Licher Basket Baeren

K K Simmons (Knowing How To Make The Correct Reads With The Pick And Rolls Can Take You A Long Way In The Game)

K.K Simmons is a 23 year old 190cm combo guard from Marietta, Georgia that completed his first professional season with German Pro B team Licher Basket Baeren averaging 20,8ppg, 2,8rpg and 3,4apg. He played at three schools with NC-Wilmington (NCAA), Kent St. (NCAA) and Pikeville (NAIA). Last season he finished his college basketball career with Pikeville (NAIA) playing 31 games and averaging 16.4ppg, 1.9rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 46.1%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 78.5%. Simmons is an amazing shooter and shot 48% from outside in his junior season at Pikeville, but can also mix it up getting to the hole. In his first season with Pikeville, he played 25 games averaging 20.8ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 48.9%, FT: 78.4%. He spoke to German Hoops at the end of the season.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber interviewing K.K Simmons of Lich after dropping 16 points in a 88-76 loss in Frankfurt against the Fraport Skyliners Juniors

Congrats KK on helping save the Licher Basket Baeren this season. What kind of overall experience was it for you playing with pressure having to keep the team in the Pro B?

To be honest, the overall experience was a really good one. There were a lot of moments and possessions that felt like I was in a playoff situation. Playing to stay in the Pro-B league was a lot of pressure but nothing we couldn’t accomplish as a team.

You stated in our last interview in January “I’m extremely confident that I can help Lich stay in the league. The key thing for us is sharing the ball on offense and playing team defense and everything will work out for the best. Did these things come true in the playdowns for Lich?

Yes, a lot of these things came true for us as a team during this play-down stretch. We had a lot of really good practices coming into the play-downs, and as a team we performed pretty well on both ends of the court.

The Licher Basket Baeren took care of business early winning the first 4 playdown games to stay in the league. Does this accomplishment dim your feeling a bit by the way you ended the season losing your last two games?

Winning the first four games of the play-downs was how we responded to the end of our regular season. By us accomplishing this, the last two games weren’t as important as the first couple. We are happy that we took care of business early.

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KK Simmons (Licher Basket Baeren) I’m Extremely Confident That I Can Help Lich Stay In The League

K.K Simmons is a 23 year old 190cm combo guard from Marietta, Georgia that is playing his first professional season with German Pro B team Licher Basket Baeren. He played at three schools with NC-Wilmington (NCAA), Kent St. (NCAA) and Pikeville (NAIA). Last season he finished his college basketball career with Pikeville (NAIA) playing 31 games and averaging 16.4ppg, 1.9rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 46.1%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 78.5%. Simmons is an amazing shooter and shot 48% from outside in his junior season at Pikeville, but can also mix it up getting to the hole. In his first season with Pikeville, he played 25 games averaging 20.8ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 48.9%, FT: 78.4%. He spoke to German Hoops during the 2017 playdowns and before the game against the Giants Nordlingen.

K.K thanks for talking to German Hoops. It´s playdown time again, a time that your teammate Lamar Mallory is used to. Last season he was a major force and reason why Lich stayed in the league. Do you sense as if the club will experience a special revved up Lamar Mallory in the rest of the games?

Lamar is the heart and soul of this team. His experience from being in the same situation last season is very beneficial to us as a team. He will continue to lead us in the right direction.

With what type of expectations are you going into the playdowns? Do you feel like this is a time that you will have to step up in an extra special way?

My expectations are to win as many games as we can in order to stay in the league. As a team, it’s time for all of us to step up and get the job done. If we play basketball the way we know we can and should, then everything will work out for the best.

How vital was it for the Licher Basket Baeren to close out the season with a two game winning streak? Is the self confidence with the team at an all-time high?

Us winning the last two games of the regular season was very important for us going into the Play-Downs. They were very big momentum boosters and helped us gain more confidence going into these couple of games.

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Blake Justice (Licher Basket Baeren) My Shooting Ability Has Led To A Lot Of My Success In Basketball

Blake Justice is a 24 year old 191cm guard playing his rookie season with the Licher Basket Baeren (Germany-ProB). He started his basketball career with Akron (NCAA) playing 6 games. In 2013-2014, he moved to Valdosta St. (NCAA2) playing 28 games averaging 13.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 38.5%, 3PT: 31.9%, FT: 83.3%. In his junior season he played 16 games averaging 12.8ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.7apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 83.3%. As a senior he played 28 games averaging 15.8ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 44.5%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 79.3%. He spoke to German Hoops recently when he arrived in Germany to start his professional career with Lich.

Blake thanks for talking to German Hoops. Welcome to Germany. What has been your first impression of the country?

At first it took a little to adjust, but it’s been nice. Germany is a pretty country and each city I have been in has been really nice.

What did you know about the basketball in Germany besides that Dirk Nowitzki and Dennis Schroeder are both playing in the NBA right now?

I’ve had always been told that Germany as a whole had good basketball. I knew guys were known for their ability to shoot along with high IQ players. Of course Dirk is a legend that everyone knows and Schroeder is starting to make a big name for himself as well.

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KK Simmons (Licher Basket Baeren) Nobody Really Cares If I Did This Or That But We All Care If Lich Wins

KK thanks for talking to German Hoops Did you make any 2017 New Years resolutions or are you more the type of guy that doesn´t waste his time with that?

My New Years resolution for 2017 is to become a better person all around. That means being a better son, better sibling, better boyfriend, better teammate, better friend, etc. Just want to try to continue growing day by day.

Congrats on the huge 85-84 win. How good did it feel to get back on the winning track after the loss in Frankfurt?

Getting a win always feels good, especially after the tough past couple of weeks we’ve had. Coming into the game, we realized that our backs were against the wall & that we had to execute on both ends of the floor in order to come out with a victory.

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Lamar Mallory (Licher Basket Baeren) When Your Teammates Know What To Expect From You It Makes It Easier For Them To Trust You

Lamar Mallory is a 26 year old 198cm forward from Dayton, Ohio that is playing his second season in Germany with the Licher Basket Baeren (Germany-ProB). Before coming to Germany, he started his professional career with the Albury Wodonga Bandits (Australia-SEABL) playing 5 games: 17.8ppg, 10.2rpg, 1.2apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 56.5%, FT: 57.9%. He played at Glenville St. (NCAA2) and as a senior played 25 games: 18.6ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: NCAA2-2(68.1%). Last season with the Licher Basket Baeren (Germany-ProB) he played 21 games averaging 17.9ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.7spg, FGP: 60.1%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 67.5%. He scored in double figures in 19 of 21 games and had monster games against Speyer with 29 and 28 points and had a 28 point explosion against Wurzburg. He spoke to German Hoopsbefore the start of the 2016-2017 season.

Lamar thanks for talking to German Hoops.Did you make any 2017 New Years resolutions or are you more the type of guy that doesn´t waste his time with that?

No problem guys, thank you for having me. Yes, I have a resolution and its the same for every new year. My wish is to do better than I did the year before.

Congrats on the huge 85-84 win. How good did it feel to get back on the winning track after the loss in Frankfurt?

Thank you. It felt super good, Even though it was a dog fought game. I have to give credit to Nordlingen, they definitely attacked us, made us change our defense around but it felt really to see us come out on top with the win.

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Travis Thompson Heats Up In Third Quarter Lifting The Fraport Skyliners Juniors Past The Licher Basket Baeren 88-76

The second half of the 2016-2017 Pro B season is fast underway and as always new players coming and going is as common now in the season as Houston Rocket James Harden racking in those double doubles to nobodies amazement and two new faces entered the court Sunday night in the BCM in Frankfurt as the Fraport Skyliners Juniors had reeled in 26 year old 201cm American Rilwan Bakare who had played at four different schools in his career before starting his professional basketball career in 2014 in Germany with TuS Breckerfeld (Germany-2.Regionalliga) where he averaged 19,9ppg and 10,5rpg in 18 games and last season he showed his raw abilities with BK Iskra Svit (Slovakia-SBL): 18 games: 11.2ppg, 6.8rpg, FGP: 57.8%, FT: 58.5%. He started this season in Finland with Pernion Urheilijat Basket (Finland-1st Division) playing 2 games averaging 20.0ppg, 11.0rpg, 1.0spg, before moving to Union de Santa Fe (Argentina-TNA) where he played 17 games averaging 4,5ppg and 3,4rpg and was teammates with American Mike Williams who probably had some rare Texas(NCAA) stories with future NBA players Daniel Gibson and Lamarcus Aldrige that he could pass on to his new teammates and have some of the young Germans some rare basketball facts to ponder about. The Licher Basket Baeren had brought in an American rookie with Blake Justice who had played six games at Akron before moving on Valdosta State8NCAA2) and having a fine career from 2013-2016 playing a total of 72 games and as a senior played 28 games averaging 15.8ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 44.5%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 79.3%. He had some big games against schools like Alabama Huntsville with 26 points and 25 points against Shorter. Both players came into the game wanting to display right away that they were worth every buck and the Lich scoring duo of KK Simmons and Lamar Mallory who were averaging 40 points a game combined wanted to keep up their unstoppable play, but only combined for 28 points and couldn´t withstand the hot hand and timely shooting of Travis Thompson who broke the game wide open drilling four three´s in the third quarter and notching 14 points which broke the back of the guests and propelled the Fraport Skyliners Juniors to the 88-76 victory.

Rilwan Bakare couldn´t make his debut with Frankfurt as he wasn´t cleared to play yet, but Blake Justice did scoring 14 points in his professional debut and was excited about finally getting that first game of his back, but at the same time disappointed in the loss. “I felt a little rusty as this was my first game in 7 months, but felt good to get into the flow. I have only been here 5-6 days so I have to get used to how the my teammates and team play. We had too many turnovers and let Frankfurt get too many easy baskets and put backs, stressed Ohio native Blake Justice. Fraport Skyliners Tim Oldenburg was sporting a new Jutsin Biberish type of hairdo, but that didn´t seem to get messed up in the overall physical game. “Both teams had a lot of energy. It was only too bad that the refs didn´t know what kind of line they would call. It was nice to play together with Stefan Ilzhoefer and Niklas Kiel. We were individually stronger than usual with this lineup and we played well together as a team for many phases”, stressed Fraport Skyliners Juniors forward Tim Oldenburg. “We got beat on the glass all night long. We gave up something like 40-50 points on offensive rebounds and turnovers. You can´t beat anyone like that when your giving up that many points. We beat ourselves, but we did fight until the end”, added Licher Baskets Baeren guard Kareem Jamal Simmons.

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K.K. Simmons (Licher Basket Baeren) I Have So Much Confidence In My Ability To Score And Make Plays But I Will Continue To Work On Becoming More Efficient.

K.K Simmons is a 23 year old 190cm combo guard from Marietta, Georgia that is playing his first professional season with German Pro B team Licher Basket Baeren. He played at three schools with NC-Wilmington (NCAA), Kent St. (NCAA) and Pikeville (NAIA). Last season he finished his college basketball career with Pikeville (NAIA) playing 31 games and averaging 16.4ppg, 1.9rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 46.1%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 78.5%. Simmons is an amazing shooter and shot 48% from outside in his junior season at Pikeville, but can also mix it up getting to the hole. In his first season with Pikeville, he played 25 games averaging 20.8ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 48.9%, FT: 78.4%. He spoke to German Hoops after giving his debut as a professional fort he Licher Basket Baeren beating the Bayer Giants Leverkusen 99-93.

Karriem congrats on the big 99-93 victory over the Bayer Giants Leverkusen. Top scorer of the game and a win to go along with it. Was this the perfect start to your professional season?

Getting a good tough win, against a great team, on the road is definitely a great way to start off my professional career! I’m so proud of what my teammates and I have accomplished.

What kind of a feeling was it playing in the legendary Smid arena that housed Germany´s best team in the 90´s with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen?

It was an amazing feeling. The gym was very nice. Also, the feeling of the atmosphere and energy in the gym was top notch. I really respect what they have going on over there. I had a lot of fun.

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Lamar Mallory (Licher Basket Baeren) I Don´t Look At The Expectations As Pressure Because That Was Just Me Playing Basketball And Enjoying The Game

Lamar Mallory is a 198cm forward from Dayton, Ohio that will play his second season in Germany with the Licher Basket Baeren (Germany-ProB). Before coming to Germany, he started his professional career with the Albury Wodonga Bandits (Australia-SEABL) playing 5 games: 17.8ppg, 10.2rpg, 1.2apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 56.5%, FT: 57.9%. He played at Glenville St. (NCAA2) and as a senior played 25 games: 18.6ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: NCAA2-2(68.1%). Last season with the Licher Basket Baeren (Germany-ProB) he played 21 games averaging 17.9ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.7spg, FGP: 60.1%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 67.5%. He scored in double figures in 19 of 21 games and had monster games against Speyer with 29 and 28 points and had a 28 point explosion against Wurzburg. He spoke to German Hoops before the start of the 2016-2017 season.

Lamar thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

No problem guys, I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. I am in Germany, I stayed here over the summer. My summer has been great, a lot of off season workouts, individually and with groups. Its good.

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K.K Simmons (Licher Basket Baeren) Shooting Is What I Do But An Assist Is Just As Important For Me

K.K Simmons is a 23 year old 190cm combo guard from Marietta, Georgia that will start his professional career with German Pro B team Licher Basket Baeren. He played at three schools with NC-Wilmington (NCAA), Kent St. (NCAA) and Pikeville (NAIA). Last season he finished his college basketball career with Pikeville (NAIA) playing 31 games and averaging 16.4ppg, 1.9rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 46.1%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 78.5%. Simmons is an amazing shooter and shot 48% from outside in his junior season at Pikeville, but can also mix it up getting to the hole. In his first season with Pikeville, he played 25 games averaging 20.8ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.0apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 48.9%, FT: 78.4%. He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Karriem thanks for talking to German Hoops. Where are you at the moment and how has your summer been?

Currently I’m in Atlanta Georgia. Where it all started for me. I grew up here and played high school and AAU ball here. My summer has been going extremely well so far. I been traveling a lot of places seeing family along with getting some good workouts in along the way. I been to Los Angeles, California. Las Vegas, Nevada. Orlando, Florida and many more. Great way for me to visit family and friends along with handling business and getting my work in.

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Jermale Jones Cans Free Throw´s Driving The Licher Basket Baeren Past TV Langen 61-60

The one guy Martinis Woody hails from South Carolina and the other guy Jermale Jones from Alabama and in the States the south is as big as many countries in Europe put together and diverse as accents are in Germany, but in Germany the area called Hessen is about as big as the State of South Carlolina and here it is a lot easier to meet both guys at some sporting event especially in Frankfurt. For the experienced 201cm power forward Martinis Woody, it takes him 20 minutes to drive 23 kilometers to the Fraport arena while it takes Jermale Jones the 28 year old 186cm guard from Lich about an hour to travel 60 kilometers. These two Americans who have played in Germany the last years have made it an obligation to get to Frankfurt whenever they can within their schedule to watch Beko BBL team the Fraport Skyliners and have seen each other more than any other opponents in the German pro B this season off the court as one can find them sitting in the first row often alongside Fraport Skyliners juniors like Kyle Fossman and Andrew Bock catching the action. Missing this battle was also not an option for close friend Quantez Robertson and teammates of the Fraport Skyliners Sean Armand and Justin Cobbs who got off the plane from Siberia to come to Langen to watch them duel. However this weekend they met again, but on the floor in do or die Pro B play downs as both had split the season series as both teams had won their home games. Both guys had huge games in the first Langen contest as Woody had 20 points and 16 rebounds while Jones had 26 points and they battled again for the third time and after three games Jones has the 2-1 season lead against Woody as the Licher Basket Baeren Squeezed out a 61-60 nail bitter. “We needed the win tonight. We knew that we had to come out with a lot of energy to match theirs as they were better team in the first half. However we came out in the third quarter had less turnovers and got buckets inside. At the end we kept fighting which gave us the win. When Woody and I play against each other it goes deeper than basketball. We may not be friends on the court, but when the game is over it is like family between us. We found that connection in Bernau when we were teammates some years ago”, stressed Lich guard Jermale Jones. “We have to keep our heads up now. We played well for 40 minutes. We have five games left and still have to go to Lich. Jones and I do some trash talk on the court and aren´t friends on the court, but at the end we always shake hands. It is always a pleasure to play against him”, added TV Langen forward Martinis Woody.

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