ProB

Ryan Staudacher(Deutsche Bank Skyliners II) I Think That I Defend Better For What People Give Me Credit For

Ryan Staudacher is a 23 year old 193cm guard from Kirkland, Washington. He is playing his first season for the Frankfurt Skyliners PRO B team. he played at Montana(NCAA) from 2006-2010. In his senior year, he played 32 games: 8.6ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 45.6%, 3PT: 45.5%, FT: 80.0%. Some awards and achievements that he has recieved in his career have been Sky Conf. Tournament Semifinals -07, Big Sky Conf. Regular Season Runner-Up -09, Big Sky Conf. Tournament Winner -10 and All-Big Sky Conf. Honorable Mention -10. Staudacher spoke to eurobasket about basketball.

A tough 76-64 loss to Redgas Ehingen at home. What was key for not getting the home win?

Ehingen is a good team. They played very tough physical defense on us. We were sluggish in the first half. It was tough coming back in the second half.

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VfB Gießen Working On The Highlight Tape

ProB club VfB Gießen is just the number 2 basketball team in town and clearly in the shadow of BBL founding member Gießen 46ers. But just within two weeks the small club from Mittelhessen has set two highlight videos that were even noticed far beyond the borders of Hesse and Germany. No one less than LeBron James recommended one of the videos via twitter with the words ‘try this link’. Meanwhile almost 300.000 people have tried this link and saw import player Marcus Johnson getting his go-go-gadget-jumpsoles posterizing DeUndraeSpraggins.

No need to try this link, just click on this video:

There is another video you should have a look at:

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Explaining the difference between ProA and ProB

One of the most frequently asked questions I get from people who contact me via mail is: ‘What exactly is the difference between the ProA and ProB league?’

It is indeed confusing that both leagues share the same logo and are part of the 2. Bundesliga (second highest division in Germany). Furthermore it was not a good idea to name the leagues Pro since their are (especially in ProB) not only pro players. The mess is perfect when you remember that the french leagues are also named ProA and ProB. But while in France the first division is called ProA and the second ProB, in Germany the BBL is the highest level league in Germany.

To make it short:

ProA = second division

ProB = third division

To explain some of the differences I (finally) wrote a small piece that can also be found in the section League Facts.

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

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

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

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

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Josh Wilson Makes A Name For Himself In Ehingen

On paper the ProB is just the third league in Germany. But in recent years many great players were able to leave a mark and make themselves a name in this league. The best example is probably Spot Up Medien Baskets Zack Wright. The American playmaker made it from Braunschweig’s ProB team to an All-Star in the first division in France.

This season many great point guards entered the league and their stats could serve them as a stepping stone to a great career in Europe. One of these promising players is former Northern Arizona playmaker Josh Wilson. The 22-year old point guard had a nice college career (All-time Assist leader in NA history) and started his pro career with Erdgas Ehingen this season. On a young team full of german talents Wilson had to show his leadership skills and had an impressive rookie season in Europe.

He took some time to talk to German Hoops about his first experiences in Europe.

After 4 years of NCAA basketball with Northern Arizona you turned pro last summer. Was that something you always planned to do? And how did you end up in Germany?

Becoming a professional basketball player is something that every basketball player dreams about. It’s something I strived for every day in my high school and college career. To be able to see it happen here in Germany has been a very fulfilling experience. I ended up here in Germany through my website, joshwilsonbasketball.com that has video and information about me and I sent the information out to teams. Nico Drmota saw my website and asked my former teammate Kristian Kuhn on the team about me. It ended up working out well and I got the opportunity to come to Ehingen.
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Will Chavis Wins ProB Player Of The Month And Is Content In Nürnberg

Will Chavis is a 28 year old 181 cm guard who comes from Philidelphia and started his basketball learning at New Hampshire in 1998-1999 averaging 9.6ppg, 2.9rpg, 3.9apg before going to Texas to play at Panola Junior College averaging 25 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals per game . This gained the interest of legendary coach Bobby Knight at Texas Tech. Knight had only the best to say about the guy he coached two years at Texas Tech.

‘Will takes pride in taking good shots, and is a great shooter. He also takes very good care of the ball. He is aggressive and quick on defense, and can anticipate or put under pressure the opposite point guard’, stressed Bobby Knight.

At Texas Tech, Chavis played together with Artland Dragon Ronald Ross and in his senior year, played 33 games averaging 7.9ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.2apg. He started his professional basketball career in 2003 going to Iceland to play for UMFN Njardvikur playing 6 games and averaging 18.3ppg; 3.1rpg; 7.8apg ( 41 assists to 11 turnovers); 2.0spg; 3pts 45.6%; FT 85.6%. The next season, he was tested by Olimpia GE Larisa (Greece-A1), but was not signed and finished the season practicing with Climamio Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-SerieA).

In 2005-2006, he started to make a name playing for Mlekarna Kunin Novi Jicin (Czech Republic-NBL, starting five) playing 5 EuroCup Challenge games averaging 15.2ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.4apg, 2FGP: 50%, 3FGP: 50% and playing 44 games in the Czech Rep. League averaging 14.6ppg, 3.4rpg, Assists-4 (5.2apg), 2FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 40.9%, FT: 85.0%.

In 2007-2008, he split time with Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus, but left after 7 games, where he averaged 10.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 36.6%, 3FGP: 27.8%, FT: 87.5%, and then moved to MBC in Jan 2008 playing 12 games and averaging 13.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.9apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 39.3%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT-1 ( 91.7%).

Last season, he led MBC into the BBL averaging 10.9ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 37.0%, 3PT: 43.8%, FT: 86.5% in 29 games.

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Will Chavis Earning Hard Bucks In Pro B

Will Chavis is a 28 year old 181 cm guard who comes from Philidelphia and started his basketball learning at New Hampshire in 1998-1999 die_junge_Liga averaging 9.6ppg, 2.9rpg, 3.9apg before going to Texas to play at Panola Junior College averaging 25 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals per game . This gained the interest of legendary coach Bobby Knight at Texas Tech. Knight had only the best to say about the guy he coached two years at Texas Tech.

‘Will takes pride in taking good shots, and is a great shooter. He also takes very good care of the ball. He is aggressive and quick on defense, and can anticipate or put under pressure the opposite point guard’, stressed Bobby Knight.

The next season, he was tested by Olimpia GE Larisa (Greece-A1), but was not signed and finished the season practicing with Climamio Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-SErieA). In 2005-2006, he started to make a name playing for Mlekarna Kunin Novi Jicin (Czech Republic-NBL, starting five) playing 5 EuroCup Challenge games averaging 15.2ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.4apg, 2FGP: 50%, 3FGP: 50% and playing 44 games in the Czech Rep. League averaging 14.6ppg, 3.4rpg, Assists-4 (5.2apg), 2FGP: 53.6%, 3PT: 40.9%, FT: 85.0%.

The next season, he went to top Dutch team Demon Astronauts Amsterdam continuing to show who well he could perform in FIBA EuroCup playing 6 games and avergaing 11.3ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 55.2%, 3FGP: 15%, FT: 78.3% and playing 39 games in the Dutch League and averaging 14.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.5apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 40.3%, FT: 87.8%, 3Pts: 40.9%. In 2007-2008, he split time with Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus, but left after 7 games, where he averaged 10.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 36.6%, 3FGP: 27.8%, FT: 87.5%, and then moved to MBC in Jan 2008 playing 12 games and averaging 13.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.9apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 39.3%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT-1 ( 91.7%).

Last season, he led MBC into the BBL averaging 10.9ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 37.0%, 3PT: 43.8%, FT: 86.5% in 29 games.

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