Ty Cockfield Jr. (183-PG-1996, college: Arkansas St., agency: BIG) is a 183cm point guard that is playing his 4th professional season and first in Germany with Pro A team EPG Guardians Koblenz currently averaging 18,5ppg, 2,8rpg and 3,1apg and 1,3spg.. Last season he played with Proton Cable Prizreni (Kosovo-Superliga) averaging 18,2ppg, 4,5rpg, 4,8apg and 1,1spg. In 2021-2022 he played with KB Trepca Mitrovice (Kosovo-Superliga) averaging 15.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 3.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 25.5%, FT: 81.7%. He played his rookie season with at BSC Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers (Austria-2.Bundesliga) averaging 22.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 5.6apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 23.3%, FT: 87.0%. He began his basketball career at Johnson high school and then played at Stetson University (NCAA) averaging 7.1ppg, 1.9rpg, FGP: 45.0%, 3PT: 27.3%, FT: 83.3%. He then played at Georgia Highlands College (JUCO) averaging 16.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.2apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 49.4%, 3PT: 42.3%, FT: 78.1%. He then finished at Arkansas State University (NCAA) averaging 15.1ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 78.2% and in his senior year averaged 22.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 3.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 82.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Ty for talking to germanhoops.com. How did you experience Xmas in Germany in 2024?
It was pretty cool. We got a get together with all the import guys who didn´t have family here. We all brought food and had a great time together.
What was your coolest Xmas experience in Germany? Was it the Xmas markets? Most definitely the Christmas markets. I love how Germany celebrates the holidays. It seems like whenever there is a holiday, they celebrate it for the whole month. The way Germans celebrate holidays are dope and unique.
Koblenz has the incredible festival on Ehrenbreitstein with lights which I´m visiting tomorrow. Were you able to see that this year? I actually have not been there. But I hope to get there sometime tomorrow.
Congrats on getting a contract extension. You’re a guy that could play in many places and the Guardians are struggling. It isn´t self-evident that you resign. You must have a lot of love for this organization? I most definitely have a lot of love for the organization. I have a lot of love for Thomas Klein and the city. I have a great relationship to Thomas. As soon as he told me how I would fit in in the future of the club, it was a no brainer. I´m very happy here. It is a great environment.
I know Thomas Klein really adores your game. Did he have to do much convincing for you to stay?
Not to much convincing from his part. I want us to remain in the Pro A. At the moment, we are doing fine. We have to find a way to put it together.
The team is 5-9. Why is it so up and down?
It has to do with us. We are still trying to find our identity and how to put it all together. We want to make a run. If it isn´t enough for the playoffs, then we want to make a run to feel good. We want to make hard for teams to play us and at the same time have fun.
The crazy thing is that the 4 wins out of the 5 were difficult crunch time wins by not more than 4 points. You lost only one close game to Nurnberg at home. The team definitely knows how to win at the wire. The close wins we had are really a testament to how hard we work during the week. We really dig deep. Even in games where we lost, we worked hard during the week. We have not had more than 2 days in a row off this season. We feel comfortable when games go down to the wire.
The team had 2 very good defensive performances against PS Karlsruhe and against Tuebingen. But since the Tuebingen win, the team has averaged allowing 93 points per game in the last 3 weeks. Why is the team struggling so much on the defensive end? I think it´s all about guys trying to learn coaches philosophy. It isn´t easy for the younger players to adapt to his philosophy. Guys are attacking it and studying film. It´s all about us playing his and our game at the same time.
How have you seen the development of rookie Michael Bradley? Have you taken him under your wing? I have taken him under my wing. I try to give him as much wisdom as possible. I´m helping him with leading the team, finding his spots better and how to put his team in a better situation to win. I keep motivating him every day.
How have you seen the play of David Boehm and Ben Stevens? They bring important things to the team and are different players. Shouldn´t they be bringing more production to the team? Most definitely they can give more especially David. We can get more out of him. He is so versatile. He has a great game and has the opportunity to have a long career. We want both guys to step up as much as possible and capitalize off their games. Ben is a great guy and a real motor. He could get a few more rebounds and demand the ball more in the post.
Let´s talk about your game. Would you be more happy with your game if the team were in fourth or fifth place? Oh yes. I would be more happy if we were winning more. I´m not selfish. It´s not about me. The accolades look great, but I want to win more. I could average 15 points per game and be in third place. That would be amazing.
I personally think your leading the team really well, but the team is losing. How do you deal with your situation mentally. Your playing well and doing all you can for the team, but it still loses too much? I see myself as being 1 player on the team. I´m only human. If I get double and triple teamed, then other guys have to step up. Of course it is frustrating when you look good, but still not enough to win. Longevity is a goal of mine to help rebuild this program and see guys compliment me so I can blossom even more. I will bring even more to the team this season. I´m mentally strong. We are having growing pains at the moment. For me it´s about stacking great days, leading the guys and motivating them.
Your 4/25 shooting in the last 2 games. Does that gnaw at you mentally or is your self-confidence so huge that you know you will break out on Sunday against Artland?
I will Break out on Sunday. A shooting slump is part of the game. I had 8-9 great games and then 1-2 games where I struggled. I mean sometimes you have games where the shots just don´t fall even though I still got to my spots. I´m not worried at all. Sometimes, it does get in my head, but I´m still going to take the same shots.
Do you fear that clubs will scout you better in the second half of the season?
They already have. It began after the first game. The Pro A is a great league. Teams are already getting on me. Team´s best defender guard me every weekend. Teams are defending me hard and trying to get to my spots before I do. I´m an elite scorer and It´s my job to figure it out.
When the team is losing the way it is now, do you put more pressure on yourself pressuring yourself to have to do more? Yes I do. That is every elite player´s job. It´s only natural for guys like that to put pressure on themselves. When we lose, I put blame on myself and when we win, it´s always the team that did it. That is what a leader does.
The EPG Guardians next clash against the Artland Dragons. They have had a crazy season. They began on fire with 4 wins, but now are riding a 10 game losing streak. Is the team thinking too much now on their horrible season last season? Yes I think so. Guys got tight after some loses and the confidence went downhill. That changed their perspective about the league, I honestly think the Pro A is top 2 in the world in the 2nd divisions.
Do you feel like the EPG Guardians won´t underestimate them? You swept them last season. We won´t underestimate them. We lost 3 games in a row. I won´t let them underestimate them. We have to be us and fly around.
How much are you looking forward to battling pass first point guard Buzz Anthony? He leads the league in assists and steals.
These kind of matchups are always fun. I really strive for games like that. I have more fun in games like this. I don´t think that he will get so many steals.
The Artland Dragons have a talented offensive team, but no identity on defense. What will be key to getting the win?
We have to attack. We play defense. We have to put our offense together. I will be in attack mode and bring team with me. We will be aggressive on both sides of the ball.
Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners continue to be on a mission as their winning ways continue as they were sprouting an excellent 6-0 record. They have been successful with good team basketball led by their trio of Crnjac, Omog and Edoka. But they knew that if they wanted to take their unbeaten streak into Christmas, they would have to get by the Niners Chemnitz again. Last weekend, the 2 clubs had met in Chemnitz where Frankfurt escaped with a thrilling 95-93 victory where Ivan Crnjac (203-F-2007) led the charge with 21 points. Despite the Niners Chemnitz having a 3-4 record, Frankfurt couldn´t underestimate them and had to be on their A game to continue their winning streak. Frankfurt was without Namori Omog while Chemnitz was without 3 key players. On a mild Sunday afternoon in Frankfurt, history was made as German shooting star Ivan Crnjac had a perfect game going 12/12 from the field and 3/3 from the free throw powering Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners past the Niners Chemnitz Academy 114-90. “Ivan was in a little shooting slump, but it was only a phase. He is an outstanding shooter. He has that quick high release and just knows how to shoot”, stressed Skyliners Juniors head coach Sepher Tarrah. But it wasn´t only Crnjac who sparkled, but the whole team came together and had an amazing offensive game shooting out the lights. Frankfurt let up on the defensive end in the second half, but a win is all that matters in the end. “In the first half, we hit everything. It was crazy. It is only normal that a team won´t have as much focus and energy after a first half like that. I still think that we played well. I´m really proud of the team”, stressed Frankfurt forward Ivan Crnjac. Then Niners Chemnitz Academy stepped up their game in the second half outscoring Frankfurt 49-43 and showed real heart never giving up and playing hard until the end. “We let Frankfurt catch their rhythm to quickly at the start. Their quick start decided the game early. That hurt us mentally. We have to come out with more pride and play together more. We played with more pride in the second half. We gave up too many open three´s. We have to do a better job closing out and helping on rotations”, added Niners Chemnitz Academy Academy player Daniel Duhajsky.
Maximillian Peters with the lay in
In the first quarter Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners exploded for an incredible 41 points while Niners Chemnitz Academy Academy mustered only 22 points which would have looked normal in almost any other kind of circumstance. Frankfurt got off to a rapid start leading 7-2 as Ivan Crnjac added 5 points. The Niners Chemnitz Academy stayed tough and tied the game at 7-7 with a bucket from Duhajsky and a trey from Chris Wahren. But Frankfurt were just getting started as they exploded on a 21-6 run to lead very comfortably 28-13. In the run Frankfurt continued to play great team basketball as the duo of Crnjac and Julius Messer added 8 points apiece and 2 three´s a piece. Frankfurt was defending aggressively getting stops which heighted their self confidence for their offensive sets. Frankfurt didn´t let up and continued to execute excellent at both ends of the court. Frankfurt continued to share the ball nicely as Maximillian Peters scored as did Julius Messer and Crnjac added 4 more points. The Frankfurt bench also stepped up as German Finley Pruever made a steal and transition basket. It would have looked a lot worse for Chemnitz, but talented Luca Kellig added 6 points late to give them a bit of energy. “Frankfurt gave a real offensive firework. After a while you had the feeling of not knowing who scored as so many scored. We had great ball movement and the bench stepped up. Many guys on the bench would start for other teams”, stated Fraport Skyliners Juniors head coach Sepehr Tarrah. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot an overwhelming 85% from the field and 75% from outside and had 5 rebounds and 2 turnovers while The Niners Chemnitz Academy shot 62% from the field and 40% from outside and had 3 rebounds and 5 turnovers.
Luca Kellig at the FT line
In the second quarter Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners didn´t score as dominantly as in the first quarter, but tightened up their defense allowing only 17 points and led 71-41 at half-time. Ivan Crnjac was 7/7 in the first quarter and in the second quarter began quickly hitting his shots making 3 more shots to be 10/10 at the break. He made a left handed hook and 2 reverse layups where the team displayed incredible unselfishness as the extra pass was the sixth man. Lennard Glowka added 2 baskets, but Frankfurt still had the immense 51-29. It seemed like almost anything Frankfurt attempted to do on offense worked. Everybody got minutes and gave their 2 cents in the win. Role player Chris Widmer who usually doesn´t get many minutes made a runner and finished with 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 14 minutes. “I respect Chris´s game a lot. He brings great energy from the bench and has good basketball qualities. He is a very good teammate”, stressed Ivan Crnjac. Greek player Konstantinos Kapetanakis gave Frankfurt additional energy from the bench with a trey to give Frankfurt the 56-30 advantage. He finished with 7 points and 2 dimes in 11 minutes. “He is a real hustler. He defends the way how Greek players do in Greece. He is a very aggressive defender. He needs to find more calmness though as a point guard. But he just came back from an injury”, stated Ivan Crnjac. Frankfurt continued to execute well, but so did The Niners Chemnitz Academy Academy, but they couldn´t get over the hump. Frankfurt got 2 more baskets from Julius Messer, but also additional support from the bench as Pruever nailed a trey, Widmer a lay in and Fabrice Heberer made free throws. “We got many easy baskets. I would estimate somewhere around 40 of the 71 were easy baskets. I feel like the 41 points were ok in a game that had a high tempo and many possessions”, stated Sephehr Tarrah. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 77% from the field and 69% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 4 turnovers while The Niners Chemnitz Academy shot 45% from the field and 36% from the three point line and had 11 rebounds and 8 turnovers.
Fabrice Heberer from downtown
In the third quarter The Niners Chemnitz Academy had their strongest quarter outscoring Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners 26-20, but still trailed 91-67 after 3 quarters. Frankfurt got real hot going on a massive 14-2 run to have the overwhelming 85-43 lead. In the run, Jamie Edoka hit a trey while Messer made a lay in on transition while Ivan Crnjac added 9 points with 2 three´s and three free throws. It would be the last points and shots that Ivan Crnjac would take on this night. His incredible stat line was 33 points in 19 minutes at that point. “I feel great with this perfect game. It was my first in my career. It gives me added self-confidence that I really need now. I had been in a shooting slump during the last few Pro B games. I´m really relived to shoot so well. A perfect game is best for the self-confidence. I actually had a bad feeling going in as my index finger was tapped as some skin had rubbed off before the game. I was taking all my shots using my last 3 fingers and not my index finger pushing off. But it worked in my favor”, smiled Ivan Crnjac. That was about all the offense that Frankfurt would display in the third quarter as The Niners Chemnitz Academy took a page from Frankfurt´s excellent execution closing out the third quarter with a lethal 24-6 run to trail only by 24 points after 3 quarters. In the run, the guests got solid production from many sides as their team basketball sparkled. Chris Wahren added 6 points with 2 three´s while Glowka added 5 points while the Alfons brother chipped in with 7 points. “Our intensity went down. We began well with a big run, but then just lost our intensity. The whole team let up on defense. We were unconcentrated. We had the win wrapped up in our minds. I wish we could of finished the game better, but that is part of the game”, warned Ivan Crnjac. “We did a good job sticking together and trusting each other. We just stuck to the game plan and hit more shots. With more points, our confidence rose”, added Daniel Duhajsky. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 71% from the field and 63% from the parking lot and had 24 rebounds and 9 turnovers while The Niners Chemnitz Academy Shot 50% from the field and 36% from the parking lot and had 18 rebounds and 10 turnovers.
Alfons Milatz with the drive
In the fourth quarter both teams executed well on offense, but The Niners Chemnitz Academy couldn´t make any ground as both teams swapped 23 points apiece. The guests began quickly getting 2 baskets from Duhajsky and 1 from Glowka, but Julius Messer slowed down some of that energy nailing back to back three´s giving Frankfurt some extra leverage leading 97-73. Messer has been back a few weeks after a long injury, but he has needed no adjustment time as he finished with 26 points in 25 minutes. “He is a very interesting player. He is a real athlete. He has a good combination between strength and quickness. He is a 3 level scorer”, stated Sepher Tarrah. After German Noah Spindler hit a trey, it was Jamie Edoka who hit the 101 points and has donuts duty for the team. He continued to be aggressive adding a three pointer and dunk for the 106-84 lead. Down the stretch, Spindler added another trey as did Fabrice Heberer. It was a game where offense ruled as a total of 204 points were produced. Ivan Crnjac played 4 plus minutes in the fourth quarter but attempted no shots to remain perfect. “I didn´t want to force anything at the end. I let other guys take over”, stated Ivan Crnjac. “We wanted to finish with pride. We defended a lot better and just finished strong”, stated Daniel Duhajsky. “We weren´t in the game anymore. We made many turnovers not from their defense, but our offense. We played for ourselves”, added Ivan Crnjac. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners were led by Ivan Crnjac with 33 points. Julius Messer added 26 points while Jamie Edoka had 23 points, 12 boards and 5 assists while The Niners Chemnitz Academy were led by Lennard Glowka with 21 points. Daniel Duhajsky added 20 points and Luca Kellig 16 points. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 69% from the field and 62% from outside and had 33 rebounds and 14 turnovers while The Niners Chemnitz Academy shot 52% from the field and 37% from outside and had 22 rebounds and 13 turnovers.
How often does one hear about rich athletes going from the top of the mountain down to the gutter with losing their whole fortune that they made playing the game that they love. In the NBA, there have been those amazing players like an Antoine Walker, Vin Baker and Glen Rice who made millions, but then lost it all. Fortunately for them all have recovered and have found a way to get back into society and turn their lives around for them. A very good majority of professional players overseas will never make millions before their playing careers are over, but they also have to know how to handle their money while playing and have some sort of plan b ready when the day comes when they hang up their sneakers. One of those guys is Jacob Polakovich (208-C-2000, college: S.Indiana). He hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan and has parents that have separate business´s that are flourishing. His late dad Jimmy owned a restaurant called South Side Jimmy´s while his mom started up a flower market. Having such ambitious parents like that can steer a son in that direction one day. Their direction helped him decide to pursue a management degree at the Romain college of Business at the University of Southern Indiana. There is a good chance he will go into the family business, but if he had a choice to start his own business, he would know exactly which kind it would be. “If I started another business, I would want to open an animal shelter or some business where I can help give animals and dogs specifically better homes”, stressed Jacob Polakovich. He is only in his second professional season and still has a long playing career ahead of him, but he understands now that he has to be prepared one day to be a business man. “I think that the most important thing is to work on maintaining and creating connections with people. In most situations you will learn more and have more opportunities from knowing the right people and through having a positive reputation. I also try to learn where I can from reading different books and talking to people who have jobs that interest me”, warned Jacob Polakovich.
Jacob Polakovich who lists ex Auburn (NCAA) player Jabari Smith as his toughest opponent in school was born on May 1st, 2000 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He began his basketball career at Catholic Central high school and then played at the University of Indianapolis (NCAA) from 2018-2020 amassing a total of 55 games. In his freshman season he averaged 2,3ppg and 3,4 boards in 8 minutes, but then made a drastic jump to 18 minutes and averaged 8,4ppg and 6,5rpg in his second season. There was a distinct reason for his why his game was propelled to new heights. “The biggest thing for me between those two seasons was getting into better physical condition. I lost. 15 pounds and came back a better, faster, and stronger version of myself”, remembered Jacob Polakovich. He hit Mckendree for 16 points and UMSL for 15 points while having a massive 14/14 performance against Maryville, MO. Despite making a jump in his second season, he transferred to the University of Southern Indiana following his coaches John Spruance and Stan Gouard. He proved there that he could adjust from division 2 to division 1. In his 2 seasons there he averaged 11.5ppg, 11.3rpg, FGP: 61.7% and as a senior 12.2ppg, 12.8rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 55.9%, FT: 51.4%. “I think that my game grew after moving up a division because I was playing with a chip on my shoulder. I had no Division 1 offers coming out of high-school even though I knew I was good enough to play at that level, and took every game as an opportunity to prove that to myself”, stressed Jacob Polakovich. He had many stellar games like having a 27/10 game in the exciting 82-81 win over UALR or 27 points/26 rebounds in the tight win over Semo or a 28/12 game in a win over UIS. “The best memory I have from NCAA 2 was being named the 1 seed in the NCAA tournament my sophomore year. I really do believe that we would have won the national championship that season if covid never happened”, added Jacob Polakovich. He had 5 games with 20 or more rebounds in his senior year and understood what it took to be able to achieve such wild stats. “I think that’s a testament to my work ethic and extremely high motor. Ever since I remember, I was never the fastest or most athletic player on the court so I learned at a young age that if I was able to use a combination of strength and an extremely high motor, I would be able to affect the game in ways that other players don’t necessarily want to. I truly believe that the best way to make a large impact on the game is to do all of the little things the right way. And one of those little things is chasing after every single missed shot and loose ball with 100% intensity”, warned Jacob polakovich. Who knows how his game might have developed further under a different coaching staff, but being able to play for the same coaches for 4 years had a massive impact on him on and off the court. “I could not put a price on the impact Coach Gouard, Spruance, and Aldridge had on not only my career, but also my development as a young man. They invested so much time and energy into me and dreams, and I can honestly say that I would not be anywhere near the player I am today without them. They taught me that if I had the right commitment and work ethic, I can play at any level and be effective”, warned Jacob Polakovich who remembers beating teammate Nick Hittle in 1-1 battles in practice..
The Michigan native who lists Jimmy king, Jordache Mavunga, Jelani Simmons, Marcus Bingham, and Austin Braun as his 5 best teammates of all-time began his professional career overseas with Moncada Energy Agrigento (Italy-Serie A2) averaging 10.1ppg, Reb-1 (10.8rpg), 1.1apg, FGP: 56.4%, FT: 46.2%. It is never easy making the transition from your comfort zone in school to being on your own overseas and every guy has their own wake up call to being a rookie. “I remember when we went through a stretch early where we lost a handful of games in a row, and I did not play near the level that I know I am capable of. I found myself constantly beating myself up and stressing about how my play would affect my future, instead of being thankful for the position I had put myself in to play professional basketball in the first place. Once I reminded myself that I was living out the dream that I had worked so hard to achieve, I found myself playing better and enjoying myself much more too”, commented Jacob Polakovich. He scored in double figures 20 times and registered 16 double doubles. He had a monster game against Milano Riana of 16/24, but wasn´t totally content with his own effort. “Directly after, I was disappointed in myself after that game for the way I played defensively, and it really felt like a game that we had won until some mistakes at the end. Looking back though I think that that game was a great testament to the style of basketball I play, and the way that I am able to affect the game through my strength and energy”, expressed Jacob Polakovich. Making bonds right away with teammates is always beneficial in helping with the adjustment as he witnessed with fellow big man Mait Peterson. “Mait and I both had a lot of similarities in our playstyles and became good friends off the court as well. The main way we made each other better in practice every day was by playing as physical as possible every single day”, added Jacob Polakovich.
The rebound monster who lists Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Micheal Jordan, Shaquille O´Neal, and Tim Duncan on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is playing his second professional season with the Bakken Bears Aarhus (Denmark-BasketLigaen). He hasn´t regretted making this decision to move to Denmark. “So far, it has been an amazing experience to play at such a historical club. You can tell that the culture here runs deep from talking to everybody involved with the club at every level; from those that work in the offices, to the coaches and players. The most enjoyable part of playing for Bakken has been competing in European competition through the ENBL, and seeing how we match up with top teams from other countries. I have learned to love how much Denmark, and Aarhus specifically, has felt so similar to home. There are obviously days where I am homesick and missing family, but the people here have been so welcoming that I really do enjoy my time here”, said Jacob Polakovich. The organization has won an incredible 33 titles and they are simply used to winning. “Being a part of such a historical task comes with a lot of pressures to win and perform, however I think what makes Bakken so successful is the ways they are able to truly make it feel like one big family. No player or staff member is treated above another, and we are all a unit working towards the same final goal; two championships. I feel that I have been able to learn a lot about my game since arriving here, and will only learn more from all of the great basketball minds around me before the season comes to an end”, stated Jacob Polakovich. He has amazing teammates especially with veterans Urald King and Skyler Bowlin who could tell him some tales from the German culture and it´s basketball. “Urald has already had a huge impact on me and the way I see the game. He is another person similar to Skyler in the way that they are both great players, but even better people. I try my best to constantly ask both of them questions and try to take the opportunity to learn where I can, because I hope to have similar careers to both of them. Playing with Skyler has been a great opportunity to learn how to be a better leader on and off the court. He has helped me realize just how much your reputation off the court matters to help boost your career, and when you look at the success he has had; it proves that”, stressed Jacob Polakovich. He may only be in his second professional season, but he has enough experience to help young Danish player Andreas Holst with his game. “Andreas is a special young talent. Even in the few months I have been here, I have seen him improve at very fast rate. I think that he has the chance to be an amazing player, especially after a couple more years of development. The main way I try to help him develop is by trying to be physical with him, and teaching him to be more physical with others”, added Jacob Polakovich.
The ex Indianapolis (NCAA) center who lists Lebron James as his GOAT and believes that the classic Coming To America flick with Eddie Murphy should have been left alone is a center that would compare his game to a Domantas Sabonas mainly because of how physical he is and because he plays with a high motor. He has shown no difficulty coming from Italy and being consistent in the Danish league having 11/6 stats in 20 minutes and 11/7 stats in the ENBL. “My role on this team is to be an enforcer on the inside, and to bring a different level of physicality and energy every minute I am on the floor. I think that when I am attacking the glass hard and exploiting mismatches, I am helping the team in the best way I can”, warned Jacob Polakovich. He is so much more than just a scorer and rebounder, but also has that playmaking skills in his game. “I think that I am a much better passer than my Assist numbers show. I am a very confident passer playing out of short rolls and post ups, and feel that I am underrated in that aspect”, stressed Jacob Polakovich. On the defensive end, he is a player that can affect the game in other ways than just registering many steals and blocks. “Defensively I do think that I affect the game positively in different ways. Mainly as a rebounder, but also through my physical presence inside the paint. I think that although I don’t block a lot of shots or make a lot of steals, I play with an energy and intensity that most players do not match”, stated Jacob Polakovich. He is continuing to develop, but at the same time also improving his game at both ends. “ The main thing I am working on this season is my perimeter defense for sure. I want to become a player who can defend all positions, and think that I am slowly improving at that aspect. The other thing that I have been trying to incorporate in my game this season is an outside shot. It is something that I have been working at on my own, and think that I have the ability to be great at”, warned Jacob Polakovich. In the ENBL, he is battling against Bamberg, a team that once belonged to the best clubs in the easyCredit BBL. He is aware of how much respected the BBL is. “The main thing I know about the Bundesliga is that it is one of the most competitive basketball leagues in the world. From the top of the league to the bottom, every team has an extremely high level of talent. I think that it will be a great test not only for the team, but I am excited to also test myself against such a high level team”, said Jacob Polakovich. It will be interesting to see how his game continues to develop. Who knows, he may pull a Skyler Bowlin. Back In the 2015-2016 season, Skyler Bowlin suited up with the Sodertalje Kings (Sweden-Basketligan) and hit Frankfurt with 18 points in a Fiba Europe Cup game. Head coach Denis Wucherer witnessed him and signed him for the next season with Pro A team Giessen. Bowlin was an instrumental part in the team moving up to the BBL a season later. Who knows, maybe one day we will see Jacob Polakovich battling bigs in the easyCredit BBL.
Erol Ersek (194-SF-1999) is a 25 year old 194cm guard from Austria playing his first season with the MLP Academics Heidelberg (BBL). He played the last 3 seasons for the Tigers Tuebingen. He began his basketball career in Austria with the Vienna DC Timberwolves and also spent a year in USA at Pacific Grove High School, Pacific Grove, California. He played in the FC Bayern Munich organization from 2016-2021. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the massive 69-67 win over top team rastiopharm Ulm.
Congrats Erol on the huge 69.67 win over ratiopharm Ulm. You and the MLP Academics are in first place. How crazy is that?
It is crazy. Especially seeing all the feedback on social media. But we also know that the season isn´t even half over yet. This is indeed a super feeling. We have to enjoy it.
Is Heidelberg a city that will go crazy after a win like that and having first place? The fans here are obviously very excited. Last season wasn´t a great one so the excitement is obvious. The fan support is super.
If someone had told you in September that shortly before Christmas the MLP Academics would be in first place what would you have thought? I would of never believed it. I had a lot of confidence in this team already in pre-season. I thought that we had a good group of guys, but having this kind of success is great.
I know that this is a tough question, but how cool would a ULM-Heidelberg final be in June 2025?
That would be cool. But we know that is very far away and a lot has to happen. Ulm always has a great atmosphere and it is a great derby, but way too early to talk about things like that.
Let´s talk about the game. With what kind of a mindset did you go into the game? Ulm was on a 5 game winning streak and you had lost against MBC allowing 100 points?
That is correct. The loss against MBC was tough. I think that we found ourselves again last week in practice. We went into the game knowing that we had to play aggressive, play together and believe in our system. We were definitely very excited to play against a great team in a cool arena. We were definitely very motivated.
At halftime ratio Ulm had the comfortable 48-33 lead. You had allowed 20 points in the first quarter, but 28 points in the second quarter. Defense is a big part of the Academics identity, but we all know has been inconsistent this season. What was key defensively that allowed Ulm to explode in the second quarter? We made too many defensive mistakes. We had problems getting over screens. Ulm did a good job stepping up their game a bit more and delivered a lot of pressure on us and forced us to turnovers. That helped them get out on transition.
How was the mood in the locker room? I can imagine Danny Jansson wasn´t pleased. What did he tell the team? He wasn´t happy, but was able to wake us up. He just told us to play our game and not let them dictate it. He also told us that we were only down 15 minutes which wasn´t the world. He was loud, but gave us energy.
He must have had the right words as Heidelberg allowed only 19 points in the second half. That is incredible. What adjustments did the team make on the defensive end? We were more aggressive and just smarter with the mismatches. We knew that they have very good individual class with great shooters and drivers like Karim Jallow. We were also more aggressive as a team. We got great support from Michael Weathers on the defensive end. His great play sparked us. He put great pressure on them and had 5 steals.
The MLP Academics went on a little run. Do you believe that the team aspect was able to get into the focus in the third quarter? Many guys stepped up. Yes the team aspect was huge. That is a great strength of ours. We have some great scorers with Mikesell and Horne, but many other solid scorers. We have much versatility on the scoring end
What did head coach Danny Jansson tell the team down 60-50 after 3 quarters to do going forward in the fourth quarter? He told us that we were only down 10 points, 5 less than at the break. He just told us to keep playing our game and keep the energy up.
Heidelberg went on a lethal 13-0 run a to lead 63-60 and Ulm didn´t get their first points until the 3,11 minute mark. Do you feel like they were challenged mentally with that run? The momentum changed in our favor. I feel like it affected them mentally.
In the last minute Barcello and Horne nailed clutch 3 pointers to seal the win. What was the biggest strength on this night? Our biggest strength in the game was us sticking together and pushing each other forward and having great energy. When somebody does something great, then 10 guys will tell you it´s nice. That pushes you forward.
What was your impression of Ulm´s 2 big talents Saraf and Essengue who most likely will get drafted by NBA teams. Are these guys that much better than guys like Yourself, Weideman or Vrcic back in the day when you were youth players?
They are both very young and have great quality. They didn´t have their best games, but you can´t await that from young players. The potential is huge for both.
How special is it always playing against your ex teammate Nelson Weidemann who won the 2017 NBBL title with you and FC Bayern Munich. How potential does he still have now? We were teammates for a long time and were roommates. It is always nice to see him. I´m happy for his situation in Ulm. He is playing a good season and has a cool role. I know what he can do. He is a hard worker and very disciplined.
You were top scorer of the team with 14 points. It was your best scoring game of the season. Was it extra special because of beating top team Ulm?
Yes it was. It feels even better with a win and then being able to celebrate. I had a good start with shots falling. I felt good and it was nice to see my shot falling early.
How happy were you with your game? You had 14 points in 22 minutes and were very efficient. I was happy with my game. I made my first 3 shots and after that Danny drew up some plays for me. My teammates looked for me. I got more room with Horne and Mikesell driving.
This was a big win. The next opponent is Bamberg. This is the Christmas game at home. Bamberg is playing well as of late having beat Alba Berlin and Bonn. What will be key to winning? We just have to play our game and be aggressive and stick together no matter who we play.
Who won a 1-1 in 2017 and who wins today you or Nelson Weidemann? We played often. I don´t remember who won more, but I will always take myself.
It is always a delight meeting another Miles in life. I mean Miles is a very rare name. Sometimes it is written Myles, but I actually have come across more names written Miles. It is even nicer when I meet a basketball player that shares my name. This season there is a new player balling in the German Pro A with the Tigers Tuebingen called Miles Tention (196-G-1999, college: St.Anselm). He like me hasn´t come across many Miles´s either in his life, so his response to meeting another Miles was just as enriching. “Oh another Miles great. I think I’ve met 3 other Miles’ ever, Miles Byrd who is a family friend, our dads coached together and he is currently playing college basketball at San Diego State University. One of my girlfriend’s family friends is a Miles, and finally Miles Simon, who I last knew was the coach of the South Bay Lakers – LA Lakers G League affiliate. He’s actually who I got the name Miles from, my dad coached at University of Arizona where Miles Simon won a national championship and was national player of the year”, stated Miles Tention. He has found his calling with basketball while I found my calling in my teenage years with running. Even before I began running, I heard that annoying line so often growing up with “your running for miles and miles or I can see for Miles and Miles”. Now when I look back on those days, I chuckle. I run almost everyday and I literally run for miles and miles and love it. Tention also heard his share of lines from people about his unique first name. “ That´s funny because same, run for miles and miles, or it´s only a miles long. (about 6 ½ feet) and my last name being Tention I also got some Attention jokes growing up”, remembered Miles Tention. For now Miles Tention is in Tuebingen to do his running on the court and try to help the Tigers Tuebingen reach the easyCredit BBL again.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber doing a training run around the Alster lake in Hamburg, Germany
Miles Tention who has seen his array of incredible players on the court and battled guys like Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trailblazers, and during the summer having worked out or played open gym with Jeremy Lin who´s a Palo Alto High School Alum, Jordan Poole, or Andre Iguodala was born on March 21st, 1999 in beautiful Palo Alto, California. He began his basketball career at Palo Alto high school and then spent a year in Connecticut at the ST Thomas More school. He then traded the beautiful pacific ocean and sun for the beautiful mountains of New Hampshire playing at Saint Anselm College (NCAA2). “New Hampshire was great to me, a totally different feel than Palo Alto, but getting able to experience four seasons, getting there in summer, playing through Fall and Winter, and then enjoying the spring before going home made years feel long. But that isn’t a bad thing because I loved campus, living with my teammates and playing for my coach”, remembered Miles Tention. In his freshman year he averaged 5.5ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 40.4%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 79.4%, but really took off in his last 3 seasons averaging 14/3/3 stats. His shooting was incredible as he averaged 44% from downtown in those 3 years. He helped the school win the Northeast title in 2020 and 2023. “Personally I think 2023 was sweeter for me, going into that season there were a lot of questions and doubts about what to expect from our team having lost some key players in 2022. So I knew that I was ready to step into that role of leading the team and being the oldest guy, we had a group of guys who mostly were inexperienced so to be able to pack our gym for the conference tournament, win something as a group and get to see those young guys all see what it takes, how hard it is, and how fulfilling it is to win a championship really felt special to me. Not that 2020 wasn’t another amazing experience, I just think the doubt from the outside and proving them wrong and proving myself right was extra sweet”, stressed Miles Tention. In his last 3 years, he scored in double figures in 51 of 84 games including 35 points against Bentley and 30 points against S Conn.” So many moments at Saint Anselm that I’ll keep with me for the rest of my life, and it´s hard to choose one. Besides winning 3 championships during my time there, 35 points at home against Bentley my senior year, one of the few games each year my family got to come watch in person, also scored my 1000th point that game, and really carried a majority of the offense that game for our team, was a special one for me”, said Miles Tention. His game grew and matured under the guidance of head coach Keith Dickson for whom he will always be grateful to. “Coach Dickson is a realist, a straight shooter, so he’s going to tell you how he feels, what he wants, when you do good or when you do bad. Under him I learned how much goes into winning a basketball game, how important it is to play together, believe in yourself and believe in one another. He really showed me and everyone what it means to be together, be a family on and off the court, and trust the work. He had been so successful for so long, and I just wanted to come in and continue that, and starting as a freshman and learning as much as I could until I was a senior and then passing that down to the guys below me was an experience that gave me so much gratitude”, added Miles Tention. He even had the pleasure of being teammates with German Elias Rodl who´s dad is German basketball legend Hendrik Rodl and won the NCAA title in 1993 with North Carolina “I only got to play with Elias for one season but still talk to him every week and he’s like a younger brother to me. So many memories around school, in the dorms together, eating together and I love the kid. He faced some challenges coming over from Europe to the States but seeing him keep his head down and keep working extremely hard was motivational for me as I came from California which was a long way away but he was even changing countries. He’s a heck of a shooter and can really score the ball in a variety of ways and a great competitor. He’s fearless, and a true competitor and really wants to learn and get better on the court, so I can’t wait to watch him play at Brandeis”, expressed Miles Tention who remembers getting the best of Matt Becker in 1-1 battles. Some honors that he got there were All-Northeast-2010 Third Team -2020, All-Northeast-2010 Second Team -2022 and Northeast-10 All-Tournament Team -2023
The California native who lists Tim Guers, Tyler Arbuckle, Christopher Paul, Gustav Suhr-Jessen, and Matt Relihan as his best teammates of all-time began his overseas career last season with Frederick Achilleas Kaimakliou (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) averaging 15.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 4.4apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 75.9%. Coming from California to Cyprus may not have been a shock with the weather, but there were other factors that weighed in heavily with the adjustment period. “Outside of basketball for sure when they gave us a car in Cyprus and we drove on the left side of the road with the steering wheel on the right side of the car was the initial shock to no longer being at home or anywhere close to home. Along with being in the locker room and talking to players or coach one minute and the next minute their speaking Cypriot and I have no idea what they are saying. On the court, I think the wake up call was joining a team where most the guys have never played with one another before. In college I was at the same school for 5 years so the only turnover was seniors graduating and freshman coming in along with an occasional transfer, but a majority of the team stays the same year to year. Where in Europe you have a team with guys of wide range of age, most of which have never played together, so having to learn how everyone plays, guys strengths and weaknesses all while trying to build some chemistry was a wake up call”, remembered Miles Tention. His best scoring games in Cyprus included 25 points against Apop and 23 points against Etha. This season, he is playing his second professional season in Germany with the Tigers Tuebingen and has no complaints about the experience. “This organization feels pretty special or unique, the group of guys that the team has brought together along with everyone from coaching to managers to people behind the scenes are all extremely welcoming, close knit, caring. The team is already connected and closer than most other teams if not all other teams in this league even only being together for about 2 months. The whole organization supports one another and wants the best and I truly couldn’t be more grateful for how caring everyone is from top to bottom. On the court we play together, we want to see one another succeed just as much as we individually want to succeed. We play for one another and I think we are just at the beginning of that too”, said Miles Tention. After a season in the first division, the Tigers have moved back down to the Pro A. The Challenge of helping them move back up was big on his list of coming. “Being in this league, with the professionalism of a team who has proven they can be promoted to the BBL was definitely a reason for coming. Hearing nothing but good things about the club’s structure and organization, as well as getting on the phone with Coach Dominek Reinboth and hearing how he wanted to run the team, what his philosophies were and who he is as a person, it made the decision to want to come here pretty easy. My agent Mario Scotti also had very high praise and was reassuring me the high level the team would be at, along with being able with Kenny Cooper, another player in my agency who I knew was highly talented”, said Miles Tention. Being able to play for a great coach like Reinboth and be teammates with the ultimate leader Marvin Heckel has been enticing and enjoyable. ”Coach is one of if not the most detailed oriented people I’ve ever been around. And that´s on and off the court, his offense really allows us to play to our strengths, we have a lot of talent on the team and it´s not always easy to manage when you have a lot of capable players. That being said he has taken time to learn all of us as people and players and put us in positions to thrive. His offense isn’t fixed and rigid, he gives us some structure and then gives the responsibility to us to make the plays and go out there and perform. Defensively he has made it clear what he wants the identity of the team to be from the first conversation that I had with him, and he has really gotten everyone to buy in. We play hard, we play aggressive, and we play fast, and it´s a great feeling knowing that you can give it everything you have, and when you need a breather the guy who comes in next is going to do the exact same. His philosophies make sense, they are well thought out, and everything that we do has a reason for why we are doing it. And he holds everyone including himself accountable, like I said he is extremely detail oriented and can´t emphasize that enough to us that one step, one foot, one hand can make the entire difference and I’ve tried to take everything he says to heart and live with the results. Marvin! Marvin is just an A+ person. There isn’t a negative thing you could say about him, he leads by example for sure, works extremely hard on the court, in the weight room. He’s a true professional when it comes to his preparation and making sure he is always taking care of his body which I’ve tried to learn and copy as much as I can. He’s a very calming presence on the court, level headed, mindful, and I’ve really enjoyed competing against and with him everyday”, commented Miles Tention.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Miles Tention in Koblenz on Dcember 1st, 2024
The versatile player that lists Lebron James, Steph Curry, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is a player that watched Andre Iguodala most of his life and would compare his game best to Donte DiVincenzo. “Like most players I’ve grown up watching the NBA, going in the back yard and practicing moves or shots that I saw on TV. Andre Iguodala, who my dad coached in college and I’m lucky enough to know and feels like a much older brother. His selflessness, willingness to adapt to his situation, desire to make his team better, effort on defense is someone I would say I’ve learned or tried to take the most from his game. But his athleticism is something special that I can’t say I possess, however I would say I’m a better shooter. Donte DiVincenzo is a good comparison to my game, an athletic guard who can really play defense, handle the ball, and shoot it at a high rate. but I’ve always struggled at who my NBA comparison would be so please if you have any ideas let me know”, said Miles Tention. His shooting is possibly his biggest strength, but what a joy to have versatility just as potent in one´s game. “Versatility is huge for me, and really just trying to do whatever my team needs to win. And for most people that is scoring as much but I know how much goes into winning a game. So being able to score, defend, set my teammates up or make plays for guys, space the court, push the pace and push the ball in transition, control the pace of the game, know the offense, know defensive scenes are all things that go into winning and I try to do at a high level. There are 10 guys on the court at all times and only one ball, so growing up my parents instilled in me that, “what are you doing to help your team win if you aren’t scoring.” Being a taller guard, I love that I can bring the ball up, play off the ball, guard a team’s best player, hold my own in the post, and I think that really increases my value as a player”, warned Miles Tention. His shooting percentages were incredible in the NCAA and he has a special mentality that has helped him be successful. “I’ve never really focused on trying to shoot a certain percentage, I mean being a 40%+ 3 point shooter definitely means that you can shoot the ball well, but for me I want to be a threat at all times, a good bit of my offensive game stems from being a threat to shoot the ball, setting me up for long closeouts, spacing the court, making shots over defenders. So I think my mentality is understanding that I can shoot it at a high clip, and get as many good looks as I can over the course of a game, because percentages point to that making my team successful. And I know how many hours I’ve put in working on the art of shooting, so I always believe my shot is going in no matter where I take it from”, said Miles Tention. He has so many other assets on the court besides shooting out the lights. “I love defending, being a pest, being hard to score against. I think I’ve been around the game my entire life with my dad being a college coach, mom being my travel coach, so I would like to think I have a high basketball IQ. Whether that’s making sure everyone is involved on offense, knowing when to push the ball or slowing things down and controlling the game is definitely a strength. And also I like to think I’m a natural leader. Another thing my parents said was “don’t be a follower be a leader” and that can come in different forms in basketball. Whether that’s making sure I’m always setting the tone and bringing energy to games and practice, always working hard and giving it my all when I’m on the court, talking and making sure everyone is on the same page are all ways I can lead besides trying to be the best player on the court”, expressed Miles Tention. But it won´t only be his offensive game that will shine, but also his defensive game. “I think right now I’m a good defender, my size allows me to guard shorter guards, and I contest a lot of shots both on the perimeter and at the basket. I can guard wings, in the post I try to make it as hard as I can for bigs. I put a lot of preparation in to learn players and their strengths and weaknesses. Learn what kind of shots they like and don’t like and play to that. I want to be a great defender or all league defender. And that comes with experience, learning from Coach and taking what he has to say and applying that, gaining some weight to be more physical and stand up to forwards and really rebound better. But I think I’m on my way to becoming the defender that I want to be”, commented Miles Tention. As a rookie, your always grinding in the gym in order to get better. “I think I can improve all parts of my game, but I think playing lower to the ground is something that stands out for me, both on offensive it will let me be more explosive, have better ball security, and be able to make decisions faster, and then on defensive it’ll allow me to stay in front of the ball even better, get more steals because my hands are in a better position, and overall be harder to score on. Working on finishes around the rim, over people, through contact, changing up my finishes with floaters, stride stops, off one leg, dunks is another area I definitely see myself improving as the year goes on”, warned Miles Tention. The Tigers Tuebingen will play with Jena and Trier and some other teams to move up to the easyCredit BBL. Miles Tention will play a big role with the Tigers to get back. I don´t know if he will meet another Miles in Tuebingen, but on December 1st, he met another Miles with me in Koblenz and it was a real pleasure.
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 RheineStars 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 big 93-72 win over Ludwigsburg. Another game another win. How big was this win? Is every new win to keep the winning streak going bigger than the other no matter the circumstances? It was a great win for us had. Our big Bjorn was out and we had some guys step up and played well in some big minutes. I don’t think we really focus on the streak just approaching every game with the mindset to do our job and win.
The RheinStars had a potent first quarter allowing 11 points, but allowed 26 in the second quarter. Did the opponent make any special adjustments or what did you as a team get away from? We just allowed some easy drives to the basket and the help defense wasn’t there like it was in the first quarter.
Cologne stepped up the defense again in the third quarter, but really stepped up the offense in the fourth quarter with 32 points. Did Stephan Baeck have any special strategy for the fourth quarter?
There were guys that had good offensive night that help a lot . We have to do better on the boards but just guys stepping up was biggest thing.
Ludwigsburg German Julis Baumer had 23 points. The guy plays with so much energy. How much potential does he have? He’s has a lot of potential and he was very aggressive and played smart . When he saw a mismatch, he took advantage. A very good player.
6 guys scored in double figures including Tim Lang. Talk a little about what you appreciate most about his game? Tim had a very good game and shot the ball well. I love his floaters I feel everyone is going in .
You added 12 points and had 5 rebounds and 2 assists. You were consistent on a night where every one was clicking. What was your biggest focus with your game on this night’? We had guys out and I felt this was a game to get good shots. This could’ve been a game where I shot the ball wild but just taking good shots and being good on defense was the main focus.
You next play against Wurzburg who after suffering a 6 game losing streak to begin the season have a 4 game winning streak. What will be key to winning? The key to winning will be defense . Being aggressive on that end is the main focus. Also we have to be better at rebounding as a team.
Ok so in the Pro B you won´t see many imports during a season on one team simply because the league rule restricts it. So when a Pro B team gets a new import, my first thought is always, he better be good. Over the last years 2024 Pro B champion Dragons Rhondorf have had some really good imports like Kameron Taylor, Devin Goodman and for a second straight season Kelvin Omojola. Over the years they also have had good snipers as Nicolas Buchwald showcased his bomb effect from outside on numerous occasions and currently the team has Antonio Pilipovic back for a second season. Who could forget his tantalizing and lethal shooting during last years final against the RheinStars Cologne where he combined for 13/22 shooting. Well this season the Dragons Rhondorf may have that new sniper with Tim Smith Jr. (201-F-2000, college: N.Alabama, agency: 011 Sports). On a late August evening, I witnessed an exhibition game in the Dragon dome against Pro A team Rasta Vechta where this new American Tim Smith Jr. right away made an impact and big impression on me. Smith had a big role in the big 93.79 win as he stroked home 21 points. In the first half he was nailing three´s one by one and for a very small moment, I thought that Steph Curry was in the building in the body of Smith. Smith was playing his first game overseas and acted as if he had been there already for many years. He shot 44% from then parking lot last season in the NCAA and it´s obvious that he wants to continue to fire away at a high clip in his rookie season. His three pointer is beautiful to watch and he has that all business attitude in that he will fire away without any hesitation. “I’ve always been able to shoot it since I was little but like you said the last couple years I’ve really grown in my ability to hit shots consistently. I’d say that my shot feels really good almost every time I shoot it, but when I miss it’s 90% of the time short and in target. So that something I’m trying to work on, making sure I got enough power from the legs and also shooting with a wider base”, warned Tim Smith Jr.. The interesting thing is that he really has so much more to his game then just being a cold iced sniper. “. “He is super tall for a wing and can really shoot the ball. He plays above the rim, but just didn´t show it tonight. He is super talented”, warned Kelvin Omojola.
Tim Smith Jr. was who lists North Florida´s Chaz Lanier who hit his team for 40 points as his toughest foe in college was born on Oct.7, 2000 in Cleveland, Ohio. He began his basketball career at Lakewood high school. He then played 4 years of college ball at 3 schools. He began at California University of Pennsylvania (NCAA2) playing 29 games in his freshman year and averaged 8.9ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 88.9%. Unfortunately he couldn´t play a second season as Covid shut down the season in 2020-2021. “It was extremely challenging, all I’ve known was playing basketball so to not have it was hard to say the least. But it gave me time to focus on my body as I was battling with injuries around that time and the things I worked on during that year if stayed with me throughout the rest of my career so even though it was tough it was also a great learning experience”, stressed Tim Smith Jr.. There he scored in double figures 12 times including a 21 points game against Clarion and 18 points against Gannon. One game he won´t forget was the wild 106-102 win over Millersville where he logged 41 minutes scoring 19 points. Reading that gave me chills as I haven’t thought about it in a while but looking back on it, it was probably one of the most important games of my college career. Before that game I was really struggling and not having a good year. But after that game I regained confidence and eventually won the starting job that led me to having a pretty decent year”, remembered Tim Smith Jr.. He then played at Walsh (NCAA2 from 2021-2023 averaging 10.9ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 72.1% and stepped up his game in his second season averaging 16.1ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 87.1%. He won the GMAC title in 2022. That was his favorite moment at Walsh along with another one as well. “ I would have to say our win in the conference tournament over Lipscomb was my favorite. I hit a 3 with like 15 seconds left to take the lead, they come down hit a 3 to take the lead and then KJ one of my teammates comes down and it’s a floater from the 3 point line to win the game at the buzzer. It was absolutely insane”, commented Tim Smith Jr.. His game really took off in his second season under head coach Jeff Young. “ He definitely introduced me to the post game, that was something I had never done before then. He added another tool to my arsenal that I could now use at anytime”, expressed Tim Smith Jr.. In his 2 years at Walsh he played 52 games and scored in double figures in 39 games. He hit Northwood for 27 points and had 24 points a piece against IUP and Carlow. He then finished at the University of North Alabama (NCAA) averaging 9.4ppg, 4.7rpg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 79.2%. He proved there that he could make the jump from division 2 to division 1. “Coach Pujol and coach Smith just preached to me to be a pro everyday. With how you train to how you eat and take care of my body everything. They made me aware of all things that can help your career and how to approach everything”, added Tim Smith Jr. who will never forget the 1-1 battles with teammate Dallas Howell. “ It was always a battle between me and him, we were never on the same team in practice and always had to guard each other with no subs. There’d be days when he’d out play me and there’d be days when I outplayed him. We made each other better and I loved that battle we had all year long”, added Tim Smith Jr..
The 201cm forward who lists Jordan, Lebron, and Kobe on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is playing his rookie season in Germany with Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf. It´s not easy for Americans at times to come overseas and make the adjustment with a new culture, but so far he loves the experience. “ I’ve been enjoying just seeing new things, I’ve been trying explore a little here and there when I have time. It’s definitely different than the states but not to different that it feels uncomfortable”, said Tim Smith Jr.. He did his home work before coming to Germany and knows how respected basketball is in Germany. “ I know that Germany has some of the most competitive and respected leagues in overseas basketball. I have a couple guys I played against in college, and actually one of my teammates from last year is playing in Pro A”, stated Tim Smith. Coming to Rhondorf was really a no brainer for him especially when you see and hear the word BBL in conversations.” I mainly came for 2 reasons, the experience being able to practice with Telekom Bonn I thought was invaluable. Just being able to see and feel what it’s like to play at that level and what I would need to do in order to make it there. The second was I need to develop my on ball skills, getting used to having the ball in my hands and making plays happen. I used to play point guard in high school but I’ve been primarily off the ball my entire college career”, stressed Tim Smith Jr.. The whole experience has simply been great for him as all have welcomed him with open arms. “ I really enjoy the guys on the team and the coaches. It’s a really fun environment and I think that as long as we stay together and lock in we can do great things. I’ve enjoyed being around Coach Dohrn who´s a very likable person and I enjoy his coaching style he is very detailed oriented, doesn’t let stuff slide. Makes sure we are always paying attention to the little stuff within the game and always holding guys accountable”, warned Tim Smith Jr..
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Tim Smith Jr in Rhondorf, Germany 2024
So what kind of game can we await from the Ohio native who lists Jordan as his GOAT besides shooting out the lights? He compares his game to that of a point guard or of Jayson Tatum with less ball handling skills. He is tall and long and very important can score at all 3 levels which will add more offensive opportunities as Kelvin Omojola is also very keen at all 3 levels. He is a very versatile player, but he also has something else in common with Kelvin Omojola besides being able to score at all 3 levels. “Something that I haven’t been able to showcase much since I didn’t have that role in college but I’m a really good playmaker and like getting people involved. So other than being able to score at all 3 levels I’d say that’s probably it”, added Tim Smith Jr.. Coach Dohrn has stressed that he can play any position. Could he develop into that 2 way kind of player? “I would say I’m a decent defender I want to get to the point where I can comfortably defend guards. I’m a pretty decent shot blocker and I want to be a defensive player of the year type of person. I have the length and the instincts I think know it’s just making sure to have the motor and drive to just not let someone score”, stressed Tim Smith Jr.. In order that he will be 100% prepared this season he will continue to work extra hard on his ball handling, strength and defense. It will be interesting to see how this season´s import pans out. Currently he is tearing up the Pro B league averaging 21,6ppg, 5,4rpg, 2,7apg, 1,9spg and 1,4bpg. In the last 2 seasons the Dragons Rhondorf had nothing but joy with Devin Goodman and Avery Sullivan. The question will be can Tim Smith equal or top his predecessors seasons? In 4 years of college ball, he never made more than 5 three´s in a game. Without wanting to put too much pressure on him, I´m sure that this season he will produce many smiles on the fans in the Dragon Dome.
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 RheineStars 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 thrilling 97-96 win vs FC Bayern Munich. How good did the 2 week break do the team? Thanks. It was great break for us felt some of the guys needed some time with family so it was good.
This was another close win after the Ahorn Baskets. How good does the team feel in general in crunch-time? Yeah it was another close one. I think we understand what we need to execute on both ends of the court during crunch time.
The RheinStars exploded for 35 points in the first quarter. Was that the best offensive quarter of the season? I think that’s one of the best quarters we’ve had this season offensively.
FC Bayern Munich 2 fought back in quarters 2 and 3 scoring a combined 52 points. What did the team lose control of on the defensive end most? As a team we got out of our details and being disciplined, such as ball pressure and our rotations were late. We have to do a better job at that if we want to keep winning.
How key was the 8-0 run to start the fourth quarter? Cologne were spot on attacking the rim: Just being more aggressive going to the basket and feeding the bigs on the role. We had to get a few easy baskets.
How dangerous was Ivan Volf who led the comeback in the fourth quarter and was Munich top scorer with 24 points. What did you like most about his game?
He had a good game. He shot the ball well and got to free throw line quite a few times.
Davi Remagen hit the wining basket. How much is the minutes for young Germans paying off?
Was a huge shot by Davi and I feel like he is getting more into rhythm. I feel the more the minutes make them feel more comfortable on the court.
You had a solid game with 16/3/3/5 stats. How much did your 33% from the 2 point range bother you? I just had to be more aggressive with my finishing couple mid range was in and out but just have to focus more on finishing through contact
You had a super defensive game. How do you feel is your game as a defender growing this season?
Coaches expect me to be more dangerous defensively so I’ve really been trying to focus on that end a lot more. Great defense usually turns in to great offense
The RheinStars next play another young team with Ludwigsburg. I can imagine Stephan Baeck will want not such a close finish again. What will be key to win? Yes of course try to play a lot better than we did this past game. We definitely have to do better defensively with being aggressive and being disciplined also. The key will be a lot more focus on defense than the previous game.
Mike Davis Jr. (193-G-1996, college: Queens, NC) is a 28 year old 193cm guard from Georgia playing his seventh season overseas and playing his first season with FIT/One Wuerzburg Baskets (Germany-BBL). He has gathered valuable experience in countries like Ireland, Georgia, Ukraine, Poland, Greece, Russia and Turkey. He began his basketball career at Brunswick high school and then played 2 seasons with Francis Marion University (NCAA2) averaging 11.0ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.2apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 54.3%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 69.4% and 17.3ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.7apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 43.9%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 68.3% and then played 2 seasons at Queens University (NCAA2) averaging 13.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.3apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 39.1%, FT: 74.4% and 12.4ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.8apg, 1.9spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 42.6%, 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 76.5%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the tough 81-77 loss to the Niners Chemnitz.
Thanks Mike for talking for talking to germanhoops.com. Wurzburg suffered a tough 81-77 loss to the Niners Chemnitz. What was tougher having the win streak snapped or totally collapsing on the defensive end in the fourth quarter? I would say the winning streak was tougher. Playing bad defense in the last quarter was tough, but we lost momentum by having the win streak snapped.
Wurzburg played a great first half leading 32-23. Did everything go accordingly to coaches game plan? We kept them off the paint and were aggressive on defense. We executed pretty well.
In the third quarter it was a three point party in the first 5 minutes and the Niners just executed better. What adjustments did the Niners make and why did Wurzburg lose that intensity on the defensive end? They got out on transition a bit more. That opened up the 3 point line more and they continued to make shots.
In the fourth quarter the Niners Chemnitz scored an incredible 35 points. As a team you allow 73 points per game. How can one explain 35 points allowed in the last quarter? They made really tough contested shots and even a half court shot. They also continued to run.
What was it like playing against ultra veteran Deandre Lansdowne? He has that special combination between veteran leadership and talented offensive player. It was Ok. I know that he is respected in the league. It was just another regular game for me.
What was key in crunch-time for the win? The game was close but you were unable to keep them off the free throw line. We had some unlucky calls. They made shots and just executed a bit better and the game swung in their direction.
A crazy stat is this. Wurzburg got to the free throw line 37 times and Chemnitz coughed up the ball 23 times but still won. What do you believe can you learn from this loss? Missing 16 free throws played a big role. We should of capitalized more off their turnovers. We didn´t get the stops that we needed.
Victor Bailey had a solid game with 20 points. What was most difficult in containing him? He is a very solid player and is one of the better shooters. He had a very good game so a lot of respect to him.
Jhivvan Jackson had an excellent scoring game with 35 points. On any other day, Wurzburg would have won. How valuable is his game for the team success? He is so valuable for us. He is one of our top players. He is our engine and gets us going. He makes big shots and knows the league well.
After scoring in double figures in your first 7 BBL games, you mustered only 7 points on 2/10 shooting. Is it fair to say that your still adjusting to the BBL in terms of finding your shot? Yes definitely. I´m not shooting the ball well in the BBL around sub 30%. I can´t blame it on the new league. I´m my own self in the BCL shooting the ball a lot better there. I´m still figuring it out in the BBL. I should be coming out of it soon.
How motivated will he team be to bounce back in BCL play? Maybe the loss was a little blessing in disguise? We will be super motivated. If we win we can clinch.
You will play in Hungary this week. How much are you looking forward to playing in Hungary? Have you been there before? It will just be another game. We won´t see anything from the city.
In the first game Wurzburg won convincing despite Holon getting 35 bench points. What will be key to getting win again? We have to contain their ball handlers well, play good pick and roll and 1-1 defense.
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 RheineStars 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.
After tough loss to Erfurt and an exciting win over the Ahorn Baskets, how vital was it for the team to get a more comfortable win again beating Coburg 89-63? It felt good getting a comfortable win again. The team still felt we started off slow but glad we picked it up in the second half.
The RheinStars had a slow start but came back in the first quarter, but still trailed 23-20 after 10 minutes. Especially Ben Diederichs gave the team problems.
Yeah we started off too slow and weren´t locked in as we should’ve been, especially me. We have to all be collectively invested if we want to stop the slow starts.
The RheinStars then outscored Coburg 48-25 in the second and third quarters. What adjustments did the team make to defend better? We applied more ball pressure than we did the first half. We picked up the intensity and started getting easy buckets in transition.
The RheinStars broke the game wide open in the third quarter. How vital was your aggressiveness on the offensive end that helped ignite the RheinStars offense?
I felt I wasn’t aggressive enough on both ends of the floor so felt I needed to pick it up. Too relaxed first half and needed to play harder so the team could go on a run.
How proud were of the team that there were no let ups in the fourth quarter? The team played hard and executed until the end.
That was a good sign for sure, seeing how everyone was still focused in the end. We want to be a great team and in order to do that we need to finish games strong no matter what.
How satisfied were you overall of the defensive effort and pressure? You forced 26 turnovers as a team.
I thought we did a great job, have guys that play very hard on the defensive end and bring a lot of energy. Our defense is the key for us so as a team forcing 26 turnovers is good.
You had a very good shooting performance and scored 25 points. You were very efficient in 19 minutes. Are you getting more and more comfortable with your teammates every new game?
I’m getting more comfortable and I was just being aggressive and getting easy baskets. I know my teammates trust me so I just try to keep the aggression going.
You next play against the weak FC Bayern Munich. This is another team with very young players. How will you prepare for this next task best? We have to focus on our details no matter the team or age. We have to come out with focus and be aggressive from start to finish. Personally I have to do a better job out the gate and be better defensively for the team.
