It may be hard for some to believe, but the 12th ranked EPG Baskets Koblenz are playing their best basketball of the season so far. They had won 2 of their last 3 games after having lost 5 of their first 7 games. They seemed to be slowly finding their groove better and team chemistry continues to develop better as their deep roster at all positions are finally coming together. Their offense continues to be their biggest strength while their defense is still a work in progress. Their next opponent in their own living room was Nurnberg who have been somewhat of a surprise having a 6-4 record and were sitting in 7th place. The last time they played in the PRO A playoffs was 2019. They had been playing good ball as of late having won 4 games in a row and had won 2 nail bitters. They are a team with some real experience at the German position while they have also gotten solid support from 2 American rookies with Brandon Chatfield and Trevor Baskin. After the Fiba break, the EPG Baskets Koblenz returned back into their smug CGM arena and had an explosive offensive performance that carried them for the full 40 minutes beating the Nurnberg Falcoms 101-97 in a classic shootout. Koblenz had their defensive problems in the second half, but their offense never let up and Calvin Wishart (188-G-1999, college: UCSB) carried them in crunch-time to preserve the victory. “We had a great start and did a good job keeping the lead the whole game. We scored 100 points which isn´t easy to do in the Pro A. We could have had more had we not had 16 turnovers. We definitely gave up too many free throws in the second half”, stressed new EPG Baskets forward Devonte McCall. After only getting to the free throw line 9 times in the first half, Nurnberg got 28 chances in the second half. Nurnberg fought to the end, but just couldn´t string along consecutive stops to annoy Koblenz. Even if Nurnberg was close at the end, fans didn´t witness Falcons basketball. “Our feet were like in mud in the first half. We didn´t play up too our standards. Every matchup we had on the court, they played harder than we did. They were hard to guard and were always a step ahead of us”, stressed Nurnberg Falcons assistant head coach Tim Black.

Marko Bacak at the FT line

The EPG Baskets Koblenz came out motivated and focused taking the rapid 11-1 lead in the first few minutes. In their run, they received super support from their American troops as ex Dragon Rhondorf forward Tim Smith Jr, ex Samford (NCAA) guard Garret Hicks and ex G-League player DJ Jeffries all connected from outside as it was raining three´s softly in the CGM arena. Nurnberg was able to punch back as ex Iowa State (NCAA) big man Brandton Chadfield and ex University of Nebraska (NCAA) guard Evan Taylor dropped three´s to trail 13-7, but Koblenz kept having consistent offensive execution as their bigs were super aggressive inside as ex Oldenburg center Marko Bacak scored three times including a pretty floater and hook shot, Jefferies made a tap in and ex Kirchheim forward Jonas Niedermanner made a thunderous dunk for the 23-11 advantage. The EPG Baskets were playing dynamic, athletic and physical with great team basketball. They made it very difficult for Nurnberg to get the ball inside and collected every defensive rebound. The Koblenz bench was also functioning very well as guys came in and out and everyone contributed. Calvin Wishart came into the game after being sick a few days, but gave the needed energy with 5 points as Koblenz led comfortably 28-15 after 10 minutes. “We were playing great team basketball at both ends. This may have been the best quarter of basketball this season. Everybody was involved. We had their big men under control and didn´t allow any offensive rebounds”, stressed EPG Baskets sport manager Thomas Klein.

Tim Smith Jr with the trunaround shot

The EPG Baskets Koblenz continued their control of the game in the first 5 minutes, but let up a bit in the last 5 minutes allowing a Nurnberg run, but were still fortunate to lead by 12 points at half-time. The EPG Baskets began with a rapid 10-3 run to lead 38-18. Ex Wurzburg guard Calvin Wishart remained aggressive attacking the rim and connecting again while Mr durable Tim Smith Jr scored in bunches adding 5 points in the run. “Tim has been our most stable player this season at both ends. He is a universal player that is the classic momentum player. Plus he is a great guy”, said Thomas Klein. However basketball is a game of runs and Nurnberg finally got theirs out scoring Koblenz 10-3 to trail 41-28. In the guests run, they got vital support from Evan Taylor who added 6 points as his dynamic and athletic player stifled Koblenz on defense. Chatfield also added a runner. The EPG Baskets lost their aggressiveness and physicality while on offense played a bit of hero ball. Smith Jr continued to showcase his value as he added 5 more points to ease the Falcons momentum, but Nurnberg kept battling getting easy baskets inside as ex Colorado (NCAA) forward Trevor Baskin scored while German Julius Wolf began to find his game adding 5 points as Nurnberg was threatening trailing only 48-39 with time running low. However new EPG Basket forward Devonte McCall made a massive trey at the buzzer as Koblenz went into the break with the momentum leading 51-39. “I felt good today. I got comfortable quickly. I like this gym. As soon as I saw my first free throw go in, the rim began to get big”, smiled Devonte McCall. “We played well for 15 minutes, but then lost our line a little. The last 3 pointer saved us a bit going into the break. We weren´t as physical anymore and our 1-1 defense wasn´t good. We played wild west basketball in that phase”, stated Thomas Klein. The EPG Baskets shot near 60% form the field and outside while they controlled the boards 20-8, but Nurnberg only had 3 turnovers and Koblenz had 7.

Christian Feneberg at the FT line

In the third quarter both teams displayed their offensive capabilities as 58 points were scored in total, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz kept the comfortable 81-67 lead after 30 minutes. DJ Jeffries and Julius Wolf got going right away scoring 4 points apiece, but the EPG Baskets still led comfortably58-44. Trevor Baskin who had a solid first half scoring 7 points continued to be consistent adding 6 points in a short span as Nurnberg was getting closer trailing only 63-52. Koblenz´s defense was suspect as they couldn´t match the intensity that they showed in the first half. Luckily for them, they continued to execute with ease on offense keeping their lead in double figures. Bacak continued to be aggressive scoring inside while Hicks and Wishart added three´s to extend the Koblenz lead to 74-56. But the Nurnberg Falcons didn´t ease up even when down by a lot, but kept chipping away going on a 11-2 run to trail only 76-67. In their run, they got lay in´s from Wolf and Taylor as they were getting to the rim with ease. Their aggressiveness also helped them get to the free throw line at ease that helped them trim the Koblenz lead down. Jeffries nailed a clutch trey at the end as the EPG Baskets Koblenz had a little extra breathing room leading 81-67. “We were too comfortable with the lead. We let them get to the free throw line too much. We also gave them too many extra chances with offensive rebounds and had too many turnovers”, commented Devonte McCall. “Both teams were punching back and forth. We were more locked in, but they were in rhythm. It is hard to stop a team who is in rhythm. We also gave up too many offensive rebounds and turned the ball over”, expressed Falcons assistant coach Tim Black.

Julius Wolf to the hole

The Nurnberg Falcons continued to fight back in the fourth quarter and outscored the EPG Baskets Koblenz 29-20 and came very close to getting over the hump, but Koblenz prevailed. The Nurnberg Falcons were on a mission and wanted to make a statement and did in the first few minutes continuing their comeback racing out on a 12-3 run to suddenly only trail 84-79. Nurnberg continued to use their plan of attacking the rim which resulted in easy buckets or trips to the free throw line. Baskin continued to be clutch making 6 points while ex Belmont (NCAA) guard Carter Whitt made a fade away and free throw. However Calvin Wishart came to the rescue making clutch shot after clutch shot when ever Nurnberg threatened. Wishart would make 10 of Koblenz´s last 17 points to help secure the victory. After a Vincent Friederici trey to cut Koblenz´s lead to 89-84, Wishart made free throws while McCall made a big trey for the 94-84 advantage. However after a Taylor off balance shot and 3 free throws by Friederici, Calvin Wishart twice made difficult off balance shorts falling to his right for the 94-87 and 100-90 lead. “I reacted to what defense gave me. They were shots that I always practice. I take work on these shots and have confidence that they will find the bottom of the net”, stressed Calvin Wishart. “Wishart was huge at the end. You can see that he wants the ball in his hands in that situation. He lives for those moments and made tough shots. Nobody could stop him”, stated Tim Black. Nurnberg did close out the game with a 9-1 run getting to the free throw line and getting a big trey from Friederici, but in the end, it was the EPG Baskets Koblenz that earned their second home win of the season relying on their main strength offense for the win. “They made a run, but we didn´t falter at the end. We were never rattled, but showed great composure”, stressed Devonte McCall. “We fought back and did best job we could getting offensive rebounds. We picked up our energy in the second half, but were always chasing them”, said Tim Black. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Calvin Wishart with 22 points while DJ Jeffries and Tim Smith Jr added 15 points apiece while the Nurnberg Falcons were led by Julius Wolf with 25 points while Evan Taylor added 22 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 525 form the field and 54% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the Nurnberg Falcons shot 45% from the field and 31% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

After an incredible Regionalliga season, TV Langen´s arrival in the Pro B has been anything but sweet, but rather disappointing as they started the season 0-4. Twice their opponents hit them with 100 + points and were creamed in the first game by 51 points, but massive injury woes have accompanied their season until now. Things didn´t get any easier as 4-1 team Orange Academy came to Langen for a Saturday evening tangle. Orange Academy has an average age of 18 years old, but head coach Florian Flabb who is in his second season has an exceptional group of young guys where many have been teammates for many years. They have found a defensive identity early and are an incredible rebounding team. TV Langen definitely had their hands full and knew it wouldn´t be a cake walk and they wanted to win their first game at home, but that was easier said then done. Orange Academy began hot with a big run and took that momentum until the buzzer winning in top fashion 105-75. They annoyed TV Langen all night long with their aggressive defense and on offense shared the ball very well and shot at a high clip. Was getting the win as easy as the result showed? “This definitely wasn´t easy work. We drove 3,5 hours and knew that TV Langen wanted to beat us badly for their first win. We knew that they had a good team, but we prepared ourselves very well. We were able to follow the game plan which was stop their top scorers and defend well for 40 minutes”, stressed Orange Academy point guard Teo Milicic (180-PG-2008). They definitely had Alex Lagerman´s number who was held to only 2 points. TV Langen had massive problems on the rebound and couldn´t adapt to the guests aggressive defense which led to 26 turnovers. “It was a very quick pace that we weren´t ready for. We weren´t ready to play at all. We weren´t prepared well enough for their aggressive defense. We have to learn to play at our pace and not theirs”, stressed TV Langen forward Jacob Washington.

Teo Milicic at the FT line

Orange Academy jumped all over TV Langen rushing out to a rapid 13-2 lead something that TV Langen couldn´t adjust to. Orange Academy was led by 17 year old wonder boy Teo Milicic who ran the offense like a well oiled veteran and also showed his great scoring touch making 2 three´s while big French talent Meissa Faye added 5 points in the run. TV Langen was always a step behind on defense and way too passive in their offensive sets. They had to play catch up basketball right away which has been a trend for them this season. Plus Orange Academy´s will to get rebounds was gigantic as 3 offensive rebounds added to buckets. Ex Skyliner Niklas Pons stopped the run with a three pointer, but Orange Academy continued executing on offense going on a 16-6 run to extend their lead to 29-11. In the run, the guests who are led by head coach Florian Flabb continued to spread the love as Teo Milicic added his third trey of the game while Faye added 4 points while their oldest player Marco Dordevic at 22 also added a trey. Orange Academy were getting open shots while TV Langen had problems creating good shots. TV Langen was in the hole, but found some daylight in the last few minutes as ex MLP Academics Heidelberg guard Risto Vasiljevic got aggressive getting in the lane for 4 points while Pons also added a lay in, but Orange Academy had the commanding 36-19 after 10 minutes. Orange Academy was shooting 57% from the field and 60% from outside and had 13 rebounds and 1 turnover while TV Langen was shooting 47Y% from the field and 40% from outside and had 4 rebounds and 4 turnovers. “The first 5 minutes were the most important in the game. We had to hit them first so they couldn´t recover. We found our offensive flow right away and were strong on the rebound”, stated Teo Milicic. “We didn´t show enough energy or effort on the defensive end”, stated Jacob Washington.

Drago Crnjac from outside

Orange Academy continued to dominate the game in the second quarter as they were able to up their lead and lead 63-43 at halftime. TV Langen had a little run of 6-0 getting consecutive three´s from California native Jacob Washington and Pons and suddenly only trailed 40-27. TV Langen had sampled some extra self confidence, but were unable to hold that momentum. Orange Academy broke away again with a 11-4 run to lead 49-31. In their new run, they got some added energy from Swiss army knife Joel Cwik who has 1 easyCredit BBL game had 5 points while Dordevic and Dutch center Endurance Aiyemenkhue made an offensive rebound and putback. Orange Academy continued to do the little things better and just had more focus on the boards. TV Langen now was able to execute better, but couldn´t make any real ground as they couldn´t even string together back to back stops. On offense they got some key three´s from ex EN Baskets Schwelm guard Henk Droste and Washington and a running baby hook shot from Drago Crnjac. However Orange Academy simply had too many weapons as they got a trey from the other Milicic named Zoran who is 2 years older than Teo, but is also very talented. He nailed a three pointer while Namori Omog also scored who compares his game to Ja Morant has made the adjustment very well from Frankfurt to Ulm. In Frankfurt he was a bit in the shadow of Ivan Crnjac and Jamie Edoka, but in Ulm, despite being around more talent has found his niche and is one of the top 3 players with Teo Milicic and Meissa Faye. “I think key has been that everyone trusts me here. The coaches and teammates. A big change in my game is that I´m more patient here and not as impulsive. My balance of knowing when to attack and when to find my teammates is good”, stressed Namori Omog. Orange Academy shot 61% from the field and 53% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 6 turnovers while TV Langen shot 59% from the field and 53% from the three point line and had 7 rebounds and 12 turnovers. “We continued to have much pressure and didn´t let up. We remained aggressive and played well together. We saw good reads and attacked the weak side”, added Teo Milicic. “Faye continued to hurt us. He is a really good player at both ends”, added Jacob Washington.

Namori Omog with the runner

TV Langen had their worst scoring quarter in the third quarter and was punished by Orange Academy who erupted for 29 points and led very comfortably 92-56 after 30 minutes. Orange Academy began hot again going on a 13-3 run to lead 76-46. In the run, it was Teo Milicic who added 5 points and demonstrated his 3 level scoring with a trey and lay in while Faye added 5 points including a three pointer while Cwik also hit a trey. “Teo Milicic is very young and does a great job finding us. He has an incredible balance of staying calm and not forcing too much”, said Namori Omog. Teo Milicic had the Orange Academy offense in full control and did a great job finding his spots and not letting his team have any let downs. TV Langen made so many little mistakes as they had immense problems with Orange Academys brutal on ball defense. TV Langen then found some energy with 10 unanswered as Risto Vasiljevic scored 6 points and Drago Crnjac 4 as suddenly Orange Academy led only 76-56. TV Langen became more aggressive and attacked the paint area well while Orange Academy had their worst phase in the game losing a little focus, but it didn´t matter as they led by 20 points. Orange Academy showed how quickly they can steal the momentum back on their side as they put a clamp on the win for good early closing out the third frame with a brutal 16-2 run to lead 92-56. In the run, Orange Academy got continued aggressive play from Omog with 4 points while Zoran Milicic added 2 back to back three pointers to close out the quarter. “We continued to play our game and were in the flow. Even if they had a run, we were able to bounce back”, stated Teo Milicic. Orange Academy shot 53% from the 2 point area and 45% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 9 turnovers while TV Langen shot 52% from the field and 47% from the parking lot and had 16 rebounds and 20 turnovers.

Risto Vasiljevic at the FT line

Even if TV Langen lost the game badly, they did close out the last quarter on a positive note out scoring Orange Academy 19-13. Jacob Washington had a strong phase scoring 3 baskets while Zoran Milicic scored inside and Milo Murray hit a trey. Cwik hit a trey for the 102-66 lead and had donut duty for making that feat. Meissa Faye had had a brutal dunk earlier in the game, but Teo Milicic definitely added one of the game´s most beautiful moments with a spin move and lay in for the 104-69 advantage. Is that something he can do in his sleep at age 17? “No no, I don´t do it in my sleep. I just read the situation well. It was a good move”, smiled Teo Milicic. “Teo is a very versatile player. He can make those types of plays”, said Namori Omog. TV Langen closed out the game strong with a 6-1 run powered by a Henk Droste lay in and free throws by Fabian Baumgarten, and by Vasiljevic. “We let up in the fourth quarter. We have to know that every point counts. We could of won higher. It annoys me that we played like that”, stressed Teo Milicic. Orange Academy was led by Teo Milicic with 26 points while Namori Omog and Meissa Faye added 20 points a piece while TV Langen was led by Jacob Washington with 24 points while Risto Vasiljevic added 17 points. Orange Academy shot 50% from the field and 47% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 15 turnovers while TGV Langen shot 49% from the field and 40% from outside and had 26 rebounds and 25 turnovers.

Instead of coming home to the Dragon Dome to continue a winning streak, the Dragons Rhondorf were seeking to start a new winning streak. After the incredible season opening win over SC Rist Wedel with the young German guns, the former pro A team was brought back down to reality with a tough 80-74 road loss in Schwelm. It was a game where the troops of head coach Max Becker had difficulty taking care of the ball and they had miserable shooting percentages. 48 hours later they met 0-2 Iserlohn that was hungry to get their first win of the season. The Iserlohn team led by head coach Toni Prostran had 2 solid Americans with Trey Hubbard and Tyson Leitao and many talented German players ready to step up. On a rainy. cool early Autumn day, The Dragons Rhondorf were involved with the same kind of pattern that they witnessed 48 hours earlier in Schwelm in that they had to play catch for most of the day, but the only difference that this time there would be a happy end. The Dragons Rhondorf were able to take a lethal 13-2 run in the fourth quarter and regain the lead again and then were able to close out the game and win 87-84. “We battled all game long. That has been our focus this season. When the fourth quarter arrives, we look at the score at 0-0. We have shown the last 3 games that we can always come back when down. We simply fight hard the whole game”, warned Dragons Rhondorf Dragons guard Juhwan Harris-Dyson (198-SG-1999, college: California). Iserlohn was in the game in the last minute, but an easy missed lay in to force overtime and a technical foul cost them the game. “This was a great fight from both teams. The game was up and down and it was exciting for the fans. In the end, it was simply details that decided the game. That run in the fourth hurt us and allowed them to get the momentum back”, stressed Iserlohn Kanagaroos head coach Tony Prostran.

Tyson Leitao at the FT line

The first minutes were very tight as no team could lead by more than 3 points. Both teams attacked the rim diligently. The Dragons Rhondorf got a hard dunk from ex Oberaching center Benjamin Sadikovic on the pick and roll with Jorge Mejias and the big then scored again while the guests also got easy baskets inside from ex Schwelm center Sadiq Ajagbe who did a good job getting to his spots and American Trey Hubbard also scored on the drive for the 9-6 Iserlohn lead. Spanish magician Jorge Mejias then dead locked the game with a trey at 9-9. It always seemed like Iserlohn would try to get away, but the Dragons always had an answer and this would happen until the end. Iserlohn got baskets from German David Pavljak and free throws from American Tyson Leitao for the 13-11 lead, but the energizer Lagui Diallo gave instant production with a trey for the 14-13 lead. But then came the first big run of the game as the guests exploded on a ruthless 11-0 run which was sparked by 3 steals in a row by Jordan Illoanya, Tyson Leitao and Trey Hubbard. Two steals led to transition baskets from Hubbard and Leitao while ex Ehingen guard Daniel Zacek nailed a trey for the 24-14 lead. However the Dragons Rhondorf didn´t wilt in the last 2 minutes, but clawed back with 2 clutch three´s from Mejias and ex Neustadt center Duje Dujmovic as the Dragons Rhondorf trailed 26-21 after 10 minutes. “It is always tough suffering back to back turnovers. We just went play by play and stuck to our principles. We knew that it was still a long game and just played our game”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 67% from the field and 50% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 58% from the field and 57% from outside and had 4 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Kenna Reinhart from outside

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf had to play catch up basketball and trailed by as much as 11 points, but they were able to stage a late come back before the break and trail only by 2 points. Iserlohn began with a 8-3 run to extend their lead to 35-24 as Daniel Zacek remained aggressive scoring 5 points and young 18 year old German Julius Gebauer added a clutch trey from the bench. The Iserlohn zone continued to be a thorn in the Dragons side as well as their press. The Dragons Rhondorf also got away from their team basketball as ball movement was weak. Iserlohn continued to be aggressive and attack the rim as Leitao continued to be super efficient and Hubbard scored again. The Dragons received 2 jumpers from Kenan Reinhart and a lay in by young German Carlo Schmid on transition, but couldn´t make any real ground as the guests led 41-32. Iserlohn continued to execute at ease and get easy buckets inside as ex BBL player Kevin Strangmeyer scored as did Ajagbe while the Dragons got continued input by Reinhart with free throws and a lay in, but the Dragons couldn´t make any sufficient ground as they trailed 46-38. But the Dragons had some energy left and closed out the first half with a vital 9-3 run to trail 49-47. In the run, they got a basket by young German David Boning who made a lay in after getting a pretty behind the back pass from Carlo Schmid that had something Larry Bird about it. “We know that he can pass the ball like that. We see it every day. He works very hard. His game reminds me more of Franz Wagner than Larry Bird”, smiled Juhwan Harris-Dyson. In the run, Reinhart continued to shoot the ball well hitting a trey and Mejias made a lay in. “Iserlohn got into foul trouble early. We attacked the guys more and that helped us get to the free throw line and get back into the game”, commented Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 56% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 14 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the Dragons Rhondorf shot 58% from the field and 60% from the three point line and had 12 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Trey Hubbard with the lay in

In the third quarter the Iserlohn Kangaroos had a few more runs, but the Dragons Rhondorf always had an answer and rallied. The Dragons Rhondorf last run rewarded them with the one point lead after 30 minutes. The Dragons got on the board first as Kenan Reinhart executed a perfect pick and roll that led to a lay in by Sadikovic to tie the game at 49-49. But once again Iserlohn was able to get away on a 7-0 run as Strangmeyer added 5 points and a trey and Ajagbe was in beast mode again with the offensive rebound and put back to lead 56-49. But just as easy as the Kangaroos could go on a run so could the Dragons slapping their opponent with a 7-0 run to trail 57-56. In the run, the Dragons got baskets from Mejias, Dujmovic with a steal and transition basket and Harris Dyson lay in. However Iserlohn continued to execute well on offense as Tyson Leitano was a pest all day long getting to the free throw line netting 4 points while Zacek hit a trey and Iserlohn was threatening again to get away leading 67-61. With a few minutes to play, the Dragons Rhondorf buckled down on defense and went on a 7-0 run to lead 68-67 after 3 quarters. In the run, the Dragons Rhondorf got another clutch trey from Diallo off the bench and Reinhart was able to stroke home another three pointer. “We never ever feel like we are out of the game. We are always fighting. Dujmovic was huge with his defensive pressure which helped us get transition points”, expressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. “It was an up and down game. They played with more intensity in the last minutes. We lost too many easy balls. That just can´t happen”, added Toni Prostran. The Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 50% from the field and 50% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 47% from the field and 31% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Juhwan Harris-Dyson at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the usual happened with Iserlohn trying to get away, but then came the real game changer as the Dragons Rhondorf went on a 13-2 run to take the lead back and manage it until the end. Iserlohn began with a slick 8-1 run to lead 75-69. In the run, the Kangaroos got key production form their bigs Leitano and Ajagbe with lay in´s while Pavljak made a big three pointer as the Dragons had less intensity. However the Dragons Rhondorf were able to turn the lever around to their benefit going on a lethal 13-2 run to retake the lead at 82-77. In the run, the Dragons Rhondorf were led by Harris Dyson with 8 points as he sparked the defense with his play as good defense led to easy offense. “The game is never over. I didn´t t have a good first half. I knew I had to help the team somehow. I helped them on defense which led to transition baskets”, stated Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Ajagbe and Sadikovic then traded baskets but Rhondorf still led 84-79. Leitao kept Iserlohn in the game with 3 free throws as the Dragons led 84-82. Sadikovic then missed an easy lay in as did Leitao to possibly force overtime. However then came the real game ender as Daniel Zacek was hit with a technical foul with less than a minute to play. That led to 3 Reinhart free throws for the 87-82 advantage. German Christian Schultz then added free throws to end the game. “We had a little cushion at the end, but they really fought hard. It was a real grind out game. I´m happy we got the win”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. “We lost intensity in too many crucial times in the fourth quarter. Details was key and we missed that easy lay up at the end”, stated Toni Prostran. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Kenan Reinhart with 24 points while Juhwan Harris-Dyson added 13 points while the Iserlohn Kangaroos were led by Tyson Leitao with 27 points while Daniel Zacek and sadiq Ajagbe added 13 points a piece. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 44% from the field and 45% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the Iserlohn Kangaroos shot 41% from the field and 25% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 21 túrnovers.

There had been changes the last few seasons for the EPG Baskets as some players went and came as usual and even the name had been changed briefly to the Guardians and changed back to the Baskets, but the face lift that the club took this past summer was immense. An almost total house cleaning had been done. A whole new coaching staff had been hauled in from Rhondorf as Thomas Klein is hoping for some of that magic from the Dragons Pro B title in 2024 to rub off on the Koblenz team. The club had added a healthy mix of young and old and especially under the basket where better stacked than in previous seasons. However the EPG Baskets had no cake walk in their first game as they faced 2010 Eurochallenge winner and ex easyCrerdit BBL team BG Goettingen who had moved back down to the Pro A. On a cool Sunday afternoon in late September, the EPG Baskets Koblenz were able to stick with BG Goettingen for a quarter, but in the second quarter the ex BBL team took control of the game and never looked back winning 98-80. BG Goettingen showed severe consistency and got much help from their sturdy bench and controlled the boards. “We were consistent and played hard for 40 minutes. We were able to play our pace and played aggressive defense. We focused on sharing the ball well and communicating well on defense”, stressed ex University of Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA) guard Zach Jackson (198-G-1997, college: Omaha). The EPG Baskets Koblenz played a strong first quarter, but after that their intensity wanned at both ends while their 1-1 defense wasn´t existent. “They played with good speed and pace. We were always a step slower. That was a big difference. We were stagnant on offense. We helped them play better defense with our play. We did move the ball better in the second half. They were very experienced and always made us pay for our mistakes”, stressed EPG Baskets guard Garrett Hicks.

Aleksa Kovacevic at the FT line

BG Goettingen raced out on a rapid 4-0 lead as they attacked the rim getting lay in´s by ex Jena forward Robin Lodders and ex Alba Berlin forward Hendrik Drescher. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz struck back quick with a lay in by ex BBL player Aleksa Kovacevic and a runner by American Garrett Hicks to trail 6-4. Despite being a really good shooting team, BG Goettingen demonstrated early that they would be going inside a lot and would do it for 40 minutes. German Julius Bohmer heaved home a dunk and Swedish national player Adam Ramstedt made a lay in for the 13-9 advantage. Koblenz had early problems with their 1-1 defense and allowed easy baskets as the help defense was always a step to slow. BG Goettingen couldn´t get away as ex Wurzburg guard Calvin Wishart dropped consecutive three pointers and a free throw gave the EPG Baskets Koblenz their first lead of the contest 18-17. But BG Goettingen went to their bench and got instant support from American Kevin Buckingham who played at South Eastern Oklahoma State who drained back to back three´s for the 23-20 lead. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz offense was executing well as Kovacevic did a good job getting all involved. Wishart made free throws and ex Trier forward Jannis Sonnefeld made a runner as BG Goettingen had the slim 25-23 advantage after 10 minutes. The first quarter showed that there was no difference in play between the ex BBL team BG Goettingen and the EPG Baskets who almost moved down to the Pro B last season. “It was a dynamic and physical first quarter that lived form points and turnovers. Both teams hit three´s. We were at eye level with them”, stated EPG Baskets Koblenz sport director Thomas Klein.

Jordan Sears from downtown

However the game changed in the second quarter as the tide turned for BG Goettingen who continued to play their game while their aggressive play at both ends wore Koblenz down as they couldn´t match their intensity. Ex Leipzig forward Jonas NIedermanner began the second quarter with a key three to tie the game at 25-25, but then came the turning point of the contest as BG Goettingen showed no mercy going on a brutal 17-5 run to lead 42-30. In the run BG Goettingen were led by Zach Jackson with 7 points who scored at ease in the paint, on transition and in the set play. But overall, BG Goettingen still shared the ball nicely as ex Tuebingen guard Mathis Monnighoff made an off balance shot, ex Louisiana State University (NCAA) guard Jordan Sears made a reverse lay up and lay in. The paint dominated this phase as BG Goettingen just destroyed the EPG Baskets while on the defensive end denied the entry pass and disallowed them getting into the paint area on penetration. BG Goettingen continued to execute with force on offense and especially got great support form their bench as German Jannis Junemann was aggressive and swished home 6 free throws while Bohmer continued to be active scoring a basket. Here and there, the EPG Baskets Koblenz would find some rare daylight in the paint as Kovacevic scored and Wishart with his quick footing and moves scored with a runner at the buzzer, but BG Goettingen had the comfortable 52-37 advantage at half time. “Our 1-1 defense was horrible. We had too many turnovers and gave up too many easy baskets. Their bench also produced way to much”, added Thomas Klein. BG Goettingen shot 55% form the field and 25% from outside and had 19 rebounds and 10 turnovers while the EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 435 from the field and 21% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Jordan Sears at the FT line

In the third quarter the EPG Baskets began a bit reborn executing right away with a lethal 7-2 run to cut BG Goettingen´s lead down to 54-44, but that was as close as they would get in the game. In the run, the EPG Baskets Koblenz got 2 buckets from Kovacevic as his quickness helped him score while Sonnefeld also scored. However BG Goettingen then just rebounded the way a great team does by slapping their own run in the faces of Koblenz as they scored 18 points and the Baskets only 5 points. BG Goettingen did a super job sharing the ball around as usual in this game got great support from their bench. Ex Dresden guard Daniel Kirchner scored 5 points while Hendrik Drescher showed his solid inside out game scoring 4 points while Buckingham also added 4 points. Sears and Monninghoff also added free throws. BG Goettingen played pretty pick and roll and their high low game also worked well with their bigs. There was so little offensive input from Koblenz. NIedermanner added a trey late, but BG Goettingen closed out the third quarter with a 5-0 run as Bohmer made a lay in and Sears dropped a trey as BG Goettingen led 77-52 after 30 minutes. “We didn´t want to come out lackadaisical like we did against Bonn. We locked up and upped our intensity”, commented Zach Jackson. “We wanted to apply more pressure. We showed glimpses of good defense. We cut faster and the ball was moving better. We also were tighter on closeouts”, expressed Garret Hicks.

Jannis Sonnefeld with the lay in

In the fourth quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz had their best offensive quarter exploding for 28 points, but couldn´t do any damage as BG Goettingen scored 21 points. Once again like in the previous quarter, the EPG Baskets Koblenz had a hot start going on a 8-2 run to trail 79-60. Ex Dragons Rhondorf guard Badu Buck nailed a trey which was followed by a Hicks three pointer. The Baskets offense was flowing, but defensively there was no energy. Ex Oldenburg forward Hendrik Drescher was a thorn in the Baskets side as he dropped 2 three´s for the 85-64 lead. Drescher was for a few minutes a one man wrecking crew as he scored from where he wanted to including a lay in. The EPG Baskets also got some unexpected support from German big man Alex Moeller who is more known for setting picks and rebounding than scoring, but in a 3 minute phase was aggressive going to the hoop time after time and scored 9 points and would finish with 14 points, but BG Goettingen still led 91-75. The BG Goettingen win overshadowed a great play by Calvin Wishart. Wishart made a beautiful over the shoulder pass ala Larry Bird. That is something that fans can get used to this season from the versatile Wishart. BG Goettingen got a few more buckets in the last 2 minutes from Ramstedt and Kirchner while Jonas Niedermanner added 5 points at the end, but it was too little to late. “We had no let downs. I feel like we could of held them to less points. That is something that we need to work on”, stated Zach Jackson. “We played desperate basketball in the last quarter. We were trapping all over the court. We gave up too many easy baskets. We need better pressure and better rotations”, warned Garrett Hicks. “I think that guys weren´t scared, but overanxious. For many it was their first Pro A game. Even when we aren´t scoring, we want the guys to progress in other areas. We fought today and played tough. We have to learn and build”, warned KJ Sherrill. BG Goettingen had 5 players in double figures led by Hendrik Drescher with 15 points while Kevin Buckingham scored 13 points while the EPG Baskets were led by Calvin Wishart with 19 points while Alex Moeller had 14 points. BG Goettingen shot 55% from the field and 35% from the three point line and had 35 rebounds and 17 turnovers while the EPG Baskets shot 44% from the field and 31% from the three point line and had 28 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

Pic credit: FIBA

It is no secret that at this time of year, it is a very hectic time for pro basketball teams overseas no matter if in Spain, Germany or Hungary. All teams are preparing for the upcoming season and with practice, individual work outs and pre season games, there is little time for anything else or is there? Well in Germany there has been extra interest growing since Germany won the Euro Bronze in 2022 and then winning the world cup a year later, Germany is on route again to do damage in the medal category. For Dragons Rhondorf player Kenan Reinhart (194-SG-2007, agency: Octagon Europe), this Euro is like any other always very exciting for him since he has played for the German national team youth teams, but also has Turkish ties. “Both countries are playing great. Turkey have dominant player 23 year Alperen Sengun who plays for the Houston Rockets and Germany is so deep. I really couldn´t predict who will win it all”, smiled Kenan Reinhart who averaged 6,5ppg and 2,3rpg at the 2024 Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Germany.

Germany have really dominated the tournament like no other team having a spotless 5-0 record while averaging an insane 105 points per game. They were still allowing too many points in the first 3 games allowing 85 points per game, but have cleaned it up in the last 2 games allowing only 59 points on average. While Turkey have been no slouch either scoring at ease scoring 91 points per game and defensively have been solid. When it comes to talking about the success of team Germany, you can hear an excitement in the voice of Kenan Reinhart. “Germany is very balanced. You have the perfect leader in Dennis Schroeder that always makes the right pass and can find his teammates, you have a defensive specialist with Isaac Bonga and a great scorer with Franz Wagner. Plus you have the best shooter with Andreas Obst and guys like Daniel Theis and Leon Kratzer who help on the boards. Germany has a player for everything needed on the court”, smiled Kenan Reinhart who is playing his second season with the Dragons Rhodorf.

The story of the tournament though has been Miikka Muurinen. Some basketball fans who necessarily haven´t followed this particular Euro closely will say who? In Frankfurt some basketball nerds might remember the last name Muurinen. Kimmo Muurinen played for the Frankfurt Skyliners during the 2010-2011 season and it is his son Miikka who has become a house hold name at the 2025 Euro because of 1 amazing pulverizing dunk that had fans jumping out of their seats wooing and wanting more. Miikka had really arrived in Europe for the first time while in Arizona at Arizona Compass Prep School, this kind of spectacular play was nothing new. In today´s age of social media, all it took was for one play to go viral despite him not being a major factor for Finland who are led by NBA player Lauri Markkanen. The spunky and charismatic Miikka only played 2 games at the Euro against Sweden and England scoring 5 and 6 points in 23 minutes in total.

Influencer Cam Wilder gave him the nickname Slim Jesus to Miikka Muurinen and obviously the nickname has been heard by all who have followed the Euro. “Many fans follow Miikka. All you have to do is open up your phone and you will find that dunk quickly. Then there you have Slim Jesus just like that on your phone”, stated Kenan Reinhart. You have to wonder how other contemporary players feel about the dunk and hype? Muurinen is 18 years old and the youngest player at the Euro. Reinhart is also 18 and a massive German talent. You have to wonder if a young player like Reinhart is a bit jealous for the publicity or genuine happy for a fellow prospect? “I mean the guy is highly hyped. He had a great dunk that went viral. Who wouldn´t want to get all that attention. For me the game is always more important than the hype, but if something like that ever happened to me, I would also be happy for it. But I still do wish him the best”, added Kenan Reinhart.

The funny thing is that not only Frankfurt fans may have gone hmmmmmm, I know that name, but also Kenan Reinhart. The interesting thing is that Kenan Reinhart actually battled against Miikka Muurinen a little more than 2 years ago at the 2023 Euro. Back then, it was a one sided show as Germany destroyed Finland 96-57. “I remember that game well. Finland had one good player. The difference was that we were a lot deeper and they couldn´t stop us”, remembered Kenan Reinhart. Germany had high skilled youth players at that time with 2025 U-19 World Cup silver medalist Declan Duru as well as other promising players like Davi Remagen, Matthieu Grujicic and Ivan Crnjac. Reinhart played 11 minutes with 2 points and 3 boards while Muurinen scored 11 points in 17 minutes. “I remember Miikka being very agile and had very good ball handling and outside shot for his size”, said Kenan Reinhart.

This past summer, the market for top Euro talents going to colleges and Universities in the United States to play has soared to crazy heights simply because now guys are getting paid very high sums to go to school and play basketball. Big German prospects like Ivan Kharchenkov, Matthieu Grujicic, Hannes Steinbach and Declan Duru have gone that route. It seems like Miikka Muurinen will go the same direction in 2026. The interest for slim Jesus has been massive as schools like North Carolina, Duke, Michigan and Kentucky have shown interest. Is there any chance that Kenan Reinhart might do that in the future? “I have thought about it and it could happen in the future. I have had some interest from one or two schools. I´m not thinking about it now, because I want to play a good season with the Dragons Rhondorf. I will see after this season what I will do”, expressed Kenan Reinhart. Back to the Euro 2025. If Reinhart could have a sort of hype experience like Slim Jesus Miikka Muurinen did, what would he chose? “I have been compared a lot to Andi Obst. We have a similar build and shot. I would love to hit a deep three in his face for that hype effect”, smiled Kenan Reinhart. And what about who will win the Gold Medal at the 2025 Euro? “Germany has 90% of reaching the final. I predict a Germany-Turkey final”, stressed Kenan Reinhart. And who will win? “Germany has 50% of winning”, smiled Kenan Reinhart. One thing is for sure. Kenan Reinhart can´t be disappointed if it is a Germany-Turkey final, because he won´t lose.

pic credit: Mathias Raith

Michael Agyemang is a forward that completed his second season with TV Langen (Regionalliga) averaging 7/6 and helping TV Langen win the South West regionaliga title and helping them move up to the Pro B. he began his basketball career with SG Tv Durkheim. He also played a season with VFL Bensheim before coming to Langen. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

You began your career with SG TV Duerkheim-BB-Int. Speyer (Germany-2.Regionalliga). What memories do you have from those years? How did your game grow there?

It was a great time. Being able to train with the first team (Pro B) and Coach Jordi Salito definitely helped my game grow.

You then played a season with VfL Bensheim (Germany-Regionalliga), averaging 6.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 57.5%. What memories do you have of that season? Was it tough making the adjustment from Regionalliga 2 to Regionalliga?

It was a nerve-wracking season. We started strong, then lost almost every game-it was frustrating. I was also dealing with a shoulder injury that eventually needed surgery. Getting moved down in my first season made me want to work even harder. I never wanted to feel that kind of failure again. But the actual adjustment wasn’t too hard.

How valuable was it having a teammate like Marc Liyanage for your basketball development?

Very valuable.

You then came to Langen last season and averaged 6.1ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 59.0%, FT: 43.8%. Did you already feel that special winning culture in Langen last season? What is so special in general with this organization?

I came off surgery and rehab, and I remember saying during the first few practices: I love the mentality here. Everyone wants to win. We’re such a small and focused group-that’s what makes us special.

What dreams do you still have as a player? Do you still have goals to keep climbing the basketball ladder beyond the Pro B?

I want to play as long and as high as I can. That’s always been the goal.

Who is the best player you ever played against that reached the NBA?

Haven’t had the honor yet.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Leon Fertig Aminu Abibu Chris Miller Risto Vasiljevic Samuel Schally or Niklas Geier

Name your NBA, Euro and German Mount Rushmore. Your 5 best players of all-time?

Curry Jordan Kawhi LeBron Jokic

Who is your GOAT?

It’s a sticky one still. Legacy-wise: Jordan Stat-wise: LeBron

Thanks Michael for the chat.

Pic credit: Fiba

After sustaining that unneeded and unwanted first belly flop in the first game against Italy, Germany retreated and returned back 24 hours later and served up the perfect dive destroying Israel 77-56 and won their first game at the U-18 European Championships. Germany didn´t waste anytime, but came out totally recharged and made a statement right away on the defensive end which carried over for 40 minutes. Germany didn´t shoot well again, but that didn´t matter, because they sparkled with their defensive intensity and consistency for 40 minutes. They allowed only 23 points in the first half and had a massive 19 point lead at the break from which Israel couldn´t recover from. As in the first game German Mathieu Grujicic (196-G-2007) led the charge again in the scoring department with 23 points while Fynn Lastring continued to be a beast on the boards showing that like Hannes Steinbach, he can also dominate as his stat line read 19/16. Frankfurt Skyliner Ivan Crnjac was impressive showing his versatile game with 15/7/2 stats and Daniel Biel was like a Swiss army knife with a 11/7/3/1/1 game. Germany as usual dominated the boards 50-35 and had the 16/3 offensive rebound advantage. “Germany controlled the game from start to finish with disciplined execution and superior defensive structure. After a tight first quarter, they broke the game open with a dominant 28–13 second quarter, driven by low-post efficiency, second-chance points, and key contributions from Grujicic, Biel, Crnjac, and Lastring. Germany’s consistent, connected defense—limiting paint touches, contesting shots, and controlling the glass—was the defining factor in their victory”, stressed ratiopharm Ulm U-19 head coach Florian Flabb.

Germany came out calm and executed well on offense right off the bat. 2023 JBBL (U-16) champion Mathieu Grujcic got hot right away and showed his scoring in bunches making a pull up jumper and lay in on the fast break. Grujicic is the Christian Anderson of the U-18 team in that he leads on the floor and is a scoring machine. 2025 NBBL MVP Ivan Crnjac added a three pointer for insurance and the quick 7-2 Germany lead. Matan Streit of Hapoel Gilboa Galil (Winner League) hit a trey as Germany had the narrow 7-5 advantage at the 7,33 mark. Germany then allowed only 4 more points while Israel also didn´t defend badly allowing 7 points as Germany had the 14-9 lead after 10 minutes. Daniel Biel and Fynn Lastring connected on three´s keeping Israel at bay.” It was a scrappy, defense-heavy first quarter, driven by strong starts from Mathieu Grujicic and Daniel Biel, who combined scoring and playmaking to control tempo. Germany controlled the tempo through various low-post actions offensively, using interior touches to create both scoring opportunities and kick-outs, which stabilized their half-court rhythm. On defense, they limited paint touches for Israel, forcing them into low-percentage perimeter attempts and disrupting dribble penetration. Germany’s structured offense and rebounding edge (25 total) gave them composure early on. Israel struggled with shooting (29.6% FG, 1/6 3PT) and ball security. Overall, Germany’s interior-oriented approach, defensive discipline, and rebounding presence gave them a slim but deserved early lead”, stressed Florian Flabb.

In the second quarter Germany took control of the game heightening their offensive execution scoring 28 points while on defense still stayed strong and only allowed 14 points to get the rout going. Germany got going right away going on a 14-4 run to extend their slim lead to a commanding 30-15 advantage. In the run Germany was led by Mathieu Grujicic who played like a veteran under control something he learned with the Alba Berlin and FC Barcelona organizations. He added 9 points in the shell shocking run with 2 buckets on transition and 4 free throws remaining in attack mode at all times. Germany continued to stay solid on defense and execute well on offense sharing the love around as Biel and Lastring scored. Germany had some misfortune at the end allowing 3 free throws to Ari Amiel. “Germany dominated the second quarter 28–13, turning a tight game into a 20-point halftime lead. They combined disciplined low-post execution with faster tempo and strong contributions from Grujicic, Biel, and Crnjac. Defensively, Germany tightened pressure, limited paint touches, and controlled the glass. Israel struggled with turnovers and poor shot selection. The quarter marked a decisive momentum shift in Germany’s favor”, stated Florian Flabb.

In the third quarter Israel actually won it 18-17, but still couldn´t gain any ground trailing 59-41 to Germany. Germany continued to execute well getting great production from the universal genius Ivan Crnjac who added 8 points in the first few minutes. He dominated with his athleticism finding his spots and getting to the rim. Germany also got a floater from Lastring and a key trey from Jamie Edoka of Frankfurt who has still been quiet in the first 2 games and due for a real break out soon. Germany led 56-31 and the game had become more of just a rout. However Israel didn´t let the game worse. Instead they showed some heart and closed out the third quarter strong with a 10-3 run to trail 59-41. Ari Amiel added 5 points in the attack including another 3/3 from the free throw line while 208cm big man David Musis of Ramat Hasharon (National League) made a lay in, while guard Ron Dandiker made a dunk on transition and Or Frenkel of Hapoel Yehuda Tel Aviv made a lay in on transition. “Fynn Lastring was a key factor in the period, providing scoring, rebounding, and defensive presence that helped Germany maintain control on both ends. Israel showed some early promise with Spain pick-and-roll actions and increased ball pressure, briefly disrupting Germany’s rhythm. However, their offensive execution faded quickly, and they continued to struggle from three (1/8 total) and lacked consistent half-court creation. Germany’s discipline and interior control ultimately shut down Israel’s momentum heading into the fourth”, added Florian Flabb.

There was no let up in the fourth quarter for Germany as they continued to execute well on offense scoring 18 points while on defense stayed steady not allowing any big game changing run. Frankfurt rebounded well from the 10-3 run of Israel in the wanning minutes of the third quarter and shot back with a lethal 7-0 run to gain the momentum back again. Lastring began with a floater, Crnjac hit his second trey of the game and Grujicic drove to the hoop and scored giving Germany the 66-41 lead with 8,23 to play. Frenkel then made a lay in and Grujicic hit a trey for the 69-43 lead with 7,21 to play. Germany had the commanding lead and nothing was going to rattle them now. Israel had nothing to lose and closed out the game 13-8. Musis scored 4 points as did Alon Rachlin of Hapoel Shlomo Tel-Aviv (Winner League). Frankfurt Skyliner Jamie Edoka remained aggressive using his biggest weapon the drive and scored twice. All in all Germany came back and made a statement and now will face Bulgaria on Monday. “In the fourth quarter, Germany came out sharp and their quick 7:0 run, immediately extinguished any hopes of an Israeli comeback. They played with poise and discipline offensively, executing their sets with patience and taking excellent care of the ball. By minimizing turnovers and maintaining their defensive intensity, Germany controlled the pace and steadily extended their already commanding lead”, added Florian Flabb, Germany was led by Mathieu Grujicic with 23 points while Fynn Lastring scored 19 points and Ivan Crnjac 15 points while Israel was led by Or Frenkel with 10 points. Germany shot 37% from the field and 24% from outside and had 50m rebounds and 10 turnovers while Israel shot 36% from the field and 13% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

The season for the Frankfurt Skyliners continues to drag on as the days and games become longer with every new loss. The club could easily have 10 wins now, but in the end all that counts is the score at the end of 40 or even 45 minutes. The last 2 games in the Skyliner living room were tough loses that they should of won, but allowed to get away against Rostock in overtime and a buzzer beater against Rasta Vechta sealing their fate. Could 3 be a charm? Well against Wurzburg, they definitely had their work cut out for them as they weren´t only facing one of the massive surprise teams of the season, but one of the top 4 best of the season. They came to Frankfurt seemingly in post season mode as they had a 5 game winning streak and wanted to continue it. They had disposed of ratiopharm Ulm and the ever more improved Alba Berlin. It was the last home game of the season for Frankfurt and they definitely wanted to end it on a positive note for their fans. On a beautiful warm spring day, the living room of the Skyliners was packed and the loudness in the arena was breathtaking, but after 40 minutes, it was Wurzburg that had come out victorious thanks to the explosive and magnificent performance of ex Kentucky (NCAA) wild cat Davion Mintz (191-G-1998, college: Kentucky, agency: Octagon Europe). The ex G-League player scored a BBL career high of 28 points and hit big shot after big shot including in closing time powering his team past the Skyliners 85-70. “Key for us getting the win was just staying locked in the whole time. We limited them getting to the paint area and just trusted our preparation and executing our sets. Being patient and not rushing was a big focus for us going into the game and we executed that well as well”, stressed North Carolina native Davion Mintz. The Skyliners were reeling for a win again in their own living room and after 2 heart breaking loses, but on this warm afternoon, they just couldn´t match the physicality and conditioning of Wurzburg. They had to play catch up basketball and never was able to get over the hump. “They had some really strong players that could make shots off the dribble and just big plays. We fought hard until the end, but it just wasn´t enough”, stressed Skyliner guard Garai Zeeb.

Zac Seljaas at the FT line

The game began with a high intensity on the defensive end as both teams produced stops and turnovers. Ex G-League player Marcus Domask got the Skyliners on the score board first with a trey, but ex BYU (NCAA) forward Zac Seljaas dead locked the game with a trey at 3-3. Wurzburg then got the lead with free throws by ex Skyliner Lukas Wank and a trey by Jhivvan Jackson to give the guests the 11-7 advantage. Wurzburg would never trail again as they managed the lead well and at times were fortunate that Frankfurt couldn´t execute better. They got the bigs involved inside and had open looks, but shots just didn´t want to fall. Luckily for Frankfurt, they had walking 1-1 bucket Malik Parsons who would hit big shots all day long including a 25 footer at this juncture as Frankfurt trailed 11-9. However Wurzburg also had some incredible 1-1 players to match Parsons with not only Davion Mintz and Jackson, but also ex Duquesne (NCAA) guard Mike Lewis who made a runner in traffic as if he was on a Sunday stroll. Another big weapon of Wurzburg on this day was their bench. German Maxi Ugrai stepped up big time in the latter part of the first quarter draining consecutive three´s for the 19-11 lead after 10 minutes. “Our bench helped us 100% today. Ugrai hit a big shot in the second half a few games ago and here he stepped up again. He makes these kind of shots in practice as well”, stated Davion Mintz. The Wurzburg Baskets shot 50% from the field and 57% from outside and had 6 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 42% from the field and 14% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Marcus Domask at the FT line

In the second quarter the Wurzburg Baskets continued to control the game and led by as much as 15 points as their 1-1 qualities was too much for the Skyliners as ultimately they trailed by 8 points at half-time. Both clubs began with mini runs as Wurzburg got 5 points as Lewis dropped a trey and German Hannes Steinbach who will play at Washington (NCAA) next season made a lay in as ex Goetingen forward Aubrey Dawkins earned the dime off a nifty touch pass, but Frankfurt punched back with back to back lay in´s by Parsons and ex Euroleague player Jordan Theodore, but Wurzburg still had good control leading 24-16. But Wurzburg never got discouraged by little Frankfurt offensive spurts, but always rebounded on offense as they went on a 11-4 run to lead 35-20. In the run, the guests received vital support from Seljaas and Mintz from down town and Jackson added 4 points. Frankfurt had difficulty keeping the Wurzburg shooters in check and continued to have weak offensive execution. However basketball is a game of runs and the Skyliners closed out the first half strong going on a 15-5 run to trail only 40-32. In the run, the Skyliners were led by Jordan Theodore who remained his aggressive self scoring 6 points with 4 free throws. The Skyliners also found some fortune from the parking lot as Parsons and Canadian David Muenkat hit shots. Wurzburg continued to get great input from Mintz as he was a walking bucket contributing 5 points to keep his team ahead. “We played good defense and just got stops. We hit more shots on the offensive end. We continued to do a good job limiting them getting to the rim”, added Davion Mintz. The Wurzburg Baskets shot 46% from the field and 50% from the three point line and had 15 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 43% from the field and 20% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Jhivvan Jackson from outside

In the third quarter the Wurzburg Baskets continued to manage the lead very well as they never allowed the Skyliners to get under 8 points as the Bavarian team led 62-50 after 30 minutes. This would be the quarter of Mintz as he steered 11 points home and began with a step back jumper that looked so effortlessly while Lithuanian forward Einaras Tubutis made a lay in as Domask made the nice flick to him. Frankfurt didn´t get many easy lay in´s, but usually were contested shots. Wurzburg was always on the prowl for the next run and struck gold going on a 11-1 run to break open the game leading 53-35. In the run, it was Mintz who hit 2 three pointers, Zeljaas also connected from outside and Jackson made an off balance shot. Frankfurt had problems finding an offensive rhythm while the Wurzburg Baskets truly looked like a well oiled offensive machine. However Frankfurt continued to get chances and use them as they went on a 9-0 run to trail 53-44. In the run, the Skyliners did a fine job getting into the paint as Tubutis and Muenkat made lay in´s and Theodore reached the free throw line. The Skyliners also heightened their defensive pressure and got 2 blocks by Parsons on Steinbach. However Wurzburg found their offensive rhythm again and began to hit three´s again as Lewis made one in Tubuti´s face while Mintz hit one over Knauf for the 59-46 lead. Frankfurt struck back with a Kamaka Hepa trey to trail 59-49. But Frankfurt just couldn´t get stops and continued to have problems guarding their shooters better. Hannes Steinbach closed out the quarter with a lay in for the 12 point lead. The Wurzburg Baskets shot 50% from the field and 57% from the parking lot and had 22 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 46% from the field and 19% from the parking lot and had 23 rebounds and 12 turnovers. “I was able to carry my team. I have a lot of trust in my game as I have put a lot of time working on my game. I knew I would play well when I saw a few go in. But I also have to thank my coaches and players that have a lot of trust in me. When Jackson is Harassed with the ball, it ´s my time to step up”, smiled Davion Mintz. “We wanted to force Mintz to get to the hoop, but instead he found ways to hit the three”, commented Garai Zeeb.

Malik Parson with the jumper

In the fourth quarter the Skyliners made one more push with a run cutting the guests lead down to 6 points, but the Wurzburg Baskets retaliated going on the last run of the game to decide the game. Frankfurt began the fourth quarter motivated and went on a lethal 11-5 run to cut the Wurzburg lead down to 67-61. In the run, the Skyliners got massive production from Parsons who put his fine 1-1 play on display scoring on 2 drives while Muenkat was efficient scoring 5 points including a trey and Theodore made a lay with only 5,23 to play in the contest. “They went on a run. Parsons got loose and Theodore got to the free throw line. That hurt us. We let up a bit. This run almost changed the momentum”, said Davion Mintz. Frankfurt had a little momentum, but couldn´t keep it as the Wurzburg Baskets slapped back going on a 11-5 run to lead 78-66 and decide the game. In the run, it was Mintz and Seljaas that nailed cold blooded three´s while Jackson saw some daylight making a lay in. Wurzburg was helped with a few offensive rebounds that kept the plays alive leading to the three´s. Tubutis was aggressive for Frankfurt adding 4 points. Time was running out and Theodore made a lay to cut Wurzburg´s lead down to 78-68. But Wurzburg didn´t have any more lapses as they closed out the game with a 7-2 run. Steinbach made a lay in, Wank free throws and Mintz a step back jumper as he finished with 28 points. “It was closing time and it was time to make shots. That is what we get paid for”, warned Davion Mintz. “He made good shots off the dribble. We gave him too much room”, said Garai Zeeb-. Frankfurt closed out the game with a nice Lorenz Brenneke dunk from the back door pass from Marcus Domask, but it was too little too late. “We came back well. Mintz decided the game. He made the right decisions and plays”, said Garai Zeeb. The Wurzburg Baskets were led by Davion Mintz with 28 points while Jhivvan Jackson added 14 points and Zac Seljaas 13 points while the Skyliners were led by Malik Parsons with 17 points while Jordan Theodore added 16 points and Einaras Tubutis 15 points. The Wurzburg Baskets shot 47% from the field and 60% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 14 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 49% from the field and 21% from outside and had 29 rebounds and 17 turnovers.

With only 3 games left in the regular season, the routes of the VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier and EPG Guardians Koblenz were going in 180 degree turns. The VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier were getting prepared to give their best showing in the Pro A playoffs with the massive focus of finally moving back to the BBL while some Guardian players might already have thoughts of what their summer vacation destinations might be. However The Guardians actually still had the goal of staying in the Pro A as they were even with the Artland Dragons at 7 wins a piece battling for the last spot in the Pro A. But the EPG Guardians were 1-15 in 2025 and getting wins was as difficult as Mac McClung getting an NBA opportunity. How in the world were they supposed to win the Davey vs Goliath showdown against Trier. It seems like it´s a big mental problem with believing they can win games. How in the world were they going to defeat the team that scores the most points in the Pro A with such an unstable defense? On a mild early Spring Sunday, the EPG Guardians Koblenz wanted to give their best effort for their fans in the last home game of the season and stayed with Trier for a half, but in the second half allowed 63 points to lose their 16th game in 2025 118-87. “We did a good job eliminating their three in the first game, but today they were letting it rain three´s. It sure looked like they were in playoff mode. They gave the first punch of the game and controlled game until the end. It was tough against their bigs as they had BBL size. We would rotate our 3 and 4 players against their 5”, stressed EPG Guardians Koblenz guard Ty Cockfield. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier already had position 2 secured, but they still came to play and showed that they are getting prepared for the post season. They erupted on offense for another 100 plus point game, but also know that they have to cut down on points allowed. “We shared the wealth today. It helps that we have so many guys that cans score in double figures. We always have a high assist rate each game. But we know that we can still work on our defense. We have to make sure we have a lot in our defense tool box”, warned The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier guard Jordan Roland (185-PG-1997, college: Northeastern, agency: Diamond Sports). Trier demonstrated what it means to be team first. “Playing as a team is important. It is uncommon in the Pro A that teams have success with only 1 guy. We can have many different scorers step up each game”, warned Jordan Roland.

Leon Friderici at the FT line

The EPG arena was at it´s loudest this season as 400 plus The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier fans made the trip to Koblenz. Their team didn´t disappoint either as they totally jumped all over the Guardians leading 13-2 with only 2,55 played. Their guard terror sparkled as they attacked the paint and got lay in´s from 2018 JBBL winner Nolan Adekunle, Iranian guard Behnam Yakhchali, and American Clayton Guillozet. A focus of Koblenz was to defend the 1-1 well, but they couldn´t match the guests intensity or physicality. Ex BBL player Dominque Johnson then nailed a trey and the Guardians offense began to groove. But it was Ty Cockfield that carried the Guardians as he took the 1-1 route and scored a few baskets, but Koblenz trailed 21-10. Trier was able to continue to execute their offense and extend their lead thanks to the beast Maik Zirbes who was an absolute menace on the court. He would add 12 points in the last 5 minutes as he always was able to find his way to the free throw line. Guardians center Ben Stevens was totally overwhelmed by his physicality. Trier also got good support from ex Jena guard Nate Hinton who added 7 points. Roland also added a three pointer to give Trier the overwhelming 35-17 advantage. The EPG Guardians Koblenz got some fortune closing out the first quarter with a 5-0 run as Cockfield continued to do a good job finding his spots and made a pull up jumper while ex University Of Alabama at Birmingham forward William Lee dropped a trey as the The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier led only 35-22. “I saw run and gun basketball. That was simply terrible. We looked like a practice team. They got way too many open shots. We were playing kindergarden defense. If this continued we would lose 125-80”, warned EPG Guardians sport director Thomas Klein.

Jordan Roland from outside

In the second quarter, the EPG Baskets Koblenz played their strongest quarter at both ends, but an annoying run at the end by Trier spoiled their good play a little at the end. Both teams began with mini runs as the The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier got back to back baskets from ex Sacramento State guard Marcus Graves made a lay in with a fancy eurostep and Yakhchali made the perfect touch down pass to German big man Martin Linsen for the transition bucket while the Guardians punched back with superb play from Leon Friderici who found Lee back door for the massive 2 handed dunk and Friederici then scored on transition, but Trier still had the 39-26 advantage. Koblenz was slowly picking up their game and then stifled The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier with a brutal 9-2 run to trail only 41-35. In the run, the Guardians got 5 points from Cockfield who made a lay in and got to the line while Lee and Johnson made lay in´s. Koblenz stepped up their defensive intensity which led to sloppy offense by Trier. Koblenz also raised their physicality rate and stepped up their 1-1 defense. Koblenz also played more as a team and gained more self-confidence. The Guardians continued to keep up the pressure and incredible 1-1 player Ty Cockfield continued to carry his team doing all he could making a lay in and even helping out on the offensive glass with a tip in. Lee also added a tip in as Trier led only 45-41. However the EPG Guardians Koblenz were unable to keep the momentum allowing Trier to get away again as they closed out the first half with a 10-4 run to lead 55-45. Ex Hagen German Marco Hollersbacher did the most damage dropping 2 three´s. Linsen and Zirbes also continued to dominate inside scoring 2 baskets. “We played more together and increased our physicality. We did a good job getting Trier out of their concept”, stressed Thomas Klein. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier shot 58% from the field and 29% from outside and had 17 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the EPG Guardians Koblenz shot 51% from the field and 18% from outside and had 14 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Michael Bradley with the runner

The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier decided the game for themselves in the third quarter exploding again with many points as they scored 30 points having the comfortable 85-63 advantage after 30 minutes. Cockfield began the second half with a pretty reverse lay up, but he was really challenged in the second half. After scoring 21 points in the first half, he would only get 6 in the second half. “I always get up for games like this where I get challenged from BBL type teams. They put bigger guys on me in the second half and it was tougher to shoot over them”, said Ty Cockfield. The good play by Koblenz continued as they then scored 2 more times going on a 7-2 run to trail only 57-52. Friderici made a lay in and Johnson another trey. Koblenz showed that when they combine a high intensity and physicality, They can give a team like Trier problems. However The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier then showed just how lethal their offense can be punching back with a lethal 19-5 run to extend their lead to 76-57. In the run, Trier got good support from many faces as Roland and Adenkunle dropped three pointers while Hollersbacher scored twice with a dunk and Zirbes and Adekunle also scored easy buckets inside. That high intensity and physicality was present again with Trier and the Guardians couldn´t match it. Here and there, the Guardians found ways to execute as young French player Alaxandre Bouzidi found an opening in the zone for a lay in, Johnson connected on a 20 footer and Friederici made a lay in, but the guests always had an answer and punched back. Athletic forward Marco Hollersbacher scored on the drive and Hinton hit a trey and Zirbes made a hard dunk. “We tightened things up defensively in the third quarter. We wanted to slow down Cockfield and did. We locked down on defense and hit shots”, stated Jordan Roland. “They are a playoff experienced team. They eliminated what was working for us before. They took away our drive as the 4 man guarded me. We didn´t move the ball well and our shots didn´t fall well”, added Ty Cockfield.

Maik Zirbes with the lay in

In the fourth quarter both teams took their foot of the defensive gas pedal as a total of 57 points were scored. The EPG Guardians couldn´t make any ground as they allowed 33 points. Both teams found their offensive rhythm right away. The incredible Behnam Yakhchali began with 5 points as he showed his 3 level scoring ability with a lay in and contested trey while Cockfield and Friderici found their spots and scored lay in´s, but Trier led 89-67. Then three´s began to rain as Marcus Graves nailed 2 back to back while Johnson also nailed one and made a lay in, but Trier still led nicely 95-72. The game looked like run and gun as defense continued to take a back seat as fans were seeing great offensive execution from both teams. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier continued to execute well while also getting some hands up on defense and making stops and cruised out on a 14-4 run to lead 109-76. In the run, Roland continued to knock down shots scoring 5 points while Zirbes who has won 10 pro titles in his career carried on being a beast scoring twice and Hinton dropped a trey. The scoring continued down the stretch for both teams as the Guardians received three pointers from Czech Republic forward David Bohm and another trey from Johnson while Trier continued to play their bench as 2018 JBBL champion Evans Rapique dropped 2 three pointers and 2018 NBBL champion Hendrik Drescher also hit a trey. Ben Stevens ended the game with a pretty hook shot. “We might have taken a step back from defense in the last minutes. We have to be focused for 40 minutes. We ended the game executing at a high level”, stated Jordan Roland. “I think that both teams took their feet a bit off the gas pedal on defense. It looked a little like street ball, but I think that some guys had that lets go home mentality. We didn´t play as intense as we wanted to. Some guys fight to the end and some didn´t. It is hard to win when all aren´t on the same page”, said Ty Cockfield. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier had 7 guys score in double figures and were led by Jordan Roland and Maik Zirbes with 18 points a piece. Amir Hinton and Martin Linsen added 13 points a piece while the EPG Guardians Koblenz were led by Ty Cockfield with 27 points while Dominique Johnson added 17 points. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier shot 63% from the field and 43% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the EPG Guardians Koblenz shot 51% from the field and 26% from outside and had 28 rebounds and 12 turnovers.