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It Was A Very Special Moment For Lucas Mayer(Kirchheim) To Beat Giessen And Reach The Pro A Final In His Hometown

Pic credit: Nina Sander

Lucas Mayer (185-PG-1999) is a 26 year old 185cm guard playing his second season with Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim and helped lead them into the Pro A final. He began his basketball career with the VfB 1900 Giessen Pointers (2.Regionalliga) and also played with the ROTH Energie Basketball-Akademie Giessen (NBBL). He then played 2 seasons with the EPG Baskets Koblenz. He then played a season with BG Hessing Leitershofen (ProB) making his Pro B break through averaging 15.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 4.5apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 54.9%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 74.8%. In 2023-2024, he made his pro A break through with the Gartenzaun24 Baskets Paderborn (ProA) averaging 11.1ppg, 3.3rpg, 3.8apg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 62.7%. He joined the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim (ProA) in 2024-2025 and averaged 10.0ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 26.1%, FT: 73.4%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after defeating Giessen 89-85 in game 4 and reaching the Pro A final.

Thanks Lucas for talking to germanhoops.com. Congrats on the massive 89-85 win in game 4 against Giessen and reaching the Pro A final. How good did it feel last night when the buzzer sounded?

I was relieved when the buzzer sounded. I was really very proud of the team especially after our slow start into the season and our ups and downs that we had had. It was a very special feeling winning in my home town.

You have witnessed the incredible development of the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim the last 2 years. If someone had told you in August 2025 that the team would reach the Pro A final what would you have said?

That is a crazy statement. We really went through a lot. Last season we just missed reaching the playoffs. Our goal this season was to reach the playoffs and win the first round cup game. I mean the competition level is very high in the Pro A. We don´t have the biggest budget and there were many teams with the goal of reaching the playoffs and with higher budgets. I would have thought ok there is a possibility of reaching the final, but I would of seen it more as unrealistic.

Does this big success still have a different taste simply because the team will remain in the Pro A?

No it doesn´t. At the end of the day we are all competitors and want to win no matter what the circumstances might be. You never know how many chances like this will happen in a career. Our will to win the Pro A title is huge

What was the main focus of the team coming to Giessen? How big was the self confidence having already won there in game 2?

Yes we had a lot of self confidence coming to game 4. We were swept badly in the regular season, but it was under different circumstances. We developed very well as a team during the regular season and reached the playoffs. That built a lot of character. Beating Gottingen in the playoffs also built character. We had a lot of respect for Giessen and knew it would be difficult, but we had that special will to win.

Giessen began well leading 7-2. Kirchheim didn´t seem shocked. Does that calmness of Igor Perovic carry over to the team?

Yes he does. We did a good job as team all season long whenever we faced adversary to never get down on ourselves. Even when we began 1-5, we never got down. People were already writing us off there. We always knew that we had potential as a team and always trusted the game plan of Igor.

Kirchheim then responded with a 11-0 run. Kirchheim then hit three pointers well. What was key in that 11-0 run for the turnaround? Did somebody on the court or bench have the right words after the slow start?

We had a clear game plan. We predicted that Giessen would play zone and we were ready for it. We did a good job creating shots and took them with a lot of confidence. There wasn´t really anyone that used words at that moment, but key was sticking to the game plan.

Kirchheim who were somewhat undermined on the glass outrebounded Giessen from the start. It really felt like Kirchheim wanted it more than Giessen from that stand point until the end?

I think so. Igor said all season long that if we set the tone from the get go and are more physical at both ends and get rebounds, then nobody will stop us. We are very versatile and our goal each game is to dominate with our physicality. If we did that, then we had really good chances of winning.

Nicholas Bretzel made big shots, rebounds and big plays all game long. Where would the team be without him?

He is a very big difference with his presence under the glass. He makes it very difficult for the opponent to get to the rim and he rebounds very well. You really notice and how much of a disadvantage we are in those areas when he doesn´t play. He is a key player for us.

You also had that special fire in your eyes right from the get go. How big is the motivation to beat Giessen since you played NBBL for them?

It is always very special for me to play in Giessen. I played my whole youth here and as a boy would watch Giessen play. It is always special to see family and friends there.

How crazy is it scoring 48 points as a team at the break and Philipp Russell having 0 points?

That was crazy. He is such a brutal player. Even when he didn´t have a great game for say 35 minutes, he is still able to dig deep down and pull another lever and step up. He has a big character and giant will to win. He makes big plays in the clutch. We always know what we will get from him in crunch-time.

Kirchheim continued to manage the lead well in the third quarter. It seemed like Tylan Pope carried the team. Did he recognize early that he had to step up with Russell not on his game?

We have showed all season long that we don´t need to rely on just one guy to score. We have our main guys, but also 4-5 can score 10-20 points. Tylan really stepped up in the playoffs with big games.

Kirchheim was up 20 points in the fourth quarter and made a furious comeback and made it close. Did Kirchheim become to sure of the win?

That is hard to say. When you play in a gym like the Ost Halle where the atmosphere is incredible, one play can really get the crowd even more involved and turn a game around. I think the fans really helped Giessen stage that comeback. But we never lost our will to win. Even with 8 minutes to play, we always believed in getting the win. We were also ready for a comeback, because in a way we expected it.

Kirchheim kept their composure in crunch-time. What else was key for getting the win at the end?

We believed in ourselves and did the little things. They had the momentum in that run and at the start, we were a bit unsure of ourselves, but overal we had the confidence and knew we would win. We made big plays and shots and sealed the win at the end with free throws.

When you look back at the series against Giessen, what was the difference?

I think that our physicality was the difference. We weren´t ready in game 1 where they dominated the boards. But we really set the tone in the last 3 wins. We did a good job trying to slow down their main guys and dominating the rebounds. Even when Giessen played good defense, they weren´t rewarded, because we still executed well.

Giessen fans complained on social media after the game that some of the Kirchheim Americans had bad unsportsmanlike conduct after the buzzer sounded. How tough is it playing in the Ost halle? Can you understand that your teammates were dealing with high emotions after a win like that?

The Giessen fans know how to provoke the opponents players. In the playoffs, the intensity is raised a bit more with frustration. I didn´t see exactly what happened, but I can understand my teammates that they would react like that after having to put up with boos and being harassed for 40 minutes.

Is Kirchheim satisfied now or does it have the fire to win the Pro A title?

We aren´t Satisfied yet. We didn´t reach the pro A final to take it on the easy shoulder. We want to win it all now. We have never won a title in the history of the organization. It would be historic and a crowning end to the season.

How special of a coach is Igor Perovic? Doesn´t he finally deserve a easyCredit BBL job offer?

Igor has deserved a BBL chance since many years. But I think that he feels very comfortable in Kirchheim. It has been incredible how he has achieved success with the little means that he is given. He deserves a chance very much in the BBL.

How was the ride home? Was their partying on the bus?

We traveled in 3 vans. The atmosphere was great in my van.

Can Bremerhaven make the upset in Hagen tonight?

It is hard to say. The series is balanced. But I think Hagen has the edge, because they proved all season long that they are very hard to beat at home. I wouldn´t rule out Bremerhaven, but I see the odds at 51% Hagen and 49% Bremerhaven.

Thanks Lucas for the chat.

Kayaan Yeboah(Orange Academy/ratiopharm Ulm) Is An Anchor On Defense That Always Goes Hard On Every Possession Helping Ignite His Team

Pic credit: ratiopharm Ulm

Kayaan Yeboah (195-G-2008) was born on May 29th, 2008 and is a 195cm guard that played the 2025-2026 season for 3 teams with Pro Team Orange Academy, BBU Ulm 01 (Regionalliga) averaging 4,7ppg and 1,9rpg and with NBBL (U-19) team ratiopharm Ulm averaging 4,9ppg, 2,3rpg and 1,9apg. He helped the NBBL team reach the NBBL final. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Kayaan for talking to eurobasket.com. After losing to FC Bayern Munich last season with Orange Academy in the NBBL playoffs, how good did it feel to beat them this time?

I think the whole team was satisfied with the outcome against Bayern this year since. It was a great playoff run before the top 4 to get ready

The team rolled easily by top teams Urspring and FC Bayern Munich. In the playoffs. What do you believe has been the secret to the dominating success? How vital is the combination of depth and chemistry?

First of all I think that our team chemistry is definitely on a high level but we also have great individual talents so when you combine that it’s hard to beat.

What kind of a feeling was it destroying top German club FC Bayern Munich winning game 1 by 15 points and the last one by 26 points. Ulm didn´t just beat Munich, but won with ease. What was the difference in the playoff series?

It showed which team really wanted it more and fought until the end, so we where happy with how we came through as a team in the end

How vital was Yanu Slingerland been? Is he like a type of special glue guy?

He’s definitely been a guy that you can rely on with the ball to hit important shots and make big plays he gets the team hyped many times whether it be a poster dunk or a 3 pointer

Talk a little about the importance of Meissa Faye. What have you learned to appreciate most about his game?

He’s been going hard all season and has shown many times how clutch he can be he stepped up many times when we needed him to

Your averaged 5/2/1 stats in the NBBL in 28 minutes. What exactly was your role on the NBBL team?

This year my role has been more on the defense side early in the season coach told me that I have to act as an defensive Anchor for the team

You’re a very skilled defensive player. Talk a little about how your defensive game impacts the team?

I set the bar on defense so if the team sees that I go hard every possession on defense it ignites them to also go hard

One player I really like is Swiss army knife Joel Cwik. What do you appreciate most from his game?

He’s very consistent and explosive this year he also improved his 3 point shot a lot which makes him even more vital

What have you enjoyed most about the Milicic brothers Teo and Zoran? How competitive are these 2 guys?

They are very competitive but also guys that will help you and give advice since they grew up in a basketball family and often have more experience

Teo Milicic is an unbelievable talented player, but how mature is his mentality at this level already?

Already being a part of the BBL team Teo has matured a lot he’s shown it many times in the pro b/NBBL season acting as a big Piece on both teams and fulfilling his role

How vital has the success of NBBL and Pro B been with head coach Florian Flabb. How special are his abilities to be able to get young men play both ends of the court?

Coach is definitively very dedicated to his work and the results speak for themselves

He’s had a lot of success with the teams he’s coaching since he’s in Ulm

Let´s talk a little about your game. You’re a 195cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

I would say I try to model my game after Anthony Edward’s showing skills on both sides of the court

You’re a guy that fills the stat sheet well. How big is versatility in your game?

It’s very big since I don’t really do only one thing good I try to impact as many things as I can and that’s what I focus on

Your three pointer is still a work in progress. What steps are you taking in your daily practices that will help you become a better shooter?

I try to take shots with more confidence and outside of practice get as many reps in as possible to make my shot become more consistent

Talk a little about your defensive game. What pro player is your role model and what is your greatest strength on the defensive end?

On defense I also model my game after Anthony Edwards. I´m consistent in staying in front of the ball and only give up difficult shots so I would say my perimeter defense

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

My shooting on general so mid range and 3s are for sure the thing that I work on the most and after that my ball handling

Please name your 5 teammates of all-time?

Malachai Maximus Mayombo-Canty

Jervis Scheffs

Niko Jerkic

Milo Murray

Endurance Aiyamenkhue

Please list your personal NBA Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time?

Kevin Durant

LeBron James

Steph Curry

Anthony Edwards

Who is your Goat?

LeBron James

Thanks Kayaan for the chat.

Julian Larry Became A Smarter Defender And Feels Like Koblenz Had A Lot Of What If’s To How The Season Could Really Have Ended

Pic credit:

Julian Larry (190-G, college: Texas) is a 190cm guard from Texas that completed his rookie season overseas in Germany with the EPG Baskets Koblenz averaging 9/1/271 stats. He began the season with Munster averaging 12,3ppg, 1,9rpg, 3,6aqpg and 1,4spg. He began his basketball career at Lone Star High School and then played at Indiana State (NCAA) from 2020-2024 amassing a total of 128 games. He then added an extra season with the University Of Texas. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.

Thanks Julian for talking to germanhoops.comThe EPG Baskets suffered a loss in Giessen on the last game day 88-69. How tough is it always to play in Giessen?

That was my first time playing in Giessen. They definitely have a nice home arena for sure but was for sure tough playing against the team because they’re experienced and they understand how to win.

Was the game lost at the FT line and on the boards?

I feel like it was an accumulation of a lot of things but I wouldn’t just pinpoint it on two things.

You finished with 8 points but shot 2/10. How content were you with your shot selection?

I was fine with the shots I took. I just missed them.

A lot of Koblenz fans made the trip to Giessen. What was your impression of the Koblenz fans this season? Do they have the special passion that fans should have?

Yes the Koblenz fans this year were very supportive and they make it like a family like atmosphere at every game. And they definitely have the passion that fan should have for not just the home games but on the road as well.

The EPG Baskets finished the season in 14th place with a record of 13-20. Do you feel it was a season of what if´s in the last 2 months?

I definitely feel like this was a what if season because even when I got here we left a lot of wins on the table.

After the incredible buzzer beater win in Crailsheim the EPG Baskets Koblenz finished the season losing 7 of 8 games. The team lost close games against Paderborn and Tuebingen. Do you feel with a few more breaks, the team could have reached the playoffs?

I definitely feel so, but the way we should look at it is things that we can do to help put us in a better position for the next time.

There were too many games during the whole season plus in the last 8 games where the defense was unacceptable. Why couldn´t the team become a better defensive team during the season?

I feel like we’ve showed we can be really good on defense at time, we just have to be more consistent. Also having our offense help our defense.

It also seemed like the mental side was an issue. Too often when the opponent made runs, you couldn´t punch back as a team. Did runs get inside the players heads to a degree that it couldn´t be fixed?

I wouldn’t say that I would just say we have to handle adversity better.

The club was a great offensive team. Talk a little about the positives of the season like that. How much fun was it playing offense for Stephan Doehrn?

It definitely was a lot of fun playing in Coach Stephan’s offense. I really like how he puts us in the positions we need to to win that specific game. He also lets us play free which is hard for a defense to guard when you have a lot of talent as well. But I really liked how he pushed me to be a better player in the offense which I feel showed !!!

What was it like playing with Calvin Wishart. Was his exceptional play at times infectious?

It definitely was super fun playing with Calvin this year. I was definitely excited when I found out I was coming to Koblenz because when I played against you guys at Munster he definitely was one of the tougher guys I had to guard. When he gets going it bring guys energy because he gets hot quick.

How valuable was Devonte McCall? What did you appreciate most about his game?

Tae was extremely valuable to the team because he brings something different to the team when it comes to his play. And I appreciate his defensive presence and the pace he plays with.

DJ Jeffries was a real work horse. How valuable was his play this season?

Dj’s play was extremely valuable this season because he was super versatile for us. We could put him anywhere on the court and he is going to succeed. He is definitely one of the most dangerous wings in the league.

The team had many talented Germans. Would a guy like Alex Moeller be a good candidate for unsung hero award?

He definitely would be a good candidate for unsung hero award because Al made a lot of good plays for us especially towards the end of the season.

Badu Buck is a guy that could get hot at anytime as well as make big plays on defense. He is also a very jovial guy. What was your fondest moment with him?

I would say my most fun this moments came with Buck in practice because as you said he can get hot, well I’ve seen him shoot the lights out in practice before.

If you had to choose one player this season as most improved who would it be?

My guy Sonne for sure. Coming in I sort of knew who he was because we had a slight encounter when I had played against you guys I got to play with him I found out that he’s somebody you want on your team.

You averaged 9/1/2 in 21 minutes averaging 3 minutes less in Munster. How content were you with your season in Koblenz?

I would say I had a good first season, learned a lot for sure. Most certainly looking forward to the future.

How tough was it playing your offensive game on a team where there were so many offensive weapons? Do you feel like you took full advantage of your opportunities?

It wasn’t tough at all playing where there were so many offensive weapons. I’m a point guard so it made it easier for me.

You were a very aggressive and potent defender on the team. How did you see your defensive game grow as a rookie in Munster and Koblenz?

I feel like throughout the season I became a smarter defender and just being more solid on defense.

On what areas will you work on most this season so you can continue to improve your game?

I will continue to tighten up my offensive game but also my leadership.

What was your personal favorite game of the season with Koblenz besides your buzzer beater in Crailsheim?

I would say my personal favorite games were when I felt like we were at our best so against Leverkusen, SSB, Munster.

You have played your whole career in Germany. What is the next step for you?

Next step is just seeing who offers and evaluating the offers that I have for next year.

How crazy have the NBA playoffs been? Are your predictions wiped out? What 2 teams will reach the NBA final and who will win it all?

The NBA playoffs have definitely been crazy but I think the finals will be Oklahoma City against the New York Knicks and I think Oklahoma City will be a repeat champion.

Thanks Larry for the chat.

Final MVP Anton Kemmer’s Late Put Back And Alba Berlin’s We Got Balls Attitude Lifts Them To 87-83 NBBL Final Win Over Ratiopharm Ulm

It could have been a historic day in German basketball and ratiopharm Ulm as they had the opportunity to win the triple with both youth titles in the JBBL (U-16) and NBBL (U-19) competitions as well as the Pro B title, but they ended the day with nothing. The JBBL team beat by Bonn/Koln, the Pro B team lost to Essen and the NBBL team lost a tough 87-83 final to Alba Berlin who also won the girls U-19 title earlier in the day. Ratiopharm had to play pick up basketball all day long and in the end a few mistakes cost them the game. It also didn’t help their cause that they only shot 4/27 from outside and gave up an outrageous 24 offensive rebounds as Alba Berlin were crashing the boards like unfed buffalos. Ratiopharn might have had some crazy individual talent with Teo Milicic and Meissa Faye and of course also played together as a team, but Alba Berlin was simply at another level with their team focus and rebounding strength. ‘We played with much balls. Everybody trusted each other and no one left the other alone. It was a complete effort’, warned Anton Kemmer (198-F-2008). Ratiopharm Ulm had to play catch up ball for long lengths of the game and just couldn’t find a solution how to slow down Alba Berlin’s intensity and proper offensive execution. ‘We simply didn’t have enough today. Alba Berlin played harder and wanted it more than we did. We gave up way too many offensive rebounds and didn’t do a good job boxing out better”, stated Ulm forward Milo Murray.

Teo Milicic at the FT line

The first quarter was a very close affair as there were 4 lead changes and Alba Berlin had the slim 22-20 advantage after 10 minutes. Both clubs were displaying brute effort in the paint area as 2026 AST winner Felix Kiehlneker got free for 2 dunks while Nevio Bennefeld also made a thunderous stuff. He also showed his modern big man qualities hitting a trey as Alba Berlin led 9-7 in the first few minutes. Ratiopharm Ulm then founded daylight and added extra energy going on a 8-3 run to take the 15-12 lead. In the run, the club of head coach Florian Flabb got good support from Dutch big man and Arizona (NCAA) big man Endurance Aiyamenkhue with a lay in as he used a mis match, while French prospect Meissa Faye hit a jumper and top guard Teo Milicic made a lay in as he plays with so much intensity and has a special knack of finding the cracks in the zone. But Alba Berlin had no dents in their offensive execution and found ways to create good shots and got a lay in from energizer Finnegan Lehniger and a trey from Richard Schmitt for the 18-16 advantage. But ratiopharm also continued to be sharp getting another lay in from Milcic who split the defense and made a lay in to dead lock the game. But as usual Alba Berlin punched back again with a mini 4-0 run with lay in’s from Lehniger and 2025 JBBL champion Jona Drucke. Both teams were focusing more on the drive as the three pointer hadn’t fallen yet. ‘It was a very physical and intensive game from both teams. Teo Milicic did a good job carrying his team, but Ulm gave up too many offensive rebounds’, said Paderborn center Leonard Kroger.

Anton Kemmer from outside

In the second quarter Alba Berlin was able to make their move and get away from ratiopharm Ulm as their team play continued to carry them while ratiopharm drifted more towards isolation play as they trailed 47-38 at half-time. Alba Berlin raced out on a 8-2 run in the first minutes to extend their lead to 30-22. In the run, Alba Berlin let their massive depth take over as 2025 JBBL champion Philipp Holsken showed his sniper qualities dropping 2 three’s while Noah Isichei sparkled with his crazy quickness and intensity .Alba Berlin also got some extra possessions, because ratiopharm Ulm was unable to match their intensity. Alba Berlin upped their defensive pressure a bit more which led to ratiopharm Ulm losing their rhythm. Alba Berlin’s minister of defense Matheo Hermann was on the bench with 2 fouls and ratiopharm Ulm took advantage of it going on a 8-0 run as they let it rain three’s from Faye and Milo Murray while the latter also added free throws as suddenly Alba Berlin was leading only 31-30. But behind their incredible fans, Alba Berlin never had to feel scared or uncertain as their game didn’t undergo any lapses, but instead they punched back fiercely ripping their opponent with a 9-2 run to lead comfortablely again 40-32. In the run, Alba Berlin remained very aggressive and always were in attack mode receiving 3 lay in’s in a row from Schmitt, 2026 AST winner Fin Borczanowski and a tip in by Kemmer while Hermann hit a trey. Ratiopharm found their rhythm again and traded baskets with Alba Berlin as Faye made a lay in and defensive specialist Kenan Yeboah made a lay in as well, but they trailed 42-36. Alba Berlin did a better job containing Teo Milcic as he couldn’t get to spots as well as in the first quarter. Alba Berlin ended the first half strong getting another trey from Borczanowski and another lay in from Schmitt as they led by 9 points at the break. ‘Alba Berlin moved the ball really well and hit three’s well. Alba’s zone rattled Ulm and they took Milcic out of his game as they were very physical’, stated Leonard Kroger.

Kenan Yeboah with the drive

Despite a potent third quarter where Meissa Faye really carried ratiopharm ulm scoring 12 points, there wasn’t too much support from others as they still were unable to get over the hump as Alba Berlin still led, but ratiopharm Ulm was creeping slowly closer trailing only 68-63. Ratiopharm Ulm came out more aggressive and wanted to get Aiyamenkhue more involved and he responded right away with a lay in, but they still trailed 49-40. Bennefeld then hit a jumper for the 51-40 Alba Berlin advantage. However then came the time of Meissa Faye who demonstrated just how much of an offensive impact he can be when he wants to. He scored 8 points in a row including 6 free throws as Alba Berlin couldn’t stop the athletic beast. ‘He gave us an extra push. His scoring mentality is so crazy. He has so much potential’, warned Milo Murray. Alba Berlin continued to execute getting a pretty left handed lay in from Bennefeld and trey from Jona Drucke as Ulm trailed 56-48. Milcic continued to be a menace scoring on a beautiful floater as ratiopharm Ulm continued to crawl back trailing 56-50. However ratiopharm Ulm couldn’t string along consecutive stops as Alba Berlin always had an answer as Hermann scored twice on drives as Alba Berlin led 60-56. Both teams were trading baskets in the down stretch of the third quarter as Borczanowski made a step back jumper and Kemmer calm as usual hit a trey for the 65-55 lead. However Yanu Slingerland made a clutch three pointer as he finished with 8 points in 15 minutes as Ulm trailed only 65-61. Kiehlneker then added a thunderous dunk as suddenly ratiopharm Ulm trailed only 65-63. The Ulm fans behind their bench were as loud as ever, but then quieted down as Kemmer added another trey ending the third quarter as Ulm trailed by 5 points. ‘Ulm had a short rotation. We just kept playing fast and slowly ran them off the court’, added Anton Kemmer. ‘I thought that we played tough defense, but they also hit difficult shots’, stated Milo Murray.

Nevio Bennefeld with the lay in

In the fourth quarter Alba Berlin continued to control the game, but couldn’t shake ratiopharm Ulm as they stayed close until the buzzer. Alba Berlin got some crucial support from big man Lukas Klein who showed his scoring in bunches as he made a big dunk and offensive rebound and put back for the 72-67 lead, but ratiopharm ulm punched back getting consistent offensive power from Faye who unleashed another trey and Milicic made a lay in on transition. Milicic and Faye continued to carry their team as they scored twice staying in range of Alba Berlin trailing 76-71. However Alba Berlin never faltered, but stayed cool and managed their lead well. Their depth and offensive rebounds continued to be a big plus factor for them keeping the lead. Isichel kept the Alba Berlin up with a lay in while Kemmer made free throws and Bennefeld made one for the 80-75 advantage. Teo Milicic never lost that fire in his eyes as his competitiveness was as powerful as could be and he was always in communication with head coach Florian Flabb as he made a clutch lay in to keep Ulm so close at 80-77. But Alba Berlin just continued to play their game and got added production from Lehniger with an offensive rebound and put back and Kemmer hit free throws for the 83-77 lead. Time was running out in Ulm’s come back attempt. Alba Berlin was doing the little things better and their hustle enabled them to get the 50Y/50 balls as well. The game was going down to the wire and Teo Milcic was on fire. He was fouled behind the three point line and connected on 3 free throws to trail 83-80. The pressure was on, but Alba Berlin felt nothing whatsoever as they punched back with a lay in from Bennefeld. Isichel made an incredible play having his eye on the shot clock and then found his spot and made the perfect pass to Bennefeld for the lay in with 1 second on the shot clock and 85-80 lead with less than a minute to go. ‘That was a great play. Noah has great vision. He can make that pass every time and Nevio showed no nervousness on the finish’, stressed Anton Kemmer. But ratiopharm Ulm was not done yet as the efficient Slingerland responded with a clutch three pointer to cut the lead to 85-83. Bennefeld then missed two free throws and it looked like Ulm could get possession, but the rebound turned into a loose ball that landed in the hands of Anton Kemmer who finished with the put back. ‘Faye tried to take the ball and dribble, but some how forget to take the ball and I had the instinct to grab the ball and dunk it. It was pure emotion’, smiled Anton Kemmer. ‘It was a tough atmosphere. The fans were loud and their energy helped them. They also wanted it more than we did’, commented Milo Murray. Alba Berlin was led by Anton Kemmer with 16 points while Nevio Bennefeld added 14 points while ratiopharm Ulm was led by Teo Milicic with 26 points while Meissa Faye had 25 points. Alba Berlin shot 43% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 50 rebounds and 12 turnovers while ratipharm Ulm shot 40% from the field and 15% from the three point line and had 45 rebounds and 12 turnovers.

Milo Murray Knows That ratiopharm Ulm Will End The Season In Berlin The Right Way Especially With Many Being Their Last Year

pic credit: ratiopharm Ulm

Milo Murray (198-G-2007) is a 18 year old 198cm forward playing with Orange Academy (Pro B), Ratiopharm Ulm (NBBL) and BBU 01 Ulm (Regionalliga. Last season he played 5 Pro B games with Orange Academy averaging 3.4ppg, 2.4rpg, played also at ratiopharm Ulm U19 team (NBBL) averaging 7.5ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.4apg, 2FGP: 56.7%, 3PT: 27.6%, FT: 72.2%, played also at BBU 01 Ulm (Regionalliga) averaging 8.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 40.9%, 3PT: 30.6%, FT: 60.0%. He also played also ANGT with ratiopharm Ulm U18 team (ANGT) winning the title averaging 4.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 2FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 50.0%. He spoke to germanmhoops.com about the NBBL Top 4.

Thanks Milo for talking to germanhoops.com. You are back in Berlin for the 2026 NBBL Top 4. How good does that feel?

Thank you for the opportunity and thank you for having me. It feels great playing with a bunch of really talented guys who I get along with on and off to court and it feels great to be able to represent the club I’ve been playing for the last four years at such a prestigious event and on such a special weekend.

Last season you lost the NBBL final to Munich. What will you always remember from that tough final loss?

I remember seeing our veterans like Jordan Müller and Jonas Zilinskas being upset since it was their last opportunity to play NBBL and I want to be able to get the championship this year for my family for my friends and for the amazing organization that Ulm is.

The NBBL season has been great. The team rolled easily by top teams Urspring and FC Bayern Munich. What do you believe has been the secret to the dominating success? How vital is the combination of depth and chemistry?

Big respect to both teams. They gave us hard battles throughout the season, but it was time to show what Ulm stands for and what we do when the season is on the line. For most of the guys in the team it is their last year playing NBBL so it was only right that we end this season the right way in Berlin. I believe chemistry and the depth of our team was extremely important. I felt like a lot of the guys spend time together away from the basketball court whether it’s staying at each other’s houses whether it’s going out for food whether it’s helping each other out with schoolwork, we all get along really well in the locker room, especially it’s a great vibe and I’m really grateful to have such a great team around me at all times. Depth plays a huge role two because it’s a long season most of the guys playing 2 to 3 different leagues whether that’s Landesliga, OberLiga, Pro B and or BBL/euro cup so our depth gives everyone a chance to get on the floor and compete while staying at a high-level. Huge respect to our strength and conditioning guys Andi and Jonas for monitoring us.

What kind of a feeling was it destroying top German club FC Bayern Munich winning game 1 by 15 points and the last one by 26 points. Ulm didn´t just beat Munich, but won with ease. Plus getting revenge for the 2025 NBBL final loss.

Especially after losing to FC Bayern Munich in the finals last year it felt really good cruising by them in the series while competing to get one step closer to the top four. We played an old teammate of ours: huge credit to Niko Jerkic an amazing player who gave us trouble. from Bayern a few key players were missing and it would’ve been an even more exciting matchup to see both our stacked rosters play against each other but that’s just how the game of basketball goes!

Ulm has reached the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin. I can imagine only winning the title is the goal. Do you feel like the team can up their performance level another level?

From the beginning of the season, this was one of our main goals to reach the top four in Berlin and being there we’ve accomplished the goal we said and the only thing left we have to do now is win. I believe everyone has to put in lots of work throughout the season we’ve been coached by Florian who has set the bar very high and is responsible for a lot of our success.

How vital has Yanu Slingerland been? Is he like a type of special glue guy?

Yanu also known as “slingy” is a great guy to have on your team, because he knocks down shots, defends full court and listens to tips and advices from the older guys. He will definitely be a player to look out for during this tournament and will for sure have a great career in front of him. Definitely a guy that we can rely on in tricky moments to knock down the three-point shot.

Talk a little about the importance of Kayaan Yeboah. How vital are his defensive qualities for the success of the team?

Kayaan is one of my longest teammates here at Ulm. We spent three years in the player’s house together and have played many many games with each other. His defensive presence on the court is overwhelming for the opposing team and is also a guy who is a three and D type of player who gives spurts of energy when needed. When he has his day and is confident, it’s hard to stop his motor.

You have a big role in the NBBL team averaging 29 minutes. With your experience would you classify yourself as one of the main leaders?

I would definitely class myself as one of the leaders I have now played a few seasons in the NBBL and use this to my advantage to help the team and I could say with confidence that they believe in me to be one of the main guys getting it done on the court

The NBBL team has many scorers, but you average 12,0ppg. What other facets of your game do you bring to the table that helps the team besides scoring?

We have a whole bunch of talented basketball players who can put the ball in the basket. Meissa Faye, Endi Aiyamenkhue, Teo Milicic, Felix Kielnekher, Yanu Slingerland. Being some of the few names that can be mentioned under players who can score the ball what separates me from some of these guys is the versatility that I bring mid range scoring, stretching the floor, my transition game in the open court and my post fade aways. What I also bring to the court which is my most important aspect is my high energy communicating talking to the guys on offense and on defense and making sure everyone is on the same page whether that’s on the bench whether that’s on the floor, whether that’s in the locker room or even on the team bus. I take pride in being one of the older guys and leading us to this championship I would count myself as a locker room guy who gets along with everyone and has a good relationship with the coaching staff in Ulm.

How vital has the success of NBBL and Pro B been with head coach Florian Flabb. How special are his abilities to be able to get young men play both ends of the court?

Florian has been with us for the last two years now and it has been a pleasure being able to work with him. The effort he puts into our videos, practices and overall time as a team that’s not go unappreciated and it is not something that every coach is willing to do for his team. Can’t forget assistant coach Erik Rösch who does a lot of the dirty work and our success wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the man Erik. For me personally it was very challenging with Florian in my first year since there was a lot of talented players older than me. I’m more experienced what he allowed me to do was gain experience and knowledge and apply it to my games and I think it has really paid off this year.

What kind of a relationship do you have with Coach Flabb? How has he helped your game the most the last few years?

Coach and I get along well of the court as well. He is a family man and I truly respect that about him despite the efforts he puts in with us. He still finds time to spend with his family while prioritising 2 important things his job and his family. It has been a pleasure working with him and I’m excited to be able to hopefully win a championship in Berlin this upcoming weekend.

Thanks Milo for the chat.

Thore Bethke Knows That Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners Displayed Mental Toughness Twice Already In The Playoffs And Will Have To Master It Again Against Alba Berlin

pic credit: Joshua Hoffmann

Thore Bethke is a German basketball coach with NBBL team Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners. He is currently in his 10th season with the organization. This season he helped the team reach the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin. He spoke to german hoops about the season.

Thanks Thore for talking to germanhoops.com. Eintracht Frankfurt Skyliners are back at the NBBL Top 4 after a 10 year drought. What does that mean to you?

For me personally this is a huge achievement. I remember when I joined the Skyliners organization in 2016, they had just reached the NBBL top 4 in Hagen. Now we are back again 10 years later. That was my first impression of what the Skyliners youth were capable of then. It has been a long journey the last years. I know so many of the current players since the U-10, U-12 and U-14.

What were your thoughts in November 2025 after your team started losing 3 of 4 games. Did you feel like it could be a long season?

We had injury problems and were at a severe disadvantage not having Ivan Crnjac who was injured. I still felt then that we had a certain quality. We had reached the playoffs last season. We had new players and they had to get adjusted. However our focus was always the playoffs.

How vital was the absence of Ivan Crnjac? Was it obvious then that his versatile play was missing?

We were really at a disadvantage simply because he is such a versatile player. His strong leadership qualities were missing on the court. But then again on the other hand, this phase allowed other guys to get established and others had to step up. Ivan also knew that he had to be fit at the end of the season.

Was the turning point of the season the 2 game series against FC Bayern Munich? You lost the first game badly 106-74, but then won 115-88.

Ivan was back then. We were finally complete in the second game and played a lot better. We understood that we had no problems to put points up on the board, but suddenly in the playoffs it got more difficult. We realized during the Munich games how much potential was in us.

What do you believe did the team learn from that loss?
We learned that we couldn’t take possessions off. We had to play hard. We knew that if we didn’t, we would get punished. The quality was simply too good with the other teams.

The team then won twice and then played IBAM 5 times in a row. How crazy did that feel?

I think being able to play IBAM 5 times in a row was really unique. I don’t think that has ever happened before. Jamie was in the states with the Basketball Without Boarders camp and we also had to reschedule a game. It was a really interesting stretch. We also had injuries, but these games were a real defining moment for the team.

In the playoffs you lost a nail bitter to IBAM 77-74 and then had 2 do or die games. How vital was this playoff series for the growth of the team?

That series was really huge for the team growth. We had our backs to the wall. That game 2 win was so vital. That win really brought the team together. Everybody played for each other. It was fantastic. We all realized then that we could be successful.

What do you believe did your team learn after the first loss to IBAM in the playoffs?

We knew IBAM well after playing them so much. We changed up a few things on offense. We began to play post up. We were able to use our strengths and played with a lot of courage in extreme tough situations. You always want to play at 100%, but that isn’t always so easy. Every player played to the maximum.

Then came the exciting series against Jena. Frankfurt won game 3 in incredible fashion. How draining was that for you as a coach?

We had some tough injuries. I don’t think that we were ever complete in a practice. Jena played an incredible series. They switched in all games and were very disciplined on the defensive end with Biel and Grau. It was really difficult to beat them. We gave Ivan the chance for more off ball sequences. That helped him get advantages to score better.

What did the team do better in the come back?

We defended better in the second half. Everybody was more brave and we got out on transition better. We didn’t hit any three’s the first half. We told Lukas Smazak to keep shooting.

Both teams fought like crazy, but did your team still want it more?

Jena had an incredible season. They moved up from the B group and upset Ludwigsburg. They had experienced many positive things this season. They played at their maximum. They weren’t afraid and played their game. I think that both wanted it equally, but our experience and individual qualities made the difference.

How has the team grown this season?

We became more versatile and consistent on the defensive end. We also did a better job sticking to details and executing.

How special is Rephael Edward of a player? He had 7 offensive rebounds in game 3 against Jena. Have you ever seen a player with a bigger heart?

I don’t think so. I don’t know any other player like him. He is so unique. There is only one profile like him. Players underestimate his IQ. He does such a great job defending the pick and roll, setting blocks and boxing out. I remember we were playing in Heidelberg and were up 20 points. He dived for a loose ball and lost a tooth. He did that despite leading by so much. He is always so focused. All profit from his game.

How have you seen top players Jamie Edoka and Ivan Crnjac grow this season?

Ivan developed a post up game this season. Guys can’t switch on him anymore. He also has become an even better team player. He never has an ego. He always has team first on his mind. Jamie has become even cleverer in his game. He can do it all. His decision making has also improved. He finds solutions even better now and can influence the game better.

Maxi Peters is a bit in the shadow of Edoka and Crnjac. How vital is his play for success?

Maxi plays the 4-5, but is more a position 4 player. He also has undergone a great development this season. He can defend more positions now. He switches better, and rebounds better. On offense he is able to showcase many offensive qualities. He also doesn’t shy away from defending bigger players.

You open up in the NBBL Top 4 against Alba Berlin. The team will be without Jamie Edoka who injured himself against BBL team Chemnitz. How hard is this to digest?

It is a shame that Jamie can’t play. This would have been another highlight for him. Not having him is a big loss for us. He will be able to digest it. It will be very cool to paly Alba Berlin in Berlin. We have experience this season dealing with adversary. We have been in this type of situation before. We aren’t going to Berlin just to visit the arena.

Could this loss hurt the team mentally? How will you deal with it as coach?

It will be tough mentally. But we have showed mental toughness before in the playoffs and will have to show it again. I feel like we have a deep roster. Others will have to step up. Alba might feel some pressure having to win. Some guys from them may hold up. We go in with no pressure. Perhaps we will get quicker to 100% than them.

What will be key to reaching the final?

Alba Berlin always have a high standard. We had a test game against them around Easter. They are a big team, that play with a high intensity, have depth and play team basketball. Rebounding will be key. We will have to find a way to get easy baskets. We also have to play fast, because it will be tougher to get to the rim in the set play.

Thanks Thore for the chat.

Meissa Faye(ratiopharm Ulm) Is Ultra Motivated To Capture The Double With The NBBL And Pro B Crowns In Germany

Pic credit: Fiba

It has been an incredible season for the ratiopharm Ulm organization as they will compete in the easyCredit BBL playoffs again while they have also had tremendous success reaching the NBBL Top 4 in Berlin and will fight for the title while the Pro B team Orange Academy have reached the final and will battle the ETB Miners for the crown. The automatic final visit secures Orange Academy a spot in the Pro A next season. In the middle of all this success has been top French prospect Meissa Faye (198-SF-2007) who has been a massive instrumental part in the club´s success. But that hasn´t been all as he also made his easyCredit BBL debut as well as playing in the Eurocup.” It has been a very enriching year to play with the pros in Eurocup and play with the Orange Academy where I have a lot of responsibilities and I can try things to improve my game which was very nice. I improved my game a lot. I really enjoyed to play my first games as a pro and to be successful with the Orange academy as well”, stressed Meissa Faye. He has put up great stats in the Pro B as one of the go to guys and despite playing less games in the NBBL, he has put his staple on that competition as well and proved that his talent was no fluke. “I just came with the idea to Germany that I really wanted to improve my game, but I didn’t know a lot about German basketball so I was really discovering and figuring out how to play because it was really different than France. The biggest thing was that the defense were collapsing a lot”, said Meissa Faye.

When one examines the last years and talents that have come to Ulm from France and where they have ended, it is really a no brainer that he chose Ulm. Guys like Essengue, Dadiet, Sochan and Hayes all reached the NBA and all were able to develop further with the German organization. “The infrastructures of Ulm are impressive and of course they’ve been successful with young players in the past so I wanted the best place to go to the next level”, stated Meissa Faye. It wasn´t a great NBBL regular season, but all that matters is how you play in the post season. Ratiopharm Ulm come to Berlin this weekend having swept former NBBL champions Urspring and FC Bayern Munich in the playoffs. A great majority of the NBBL team also played in the Pro B, so there is definitely great chemistry on the team. “Everybody in this team knows what he has to do and everybody understands his role and respects it so that’s a really big strength because it’s not easy with young players to have everybody understanding their roles”, added Meissa Faye. The club totally destroyed FC Bayern Munich sweeping and winning game 1 by 15 points and game 2 by 26 points. Munich was the defending champion and Ulm showed that they have noting to fear. “Ulm is a top club as well and especially in the youth I believe it’s the best so there is no big club for us we just want to win every time we step on the court”, warned Meissa Faye. There are so many great players to watch with Ulm like top polish prospect Teo Millicic or 2026 AST champion Felix Kiehlneker, or rim protector Endurnace Aiyamenkhue who will be teammates next season with 2025 NBBL champion Ivan Kharchenkov at Arizona (NCAA), but there are many more like glue guy Yanu Slingerland and defensive specialist Kenan Yeboah. “Yanu is a really good player and when he wants to take over the game, he does it perfectly and he is really important in our team, he can do really impressive things and be very efficient. He can do a lot of things on offense and you can count on him to stop the best player of the opposite team. Kenan is really nice and he’s one of the players that understands his role the best and that’s the type of player you want in your team and who makes you win. His defensive qualities helped us a lot this year, but he can also be really important on offense”, commented Meissa Faye. Ulm has been strong the last years in the NBBL, but this season´s team could be their strongest ever. Anything else besides the title will have to be a disappointment. “Everybody is ready and of course the only goal is to win. That is the moment you wait for all year”, warned Meissa Faye.

But not only in the NBBL has Meissa Faye been successful, but also with Pro B team Orange Academy. The club marched to the Pro B playoffs with the best record and the youngest team in the league at age 18. The club swept Rhondorf and then had a real tough 3 game series against Ludwigsburg, but struck back in game 3 crushing them by 27 points. In the semi-finals, they also swept Alba Berlin farm team Lok Bernau who were stacked with so much experience and also talents. “We are young and hungry. We have energy and we aren’t scared of nothing. We have this capacity to change a game in a short period of time like we did this year a lot. And of course we have a lot of talent”, stressed Meissa Faye. The team obviously has great team chemistry and special players like Swiss army knife Joel Cwik who won the 2022 JBBL title and of course the Milicic brothers. There isn´t only Teo, but Zoran who is a few years older, but also brings special qualities to the team. “Joel is a really good player who can do a lot of things on the court and you can always count on him to give energy every game on offense and defense. His energy helps everybody and you just want to give a lot to the team like he does. The Milicic brothers are real competitors every day either in practice or in game and it’s just really fun to play with them because you know that they always want to win and they know what it takes, they are both talented and I think they have a nice future ahead. I enjoyed everything with them”, explained Meissa Faye.

The athletic flying French man who describes his game to NBA player Mikal Bridges has had a central part in both the NBBL and Pro B. But does he have a different role for each team? “It was a nice season where we finished first and I really improved my game while enjoying playing for this team because we’ve been successful. And I didn’t get to play a lot of NBBL this year so I can’t really say that I had a different role”, said Meissa Faye. He is a player that fills the stat sheet well, so it is no secret what his biggest strength on the court is. “I’m a shooter, but other than that I’m really versatile. I can do everything on the court. and same on defense I can guard every position block shots and get rebounds”, added Meissa Faye. He has played in 4 competitions this season with the BBL and Eurocup with the pro´s while in the NBBL he is averaging 16,4ppg, 4,2rpg, and 2,1apg while in the Pro B is averaging 17,4ppg, 4,8rpg, 1,5apg and 1,0spg. How has his game grown having been able to see 2 sides of the game from the pro´s to the youth league? “I improved my game a lot because with these competitions you have a lot of games and you can play against every type of teams or player and with that the individual work that we are doing helps a lot”, stated Meissa Faye. The director of the success has been Florian Flabb who already led ratiopharm Ulm to the NBBL top 4 last season, but lost to FC Bayern Munich. He got revenge against Munich recently, but now wants to finally win the NBBL title along with Joel Cwik who will have his last chance to win. Flabb like Faye is also extra motivated to taste glory. “Flo is a really good Coach, coaching youth players is not easy and he knows how to do it. He helps us getting better every day but he has also this winning mindset which led us where we are now in in the Pro B final and in NBBL as well”, expressed Meissa Faye. Faye and Flabb will have a tough semi-final battle against Vechta and most likely meet Alba Berlin in the NBBL final while in the Pro B will have to battle Essen that has more experience. It will be interesting to see what their fate will be. It won´t be easy, but I would be very surprised if they get shut out

Swiss Army Knife Juhwan Harris-Dyson Was Able To Impact The Game Defensively in The Pro B And Now Is Seeking That Pro A Contract And A Trip Back To The Playoffs

pic credit: Martin Jung

It was mid March 2026 and the Pro B season was winding down for the Dragons Rhondorf. The playoffs at that point were a real reach for the 2024 Pro B champion. The club had suffered a brutal 22 point loss in Bernau and the players needed some serious soul searching. They buckled down and unleashed an amazing 4 game winning streak to sneak into the playoffs earning a special date with top club Orange Academy. An instrumental part of the success was Swiss army knife Juhwan Harris Dyson who was able t make an impact at both ends of the court. That 4 game winning streak was a very special moment and the favorite of the California native during the season. “ During the Wedel game I went down with a torn calf three minutes into a must-win game. That was tough, but I remember my teammates telling me they had me and that they would get the win. In the end it was for all of us, and you could see the confidence after that. On our team we say “next man up” and in that game we did that at a crucial point in the season”, remembered Juhwan Harris Dyson. The last month was a period where the whole Dragon team grew and really saved their absolute best for left. “I was very proud of my teammates for coming together and getting through a tough stretch. I think heart played a huge role because at the start of that four-game streak we had already secured our spot in the league, and guys could’ve been content with that, but we wanted the playoffs. The last five weeks of the regular season were our best stretch. I think defense was what allowed us to win games late, but we also did a good job executing the game plan from the coaching staff”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson (198-SG-1999, college: California, agency: Origins Sports Group).

pic credit: Martin Jung

The Dragons Rhondorf went into the Orange Academy playoff series as the massive underdog and it showed in game one where they were demolished on the road. Orange Academy who are led by ambitious young coach Florian Flabb who found a way to steer a young team with an average age of 18 to the best record in the league. They play with incredible confidence, have great chemistry and experience despite a young age. However the Dragons Rhondorf weren´t about to go down without a fight and gave all they had in game 2 in their living room. They made a few mistakes in the last minutes and lost by a few points, but all the fans were happy for their effort. “I’ll remember how hard everyone fought for the fans and each other. We wanted to show we were better than what we put out in Game 1”, said Juhwan Harris-Dyson. All in all, it was a season with many interesting moments. The American gave the season the grade B. “ It was a season of ups and downs like any season, but one where when you look back, you can be content and happy. We had a solid start as a team, then hit a small hump with a few losses. That pattern continued with some wins and some losses until the last stretch of the regular season, where we were able to win out and go from a relegation spot to a playoff spot”, added Juhwan harris-Dyson. The team showed that they could score at will, but problems arose on the defensive end. However when it counted most in the last month, the team definitely made steps. “I think it started with focusing on defensive rebounding. I don’t think we were a bad defensive team but we had a lot of times where we did not finish possession by securing the ball. We also put focus on our 2 on 2 ball screen defense and ball screen protection. Over the course of the season, we improve in those areas which was seen most in the last month of the season”, commented Juhwan Harris-Dyson.

Pic credit: Martin Jung

Every player on the roster gave their all for the success including Kenan Reinhart. Last season he was the classic 3 and D player, but this season, he became a real versatile player. He had worked last summer on all facets of his game and had goals of being more than just a 3 and D player. “Kenan took big steps by showing he’s more than just a shooter. He showed he can defend and attack the basket too. He even ran point for us at times. I think he can succeed at whatever level he plays next”, warned Juhwan Harris Dyson. Another player that made a huge step in his game was 17 year old Dusan ilic who helped Germany win the famous AST title with Germany. He is such a special player that has a massive future ahead of him. “Playing with Dusan was great. He’s got a lot of potential. You don’t see many young guys with that fire, confidence, and skill set. He improved a lot this season, especially his shooting, shot selection, and learning how to run a team”, stated Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The Spanish magician Jorge Mejias ran the team very well and sparkled with Teodosic like passes all season long. “It was a lot of fun playing with Jorge. He’s a unique player with how he passes and creates for himself. He plays with a little flair, which makes it fun to play with and watch”, said Juhwan harris-Dyson. The paint area was run by Benjamin Sadikovic and Duje Dujmovic who also made big steps in their development in the Pro B with extensive minutes. “I think they both gained a lot of confidence, which is huge. Sadi improved physically, got better catching the ball, moving, and being more aggressive in the post. He’s also got a good shooting touch. Duje found his rhythm midway through the season and started putting together complete games. He scored well, especially from three, and rebounded well. He was big for us down the stretch”, explained Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The best choice for most improved player was young German Carlo Schmid who went from hardly playing in the first 2 months to becoming a double figures scorer of the bench in the last month. “Carlo made big strides this season through his work ethic and time in the gym. He’s still new to the sport, but you wouldn’t know it watching him. The sky’s the limit for him, and he deserves most improved player for our team”, stated Juhwan Harris-Dyson.

Picc redit: Martin Jung

The athletic American who predicts that the Los Angeles Lakers will win the 2026 NBA title had a superb first Pro B season averaging 14/6/1/2/1. Players are always competitors and know that their seasons could of always been better than what they were. “I think for my first year in Pro B I put together a solid campaign. I’m my own biggest critic, so I feel like I could’ve done more, but overall I’m content”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. He shot 38% from outside at Wulfen and since then it´s been going down. Will he focus more on his three point shooting this summer? “Even if the numbers dropped, I think my consistency improved. I tried to take at least one three a game. It’s something I’ll keep working on. I just need reps, and I’ll get a lot of those this summer”, said Juhwan Harris-Dyson. His free throw shooting continues to be a problem. Since the Bernau game he shot 10/18. Will he attack your free throw shooting this summer? “ I agree free throws have been a problem at times, but I’ve shown I can be consistent. It just comes down to reps. I’ll be in the gym a lot this summer. If I decide to stay in Germany for the summer Rhöndorf and Bonn have great facilities for that”, added Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Even if the Dragons didn´t have good team defense, he always gave all he had and enriched the team defense with his relentless will and power to impact the game. “Defense has always been my foundation, but this year I showed I can do more. I can play on and off the ball and impact the game in different ways. I see myself as a glue guy, a Swiss Army knife type”, warned Juhwan Harris-Dyson. He had a special relationship with young German head coach Max Becker who did a good job making the Dragons into a playoff team. “ It was a good relationship. Younger coaches can relate to players more. From the first call I could tell he had real passion and something to prove. He did a great job balancing being cool with players and still professional. Having coaches always in the gym for extra work helped a lot”, remembered Juhwan Harris-Dyson.

pic credit: Martin Jung

The defensive specialist who compares his game to NBA player Andrew Wiggins hasn´t returned home to California, but instead is continuing to work on his game and is practicing daily with easyCredit BBL team Telekom Baskets Bonn who are seeking a long run in the playoffs. “It’s a challenge every day going up against high-level players. I think of it as a good challenge to have. I want to keep sharpening the fundamentals and the tactical side of my game. The practices and skill workouts with Coach Stankovic have already helped a lot this year”, stated Juhwan Harris-Dyson. There are a lot of talented Bonn players with Birt´s, Garrett and Comithier. Is there a guy that he is trying to measure up most with in practice? “There’s a lot of talent on this team, but I wouldn’t say I’m trying to measure up to anyone. I try to take small things from everyone. Tylan is someone I watch a lot because of his defensive mindset and overall game. Being able to learn from him has been big”, said Juhwan Harris-Dyson. After paying his dues 3 years in the German Regionalliga and gaining valuable experience in Romania, is his goal now playing in the Pro A or returning to the Pro B for more grooming? “Everything’s open right now. I’ll look at both leagues. My goal is to get a Pro A contract but for the 26/27 season what Is important to me is to be back in the playoffs”, warned Juhwan harris-Dyson. It will be interesting what option he gets, but one thing is for sure, wherever he lands next season, that team will get the full package.

Benjamin Sadikovic(Dragons Rhondorf) Never Lost Hope Of Reaching The Playoffs Even After The Brutal Loss In Bernau On Valentines Day

Pic Credit: Martin Jung

Benjamin Sadikovic (208-PF-2003) is a 22 year old 208cm center that is playing his first season with Pro B team Dragons Rhondorf. He played the last 2 seasons with the TSV Oberaching Tropics and last season averaged 5.8ppg, 4.1rpg, FGP: 61.4%, 3PT-3 (50.0%), FT: 65.5%. He began his basketball career with TS Jahn Munich where he played NBBL. In his last season he averaged 11.7ppg, 10.0rpg, Blocks-3 (2.6bpg), FGP: 59.3%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 68.2%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after reaching the Pro B playoffs.

Congrats Benjamin on the incredible 81-79 win over Rostock helping the team slip into the playoffs. How does it feel making the playoffs after all?

It is an incredible feeling that is difficult to describe in words. We came well into the season, but then suffered that 6 game losing streak near the end of the season. To be able to rebound from that losing streak and finish the season winning 5 in a row is something to be very proud of. I´m very proud of the team.

On Valentines day you lost by 22 points in Bernau. The team had a 6 game losing streak at that point and the playoffs were in danger. How do you remember that bus ride home? What was on your mind?

That loss really hurt. Seeing ourselves in 13th place was really tough. We knew that we were better than that. It was never our goal to stay in the league, but to reach the playoffs. It definitely wasn´t a good trip home.

Did the team have some soul searching during the next week of practice?

We had a team meeting after. We talked about what had to be done to finish the season strong. The playoffs were our goal and we knew it was possible. However we also knew that we had to win 5 games in a row. I think having that team feeling of wanting to reach the playoffs brought us extra fire and energy.

Did you feel like the team had it in them to make a 5 game winning streak to end the regular season?

I always knew that we could reach the playoffs. I didn´t doubt it a second. I don´t know if you remember, but I told you in the post game interview after the Vechta win that we would give our all the last 2 games and we did that and won.

Was the focus actually after the loss in Bernau to be focused about staying in the league more than trying to reach the playoffs?

Our first focus after the Bernau loss was to stay in the league. But after we beat Itzehoe, our focus changed back to the playoffs. We had more self confidence after that win.

After a big win at home against Itzehoe, how vital was the win on the road at Wedel. The team had another long road trip. How key was that win for this winning streak?

That was a very hard fought win on the road. Wedel is a team that sticks to basic principles and are one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the league. Our focus was to try to make everything tough for their bigs and not let them get offensive rebounds. It didn´t work so well, but we still were able to get more defensive rebounds. Josh Petteno also had a big game. All in all it was a hard fought win for us.

In the last 3 games, the team won all tight games and allowed under 80 points 3 times. Was this the seasons best spurt?

I think so. Our top concern was defense. We were consistent these games and didn´t allow the opponents to play successful to their strengths. The last 2 gámes ended on the last shot. There is always some luck involved, but we also played very good defense-

What improvements have you seen on the defensive end in the last 3 games?

I think that our rebounding was better. We will have to pressure the Ulm guards.

How big was the win on the road against the Sixers. How much heart did the team show there winning without Juhwan Harris-Dyson and you?

The team showed tremendous heart. I was watching the game on the way to Ulm. Duje Dujmovic was injured in the first minutes, but played through it and finished with a 15/7 game. It was a great game from him. He fought hard and never gave up. Jorge Mejias also stepped up big.

How huge was Vuk Scepanovic with his 14 points?

He hit big shots. I think that he scored the first 8 points. He got hot early and that gave the team a lot of energy.

The last game against Rostock was a tight game. They went on a run to begin the fourth quarter, but the Dragons Rhondorf fought back and won on free throws by Duje Dujmovic. What was key in crunch-time for getting the win?

We won the first half, but got sloppy in the second half. I think that our fans were like a sixth man. Their energy brought them out of their concept. I think that no team would of wanted to play against us in our gym.

You had a great game against Neustadt with 28 points, but also a monster game against Vechta with 16/18. What was your best game this season?

I think that both games were similar in that they were both big wins. I think though that the Neustadt game was bigger, because at that point, it stopped a 3 game losing streak. The Neustadt win caught us, but I´m still very happy with my Vechta game.

How do you feel have you contributed best in the 4 wins the last weeks?

I tried to hustle a lot the last games. I played good defense limiting mistakes. I think that I was good on the pick and roll and rebounded well.

Sharp shooter German Chris Frazier had a good look at the end. What was your feeling about his shot going in?

Chris is a player that you never want to leave open. When he was bringing the ball up, I figured that he would take the last shot. I have to be honest that I became a little nervous after the release, but when he missed I was relieved and very happy.

How big has Duje Dujmovic been in the last games. Are we now seeing how much his hard work has paid off?

We are seeing how much his hard work is paying off now in games. We have seen what he is truly capable of doing on the court. He was in a hole at the start of the season, but as of late has brought a lot of stability. He showed in Sandersdorf how versatile he can be playing the 5. He played his role whenever he was asked.

How focused will you be for Orange Academy? Will we see the best Benjamin Sadikovic this season

Of course you will. We have worked very hard all season long to get here. Now we all will let it out. I´m happy to be playing against the south again.

The next opponent is Orange Academy the best team in the Pro B south. The team is stacked with big young talent. How excited are you for this challenge?

I´m really looking forward to the games against Orange Academy. I´m also excited to see how I match up against the young players and see known faces again.

One of Europe´s big talents plays there with Teo Millic. He could be the next NBA player. Will you have a special game plan?

He is a big talent and we will have to find a way to slow him down. I will be concentrating more on my match up against Endurance Aiyamenkhue.

What will be key to winning the series against Orange Academy?

I think he will be our experience and physicality. We are also a young team, but have more experience.

Who will win the 2026 NCAA March Madness?

I had Duke as winning it in my bracket. But now I will go with Arizona. They have the team builkt to win it all.

Thanks Benjamin for the chat.

Juhwan Harris Dyson(Dragons Rhondorf) Saw The Last 5 Game Winning Streak As Their Championship And Now Wants To Play Spoiler Against Orange Academy

Pic credit: Martin Jung

It was Valentines Day 2026 and the Dragons Rhondorf were in Bernau. They had taken on the journey of one of the farthest road trips of the season sitting on a 5 game losing streak. No miracle occurred in Bernau as the Dragons Rhondorf stunk up the building losing 103-81. Rhondorf had shot a pathetic 25% from downtown and coughed up the ball 23 times. It had been the 6th time in the season where they had allowed an access of 100 points. I can´t imagine what the long bus ride home was like. The thoughts of the players and head coach Max Becker must have been going crazy and all over the place. I´m sure every player on that team could of used some special love. It was definitely a long way home until finding that love. “We were just trying to figure it out. Nobody wants to lose. We knew something had to change. After that loss, everyone had a different mentality going into practice. Everyone was really frustrated. It was a real wakening moment to see the sense of urgency”, stated Juhwan Harris-Dyson (198-SG-1999, college: California, agency: Origins Sports Group). The playoffs at that moment seemed as far away as the 2026 NBA final is for the Indiana Pacers. However 46 days later the Dragons Rhondorf are standing tall as they finished the regular season in 8th place and have a first round playoff date with first place team Orange Academy of the Pro B South. “It has been a crazy month. We were looking at regelation a month ago. We didn´t want to move down and wanted to finish the season as best as we could. We really played our last 5 regular season games like it was our championship. It was very exciting reaching the playoffs. Last season I was in a similar situation and just missed the playoffs”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson.

pic credit: Martin Jung

So let´s rewind back 46 days ago to Valentines Day. The club arrived home after the tough loss in Bernau and had to prepare for the next game which would be at home against Itzehoe. How did the next days look like in Bad Honnef? Was there some serious soul searching going on? “We had a team meeting and talked about basketball and non basketball things. We had a lot more comradery. Our young guys really understood the sense of urgency. We understood as a team that we had to win games not only scoring, but also taking care of the little things”, said Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The team was in the dumps after the brutal loss in Bernau. Was there any hope for a turn around? “I pay attention to the standings and what happens in the league. We knew we had a chance to be successful, but also knew that we needed some things to go in our favor. With every new win each week, the reality got more and more real. I always felt like our team was a lot better than the credit it was becoming”, warned Juhwan Harris-Dyson. After the bad loss in Bernau, the chances of the playoffs were there, but was the focus more on remaining in the Pro B first? “We were all aware of our situation. We were in 13th place, but as a team we never felt like we would move down. We knew that we could win enough games to stay in the league. After we had won enough games to stay in the league, we then focused on the playoffs”, expressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. After the vital victory against Itzehoe, the club then faced it´s next do or die game against Wedel on the road and didn´t disappoint wining a shoot out 100-87. “The win in Wedel was very big for us. We had a long ride to Wedel and the atmosphere was great there. They were a top 4 team in the Pro B North and had one of the better defenses in the league. That win gave us a big boost and energy to keep winning. The win gave us the ultimate confidence. It was also great to see how the team stuck together and rallied to win after I got hurt”, added Juhwan Harris-Dyson.

pic credit: Martin Jung

After a massive close win again at home against Vechta 2, the Dragons Rhondorf were at it again on the road against the BSW Sixers. Once again the Dragons Rhondorf were able to win another close game 75-74 as Lagui Diallo hit the winning three pointer with 1,22 to play. After that the Dragons buckled together and made big stops. And what was really impressive was how the team stuck together after Juhwan Harris-Dyson was out early. “I saw a lot of heart from the guys. Many guys had to play roles that they may not have been necessarily comfortable in or had during the season, but they stepped up. I have the ultimate respect for the team for the way they came together as a unit to pull out wins. We had 5 final games and focused on each one at a time and did all we possibly could to win them”, explained Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Young player Vuk Scepanovic stepped up big time scoring 14 points and showed how vital the support of the young players has been this season. Did he give him a hug after the win? “No I didn´t give him a hug after the win, but shot him a congratulatory text after the win. I has been a tough season for him. He was injured and then had to play behind Jorge Mejias and myself. He didn´t get the amount of minutes to really show his full potential. He was able to play free. I´m so happy for how he has played. All his hard work has paid off”, said Juhwan Harris-Dyson.

Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Juhwan Harris-Dyson in the Dragon Dome 2026

The last game against Rostock was another very tight game. Rostock went on a run to begin the fourth quarter, but the Dragons Rhondorf fought back and won on free throws by Duje Dujmovic. “Our defense was really good in the last game. We made it tough for them to score and didn´t give them any advantages. We rebounded very well and got stops”, remembered Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Sharp shooter German Chris Frazier had a good look at the end, but the basketball God was on the side of the Dragons Rhondorf. “I was praying that he would miss. He is a great shooter and guy. I watched him lite up the three point line in Schwelm. I rotated over and saw him shoot it and was glad that he missed. I´m glad it went our way”, smiled Juhwan Harris-Dyson. After missing the Sixers game, Harris-Dyson was more than pumped in possibly the last game of the season. “The Rostock game was definitely in my top 3 of most important games overseas. I´m a competitor and just couldn´t miss the game. I wasn´t 100% going into the game. I know that if I hadn´t played, I would of really regretted it if we had lost. I´m just happy I was able to play and give something in the win. I saw how much the guys had sacrificed the last weeks and I also had to sacrifice. These are the type of games that players die for. They servs as memories that last a lifetime”, stressed Juhwan Harris-Dyson. One player who has been massive in the last weeks was ex Neustadt forward Duje Dujmovic who has been a force on the glass. “I remember being in Rhondorf a week and a half before the team met in August. Duje was already there. He was already working hard on his game then and has done it consistently this season. It hasn´t been an easy season for him, because we have a lot of scoring options. I believe that he has shown his full game the last weeks. He has shown his versatility the last weeks once having a perfect shooting game from outside and other games getting many rebounds”, stated Juhwan Harris-Dyson.

Pic Credit: Martin Jung

The California native who has Illinois (NCAA) winning the 2026 NCAA tournament is content that the last three games was the best spurt of the season for them. Especially defensively, they kept teams under 80 points. “They were all close games and big wins that gave us a big boost going into the playoffs. It just feels so good getting 3 hard fought wins in a row. Our defensive protection and rebounding has gotten a lot better. We do still allow too many offensive rebounds and that is something we have to still work on. Our defense is what helped get us into the playoffs. We had up and down shooting games, but it was our defensive consistency that helped us pull out wins”, added Juhwan Harris-Dyson. He has had problems with free throws his whole career overseas, but in the last 3 games has found more fortune shooting 6/8. “I haven´t had the best free throw % in my first 5 seasons overseas. I keep working on it even if my work hasn´t totally translated onto the court. I feel like I have made little improvements. I started the season having a 3/8 game and recently had a 15-20 game or 6/6 game. Working on this problem will continue to be a focus this summer”, added Juhwan Harris-Dyson. The Playoffs been the week after Easter and the Dragons Rhondorf will have no cake walk with #1 team Orange Academy. “I´m very excited for the challenge. We have no expectations going in. This will be a great opportunity for us to spoil Orange Academy´s party. We could be that spoiler. We will play for ourselves to win”, commented Juhwan-Harris-Dyson. The Dragons will face one of Europe´s big talents from Poland with Teo Milicic. “I´m not so familiar with him, but I will get more familiar with him in the next days. It will be a fun match up to see his talent level. I think that it will be a challenge for both of us”, said Juhwan Harris-Dyson. Orange Academy are a very young team with an average age of 18 and it is incredible how disciplined the team is under head coach Florian Flabb. They average 82 points per game and have one of the top defenses in the Pro B allowing only 74 points per game. “We just have to play our style and be gritty on defense and try to speed them up. We also need to be aggressive with our pace and have good shot selection”, stated Juhwan Harris-Dyson. It is the post season and it will be interesting to observe if the Dragons Rhondorf can make an upset. Will one see Juhwan Harris-Dyson at his best? “I always give my best. But to be honest my best is relative. One game, I may have a 24/11 game and the other a 2/13 game. For me if I´m able to contribute to a win, then that is a good game for me. The stats don´t matter. I just want to win”, warned Juhwan Harris-Dyson.