In the 26 year history of the Frankfurt Skyliners, the club has won 3 titles. The first one I didn´t witness and the second one only the last few months, but the third one I did. In the 2015-2016 season the Skyliners won the Fiba Europe Cup led by future World Cup champion coach Gordon Herbert and point guard Jordan Theodore who had his break out season that year and would go on to higher leagues overseas including the Euroleague. The success of the team wasn´t only based on these 2 gentlemen, but all in all, that team was a collective that all played for each other and played their roles to the best of their abilities. All players from top to bottom including Max Merz did their share for the success. One player that was very special was Aaron Dornekamp, a player who had his awakening in Frankfurt and then went to higher leagues in Spain with the ACB. Doornekamp is 39 now and still balling now in his 9th season in the ACB. He is a guy that always gets lauded by former teammates. It isn´t any different for ex NBA player Tyler Cavanaugh (206-PF-1994, college: GWU) that was teammates with him early in his career in Spain. “ Aaron had a huge impact on me that year he made me feel welcome on and off the court and was a great role model for me in how to have a successful career overseas as a player and as a father. I am very grateful that our paths crossed especially when I was still a young impressionable player. My wife and I are grateful for the Doornekamp family”, stressed Tyler Cavanaugh. But it isn´t only Doornekamp that totally enriched his life during a season, but many others. Cavanaugh has had incredible fortune being on teams that have had high character guys like Luke Sikma and Niels Giffey that have impacted his life and also helped him continue to develop as a player and person. It is no wonder that a Philip Scrub is on his list of 5 best teammates of all-time. Scrubb was also on that Skyliners 2015-2016 winning team and had an instrumental role coming from the bench.

Tyler Cavanaugh who lists as Jabari Parker as his toughest opponent in the NCAA was born on February 9, 1994 in Syracuse, New York. He began his basketball career at Jamesville-DeWitt High school and then played 64 NCAA games at Wake Forest University.In those 2 seasons, he averaged 5.0ppg, 2.5rpg and 8.8ppg, 3.8rpg and saw his minutes rise from 16 to 21. “The summer between my freshman and sophomore seasons at Wake, I worked really hard to change my body and get into better physical condition to handle the physicality of the collegiate game and that helped me really improve the next year”, stated Tyler Cavanaugh. In 2013 he was named to the ACC All-Academic team. He then made the jump to George Washington University averaging 16.8ppg, 7.6rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 82.7% and 18.3ppg, 8.4rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 40.9%, FT: 84.8%. He crowned his 2 year stay there winning the NIT title in 2016. “That was a very very special run of basketball for myself and our team! Winning the NIT Title was huge for our university and something that had never been done before. We missed out on the NCAA Tournament by 2-3 games that season and were very disappointed but after Alex Mitola hit the game winning shot in the first game against Hofstra we were very motivated to get the chance to play for the title in Madison Square Garden. It was a very special experience for me getting to cut down the nets in MSG since I was a kid from upstate NY watching so many of my idols play games in that arena”, remembered Tyler Cavanaugh. He had incredible games in the NIT win like scoring 20 points or more in 4 of the 5 games. There were some close games like against Hofstra and Florida. “Every game was special in its own way but that first game against Hofstra was definitely the toughest”, said Tyler Cavanaugh. In the 2 years he played 73 games and scored in double figures in 70 of 73 games showing brilliant consistency. He scored 33 points against St Bonaventure and 30 points against Dayton and Duquesne. He made massive strides in his game due to the guidance of coaches Mike Lonergan and Maurice Joseph. “They really helped me grow into a more dominant player at the college level giving me opportunities to have a bigger role on the court which thankfully I was able to take advantage of”, commented Tyler Cavanaugh. He picked up numerous awards in his 2 year stay at George Washington including ACC All-Academic Team -2013, All-Atlantic 10 Second Team -2016, 17, Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team -2016, 17, NABC All-District 4 Second Team -2016
NIT All-Tournament MVP -2016, and Reese’s College All-Star Game East Team Perfect Player -2017

The 206cm power forward who lists Keenan Evans, Landry Nnoko, Axel Bouteille, Sasu Salin, and Philip Scrubb as his 5 best teammates of all-time played NBA Summer League with the Atlanta Hawks in 2017 and then signed a 2 way contract with them. He then split time with the Atlanta Hawks (NBA) playing 39 games averaging 4.7ppg, 3.3rpg, and with the Erie Bay Hawks (NBA G-League) played 14 games averaging 11.4ppg, 6.3rpg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 39.7%, FT: 91.3%. He made his NBA debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers playing 3 minutes and losing a heartbreaker by 2 points. He didn´t have much time to be in awe as he faced the likes of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Derrick Rose and Kevin Love. “That first game was absolutely wild I think I was in shock. The previous 24 hours to get me to that game was crazy getting a phone call before a g league game in Maine and then taking three flights to get to Cleveland. The one thing I will never forget is my first offensive possession of that game I caught the ball at the top of the key and realized that LeBron was guarding me, just a surreal experience to live out your dream”, expressed Tyler Cavanaugh. He played his first game as a rookie in the G-League and 2 days later made his NBA debut and then would be with the Hawks for more than 2 months before playing a G-League game. He saw so much from the NBA in that span and like every player before him had that NBA Wake up call. “It took me awhile to digest the fact that I was in the NBA because everything happened so fast but it was a special experience playing against the best of the best and being treated like that too. I spent a lot of time with Josh Magette who was on a two way with the Hawks at the time. Other than that I wasn’t super close with any of the guys”, said Tyler Cavanaugh. In his rookie NBA season he scored in double figures in 7 games including 16 points against New Orleans. In his second pro season he played 11 games for the Utah Jazz and also played with the Salt Lake City Stars (NBA G League) averaging 17.9ppg, 7.8rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 50.7%, 3PT: 40.6%, FT: 82.2%. Despite only playing 11 NBA games, He saw the season as one in which he was able to develop further. “I really improved my game that season and took another step as a player even though I didn’t get much opportunity in the NBA since we had such a good team. Experiencing a playoff series was really cool and seeing the preparations that go into that”, added Tyler Cavanaugh. In Salt Lake City he was coached by the German connection of German Martin Schiller and Americans Bryan Bailey and Nathan Peavy who all played in Germany who had a big impact on him. “These guys all really helped push me to start my career overseas, I had never truly considered it until I started having conversations with them and knew that it was the best next step for me in my career. I learned a lot from them and Shawn James who was also a part of our staff that season”, stressed Tyler Cavanaugh. He also saw at close hand what kind of a business the NBA world is. “ I was told they had a plane ticket booked back to the G League the next morning for me but I had my best game against the New Orleans Pelicans and they told me that I would be sticking around a bit longer after that. Also the trade deadline is a a very interesting time as well”, added Tyler Cavanaugh.

The New York native who lists MJ, LeBron, Kobe, and Steph on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore came overseas in 2019 and after seeing how the NBA works. It was a no brainer for him to test the waters overseas. “It’s tough to continue in the NBA and G-League for more than a few seasons because you can get lost in the shuffle a bit with all the new players each season and it is such a grind not knowing and living on the edge of your seat all the time. Financially it made the most sense to start my journey overseas as well. I was ready for a new experience and a style of play that better fit my game”, said Tyler Cavanaugh. With Alba Berlin he right away won his first tile overseas averaging 9.2ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 41.4%, FT: 90.9%; in the BBL and in the Euroleague averaged 6.4ppg, 3.3rpg, FGP: 37.9%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT-1 (97.0%). Despite having success on the court, it wasn´t always an easy experience. “That season was very difficult for me adjusting to the style of play that Aito implemented as well as adjusting to being so far away from home. I was definitely home sick that year but living in a major city like Berlin helped ease the adjustment”, stated Tyler Cavanaugh. He scored 14 points in the Euroleague against Anadolu Efes and Maccabi Tel Aviv. He had the great opportunity to have another great player as a teammate with Luke Sikma. He couldn´t have asked for a better teammate to have as a rookie overseas. “Competing with Luke everyday was instrumental in my adjustment to the FIBA game and I was intrigued at how differently he played and viewed the game. I learned a lot from him and how easily he was able to dissect a game without scoring the basketball. a great passer and tenacious rebounder but also someone hat just played extremely hard every time he was on the court”, remembered Tyler Cavanaugh. He played his second season in the top country league in Europe with the ACB in Spain with Iberostar Tenerife CB Canarias (Spain-Liga ACB) averaging 7.8ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 61.5%, 3PT: 46.6%, FT: 84.2%; and in the BCL averaged 9.1ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 62.2%, 3PT: 52.4%, FT: 84.6%. He was able once again to make steps in his game. “ That was a very special season for me being a part of such a special group of guys and having a lot of success in both leagues. Personally I really started to understand the European game better that year and how I was going to have success as a player overseas. Playing with veterans like Marcelinho, Gio, and Aaron helped simplify the game for me so I could focus on my strengths as a player. Unfortunately we weren’t able to win any titles that year but I have a lot of great memories from that season and developed some great friendships along the way”, added Tyler Cavanaugh. He scored in double figures in 15 games in the ACB including 19 points against Gran Canaria and in the BCL scored in double figures in 5 games including 18 points against VEF Riga.

The 2024 Fiba Europe Cup finalist who lists Michael Jordan as his GOAT then played 2 seasons with B.C. Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL) averaging 11.6ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 89.7%; and in the Euroleague 9.7ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 37.8%, FT: 76.7%and in his second season averaged 7.4ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 41.4%, FT: 84.4%; and in the Euroleague 5.9ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 35.0%, 3PT: 32.6%, FT: 76.9%. He won the league cup in his first season and league title in his second. “ Every season presents a new role and opportunity within a team and because of our struggles in my first year with Zalgiris I knew there would be big changes in year 2. We had a special group led by Keenan Evans and were able to accomplish some great things that season but for me personally winning the LKL Title was very fulfilling. After missing 4 months of the season with the back injury and being able to come back and contribute to the championship was very special for me”, remembered Tyler Cavanaugh. He scored in double figures in 32 of 60 LKL games including 26 points against Siauliai and in the Euroleague scored in double figures in 15 of 44 games including 22 points against Anadolu Efes. Once again he was able to be teammates with another ultra teammate Nils Giffey who won 2 NCAA titles with UConn and he even battled him in 2012 in the NCAA and was coached by Tautvydas Sabonis who was an assistant coach and the son of legend Arivdas Sabonis. “Niels is definitely the ultimate teammate. He will do whatever is necessary for the team to win and is a very versatile player. I had the privilege to play with him in Berlin and in Zalgiris and was able to learn a lot from him as he helped in my adjustment to the European game. I spent a lot of time working with Tautvydas those two seasons and he helped me to improve my game a lot. Lots of early mornings and hours spent in the gym with him. We developed a friendship too and I think he has a brought future ahead of him as a coach”, stressed Tyler Cavanaugh.

In the 2023-2024 season he went to Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) averaging 15.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 59.4%, 3PT: 47.1%, FT: 85.6%; and in the FIBA Europe Cup averaged 14.9ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 43.5%, FT: 89.2%. He lost a real heartbreaker in the Fiba Europe Cup final to Chemnitz. Was this his strongest season so far overseas? “ Yes for sure. It was an important season for me after coming off of my back injury and the fit with Bahcesehir worked out perfectly”, said Tyler Cavanaugh. This season he is back with the Turkish team and going very strong in the Eurocup and battling for the playoffs in the BSL. “Living in Istanbul and playing for Bahcesehir has been a great experience for my family and I. Last season was difficult, coming up short in the FIBA Europe Cup Championship game and not meeting expectations in the Turkish League but we have enjoyed our experience here. The people, food, and culture in Turkey have been some of the best parts and we are very grateful to be with such a great organization”, stressed Tyler Cavanaugh. Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul (Turkey-BSL) is holding their own in the BSL and reached the Eurocup semi-final. The interesting thing is that there are 8 new guys this season. “We have had a great start to the season because we have a great group of guys who have really come together and developed into a team. It’s always tough when you have a completely new team but we have gelled very well together which is easier when you have such high character guys like this team has. We still have a lot of goals to achieve ahead of us in the next few months”, warned Tyler Cavanaugh. He has had the luxury of playing with ex NBA player Marco Simonovic as both push each other to the limit each day to be the best they can be. “He is very valuable for our team because of his size and his ability to play inside and outside. It’s been great competing with him everyday ion practice and I feel like we are making each other better which is crucial in order for our team to reach our goals”, expressed Tyler Cavanaugh. It also seems like there isn´t 1 star on the team, but a collective of hungry guys playing for the team. My role is to be a leader on and off the floor and be a consistent presence on the court for this team. Playing smart, playing tough, rebounding the ball and knocking down open shots”, warned Tyler Cavanaugh. At 23-1 in the Turkish first division, it looks like Fenerbahce will run away with the title, but to Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul with Tyler Cavanaugh and other teams will do all they can to make this post season exciting.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Avery Sullivan in Rhondorf in 2023

Avery Sullivan (203-F/C-1999, college: Lamar) is a 24 year old 203cm center from Texas that is playing this season with Lahti Basketball (Finland-Korisliiga) currently averaging 20,6ppg, 10,8rpg4,3apg, 2,6spg and 1,3bpg. Last season he played with the Dragons Rhondorf averaging 13.7ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 60.1%, 3PT: 27.0%, FT: 70.2% and helped them win the Pro B title. In 2022-2023 he played with KB Teuta Durres (Albania-Superliga) averaging 16.0ppg, Reb-3 (11.0rpg), 1.6apg, 1.5spg, Blocks-4 (1.1bpg), FGP: 59.3%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 70.5%. He played his rookie season with at Depiro Rabat Imtarfa (Malta-BOV League D1). He began his basketball career with Pflugerville High School and then played 4 seasons and 102 NCAA games at Lamar averaging 12.3ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.1apg, 1.0spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 50.2%, FT: 74.0% and in his senior year averaged 9.8ppg, 7.2rpg, FGP: 44.3%, FT: 77.9%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball

Thanks Avery for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?

I am currently playing in Lahti, Finland not too far from where you last saw me. I would say basketball life is treating me very well at the moment, I couldn’t ask for much more.

You’re playing your first season in Finland with Lahti Basketball (Finland-Korisliiga). What kind of an experience has it been for you? What have you enjoyed most about the experience?

Overal it’s been nothing short of great! One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about this new experience would have to be their fan base and overall community engagement.

The winters weren’t that rough in Germany, but how is Finland? Is it tough for a Texas native to get through the winter?

Honestly, when I first signed I was really worried about the winter here in Finland because in Texas we very rarely get snow. When the time came it wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. Don’t get me wrong it was still very cold and unusual for me as a true Texan, but I enjoyed seeing the snow.

I mean you won titles in Albania and one in Germany and now you’re currently 19-0. Can one say that you’re infectious with winning?

I guess some could say that. I, however, just enjoy the feeling of playing each and every game I’m able to. I love the competition of it all.

The team is unbeaten. How does that feel? Does every new game become more difficult because every team is shooting for you?

Winning is always a great feeling, because at the beginning of every season it’s definitely my number one goal to try and win each game played. I would say the pressure from other teams has increased as we move on in the season due to our undefeated streak. It adds more of a target/incentive for other teams to beat us.

The team seems to be very special. It can score a lot, almost averaging 100 per game and gives up only 73 points. What is the team’s biggest strength?

Our biggest strength is everyone’s selflessness and willingness to pass. We love to play in transition to create dunk opportunities and open 3’s.

You won a game 201-54. When I read that I thought WTF? What memories do you have of that game?

The memory that stands out to me the most during that game is feeling accomplished in what I was playing for. Although it was a very high scoring game, it was more meaningful to underfunded youth sports, and every point scored meant 10 euros to support those children.

You had a triple double of 53/20/11. Were you superman on this day? How quick did you know that you could have an exceptional game?

Again I wasn’t necessarily playing for the stats but overall just wanted to do everything I could in that game to up the amount for charity.

Was this your first triple double in your career? What were you most proud of this from your own game?

Yes this was my first ever triple double. I think overall my self-assessment from that game would have been happy in how I passed the ball and was able to work fluidly with my teammates.

Did you get any cool messages after achieving that triple double from around the world? What about from your ex Dragon’s teammates?

Yes. A lot of my friends who play in Europe had sent texts asking if what they were seeing was real life? My ex-dragon teammates sent the score from that game in our old group chat which led to an in-depth discussion and an analysis of the game. There was definitely a lot of jokes from my ex Dragon’s teammates on why I didn’t do that last year.

What is it like playing with Lue Williams? He also had 50 plus points in the 201 points win. What do you appreciate most about his game?

It’s definitely a blessing to play alongside someone like Lue who is able to compete on both ends of the court. Lue’s willingness to take on the biggest defensive assignment every game is one of the things I appreciate of him.

Did you and him have to get the team dinner after the 201 point win or did they do something for you both?

No. We did end up having a team sauna night after the game.

Do you ever kid Lue about his name and annoy him with Lou Williams?

I did early on in the season, but over time the joke kind of faded.

14. Let’s talk about your game. You’re averaging 20/10/4 in 30 minutes. Last season you had many scoring options. Are you the main go to guy this season?

I wouldn’t say I’m the main go to all the time, but I try to make myself as open as possible to give people that outlet when needed.

15. This season you’re averaging 20/10/4 in 30 minutes and last season in Rhondorf you averaged 13/9/1 in 2 minutes less. That is an incredible jump. How has your game grown this season?

I believe I’m starting to read the floor better and recognize situations sooner than before.

You’re making 1.3 spg and almost 3.0 blocks per game in Finland. You improved your defensive game already last season, but how have you seen it develop further in Finland?

I think me paying more attention to detail and the patterns in the people I’m guarding has helped me further develop my defensive game.

You obviously want to win that next chip, but how else do you want to continue to improve your game this season?

The 2 areas I want to see the most improvement are shooting the 3 ball more consistently and better decision making.

The Dragons Rhondorf aren’t having the kind of season like last year fighting for the playoffs. Do you follow their progress?

Yes, I follow them weekly. I try to catch as many games as I can when they’re on. I will occasionally re-watch the game later if I miss it and don’t talk to the guys first.

Do you still have contact with your ex Dragon teammates? Is there one guy that sticks out most with whom you have contact with?

I still talk to most of the guys. I would say Kelvin sticks out to me the most as he was and still is a close friend of mine.

Where do you rank the Mac McClung dunk in the NBAs all-time best dunks?

Top 5.

Thanks Avery Sullivan

Pic credit: Jesper Augustsson

Ex Dragons Rhondorf player Kameron Taylor should be in their Wall Of Fame. He only played one season for the Pro B team, but he is without a doubt one of the best players in their history if not the best. He dominated in the 2017-2018 after coming from the higher league Pro A and knowingly took a step back so he could make 2 steps forward. The rest is history as three years later he reached the Euroleague with Maccabi Tel Aviv and then ACB in Spain the other top league overseas where he has been a mainstay since 3 seasons. If you were to ask 100 Rhondorf fans who saw him play in the Dragon Dome 7 seasons ago, I would have the audacity to bet that all 100 fans would all have something positive to say about him. He had an impact with his play on the court and character off the court. It is always interesting to meet ex teammates especially guys from college, because they also only have positive things to report. Overseas Pro Trevor Blondin was able to play with him for 2 years and can truly say that he has found a lifelong friend in Taylor. “Kam was a lot of fun to play with, as long as you had him on your team you felt like you had a chance to win against anybody. He was very unselfish and always played the game the right way on both ends of the floor. If you were open, he was going to find you, but also he knew when to take over and put the team on his back. My fondest memory would probably be when we upset Indiana University of Pennsylvania. They were ranked in the top 10 of division 2 basketball at the time. Kam went crazy that game, I had a pretty good game and we ended up beating them at home in a packed arena. And let’s just say it was a huge party after that”, remembered Trevor Blondin. There was one game against Carlow where Blondin had 27 points and Taylor had a monster 26/16/6 game. Despite Taylor´s stellar play at Seton Hill, did it surprise him just how far he got overseas? “I think it surprises you a little bit because not many people from Division 2 make it to that level and also he started in some lower leagues in Germany Pro A and Hungary. But at the same time, it doesn’t surprise me because I’ve seen his work ethic in person and know what type of person he is, and if anybody was going to accomplish something that unbelievable it would definitely be him. Honestly, his success in Europe gave me the blueprint for what I wanted to accomplish in my career. In a way, it gave me some belief that if he can do it coming from Division 2 Seton Hill, that I could do it to. But I’m super proud of him, there’s not really a more deserving person. While I was in Patras Greece, he got me some tickets to watch him live when his team, Unicaja Malaga played against Promitheas Patras in the champions league final eight. That was cool to watch him play and talk to him after the game and he told me he was proud of me for making it this far. And that meant a lot to me coming from him & knowing where we both started at”, stressed Trevor Blondin. But who won a 1-1 then and who would win now?” The competitor in me is always going to bet on myself. But Kam is obviously a beast and we used to have some good battles in practice back in the day. He was a little older so he probably got the best of me back then, but I’m hoping we can link up this summer and run it back”, said Trevor Blondin. He may not have had the same kind of career as Kam Taylor, but he definitely knows how blessed he is to be overseas in his fifth season. “I feel very grateful for all of the experiences that I’ve had over the last 5 years. I’m getting paid to play a game that I love, I’ve lived in six different countries, I’ve travelled a lot, and met countless people. It’s given me a very unique perspective of the world. To still be playing meaningful basketball at a high level isn’t something that I take for granted and I’m going to continue to do it for as long as I can. Coming from a Division 2 school it wasn’t easy to get a job overseas initially, even after scoring over 20ppg my junior and senior seasons. But I used that as motivation and continued to work really hard on my game. I’ve improved a lot since then and feel like I’ve surpassed a lot of those Division 1 players that were recruited over me. So just always having that chip on my shoulder has probably helped me stick around in Europe for so long”, stated Trevor Blondin.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Kameron Taylor in 2017 in Rhondorf

Trevor Blondin who lists the Martin twins, Caleb and Cody and Jordan McCrae, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Isaiah Cannon as his toughest foes in his career so far was born In Haymarket, Virginia on March 13, 1996 and began his basketball career at Battlefield High School. He then played at Seton Hill (NCAA2) from 2014-2019 and was able to improve his scoring average each season. His game really took off in his last 2 seasons as he averaged 19.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.0%, 3PT: 43.1%, FT: 70.5%, and 20.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.3%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 75.4%. “Coming in, I was more of a catch and shoot guy on the wing but as my body got stronger I was able to get to the basket more and become an all-around player. It was really helpful that I got a chance to start and play like 35 minutes a game from the moment I got there as a freshman. I think that in-game experience helped my game develop faster. I had a 30pt game against Millersville my Sophmore year and after that I knew I could score at high level. Also I had some really talented older teammates like Kam Taylor and Dave Windsor, who made me better by competing with them at practice every day. But by the time I left, I was a scoring machine I averaged 20+ points a game my last two seasons and was 1st team all-conference in the PSAC”, remembered Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 59 of 82 games at Seton Hill and in his last 2 seasons scored in double figures in 47 of 49. He had so many great games like hitting Clarion for 31 points and memories and actually had 2 coaches then with Tony Morocco and Kendrick Saunders and had mixed emotions about the 2 as one fit and the other didn´t. “The Clarion game was cool because I had my whole family in attendance. I remember they couldn’t really guard me that game. But my favorite memory was probably the And-1 3- point shot, game winner I made against California university of Pennsylvania. We had an improbable come back in the second half. I had like six points at half time and finished the game with 32. I knew the shot was good before the ball even went through the net. You can look it up on YouTube. Tony Morocco I really can’t say enough good things about him. I don’t think I would be here today without him. He really helped me develop as a basketball player and as a person on the court. He really cared about his players and their families and I have some really great memories playing for him. Kendrick Saunders on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was hired my senior season, and would repeatedly tell us that we weren’t “his guys” because he didn’t recruit us, so we were expendable and he didn’t care about us. He created an extremely hostile environment that killed all the joy of playing basketball. So when I got to Europe the next season, it was a breath of fresh air playing for Jarno Nikula in Finland and I regained that joy from playing basketball again”, stressed Trevor Blondin.

The walking bucket who lists Alexander Pevadze, Josh Perkins, Kam Taylor, Ivan Gandia-Rosa, and Orlando Coleman as his 5 best teammates of all-time began his professional career overseas with UU-Korihait Uusikaupunki (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 13.8ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 51.2%, 3PT: 28.0%, FT: 69.1%. Every pro baller overseas had that certain wake up call to being overseas and it wasn´t any different for him. “I think maybe our first preseason game against Vilpas. I just remember noticing the drums and horns that fans bring to the game, that was new for me. You don’t really hear that in an American College basketball game. It really stood out to me at first but it’s funny because now I don’t even notice it anymore. Also the snow, cold temperatures, and darkness in Finland was different than anything I’d experienced before. I mean -20 degrees, with 2ft of snow on the ground, and 3 hours of sunlight everyday is not for the faint hearted”, added Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 11 games and hit Ura Basket for 30 points. He will never forget having the perfect mentor in Trey Zeigler. “ It was incredibly valuable having Trey as a teammate and a mentor my rookie year. Not only was he a great player on the court and putting up ridiculous numbers that season. I really soaked up a lot knowledge from our conversations about the business side of pro basketball, and how to move up leagues, and navigate agents. I feel really lucky that I had an experienced guy like him on my team to show me the ropes. I think it really helped me make crucial decisions in my career later down the road. Shoutout to Trey Ziegler, he’s had a great transition into coaching college basketball for some really high level programs the last few years”, stated Trevor Blondin. He played his second pro season with Inter Bratislava (Slovakia-Nike SBL) averaging 15.8ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.0apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 39.0%, FT-1 (92.7%). He played Spisski Rytieri tough in the regular season and then got swept 2-0. Despite not winning a chip, it was another enriching season for him. “I have good memories playing for Inter Bratislava in Slovakia. I think statistically that was one of my best seasons. Oleg Meleshchenko was an intense coach but also one of my favorites. I always liked playing for coaches that have played at a high level themselves and he played for the Soviet Union national team back in the day and has also coached at some high level teams in Russia and around Europe. Life was pretty good living in Bratislava and that team was a lot of fun to play on because we played an unselfish brand of basketball. Ivan Gandia-Rosa was our point guard, Džiguas Slavinskas was a great passer from the four position, Michael Fusek led the league blocks & we had Jure Zubac, & Timo Malovec as well. We had a lot of talented players, who went on to play for national teams, and in higher leagues. The series against Spisski was unfortunate because we had beaten them easily three out of four times in the regular season and we were dealing with injuries late in the season, and then unfortunately we got swept in the playoffs to a team that we thought we were better than. Definitely felt like we let one get away, I thought our team was championship caliber for that league”, commented Trevor Blondin. He scored in double figures in 19 games including exploding for 33 points against Prievidza.

In his third pro season, the Virginia native who lists LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, & Jamal Crawford on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore played with Laguna Sharks Bucuresti (Romania-Liga Nationala) averaging 12.9ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 74.4%. Once again he was battling in the post season, but that chip once again was denied, but he got a new stamp on his passport. He played a tough 5 games series against Steaua B and the last 3 games weren´t decided combined with more than 5 points. “That was a wild series, I’ll never forget that. I don’t think anybody gave us a fighting chance to comeback and win that series after we were down 0-2. We pulled off a miracle with our backs up against the wall and won 3 straight games to avoid relegation. That was just a group of guys that had a dog mentality and never gave up. We definitely celebrated that win afterwards. Shoutout to everybody from Laguna, I really liked that group of teammates and I think I developed a lot as a point guard that season thanks to Daniel Nelson and Milan Minic. Romania is definitely a hidden gem, Bucharest will always have a special place in my heart. I met a lot of cool people in my time living out there, it was honestly a blast. I wouldn’t mind making a return to the Romanian league one day”, warned Trevor Blondin. Once again he was consistent again with his scoring in double figures in 19 of 26 games including netting 22 points against Dinamo B and 21 points against Targu Jiu. Last season he split time with Okapi Aalst (Belgium-Pro Basketball League) averaging 10.8ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.5apg, 2FGP: 40.6%, 3FGP: 30.8%, FT: 76.1%, in Mar.’24 moved to AS Apollon Patras (Greece-GBL) averaging 11.4ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 63.6%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 95.0%. Last season was another stepping stone in his career. He finally made the jump to higher leagues. “It’s been a grind each season trying to bubble and move up the ranks of Europe. From starting in the Korisliiga in Finland to making it all the way to the Greek league is definitely something I’m proud of. It feels like the trials and tribulations were worth it. It was a lot of fun playing in Greece, you’re playing against Champions League & Euroleague caliber teams every night, there’s no easy games. It’s a bunch of killers and former NBA players on every team and you got to bring your A-game every night. Add in the crazy atmosphere that the Greek fans bring and it’s just a really fun environment for basketball. The fans show you a lot of love off the court also”, stated Trevor Blondin. He had some growing pains first in Belgium and the demonstrated in Greece that he could hold his own against Euroleague and NBA guys. “Playing for Okapi was a necessary step in my journey. I liked playing for Thomas Crab, I thought he was a good coach. I think I proved that I could play at that level right away scoring 17 points against champions league team Oostende the first game of the season. But I struggled with inconsistency throughout the season. Everything prior to Okapi had gone pretty smoothly in my career, so I think I needed to face that adversity in order to grow as a player and as a person. I have a lot of great memories living in Belgium. Brussels is one of my favorite cities and it was really enjoyable from a day to day life standpoint. Being the only American was tough at times, but not something that I really gave a whole lot of thought to”, expressed Trevor Blondin. In Greece he lost 30 points to Euroleague team Olympiacos. He held his own with 12 points and played against many ex NBA players including Isaiah Caanon. “That game was special to me. My goal was always to try to make it to the highest level of Europe, so it doesn’t really get much higher than that. It felt like the culmination of the basketball journey that I’ve been on since I was a little kid. I mean as a basketball fan you would pay good money to watch Olympiacos play but all of a sudden you’re on the floor playing against them and really seeing what Euroleague caliber looks like up close. But more so that you just want to prove to yourself that you belong at that level. I felt like I made some plays that showed that, like stealing the ball from Papanikalaou and getting a breakaway dunk, knocking down a couple of threes. Blowing up a hand off with Wright and Larentzakis. I mean, that’s arguably a top 3 team in Europe and a team that doesn’t really make a lot of mistakes, so to be able to force a couple turnovers against them. It really just started to feel like another basketball game at the end of the day”, stressed Trevor Blondin. In Belgium he scored in double figures in 12 times including 20 points against Mechelen and in Greece scored in double figures in 6 of 8 games including 24 points against PAOK

This season the scoring guard who lists Lebron James as his GOAT and feels they should of left the classic Coming To America alone is playing in Sweden for Boras Basket. It is his fifth professional season and sixth team and in his sixth country. A basketball globetrotter would be the perfect middle name for him. “It’s pretty crazy to think back on my career and all the different places the game has taken me. It feels like it was just yesterday that I signed my rookie deal in Finland. I was on the plane traveling to Europe for the first time not really knowing what to expect and now years later, here we are. It’s been a fun journey to say the least”, added Trevor Blondin. He signed recently as the job market wasn´t as easy for him as in the past. “It was an interesting off-season for sure. I thought I would get bigger offers after playing well in Greece and having good games against teams like Olympiacos, AEK, and PAOK. I had some offers that I turned down waiting for something better. Once I missed the summer signing window and the season started it got a little stressful. But I just stayed in the gym working out everyday with my trainer Moe Gray from B1B. My homie Nigel Johnson was in a similar situation at the time before he signed in Hungary and we just got after it everyday. They really helped me a lot just by showing up everyday and helping me stay locked in mentally. Eventually, I got the call from Borås and I’m really happy in my current situation”, said Trevor Blondin. He is on a great team and fully aware that he could win his first pro chip. “ That’s always been a goal of mine to win a championship at any level in pro basketball. That was a big reason why I joined this team because of the early success that they’ve had this season as well as their aspirations to win a championship. I think there’s a belief within this team that we have the right pieces in place to achieve great things. We have some talented younger guys mixed with some older experienced guys that know the league well and have a high basketball IQ. So I’m just excited to be a part of it and try to help them win games”, stressed Trevor Blondin. He has been really thankful for having a great teammate like Andreas Person for taking him under his wing. “He’s definitely played a vital role in my adjustment with this team. He’s got a lot of experience; he’s a great shooter, defender, and has a high basketball IQ. We got some other veteran guys that have helped me a lot too like Simon Gunnarsson and Fred Andersson. You can tell how much winning means to these guys”, expressed Trevor Blondin. He came in and scored in double figures in his first game. Scoring continues to be his bread and butter no matter where he plays. “ I think scoring has always just come natural to me. I love having the ball in my hand and from AAU, high school, and college, that’s always been my role. Coming from Division 2 they needed me to score 20 points a night and gave me the green light, so I think that helped me develop my offensive game a lot. I try not to be one dimensional because teams are going to scout you and figure out your weaknesses. So I try to be as versatile as possible and not have too many weaknesses. I’ve always been able to shoot the ball pretty well from three, I can get to the basket, or play o the ball. I just try to mix it up and be unpredictable. This offseason-season in particular, I think I’ve expanded my game and taken it to a whole new level. I’m excited to showcase it this season in Sweden”, warned Trevor Blondin. It will be interesting to see where his basketball journey goes in the next years. Who knows maybe he will suit up with Kam Taylor again. But for now he has only one goal and that is to win his first pro title.

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With 2025 here, the Pro B was in full swing again. The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors got off on the wrong track losing in Oberaching while the Ahorn Camp Baskets Speyer rebounded from their loss in Rhondorf before Christmas beating top team Leitershofen. It has been an up and down season for Frankfurt as they came into the game riding a 6-7 record, while the Ahorn Camp Baskets Speyer continue to make strides as they have improved the last seasons and this season are near the top of the Pro B South sporting a 8-5 record. After a slow start to the season losing 3 in a row, they have continued to build on their chemistry. This game was the battle of the guards DJ Woodmore who has been a top guard in the Pro B and scored 40 points this season against Bruno Albrecht who hit for 36 points this season and had 8 three´s in 3 consecutive home games this season. However on this night the Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors didn´t need Albrecht´s pinpoint 3 point shooting as Felix Hecker (193-SF-1998) stepped up with 22 points and 4 other players stepped up scoring in double figures as Frankfurt showcased an offensive explosiveness routing the Ahorn Camp Baskets 100-67. “We showed a very good reaction tonight after the bad loss in Oberaching last weekend. We came out right away with good energy and played strong defense which led to transition baskets. We moved the ball very well against their zone and never let it bring us out of rhythm”, stated Skyliner Ivan Crnjac. Speyer was without veteran Christoph Rupp, but even with him wouldn´t of had much of a chance as when Frankfurt is totally on, they can beat any team in the Pro B. “Frankfurt came out shooting well and every player was playing at a high level. We were always a step slower on defense. That allowed them to get many open shots”, stressed Ahorn Camp Baskets guard DJ Woodmore.

Jamie Edoka at the FT line

Both teams found a rapid rhythm right from the start as there were 6 lead changes. Frankfurt did a super job getting big Malick Kordel involved as he made back to back dunks and scored 8 points in the first minutes. Speyer shared the ball well getting a trey from Spanish guard Carlos Hidalgo, a 15 footer by German David Aichele an d a mid distance shot from DJ Woodmore as Frankfurt had the slight 8-7 advantage. But Frankfurt then ran away on a 19-7 run to lead 27-14 after 10 minutes and would never look back again. Frankfurt showed how explosive their offense can be and tightened up their defense and became more aggressive. Frankfurt played superb inside out basketball. 16 year old Jamie Edoka conducted the offense very well including getting 3 baskets and a dunk. Kordel got another lay in and long injured German Marvin Esser made a bucket right off the bench. “It was important for Marvin´s self confidence. It is nice that he got the trust from coach. He had 5 rebounds at the break. He was a big help”, stated Skyliner Junior Fabian Baumgarten. Speyer´s offense turned static and they just were unable to match Frankffurt´s intensity. 2016 AST winner Philip Hadenfeld dropped a trey as did Felix Hecker at the buzzer. The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors shot 61% from the field and 40 % from outside and had 13 rebounds and 4 turnovers while the Ahorn Camp baskets shot 33% from the field and 40% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 4 turnovers. “Frankfurt came out with a lot of energy and attacked Speyer´s flat defense. They also did a good job getting Kordel involved. We had a good offensive rhythm and forced Speyer to tough shots”, stated Frankfurt Skyliner Junior Fabian Baumgarten.

Benjamin Hoehmann with the floater

In the second quarter the Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors continued to execute very well on offense and defend solidly being able to increase their lead to 23 points at half-time. Frankfurt didn´t waste anytime continuing their offense party strutting out on y 15-7 run taking the 42-20 advantage. In the run it was the walking bucket Felix Hecker who took over scoring 7 points, but it was also Jamie Edoka who did a good job finding his spots scoring 7 points as well. One could say it was the Hecker and Edoka show. Speyer´s lack of defensive intensity played perfectly into the cards of Frankfurt´s offense. Frankfurt led by 20+ points and then like so often when one is leading by much lost some focus and allowed the guests to go on a 9-2 run to trail 44-27. In the run it was ex Hanau forward Marco Djordevic who added 6 points. He was by the far the most aggressive Speyer player and was able to get to the free throw line whenever he wanted to. However Frankfurt found out of their funk and punched back and finished the second quarter with a lightening 10-4 run to lead 54-31 at the break. In the run it was universal genius Ivan Crnjac who scored twice and Bruno Albrecht hit a trey. “Frankfurt played with structure and together. They hustled well and rebounded better than Speyer. Frankfurt played well against their zone. They had a little lapse in the middle, but closed the quarter strong”, said Fabian Baumgarten. The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors shot 65% from the field and 45% from the three point line and had 27 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the Ahorn Camp Baskets shot 31% from the field and 18% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

bruno Albrecht with the fade away jumper

In the third quarter the Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors continued to control the game and defended solidly and led by 29 points after 3 quarters. Djordevic and Kordel traded baskets to start the second half, but Frankfurt still led comfortably 56-33. Then came a little lapse by Frankfurt as Speyer produced 5 stops and got 5 points as German defensive stopper Dennis Diala made a lay in and DJ Woodmore a lay in as Speyer trailed 56-37. But Frankfurt found their offensive rhythm again going on a 9-2 run to extend their lead to 65-39. In the run Frankfurt got 5 points from Hadenfeld and 2 baskets inside from Kordel. Speyer tried to mix it up with their press, but to no avail as Frankfurt executed again the way they know how. Frankfurt was a one man wrecking crew to the third quarter buzzer as it was all Felix Hecker who adcded 10 points. He added 2 three pointers, a lay in on the coast to coast sprint and a beautiful finger tip roll. Speyer couldn´t muster much offense in this phase as they got all their points from Djordevic who added 8 points. He made 2 lay in´s and continued to be aggressive getting to the free throw line. Frankfurt had the comfortable 76-47 lead after 3 quarters. They continued to manage the lead well, while Speyer was at the bottom of the hill and their trek up to the peak seemed miles away. “We wanted to come out with more energy, but we had some let ups on defense. We had some problems with Djordevic. I tried to front him, but he got easy baskets. We found to our game on offense”, added Ivan Crnjac. “When your down by 20 + points, you play desperation ball. We were unable to get 2-3 consecutive stops. Then they hit shots and bang the lead was up at 22-24 points again”, commented DJ Woodmore. The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors shot 63% from the field and 47% from the parking lot and had 38 rebounds and 15 turnovers while the Ahorn Camp baskets shot 32% from the field and 13% from the parking lot and had 24 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

DJ Woodmore from downtown

The game was decided and both teams executed well on offense as Frankfurt won the quarter 24-20. Speyer had another good start as they cruised out on a 7-0 run to trail 76-54. In the run, the guests got back to back baskets from Woodmore and Aichele and Djordevic hit free throws. Frankfurt finally got on the board at the 7,43 minute mark as Hadenfeld made a pretty floater. Speyer continued to execute well on offense as Aichele and Pepe Lahr connected on three´s. Frankfurt executed well as well as Ivan Crnjac showed that he can score in bunches as he made 3 baskets including a runner on transition, a trey and dunk on transition as Frankfurt led 90-61. Frankfurt did a good job keeping up their intensity and Speyer fought and didn´t wilt like a flower. Both teams looked at the end of the bench and put in little used Germans Julian Haskins and Joshua Kreilein. Kreilein scored a basket and Julian Haskins made 2 three pointers and the second one was for 100 points. “I was happy for Julian. We all jumped up from the bench after he made both. These minutes were important for his confidence. It was good experience for him”, said Ivan Crnjac. Dusan Nikolic also added a fancy lay in spinning and spinning. “The spin move was nice. It was funny to watch from the bench. We all celebrated him from the bench as well”, expressed Ivan Crnjac. “We played for pride. We fought until the end. We freelanced a bit. Some guys hit shots, but it wasn´t enough”, stressed DJ Woodmore. “We played concentrated until the end. I´m happy that Esser and Haskins contributed so well. It was a great game for our team chemistry” added Ivan Crnjac. The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors were led by Felix Hecker with 22 points. Malick Kordel added 17 points and Ivan Crnjac 15 points while the Ahorn Camp Baskets were led by Marko Djordevic with 19 points while David Aichele added 12 points. The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors shot 66% from the field and 52% from outside had 45 rebounds and 20 turnovers while the Ahorn Camp baskets shot 34% from the field and 165 from outside and had 32 rebounds and 8 turnovers.