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The Bamberg Baskets Throttle The Skyliners As Demarcus Demonia Leads Them To The 84-61 Victory

After the long Fiba break, the Frankfurt Skyliners were hoping to come back and get back on the winning side of things and did with a spirited victor on the road against 2025 easyCredit BBL cup winner Weissenfels. It is never easy to win there as it is a smaller type of arena where the fans seem to be on top of you. Frankfurt stopped their three game losing streak and returned back to their living room where they hadn´t won since January 10th where Isaiah Swope gave fans a buzzer beater to remember. They had lost their last 3 games at home and basketball life didn´t get any easier without Jaedon LeDee and Bamberg who rolled into Frankfurt having recently won the easyCredit BBL cup. They were a playoff team if the playoffs began today and had won 7 of their last 8 BBL games plus won the 2026 cup in great fashion in Munich. This was a tough battle for the Frankfurt Skyliners as they wanted to keep their fight for the playoffs alive. They began the game flat and for 40 minutes had to climb a steep mountain, but never got over the hump as the Bamberg Baskets played with structure and discipline smothering the Skyliners 84-61. “We played aggressive and took nothing for granted. We moved the ball well and had 16 assists by half time. We played aggressive on defense and didn´t let them play their game. We stuck together and had good chemistry. We had each others backs”, stressed Bamberg guard Demarcus Demonia (201-G/F-1999, college: ETAMU). The Skyliners never found a good offensive rhythm and couldn´t produce that game changing run that could have made their lives easier. “We got away from our principles. We gave up way too many open three´s, could execute our offense and allowed too many offensive rebounds”, stressed new Skyliner Jacob Holt.

Daniel Keppler with the dunk

Bamberg jumped all over Frankfurt from the gun taking a rapid 7-0 lead as ex Louisiana Tech (NCAA) guard Cobe Williams produced 5 points and ex Bayreuth (Pro A) guard Demarcus Demonia made a lay in. “Williams is so important for us. We feed off him. He is the head of the snake”, warned Demarcus Demonia. Bamberg had the right energy from the start and displayed great offensive structure that they carried to the end of the game while the Skyliners were lethargic and sluggish as if they had just gotten out of bed. Bamberg stopped their first 5 possession as the Skyliners couldn´t match Bamberg´s intensity or physicality. Frankfurt finally got on the board finding some luck from outside as ex St Johns (NCAA) guard Nahiem Alleyne and German Radii Casin dropped three´s to trail 8-6. However Bamberg continued to execute at ease and preferred the outside shot as Czech Republic player Richard Baliant and Demonia hit for the 14-6 advantage. Frankfurt stayed in the game mainly due to ex St Louis (NCAA) guard Isaiah Swope´s first class isolation play as he dropped 2 buckets in the paint making amends for his 2 early turnovers. Alleyne also dropped another trey, but Bamberg led 18-13. Demonia had the hot hand early and dropped another trey as the Bamberg Baskets led 23-15 after 10 minutes. “It was really vital for us that we wanted to set the tone right away. We let them lead by 20 points at our place, so we came out aggressive of defense that led to easy baskets”, stated Demarcus Demonia. The Bamberg Baskets shot 53% from the field and 50% from outside and had 8 rebounds and 2 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 33% from the field and 33% from outside and had 12 rebounds and 2 turnovers.

Austin Crowley at the FT line

In the second quarter there was no drop off from Bamberg as they continued to execute well on offense and gave the Skyliners problems finding a rhythm as they comfortably 46-29 at the break. Bamberg had 2 pretty buckets in the first two minutes as Williams made a difficult off balance shot while the American then unleashed a perfect bounce pass to the cutter Demonia who finished with a big dunk back door and 27-17 lead. Frankfurt punched back with another clutch trey from Casin and a lay in by ex Bonn center Till Pape, but Bamberg led 29-22. However the Skyliners minimal comeback attempt didn´t stress Bamberg as they always had an answer and went on a big 14-5 run that gave them the 43-27 lead. In the run, Bamberg´s potent guard rotation made big shots as Demonia added 5 points including a trey, ex Michigan (NCAA) guard Ibi Watson hit a three pointer, Chris Ensminger son Zac made a lay in and German big Man Daniel Keppler an easy lay in against the mismatch Logan Johnson. Bamberg continued to have the higher intensity and just hustled more at both ends as the Skyliners couldn´t match it. Defensively Bamberg didn´t allow Frankfurt any good looks and forced them more to isolation. Swope added a nifty reverse lay up while Balint hit a three pointer to end the first half. The Bamberg Baskets shot 57% from the field and 47% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 33% from the field and 33% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 9 turnovers. “We continued our strong energy and carried it over from the first quarter into the second quarter. We knew they were a good team so we remained aggressive and stuck together and continued to carry a good lead”, stated Demarcus Demonia.

Ryan Hawkins from outside

The Bamberg Baskets continued to manage the lead well in the third quarter and led by as much as 23 points. Bamberg started quickly again going on a 9-3 run to extend their lead to 55-32. In the run, the guests got key support from Watson who added 5 points including a trey and 206cm center Ejiofor Enu who was mega aggressive on the offensive glass with a tip in and massive dunk where he had an open lane from deep behind the three point line up to the rim. “I saw the dunk, but not his drive as I had my back turned. He is always aggressive and plays to his strengths. He protects the rim well and always gives us energy”, expressed Demarcus Demonia. Bamberg continued to have superb structure and used the mismatches to their advantage. Frankfurt responded with a mini 4-0 run as athletic guards Swope and logan Johnson scored lay in´s as Frankfurt trailed 55-36. After a Onu free throw, Frankfurt responded well with a trey from ex Artland guard Will Christmas, but they just couldn´t find any consistency as they would get silly turnovers with risky passes with 20 points down. Both teams continued to trade baskets as the Skyliners were unable to string along stops. Alleyne and ex University of Mississippi guard Austin Crowley traded three´s, but Frankfurt still trailed 62-42. After Johnson hit free throws, Bamberg´s strong spacing was rewarded with a Watson trey and Pape then closed out the third quarter with an old school hook shot as Bamberg led 65-46. “Coach Gavel told us at half-time to keep moving the ball. We had done a good job with that in the first half with 16 assists. We did a good job breaking them down at both ends”, commented Demarcus Demonia. “We weren´t able to move the ball and had too many turnovers and forced shots”, added Garai Zeeb.

Logan Johnson at the FT line

In the fourth quarter the Bamberg Baskets continued to play their game while the Skyliners remained harmless and couldn´t produce that big run to change the game. Bamberg remained aggressive and executed while the Skyliners didn´t help their comeback missing free throws as Jacob Holt missed 2. At the end of 40 minutes, Frankfurt had a pathetic 52% from the free throw line. Frankfurt also continued not to move the ball well and were forced into 1-1 play. Bamberg received buckets from Williams and Demonia while Skyliners head coach Klaus Perwas inserted 2 youth players with Ivan Crnjac who played his 2nd BBL game while Jamie Edoka played his 6th BBL game. This season the massive German prospect has only amassed 2 BBL games. German veteran Moses Poelking also celebrated his BBL debut and finished with 2 rebounds. “Making my debut today was unbelievable. When I think about how much I have gone through with my injury. This was a big step in my career. I´m extremely thankful”, stressed Moses Poelking. Bamberg head coach Anton Gavel didn´t hesitate either inserting his youth with Pro B Coburg double license players Finn Doentgens and Nico Hollerl as well as German veteran Moritz Krimmer. The game was long decided. Krimmer hit a trey while Doentgens a lay in and Hollerl free throws and Jamie Edoka scored 3 free throws. “I´m really proud that we finished the game strong. We had many games this season where we couldn´t hold the lead. We have more structure now and stay together”, warned Demarcus Demonia. “We tried to punch back, but they remained aggressive. We couldn´t make that run that we needed to come back”, said Garai Zeeb. The Bamberg Baskets were led by Demarcus Demonia with 20 points while Ibi Watson added 15 points, 8 rebounds and 7 dimes while the Skyliners were led by Till Pape with 13 points while Isaiah Swope had 10 points. Bamberg shot 47% from the field and 36% from outside and had 41 rebounds and 13 turnovers while the Skyliners shot 33% from the field and 36% from outside and had 37 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

There Is Only One D.J Johnson But D.J. Jeffries(EPG Baskets) Wants The Fans To Also Love The New DJ

At the beginning, I may have been the only one that called Dominique Johnson Dominque. But with time, I got the DJ name plastered into my mind as much as Big Deuce is with Boston Celtic Jayson Tatum. Veteran Dominique ‘DJ’ Johnson played 4 seasons with the EPG Baskets and is a player that will never be forgotten. He was the identity figure for years and was a player that always gave you 180% and played with an intensity seldom or possibly never matched by anyone. In the NBA you knew you would get intensity from guys like Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant or Russell Westbrook while in the German Pro A, you had DJ Johnson. He was a big factor for the EPG Baskets Koblenz winning the Pro B title in 2023 and moving up to the Pro A in 2023. Unfortunately the club didn’t have the desired results in the last 2 seasons and even if there were guys on the team in the last 2 years that didn’t always give their all, DJ Johnson would always give you 100%. DJ Johnson left the team after 4 years and now the club has reeled in a new player by the name of D.J. Jeffries (201-F-1999, college: MSU) who mentions Michael Jordan as his GOAT. And like Johnson, he also goes by the name DJ. Decorian DJ Jeffries is a very talented player that is looking for his pro break through with the EPG Baskets after a tough rookie season in the G-League where he only averaged 1,8ppg. Jeffries is like Johnson a very versatile player and wants to make the EPG Baskets fans proud with his game. ‘Yes obviously I want to make the fans proud of my game. I don’t know the impact that DJ Johnson had on this great country, but I know that I will give my best each and every day to make sure that the fans love me the same way’, warned DJ Jeffries who believes that the Coming To America classic should have been left alone.

DJ Jeffries who lists Brandon Miller and Dalton Knecht as his toughest opponents in the NCAA was born on December 28th, 1999 in Olive Branch Mississippi. He began to play basketball in the third grade and played for Cordova middle school. He grew very fast and was already dunking the ball in the eighth grade. He then played high school ball for Olive Branch. He helped his school win the Class 5A title averaging 20,8ppg and was a runner up as a senior averaging 23,3ppg, 12,8rpg, 5,6apg and 2,6bpg. He was named Mississippi Gatorade player of the year and had the honor to play at the Jordan Brand classic. ‘The memories that stood out was just being the with guys you’ve been playing against since you were younger and just competing and having fun with all of them’, said DJ Jeffries. He then played 2 years at the University of Memphis (NCAA) averaging 10.8ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 55.5%, 3PT: 39.0%, FT: 74.3% and 9.9ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 48.2%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 56.2%. ‘I feel like my game grew the most as far as my pace for the game coming in as a freshman everything was just at 100 mph but once I learned pace the game. it got easier for me’, stated DJ Jeffries. In his second season he helped the school win the NIT title. He gave all he had in the final contributing 15 points, 5 boards and swatting away 5 shots. ‘That NIT run was special especially winning the whole thing. It was a year full of adversity and even though things didn’t go the way we wanted it to go with a tournament run I feel like ending the season the way we did was definitely a special moment’, stressed DJ Jeffries. In his 2 years there, he played 47 games and scored in double figures in 26 games including netting 23 points against Ole Miss and 21 points against MVSU. He was very fortunate to learn from NBA legend Penny Hardaway: ‘I mean playing for a legend like Penny is a once in a lifetime experience and you know growing up I use to get compared to him a lot and he just helped me simplify the game for me and just was teaching me to be a pro on and off the court’, remembered DJ Jeffries. He then gained further experience at Mississippi State University (NCAA) playing 3 seasons and demonstrated his great consistency averaging 8.9ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 72.6%, 8.9ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 42.4%, 3PT: 27.1%, FT: 56.8% and 6.5ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.6apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 55.7%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 59.3%. He helped the school reach 2 March Madness rounds and lost 2 tough games to Pittsburgh and Michigan State, Was there a loss that hurt more? ‘That’s a tough question both of them really hurt but the one that still gets me is the Michigan State one because if I was fully healthy then who knows the outcome but it’s always that what if that sits in the back of your mind and it my last college game ever so it definitely hurt worse’, said DJ Jeffries. He played 100 NCAA games for MSU and scored in double figures in 38 games. He scored 19 points against Winthrop and 18 points against LSU. He had the fortune to play for Chris Jans who was able to groom and prepare him for a pro career. ‘I feel like coach Jan’s helped me grow as man, he taught me self accountability, he taught me a lot of life lessons that I look back at now and realize what he was saying. Of course we didn’t see eye to eye all the time but he definitely was a blessing in disguise in my life that I didn’t know I needed until I got away from him and saw everything he was trying to tell me about’, added DJ Jeffries who never faced teammate Cameron Matthews in a 1-1 game in practice, but would always bet on himself winning.

The Mississippi native who lists Josh Hubbard, Tolu Smith, Cameron Mathews, Deandre Williams, and Alex Lomax as his 5 best teammates of all-time played 1 NBA Summer League game in 2024 for the Memphis Grizzlies and then played his rookie season for the Raptors 905 Mississauga (NBA G League) playing 6 games averaging 1.8ppg, 2.5rpg. It was a season to forget. ‘It was definitely tough because you really didn’t understand the business at the time but the more you go through things you look at it like everything happens for a reason so I definitely learned the importance of being prepared for every opportunity’, warned DJ Jeffries. He also remembers his wake up call to being in the G-League and knows that he will have to be 100% certain if he will ever try that route again. ‘I’ll say my wake up moment would be preparation and learning the pro game and how different it is from what you are used to. I’m not saying I wouldn’t go back if it was the right opportunity but everything has to make sense for me to make that move back’, expressed DJ Jeffries. He is starting his overseas career with German Pro A team EPG Baskets Koblenz. He didn’t know much about the country Germany except that it has great basketball and a great culture. He even knows some guys who like him are in Germany for the first time this season living the dream with Eric Reed Jr, Malcolm Dandridge, and Boogie Ellis. For him it wasn’t tough to chose an ambitious organization like the EPG Baskets Koblenz and is totally content with head coach Stephan Dohrn’s basketball philosophy. ‘I just wanted to go to the best country for basketball and learn and grown my game in the process while learning from my teammates and coaches about the new culture. The talks with coach went really well. He came to me and was like we are a hard nosed defensive team and we play free on the offensive end so that was magic to my ear’, smiled DJ Jeffries. After a very tough rookie season, he is more than just driven to make his pro break through in Koblenz. ‘ I’m more motivated than ever especially since things didn’t go the way I wanted to In the g league but mentally I feel good it’s a fresh start and a new beginning and a new chapter in life to go and prove myself again’, warned DJ Jeffries.

So what kind of a player can basketball Germany await from DJ Jeffries who names Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Shaq on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore? He is a player that likes to model his game after 3 legends with Kevin Durant, Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony. Like them he is a 3 level scorer that can do tons of things on the court. He can fill the stat sheet at ease and versatility really stands out in his game. ‘I think versatility is good especially with my size and abilities you can do so many different things and play many different positions that can make the game easier for yourself and team, you can pretty much play anywhere on the court’, said DJ Jeffries. His three pointer is still a work in progress as he shot the ball near 40% from outside at Memphis, but under 30% at Mississippi. ‘A lot of my shooting is confidence just believing you can make those shots knowing every time you shoot them. Good shooting is all confidence and the more confidence you have the better’, warned DJ Jeffries. He can be that impact player on the offensive end, but also holds his own on the defensive end. ‘I feel like I have growth in my defense I want to be better with my interior defense in the paint I wouldn’t say I’m a shot blocker but I can block shots I feel like I’m a great on ball defender and a great off ball defender’, stressed DJ Jeffries. He is never content with his game and knows exactly what he has to do to reach the next level. ‘In the perfect world I would say my shooting but an honest answer is my whole overall game just being a better player in general’, stated DJ Jeffries. Even if he is only 24 years old, he has proved that he can win titles. His leadership skills could come in handy with the EPG Baskets. ‘I feel like I’m a good leader I’m more of a lead by example then a vocal leader but when I have to use my voice I can but I feel like once I get comfortable and pick up on things I can be an even better leader’, expressed DJ Jeffries. There will never be a second DJ Johnson, but both Dj’s have something in common and that is both are winners. The EPG Baskets Koblenz are in good hands with DJ Jeffries.