German Players

Dennis Schroeder (New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig): My Dream Is To Play In The States Someday

Dennis Schroeder is an 18 year old 186cm guard that plays for the Spot Up Medien Baskets Braunschweig (ProB) and New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig (1.Bundesliga). Last season in the PRO B, he played 24 games: 8.5ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.2apg, FGP-2(68.7%), 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 80.4%. Last summer, he played at the European Championships U18 in Wroclaw (Poland) -11: 8 games: 13.5ppg, 3.0rpg, Assists-3(4.9apg), 2.0spg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 63.6%. German Hoops had a chat with him at the 2012 Beko BBL Allstar game.

This was your first time at the Beko BBL Allstar day. How did you like it?

I really have enjoyed the day a lot and it was a great experience.

You had six points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals in 25 minutes in the NBBL Allstar game. What grade would you give yourself?

I would give myself a German grade of 3.

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Niels Giffey(UCONN): If You Say In Germany That Your Goal Is The NBA, You Only Get A Funny Look

Niels Giffey is a 19 year old 200CM shooting guard/small forward that was born in Berlin and is currently a freshman playing for the UCONN Huskies. He started his basketball career for Marzahn Basket Baeren (2.Regionalliga) in 2005-2006. In 2007-2008, he played for TUS Lichterfelde Berlin (Pro B): 17 games: 2.4ppg, 1.2rpg. He played for Alba Berlin II (Regionalliga) from 2008-2010 and last season played  14 games: 9.6ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.5apg, 1.1spg. Some awards/achievements in his young career so far have been U16 National Team -06-07, European Championships U16 in Jaen (Spain) -06: 8 games: 6.8ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 46.8%, 3FGP: 50%, FT: 41.2%, European Championships U16 Division B in Skopje (FYR Macedonia) -07, German U18 National Team -08-09, Albert Schweitzer International Tournament in Mannheim (Unofficial World Championships U18) -08, Adidas World Junior Tournament in Douai (France) -08, European Championships U18 in Amaliada Pyrgos (Greece) -08: 6 games: 6.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.5apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 46.7%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 70.0%, Nike Euroleague Junior Tournament (Unofficial European Clubs Junior Championships) -09, German NBBL All-Star Game -10, German Regionalliga (North Group) Champion -10, German U20 National Team -10, Eurobasket.com German All-Regionalliga North Second Team -10, and Eurobasket.com German All-Regionalliga North Domestic Players Team -10. German Hoops spoke to the young German prior to March Madness about his life in the NCAA.

How do you like American football? UCONN has a successful football team.

I have been to one game. They have a very good team won the Big East. At first it was hard to understand the game, but with time I have began to enjoy the sport.

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Ruben Spoden Looking To Make Strides With The Walter Tigers Tuebingen

Ruben Spoden is a 21 year old 202cm forward that will split his time in 2010-2011 with the Walter Tigers Tuebingen and Erdgas Ehingen/Urspringschule. He started his basketball career for Eintracht Frankfurt (Regionalliga) and played there from 2005-2008. In the 2008-2009 season he played for TV Langen (ProA), German League: 17 games: 2.4ppg, 1.8rpg; also played at Eintracht Frankfurt (2.Regionalliga): 11 games: 18.6ppg. Last season, he played for Erdgas Ehingen/Urspringschule (ProB, starting five): 29 games: 14.8ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 61.5%, 3PT: 32.6%, FT: 74.7%. Ruben spoke to German Hoops about the upcoming season.

Ruben thanks for taking some time to talk to eurobasket. How has your summer been going? What have been your highlights?

Shortly after the season has ended I left for a one week trip to Mauritius, which definitely  has been my highlight this summer.

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German Joleik Schaffrath Looking To Jump To The PRO A In 2010-2011

Joleik Schaffrath is a 21 year old 206cm center who played in the German Pro B for Herten last season. He started his basketball career in 2003 with the Oldenburger TB junior team. In 2005-2006, he spent a year in the United States playing high school basketball. In 2006-2007, he played for the Oldenburger TB team in the Regionaliga playing 16 games and averaging 9,5ppg. In 2007-2008, he played 21 games averaging 12,9ppg. In 2008-2009, he played his first season for Herten playing 27 games averaging 4.4ppg, 4.0rpg. In 2009-2010, he played 29 games averaging 10.9ppg, 6.9rpg, FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 23.1%, FT: 61.5%. He took some time to talk to German Hoops about basketball.

What do you think when you hear the words „Quotendeutscher“ and „Banklehre“?

I talked to my agent about that many times but we never really took it serious. There is no reason for a player to be in the “quotendeutscher”-role on a team. A basketball player wants and has to play and that is exactly what we are searching for me. If this is not possible in the BBL then the next league for me will be the ProA.

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German Andy Buechert Looking To Make An Impact In The BEKO BBL In 2010-2011

Andy Buechert is a 208cm German center from Trier that just graduated from Winthrop in South Carolina. He played at tallahasse CC in the JUCO league form 2005-2007. he then transferred to Winthrop. In his senior year, he played at Winthrop playing 33 games and averaging 5.7ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 44.6%, FT: 44.6%. He won the Big South Conference in 2008 and 2010. Now he is testing the market in Europe and has garnered interest from various BEKO BBL teams. German Hoops spoke with the young German about basketball and his future.

Andy, thanks for taking some time to talk to German Hoops. You just finished your college career at Winthrop. How excited are you about turning professional?

I’m very excited about taking the next step in my life and go play professionally in Europe.  Since my early childhood I dreamed about being a professional athlete.

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Thomas Schoeps And Nicholas May: Two Germans To Keep In The Long Term Memory Bank

Having a big dream and living it are two completely different things with the latter mostly being practiced with a proud smile while sleeping. American ice hockey goalie Jim Craig had a dream to play for the 1980 mens Olympic hockey team, win the gold medal anDBB-Logo_0d later play for his home town team Boston Bruins and they all came true, but when it comes to young Germans Thomas Schoeps and Nicholas May, taking it one step at a time is essential, because they aren´t dreaming too big, but moreover just want to play what they love most, which is basketball and that in the United States.

Schoeps and May are two daring and hungry Germans who will not try to develop further in Germany with the possibility of getting forgotten, but make the giant dream of crossing the big pond and playing basketball in the land that gave the world Michael Jackson, McDonalds and Barack Obama and make it a reality.

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