football

Jaylen Alston Dazzles Basketball Germany Flirting With A Quadruple Double Of 47 Points, 32 rebounds, 8 Assists And 8 Steals

Jaylen Alston (193-G, college: WSSU) is a 193cm guard form North Carolina playing his rookie season overseas in Germany with Pro B team Team Ehingen. He began his basketball career at Eastern Guilford high school. He then played a season at Gardner-Webb University (NCAA) and then played at Winston Salem State University and in his last 2 seasons averaged 11.6ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 74.5% and 18.1ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 61.5%, 3PT: 26.1%, FT: 74.5%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after scoring 47 points in a big win over the RheinStars Cologne.

Thanks Jaylen for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the massive 114-110 victory over top team RheinStars Cologne. You played them tough in the first game. How motivated was the team this time to win?

The team was really motivated to get the win. We really need to get back on the right track so I think we started off the right way by taking out a top team.

was only your second win of the season with them as you came late to the team in December. What felt greatest being able to win this in front of your own home fans?

The greatest part was definitely being able to win in front of the fans. They come and support us at every game in regardless of the outcome, they still come back game after game to see us play.

This was the second loss in a row in OT for the RheinStars. Could it be that teams are scouting better against them now in the second time around?

I would definitely say teams are scouting them better. Coach had us watch some film on them this week so we were really logged in on knowing who was who and understanding the type of caliber each player brought to that team and take out their strengths.

What did the team focus most on going into the game? How much was taking care of the ball an issue? You had 18 team turnovers in the first game?

The team focus is mainly on rebounding and playing under the correct pace at times the game can get a little fast and we like to be able to switch and make them play to our style. The issues with turnovers happen, but we do try to limit them. Coach always wants us to stay below 14 turnovers in the game because taking care of the ball is usually a pivotal point who wins the basketball game.

valuable is it having a guy like Finn Doentgens? He scored 3 of the first 4 team baskets?

A guy like Finn is really valuable. He brings great size and experiences. This is his second year playing pro B. He did help us get started scoring three of the four baskets and that’s what we need from him honestly every game because having a guy like him in attack mode puts pressure on a lot of other things big guys.

It took you a while to get going, but you had 6 points in the first quarter? Of course there were30minutes more of playing time, but did you feel like you could have a great scoring day after 1 quarter?

Yeah, I honestly don’t worry too much about scoring. I just tend to allow the game to come to me and whatever is taking place. I’m fine with as long as my team is winning so we won the first quarter of the game and I was happy with that result. I always feel like I can have a great scoring day just because I’m a volume guy and I can score different ways. I don’t necessarily need the ball in my hands for 40 minutes to score 30 or 40 points a lot of times my points are from second chance.

I totally love Travis Davis. He finished the first quarter with a lay in. Does his speed and quick finishes sometimes surprise you?

Honestly, Travis’s speed quickness does not surprise me just because I’ve been seeing it for a while since I’ve been here and I love that he has that to his basketball game and most guards tend to struggle staying in front of him and he’s also good with finishing at the room with his floater or being able to find the right team open, which gets our offense going.

In the second quarter the RheinStars punched back and held Ehingen to little points in the last 5 minutes. What was key for them coming back?

Key for coming back was for us to get back into what we did in the first quarter because being shot away from getting inside and making finishes at the rim and then we also had too many careless turnovers that lead to them gaining a little bit of momentum.

In the third quarter Ehingen fought back and you showed you’re a walking bucket scoring 9 points in a row. Did you feel that this was a time to take more responsibility or were you only doing what the defense was giving you

I honestly was just doing what the defense gave me. I tend to just see how they want to play me or other teammates so whether the opportunity is for me to score the ball or for my teammate to have the ball I’m fine with either option, but it was just great to have a little bit of momentum and scoring to push us forward with a little bit of a lead in the quarter

The RheinStars went on a little run in the third quarter and continued it going into the fourth quarter. How tough was it defending this RheinStars Cologne team that has a good mix of old and young legs?

Their team is very tough to defend. They have a great point guard along with a pretty good big man so that combination is tough when you’re in the pick and roll and they also do a great job of keeping the shooters inside the right spot so that way, you have to really decide what do you want to stop and be able to honestly switch to make yourself be there for every catch when the ball is being.

The fourth quarter was a real battle. Ehingen could of won the game, but allowed the opponent to come back and tie the game? Did Ehingen lose a bit of intensity in crunch-time to secure the win

Yeah, we definitely allowed them to come back inside the game. I’m honestly not too happy with the last possession in the way the ref called the valve for us but sometimes you have to live with those results and just keep playing so I feel like the urgency and intensity was there. We just simply gave up a bad possession for that moment.

the first OT you missed the second free throw. If you had made it, you would have won. Were you feeling some nervousness?

wasn’t feeling any nervousness. I honestly feel very confident whenever I’m shooting a ball even more confidence than I’ve ever felt in my career lately so it just simply was me missing a shot, but I know in my head I will make the next one.

In the second OT Simon Fransis made a trey with a dime from you and Jorke Aav made free throws to win.. Did Ehingen want it more at the end?

Yeah, we definitely wanted it more in the end. We honestly had a quote that we were saying the entire fourth quarter going into the overtime and it was “winners are going to win” and at the end of the day we do our job we know the results are going to favor us and that is what I felt like pushed us over the edge

How valuable is it adding a guy like 30 year old Simon Fransis from Sweden? What key element does he give the team besides experience?

Simon is very valuable. He brings a lot of experience and intelligence with a great IQ so having him on the floor all the time balances out what we have with younger guys on the team and he also is a threat and we can switch a lot of positions on defense so his versatility along with my versatility is something that can help with going into the future.

I don´t even have to ask you if this was your best career game. 47 points, 24 rebounds, 8 assists and 8 steals. I mean that´s crazy. How does that feel?

It feels pretty good. I was just really happy with the results because all those stats honestly don’t matter if we don’t win the game so it’s a great feeling seeing everybody happy for me even my teammates. They were cheering me on to go for 50 so that just means a lot for them being happy for me in every moment

Was that the most points in your career? You had a 35 point and 34 point game at Winston-Salem.

Yeah, they had to be the most. I had one game before where I scored 42 so I would say the 47 points is the most I’ve ever scored in a basketball game.

mean that isn´t in the same league as a Kevin Love. Your in your own galaxy. Did that stat line surprise you when you saw it?

stat line definitely surprise me. I was more surprised with the amount of steals along with the amount of rebounds since people look over every day so when they see the stats people are thinking I was joking about how many rebounds I had.

Does reaching 47 points give you that inner thought hmmm maybe I can reach 50?

No honestly reaching 47 doesn’t really give me the thoughts of 50. I just let the game come to me so whatever happens it’s fine with me as long as I see my team having more points than the other team.

You would have reached 50 with better three point shooting. Does knowing that give you that extra boost to go into the gym a little early on Monday or even on Sunday to work on your shot?

Yeah, I was saying the three-point shooting was something that gave me a boost regardless just because recently I haven’t put in some great reps inside of practice and I’ve seen the ball going in so for me I just want to pick up my percentage on shooting the three ball.

What was your personal favorite play of the game?

Honestly, my personal favorite play in the game had to be the last possession, seeing all of our guys ready to rebound and try to fight for the ball to seal the deal.

Did you get any special messages from people besides family and friends from people you may not have expected it from

I got some messages from old teammates, old coaches, along with new people in Germany that I wasn’t too familiar with but my most special message came from a couple of young fans and they were just so happy with the game yesterday and so things like that really make my day make me want to play harder and for the fans.

Thanks Jaylen for the chat.

Jamie Edoka(Skyliners) Goes From An ICE Train Ride To The Sap Garden For His First easyCredit BBL Minutes Against FC Bayern Munich

pic credit: Steffen Eirich/Matthias Stickel

On Sunday night 17 year old Jamie Edoka (195-G-2008) was ending a successful weekend by having led the Skyliners Juniors to a massive Pro B win against the TSV Oberaching Tropics. He scored 21 points and as usual did a fantastic job as playmaker running the offense and hit big shots in many phases of the game. 48 hours later Edoka was standing on the court in Munich in the state of the art area Sap Garden and made his easyCredit BBL debut for the Frankfurt Skyliners. Playing in the BBL is the dream of so many young German players. The opportunity to do this came mainly because the Skyliners had many key players out and they had to bring reinforcements. The call to Edoka surely helped that he isn´t only a main contributor for the clubs NBBL U-19 team, but also a key player for their pro B farm team. He is a starter on the team and deserved to be given this incredible opportunity. It is definitely an experience he will never forget. “I came into the game in the 6th or 7th minute of the game. Going on the court in the Sap Garden was an indescribable feeling. I knew at that moment that I might be defending the best shooter in the world with Andi Obst or ex NBA player Carsen Edwards or young talent Ivan Kharchenkolv. To be able to witness this was unbelievable”, stressed Jamie Edoka. “I´m very proud of him and am happy that he got this opportunity. I hope he will get more opportunities like that”, said teammate Ivan Crnjac. He got many nice congratulatory messages from family and friends and after the game German national player Ivan Kharchenko congratulated him on a good game and wished him good health. “I think that this was a huge step for the youth department of the Skyliners. He totally deserved to get this opportunity with his good play in the NBBL and Pro B. I hope that there will more chances like this for talented players”, stressed teammate Maximillian Peters.

The pass first guard who enjoys watching basketball video´s of Maodo Lo actually first was informed on Monday night between 10-11 pm that he would be able to suit up against euroleague team FC Bayern Munich. “I was very overjoyed to have gotten the call informing me that I could play. I never expected it. It is always something you hope for, but getting the chance from one day to the next was like a dream come true”, expressed Jamie Edoka. The game was less than 24 hours later. Tuesday was a very wild day. He began Tuesday by going to school like any other day. He left at noon time and went hone to pack his bags for Munich. The ICE train departed Frankfurt at 1:30 and arrived around 5:30, two and a half hours before game time. What does a 17 year old kid do to pass the time on the train before the biggest moment in his basketball life? “At the start of the trip, I was doing homework, but in the last 1-2 hours, I focused on the game. I was reading our playbook which was given to me before the trip and I also watched some clips from the first game against Munich while listening to music”, stated Jamie Edoka. He didn´t go to the team hotel when he arrived in Munich, but right to the Sap Garden arena. His teammates arrived at about the same time to the arena at 6.00pm.

The Frankfurt Skyliners came to Munich missing 4 key players with guards Jordan Theodore and Trey Calvin as well as forwards Einaras Tubutis and Patrick Heckman. FC Bayern Munich was also missing some key players like Devin Booker, but overall FC Bayern Munich was the favorite on paper. But instead of steamrolling Frankfurt in the first minutes, it was actually Frankfurt that totally surprised Munich taking the rapid 12-3 lead. Did FC Bayern Munich underestimate Frankfurt and was Frankfurt playing on Adrenaline? “I don´t think that Munich underestimated us, but seemed a bit asleep at the start. We came in very focused, but they weren´t”, remembered Jamie Edoka. The turning point of the game came in the second quarter as FC Bayern Munich poured it on exploding for 28 points and showing what kind of a brutal offensive arsenal they have. At half-time the Frankfurt Skyliners trailed 42-35, but were still in striking distance. “They had lost to Vechta unexpectedly last weekend. They took us seriously. They still played with a good rotation. I think the players got some fire from their coach. It is only a matter of time when guys like Edwards and Obst begin hitting shots”, said Jamie Edoka. FC Bayern Munich went into the second half with some momentum and then shifted up a few gears and totally stifled the Skyliners holding them too only 21 points. “You noticed in the second half that we were missing key players and that is tough to compensate when you play a top team like Munich. I think we were trying to save our strength for the BBL Cup weekend. We didn´t give them the game. We fought until the end”, warned Jamie Edoka.

Edoka who lists ex Skyliner Alvin Onyia as his mentor the last few years was extremely nervous before checking in, but that is expected when you turned 17 only a few weeks ago. He was very fortunate to have his Pro B coach Sepher Tarrah on the sidelines who functions as an assistant coach for the easyCredit BBL team. Tarrah helped him lessen some of the jitters that were swirling in his head. “It was very important that Sepher was there. The most important thing he told me was that at the end of the day it is all the same. It is just basketball. The only difference is that it is a higher level. These words really helped against my nervousness. He was helping me the whole game with constructive feedback”, commented Jamie Edoka. He has practiced with the BBL team in the past and already knew the guys and also got advice from them to also help him with the big challenge. How difficult was it getting used to the BBL level? “It was like worlds apart. Coming from the NBBL, it was so so different for me. It is so much quicker the play than what I was used to. I honestly didn´t get used to it. I just wanted to survive. I was trying to understand what was happening”, stressed Jamie Edoka. A massive moment for him was guarding 2 so talented players with ex NBA guys Carsen Edwards and Shabazz Napier. “I didn´t think that Edwards would be so small. To see how he moves and how he is able to create his own shot was unbelievable. I had never seen something like that before. I did notice that Napier has gotten older, but he still uncorked something like 3 behind the back passes and no look passes. He also was able to find teammates so quickly. That is something that I won´t forget so quickly”, warned Jamie Edoka. He played 24 minutes going 0/3, but had 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. He definitely knows what he has to do to keep playing at the BBL level. “I need to get that game IQ, work on my ball handing and shot. I just have to keep working hard. I want to play at this level”, stressed Jamie Edoka. So what was his favorite own play of the game? “My assist to Lorenz Breneke on the pick and roll. That was the first time in the game where I read the defense well”, stated Jamie Edoka. Ex Skyliner Isaac Bonga was in attendance as he was on a little break from Partizan Belgrade. Bonga like Edoka also began in the Skyliners organization going the route of NBBL-Pro B-BBL-NBA. The only difference was that Bonga was hyped already at this age and Edoka not. “I didn´t know that he was at the game. I found out after the game. It is a good feeling to know that he also played with the Skyliners in young years. It motivates me that a great career is possible”, stressed Jamie Edoka.

Justin Onyejiaka(Rasta Vechta) Is Always In Grind Mode As His Biggest Motivation Is Sky Is The Limit

Justin Onyejiaka (195-SG-2004) is a 20 year old 195cm guard that has returned back to Rasta Vechta for the 2024-2025 season. He couldn´t play his first game this season until January 3, 2025 due to a tough injury. Currently he has played 8 games in the Pro A averaging 5,6ppg, 2,1rpg and 1,3spg. He played the last 2 seasons with the Frankfurt Skyliners. In his first season he played 6 easyCredit BBL games and in the Pro B averaged : 13.3ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 23.2%, FT: 57.1%. Last season he played 41 pro A games averaging 7.0ppg, 1.8rpg, FGP: 58.3%, 3PT: 32.9%, FT: 72.8%, and in the Pro B averaged 23.3ppg, 5.8rpg, 2.7apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 58.0%, 3PT: 47.8%, FT: 60.0%. He began his basketball career with BBC Osnabruck and then played 2 seasons with Rasta Vechta in the JBBL, Regionalliga and Pro A. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the U-20 European championships.

Thanks Justin for talking to germanhoops.com. Last summer Germany finished the U-20 Euro at 12th place. What was your summary of the tournament?

I thought it was a good tournament for us. We had some good wins, but also some tough loses against France and Italy. I think had we won those games, we would have been in a better position to have a better result at the end.

Is it possible to feel after the preparation how well the team could do going in? What kind of a feeling did you have?

I had mixed feelings. We had some bad results in the preparation. But I knew that we had good potential going in.

Germany lost a tough game to France 103-78. Germany shot out the lights with 15 three´s, but gave up 26 turnovers. What do you believe did the team learn from the game?

The biggest problem was their length which they had at every position. You don´t see that much at that level. We had problems playing switch defense.

It is always nice to see a well rounded scoring team, but was the team possibly missing 2 very dominant go to guys? Martin Kalu is one of those guys.

I wouldn´t say that. I feel like with all the talent we had, the scoring was evened out. Any player could have stepped up in any game.

You averaged 8/1/2 stats in 18 minutes at the 2024 Eurochampionships. How content were you with your game? Your three point and free throw shooting weren´t great?

One could see in the last games that we were all exhausted. I feel like I played a good tournament in the minutes that I got. I showed what I could do on the court.

What was it like playing for new Vechta BBL coach Martin Schilling? What did you appreciate right away from his coaching abilities?

I appreciated how structured his practices were. They weren´t boring at all. He had all kinds of drills from skill work to defense. I really like that. It was good to see what is to come with Vechta.

Did you notice anything in his coaching that he brought over from his G-League time?

I can´t really say. I did notice that he had many different plays. He was always ready with plays especially in difficult situations or with little time left on the clock.

The minutes were well defined, but how big was the competitive level for minutes, something that will be great again in Vechta this season?

It is always like that with talented teams. You always have to fight for minutes. It was similar like that in Frankfurt as well. I´m always ready for the Competitive fight for minutes. That is part of the basketball business.

You were teammates with so many great young German players. Was there a guy that had a big impact or influence on you?

I can´t pick just 1 player.

After 2 years in Frankfurt, you have returned back to an old stomping ground Vechta. Vechta has grown tremendously as an organization in the last years especially with developing young players. Did you see a bigger chance of getting minutes and developing further than remaining in Frankfurt?

Yes I do. That was a big reason why I returned to Vechta. The perspective for young players is better in Vechta. With Frankfurt the biggest thing is to win.

What are your biggest goals this season besides helping the team win? I´m sure you will get more Pro A minutes than in Frankfurt and in between get BBL minutes.

I will do whatever is asked of me. I will work very hard. My biggest motivation is always sky is the limit.

How excited are you to play with big German talent Johan Gurneloh before he leaves for bigger and better things? What do you like most about his game. His block shot strength and your athleticism and long arms could form a great duo on defense?

I have known him since a long time. He is a super big talent. It is crazy how well he has developed in the last 2 years. He is a great shot blocker and I like to paly pick and roll with him.

How excited are you to play for Hendrik Gruehn again? How have you seen him develop in last 2 years?

I´m really looking forward to work with him again. I´m so happy for his success. He has come such a long way with the NBBL team and then leading the Pro B team to the Pro A.

You played the last 2 years in Frankfurt. How did you grow as a player and a man in Frankfurt?

I became more mature and stable as a player. I learned a lot from Klaus Perwas especially on the defensive end. I learned effort over all. You can overcome mistakes with high effort.

You came to Frankfurt wanting to become a two way player. Did you achieve that?

Yes I think I have. I have gotten nearer to that goal and that will continue to be my card.

How tough was that first season in Frankfurt having to move down to the Pro A? What did you learn from that season?

It was a tough season. It was overburdening. I was injured and the overload with BBL and Pro B was too much for me. We practiced too much and that was a reason why I got injured. There was a lot of chaos. The second season was a lot better. There was more structure and rhythm that season.

You had the delight to be teammates with Quantez Robertson for a season. What is your nicest moment with him?

It was really cool to have a veteran like him around. I liked his motivational speeches most. He was always able to pick you up when we were down.

You helped Frankfurt reach the Pro A final. What was so special about this team?

We had a great bond. Everybody understood each other really well. I hadn´t really ever seen that before. We always had fun and were motivated. We were really together.

Last season in the pro A you averaged 7,0ppg and 1,8rpg in 15 minutes. I personally would have liked to have seen you have a bigger role. How do you summarize your season?

I saw my season as positive. I was really happy how I was able to come back from an operation and get integrated so well and play well. I would have liked to have a bigger role, but that is how it happened. I wouldn´t have changed it for anything.

Head coach Denis Wucherer stress defense. How did he help you become a better defender?

I got my minutes because of my defense. I had to give full energy and shut down the opponents best player

You had many wonderful games like against Paderborn, Jena and in the 2 final games against PS Karlsruhe. What was your fondest moment on the court?

My favorite moment was winning game 5 in Trier. That was a crazy game and just an unreal feeling winning the game. I also liked my game against Paderborn. Coming back from an injury and little practice and playing that well was a big moment.

How well will Germany do at the Olympics?

I obviously support Germany, but I don´t see them winning a medal. USA will win Gold. Canada Silver and France or Serbia bronze.

Thanks Justin for the chat.

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.

German Hoops

Covering Basketball In Germany!