football

Chrysostom Chukwuma Likes The Challenge Of Having That Responsibility And Leadership With The Young Skyliners Juniors

Chrysostom Chukwuma (190-G-1996, agency: Bell Basketball) is a 28 year old 190cm guard playing his first season in Germany with the Skyliners Juniors (Pro B) after starting the season with the Helsinki Seagulls. He began his basketball career with Vantaan Pussihukat. He then played 5 seasons with Jyvaskyla Basketball Academy. He then played 2 seasons with Lapuan Kobrat (Korisliiga) and a season with Pyrinto Tampere (Korisliiga). He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big win over the TSV Oberaching Tropics.

Thanks Chuko for talking to germanhoops.com. Did you watch the Superbowl or is that not as popular in Finland?

It isn´t as popular in Finland, but I have friends that follow it. I never got into it.

Did some of your teammates watch or watch in groups?

I have no idea.

Congrats on the big 75-63 win over the TSV Oberaching Tropics. The team has a 3 game winning streak. How good is life now?

It feels great to be successful. It wasn´t easy for me to come to a new team in mid season. I have to learn the coaches philosophy, system and tendencies of the players. It was our first game without Hadenfeldt. I want that responsibility and leadership. We have a young team, but have a lot of potential.

The first quarter was won 19-17 by the guests. How tough was it getting the offense going with the pesky Tropics guards?

That was our biggest problem the whole game. They did a good job dodging the screens. We had problems getting open. We had too many turnovers.

The team had 7 turnovers in the first quarter and 23 in all. How big is it of a job for you to bring some stability to the offense?

Yes exactly. Hadenfeldt is away now and I have to bring rhythm into the offense and bring calmness to us.

In the second quarter the Skyliners Juniors did a better job on the pick and roll after not getting the side pick and roll going in the first quarter. How much fun is it playing with Malik Kordel?

I love Malik. I watched some games before I signed. I have never played with a 7 footer that has such good hands as he does. He is super young and has a bright future. I love playing with him.

In the third quarter the Skyliners Juniors were able to lead by 12 points after 30 minutes. What adjustments did the team make?

We just turned up the intensity and got more stops and ran the court and pushed the pace. We made one pass to the wing and attacked.

In the fourth quarter the Tropics punched back with a 9-2 run to trail 56-52. What was key for the guests coming back?

We made small mistakes. We have to learn to be consistent for 40 minutes.

The Skyliners Juniors came back with a run to get their lead back to double figurers. How developed is the cohesion of the team?

I think that we have good energy. When we have hard moments, it tests us. Then we can see how well we can stay together, but that happens with young teams.

Malik Kordel made a massive poster dunk on Maxwell Dongmo Temoka. What were you thinking when you saw that?

That is what he does. He is a great athlete that can run the court well. I have never seen a player that tall that can move so well.

When you look back at the 40 minutes of the game, what was the Skyliners biggest strength in the game?

We kept fighting and where physical even if it was ugly.

You had a 15/4/2 game in 28 minutes. How content were you with your game?

I made some three´s that gave us some release. You can never be satisfied. I´m looking forward to the next games.

What was your favorite play of the game besides Kordel´s poster dunk?

I liked how we played the third quarter. We began with good energy. That is how we should start every game. Make the first hit and make the opponent call a time out and put pressure on them.

Thanks Chuko for the chat.

Jamie Edoka Powers The Skyliners Juniors to the 75-63 Victory Over TSV Oberaching Tropics

The seventh placed Skyliners Juniors continued to play good basketball in the last weeks having won 3 of their last 4 games including a 87-61 on the road against the always pesky Ehingen team who like Frankfurt have many talented young players. With the regular season going into the last stage, every game is important for the jockeying of the playoff places. Frankfurt didn´t have an easy opponent this weekend as they had the TSV Oberaching Tropics who despite being banged up for weeks and not having a full roster still had a positive 9-8 record and were in fifth place. Head coach Mario Matic who was a easyCredit BBL player in 2008 with Nordlingen has done a great job for years keeping players and developing a great team chemistry. Oberaching had a positive 3-2 record since the new year, but only 3-5 on the road. Frankfurt had to say farewell to veteran Philipp Hadenfeldt who for a second time in the last 2 seasons took a semester abroad this time in Italy. But they had hauled in Finish point guard Chuki Chukwuma who had been solid in his first 3 games including 28 points against the RheinStars Cologne. On a cold Sunday evening, both teams met in the BCM in Frankfurt and saw a very low scoring and tight first half, but in the second half the Skyliners Juniors found to their game better and took control and in the end won easily 75-63. “In the first half we didn´t really have a good offensive flow, but our defense was pretty good. We had a few individual mistakes and they over gambled a bit. In the third quarter we upped our defense allowing only 6 points. That helped us get good control of the game which we kept to the end”, stressed Skyliner Junior Jamie Edoka (195-G-2008). The TSV Oberaching Tropics as usual weren´t complete again as captain Janosch Koegler was sick and Jorg Dippold was injured. They stuck with Frankfurt for a half, but in the second half just couldn´t keep up their consistent defense from the first half as the Juniors executed well and played great inside out basketball. “We didn´t have the necessary energy, concentration and focus tonight. We were satisfied at the break that we were only down by 1 point. We didn´t play a good first half. We had a slow start in the third quarter and that carried over until the end”, stressed TSV Oberaching Tropics guard Omari Knox.

Chuko Chukwuma at the FT line

The first quarter was a back and forth battle with 5 lead changes where no club could get away from the other. Both teams were concentrating more on getting the ball inside. Ex IBAM center Fynn Fischer who played 3 BBL games scored twice while Frankfurt got a bucket from big man Malik Kordel and a basket by Jamie Edoka as the game was dead locked 7-7. 38 year old Omari Know who averaged 22,0ppg in 8 Regionalliga seasons showed he can score in bunches as he presented his deadly mid range game for the 11-7 Tropics lead. Jamie Edoka who turned 17 years old a few weeks ago continued to play with crazy self confidence hitting a trey to trail only 11-10. The Tropics continued to find Fynn Fischer as he made 2 lay in´s to keep Oberaching ahead 15-12. Three´s hadn´t been on the menu, but ex Hanau guard Bruno Albrecht nailed a trey to tie the game at 15-15. The guests had the narrow 19-17 lead after 10 minutes getting free throws from Fischer and a lay in from birthday boy Philipp Bode. TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 47% from the field while Frankfurt was at 33%. Both teams couldn´t hit the ocean from outside as combined they were 2/12. Frankfurt dominated the paint area 12-6 with 3-0 offensive rebounds while their plague of coughing up the ball continued as they had 7 turnovers and TSV Oberaching Tropics only 3. “We knew that it would be a hard game. They like to bump you a lot. We aren´t used to that. We had no offensive rhythm as their pick and roll defense was good as they slowed down our side pick and roll”, stated Skyliner Junior Florian Dietrich.

Omari Knox with the step back

The second quarter continued to be low scoring as the TSV Oberaching Tropics led by as much as 9 points, but the Skyliners Juniors never stopped fighting and came back and had the 1 point lead at half-time. The TSV Oberaching Tropics came out with a lethal 9-2 run to extend their lead to 28-19. In the run The TSV Oberaching Tropics played aggressive defense and forced turnovers with their quick guards Bode and Jukic. Omari Knox added 4 points including a three pointer and Fynn Fischer and Jukic added lay in´s. Frankfurt´s offense was ok and had good looks, but they weren´t capable to hit open shots. But basketball wouldn´t be basketball without runs as now it was time for Frankfurt. Frankfurt buckled down and heightened their defensive pressure and finally started to hit shots as they escaped out on a 13-3 run to take back the lead 32-31. In the run the Skyliners Juniors got massive support from Jamie Edoka who led the offense with his leadership and scored twice while Chuko Chukwuma scored 2 three´s. “Jamie is a Pro B rookie, but plays like he has been in the league for 5 years. He just does the job and always finds a solution on offense. He reads the defense so well. Last year he had problems with the trap, but he has improved so much. He also played good defense on Omari Knox”, stated Skyliner Junior Florian Dietrich. Maximillian Peters also added a step back jumper from the wing. Frankfurt´s high energy and aggressiveness on defense led to Tropics turnovers while the Tropics defense were a bit weak on the 1-1 defense. Fynn Fischer closed out the second quarter with an old school hook shot. “We played more pick and roll through the middle. They didn´t ice as well so we got more three pointers”, commented Florian Dietrich. The Skyliners Juniors shot 36% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 23 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 35% from the field and 8% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Jamie Edoka with the step back

In the third quarter the Skyliners Juniors were able to take total control of the game and led by as much as 14 points and after 30 minutes led by 12 points. The TSV Oberaching Tropics got on the board first as ex Fc Bayern basketball 2 German Maxwell Dongmo Temoka made a lay in to give Oberaching the 33-32 advantage. The Skyliners Juniors then exploded for a 10-0 run to capture back the lead at 42-33. In the run Jamie Edoka continued to be in attack mode as he scored with 2 drives, Bruno Albrecht added 4 points and versatile German Marvin Esser made a runner. Frankfurt tightened up their defense as they would only allow 6 points. Their help defense was their biggest strength in the quarter. TSV Oberaching Tropics couldn´t match Frankfurt´s intensity and their 1-1 defense couldn´t contain the Juniors attackers. Fischer stopped the Frankfurt run with a hook shot, but Frankfurt punched back with a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 49-35. In the run Frankfurt got 3 free throws from Bruno Albrecht, a massive dunk from Dusan Nikolic from the wing and a big 2 handed dunk by Marvin Esser who received the bullet pass from Namori Omog. “He has a special knack of seeing his teammates”, said Jamie Edoka. The TSV Oberaching Tropics closed out the third quarter with a lay in by Maxwell Dongmo Temoka to trail 49-37. “Our offensive flow was very good. We had one good situation which led to another good situation. That helped raise our self-confidence. We knew they would go inside. Our help defense was excellent. We know we have to help each other because we are all like family”, added Namori Omog. “We had a lack of focus and mis communication on defense. They did a good job hitting shots”, expressed Omari Knox. The Skyliners Juniors shot 36% from the field and 22% from the parking lot and had 35 rebounds and 16 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 29% from the field and 5% from the parking lot and had 32 rebounds and 9 turnovers.

Maxwell Dongmo Temoka at the FT line

In the fourth quarter both teams had their respective best scoring quarters in the game as both scored 26 points a piece, but the TSV Oberaching Tropics couldn´t get over the hump as they couldn´t get stops. Fans also saw a few more spectacular dunks to go home content. The TSV Oberaching Tropics got good support from ex Tuebingen playedr Niklas Schueler with 2 baskets while Frankfurt received lay in´s from Albrecht and Chuwuma and a trey from Maximillian Peters, but the TSV Oberaching Tropics couldn´t make any ground as Frankfurt led 56-43. Despite having only a 8 man rotation, the TSV Oberaching Tropics still had some energy left in their gas tank as they broke out on a 9-2 run to trail only 58-52. In the run ex BBL player Peter Zeis was aggressive scoring 5 points including a three pointer while Dongmo Temoka and Schueler made lay in´s. “We lost a little concentration. But the good thing about our team is that we are always able to catch ourselves”, stated Jamie Edoka. But the Skyliners Juniors fought back going on a 9-4 run to extend their lead to 67-56. In the run it was Jamie Edoka who made a lay in while Chukwuma also scored in the paint area and Bruno Albrecht hit a trey. Malik Kordel ended the run in massive fashion with a poster dunk on Dongmo Temoka. “Dongmo was hyped up I think. You should never try to jump with Malik. Nobody can stop him”, warned Jamie Edoka. Zeis stopped the run with a trey, but Edoka connected again with a trey as time in and time out, he hit big shots for the 70-59 lead. “With Hadenfeldt gone, I know that I have to show even more responsibility. I´m ready for it. I know that I have too many turnovers, but I´m working on it. I´m always ready to take the big shots”, warned Jamie Edoka. Knox did add a trey, but Frankfurt closed out the game strong with a Kordel alley-oop dunk and Chukwuma three pointer. “We pushed the ball and got the ball inside and got easy baskets in our run, but Frankfurt got their offense going again and hit three´s stated Omari Knox. The Skyliners Juniors were led by Jamie Edoka with 21 points while Bruno Albrecht added 16 points and Chuko Chukwuma 15 points while the TSV Oberaching Tropics were led by Fynn Fischer with 16 points while Maxwell Dongmo Temoka added 12 points. The Skyliners Juniors shot 46% from the field and 31% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 23 turnovers while the TSV Oberaching Tropics shot 37% from the field and 11% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

The Dragons Rhondorf Explode In The Third Quarter Overpowering FC Bayern Basketball 2 98-77

The last weeks haven´t been easy times for the Dragons Rhondorf as losing has been the main course on the menu. Despite a new coach with Marko Zarkovic, the winning didn´t resurface as last week they lost to a hungry and team orientated club with the Fellbach Flashers and had lost their fourth game in the last 5 games. The Dragons might be losing but the team continues to give effort and fight. Their next opponent was FC Bayern Basketball 2, possibly the best opponent for them at this crucial part of the season as wins have to come for the fight for the playoffs. It has been a very tough season for FC Bayern Basketball 2 as they were in dead last place with a 3-14 record. The youth and inexperience continue and the departure of Ivan Kharchenkov and Martin Kalu hurt their offense. FC Bayern Munich came to Rhondorf having lost 4 of their last 5 games, but had some confidence having beaten the Ahorn Camp Baskets last weekend. On a cold Saturday night the Dragons Rhondorf finally began a winning streak again in their quest to reach the playoffs in 2025. The Dragons Rhondorf showed as usual that they can present their explosive scoring, but also showed that they can defend when they want to. It was the least points that they have given up in a game in 2025 as effort and teamwork was rewarded with success. “We didn´t have the best start. We scored well, but didn´t defend as well. We went in the game with the goal of allowing 72 points. Our offense was good for the most part with good ball movement. We woke up on defense in the third quarter. It was a good team performance where all played well and played for each other”, said Dragons Rhondorf guard Janne Muller.

Marco Frank at the FT line

The first quarter showed 2 teams that were executing solidly on offense, but didn´t find their defensive rhythm yet. FC Bayern Basketball 2 were led by Marco Frank and Dominick Dolic who were aggressive from the jump as they scored. The Dragons Rhondorf wanted to get their 3 ball going again and got a trey early from ex Drake (NCAA) guard Antonio Pilipovic as well as lay in´s from rookie Ohio native Tim Smith Jr and ex Coburg center Danas Kazakevicius (207-PF-2005, agency: Highlight Athletes) as the contest was dead locked at 9-9. FC Bayern Basketball 2 attacked the rim more than attempting three´s and were successful with a Nicklas Kodjoe lay in and 2 lay in´s by Marco Frank who kind of had that Ivan Kharchenkov role that led the club last season. The Dragons Rhondorf also preferred to go to the hole Kazakevicius and Las Vegas native Kelvin Omojola scored, but FC Bayern Basketball 2 had the slight 18-17 lead. In the last minutes there would be 2 more lead changes as Rhondorf got valuable support from their bench as young German Kenan Reinhart who last played for the RheinStars Cologne dropped a clutch trey while Pilipovic hit another jumper. FC Bayern Basketball 2 got big support from the bench from 16 year old Serbian talent Andrija Susic who scored 5 points for the 23-22 advantage. However the Dragons Rhondorf still had one play left and got a clutch trey from ex wiha Panthers guard Alex Lagerman who entered the game shooting a lethal 56% to give the Dragons the 25-23 lead after 10 minutes. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 60% from the 2 point range and 43% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 4 turnovers while FC Bayern Basketball 2 shot 70% from the 2 point range and 33% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 4 turnovers. “We didn´t have the right defensive communication from the first minute. We just didn´t find our rhythm. It was small things like not fouling to stop transition. If we can be consistent then we can be a good defensive team”, stated Janne Muller.

Janne Muller with the jumper

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf were able to get away from FC Bayern Basketball 2 and lead by as much as 10 points, but had to settle for the 7 point lead at the break. Lagerman took the momentum from his first quarter ending trey into the second quarter dancing into the zone and spinning past his opponent for the 27-23 Dragons lead. FC Bayern Basketball 2 then punched back with a mini 4-0 run to tie the game at 27-27. In the run FC Bayern Basketball 2 got a bucket from Greek guard Nikolas Sermpezis and a lay in from Montenegro guard Amir Licina. The Dragons Rhondorf then finally were consistent at both ends of the court going on their first big run of the game of 11-0 to take the big 38-27 lead. In the run, the Dragons Rhondorf got total team support as Janne Muller added 5 points, Lagerman made a massive dunk on transition, ex Jena center Marco Rahn made a lay in and Kazakevicius made a tip in. The aggressive on ball defense by the Dragons sparked their offense. Omojola was huge in the run getting 2 steals as the Dragons defense didn´t allow anything easy for FC Bayern Basketball 2. FC Bayern Basketball 2 also had problems getting into the paint as the Dragons had heightened their 1-1 defense. In the last minutes, FC Bayern Basketball 2 began to execute better, but couldn´t get stops to creep back as the Dragons also executed. FC Bayern Basketball 2 weren´t hitting three´s so continued to drive to the basket getting buckets from Dolic, Sermpezis and Frank. The Dragons Rhondorf got baskets from ex Orange Academy guard Marco Rosic with an off balance shot, a lay in by Pilipovic and 2 baskets from Kazaskevicius. “We did a good job pressuring their guards and forcing them to tough shots. We had good ball movement, used the pick and pop and ran our transition well”, stated Janne Muller. The Dragons shot 58% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 7 turnovers while FC Bayern Basketball 2 shot 63% from the field and 21% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 8 turnovers.

Niclas Kodjoe from outside

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf exploded for 31 points and decided the game early. FC Bayern Basketball 2 got some baskets early from Kodjoe with a lay in and a trey from Dolic, but the Dragons Rhondorf also executed as Kazakevicius scored 3 baskets and totally dominated inside against Italian big man Alessio Calamita as Rhondorf led 53-42. “Danas was very aggressive on the court. He did a great job scoring and rebounding. I´m really happy for him”, stated Janne Muller. The Dragons Rhondorf began to showcase their total offensive arsenal as now it was time for Tim Smith Jr to score 8 points in a row. The 3 level scorer who compares his game to NBA player Jayson Tatum hit a three pointer, 2 lay in´s including a reverse lay up and made free throws for the 61-44 advantage. FC Bayern Basketball 2 executed well getting more lay in´s from Dolic, Volf and Susic, but couldn´t make any ground as the Dragons Rhondorf continued to execute with ease. After the Smith Jr show, it was time for Janne Muller to show his scoring in bunches abilities as he scored 7 points including a three pointer, off balance shot and mid distance shot. Marko Rosic added a three pointer as the Dragons Rhondorf led 75-53 after 3 quarters. “At half-time coach Marko told us to be aggressive on defense and continue to play with confidence. We did that in the third quarter. We shared the ball well. Scoring has never been a problem for us, but our ball movement can be at times. We did a good job going from defense to offense”, added Janne Muller. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 61% from the 2 point range and 47% from the parking lot and had 33 rebounds and 10 turnovers while FC Bayern Basketball 2 shot 62% from the 2 point range and 22% from the parking lot and had 21 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Tim Smith Jr at the FT line

In the fourth quarter FC Bayern Basketball 2 had their highest offensive scoring quarter with 24, but couldn´t make any ground as the Dragons Rhondorf scored 23 points. Kazakevicius began hot again scoring 5 points including 2 lay in´s as he controlled the paint area. On his 2 hand dunk, he got a nifty no look pass from Antomio Pilipovic who finished the game with 6 assists and once again proved he is like an extra point guard. “His assists and the way he passes the ball doesn´t surprise me. Even if he does make risky passes at times, he has a good eye for his teammates. He is like a magician”, smiled Janne Muller. FC Bayern Basketball 2 added a trey from Licina and a lay in from Calamita but trailed 83-61. Ex Red Deer (JUCO) guard Kelvin Omojola then scored two baskets in a row for the 87-61 lead as the energy level was still very high with the Dragons Rhondorf. After Kodjoe and Kazakevicius traded baskets, FC Bayern Basketball 2 then went on a 10-0 to trail 89-73. In the run FC Bayern Basketball 2 got key support from Dolic and Volf who nailed three´s and 16 year old giant Killian Dueck made a lay in. “We lost some concentration. We put in some of the younger players and we simply made easy mistakes. These mistakes can happen when your up by 26 points”, expressed Janne Muller. The Dragons Rhondorf closed out the game with a 9-4 run. In the run got another trey by Kenan Reinhart, a floater and free throws from Marco Rahn and free throws from Kelvin Omojola. The Dragons Rhondorf were led by Danas Kazakevicius with 25 points and 11 rebounds and Janne Muller added 19 points while FC Bayern Basketball 2 was led by Dominik Dolic with 18 points and Marco Frank added 11 points. The Dragons Rhondorf shot 54% from tehf ield and 38% from outside and had 44 rebounds and 17 turnovers while FC Bayern Basketball 2 shot 42% from the field and 24% from outside and had 31 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

The Miles Vs Malik Riddle Weekly Basketball Chat Volume 13

Malik Riddle (193-G-1999, college: HSU) is a 24 year old 193cm guard from Tennessee playing his second professional season and first in Germany with Pro B team RheinStars Cologne. Last season he played with Gzira Athleta Birkirkara (Malta-BOV League D1) averaging 28.8ppg, 9.4rpg, 3.9apg, Steals-3 (2.6spg), FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 75.5%. He began his basketball career at Rossville Christian Academy. He then played 2 seasons at Morehead State University (NCAA) and then played 3 seasons at Henderson State University (NCAA2). He teams up with germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.

Congrats on the huge 81-77 win on the road against Ludwigsburg. The RheinStars won the first game by 27 points. How were they a different team this time?

Thanks. I feel that they made a lot more shots this game and came out with a bunch of energy. Can tell they really wanted to win this one.

Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg led by 8 points at half time. They broke away giving a mix of inside out basketball. Was it tough matching their energy?

Yeah we kind of didn’t have the energy they had in the first half and caught ourselves down at half. We also had to many unnecessary turnovers.

In the third quarter the RhenStars fought back scoring 29 points. What adjustments did you make as a team on the defensive end?

We picked up the energy and the intensity up the second half. Defense was a lot more aggressive that second half than the first and we locked in as a group and our defense led to easy offense.

Crunch-time was very exciting. Ludwigsburg was down 79-77 in the last minute. What was key then for getting the win?

We had to make sure we executed down the stretch on both ends of the court. We had some mistakes but still we ended up making it up in the end.

The RheinStars recently added Maxi Begue and Jonas Flakenstein. What do they bring to the team?

They both can take care of the basketball and run the show on offense. They bring good defense as Maxi had some steals during the game.

The team had 19 steals. How vital was the defense in crunch-time for the win?

The defense definitely showed a difference in the second half and during that crunch time we got stops when we needed them most.

You had a great game at both ends with 16 points and 4 steals and a block. Did your defense carry your offense?

I had good energy this game on the defensive end and that led to easy offensive baskets for me.

You next face the Ahorn Camp Baskets. Cologne escaped with a 86-84 road win despite 29 turnovers of the opponent. What will be key to getting the win?

I think we have to play with more energy this game. We fell behind this past game so we have to come out more urgently this game and not turn the ball over as much this game.

Thanks Malik for the chat.

Jamie Edoka Powers Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners Over Science City Jena 68-54 In Grind Out Win In NBBL Action

Sometimes it can go so quickly in basketball as U-19 team Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners witnessed the last weeks. Not long ago, the club was perfect 8-0, but then it was broken with a loss to IBAM. The losing continued with back to back loses to the powerful FC Bayern Munich who like most years are incredibly deep and talented. Munich will be very tough to beat in the post season, but thankfully that is still more than 3 months away. Frankfurt had to find a way back to winning and thankfully for Frankfurt they had to deal with Science City Jena who had only two wins this season. But the last thing that Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners could do was underestimate them, because they had lost 2 tight games to IBAM and one to FC Bayern Munich. Science City Jena was a way better team than their record showed. On a untypical Wednesday night, both teams came into the BCM and both had injuries, but none was as tough to digest as that of Ivan Crnjac who is the central figure of Frankfurt´s offense. Frankfurt´s offense wasn´t sparkling as usual, but their defense was in top form as they beat Science City Jena in a 68-54 grind out win. They held Jena to 30 points in the first half and stepped it up a notch more in the second half allowing only 24 points. “We had our ups and downs in the game, but we had many guys that played many games in a short amount of days. We had some sloppy moments on defense, but overall, we were there for each other. Our bench had a lot of energy and stepped it up. We had our problems with their press and on ball pressure. You could notice that Ivan Crnjac was missing in our offense”, stressed Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliner guard Jamie Edoka (195-G-2008). Science City Jena was without 2 players and they are a young team, but they fought hard for 40 minutes, but just couldn´t get in an offense groove. “We didn´t use all the opportunities presented to us. We also weren´t able to use all our strengths. They were better prepared than we were. We had some good defensive phases. We didn´t drive enough to the hoop and we had mental phases”, stressed Science City Jena forward Daniel Biel.

Jamie Edoka at the FT line

The first quarter was a real battle as no team could break away and there were 4 lead changes as Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners had the narrow 3 point lead after 10 minutes. Frankfurt broke out taking the rapid 7-4 advantage as Jamie Edoka began aggressive scoring 4 points while Maximillian Peters made an offensive rebound and put back. But Science City Jena was aggressive as well on the defensive end stifling Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners with their press as Maxim Bader made 3 steals including a lay in and free throw to tie the game at 7-7. German Johan Grau gave some good energy from the bench with 2 buckets while Fabrice Heberer did the same for Frankfurt nailing an off balance trey for the lay in, but Jena led 11-10. But Frankfurt kept their nerves intact and closed out the first quarter with a 7-2 run to have the 17-13 advantage after one quarter. In the run, the Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners bench continued to sparkle as Chris Widmer unraveled an old school hook shot, Kostantinos Kapetanakis made free throws while Heberer made another trey on the pick and pop which had the guests somewhat surprised. “We had many turnovers. That is a big flaw of the team. It showed that Frankfurt´s offense was at a disadvantage without Ivan Crnjac and Julius Messer. We didn´t have consistent ball movement”, stated Fraport Skyliner Junior Marvin Esser. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 38% from the field and 29% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 8 turnovers while Science City Jena shot 31% from the field and 0% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Tim Rothämel to the rim

The second quarter remained a defensive battle as Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners was unable to get away and led only by 3 points at halftime. Bader got a free throw to get Jena on the board first, but Frankfurt responded right away as Maximillian Peters drilled home a trey for the 20-14 Frankfurt lead. It was only logical that some team would break out on a run at some time and Science City Jena was the first team to do that going on a 14-4 run to lead 28-24. Instrumental in the run was German Daniel Biel who scored 9 of the 14 points. He began with a great dunk. His coach Marius Linartas wasn´t kidding when he said before the game that when Biel gets in the open court, nice things happen. Biel´s onslaught continued with an offensive rebound and putback, lay in and three pointer. “I found back to my game in that run. I needed some words of inspiration from my coach. I slowed down the tempo and thought about what I was going to do”, stated Daniel Biel. Frankfurt´s offense floundered during Jena´s run. Jamie Edoka was trying to do too much himself as the team got away from team basketball. Frankfurt was really missing Ivan Crnjac´s one on one qualities, but Jamie Edoka also had them. After being a little unlucky the previous minutes, he now was more successful in execution and took matters into his own hands. He scored 7 of Frankfurt´s last 9 points and dominated on the drive one of his biggest strengths. “Biel´s dunk gave him a lot of energy and after that the hole looked bigger for him. Edoka did a good job at the end taking control”, said Marvin Esser. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 40% from the field and 25% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 11 turnovers while Science City Jena shot 32% from the field and 7% from the three point line and had 22 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Jamie Edoka with the lay in

Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners took control of the game in the third quarter heightening their offense and scoring 21 points and led 54-41 after 30 minutes. Luca May actually got the guests on the board first with a three pointer to dead lock the contest at 33-33. But that didn´t faze Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners as they stormed back going on a 11-2 run to take the 44-35 lead. Maximillian Peters began the run with 5 points and Frankfurt dynamic guard duo of Edoka and Omog did what they do best attacking the rim as Edoka scored twice and Omog once. Frankfurt increased the aggressiveness on defense which led to transition baskets. Jena´s offense was sloppy and they couldn´t get good looks. German Leopold Schmidt gave Jena some spark with 2 baskets to trail Frankfurt only 46-39. But Frankfurt wasn´t about to allow another run and closed out the third quarter strongly going on a 8-2 run to lead 54-41 after 3 quarters. In the run it was the bench again of Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners that stepped up as Chris Widmer scored twice and showed what a good role player is supposed to do. Omog added free throws and Lukas Brendel also scored in the paint. “We had a good talk at the break. We were upset that we were only up by 3 points. We knew that we had to step up our game. We were more awake on defense and were able to get out on transition”, added Jamie Edoka. “I think that we played more against ourselves than for each other. We knew that we were running out of gas”, commented Daniel Biel. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 42% from the field and 27% from the parking lot and had 29 rebounds and 14 turnovers while Science City Jena shot 35% from the field and 11% from the parking lot and had 31 rebounds and 19 turnovers.

Daniel Biel to the hole

In the fourth quarter Science City Jena had their chances early, but just couldn´t get over the hump as Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners managed the lead well and were able to close out the game with the victory. Science City Jena stepped up their defense in the first minutes and held Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners to no field goal for many minutes. They stopped Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners 8 times and they only got one point through a Brendel free throw. However they were unable to make steps on offense during their defensive success as only Bader and Tim Rothamel scored as Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners still had the comfortable 55-47 advantage. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners then added 5 quick points as Edoka made an offensive rebound and put back and dropped a trey for the 60-47 lead. Jena made 3 more stops which led to a Karl Haring lay in and Schmidt basket, but Frankfurt still led 60-52 with 3 minutes remaining. But Science City Jena was running out of energy and Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners used that advantage and slammed the door on them, Edoka hit a trey while role player Finley Pruever made a acrobatic lay in and steal and transition bucket to close out the game. “If the situation is there, I´m always ready for the kill. We all stuck together and helped each other out on defense. Big plays motivated all. This game wasn´t our best defensive performance of the season, but it was a good one”, warned Jamie Edoka. “We have had motivational problems this season. There are some guys that fight, but others give up”, expressed Daniel Biel. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners was led by Jamie Edoka with 27 points and 12 rebounds while Maximillian Peters added 10 points while Science City Jena was led by Daniel Biel with 15 points. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 40% from the field and 30% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 21 turnovers while Science City Jena shot 33% from the field and 14% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 23 turnovers.

Vincent Bailey(Randers Cimbria Basketball) Wins First Title In Denmark In Year 10 But Still Remembers His Vechta Days As If It Was Yesterday

Vincent Bailey (201-C/F-1991, college: LMU, agency: BIG) is a 33 year old 198cm forward from Port St Lucie, Florida playing his 10th professional season and first with Randers Cimbria Basketball (Denmark-BasketLigaen) He has played in many countries including Germany, France, Belgium, Morocco, Luxemburg, Peru, Switzerland and Iceland. He spoke to germanhoops.com recently about winning the cup in Denmark and his basketball career.

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

Hey Miles, nice to hear from you. Basketball life is good, no complaints. Enjoying grinding with a hungry team in Randers Denmark.

Our first interview was in June 2014. How many have we done do you think including this one?

Honestly not sure, probably about 3 or 4 now.

This is our fifth interview. I last interviewed you in 2021 prior to the season and you were playing a exhibition game in Germany in Rostock. Has time flown by for you since then?

Time definitely has flown by! Once you hit that 30 mark it moves at rapid speeds lol.

That season you played for Team FOG Naestved (Denmark-BasketLigaen). This season your in Denmark again. Has Denmark become like a second home for you? Granted you did play some years in Switzerland, but what is so special about Denmark?

To continue playing the game I love and being closer to my significant other was important to me at this stage of my career. Denmark is actually home away from home now.

How did you experience that season? You were one of the oldest together with Palo Bubu. Did you guys have the keys to the team?

It was a challenging season, I really enjoyed playing with Bubu Palo. I got a chance to catch up with him in France last season when I returned to continue playing for Pays Salonis Basket.

You have experienced a lot in the last seasons including sitting out a season. Did you lose love for the game? What did you do in the 2022-2023 season?

I took time to enjoy my family, being away from home long periods of time got very difficult for me. It was a much needed year off for me personally. It also gave me and my wife time to establish our life in Denmark. I coached a bit and also worked on some other ventures I´m very passionate about.

What made you come back in 2023 to come overseas again? Did you have the itch to play again?

Firstly, I live now in Denmark. My wife is Danish, so I was still around I got that itch to come back to the grind, the passion was still there and I felt I had more to give before I hung them completely up.

In the 2023-2024 season you played with Pays Salonais Basket 13 (France-NM2). How tough was that season playing in the fourth league in France? You had never played in such a low league before?

It was a season I enjoyed very much. Coach Sebatian helped me get my legs back under me after not competing a whole year. Loved the team and community there, one of my favorite experiences in Europe actually excluding the level.

How did you experience that season? What did you learn about yourself and the game?

We came up one game away from moving the team up to NM1, lost against Metz in the final 4. I learned I still loved the game and I wasn´t ready to give it up so easily. I also learned that the south of France is one of my favorite places in Europe.

This season your playing with Randers Cimbria Basketball (Denmark-BasketLigaen) and are playing first division basketball again. How blessed are you to be playing at a high level again?

Very fortunate. But staying at this level was not my reasoning for sitting 22-23 season. I had opportunities, but sometimes life hits and you have to slow down and focus on other things that are important to you as a person.

You recently not only won your first pro chip, but also the first in that organizations history. Do you still feel like your on cloud 9?

It was a great team accomplishment. It’s been good playing for coach jeff and Randers. Finding that love for the game again is always a blessing. But we have other goals in mind so we are focused and moving forward to the next mission.

From the celebration pictures, it shows like everyone was very very happy. You had won 2 SAC titles. What does this title mean to you? To what would you compare it to?

Only 2 SAC? I have 3 rings lol but this title means a lot being my first one in Europe. I´m happy I came back to compete this season.

Talk a little about that cup win? What is so special about this season´s team?

The Cup win was amazing, like any team we’ve had our challenges throughout this season to help us grow as a team. We stick together through adversity. We are a unit, we want each other to win and we grind each day to push each other towards our goals.

Randers is holding strong this season currently in 5th place at 12-6. Your ex team Naestved and Svendborg are at the top. Do you guys have what it takes to make another run

Let’s find out, lots of basketball to be played.

You already beat Naestved by 18 points and you had a 9/5/3 game. How valuable was that win for the confidence level of the team?

We treat each game the same, with the same mentality. Our confidence is built in training the days before the game.

The team has a lot of skilled Americans including Marquis Addison. How thrilling is it being his teammate and what do you appreciate most about his game?

It’s dope to be on the same team as Marquis. We actually played in the 2014 D2 Reeses All American game together coming out of college and a few games against each other in Swiss, so it´s cool being teammates rather than opponents this go round.

Your only averaging 16,9 minutes per game, but averaging 8/3/1 stats. What kind of a role do you have this season?

I have more of a vet/leader role. Come in and effect winning, whether it be on offense or defense.

Was it a tough adjustment averaging up to 15 minutes less than in previous seasons?

Most definitely.

How valuable is it for you now being efficient? You are showing no problems of it?

I´m never one to be a cancer to a team, I’ll contribute any way the coach sees fit. But it’s definitely been a huge adjustment for me considering I’ve always been a starter playing 25+ mins in my career. But I´m good with how we are working as a team.

You played your rookie season in Germany in Vechta. Do you ever come back to visit? Do you have a favorite place in Germany besides Vechta?

I haven´t been back to Vechta in years! But love the community and basketball fans there. Me and my wife visit the Hamburg Christmas market every year with a small drive from Denmark to Germany. So I have to say Hamburg is my favorite place in Germany so far.

Many of your former Vechta teammates are retired, but Kevin Smit is still playing born in 1991 like you? Who do you think will hang it up first you or him?

Haha, great question. I loved playing with Kev, he is a go getter. I see me probably hanging them up before him.

Thanks Vincent for the chat

Rookie Malik Whitaker(Fellbach) Knows You Have 2 Choices Get Determined Or Discouraged When Life Challenges You

The name Fort Lewis doesn´t come up a lot for me, bit every once in a while it does. There have been a few guys from there that made it overseas like Alex Herrera and Kofi Josephs, 2 ballers that I have interviewed in the past. However the first guy that I think of first when I read the name Fort Lewis is Deandre Lansdowne. He is a guy that I have covered since he came overseas in 2015. He is the ultimate Cinderella story going from lower leagues to the top. Lansdowne began in the German Pro B in 2015 with Herten. He not only made it to the top leagues in Germany, Italy and France. But also has played in international club tournaments like the Basketball Champions League and Fiba Europe Cup. These are the type of players I love to cover most and enjoy showing a lot of love to. In terms of Lansdowne, I have interviewed him 11 times and written one portrait on him. A week ago I came upon the name Fort Lewis again when I prepared an interview for rookie Malik Whitaker (198-G-2000, college: Fort Lewis, agency: Starting 5) who is playing his rookie season in Germany for Pro B team Fellbach Flashers. Whitaker also played at Fort Lewis and like Lansdowne has to grind in lower leagues to begin his pro career. Whitaker played only 1 season at Fort Lewis, but had an incredible season. He had no idea who Lansdowne is, but after hearing of his story has another focus to shoot for in the next years. “I didn´t know of him when I was there and we never talked or met before. His story is very inspirational knowing he came from Fort Lewis and also started in the Pro B like me. His story shows me that it´s possible to move up and depends on the work you put in”, stressed Malik Whitaker. He doesn´t have to go far as he can watch BBL basketball in Ludwigsburg about 30 minutes away or in Ulm or Heidelberg which is an hour away. He can dissect the games closely of guys playing his position. How far is he away from the BBL?. “I’ve checked out one BBL game so far. It was very entertaining and it had everything you would want to see from a fan and competitors view. I don’t think I am that far away, but I also know there are parts of my game that need improvement in order for me not only to get there but to succeed at that level”, warned Malik Whitaker.

Malik Whitaker who lists Trevelin Queen as his toughest foe so far on the court in his career was born on November 19th, 2000 in Humble, Texas. He began his basketball career at Atascocita High School. He then spent 2 years at Garret College (JUCO). It is always refreshing seeing guys do well at the JUCO level and then move up to higher college leagues and then make it overseas. Getting to the peak isn´t always easy at the JUCO level where guys are playing for their stats and trying to move forward with their careers. I don´t believe I have ever come across a player who didn´t regret playing JUCO. It was a grind, but worth it for every player. “That statement is true! It tests you everyday. It can bring out the worst or the best depending on what you make of it. I faced every challenge that came my way head on and it paid off. If I had a redo I wouldn’t change anything”, warned malik Whitaker. He made a massive jump in his game in his second season. In his first season he averaged 12.7ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 72.2% and in his second season 19.1ppg, 8.7rpg, 3.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 31.1%, FT: 71.0%. Instrumental in his growth was head coach Dennis Gibson. “He let me know going into year 2 that I would be the leader, and he was expecting a big year from me. He trusted me to lead the team, allowed me to make mistakes, learn from them and continue to move forward with confidence. He is a huge part of why I am the player I am today”, stressed Malik Whitaker. In his second season in JUCO, he reached the Final 4. “ The chemistry with that team was great. We finished as the #4 ranked JUCO and only lost 2 games all season. The best thing about us was how we moved as one unit at all times on the court. There wasn’t any selfishness on the team which is rare at the JUCO level”, stated Malik Whitaker. After JUCO, he was rewarded by moving up and playing a season for West Virginia State University (NCAA2) averaging 13.8ppg, 7.1rpg, 2.2apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 55.2%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 89.4%. He scored in double figures in 17 games that season including having some big games against Wheeling and Frostburg State scoring 26 points apiece. But what memory is better than winning a chip? “The best memory from State is when we went to the Virgin Islands and won the Yes U.S. Virgin Island classic”, said Malik Whitaker. He then made one more move going to Fort Lewis College (NCAA2) averaging 11.8ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 50.7%, FT: 80.0%. Here he won another chip with the RMAC title. “We were a hungry team. Even when we were ranked #2 in the nation in NCAA D2 we felt like underdogs. We felt like we had more to prove and improve on at all times. It pushed us to become a special team and go down forever in the history books”, remembered Malik Whitaker. He had some really incredible games in his last college season including beating Regis 81-80 with a massive 26/10 game, but there were also other great games. “It was one of my better games of the year, but my favorite game of the season was against South Dakota Mines. It was senior night and I had 26pts 9rbs in our last home game of the year. We were undefeated at home for the season which was something we set out to do at the beginning of the season. So it was cool to have my last home collegiate game go like that”, commented malik Whitaker. He scored in double figures 19 times in that season and made the next step as a player under head coach Bob Pietrack. He pushed me everyday to be the best version of myself. The whole staff had faith in me and they wouldn’t allow me to take days off or cheat myself which I really appreciated. He told me once “when life’s challenges come your way you have 2 choices; get determined or discouraged”. And now I live by that sentence”, expressed Malik Whitaker who remembers winning his fair share of 1-1 battles with Amondo Miller.

The Texas native who lists Samier Kinsler, Dwaine Jones, Junior Garbrah, Obi Agbim, and Dmonte Brown as his 5 best teammates of all-time came to Germany for the 2024-2025 season and is lacing up his sneakers for the Fellbach Flashers in the Pro B. He has been there 5 months and simply loves everything on and off the court. “This has been a great experience Coach Kris had a vision for me from our first phone call ever. I’ve continued to trust him and his vision since then. It has put not only myself, but the whole team in a better place. The guys on the team are great people and teammates. I look forward to going out and fighting for 40 minutes with them every Gameday. There is a great fan base who comes and gives crazy energy during the home games. It’s been a great first international experience for me so far. I have enjoyed being in Fellbach. I like that everyone in the area is very active; you’ll always catch people walking around, riding bikes, etc. that’s not really the culture in the states for most cities”, added Malik Whitaker. Last season the Flashers just missed the playoffs. This season they are currently in 4th place with a lot of upside and the possibly to reach the playoffs. “That is a huge focus for us. It would be a step forward from the first season of the club playing Pro B. It’s also something that has never been accomplished in this club before. We as a unit are working to make sure we can accomplish this goal this season”, said Malik Whitaker. There was a span in the season where they won 8 of 10 games and currently have won 5 of their last 6 games. “ Our defense starts everything. It sets the tone for the game and sparks our offense. When we are disciplined defenders we feel as though we’re as good as any team in this league”, warned malik Whitaker. This weekend he will play his first time against the 2024 Pro B champion Dragons Rhondorf who snuck out a 78-75 win in the first weeks of the season. “It’s another game for me. I am looking forward to the challenge knowing we lost the first game at home, and will have to walk into a hostile environment to win an away game. I look forward to moments like those”, expressed Malik Whitaker. He has some great teammates including German giant Daniel Mayr and top pro B undersized center Brian Butler.” Brian is a great vet. He has been very helpful to me making this jump to European basketball. It still surprises me how he dominates most low post battles being “undersized”. He brings a great attitude to the team and is the veteran presence most clubs would love to have”, stressed Malik Whitaker. Currently he is having a very solid rookie season averaging 17/6/2/2 stats. Is that a stat line with what he can be content with? “I would say it’s been decent. It’s a different style of play from college basketball obviously, so of course there’s a bit of a learning curve. But I’m nowhere near being content with how I’ve performed until this point. There’s another level or 2 to my game now that I have not showcased yet, but I’m trusting the process”, warned Malik Whitaker.

The 198cm guard who lists Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and T-Mac on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is a player that doesn´t compare himself to one player, but enjoys watching the games of certain players like Devin Booker, Brandon Ingram, Jayson Tatum, and Kobe Bryant mainly for his footwork. He is a player that has always been a guy that loved to fill the stat sheet at ease. Is versatility his biggest strength? “It’s the biggest emphasis on my game. Being able to handle, pass, shoot, rebound, and defend the ball are the basics. But being able to execute everything in live action makes you more than basic, and that’s what I strive to be”, warned Malik Whitaker. His three point shooting has been up and down in his career so far. He shot 42% in JUCO and a crazy 50% at Fort Lewis, but currently in the Pro B only at 33%. There is a reason for him having these fluctuations. “While the percentage was high in college the volume wasn’t. It was also a lot of catch and shoot open 3s. Now, I’m shooting more 3’s with “higher difficulty” which is something I am adjusting to and working relentlessly on. I enjoy the challenge though and I approach it everyday with the right mindset so I know it’ll turn around. That’s what’s going to help me be a next level shooter”, stressed Malik Whitaker. He definitely doesn´t want to be a one dimensional player as he sees his defensive game as a positive part of his game. “I’m far from a liability on defense but I want to become more of a guy to guard the other team’s best player. I’ve asked coach for the challenge a couple times, but I want that to be the normal for me so I’m working on it”, stated malik Whitaker. Reaching the playoffs is his biggest goal as well as staying consistent and improving strength. It will be interesting to see where the career of Malik Whitaker will go. If he keeps playing well as he does and Fellbach make history, I´m sure that Deandre Lansdowne will hear about it. In the meantime, he can wait until April 6th and see Lansdowne and his team Chemnitz play in Ulm. A meeting of ex Fort Lewis players would probably be a highlight for both.

The Miles Vs Malik Riddle Weekly Basketball Chat Volume 12

Malik Riddle (193-G-1999, college: HSU) is a 24 year old 193cm guard from Tennessee playing his second professional season and first in Germany with Pro B team RheinStars Cologne. Last season he played with Gzira Athleta Birkirkara (Malta-BOV League D1) averaging 28.8ppg, 9.4rpg, 3.9apg, Steals-3 (2.6spg), FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 75.5%. He began his basketball career at Rossville Christian Academy. He then played 2 seasons at Morehead State University (NCAA) and then played 3 seasons at Henderson State University (NCAA2). He teams up with germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.

Thanks Malik for talking to germanhoops.com. It was the battle of the best 2 Pro B south teams with the RheinStars and Leitershofen. How excited were you to go into this game?

I was very excited about this game. I knew the energy and the fans would be crazy.

Cologne won the first game 85-80. What was the game plan going in?

Just made stops and executed down the stretch of the game when we played the first time.

The RheinStars suffered a tough 94-92 loss against Leitershofen. How had they improved from the first game?

They had some guys play that didn’t play the first match up which helped them. But I still think we had opportunities to come out with the win

The first half was a battle and the RheinStars led by 6 points. What was key for having the half-time lead?

We were making stops and rebounding pretty well. Also was executing in that first half pretty well

In the third quarter Leitershofen exploded for 31 points. What adjustments did they make to get the 4 point lead after 30 minutes?

We had too many turnovers as well as wasn’t getting back on defense fast enough in transition. Which gave them opportunities to get easy baskets.

Asa Williams exploded for 31 points including 8 three´s. What made it so difficult to contain him?

We left him open too much. Most of the game he was open for a three and his teammates just made good efforts of finding him.

You had 6 seconds at the end down by 2 and you took the last three pointer and missed. Take me through the last seconds? Did the shot feel good?

Rupi came down the court as I sprinted to the corner and he hit me. The shot felt good but just slightly to the left.

You scored 24 points and shot 50%. How valuable was this game for your self-confidence?

It was good for my confidence since I’ve been struggling a bit this month. But I felt I was being more aggressive than usual.

You next face Ludwigsburg who you easily beat in the first game. What will be key to getting the victory?

The key will be play with a lot of intensity and energy. We just came off a tough loss so we have to come out the gate swinging.

Thanks Malik for the chat.

The Dolic And Volf Guard Show Power FC Bayern Munich Past Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners 84-72

One of the big showdowns for any club in German football or basketball or even other sports is playing FC Bayern Munich. It´s no different at the youth U-19 level. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners met Munich for the first time this season, but for one Skyliner, he hadn´t already played against many today, but had been teammates with many only a week ago. Recently universal genius Ivan Crnjac had the big honor to suit up with FC Bayern Munich during the 2025 Adidas Next Generation tournament. But on this time Crnjac was an opponent again. Frankfurt came in sporting a 8-1 record while FC Bayern Munich came in with a 5-2 record. Despite Munich´s record, they have an unbelievable strong and deep roster that will challenge all team´s the rest of the way and possibly continuing in the top 4 in May. Frankfurt isn´t too shabby either and last weekend won on the road in Ludwigsburg without their big 3 of Crnjac, Edoka and Omog. On a mild Sunday afternoon FC Bayern Munich rolled into the BCM gym and showed a strong and consistent game for 40 minutes forcing Frankfurt to play catch up basketball all afternoon long. Frankfurt was unable to get over the hump as they got a bit fatigued in the fourth quarter. FC Bayern Munich was led by the lethal guard duo of Dominik Dolic (190-SG-2006) and Ivan Volf who combined for 29 points and added big shots in the fourth quarter for the victory. ”In the end we found a way to fight through it. We gave up too many easy baskets 1-1 in the first half. We changed our game plan in the second half. We switched a lot to close the zone. We got steals and got out on transition”, stressed FC Bayern Munich guard Dominic Dollic. The Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners fought hard, but just couldn´t get over the hump. The guard duo of Dolic and Volf were simiply too much for them, “I felt like this game was at eye level of the 2 top teams in the division. They both know each other and have played together for years and know exactly what their doing. I think we were a bit tired in the fourth quarter. When Ivan Crnjac went down, everyone was shocked. Munich got too many easy rebounds and offensive rebounds. I think the load was too much on the shoulders of Edoka and Crnjac”, stressed Skyliners Juniors head coach Sepehr Tarrah.

Jamie Edoka at the FT line

In the first quarter FC Bayern Munich found to their game rapidly and took the commanding league and Frankfurt had to already get used to playing catch up basketball early. FC Bayern Munich led quickly 12-4 and showcased beautiful inside out basketball and surprisingly only 2 points were scored by the duo of Dolic and Volf as Dolic made a nifty lefthanded lay in. Desmond Yiamu scored 5 points including a trey and Greek guard Nikolas Sermpezis who averaged 20,0ppg at the recent ADNE also added 5 points as he also dropped a three pointer. Munich was playing aggressive on ball defense and also getting quickly out on transition while Frankfurt hadn´t found a rhythm. Frankfurt then finally found their rhythm as the big 3 of Crnjac, Edoka and Omog scored, but Frankfurt still trailed 20-13. Frankfurt couldn´t get consistent stops as their guard play executed and they also had problems with 213cm big man Killian Dueck who was a mismatch everytime he touched the ball. He also scored twice and was pulling down offensive rebounds at ease. Frankfurt weren´t able to spread the offensive love around as much as FC Bayern Munich as they only had Edoka who added 9 points and Crnjac 4 points. Edoka is about as unstoppable as you can get at the NBBL level. Every drive seemingly is either a lay in or he draws a foul. Down the stretch of the first quarter Jamie Edoka tested his 6,7% three point shooting and dropped one and also made free throws. Serbian Andrijia Sussic and Dolic added lay ins with their lethal speed as FC Bayern Munich led 25-18 after 10 minutes. “Frankfurt didn´t play particular good defense, They had little defensive intensity and had problems with pick and roll, close outs and rotations. Edoka did a good job getting to the rim”, stated former Skyliner Junior Drago Crnjac. FC Bayern Munich shot 53% from the field and 50% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 47% from the field and 50% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Dominik Dolic with the drive

In the second quarter Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners fought back, but were unable to get the lead as they trailed by 1 point at half-time. Frankfurt went on a 8-3 run taking advantage of 2 Munich turnovers to cut the guests lead to 30-28. The universal genius Ivan Crnjac added 2 three pointers while big man Lukas Brendal made a lay in. Frankfurt upped their defensive intensity and were more aggressive on the glass while Munich had up and down phases in their game. Ivan Crnjac got going in the run showing lethal production as usual. “It was strange that Ivan had so much freedom. There wasn´t really anyone assigned to him. But I did notice that Dolic was put on him at the end of the second quarter”, commented Dragon Crnjac. Whenever Frankfurt threatened, Munich always had an answer. It was either the great shooing guards or Killian Dueck. This time it was Dueck scoring back to back buckets including an offensive rebound and put back where Frankfurt trailed 38-34. Frankfurt put on the pressure in the last minutes closing out the quarter with an efficient 10-5 run to trail 39-38 at the break. In the Frankfurt run, it was 17 year old Jamie Edoka who took charge as he was a one man wrecking crew scoring 8 points. He continued to attack the paint area and executed. He always found ways to score or either draw fouls. Maximillain Petters also made a lay in as Crnjac made a beautiful touch pass. Munich got some good support from the bench from Isayah Marcin who made a lay in. Frankfurt´s defense was a lot stronger in the last minutes as Crnjac and Peters both made huge blocks. “You see really how good both of them work together. Ivan told me once that Peters is his best friend on the court. They have a really good connection on the court. Both are big wings that like to shoot, but also attack the close out”, stated Drago Crnjac. FC Bayern Munich shot 38% from the field and 28% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 7 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 45% from the field and from the three point line and had 21 rebounds and 12 turnovers. “Even Frankfurt had problems with the Munich press, I think they were strong in the half court and moved the ball well”, stated Drago Crnjac.

Ivan Crnjac to the rim

In the third quarter FC Bayern Munich had their best scoring quarter as they erupted for 27 points and led by 8 points after 3 quarters. The lethal guard duo did their magic nailing back to back three´s to extend Munich´s lead to 45-38. Both love to have the ball in their hands and harmonize so well together. They have been playing together for many years and that shows on the court. “I know him since the U-12 and we have been playing together since the U-14. We have great chemistry because we are together 24/7. We know how to bring each other into rhythm”, explained Dominik Dolic. Both teams would have their mini runs with FC Bayern Munich keeping their head ahead. Omog scored 4 points in a row, but Munich punched back with a 4-0 run and Yiamu and Susic scored on drives and Frankfurt trailed 49-42. FC Bayern Munich had a good groove while that team play by Frankfurt had disappeared as too much 1-1 play was creeping out of the wood work. Frankfurt never gave up and had a positive phase going on a 12-6 run to trail only 55-54. In the run, Frankfurt continued to use their brilliant individual qualities as Ivan Crnjac made an offensive rebound and put back and also connected on another trey. Edoka also supplied another lay in while young German Ehiozogie Idemudia supplied great support from the bench hitting a three pointer. But as usual this was as close as Frankfurt would get as Munich would always slap back with a clutch three pointer by the guard duo of Dolic and Volf. This time it was Ivan Volf for the 58-54 advantage. This was the start of a 12-6 run for FC Bayern Munich as they got more support from Caspar Vossenberg with 4 points and Killian Dueck continued to be super efficient in the paint area with a lay in Frankfurt got to the free throw line, but missed way too many free throws and trailed 66-58 after 30 minutes. “We were good on the pick and roll defense and got some steals. We work on this twice a day with the pick and roll and zig zag. We want to be the best defense in Germany”, warned Dominik Dolic. “We had problems on defense. They got too many easy baskets. We couldn´t stop their transition. We dribbled the ball too much and had too little ball movement”, added Jamie Edoka. FC Bayern Munich shot 40% from the field and 36% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 8 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt shot 44% from the field and 44% from the parking lot and they had 31 rebounds and 16 turnovers.

Andrijia Susic at the FT line

In the fourth quarter FC Bayern Munich closed out the game not losing their consistency. Ivan Crnjac had hurt his foot at the end of the third quarter and returned in the fourth quarter, but was no factor. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners got on the score board first in the fourth quarter as Lukas Brendal made a lay in as he was very efficient from the field going 7/8 but had his problems from the free throw line going 1/7. Frankfurt trailed 66-60, but this was as close as they would get in the game. Both teams executed well and went on mini runs as Dueck made a lay and Dolic free throws and Omog made an acrobatic lay in and lock down defender Rephael Edward also madce a lay getting the nice pass from Crnjac as Frankfurt was down 6 again. FC Bayern Munich was able to increase it´s lead again into double figures as Dolic made a trey and lay in a nd Dueck a lay in as Frankfurt trailed 78-66. In this phase Frankfurt missed free throws again as all in all they went 13/25 form the free throw line. Th game was as good as decided as the dynamic duo of Volf and Dolic added consecutive three´s for good measure as Munich led 84-70. Brendel closed out the game with back to back lay in´s as he had his best game in the NBBL with 15 points. “Crnjac gave us big problems in the first 3 quarters. I think him hurting himself hurt them a bit. I think both teams were tired. Many of us had played Pro B the night before. We got key rebounds and were calm on offense. We were also lucky at times making our three´s”, said Dominik Dolic. “We were a bit tired. Some of us also had played Regionalliga the night before. Their bigs hurt us. We were undersized and didn´t box out well. Lukas Brendel played very well despite going against mis matches the whole game”, commented Jamie Edoka. FC Bayern Munich was led by Dominik Dolic with 18 points. Killian Dueck added 15 points and Ivan Volf added 11 points as did Andrijia Susic while Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners was led by Jamie Edoka with 20 points. Ivan Crnjac added 16 points while Lukas Brendel chipped in with 15 points. FC Bayern Munich shot 41% from the field and 38% from outside and had 39 rebounds and 13 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 43% from the field and 33% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 21 turnovers.

Ivan Crnjac(Frankfurt Skyliners) Had Solid ANGE Performance Not Needing To Score Much But Showcasing His All-Around Game

pic credit: Martin Vogel & Hello.Itsjana

One of the basketball highlights in the youth sector every year is the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation tournament that is held every year in January. It is contested between the best basketball clubs in Europe in the under 18 age group. The first ANGE was held in 2003 and in the last 5 years Real Madrid has dominated the tournament winning 4 out of 5 tournaments. Over the years ANGT has seen big upcoming talents that became big time players like Luka Donic, Dario Saric and Dejan Musli while the last 2 MVP´s were Jan Vide and Hugo Gonzalez. This years tournament saw an array of great players again including German Ivan Crnjac who plays for the Frankfurt Skyliners. He had the special honor to suit up with FC Bayern Munich. He was one of the older kids on the team as there were many very talented players from the years 2008-2009 In the end, FC Bayern Munich couldn´t win the title, but reached a very satisfying 5th place and gained added valuable experience playing against the best young players in Europe. Ivan Crnjac was in Munich for a week training with FC Bayern Munich and then played 4 games last weekend. It was an exciting time, but also stressful at times. “It was ok. The days were slow and fast depending on how much training we had. The first day was long. We had 2 games and we had to get up at 6.15 AM”, stressed Ivan Crnjac (203-F-2007)

Usually the teams only have the players from that team, but every once in a while, teams will add talented guys from other teams so they will get a chance to compete since their normal team wasn´t invited. In the case of Ivan Crnjac, it was strange in a way to be training with FC Bayern Munich, but in a way also familiar. “It was strange having other teammates, but I mean I knew many of the guys already. It was strange practicing in a different training facility, but I got used to it”, stated Ivan Crnjac So how did a day look for him leading up to the weekend where he would play 4 games? “It wasn´t always that exciting. I woke up at 9.00Am and had breakfast. I usually relaxed then or went for a walk. In the afternoon we had practice starting with work in the weight room. Then I went back to the hotel and slept. There were no wild times. The Munich players all had school”, said Ivan Crnjac Was the team able to generate chemistry in such a short period of time? “I felt we did do that. But you did notice that the team was young and inexperienced. You saw it at times in games. An older point guard would react differently”, commented Ivan Crnjac Was he able to see any of the easyCredit BBL players like rising young star Ivan Khartchenkov who is getting good minutes with the BBL team? Is a guy like Khartcehnkov a role model for him? “I watched a BBL practice and saw all the players. I also saw Gordie Herbert walking around. I saw Ivan but didn´t talk to him. I wouldn´t necessarily say he is a role model for me, but he is definitely a player where I would strive to have a career like him”, expressed Ivan Crnjac

FC Bayern Munich lost the first game to Cedivita 98-78 as Ivan Crnjac had 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. “That was a tough first loss. It was early in the morning and we didn´t play well as a team. They hit their shots well. It was a weak game and not the type of game that you want to start a tournament with”, said Ivan Crnjac FC Bayern Munich finally got on the winning track beating Aris 74-54. Ivan Crnjac produced 9 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist. “This was our second game of the day and it was at night. We were mad after losing the first game. We put more emotion into the game. We were able to play our game. We defended harder and our offense was better”, added Ivan Crnjac They then fell to 1-2 as they lost to Valencia 103-82. “You wouldn´t think so from the result, but it was a tight game. The game was tied after 3 quarters. It was a real competitive game. We got tired in the fourth quarter”, stated Ivan Crnjac In the loss he filled the stat sheet well scoring 9 points, grabbed 10 boards, dished out 3 assists, blocked 2 shots and got a steal. FC Bayern Munich buckled down in the 4th game beating Derby 77-64. He had 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and a block. “We gave all we had because we wanted to end the tournament with a win. We struggled at the start, but played a lot better in the second half”, added Ivan Crnjac He was really impressed by 15 year olds Marko Volf (7/2/2) and Caspar Vossenberg (12/3) who held their own and were important players for the team. “Both are very talented. Volf has great skills and physical while Vossenberg is very strong and athletic. They both played great”, warned Ivan Crnjac Did the many practices and games take a toll on their energy as a team which led to poor team shooting percentages? “The practices were hard, but not so much that we were tired going into the games. All 4 games were played at a high intense level. I think our fatigue came from the games”, said Ivan Crnjac

The young German who lists Declan Duru as his toughest cover so far in his career has developed very well the last years and has taken the next step this season averaging 20,7ppg, 7,5rpg, 2,0apg, and 2,0spg in the NBBL (U-19) and in the Pro B averaging 11,4ppg, 4,4rpg, 1,8apg and 1,1spg. With what kind of a focus did he come to Munich and ANGT? “I wasn´t assigned a role coming in, but developed a defensive role as the tournament went on. I always had to defend the other team´s best player”, stressed Ivan Crnjac Nikolas Sermpezis was the captain, but Crnjac was one of the older guys on the team. Did he feel like one of the leaders? “I felt that a little bit. I supported him and once in a while was vocal”, said Ivan Crnjac His stat line during ANGE in 4 games was 8,8ppg, 6,0rpg, 2,5apg and 1,3spg in 28,5 minutes. Was he content with his game against the best of Europe? “I think that my game was solid. I feel like I did everything except score. I wasn´t as focused on scoring. I really did all that I wanted to, but wish that I could of scored more”, stressed Ivan Crnjac He also noticed rapidly what he has to better in the future in order to reach the next level. He had 9 turnovers in the last 2 games. “I have to work more on my ball handling. Coach actually wanted me to play more at the guard position, but in the end I was playing the 3-5 positions. I really had problems with ball handling. I have to improve that”, warned Ivan Crnjac He had many great moments, but one that he won´t forget. “Our second win in the fourth game was my fondest moment. We finished fifth. It was a cool moment and the mood was better”, expressed Ivan Crnjac The 17 year old 3 level scorer and universal genius doesn´t have long to reflect on the enriching weekend, but was back on the court a few days later. Then he faced another team BBA Porsche Ludwigsburg in Pro B action that was full of young talents. He faced off against talented Julis Baumer who has BBL experience. Crnjac made another jump scoring a pro high for him with 29 points in a massive win. The grind never ends for the universal genius Ivan Crnjac