featured

Booker Coplin Gives The Frankfurt Skyliners Xmas Gift With Buzzer Beater Win Over ratiopharm Ulm 87-85

Just seeing the schedule of the Frankfurt Skyliners and their upcoming games over the Xmas time could give some players a rude taste in their mouths and lead to no appetite, but not a good idea shortly before Christmas. The Frankfurt Skyliners had Ulm, Ludwigsburg and Munich left in 2024 and needed to win as much as possible, but that was easier said then done. After a brutal loss in Wurzburg, an even nastier followed against Braunschweig. Frankfurt had 10 days to prepare for ratiopharm Ulm as all they could hope for was a merry merry game against the top BBL team. Ulm had their 5 game winning streak halted with a tough 69-67 loss in their own living room to rising team MLP Academics Heidelberg. The Frankfurt Skyliners faced a must win and I´m sure some of the most faithful Skyliner fans had produced some sort of praying going into the game. On a mild Monday night, a day before Xmas, the Frankfurt Skyliners played 40 minutes of punching back and forth basketball and saved their best for last as Booker Coplin (191-G-1997, college: Augsburg, agency: BIG) made an incredible buzzer beater winning shot that shocked ratiopharm Ulm and ruined their Xmas. “We came and played a great game. We came out strong fighting on defense. We knew that they had some talented bigs that liked to crash the boards, but we knew that if we could get back on transition and play our game that we would have a chance. I think that the basketball God was on our side tonight”, smiled Jordan Theodore. Ratiopharm didn´t have their A game, but were always ready to punch back when Frankfurt punched. Ulm had control late, but let the game fall out of their hands. “I´m very disappointed how we played. But a lot of credit to Frankfurt. They played a great game. It was a great atmosphere. We weren´t ready to play and didn´t start to play until the second quarter. We need to improve finishing games”, stated ratiopharm Ulm head coach Ty Harrelson.

Isaiah Roby at the Ft line

The first quarter was a tight affair as there were 7 lead changes, but Frankfurt was able to make some ground in the latter part and led by 4 points after 10 minutes. In the first minutes talented Israeli guard Ben Saraf who is a huge 2025 NBA draft prospect scored twice showing his IQ and being able to make quick decisions. Frankfurt got a big spark from Einaras Tubutis who added 8 points including 2 three´s while ex Seton Hall guard Jordan Theodore also added a three pointer for the 14-10 Frankfurt lead. The guests had opted mostly for the drive, but they then finally nailed a trey as ex Boise State (NCAA) guard Justinian Jessup scored to pull Ulm to 14-13. Walking bucket Malik Parsons who won the double in Denmark last season scored 6 unanswered points as his aggressiveness took over as Frankfurt led 19-13. Ratiopharm Ulm didn´t look that fresh on the court like they usually do which gave Frankfurt the opportunity to heighten their intensity and dictate the game. Frankfurt would keep the lead, but Ulm kept punching back as French junior national player Noa Essengue made a tough shot in the paint and 2017 NBBL champion Nelson Weidemann dropped a trey, but Frankfurt led 25-21 after one quarter. “Tubutis shot great for us. Parsons also did his thing. He is a walking bucket. It really felt like everyone was scoring and contributing”, stressed Jordan Theodore. Frankfurt was shooting very well with over 60% from the 2 point range and from outside and had 5 rebounds and 4 turnovers while ratiopharm Ulm shot 44% from the 2 point range and 20% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Jordan Theodore from outside

In the second quarter The Frankfurt Skyliners struggled a bit to start, but came back and then had a back and forth punching match until the break. Ratiopharm Ulm began with a 7-0 run and stopped Frankfurt 5 times. In the Ulm run, they attacked the paint area and were successful as they got a lay in from ex NBA player Isaiah Roby and a lay in and free throws by ex Munich forward Karim Jallow. The Ulm press annoyed Frankfurt and Frankfurt opted for more 1-1 play. Jallow was a real spark plug doing it at both ends. Ex Boston College German Patrick Heckman stopped the run with a sweet trey as Frankfurt tied the game at 28-28. Frankfurt´s offense executed better again with a fade away jumper from ex Wright State guard Trey Calvin and a trey by Booker Coplin as the game was tied at 33-33. Essengue and Parsons traded baskets and Ulm then went on a mini 4-0 run to lead 40-35 as Essengue scored on transition and Karim Jallow made a thunderous dunk. The dime was made by Ben Saraf who made a beautiful cross over and then made the shovel pass for the basket. Frankfurt always stayed calm and ready and punched back with a mini 4-0 run as Theodore and Parsons split the defense with lay in´s. Jallow closed out the second quarter with a lay in as ratiopharm Ulm had the slim 42-40 lead. “They tried to speed us up with their press. We turned the ball over. However Parsons still made big shots. He kept us in the game”, added Jordan Theodore.

Noa Essengue with the lay in

In the third quarter ratiopharm Ulm gave up the lead briefly in the first minutes, but then stole it back, but never led by more than 6 points as the Frankfurt Skyliners continued to execute very well on the offensive end. Frankfurt came out of half-time with a bang as Minnesota native Booker Coplin hit a trey and Tubutis made a lay in with Theodore tip toeing through the defense and giving him the shovel pass for the 46-45 lead. “I created for him and he made the bucket. I still have speed. I´m not that old yet”, expressed Jordan Theodore. But ratiopharm Ulm fought back and went on a 7-0 run as they kept hurting Frankfurt inside with their bigs as Essengue made 5 points and Roby a lay in for the 51-46 advantage. But then came the Jordan Theodore show as he supplied 13 points. It was like the good old days. He was showcasing his inside out game as he hit 3 three´s, made a 20 footer and lay in. ratiopharm Ulm also got some vital support from ex Illinois (NCAA) guard Alfonso Plummer who nailed 2 crazy off balance three´s. Parson´s also added a tough off balance shot and dunk down the stretch. Theodore´s third trey of the quarter was a buzzer beater, but ratiopharm Ulm still led 65-64 after 3 quarters. “I made a good play and got the ball to Muenkat who then got it back to me. I knew it was going in”, smiled Jordan Theodore. “Theodore gives Frankfurt a lot of experience. He made some big plays and some tough step backs and drives”, stated Ty Harrelson. “I started to catch fire. The first 2 games, I had no legs, but with the 10 days of practice, that really helped me. I was really feeling it with my shot. I finally got my number 25 again”, stressed Jordan Theodore. The Frankfurt Skyliners shot 50% from the field and 57% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 11 turnovers while ratiopharm Ulm shot 50% from the field and 29% from three point line and had 29 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Malik Parsons at the FT line

The fourth quarter was a solid offensive display as both teams executed well and no team could get away from the other and decide the game early. Frankfurt began with a key 7-3 run to lead 72-68 as Calvin added 5 points and Parsons as usual showed his crazy athleticism with a hard dunk. Jessup and Jallow gave Ulm some support with baskets, but they still trailed 74-73. After Saraf and Coplin traded baskets, the game was deadlocked at 78-78. Isaiah Roby who played for the Oklahoma Thunder during Covid made a clutch three pointer for the 81-78 Ulm advantage. Then was a golden opportunity for the guests to decide the game as they stopped Frankfurt 3 times, but they made no ground as they were also stopped 3 times. Roby then added a lay in late as ratiopharm Ulm led 83-78 and had the chance to decide the game again. However Frankfurt kept fighting and got a huge trey from Coplin to trail 83-81. Saraf made free throws with the 85-81 lead with 1,20 to go. Ulm was in the drivers seat, but wouldn´t score again. Frankfurt got Tubutis free throws to trail 85-83. On the next possession, David Mjuenkat made a steal which led to free throws from him and the game was 85-85. Ratiopharm Ulm didn´t have that killer instinct as Jessup took a jumper which was a good look, but it didn´t fall. “The game went back and forth with both teams making big shots. So many shots at the end of the shot clock”, stated Jordan Theodore. Then came Booker Coplin time. He attempted a trey with a few seconds from the corner that missed, but Tubutis got the offensive rebound and got the ball to Coplin. Coplin must have had an idea that there was about nothing left on the clock as he just tipped the ball towards the basket that fell through which left the arena in total bedlam and the Xmas win. “That was a hell of a rebound by Tubutis. That was big balls. He had the awareness to kick it back to Coplin. I never saw a shot like that before. I knew it was going in”, smiled Jordan Theodore. “We had a 4 point lead and then shot it with 7 seconds and ott the foul. We have to be more aware on defense. We could of reduced one possession. That one more possession gave them the win”, added Ty Harrelson. The Frankfurt Skyliners were led by Jordan Theodore and Malik Parsons with 18 points a piece. Booker Coplin added 14 points and Einaras Tubutis 13 points while ratiopharm Ulm was led by Isaiah Roby with 19 points and Karim Jallow and Ben Saraf added 13 points a piece. The Frankfurt Skyliners shot 46% from the field and 50% from outside and had 30 rebounds and 13 turnovers while ratiopharm Ulm shot 51% from the field and 35% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

The Dragons Rhondorf Get Back On Track With Massive 91-74 Victory Against The Ahorn Camp Baskets

The last weeks had been hard times for the Dragons Rhondorf as they had lost 4 out of their last 5 games and needed a big win to end 2024. But it didn´t get any easier with the 7-4 Ahorn Camp Baskets from Speyer who had won 7 of their last 8 games and were riding a massive high. The Dragons Rhondorf were allowing a pathetic 93 points per game and it seemed like they weren´t making any steps with improvement on defense. But the defense finally stepped up as despite being without Janne Muller and Marko Rosic, the Dragons Rhondorf came together as a team defensively and had a great shooting day which resulted in a giant 91-74 victory over the Ahorn Camp Baskets from Speyer. It also helped that the guests top playmaker Carlos Hidalgo was out with an injury. Speyer moved to 7-4 and Rhondorf to 6-6. “It feels amazing to finally win again. We were so used to winning last season. But I don´t take anything for granted. It is hard to win games this season. Our energy was huge tonight as it carried us for 40 minutes. We punched them in the mouth at the start with that run and it set the tone of the game”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf guard Kelvin Omojola. You should never make excuses, but it was obvious that losing Hidalgo hurt Speyer´s game tremendously, but they just caught a very potent Dragons team that had a great night. “We were a bit short maned. Hidalgo keeps good organization. That was missed tonight. It can get chaotic without him. They had a good shooting effort. We gave our best”, stressed Ahorn Camp Baskets guard DJ Woodmore. It was the best defensive effort of the season for the Dragons Rhondorf. “We trusted one another and play for one another. We were rotating well and just flying around”, added Kelvin Omojola.

DJ Woodmore at the FT line

The Dragons Rhondorf came out strong out of the gates going on a 7-0 run. In the run, they got a trey from ex Drake (NCAA) guard Antonio Pilipovic and 2 lay in´s by Ohio native rookie Tim Smith Jr. (201-F-2000, college: N.Alabama, agency: 011 Sports) who was looking to break out again after not scoring 20 points or more in a game in his last 4 games. Rhondorf had great energy and seemed to catch Speyer off guard. Aggressive defense led to transition baskets for the Dragons. DJ Woodmore finally got Speyer on the board with a three pointer, but Rhondorf struck back with 5 points as Smith Jr dropped a trey and ex Bamberg center Danas Kazakevicius made a tip in for the 12-4 advantage. That basketball is a game of runs was proved once again as Speyer punched back with a 8-3 run to trail 15-12. A three pointer by ex Pro A player Christoph Rupp and Woodmore lay in led the charge for the guests. Speyer upped their intensity and pressure and got great buckets from their individual class. However the Dragons didn´t wilt but continued to put on the pressure and closed out the first quarter with a lethal 15-6 run to lead 30-18 after one quarter. In the run the 2024 Pro B champion were led by Kazakevicius who was a menace around the rim scoring 3 consecutive buckets while Smith and ex easyCredit BBL player Marco Rahn made lay in´s while Pilipovic kept his hot shooting going with a trey. “We were all clicking. But we also had a great week of practice. That carried over into the game. We played as a team and were hitting our shots better than in the last weeks”, added Kelvin Omojola. Both teams were shooting in the high 50% ´from the 2 point range while the Dragons shot 50% from outside and the guests 25%. Rhondorf had the 13-7 rebound edge and had no turnovers while Speyer had 3 turnovers.

Antomnio Plilpovic from outside

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf didn´t score as much as in the first quarter, but were able to continue to defend consistently and have the comfortable 17 point lead at the break. The Dragons Rhondorf began well scoring 2 baskets with a lay in from Omojola and free throws from Smith Jr to lead 34-19. But the Ahorn Camp Baskets never gave up, but just kept chipping away at the big Dragons lead and were rewarded with a 8-0 run to trail 34-27. In the run, the guests got a massive three pointer from ex Virginia Wesleyan (NCAA3) guard Woodmore and a lay in and dunk by defensive stopper Dennis Diala who has made big steps in his scoring average in the last 3 seasons from 4-7- to 12 points this season. Speyer upped their intensity again at both ends and got great support from Diala who used his athleticism to his advantage. But the Dragons Rhondorf then showed again that they could punch back again after getting punched and exploded on a 18-2 run to extend their lead to 52-29. In the run, Tim Smith Jr. showed his sniper qualities hitting 3 three´s in a row while energy spark and ultimate role player Mamadou Diallo who had a rare start hit a trey while Kazakevicius continued to control the boards making an offensive rebound and put back while Marco Rahn also scored. Young German Dyami Janeck made a beautiful pass in the air to Diallo for the bucket. One sees Omojola often making those spectactulat passes in the air. “I can´t say that he learned that pass from me, but it was a beautiful play with 2 extra passes. You can see that Dyami is extremely athletic”, said Kelvin Omojola. Speyer punched back one more time closing out the second quarter strong with a 6-0 run as Dialla made a runner, ex Hanau forward Marko Dordevic a lay in while DJ Woodmore went coast to coast and scored at the buzzer, but the Dragons Rhondorf still led 52-35. “Smith Jr carried us in that big run. He really set the tone with those 3 back to back three´s”, commented Kelvin Omojola. Both clubs were shooting 55% from the 2 point range, but the Dragons were at 53% from the three point line and Speyer at 21%. The Dragons continued to have the overwhelming 26-12 rebound edge and had 5 turnovers while the guests had 6 turnovers.

Dennis Diala from mid range

In the third quarter the Ahorn Camp Baskets had their strongest quarter, but couldn´t get over the hump as the closest that they got to was trailing by 8 points. Both teams got their offenses going to begin the second half as the Dragons received buckets from Omojola and a trey by Diallo while Speyer received baskets from big man David Aichele and Dj Woodmore, but Rhondorf still led 57-39. Speyer then got some momentum in their comeback attempt going on a 8-2 run to trail only 54-47. Speyer attacked the rim and were rewarded with buckets from Dordevic, Rupp and Woodmore. Speyer was more focused and just more concentrated and were aggressive getting easy baskets inside. The guests were also more active on the glass while the Dragons had lost a bit of their calmness and reacted a bit hectic in their sets. Rhondorf got some fortune getting 3 free throws from Smith Jr. Speyer continued to execute as ex Orange Academy forward Latrell Groskopf made a trey and Dordevic a lay in, but couldn´t make real ground as the Dragons got 4 free throws from Janeck to lead 66-54. But the guests also made crucial mistakes getting a flagrant foul which led to Pilipovic and Alex Lagerman free throws and the 70-56 Dragons advantage. Speyer got Benjamin Hoehman free throws and a lay in by Woodmore in the last minute, but still trailed 71-60 after 30 minutes. “Our execution at both ends wasn´t as sharp. We just couldn´t find that flow from the first half again”, expressed Kelvin Omojola. “We realized that in order to have a chance, we had to be more aggressive. We had to create for ourselves. We got more comfortable and hit more shots”, stated DJ Woodmore. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 54% from the 2 point range and 43% from the parking lot and had 32 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the Ahorn Camp Baskets shot 61% from the 2 point range and 22% from the parking lot and had 22 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Dyami Janeck at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the Ahorn Camp Baskets began well, but couldn´t withstand the pressure by the Dragons Rhondorf as their offense got back into the flow which decided the game with a big 9-0 run. The guests began with a 6-3 run as Rupp nailed a trey and Aichele made a lay in as they trailed only 74-66. However the Dragons Rhondorf didn´t want an exciting end as they slammed the door shut on Speyer with a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 83-66 as they held the guests scoreless for more than 4 minutes. In the run the Dragons received lay in´s by Kazakevicius and Rahn and free throws by Pilipovic and a three pointer from Smith Jr. Rhondorf´s focus and energy were high while one could sense that fatigue was slowly setting in with Speyer. It also didn´t help that Dialla missed a dunk. In the last minutes Kelvin Omojola remained aggressive scoring twice, while Speyer got 3 buckets from Aichele including 2 dunks while Kazakevicius made 2 dunks. One really stood out and sparkled as Kelvin Omojola lofted up the perfect lob while he threw it down getting the Dragon Dome rocking with joy. “We knew they would run the press break. I saw Aichele step up so I just threw it up to Danas for the nice alley-oop dunk. That play was definitely not drawn up”, smiled Kelvin Omojola. “We ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. It was a tough week of practice and not having Hidalgo. They took advantage of it”, stressed DJ Woodmore. “Even if we were up only by 10 points, we never ever thought that we could lose this game. We were missing shots, but also getting stops and rebounds”, stressed Kelvin Omojola. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Tim Smith Jr. with 26 points. Danas Kazakevicius scored 18 points while Kelvin Omojola had 11 points and Antonio Pilipovic added 10 points while the Ahorn Camp Baskets were led by Marko Dordevic with 15 points. DJ Woodmore added 14 points while Dennis Diala had 13 points. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 47% from the field and 39% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the Ahorn Camp Baskets shot 47% from the field and 25% from outside and had 27 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Playing With Massive Confidence Has Allowed EJ Dambreville(Bakken Bears Aarhus) To Be An Elite Rebounder For His Size

EJ Dambreville (191-G, college: FSC) is a 191cm guard that was born in Dorcehester, Mass and is playing his second professional season and second in Denmark and first with the Bakken Bears Aarhus (Denmark-BasketLigaen). He palyed his rookie season with Team FOG Naestved (Denmark-BasketLigaen) averaging 9.8ppg, 7.3rpg, 2.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 75.3% and with Marineros de Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic-LNB) averaging 5.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg. He began his basketball career at Woodstock Academy and then played at Florida Southern College (NCAA2) from 2018-2023 playing a total of 126 games and averaged 18.1ppg, 9.9rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 49.8%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 85.2% as a senior. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a ENBL game against Bamberg.

Thanks EJ for talking to germanhops.com. Your playing second pro season in Denmark with historic Danish team Bakken Bears. What kind of an experience has it been so far? What have you enjoyed most about the time?

It has been a great experience so far. I think what I’ve enjoyed the most is being able to learn from the older guys that we have on the team. They have a lot of pro experience all over the world and at very high levels so being able to pick their brains and learn from them is something I’m grateful for and enjoy the most.

The club is used to winning titles. How present is that winning culture on a daily basis? You won 2 SSC titles so you know what winning is like.

Winning is the standard. We are expected to win every time we step on the court. So our approach everyday is just that. Which feels very similar to my teams in college that were able to win conference championships.

You hail from the east coast and live in Denmark. What have you learned to appreciate the most about the tranquility of Denmark?

I’ve appreciated everything about Denmark. The culture, the weather and the people. Adapting to living here the last couple years was easy in some ways but the things that aren’t easy to adapt as quickly, I actually appreciate the most. That’s what makes this experience as an overseas pro special.

Your playing in the ENBL and will face off against German team Bamberg. What do you know in general about the country and it´s basketball? Do you know that Germany is current world champion?

I actually went to Germany in high school with a team to play against some of their clubs, so I know basketball is big out there and they have high level players. I also have some close people to me that are from Germany so I ha’ve been informed on a lot of things about Germany.

Do you have any former teammates or opponents that have balled in Germany?

Yes, I do. I have a couple people that I know that have played in Germany.

What has it been like being teammates with Skyler Bowlin. Has his leadership qualities rubbed off on you?

It’s been great being teammates with sky. I’ve tried to be a sponge around him as much as possible. He has had a great career and that is something I want for myself as well so I always try to watch and learn from him.

How valuable is a guy like Urald King for the young players? Has he been like a mentor for you?

Urald is super valuable. Leader on the court. Has a strong voice in the locker room. Leads by example. He has a great story as well, working his way up the ranks of the overseas basketball world. So there is so much to learn from him and I’m appreciative to have him as a teammate.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 191cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

I never really thought about who I would compare to as an NBA player. A lot of people say I play like Lou Williams, Jr Smith, Malik Beasley. I would say I play with passion and energy like Russell Westbrook.

You’re a very versatile offensive player that fills the stat sheet well. How big is versatility a staple in your game?

It’s huge for me. I just try to impact the game in as many ways as possible to win the game. I feel like the more versatile you are the more helpful to the team you will be.

You are an unbelievable rebounder and averaged close to 12 per game in your last 3 seasons in the NCAA2. Did you do anything different in those last years to make such a big jump on the boards?

No, I just played with confidence. My first couple years in high school I played the 4 and my job was to get rebounds and be athletic. If I wanted to score I had to get offensive rebounds and tip ins. So that helped develop my nose for the ball. my freshman year in college I had a rough year overall and didn’t play that much. But once I figured out my confidence everything started to fall into place.

Your three pointer continues to be a work in progress. Talk a little about the development of your three pointer. What are your biggest goals as a shooter?

I know I’m a great shooter. it’s all mental and staying confident in my shots. I will always put the work in and trust the work to show on the court.

Your also a very good defender. What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?

I’m a very aggressive and physical defender. I like to be active and just make things harder for the offensive man. I want to continue to work on my defensive skills so that I can be a lockdown defender for multiple positions.

On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?

During the season I’m really focusing on growing in my role. Just be a defensive dog on the court, bringing energy, rebounding and knocking down shots when they are there. That is my focus now. Just being the best I can be in those spots.

You played your rookie season with Team FOG Naestved (Denmark-BasketLigaen) averaging 9.8ppg, 7.3rpg, 2.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 75.3%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

Getting on the 9 hour plane ride. I knew I was nowhere close to home but I was going to figure things out no matter what.

You also played with Marineros de Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic-LNB) avergagng 5.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg. What kind of an experience was that for you? What main positives could you attain from that?

It was a good experience. I learned a lot about myself. Both on and off the court. Very different from the Danish league but I pride myself on being able to adapt to any situation. So overall it was a positive period of growth.

You played 5 years at Florida Southern College (NCAA2). You made a huge jump in your game in your last 3 years. How did your game grow in that time?

By staying in the gym, continuously working on different parts of my game, getting mentally stronger and believing in myself. And a great support group around me.

You won 2 SSC titles. Which one was sweeter?

The 2nd title was sweeter because I felt like I actually had a part in it. My freshman year I barely played but my sophomore year I was a starter so that felt great.

You had so many great games at Florida Southern. What was your fondest moment on the court?

I had so many great memories, individually and as a team but I would have to say winning that 2nd championship in 2020. We won at home. We were 29-2 on the season and about to host the NCAA tournament being the 1st seed in our region before covid happened. That was a great moment.

How did head coach Mike Donnelly groom and prepare you best for a pro career?

He allowed me to be myself. On and off the court. He allowed me to make mistakes and play through them. I was able to develop year by year knowing that he trusted me.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Xavier Rhodes?

lol! I don’t know if we ever played 1-1 in practice but when we competed it was always a dog fight. X is a great player and a great person.

Who is the toughest player you ever face din the NCAA that reached the NBA?

I can’t think of anyone that I played in college that plays in the NBA. but the toughest player I played against was my teammate Brett Hanson. He was d2 player of the year. I guarded him in practice everyday and he was just so tough to handle.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I have so many great teammates. But if this is based on the best players iIplayed with I would say Cole Swider, Brett Hanson, Jon Lawton, Selim Fofana, Skylar Bowlin. (based on careers)

Your NBA Mount Rushmore?

LEBRON, KOBE, KYRIE, STEPH, JORDAN

Your Who is your GOAT?

LEBRON JAMES

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming to America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

I’ve heard of it but I’ve never seen that movie.

Thanks EJ for the chat.

No Minutes Restrictions At The End For TJ Crockett As He Serves Up Clutch Three and Rebound in 92-91 Braunschweig Win Over Frankfurt
,
Pic credit:Dmitrij Zibart

After more than 6 weeks on the road, the Frankfurt Skyliners finally were back in their own living room. They couldn´t take advantage of the road posting a dismal 1-4 record, but did reach the BBL cup top 4 with a big win in Goettingen. Despite that, they then lost a tough game in Wurzburg being totally overpowered in the last quarter. With a poor 2-7 record and near the BBL cellar, they were more than desperate for a win against the pesky 4-4 Braunschweig team who came to Frankfurt with a 2 game winning streak. An old friend was back for his third tour of duty with the Skyliners with Jordan Theodore who helped Frankfurt win the Fiba Europe Cup title in 2016. Frankfurt had a must win situation as another loss would continue their downward spiral in the standings. Despite another great scoring performance of the American duo of Calvin and Parsons who combined for 46 points, the Frankfurt Skyliners lost a heartbreaker 92-91 to the Basketball Lowen Braunschweig. Frankfurt fought hard for 40 minutes, but at the end it was the little mistakes that cost them the win. “We began the game very well playing at a high level. We played with a lot of confidence and had a good flow. But in the second quarter our tempo slowed up. We have to be able to maintain a high intensity and energy for 40 minutes. We lost focus mentally. It began with me and that trickled down to the rest”, stressed Frankfurt Skyliner Jordan Theodore. Braunschweig did a good job punching back whenever Frankfurt punched first and just did a great job staying poised in crunch-time and took advantage of the little mistakes that Frankfurt made. “We had a tough start as Frankfurt executed very well and hit shots. We knew we had to get stops in the second half and did a better job playing defense. Our biggest strength tonight was our grit. We never gave up. It was a real challenge playing against Calvin and Parsons”, stressed Braunschweig guard TJ Crockett (187-G-1999, college: Lindenwood).

David Muenkat at the FT line

5000 fans showed up in the Suwag arena in Frankfurt on a Friday night and saw the Frankfurt Skyliners totally overpower Braunschweig in the first quarter netting 31 points. Both teams found their rhythm quickly as ex Kentucky (NCAA) forward Tre Mitchell got his stroke going early netting 5 points, while Jordan Theodore found his touch as well making a trey. Frankfurt also got the arena cooking early as Canadian David Muenkat went coast to coast with a thunderous 2 handed dunk that had many in the arena jumping up and down as Frankfurt led 9-5. Frankfurt continued to execute well as Theodore launched another trey and connected and Einaras Tubutis made a lay in for the 16-10 lead, but Braunschweig punched back with a deep trey by Luka Scuka and a trey by TJ Crockett who had a little Damian Lillard going with his step back jumper to dead lock the contest at 16-16. “I hope it looked a little like him. I really try to imitate his game”, smiled TJ Crockett. But then out of nowhere the Frankfurt Skyliners exploded on a 15-4 run to lead 31-20 after one quarter. Ex Wright State guard Trey Calvin scored 8 unanswered points showing his potent scoring abilities with 2 three´s and a step back jumper. Parsons added free throws in the attack while Brenneke made a lay in and Calvin ended the scoring display with another three pointer. Frankfurt lived off their 1-1 play and totally flaunted it while Braunschweig got lost in Frankfurt´s momentum. “Every team is good in the BBL. They played pretty well for their spot in the standings. They executed at a high level”, stressed Ty Crockett.

Luka Scuka from outside

The Frankfurt Skyliners kept control in the second quarter, but allowed Braunschweig to get dangerously close in the last minutes and led only by 5 points at the break. Both teams produced runs in the first minutes as the guests began well with a 7-1 run as 2019 JBBL MVP Benjamin Schroeder got a lay in, Lithuanian point guard Arnas Velickas hit a deep three pointe and ex G-League player Barra Njie made a lay in as Frankfurt led only 32-27. However Frankfurt punched back with a 7-3 run to lead 38-30. In the run Muenkat delivered a hook shot while Theodore made 2 finger tip lay in´s as his speed and execution on the drive looked spot on and like 9 years ago when he was in Frankfurt for his first tour of duty. Frankfurt came back being aggressive on offense getting easy buckets in the paint from Brenneke and Coplin to lead 43-34. Braunschweig had their down phases on defense lacking intensity at times and Frankfurt took advantage of their little mistakes. The game of runs continued as Braunschweig punched back with a 8-2 run to trail 45-43. Braunschweig got the free throw line and continued to attack the paint area and used their quickness and athleticism to tear apart Frankfurt as Crockett and ex Vechta American Chavaras Flanigan scored easily while Velicka added 4 points in the run. “Ar as we call Velicka really runs the point well. He made big plays and is a big part of your success”, added Ty Crockett. Frankfurt got a massive basket at the end from ex Bremerhaven guard Garai Zeeb who made the most of his opportunity with limited minutes as he drilled home a three pointer and the 48-43 advantage at the break. “We had to get stops. We made it as difficult as possible for them and got out on transition”, said TJ Crockett.

Jordan Theodore with the finger tip lay in

The Basketball Lowen Braunschwieg had their strongest scoring quarter in the third quarter netting 26 points and stealing the lead back and led by 4 points after 30 minutes. Frankfurt came out slow and gave up 9 unanswered points as Braunschweig stole the lead back at 52-48. In the run the guests attacked the paint area getting free throws from Scuka and Njie while German Sanada Fru and Velicka scored easy lay ups. Frankfurt needed some instant energy and got it from 2024 Danish champion Malik Parsons who produced 6 points to tie the game at 54-54. Braunschweig kept chipping away and got free throws from Fru and another trey from Velicka to lead 59-54, but the one man show from Parsons continued as he made free throws and another lay in as Frankfurt trailed 59-56. Braunschweig continued to do a good job getting to the free throw line as Scuka and Flanigan scored to lead 65-58. If it wasn´t Parsons, then it was Calvinthzat showed responsibility and a real potent scoring attack as he steered home 5 straight points as Frankfurt trailed 65-63. Frankfurt continued to have massive difficulty with their 1-1 defense as Flanigan and ex Giessen guard Ferdinand Zylka scored for the 69-63. Frankfurt was lucky at the end that Velicka missed 2 free throws and served up an airball as they took advantage of that getting an off balance jumper from Minnesota native Booker Coplin in the corner to trail 69-65. “We rebounded better and got out on transition. We also got more touches inside and got to the free throw line and also made big plays”, stated TY Crockett. “We started slow and had no rhythm. That wasn´t Skyliner basketball. Parsons and Calvin were hot the whole game. I had to feed them the ball”, added Jordan Theodore.

Tre Mitchell at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the Frankfurt Skyliners just kept battling and never gave up. They received big shots from their American duo of Calvin and Parsons, but just couldn´t get totally over the hump. Frankfurt really did a good job all game long being aggressive and doing all they could to get to the rim. In the first few minutes of the fourth quarter they were rewarded with free throws from Parsons and Coplin and Parsons then nailed a trey to tie the game at 73-73. Mitchell gave braunschweig some energy with a pretty three pointer, but Frankfurt always had an answer as Parsons drilled home a three pointer to trail 78-77. Frankfurt continued to get no stops in the paint as Njie got free throws and even was aggressive on the offensive glass with a tip in and 84-79 Braunschweig lead. Frankfurt continued to have answers and executed well as Theodore made free throws and a lay in and Calvin nailed a deep three pointer to tie the game at 84-84 with 54 seconds remaining. Mitchell then countered with a pretty hook shot, but Parsons punched back with a lay in to tie the game at 86-86. ““We showed that we were mentally strong. We have had some tough loses this season. We showed resilience. We had a good attitude and just kept chipping away”, added Jordan Theodore. “We stayed together and just kept fighting. We never gave up”, warned Ty Crockett. With 15 seconds remaining, Ty Crockett made a clutch three pointer for the 89-86 lead. Calvin then made free throws to trail 89-88. Crockett them made one free throw and then got a crucial offensive rebound off his miss. That led to 2 more Velicka free throws and the 92-88 Braunschweig lead. “I was surprised I got back into the game. I had minutes restriction after coming back from injury. But coach drew up a play for me. I found my spot and made it”, stressed Ty Crockett. “The offensive rebound by Crockett was my fault. It bounced right back to him. That was crazy”, stressed Jordan Theodore. With 2,5 seconds to go and down 4 points, Trey Calvin made a crazy half court shot that banked in. Any other situation, it would have been the shot of the year and the arena would have been bedlam. Instead the arena was very quiet after it dropped in. “Maybe the league should make a 4 point shot. The arena would have gone crazy if it had been a 4 point shot”, smiled Jordan Theodore. The Basketball Lowen Braunschweig were led by Barra Njie, Arnas Velica and Luka Scuka with 15 points a piece while the Frankfurt Skyliners were led by Trey Calvin with 24 points and malik Parsons added 22 points. The Basketball Lowen Braun schweig shot 47% from the field and 33% from outside and had 25 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Frankfurt Skyliners shot 55% from the field and 61% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 20 turnovers.

Simon Birgander(Murcia) Has Stayed In The ACB On Account Of Playing The Right Way And Finding The Best Options For His Team

Sweden have never been that big basketball name internationally as it has never qualified for the World Cup and only participated once in the Olympics in 1980 and played at the Euro championships 10 times with the last being in 2013 where they upset Russia. But that doesn´t mean that they don´t produce great players. The biggest names over the years have been guys like Marcus Eriksson, Jonas Jerebko and Jeffery Taylor who all reached the NBA and currently have Pelle Larson and Bobi Klintman in the NBA, but there are also others currently playing for the national team. Guys overseas would die to play in the top league ACB, but it´s very difficult to get there. Currently there have been quite a few guys that have played there or are still playing there like Melwin Pantzar, Tobias Borg, Denzel Andersson, and Nicholas Spires just to name a few. Some guys have been like a mainstay in the ACB with Tobias Borg with 9 seasons and his teammate Ludvig Hakanson who is the currently the leader with 10 seasons and Nicholas Spires was there for 8 seasons. Currently there is another Swedish player with Simon Birgander (209-C-1997) in his 8th season and holding very strong. He is one of those candidates at age 27 that could pass a Borg in the next years and probably have a battle with Hakanson as to who will survive the longest in the ACB. If you ask Birgander today, he will inform you that he has come a long way from 2017 until today being able to survive so long and remain. “I think just my basketball IQ and learning from such great players have helped me develop in to the player I am today. In 2017 I was just a skinny Swedish guy who tried his best to stay as long as possible in the ACB and do as good as he could. Right now I´m a different player. I always try to play the right way and find the best option for the team. Back then I didn’t know that was more to the game then just scoring points and taking rebounds. Now I focus more on being in the right spots, making the right read, helping my teammates and just being an overall better player. I also have a lot more confidence in myself now then I did back then”, stressed Simon Birgander. He understands very well that it was never self-evident that he would stay so strong, so he is enjoying every minute of it. “Well I´m super blessed to be able to play in this league and that I have done it for such a long time makes it even greater. I never thought as a young Swedish player I would arrive to this level and stay here as long as I have. What I enjoy the most about ACB is that it´s such a great league that every team can beat each other, doesn’t matter if you are last in the league or the first. There is always teams giving a fight and stealing games every year. For Example this year when newcomers Leyma Coruna beat last years winners Madrid in their first game of the season”, said Simon Birgander.

The Swedish big man who lists Luka Doncic as the toughest player that he ever battled in his career so far was born on October 23, 1997 in Kvistofta Sweden. He began his basketball career with (Basketettan) an din his last season at the age of 18 was dominating his home land league and averaged 11.8ppg, 13.1rpg, 3.8apg, 1.5spg, 5.7bpg, 2FGP: 49.6%, FT: 48.5%. “Those early years were very important for me. I played a lot of minutes and took a lot of responsibility on the court. Also I learned that you had to work hard to go somewhere and always believe in yourself. Isak was important for my development because he was the coach who gave me the “keys“ to our team. He made me take a lot of responsibility on the court and really got the best out of me. Giving me that confidence and believing in me as he did really helped me believe that I could reach somewhere in the basketball world”, commented Simon Birgander. It was only fitting then that he take the next step and did going to Spain. In that same season he moved to Natural Rioja Vintage Clavijo Logrono (Spain-EBA) averaging 7.6ppg, 9.7rpg, 1.2apg, Blocks-1 (3.8bpg), FGP: 54.1%, FT: 79.2% and in the 2016-2017 season made the next step and balled with 16-2017: Cocinas.com CB Clavijo Logrono (Spain-LEB Gold) averaging 4.0ppg, 4.1rpg. “Those years helped me a lot. I was just a young Swedish guy who only played semi professional basketball before that. I learned all the ins and outs of being a professional, how the practice the right way and how to they play basketball in Spain”, expressed Simon Birgander.

The center who lists Nicolas Laprovittola, Kyle Guy, Rodi Kurucs, Luke Harangody, Ante and Tomic as his 5 best teammates of all-time then made the massive jump to the ACB in 2017 and played with Club Joventut Badalona until 2023. He is a player that never averaged more than 19 minutes in a ACB season there, but the competition was fierce with so many first class players, but he was that lethal role player that just came on the court and did his job. It is only fitting that he had many great memories there “The greatest moment with Penya was when we saved the club from going down and celebrated it with all our fans. We were having a terrible season but in the end of it somehow we won like 8 of the last 10 games and it was such a great feeling to stay in ACB. Another great feeling was when we played Copa Del Rey at home, a full arena with all the fans. Yes its more or less a second home for me, made some great friends and people there, made some great memories and grew a lot as a person and in the end as a father also (my son was born in Cataluña)”, smiled Simon Birgander. He also battled against top Euroleague teams Real Madrid and FC Barcelona and beat them twice in the playoffs. “My fondest memories playing against them were when we beat Madrid the first game away in the ACB semifinals after a masterclass from Kyle Guy. Against Barca my fondest memory was playing against Pau Gasol one of the best big guys in history”, remembered Simon Birgander. He played with so many incredible players in that time listing Ante Tomic and American Luke Harangody as some of the best. “My greatest memories with Ante is just what a great person and teammate he is. Always there if you needed anything and giving u tips and tricks when you need it. I helped me with my game about how to pass the ball, how to move to be in the best positions possible and also the deadly floater he has (which I stole a little). I have played with a lot of great Americans and all of them thought me something different. The American who had the biggest influence on me was Luke Harangody, we were very good friends and he really showed me how to be a great professional on and off the court”, stated Simon Birgander. In his first season, he lost twice to Real Madrid and Luca Doncic and he almost had a triple double in the second game. A story for the grand children one day. “I don´t remember a lot from that game against Luka Doncic. All I remember he made a crazy and one layup against me and that he was a crazy talent. Yes I thought back then he would be a great NBA player, I didn’t think he would kill it as he is right now but you could see the talent he had”, stressed Simon Birgander.

The rebounding ace who lists MJ, Lebron, Kobe and Shaq on his current NBA Mount Rushmore is currently playing with Universidad Catolica de Murcia CB. Last season he had his strongest ACB season averaging 10.7ppg, Reb-2 (6.9rpg), 1.2apg, FGP: 62.9%, FT: 75.7%; BCL: 5 games: 7.2ppg, 4.6rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 61.5%, FT: 66.7%. “It´s been a great experience playing for UCAM. It´s like a big family with all the people working at the club and helping each other out. There is always people to help you with whatever you need and I really appreciate that. Yes the organization is taking big steps and every year we are getting better and better, just the one and a half years I have been here I really noticed how much growth we have made”, said Simon Birgander. The team is playing solid in both competitions and who knows maybe a title could be achieved this season? “I think our biggest strength is our chemistry both on the court but also outside. This year we have been a little up and down in some games but I think every game we are getting better and the dream of course would be to win a title with UCAM”, warned Simon Birgander. Despite having an overall great season last season, it wasn´t without adversary. He had a lightening 3 months and then was injured for 4 months and returned and couldn´t find back to his form. “It was a very tough year both physically and mentally. Of course it was tough when I got injured in my best moments but honestly the hardest part was to come back after 3 months and still having pain, which led to me having to take a break in the end of the season and heal 100 precent. It was a super tough decision to decide to stop right before the last regular season game but what I learned from it was that I need to listen to my body to be 100 precent and it´s just worse for me psychically but mostly mentally to play at 30 precent of my capacity”, remembered Simon Birgander.

The ex Badalona player who is not sure who his Goat is at the moment as he is swinging back and forth between Michael Jordan and Lebron James also has been a main stay with the Swedish national team first as a U-18 and U-20 player and the moved to the men´s team in 2017. He is looking forward to facing Germany again in 2 qualifying games for the Euro 2025. He last played against Germany in 2022 before Germany began their run of winning a Bronze and Gold medal and showed his true class scoring 8 points and grabbing 10 boards.” I don´t remember much about the game and I just remember that they kicked us out of the court physically and you noticed that they were a great team and that they would achieve great things”, stated Simon Birgander. Even if he Germany are the current world champions, it won´t be extra special, but just another day at the office. “It´s great to play against a team like Germany and who are World Champions and one of the strongest NTs in the world. it doesn’t feel overwhelming because it´s always fun to play against the best teams and try to matchup against them. So I think the best thing to do is just see it as 2 normal games and play as hard as possible”, warned Simon Birgander. Even if the NBA and Euroleague players will be absent, one can still expect a high quality game. “I think we will be very motivated but not just because we play against Germany more so because we play games to qualify for the EuroBasket which Sweden haven’t done in many years. I think we have some chances to win especially at our homecourt where we always fight to the max. it also helps they don´t have their Euroleague or NBA players. but there is still a lot of great players who is going to play”, added Simon Birgander. One player to watch for Sweden will be Melwin Pantzar who is on his way of having a break out season in the ACB. “I think Melwin is having a breakout season yes and I´m so happy for him. A great guy who really worked his way up to getting minutes in the ACB and right now is killing it. I think for sure in the future he could be a Euroleague player and play good there”, stated Simon Birgander. The team has experienced big men and his role isn´t only to make room in the zone and get rebounds, but also has another vital duty. “We have had the same big guys for a while now with different roles all of us and I think my role as a 5 is to be a type of leader on the court. Talk as much as possible trying to help with little things and be a positive guy just all around. outside the court I´m more of a jokster who jokes around a lot with jokes and stuff. I think that is also important to have a good relationship with everyone”, smiled Simon Birgander. Germany will have to be more than ready for these 2 qualifying games as Swedish basketball continues to grow, “I think the state of Swedish basketball is one the rise and we have great chemistry. All of us are friends and we love playing together. We have a lot of young guys on the rise like our two NBA boys Pelle Larsson and Bobi Klintman, but also players like Eliot Cadeu who is playing in North Carolina at a great level”, warned Simon Birgander. At the age of 27, he is in his prime now and so are many other players. This is a very exciting time for Swedish basketball and Simon Birgander as he just continues to play the game the right way and keeps his ACB market value hot.

Malick Kordel Powers The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors Past The Dragons Rhondorf 93-86 In OT

After a brutal 115-105 loss in Leitershofen, the Dragons Rhondorf were having serious soul searching and wondering how and when they could turn around their defensive woes in the Pro B? It was the clash of two 4-3 teams with the Dragons Rhondorf against the Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors. The Dragons Rhondorf may have a shaky defense, but their offense and three point shooting was incredible as they came in shooting 43% with 6 guys shooting over 40%. Frankfurt on the other hand also rely on their guard terror led by Bruno Albrecht and Felix Hecker and were shooting 38% as a team coming in. The Dragons Rhondorf needed a real strong week of practice especially on the defensive end as they had much to clean up. Rhondorf had another solid offensive performance, but missed golden opportunities late in the fourth quarter to seal the win, but instead came out flat in overtime to lose 93-86 to Frankfurt. “We had our ups and downs in the game. This was our second game in a row that we let out of our hands. We couldn´t get stops or score in crunch-time. Our biggest problems was rebounding and getting stops. We took good care of the ball. That was the only positive thing”, commented Dragons Rhondorf guard Alexander Lagermann. The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors got good support from so many sides including a big man monster in Malick Kordel (211-C-2004) and the clutch performances of Jamie Edoka and Ivan Crnjac in the overtime that helped them get the win. “We played very well as a team. Even if we didn´t have Bruno Albrecht, we were very focused. Our bench was great and we played very physical. When they made runs, we didn´t sink our heads, but fought back. Our young guys played really well in overtime”, said Malick Kordel.

Namori Omog at the FT line

The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors arrived in Bad Honnef with an injured Bruno Albrecht who had hurt his finger and would miss 2 weeks while the Dragons were without youngster Janne Muller who had accompanied the BBL team Telekom Baskets Bonn to Munich. Both teams found their offensive rhythm rapidly especially Felix Hecker who scored Frankfurt´s first 10 points, but led only 10-6 as the Dragons got 2 three´s from ex Drake (NCAA) player Antonio Pilipovic and Ohio native Tim Smith Jr. Hecker had a big opportunity to excel with the absence of Albrecht and he took full advantage of it. Frankfurt also received great production from their young NBBL players as Ivan Crnjac and Maximilian Peters scored for the 15-12 advantage. The game remained tight as the Dragons also got a huge basket from youngster Dyami Jannek who as usual supplied epic energy from the bench while Kordel made a thunderous dunk as Frankfurt kept supplying him with the ball, but he also opened up the floor with his body as he used his good passing skills to find open guys. Rhondorf got some vital baskets down the stretch to tie the game at 21-21 as ex Coburg foreward Danas Kazakevicius and Las Vegas native Kelvin Omojola scored. However Frankfurt got the last laugh as Dusan Nikolic snuck back door and got the basket for the Frankfurt 23-21 lead after 10 minutes. Frankfurt shot 50% from the 2 point range and 38% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 54% from the 2 point range and 29% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 0 turnovers. “Hecker was motivated and took advantage of Albrecht´s absence. The Dragons didn´t defend bad, but it wasn´t easy containing Malick Kordel as he played very well and found his teammates for the back door cuts”, stated Hamm head coach Ivan Rosic.

Alexander lagerman at the FT line

The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors switched to zone at the start of the second quarter and went on a run to lead in double figures, but the Dragons fought back and led 39-37 at the break. The Dragons had no remedy how to defeat the Frankfurt zone as they got stopped 6 times and got baskets from Peters with a lay in while Albert Schweitzer winner Philipp Hadenfeldt supplied 5 points for the 32-21 lead. The Dragons Rhondorf finally got their first field goal at the 4,42 minute mark as Lagerman made a steal and went coast to coast for the lay in as they trailed 32-24. The Dragons began to recuperate and add more energy to defense and went on a lethal 15-5 run to have the 2 point advantage at half-time. Kazakevicius was really key in the run making a three on his first attempt of the season and made a big dunk. Marko Rosic also made a lay in where he found daylight and went coast to coast, but also was a superb pick and roll player with Kazakevicius. “You can´t forget that Marko isn´t 100% fit again. He still has problems with his shooting hand. But he still has enough other good qualities that allows him to find his teammates and when his shot isn´t falling can sill do other good things”, stated Ivan Rosic. Frankfurt lost total rhythm on offense as the Dragons defense was a lot better with communication. Lagerman closed out the second quarter with a floater for the Dragons lead at the break. “At the start the Dragons had no offensive rhythm and went more to 1-1 play. They then got on transition and attacked more and had better rotations on defense and just fought to come back”, said Ivan Rosic. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 56% from the 2 point range and 24% from the three point line and had 24 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 48% from the 2 point range and shot 27% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Philipp Hadenfeldt from outside

In the third quarter both teams exploded on offense combining for 55 points, but after 30 minutes the Dragons Rhondorf led 69-62. Both teams found to their offense rhythm´s quickly as Pilpovic nailed a trey and Omojola made a lay in and Lagerman a turnaround shot while Hecker hit 2 three´s to keep Frankfurt at bay and only down 48-45. However the Dragons Rhondorf had good spurts on the defensive end getting consecutive stops and then took advantage of it as Alex Lagerman dropped back to back three´s keeping his great shooting at 18/22 this season form downtown as the Dragons led 54-49. Marko Rosic and Kazakevicius followed his lead getting buckets as Rhondorf led 59-50. But whenever the Dragons punched, Frankfurt were able to punch back as Mr energizer Philipp Hadenfeldt nailed 2 three pointers as Frankfurt trailed only 63-60. But Frankfurt had too many up and down phases as the Dragons just executed well and showed a solid inside out game as ex RheinStar guard Kenan Reinhart made a trey and Kazakevicius scored twice for the 68-62 lead after 3 quarters. “You can´t give any player in this league open looks. A Hadenfeldt will make those shots. We closed out the quarter strong though”, said Alexander Lagerman. “They hit way too many shots. Hadenfeldt gave great energy and kept us in the game”, stated Malick Kordel. The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors shot 54% from the 2 point range and 33% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 46% from the 2 point range and 36% from the parking lot and 33 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

Alexander Lagerman to the rim

In the fourth quarter the Dragons Rhondorf controlled the game, but Frankfurt continued to hang around and forced overtime at 85-85. The young Frankfurt guns of Crnjac and Edoka made big baskets, but Rhondorf always punched back as Pilipovic made a big trey and Rosic a floater for the 74-70 Dragons lead. But Frankfurt was relentless and never gave up and the universal genius Ivan Crnjac drilled home a trey and Kordel made a free throw to tie the game at 74-74. But Frankfurt couldn´t hold the momentum as the Dragons punched back and went on a 7-2 run to lead 81-76 as ex Jena forward Marco Rahn made a pretty fade away jumper while Omojola made a three pointer and Kazekevicius a lay in. But Frankfurt always found an answer as Felix Hecker nailed a trey and Edoka made a lay in to tie the contest 81-81. Rahn and Rosic then made lay in´s for the 85-82 lead. It looked like the Dragons had the game in their hands with time running out, but they gave it up. Hecker made one free throw and purposely missed the second which Kordel dunked home to send the game into overtime. “Our will was great. We wanted it more than they did. Hecker wanted to miss the second shot. I give a lot of credit to Joscha Zentgraf who tipped me the ball”, added Malick Kordel. “That last basket was the game changer. It hurt our moral going into overtime”, said Alexander Lagerman. In overtime there was only one team who competed as the Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors won it 8-1 not allowing a field goal. Frankfurt played with massive intensity at both ends and attacked the rim 4 times and scored with Kordel, Hecker, Edoka and Crnjac. “We were all tired, but we wanted it more. We had good possessions and it seemed like they didn´t know what they wanted to do”, stressed malik Kordel. “We had no energy and missed too many shots. It was all mental on our end. They just continued to play their game consistently”, said Alexander Lagerman. Key in overtime was of course the team, but Frankfurt´s 2 NBBL (U-19) guys Ivan Crnjac and Edoka were brilliant. They didn´t only add baskets, but Crnjac got 2 offensive rebounds while Edoka 1 of 4 blocks on the night. “They played super. They gave great energy and hustled great. They made good decisions and played good team basketball”, stated Malick Kordel. “They are 2 super prospects. When they play with confidence, then they can play well in the Pro B. Their energy carried the team which led to easy baskets”, added Alexander Lagerman. The Frankfurt Skyliners Juniors were led by Felix Hecker with 27 points while Malick Kordel added 16 points, 21 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks while Philipp Hadenfeldt contributed 15 points while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Alexander Lagerman with 19 points while Danas Kazakevicius added 16 points. Frankfurt shot 45% from the field and 30% from outside and had 57 rebounds and 18 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 36% from the field and 30% from outside and had 42 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Lenny Anigbata Has Career Day Leading Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg past The Dragons Rhondorf 91-84

The Dragons Rohndorf came home last weekend and gave their fans an experience that they will never forget as they erased a 2 point deficit with a game winning shot by Tim Smith Jr to get their first home win of the season. The fans were on cloud 9 and hardly had anytime to relax from the incredible finish against Erfurt last weekend. The 3-1 club next met the ambitious Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg that were off to a great start having a 3-1 record and had won 2 games in crunch-time. The club has an average age of 18 and is led by head coach Khee Ree and German youth national player Julis Baumer. The Dragons Rhondorf needed a defensive break out game as they had their hands full with the Ludwigsburg good ball movement and aggressive defense. However on this night the Dragons Rhondorf had no recipe how to crack the aggressive press and timely shots by Lenny Anigbata (196-G-2004) and Simon Feneberg and seemingly endless easy lay in´s by big man Dominykas Pleta losing 91-84 and falling to 3-2. “We beat ourselves in the first half. We weren´t aggressive and didn´t play together. We knew that they would be aggressive, but we couldn´t match it. We played better in the second half, but had to play catch up until the end. They got too many 50/50 balls and that broke our neck. We were frustrated with their press”, stressed Dragons Rhondorf forward Antonio Pilipovic. Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg came in to the Dragon Dome and played their game from the start and never had a bad lull, but were consistent for the most part of the game. Their press and incredible ability to hit at a high clip from the 2 point range helped them secure the win. “We gave all we had tonight. Everybody played their roles. We played well together. Our press worked very well as well. I´m really proud of the team”, stated Lenny Anigbata.

Dominykas Pleta at the FT line

The Dragons Rhondorf were without captain Kelvin Onojola, but Marko Rosic was back from injury. In the first quarter the guests presented their press that forced the guests to 8 turnovers and half way through the first quarter broke away and were able to lead by plus 10 points that helped them keep a good distance except for a few Dragons runs until the end. There were 4 lead changes in the first minutes as Tim Smith Jr and Lenny Anigbata showed early with baskets that they were hungry to play a central role that night. The Dragons knew they had to play smart and disciplined on offense, but to many times coughed up the ball that led to easy Ludwigsburg baskets as 206cm big man Pleta would score easy baskets all night long. Rhondorf held their own keeping up getting baskets from Marko Rosic and ex Coburg big man Danas Kazakevicius to trail 15-10, but Ludwigsburg kept executing very well and closed out the first quarter with a 12-5 run to lead 27-15 after 10 minutes. In the Ludwigsburg run, it was the potent big man duo of Anigbata and Pleta who combined for all 12 points while young German youth national player Julis Baumer always found them in easy spots for easy baskets. ”Despite his young age, he is one of our leaders. He did a great job on defense and on offense, I don´t need to say anything. It is top. He does a great job leading us on the defensive end with his energy”, expressed Lenny Anigbata, Rhondorf had no recipe how to slow them down as they were always in easy position to score as the Dragons 1-1 defense was nonexistent. “I was honestly a bit surprised how well we played. This was our longest road trip of the season, but we were all ready. Our press was there and we were ready to compete”, stressed Lenny Anigbata.

Mako Rosic from downtown

In the second quarter Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg continued to play the way they left off in the first quarter combining their aggressive defense with good offensive execution, but in the last minutes the Dragons Rhondorf buckled down on defense and made a run and only trailed by 6 points at the break. In the first minutes the aggressive press continued to stifle Rhondorf as it took longer to get into their sets and on offensive Ludwigsburg got 2 clutch three´s from Abdulkay Koemuekara and Anigbata for the 35-19 lead. Ludwigsburg also did a great job using the mismatches and length to their advantage. Ludwigsburg played smart and continued to get easy baskets as Pleta made a lay in and Koemuekara scored in the lane using his athleticism. 2024 U-18 gold medalist Janne Mueller made a 25 footer and ex Drake (NCAA) German Antonio Pilpovic an off balance jumper, but still trailed 40-30. However the Dragons kept grinding away and found some daylight and went on a 10-4 run to suddenly only trail 44-40. In the run the Dragons were able to up their intensity as Janne Mueller was able to take on more responsibility and was more aggressive and scored 4 points as did Smith Jr and Dyami Janneck gave valuable support from the bench. “Basketball is a game of runs. They made some adjustments and it worked in their favor. Our pick and roll defense didn´t work and they took advantage of it”, added Lenny Anigbata.

Simon Feneberg from outside

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf continued to fight, but they just couldn´t get over the hump and their defense continue to be a thorn in their back. Ludwigsburg began focused going on a 4-0 run as Pleta got free again in the zone registering a dunk and Ognjen Veljkovic made a lay in using the mis match well for the 50-40 lead. But the Dragons are a team that can execute on offense and showed what they are capable of by going on a 13-5 run to suddenly trail only 55-53. In the run, the Dragons received great support from Tim Smith Jr who scored 3 baskets while Pilipovic nailed a trey and ex Jena forward Marco Rahn made a lay in on transition. Ludwigsburg did a good job all game long taking away the three, so when Pilipovic did get open, it was only logical that he would fire away. But the Dragons just couldn´t get over the hump. Their defense just couldn´t find consistency as Ludwigsburg punched back with a 9-3 run to lead 64-56. In the run the guests got good support from the bench as Lukas Modic drilled home a trey and made free throws and the bigs Pleta and Anigbata were at it again doing what they wanted to in the paint area getting easy buckets. Pilipovic added another three pointer in the last minute, but Modic followed with a trey and Ludwigsburg led 67-61. “We knew that we had to contain Smith and Pilipovic as best as we could. We did a good job limiting their three point shooting”, added Lenny Anigbata. “We didn´t defend well. They continued to get the 50/50 balls. Whenever we scored, they had an answer. They played more in their comfort zone, while we reacted too much instead of dictating”, said Antonio Pilpovic.

Janne Mueller at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the Dragons Rhondoirf made one more run to once again get stopped and punched back and Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg slammed the door shut getting the well deserved win. The Dragons executed better on offense and received much needed energy and support from Marko Rosic who supplied 5 points while Pilpovic and Kazakevicius made lay in´s to trail 75-73. It seemed like the game could down the wire in exciting fashion, but Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg didn´t fade away, but stayed mentally strong and went on a 14-4 run to decide the game as they led 89-76. In the run the guests were led by Lenny Anigbata who nailed 2 clutch three pointers while Baumer and Pleta continued to attack and attack scoring inside and Feneberg added a three pointer for good measure. “I wasn´t in the game at the start mentally on account of the long ride. But once I was on the court, there was no pressure. I was more aggressive as usual and took more responsibility”, stressed Lenny Anigbata who crowned his career high in points with 26. The game was decided and time was running low for the Dragons. They closed out the game strong with a 8-2 run as Rahn and Smith contributed 2 buckets a piece, but it was too late too little as Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg moved to 4-1. “We stayed aggressive and knew they were in foul trouble. We just continued to attack them and never let up”, stressed Lenny Anigbata. “We just weren´t aggressive enough defensively. They made big shots in their run”, added Antonio Pilpovic. Porsche BBA Ludwigburg was led by Lenny Anigbata with 26 points while Dominykas Pleta added 18 points and Julis Baumer 12 points while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Tim Smith Jr with 20 points while Marko Rosic added 17 points and Janne Mueller had 15 points. Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg shot 79% from the 2 point range and 41% from outside and had 18 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 63% from the 2 point range and 50% from outside and had 21 rebounds and 16 turnovers.

Rupert Hennen Leads The RheinStars Cologne Past A Depleted Dragons Rhondorf 103-79

It was finally time for the first home game of the 2024-2025 season for the Dragons Rhondorf and they couldn´t have gotten a better and more exciting opponent than the RheinStars Cologne. Who could forget the exciting 2024 Pro B finals which the Dragons Rhondorf secured for themselves. Both teams had a 1-0 record as the Dragons Rhondorf didn´t play a great game in Fellbach, but wanted it more in crunch-time while the RheinStars disposed of the young Orange Academy without difficulty winning by 14 points. On paper the RheinStars weren´t as strong as last season, but importantly had 2 fierce veterans with Rupert Hennen (184-PG-1997) and Bjoern Rohwer to keep the young team together while the Dragons Rhondorf also lost a lot of guard power from last season, but received a pure scorer with Tim Smith Jr. The Dragons Rhondorf had an uphill battle to climb as they were missing 3 key players with captain Kelvin Omojola, veteran Marco Rahn and Marko Rosic. The Dragons Rhondorf were able to compete for a quarter, but from the second quarter until the end couldn´t match the physicality or athleticism of the guests and had a horrible 1-1 defense that plagued their play all night long. “We didn´t play our game or play as a team. They simply got the best of us. It is tough to lose our 2 point guards, but that isn´t the reason why we lost. We can´t make excuses, but just have to come together as a team”, warned Dragons Rhondorf forward Tim Smith. The Dragons Rhondorf coughed up the ball 28 times and couldn´t find their touch from downtown either. When those 2 things aren´t working, then it will be tough for them to win.

Kemy Legab at the FT line

In the first few minutes, the game´s trademark was fast paced as it seemed like the RheinStars Cologne came better to terms with that. Rupert Hennen and young German Janne Muller carried their teams as they were the most aggressive. Even if it was a close game, the Dragons Rhondorf had problems on the boards as they had no legitimate big man that could pound under the rim with German beast Bjoern Rohwer who literally owned the paint areas and they had to many turnovers that always led to easy baskets by the guests. Down the stretch Rupert Hennen drilled back to back three´s to give Cologne the 18-12 advantage and it seemed like that may be the turning point, but it wasn´t. Rhondorf stayed tough and punched Cologne right back with a 8-0 run to grab the 20-18 lead. In the run, the Dragons got a clutch three pointer from ex Schwenningen guard Alexander Lagerman and 2 free throws while Mueller and Tim Smith Jr also got to the free throw line. But that basketball is a game of runs is nothing new as Cologne closed out the first quarter with a 6-0 run. A Tim Lang lay in and three point buzzer beater by ex Dragon Robin Straub led the charge. “The start was wild and there was a high pace. But it is the start of the season and there are a lot of young players playing which is normal. The pace may have been to fast for the Dragons. We always try to be the faster team”, stressed RheinStars Cologne guard Rupert Hennen. The RheinStars Cologne shot 53% from the field and 38% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 7 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 38% from the field and 33% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Antonio Pilipovic from down town

In the second quarter the RheinStars Cologne could heighten their lead and led by 11 points at the break. Cologne came out strong and heightened their pressure and began with a 8-0 run to extend their lead to 32-20 as they produced 9 stops. Their defense anchor was German Jannis Von Seckendorff who made a giant block in the first quarter and another one in this run. His stat line after 40 minutes where he played 23 minutes read 12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals and 3 blocks. The guy truly was all over the floor. At times it looked so easy when he was making big plays. “Believe me, it wasn´t easy. We have a different kind of defensive pressure that teams have problems with. We have our hands up and just try to be in the right places”, stressed Jannis Von Seckendorff. In the run, the RheinStars were led by Rupert Hennen who continued to totally dominate as he scored 6 points. He also made it look so easy as he wheeled and dealed and danced to the rim as if he was on a Sunday stroll. “He is so important for this team. There is a reason why he was the 2024 Pro B MVP. He is our main go to guy on offense”, warned Jannis Von Seckendorff. Rhondorf got good looks but just couldn´t hit shots, but had extreme difficulty with the massive physicality of the guests. But like in the first quarter, this run didn´t shake them, but they stayed calm and struck back again with a 8-2 run to trail only 34-28. Lagerman finally put the Dragons on the scoreboard in that quarter for the first time at the 6,02 minute mark. Ex Cologne German Antonio Pilipovic also added much needed energy with 2 buckets. The Dragons were lucky that at that point French player Kemy Lagab was 0/6 from the free throw line or they would have trailed by even more. Rhondorf was simply too much up and down and gave up another run of 8-0 to trail 42-28. In the run Hennen scored twice again and Legab also scored on the drive as the Dragons 1-1 defense was nonexistent. The quarter was really a game of runs as Rhondorf went into the break with a 8-5 run to trail 47-36. Janne Mueller continued to show his drive and mid range game with 2 baskets while Tim Smith hit a jumper. “It helped us that the 2 main point guards of Rhondorf were out. We did a good job pressuring the younger guys to many mistakes”, added Janne Mueller. The RheinStars Cologne shot 59% from the field and 33% from the three point line and had 22 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 38% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 12 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Bjoern Rohwer

In the third quarter the RheinStars decided the game with a lethal 31-17 quarter to lead 78-53. The RheinStars Cologne wasted no time coming out of the locker room and went on a 19-6 run to lead 66-42. Cologne just continued to attack Rhondorf´s weak spot and that was the paint area. Rohwer scored twice as nobody could contain him and Legab´s great athleticism helped him 2 baskets. Rhondorf finally got on the board from ex Coburg big man Danas Kazakevicius, but the Dragons just couldn´t generate stops. Von Seckendorff and Hennen scored and then Rohwer scored 3 times in a row including a trey and massive dunk. Rhondorf weren´t defending with passion and nobody on the offensive end took over responsibility in the scoring department. The self-confidence of the guests continued to rise while the energy of the Dragons sank. Down the stretch Antonio Pilipovic got going scoring 7 points, but the Dragons couldn´t get over the hump as Cologne continued to execute with ease even with their bench. Germans Lars Danzinger got to the free throw line twice while 2022 JBBL finalist Davi Remagen also got to the free throw line. Young German Josh Luis Behrendt made his first Pro B points in the last seconds while German Veteran Tim Lang who has 100 + Pro B games on his resume drilled home a three pointer to end the third quarter as the RheinStars led 78-53. “We have an interesting team. Our athleticism is enormous. They continued to have problems with our pressure and physicality. We showed some real highlights”, commented Rupert Hennen. “I don´t think that their athleticism was too much for us, but their pressure was tough. They iced ball screens. The young guys haven´t really seen that. We couldn´t execute our game plan”, stated Tim Smith Jr. The RheinStars Cologne shot 57% from the field and 36% from the parking lot and had 31 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 42% from the field and 19% from the parking lot and had 19 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

Kenan Reinhart at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the Dragons Rhondorf played their best offensive quarter outscoring Cologne with 26 points, but couldn´t set a comeback as the guests produced 25 points. Tim Smith Jr came into the fourth quarter having netted 8 points, but really stepped up in the last quarter with 15 points. Ohio native Tim Smith Jr scored 6 quick points in the first few minutes showing his 3 level scoring qualities with a lay in, 10 footer and offensive rebound and put back, but the Dragons still trailed 84-61. One could notice that the energy level of Rhondorf was declining as Cologne stole 3 balls in a row in the back court that led to 3 simple transition buckets and the 91-61 lead. Rohwer, Von Seckendorff and Lang did the damage at both ends of the court. “Jannis is so important on the defensive end. His length really helps us on the defensive end”, added Rupert Hennen. Down the stretch, the Dragons Rhondorf outscored the RheinStars 13-12 and were led by Tim Smith Jr who led the charge with 9 points including another offensive rebound and put back and thunderous dunk. Cologne´s biggest highlight was a beautiful alley oop dunk from Legab. Legab made the steal and made the outlet pass to Hennen who waited a bit until Legab raced up the right side to retrieve the perfect pass from the German for the throw down. Pilipovic scored 6 points in crunch-time while Luca Michels who hit Itzehoe for 40 points last season made the 100 point and surely had donut duty for the team. “We didn´t plan that alley-oop dunk. I just wanted Kemy Lagab to get that dunk”, stated Rupert Hennen. Tim Smith Jr tried all he could upping his game in the last quarter. “We tried to play hard in the last quarter. I hate losing. I wasn´t about to give up. I wasn´t going to go out like that”, stressed Tim Smith Jr. The RheinStars Cologne were led by Rupert Hennen with 28 points while Bjoern Rohwer added 22 points and 10 rebounds while the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Tim Smith Jr with 24 points and Antonio Pilipovic added 19 points while Janne Muller contributed 12 points. The RheinStars Cologne shot 56% from the field and 30% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 19 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 48% from the field and 25% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 28 turnovers.