I´m just going to predict again that a unique talent with Zac Owens isn´t only going to move up the ladder next season, but will land in Germany again in the Pro A or possibly in the easyCredit BBL. Owens wouldn´t mind giving the German leagues a go. “Any opportunity to keep playing the game I love is great! I’ve heard a lot of great things about Germany and its love for basketball out there. I would love to play there and have that experience weather it’s with Pro A that you predict, or with a top league BBL team. I’m definitely open to playing in Germany. They play a beautiful style of basketball. outside looking in I like what I see and I think that it would help grow my game in many aspects because a lot of the guards you see come out of Germany have high IQ and that’s something that can always grow as a basketball player so I think it would be a lot of benefits to me coming to Germany and playing there one day”, stressed Zac Owens.

Zac Owens who lists current Memphis Grizzlies Player Desmond Bane as his toughest opponent so far in his career was born on December 22, 1998 in Anderson, Indiana and attended Crispus Attucks High School. But before he could even pick up a basketball, he faced major adversary when he was only a small boy at age 2. He was experiencing serious nose bleeds and soon it was made known that he had literally no skull. It was possibly at 1% in his head. He had to have surgery and with time he developed a skull. But he knew at a young age that life would have obstacles. He quickly became a fighter and has had to face adversary in school and already at the pro level, but he is playing the game that he loves and wakes up every morning with a massive smile. “God saved my life! I am more than blessed to wake up each an everyday and being able to practice and compete with my teammates and then play games to end the week is major in my life right now. I’ve faced a lot of obstacles in my life but I’m still here so the story continues”, warned Zac Owens. He began his college career at at Huntington University (NAIA) averaging 6.3ppg, 1.7rpg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 72.7% and in his second season averaged 15.6ppg, 3.0rpg, 3.1apg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 42.7%, FT: 83.1%. He made a massive jump in his game in his second year thanks in part to his mentor Mike Bush. “My game grew a lot that season because of the opportunity was there with Mike Bush leaving and the coaches trusting me to fill that role. Mike Bush pushed me every single day when I was a freshman. We would stay after practice and play 1 on 1 for hours along with Junior Scott (Skylar Diggans younger brother). After my freshman season he told me “ it’s your time now, what you going to do with your moment?”, stressed Zac Owens. He scored in double figures in his second season in 20 of 31 games including 30 points against Taylor and 28 points against Goshen. He then made the move to Emporia State University (NCAA2) averaging 7.5ppg, 1.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 37.4%, 3PT: 31.9%, FT: 75.9%. He played a lot less minutes than the season before, but there was a good reason for that.” I had a completely different role I was actually moved to the SG position due to my scoring ability. But the positives I got from that season were the bonds I created from that team and the Emporia community it’s all love for them”, said Zac Owens. That season he scored in double figures in 7 games including 24 points against St.Mary’s, KS. He then decided to head back to the NAIA and played 2 seasons with Bethel University, Indiana (NAIA) averaging 18.4ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.8apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 44.7%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 77.9% and 15.6ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.2%, 3PT: 40.1%, FT: 79.6%. He helped lead his team to the NAIA Elite 8. “The elite 8 was amazing to me to see because everyday as a leader you want to push your guys and bring the best out of them. So with me not being on the court I was just so happy to see them be successful without me and I knew all the times I encouraged my teammates to be better paid off it was beautiful”, stated Zac Owens. In his first season he was teammates with walking bucket Trevion Crews who averaged 24,0ppg and has experience in the German Pro A with PS Karlsruhe and Giessen. He was able to soak up so much from him. “ I would say he is by far one of the easiest players I have ever played with. For the record we should have a ring together. But he was just so unselfish and accepting of me coming to play with him and we quickly became the best backcourt in the country. The biggest thing I got from him is you can’t win without other good players making plays”, remembered Zac Owens. In his 2 years there he played 47 games and scored in double figures in 40 games including 35 points against Grace College and 29 points against Judson. He took important advice from head coach Steve Drabyn and uses it today. “His message to me was that “you can always do more than you think” he would never let me get comfortable and constantly made me be a better player each and everyday and for that thank him. Because coaches overseas are the same way and they expect a lot out of you so I’m already used to that”, stressed Zac Owens who remembers beating Trevion Crews in 1-1 duels in practice. He is more than blessed to have had the opportunity to learn and grow as a player at all 3 schools. “I was able to learn the game from so many different coaches and learn from my teammates as well. The biggest thing for me was adapting to each situation as they were all different but I just made the most of them and had as much fun as I could with each opportunity”, added Zac Owens.

The Indiana native who lists TreVion Crews, Mike Bush, Justin Willams, Saiquan Jamison, and Paul Scruggs as his 5 best teammates of all-time came overseas in 2022 and split time with Akademija FMP Skopje (North Macedonia-Prva Liga) averaging 13.8ppg, 3.8rpg, 4.2apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 46.5%, 3FGP: 21.7%, FT: 66.7%, in Nov.’22 moved to Palangos Kursiai (Lithuania-NKL) averaging 15.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 3.3apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 84.5%. He proved in Lithuania that he had no problems adjusting and being a vital contributor. “Lithuania was very eye opening for me I’m Very thankful I had a great coaching staff there and they showed me the ropes of European basketball and how it should be played! The growth I made my rookie year there was amazing and it just showed me that I can play in Europe and that the future was going to be okay if I can handle this then I’m ready for everything that’s coming my way”, said Zac Owens. In Lithuania he scored in double figures in 20 of 30 games including 28 points against Neptunas-Akv and 26 points against Telsiai. He split last season with KK Zabok (Croatia-Premijer Liga) averaging 13.0ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.2apg, 2FGP: 55.1%, 3FGP: 42.9%, FT: 72.0%, in Nov.’23 moved to Portimonense (Portugal-Liga Betclic) averaging 12.0ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.8apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 92.9%. In Croatia he lost the first 5 games, but then it went better where he won 3 of 4 games, but they still made a change getting 36 year old veteran Nickolas Neal. He had to sustain some real growing pains and witnessed that basketball is always a business first. “I learned a lot of being in Croatia especially about the business side of things but I was able to learn from a Vet and that was great for me”, remembered Zac Owens. In Portugal he had misfortune again losing 8 games, but also here he got positives from his time. “I was able to play against Benfica and Porto who have much respect in Europe in the basketball realm of things. And to play against that competition and perform well showed me that I belong at that level”, warned Zac Owens. In Portugal he was teammates for a very short time with Micah Downs. Downs was most likely one of the most experienced and best travelled teammate that he had ever played with that also gave him the needed advice whenever needed. “Micah Downs was a great vet for me he really challenged me everyday and made sure I was on my A game. If I wasn’t he would call me out with no hesitation and it was up to me to respond with my game and player better. He gave me a lot of knowledge and showed me how to stay professional no matter what’s going on around you. We both shared the same love for the game. I think he could tell that I really loved the game and I could tell the same about him”, expressed Zac Owens.

The scoring guard who lists Lebron, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry as his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is playing his third pro season and this season for BC Vienna (Austria BSL). This is his fifth team and fifth country, but does that warrant him as being a basketball globetrotter? “I’ve had quite the journey so far, but no I don’t feel like a globetrotter haha. I know that my journey is for me and no matter how any situation has turned out, I have Learned something from each one and it has made me a better player each and every year”, warned Zac Owens. He moved around a lot in his first 2 pro seasons, but this season it looks he will have no other home besides BC Vienna. “That was the main thing this off season I really wanted to get to a team and stay there all year. I will finish up the year with BC Vienna in hopes for a great playoff run coming up in the next weeks”, stressed Zac Owens. It hasn´t been a great season for BC Vienna as they began solid, but then suffered a 7 game losing streak, then snapped it, but then began another losing streak. But the Playoffs are still a possibility. Despite the tough season, he adores Vienna. “Vienna is beautiful I heard so much about it after I had signed this summer and everyone was right about it. It’s been so much to explore and see and do, Vienna is definitely in my top 5 places in the world! It has been a lot to experience here and has made my time off the court that much easier. This season so far has been a tough one but mentally for me as the point guard I hate losing but, it has allowed me to grow and understand how to navigate a team through these times. Of course we want to win every game and that’s my job to make sure the team keeps that approach no matter what’s going on”, said Zac Owens. He has had the luck to have so many different nationalities as there are 7 different nationalities on the squad which has helped his game. Despite the team not winning as much as they would like, he has been brutally consistent currently averaging 2312ppg, 2,7rpg, 5,6apg and 1,8spg despite having some Americans come and go, but now has a new scoring bucket on his side with Ivan Gavrilovic. “It’s been a pretty cool dynamic to have this season, it’s never a dull moment in the Locker room with so many different personalities combing at once. It has definitely helped my game because we all have knowledge in different areas so the more we learn from each other the better. I wouldn’t say it has been tough because I just go out there to play and do what I can to help the team win each and every night. I knew coming into this season that I would have a big role here and be expected of a lot. The loss of Saiquan Jamison hurt us as a team tremendously he’s the best rebounder I’ve ever played with. But he’s back and healthy now so I’m excited for him to get back out there and help us win games. Frank Gaines only played a few games but he has played basketball at a high level and during his time here I just tried to learn from him as much as I could and thankfully he gave me some of his knowledge. Having Ivan Gavrilovic control the paint night in and night out has helped us in a lot of ways. No team has been able to stop him”, warned Zac Owens.

The small guard who lists Lebron James as his Goat is a mix between Dejounte Murray and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and wouldn´t mind hearing the Nate Robinson comparisons one day. “I have never heard the Nate Robinson comparisons but hopefully after this summer I will be able to be explosive how he was I think that would take my game to another level”, stressed Zac Owens. He is a lethal scorer, but can also dish out assists with the best of them. Is he a scoring or pass first guard? “I would classify myself as a player maker. I know I can score at a very high level and in ways that many point guards can’t. And I also dish out assists to keep my teammates involved. When you combine the two you get a play making point guard. I can do both at a high level”, stated Zac Owens. Is the versatile player already a 3 level scorer at this state of his career? “I am a 3 level scorer. I spend a lot of hours working on my game and watching film to be a very good scorer at all levels. Being versatile is very important to me, it allows me to have so many options and fit any role on any team”, commented Zac Owens. His three pointer is still a work in progress. Last season he shot 42% and currently is stable at 35%. “As a point guard growing up in Indiana you really have choice but to know how to shoot. And right now in my career with my 3 point shooting I am focused on being consistent I think the next step for me to get back to shooting in the 40% range is just shot selection”, added Zac Owens. He knows that there is still a lot of refining to do with his game if he wants to reach the next level. “I need to work on IQ, reading the defense and really understanding how to pick it apart each and every play. Understanding where to make the correct pass and why and taking the correct shot and why. And this comes from watching a lot of film of the times I do it correct and also learning from the times I don’t. So really just improving my IQ has been my main focus”, said Zac Owens. After his playing days, he wants to get into coaching, motivational speaking and helping less fortunate kids. “ You know as a athlete at times we wrap our identity up in the sport we play. And with me being a man of God he has preached to me that our identity should be in him and nothing else. The message I try to convey to others is “Just Be You” which simply means just be yourself at all times no matter where you are or who you are around. God has created you in his image and just with knowing that you should love who you are”, warned Zac Owens. It will be interesting to see where his journey goes in the next years. Will he land in Germany? For now he is 100% focused on helping BC Vienna reach the playoffs. Reaching the playoffs or winning that first pro chip would definitely aid his chances of reaching the next level.