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Jamie Edoka´s 34 Points And Ivan Crnjac´s Game Winner Powers Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners Over Ratiopharm Ulm 89-88 IN NBBL Playoff Action

Whenever it starts to get warmer and it´s March, you have March madness in the United States where all the young talented players battle, while in Germany, the youth playoffs also start. Eintracht Frankfurt had a solid season starting 8-0, but lost the season series to FC Bayern Munich and finished the season at 11-3. In the first round of the playoffs, they had a real real tough best of 3 game playoff series with ratiopharm Ulm who had an unbeaten season at 13-0. They are a explosive scoring squad that scored over 100 points 5 times including a 136 points destruction of the Rhein Neckar Metropolitans and never scored less than 82 points in a game. But one had to remember that ratiopharm Ulm played in the B division which had weaker competition. Eintracht Frankfurt had the big 3 of Crnjac, Edoka and Omog and 2 great role players with Maximilian Peters and Julius Messer, but the big question was could they overcome the deeper roster of ratiopharm Ulm who have so much talent that they have 2 starting 5 teams equally as strong. On a mild Sunday afternoon, ratiopharm Ulm came to Frankfurt despite 8 of the 10 NBBL player that played in Frankfurt were coming off an incredible upset win the day before in the Pro B over top team RheinStars, but despite having played 24 hours earlier were ready to compete for 40 minutes, but lost a heartbreaker on a game winner from Ivan Crnjac. This contest truly deserved no loser. One could observe quickly after the game that ratiopharm Ulm head coach Florian Flabb wasn´t overjoyed with losing such a tight game. “Congrats to Frankfurt to the win. We weren´t able to bring the defensive intensity that we wanted. We will try to do better next weekend”, stressed Florian Flabb. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners weren´t the favorite on paper, but they played with so much heart and always stuck together during all lows of the game. “We played a good game. This was a classic game of runs. We never hung our heads and always stayed together. The most important thing in this win was that we always gave our best when we needed it most”, stressed Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners forward Ivan Crnjac. “This was a great youth game. There were many great individual performances and team play. We stuck together until the end”, stressed Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners head coach Thore Bethke.

Namori Omog at the FT line

The experience factor that ratiopharm Ulm had over Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners was overwhelming as they had over 140 Pro B games experience just in this season. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners came out punching as the guests weren´t able to match their intensity in the first 2 minutes as Frankfurt led 6-3 with attacking the rim and aggressive defense. Jamie Edoka (195-G-2008) made 2 big blocks and made a lay in while Namori Omog supplied 4 points. However it didn´t take ratiopharm Ulm long to find a groove as Croatian player Niko Jerkic and U-18 EM gold medalist Jordan Mueller dropped three´s to dead lock the game at 8-8. Both teams had a sound offensive rhythm as they traded 4 lead changes, but Frankfurt would regain the lead on Ivan Crnjac´s lay in on transition to lead 15-12 and never lose the lead again in the first quarter. Both teams stayed away from the bomb from outside, but rather stuck to the drive and the mid distance game. Frankfurt got a 20 footer by Edoka and a runner from Crnjac while ratiopharm Ulm got a 25 footer from Oliver Kullamae who is the son of Bamberg legend Gerd Kullamae, but Frankfurt led 19-16. German Jervis Scheffs who loves the shifty game made a lay in and Edoka an off balance shot to give Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners the 21-18 advantage after 10 minutes. “I sensed after one quarter that this would be a game at eye level. They are a deep and strong team. We had some problems with the pick and roll defense, but we took away their three pointer”, stated Ivan Crnjac.

Chris Widmer to the hole

The second quarter saw 3 runs with ratiopharm Ulm gaining 2 of them and the slim 41-38 advantage at half-time. Omog began the second quarter with a off balance shot to give Frankfurt the 23-18 lead, but ratiopharm Ulm then punched back with a lethal 13-0 run stealing the lead back and leading comfortably 31-23. In the run, ratiopharm Ulm was led by Jordan Mueller who supplied 8 points. He hit a trey and added 5 free throws. His ability to read the defense and pick his spots and quickness helped him be successful. Young German Milo Murray also added a lay in while Dutch big man Endurance Aiyamenkhue also made a lay in. This could have been a time where Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners would continue to cave in, but no they kept their chests held high and rebounded with a 10-2 run to dead lock the game at 33-33. In the run, Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners was led by Jamie Edoka with 5 points who never looked back and was always in attack mode as he drew a foul and scored while Ivan Crnjac made a lay in and German Julius Messer a tip in. Frankfurt presented a zone that gave ratiopharm Ulm problems with their offensive execution. However the run party of the second quarter wasn´t over as Ulm responded on a 8-2 run shortly before the break to lead 41-35. In the run the guests were led by Kullamae who is a pass first point guard, but in this phase showed that he could also lead a team with his scoring. He added 5 points getting to the free throw line. With a few seconds left Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners had to inbounds the ball in their own end and somehow got the ball up to Ivan Crnjac a little past center court and he heaved up an acrobatic shot that looked like a Nikola Jokic shot from last season and saw it bank into the net. The BCM gym was rocking and Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners trailed only 41-38 at the break. “My shot felt good when I released it. I knew it would be short or go in. That shot gave us an added push going into the break. It helped us mentally as well”, commented Ivan Crnjac. Ratiopharm Ulm shot 41% from the field and 27% from outside and had 22 rebounds and 4 turnovers while Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 43% from the field and 17% from outside and had 16 rebounds and 1 turnover. “We didn´t communicate well on defense in the second quarter. We got away from our defensive principles”, stated Ivan Crnjac.

Ivan Crnjac with the half time buzzer beater

In the third quarter ratiopharm Ulm controlled the lead for a few minutes and led by as much as 9 points, but Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners never gave up and struck back going on a 20-5 run and get their lead back at 68-66 after 30 minutes. Ratiopharm Ulm came out pumped after the Crnjac buzzer beater and quickly went on a 9-3 run to lead 50-41. In the run the guests got 2 buckets on the drive from Jerkic and a 3 pointer from role player Barna Buglyo and another lay in by Aiyamenkhue. Frankfurt continued to have problems with the pick and roll defense and 1-1 defense. Ulm also slowed down Edoka better in the run. But Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners always had an answer for Ulm´s runs and this time unleashed a brutal 20-5 run to steal the lead back again at 61-55. Mr lightening speed Namori Omog led the charge with11 points as his quick first step and drive gave him good chances for the easy basket while Jamie Edoka added 9 points as he pretty much was successful with the same formula as Omog with his drive. There was a sequence where Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners scored 6 points in a span of 5-7 seconds. Edoka had a lay in and then 2 consecutive steals under the Ulm basket led to 2 baskets by Omog. “That was so important getting those quick baskets. It hyped our bench and gave us a lot of self-confidence”, expressed ivan Crnjac. However ratiopharm Ulm stayed strong and stayed with Frankfurt and rebounding from Frankfurt´s big run punching back with a 10-2 run as ratiopharm Ulm got lead back at 65-63. Jonas Zilinskas gave good support with 5 points getting to the free throw line. However Frankfurt stayed tough getting to the free throw line getting free throws from Edoka and Julius Messer for the 2 point lead after 3 quarters.” We began bad, but came back strong to end the quarter. Edoka was vital in helping us comeback”, added Ivan Crnjac. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 48% from the field and 19% from the three point line and had 25 rebounds and 4 turnovers while ratiopharm Ulm shot 41% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 27 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Niko Jerkic at the FT line

In the fourth quarter Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners were able to build on their lead and lead by 10 points with 4 minutes to play, but the script in this thriller had one more run to give to ratiopharm ulm, but they couldn´t get the win on the last possession. In the first 4 possessions of the fourth quarter, both teams executed well as Frankfurt got baskets from Edoka and Finley Pruever while Ratiopharm Ulm got baskets from Jerkic and Danish youth national player Frederik Erichsen, but Frankfurt had the slim 72-70 advantage. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners then wanted to decide the game and overpowered ratiopharm Ulm with a vicious 14-6 run to extend their lead to 86-76. In the run Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners were led by Jamie Edoka with 7 points. As usual his drive was unstoppable, but he also sprayed in a three pointer. He finished the game with 34 points and was as humble as usual about his game. “Anyone on our team can score 34 points. Today it was just my turn”, said Jamie Edoka. Messer also added a tip in a thunderous 2 handed dunk. “I always could do a 2 handed dunk”, smiled Julius Messer. However ratiopharm ulm still had one punch in them totally shocking Frankfurt with a 11-1 run to snatch the lead back at 88-87 with 18 seconds remaining. In the run, the guests were led by Jordan Mueller who had 8 points including 2 three´s from each corner. “Mueller played very well. He is so quick and hit big three´s”, stated Jamie Edoka. “We made some defensive mistakes. We didn´t defend well on Mueller. We were already mentally secure with the win”, said Ivan Crnjac. With 18 seconds to play, Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners had possession and Ivan Crnjac made the finger tip lay in for the 89-88 lead. “I broke out of the play. I felt good making that lay in with the spin. I actually tried that before from the other side during the Top 4”, stated Ivan Crnjac. “Ivan showed what kind of a great individual abilities he has. He was there for the team making that big basket”, said Thore Bethke. Ratiopharm Ulm had possession with 3,7 seconds to play, but Julius Messer made the big defensive game deflecting the ball to his teammate to end the game. “Julius had a great week of practice. He made a big steal. He had a great game and was mentally tough”, stressed Thore Bethke. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners was led by Jamie Edoka with 34 points while Namori Omog added 20 points and Ivan Crnjac had 18 points and ratiopharm Ulm was led by Jordan Mueller with 22 points while Niko Jerkic had 14 pointzs and Oliver Kullamae added 11 points. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners shot 49% from the field and 20% from the parking lot and had 30 rebounds and 4 turnovers while ratiopharm Ulm shot 45% from the field and 35% from the parking lot and had 37 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

The Miles Vs Malik Riddle Weekly Basketball Chat Volume 16

Malik Riddle (193-G-1999, college: HSU) is a 24 year old 193cm guard from Tennessee playing his second professional season and first in Germany with Pro B team RheinStars Cologne. Last season he played with Gzira Athleta Birkirkara (Malta-BOV League D1) averaging 28.8ppg, 9.4rpg, 3.9apg, Steals-3 (2.6spg), FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 33.1%, FT: 75.5%. He began his basketball career at Rossville Christian Academy. He then played 2 seasons at Morehead State University (NCAA) and then played 3 seasons at Henderson State University (NCAA2). He teams up with germanhoops.com every week to talk basketball.

Congrats Malik on the huge 121-57 win. How important was this win going ino the last weeks of the regular season?

This win was very important, especially coming back from losing 2 in a row.

How proud were of the team that they didn´t underestimate the team who was missing some key guys?

I was very proud of the team. That showed a lot of character from us. We could’ve just messed around and took that team for granted but everyone played with energy and intensity from start to finish.

You didn´t play. How is the status of your injury? When can you suit up again?

Been doing rehab work on it past couple weeks so I’m trying to be ready for this coming up game.

The score was decided at the break as the RheinStars led 64-31. Did it seem at times like it was men playing against boys?

Well you could tell they had younger guys or guys who don’t play as much playing big minutes and we took advantage of that during the game by not letting them get too much confidence during the game.

Is it fair to say that the RheinStars played a consistent game for 40 minutes. The team allowed only 10 points in the fourth quarter and finished the game strong.

I think we did have a consistent game. I think everyone who played gave good minutes and brought great energy when they were on the floor.

The Rheinstars did so much well. They dominated the boards, had 30 assists and 16 steals. What was the team´s biggest strength on the night?

The defense was great. I feel we were disruptive with our on ball defense

Rower and Hennen combined for 9 points and Remagen and Michels for 41 points. What does that say for the team depth?

With this team it could be anyone’s night any game. We have multiple guys who can score the ball.

You next play Orange Academy who you beat 91-76 on September 28th 2024. What will be key to sweeping the season series?

If we play with the effort and energy we had this past game I think we should be able to take care of business.

Thanks Malik for the chat.

Andre Wesson(Dziki Warszawa) Saw Everything His Senior Year Beating Michigan, North Carolina And Kentucky But Covid Ended His Movie Abruptly

pic credit: Dziki Warszawa

Andre Wesson (198-F-1997, college: Ohio St., agency: Players Group) is a 27 year old 198cm forward from Ohio playing his fourth professional season and first with Dziki Warszawa (Poland-OBL). Last season he played with at Budapesti Honved SE (Hungary-A Division) averaging 12.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 75.0%. In the 2022-2023 season he split time with Anorthosis Ammohostou (Cyprus-OPAP) averaging 11.7ppg, 7.7rpg, 2.0apg, in Jan.’23 moved to KFUM Nassjo Basket (Sweden-Basketligan) averaging12.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 52.2%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 78.6%. He played his rookie season with Lapuan Korikobrat (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 16.1ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.5apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 63.7%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 80.2%. He began his basketball career at Westerville South High school and then played at Ohio State (NCAA) from 2016-2020 playing a total of 126 games and as a senior averaged 9.2ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 50.5%, 3PT: 42.2%, FT: 80.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a ENBL game against Bamberg.

Thanks Andre for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your fourth professional season and have seen many countries. You keep grinding and moving up the ladder now in a strong league in Poland. Do you have a chip on your shoulder after coming from top NCAA school Ohio State?

For sure, coming from a top school like Ohio State, and playing a big role for the team that was ranked high during my time there. I think we were number 2 in the country twice, and thought I had a good year especially my senior season. So to go from that to not even playing the following year whether that was G-league or overseas was really a shock to me and a wake up call I would say. It was definitely a rough time for me and made me look in the mirror about what I could do better, and something that I try to carry with me even today.

Your playing your first season with Dziki Warszawa (Poland-OBL). What kind of an experience has it been for you and what have you enjoyed most from the experience?

It’s been a great experience so far. I’m in a great city with plenty of things to do, good food and great people in the organization who are always trying to make things easier for you so you can just focus on basketball. The thing I’ve enjoyed the most here are my teammates. Of course we come in everyday focused on work and getting better, but these guys make it fun too. Being one of the younger players on the team I’ve learned from these guys too about taking care of your body and having a routine. It can be a long season, especially this time of year for guys like me being so far from home, but my teammates have made it better and kept me focused on the task of winning games and getting better everyday.

Dziki Warszawa (Poland-OBL) is in the middle of the pack in the Polish first division. What does the club have to do better in the next 2 months to reach the playoffs?

Yea we started off pretty good and were winning games because of our defense. We weren’t the best team offensively but our defense was good enough to get it done. We’ve hit a little rough patch here recently which is a little understandable, I mean we got 2 new players in the matter of 3-4 weeks. It’s helped us offensively. I think we’re playing at a good pace offensively and moving the ball well, so I’m excited to see what we can do in these next 2 months. I think if we get back to what we were doing at the beginning of the year on defense which is on all of us, I think we could really do something special honestly.

Your playing Bamberg in the ENBL quarterfinals. Your still searching for your first pro chip. What kind of a series can we await?

It’ll be a battle for sure. They have some really good players over there, my guy Ibi Watson that I played travel basketball with in high school and have played against on every level it feels like now. I played against Noah Locke when I was in Hungary, so I’m familiar with some of their players, and know that it’ll be a challenge. I know that we’re ready for it though and wouldn’t want it any other way. We feel like we match up well with anybody that we play, and know that when we play to the level we are capable of for 40 minutes we’re a tough team to beat. Personally, I know that the ultimate compliment you can get in a team sport is to be labeled as a winner. So getting this first pro championship for me would be huge and something that I don’t take lightly.

Bamberg are the favorite on Paper. What will be key to getting by them and advancing?

Yea like I stated early I think it all starts for us on the defensive end. Offensively we need to keep doing what we’re doing, getting the best shot available every time down court, taking care of the ball and playing with pace. I think if we continue to do that and get back to our defensive identity we’ll be just fine not just for this series, but the ones later on as well.

What has it been like sharing the court with Swedish national player Denzel Andersson. What have you appreciated most about his game?

It’s been great. I mean some of the things he’s able to do on the defensive end you can’t even teach. He can guard multiple positions and using his length to block and alter shots is nothing like I’ve seen in person close up. Coupled with his ability to shoot the ball he’s one hell of a player. And as good as a player that he is,he’s an even better person which makes it even better he’s my teammate.

You’re a guy that gives good scoring qualities, but all in all fill up then stat sheet. What is your role on the team?

I think it’s just that. A guy who fills in the gaps for the team, whether that’s scoring, rebounding or defending, it’s whatever the game calls for that specific day or night that I can do it.

You’re a 198cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

That’s tough. I feel like there’s not really anybody who would fit exactly, but just some who are close or come to mind would be Derrick White, Christian Braun or Terrance Mann. Guys who are kind of glue guys on their team, who are versatile and just competing, doing whatever that game calls for to get the win.

Talk a little about your strengths on offense. You also give good support with your outside shot. What is your biggest asset in your game?

Offensively I think my best asset is my versatility. I feel like I’m a guy that can post up, I can play off the ball in a catch in shoot and can play in pick in rolls and create. I think I don’t do one thing that just stands out as amazingly well, but a lot of things are good.

How would you describe your defensive game? What kind of a defender are you at the moment and what kind do you still want to become?

I think I’m a very good defender. I can guard multiple positions, I’m good in post defense and 1 on1 perimeter defense. I use my length well to bother and block shots. There’s still things I can be better at to become the elite defender I want to be. I think I need to be better in close out situations, I’d like to get a little stronger so I can guard even more positions and get better in consistently navigating screens better in pick and roll situations. I think if I do these things I can become elite.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?

Just continuing to work on my outside shot mainly catch and shoot situations. Also working on playing out of close out situations and making decisions and reads quicker, and as a stated early getting a little stronger. Not like I don’t feel strong now, but I think adding more strength to my lower body and core could add even more to my game.

Last season you balled with Budapesti Honved SE (Hungary-A Division) averaging 12.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 75.0%. You had a long playoff run. What will you always remember from that playoff grind?

The biggest thing I learned and remember from that playoff run was its being a lot more physical and very tactical. Being in these series these teams know all your tendencies and throw things at you to put you in uncomfortable situations. I think the key to it is instead of letting it affect you in any way, that’s when you should lock in even more and find a way to get it done. I think at times last year especially in the first series I would let some of the things they’d do affect me and take me out of my game instead of locking in more and just figuring it out. I think I was able to do that in the last 2 series and it helped me a lot.

In your second pro season you split time with Anorthosis Ammohostou (Cyprus-OPAP Basket League) averaging 11.7ppg, 7.7rpg, 2.0apg, in Jan.’23 moved to KFUM Nassjo Basket (Sweden-Basketligan) averaging 12.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 52.2%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 78.6%. How tough was this season? You saw how basketball can be a business. What did you learn about yourself in this season?

It was really tough. As you said it was the first time that I really got to see how the business of basketball works. I had come off a pretty good year in Finland personally, team wise I wish we could’ve done more that year, but I thought I had made a big step in my game that first year. It was a rough first month in Cyprus. I got sick and was out for a week and a half, and other circumstances were going on. I never really was able to get comfortable and get back to the form that I was at. I got pretty close with some of my teammates out there so getting cut hurts, and made me realize that teams aren’t going to be patient with you always. Just like you have a job to do so do they, and that’s putting a team out there that they feel gives them the best chance to win. So I didn’t take it too personally, but it was definitely something that even today that I carry with me. Luckily, I was able to be picked up mid way through the year that season by Nassjo and was able to have a decent year there. It was a wild and difficult year, but I learned a lot and honestly wouldn’t want to change anything about it.

In Sweden you were swept by Norrkoping in the playoffs. What made it so difficult getting by them?

They were a really good team. I think the thing that stood out the most about playing them was their depth. It felt like anytime that they made a change or sub that they didn’t have any drop off. They had size, experience and players that were threats at all positions. They were well coached too, I mean there’s a reason I think they’ve won that league three straight years. You could tell that a lot of them had played together for some years with how connected they were offensively and defensively.

You played your rookie season with Lapuan Korikobrat (Finland-Korisliiga) averaging 16.1ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.5apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 63.7%, 3PT: 34.7%, FT: 80.2%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

My wake up call happened as soon as I got to the city. Lapua was a very small town, super quiet wasn’t much to do which is different from where I’m from. That was the first time I ever saw that much snow, and it got dark around 3 in the afternoon which I didn’t even think was possible. The people there are great people though, they helped me a lot with my adjustment and tried their best to make you feel comfortable. I had great teammates while I was there also so it ended up being a good time. Wish we could’ve won more games, but after not playing my first year out of college I was just glad to be playing again.

You had some high scoring games at the end of the season like 30 points against the Bisons and 29 points against Korhait. What was your fondest moment on and off the court in Finland?

Like I said I had great teammates. There wasn’t much to do off the court, but we still had some good times just hanging out with each other after practices and games. The best memory I had though was at the end of the year we went skiing, and that was the first time I had ever done that so that was pretty cool. The best on the court memory was probably when we beat Lahti at home. At the time I don’t think they had beaten them in two years or so, pretty much the whole game we were down and at the end I got hot and we were able to beat them in overtime. That was pretty cool seeing how happy everybody in the organization was after that game.

You played at Ohio State from 2016-2020 and reached 2 NCAA tournaments. Which run was sweeter? You lost to Gonzaga and Houston?

The run that was sweeter to me was the 2019 year when we upset Iowa St. We were on the bubble that year, and didn’t even know if we were going to be in the tournament. We had a super up and down year, I mean I think at one point we were #10 in the country and then we got to January and didn’t win a game that whole month. Towards the end of that year we were able to get some big wins and found our way into the tournament. Got placed against a really good Iowa St team with Tyreese Haliburton, Talen Horton-Tucker, Marial Shayok I think they had just won the Big 12 tournament so nobody had us winning that game. To be able to upset a team like that was huge for our team, unfortunately we played another really good Houston team the next game and wasn’t able to get it done. But that was a good time just being able to get into the tournament after such a crazy year and get a win. The 2018 year I felt like we let that one get away when we played Gonzaga. We felt like we had a really good team that year and could’ve done something special, so to lose that game especially the way that we did really hurt. That year we had a good chance of winning the Big Ten so we felt like we could’ve done more than what we accomplished.

You played 2 seasons with future NBA player Keita Bates-Diop. What was it like for you seeing him perform and what kind of an influence did he have on you?

Man Keita Bates-Diop was a hell of a player. My Freshman year he got hurt and wasn’t able to play the majority of that year, and it hurt our team for sure. Just seeing the way that he came back that following year was special though. Just the way he attacked everyday in practice and leading up to that year in his workouts you knew that he was going to have a great season that following year, and he did. I think he was Big Ten Player of the year, and I think he was an All-American also. It was a special year for him and our team. If it wasn’t for the buzzer beater loss to Penn State that year we could’ve won the Big Ten regular season championship. I think him and Jae’sean Tate had a big influence on all of us in how hard you have to work, and the energy you have to bring everyday to be the best version of yourself.

You had many great games and wins like beating Michigan and Kentucky in your senior year. What was your fondest moment there?

That year was a movie, it’s hard to really even explain everything that we went through that year. From losing teammates, to being ranked #2 In the country two different times it had so many ups and downs. I just really wish that it wouldn’t have been cut short by Covid to see how it would’ve ended. We beat a lot of good teams that year, and I personally think that we could have accomplished a lot. I have a lot of great memories from that year from winning at North Carolina, beating Kentucky in Las Vegas, beating Michigan home and away. I had great teammates too that made even off the court fun, so that was a special year and something that I’ll never forget.

How did Chris Holtman groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

He taught me a lot in my time there. Him and Coach Matta I learned a lot from them both. They taught me what it looks like to work hard, and the sacrifices that you have to make for the betterment of the team. That just going to practice and doing team stuff isn’t enough if you want to be the best. That you should leave a program better off than it was before you got there. I learned how to be a better man in my time there, and how important relationships are. So I’m very grateful for them and the role that they played in my life.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your life that reached the NBA?

The toughest player I faced was probably Jayson Tatum or Malik Monk. Malik Monk scored 50 points against my team in AAU with Coach Calipari there and it was the easiest 50 points I’ve ever seen in my life. He had the first 9 points of the game before 30 seconds had run off the clock. Jayson Tatum was the toughest player I had to face; he just didn’t have any real weaknesses offensively.

Who are your 5 best teammates of all-time?

My 5 best teammates are one my brother, of course he’s my brother, but to be the best player on my team and be so unselfish is a testament to him as a person. Two would probably be CJ Jackson, just another guy that was so unselfish and would do anything for you. Three would be Kam Williams, probably one of the hardest workers I’ve ever been around and made you want to push yourself to be in the gym because you knew he was. Four would be Jelani Rodgers, a guy that I played with in high school. He was our point guard and another one that just worked so hard was always in the gym and sacrificed a lot for the team so we all could be successful. Five would be Jae’Sean Tate, he was also so unselfish and to a fault sometimes, but just how he brought it every single day and worked hard to be where he’s at now was inspirational to everybody on that team.

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

My NBA Mount Rushmore would be Micheal Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Who is your GOAT?

My GOAT is LeBron James. It’s close though Michael Jordan was the standard, but for LeBron to have won everywhere that he’s been, do it for as long as he’s done it and the talent that he’s had to face and still win with little to nothing to work with is amazing to me. I get Mike was a killer and had to face a lot of talented players too, but people don’t ever bring up just how great the players around him were when he was winning those championships. Not to take anything from Mike, but Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant, Tony Kukoc, Ron Harper these guys were dawgs. Let alone having one of, if not the greatest coach of all time in Phil Jackson.

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

I did see the sequel and it was bad can’t lie. Probably should have left it alone, but as long as Eddie Murphy wants to make a movie I’m all for it personally. He’s one of my favorite actors with so many classics it’s hard to tell him to leave any movie alone.

Thanks Andre for the Chat

Kelvin Omojola Knows That The Dragons Rhondorf Have The Talent For The Playoffs And Now Need To Come Together And Get It Done

Kelvin Omojola (183-G-1997, college: Northwest) is a 27year old 183cm point guard that is playing his fourth professional season and fourth in Germany and second with the Dragons Rhondorf helping them win the pro B title last season averaging 12.7ppg, 3.1rpg, Assists-2 (6.1apg), 1.6spg, FGP: 49.4%, 3PT: 30.5%, FT: 79.5%. In 2022-2023 he played with PS Karlsruhe (Pro A) averaging 3,1ppg and as a rookie played with the Ahorn Camp BIS Baskets Speyer (Germany-ProB) averaging 15.3ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.3apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 43.4%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 71.8%. He began his basketball career at Green Valley high school and then played at Red Deer (JUCO), Benedict College (NCAA2) averaging 9.1ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 38.6%, 3PT: 33.0%, FT: 66.7% and Northwest University (NAIA) averaging 7.4ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 36.4%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 62.1% and 13.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 3.2apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 55.4%, 3PT: 54.2%, FT: 87.5%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big 97-81 win over Team Ehingen.

Thanks Kelvin for talking to germanhoops.com. How did you spend the Fiba break?

Hey Miles, thank you for having me as always. The FIBA Break was very chill for me, I didn’t do too much. I stayed here in Bad Honnef just working out and enjoying the time off.

How vital was the Fiba Break for the Dragons Rhondorf. Did the team do some soul searching?

It was huge! It gave us some much needed rest and time off, while also getting a good amount of practices together with the entire team.

The loss in Speyer was very disappointing. Did the team have the feeling going into the Ehingen game that that can’t happen again?

Yes, we knew this game was a must win. We need to defend our home court and we want to make the playoffs. That started by us getting this win vs. Ehingen.

Congrats on the massive 97-81 win over Ehingen. With what kind of a game plan did you go into that game?

We knew we had to come out with high energy and intensity. The past few games we got out to terrible starts and dug ourselves huge holes. Trying to overcome a 15 point lead is extremely tough and gives you no room for error if you want to make a comeback. So getting out to a great start to set the tone for the game was our mindset and game plan.

Rhondorf had the 24-20 advantage after 10 minutes. Jaylin Alston scored the first 10 points., You guys must have been aware that he scored 47 points in the last game against the RheinStars. What was the game plan on him?

Yeah he’s a tough cover. He has an extremely high motor and is very athletic, so we knew it would take a team effort to defend him.

What made it most difficult to slow him down? Is he the definition of an incredible walking bucket?

He plays extremely hard and his motor is second to none. Those attributes along with his athleticism, you see why he’s a great scorer. You just have to be ready to guard him as a team in order to slow him down.

In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf stepped it up on the offensive end scoring 36 points, but were still shaky on defense allowing 26 points. What was giving the team the most problems on the defensive end?

Alston was the only issue. He had 27 at the half if I’m not mistaken, that’s too many points for anyone to have. Let alone in a half. We just have to be ready to box out, rebound, and protect the paint.

In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf only allowed 15 points and overall allowed only 35 points in the second half. What adjustments did the team make?

We just continued to trust not only the gameplay, but each other. We were flying around defensively, had excellent ball movement, crashed the glass on both ends.

The Dragons Rhondorf finished the game strong. How proud were you that the team had no let up down the stretch?

I loved it Miles, we kept playing until the buzzer said 0:00. We need to do that every game, no matter what the score is.

The team had an overall very strong game. It led the rebound battle and had 17 offensive rebounds, had 21 assists and only 10 turnovers. What was the team’s biggest strength on the night?

Our biggest strength on the night was our continuity. We played together and as a team for the entire game. From the starters to the second unit, everyone came in and played with high energy and focus.

The Dragons Rhondorf had 6 guys scoring in double figures. The balance was there. How in sync is the offense now at this crucial stage of the season?

Our offense is starting to come together Miles. We implemented some new concepts under Coach Marko which is helping our offense. We just need to keep building and get more adjusted to the new system.

Kenan Reinhart had one of his best games this season with 14 points in 13 minutes being very efficient. Is he slowly breaking out of his shell? It must be tough always getting up and down minutes?

Yes Kenan had a great game! He’s a really good player who has a ton of potential. He’s always confident and I love it. It’s definitely tough for any player but everyone goes through it throughout their basketball journey. It’s only going to make him a better player as time goes on.

How proud are you of Tim Smith rebounding the way he did after his goose egg in Speyer with 16 points. His dominant game isn’t there like in the first 2 months. Do you help him with self-confidence?

Tim is a great player, he doesn’t need any help with confidence. He is extremely skilled, athletic, elite shot maker, I can keep going. He’ll be playing in higher level leagues very, very soon.

Antomio Pilipovic also had a solid game after a few tough games where he didn’t score in double figures. How has he grown in general as a person now having that double function as player and boss in the Dragons office?

Yeah AP is balancing the GM position and player position very well. He’s definitely grown as a leader, but he’s still the same AP which is great.

You had a strong game with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 8 dimes. How content were you with your effort despite 2 turnovers?

I loved how I played. I’m not even concerned about the stats but I loved how my energy and intensity was from the beginning of the game. I wanted to make an impact defensively and help us start the game strong.

Your minutes have been down a bit in the last months, but you had another 30 minute game. How is your relationship with new head coach Marko Zarkovic?

It’s good! Coach Marko is a great guy, professional, and I’ve really enjoyed being able to work with him. He’s doing whatever it takes to help us win games and make the playoffs.

What is your biggest goal now as a player in the last 6 regular season games? Your leadership will be crucial for the team to reach the playoffs.

The biggest goal Miles is to defend our home court, and try and steal a few road games. We need to do this so we can get into the playoffs. We have the team to do so, we just need to go and execute it!

The club next plays top team Leitershofen that beat you 115-105 in OT. How excited are you to see Ferenc Gille again?

It’s going to be great to see Ferenc again! He’s such a great guy, I love Ferenc and I loved being his teammate last season. He was a major piece in us winning the championship last season. And of course, us winning a championship gives us a bond that we’ll always have!

The Dragons Rhondorf can’t be up and down, but need a great performance. How aware are you that a win could really change the season around?

I’m very aware Miles. We have the talent to do so, we just need to come together as a unit and get it done! We all want to make the playoffs and that’s our goal. One game at a time.

What will be key to beating top team leitershofen?

They have a great team this season, we need to continue to play together and come out with an energy/intensity that will set the tone for the game.

Where do you rate the 2025 NBA slam dunk dunk by Mac McClung?

Mac is an elite dunker, you can see why he’s won the contest 3 times in a row. But I hope next year we get the NBA stars in the contest like Zion, Ja, etc.

Thanks Kelvin for the chat.

Marco Rahn Played With Legends Allen, Mcelroy and Jenkins Against Berlin The Place He Had Watched Them As A Kid With Alba Berlin

photo credit: ochsenfoto.de

Marco Rahn (199-PF-1998) is a 26 year old 199cm forward playing his first season with German pro B team Dragons Rhondorf averaging 8,9ppg, 6,7rpg and 1,7apg.. He began his career with BG 94 Schwedt and then played with the Jena organization from 2013-2018 playing 4 easyCredit BBL games. He then played a season with Essen and then 4 seasons with BSW Sixers Sandersdorf (ProB) playing 87 Pro B games and in his last 2 seasons averaged 10.8ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.7apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.1%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 82.3% and 12.0ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 40.3%, FT: 68.1%. Last season he played with BBC Bayreuth playing 34 games and averaging 3.5ppg, 2.6rpg. He spoke to germanhoops.com eurobasket about basketball.

Thanks Marco for talking to germanhoops.com. You have a new challenge with pro B team Dragons Rhondorf. What kind of an experience has it been playing for this organization?

It has been a good experience. It was a little adjustment coming from the Pro A to Pro B, but I was welcomed with open arms and I have great teammates.

After being in the Pro B for 5 years, you last season played in the Pro A with Bayreuth. Now your back in the Pro B? Why did you take a step back?

I knew early on this summer that I wouldn´t have a big role in Bayreuth so we decided to cancel the contract. I didn´t have any other real offers from Pro A teams, so I decided to go to the Pro B and move to a team that had big ambitious like the Dragons had and maybe be able to move up.

You stated in the Dragons Rhondorf press release that your goals and vision were the same with head coach Stephan Dohrn. What else was really enticing about joining this organization?

We both understood each other very well. He felt like the Dragons would be a good opportunity where I could practice a lot and work on my game. The goal is the playoffs.

What have you learned to appreciate most about the coaching philosophy most of coach Dohrn?

I like his idea to play hard defense. I think this philosophy is vital for a team that have ambitions to win a title.

How important is having that big leadership role with the Dragons? You were captain of Sandersdorf and now have that chance to be a real leader.

I was a leader with Sandersdorf. I showed what I could do in Sandersdorf as a leader. It was brought up in the talks that I would be a leader with Omojola and Pililpovic. I want to be one of the guys that helps the team get as far as possible.

The team isn´t as big as last year. Does this put extra pressure on your game to be more physical and active in the paint area?

I played the 5 in Sandersdorf. Small ball can function in the Pro B. I think that small ball has it´s advantages especially when bigs make the game slower.

What has it been like being teammates with Danas Kazakevicius? Are you like a mentor for him?

No not yet. I try to help everyone with their game. I have a lot of experience having practiced with BBL teams. I think that having that possible mentor role with Danas will come with time. Players still have to find their find their games

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 199cm forward. If you had to compare your game to an NBA or Euroleague player who would bets fit the description?

I have never compared myself to another player. I see myself as a 3 and D player that can post up.

You are a very versatile player and are consistent. Are these 2 traits your biggest strengths on the court?

Yes I think that is accurate. I won´t ever be that 20/10 player, but moreover that player that holds a team together. I feel like I can fit in to many types of systems.

Your also a good three point shooter. Do you feel like you may take more three´s in the Dragons System or less mainly to help out more inside?

I think that will show with time. It is hard to say. It will depend on how our opponents play.

How would you classify your defensive game? What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you want to become?

I feel like I´m a versatile defender. I think that I can defend 2-5 and some point guards in the Pro B. I want to become more consistent as a defender and also keep the good Americans under their averages. They have to realize that it will be no fun playing against me.

On what areas of your game are you working on so you can continue to improve your game?

I´m working most on being able to finish better.

You played in the Science City Jena organization from 2013-2018. How important was this time for your early basketball development? Was there a coach that helped you most?

One of my favorite coaches ever was Torsten Rothamel. He was my U-16 coach and pushed me a lot. I am thankful for having played for Bjoern Harmsen. He gave me a chance to play BBL and he taught me what it meant to be a professional.

In the 2016-2017 season there were legends Julius Jenkins and Immanuel Mcelroy on the team as well as other great players like Wayne Bernard and John Little. What memories do you have of them and was there a guy that influenced you most?

They all influenced me. It was incredible to see how well Jenkins and Mcelroy still played at their age at a high level. Derrick Allen helped me the most. He would take me to the side and give me tips. I will never forget a practice where I had my absolute worst shooting day. I missed everything. We played a lot of 5-5 and in the last game, I hit the game winning shot. Allen then told me that is how you have to do it. Never be afraid to take that last shot. All that counts was making the last shot. Nobody will remember you missing all the shots before.

You played 4 BBL games and 12 minutes. Was there any particular moment that you won´t forget from those games?

I will never forget playing with Allen, Jenkins and Mcelroy in the O2 arena with Jena. I had watched them as kid as they played with Alba Berlin. Now I was teammates with them with Jena and playing in Berlin against Alba with them. That was a great moment.

You then played a season in Essen. How tough was it coming from Jena and not getting minutes? You had some really experienced Americans with Flomo and Calvin.

It was tough to lose so much, but I also learned a lot. It was important to see how a veteran like Flomo could handle defeat in such a long season.

You then played 4 seasons with Sandersdorf. How valuable was this time in your basketball development? You must of liked it because you remained in the Pro B. Was there no ambition for higher leagues?

Playing with Sandersdorf was one of the best times in my life. Of course I had ambitions to go to higher leagues. One has to remember that at time, it was Covid. But I was comfortable there and had security. At that time, nobody really knew how Covid would end.

You played a season with Mr triple double Donte Nicholas. He is one of those guys that never got a real chance in higher leagues. Shouldn´t he have deserved it?

Well he did play Pro A. He was a great player. I think that a lot of the time, it depends on if a player fits into a system

Last season you played with Pro A team BBC Bayreuth. You got 17 minutes and averaged 3,5 minutes. This was another tough season. You didn´t have freedom there? Weren´t you allowed to take more shots? There was a span during the season where in 6 games you took only 11 shots. That is little.

At the start my role was seen as getting 15 minutes. The system in Bayreuth simply didn´t fit my game. My role was to be a 3 and D player. I think that the team wasn´t put together well where each player could show their strength. It wasn´t the best season for me, but I also didn´t always show my best game.

Who was the greatest player that you ever faced in your life?

Robin Benzing

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

There are too many to name.

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Shaq, Jordan, Lebron, Vince Carter

Who is your GOAT?

Vince Carter was always my favorite player. Today my Goat is Lebron and back in day Jordan.

Thanks Marco for the chat.

Phillp Flowers(Bona Baskets Limburg) Is Grinding In The 2 Regionalliga But Has Game And Once Put Up 37 Points Against Jeremy Pargo In A Pro Am Game In Miami

Phillip Flowers (196-SF-1990, college: UWG) is a 34 year old 196cm small forward from Lauderdale, Florida and playing with the Bona Baskets Limburg (“ Regionalliga) this season. He has pro experience in Qatar, Brazil and in semi pro leagues in the States with teams Georgia Spartans (UBA) and the South Florida Gold (ABA). He played at : Eastern Florida State College (NJCAA) and the University of West Georgia (NCAA2). He spoke to germanhoops.com after a 65-57 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Thanks Philip for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the big win over Eintracht Frankfurt. The guests are filled with 80% youth players. Did it feel like men playing with boys?

Yes it did feel like that. Sometimes I have to get myself mad just to motivate myself to play. I´m bigger and stronger than those guys. You have to keep it simple when you play against young guys.

What was the key for getting the win at home?

We didn´t find an offensive rhythm. Only one guy was at practice yesterday. But we did give an overall consistent defensive effort.

You last played 5 years ago in the ABA. How did you land in Limburg?

I met a former Limburg player through my job in Wiesbaden. I´m a contractor in Wiesbaden and work for the government. I got a try out and the rest is history.

You live and work in Wiesbaden. Is the Limburg gig more a hobby or do you still have aspirations of chasing the pro dream?

Of course I still want to get to the next level. I won´t be able to get to the top, because of my job though. But I feel capable of playing in the Pro B or Pro A.

Did you have a 9-5 job the last 5 years? Did you continue to work on your craft or was the professional route on the back burner?

I worked as a contractor for the US government in different countries the last years. I played in Qatar, Brazil and in China tournaments.

What kind of an experience has it been playing for the Bona Baskets Limburg? What have you enjoyed most about the experience?

It has been cool. I have gotten to know some of the guys. I´m proud to have been a mentor for some of the young kids and try to give them knowledge and help them get better. I really love how we always have access to the gym.

You aren´t the only veteran, but Elijah Allen is also here. What is it like sharing the court with him? Is one more the leader and the other have a different function?

I can be a vocal leader, but also leader with actions. Elijah is the same.

How enjoyable has it been being teammates with Justin Stallbohm? Isn´t his smile infectious?

His smile is very infectious especially when his shot is going in. I get a lot of assists from him. He is a good shooter and leader as our captain.

You played in countries like Brazil and Qatar, but was never in Europe before this season. What do you believe kept you away from Europe? Was it failed representation?

It wasn´t really failed representation, but he just didn´t have a network in Europe, but more in South America. I would have liked to have played here earlier in my career.

You played for the South Florida Gold (ABA) reaching the final. What memories do you have of this season? What was missing from getting that chip?

We just didn´t play very well as a team. It was a big moment and they just had more experience than us.

You played 2 seasons with Botafogo F.R. (Brazil-Liga Ouro) winning a chip. What was so special about this team that season?

We had a bunch of really good players. We had strong imports and a really good team. It wasn´t only great to win the title, but to contribute

You played your rookie season with the Georgia Spartans (UBA). What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie?

My wake up call was realizing I had to get stronger. I always had the skills. I focused more on my body.

You began your college career at Eastern Florida State College (NJCAA). Every guy I have interviewed that played JUCO have said it was a grind, but an experience they wouldn´t have traded the world for. How was it for you?

I agree. What many don´t realize is that JUCO has a lot of good players. Guys usually land here because of bad grades. I learned that if I want to get somewhere, I have to work hard.

You then played a season with the University of West Georgia (NCAA2). You only played a season there. Why didn´t you finish there?

I stayed only one season, because I was ineligible for a second season.

What was your fondest moment on the court? Possibly your 23/13 game against Carver?

I don´t even think that that was my best game. Maybe on paper it was. My fondest moment was winning the dunk contest at midnight madness.

How did head coach Michael Cooney groom and prepare you best for a pro career?

He taught me discipline. I understood that if I didn´t do something a certain way, I would sit.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Zac Taulien?

I won. Not too many beat me.

Who the toughest player you battled that reached the NBA?

I played against Bam Adebayo. I played against James Harden in a Miami tournament and did really well. He didn´t play defense. I put up 37 points against Jeremy Pargo also in Miami. I also played against Derrick Jones Jr.

Who are your 4 best teammates of all-time?

Kenny Boynton, Brandon Knight, Eloy Vargas, Keith Clanton

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Shaq

Who is your Goat?

Michael Jordan

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

Yes they should of left it alone.

Thanks Philip for the chat.

Working At Greensboro Airport In Between School Years Changed Jaylen Alston´s(Team Ehingen) Life And Made Him The Person He Is Today

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

Thanks Jaylen for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your rookie season overseas in Germany with Team Ehingen. How blessed do you feel to be able to play the game you love for a living?

I feel really blessed because this opportunity is something that I got very late and I feel like it was an opportunity that God saved for me so I could be able to be somewhere where I could experience a great environment on the court as well as a great environment off the court so I truly feel blessed every time and practice or just in the games

What do you know in general about the country and it´s basketball? Have you had any friends play here in the past?

I really don’t know much in general, but I have been seeing how much they love the sport. I did know that Dirk Nowitzki was from Germany, but I do have two friends that have played here.

You came late into the 24-25 season. Was the job market tough coming from division 2?

The job market was definitely tough coming from division two and not only to mention coming from a historical black at college university. They don’t give many kids like us a chance so I just like to take my opportunity and be able to show everyone that if we were able to have more chances then we would definitely be in more of a market for basketball around the world.

What have you enjoyed most about the overseas experience? How big is that day to day feeling of being able to learn and get better?

What I have enjoyed the most is being inside of a new culture and seeing how they live every day, because it’s so different from America. The daily feeling of getting better and learning is what I think about when I wake up every day just because I know that this is my job and I have to be getting better and taking my job seriously so that way I can take this further than just this year.

Your only a rookie but one of the older guys. How enriching is it for you personally to be able to have young teammates? Does it sometimes feel like your in school again?

Honestly, I enjoy having young teammates just because I feel like I can teach them some things and show them new ways they can make themselves better and they’re all about learning so I enjoy the part of having those young guys, but it does have a feeling of being back in school.

Team Ehingen is fighting to stay in the Pro B. What is crucial now in being able to produce more wins? I´m sure the win over the RheinStars gave the team a lot of extra self confidence?

The most crucial thing now is for us to play with energy and have fight because that carries a lot farther than any of the statistics stuff. I definitely feel like it gives confidence to the entire team and the coaching staff because now we know if we can play against the number one seed, then we can play against everybody.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 193cm swing man. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description?

The player that I will compare my game to is honestly Kawhi Leonard when he is healthy

Would it be a correct assessment that versatility is your biggest strength? You fill the stat sheet like no other.

Yes, I would definitely say versatility is my biggest strength and that’s something I Pride myself on being able to help the team in different areas any given night.

Last season at Winston Salem you averaged 8 rebounds and as a rookie in Germany almost 10 rebounds. Do you simply know where the ball will go on every shot? What is your secret?

I have a little trick on how I know where the ball might be in, but it’s something that I can just see for myself and I’ve been doing it since a kid so I honestly have a niche for it but it’s no big secret.

Talk a little about your defensive game? What kind of a defender would you call yourself now and where do you still want to go with your game?

I will honestly call myself a srappy defender and a defender that loves to help others, but I want to be a better on ball defender so that’s where I want to involve my basketball game mainly on the defensive side

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to make strides?

The area I´m working on most now is being comfortable, making plays with the ball along with shooting the three ball.

You must have a big ambition to reach higher leagues? Have you ever checked out a BBL or Eurocup game in ULM? Do you feel like you could hold your own against players like that?

Yes, of course I have ambition to reach higher leagues but I feel like everything will happen in due time. I have never checked out any of the BBL or euro cup games, but it would be nice to go see and I always feel like I can hold my way against anyone no matter what level of basketball.

You began your NCAA career at Gardner-Webb but played only 9 games. How tough was this freshman year? Could you gain any positives out of it?

My first year was pretty tough considering once I enrolled into the school, the coach who recruited me left, so I was left to a situation where I really had nobody that would actually pay me too much attention, but I feel like the biggest positive I gained out of it was being comfortable with not playing minutes, but still seeing myself get better every day.

You then went to Winston Salem State University (NCAA2) averaging 12.5ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 73.5%. You won a CIAA title in your first season. What do you remember of that run?

Unfortunately COVID cancelled the tournament after. I remember that run just being full of fun. We were really playing and clicking on all cylinders and have bought into what the coach wanted so I feel like that just gave us the edge over most teams and we were all on the same page.

Covid then changed so much for everyone. You missed 2 years and worked at Greensboro airport. How much did that change your life in that part of your life?

That drastically changed my life just because I was able to see how someone who didn’t play basketball or sports at all lived in everyday life and also gave me some life-changing events that I was glad to be a part of because it made me who I am today and has given me someone special I really needed.

You then returned to Winston Salem State University (NCAA2) and played 2 more seasons averaging 11.6ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 74.5% and 18.1ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 61.5%, 3PT: 26.1%, FT: 74.5%. You won a second CIAA title. What do you remember from that run? You had some real defensive battles against Virginia Union and Lincoln.

I remember that run being really tough for me considering I played most of the season dealing with a knee injury, but that run right there gave me a different mind of how mentally strong I know I can be

You lost your last NCAA 2 game to Bluefield State scoring 34 points. Was that one of your toughest loses in your career?

I would say yes that is the laws of my career just because I knew that was the last game that I would ever play in a Winston Salem State jersey and I never took any of it for granted.

How did head coach Cleo Hill groom and prepare you best for a professional career?

Coach Hill really prepared me for my career just by the terminology he helped us use in the way he showed us how to play basketball so the style of basketball that they play is exactly correlated to this style basketball that is played here in Europe, but I will also say both of the assistant coaches Lance Back with and Rick Wilson were two of the best coaches that I’ve ever been coached by.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Isaac Parson?

Me and Isaac honestly never played 1 on 1 basketball, but if I had to bet on who would win, I will always bet on myself.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your life that reached the NBA?

The player that I have ever faced would be Coby White that plays for the Chicago Bulls just because at a young age he really understood the game of basketball and how to get to the spots. He wanted to shoot the ball in, and that helped me understand what I needed to do to get better as a player.

Please list your 5 best teammates of all-time?

This is in no specific order. I could trust these guys to never allow an opponent to score Xaiver Fennel Rob Colon Mase Harrell Ramal Patterson Imajae Dodd

Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

LeBron James Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Bill Russell

Who is your GOAT?

LeBron James

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

Honestly, I have never seen the first coming to America all the way through. I usually fall asleep on some of those movies so I can’t honestly tell you too much about it.

Thanks Jaylen for the chat.

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

pic credit: Steffen Eirich/Matthias Stickel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I can´t pick just 1 player.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How well will Germany do at the Olympics?

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

Thanks Justin for the chat.

Chrysostom Chukwuma Likes The Challenge Of Having That Responsibility And Leadership With The Young Skyliners Juniors

Chrysostom Chukwuma (190-G-1996, agency: Bell Basketball) is a 28 year old 190cm guard playing his first season in Germany with the Skyliners Juniors (Pro B) after starting the season with the Helsinki Seagulls. He began his basketball career with Vantaan Pussihukat. He then played 5 seasons with Jyvaskyla Basketball Academy. He then played 2 seasons with Lapuan Kobrat (Korisliiga) and a season with Pyrinto Tampere (Korisliiga). He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big win over the TSV Oberaching Tropics.

Thanks Chuko for talking to germanhoops.com. Did you watch the Superbowl or is that not as popular in Finland?

It isn´t as popular in Finland, but I have friends that follow it. I never got into it.

Did some of your teammates watch or watch in groups?

I have no idea.

Congrats on the big 75-63 win over the TSV Oberaching Tropics. The team has a 3 game winning streak. How good is life now?

It feels great to be successful. It wasn´t easy for me to come to a new team in mid season. I have to learn the coaches philosophy, system and tendencies of the players. It was our first game without Hadenfeldt. I want that responsibility and leadership. We have a young team, but have a lot of potential.

The first quarter was won 19-17 by the guests. How tough was it getting the offense going with the pesky Tropics guards?

That was our biggest problem the whole game. They did a good job dodging the screens. We had problems getting open. We had too many turnovers.

The team had 7 turnovers in the first quarter and 23 in all. How big is it of a job for you to bring some stability to the offense?

Yes exactly. Hadenfeldt is away now and I have to bring rhythm into the offense and bring calmness to us.

In the second quarter the Skyliners Juniors did a better job on the pick and roll after not getting the side pick and roll going in the first quarter. How much fun is it playing with Malik Kordel?

I love Malik. I watched some games before I signed. I have never played with a 7 footer that has such good hands as he does. He is super young and has a bright future. I love playing with him.

In the third quarter the Skyliners Juniors were able to lead by 12 points after 30 minutes. What adjustments did the team make?

We just turned up the intensity and got more stops and ran the court and pushed the pace. We made one pass to the wing and attacked.

In the fourth quarter the Tropics punched back with a 9-2 run to trail 56-52. What was key for the guests coming back?

We made small mistakes. We have to learn to be consistent for 40 minutes.

The Skyliners Juniors came back with a run to get their lead back to double figurers. How developed is the cohesion of the team?

I think that we have good energy. When we have hard moments, it tests us. Then we can see how well we can stay together, but that happens with young teams.

Malik Kordel made a massive poster dunk on Maxwell Dongmo Temoka. What were you thinking when you saw that?

That is what he does. He is a great athlete that can run the court well. I have never seen a player that tall that can move so well.

When you look back at the 40 minutes of the game, what was the Skyliners biggest strength in the game?

We kept fighting and where physical even if it was ugly.

You had a 15/4/2 game in 28 minutes. How content were you with your game?

I made some three´s that gave us some release. You can never be satisfied. I´m looking forward to the next games.

What was your favorite play of the game besides Kordel´s poster dunk?

I liked how we played the third quarter. We began with good energy. That is how we should start every game. Make the first hit and make the opponent call a time out and put pressure on them.

Thanks Chuko for the chat.

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