Chrysostom Chukwuma (190-G-1996, agency: Bell Basketball) is a 28 year old 190cm guard playing his first season in Germany with the Skyliners Juniors (Pro B) after starting the season with the Helsinki Seagulls. He began his basketball career with Vantaan Pussihukat. He then played 5 seasons with Jyvaskyla Basketball Academy. He then played 2 seasons with Lapuan Kobrat (Korisliiga) and a season with Pyrinto Tampere (Korisliiga).He spoke to germanhoops about basketball.
Chuku for talking to germanhoops. Before we talk basketball, I have to ask you about your name Chrysostom. That doesn´t seem like a common Finish name. How did you get that name? It is a Greek name that my dad gave me.
Most people call you Chuko, but does anyone call you by your name Chrysostom? A couple of people with my mom and dad.
You came in mid season from the Helsinki Seagulls to Frankfurt. Why did you make that move?
I already wanted to go out of Finland last summer, but had no offers. I didn´t want to go to the fourth divisions in Italy or Spain. Helsinki gave me an option during the season to go any time which I really appreciate. I´m so happy to be with the Skyliners. This is a great place to get better.
The Skyliners are a very young team. What is your role besides being a leader and mentor? Being the guy that handles the offense and makes sure the plays are run right.
Is it fair to say that you’re a scoring point guard even though you can pass the ball very well?
Yes it is.
You are also an allrounder. How big is versatility in your game? I think that my versatility is really big in my game. I can be a 3 and D player, guard the other teams best player, rebound, drive and shoot. The next part of my game that I´m working on is being able to bring the ball. I can do everything, but my role now is as point guard.
With Bruno Albrecht and Felix Hecker are 2 lethal scoring guards. Does that give you more of a chance to be a playmaker? Yes of course. I love those guys. They have so much confidence shooting the ball. Especially Bruno Albrecht is always trigger happy.
How is your relationship with Jamie Edoka? How talented is he? Is he taking on tips from you?
It hasn´t been so much so far, but we have one connection in that we are both half Nigerian. He is a good guy. He is so talented. If he needs advice from me, I will always give it to him. He made some tough three´s against the Tropics. If he can get his jump shot right, then he can be a great player.
Are you able to practice with the easyCredit BBL team? When you see young guys like Trey Calvin and Malik Parsons, do you feel like you can stand your ground against them?
I do practice with the BBL team. It isn´t like I get run over by them. I can compete with them.
You were teammates with Curtis Hollis. He played in Germany in 2019-2020 and then 4 years away from Europe. Shouldn´t a guy like him be playing at even higher levels?
Curtis is super talented. I knew that he had played in Canada. I have no idea why he wasn´t overseas longer. He gives good energy and is a locker room guy. He still keeps in touch with me.
You played 4 seasons in the Korisliiga, the highest league in Finland. Is that league your goal in the future or would you like to explore higher leagues in Europe? I want to go to higher leagues in Europe. I got a little bored in Finland. I want to spread my wings and see the world.
When you played at Lapuan Kobrat (Finland-Korisliiga) you were teammates with Denzel Livingston who was with the Houston Rockets. What memories do you have of him? Denzel was our veteran. He always made sure I got my extra work in. We pushed each other each day in practice.I loved to play with him.
You played 5 seasons with Jyvaskyla Basketball Academy). How vital was Mikko Tupamaki for your early basketball development?
When I was young I couldn´t handle mistakes. I would get down so fast when I missed a shot. He helped me grow mentally. I will always appreciate him for that.
You began your basketball career with Vantaan Pussihukat Juniorit. What memories do you have of these days. How did your game develop there? I had the green light there and could do what I wanted to. I had my own team. Coach always told me that we can go as far as we want with me. It is always good for a very young player to have that opportunity to be able to carry a team.
How respected is Gordon Herbert in Finland? Have you ever met him? I never met him. He is very respected in Finland.
Your 28 years old. What dreams do you still have as a player? I want to reach the highest level and use my full potential. This year with Frankfurt is very important for me to be able to make the next step.
The toughest player that you faced that reached the Euroleague was Petti Koponen. What do you remember from that battle? He was already older and had problems with his hip. He couldn´t do much anymore. He is the most known player that I have played against.
Please list your 5 best teammates of all-time? Rene Rousseau, Christian Lutete, KJ Jackson, Andre Wesson, PJ Raymond
What is your NBA, Euro and Finish Mount Rushmores? Jordan, Lebron, Kobe, Derrick Rose
Nowitzki, Jokic, Giannis, Tony Parker
Lauri Markkanen, Petteri Koponen, Shawn Huff, Hanno Mottola
While the Americans Malik Parsons and Trey Calvin were doing serious damage in an early pre season test game against Scottish team Caledonia Gladiators, there were enough other German players on the Fraport Skyliners trying to shine and get seriously recognized by Denis Wucherer. Ok so veteran German players like Christoph Philipps, Garai Zeeb and Lorenz Brenneke will get their share of minutes, but what about other Germans like Timo Lanmueller (193-SG-2001) and Bruno Albrecht? Ok so Bruno Albrecht has no BBL experience and his journey for minutes will be very difficult, but what about Timo Lanmueller? He already played first BBL minutes as a teenager with ratiopharm Ulm and last season played his first full BBL season with the Tuebingen Tigers. He didn’t play too many minutes against the Gladiators, but hit a trey and played aggressive defense. Those 2 components are his game, but will he slip into Wucherer’s rotation this season? He is 23 years old and could 3 be a charm this season with the Frankfurt Skyliners after not breaking through in Ulm and Tuerbingen? ‘I feel like I still have a lot of potential that I still haven’t yet showed. I have a season of BBL play under my belt. I was able to learn many things and see what works and what doesn’t. It is all a learning process. I’m sure that I can play better than last season. My desire is big for this season. I want to do all I can to help the Skyliners achieve their season goals’, stressed Timo Lanmueller. Unfortunately 3 wasn’t a charm this season as he has played only 14 games averaging 2,4ppg in 10,4 minutes per game. He played most of his games in the first 3 months of the seasons and only 3 games in the last 2 months, but was efficient against FC Bayern Munich and ratiopharm Ulm scoring 6 points a piece. All he can do is to just continue to grind searching for the BBL breakthrough.
Timo Lanmueller who lists Munich sniper Andi Obst as his toughest cover ever as he is hard to defend and you can never leave him alone was born on March 17th, 2001 and has the Austrian-German citizenship. He began his basketball career in Austria with the Vienna Flames and joined the ratiopharm Ulm system at age 15. He was there for parts of 6 seasons and saw everything on the floor from the youth teams right up to the pro teams Orange academy and making his debut with easyCredit BBL team ratiopharm Ulm. Of course it didn’t hurt that he was challenged every season by top young players like Jason George, Zach Ensminger and Nicolas Bretzel to just name a few. I remember David Kramer telling me 8 years ago that he would reach the NBA. Ok so it wasn’t quite enough to get there, but he still was crowned world champion with Germany in 2023. Kramer was never shy of self-confidence. ‘Ulm was very important in my early development. The fact that they have great coaches and players was a plus. I’m so thankful that they took a chance on a kid from Vienna. Danny Jansson and Anton Gavel were key in my development. I think that David Kramer had the biggest impact on me. When I was 15 or 16, I looked up the most to him. He was from Austria like men. We had a very good connection right from the start’, remembered Timo Lanmueller. During his early years, he was invited to play with Germany at the highly respected Albert Schweitzer tournament in Mannheim (11.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.8apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 78.6%) and help win it together with rising NBA player Franz Wagner. He will always have those stories for his grand parents one day. ‘Franz had always been an unbelievable talent. He grew very late. I remember in the U-16 he was like 195cm and then in the U-18 was 205cm. He just continued to develop really well with Alba Berlin and at Michigan. I’m really happy he has done so well winning the world championships and playing well in the NBA’, stated Timo Lanmueller. Just like for many other players, Covid did derail his development a bit as he played less games, but that gave him the chance to work harder and longer in the gym. In the 20-21 season, he was rewarded by playing 2 easyCredit BBL games. He also had the pleasure of being teammates with Ulm’s identity figure Per Guenther and will never forget him. ‘What I will always remember from him most is that he always wanted to have fun and not be that serious captain. It was always important for him to have fun and enjoy the game. He was an unbelievable leader. It was a cool experience being able to play with him’, commented Timo Lanmueller.
The sniper who lists Per Guenther, Andi Obst, Franz Wagner, Rasid Mahalbasic, and Jakob Poelti as his 5 best teammates of all-time then made a change in mid season joining the Tigers Tuebingen in December 2020. As Covid was in full swing, he was able to take advantage of tough times and rapidly find a role with the Tigers as he played 21 games averaging 8.9ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 39.8%, FT: 85.2%. He scored in double figures 11 times including 19 points against Kirchheim and 17 points against Rostock. In his 4 years there, he gained about as much experience as a young player can seeing 2 different leagues as he played 100 Pro A games and 30 easyCredit BBL games. A man who was very vital for him being able to get the valuable minutes needed to develop further was rising coach Danny Jansson. He had already had him as coach with Orange Academy. ‘He coached me the last 6 years and was a very important coach in my career. The most important thing that I learned from him was to defend. I remember that in the JBBL (U-16), I wasn’t known as a defender. He told me if you want to play, you need to defend. I wanted a spot so I defended. I improved week by week. I’m thankful for all his defensive drills that helped my game’, expressed Timo Lanmueller. In his last 2 Pro A years, he continued to be a key role player with his shooting and defense averaging 6.8ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 45.8%, 3PT: 36.8%, FT: 84.9% and 7.3ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 59.0%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 72.0%. In those 2 years he scored in double figures 17 times including 19 points against Kirchheim and 18 points against PS Karlsruhe. He not only benefited from the great Jansson, but also from teammates like Zac Seljaas and the ultra veteran Till Joscha-Joenke. ‘Zac was a role model for me. He is a very competitive player that always gave 100% and wanted to win. He is a strong rebounder and hits his shots. I learned how to move better off ball and how to prepare my shot better from him. I spent a lot of time off the court with Till. He taught me how to be professional. He also taught me how to be more competitive and win games. He helped me develop the right kind of mind set. He was a very good mentor for me. He is a very good friend of mine’, added Timo Lanmueller. In his last season, he played in the BBL and did what he could in 14 minutes per game averaging 2.7ppg, 1.4rpg, 1.4apg. He didn’t get many shots, but added experience to help him make the next step with Frankfurt this season. ‘In the BBL, I learned to take my shots quicker. You don’t have as much time as in the Pro A. The looks are also different in the BBL. I also leaned that you have to hit shots more consistently. You don’t have as much time around screens. You have to have patience to get good looks. I learned also to become more intelligent and know when to attack and how to create advantages for me’, warned Timo Lanmueller.
The guard who names Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore understood it was time for a change and joined the Frankfurt Skyliners. There were many attractions for him. One was how coach Wucherer coached, but being able to be teammates with guys from the past also helped. ‘Wucherer is a coach that likes to have competitive players that like to defend and play intelligent. My role will be to bring positive energy, play physical defense and hit my three’s consistently’, said Timo Lanmueller. He followed the very exciting Trier series last season and was really impressed with Wucherer’s defensive philosophy. ‘I noticed that Wucherer likes his team to defend. You can’t hit 50% from outside every game. Some days you don’t hit everything and you have to win games with that fighting mentality on the defensive end. I can identify easily with his philosophy and believe I will fit in well’, stressed Timo Lanmueller. It may be 6 years ago since he won the AST, but he still has sweet memories playing with Bruno Vrcic and Lorenz Brenneke and like I believe that nothing can rattle Brenneke on the court. ‘Yes he is fearless. He already showed his potential back in 2018 at the AST and developed well the last years in Frankfurt. He also still has much potential. I’m happy to be his teammate again’, added Timo Lanmueller. After getting early experience with German youth national teams, he decided to put on the jersey for Austria and has been part of the national team since 2022. ‘I think that Austrian basketball developed further in the last years. Our U-18 reached 4th place in the B division. We have young guys playing in Germany, Spain and Italy. We aren’t still yet where we want to be, but we are working hard and want to make a push forward. Our ultimate goal is to reach a European championship or World championship’, stated Timo Lanmueller. At the 2023 FIBA Eurobasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers, he played 11 games averaging 21 minutes and 7.5ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 36.8%, FT: 59.3%. He is on his way of possible becoming an impact player there. ‘I think that I have a good chance. I showed in the last windows that I can get between 15-20 minutes. I want to build on that. I want to help the team win games as best as possible’, commented Timo Lanmueller.
Timo Lanmueller who names Jordan as his GOAT watches a lot of Euroleague and would compare his game to guys like Sergio Lull or Kyle Guy. One could classify him as that typical 3 and D player, but he has so many more strong attributes that allows him to sparkle on the court. ‘I have a good IQ. I also think that I’m a good pick and roll player. I wasn’t able to show it as much last season, but did as a youth’, said Timo Lanmueller. If the Fraport Skyliners want to be able to be competitive again this season in the easyCredit BBL, then they will have to play good and hard defense something they did consistently last season in the Pro A. The young German is prepared to give his best and will also continue to grind in the lab so he can become exactly the kind of defender that he wants to become. ‘I like to play aggressive and take away other players strength. I want to develop my athleticism even more in the next years and also be more explosive physically so I can become a good BBL defender’, warned Timo Lanmueller. But it isn’t only on defense where he will continue to grind in the gym, but also on becoming an even more lethal offensive player. ‘ I’m working a lot on my catch and shoot as well as off the dribble and off the pick and roll’, stressed Timo Lanmueller. It will be interesting to see if Timo Lanmueller gets another chance next season with the Skyliners or not? It looks more like he will continue to grind and most likely find a new challenge elsewhere.
Oshane Drews (198-SG-2001) is a 24 year old 198cm shooting guard playing his second professional season with the Rostock SeaWolves. He began his basketball career at RSV Stahnsdorf and then played 2 years with the Junior Loewen Braunschweig (NBBL) and SG Braunschweig (2.Regionalliga). He then played 2 seasosn with the Dragons Rhondorf and then made the next step to the Uni Baskets Paderborn (PRO A). He came to the Rostock Seawolves in 2023. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a game against the Frankfurt Skyliners.
You began your basketball career at TUS Lichterfelde and then played with RSV Eintracht Stahnsdorf (ProB) averaging 6.7ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 51.1%. You were 16 years old that season. How do you remember that season? Did you mature quicker with more minutes? I think that game reps are very important for one´s development. I made a big jump in my game. The funny thing was that then I had no idea what the Pro B was. The trust and minutes I got really helped me as a young player.
How valuable was head coach Denis Toroman in your early basketball development? Did it surprise you then that he gave you so much trust?
Yes a little. I remember at the middle of the season when I began to play more, he came to me and said, “I wish I could of given you even more minutes up to now. That opened my eyes and I concentrated more, worked harder and got more minutes.
What memories do you have of Daniel Kirchner? That same season he got a chance and then went to Dresden and has become a solid Pro A player. Did you see that coming then? He had always had had a good shot, was fast, could jump and dunk. But at that time, he hadn´t had such a big role with us.
You then played 2 seasons with the Junior Loewen Braunschweig (NBBL) averaging 16.1ppg, 8.8rpg, 3.9apg, 2.6spg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 57.1%. You were injured your first season and bounched back in your second season. How vital were these 2 years in your basketball development? That was the first time that I had practiced with a BBL team. I saw how difficult it was to play in the BBL. The BBL was worlds apart from what I had experienced as a player. It really opened up my eyes, how much more work I ha din front of me to improve my game.
Who won a 1-1 in practice, you or Simon Roosch?
I did.
You played 2 ANGT games with FC Bayern Munich. What memories do you have playing with them and great talents like Bruno Vrcic and Sascha Grant? I just remember being really flashed. We traveled in style and stayed at a 5 star hotel in Belgrad and had a police escort. It was a cool experience. FC Bayern Munich welcomed me with open arms. I didn´t play much though.
You then played 2 seasons with the Dragons Rhoendorf (ProB).How tough was that first season. You began great playing 2 games and then Covid cancelled the Regionalliga season. How tough was starting great and then having the season end? I still had knee problems the first season. The season ended abruptly. But we still moved up to the Pro B. That next summer, I had an operation and was fit for my second season. In the end, I didn´t miss anything my first season.
You then had your break out season in the Pro B averaging 11.7ppg, 4.1rpg, 4.2apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 50.3%, 3PT: 29.7%, FT: 58.3%. How did your game grow that season under Julius Thomas? I improved so much with the Dragons. My game grew much. I became more flexible and versatile. I became stronger and more athletic and became a better defender. I also got used to that level.
What memories do you have of the Bernau win? You had 25 points a season high and teammate Paul Albrecht a triple double? That is still a blur for me. I will never forget my fast break dunk. That was a good win. Everyone was happy.
You then joined the Uni Baskets Paderborn (ProA) averaging 7.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 53.5%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 64.0%. You made another jump in your game under Steve Esterkamp? Did he just let you play your game? Yes he did. He gave me a good role. He prepared me for the BBL. He is a good coach. I really like his style.
Last season with Rostock you played 15 BBl games and 7 Fiba Europe Cup games with Rostock. Which player had the biggest impact on you in your first BBL season? Possibly Chris Carter? I think that Eric Lockett had the biggest impact on me. We have same build and define ourselves with our defense.
How did you experience the Fiba Europe Cup season? You scored 4 points in 5 minutes against Jonava?
I like playing in the competition and enjoyed the trips. It was interesting to se how other countries played. I would have liked to have played more though.
What was it like coming back to Rhondorf scoring 31 points in the 2-0 playoff sweet? I actually had the Dragon Dome bigger in my memory. I had a lot of fun and the fans gave me a nice welcome.
Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in the NCAA or anywhere on a court that reached the NBA? I have trained in USA and once trained with Bam Adebayo.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time? Derrick Alston Jr, Bryce Hamilton, Robin Amaize, Mike Smith, Jequan Lewis
Please name your personal NBA, Euro and German Mount Rushmore? Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Michael Jordan Drazan Petrovic, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Giannis
Dirk Nowitzki, Dennis Schroeder, Franz Wagner, Daniel Theis
Oshane Drews (198-SG-2001) is a 24 year old 198cm shooting guard playing his second professional season with the Rostock SeaWolves. He began his basketball career at RSV Stahnsdorf and then played 2 years with the Junior Loewen Braunschweig (NBBL) and SG Braunschweig (2.Regionalliga). He then played 2 seasosn with the Dragons Rhondorf and then made the next step to the Uni Baskets Paderborn (PRO A). He came to the Rostock Seawolves in 2023. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a game against the Frankfurt Skyliners.
Congrats on the big 84-68 win in Vechta. Is every game now like a do or die game?
We want to win every game. Every game counts now. We don´t go easy into games. We still see ourselves as the underdog. That is the reason why we have come so far this season.
Rostock had the slim 18-15 lead after one quarter. In the second quarter, Rostock exploded for 31 points. What was the focus going into the second quarter? We changed our defensive sets a lot. It took us a while to get it going in the first quarter. We defended better in the second quarter and they didn´t adjust well.
Everything was clicking with many guys getting involved. Was that one of the best offensive quarters this season? I think it was one of the best this season. We are a defensive orientated team, but I feel like we have have improved a lot on offense.
Malik Osborne and Pedro Bradshaw were huge. How vital have they been for the success? It is never easy for a player to come in the middle of the season. You have to understand your role quickly. With Bradshaw we got a player who is great off ball and Osborne is a very strong offensive player that has helped us a lot on offense now.
Rostock managed the lead well in the second half. Did the defensive intensity lose some steam in the second half with such a comfortable lead? We lost a little concentration with our different defensive sets and switches. They also adjusted well.
Johan Grunloh had a strong game with 14/10. Will he go to the NBA or possibly go to the NCAA? I think college is out. He will get drafted and then play in the NBA
Frankfurt has a 2 game winning streak. Rostock easily won in Rostock 83-66. What will be key to getting the win on the road? Both have new teams and both have had runs. We can´t underestimate them only because they are lower in the standings. We will come in motivated. We need the win. The team that wants it more will win.
Your playing your second season for the Rostock Seawolves. Has Rostock become like a second home?
What I really like about Rostock is that is near to my home Berlin. If we hadn´t come back so late from Vechta and I hadn´t slept so late, I would have returned home on my off day.
How exciting is the easyCredit BBL this season? Between position 3 and 14 is only a 2 win difference. Will Rostock make the playoffs this season? Our goal are the playoffs. I feel like that if we keep playing the way we are now, we will reach it.
The team began 4-8 and then after Christmas won 6 of 7 games. What were the reasons for the team picking up their game? We had a crisis meeting after the bad start. We changed the team a bit as well as our tactics. We understood what we needed to do to execute the game plan the right way and be successful. The new players and underdog mentality has been key in our success.
How vital has head coach Przemyslaw Frasunkiewicz been for the success of the team? What have you enjoyed most about his teaching philosophy?
We had many injuries and our game plan changed a lot. Coach knew how to make the right adjustments and kept the offense and defense flexible.
What has it been like being teammates with American Bryce Hamilton? How valuable has he been to the success? Bryce is a great player and our offensive leader. You can give him the ball and he will do his thing.
Is Robin Amaize like a role model for you? What is the most important thing that you have soaked up from his game? He is also a super player. He plays different than Americans do. What I try to do is take things I like from players and try to incorporate it into my game. I like his mentality and IQ. I try to soak that up from his game.
Your averaging 5 minutes per game, 1 minute more than last season. How tough is it in general finding minutes with this stocked BBL roster?
It is difficult to get minutes. I wasn´t even planned to be on the team. But I stayed and have gotten my chances. I just will keep working hard and earn minutes.
How tough is it being as efficient as possible? Do you sometimes let your defense make noise letting it spark your offense? Yes I do. I always want to get into the game with my defense. It is tough to do something on offense with little touches. I think that I could do more on offense. The problem is when I come in, I try not to make mistakes. That mentality leads me too think twice during decision time. The BBL is so quick that you need to decide quicker. That second thought often leads to my option being gone.
Clay Wilson (191-G-1992, college: Princeton) is a former professional player that is an assistant under legend Dave Smart at the University of the Pacific. He began his coaching career at Green Country Defenders in Oklahoma. He then was an assistant at Cornell as well as at North Texas and also was director of player development at Texas Tech. He also was the co-founder, co-owner, and trainer for Elev8hoops in Oklahoma. He helped create one of the largest skill development programs in the region with more than 600 clients. He also co-founded the Clay Wilson and David Mason Skill Academy. As a player, he began his basketball career at Lincoln Christian high school and then played at Princeton (NCAA) from 2011-2015. He had a brief pro career playing 2 seasons in Germany with the VfL AstroStars Bochum and also played in Latvia and New Zealand. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Clay for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you?
Miles! Thank you so much for reaching out. I am a huge fan of yours and have followed you and your stories for many years. You do a phenomenal job, and I still log into Eurobasket daily to keep track of recruits, friends, former teammates and coaches. I currently live in California and just finished up our season with the University of the Pacific in the West Coast Conference. The WCC is a tremendous league with many international players.
You retired in 2019 as a player and now are coaching. Has time flown by since your last season in Latvia?
Time has definitely flown by. As a player, there is a lot of down time during the season and time to rest and train, but as a coach, there is so much to do that you stay busy and the seasons fly by.
You began your career at Lincoln Christian High School where you were named the Oklahoma Class 3A player of the year after averaging 27.8 points, six assists and six rebounds per game as a senior. You finished your career as one of the top 100 scorers in the history of Oklahoma high school basketball. What does that mean to you being one of the top 100 best scorers in the state? A lot of great players have come from Oklahoma.
It’s very humbling. I never take my high school experience for granted. Lincoln Christian School is an unbelievable place filled with unbelievable people, and I loved every minute. I was blessed to have some great coaches and play with great teammates over my four years there. Individual accolades are great, but I wouldn’t have achieved anything without my team. To have my name mentioned in the same conversation as some of the greatest players in the state’s history is really a blessing.
You played at Princeton University (NCAA) from 2011-2015 being a Ivy league runner up in 2013. What do you remember from these early years in your basketball life?
My college experience took me through the full spectrum of emotions and helped me become the man I am today. From the first day of practice, where I separated my AC joint diving on a loose ball, my college experience was riddled with injuries. The list of injuries is pretty extensive, so honestly, for me, college basketball taught me more about being a great teammate, persevering, and leading than how to be a great player. I remember the frustration from not playing and the joy from playing well, I remember the sadness in defeat and the triumph in wins. I remember learning how to persevere through tough times, and how to love on my teammates. I played every role for my team during my college career, and I think my college experience truly set me up to be a great coach. Some coaches were the star player in their playing days, and I think they are good at teaching other star players. Some coaches were role players and I think they are good at teaching role players. When I look back at my college experience, I am grateful for the way things turned out. Although I didn’t meet my own expectations as a player, I learned valuable lessons along the way that I use as a coach to this day. During my four years at Princeton I experienced the full spectrum of being a collegiate athlete: I was an overlooked recruit. I became a highly touted recruit. I was the young player far away from home. I was the senior captain. I was the worst player on our team. I was the best player on our team. I was the sixth man. I was a rotational player. I was frustrated. I was hurt. I was healthy. I was fulfilled. I think going through this range of roles over my time in college has given me deep insight in how to relate to my players now as a coach. I have been in their shoes and I believe everything happens for a reason.
You played 3 seasons with TJ Bray. What memories will you always have of him? It´s a shame his playing career was so short.
TJ Bray is one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever had. I tell my current players stories about TJ and how good of a leader he was. I remember we had a freshman late for the team bus and TJ, as a sophomore captain, told our team nobody was allowed to get on the bus until everyone was there. He risked himself getting in trouble to save our freshman getting in trouble. That’s the type of person TJ is. He cares about the team more than anything and that’s how he played. He was an incredible passer and was extremely selfless. I think TJ could have played in the NBA if he kept playing. He played at his own pace and breathed life into our team. Our team was confident because TJ had the ball.
How did Mitch Henderson groom and prepare you best for a professional career?
Coach Henderson was all about precision. We used to do 5 on 0 offense for hours and hours. If one dribble or pass was off by even a few inches, we started over. For me, this level of detail and precision was exactly what I needed to make it to the next level. Other players were bigger and more naturally athletic than I was, so accuracy and exactness was key in me being able to succeed overseas. Another thing Coach Henderson did to prepare me for life was to allow me to see the fight it takes to be good. We are both super competitive people and I am grateful for the opportunity he gave me to fight for everything. I am very grateful for Coach Henderson and love to see Princeton continuing to succeed.
Did you already have a feeling during your Princeton days that you might go into coaching one day or did that come later? Definitely. I actually chose to go to Princeton because at the time, Princeton had the largest coaching tree in Division 1 basketball. I have known since I was 3 years old that God has called me to coach. I thank God everyday for allowing Sydney Johnson, Mitch Henderson, and Brian Earl to recruit me to Princeton.
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or TJ Bray? Haha TJ is a far better player than I am. I will say I am a better shooter though.
You played your rookie season in Germany with the VfL AstroStars Bochum (Germany-ProB) averaging 13.2ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 78.9%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being a rookie overseas where you knew that you were far away from home? I think my first wakeup call was actually getting my car from the AstroStars and realizing it was manual. I didn’t know how to drive stick at the time and learning how to drive stick shift, while reading street signs in a different language while on the Autobahn isn’t the best idea.
What memories will you always have of Ryon Howard? Was he like a mentor for you as a rookie? Ryon Howard is a consummate professional. He never missed a day, played hard every practice, and always did what was best for the team. I feel very fortunate to have played with him. He’s a winner through and through. I learned so much from him over the years.
You had many great games in Germany like scoring 30 points against Recklingshausen. What was your fondest moment on the court in Germany?
I think my fondest memory on the court in Germany was when we were down by more than 20 points at halftime to the #1 team (Iserlohn) and came back in the second half to win on the road. That was incredible and our GM and our President were so proud. Jerry Brown was on the team for Iserlohn. He now coaches in the WCC with me and we talked about this game recently.
You also played a season with 2 Cheap Cars Super City Rangers (New Zealand-NBL) averaging 19.9ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.3apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 43.8%, FT: 80.0%. Being able to live in New Zealand is everyone´s dream. What was your coolest experience there?
I love New Zealand and I try to go back as often as I can. The coolest experience by far was meeting Tania, Joe, and Bailey Sampson. These three people have become extended family. They were the first people I met when I got off the plane and they are some of the best people I know. They traveled to Cornell, Texas Tech, and recently just traveled to California to watch me coach. We went on several road trips together and I really immersed myself into New Zealand Culture. I am a big ‘Lord of the Rings’ fan as well so going to Hobbiton was an unreal experience.
I´m sure you will never forget your 48 points explosion and 11 three´s against Manawatu J. Unfortunately you lost the game. What memories do you have of that experience? I actually was coming off ankle surgery, so my contract stated that the team had the option to keep me or waive me after that game. I was essentially playing for my contract and everything went in. That was one of the best shooting performances I have ever had and it’s fun to go back and watch some of the crazy shots that went in.
You played your last pro season at BC Valga-Valka/Maks&Moorits (Latvia-LatEstBL) averaging 9.0ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 43.2%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 66.7%. What memories do you have of Latvia? My time in Latvia was interesting. My shoulder was so messed up that I needed surgery and I never really could get comfortable. I came to the country after the start of the season, played for two different coaches, had some contract issues and realized that God was calling me back to America to coach. I sometimes wish that the Latvian chapter in my story could be deleted, but I do believe it happened for a reason, and without it, I might still be playing and not coaching like I was called to do.
You retired at age 27. Did you realize that you had other opportunities like coaching? Why did you retire so young? I loved playing basketball, and I always said I wanted to play for as long as I could. I think my body ended up giving out on me. I put it through the wringer and I worked so hard to try and make it, that I think I put too many miles on my body too early. I definitely knew from a young age that I wanted to play professionally and then coach so I am thankful to be living my dream.
How would you like fans to remember Clay Wilson as the player? Hard working, tough, tenacious, grateful and a phenomenal teammate.
You are the co-founder, co-owner, and trainer for Elev8hoops in Oklahoma with more than 600 clients. You also co-founded the Clay Wilson and David Mason Skill Academy, instructing more than 400 campers. What was the biggest challenge of being able to have success?
The hardest part for me was the energy and the hours. I am passionate about helping others and sometimes I give so much that I forget I need to be replenished. I love seeing others succeed and grow. I wish there were more hours in the day and that I had unlimited energy to be able to help out each athlete.
You have trained many guys that went on to become pro´s. Is there a player that was really close to your heart that you helped train and become a pro? I loved working with Tylor Perry. He currently plays for the 905 Raptors, but he was super consistent. Always counted out because of his height, but his heart and his belief makes him great. We worked on his game for hundreds and hundreds of hours and he has put in the work to be great. We still talk frequently.
You were an assistant coach at Cornell from 2018-2021. What was your fondest moment in those 3 years? I was fortunate to work with some great people and coach some great players. Brian Earl gave me my start in coaching and I am forever grateful for him. He is a great coach and a great person. I think my fondest memories are just seeing people grow. I loved recruiting Chris Manon and Nazir Williams who have both gone on to become ‘All Ivy’ players. Neither one of them had many offers out of high school and were both underrecruited. Believing in people, stirring up that same belief in others and watching them succeed will never get old.
You helped develop Jim Boeheim who is a professional player in Germany. What memories do you have of your coaching relationship to him and how did you help him grow? Jim is the best! Great person, high character, hard worker, super talented, and extremely respectful. I loved working with him. He actually taught me a lot and I am proud to call him a friend. I remember working with him every single day on his shot. Out of conference he shot a poor percentage, and we just put the time in and he trusted it. His numbers in conference were way better. I would send him texts just encouraging him, but we all just need someone to encourage us every now and again. Shooting well is all about hard work and trusting that hard work. Jimmy will have a long career and make a lot of money playing basketball before he retires.
You were a coach for 2 years at North Texas and helped develop guys like Tylor Perry, Thomas Bell, Rubin Jones, Aaron Scott, and JJ Murray. What steps do you feel did you make as a coach in these 2 years? Grant McCasland helped me in so many ways during my time at North Texas & Texas Tech. He helped me see what it was like to Win at an elite level. The way he holds people accountable and teaches is second to none. I honestly believe he will win a national championship very soon. Under Coach McCasland and current North Texas Head Coach, Ross Hodge, I feel like I learned how to truly win. I have always been super competitive, but they both made me realize that achieving the ultimate goal takes everyone and it takes zooming out and looking at the big picture while keeping the small details in focus. North Texas was vital to my growth as a coach. They are two of the best coaches on this planet and I will keep learning from them for the rest of my career.
You were Director of Player Development in 2023-24 at Texas Tech and now are an assistant at Pacific under Canadian legend Dave Smart. What have you learned from him? He is one of those guys where I´m sure you able to soak something up every day? Coach Dave Smart is a legend. I like to call him a ‘mad scientist’ because he knows the game at such an elite level and has made a major impact on the game of basketball. He is relentless in his work ethic and his pursuit of greatness. He’s the first to the office and the last to leave even after all he has accomplished. I have tried to soak up as much as I could from him these past two years. He has seen every style of basketball and has worked with so many players and coaches over the years. I am extremely fortunate to know him, work with him these past two years, and to call him a friend. Dave will be someone I try to learn from the rest of my life.
What goals do you still have as a coach? Could you ever imagine coming overseas to work?
My ultimate goal is to impact people, help them grow, and to love people well. I believe that winning on the court translates to winning in life. I believe that I am impacting athletes positively in my role as an assistant coach, but I aspire, one day, to become a head coach. I LOVED living overseas and I could definitely picture myself going back overseas to coach. There are so many great coaches all over the world. I love learning different aspects of the game and different styles of coaching.
Who is the best player that you ever battled on the court that reached the NBA? I played against Bradley Beal several times in the EYBL. He is a great player.
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
Ian hummer – Overseas pro TJ Bray – Overseas Pro Josh Richardson – NBA Dillon Boucher – New Zealand Olympian Lindsay Tait – New Zealand Olympian
Please name your NBA Mount Rushmore? MJ, Lebron, Kobe, Steph
Who is your GOAT?
MJ is the goat, but my personal two favorite players ever are 1.) Pistol Pete Maravich and 2.) Steve Nash
Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone? I haven’t seen it, but I’ll check it out.
Marcus Graves (185-G-1996, college: Sacramento St.) is a 28 year old 185cm point guard that was born in San Diego that is playing his 6th professional season and second overseas with the VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier (Germany-ProA). He began his basketball career with Independence High School and also played at Westview High School. He then played 3 seasons with Sacramento State University and as a senior averaged 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.4apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 79.2%. He played his first 4 pro seasons in the G-League with the Stockton Kings, Salt Lakke City Stars, Wisconsin Herd and G-League Ignite. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks Marcus for talking to germanhoops.com. Let´s talk about your game. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would best fit the description? I would call it a mix of a lot of people. Growing up I loved watching guys like Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Russell Westbrook.
You averaged 5apg in the NCAA and once 7,0apg in the G-League. Are you a pass first point guard? 100%, I just try and play basketball the right way, make the right play every single time.
You’re a player that can fill the stat sheet very well. What other strengths does your game incorporate? Getting other guys involved and managing the game, that’s been something I’ve tried to focus a lot on.
You have always been kind of a streaky three point shooter. What do you have to do to reach the magical 40% plateau? Just keep being confident and keep putting in the work.
How have you seen the development of your defense in the last years? What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of defender do you still want to become? I’ve been trying to improve every day, it’s all just a mentality. I have the defensive tools and it’s been something I’ve been trying to focus on.
On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game? Being a more consistent shooter, I think that will open up a whole new world for me.
You played 4 years in the G-League for 4 teams. What positives did you get from these years? What was the biggest challenge?
Just learning how to be a professional and stay true to myself. The G is very up and down and as an individual you have to hold yourself accountable.
You had a really good stint with Wisconsin. Do you feel like you could have had a NBA call up with more time? Potentially, I only played half a season there and felt like it was a really great spot for me.
You played your rookie season with the Stockton Kings (NBA G League) averaging 7.0ppg, 2.3rpg, 4.2apg, FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 71.7%. What do you remember being your wake upcall to being a pro player?
Just adjusting to a role. Most guys come from college and were the best player on their team so adjusting to fitting into a role was challenging for me at first.
How big of a role model was a guy like Gabe Vincent. He began in the G-League and had to pay his dues and later reached the NBA in your rookie season and never left? Gabe and I have a great relationship, we share the same mentor/trainer and agent so we usually are together all summer. The bond and brotherhood we’ve created runs deeper than basketball. Seeing where he is today is no surprise because I’ve seen the work he’s put in.
In your second season you played with the Salt Lake City Stars (NBA G League) averaging 8.9ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.8apg, FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 75.0%. What memories do you have of head coach Nathan Peavy and assistant Bryan Bailey? Both played in Germany in the BBL. Will one get a NBA head coaching job one day? Both were great guys, it was a short season because it was the bubble but I had a great experience with both of them.
In the 2020-2021 season you split time with the Stockton Kings (NBA G League) averaging 8.9ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.1%, 3PT: 25.9%, FT: 73.0%, in Feb.’22 signed at Wisconsin Herd (NBA G League) averaging 11.8ppg, 4.4rpg, 7.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 34.4%. What was it like splitting the season with 2 teams. How difficult is it in the G-League to find a groove when you have to move around? You showed you could with the Herd?
It was tough getting traded mid season but for me when I switched teams I just went in with the mindset to be myself, and Wisconsin was a great fit for me.
What was it like playing with Frank Mason? Was it a challenge battling him in practices?
Frank was a good dude, great player. Obviously has had great accomplishments in his career and playing against him and learning things from him is something i don’t forget for sure.
You Played your last season in the G-League with the G League Ignite (NBA G League) averaging 6.3ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.2apg, FGP: 39.5%, 3PT: 26.9%, FT: 73.5%. Did you lose faith in the NBA process?
I didn’t lose faith, Ignite came to me and I thought it would be a unique experience in my basketball life. I loved that year, on and off the court it’s something i wouldn’t trade for anything.
What was it like being teammates with ultra veteran Pooh Jeter? What could you soak up most from his game? Pooh is definitely one of my top teammates ever. Great basketball career and player but the thing I learned most from Pooh was just being present, his energy and love for basketball and life every day is something you don’t see a lot.
You played 3 years at Sacramento State University (NCAA) and made a big jump as a senior averaging 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.4apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 79.2%. How did your game grow in your senior year?
I had back surgery the year before so sitting out a whole year I had a lot of time to develop my game and my body and the work all showed my senior year.
You were teammates with Nick Hornsby and was reunited last season playing against him in the Pro A. Is he one the most versatile players that you ever played with? Nick is like a baby Draymond Green, he just plays basketball the right way and does a little bit of everything.
You had many huge games in the NCAA. What was your biggest personal game in the NCAA? Probably having the first triple double in Sacramento State history
How did head coach Brian Katz groom and prepare you best for a professional career? Creating a routine and embracing the underdog role. Understanding I’ll never be given anything has always stuck with me
Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Cody Demps? We are probably even
Who was the greatest player that you ever faced on the court? Victor Wembanyama
Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?
That’s tough, so many great ones to just narrow down to 5, definitely a lot on this Trier team now.
Please name your personal NBA Mount Rushmore? LeBron, Kobe, MJ and Steph Curry
Marcus Graves (185-G-1996, college: Sacramento St.) is a 28 year old 185cm point guard that was born in San Diego that is playing his 6th professional season and second overseas with the VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier (Germany-ProA). He began his basketball career with Independence High School and also played at Westview High School. He then played 3 seasons with Sacramento State University and as a senior averaged 17.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 5.4apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 43.7%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 79.2%. He played his first 4 pro seasons in the G-League with the Stockton Kings, Salt Lakke City Stars, Wisconsin Herd and G-League Ignite. He spoke to germanhoops.com about basketball.
Thanks marcus for talking to germanhoops.com Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life treating you at the moment? I’m currently playing in Trier, Germany and hoop life is great, just enjoying the vibes.
Your playing your sixth professional season and second overseas with the VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier (Germany-ProA). Could one say that Trier has become your second home? Trier has been great to me and my family and we have enjoyed our 2 years here
What have you enjoyed most about the city Trier and the Gladiators organization?
It’s a beautiful city and just seeing my daughter grow up every day and enjoy life has been most enjoyable for me.
How big is the desire to move back to the BBL after so many years in the Pro A? That’s the goal, been our goal since last June and that’s all we have been focused on
How tough was losing that series to Frankfurt last season? Trier had that series in their own hands. Could one say that the team choked? It was tough for sure especially me not being able to play at all in the playoffs because I was hurt. I wouldn’t say we choked I think you just got to give credit to Frankfurt. They were the better team for five games. But we definitely haven’t forgot that feeling.
The team was packed last season with talent as well as this season. Is this years version stronger than last season´s?
I think we are a lot deeper of a team this year. We have a lot of the same guys and adding the guys we did is only going to benefit us in the playoffs.
A big strength is the offensive power that the team has. How big of a goal is it to improve as a team every day on the defensive end? That is really our main focus. We know we are going to score points. We have so many threats on that end and we understand that to get what we want out of this season that defense has to be the focus.
Your now playing your second season with Behnam Yakhchali. Is he the most versatile shooting guard in the Pro A? B is unbelievable, the work ethic, the mindset, he is probably one of the best players and people I’ve been around.
How enjoyable has it been playing with Jordan Roland? How do you guys compliment each other best? Jordan has been great, super genuine guy. When he came to our team we were kind of in a weird spot with losses, injuries and stuff and he kind of brought a spark to our team that’s rejuvenated us. We play really well off each other.
What has it been like being teammates with beast Maik Zirbes? Is he the ultimate leader on the club? I love playing with guys who have so much experience like Maik, it’s just a great opportunity to hear their journeys and learn and get better in so many ways. He’s been a great leader for us.
How tough was it losing JJ Mann. Is he the difference between first and second place this season? It was super tough losing JJ, not only as a basketball player but just his personality and competitiveness daily. It’s tough to say what could’ve been but this is our journey and I think it’s been a successful season so far.
Everybody gives 180% on the team, but which player is the unsung hero this season?
I think of guys like Nolan Adekunle, Marco Hollersbacher and Evans Rapieque. Guys who have just given their all to the role they are in and and been so selfless to our team.
Your playing 1 less minute than last season and your scoring and assists are down a bit. Has your role changed or just too much guard power? Like I said i think we are just a deeper team and have so many guys that can score and make things happen. One thing that makes our team so difficult to guard is that you can’t really take away 1 or 2 players because we have 8-9 more guys waiting for their opportunity.
You had a bit of a lull in 4 games in March. How confident are you that your total A game will come before and in the playoffs?
I’m always confident in myself. Stats may call it a lull but also sometimes on our team it’s just not your night and you have to do other things that don’t always show up on the stat sheet.
Who wins a 1-1 in practice, you or Jordan Roland? Great great great question. You will have to ask Jordan that!
With only 3 games left in the regular season, the routes of the VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier and EPG Guardians Koblenz were going in 180 degree turns. The VET-CONCEPT Gladiators Trier were getting prepared to give their best showing in the Pro A playoffs with the massive focus of finally moving back to the BBL while some Guardian players might already have thoughts of what their summer vacation destinations might be. However The Guardians actually still had the goal of staying in the Pro A as they were even with the Artland Dragons at 7 wins a piece battling for the last spot in the Pro A. But the EPG Guardians were 1-15 in 2025 and getting wins was as difficult as Mac McClung getting an NBA opportunity. How in the world were they supposed to win the Davey vs Goliath showdown against Trier. It seems like it´s a big mental problem with believing they can win games. How in the world were they going to defeat the team that scores the most points in the Pro A with such an unstable defense? On a mild early Spring Sunday, the EPG Guardians Koblenz wanted to give their best effort for their fans in the last home game of the season and stayed with Trier for a half, but in the second half allowed 63 points to lose their 16th game in 2025 118-87. “We did a good job eliminating their three in the first game, but today they were letting it rain three´s. It sure looked like they were in playoff mode. They gave the first punch of the game and controlled game until the end. It was tough against their bigs as they had BBL size. We would rotate our 3 and 4 players against their 5”, stressed EPG Guardians Koblenz guard Ty Cockfield. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier already had position 2 secured, but they still came to play and showed that they are getting prepared for the post season. They erupted on offense for another 100 plus point game, but also know that they have to cut down on points allowed. “We shared the wealth today. It helps that we have so many guys that cans score in double figures. We always have a high assist rate each game. But we know that we can still work on our defense. We have to make sure we have a lot in our defense tool box”, warned The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier guard Jordan Roland (185-PG-1997, college: Northeastern, agency: Diamond Sports). Trier demonstrated what it means to be team first. “Playing as a team is important. It is uncommon in the Pro A that teams have success with only 1 guy. We can have many different scorers step up each game”, warned Jordan Roland.
Leon Friderici at the FT line
The EPG arena was at it´s loudest this season as 400 plus The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier fans made the trip to Koblenz. Their team didn´t disappoint either as they totally jumped all over the Guardians leading 13-2 with only 2,55 played. Their guard terror sparkled as they attacked the paint and got lay in´s from 2018 JBBL winner Nolan Adekunle, Iranian guard Behnam Yakhchali, and American Clayton Guillozet. A focus of Koblenz was to defend the 1-1 well, but they couldn´t match the guests intensity or physicality. Ex BBL player Dominque Johnson then nailed a trey and the Guardians offense began to groove. But it was Ty Cockfield that carried the Guardians as he took the 1-1 route and scored a few baskets, but Koblenz trailed 21-10. Trier was able to continue to execute their offense and extend their lead thanks to the beast Maik Zirbes who was an absolute menace on the court. He would add 12 points in the last 5 minutes as he always was able to find his way to the free throw line. Guardians center Ben Stevens was totally overwhelmed by his physicality. Trier also got good support from ex Jena guard Nate Hinton who added 7 points. Roland also added a three pointer to give Trier the overwhelming 35-17 advantage. The EPG Guardians Koblenz got some fortune closing out the first quarter with a 5-0 run as Cockfield continued to do a good job finding his spots and made a pull up jumper while ex University Of Alabama at Birmingham forward William Lee dropped a trey as the The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier led only 35-22. “I saw run and gun basketball. That was simply terrible. We looked like a practice team. They got way too many open shots. We were playing kindergarden defense. If this continued we would lose 125-80”, warned EPG Guardians sport director Thomas Klein.
Jordan Roland from outside
In the second quarter, the EPG Baskets Koblenz played their strongest quarter at both ends, but an annoying run at the end by Trier spoiled their good play a little at the end. Both teams began with mini runs as the The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier got back to back baskets from ex Sacramento State guard Marcus Graves made a lay in with a fancy eurostep and Yakhchali made the perfect touch down pass to German big man Martin Linsen for the transition bucket while the Guardians punched back with superb play from Leon Friderici who found Lee back door for the massive 2 handed dunk and Friederici then scored on transition, but Trier still had the 39-26 advantage. Koblenz was slowly picking up their game and then stifled The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier with a brutal 9-2 run to trail only 41-35. In the run, the Guardians got 5 points from Cockfield who made a lay in and got to the line while Lee and Johnson made lay in´s. Koblenz stepped up their defensive intensity which led to sloppy offense by Trier. Koblenz also raised their physicality rate and stepped up their 1-1 defense. Koblenz also played more as a team and gained more self-confidence. The Guardians continued to keep up the pressure and incredible 1-1 player Ty Cockfield continued to carry his team doing all he could making a lay in and even helping out on the offensive glass with a tip in. Lee also added a tip in as Trier led only 45-41. However the EPG Guardians Koblenz were unable to keep the momentum allowing Trier to get away again as they closed out the first half with a 10-4 run to lead 55-45. Ex Hagen German Marco Hollersbacher did the most damage dropping 2 three´s. Linsen and Zirbes also continued to dominate inside scoring 2 baskets. “We played more together and increased our physicality. We did a good job getting Trier out of their concept”, stressed Thomas Klein. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier shot 58% from the field and 29% from outside and had 17 rebounds and 6 turnovers while the EPG Guardians Koblenz shot 51% from the field and 18% from outside and had 14 rebounds and 7 turnovers.
Michael Bradley with the runner
The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier decided the game for themselves in the third quarter exploding again with many points as they scored 30 points having the comfortable 85-63 advantage after 30 minutes. Cockfield began the second half with a pretty reverse lay up, but he was really challenged in the second half. After scoring 21 points in the first half, he would only get 6 in the second half. “I always get up for games like this where I get challenged from BBL type teams. They put bigger guys on me in the second half and it was tougher to shoot over them”, said Ty Cockfield. The good play by Koblenz continued as they then scored 2 more times going on a 7-2 run to trail only 57-52. Friderici made a lay in and Johnson another trey. Koblenz showed that when they combine a high intensity and physicality, They can give a team like Trier problems. However The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier then showed just how lethal their offense can be punching back with a lethal 19-5 run to extend their lead to 76-57. In the run, Trier got good support from many faces as Roland and Adenkunle dropped three pointers while Hollersbacher scored twice with a dunk and Zirbes and Adekunle also scored easy buckets inside. That high intensity and physicality was present again with Trier and the Guardians couldn´t match it. Here and there, the Guardians found ways to execute as young French player Alaxandre Bouzidi found an opening in the zone for a lay in, Johnson connected on a 20 footer and Friederici made a lay in, but the guests always had an answer and punched back. Athletic forward Marco Hollersbacher scored on the drive and Hinton hit a trey and Zirbes made a hard dunk. “We tightened things up defensively in the third quarter. We wanted to slow down Cockfield and did. We locked down on defense and hit shots”, stated Jordan Roland. “They are a playoff experienced team. They eliminated what was working for us before. They took away our drive as the 4 man guarded me. We didn´t move the ball well and our shots didn´t fall well”, added Ty Cockfield.
Maik Zirbes with the lay in
In the fourth quarter both teams took their foot of the defensive gas pedal as a total of 57 points were scored. The EPG Guardians couldn´t make any ground as they allowed 33 points. Both teams found their offensive rhythm right away. The incredible Behnam Yakhchali began with 5 points as he showed his 3 level scoring ability with a lay in and contested trey while Cockfield and Friderici found their spots and scored lay in´s, but Trier led 89-67. Then three´s began to rain as Marcus Graves nailed 2 back to back while Johnson also nailed one and made a lay in, but Trier still led nicely 95-72. The game looked like run and gun as defense continued to take a back seat as fans were seeing great offensive execution from both teams. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier continued to execute well while also getting some hands up on defense and making stops and cruised out on a 14-4 run to lead 109-76. In the run, Roland continued to knock down shots scoring 5 points while Zirbes who has won 10 pro titles in his career carried on being a beast scoring twice and Hinton dropped a trey. The scoring continued down the stretch for both teams as the Guardians received three pointers from Czech Republic forward David Bohm and another trey from Johnson while Trier continued to play their bench as 2018 JBBL champion Evans Rapique dropped 2 three pointers and 2018 NBBL champion Hendrik Drescher also hit a trey. Ben Stevens ended the game with a pretty hook shot. “We might have taken a step back from defense in the last minutes. We have to be focused for 40 minutes. We ended the game executing at a high level”, stated Jordan Roland. “I think that both teams took their feet a bit off the gas pedal on defense. It looked a little like street ball, but I think that some guys had that lets go home mentality. We didn´t play as intense as we wanted to. Some guys fight to the end and some didn´t. It is hard to win when all aren´t on the same page”, said Ty Cockfield. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier had 7 guys score in double figures and were led by Jordan Roland and Maik Zirbes with 18 points a piece. Amir Hinton and Martin Linsen added 13 points a piece while the EPG Guardians Koblenz were led by Ty Cockfield with 27 points while Dominique Johnson added 17 points. The Vet-Concept Gladiators Trier shot 63% from the field and 43% from outside and had 34 rebounds and 9 turnovers while the EPG Guardians Koblenz shot 51% from the field and 26% from outside and had 28 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
On the last regular season game day in the Pro B, there were very exciting duels in both the north and south concerning the last playoff places, but in Frankfurt there was a game that had absolute no meaning for one team the Frankfurt team. On account of a disgusting 7 game losing streak in the crunch-time of the season, they weren´t going to be in the playoffs this season. It could have been exciting for Frankfurt on this last game had they not lost 2 of the last 3 games by only 2 point margins which was extremely bitter. For Fellbach, it had no real meaning either as they had secured home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Fellbach hadn´t been playing great basketball as of late as they had lost 3 of their last 5 games, but wanted to end the regular season on a positive note with a win and have some momentum in the playoffs while Frankfurt wanted to end the season on a positive note as well. On a very warm early Spring evening, the favorite SV Fellbach Flashers found to their game midway through the first quarter and never looked back leading by as much as 27 points as their experience totally overwhelmed the Skyliners youth as they played catch up basketball all night long as Fellbach won 82-68 securing third place in the Pro B south. “Our goal coming in was to get the win and keep building into the playoffs. We noticed that they didn´t hit the 3 well the last games so we played zone. We wanted to play it safe and trust our game plan. Our offense was good, but became a little stagnant in the second half when they switched more. I feel that we can still reach the next level on offense”, warned SV Fellbach Flasher Malik Whittaker. The Skyliners Juniors came in as the underdog lacking experience and a big man that could challenge Mayr as Malik Kordell was injured and just couldn´t get a groove on the defensive end. “Fellbach was a tough opponent. We wanted to enjoy the last game. We fought until the end and learned from our mistakes in the last games where we lost some tough games. We found a solution for the zone in the fourth quarter by making quicker passes and not being selfish and taking good shots”, stressed Skyliner Junior Namori Omog.
Jamie Edoka from outside
The Skyliners Juniors were without Bruno Albrecht, Malik Kordell and Chuku Chukwuma and held strong for the first 5 minutes as they got 2 great individual efforts by 17 year old German Jamie Edoka with runners in traffic while Felix Hecker dropped a trey and 20 year old German Leo Cosic made a lay in. Fellbach countered with super execution spreading the love around playing inside out ball as Whittaker added 5 points with a lay in and trey while ex Fordham (NCAA) guard Zaire Thompson made a step back jumper and Mayr free throws as the game was deadlocked at 9-9. But The Skyliners Juniors couldn´t keep up as Fellbach cruised out on a 11-2 run to lead 20-11. In the run they got super production from Mayr with 4 points and a massive 2 handed dunk, a dunk from Bulgarian forward Jeremy Kolev and a lay in from Whittaker. Fellbach did a good job getting the ball inside and attacking the constant mismatches with Daniel Mayr (218-C-1995). Fellbach defended with a high intensity and forced the Skyliners Juniors to many turnovers. German Julius Messer then hit a trey, but Fellbach continued to apply pressure ending the first quarter with a 5-0 run as Thompson dropped a trey and ex Reutlingen forward David Grubic made a lay in as the Fellbach Flasher led comfortably 25-14. “Fellbach had a lot of experience and played a tough zone. It was tough going against the much taller Mayr. Frankfurt made small mistakes like not seeing a player, making a bad pass or just over dribbling”, stressed Skyliner Junior Florian Dietrich. The SC Fellbach Flashers shot 53% from the field and 40% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 3 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniors shot 46% from the field and 29% from outside and had 7 rebounds and 8 turnovers.
Daniel Mayr at the FT line
In the second quarter the SV Fellbach Flashers could build their lead a bit more in which they allowed the Skyliners Juniors to only 8 points and led 42-22 at the break. After ex Idstein guard Mickey De Sousa and glue guy Marvin Esser traded baskets, it was the SV Fellbach Flashers that found their way on another run of 8-0 to extend their lead to 35-17. In the run, they were able to get 2 baskets inside from Whittaker and Mayr as the American dominated with his 1-1 strength and Mayr used the mismatch while the other 2 buckets were on transition as Whittaker scored again as did ex Tuebingen NBBL player Nik Schlif. Fellbach defended well, but Frankfurt was also sloppy on offense, but their inexperience and youth also played a role. Frankfurt defended well down the stretch allowing only 7 points, but on offense just couldn´t execute well against their zone as they would get stifled time in and time out again and Fellbach got big blocks from Mayr and Brian Butler. Mayr scored 4 points and Thompson dropped another trey while the Skyliners Juniors got a lay in from Joschua Zentgraf who played a career high 31 minutes and had 9 points and 9 rebounds including 6 offensive rebounds. German Maximillian Peters also added a three pointer from the corner. “We were sloppy on offense which led to easy baskets by them. We tried to play fast against their zone, but without success. We were lacking experience which led to turnovers”, stated Florian Dietrich.
Dusan Nikolic with the runner
In the third quarter the Skyliners Juniors were able to execute better, but couldn´t get any ground on Fellbach losing the quarter 22-17 and trailed 64-39. The Skyliners came out roaring and had a great start going on a 8-2 run to trail only 44-30 as suddenly there was some hope again for the young team. In the run, the Skyliners Juniors got 3 points from the universal genius Ivan Crnjac who stayed very cold on this night going 1/6 from the field, a trey from Edoka and another lay in from Cosic. However the Skyliners Juniors couldn´t take that momentum and build on it as Fellbach punched back with a 11-0 run to lead 55-30. Whittaker was a scoring machine with 7 points while Mayr added 4 points. Fellbach continued to attack the paint area and Whittaker´s athleticsm and quickness helped him carry to easy buckets. Frankfurt wasn´t lively enough at both ends allowing Fellbach to have easy execution. After another Edoka trey, Fellbach went on another run of 7-2 to lead 62-35. Mayr kept getting the ball inside and punishing the Skyliners Juniors with 5 points. Butler also added a turn around shot as 2 points was all he had on this night, but he dished out 4 assists, one prettier than the other. On this night Mayr really looked like a man among boys. “It wasn´t just easy today for Daniel, but in general the game comes easy to him. He is a very skilled big man that does a great job finding the weak side shooter, getting to the ft line and making shots”, warned Malik Whittaker. The Skyliners Juniors closed out the third quarter strong with a 4-2 run as Dusan Nikolic made a lay in and Omog a 15 footer at the buzzer. “We wanted to come out into the third with a good quarter. In the past, we haven´t had good starts. We put our foot on the gas”, commented Malik Whittaker. “Mayr dominated in the third quarter. It was difficult against him as he was 2 heads bigger than us. It was even more difficult when Butler was on the court at the same time. Both are so strong and smart and know how to find the open man”, explained Namori Omog. The SV Fellbach Flasher shot 66% from the field and 38% from the three point line and had 17 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniors shot 42% from the field and 29% from the three point line and had 18 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
Malik Whittaker with the runner
The Skyliners Juniors didn´t give up in the fourth quarter, but closed out their season with a explosive 29 points while keeping Fellbach to 18 points. Felix Hecker began strong scoring 5 points and Nikolic added a trey and Peters a lay in as Fellbach suddenly only led 69-47. Mayr continued to be active scoring 4 points, but Frankfurt stepped up their defensive intensity knowing as it would be 5.5 months before the start to the new season. Hecker continued to be motivated and found his rhythm dropping 2 more three´s as his high rainbow shot is always beautiful to observe as Fellbach led 76-57. Nikolic also added 5 points as the Skyliners Juniors had strung along a lethal 14-4 run to trail only 78-63. In the last minutes Moritz Schneider and Grubic made lay in´s while the Skyliners Juniors got a floater from Edoka and 3 points from Zentgraf to end the game. The Skyliners Juniors may have lost the game, but they conquered Fellbach´s zone in the last quarter and most Skyliners had smiles after the game. “We weren´t focused to finish the game. We have to work on that. We will face teams in the playoffs that will hurt us if we aren´t focused”, warned Malik Whittaker. “We never gave up. We wanted to end the season well and not go disappointed into the break. We put more pressure at both ends of the court and weren´t selfish”, warned Namori Omog. The SV Fellbach Flashers were led by Daniel Mayr with 27 points and Malik Whittaker added 22 points while the Skyliners Juniors were led by Felix Hecker with 14 points while Jamie Edoka added 12 points. The SV Fellbach Flashers shot 62% from the field and 36% from outside and had 25 rebounds and 12 turnovers while the Skyliners Juniros shot 47% from the field and 37% from outside and had 26 rebounds and 14 turnovers.
There was no live stats in second quarter, so stats in article from 3 quarters,
There was a time in Boston in the 80´s when the Celtics played, you were either at the game or watching it on TV with Celtics legend Bob Cousy doing the color commentary or listening on radio to the one and only Johnny Most with the raspy voice. They were winning titles with great players led by the big 3 with Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. The so called BIG 3 are not to be compared, but this past season in Frankfurt there were 3 guys that had the most touches on the court. They have been one of the big reasons for the NBBL U-19 team being successful again. However, the big 3 of the Celtics back in the 80´s wouldn´t have been successful without key players like Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson or Bill Walton. It was the same with the Frankfurt team as there were 2 very vital players, with Maximillian Peters and Julius Messer (200-SF-2007) who played in a specialist role. These 2 don´t carry the big load like the portrait big 3, but give key energy, scoring production and defensive intensity in every game. Messer is a very talented player that already has had some special moments on the court with the German youth national teams., “I have been lucky to have played 15 international cups. I have been with the U-15, U-16 and U-17 national teams. Unfortunately, I haven´t played any European or World cup games but played some memorable national team games. I remember playing against Turkey in Istanbul which was an intense and fast game. Another fond moment was playing against France. It is amazing to see how athletic these players already are for their ages. It was a new challenge to step up to, that I enjoyed”, stressed Julius Messer.
Julius Messer who lists French youth national player Nathan Holiman as his toughest opponent was born on April 8th, 2007 and grew up in Frankfurt Riedberg. Like many kids in Germany, he didn´t begin with basketball, but with soccer at the age of 3. But with time, he grew more and was too tall and his soccer coaches didn´t like that. “I wasn´t having fun with soccer so I tried basketball and liked it right away”, remembered Julius Messer. He began to play basketball at age 7 at Frankfurt Riedberg and had a tryout with the Skyliners at age 9. He then began to play with the Skyliners U-10 team. He was scoring 40-50 points a game by the time he played with the Skyliners U-12 team. In those days he was facing his current teammate Ivan Crnjac who back then played for Eintracht Frankfurt. He did have to fight with injuries and then Corona came. In this time, he was also visiting easyCredit BBL games of the Skyliners and already had basketball role models. “The first player that I was a fan of was Lebron James. I remember buying his #6 Miami Heat jersey. A few years later I began to enjoy watching players like Kevin Durant and Jaylen Brown. Going to games in Frankfurt, I really became a fan of Mike Morrison of the Skyliners, because he dunked the ball with authority and brought a lot of energy to the game”, Julius said with a smile in his face.
The athletic wing names Ivan Crnjac, Namori Omog, Chris Widmer, Noah Koch and Maximillian Peters as his closest teammates. Besides reaching the Top Four the year prior, the season2022-2023 with the Frankufrt Skyliners JBBL U-16 team was their biggest success so far. The team had a Cinderella season. The German sharp shooter remembers having a great semi-final game, but something then happened in the hotel that effected his game in the final. “The top 4 was tough for me. I remember hurting my finger in our last practice before the game. It was a very painful experience I had my hand taped and the pain severely effected my shooting. I had a good semi-final game by scoring 27 points. Back in the hotel Alba Berlin player Matthieu Gurijcic saw that my left hand was bruised and when the final game took place the next day, he was smart enough to not allow me to go right. “The atmosphere was amazing in the arena. The vibe was great. We had grown together so well during the season. It was too bad we couldn´t win the final. All in all it was a great experience”, remembered Julius Messer. A lot of those guys from the final from 2 years ago like Crnjac, Omog and Peters were still his teammates with the NBBL U-19 team. “We are like brothers. We also see each other at the national team meetings. We have grown close. A guy like Noah Koch who is in Vechta now has become a life long friend”, stated Julius Messer. Last season he got extra vital experience spending a year in the United States in North Carolina at Greensboro Day school which produced ex NBA and Real Madrid player Wayne Robinson. He was in the starting 5 of the team, that thought him to be a specialist in his role. To play for such a school brought a lot more pressure to perform at a high level. “I played for Coach Freddy Johnson who is the the 5th most winningest coach in the United States. It was brutal how disciplined you had to be to compete every day. I learned that you are judged by results. If you made one mistake, you would be subbed out right away. If the pass wasn´t perfect, you were out. Your self confidence was gone right away. I always thought that they didn´t play defense in USA, but they do and it´s very important”, stated Julius Messer. In this season 24/25 Ace Flagg, the brother of Cooper Flagg is on the team
This past season the young German who has Lebron, Jordan, Durant and Shaq on his NBA Mount Rushmore and Doncic, Giannis, Tony Parker and Jokic on his Euro Mount Rushmore was out for a long time not with an injury, but had a sickness called Mononucleosis. He couldn´t practice sports as it would be bad for his heart. He missed a month of school as he had no strength. He finally returned back in December and had some very strong games in the NBBL and Pro B. “I came back strong after my sickness. I worked very hard so I could fit in well with the team chemistry. I accepted not being in a key role right away”, said Julius Messer. In the NBBL, he averaged 9/4and in the Pro B 3/1. “My role this past season in the NBBL season was to attack closeouts, play defense and catch and shoot while in the Pro B to play good defense and take shots whenever I´m open”, stated Julius Messer. He was very fortunate to have 2 good coaches with Thore Bethke in the NBBL and Sepher Tarrah in the Pro B. “I have known Thore a long time since the U-14. I did a lot of individual training with him working on my shot. He has also helped me with attacking closeouts and decision making. Sepher has a lot of trust in me. I’ve to continue working hard to start gaining more minutes in the Pro B”, stressed Julius Messer. The NBBL recently lost to ratiopharm Ulm ending their season. “We played as a team. We worked hard in every practice and played hard in the games”, added Julius Messer.
The 2023 JBBL finalist who lists Dirk Nowitzki, Dennis Schroeder, Franz Wagner and Isaac Bonga on his personal Germany Mount Rushmore is a 200cm forward that wasn´t able to give me a comparison to another NBA or Euro player concerning his playing style. His teammates Ivan Crnjac and Namori Omog also couldn´t help me. I guess the best thing is just to watch him play and come up with your own comparison. “I´m a player that is athletic, can shoot and play defense”, said Julius Messer. Even if his shooting is his biggest strength, he does have other attributes. “I love to go coast to coast, am quick and love the drive”, stressed Julius Messer. It’s no surprise that he can rise way above the rim to dunk. He showed it last season at Greensboro and in game 1 against ratiopharm Ulm, he went coast to coast with the massive 2 hand jam. But he isn´t only a strong offensive player but also takes a lot of pride on the defensive end. “I´m an aggressive defender and even when I get beat, I never give up. I always keep fighting”, warned Julius Messer. Like his teammates Ivan Crnjac and Maximillian Peters, he also has the goal of becoming a pro player but knows what he needs to work on to make the next step. “I need to be more consistent with my shot and defense. I feel like sometimes I play too hard. I need to play smarter and at times I could go harder for the rebound”, warned Julius Messer. It will be interesting to see where his basketball journey will go in the next few years.
German Hoops 