Isaac Johnson (196-F, college: Rogers St.) is a 196cm forward form Minnesota playing his rookie season overseas with KB Istogu (Kosovo-Liga e pare). He began his basketball career at Minneapolis North high school and then played at 3 NCAA schools. He played at Western Illinois University (NCAA) form 2017-2019 averaging 8.8ppg, 4.8rpg, FGP: 46.8%, 3PT: 34.1%, FT: 75.8% and 11.1ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 26.6%, FT: 79.7%. He then played a season at Nicholls State University (NCAA) playing 6 games averaging 4.0ppg, 2.0rpg. He then finished at Rogers State University (NCAA2) averaging 7.3ppg, 2.6rpg, FGP: 43.4%, 3PT: 29.3%, FT: 82.0%a and 14.3ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.6apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 68.3%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his 41 point game.
Congrats on the massive 106-81 win over Kosovari. How more could you enjoy your 41 point feta with a win? Thank you! I´m not really sure that there is anything that could have made that win feel any better. It was a great team win that we really needed.
You once had 29 points in a NCAA game. Was this the most points scored for you in your career?
I had games where I scored more than 29 in highschool. But yes thats the highest I scored in college.
What does this feat mean to you being able to score 41 points?
It always feels great to have a great game and get the win. Just trying to help my club win every game and if that means I need to have a big night then I’ll get it done.
How quickly did you that you may have a great scoring day? How rapidly were you in the flow? It was actually pretty quick. We noticed right away they were playing zone so I knew I would get a lot of opportunities for open threes and they were falling that night.
Did you feel like you were in the zone? After about the first 2 or 3 threes I definitely felt a good flow and had a great feeling about the game.
You took 19 shots and 5 free throws. Were you happy with your overall aggressiveness or do you feel like you could have been more aggressive? I was very happy with my aggressiveness I feel like I didn’t force up any bad shots just because I was feeling hot.
You hit for 10 three´s a career high. Did you feel like Steph Curry just a little? Haha I wouldn’t say I felt like Steph but I definitely felt good out there.
The team had 30 assists. How blessed do you feel that your teammates were able to find you so well? Feels great knowing they trust me to take and make shots for them consistently every night.
Does a game like this raise your confidence to be able to break 41 points in the future? A game like that definitely boosts your confidence a little bit but I try not let the highs get to high or lows get to low. Every game is different.
Did you get any special messages from family and friends that you won´t forget? My family and close friends I will always be grateful for them and their words of encouragement.
Will you take your team out to eat or perhaps get donuts for all? Now that you mentioned it I might have to find a way to show them my appreciation this upcoming week.
What was your favorite basket of the game? My favorite basket of the game didn’t even come from me. It was one of our young guys came in the game late and made a tough basket.
Jaylen Alston (193-G, college: WSSU) is a 193cm guard from North Carolina playing his rookie season overseas in Germany with Pro B team Team Ehingen. He began his basketball career at Eastern Guilford high school. He then played a season at Gardner-Webb University (NCAA) and then played at Winston Salem State University and in his last 2 seasons averaged 11.6ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 74.5% and 18.1ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 61.5%, 3PT: 26.1%, FT: 74.5%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the tough 97-81 loss to the Dragons Rhondorf.
Thanks Jaylen for talking to germanhoops.com. How did you spend the Fiba break?
I spent most of my Fiba break and just recovering watching some film and getting better. I was a little bit under the weather so I didn’t do much.
Ehingen suffered a tough 97-81 loss on the road to the Dragons Rhondorf. With what kind of a game plan did you go into that game? We went into the game plan with the same energy from last game just try to scout and know the players we were going to be guarding and then also figured out a way to just give us a edge like we did the last time we played, but we just did not come out with the same results.
Rhondorf had the 24-20 advantage after 10 minutes. You scored your teams first 10 points. Is that the most points you have ever scored to start a game? No, that’s not the most that I ever scored in the first quarter or beginning of a game.
In the second quarter the Dragons Rhondorf stepped it up on the offensive end scoring 36 points, but were still shaky on defense allowing 26 points. What was giving Ehingen the most problems on the defensive end? I would say that our problem was understanding where we needed to help on the pick roll and just being on the close out too shooters because that surely gave them the edge when they were consistently making three-pointers
In the third quarter the Dragons Rhondorf only allowed 15 points and overall allowed only 35 points in the second quarter. What adjustments did the Dragons make?
I think they made the adjustment of trying to close off some of our plays that we run and just understanding our strengths of getting to the basket.
The Dragons Rhondorf finished the game strong. Was this one of those game where their experience really hurt Ehingen as a team?
I would not say that experience hurt us in this game. I would say honestly turnovers and rebounding was the reason behind us losing in my opinion.
The Dragons Rhondorf had an overall very strong game. It led the rebound battle and had 17 offensive rebounds, had 21 assists and only 10 turnovers. Are they a playoff team when they are playing that well? I feel like any team is a playoff team when you’re playing with those kind of numbers so whether we do it or our opponent, does it that pretty much sums up who will win the game
Could Team Ehingen take anything positive from the loss? It did stick well with the Dragons under the boards losing only 39-37 and had 10 offensive rebounds? We can definitely take a positive aspect from that loss and just knowing that we have to be better in certain areas. The rebound battle definitely was something out of our nature that we’ve been pretty good about the last couple games so I feel like we need to get back into knowing what works for us and getting rebounds. The second chance points is something that we need to take advantage of.
Team Ehingen only played 8 guys. How tough is it competing in general with so little experience? Does that give you added pressure to perform?
We actually ended up playing with nine guys, but it is tough to compete sometimes with guys who haven’t been in certain situations but that’s what it’s about getting them experience and learning from it so I don’t feel like there is any pressure it’s just guys that are older like me should be able to help them in the moment that way when we succeed, they can understand how to help themselves when I might not be around.
The team next plays Oberaching a tough and feisty team. Ehingen lost in November to them. What will be key to getting the win this time? I think the key to winning this game will be getting back to what we do best and that is getting inside the lane, getting easy layups also rebounding the ball and limiting our turnovers to under 12 and if we do all of that, I feel like nobody can beat us
You scored 92 points back to back against the RheinStars and Dragons. How crazy, but amazing does that feel? it doesn’t really feel too crazy just because I’ve been in situations where I have scored a large number of points in a long stretch, but I take it as something amazing because I know players don’t get to do this too often, but I also want to just move on to the next game because if we don’t win then none of my points matter.
Did you have a special feeling going into the game or did it just feel like another game?
Honestly, it just felt like another game. I really didn’t treat their team too much differently than anybody else. I simply try to just kill whoever is in my way.
Do you feel like that dunk to start the game gave you extra motivation? I feel like the dunk set the tone to let them know that we were coming to play and that this was not going to be a game where they felt like they could push us over.
After you scored the team´s first 10 points, did that 50 point mark ever come into your mind?
I really did not know that I scored the first 10 points and 50 points never crossed my mind. I was just trying to make sure that we have more points than they have points, but the outcome did not turn out the way I wanted.
How much more self-confidence does this game give you? Does a back to back performance like this drive you forward to explode again in the next game?
This game doesn’t necessarily give me any more confidence. I already had high confidence in myself, I just play my role, no matter what it is or any given night so know what I’m capable of every time I step on the court but a performance like this especially in back-to-back games certainly gets the attention of others and they try harder to stop me and when they do it simply makes me want to just show who I really am and where I’m from because then they may understand that they ain’t just a regular game to me.
You shot better than in the game against the RheinStars. The only difference was that you didn´t get to the free throw line this time. Are you aware that 50 points could have been in your cards again?
Yes, I’m aware that I was close to 50 points, but I’m not too strung out on trying to accomplish individual goals. I’m more focused on team goals.
What was your favorite own basket of the game? My favorite basket was the dunk I had in the first quarter just because like you said, it set the tone for the game
After scoring big points again, what does the situation look like with treating your teammates for something or will they treat you to something?
The situation just stays the same. My teammates always treat me well and are happy for me anytime I’m doing good and I always treat them the same and I’m happy for them anytime they’re doing good so nothing has changed. They just tried to encourage me to keep going and pushing further if it means getting the win
Where do you rate the 2025 NBA slam dunk contest dunk by Mac McClung?
I rate the dunk contest an eight out of 10 I just feel like Zach Levine and Aaron Gordon set the bar so high that it’s going be pretty hard to top either one of their performances.
German Hoops 